Fischer's Most Sensational Victory??

When we hear about sensational victories by Bobby Fischer we almost
always hear about his victories over the Byrne Brothers or about his
victories over Boris Spassky. However, Fischer had another victory
which was at the time regarded as even more sensational. That was his
game in 1958 when Fischer was only 14 where he won Reshevsky's queen
in just 12 moves.

The reason this game is hardly remembered today and is not included in
Fischer's 60 Memorable Games or in most collections of best games by
Fischer is because it was reported at the time that Reshevsky had
simply fallen into a published and known opening trap which Fischer
had read about in a Russian Chess Magazine. This opening trap had been
published in an article by Grandmaster Shamkovich, or so it was said.
Therefore, it was believed that Fischer had won the game simply
because he was better read and more up to date on opening theory than
Reshevsky was.

Years later, I searched for the article by Shamkovich which Fischer
had supposedly read. I was not able to find any such article.

In 1975, Shamkovich became the first Soviet dissident who was allowed
to immigrate to America. Some time after that, I attended a lecture
being given by Grandmaster Shamkovich. When the time came to ask the
grandmaster some questions, nobody had any. I have been taught that it
is a great insult to a lecturer if nobody in the audience has any
questions, so I raised my hand to ask one.

My question to Grandmaster Shamkovich was: "You will recall the game
in 1958 when Fischer won Reshevsky's queen in 12 moves. This was based
on analysis by you which was published in a Soviet Chess Magazine. Can
you tell us the name of the magazine?"

Grandmaster Shamkovich seemed to be a bit befuddled by my question and
admitted that he could not remember the game. So, I got up and showed
on the demonstration board the game up to the point where Fischer won
Reshevsky's queen.

At that point, grandmaster said that of course he knew the game but he
had never published this analysis in any Soviet chess magazine or
anywhere else for that matter.

I later asked openings authority Bernard Zuckerman about this and he
too was not familiar with any chess publication which had published
the analysis prior to that game.

Here is my question: Do you know of any chess publication which
published this analysis prior to the game? Or, it is possible that
Fischer himself first found this brilliant sacrifice of a bishop which
won Reshevsky's queen?

Sam Sloan

Here is the game up to the point where Fischer won Reshevsky's queen:

[Event "US Championship"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1958.??.??"]
[White "Fischer,Robert J "]
[Black "Reshevsky,Samuel "]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B34"]
[Round "6"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Bc4
O-O 8. Bb3 Na5 9. e5 Ne8 10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Ne6 dxe6 12. Qxd8 {and
White won in 42 moves} 1-0

After Fischer's sensational sacrifice on move 10, Reshevsky had three
legal replies, Kxf7, Rxf7 and Kh8. However, each of them is answered
by 11. Ne6 winning the queen. If Reshevsky had played 11. ... Kxe6,
Fischer would have played 12. Qd5+ followed by checkmate.

Fischer was only 14 years old at the time and Reshevsky, still not
believing, continued the game until move 42, in spite of the loss of a
queen..

Sam Sloan

Subject: Fischer's Most Sensational Victory??

On 13 June 2004 (Sam Sloan) wrote in
Message-id:

Fischer's Most Sensational Victory??

When we hear about sensational victories by Bobby Fischer we almost
always hear about his victories over the Byrne Brothers or about his
victories over Boris Spassky. However, Fischer had another victory
which was at the time regarded as even more sensational. That was his
game in 1958 when Fischer was only 14 where he won Reshevsky's queen
in just 12 moves.

[Fischer was 15 years old when this game was played...GM]

The reason this game is hardly remembered today and is not included in
Fischer's 60 Memorable Games or in most collections of best games by
Fischer is because it was reported at the time that Reshevsky had
simply fallen into a published and known opening trap which Fischer
had read about in a Russian Chess Magazine. This opening trap had been
published in an article by Grandmaster Shamkovich, or so it was said.
Therefore, it was believed that Fischer had won the game simply
because he was better read and more up to date on opening theory than
Reshevsky was.

Years later, I searched for the article by Shamkovich which Fischer
had supposedly read. I was not able to find any such article.

In 1975, Shamkovich became the first Soviet dissident who was allowed
to immigrate to America. Some time after that, I attended a lecture
being given by Grandmaster Shamkovich. When the time came to ask the
grandmaster some questions, nobody had any. I have been taught that it
is a great insult to a lecturer if nobody in the audience has any
questions, so I raised my hand to ask one.

My question to Grandmaster Shamkovich was: "You will recall the game
in 1958 when Fischer won Reshevsky's queen in 12 moves. This was based
on analysis by you which was published in a Soviet Chess Magazine. Can
you tell us the name of the magazine?"

Grandmaster Shamkovich seemed to be a bit befuddled by my question and
admitted that he could not remember the game. So, I got up and showed
on the demonstration board the game up to the point where Fischer won
Reshevsky's queen.

At that point, grandmaster said that of course he knew the game but he
had never published this analysis in any Soviet chess magazine or
anywhere else for that matter.

I later asked openings authority Bernard Zuckerman about this and he
too was not familiar with any chess publication which had published
the analysis prior to that game.

Here is my question: Do you know of any chess publication which
published this analysis prior to the game? Or, it is possible that
Fischer himself first found this brilliant sacrifice of a bishop which
won Reshevsky's queen?

Sam Sloan

Here is the game up to the point where Fischer won Reshevsky's queen:

[Event "US Championship"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1958.??.??"]
[White "Fischer,Robert J "]
[Black "Reshevsky,Samuel "]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B34"]
[Round "6"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Bc4
O-O 8. Bb3 Na5 9. e5 Ne8 10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Ne6 dxe6 12. Qxd8 {and
White won in 42 moves} 1-0

After Fischer's sensational sacrifice on move 10, Reshevsky had three
legal replies, Kxf7, Rxf7 and Kh8. However, each of them is answered
by 11. Ne6 winning the queen. If Reshevsky had played 11. ... Kxe6,
Fischer would have played 12. Qd5+ followed by checkmate.

Fischer was only 14 [sic] years old at the time and Reshevsky, still not
believing, continued the game until move 42, in spite of the loss of a
queen..

Sam Sloan



It is surprising that Shamkovich would not remember that there had been
published analysis of this position in a Soviet journal, since he was on the
black (i.e. losing) side of this same position in a game he played against
Georgy Bastrikov in Sochi in 1958. Shamkovich made the same mistakes as
Reshevsky, 7...0-0? and 8...Na5??
The Bastrikov-Shamkovich game reached the same position, but started out
differently:

1. e4 c5 2. Ne2 Nc6 3. Nbc3 g6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bc4 0-0?
[Correct was 7...Qa5!] 8. Bb3 Na5?? 9. e5 Ne8 10. Bxf7+! (1-0)

The Fischer-Reshevsky game, played in Round 6 of the U.S. Championship, was
fought later later - December 1958 in New York City.

George Mirijanian

(Sam Sloan) wrote in message ...
Fischer's Most Sensational Victory??

When we hear about sensational victories by Bobby Fischer we almost
always hear about his victories over the Byrne Brothers or about his
victories over Boris Spassky. However, Fischer had another victory
which was at the time regarded as even more sensational. That was his
game in 1958 when Fischer was only 14 where he won Reshevsky's queen
in just 12 moves.

The reason this game is hardly remembered today and is not included in
Fischer's 60 Memorable Games or in most collections of best games by
Fischer is because it was reported at the time that Reshevsky had
simply fallen into a published and known opening trap which Fischer
had read about in a Russian Chess Magazine. This opening trap had been
published in an article by Grandmaster Shamkovich, or so it was said.
Therefore, it was believed that Fischer had won the game simply
because he was better read and more up to date on opening theory than
Reshevsky was.

Years later, I searched for the article by Shamkovich which Fischer
had supposedly read. I was not able to find any such article.

In 1975, Shamkovich became the first Soviet dissident who was allowed
to immigrate to America. Some time after that, I attended a lecture
being given by Grandmaster Shamkovich. When the time came to ask the
grandmaster some questions, nobody had any. I have been taught that it
is a great insult to a lecturer if nobody in the audience has any
questions, so I raised my hand to ask one.

My question to Grandmaster Shamkovich was: "You will recall the game
in 1958 when Fischer won Reshevsky's queen in 12 moves. This was based
on analysis by you which was published in a Soviet Chess Magazine. Can
you tell us the name of the magazine?"

Grandmaster Shamkovich seemed to be a bit befuddled by my question and
admitted that he could not remember the game. So, I got up and showed
on the demonstration board the game up to the point where Fischer won
Reshevsky's queen.

At that point, grandmaster said that of course he knew the game but he
had never published this analysis in any Soviet chess magazine or
anywhere else for that matter.

I later asked openings authority Bernard Zuckerman about this and he
too was not familiar with any chess publication which had published
the analysis prior to that game.

Here is my question: Do you know of any chess publication which
published this analysis prior to the game? Or, it is possible that
Fischer himself first found this brilliant sacrifice of a bishop which
won Reshevsky's queen?

Sam Sloan

Here is the game up to the point where Fischer won Reshevsky's queen:

[Event "US Championship"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1958.??.??"]
[White "Fischer,Robert J "]
[Black "Reshevsky,Samuel "]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B34"]
[Round "6"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Bc4
O-O 8. Bb3 Na5 9. e5 Ne8 10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Ne6 dxe6 12. Qxd8 {and
White won in 42 moves} 1-0

After Fischer's sensational sacrifice on move 10, Reshevsky had three
legal replies, Kxf7, Rxf7 and Kh8. However, each of them is answered
by 11. Ne6 winning the queen. If Reshevsky had played 11. ... Kxe6,
Fischer would have played 12. Qd5+ followed by checkmate.

Fischer was only 14 years old at the time and Reshevsky, still not
believing, continued the game until move 42, in spite of the loss of a
queen..

Sam Sloan

This analysis was published by R. G. Wade in November issue of BCM
1958, page 301. He wrote "11.Ne6!! was found by me several years ago
when i had played ...Na5 for black and had the dubious satisfaction of
showing Bhend what he missed",(Bhend-Wade ,Mont Pelerin sur Vevey,
Clare Benedict Cup 1955).

Pierre

(Sam Sloan) wrote in message ...
Fischer's Most Sensational Victory??

When we hear about sensational victories by Bobby Fischer we almost
always hear about his victories over the Byrne Brothers or about his
victories over Boris Spassky. However, Fischer had another victory
which was at the time regarded as even more sensational. That was his
game in 1958 when Fischer was only 14 where he won Reshevsky's queen
in just 12 moves.

The reason this game is hardly remembered today and is not included in
Fischer's 60 Memorable Games or in most collections of best games by
Fischer is because it was reported at the time that Reshevsky had
simply fallen into a published and known opening trap which Fischer
had read about in a Russian Chess Magazine. This opening trap had been
published in an article by Grandmaster Shamkovich, or so it was said.
Therefore, it was believed that Fischer had won the game simply
because he was better read and more up to date on opening theory than
Reshevsky was.

Years later, I searched for the article by Shamkovich which Fischer
had supposedly read. I was not able to find any such article.

In 1975, Shamkovich became the first Soviet dissident who was allowed
to immigrate to America. Some time after that, I attended a lecture
being given by Grandmaster Shamkovich. When the time came to ask the
grandmaster some questions, nobody had any. I have been taught that it
is a great insult to a lecturer if nobody in the audience has any
questions, so I raised my hand to ask one.

My question to Grandmaster Shamkovich was: "You will recall the game
in 1958 when Fischer won Reshevsky's queen in 12 moves. This was based
on analysis by you which was published in a Soviet Chess Magazine. Can
you tell us the name of the magazine?"

Grandmaster Shamkovich seemed to be a bit befuddled by my question and
admitted that he could not remember the game. So, I got up and showed
on the demonstration board the game up to the point where Fischer won
Reshevsky's queen.

At that point, grandmaster said that of course he knew the game but he
had never published this analysis in any Soviet chess magazine or
anywhere else for that matter.

I later asked openings authority Bernard Zuckerman about this and he
too was not familiar with any chess publication which had published
the analysis prior to that game.

Here is my question: Do you know of any chess publication which
published this analysis prior to the game? Or, it is possible that
Fischer himself first found this brilliant sacrifice of a bishop which
won Reshevsky's queen?

Sam Sloan

Here is the game up to the point where Fischer won Reshevsky's queen:

[Event "US Championship"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1958.??.??"]
[White "Fischer,Robert J "]
[Black "Reshevsky,Samuel "]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B34"]
[Round "6"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Bc4
O-O 8. Bb3 Na5 9. e5 Ne8 10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Ne6 dxe6 12. Qxd8 {and
White won in 42 moves} 1-0

After Fischer's sensational sacrifice on move 10, Reshevsky had three
legal replies, Kxf7, Rxf7 and Kh8. However, each of them is answered
by 11. Ne6 winning the queen. If Reshevsky had played 11. ... Kxe6,
Fischer would have played 12. Qd5+ followed by checkmate.

Fischer was only 14 years old at the time and Reshevsky, still not
believing, continued the game until move 42, in spite of the loss of a
queen..

Sam Sloan

"Opening theory was always Reshevsky's Achilles' Heel, and here he
falls into a trap which had been pointed out in the Russian magazine
Shakhmatny Bulletin some time before. Unfortunately for Reshevsky, the
young Fischer was an avid student of Russian chess literature." --
Steve Giddins, 101 Chess Opening Traps

"1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bg7
7. Bc4 O-O [7...Qa5!] 8. Bb3 Na5? [A well-known mistake - a Russian
chess magazine had recently given the following moves, known to
Fischer, but not to Reshevsky!] 9. e5! Ne8? [9...Nb3 10.exf6 +-]
10. Bxf7+! Kxf7 11. Ne6 dxe6 12. Qxd8" --Lou Hays, Bobby Fischer
Complete Games of the American World Champion

The game is on page 59 in The Games of Robert J. Fischer by Wade and
O'Connell.
It was from the 1958/59 US Championship . Fischer didn't lose a game
and won the championship. Sammy lost only one game and finished
second. As I've said before, I'm sure Fischer drove Sammy crazy.


(Liam Too) wrote in message . com...
(Sam Sloan) wrote in message ...
Fischer's Most Sensational Victory??

When we hear about sensational victories by Bobby Fischer we almost
always hear about his victories over the Byrne Brothers or about his
victories over Boris Spassky. However, Fischer had another victory
which was at the time regarded as even more sensational. That was his
game in 1958 when Fischer was only 14 where he won Reshevsky's queen
in just 12 moves.

The reason this game is hardly remembered today and is not included in
Fischer's 60 Memorable Games or in most collections of best games by
Fischer is because it was reported at the time that Reshevsky had
simply fallen into a published and known opening trap which Fischer
had read about in a Russian Chess Magazine. This opening trap had been
published in an article by Grandmaster Shamkovich, or so it was said.
Therefore, it was believed that Fischer had won the game simply
because he was better read and more up to date on opening theory than
Reshevsky was.

Years later, I searched for the article by Shamkovich which Fischer
had supposedly read. I was not able to find any such article.

In 1975, Shamkovich became the first Soviet dissident who was allowed
to immigrate to America. Some time after that, I attended a lecture
being given by Grandmaster Shamkovich. When the time came to ask the
grandmaster some questions, nobody had any. I have been taught that it
is a great insult to a lecturer if nobody in the audience has any
questions, so I raised my hand to ask one.

My question to Grandmaster Shamkovich was: "You will recall the game
in 1958 when Fischer won Reshevsky's queen in 12 moves. This was based
on analysis by you which was published in a Soviet Chess Magazine. Can
you tell us the name of the magazine?"

Grandmaster Shamkovich seemed to be a bit befuddled by my question and
admitted that he could not remember the game. So, I got up and showed
on the demonstration board the game up to the point where Fischer won
Reshevsky's queen.

At that point, grandmaster said that of course he knew the game but he
had never published this analysis in any Soviet chess magazine or
anywhere else for that matter.

I later asked openings authority Bernard Zuckerman about this and he
too was not familiar with any chess publication which had published
the analysis prior to that game.

Here is my question: Do you know of any chess publication which
published this analysis prior to the game? Or, it is possible that
Fischer himself first found this brilliant sacrifice of a bishop which
won Reshevsky's queen?

Sam Sloan

Here is the game up to the point where Fischer won Reshevsky's queen:

[Event "US Championship"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1958.??.??"]
[White "Fischer,Robert J "]
[Black "Reshevsky,Samuel "]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B34"]
[Round "6"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bg7 7. Bc4
O-O 8. Bb3 Na5 9. e5 Ne8 10. Bxf7+ Kxf7 11. Ne6 dxe6 12. Qxd8 {and
White won in 42 moves} 1-0

After Fischer's sensational sacrifice on move 10, Reshevsky had three
legal replies, Kxf7, Rxf7 and Kh8. However, each of them is answered
by 11. Ne6 winning the queen. If Reshevsky had played 11. ... Kxe6,
Fischer would have played 12. Qd5+ followed by checkmate.

Fischer was only 14 years old at the time and Reshevsky, still not
believing, continued the game until move 42, in spite of the loss of a
queen..

Sam Sloan

"Opening theory was always Reshevsky's Achilles' Heel, and here he
falls into a trap which had been pointed out in the Russian magazine
Shakhmatny Bulletin some time before. Unfortunately for Reshevsky, the
young Fischer was an avid student of Russian chess literature." --
Steve Giddins, 101 Chess Opening Traps

"1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. Be3 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bg7
7. Bc4 O-O [7...Qa5!] 8. Bb3 Na5? [A well-known mistake - a Russian
chess magazine had recently given the following moves, known to
Fischer, but not to Reshevsky!] 9. e5! Ne8? [9...Nb3 10.exf6 +-]
10. Bxf7+! Kxf7 11. Ne6 dxe6 12. Qxd8" --Lou Hays, Bobby Fischer
Complete Games of the American World Champion

"Sam Sloan" wrote in message
...
Fischer's Most Sensational Victory??

When we hear about sensational victories by Bobby Fischer we almost
always hear about his victories over the Byrne Brothers or about his
victories over Boris Spassky. However, Fischer had another victory
which was at the time regarded as even more sensational. That was his
game in 1958 when Fischer was only 14 where he won Reshevsky's queen
in just 12 moves.

The reason this game is hardly remembered today and is not included in
Fischer's 60 Memorable Games or in most collections of best games by
Fischer is because it was reported at the time that Reshevsky had
simply fallen into a published and known opening trap which Fischer
had read about in a Russian Chess Magazine. This opening trap had been
published in an article by Grandmaster Shamkovich, or so it was said.
Therefore, it was believed that Fischer had won the game simply
because he was better read and more up to date on opening theory than
Reshevsky was.

Years later, I searched for the article by Shamkovich which Fischer
had supposedly read. I was not able to find any such article.

In 1975, Shamkovich became the first Soviet dissident who was allowed
to immigrate to America. Some time after that, I attended a lecture
being given by Grandmaster Shamkovich. When the time came to ask the
grandmaster some questions, nobody had any. I have been taught that it
is a great insult to a lecturer if nobody in the audience has any
questions, so I raised my hand to ask one.
snip

Sam,
In the revised edition of "Profile of a Prodigy" Frank Brady wrote that when
Reshevsky played the losing 8 . . . Na5, "the whispers in the tournament
room at the Manhattan Chess Club grew to a barely suppressed uproar. The
move had been analyzed just a few weeks earlier in Shakhmatny Byulletin and
many of the stronger players in the club were thoroughly familiar with it."

Perhaps the report is just wrong, something that has been embellished
through the years -- Brady did not include this bit of color in the 1st
edition of "Profile," but I hardly think Fischer would fail to have included
a true brilliancy in MSMG just because of a general belief that the move
came from published analysis. He strikes me as always having been a
stickler for accuracy in such matters, taking credit only when due, and
graciously giving credit to others for their contributions.

Bob

No, it wasn't included because it was in his first book. Why do you
think he didn't include the Don Byrne Game of the Century?

==Dondo

On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 22:36:45 GMT, "Bob Musicant"
wrote:
Perhaps the report is just wrong, something that has been embellished
through the years -- Brady did not include this bit of color in the 1st
edition of "Profile," but I hardly think Fischer would fail to have included
a true brilliancy in MSMG just because of a general belief that the move
came from published analysis. He strikes me as always having been a
stickler for accuracy in such matters, taking credit only when due, and
graciously giving credit to others for their contributions.

Bob

"Don C. Aldrich" wrote in message
...
No, it wasn't included because it was in his first book. Why do you
think he didn't include the Don Byrne Game of the Century?

I have his first book ("Bobby Fischer's Games of Chess") in front of me, and
the game in question, Fischer-Reshevsky US Ch 1958-59, is not in there.
The game we are talking about was played in December, 1958. The
Introduction to this book is entitled "My Chess Career, May 1955-May 1958."
This book clearly went to press before the game was played.

You are right, though, that the Game of the Century was not in MSMG because
it was in the first book.

Bob



==Dondo

On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 22:36:45 GMT, "Bob Musicant"
wrote:
Perhaps the report is just wrong, something that has been embellished
through the years -- Brady did not include this bit of color in the 1st
edition of "Profile," but I hardly think Fischer would fail to have
included
a true brilliancy in MSMG just because of a general belief that the move
came from published analysis. He strikes me as always having been a
stickler for accuracy in such matters, taking credit only when due, and
graciously giving credit to others for their contributions.

Bob

I think his most sensational victory was the 3rd round game
of the 1972 world championship match against Spassky.

It came after a 1st round loss and a 2nd round forfeit!

It was his first ever win against Spassky and showed he
could play at that level.

After he got his feet wet with that win he went on to smash
Spassky in the first half of that match.