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Partie du siècle
La partie du siècle, ainsi nommée par certains journalistes américains, est une célèbre partie d’échecs jouée par Donald Byrne et Bobby Fischer, en 1956. Curieusement, cette partie n’apparaît pas dans Mes 60 meilleures parties, publié par Fischer dans les années 1960. Fischer ne termina d’ailleurs « que » 8e sur 12 dans ce tournoi, remporté par Samuel Reshevsky.
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Histoire
Fischer est âgé de treize ans et fait déjà sensation, car il est le champion des États-Unis junior. Il est aussi doté d’un esprit combatif peu commun et possède une mémoire extraordinaire.
L’adversaire qui lui fait face est Donald Byrne, l’un des plus forts joueurs d’échecs aux États-Unis. Ce dernier n’a pas à se sentir menacé par Fischer, car il a du métier. En effet, un tournoi d’échecs ne se résume pas à appliquer un savoir livresque. Il faut jouer avec des joueurs aux tempéraments différents, souvent dans de grandes salles bruyantes. Il faut considérer sa propre fatigue, qu’elle soit physique ou nerveuse. Certains comportements qui seraient acceptés avec indulgence la plupart du temps ne le sont plus lorsqu’une personne est soumise à une tension importante.
Bobby Fischer à 13 ans
C’est dans ces conditions que cette partie démarre, laquelle fera le tour du monde échiquéen.
Partie
Donald Byrne – Bobby Fischer
New York, octobre 1956 (Rosenwald Memorial), 8e ronde
Défense Grünfeld
1. Cf3 Cf6 2. c4 g6 3. Cc3 Fg7 4. d4 0-0 5. Ff4 d5 6. Db3?! dxc4 7.Dxc4 c6 8. e4 Cbd7 9. Td1 Cb6 10. Dc5? Fg4 11. Fg5?
Ce coup est le prélude à une magnifique combinaison du jeune Fischer. Si Byrne avait su ce qui se préparait, il aurait continué par Fe2 et 0-0.
11. … Ca4!! 12. Da3
Si 12. Cxa4, alors 12. … Cxe4 13. Dc1 Da5+ 14. Cc3 Fxf3, suivi de Cxg5. Il y a gain d’un pion et avantage de position pour les noirs.
12. … Cxc3 13. bxc3 Cxe4! 14. Fxe7 Db6 15. Fc4 Cxc3! 16. Fc5
Les blancs veulent gagner un temps, tout en mettant en sécurité leur fou.
16. … Tfe8+ 17. Rf1
Cette position cache un joli sacrifice de dame positionnel, c’est-à-dire que les noirs peuvent échanger leur dame contre trois figures légères. Après toutes les prises, leur position est meilleure que celle de leur adversaire.
17. … Fe6!! 18. Fxb6
Si 18. Fxe6, alors 18. … Db5+! 19. Rg1 Ce2+ 20. Rf1 Cg3+ 21. Rg1 Df1+! suivi d’un mat étouffé. Si 18. Dxc3, Dxc5.
18. … Fxc4+ 19. Rg1 Ce2+ 20. Rf1 Cxd4+ 21. Rg1
Si 21. Td3, alors 21. … axb6 22. Dc3 Cxf3!, qui menace, entre autres, un mat sur e1 !
21. … Ce2+ 22. Rf1 Cc3+ 23. Rg1 axb6 24. Db4 Ta4! 25 Dxb6 Cxd1
À ce moment, les blancs auraient dû abandonner la partie. Leur retard en termes de développement est trop important. En effet, leur dame ne peut assurer la protection de son monarque à elle seule, et leur tour est coincée sur la rangée de départ.
Cependant, Byrne demande à voir la technique de Fischer. Il est vrai qu’il n’est pas donné à beaucoup de joueurs de pouvoir mener à terme une partie où il faut affronter la dame de l’adversaire, même avec trois pièces légères en compensation. Fischer ne demande pas mieux que de montrer sa science.
26. h3 Txa2 27. Rh2 Cxf2 28. Te1 Txe1 29. Dd8+ Ff8 30. Cxe1 Fd5
La dame blanche, parquée sur la huitième rangée, est incapable d’intervenir pour sauver son roi, pris dans un réseau de mat.
31. Cf3 Ce4 32. Db8 b5 33. h4 h5 34. Ce5 Rg7 35. Rg1 Fc5+ 36. Rf1 Cg3+ 37. Re1 Fb4+ 38. Rd1 Fb3+ 39. Rc1 Ce2+ 40. Rb1 Cc3+ 41. Rc1 Tc2 mat.
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The Game of the Century
The Game of the Century usually refers to a chess game played between Donald Byrne and the 13-year old Bobby Fischer in the Rosenwald Memorial Tournament in New York City on October 17, 1956. It was nicknamed « The Game of the Century » by Hans Kmoch in Chess Review. Kmoch wrote, « The following game, a stunning masterpiece of combination play performed by a boy of 13 against a formidable opponent, matches the finest on record in the history of chess prodigies. »
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Background
Donald Byrne (1930–1976) was one of the leading American chess masters at the time of this game. He had won the 1953 U.S. Open Championship, and would later represent the United States in the 1962, 1964, and 1968 Olympiads. He became an International Master in 1962, and would likely have risen further if not for ill health. Robert « Bobby » Fischer (1943–2008) was at this time a promising young master. Following this game, he had a meteoric rise, winning the 1957 U.S. Open on tiebreaks, winning the 1957-58 U.S. (Closed) Championship (and all seven later championships he played in), qualifying for the Candidates Tournament and becoming the world’s youngest grandmaster at age 15 in 1958. He won the world championship in 1972, and is considered one of the greatest chessplayers in history.
In this game, Fischer (playing Black) demonstrates noteworthy innovation and improvisation. Byrne (playing White), after a standard opening, makes a seemingly minor mistake on move 11, losing tempo by moving the same piece twice. Fischer pounces, with brilliant sacrificial play, culminating in an incredible queen sacrifice on move 17. Byrne captures the queen, but Fischer gets far too much material for it – a rook, two bishops, and a pawn. At the end, Fischer’s pieces coordinate to force checkmate, while Byrne’s queen sits, helpless, at the other end of the board.
Graham Burgess, John Nunn, and John Emms suggest three lessons to be learned from this game, which can be summarized as follows:
- In general, don’t waste time by moving the same piece twice in an opening; get your other pieces developed first;
- Material sacrifices are likely to be effective if your opponent’s king is still in the middle and a central file is open;
The game
1. Nf3
A noncommittal move by Byrne. From here, the game can develop into a number of different openings.
1. … Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7
Fischer defends based on » hypermodern » principles, inviting Byrne to establish a classical pawn stronghold in the center, which Fischer intends to target and undermine with his fianchettoed bishop and other pieces.
4. d4 0-0
Fischer castles, bringing his king to safety. The black move 4…d5 would have reached the Grünfeld Defence immediately. After Fischer’s 4…0-0, Byrne could have played 5.e4, whereupon 5…d6 6.Be2 e5 reaches the main line of the King’s Indian Defense.
5. Bf4 d5 (Grünfeld Defence, 5.Bf4, D92)
The game has now transposed to the Grünfeld Defence, usually initiated by 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5.
6. Qb3
A form of the so-called Russian System (the usual move order is 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3), putting pressure on Fischer’s central d5 pawn.
6. … dxc4
Fischer relinquishes his center, but draws Byrne’s queen to a square where it is a little exposed and can be attacked.
7. Qxc4 c6
Also possible is the more aggressive 7…Na6 (the Prins Variation), preparing …c5 to challenge White’s center.
8. e4 Nbd7
In later games, Black played the more active 8…b5 followed by 9…Qa5. An example is Bisguier – Benko, U.S. Championship 1963-64. Fischer’s choice is a little slow, although one would not guess that from the subsequent play.
9. Rd1 Nb6 10. Qc5
An awkward square for the queen, which leaves it exposed to a possible …Na4 or …Ne4, as Fischer brilliantly demonstrates. Since both of those squares are protected by Byrne’s knight on c3, he understandably did not appreciate the danger. 10.Qb3 would have left the queen better placed, although it would have invited further harassment with 10…Be6.
10. … Bg4
Byrne’s pawns control the center squares. However, Fischer is ahead in piece development and has castled, while Byrne’s king is still in the center. These factors would not have been very significant had Byrne attended to his development on his next move.
11. Bg5?
Byrne errs, moving the bishop a second time instead of completing his development. Burgess, Nunn and Emms, as well as Wade and O’Connell, suggest 11. Be2, protecting the King and preparing kingside castling. Flear-Morris, Dublin 1991, continued 11. Be2 Nfd7 12. Qa3 Bxf3 13. Bxf3 e5 14. dxe5 Qe8 15. Be2 Nxe5 16. O-O and White was slightly better. Byrne doubtless thought that Black’s slight lead in development would be transitory, not anticipating the maelstrom that his young opponent now initiates.
11. … Na4!!
« One of the most powerful moves of all time. » (Jonathan Rowson). Fischer offers an ingenious knight sacrifice. If Byrne plays 12.Nxa4, Fischer will play Nxe4, leaving Byrne with some terrible choices:
13. Qxe7 Qa5+ 14. b4 Qxa4 15. Qxe4 Rfe8 16. Be7 Bxf3 17. gxf3 Bf8 produces a deadly pin.
13. Bxe7 Nxc5 14. Bxd8 Nxa4 15. Bg5 Bxf3 16. gxf3 Nxb2 gives Fischer an extra pawn and ruins Byrne’s pawn structure.
13. Qc1 Qa5+ 14. Nc3 Bxf3 15.gxf3 Nxg5 regains the sacrificed piece with a better position.
13. Qb4 Nxg5 14.Nxg5 Bxd1 15.Kxd1 Bxd4 16.Qd2 Bxf2 with a winning material advantage (Fischer)
12. Qa3 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Nxe4!
Fischer again offers material in order to open the e- file and get at White’s uncastled king.
14. Bxe7 Qb6 15. Bc4
Byrne wisely declines the offered material. If 15. Bxf8, Bxf8 16.Qb3, Fischer analyzes 16…Nxc3! 17.Qxb6 (17.Qxc3?? Bb4 wins the queen) axb6 18.Ra1 Re8+ 19.Kd2 Ne4+ 20.Kc2 Nxf2 21.Rg1 Bf5+, which he considers winning for Black. Also strong is 16…Re8 17.Qxb6 (17.Be2 Nxc3!) 17…axb6 18.Be2 Nxc3 19.Rd2 Bb4 20.Kf1 Ne4 21.Rb2 Bc3 22.Rc2 Nd2+! 23.Kg1 (23.Nxd2 Bxe2+ 24.Kg1 Bd3! 25.Rc1 Bxd2 leaves Black with a winning material advantage) Rxe2 24.Rxc3 Nxf3+ 25.gxf3 Bh3 26.Rc1 Rxa2 leaving White absolutely paralyzed.
15. … Nxc3! Now if 16.Qxc3, Rfe8 pins the bishop to White’s king, thus regaining the sacrificed piece with an extra pawn.
16. Bc5 Rfe8+ 17. Kf1
Byrne threatens Fischer’s queen; Fischer brings his rook into play, misplacing Byrne’s king. Now Fischer’s pyrotechnics seem to be at an end. Surely he must save his queen, whereupon White can play 18.Qxc3, with a winning material advantage.
17. … Be6!!
This stunning resource is the move that made this game famous. Instead of saving his queen, Fischer offers to sacrifice it. Fischer pointed out that 17…Nb5? loses to 18.Bxf7+ Kxf7 19.Qb3+ Be6 20.Ng5+ Kg8 21.Nxe6 Nxd4 22.Nxd4+ Qxb3 23.Nxb3.
18. Bxb6?
Byrne takes the offered queen, hoping to outplay his 13-year-old opponent in the ensuing complications. However, Fischer gets far too much for his queen, leaving Byrne with a hopeless game. The move 18.Bxe6 would have been even worse, leading to a smothered mate with 18…Qb5+ 19.Kg1 Ne2+ 20.Kf1 Ng3+ 21.Kg1 Qf1+! 22.Rxf1 Ne2#. White’s 18.Qxc3 would have been met by 18…Qxc5! and if 19.dxc5, Bxc3. White’s best chance may have been 18.Bd3 Nb5!, which Kmoch wrote would also result in « a win for Black in the long run ».
18. … Bxc4+
Fischer now begins a ‘windmill’ series of discovered checks, picking up material.
19. Kg1 Ne2+ 20. Kf1 Nxd4+ 21. Kg1 (21.Rd3? axb6 22.Qc3 Nxf3 23.Qxc4 Re1# Fischer) Ne2+ 22. Kf1 Nc3+ 23. Kg1 axb6
Fischer captures a piece, simultaneously attacking Byrne’s queen.
24. Qb4 Ra4!
Fischer’s pieces cooperate nicely: the bishop on g7 protects the knight on c3, which protects the rook on a4, which in turn protects the bishop on c4 and forces Byrne’s queen away. Perhaps Byrne overlooked this move when analyzing 18.Bxb6, expecting instead 24…Nxd1? 25.Qxc4, which is much less clear. Otherwise, it is hard to explain why Byrne played 18.Bxb6, since Black now has a clearly winning position.
25. Qxb6
Unfortunately for Byrne, he has nothing better than this pawn-grab, since he has no queen move available that would protect his threatened rook on d1.
36. Kf1 Ng3+ 37. Ke1 Bb4+
37…Re2+ Fischer could have mated a move sooner.
38. Kd1 Bb3+ 39. Kc1 Ne2+ 40. Kb1 Nc3+ 41. Kc1 Rc2# 0-1
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