Annotated chess game: Simultaneous Exhibition, 1964

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ANNOTATED GAME

Simultaneous Exhibition, 1964
Bobby Fischer vs. Ojars Celle
Annotated by: last_archimedean

(1564)
Chess opening: Evans gambit (C51), Cordel variation

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Celle puts up good resistance, but Fischer's relentless attack wears down his defences.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4	Celle accepts the gambit Pawn.
	3 comments jaysoon (1805) on 14-Jan-11: i've never seen this pawn gambit before. black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 14-Jan-11: Evans Gambit - usually White can get a fierce attack out of it! Or at least a strong centre and a space advantage... mla96 (1682) on 14-Jan-11: I always see this gambit, but I never get a chance to use it.


5. c3 Be7 6. d4 d6	Avoiding PxP, which would completely concede the center.



7. dxe5 Nxe5 8. Nxe5 dxe5	So far, Celle has played well. He has not let Fischer seize a positional advantage or fallen too far behind in development.
	3 comments jaysoon (1805) on 14-Jan-11: guys can you tell me why this move is better than 7. d5? hityerclock (1200) on 14-Jan-11: 7.d5? closes the position. White no longer has an attack, his Q-side pawns are juicy targets, and black is a pawn up. With the position closed, black even has time to play 7...Nb8, planning a later ...Nbd7 and ...Nc5 (or ...Nb6 & ...Nc4). ragozin (1965) on 14-Jan-11: In the Evans Gambit, White usually haunts Black's king while a material deficit is less important. White has just offered an at this moment irrelevant pawn for an attack and quick piece play. 7.d5 would be a mistake since it blocks the centre, as well as the c4-bishop, leaving no quick roads to the Black king. Black's lag in development would be rendered less important, while his material advantage is still very much alive.


9. Qh5 g6 10. Qxe5 Nf6	Preparing to castle.



11. Ba3	One of the thematic moves of the Evans. Now Celle cannot castle without losing a piece.



11... Rf8	Unpinning the Knight.
	2 comments black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 14-Jan-11: ...and losing the right to castle kingside! With three White pieces bearing down there, it doesn't look too good... l-d-j (1747) on 14-Jan-11: ... and pinning the bishop.


12. O-O Ng4 13. Qg3	Celle decides to trade Bishops, trying to cut down the wood and ease his defesive task.



13... Bxa3 14. Nxa3 Qe7 15. Bb5+	Fischer tries to generate an attack on Celle's King, which is stuck in the center of the board.



15... c6 16. Nc4	Celle has a chance to simplify the position with 16... PxB 17 N-Q6 ch K-Q1 [not 17... QxN??? 18 QxQ] 18 NxB KxN 19 QxN ch K-B2, but elects instead to augment the guard on his advanced Knight.



16... Qe6 17. Rad1 cxb5	Now that Fischer controls the open file with his QR, he can afford to sacrifice this Knight to pressure Celle's King.



18. Qc7 Bd7 19. Nd6+ Ke7 20. Nf5+	Another sacrifice. But when mate is in the offing...



20... gxf5 21. exf5 Rac8	Trying to break the force of Fischer's attack.



22. Rxd7+ Qxd7 23. f6+ Nxf6	Celle is completely tied up. His material advantage is useless to him.



24. Re1+ Ne4 25. Rxe4+	Fischer closes in for the kill.



25... Kf6 26. Qxd7 Rfd8 27. Qg4	Celle resigns. He has fought off the mate, but his material and positional disadvantages render his position hopeless. Well done by Fischer! [He had a mate in 5 with 27 R-B4 ch K-K4 28 R-B5 ch K-K5 29 P-B3 ch K-K6 30 R-K5 ch K-B5 31 Q-B5 mate, but as this was a timed simul, he decided to play a move that would end the game immediately with a resignation.]
	2 comments black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 14-Jan-11: it means Fischer must have been low on time, so instead of accidently messing up the mate, he opted for this easily winning position jaysoon (1805) on 14-Jan-11: sorry i don't get what you mean in the last sentence? thank you for this annotation and thanks x-machine for the explanation