Byrne vs Fischer, New York 1956

Annotated Classic Game | Hot Off The Chess, www.hotoffthechess.com

This week’s annotated game is a real gem. It was played between Bobby Fischer and Donald Byrne and if you have not yet seen it, you are in for a treat.

The game took place at the Rosenwald Trophy in New York, way back in 1956. At the time, Fischer was just 13-years-old (roughly half the age of his opponent); as Byrne would later remark about the game, not yet the Bobby Fischer that we all know. Actually, it would be another year or so before the youngster would take the chess world by storm and begin sealing his place in chess history … and, depending on opinion, infamy.

Donald Byrne plays White and causes himself all kinds of problems. His 11.Bg5 (for which there are not enough question marks) is a very poor move, not only moving a piece twice in the opening and neglecting his development, but also taking his eye completely off of his King. This allows Fischer to show one of his great chess skills — taking his opponents lapses to task. His 11…Na4! is straight to the point and begins a sequence of events which will see White facing all kinds of trouble.

A huge part of Byrne’s problems, is that his King is un-castled and immobile in the centre. It is like a red flag to a bull to one as aggressive as Bobby Fischer, as you will see.

From this game, it would be very easy for those to whom chess is an unknown or new curiosity, to conclude that the knight is in fact the most powerful piece on the board. With it, backed up by his light-squared bishop, Fischer creates absolute havoc.

Despite this win, Bobby Fischer would not have been happy with his overal performance, netting just 4.5/11 — a point behind Byrne. Samuel Reshevsky would win the event, with 9-points.

  [Event "Third Rosenwald Trophy"]  [Site "New York, NY USA"]  [Date "1956.10.17"]  [Round "8"]  [White "Donald Byrne"]  [Black "Robert James Fischer"]  [Result "0-1"]  [ECO "D92"]  [EventDate "1956.10.07"]{ Annotations by John Lee Shaw for www.hotoffthechess.com. } 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.d4 O-O 5.Bf4 d5 6.Qb3 dxc4 7.Qxc4 c6 8.e4 Nbd7 9.Rd1 Nb6 10.Qc5 Bg4 11.Bg5 { ? Not good. The sin of moving a piece twice in the opening. It would have been better to have continued development with Be2, preparing to castle. In light of what happens in this game, this is no small oversight. } 11...Na4 { ! Bobby Fischer had the uncanny ability of being razor sharp when it came to exploiting his opponent's weaknesses. The point here is not really the vulnerable placement of the Queen but more what comes next. Fischer is very much looking ahead and it is actually the Nc3 that is being targeted. It is worth noting that this move would not have been so powerful had White played 11.Be2 rather than Bg5, the explanation as to why is coming up shortly. } 12.Qa3 { Again, this is a case of the lesser of evils, White already has a bad position, but this is not immediately apparent. } ( 12.Nxa4 Nxe4 13.Qb4 { The best reply, but not good for White, which is good indication of how horrid the alternatives were. Black can now choose between ...a5 and ...Nxg5 for a very nice advantage. } ) 12...Nxc3 { ! The real point of ...Na4. Black removes the defender of the e4-square, with very potent intentions. } 13.bxc3 { To have taken with the Queen would have been suicide taking ...Nxe4 into account. Byrne must have misjudged this position, thinking that upon ...Nxe4 now, Bxe7 would be his saviour. However, this possibility is not enough and I doubt that Fischer batted an eyelid. } 13...Nxe4 { !! It seems foolish to play this at this stage, but Fischer has everything worked out. The crucial factor, here, is that White's King is in the centre still and his bishop must make way before he can castle. This is why White's 11.Bg5 was a very bad move, it handed this situation to Black on a plate. } 14.Bxe7 Qb6 { Qd5 was also strong, but Fischer preferred this move. I would not disagree with him, even if engines would. } ( 14...Qd5 15.Be2 Rfe8 16.O-O { and Black can choose between ...Nxc3 with ...Rxe2 coming next; or ...Qe6. Both would have White under excruciating pressure. } ) 15.Bc4 { White must get castled, but it is now too late and there is no time. } 15...Nxc3 { A further blow. Again, the issue here is time. This is all made possible by the predicament of the White King. } 16.Bc5 { Chess is very interesting sometimes. If one would just happen to see this position without knowing about it, all would probably appear fine for White. However, the next move from Black demonstrates that Bobby Fischer knows much better. } ( 16.Qxc3 Rae8 17.O-O Rxe7 { and though White has managed to castle, this has been at great cost. Black has a huge influence on the board and pressure coming along the e-file and also towards d4. For instance, ...Bxf3 is pending and White must choose between opening his King with gxf3 or recapturing with Qxf3 and allowing ...Bxd4. } ) 16...Rfe8+ { ! Confining White's King to the doldrums. And as if that was not bad enough, this has consequences for the Rh1, which is a spectator in the game for the foreseeable future. } 17.Kf1 Be6 { !! Incredible vision from Black! This offer of the Queen probably came as quite the shock to Byrne, but Bobby Fischer must have had this in his mind moves ago! It is the only continuation that gives Black any return on his play up to this point. Anything else would be perfectly fine for White. } 18.Bxb6 { This move leads to all kinds of repercussions and White is left pretty much dead in the water. However, other options were not much better and while White could possibly fight, it would ultimately be to no avail. 18.Bxe6 leads to an exquisite smothered mate after 18...Qb5+ and 18.Qxc3 Qxc5 leads to a seriously bad endgame for White. After Bxb6, Black must at least be spot on accurate. } ( 18.Bxe6 { Virtual resignation. } 18...Qb5+ { And Black will mate. } 19.Bc4 Qxc4+ 20.Kg1 Ne2+ 21.Kf1 Ng3+ 22.Kg1 Qf1+ 23.Rxf1 Ne2# ) ( 18.Qxc3 Qxc5 19.dxc5 Bxc3 20.Bxe6 Rxe6 { And it is all over bar the shouting, here, White will not hold this endgame. } ) 18...Bxc4+ { And here we see the possible consequences of not castling. Black's knight, bishop and rook have the White King on a string. } 19.Kg1 Ne2+ { The beginning of a combination that will net Fischer a whole heap of material. } 20.Kf1 Nxd4+ 21.Kg1 Ne2+ 22.Kf1 Nc3+ 23.Kg1 axb6 24.Qb4 Ra4 { ! I like this move a lot. I think moves like this illustrate the difference between the ordinary player and a player with a lot of class, which Fischer no doubt was. I think many of us would have grabbed d1, here, which is perfectly good. As was ...Ne2+ followed by b6-b5. However, Fischer doesn't want good, he wants the very best possible and with ...Ra4 he not only brings another piece into the fray, but he compels White's Queen to leave the area of action. } 25.Qxb6 Nxd1 26.h3 Rxa2 { And here we see the results of Black's play, with the White Queen being completely embarrassed by Black's quality minor pieces. } 27.Kh2 { Simply to develop the rook (briefly) } 27...Nxf2 28.Re1 Rxe1 29.Qd8+ { Obviously, the b7-pawn is inconsequential. White's sole objective is to survive, but in truth he is completely lost and could plausibly resign. } 29...Bf8 30.Nxe1 Bd5 31.Nf3 Ne4 32.Qb8 b5 { Black now has absolutely no weaknesses and I fail to see where White can constructively go from here. } 33.h4 h5 34.Ne5 Kg7 { Just crossing t's and dotting i's before the final push. } 35.Kg1 Bc5+ 36.Kf1 Ng3+ { Black sets up a mating net. } 37.Ke1 Bb4+ { ...Re2+ was another way. } ( 37...Re2+ 38.Kd1 Bb3+ 39.Kc1 Ba3+ 40.Kb1 Re1# ) 38.Kd1 Bb3+ { Beautifully coordinated pieces work together to drive the King to where it's wanted, which is c1, for Black to deliver mate with his rook on the c2-square. A superb game from Bobby Fischer, an absolute joy to play through! } 39.Kc1 Ne2+ 40.Kb1 Nc3+ 41.Kc1 Rc2# 0-1