1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Nxc6 Qg5 8.Qe2 Nf6 9.f4 Qxf4 10.d4 Qh4+

Based on the belief that the move chosen by Matulovic is refuted by Fisher's play in this game, 10...Qd6 is almost invariably played.

12.Bg5

12.Ne5+ c6 13.Bc4 Be6 is the main line of the Schliemann, normally reached by 10. Ne5+ c6 11. d4 Qh5+ 12. g3 Qh3 13. Bc4 Be6.;

A further challenge to Black's move-order is 12.Nxa7+ Bd7 13.Bxd7+ Qxd7 14.Nb5 c6 15.Nc3 Bb4 (15...Qxd4?! 16.Be3 Qe5 was played in Parma-Matulovic, Yugoslav Championship 1962. Black has regained his pawn, but White can now castle in either direction with expectation of a strong initiative.)

A) 16.Bd2 0-0 17.0-0 Qxd4+ 18.Be3 Qd6 19.Qc4+ (19.Rad1? Qe6; 19.Nxe4? Nxe4 20.Qc4+ Kh8 see A1 below) 19...Kh8

A1) 20.Nxe4? Nxe4 21.Rxf8+ (21.Qxe4 Rae8) 21...Qxf8 22.Qxe4 Re8 23.Qf4 Rxe3;

A2) 20.a3 Bxc3 21.Qxc3 Nd5 22.Qd4 Qe6 is good for Black;

A3) 20.Rad1 Qe7 21.a3 Ng4 with an even game in McDonald-Emms, Dublin 1991.;

B) 16.Be3! 0-0 17.0-0 Bxc3 18.bxc3

Black needs to find a workable queenside blockade.

B1) 18...b5 19.c4 bxc4 20.Qxc4+ Nd5 21.a4! and White is better(21.Bf4 Ra3! was played in Gheorghiu-Maric, Skopje 1968. Black's queenside blockade should be sufficient to hold the draw.) ;

B2) My idea is 18...Ra4 19.Bg5 Qe6

B2a) 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.a3 (21.Qe3 f5 22.Qg5+ Qg6 23.Qf4 b5) 21...f5 22.Qd2 Qe7 and Black appears to have sufficient resources for the draw;

B2b) 20.Rae1 Nd5 21.Rxf8+ Kxf8 22.Qxe4 Qxe4 23.Rxe4 Nxc3 24.Re3 Nd5 and the game is even.

12...a6 13.Ba4 Bd7 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qxe4+ Kf7

16.Ne5+

Since the attack after Fischer's move appears to offer barely enough compensation for the piece, a great deal depends on the evaluation of 16.Bb3+ Kg7 17.Ne5 (17.Qd5 Re8+ 18.Ne5 Re7 19.0-0-0 fxe5 and White has very little for his mising piece)

A) 17...fxe5 leads to a draw at best. 18.Rf1 and now:

A1) 18...Re8? 19.Rf7+ Kh6 20.dxe5 Be7 (20...Bg4 21.Qe3+ Kh5 22.Rg7!! and wins) 21.Qf4+ Kh5 22.Rf6 and White wins;

A2) 18...Bd6? 19.Rf7+ Kh6 20.dxe5 Bxe5 21.Qxe5! Rhe8 22.Rf6+ Kg7 23.Re6+ Kf7 24.Qf6+ Kg8 25.Rxe8#;

A3) 18...Bb4+! 19.c3 Rhe8 20.Rf7+ Kh8 21.cxb4 exd4 22.Rf8+ Kg7 23.Rf7+ Kh8 with a perpetual. Ivanov and Kulagin.;

B) But Black need not hurry to take the knight. My idea is 17...Re8!

Black should win if he follows up with ...Bd6 and ...Rhf8 before playing ...fxe5. White has nothing in the mean time. Thus:

B1) 18.Qf4 Bd6! 19.0-0-0 Rhf8;

B2) 18.Rf1 Bd6! (Ivanov and Kulagin give 18...fxe5 19.Rf7+ Kh6 20.0-0-0 unclear) 19.Qxb7 (or 19.0-0-0 Rhf8) 19...Rhf8 20.0-0-0 fxe5 21.Rxf8 Rxf8 22.dxe5 Bxe5;

B3)18.Qe3 Bd6! 19.0-0-0 Rhf8;

B4) 18.Qf3 Bc6 19.Bd5 Bxd5 20.Qxd5 fxe5 and the exchange of bishops greatly favors Black.

16...fxe5

17.Rf1+

17.Qd5+ Be6 18.Qxb7 Bd6 19.0-0-0 exd4; 17.Bb3+ Be6 White is without full compensation for his sacrificed piece.

A) 18.Bxe6+ Qxe6 19.Rf1+ Kg7 20.Rf5 (20.0-0-0 Be7) 20...Rg8 21.Rxe5 Qg6 22.Qxb7 Bd6 and Black is good;

B) 18.Rf1+ Kg8

B1) 19.0-0-0 Bxb3 20.axb3 Rd8 21.Rf5 (or 21.Qxe5 Qd7) 21...Bg7 and Black's material advantage should decide the game;

B2) 19.Bxe6+ Qxe6 20.0-0-0 (or 20.Rf5 Bg7 21.dxe5 Re8) 20...Qxa2 21.Qg4+ Bg7 22.dxe5 h5 and Black has a big advantage(but not Ivanov's and Kulagin's 22...Re8?? 23.Rd7) ;

17.Bxd7 Qxd7

A) 18.0-0+ Kg8 19.Rad1 (or 19.Qxb7 Qxd4+ 20.Kh1 Rd8) 19...exd4 and White's play is not enough for the piece;

B) 18.Rf1+ Kg8 19.0-0-0 Rd8

B1) 20.Rf5 Bg7;

B2) 20.Qxe5 Bg7 21.Qc5 c6 (but not 21...Bxd4?? 22.Rxd4 Qxd4 23.Qg5+) ;

B3) 20.a3 Qc6 21.Qxc6 bxc6 22.dxe5 Rd5 23.Rde1 Be7 and the piece is better than the pawns.

17...Ke7

18.Rf6! (Ivanov and Kulagin; White threatens Qd5+) 18...Bb4+ (18...Kg7 19.Qxe5 Re8 20.Re6+; 18...c6 19.Bb3+ Kg7 20.Qxe5; 18...Re8 19.Bb3+ Be6 20.Qxe5) 19.c3 Kg7 20.Qxe5 and White wins.

18.Bxd7

18.Qxe5+ Qe6 leaves Black with some advantage.

My novelty is 18.Qxb7

A) 18...Qxh2 19.0-0-0 Bh6+ 20.Kb1 Bxa4 (20...Rad8 21.Qb4+ and wins; 20...Qh3 21.Bxd7 Qxd7 22.dxe5 with an overpowering attack) 21.Qxc7+ Bd7 (21...Ke8 22.Qxe5+ Kd7 23.Rf7+ Kd8 24.Qc7+ Ke8 25.Qe7#) 22.Qxe5+ Be6 23.d5 Qh3 24.Rfe1 and White wins;

B) 18...Bxa4 19.Qxa8 Qxh2 20.Qf3 Bh6 21.Qf7+! (21.Rf2 Qg1+ 22.Rf1 Qe3+ 23.Qxe3 Bxe3 24.dxe5 Rg8 and Black is better) 21...Kd8 22.Qf6+ Kd7 23.Qf5+ Kc6 24.Qe4+ Kb6 25.Rf6+ Ka7 26.dxe5!

White has miraculous drawing resources.

B1) 26...Rd8 27.Rxa6+ Kxa6 28.Qxa4+ Kb6 (28...Kb7 29.Qb3+ is the same) 29.Qb4+ Kc6 30.Qa4+ Kb7 31.Qb3+ Kc8 32.Qe6+ with a perpetual;

B2) 26...Qd2+ 27.Kf1 Bxc2 28.Rxa6+ Kxa6 29.Qc6+ and draws by perpetual;

B3) 26...Qg1+ 27.Ke2 Bb5+ 28.c4 Qxa1 29.Qd4+ Kb8 30.cxb5 Bc1 31.Rb6+ (31.Rxa6? Qxb2+ 32.Qxb2 Bxb2 33.e6 Be5 with a won game for Black) 31...cxb6 (31...Kc8? 32.Qg4+ Kd8 33.Rb8+ Ke7 34.Qb4+) 32.Qxb6+ with a perpetual.

18...Kxd7!

18...Qxd7 is recommended in Schiller and Schamkovich's execrable work, Schliemann Defense, Classical Variation.

A) For a while, I thought that with 19.dxe5 threatening 20. Qh4+ and 20. Rd1, White could get a strong attack. But 19...Qc6 20.Qh4+ Ke8 21.Rd1 (no better is 21.0-0-0 Qh6+) 21...Be7 and Black is better(but not 21...Qxc2? 22.Qg4 Qc6 23.Rf6 Qh1+ 24.Ke2 Qg2+ 25.Rf2 Qc6 26.Qf5) ;

B) More promising is 19.0-0-0!

B1) 19...Bg7 20.dxe5 Qc6 (20...Qe6 21.Qb4+ Ke8 22.Qxb7 is excellent for White) 21.Qh4+ Ke8 22.e6 h5 (22...Qb5 23.c3 h5 24.Rf7 Bh6+ 25.Kb1 and there is no stopping White's attack) 23.Rf7 Bh6+ 24.Kb1 Qxe6 25.Rxc7 greatly favors White;

B2) 19...Qe6 20.dxe5 Qxa2 (20...Rb8 21.Rf6 Qxa2 22.Qd4 Qa1+ 23.Kd2 and White wins; similar is 20...b5 21.Rf6) 21.Qh4+ Ke8 22.Qh5+ Ke7 23.e6! Qa1+ 24.Kd2 Qxb2 25.Qf7+ Kd6 26.Ke2+.

19.Rf7+

Since this move appears to lead to Black advantage, White should consider his alternatives.

19.Qxb7 Qe6 20.0-0-0 (20.dxe5? Qxe5+ 21.Kf2 Bd6) 20...e4! a thematic, line-closing maneuver. And now:

A) 21.d5

A1) Here not, as recommended by Ivanov and Kulagin, 21...Qb6 22.Rf7+ Be7 (22...Ke8 23.Rxf8+) 23.Qxb6 cxb6 24.d6 and White wins;

A2) But instead 21...Qd6 22.Kb1 Be7 and Black's piece is worth more than White's pawns;

B) 21.Kb1 Be7 (Ivanov's and Kulagin's 21...Bd6 looks dangerous for Black after 22.d5 Qg6 23.Qc6+ Ke7) 22.Rfe1 Rab8 23.Qxe4 Qxe4 24.Rxe4 Rhf8

For a while I thought this was rougly even, but now it seems to me that Black's piece is worth a little more than White's pawns.

19.0-0-0! Bh6+ 20.Kb1 Raf8 21.Rxf8 (21.dxe5+ Kc8 22.Rxf8+ Rxf8 23.Qxh7 Kb8 and Black is for choice) 21...Rxf8 22.Qxb7 Rf1 23.Qd5+ Kc8

A) 24.dxe5 Rxd1+ (24...Kb8 25.a4! Rxd1+ 26.Qxd1 Qxh2 27.Qd8+ Kb7 28.Qd5+ and White has an evident perpetual) 25.Qxd1 Qe6 26.Qh5 Bg7 27.Qxh7 Qxe5 28.c3 with a difficult but probably even game;

B) 24.Qa8+ Kd7 25.Qd5+ Ke7!? 26.Qxe5+ Kd8 27.Qd5+ with a perpetual;

19.Qd5+! Kc8 20.Qxe5

20...Bg7!! (Ivanov and Kulagin) 21.Qxg7 Re8+ 22.Kf2 Qxh2+ 23.Kf3 Qe2+ 24.Kf4 Kb8 (Black could similarly try 24...b6 ) and Black completes his development with threats to White's king. Even so, I think White can hold the balance: 25.Rae1 Qd2+ 26.Kg4 Rxe1 27.Qf8+ Re8 28.Qxe8+ Ka7 29.Qe4 (29.Qe5 Rg8+ 30.Kh3 Qh6+ 31.Kg2 Qc6+ 32.Kh3 Qh6+ and so forth) 29...Qh2=.

19...Ke8

This loses.

Ivanov and Kulagin propose 19...Be7!

A) 20.Qd5+ Ke8 21.Rg7 (21.0-0-0 Rd8 22.Qb3 Rxd4 23.Rdf1 Rf4! 24.R1xf4 exf4 25.Rxf4 Rf8 26.Rxf8+ Bxf8 and Black is much better) 21...Rf8! and Black is winning(but not Ivanov's and Kulagin's 21...Qh5?? 22.Qe6) ;

B) 20.0-0-0 Qe6 21.dxe5+ Kc8 22.Qd5

Colin Leach, the author and publisher of a very thorough set of theoretical monographs, Complete Chess Openings, considers this position to be winning for White.

B1) Leach foresaw 22...Bg5+ 23.Kb1 Qxd5 24.Rxd5 White's powerful e-pawn and threats of doubling rooks on the seventh rank are approximate compensation for the piece, but perhaps not more. 24...Bd8! (24...Rd8 25.Rxd8+ Bxd8 26.e6 and White wins - Leach) 25.e6 Re8 26.Re5 Re7 27.Rxe7 Bxe7 28.Rh5 Kd8 29.Rxh7 Ke8 and the game looks about even;

B2) But Black has better in 22...Qh6+ 23.Kb1 Rd8 24.Qf3 Rxd1+ 25.Qxd1 Qe6 26.Rxh7 (26.Qh5 Kd7 27.Rxh7 Rf8 28.Qd1+ Kc8 and the piece is worth more than the pawns) 26...Qxe5 with advantage(also 26...Kb8 is safe enough) ;

C) 20.Qxb7 Qe6 21.0-0-0 e4! 22.d5 Qh6+ 23.Kb1 Rhb8 24.Qc6+ (24.Rxe7+ Kxe7 25.Qxc7+ Kf8) 24...Qxc6 25.dxc6+ Ke6 26.Rxh7 Rh8 The piece is worth more than the pawns.

20.Rxc7 Bd6

20...Qh5 21.Qxb7 and wins;

20...Qe6 21.Rxb7 Bh6 22.Rb6! Qxb6 23.Qxa8+ Kf7 (23...Qd8 24.Qc6+) 24.Qxh8 Qxb2 25.Qxh7+ Ke8 26.Qxh6 Qxa1+ 27.Ke2 Qxd4 28.Qxa6 and the ending is won for White.

21.Rxb7 Rc8 22.0-0-0 Qxh2

22...Qe6 23.dxe5 Be7 24.Qa4+ and White demolishes his opponent:

A) 24...Kf8 25.Rf1+ Kg7 (25...Kg8 26.Rxe7 Qxe7 27.Qg4+) 26.Qb3 Rc6 27.Rf6;

B) 24...Kf7 25.Rf1+ Kg6 26.Qe4+ Kh6 (26...Kg7 27.Rf6) 27.Rxe7; 22...Rc4 23.Qd5 and wins; 22...Qh5 23.dxe5 Qg5+ 24.Kb1 Be7 25.h4 Qg6 26.Qa4+ Kf7 27.Rf1+ and wins.

23.dxe5 Be7

23...Bc5 24.Qa4+ Kf8 25.Qf4+ and mate next.

24.Rxe7+ Kxe7 25.Qb7+ Ke6 26.Qd7+ Kxe5 27.Qd5+ Kf6 28.Rf1+ Kg6 29.Qe6+ Kg5 30.Rf5+ Kg4 31.Rf4+ Kxg3 32.Qg4# 1-0

A brilliant game, beautifully contested by both players, particularly in view of its being played at blitz. But questions remain about the objective merit of Fischer's 12. Bg5. Interestingly enough, Matulovic and IM V. Milanovic recently produced a Schliemann survey, Spanish Gambit (Belgrade 1997). There they quote this game as far as 22. O-O-O, showing a win for White, and taking no note of any sidelines.