Unsolved Chess Mystery: The Göteborg Sicillian

Who likes reading chess books? Probably every chess player right...? Well i have many books, but for the past week, i have been reading the book: Robert Fischer by Alexander Pasternjak, it is in Slovene, since I am a Slovenian. In the first game of the book, an interesting Najdorf Sicillian variation is feautured, and i want to show it t you.

The big question of this blog is "Is this opening line really sound?" and we will answer it in the end of the blog.

You see, the American grandmaster used a variation that had an unusual fate at the 1955 Interzonal Tournament in Gothenburg. Four Argentine representatives, Miguel Najdorf, Oscar Panno, German Pilnik, and Carlos Guimard, built ambitious plans for this Interzonal Tournament based on Najdorf's variation of the Sicilian Defense, which they had thoroughly studied at home. However, disappointment struck them at the beginning of the major tournament. "Eternal second" Paul Keres introduced a novelty in their variation, refuted Najdorf's idea, and defeated promising young grandmaster Oscar Panno. Panic reigned in the Argentine camp. However, on a free day, temperamental German Pilnik discovered a reinforcement: a risky but effective response to Keres' continuation, according to many analyses. For twenty-four hours, the Argentine representatives analyzed the initial position with Pilnik's truly devilish continuation. Finally, the great Miguel Najdorf decided. The veteran believed in his instinct. Besides, it was too late to change the repertoire. Thus began the "Total Chess War in Goteborg." Soviet Union was undoubtedly the strongest chess power in the world at that time. Argentina was officially the "second strongest world power" after the Olympics in Helsinki in 1952 and Amsterdam in 1954. It was a coincidence that four Argentinians had to face four Soviet toreadors in one round. Miguel Najdorf, Oscar Panno, German Pilnik, and Carlos Guimard (with black pieces) against Efim Geller, Boris Spassky, Paul Keres, and Tigran Petrosian (with white pieces). Najdorf's decision, his calculation that the surprise would ignite, was just right in that tense situation: there was no third option beyond the brilliant victory or the crushing defeat. Argentinian decision hit the Goteborg arena like a bolt from the blue. But there has never been a similar case in chess history where a prepared trap has closed so mercilessly and destroyed the bishop himself. About half an hour after the games began, the Argentine trio of Miguel Najdorf, Oscar Panno, and German Pilnik almost simultaneously made the fateful move 9... g5?! Meanwhile, Carlos Guimard was thinking about other moves, because Tigran Petrosian had gone into the unknown before.

Tension in the hall escalated. It was obvious that the Soviet Analytic Machine was surprised by the Argentines. Three demonstration boards showed the same positions! Miguel Njadorf meanwhile walked happily and energetically among the game boards, spoke a few words with his countrymen, again asked Svetozar Gligoric what he thought of the Argentine move, raised his hands to calm the excited spectators... This behavior was typical of hot-headed Miguel. He was known for his strange habit of asking his teammates during his rounds around the tournament hall how they liked his position. So he walked around Amsterdam in 1954, asking questions, until he met the cool-headed Briton, Harry Golombek. This one outdid him:" What do you think, Maestro Miguel, what does my position look like today?" Miguel Najdorf will not soon forget this.

Will the Soviet grandmasters discover the best answer in the tournament hall? Miguel Najdorf suspected that Efim Geller was the most dangerous for his plans. Among the Soviet trio, he was considered the most dangerous combinatorist with a truly overflowing chess fantasy. Thirty minutes had passed. The veteran's suspicions were confirmed. It was indeed Efim Geller who first executed a three-move combination in which he sacrificed a knight and offered the sacrifice of a bishop.

The Argentine night's analysis vanished like an unreal dream! When commenting on this game with Oscar Panno for the Soviet chess bulletin, Efim Geller wrote at this point: "The fight is over!" The Argentine tragedy was sealed in the next move, when the Soviet grandmaster answered 13...Se5 with the quiet move 14. Lg3! The black king was left without protection in the middle of the mating net after the violent attack.

Paul Keres and Boris Spassky, who were stronger players than Efim Geller in 1955, searched longer for the best answer. The large hand on the chess clock had almost completed a full rotation when Paul Keres made Geller's moves, followed by Boris Spassky. All three Argentines lost their games and the "total war" in almost the same way. It has been confirmed once again that to take over the world chess supremacy, one needs more than just talent, courage, and cunning. This is the story of the powerful chess "sicilian nights"

We have seen the Geller-Panno game... what about the others?

Here is Keres-Najdorf.

Here is Spassky-Pilnik.

What a games by the Soviets! They completley crushed the argentinians. All three players got flawless wins and probably one of the best games in their careers. In the evening, the argentinian camp was still in shock. They have analyzed the whole day including the knight, and didn't find the refutation, but the Soviets found it in one hour?! This is just not fair! Everything, that the Argentinians have been preparing for the whole day, all the traps and tricks and the whole opening line is gone! Argentinian players thought, that their special, sharp line was refuted by force. Who would then still play this opening variation? It's refuted so noone, right...?

But then, three years later, when this variation was already forgotten, something insane happend. In a tournament in Slovenia, a Grandmaster used it and showed a completley new move to the chess world and drew the game! In the Portoroz Interzonal, in the 21st round of the tournament, fifteen year old Bobby Fischer with the black pieces, was playing against Svetozar Gligorić. Both players known for their spectacular play, they were actually friends. They used to analyze together, and play friendly games against each other.

With his self-confidence, Fischer made the demonic move, and Svetozar Gligoric immediately knew that he had just found himself in the fire of his opponent's home analysis. The psychological advantage was now clearly on Fischer's side. After the 13th move, he stood up for the first time. The game was in waters that were completely researched for him, while Svetozar Gligorić sat deeply bent over the chessboard. Mikhail Tal stood behind his back, and there was something demonic in his black eyes, as if he enjoyed the almost incredible web of various possibilities. He stared at the black rook for a few minutes. it was indeed a "Tal" position. Long minutes passed in restless anticipation of what Svetozar Gligoric would answer.

At this dramatic moment, when Bobby Fischer made his prepared move, Svetozar Gligoric undoubtedly also thought of a moment from Belgrade. You know, when Bobby Fischer played with Milan Matulović and Dragan Janošević in Belgrade, he asked me what I thought about this line. I have never thought, that he would use his preperad weapon against me. I completely forgot about that moment. Now, due to Fischer's preperation, Svetozar Gligoric is experiencing difficult moments.

Chess is like a symphony. And the first movement of this chess symphony, furioso, already hinted at what the second movement would be: a quiet battle between two different personalities, two extreme characters, two temperaments. Fischer's deep move closed off the path for the final attack, which was only seemingly free. The rook on the seventh rank connected the broken black army in an unusual tactical plan. The boy also had another distinct advantage this time: his extensive work in the chess laboratory had linked various continuations in his memory all the way up to thirty moves and beyond.

This move was also a good option. It looks, like black is completley losing, because the Queen is infultrading in the black's position, taking a bunch of pawns, but the king is actually save. Fischer has also prepared against that move. After the two pawns are taken, Gligorić offers a draw, because Fischer was in his preperation, and he was not. 

Bobby Fischer rejects the draw. A fierce battle of maneuvering is approaching its conclusion. The Yugoslav champion has three healthy pawns for the knight. In the tense atmosphere, the favorites are experiencing bitter disappointments in all directions. Svetozar Gligoric responds decisively to the opponent's threats with skillful defensive moves. But Bobby Fischer retains the positional advantage. His gaze increasingly wanders to the chessboard, where Frederik Olfasson and David Bronstein are fighting. The concentration is over.

The boy's nerves are getting increasingly agitated. All of his "most dangerous" opponents for the candidate spot have already been eliminated. He was only waiting for one more. At this dramatic moment, however, the outcome of his game with Gligorić is actually decided by the "third man," David Bronstein. His game is completely lost. The path to the candidate tournament is now clear for the American. Fischer now only needs a draw for the candidate tournament. He has a slightly better position, but he and Gligorić agreed to a draw, because he gets the spot anyway. Bobby Fischer qualified for the candidates tournament!

Let me show you the whole game.

Now, Bobby Fischer proved, that the Goteborg line is an option, to play with black. He showed the world the incredible "Rh7!" and in the end, he even had a small advantage. The Soviets were in a little bit of shock, because they thought, they had "refuted" the Goteborg line. For some reason, this variation wasn't really played much, even after Fischer proved it is an option.

People were just scared to play it, because it looks so dangerous for black. It is a bit dangerous, but if you know your moves, it can become very dangerous for your opponet too. Also, i think people didn't want to play it much, because it was indeed a highly aggressive and tactical opening that can lead to sharp and complex middlegames. There are some lines to play with white, that aren't even "theory" according to computers, but they are very much playable.

Also, on it's own, this variation is extremley complicated and should not be played by players, with ratings lower that 1500. There aren't any videos, or books or anything, that you can learn this opening from. I was also planning on playing this line, when i will be a bit better.

Let me show you some other lines, which are not well explored in this variation.

Now, in the start of this blog, i made a question, that i was planning on answering at the end of the blog. The question was "Is this opening line really sound?", and let me tell you the answer. In my opinion, if Bobby Fischer had never showed his Rh7 idea, the opening would have been completley refuted. "The Soviet Refutation" would have been the name of the refutation. But  because of that move, the line doesn't have a refutation, and it is sound! With best play, it leads to a draw, but there are some lines to avoid a draw by both sides.

Now, for the end, let me just show you a game of Fischer, when he won with black.

I hope you enjoyed, if you did, comment what do you think about the interesting Goteborg line!