Match of the half-century

They called it the Match of the Century. A full 50 years has passed since Bobby Fischer defeated Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, thereby becoming the 11th world champion. On 1 September 1972, Fischer won game 21 to win the match by 12.5-8.5. I enjoyed the perspective of a new book, The Match of All Time by Gudmundur G. Thorarinsson. (New in Chess, 2022, though first published in Iceland in 2020). Indeed, it is hard to imagine that the exceptional dramatic backdrop – an American against a Soviet in the midst of the Cold War – will ever be equalled.

In 1972, Thorarinsson was president of the Icelandic Chess Federation, and one of the key figures in the organisation of the match, which was so nearly derailed many times over. Famously, it might not have happened without Henry Kissinger’s phone call to Fischer (reportedly, ‘America wants you to go over there and beat the Russians’). Evidently, Thorarinsson was a shrewd and energetic character, though his perspective is all the more appealing for his retrospective modesty over various chance events. I was intrigued by his account of a meeting with a lady in a bar in London, whose advice on how to conciliate with the Soviets later helped prevent a collapse of negotiations during the match.

Fischer dominated the match, and some of the games (such as his handling of the Queen’s Gambit in game 6) are rightly regarded as masterpieces. But there were sloppy games on both sides. When game 11 was played, the last five decisive games had all been won by Fischer. Spassky came well prepared, and Fischer was wrong-footed in his favourite Najdorf Sicilian (5…a6). The ‘Poisoned Pawn’ variation (8…Qxb2) is one of its most treacherous tributaries.

Boris Spassky–Bobby Fischer

World Championship, Game 11, Reykjavik 1972

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Qb6 8 Qd2 Qxb2 9 Nb3 Qa3 10 Bxf6 gxf6 11 Be2 h5 12 O-O Nc6 13 Kh1 Bd7 14 Nb1 A curiously challenging retreat, as the Black queen is in danger of being trapped. Nigel Short would later try 14 Nd1 (intending Nd1-e3-c4, with similar menace) against Garry Kasparov in their 1993 world championship match in London. Qb4 14…Qa4 15 a3 is a tricky move to meet. White threatens 16 Nb1-c3, so Black should move the knight away from c6. But not 15…Qxe4? 16 Bd3 Qd5 17 Nc3, trapping the queen in mid-board. Or 14…Qb2 15 a4 raises the spectre of Na3 or Nc3 followed by Rf1-b1. 15 Qe3 (see diagram) Covering b6, so that 16 a3 Qa4 17 Nc3 is threatened. d5 A dubious decision, but I suspect that Fischer was already feeling uncomfortable, and became seduced by the chance for a pretty counterthreat which arises at move 18. 15…Ne7 looks clumsy, but 16 a3 Qa4 17 Nc3 Qc6 18 Na5 Qc7 is fine for Black. 16 exd5 Ne7 17 c4 Nf5 18 Qd3 h4 This must be what Fischer was angling for when he played 15…d5. Now 19 Nc3 Ng3+! 20 hxg3 hxg3+ 21 Kg1 Bc5+ 22 Nd4 e5 is catastrophic for White. But Spassky’s next move prepares to plug the h-file (Bg4-h3) and leaves Fischer in a dreadful mess. 19 Bg4 Nd6 20 N1d2 Spassky leads in development, controls the centre and has a much safer king. The rest is easy for him. f5 21 a3 Qb6 22 c5 Qb5 23 Qc3 fxg4 24 a4 The queen is trapped, in view of 24…Qe2 25 Rae1. Less good is 24 Qxh8 Nf5, since queenside castling and Bf8-g7, offers Black counterplay. h3 25 axb5 hxg2+ 26 Kxg2 Rh3 27 Qf6 Nf5 28 c6 Bc8 29 dxe6 fxe6 30 Rfe1 Be7 31 Rxe6 Black resigns