The Press Democrat Santa Rosa, California Sunday, January 21, 1968 - Page 13
Report From Tunisia
By Bent Larsen, Grandmaster, Denmark
The Inter-Zonal Tournament, the second step towards becoming the challenger for the world title, started at Sousse, Tunisia, with the drawing of the numbers by the participants: 1. Leonid Stein, USSR; 2. Victor Korchnoi, USSR; 3. Erfim Geller, USSR; 4. Ajvar Gipslis, USSR; 5. Sammy Reshevsky, USA; 6. Robert Fischer, USA; 7. Robert Byrne, USA; 8. Andre Hort, Czechoslovakia; 9. Bent Larsen, Denmark; 10. Enrique Mecking, Brazil (a 15-year-old champion); 11. R. Bonariz, Tunisia; 12. Duncan Suttles, Canada; 13. Svetar Gligorich, Yugoslavia; 14. Boris Ivkov, Yugoslavia; 15. Alexander Matanovic, Yugoslavia; 16. Milan Matulovic, Yugoslavia; 17. A. Bilek, Hungary; 18. Laszlo Barczay, Hungary; 19. Lajos Portisch, Hungary; 20. Midq Mjagmarsuren, Mongolia; 21. Arturo Cuellar, Colombia; 22. Ortvin Sarapu, New Zealand; 23. Lubalin Kavalek, Czechoslovakia and 24. Julio Bolbochan, Argentina.
Before Fischer's Finish
While Bobby Fischer was not to stay long in the Inter-Zonal-he was disqualified after failing to show up for three different matches-he did have a chance to show his superlative form.
(a) Many players know a lot of openings nowadays, and Mongolia is no exception! Fischer therefore avoids the much analyzed variations of the French Defense after 2. P-Q4, P-Q4.
(b) So far all very normal, but usually White doesn't weaken his Queen's side voluntarily. However, Fischer has played like that before in similar positions and knows what he is doing. The move is not to my taste.
(c) Should have played 17 … P-B5. It is a promising pawn sacrifice, as White has not set up his attack yet on the King's side.
(d) 18 … P-R3 was probably best.
(e) Now 19 … P-R3 would be a blunder because of 20. NxKP.
(f) Needed was 22 … P-B5, as it gives good counterplay.
(g) Now the White attack cannot be parried, 23 … PxB; 24. PxP, K-R1; 25. N-B3, R-KN1; 26. N-K5, etc., or 25 … N-Q4; 26. N-N5, NxP; 27. Q-R6, Q-K2; 28 B-B5, etc. Black's minor pieces are too far away from the King!
(h) Needed was R-B2 for a stiffer defense.
(i) Allows a brilliancy but everything was hopeless. After 29… Q-B 1; 30. B-K4 and there's no defense against White's sacrifice on KN6.
(j) Mate in two. A wonderful start for Fischer.