Fischer’s iconic Dragon sacrifice vs Bent Larsen in Portorož Interzonal 1958 скачать в хорошем качестве

Fischer’s iconic Dragon sacrifice vs Bent Larsen in Portorož Interzonal 1958

Fischer’s iconic Dragon sacrifice vs Bent Larsen in Portorož Interzonal 1958 Introduction In 1958, at the Portoroz Interzonal in Slovenia, a 15-year-old Bobby Fischer faced Bent Larsen in a game that has become a classic in chess history. Played on August 16, 1958, in round 8, this encounter saw Fischer, with the White pieces, triumph over Larsen in 31 moves using the Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation (ECO B77). This game is celebrated not only for Fischer's youth but also for his strategic brilliance, offering valuable lessons for chess players studying the Dragon Variation. Game Context The Portoroz Interzonal was a prestigious tournament with 21 players, where the top six would qualify for the Candidates Tournament, a stepping stone to the World Chess Championship. Fischer, already showing prodigious talent, became the youngest grandmaster in history that year. His victory over Larsen, a strong Danish grandmaster, was a highlight of the tournament, which also featured players like Mikhail Tal, who won the event, and Tigran Petrosian. Game Moves The game unfolded as follows: 1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Nxd4 10. Bxd4 Be6 11.Bb3 Qa5 12. O-O-O b5 13. Kb1 b4 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15. Bxd5 Rac8 16.Bb3 Rc7 17. h4 Qb5 18. h5 Rfc8 19. hxg6 hxg6 20. g4 a5 21.g5 Nh5 22. Rxh5 gxh5 23. g6 e5 24. gxf7+ Kf8 25. Be3 d5 26.exd5 Rxf7 27. d6 Rf6 28. Bg5 Qb7 29. Bxf6 Bxf6 30. d7 Rd8 311.Qd6+ 1-0 Key Moments and Analysis The game is a masterclass in attacking the Sicilian Dragon. Below are the critical moments, with insights drawn from expert analysis, including Garry Kasparov's My Great Predecessors: Move 9...Nxd4?!: Larsen's decision to exchange knights was premature, strengthening White's center. Modern theory suggests 9...Bd7 as a stronger alternative, as seen in games like Geller-Korchnoi (Moscow 1971). Move 14.Nd5!: Fischer's knight move applied immediate pressure, exploiting Black's weakened position. Larsen's 14...Bxd5 was reasonable, but 15.Bxd5?! was suboptimal; 15.exd5! would have been stronger, as demonstrated in Fischer-Tal vs Larsen (Zurich 1959). Move 15...Rac8?!: Fischer considered this a losing move, as it failed to address the mounting pressure. A better try was 15...Nxd5, though White retains an advantage. Move 16.Bb3!: This retreat solidified Fischer's position, with Fischer later noting the game was "in the pocket." Move 18.h5!: A decisive push, opening lines for a kingside attack. Larsen's 18...Rfc8 was insufficient, with 18...gxh5 leading to 19.g4!, further intensifying the attack. Move 22.Rxh5!: A typical quality sacrifice in the Dragon, breaking open Black's kingside. Larsen's 22...gxh5? was an error; 22...Bxd4 offered better resistance, though White still prevails. Move 23.g6 e5?!: This move hastened Black's defeat. Fischer suggested 23...e6 as a better defense, but White's attack remains overwhelming. Fischer's king-bishop became a pivotal piece, acting as both an offensive and defensive juggernaut, as noted in a Lichess blog post. --- Strategic Insights Fischer's play exemplifies the Yugoslav Attack against the Dragon, characterized by rapid kingside pawn advances (h4-h5, g4-g5) and long castling to pressure Black's king. His devastating record against the Dragon (+13 -1, including Blitz games) underscores his mastery. Kasparov notes that by the turn of the century, players like Alexei Fedorov shifted away from the Dragon due to its weaknesses, with scores like +2 =6 -9, favoring other Sicilian lines. Modern theory suggests alternatives like 12.Kb1! Cc4 13.Bxc4 Rxc4 14.g4, retaining center control and attack prospects, as seen in games like Miles vs Anand (New York 1995). ----- Fischer vs Larsen 1958, Portorož Interzonal 1958, Sicilian Dragon Fischer, Bobby Fischer Young Games, Chess Classics Fischer Larsen, Sicilian Defense Dragon Variation, Garry Kasparov Chess Analysis, My Great Predecessors Kasparov, Chess Opening Strategies, Middlegame Tactics Chess, Dragon Sacrifice Motifs, Rxc3 Sacrifice, Historical Chess Battles, Bent Larsen Games, Grandmaster Duel, 1958 Interzonal Tournament, Chess Sacrifice Techniques, Tactical Sacrifices in Chess, Chess History, Chess Education ---- #Chess #BobbyFischer #BentLarsen #SicilianDragon #ChessHistory #ClassicGames #ChessAnalysis #GarryKasparov #ChessOpenings #chesstactics --- Citations 1-ChessCampus.com 2-Kasparov, G. (2003). My Great Predecessors, Part I. Everyman Chess. 3-Lichess.org 4-ChessGames.com