ADaily News New York, New York Tuesday, October 19, 1971 - Page 42
Fischer Wins and Takes Lead In Chess Duel by Robert Byrne
Buenos Aires, Oct. 18—America's Bobby Fischer defeated the Soviet Union's Tigran Petrosian here in the Teatro General San Martin tonight to take the lead in their match by 3½ to 2½ points. The winner of the 12-game series will be recognized as official challenger for Russian Boris Spassky's world title.
Against Petrosian's careful Nimzovitch opening, Fischer shot his center pawns forward ambitiously, cramping the white queen's bishop.
While he held the enemy minor pieces to inactivity, he got in the beginning of an outflanking maneuver on the queen's side with his 11th move.
Then, still keeping Petrosian off balance, his 18.—P-KN3 envisaged a king-side attack by means of the advance of the king's bishop pawn.
In response to this threat, Petrosian panicked, exchanging pawns on the following move, thus mobilizing black's queen side pawns for attack. Fischer did not keep him waiting, either, breaking into queen's flank territory by the positionally decisive 25. — P-B5. The series of exchanges, which unavoidably followed, gave Petrosian no relief, only revealing the power of Fischer's protected passed queen's pawn and the weakness of the white isolated rook pawn.
There was still some speculation that Petrosian, an ex-world champion, might be able to set up a defensive knight blockade of his position when the game was adjourned last night at the 42d move. But Fischer returned tonight to play brilliantly in the second session, worming in with his king to stage a sharp finish. Petrosian's capture of the rook pawn on the 59th move was sheer desperation, but the seemingly plausible defense, 59. N-B1ch K-N7; 60. N-K2 would have been wiped out by — R-R6ch, 61. K-B4 P-Q6; 62. RxBch K-B7 when nothing can stop the pawn from queening.
Game seven will be played tomorrow night.
