When you fall into Fischer’s trap… ⎸Fischer vs Gligoric, 1966 Havana Olympiad

Robert James Fischer vs Svetozar Gligoric, Ruy Lopez, Exchange, Gligoric Variation C69
1966 Havana Chess Olympiad, Finals

Exchange Ruy Lopez theory: href=”https://youtu.be/W72Vw-DxvA0″ target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>https://youtu.be/W72Vw-DxvA0

This is an absolutely mindboggling miniature (only 25 moves!) played between Fischer and Gligoric at the Havana Olympiad. Fischer decided to go for the exchange variation (which he had played before, but his main weapon was Ba4) against a player who had the most important line of the opening named after him! They entered the Gligoric exchange Ruy Lopez (f6).

Gligoric castled queenside, Fischer kingside and it all looked normal. Svetozar missed an opportunity to gain an advantage with an aggressive pawn storm. Instead of that he developed. And then it began… Fischer started maneuvering his knight and queen around the castled king. It all looked safe. And then, all of a sudden, Gligoric was lost. Chaos on the board!

1. Soviet Union: Petrosian, Spassky, Tal, Stein, Korchnoi, Polugaevsky 39½
2. United States: Fischer, Byrne, Benko*, Evans, Addison, Rossolimo 34½
3. Hungary: Portisch, Szabó, Bilek, Lengyel, Forintos, Bárczay 33½
4. Yugoslavia: Gligorić, Ivkov, Parma, Matanović, Matulović, Čirić 33½
5. Argentina: Najdorf, Panno, Bolbochán, Sanguineti, García, Schweber
6. Czechoslovakia: Pachman, Hort, Filip, Kaválek, Jansa, Ujtelky* 29½
7. Bulgaria: Minev, Bobotsov, Tringov, Padevsky, Kolarov, Popov 28½
8. Romania: Gheorghiu, Ciocâltea, Ghițescu, Soós, Drimer, Stanciu 26½
9. East Germany: Uhlmann, Pietzsch, Fuchs, Malich, Zinn, Liebert 25½
10. Denmark: Larsen, Brinck-Claussen, Andersen, Enevoldsen, Holm, Pedersen 20
11. Iceland: Friðrik Ólafsson, Ingi Randver Jóhannsson, Guðmundur Pálmason,
Freysteinn Þorbergsson, Gunnar Gunnarsson, Guðmundur Sigurjónsson 19
12. Spain: Pomar, Medina García, Menvielle Lacourrelle, Calvo Mínguez,
Franco Raymundo, Pérez Gonsalves 18
13. Norway: Johannessen, Zwaig, Hoen, Kristiansen, De Lange, Wibe 14
14. Cuba: Jiménez Zerquera, Ortega, Cobo Arteaga, Rodríguez Gonzáles,
García Martínez, Santa Cruz 12

Game moves:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O f6 6. d4 Bg4
7. c3 exd4 8. cxd4 Qd7 9. h3 Be6 10. Nc3 O-O-O 11. Bf4 Ne7
12. Rc1 Ng6 13. Bg3 Bd6 14. Na4 Bxg3 15. fxg3 Kb8 16. Nc5 Qd6
17. Qa4 Ka7 18. Nxa6 Bxh3 19. e5 Nxe5 20. dxe5 fxe5 21. Nc5+
Kb8 22. gxh3 e4 23. Nxe4 Qe7 24. Rc3 b5 25. Qc2 1-0

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