1.Nf3
Nf6
2.c4
e6
3.d4
d5
4.e3
Nc6?!
A clumsy way to reach the Ragozin variation. White usually forces black to move the knight to c6 after 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bb4 by giving a queen check 5.Qa4+. Pachman saved the move and gained a tempo.
5.Nc3
Bb4
6.Bd2!
[The well-known opening theoretician, works with a little trick, avoiding the strict Ragozin variation 6.Bd3
0-0
7.a3
dxc4
8.Bxc4
Bd6
. For the time being, he keeps his light bishop home.]
6...0-0
7.a3!
[Pachman: "After 7.Qc2
dxc4
8.Bxc4
Bd6
we would reach the position from my game with Lilienthal, Moscow-Prague 1946. It continued: 9.Bb5
e5
10.Bxc6
exd4
11.Nxd4
bxc6
12.Na4
c5
13.Nxc5
Bxc5
14.Qxc5
Re8
15.Ba5
Ba6
16.0-0-0
Ne4
17.Qc2
Qg5
18.Bc3
c5
19.Nb3
Rab8
20.h4
Qe7
21.f3
Nxc3
22.Qxc3
Rb4
23.Kb1
Reb8
24.Qxc5
Qxc5
25.Nxc5
Rxb2+
26.Ka1
Bc4
27.Rd8+
Rxd8
28.Kxb2
Rd5
29.Nb3
Bxb3
30.axb3
Rd2+
31.Kc3
Rxg2
32.Ra1
h6
33.Rxa7
Rg3
34.b4
Rxf3
35.b5
Rxe3+
36.Kd4
Rb3
37.Kc5
g5
38.Ra4
Kf8
39.hxg5
hxg5
40.Re4
f5
41.Re5
Kf7
42.Rxf5+
draw. Fischer surprised me after the game with his deep knowledge of the game. He knew where Lilienthal could have played better."]
7...Bxc3
8.Bxc3
Ne4
9.Qc2
a5
10.b3
b6
[Pachman: "After 10...Nxc3
11.Qxc3
white's bishop is more active. Strategically, black struggles in such positions and Fischer tries to put pressure with his pieces on the light squares."]
11.Bb2
Ba6
12.Bd3
f5
Kmoch: "Black is playing a reformed Stonewall of great originality. The absence of his important dark bishop does not cause the usual harm since his light bishop is unusually well placed."
13.Rc1
Rc8
14.0-0
Rf6
Protecting the knight indirectly.
15.Rfd1
Rh6
16.Bf1!
[16.cxd5
Bxd3
17.Rxd3
exd5
is premature, but now 17.cxd5 is a threat.]
16...g5?!
Kmoch:" With this advance, the attack attains its sacrificial stage."
17.cxd5!
"It seems obvious, but it cost me 40 minutes," Pachman said. " I was not sure about the complications, but decided not to avoid them."
17...g4?
"This move took my breath away," Pachman said. "Is it possible to sacrifice that much? Fischer spent more than an hour before convincing himself that 17...Bxf1 18.dxc6 Bxg2 does not work." [Let's check it out: 17...Bxf1
18.dxc6
Pachman's intention. Other moves don't seem to get the job done. (18.Rxf1
exd5
gives black the edge. - Kmoch; 18.Qxc6
"! Kmoch" leaves black without any satisfactory defense against the threat 19.dxe6 and 20.e7, for example: 18...Bxg2!
Shattering the king's cover with a bishop sacrifice is the only way to continue the attack. (For example: 18...Be2
19.Re1!
Bxf3
20.gxf3
Nd2
21.dxe6
Qe8
22.Qxe8+
Rxe8
23.Kg2+-
; or 18...Ba6
19.dxe6
Qf6
20.Ne5+-
) 19.Ne1
Kmoch believed that by attacking the bishop, white gains a decisive tempo for 20.dxe6. Other moves gain nothing. (19.Kxg2
g4
20.Rg1
gxf3+
21.Kxf3+
Kf7
22.dxe6+
Rxe6
23.Qb7
Qh4!
24.Rxc7+
Rxc7
25.Qxc7+
Re7
26.Qc4+
Re6
27.Qc7+
with repetition.; 19.dxe6?
Bxf3
20.e7
Rxc6-+
) 19...Nxf2!
An astonishing, computer-like move, hanging two pieces at the same time. It escaped Kmoch's attention. Black is fine: 20.Kxg2
(20.Nxg2
Nxd1
21.Rxd1
Qxd5-/+
; 20.Kxf2?
Bxd5
21.Qc3
Rxh2+
22.Kf1
Qd6
with a decisive attack.) 20...Nxd1
21.Rxd1
Qxd5+=
; 18.Kxf1
exd5
19.Ne5
Nxe5
20.dxe5
g4!
(20...Rxh2?
21.Qc6!
) with a counterplay, leading to a facinating draw after 21.f3
gxf3
22.gxf3
Rg6!
23.fxe4
Qg5
24.exd5
Qg1+
25.Ke2
Qg2+
26.Ke1
Qh1+
27.Kd2
Qg2+
28.Kc3
Rc6+!!
29.dxc6
Qxc6+
and the white king can't escape a perpetual check.) 18...g4!
Narrowing white's choices. (It is stronger than 18...Bxg2
19.Kxg2
g4
because white can play 20.Ng1!?
) 19.Ne5
(After 19.Kxf1
gxf3
20.gxf3
Rxh2!
21.fxe4
Qh4
black's attack is decisive, for example 22.d5
(22.e5
f4
23.exf4
Rf8!
and white is doomed.) 22...Qg4
23.Ke1
Qg1+
24.Kd2
Rxf2+
25.Kd3
fxe4+
26.Kc3
Qg7+-+
) 19...Bxg2!
20.Kxg2
Qh4
21.Kf1!
(The defense 21.Rh1
is self-mating after 21...Qh3+
22.Kg1
Ng5
23.f4
gxf3
threatening to win with 24...Ne4; and after 24.Rf1
Qg4+!!
25.Kf2
(25.Nxg4
Nh3#
) 25...Qh4+
26.Kg1
Nh3#
) 21...Qxh2
22.Ke2
Pachman gave his move two exclamation points, suggesting that his brilliant king's run beats the attack. But he miscalculated. After 22... 22...Qxf2+!
(White is fine after 22...Nxf2?
23.Rf1
g3
24.Nf3+/=
) 23.Kd3
Rh2!
and white is in dire straits, for example 24.Bc3
(24.Qxf2
Nxf2+
25.Kc3
Ne4+
26.Kc4
Rxb2-+
) 24...Qg3
25.Rd2
Nxd2
26.Bxd2
Qg2
27.Kc3
h5
and the kingside pawns are marching in.]
18.Bxa6
gxf3
19.gxf3
[19.Bxc8?
allowed a mating attack: 19...Qg5
20.g3
Rxh2!
21.Bxe6+
Kg7
22.Kxh2
Qh5+
23.Kg1
Qh3
24.Qxc6
Qg2#
]
19...Qg5+
20.Kf1!?
[Pachman: "I was influenced by the previous variation where the king ran to the center. In fact I should have played 20.Kh1
Qh5
21.Rg1+
Kh8
22.Rg2
Ng5
and although it looks dangerous for white, he has a winning continuation (22...Rg8
23.Rxg8+
Kxg8
24.Rg1+
Kf8
25.Rg2+-
) 23.dxe6!
Nxf3
24.d5+
Nce5
25.Bxe5+
Nxe5
26.Qc3
wins. Now it gets realy complicated.]
20...Rxh2
21.fxe4
[Kmoch:"As natural as it looks to eliminate this menancing knight, this move ought to lose. Correct is 21.Bxc8!
Kmoch continues: 21...Qh5
(21...Qg2+
22.Ke2+-
; 21...Rxf2+
22.Qxf2
Nxf2
23.Bxe6+
Kf8
24.Kxf2
Qh4+
25.Ke2
Qh2+
26.Kd3
Qxb2
27.dxc6+-
) 22.Bxe6+
(22.Ke1?
Qxf3-+
; 22.dxc6??
Qxf3-+
) 22...Kf8
23.Ke2!
Rxf2+
24.Kd3
Rxc2
(24...Qxf3
25.dxc6
Rxc2
26.Kxc2
Nf2
27.Bc4+-
) and now 25.Kxc2!
(25.Rxc2?!
Kmoch 25...Qxf3!
26.Re1
Ne7
is fine for black.) 25...Qxf3
26.dxc6
Nf2
27.Bc4
Nxd1
28.Rxd1
with good winning chances for white. Pachman doesn't even analyze 21.Bxc8.]
21...Rf8!
("I simply overlooked this beautiful move," Pachman admits.)
22.e5?
[Pachman wants to keep the f-file closed because he thought that after 22.Ke2
Rxf2+
23.Kxf2
fxe4+
black wins. But the combination is not correct: after 24.Ke2
Qg4+
25.Kd2
Rf2+
26.Kc3
Rxc2+
27.Kxc2
white has a huge material advantage and wins.; But after 22.Ke2
black can scramble with 22...Qg4+
23.Ke1
fxe4
24.Be2
Qg6
25.Bf1
Ne7
with roughly equal chances.; Still, white has a simple defense and instead of 22.Ke2, he can play 22.Rd2!?
for example 22...fxe4
(22...Qg2+
23.Ke1
Rh1+
24.Ke2
fxe4
25.Rxh1
Rxf2+
26.Ke1
Rxd2
27.Qxd2
Qxh1+
28.Bf1+-
) 23.Qxe4
exd5
24.Qxd5+
Qxd5
25.Bc4
Ne7
26.e4
with good winning chances.]
22...f4
(Pachman: "Fischer offered a draw with this move and I have refused, mainly because I had one hour more on the clock. Still, the game was so complicated that I was not sure I could win it." But Bobby was right. With his last move, he leveled the playing field.)
23.e4?
Playing for a win could have backfired. [Pachman should have run with his king: 23.Ke2
Rxf2+!
24.Kxf2
fxe3+
25.Ke2
Rf2+
26.Kd3
Nb4+!
27.axb4
Qf5+
28.Kc3
Rxc2+
29.Rxc2
axb4+
30.Kxb4
Qxc2
31.Rg1+
Kf8
with roughly equal chances.]
23...f3
24.Ke1
Qg1+?
[The game reaches a critical point and Bobby blunders.
Kmoch:" This unfortunate never-miss-a-check loses, enabling the white king to escape via d2." In a conversation with Kmoch, Fischer hinted on two winning variations; the third was found by computers.
A. Pachman: "My sigh of relief could have been noticed in the whole tournament hall. After I refused the draw I worried about 24...Rf4
--threatening 25...Rg4 and 26...Rg1+--- 25.Bf1
Qg1
and what can black do about 26...Qxf1+! or 26...Rxe4+! I planned to ignore it with 26.dxc6
but here Pachman didn't noticed 26...Rxf2!
(He only gave two variations: 26...Rxe4+
27.Kd2
Rxf2+
28.Kc3
Rxc2+
29.Kxc2=
; 26...Qxf1+
27.Kd2
Rxf2+
28.Ke3!+-
) 27.Qxf2
Rxe4+
28.Kd2
Qxf2+
29.Kc3
with black's advantage. The white king is not yet safe and black has two dangerous passed pawns on the kingside. As a matter of fact, Fischer told Kmoch that it was winnable. ; B. The second winning way pointed out by Fischer to Kmoch was 24...Ne7
with the idea 25.d6
(25.dxe6
c6
26.Bf1
(26.d5
b5-+
; 26.Qd3
Rh1+
) 26...Qg1
27.Kd2
Rxf2+
28.Kd3
Rxc2
29.Kxc2
Qg6-+
; 25.Qb1
exd5
26.Ba1
Rh1+!
27.Bf1
Rxf1+
28.Kxf1
Rf4
29.Rc3
(29.Qd3
Qh6
30.Ke1
Rxe4+-+
) 29...Qh6
30.Ke1
Rxe4+-+
) 25...Ng6
26.dxc7
Nh4
27.c8Q
Rh1+
28.Bf1
Ng2#
Kmoch; C. But even stronger than 24...Rf4 or 24...Ne7 is the cold-blooded 24...exd5!
Destroying white's pawn center and giving more space to the knight. 25.exd5
(25.Qb1
b5!
26.Bxb5
Rb8!
27.Qd3
(27.Rc3
Qg1+
28.Kd2
Qxf2+
29.Kc1
Nxd4-+
; 27.Bf1
Rxb3-+
; 27.a4
Rxb5-+
) 27...Rh1+
28.Qf1
Rxf1+
29.Bxf1
Rxb3-+
lk-4/7/08; 25.Qxc6
Qg1+
26.Kd2
Qxf2+
27.Kc3
Qxb2+
28.Kd3
f2!-+
) 25...Ne7
26.Bc4
and black has two winning choices: A. 26...b5!
the best (B. 26...Nf5!
27.d6+
(27.Bf1
Ne3!
28.Qe4
Ng2+
29.Bxg2
fxg2
30.Ke2
Rxf2+!
31.Kd3
b5!!
Closing the mating net. 32.Kc3
(32.Qe3
Qg6+
33.Kc3
g1Q
34.Rxg1
Rc2+
35.Rxc2
Rxc2#
) 32...Rh3+-+
) 27...Kh8
28.e6
(28.Bf1
Ne3!
) 28...Ne3!-+
) 27.d6+
(27.Bxb5
Qg1+
28.Bf1
Qxf1+
29.Kd2
Qe2+
30.Kc3
Nxd5#
) 27...bxc4
28.Qxc4+
Nd5!!
29.Qxd5+
(29.Qf1
Ne3!
) 29...Kh8
30.Qc4
Rh1+
31.Qf1
Rxf1+
32.Kxf1
Rg8
33.Ke1
Qh6
34.Rxc7
Rg1#
]
25.Kd2!
[But not 25.Bf1??
Qxf1+!
26.Kxf1
Rh1#
]
25...Qxf2+
[25...Rxf2+
26.Kd3
Qg2
27.Qxc6+-
]
26.Kc3
Qg3
27.Qd3
exd5
28.Rg1
Rg2
29.Rxg2
Qxg2
30.Qf1
dxe4
31.Qxg2+
fxg2
32.Rg1
Rf2
33.Bc4+
Kf8
34.Bd5
Rf3+
35.Kc4
b5+
36.Kc5
Ne7
37.Rxg2
Nxd5
38.Kxd5
Rxb3
39.Kxe4
b4
40.axb4
axb4
1-0