The chess match that took place in New York in 1956 between 13-year-old Bobby Fischer and Donald Byrne is known as “The Game of the Century.” Hans Kmoch called it “The Game of the Century” in Chess Review. Kmoch stated, “The game that follows, a magnificent masterwork of combo play played by a 13-year-old against a strong opponent, matches the best in the annals of chess brilliant minds.”
At the time of this game, one of the top American chess masters was Donald Byrne (1930–1976). The 1953 U.S. Open Championship had been won by him. Fischer, then thirteen, decided to give up his queen in the middle of the game. This chess match is regarded as the century’s greatest match.
U.S. Championships History
Robert James “Bobby” Fischer was a chess grandmaster and one of the greatest players in chess history. He won the world title in 1972 in a match against Boris Spassky. After that, he stopped playing and gave up defending the title, so in 1975, the winner of the candidate’s matches, Anatoly Karpov, was declared the champion.
In 1992, he played an unofficial rematch with Spassky in Herceg Novi. He thus violated American laws because Serbia and Montenegro were under sanctions due to the wars in the former Yugoslavia. In early 2005, he was granted Icelandic citizenship, where he remained until his death. The youngest grandmaster Already as a thirteen-year-old, in 1956, he competed in the U.S. Championships. He attracted the attention of the world chess public with his brilliant victory over Donald Byrne. When he was at the peak of his career, in the early 1970s, he said it was his “party of a lifetime”.
The following year, he became the US champion. A year later, he won again and qualified for the inter-zone tournament. In the inter-zone, played in Portorož, he shared 5-6. place won the grandmaster title, and qualified for the candidate tournament. Although in the last ten years, several even younger boys have won the highest title, his success is unmatched because today the rules for winning the title are much more lenient. The candidate tournament was played in 1959 in Portorož, Zagreb, and Belgrade. Eight players played in four rounds. Fischer shared 5-6. place with Svetozar Gligorić (first place was won by Mihail Talj).
The Birth of a Legend
In the next ten years, Fischer won first place in several international tournaments. He often came into conflict with the tournament organizers, because he asked for extra fees and fought for perfect terms. Although they disliked his arrogance, pettiness, and grandomania, his demands were usually justified. With his successes, popularity, and determination, he also helped other professional chess players. He was upset at the strongest Russian players, who received a salary from the state and did not ask for special fees and high prizes in tournaments.
Given that the Russian chess organization had an important impact on FIDE and that the conditions were unfair, the candidate chose not to participate in the World Cup cycle following his performance in the 1962 event (Petrosyan won; he finished fourth). He participated in games and won most of them while playing for the American club at the Olympics. He participated in 25 competitions between 1960 and 1971, taking first place 20 times.
He gave the game of chess his whole effort. Following his first success, he left school and never returned to complete high school. He had no interest in politics, science, the arts, or sports.
Champion of the World
He didn’t decide to win the World Cup until 1970. At the inter-zone competition in Palma de Mallorca, he won with crucial ease.
Although it was clear that he was the candidate’s favorite match, his approach to opponents was and continues to be unique in chess history. He beat Marko Tajmanov in the quarterfinal round, played in Vancouver in 1971, winning 6-0! Though it didn’t seem possible, the semifinal matchup with Bent Larsen finished similarly.
1963 to 1969 Championship
Fischer faced the world champion Tigran Petrosyan from 1963 to 1969 in the championship match. It was Mr. Fischer’s 19th straight victory in the first game. But the second game was won by Petrosyan. There are then three draws. Worried in the nights, Fischer wondered if the composed Petrosyan had managed to subdue an aggressive opponent. The doubt was short-lived, as Fischer emerged victorious in the next four games, winning 6.5-2.5. It was the first time a player from outside the Soviet Union had advanced to the title match since the Second World War.
He made a lot of demands during the match arrangements with world champion Boris Spassky, almost causing the event to be called off. The tensions stayed even after the match started. The match sparked great global interest since it was seen as a matchup between a powerful communist machine and an American genius. Fischer was convinced to play by US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger over the phone at the time.
Iceland’s capital city, Reykjavík, hosted the match. There was a $250,000 prize pool, which was before impossible. Fischer lost the opening game after making an unexplained error in an easy and similarly matched finish.
Then he declared he would not play unless the television cameras from Chester Fox, who were allowed to film every party for the planned match film, were taken out of the hall. Even though he had already signed a recording contract and secured that he and Spaski would receive thirty percent of the earnings from the right to record each, he stated that he was frustrated by their humming. He lost by contusion in the second game because he did not show up. But after that, the cameras were taken down, and the game went on.
Fischer Winning Games
Fischer once more showed his power from the third to the tenth game, winning five and drawing three. Fischer won the 13th game, while Spaski won the 11th. After seven regular draws, Fischer took the twenty-first game and the match with a score of 12.5–8.5.
Hermit Fischer at last exposed the purpose to which he had dedicated his entire life. He was the strongest person on the planet (he asserted that he had been the strongest since he was eighteen); he became well-known across the world, a national hero in the US, and a successful opponent of socialism. According to his lawyer, he might have made $1.2 million in three weeks if multiple people had signed advertising contracts.
He did not accept any of those offers, though. He declined to give lectures, play chess, and act together. He withdrew into himself.
The new Soviet hope, Anatoly Karpov (b. 1951), prevailed in the Fischer and Spasky semifinals during the candidate matches. **Bobby Fischer**
Future generations will talk about this amazing game!