Georg Mohr:

Bobby Fischer and the Square d5

Robert James "Bobby" Fischer was an
American chess grandmaster and the 11th
World Chess Champion. He is considered
by many to be the greatest chess player of
all time. A chess prodigy, at age 13 Fischer
won a "brilliancy" that became known as
"The Game of the Century". Starting at age
14, he played in eight United States
Championships, winning each by at least a
point. At age 15, he became both the
youngest grandmaster and the youngest
candidate for the World Championship up
to that time. He won the 196364 U.S.
Championship 110, the only perfect score
in the history of the tournament. His book
My 60 Memorable Games, published in
1969, remains a revered part of chess
literature for advanced players. (CB News,
March 2013).
All chess players know his amazing
results, his fantastic technique, his
positional mastery, f. e. playing with the
Bishops, especially light squared.
I strongly recommend all trainers to study
Fischers games. His My 60 memorable
games is one of the best chess
autobiographical books of all the time.
There we could easily find many well
known strategic elements, that we, as chess
trainers, have to study and know perfectly.
For example weak squares. It was Bobby
who inspired us with his light square
strategy and if we look even more deeper with his master ship by controlling over the
extremely important square d5 in various
Sicilian variants. His opening setups were
in principle focused in the light square
strategy: various Sozin variants (Bc4), with
the plan f4-f5, which forced the opponent
to move e6-e5 (or to take e6-f5), or
unusual variants with h2-h3, where his
opponents in most cases did not recognize
that they are already deadly lost and of
course did not know why this happened at
all

First, we look at the definition of the weak

square:
A square is weak when it is controlled by
your opponent and you have little or no
chance of regaining control due to a lack of
pieces which can effectively fight for that
square. Typically, pawns that could have
controlled the square have moved past it
and, of course, cannot move backwards to
help guard it. Single weak squares are
called holes. Holes on the opponents half
of the board that can be occupied by one of
your supported pieces are called
outposts.
And now to the games. Lets allow Bobby
to explain us some things!
Fischer R. : Bolbochan J.
Stockholm 1962
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 Nc6 7.g4 Nxd4 8.Qxd4 e5
9.Qd3 Be7 10.g5!
One of the most important characteristics
of the move is that it is not attack on the
King, but forcing Knight out of the centre,
which allows White to increase control
over important d5 square.
10...Nd7
Knight has to stay in the centre, as on the
edge it is in danger 10...Nh5 11.h4
Be2.
11.Be3

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11...Nc5?

FIDE Surveys Georg Mohr

It is possible to try some exchanges, but

White would keep the advantage:
11...Bxg5 12.Bxg5 Qxg5 13.Qxd6 Qe7
14.Qxe7+ Kxe7 15.Nd5+ Kf8 16.000
g6 Kotov A.
12.Qd2 Be6 13.000 00 14.f3 Rc8

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15.Kb1
It is typical move, but it was possible to
start playing on the Kings side - 15.h4.
15...Nd7
Very interesting try is to start counter play
on the Kings side, despite the dangers
there: 15...f5 16.gxf6 Rxf6 17.Rg1 Rf7.
16.h4 b5 17.Bh3
Interesting idea, but quite playable is direct
occupation of the central square d5 17.Nd5.
The position is quite clear: square d5 is
fatal weak and white will use it as an
outpost for his pieces. The most important
thing is that White always capture on d5
with the piece and not with the Pawn.
17...Bxh3
To the loss of pawn led 17...Nb6 18.Bxb6
Qxb6 19.Nd5 Qd8 (19...Bxd5? 20.Bxc8)
20.Nxe7+ Qxe7 21.Qxd6.
18.Rxh3 Nb6 19.Bxb6!
Bishop is not important - important is
control of the central square d5. We should
remember the way how it was played: with
the last moves he systematically removed
all black defenders of the square d5!
19...Qxb6 20.Nd5 Qd8
Better try was 20...Qb7 21.Rg3 f5 22.gxf6
Bxf6 23.h5.
FIDE Surveys Georg Mohr

21.f4
Of course, Fischer did not fall into trap
21.Nxe7+? Qxe7 22.Qxd6?? Rfd8+.
21...exf4 22.Qxf4 Qd7 23.Qf5
Very strong move, driving Queen from the
centre.
23...Rcd8

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Very bad position aroused after 23...Qb7
24.h5 Bd8 25.h6 g6 26.Qf4.
24.Ra3!
Strong move, deflecting opponents Queen.
24...Qa7 25.Rc3
Possible, but not the best was direct attack
25.Nf6+!? Bxf6 (25...gxf6? 26.gxf6 Kh8
27.Qg5 Rg8 28.fxe7!) 26.gxf6 g6 27.Qg5
Qf2; 25.h5 was playable and logical.
25...g6!
Best defence, but did not help much.
25...Qd7? 26.Rc7+; 25...Rd7? 26.Nf6+!
Bxf6 (26...gxf6 27.gxf6 Kh8 28.fxe7+)
27.gxf6 g6 28.Qg5 Kh8 29.Qh6 Rg8
30.Rc8!+.
26.Qg4 Qd7 27.Qf3 Qe6
Not 27...Rc8? 28.Rxc8 Rxc8 29.Nb6.
28.Rc7 Rde8
Other possibilities: 28...Rd7 29.Nf4+;
28...Rfe8 29.Rf1; 28...Rc8 29.Ra7 Ra8
30.Rxa8 Rxa8 31.Nc7.
29.Nf4 Qe5 30.Rd5 Qh8
Yes, Queen in the corner was result of
Blacks unlucky strategy and Whites total
control of the d5 square.
31.a3 h6
Black would lose even faster with opening
of the position 31...f6 32.Qb3 Rf7 33.Rxd6
2

fxg5 34.hxg5 Qe5 35.Rf6! Ref8 36.Rxf7

Rxf7 37.Rc8+ Bf8 38.Ne6+.
32.gxh6 Qxh6
Another way to lose immediately was
32...Bxh4? 33.Qg4 Qxh6 34.Rh5.
33.h5 Bg5

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Or 33...g5 34.Nh3 Kh8 35.Ra7.
34.hxg6! fxg6
Capture was calculated by Fischer very
fast: 34...Bxf4 35.gxf7+ Rxf7 36.Rxf7
Kxf7 37.Rh5!+.
35.Qb3!
With this piece sacrifice White conducted
mating attack.
35...Rxf4
35...Kh8 36.Nxg6+ Qxg6 37.Rxg5 Rf1+
(37...Qxg5 38.Qh3++) 38.Ka2 Qxg5
39.Qh3+ Kg8 40.Qxf1+; 35...Bxf4
36.Rh5+.
36.Re5+ Kf8 37.Rxe8+ Kxe8 38.Qe6+
Kf8 39.Qc8+ 1:0.
Extremely instructive game. Systematic
opening, then removing of the d5 square
defenders (Bishop e6 and Knight b6),
consolidation of the Knight on the d5
square and final attack.

FIDE Surveys Georg Mohr

Fischer Ro. : Reshevsky S.

New York 1962

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In his games Fischer was fighting strictly
for his favourite square. Lets look how he
managed to confuse his all-time rival
Sammy Reshewsky.
11.Nd5 Nxd5
Mikhail Tal later showed, that the better
move was 11...00 and after 12.h4 f5 or
even 12...Nd7!? 13.Nxf4 exf4 14.Qxd6
Be5, acceptable was also 11...Nxe2
12.Qxe2 Be6, with the equal game. But not
11...Nxh3? 12.Be3 and Bb6.
12.Qxd5
This we know already: one always has to
take with the piece!
12Nc6 13.Bg4!
This we also know: changing of light
square Bishop, defender of the d5 square.
13Bxg4
13...f5 14.gxf6 Qxf6 15.Bxc8 Rxc8 16.c3
Rc7 17.Be3.
14.hxg4 Qc8 15.Qd1
Double defence: the threat was Qg4 and
Nb4.
15...Nd4
Better was 15...Qe6 16.Be3 000 (Tal).
16.c3 Nxb3 17.axb3 Qe6 18.Ra5! f6?
After a little bit better 18...b5, the pawn a6
became weak.
19.Qd5! Qxd5
19.Dd5 based on the good calculation:
19...Qxg4? 20.Qxb7 00 21.gxf6 +-.
20.Rxd5 Kd7 21.gxf6 Bxf6 22.g5 Be7
23.Ke2
3

White had a big advantage in the ending,

which he managed to win without
problems. Weaknesses were Pawns on d6
and h7, White was the Master of half
opened files and he had fantastic outpost
on d5. Enough? Sure, for Bobby
Fischer R. : Badilles G.
Meralco 1967
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6
5.Nb5 d6 6.Bf4 e5 7.Be3 a6 8.N5c3 Nf6
9.Bc4 Be7

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10.Nd5!
Removing of the first piece defender.
Bad was 10Ne4 11.Bb6.
10Nxd5 11.Bxd5 00 12.Nc3 Kh8
13.00 Be6 14.Bb3!
Another piece the Knight, is going to d5.
The most important thing is, that White has
one more attack to the square d5 than
Black.
14Na5 15.Nd5 Nxb3 16.axb3 Bxd5
17.Qxd5
Queen is the most power full piece on the
outpost! She was proudly looking around
all the chess table.
17Qc7 18.c3 g5?
Black was afraid of the move f2-f4, but
White was thinking something completely
different. After 18g5 black Bishop
would become even worse.
19.Ra4 Rad8 20.Rb4 Rd7 21.Rb6!
The move paralyzed the opponent. The rest
of the game was simple, white has to
FIDE Surveys Georg Mohr

include the second rook in to the attack and

Black defence will be soon or less broken.
Kg7 22.Ra1 f5
This was not a counter play, because there
was no target on the Kings flank.
23.exf5 Rxf5 24.Ra4 Rf8 25.Rc4 Qb8
26.Rcb4
White easily won - 1:0.
Fischer R. : Kupper J.
Zrich 1959
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4
Bobbys favourite move.
6e6 7.Bb3 Be7 8.00 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 00
10.Kh1 b6
This set up was recommended by famous
Grandmaster Isak Boleslavsky.

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11.f4!
The plan with f4-f5 was Fischers
trademark. He liked to pressure pawn e6
with Bishop from b3 and with Pawn from
f5 and forced Black to play e6-e5 or to take
e6-f5 and left the square f5 to the
opponent.
11...Bb7 12.f5 e5 13.Qd3 h6?
Black was afraid of Bg5, with the idea Bf6.
Interesting was 13...Rc8, with possible
exchange sacrifice on c3. Move h6 just
weakened the Black King position and
Bobby changed his planes in the moment
from positional chess to the wild attack!
14.Rf3! Rc8 15.Rh3 Kh7
4

The best chance for the Black was the

already mentioned exchange sacrifice:
15...Rxc3 16.Qxc3 Ne4 17.Qe1 d5 18.c3
Bc5, but we remember Fischer also as a
player, who was never afraid of playing
with the material advantage.
16.Be3 Qd7

24.Qf3 Rc4 25.Qf5+

With 25Kg8 26.fxg7+. 1:0.

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17.Nd5!
Things went forced by that moment. The
threat was 18.Nf6 Bf6 19.Bh6! gh6 20.Qe3
Bg7 21.f6.
17...Bxd5 18.Bxd5 Nxd5?!
A little better was to leave White Bishop
on d5 and wait for the slowly death
19.exd5!
This was the exception: Bobby took on d5
with the Pawn! The reason was connected
with tactical play: there was f5-f6 in the air
and Black had only two logical defences.
19Bf6?
Mistake, Black decided wrong. Better was
19...f6 and there was nothing after
20.Bxh6?! gxh6 21.Qe3 Qxf5 22.Qxh6+
Kg8 23.Rh5 (23.Rf3 Qh7 24.Rg3+ Kh8
25.Qe3 Rc4! 26.Rh3 Rh4+) 23...Qxc2
24.Rf1 Rc4+, probably Black was afraid
of this sacrifice. But Fischer never
sacrificed without clear win, so, he would
continue quietly 20.Rf1 Rh8 21.Rff3 Kg8
22.Rfg3. Now, there was final execution
left:
20.Bxh6! gxh6 21.Qe3 Bg7 22.f6! Rh8
23.Rf1 Qb5
Of course, not 23...Bf8 24.Qe4+ Kg8
25.Rg3+.
FIDE Surveys Georg Mohr