The Game of the Century (chess)


The Game of the Century is a famous chess game that was won by the 13-year-old future world champion Bobby Fischer against Donald Byrne in the Rosenwald Memorial Tournament at the Marshall Chess Club in New York City on October 17, 1956. In Chess Review, Hans Kmoch dubbed it "The Game of the Century" and wrote: "The following game, a stunning masterpiece of play performed by a boy of 13 against a formidable opponent, matches the finest on record in the history of chess prodigies."

Background

Donald Byrne was one of the leading American chess masters at the time of this game. He won the 1953 U.S. Open Championship, and later represented the United States in the 1962, 1964, and 1968 Chess Olympiads. He became an International Master in 1962, and probably would have risen further if not for ill health. Robert "Bobby" Fischer was at this time a promising junior facing one of his first real tests against master level opposition. His overall performance in the tournament was lukewarm, but later he had a meteoric rise, winning the 1957 U.S. Open on tiebreaks, winning the 1957–58 U.S. Championship, qualifying for the Candidates Tournament and becoming in 1958 the world's youngest grandmaster at the age of 15. He won the world championship in 1972, and is considered to be one of the greatest chess players of all time.
In this game, Fischer demonstrates noteworthy innovation and improvisation. Byrne, after a standard opening, makes a seemingly minor mistake on move 11, losing a tempo by moving the same piece twice. Fischer pounces with brilliant sacrificial play, culminating in a queen sacrifice on move 17. Byrne the queen, but Fischer gets far too much for it – a rook, two bishops, and a pawn. At the end, Fischer's pieces coordinate to checkmate, while Byrne's queen sits useless on the other side of the board.

The game

White: Donald Byrne Black: Bobby Fischer Opening: Grünfeld Defence
1. Nf3
1... Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7
4. d4 0-0
5. Bf4 d5
6. Qb3
6... dxc4
7. Qxc4 c6
8. e4 Nbd7
9. Rd1 Nb6 10. Qc5
10... Bg4
11. Bg5
11... Na4
12. Qa3 Nxc3 13. bxc3 Nxe4
14. Bxe7 Qb6 15. Bc4
15... Nxc3!
16. Bc5 Rfe8+ 17. Kf1
17... Be6!!
18. Bxb6?
18... Bxc4+
19. Kg1 Ne2+ 20. Kf1 Nxd4+ 21. Kg1
21... Ne2+ 22. Kf1 Nc3+ 23. Kg1 axb6
24. Qb4 Ra4!
25. Qxb6
25... Nxd1
26. h3 Rxa2 27. Kh2 Nxf2 28. Re1 Rxe1 29. Qd8+ Bf8 30. Nxe1 Bd5 31. Nf3 Ne4 32. Qb8 b5
33. h4 h5 34. Ne5 Kg7
35. Kg1 Bc5+
36. Kf1 Ng3+ 37. Ke1 Bb4+
38. Kd1 Bb3+ 39. Kc1 Ne2+ 40. Kb1 Nc3+ 41. Kc1 Rc2
Responding to an interviewer's question about how he was able to bring off such a brilliant win, Fischer said: "I just made the moves I thought were best. I was just lucky."