ODT080226

=**Fischer's greatest legacy**=
 * Problem:** White to play and mate in 5.

Robert James (Bobby) Fischer, the United States' greatest chessplayer, died on 17 January of kidney failure at the curiously apt age of 64. His last two years were spent in relative quietude in his adopted home of Rejkavik, Iceland. This was also the scene of his greatest triumph, his breaking the then Soviet domination of the world chess championship by beating Boris Spassky in 1972.

The rise of Fischer's star to that moment, as well as the vicissitudes he brought upon himself ever since, have been covered sufficiently elsewhere. His greatest contribution to the game of chess is and always will be the games he played. They are still more widely studied than those of any other player.

Today's game is an illustration both of the reason for Fischer's success and his lasting popularity with students of chess. Playing with the white pieces in the Sousse Interzonal tournament in 1967, Fischer employs characteristically simple and direct methods to outplay a weaker qualifier, Lhamsuren Myagmarsuren of Mongolia. media type="custom" key="26633750" White's opening, the King's Indian Attack, is not the sharpest, but affords attacking possibilities based on a cramping pawn wedge on e5 and the retention of pieces. White's kingside action takes time, so Black can't be allowed to create holes on the queenside after say 13 Ne3 a3 14 b3 when c3 is weak. The knight is going nowhere and was better left on c6. White now calmly maneouvres his pieces to the king's wing. Threatening 20 Nxe6! fxe6 21 Bxe6+ Kh8 22 Bxa5 Qxa5 23 Bxd5 winning two pawns. So Black exchanges the knight. An accurately calculated blow: 23 ...gxf6 24 exf6 Kh8 25 Nf3 Nd5 26 Qh6 Rg8 27 Ne5 Qc7 (or Qe8 28 Bg2 Ra7 29 Be4) 28 Bg2 Rae8 29 Be4 and Nxf6 returning the piece is forced, leaving White much better. Sacrificing the queenside pawns to build a mating net. Or 28 ... dxc2 29 hxg6 c1=Q+ 30 Rxc1Rxc1+ 31 Kh2 fxg6 32 Rxh7! forcing mate – e.g. 32 ... Bb7 (else 33 Qh6 mating) 33 Bxe6+! Qxe6 34 Qxg6+ Kf8 35 Rh8+ Qg8 36 Rxg8#. Missing Fischer's beautiful final combination. However 29 ... Qf8 loses to 30 Be4 dxc2 31 hxg6 fxg6 32 Bxg6! hxg6 33 Rh8+ Kf7 34 Rh7+ Ke8 35 Rxa7. Black resigns since 31 ... Kxh7 32 hxg6+ Kxg6 33 Be4 is mate.
 * 1. e4 e6**
 * 2. d3 d5**
 * 3. Nd2 Nf6**
 * 4. g3 c5**
 * 5. Bg2 Nc6**
 * 6. Ngf3 Be7**
 * 7. O-O O-O**
 * 8. e5 Nd7**
 * 9. Re1 b5**
 * 10. Nf1 b4**
 * 11. h4 a5**
 * 12. Bf4 a4**
 * 13. a3 ---**
 * 13. --- bxa3?!**
 * 14. bxa3 Na5?**
 * 15. Ne3 Ba6**
 * 16. Bh3 d4**
 * 17. Nf1 Nb6**
 * 18. Ng5 Nd5**
 * 19. Bd2 ---**
 * 19. --- Bxg5**
 * 20. Bxg5 Qd7**
 * 21. Qh5 Rfc8**
 * 22. Nd2 Nc3**
 * 23. Bf6!! ---**
 * 23. --- Qe8**
 * 24. Ne4 g6**
 * 25. Qg5 Nxe4**
 * 26. Rxe4 c4**
 * 27. h5! ---**
 * 27 . --- cxd3**
 * 28. Rh4 Ra7**
 * 29. Bg2! dxc2**
 * 30. Qh6 Qf8**
 * 31. Qxh7+!!**


 * 1-0**


 * Solution:** 1 Qxh6+!! Kxh6 2 Rh2+ Bh3 3 Rxh3+ Kg6 4 Bh5+ Kh6 (or h7) 5 Bxf7#.