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Best of Chess Fischer Newspaper Archives
• Robert J. Fischer, 1955 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1956 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1957 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1958 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1959 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1960 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1961 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1962 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1963 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1964 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1965 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1966 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1967 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1968 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1969 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1970 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1971 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1972 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1973 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1974 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1975 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1976 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1977 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1978 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1979 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1980 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1981 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1982 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1983 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1984 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1985 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1986 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1987 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1988 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1989 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1990 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1991 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1992 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1993 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1994 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1995 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1996 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1997 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1998 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 1999 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2000 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2001 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2002 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2003 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2004 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2005 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2006 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2007 bio + additional games
• Robert J. Fischer, 2008 bio + additional games
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Chess: Ample Drama Is Provided In Petrosian-Fischer Play

Back to 1971 News Articles

New York Times, New York, New York, Thursday, October 07, 1971 - Page 44

Chess: Ample Drama Is Provided In Petrosian-Fischer Play by Al Horowitz
The 12-game qualifying match between Bobby Fischer of New York and Tigran Petrosian of the Soviet Union, a former world champion, for the right to challenge the world champion, Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union, for the title had plenty of drama in the first two games, which resulted in one victory a piece.
Game number one took on the deployment of the Sicilian Defense, a pattern that has been the subject of acclaim since its introduction by Polerio in 1594. Rich in complications, the Sicilian gives rise to involved positions without much chance for early simplifications. Hence, it is popular with an adventurous group.
Quickly, Black steered the line to where White was forced to play 11. N-R3. The setting was similar to one that could have occurred in one of the games between Fischer and Mark Taimanov in an earlier match.
Petrosian Changes Roles — Undoubtedly Petrosian had studied the position, and was satisfied with its potential after 11. … P-Q4. But the move was aggressive and compelled the Soviet player to change his usual role, from defense to attack.
After that, no grand plan could serve as a guide, mainly because precedent was lacking. And the position took on a motley of tactical stratagems in various parts of the board.
With 16. … B-B4, it seems Petrosian missed some refinements. The move 16. … B-N5 appeared more accurate. Had White then advanced his king-bishop pawn on the bishop, he would have weakened a diagonal leading to his king. And this would later have cost him some tempi.
The innocent-looking 20. K-R1, curiously, avoided the loss of a piece. For at that moment, Black was threatening, it appeared, 20. … QxN. For 21. QxQ could have been met by 21. … N-K7ch, forking king and queen.
This bit of analysis purposely omits an important detail. Had Black played 20. … QxN. White could have recaptured the queen with check and Black might just as well have gone home.
Eventually, Petrosian walked into a deadly ending. He forgot to reckon on a White passed pawn—a pawn that was unimpeded in its advance by a hostile pawn.
That White trapped the opposing knight was generally unimportant. What mattered was the pawn that was marching on to queen.
The Gruenfeld Defense was playing by Fischer in the second game of the match. After playing it a number of times against top-echelon players and winning the majority of games, it is understandable that it is in his repertoire as a dangerous weapon.
The singular idea of the defense, Black's 3 … P-Q4, was an attempt to bolster Black's counter-play in the regular King's Indian. The early thrust exposes the enemy queen pawn to direct pressure on the queen file. It is particularly effective in conjunction with the challenging … P-QB4 (5. … P-B4).
Play Sharp and Precise — The ensuing play is sharp and precise. Up to now, experience credits the defense for an interesting and even scintillating middle game.
Fischer's attitude accounts generally for his defeat in this game. After winning 20 games in a row, he undoubtedly believed, and not without reasons, that even the greatest of grandmasters have their quota of blunders. Had he been playing for the draw, as Black generally does, he would have experienced little trouble. But he ventured and failed.
Instead of 12. … N-K4, Black could have reached an excellent deployment with 12. … Nx. Then, eventually … O-O, the development of the black queen-bishop file would have granted the second player excellent prospects.
Fischer clearly neglected to take into his calculations 14. BxN and 16. NxB. This left him with vulnerable pawns.
Then, the rapid opening of lines gave White access to an onslaught against the enemy king.

Robert James Fischer vs Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian
Fischer - Petrosian Candidates Final (1971), Buenos Aires ARG, rd 1, Sep-30
Sicilian Defense: Paulsen. Szen Variation (B44) 1-0
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044350

Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian vs Robert James Fischer
Fischer - Petrosian Candidates Final (1971), Buenos Aires ARG, rd 2, Oct-05
Gruenfeld Defense: Brinckmann Attack (D82) 1-0
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044714

Chess: Ample Drama Is Provided In Petrosian-Fischer Play

'til the world understands why Robert J. Fischer criticised the U.S./British and Russian military industry imperial alliance and their own Israeli Apartheid. Sarah Wilkinson explains:

Bobby Fischer, First Amendment, Freedom of Speech
What a sad story Fischer was,” typed a racist, pro-imperialist colonial troll who supports mega-corporation entities over human rights, police state policies & white supremacy.
To which I replied: “Really? I think he [Bob Fischer] stood up to the broken system of corruption and raised awareness! Whether on the Palestinian/Israel-British-U.S. Imperial Apartheid scam, the Bush wars of ‘7 countries in 5 years,’ illegally, unconstitutionally which constituted mass xenocide or his run in with police brutality in Pasadena, California-- right here in the U.S., police run rampant over the Constitution of the U.S., on oath they swore to uphold, but when Americans don't know the law, and the cops either don't know or worse, “don't care” -- then I think that's pretty darn “sad”. I think Mr. Fischer held out and fought the good fight, steadfast til the day he died, and may he Rest In Peace.
Educate yourself about U.S./State Laws --
https://www.youtube.com/@AuditTheAudit/videos
After which the troll posted a string of profanities, confirming there was never any genuine sentiment of “compassion” for Mr. Fischer, rather an intent to inflict further defamatory remarks.

This ongoing work is a tribute to the life and accomplishments of Robert “Bobby” Fischer who passionately loved and studied chess history. May his life continue to inspire many other future generations of chess enthusiasts and kibitzers, alike.

Robert J. Fischer, Kid Chess Wizard 1956March 9, 1943 - January 17, 2008

The photograph of Bobby Fischer (above) from the March 02, 1956 The Tampa Times was discovered by Sharon Mooney (Bobby Fischer Newspaper Archive editor) on February 01, 2018 while gathering research materials for this ongoing newspaper archive project. Along with lost games now being translated into Algebraic notation and extractions from over two centuries of newspapers, it is but one of the many lost treasures to be found in the pages of old newspapers since our social media presence was first established November 11, 2017.

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