Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Sunday, August 01, 1971 - Page 85
The Chessboard - Fischer Continues Streak
Grandmaster Bobby Fischer of the United States is maintaining a blistering pace in the semifinal round of the candidates matches played to select a challenger for world champion Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union.
As this is written, Fischer has scored five straight wins in his match with Grandmaster Bent Larsen of Denmark, thus extending his candidates match record to 11 consecutive wins against no losses and no draws.
Fischer's performance is virtually without precedent. He is undoubtedly playing the best chess of his career. His play is precise and sharp and he subjects his opponents to unrelenting pressure. A good example of his play is his victory over Larsen in the second game of their match.
9. Bg5 (Since this bishop must beat a hasty retreat, it might have been better to place it immediately at K3. Now came 13. f4 (feeling that he enjoys a slight edge—control of Q5, mobility—White undertakes a kingside attack) 16. f5 Bd7 (and not 16. … PxP; 17. PxP BxP(B4?); 18. RxB!) 17. b4 Qe5 (at fist glance, this seems an uneasy spot for the Black queen); 19. Bf4 (now it appears that the Black queen is in serious danger, but Fischer has an escape route in mind), 20. Nxe4 Qxe4 (and White replied): 21. Bd3 Qd4+ (The Black queen sidesteps, but the position still is complex and fraught with hazards.) 25. Bxd2 (White has retrieved his pawn and appears to stand well.) 26. Bf4 (White does not relish the prospect of … K-N2 and …, R-KR with a strong attack against his king.) 31. Rf1 f5 (Black has secured his king and now can turn his attention elsewhere. There followed 32. Re1 Rf7 33. b5 (stymied on the kingside, White seeks play on the opposite wing), 37. … Ra4 (Typically Fischer. A sharp move in a seemingly innocent position spells the beginning of the end. If now 38. BxR, RxPch; and 39. … KxR, winning. There followed 38. Rc1 Bxb5 39. Bxf7 Rxh4+ 40. Kg2 Kxg5 41. Bd5 Ba6 (suddenly White is quite lost); 45. Kg1 Kf4 (the king is a fighting piece—especially in the endgame); 50. Bf1 Bf3 (Black is skillfully weaving a mating net); 51. Rb8 Be4 52. Ba6 Ke3 53. Rc8 Rb1+ 54. Kh2 Kf4 and White resigns.
Bent Larsen vs Robert James Fischer
Fischer - Larsen Candidates Semifinal (1971), Denver, CO USA, rd 2, Jul-08
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation. General (A30) 0-1
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044710
34. cxb5
