AThe Age Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Tuesday, July 18, 1972 - Page 10
Fischer Poised to Make it 2-1 by Michael Woodhams of the Melbourne Chess Club
Challenger Bobby Fischer put himself back in to the world championship match with Boris Spassky by establishing a commanding position at the adjournment of the third game.
The game featured the first of the innovations prepared by the players and their aides.
Fischer took the initiative by employing the Benoni defense.
Then, Fischer's surprise move, 11. … N-R4, gave the American initiative on the King side leading to the fall of Spassky's King pawn and, at the adjournment, the promise of victory.
Here are the moves in the first session of play.
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nf3 c5
4. d5 exd5
5. cxd5 d6
The Modern Benoni—Black's strategy is to attack the White pawn centre with — P-K3 and —P-QN4 opening the game up for his pieces.
6. Nc3 g6
7. Nd2 Nbd7
8. e4 Bg7
9. Be2 O-O
10. O-O Re8
11. Qc2 Nh5!
A new move in this position — Black offers Spassky the chance of isolating his K-side pawns, but at the cost of conceding the Bishop pair.
12. Bxh5 gxh5
13. Nc4 Ne5
14. Ne3
In view of what follows, it might have been better to exchange Knights immediately.
14. … Qh4!
15. Bd2 Ng4
16. Nxg4 hxg4
17. Bf4 Qf6
18. g3?
Permanently reducing his King side to passivity. It is invariably a bad move to weaken the King field without the presence of the white squared bishop.
18. … Bd7
19. a4 b6
20. Rfe1 a6
21. Re2 b5
22. Rae1 Qg6
23. b3 Re7
24. Qd3 Rb8
25. axb5 axb5
26. b4 c4
27. Qd2 Rbe8
28. Re3 h5
Having laid siege to Spassky's King Pawn, Fischer builds up his position before capturing his quarry.
29. R3e2 Kh7
30. Re3 Kg8
31. R3e2 Bxc3
32. Qxc3 Rxe4
33. Rxe4 Rxe4
34. Rxe4 Qxe4
35. Bh6 Qg6
36. Bc1 Qb1
37. Kf1 Bf5
38. Ke2 Qe4+
39. Qe3 Qc2+
40. Qd2 Qb3
41. Qd4 play adjourned. A pawn down, and with mating threats against his King, Spassky could well resign after seeing Fischer's sealed 41st move.
For example, 41. … B-Q6ch should win quickly. If 42. K-K3 Q-Q8; 43. B-N2 Q-B6ch; 44. K-Q2 Q-K7ch leads to mate.
Or, 43. Q-B3 Q-B6ch. with a similar end.
And if 42. K-K1 QxNPch wins a second pawn, or 42. K-Q2 Q-B7ch wins the Bishop.
41. … Bd3+ 0-1
Fischer Poised to Make it 2-1 18 Jul 1972, Tue The Age (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) Newspapers.com
