Crisis Point in the Sicillian Defense: 6h3 in the Najdorf Variation#2

Hello Chess lovers

In the second part of this series I would like to go back in time to the year 1962. That was a year in which the Caribbean had a lot of historic moments. There was the Cuban missile crisis.Then there was the independence of Jamaica and in chess the controversial Curacao Interzonal tournament where Fischer went on to give a rant on Soviet cheating. Prior to that there was a magnificent performance by Robert Fischer in the Stockholm Interzonal which won in impressive style. In the following game taken from that tournament, we see how Fischer played across the entire board and then finish with an efficient attack.

Fischer v Bolbochan Stockholm 1962

1.e4c5 2.Nf3d6 3.d4cd4 4.Nd4Nf6 5.Nc3a6 6.h3Nc6 7.g4Nd4 8.Qd4e5 9.Qd3Be7 10.g5Nfd7 11.Be3
A slight inaccuracy. 11.h4Nc5 12.Qf3 was better.

11....Nc5 12.Qd2Be6 13.0-0-0 0-0? A nearly decisive mistake. Fischer now has the address of the opponent's king and starts to prepare an assault.Black had to try 13...Qa514.a3b5 15.Nb1Qd2 16.Nd20-0 with no problems.

14.f3Rac8 15.Kb1Nd7 16.h4b5 17.Bh3 as always white seeks to remove defenders in any Sicillian.Black makes the decisive mistake.

17...Bh3?? 17...Re8 18.Nd5Bf8 was called for.

18.Rh3Nb6 19.Bb6 Fischer removes the counterattacking threat of the knight. 19....Qb6 20.Nd5Qd8 21.f4ef4 22.Qf4Qd7 23.Qf5Rcd8 23...Qf5 24.Ne7 is a big mistake. 24.Ra3Qa7 25.Rc3! Fischer's play all across the board is an example of boardwide vision.

25...g6 26.Qg4Qd7 27.Qf3Qe6 28.Rc7Rde8 and Fischer is taking over more squares.
29.Nf4Qe5 30.Rd5 and the absence of black's light square bishop is keenly felt.
30...Qh8 31.a3h6 32.gh6Qh6 33.h5Bg5 34.hg6!!The way is forward 34...fg6 35.Qb3Rf4 36.Re5Kf8 and now Fischer finishes with an efficient move 37.Re8 after seeing that 37...Ke8 38.Qg8 was hopeless black resigned. 1-0

So what can be learnt from this game.

1) Black's castling was very wrong.In the Sicillian black needs to always consider what is the right moment to castle.It is an opening requiring immense accuracy.

2)17. Bh3 was a crucial part of white's strategy.Removal of key defenders is paramount in the Sicillian.

3)The use of d5 as a transit square for pieces.

4) The switching of pressure with the rook on the third rank  and the infiltration on the c-file.Fabulous boardwide play by Fischer.

5) Finishing of the attack efficiently.Fischer was really interested in winning and never gave a lot of thought to beauty.

I hope you found it instructive.