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The Game of the Century (1956)

Donald Byrne vs Bobby Fischer · Rosenwald Memorial, New York, 1956 · Grünfeld Defence · 0–1

17. Kf1

White's king is stranded on f1 — and now comes the move that made the game immortal.

Donald Byrne vs Bobby Fischer

New York, 1956. A 13-year-old Bobby Fischer, with the black pieces against the strong master Donald Byrne, unleashed a queen sacrifice — 17…Be6!! — and a cascade of precise checks. Chess writer Hans Kmoch dubbed it 'The Game of the Century.'

The lesson

Don't fear giving up the queen if the activity and pieces you get in return are worth more. Fischer let his queen be taken because his rooks, bishops and knight formed an unstoppable net. Coordination and activity beat raw material.

Move by move

5… d5A Grünfeld: Black lets White build a big centre, planning to chip away at it with pieces.

10… Bg4…Bg4 — Fischer keeps developing with threats rather than grabbing material.

11… Na4Na4!? offering the knight to expose White's queen and the weak dark squares.

13… Nxe4…Nxe4! Opening the position while White's king is still stuck in the centre.

17. Kf1White's king is stranded on f1 — and now comes the move that made the game immortal.

17… Be6Be6!! The Game of the Century move. Fischer offers his queen; if 18.Bxb6 then …Bxc4+ and a storm of checks wins far more than the queen.

18… Bxc4+…Bxc4+ — with check. Fischer's pieces swarm while the white king has nowhere to hide.

20… Nxd4+…Nxd4+ — a windmill of checks, each one gaining material and tempo.

23… axb6The dust settles: Fischer has a rook, two bishops and a knight for the queen — and a winning attack.

41… Rc2#Rc2# — checkmate, by a 13-year-old. Activity and coordination over material.

Frequently asked

Why is it called the Game of the Century?

Hans Kmoch gave it the name. A 13-year-old defeating a leading American master with a queen sacrifice of such depth was unprecedented — and the combination holds up to modern engine analysis.

What is 17…Be6 about?

Fischer offers his queen. If White takes with 18.Bxb6, Black replies …Bxc4+ and a cascade of checks wins back more than the queen and traps the exposed king.