AThe Press Democrat Santa Rosa, California Sunday, February 09, 1964 - Page 41
America's Greatest
In the seventh round of the recent United States Chess Championship, Bobby Fischer, the 20-year-old Brooklynite who won the tournament with the extraordinary score of 11-0, came up with something new and refreshing in his game with William Addison of Los Angeles.
The Ruy Lopez, or Spanish, opening has been considered for centuries the strongest opening for White, for it puts a sort of stranglehold on Black who has to play with all the brains and skill at his command in order not to lose the game positionally. That is why masters seek to defend themselves against 1. P-K4; with 1…P-QB4 (The Sicilian); 1…P-Q3 (The Pirc); 1…P-K3 (The French); 1…P-QB3 (The Caro-Kann,) etc.
Attacking Possibilities
In this game, Fischer plays a line that is generally held in low esteem because it gives White too many attacking possibilities;
1. P-K4, P-K4; 2. N-KB3, N-QB3; 3. B-N5, P-QR3; 4.B-R4, P-QN4; 5. B-N3, N-QR4 !!??. Now White is supposed to continue with 6. BxPch, KxB; 7. NxPch, K-K2; 8. P-Q4, which is supposed to give White a solid attack for the material he has sacrificed. The line 5…N-QR4 would seem to achieve at least equality, after which might follow 6. NxP, NxB; 7.RPxN, Q-N4; 8.P-Q4, QxP; 9.Q-B3, QxQ; 10.NxQ.
As is well-known, there is nothing new under the sun, but Bobby Fischer is bringing back old lines of play which have long gathered dust in the chess scrap heap. He has spruced them up with the sure Fischer touch and has given us something to marvel at!
