The New York Times New York, New York Sunday, February 14, 1971 - Page 95
Pairing for Elimination Matches
A Series of elimination matches, starting in the Spring and ending in the Fall of 1971 will include the six qualifiers from the recent Majorca, Spain, round robin knockout and the two Soviet stars, former champion Tigran Petrosian and Viktor Korchnoi.
The first-round pairings are Petrosian vs. Robert Huebner, the 22-year-old surprise qualifier from West Germany who began in the interzonal as a mere international master; and Korchnoi against his compatriot Yefim Geller, who finished with 15-8, tied with Huebner and Bent Larsen of Denmark. The winners of the above matches will they play each other.
In the first round, Bobby Fischer (temporary house guest of 'Chess Mom' Lina Grummette of Los Angeles) who topped the International by 3½ points with 18½-4½, will face Soviet's Mark Taimanov, who had amassed a 14-9 score. Bent Larsen of Denmark will be paired with Wolfgang Uhlmann of East Germany, 14-9, and the winners of the above two matches will play each other. The two finalists will then play a longer match, the winner of which will play Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union for the world title.
Statistically considered, Fischer's prospects of taking the challenger's role are better than all the candidates. It is pertinent, for example, that among Fischer's triumphs was a 3½-½ sweep against the Soviet contingent. this included victories over Geller, Taimanov and former world champion Vasily Smyslov, and a draw with Lev Polugayevsky. The three games appended highlight the stylistic drives of five of these candidates.
The Sicilian Defense, Petrosian vs. Fischer is from the tournament of Peace at Zagreb, Yugoslavia, 1970. This is the fifth meeting between these stars within a 60-day period. In the previous four clashes, Fischer has won two and drawn two.
Energetically, Petrosian exploits a new idea in the opening and, after 11. … Q-Q1, White enjoys the better game. But with 19. PxP, Petrosian relaxes. And, after 20. … K-R1, Fischer activates his men. The draw is a justified end.
The Nimzo-Indian Defense, Taimnanov vs. Larsen, is the key game in the 1970 Vinkovici, Yugoslavia, International, won by the Dane. He tops the 16-man round robin, 10&half-4½. The turning point arrives after 14. Q-N3. The threat against Black's queen knight pawn must be countered. Larsen comments: “My next move, 14. …P-KN4, is not really risky. It's necessary.” Of course, White cannot take this pawn for Black would win a piece with … P-Q5.
In the ensuing complications, Larsen comes up with the winning defense and only move. Truly amazing is 23. … B-N5. This enables Black to counter powerfully with 25. … Q-Q7.
If White varies 26. R-B1, PxNP opens the king knight file against White's king. The rest is desperation.
The Sicilian Defense, Duncan Suttles of Canada vs. Geller, is from the Majorca Interzonal. Black's skillful blend of strategy and tactics pays off in a superior position after 20. … P-Q5. This way, Black achieves a passed pawn no matter how White replies.
The clincher is 25. … P-N5. This potential queen is the main cog in the winning scheme.
Quiz No. 132. Observing the minutia is the forte of every grandmaster in any position. That is one way to avoid predicaments. Here, for example, in Unzicker vs. Fischer, with Fischer as Black, a peripheral view discloses one of White's important pawns is en prise. The win of this unit places Black in a problem. White wins quickly. How? (The answer is printed upside down below the diagram.).
Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian vs Robert James Fischer
Rovinj/Zagreb (1970), Rovinj/Zagreb YUG, rd 17, May-06
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation. General (A30) 1/2-1/2
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044687
Mark Taimanov vs Bent Larsen
Vinkovci (1970), Vinkovci CRO, rd 13, Oct-20
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical. Berlin Variation Pirc Variation (E39) 0-1
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1138444
Wolfgang Unzicker vs Robert James Fischer
Varna ol (Men) fin-A (1962), Varna BUL, rd 7, Oct-04
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf. Opocensky Variation (B92) 0-1
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1008416
