Bobby Fischer vs Samuel Reshevsky, Sicilian Defense, Old Sicilian (B32), by transposition from the Accelerated Dragon
This one of Bobby’s most famous piece sacrifices. It was played in a game against his arch-enemy Samuel Reshevsky, the best US played until Fischer was born. Reshevsky was born in Poland, and he was a chess child prodigy at a very early age. He held simultaneous exhibitions at the age of 7, and he became well known as one of the strongest players in what was then the Russian Empire. His parents soon decided to capitalize on his talent and moved to US where he would be much easily recognized.
Reshevsky soon became one of the best US players and he won his first US Championship at the age of 20, in 1931. He will go on to win several more (in ’36,’38, ’41, ’42, ’46 and ’69 – when Bobby didn’t feel like winning them anymore). His reign ended when Bobby Fischer turned 13. He was then the best young player, which Reshevsky was best known for. Bobby was now the prodigy and the great hope of American chess. In the 57-58 championship Fischer won a clear point ahead of Reshevsky. This marked a beginning of one of the biggest chess rivalries in history. Truth be told, they were both considered obnoxious, arrogant and self-centered by most people, and when two such personalities clashed, all hell broke loose. Bobby was, of course, on the winning side, because he started improving rapidly, and soon overgrew Reshevsky and their petty quarrels. He even stopped playing the US championship which allowed Sammy to win his last one in ’69.
This game was played in rd. 6 of the 1958-59 US Championship, a year after Bobby won his first one. Reshevsky played the Sicilian Defense, a fighting opening. Bobby Fischer played his usual attacking setup with the bishop on c4-b3, and Reshevsky blundered on move 9. He allowed a winning tactic which Fischer calculated to perfection and got a winning position. He won Reshevsky’s queen for two pieces. Reshevsky fought on, though, but in the end he resigned. This must have been a crushing blow to him psychologically, and it was the game that finally marked the beginning of the chess era in which Bobby was the undisputed king of chess. He won the championship (once again a point ahead of Reshevsky, who came in 2nd).
Here are the final standings:
Robert James Fischer 8.5/11
Samuel Reshevsky 7.5/11
James T Sherwin 6.5/11
Donald Byrne 6/11
William James Lombardy 6/11
Arthur Bisguier 6/11
Larry Melvyn Evans 6/11
Pal Benko 5.5/11
Robert Eugene Byrne 4/11
Charles I Kalme 4/11
Edmar J Mednis 3/11
Raymond Allen Weinstein 3/11
Game moves:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Nf6 6. Nc3
Bg7 7. Bc4 O-O 8. Bb3 Na5 9. e5 Ne8 10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Ne6
dxe6 12. Qxd8 Nc6 13. Qd2 Bxe5 14. O-O Nd6 15. Bf4 Nc4 16. Qe2
Bxf4 17. Qxc4 Kg7 18. Ne4 Bc7 19. Nc5 Rf6 20. c3 e5 21. Rad1
Nd8 22. Nd7 Rc6 23. Qh4 Re6 24. Nc5 Rf6 25. Ne4 Rf4 26. Qxe7+
Rf7 27. Qa3 Nc6 28. Nd6 Bxd6 29. Rxd6 Bf5 30. b4 Rff8 31. b5
Nd8 32. Rd5 Nf7 33. Rc5 a6 34. b6 Be4 35. Re1 Bc6 36. Rxc6
bxc6 37. b7 Rab8 38. Qxa6 Nd8 39. Rb1 Rf7 40. h3 Rfxb7
41. Rxb7+ Rxb7 42. Qa8 1-0