Bobby Fischer’s first major international success came in 1962., at the Stockholm Interzonal. He finished in clear first with 17.5/22, and qualified for the Curaçao candidates, a tournament which was to determine the challenger to Mikhail Botvinnik for the World Championship title.
Robert James Fischer vs Viktor Korchnoi, Ruy Lopez, Closed, Bogoljubow Variation (C91)
Stockholm Interzonal (1962), Round 19
Viktor Korchnoi was at the peak of his strength when this game was played. He had just won his second USSR championship (he would win two more; in ‘64/65 and ’70). All in all, he also had a great performance at the Interzonal, and he too qualified for the Candidates. He finished fourth with 14/22. This game was played in round 19, a point at which it was already almost certain that Bobby Fischer would win the tournament.
Here are the final standings of the 1962 Stockholm Interzonal just to give you an idea of how strong the field was:
Robert James Fischer 17.5/22
Efim Geller 15/22
Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian 15/22
Viktor Korchnoi 14/22
Miroslav Filip 14/22
Svetozar Gligoric 13.5/22
Pal Benko 13.5/22
Leonid Stein 13.5/22
Wolfgang Uhlmann 12.5/22
Lajos Portisch 12.5/22
Arturo Pomar Salamanca 12/22
Fridrik Olafsson 12/22
Julio Bolbochan 11.5/22
Gedeon Barcza 11/22
Istvan Bilek 11/22
Arthur Bisguier 9.5/22
Daniel Abraham Yanofsky 7.5/22
Mario Bertok 7.5/22
Eugenio Maciel German 7/22
Samuel Schweber 7/22
Rudolf Teschner 6.5/22
Miguel Cuellar Gacharna 5.5/22
Manuel Aaron 4/22
Fischer opened with e4, of course. Kochnoi replied with e5 and they entered the closed Ruy Lopez. One move before reaching the standard position Fischer decided to deviate, and entered a very aggressive and uncommon position for white, the Bogoljubow variation of the Closed Ruy Lopez (Spanish Game). He outplayed Viktor, and, even though he gave him a chance to equalize two times, he managed to complicate matters so much than Korchnoi failed to use the opportunity and soon resigned.
Game moves:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5
7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. d4 Bg4 10. Be3 exd4 11. cxd4 Na5
12. Bc2 Nc4 13. Bc1 c5 14. b3 Na5 15. d5 Nd7 16. Nbd2 Bf6
17. Rb1 c4 18. h3 Bxf3 19. Nxf3 cxb3 20. axb3 Qc7 21. Be3 Bc3
22. Re2 b4 23. Nd4 Rfe8 24. Nf5 Nb7 25. Bd4 g6 26. Nh6+ Kf8
27. Rc1 Rac8 28. Bd3 Qa5 29. Rec2 Ne5 30. Bf1 Nc5 31. Bxc3
bxc3 32. Rxc3 Kg7 33. Ng4 Nxg4 34. Qxg4 Rb8 35. Rf3 Nxe4
36. Qf4 f5 37. Re3 Re5 38. Rc6 Rbe8 39. Rxd6 Qa1 40. Rxa6 Qd4
41. Rd3 Qb2 42. d6 g5 43. Qe3 f4 44. Qa7+ 1-0