The story behind the game
In this US Championship game from 1963, Fischer’s attack depends on the order of the moves. The queen approaches h7, but a pawn still blocks the bishop’s diagonal. The celebrated rook move on f6 interferes with a defensive pawn move before White opens that diagonal.
Take these ideas to your next game
- A threatening queen still needs support on the mating square.
- Before opening a diagonal, identify the defender’s blocking move.
- A rook offer can be useful because of the square it occupies.
- Calculate the quiet preparation as carefully as the first check.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
Fischer plays 11.f5, creating a pawn contact on the kingside. In the game, …gxf5 is met by Qxf5. The move gains a queen route but also changes the pawn shelter and central tension. Calculate the exchanges instead of assuming that pushing a pawn toward a castled king is automatically an attack.
The historical 17.Qh5 brings the queen toward h7. The bishop on d3 would support a queen on h7 if the e4-pawn moved. That condition matters: the queen’s appearance near the king is not yet the complete combination. The saved analysis also supports other preparations. Compare what each candidate changes about the defender’s resources.
The key 19.Rf6 occupies f6 before White advances the e-pawn. The rook changes the defender’s options even if Black considers taking it. A pawn on f7 cannot advance through an occupied f6-square. Use the saved capture lines to test the rook offer, then compare the timing of e5. The practical idea is interference: remove a defensive resource before making the threat it would answer.
Fischer follows with 20.e5, clearing e4 for the bishop’s diagonal. The queen on h5 and bishop on d3 can now cooperate toward h7, while the pawn advance also asks the knight on d6 a question. The rook’s earlier placement is part of this move’s logic. The game’s final Ne2 is another improvement; a successful attack can still require bringing a remaining piece into play.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 11: Open a route for the queen
Black’s kingside has fianchettoed. Which pawn advance creates immediate contact with its pawn cover? In the game: f5. Fischer plays 11.f5, creating a pawn contact on the kingside. In the game, …gxf5 is met by Qxf5. The move gains a queen route but also changes the pawn shelter and central tension. Calculate the exchanges instead of assuming that pushing a pawn toward a castled king is automatically an attack.
Engine-supported alternatives
f5 Nd4 Qf2 b5 g4 b4 Ne2 c5 b3 gxf5 gxf5 Kh8 · +1.00 · depth 18
g3 Nd4 Bxd4 exd4 Ne2 c5 O-O Rc8 b3 a6 a4 Kh8 · +0.81 · depth 18
O-O-O exf4 Qxf4 Nd7 Bb5 Bxc3 bxc3 Qe7 Qxc7 Qa3+ Kb1 Nb6 · +0.39 · depth 18
Move 17: Point at the target
White’s queen is on g4. Which square brings it onto the h-file near the king? In the game: Qh5. The historical 17.Qh5 brings the queen toward h7. The bishop on d3 would support a queen on h7 if the e4-pawn moved. That condition matters: the queen’s appearance near the king is not yet the complete combination. The saved analysis also supports other preparations. Compare what each candidate changes about the defender’s resources.
Engine-supported alternatives
Bg5 · +1.24 · depth 18
Bf2 Rg8 Qh5 Ne6 Bh4 Qe8 Ne2 f5 Qxe8 Rgxe8 Ng3 f4 · +1.10 · depth 18
Qh5 Ne6 Rad1 Qe7 Rf3 Bf6 h4 Ng7 Qh6 Nge8 Rg3 Bg7 · +1.03 · depth 18
Move 19: Obstruct the defender first
Which rook move prevents Black’s f-pawn from advancing two squares before White opens the bishop’s diagonal? In the game: Rf6. The key 19.Rf6 occupies f6 before White advances the e-pawn. The rook changes the defender’s options even if Black considers taking it. A pawn on f7 cannot advance through an occupied f6-square. Use the saved capture lines to test the rook offer, then compare the timing of e5. The practical idea is interference: remove a defensive resource before making the threat it would answer.
Engine-supported alternatives
Rf6 Kg8 e5 h6 Ne2 c5 Rxd6 c4 Bxc4 d3 Rxd3 Rc8 · +4.80 · depth 20
Nb1 Be5 Nd2 f6 Qxe8 Rfxe8 a4 Re7 g4 h5 Nf3 hxg4 · +0.03 · depth 20
e5 f5 Qxe8 Nxe8 Nb1 Nc7 Nd2 Nd5 Rxf5 Rxf5 Bxf5 Ne3 · +0.02 · depth 20
Move 20: Clear the diagonal
The rook is already on f6. How can White open the d3-bishop’s diagonal toward h7? In the game: e5. Fischer follows with 20.e5, clearing e4 for the bishop’s diagonal. The queen on h5 and bishop on d3 can now cooperate toward h7, while the pawn advance also asks the knight on d6 a question. The rook’s earlier placement is part of this move’s logic. The game’s final Ne2 is another improvement; a successful attack can still require bringing a remaining piece into play.
Engine-supported alternatives
e5 h6 Ne2 c5 Rxd6 c4 Bxc4 d3 Rxd3 Rc8 Bd5 Qxe5 · +4.92 · depth 20
Raf1 h6 e5 Qe7 exd6 Qe3+ Kh1 Qg5 Qxg5 hxg5 Ne4 Bxf6 · +4.79 · depth 20
Re1 Qe7 e5 Rfe8 Qxh7+ Kf8 Nb5 cxb5 Rxd6 Rad8 Rxd8 Qxd8 · +3.23 · depth 20
Every piece has a part to play.
In this US Championship game from 1963, Fischer’s attack depends on the order of the moves. The queen approaches h7, but a pawn still blocks the bishop’s diagonal. The celebrated rook move on f6 interferes with a defensive pawn move before White opens that diagonal.
Look a little deeper
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 14–20. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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