Fischer's weapon against the French ⎸Fischer vs Rossolimo, 1965 US Championship

Robert James Fischer vs Nicolas Rossolimo, French Defense, McCutcheon, Lasker Variation C12
1965 US Chess Championship, Round 10

A remarkable attacking game by Bobby Fischer. He faced Nicolas Rossolimo with the white pieces in the French Defense, and he managed to outwit him in the middlegame and create a menacing attack Rossolimo didn’t see coming.

The game was played in the 65’ US Championship, which Fischer started very badly, with two losses and a draw. He managed to pick him self up though, and he won all the remaining games and went on to win the event in clear first place.

The McCutcheon Variation of the French Defense is a very theoretical line, and Fischer and his opponent played the main line theory for 10 moves (then Rossolimo deviated and made a mistake, otherwise, who knows how much theory Fischer would have known). Bobby made one mistake in the game and gave Nicolas one chance to gain an edge. The opportunity was not used and from that point on Fischer played with absolutely lethal precision and managed to create a stealthy attack which came out of nowhere, caught Rossolimo by surprise and quickly overran him. A very instructive game for players who are looking for ways to challenge the French Defense!

Game moves:
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Bxc3
7. bxc3 Ne4 8. Qg4 g6 9. Bd3 Nxd2 10. Kxd2 c5 11. Nf3 Nc6
12. Qf4 Qc7 13. h4 f5 14. g4 cxd4 15. cxd4 Ne7 16. gxf5 exf5
17. Bb5+ Kf8 18. Bd3 Be6 19. Ng1 Kf7 20. Nh3 Rac8 21. Rhg1 b6
22. h5 Qc3+ 23. Ke2 Nc6 24. hxg6+ Kg7 25. Rad1 Nxd4+ 26. Kf1
Rhe8 27. Rg3 Nc6 28. Qh4 Nxe5 29. Nf4 Ng4 30. Nxe6+ Rxe6
31. Bxf5 Qc4+ 32. Kg1 1-0

[iannelson]

8:39 I seem to recall Fischer criticizing ...Kf8 and recommending ...Kd8 instead but I might be wrong

[derventio]

Some of your criticism of Fischer's play in this game seems unfair to me. It's more a question of "style" than anything else. Putting 3 pawns on the c file would have been anathema to Bobby I suspect and it's actually debatable if indeed it is any good longterm. Sure the Knight on d4 is pretty but everything else ??! Also later in the game you to me seem pretty harsh in some 0f your comments without really backing them up .. again differences more on "style" than anything.

[PRmoustache]

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