02 June 2008

60/61 Memorable Games

Curiously, and by sheer coincidence, Fischer - Keres, Zurich 1959, figured in the 61 Memorable Games (61MG) hoax. Starting at the position in the diagram, the game continued 25...Bd5 26.Qf5 (Kasparov thought 26.Bf4! was better) 26...Re5. This is the first move shown in 61 Memorable Games: A Hoax, by GM Larry Evans.

Zurich 1959
Keres, Paul

Fischer, Robert
(After 25.Qg4-d7(xN))
[FEN "1q2rb1k/1b1Q1p1p/p2p3p/1p6/3pP3/7P/PP3PP1/1BB1R1K1 b - - 0 25"]

After 27.Qf3 f5 28.Bf4 Re8, Fischer commented,

On 28...Re7 29.Qd1 Bxe4 30.Bxe4 fxe4 31.Qxd4+ Bg7 32.Qd5 maintains pressure against the weak Pawns.

Kasparov copied Fischer's comment and wrote,

28...Re6 was a more reliable way of equalizing, for example: 29.Qd1 Bxe4 30.Bxe4 Qe8 31.Qxd4+ Bg7 32.Qd5 Rxe4 33.Rxe4 Qxe4 34.Qxd6 Qb1+ 35.Kh2 Qxa2.

The author of 61MG noted,

That's all well and good until you get to the fourth White move in the line [32.Qd5]. I didn't have any 13-year old schoolboys around to query at the time, but maybe an ancient Icelandic moss clump might consider that after 32.Qa7! Black is well on the way to being busted with 32...Bxb2 33.Qxa6! d5 (this must have been Weinstein's blind spot) 34.Qb7! dxe4 35.Rb1 Re7 36.Qd5 Be5 37.Bxh6 Rd7 38.Qxb5 and -- I'll say this only once -- Fischer beats Kasparov!

Note how both Weinstein and Kasparov are mentioned in the same sentence. How well does the 61MG analysis hold up?

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