Robert Eugene Byrne vs Robert James Fischer, King’s Indian Defense, Fianchetto Variation, Immediate Fianchetto (E60)
US Championship (1963/64), Round 3, New York
This is one of Bobby Fischer’s most famous games. It was played against Robert Byrne, one of two Byrne brothers whom Fischer had beaten in perhaps two of his most famous games. It was played in Fischer’s most memorable US Championship too. He won in clear first with 11 wins! Not a single draw! After that Championship a special “Fischer prize” got introduced that would go to anyone who manages to win all 11 games (no one managed so far).
Robert James Fischer 11/11
Larry Melvyn Evans 7.5/11
Pal Benko 7/11
Samuel Reshevsky 6.5/11
Anthony Saidy 6.5/11
Robert Eugene Byrne 5.5/11
Raymond Allen Weinstein 5/11
Arthur Bisguier 4.5/11
William G Addison 3.5/11
Edmar J Mednis 3.5/11
Robert Henry Steinmeyer 3/11
Donald Byrne 2.5/11
They played a strange King’s Indian Defense which was completely symmetrical in the middlegame (Fischer wrote that himself too). What happened from move 10 and complete equality until move 21 at which Byrne resigned is magic. Fischer managed to create a combination which no one could grasp. The commentators announced that he was losing! A series of moves which was unseen in chess history in beauty and complexity. Needless to say that Robert Byrne was powerless and resigned short after.