The New York Times New York, NY Sunday, January 03, 1971 - Page 121
Triumph and Tragedy in Interzonal by Al Horowitz
Grandmaster Bobby Fischer of Los Angeles captured first place in the interzonal knockout round robin of Majorca, Spain, 18½-4½. He outdistanced the 24-man field by 3½ points, winding up with a seven-game winning streak.
Among the defeated stars in this final spurt is Grandmaster Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany, who earlier had been heading the list by half a point. Appended is the Benoni Defense, Uhlmann vs. Fischer. This is a radically new and dynamic line that grants White a winning impetus after 12. … NxKP.
This shocker is based on the alternative 13. PxB BxN; 14. PxB NxP/6 with a big plus for Black.
As the game goes, after 21. … N-Q2, Black's two pawns plus outweigh backward development. Returning one pawn, Fischer cuts down to the skeletal basics, where his active knight overpowers White's awkward bishop. Hence, resignation is justified. If 25. RxQP 35 K-K4, etc.
Despite this defeat, Uhlmann finishes strongly in the event. 14-9, tied with Grandmaster Mark Taimanov of the Soviet Union for fifth and sixth qualifiers in the forthcoming elimination matches. Besides Fischer, the other qualifiers were Grandmasters Yefim Geller of the Soviet Union, Robert Huebner of West Germany and Bent Larsen of Denmark. Each posted 15-8.
The disappointment of Majorca is the performance of the youngest player in the event, Henrique Mecking of Brazil. Though he defeats a few higher-rated antagonists, he blunders in some games where he has the lead and ends out of the qualifying running. In any case the grandmaster accolade eludes him, even though he is more qualified than others in this upper echelon.
Mecking's grievous defeat is as White in a King's Indian Defense vs. Lajos Portisch of Hungary. First, he might have enjoyed a speculative spree if he continued with 18. P-K5 with abandon. Particularly note 20. R-B2 — a courageous decision implying a profound appraisal of the situation.
Though buffeted about in the spirited mid-game, Mecking survives even with the loss of the exchange and attacks in all quarters. The youth, however, is blind to a queen sortie by his foe, entailing a discovered check. Thus, after 40. … R-K5ch, White surrenders a game which he should have won.
The most thrilling cliffhanger is the Sicilian Defense, Dragolijub Minic, Yugoslavia, vs. Taimanov. Black's victory encompasses his command of the light-colored long diagonal. After 19. … PxP, it is crystal clear and it is the turning point in Black's ultimate victory. 20. BxP is foreclosed by 20. … RxB; 21. QxR BxPch; winning for Black. Hence, Black has all under control, zigzagging from wing to wing to gain material.
The New York Times New York, NY Sunday, January 03, 1971 Quiz No. 126 In the position below, Black is threatening mate...
Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Wednesday, April 15, 2020
Quiz No. 126
In the position below, Black is threatening mate in many ways, but it is greater than its execution. White moves and delivers mate. How?
FEN 6K1/Pp1r3r/5kn1/5p2/5P2/6N1/8/4R1R1 w - - 0 1
Answer — 1. N-R5ch RxN; 2. RxNch KxR; 3. R-K6 mate
