The Age Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Thursday, July 20, 1972 - Page 12
Fischer Recovers to Force a Draw by Michael Woodhams of the Melbourne Chess Club
American challenger, Bobby Fischer, yesterday recovered from an almost hopeless position to force a draw in the fourth game of the World Chess Championship series.
The score is now 2½ games to 1½ in favor of the Russian champion, Boris Spassky.
Spassky employed the aggressive Sicilian Defense and showed a willingness to play an attacking game. A marked contrast to his passive play in the first and third game.
The champion surprised Fischer was a new opening move, 13. … P-QR4, which sacrificed a pawn but gave him two bishops, open lines on Fischer's king and an attack which endured for 20 moves.
The challenger defended skillfully, seeking to exchange Spassky's aggressive pieces.
He succeeded at the cost of his extra pawn. And, finally, both players were left with insufficient pieces to force a win.
However, just before the exchange of the queens, Spassky missed the chance of a win. With a faulty 29th move he left Fischer escape from a weak position.
With a slight transposition of moves, Spassky could have maintained his attack.
Yesterday's moves:
1. e4 c5
2. Nf3 d6
3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6
5. Nc3 Nc6
6. Bc4 e6
7. Bb3 Be7
8. Be3 O-O
9. O-O a6
10. f4 Nxd4
11. Bxd4 b5
12. a3 Bb7
13. Qd3 a5
Spassky goes on the attack, threatening P-N5 which would drive the white knight from the defense of the KP, and holds B-QR3 in reserve.
14. e5 dxe5
15. fxe5 Nd7
16. Nxb5 Nc5
17. Bxc5
This time Fischer concedes Spassky the bishop pair. The space they control, and the threats they generate, are well worth the sacrificed pawn.
17. … Bxc5+
18. Kh1 Qg5
19. Qe2 Rad8
Meeting the double threat of mate and the attack on his KP.
20. Rad1 Rxd1
21. Rxd1 h5
22. Nd6 Ba8
23. Bc4 h4
24. h3 Be3
25. Qg4 Qxe5
26. Qxh4 g5
Another fine move, intending K-N2 and R-KR1 bringing his rook into the attack.
27. Qg4 Bc5
28. Nb5 Kg7
29. Nd4 Rh8
This allows Fischer to blunt the attack by exchanging pieces.
30. Nf3 Bxf3
31. Qxf3 Bd6
32. Qc3 Qxc3
33. bxc3 Be5
34. Rd7 Kf6
35. Kg1 Bxc3
36. Be2 Be5
37. Kf1 Rc8
38. Bh5
With mate threatened, Spassky is forced to remove the rooks and, with opposite colored bishops, a draw is the only result.
38. … Rc7
39. Rxc7 Bxc7
40. a4 Ke7
41. Ke2 f5
42. Kd3 Be5
43. c4 Kd6
44. Bf7 Bg3
45. c5+ Draw agreed.
Fischer Recovers to Force a Draw 20 Jul 1972, Thu The Age (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) Newspapers.com
