Bobby Fischer’s immortal victory over Donald Byrne played in 1956. This game features the most brilliant combination of attacking moves in chess history.
Donald Byrne vs Robert James Fischer, Gruenfeld Defense, Three Knights Variation, Hungarian Attack (D92)
Third Rosenwald Trophy Tournament, 1956, New York
This game is called “The game of the Century” for a very good reason. It’s one of Bobby Fischer’s most famous chess games, and what he did in it, and the moves he played were unlike anything seen before or after. He played a chess masterpiece so beautiful and complex that his ideas were inconceivable for most people even after they were played, and no one had even considered the moves he played during the game. He faced Donald Byrne in a very strong tournament (later to become the US Championship). Byrne was a very strong IM at the time and a very formidable opponent for young Fischer, who was just thirteen at the time. He was amazingly strong but nowhere near his peak strength he achieved in the 60-es and 70-es.
They played a Gruenfeld by transposition, after Byrne declined a standard King’s Indian. The opening was equal and both players developed. Byrne made the first mistake. Right out of the opening he wasted a tempo moving his bishop for the second time to a square which was hardly an improvement. This gave Fischer a chance to play the most beautiful and one of the most famous chess moves of all time. He offered a knight sacrifice which, in all variation, whether it was accepted or not, lead to a completely winning position for him.
Donald Byrne declined the sacrifice and struggled to survive, but couldn’t survive Bobby’s onslaught. The game finished with a checkmating combination which seemed out of this world. To start it off, Fischer sacrificed his queen as well. Byrne obliged and took the queen …and the rest is history!
This game made Bobby Fischer famous worldwide in the chess circles, and it made all the strongest grandmasters take him seriously even though he was only thirteen. Soon after, in 1959., he already appeared in the world championship cycle, in the Interzonal tournaments, thus becoming one of the chess elite. The transition from a very talented kid to a potential world champion was surely given momentum with this brilliant victory, rightfully given the name “The Game of the Century”.
This is the second video in the series about Bobby Fischer in which I will be covering his progress from 1956. to 1972. and his match against Spassky. Please do not hesitate to recommend a game if you would like to see it analyzed!