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Evans on Chess Sun, Jan 9, 1972 – 96 · Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Florida) · Newspapers.com
Evans on Chess: Fischer Sights Summit
For the first time in history the U.S. produced a contender for the world championship when Bobby Fischer smashed Tigran Petrosian in Buenos Aires last October. Finally Bobby earned a title shot which will pit him against Russia's Boris Spassky this spring.
Argentina got its money worth for a $12,000 purse — banner headlines and worldwide publicity. Some 5,000 fans jammed the San Martin theater every round, overflowing into the lobby to follow each move on large demonstration boards. Halfway the feverish betting odds dropped to even money when Fischer got mired in three draws after losing the second game which shattered his 20-game winning streak. The score was tied after round five.
The turning point came when Petrosian suddenly drew into his shell, adopting the usual waiting game which had served him so well during his reign as world champion. He set up a cramped, sluggish formation and then shuttled to and for along his back row. Perhaps he felt that his best chance lay in tempting Fischer to overreach himself. No such luck. Bobby swept the last four games to post 6½-2½.
Tigran V Petrosian vs Robert James Fischer Fischer - Petrosian Candidates Final (1971), Buenos Aires ARG, rd 6, Oct-17 Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation (A04) 0-1 https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106930
1. Nf3 c5 2. b3 d5 3. Bb2 f6 4. c4 d4 5. d3 e5 6. e3 Ne7 7. Be2(a) Nec6 8. Nbd2 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. e4 a6 11. Ne1 b5 12. Bg4 Bxg4 13. Qxg4 Qc8 14. Qe2 Nd7 15. Nc2 Rb8 16. Rfc1(b) Qe8 17. Ba3 Bd6 18. Ne1 g6 19. cxb5(c) axb5 20. Bb2 Nb6 21. Nef3 Ra8 22. a3 Na5 23. Qd1 Qf7 24. a4 bxa4 25. bxa4 c4 26. dxc4 Naxc4 27. Nxc4 Nxc4 28. Qe2 Nxb2 29. Qxb2 Rfb8 30. Qa2 Bb4 31. Qxf7+ Kxf7 32. Rc7+ Ke6 33. g4 Bc3 34. Ra2 Rc8 35. Rxc8 Rxc8 36. a5 Ra8 37. a6 Ra7 38. Kf1 g5 39. Ke2 Kd6 40. Kd3 Kc5 41. Ng1 Kb5 42. Ne2 Ba5 43. Rb2+ Kxa6 44. Rb1 Rc7 45. Rb2 Be1 46. f3 Ka5 47. Rc2 Rb7 48. Ra2+ Kb5 49. Rb2+ Bb4 50. Ra2 Rc7 51. Ra1 Rc8 52. Ra7(d) Ba5 53. Rd7 Bb6 54. Rd5+ Bc5 55. Nc1 Ka4 56. Rd7 Bb4 57. Ne2 Kb3 58. Rb7 Ra8 59. Rxh7 Ra1 60. Nxd4+ exd4 61. Kxd4 Rd1+ 62. Ke3 Bc5+ 63. Ke2 Rh1 64. h4 Kc4 65. h5 Rh2+ 66. Ke1 Kd3 0-1
(a)Passive. More active is 7. PxP BPxP; 8. P-KN3 with a reverse Benoni defense.
(b) Pointless. Better is 16. P-N3.
(c) Only opens the position for Black. 19. P-N3 is drawish.
(d) 52. R-R2 P-R4; 53. P-R3 R-KR1; 54. P-R1 offers stronger resistance. The text loses.
