This is one of Fischer's most famous games.
1.e4
e6
2.d3
d5
3.Nd2
The normal shielding of the queen from exchange after ...dxe4/dxe4.
3...Nf6
4.g3
c5
5.Bg2
Nc6
6.Ngf3
Be7
7.0-0
0-0
8.e5
Known as 'the Long Variation,' this line can be reached from French, Sicilian and 1 Nf3 move orders.
8...Nd7
9.Re1
Reinforcing the critical e5-pawn.
9...b5
With the board effectively divided in two, black correctly accelerates his queenside play, hoping to outrun white's kingside initiative.
10.Nf1
b4
11.h4
Opening h2 for the knight headed for g4 and preparing to soften the black kingside with h5-h6.
11...a5
Continuing queenside expansion. [Weaker is 11...Qc7?!
.]
12.Bf4!
[Also good is the immediate 12.N1h2
a4?
(12...Ba6
13.Ng4
(13.Bf4
) 13...a4?!
(13...Nd4
) 14.Bg5
Nd4
15.Qd2!?
(15.Nxd4
cxd4
16.Qd2
Rc8
17.Re2
Rc6
18.Qf4
b3
19.cxb3
axb3
20.axb3
h5~~
) 15...Nxf3+
16.Bxf3
c4
17.d4
c3!?
18.bxc3
bxc3
19.Qe3
Rb8
20.Rab1
Rb2
21.Bxe7
Qxe7
22.Qxc3
Rxa2
23.Ne3
Nb8
24.Rb6
a3
25.Reb1+/-
) 13.a3!
Qb6
14.Bf4
f6
15.exf6
Bxf6
16.Rb1
Nd8
17.Ng4+/-
.]
12...a4?!
[Better is 12...Ba6
13.N1h2
a4
(13...Rc8
14.Rc1
(14.Bh3
Nd4
15.Nxd4
cxd4
16.Rc1
Rc6
17.Qg4
Kh8
18.Nf3
Qb6
19.Bg5
f5
20.Qf4
Bc5
21.b3+/-
Rf7
(21...h6?
22.Bxh6
gxh6
23.Qxh6++-
) 22.g4
Nf8
23.h5
Kg8
24.Kh1
Bc8
25.Rg1
Qa7
26.Rg2
Qc7
27.Rcg1
Kh8
28.Bh6!
fxg4
(28...gxh6
29.gxf5
) 29.Qxg4
g6
30.Bxf8
Rxf8
31.hxg6
Qg7
32.Qh5
Rc7
33.Ng5!
Qxg6
34.Qxg6
hxg6
35.Bxe6
Kg7
(35...Bxe6
36.Rh2+!
) 36.Rh2
Rh8
37.Rgg2!
Rh6
38.Rxh6
Kxh6
39.f4
Kg7
40.Rh2
Be7
41.Rh7+
Kf8
42.Rh8+
(1-0 Visser-Kiriakov, 1995)) 14...a4
15.Bf1
Nb6
16.Ng5
Qe8
17.Ng4
a3
18.bxa3
Na4
19.Nf6+!
gxf6
20.exf6
Bxf6
21.Qh5+-
) 14.Ng5
Qe8
15.c4
Nb6
16.cxd5
Nxd5
17.Be4
g6
18.Bxd5
exd5
19.Ng4
Nd4~~
.]
13.a3!
Fischer blunts the queenside expansion before returning to the kingside.
13...bxa3
14.bxa3
Na5?!
[Better are 14...Nd4
; and 14...Ba6
.]
15.Ne3
White switches plans. [15.N1h2?
allows 15...c4
16.d4
c3-/+
.]
15...Ba6
16.Bh3!+/=
d4
Opening d5 for the knight. [Weaker is 16...c4?!
17.d4+/-
.]
17.Nf1!
[17.Ng4
]
17...Nb6
As planned. [Black has an interesting pawn sacrifice with 17...c4!?
18.Nxd4
(18.dxc4
Nxc4
19.Qxd4
Nxa3<=>
) 18...cxd3
19.cxd3
Nc5©
.]
18.Ng5
Nd5
[Unclear is 18...h6
19.Ne4
Nd5
20.Bd2
c4
21.Qg4
Kh7~~
.]
19.Bd2
[Not the tempting 19.Qh5?
h6!
20.Nxf7
Nxf4
21.Nxh6+
gxh6
22.gxf4
Kg7!-/+
.]
19...Bxg5?!
Voluntarily parting with his last kingside defender. [Worse is 19...h6?
20.Nxe6
fxe6
21.Bxe6+
Kh8
22.Bxa5
Qxa5
23.Bxd5+-
; necessary for counterplay is 19...c4<=>
.]
20.Bxg5+/-
Qd7
21.Qh5
Rfc8?!
[Better is 21...Bb7
.]
22.Nd2!
Appropriating the e4-square and pivoting into the kingside attack.
22...Nc3
23.Bf6!+-
A winning shot.
23...Qe8
[23...gxf6
also loses: 24.exf6
Kh8
25.Nf3
Rg8
26.Ne5+-
.]
24.Ne4!
Look how dangerous white's pieces are; how ineffectual black's are.
24...g6
Weakening the dark squares.
25.Qg5!
Keeping the queen on the board. [Not 25.Qh6?
Qf8
.]
25...Nxe4
26.Rxe4
c4
[No better is 26...Bb7
27.Rg4
Qf8
(27...Qc6
28.Kh2+-
) 28.h5
h6
29.Qh4
g5
30.f4
Bf3
31.fxg5
Bxg4
32.Qxg4
hxg5
33.Qxg5+
Kh7
34.Bg2+-
.]
27.h5!
Bobby comes after the king and clears h4 for the rook.
27...cxd3
28.Rh4!
Ra7
[Also losing is 28...Rc7
29.Bxe6
fxe6
30.hxg6
Qxg6
31.Qxg6+
hxg6
32.Rh8+
Kf7
33.Rh7+
Ke8
34.Rxc7+-
; and even more brutal is 28...dxc2?
29.hxg6
c1Q+
30.Rxc1
Rxc1+
31.Kh2!
fxg6
32.Rxh7!
Kxh7
33.Qh4+
Kg8
34.Qh8+
Kf7
35.Qg7#
.]
29.Bg2!!
Fischer knows that his mate threats are more deadly than black's promotion on c1.
29...dxc2?
[Necessary and ineffective are 29...Bb7!?
30.hxg6
fxg6
31.Rxh7
Kxh7
32.Qh4+
Kg8
33.Qh8+
Kf7
34.Qg7#
; and 29...Qf8
30.Be4!
dxc2
31.hxg6
fxg6
32.Bxg6+-
.]
30.Qh6
Qf8
Black tries desperately to trade off queens. [Black also loses after 30...c1Q+
31.Rxc1
Rxc1+
32.Kh2!
Qf8
33.Qxh7+
Kxh7
34.hxg6+
Kxg6
35.Be4#
.]
31.Qxh7+
[31.Qxh7+
Kxh7
32.hxg6+
Kxg6
33.Be4#
A great finish to a thematic game.] 1-0