AAsbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Sunday, March 28, 1971 - Page 49
The Chessboard - Ruy Still a Poser for Black
After more than 400 years of searching analysis and the rigors of practical play, it can safely be said that the Ruy Lopez as an attacking weapon for White, has withstood the test of time. In fact, so strong is White's assault in the Ruy (Black is lucky to equalize in 20 or 30 moves) that the second player does well to avoid it by adopting one of the irregular defenses to 1. P-K4.
So today we see an unusually large number of games in which Black essays the Sicilian Defense, or perhaps the French, in reply to White's 1. P-K4. Still there are some players around who have no qualms about playing Black in the Ruy Lopez and some pretty games have been the result.
In the international tournament at Buenos Aires last year, Arthur Bisguier was Black in a Ruy Lopez against Bobby Fischer, the tournament winner. In that game, Bisguier concocts an interesting attack, but Fischer finds the right antidote and goes on to win. Here is the score:
RUY LOPEZ
Fischer (white) Bisguier (black)
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6
5. O-O b5
This has long been considered premature, since after 5. B-N3 B-K2. White can play strongly 6. P-QR4. But Bisguier has a different continuation in mind. There followed:
6. Bb3 Bb7
(an enterprising move, allowing pressure to be exerted on White's king's pawn after the logical 7. P-Q4. Alternatives to the text are no better—6. … NxP; 7. P-QR4, B-N2; 8. P-Q4 PxQP; 9. R-K P-Q4; 10. BxP QxB; 11. N-B3 or 6. … B-B4; 7. NxP NxN; 8. P-Q4 BxP; 9 QxB P-Q3; 10. P-QB3 P-B4; 11. Q-Q P-Q3; 12. B-B2 B-N2; 13. P-B3 in each case with advantage to White)
7. d4 Nxd4
8. Nxd4 exd4
9. c3 Nxe4
(on 9. … PxP White gets active play for his pieces at the cost of a pawn.). Now came:
10. Re1 Bd6
11. Nd2 Bxh2+
11. … BxPch?! A courageous offer, which if accepted, could gain a draw for Black.
12. Kf1
White declines the offer and sets Blacks some knotty problems, not the least of which is the threatened loss of the knight.
12. … d5
13. Qh5! &hellip:
Now White can pick up the Black king's bishop on his own terms because of the threat 14. RxNch. Now came:
13. … O-O
14. Qxh2 dxc3
15. Nxe4 dxe4
16. bxc3 c5
The exchanges completed, Black can find little comfort in having picked up three pawns for his bishop, since White now has all the play;
17. Re3
White loses no time in attacking Black's kingside which is bereft of defenders.
17. … c4
18. Bc2 Qf6
19. Rf3 Qe6
20. Rh3 Qf5 and there ensued:
21.Be3 Rad8
22.Re1 Rd7
Black's role is purely defensive.
23. Bd4 Re8
24.Rh5 g5
25.g4! …
Decisive. The Black queen in driven from her post and Black's king rook's pawn must fall, leaving the king defenseless.
25. … Resigns.
Robert James Fischer vs Arthur Bisguier
Buenos Aires (1970), Buenos Aires ARG, rd 12, Aug-06
Spanish Game: Morphy Defense. Archangelsk Variation (C78) 1-0
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1028530
