The Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, July 18, 1971 - Page 100
Fischer 4, Larsen 0! 5½ Points Needed
When U.S. chess genius Bobby Fischer defeated Mark Taimanov of the Soviet Union by 6-0, it was an amazing feat, a record in the annals of grandmaster chess.
It could hardly be expected that this would happen again against top competition, certainly not against Bent Larsen of Denmark, who in 1968 had won the Chess Oscar as player of the year.
Yet Fischer's streak has continued, and he won the first four games in succession, without so much as adjourning one of the games with Larsen.
At this writing, with six games remaining on the schedule, Fischer needs another 1½ points for a total of 5½ to clinch the match.
Larsen's grim task is to gain five points of the six to tie the match, well-nigh impossible in view of Fischer's current form.
Accuracy has been the determining factor, with Larsen making one or more errors in each game, with none of any consequence for Fischer.
Time control was a major factor in the second game, which was evenly contested in the opening and middle game. After 20 moves Larsen had used over two hours, Fischer about 45 minutes.
When the queens were exchanged Larsen had a slight advantage, with his rooks more aggressively placed. He played to open lines for a further advance.
This gave Fischer opportunities as well, however. On the 37th move Larsen overlooked a sharp tactical point which cost him two pawns. He continued for 54 moves, but the game was hopeless for some time.
In the third game Larsen blundered on the 11th move, when P-K4 was necessary. He stated later that he confused two opening systems.
Fischer quickly forced the win of a pawn plus a better position. This was ample advantage. Fischer simplified by exchanging several pieces and soon established a winning position in the ending.
The fourth game was a battle of diverse strategies, and here too Fischer proved superior. Larsen started an advance on the queen side and Fischer countered on the other wing.
Larsen made early progress, opening a file and establishing a rook on the sixth rank. His plan was a further advance in that area, to weaken Fischer's pawns and perhaps pick up one or two of them.
Fischer's movement was slower, but his objective much greater, a direct attack on Larsen's king. Each player proceeded with his plan, with no apparent advantage.
The break in the game came after Larsen's 24th move, retreating his knight. For the first time Fischer had a target, and he immediately moved in.
The advance of the king bishop pawn threatened to break up Larsen's king side pawns. Fischer's pieces moved quickly to the attack, and Larsen, involved on the other side, could not react in time.
In the final position Larsen's king, queen and rook were all threatened. There was little to do but resign.
Petrosian-Korchnoi — The Fischer-Larsen match is one of the semi-finals in the elimination series to determine a worthy candidate for the world championships now held by Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union.
The other match is being played in Moscow between two Russians, former world champion Tigran Petrosian and Viktor Korchnoi. In contrast to the decisive results in Denver, they have played five games, all ending in draws.
