Why Did Fischer play 17) ...Qxf4
Sort:
From the above position in the game Botvinnik-Fischer in 1962, Fischer played 17) ...Qxf4. Why couldn't Botvinnik win a piece by 18) Qxb6 followed by the capture of the queens.
Botvinnik missed why in home analysis - Fischer figured it out over the board and won a pawn against the then-world champion!
The game ended in a draw
Mar 14, 2013
0
#3
it looks like 17...Qxf4 18. Bxf4 Nxc5
If 18. Qxb6 Qb4+ 19. Bd2 Qxd2 20. Rxd2 Nxb6
It doesn't really lose a piece since after 18.Qxb6 Qb4+ white is forced to play 19.Bd2 followed by 19...Qxd2+ 20.Rxd2 NxB6(Pa/cxb6)
Even better:
18... Qe4 19.f3 Qh4+ 20.Qf2 Qb4+ winning the queen
Yes, but then Fischer (who was playing black) would win a pawn.
Why couldn't Botvinnik play 18) Qxb6 and win a knight after 18)...pawn takes queen and 19) Bishop takes queen
It's even better:) Fischer could save his queen and force Botvinnik to lose his:)
18. Qxb6, Qb4 wins for Black, sorry did not see the posts above about 18...Qb4
Here's the variation Fischer saw over the board that Botvinnik missed in home analysis...
17) ...Qxf4.
18) Qxb6
18)...Qb4+
19) Bd2
19) ...Qe4 (threatens rook)
20) Rook moves
20) ...pawn takes queen
Yes, you guys saw the Qb4:) The rest is interesting after Botvinnik blocks the check with Bd2.
No longer have Fischer's "My 60 Memorable Games," which had extensive notes on this game. Can't believe Kasparov didn't include it in his Great Predecessors volume on Fischer, Najdorf and Larsen
I'm a bit rusty so it took me too long to find this one out :p
Edit: Put it into stockfish now, The variant given here is best for black (not optimal play from white though). Qb4+ wins as well obviously.
I may have messed some of that up; had to remember the variation instead of looking it up
Thank you! That was the correct variation! I did mess it up haha
That's how Fischer would have saved his queen.
Sorry for faulty post
I messed that up but the correct variation that Fischer saw over the board (that YuvalW posted with the diagram) is really interesting.
What was most surprising to me was that Botvinnik admitted he (Botvinnik) missed that variation while studying the opening at home and that Fischer found it over the board in their game
well after Qe4 f3 Qh4+ Bf2 Qb4 black wins, this is one important line, cool position thanks for sharing.
Yes, imagine if Botvinnik fell for that. The world champion would have lost his queen in just over 20 moves. Botvinnik must have known something was up when Fischer grabbed the f-pawn on his 17th move. Wish I knew how long Botvinnik thought after that. He eventually saw it, though, and only lost a pawn instead of his queen
Thanks to YuvalW for posting the correct variation and diagram. Pay no attention to my earlier posts:)
Psalm25 wrote:
From the above position in the game Botvinnik-Fischer in 1962, Fischer played 17) ...Qxf4. Why couldn't Botvinnik win a piece by 18) Qxb6 followed by the capture of the queens.
Botvinnik missed why in home analysis - Fischer figured it out over the board and won a pawn against the then-world champion!
The game ended in a draw
After Qxn,fischer would play Qb4+,bd2,Qxb+,kxQ,nxQ......b&p for n.
