New York, 1956

The Game of the Century

Donald Byrne – Bobby Fischer · 0-1

Result: 0-1
Moves: 41
Opening: Zukertort Opening
The names end at: 2... g6

Watch it on the map Final position on the map

The story

Bobby Fischer was thirteen when he played this game at the Rosenwald Memorial tournament at the Marshall Chess Club in New York, on 17 October 1956. His opponent, Donald Byrne, was one of the strongest players in the United States.

On move 17 Fischer leaves his queen to be taken and plays 17...Be6!!. Byrne takes the queen, and Black’s rooks, bishops and knight then sweep up White’s position; the game ends with a pure mate, 41...Rc2#.

Hans Kmoch, writing in Chess Review, called it “the Game of the Century” and a “stunning masterpiece of combination play performed by a boy of 13”. Fischer himself said: “I just made the moves I thought were best. I was just lucky.”

The Game of the Century: the map where the opening names end — The position where the game leaves the named openings, with every game of the next four moves around it.

The moves

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.d4 O-O 5.Bf4 d5 6.Qb3 dxc4 7.Qxc4 c6 8.e4 Nbd7 9.Rd1 Nb6 10.Qc5 Bg4 11.Bg5 Na4 12.Qa3 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Nxe4 14.Bxe7 Qb6 15.Bc4 Nxc3 16.Bc5 Rfe8+ 17.Kf1 Be6 18.Bxb6 Bxc4+ 19.Kg1 Ne2+ 20.Kf1 Nxd4+ 21.Kg1 Ne2+ 22.Kf1 Nc3+ 23.Kg1 axb6 24.Qb4 Ra4 25.Qxb6 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# 0-1

Through the openings

1. Nf3Zukertort Opening
1... Nf6Zukertort Opening
2. c4English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation
2... g6English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation

Source of the moves: en.wikipedia.org

More famous games

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