AThe Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, July 25, 1971 - Page 100
Fischer 6, Larsen 0! 19 Games Straight
Bobby Fischer of the U.S. continued his devastating pace when he defeated Bent Larsen of Denmark in the fifth and sixth games of their match in Temple Buell College in Denver.
The match ended with a perfect 6-0 for Fischer, duplicating his previously unprecedented feat of shutting out Mark Taimanov of the Soviet Union by the same score in Vancouver.
Last December Fischer won his final seven games in succession in the Interzonal Tournament in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Add the 12 victories in the matches, and it is 19 games against top competition without so much as a draw to break the streak. There is nothing remotely similar in the long history of chess.
After the fourth game Larsen asked for a postponement as a result of illness. This was granted by match director Paul Klein of Ecuador after Larsen was examined by a local physician. The specific nature of the illness was not divulged.
Coming back for the fifth game Larsen seemed rested and confident. The opening was identical to the third game until Fischer's 10th move.
In the prior game Larsen had blundered early. This time he revealed the variation he had apparently prepared for the match. It was designed to hold back Fischer's advance on the king side.
Fischer considered the position carefully and still moved his pawn forward, offering it as a sacrifice. As compensation he gained control of the central lines.
Larsen played to exchange queens, simplifying the game but Fischer's rooks and bishops continued to dominate the center. Later Fischer gave up a rook for a bishop to get his remaining rook to the seventh rank. Larsen's pieces were then badly tied up.
Larsen found he had to return the material, and after further exchanges came down to an ending with king and three pawns each. Unfortunately for him, Fischer had an outside pawn. Larsen's king was just able to stop it by marching across the board, but Fischer's king was then free to gobble up the black pawns for the win.
In the sixth game Larsen was white and tried the Bird's Opening, rarely seen today. Fischer defended more conservatively than usual, allowing Larsen attacking chances.
The Dane, trying hard to win in what he knew was his last stand, sacrificed one pawn, then another. Fischer defended calmly, meeting every threat.
At his 30th move Larsen could have forced a draw by perpetual check after 30. NxKP! BxN; 31. RxR BxR; 32. Q-N5ch. This would have broken Fischer's winning streak, but still lost the match.
Larsen decided to continue his attack, come what may. He could find nothing forceful enough, however. He became short of time as well. Fischer soon compelled an exchange of queens, and with two pawns plus, his win of the game and match was certain.
The next step in Fischer's march to the world championship is a match with either former world champion Tigran Petrosian or Victor Korchnoi, both of the Soviet Union.
At this writing, they had drawn eight straight games in their encounter in Moscow. The sharp contrast between this result and the decisive play of the brilliant American is noteworthy.
The coming match should start late in September. The site has not been determined, but will almost certainly be a neutral country, rather than either the U.S. or Russia.
