The Most Important Jerome-ish Win in History

I am always learning something new from Yury V. Bukayev (Букаев Юрий Вячеславович). The other day he emailed me, pointing out that, "based on the importance of the win for tournament places, the importance of the tournament and the fame of both participiants of this game, it maybe, makes this win THE MOST IMPORTANT JEROME-ISH WIN IN HISTORY."

It is quite possible that if either player were alive today, one or the other might punch me in the nose for publishing this encounter on this blog - but, hey, Jerome Gambit players are imaginative and brave, right?

Robert James Fischer - Samuel Reshevsky
US Championship 1958/59 New York USA (6), 12.1958

1.e4 c5 

Okay, okay, it's a Sicilian Defense. Work with me.

2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Be3 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 0-0 

Yes, it's an Accelerated Dragon. Time for a little imagination.

8.Bb3 

Earlier in the year, at Portoroz, Fischer had continued against Oscar Panno 8.f3 Qb6 9.Bb3 Nxe4 10.Nd5 Qa5+ 11.c3 Nc5 12.Nxc6 dxc6 13.Nxe7+ Kh8 14.Nxc8 Raxc8 15.O-O Rcd8 16.Qc2 Qb5 17.Rfd1 Kg8 18.Rxd8 Rxd8 19.Rd1 Re8 20.Bf2 a5 21.Bxc5 with a draw.

8...Na5 

Frank Brady's Profile of a Prodigy states

'When Reshevsky played 8...Na5 the whispers in the tournament room at the Marshall Chess Club grew to a barely suppressed uproar. The move [from Bastrikov,Georgy - Shamkovich, Leonid, Sochi, 1958] had been analyzed just a few weeks earlier in Shakmatny Byulletin and many of the stronger players in the club were thoroughly familiar with it.'

9.e5 Ne8 10.Bxf7+ 

You have to love that Bishop sac!

10...Kxf7 11.Ne6 

What is Black to do? If he captures the Knight with his King, he will get checkmated, starting with 12.Qd5+. If he resigns, he will be humiliated - Fischer was a young teenager at the time, Reshevsky was United States champion several times over.

Instead, the former child prodigy dragged his feet for another 30 moves before resigning.

11...dxe6 12.Qxd8 Nc6 13.Qd2 Bxe5 14.0-0 Nd6 15.Bf4 Nc4 16.Qe2 Bxf4 17.Qxc4 Kg7 18.Ne4 Bc7 19.Nc5 Rf6 20.c3 e5 21.Rad1 Nd8 22.Nd7 Rc6 23.Qh4 Re6 24.Nc5 Rf6 25.Ne4 Rf4 26.Qxe7+ Rf7 27.Qa3 Nc6 28.Nd6 Bxd6 29.Rxd6 Bf5 30.b4 Rff8 31.b5 Nd8 32.Rd5 Nf7 33.Rc5 a6 34.b6 Be4 35.Re1 Bc6 36.Rxc6 bxc6 37.b7 Rab8 38.Qxa6 Nd8 39.Rb1 Rf7 40.h3 Rfxb7 41.Rxb7+ Rxb7 42.Qa8 1-0