On January 3, 1964 history was made in the hotel. Before a small group of spectators Bobby Fischer won an adjourned game against Dr. Anthony Saidy and for the first time in the history of the U.S. Championship made a perfect score.
His third round game was the most interesting...and brilliant. He was paired against Robert Byrne, a player who he had never beaten. In fact, prior to this game nobody had managed to beat Byrne for more than two years.
This game has been annotated by a number of players...Byrne and Fischer, Robert Wade, Kennerh Kirby of South Africa and John Nunn, for example. This time it’s annotated at 20 seconds a move by Reckless and Stockfish. Fischer’s play was assigned a phenomenal Accuracy Rating of 92%. Byrne’s was less spectacular: 33%,
That Byrne’s score comes off so low is a bit surprising because during the game two Grandmasters were commenting on the game the game for the spectators in a separate room and were explaining that Byrnewas winning and were shocked when informed that he had resigned!
[Event "1963/64 US Champ, New York"]
[Site ""]
[Date "1963.12.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Robert Byrne"]
[Black "Bobby Fischer"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E60"]
[Annotator "Various Engines & Humans"]
[PlyCount "42"]
[EventDate "1963.??.??"]
{D71: Neo-Gruenfeld} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 {This line in which white delays
delaying the development of the Knight to c3 (Nc3 if the Neo-Gruenfeld amd is
aimed at countering black's pressure on the center.} c6 4. Bg2 d5 5. cxd5 {
White usually plays 5.Nf3, but Fischer thought 5.Qb3 maintains more tension.
Statistically there is not much difference betwnn 5.cxd5 and 5.Qb3 as about
half the games with either move are drawn.} cxd5 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. e3 O-O {This
position is equal and white usually plays 8.Nf3} 8. Nge2 Nc6 9. O-O b6 10. b3 {
All of these moves have been played many times before, bit Byrne's move
appears to be a new one. In any case, neither side can claim any advenatage.}
Ba6 11. Ba3 {South African Master Kenneth Kirby considered the position after
this move as being slightly superior and completely safe. He them added, “To
turn this into a mating position in eleven more moves is more witchcraft than
chess! Quite honestly, I do not see the man who can stop Bobby at this time.”
} Re8 12. Qd2 {Reckless considers the position equal, but Stockfish prefers b;
ack by half a Pawn. Ot suggests that 12.Re1 would have been equal.} e5 {
Fischer was a bit worried about weakening his d-(awn, but felt that the
tremendous activity obtained by his minor pieces would permit white no time to
exploit it. He added that 12...e6 would probably lead to a draw. An
instructive comment that reveals Fischer's great insight. Engines now give
black a slight (6/10ths of a P) advantage.} 13. dxe5 Nxe5 {[%mdl 32] The
beginning of an amazing journey.} 14. Rfd1 {Fischer pointed out that this is
another case of the wrong Rool. John Nunn explains, "Byrne’s desire to break
the pin on the e2-knight, but this turns out to be less important than other
considerations. Fischer spends a lot of time and energy analyzing the superior
14.Rad1!, but still comes to the conclusion that black can keep the advantage."
} (14. Rad1 {This is, indeed, the best move. Here is Stockfish's continuation
after about 10 minutes.} Qc8 15. Nxd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 Rd8 17. f4 Rxd5 18. Qxd5
Bb7 19. Qd2 Qc6 20. Qd5 Qxd5 21. Rxd5 Bxd5 22. fxe5 Bxe5 23. Rd1 Be4 24. Rd7 {
The position is very nearly equal.}) 14... Nd3 {Strictly speaking this os not
a winning move, but it sets up an amazing finale.} 15. Qc2 {[%mdl 8192]
Fischer wrote, "There is hardly any other defense to the threat of ...Ne4."
That's not so, but even after the better 15.Nf4 black still has the better
position.} (15. Nf4 {This is far better than Byrne's move, but white's game is
still precarious.} Ne4 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Rab1 Rc8 18. Bxe4 {The losing move.} (
18. Bb4 Nxf4 19. gxf4 Qxd2 20. Rxd2 Bd3 {Black has the advantage.}) 18... Nxf4
19. Qxd8 Ne2+ 20. Kg2 Rcxd8 {0-1 (20) Isajevsky,A (2403)-Zierk,S (2488) chess.
com INT 2022}) 15... Nxf2 {The key to black’s previous play and it
demonstrates why his 14th move was the wrong R. Fischer stated, :The
justification for this sacrifice does not become apparent until white
resigns!" Of course, engines see the move instantly.} 16. Kxf2 {Turning down
the N offer was no better.} (16. Rdc1 Rc8 17. Qd2 Nd3 18. Rc2 Ng4 19. Nxd5 Rxc2
20. Qxc2 Nxe3 21. Nxe3 Bxa1 {B;ack is winning.}) (16. Rd4 N2g4 17. Qd2 Nxe3 18.
Re1 Nxg2 19. Kxg2 Rc8 {Black is up a couple of Ps.}) 16... Ng4+ 17. Kg1 Nxe3
18. Qd2 {Here even Byrne thought he was winning. He explained, "As I sat
pondering why Fischer would choose such a line, because it was so obviously
lost for black, there suddenly comes.."} Nxg2 {"This dazzling move came as the
shocker...the culminating combination is of such depth that, even at the very
moment at which I resigned, both Grandmasters who were commenting on the play
for the spectators in a separate room believed I had a won game!" - Robert
Byrne} 19. Kxg2 d4 $1 {[%mdl 512]} 20. Nxd4 {Fischer is still not done with
nrilliant moves.} Bb7+ {As Fischer put it, "The King is at black’s mercy.}
21. Kf1 {Robert Wade told that in a separate room the two Grandmasters were
explaining to the spectators that Byrne had a won game and were shocked to get
Byrne's response to Fischer's next move.} Qd7 {White resigned. Fischer wrote,
"A bitter disappointment. I’d hoped for 22.Qf2 Qh3+ 23.Kg1 Re1+!! 24.Rxe1
Bxd4 with mate to follow shortly. Let's give Byrne credit for seeing the
finish when others dodn't. Also, let's take a look at it.} (21... Qd7 22. Qf2
Qh3+ 23. Kg1 Re1+ 24. Rxe1 Bxd4 {Black is clearly winning.}) (21... Qd7 {
Here is Stockfish's line...} 22. Kg1 Qh3 23. Nf5 (23. Ndb5 Bh6 24. Qc2 Be3+)
23... Qxf5 24. Qf2 Qxf2+ 25. Kxf2 Bxc3 {Here, tpp, black is winning, but
Fischer's line is prettier!}) 0-1
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