This Yearbook begins with a tribute to Fischer by Genna Sosonko outlining Bobby’s contribution to opening theory.  The introductory feature, Opening Highlights, claims that this article contains lots of information about how the Soviets viewed the home work of their nemesis.  No, it doesn’t.  For that kind of information one should read a book like Russians versus Fischer by Plisetsky and Voronkov.

The Soviets did not understand Fischer’s preparation because he was constantly evolving as a player, learning and unlearning what they had taken for granted.  In my view Sosonko should have focused on Bobby’s eclectic approach, especially, his drawing on a variety of sources, from 19^th Century champions like Anderssen and Steinitz to 20^th Century greats like David Bronstein.

Fischer deeply read the classics and re-interpreted them through his games, enriching theory.  A case in point is his employment of the following line in the game:

Spassky - Fischer
21^st Game,World Championship 1972
Sicilian Defence, PaulsenVariation(B46)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6

This move must have come as a surprise to Spassky who probably expected the Najdorf with 2...d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6.

3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bd3

7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.e5 Nd5 is innocuous for Black.

7...d5

“Boleslavsky’s textbook frowns on this move, but it appears to be fairly playable.”-Timman

8.exd5 exd5

At that time theory only considered 8...Nxd5 after which White gets the advantage with 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Bd4±

9.0–0 Bd6

10.Nxc6?!

Timman recommends 10.h3 preventing …Bg4 after Qf3.  But this is not satisfactory on account of 10…0-0 11.Qf3 Ne5 according to C.H.O’D Alexander.

The game Carl Goering-Adolf Anderssen, Lepzig 1877(!) had continued 10.Bf5 0–0 11.Bg5 (11.Qf3, Alexander’s suggestion deserves attention.) Be5 12.Nce2? Bxh2+ 13.Kh1 (13.Kxh2? Bxf5 14.Nxf5 Ng4+ 15.Kg1 Qxg5) and now Black could have remained a pawn up with a superior position by playing 13...Be5.  Instead he opted for 13...Bc7 hoping for a mating attack with ...Qd6, and even contrived to lose.

Spassky, of course, had not even bothered to check such lines of play.

10...bxc6 11.Bd4 0–0 12.Qf3 Be6 13.Rfe1 c5! 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Rad1 Rfd8

Fischer went on to outplay Spassky (0–1, 41 moves) to win the game and the Match.
 

To return to Sosonko’s tribute, he does offer one valuable insight on Fischer’s opening repertoire:

Fischer behind the black pieces was a totally different player from the one sitting behind the white pieces.  With White he had a truly classical positional style, as Black he consciously played lines that entailed a great deal of positional risk.  So his repertoire consisted of uncompromising openings like the Sicilian, the Grünfeld and the King’s Indian.

The major part of the Yearbook does not disappoint us with its well-chosen opening surveys.*  Perhaps the most intriguing is Paul Boersma’s "Survey on the Romanishin Counter-Gambit in the Nimzo-Indian Defence".  The variation received a setback in the following game:

Morozevich - Akopian
European Team Championship 2007
Nimzo-Indian Defence (E36)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 c5 7.dxc5 d4

The Romanishin Counter-Gambit.

8.Qg3 0–0

This routine move allows White to take the initiative.  8...Nc6 is more in the spirit of this variation.  Now 9.b4 (Neither 9.Nf3 e5 10.Nxe5 Qa5+ nor 9.Qxg7 Rg8 10.Qh6 Rg6 11.Qh4 e5 is good for White.) 9...e5 10.e4!? 0–0 (If 10...Nxe4?! 11.Qxg7 Qf6 12.Qxf6 Nxf6 13.f4 e4 14.Bb2±) appears to be the critical line for both as shown in the game Carlsen-Naiditsch, Khanty-Mansiyusk rapid 2007 (1-0,…49 moves).

9.Bh6 Ne8

10.h4!?

A novelty, and an enterprising move, typical of Morozevich.

10...Nd7 11.h5

White threatens 12.Bxg7 Nxg7 13.h6.

11...Qc7

Capitulation.  He could have tried 11...Kh8!?, forcing the retreat of the bishop.-NSH

12.Rh3 f5 13.Qxc7 Nxc7 14.Bg5

A highly original position.  White’s other bishop and knight have not even moved.

Morozevich went on to outplay his opponent and won the game.

(1–0…40 moves)
 

I believe too much should not be read into the outcome of this single game.  Black’s play can be improved upon.  Over to you, Romanishin!

The trademark feature Forum offers a potpourri of  analysis and comment from readers.  The  following contribution by Satea Husari (“Doublecheck your beliefs!”) deals with an old chestnut:

Avendano - Nazario
Manila 2008
Bishop’s Opening (C50)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4?!

Every schoolboy knows, this is a bad move.

4.Nxe5?

4.Nxd4 exd4 5.d3 is the right reply.

4...Qg5 5.Bxf7+

5...Kd8!!

Isn’t this move a mistake as it allows the knight to escape?  In the other line 5...Ke7, Black could capture the bishop on f7 if the knight tried to flee.  Husari shows why these ideas are wrong.

If 5...Ke7? 6.0–0! Qxe5 7.Bxg8 Rxg8 8.c3 Ne6 9.d4 Qf6 (9...Qxe4?? 10.d5 Nc5 11.Re1+-) 10.f4 with a terrific attack. (Husari-Nazario, Manila Rapid 2008)

 6.Ng4 Nh6!!

Forking both the knight and the bishop!

7.c3 Nc2+!! 8.Qxc2 Qxg4 9.Bc4 Qxg2 10.Rf1 Ng4 11.d4 Nxh2 12.Nd2 h5!

This move creates a corridor for the rook via h6.  Thereafter it can join the attack with ...Rf6 or... Re6.  What is more, the pawn can race to be promoted to queen.-NSH

13.e5 d5!–+ 14.exd6 Bxd6 15.Bd3 Re8+ 16.Kd1 Bg4+

And Black won.

A game played in the spirit of Morphy!

 Recommended
 

* 33 Surveys:

Sicilian Defence - Najdorf Variation 6.Bc4 - SI 13.10 - Morgado
Sicilian Defence - Najdorf Variation 6.Be3 - SI 14,8 - Anka
Sicilian Defence - Scheveningen Variation 6.g4 e5 - SI 20.1 - Langeweg
Sicilian Defence - Accelerated Dragon 10...a5 - SI 33.7 - Fogarasi
Sicilian Defence - Alapin Variation 2...Nf6 - SI 47.14 - Greenfeld
French Defence - Nimzowitsch Variation 3...Nc6 - FR 4.1 - Timoshenko
French Defence - MacCutcheon Variation 6.Bc1 - FR 5.3 - Finkel
French Defence - Tarrasch Variation 3...Nf6 - FR 17.5 - Tiviakov
Caro-Kann Defence - Advance Variation 4.h4 - CK 4.15 - Okhotnik
Alekhine Defence - 4...Nb6 Line - AL 9.7-10 - Karolyi
Petroff Defence - Nimzowitsch Variation 5.Nc3 - RG 3.5 - Lukacs/Hazai
Petroff Defence - Jaenisch Variation 3.Ne5 - RG 6.10 - Galkin
Ruy Lopez - Jaenisch Variation 4.d3 - RL 6.2 - A. Kuzmin
Ruy Lopez - Berlin Variation 5...a6 - RL 7.4 - Lukacs/Hazai
Ruy Lopez - Anti-Marshall 8.d4 - RL 17.2 - Panczyk/Ilczuk
Italian Game - Giuoco Piano 6.Bg5 - IG 2.1 - Da Costa/Olthof
Italian Game - Bishop’s Opening 5...a5 - IG 4.16 - Landa
King’s Pawn Openings - Two Knights’ Defence 10...Bc5 - KP 12.11 - Van der Tak
Various Openings - Marshall Opening 1...N f6, 2...d5 - VO 18.4 - Pliester
Queen’s Gambit Declined - Tartakower Variation 8.Qc2 - QO 7.5 - Palliser
Slav Defence - Exchange Variation 6...a6 - SL 2.1 - Andriasian
Slav Defence - Chameleon Variation 4...a6 - SL 3.1 - Finkel
Slav Defence - Botvinnik Variation 9.ef6 - SL 7.2 - Van der Tak
Nimzo-Indian Defence - Classical Variation 4...0-0 - NI 20.15 - A. Kuzmin
Nimzo-Indian Defence - Classical Variation 4...d5 - NI 23.4 - Boersma
Queen’s Indian Defence - Classical Variation 4...Bb7 - QI 8.5 - Tiviakov
Queen’s Indian Defence - Nimzowitsch Variation 4...Ba6 - QI 16.11 - Antic
Grünfeld Indian Defence - Stockholm Variation 5.Bg5 - GI 8.7 - Grivas
King's Indian Defence - Classical Main Line 9.b4 - KI 4.16 - Ikonnikov
King’s Indian Defence - Gligoric Variation 9.Bc1 - KI 18.8 - Mchedlishvili
Benoni Defence - Four Pawns Attack 7.f4 - BI 7.9 - Moskalenko
English Opening - Four Knights Variation 4...Nd4 - EO 4.7 - Ca. Hansen
English Opening - Symmetrical Variation 4...e5 - EO 45.9 - Marin
 

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