Game of the Century

• Event: Rosenwald Memorial Tournament
• Date: October 17, 1956
• Site: Marshall Chess Club, New York
• White: Donald Byrne
• Black: Bobby Fischer
• Result: 0-1
• ECO: D92
• Opening: Grunfeld Defense
• 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
• Verified Sources:
  • ChessGames.com Database Entry
  • Chess Review Magazine (December 1956)
  • Hans Kmoch's Original Tournament Report
  • Bobby Fischer's "My 60 Memorable Games"

This game was played in the Rosenwald Memorial Tournament when Bobby Fischer was just 13 years old. His opponent, Donald Byrne, was one of the leading American players and a respected chess master. The game showcased Fischer's extraordinary talent and tactical brilliance at a young age.

The game received widespread attention and was dubbed the "Game of the Century" by Hans Kmoch in Chess Review magazine. It demonstrated Fischer's deep understanding of chess principles and his ability to calculate complex variations at such a young age.

1. Opening (1-8): Fischer chooses the Grunfeld Defense, showing his deep opening preparation and willingness to play sharp positions.
2. Queen Sacrifice (11-15): The famous queen sacrifice that leads to a winning position through a series of tactical blows.
3. Middlegame (16-30): Fischer demonstrates perfect coordination of his pieces while maintaining the initiative.
4. Endgame (31-41): A masterful display of technique to convert the material advantage into a win.

Opening Phase

The game begins with the Grunfeld Defense, showing Fischer's mature understanding of complex positional play. His early moves demonstrate excellent piece coordination and strategic understanding.

Queen Sacrifice

The stunning queen sacrifice on move 17 is the game's defining moment. Fischer sacrifices his queen for three minor pieces and a devastating attack, showing remarkable calculation ability and positional understanding.

Final Phase

The endgame demonstrates Fischer's technical precision. Despite being up significant material, he maintains perfect coordination and finds the most efficient way to checkmate his opponent.

This game is considered one of the greatest chess games ever played, demonstrating:

• The power of piece coordination over material
• The importance of calculation in tactical positions
• The value of the initiative
• The beauty of sacrificial play
• The role of prophylaxis in attacking play
• The significance of piece activity in chess

The game is frequently used to teach:

• Tactical awareness and calculation
• The power of coordinated pieces
• How to convert a material advantage
• The importance of king safety

Books

• Fischer, Bobby - "My 60 Memorable Games" (1969)
• Kasparov, Garry - "My Great Predecessors, Part IV" (2004)
• Brady, Frank - "Profile of a Prodigy" (1973)
• Soltis, Andy - "Bobby Fischer Rediscovered" (2003)

Online Resources

• Full Game with Interactive Board (ChessGames.com)
• Chess.com's Analysis
• Lichess Study with Engine Analysis

Historical Documents

• Original tournament bulletin (1956)
• Chess Review Magazine coverage (December 1956)
• Hans Kmoch's original annotations