FIDE Surveys – Georg Mohr 

 1 

 

Georg Mohr: 

 

Bobby Fischer and the Square d5 

 
Robert James "Bobby" Fischer was an 
American chess grandmaster and the 11th 
World Chess Champion. He is considered 
by many to be the greatest chess player of 
all time. A chess prodigy, at age 13 Fischer 
won a "brilliancy" that became known as 
"The Game of the Century". Starting at age 
14, he played in eight United States 
Championships, winning each by at least a 
point. At age 15½, he became both the 
youngest grandmaster and the youngest 
candidate for the World Championship up 
to that time. He won the 1963–64 U.S. 
Championship 11–0, the only perfect score 
in the history of the tournament. His book 
My 60 Memorable Games, published in 
1969, remains a revered part of chess 
literature for advanced players. (CB News, 
March 2013). 
All chess players know his amazing 
results, his fantastic technique, his 
positional mastery, f. e. playing with the 
Bishops, especially light squared.  
I strongly recommend all trainers to study 
Fischer’s games. His »My 60 memorable 
games« is one of the best chess 
autobiographical books of all the time. 
There we could easily find many well 
known strategic elements, that we, as chess 
trainers, have to study and know perfectly. 
For example weak squares. It was Bobby 
who inspired us with his light square 
strategy and if we look even more deeper - 
with his master ship by controlling over the 
extremely important square d5 in various 
Sicilian variants. His opening setups were 
in principle focused in the light square 
strategy: various Sozin variants (Bc4), with 
the plan f4-f5, which forced the opponent 
to move e6-e5 (or to take e6-f5), or 
unusual variants with h2-h3, where his 
opponents  in most cases did not recognize 
that they are already deadly lost and of 
course did not know why this happened at 
all … 

First, we look at the definition of the weak 
square: 
»A square is weak when it is controlled by 
your opponent and you have little or no 
chance of regaining control due to a lack of 
pieces which can effectively fight for that 
square. Typically, pawns that could have 
controlled the square have moved past it 
and, of course, cannot move backwards to 
help guard it. Single weak squares are 
called “holes”. Holes on the opponents half 
of the board that can be occupied by one of 
your supported pieces are called 
“outposts”.« 
 
And now to the games. Let’s allow Bobby 
to explain us some things! 
 
Fischer R. : Bolbochan J. 
Stockholm 1962 
 
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 
5.Nc3 a6 6.h3 Nc6 7.g4 Nxd4 8.Qxd4 e5 
9.Qd3 Be7 10.g5!  
One of the most important characteristics 
of the move is that it is not attack on the 
King, but forcing Knight out of the centre, 
which allows White to increase control 
over important d5 square. 
10...Nd7 
Knight has to stay in the centre, as on the 
edge it is in danger 10...Nh5 11.h4± 
…Be2. 
11.Be3 

XIIIIIIIIY 
9r+lwqk+-tr0 
9+p+nvlpzpp0 
9p+-zp-+-+0 
9+-+-zp-zP-0 
9-+-+P+-+0 
9+-sNQvL-+P0 
9PzPP+-zP-+0 
9tR-+-mKL+R0 
xiiiiiiiiy

 

11...Nc5?  

FIDE Surveys – Georg Mohr 

 2 

 

It is possible to try some exchanges, but 
White would keep the advantage: 
11...Bxg5 12.Bxg5 Qxg5 13.Qxd6 Qe7 
14.Qxe7+ Kxe7 15.Nd5+ Kf8 16.0–0–0 
g6˛ Kotov A. 
12.Qd2 Be6 13.0–0–0 0–0 14.f3 Rc8 

XIIIIIIIIY 
9-+rwq-trk+0 
9+p+-vlpzpp0 
9p+-zpl+-+0 
9+-sn-zp-zP-0 
9-+-+P+-+0 
9+-sN-vLP+P0 
9PzPPwQ-+-+0 
9+-mKR+L+R0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

15.Kb1 
It is typical move, but it was possible to 
start playing on the Kings side - 15.h4. 
15...Nd7 
Very interesting try is to start counter play 
on the Kings side, despite the dangers 
there: 15...f5 16.gxf6 Rxf6 17.Rg1 Rf7. 
16.h4 b5 17.Bh3 
Interesting idea, but quite playable is direct 
occupation of the central square d5 - 
17.Nd5. 
The position is quite clear: square d5 is 
fatal weak and white will use it as an 
outpost for his pieces. The most important 
thing is that White always capture on d5 
with the piece and not with the Pawn. 
17...Bxh3 
To the loss of pawn led 17...Nb6 18.Bxb6 
Qxb6 19.Nd5 Qd8 (19...Bxd5? 20.Bxc8) 
20.Nxe7+ Qxe7 21.Qxd6. 
18.Rxh3 Nb6 19.Bxb6!  
Bishop is not important - important is 
control of the central square d5. We should 
remember the way how it was played: with 
the last moves he systematically removed 
all black defenders of the square d5! 
19...Qxb6 20.Nd5 Qd8 
Better try was 20...Qb7 21.Rg3 f5 22.gxf6 
Bxf6 23.h5. 

21.f4 
Of course, Fischer did not fall into trap 
21.Nxe7+? Qxe7 22.Qxd6?? Rfd8–+. 
21...exf4 22.Qxf4 Qd7 23.Qf5 
Very strong move, driving Queen from the 
centre. 
23...Rcd8  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9-+-tr-trk+0 
9+-+qvlpzpp0 
9p+-zp-+-+0 
9+p+N+QzP-0 
9-+-+P+-zP0 
9+-+-+-+R0 
9PzPP+-+-+0 
9+K+R+-+-0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

Very bad position aroused after 23...Qb7 
24.h5 Bd8 25.h6 g6 26.Qf4. 
24.Ra3! 
Strong move, deflecting opponents Queen. 
24...Qa7 25.Rc3 
Possible, but not the best was direct attack 
25.Nf6+!? Bxf6 (25...gxf6? 26.gxf6 Kh8 
27.Qg5 Rg8 28.fxe7!) 26.gxf6 g6 27.Qg5 
Qf2; 25.h5 was playable and logical. 
25...g6! 
Best defence, but did not help much. 
25...Qd7? 26.Rc7+–; 25...Rd7? 26.Nf6+! 
Bxf6 (26...gxf6 27.gxf6 Kh8 28.fxe7+–) 
27.gxf6 g6 28.Qg5 Kh8 29.Qh6 Rg8 
30.Rc8!+–. 
26.Qg4 Qd7 27.Qf3 Qe6 
Not 27...Rc8? 28.Rxc8 Rxc8 29.Nb6. 
28.Rc7 Rde8 
Other possibilities: 28...Rd7 29.Nf4+–; 
28...Rfe8 29.Rf1; 28...Rc8 29.Ra7 Ra8 
30.Rxa8 Rxa8 31.Nc7. 
29.Nf4 Qe5 30.Rd5 Qh8 
Yes, Queen in the corner was result of 
Black’s unlucky strategy and White’s total 
control of the d5 square. 
31.a3 h6 
Black would lose even faster with opening 
of the position 31...f6 32.Qb3 Rf7 33.Rxd6 

FIDE Surveys – Georg Mohr 

 3 

 

fxg5 34.hxg5 Qe5 35.Rf6! Ref8 36.Rxf7 
Rxf7 37.Rc8+ Bf8 38.Ne6+–. 
32.gxh6 Qxh6 
Another way to lose immediately was 
32...Bxh4? 33.Qg4 Qxh6 34.Rh5. 
33.h5 Bg5 

XIIIIIIIIY 
9-+-+rtrk+0 
9+-tR-+p+-0 
9p+-zp-+pwq0 
9+p+R+-vlP0 
9-+-+PsN-+0 
9zP-+-+Q+-0 
9-zPP+-+-+0 
9+K+-+-+-0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

Or 33...g5 34.Nh3 Kh8 35.Ra7. 
34.hxg6! fxg6 
Capture was calculated by Fischer very 
fast: 34...Bxf4 35.gxf7+ Rxf7 36.Rxf7 
Kxf7 37.Rh5!+–. 
35.Qb3! 
With this piece sacrifice White conducted 
mating attack. 
35...Rxf4  
35...Kh8 36.Nxg6+ Qxg6 37.Rxg5 Rf1+ 
(37...Qxg5 38.Qh3++–) 38.Ka2 Qxg5 
39.Qh3+ Kg8 40.Qxf1+–; 35...Bxf4 
36.Rh5+. 
36.Re5+ Kf8 37.Rxe8+ Kxe8 38.Qe6+ 
Kf8 39.Qc8+ 1:0. 
Extremely instructive game. Systematic 
opening, then removing of the d5 square 
defenders (Bishop e6 and Knight b6), 
consolidation of the Knight on the d5 
square and final attack. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Fischer Ro. : Reshevsky S. 
New York 1962 

XIIIIIIIIY 
9rsnlwqk+-tr0 
9+p+-+pvlp0 
9p+-zp-+p+0 
9+-+-zp-zP-0 
9-+-+Psn-+0 
9+NsN-+-+P0 
9PzPP+LzP-+0 
9tR-vLQmK-+R0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

In his games Fischer was fighting strictly 
for his favourite square. Let’s look how he 
managed to confuse his all-time rival 
Sammy Reshewsky. 
11.Nd5 Nxd5 
Mikhail Tal later showed, that the better 
move was 11...0–0 and after 12.h4 f5 or 
even 12...Nd7!? 13.Nxf4 exf4 14.Qxd6 
Be5, acceptable was also 11...Nxe2 
12.Qxe2 Be6, with the equal game. But not 
11...Nxh3? 12.Be3 and Bb6. 
12.Qxd5  
This we know already: one always has to 
take with the piece! 
12…Nc6 13.Bg4!  
This we also know: changing of light 
square Bishop, defender of the d5 square. 
13…Bxg4  
13...f5 14.gxf6 Qxf6 15.Bxc8 Rxc8 16.c3 
Rc7 17.Be3±. 
14.hxg4 Qc8 15.Qd1 
Double defence: the threat was Qg4 and 
Nb4. 
15...Nd4  
Better was 15...Qe6 16.Be3 0–0–0 (Tal). 
16.c3 Nxb3 17.axb3 Qe6 18.Ra5! f6?  
After a little bit better 18...b5, the pawn a6 
became weak. 
19.Qd5! Qxd5 
19.Dd5 based on the good calculation: 
19...Qxg4? 20.Qxb7 0–0 21.gxf6 +-. 
20.Rxd5 Kd7 21.gxf6 Bxf6 22.g5 Be7 
23.Ke2± 

FIDE Surveys – Georg Mohr 

 4 

 

White had a big advantage in the ending, 
which he managed to win without 
problems. Weaknesses were Pawns on d6 
and h7, White was the Master of half 
opened files and he had fantastic outpost 
on d5. Enough? Sure, for Bobby … 
 
Fischer R. : Badilles G. 
Meralco 1967 
 
1.e4  c5  2.Nf3  e6  3.d4  cxd4  4.Nxd4  Nc6 
5.Nb5  d6  6.Bf4  e5  7.Be3  a6  8.N5c3  Nf6 
9.Bc4 Be7  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9r+lwqk+-tr0 
9+p+-vlpzpp0 
9p+nzp-sn-+0 
9+-+-zp-+-0 
9-+L+P+-+0 
9+-sN-vL-+-0 
9PzPP+-zPPzP0 
9tRN+QmK-+R0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

10.Nd5!  
Removing  of  the  first  piece  –  defender. 
Bad was 10…Ne4 11.Bb6. 
10…Nxd5  11.Bxd5  0–0  12.Nc3  Kh8 
13.0–0 Be6 14.Bb3!  
Another piece – the Knight, is going to d5. 
The most important thing is, that White has 
one  more  attack  to  the  square  d5  than 
Black. 
14…Na5  15.Nd5  Nxb3  16.axb3  Bxd5 
17.Qxd5  
Queen  is  the  most  power  full  piece  on  the 
outpost!  She  was  proudly  looking  around 
all the chess table. 
17…Qc7 18.c3 g5? 
Black  was  afraid  of  the  move  f2-f4,  but 
White  was  thinking  something  completely 
different.  After  18…g5  black  Bishop 
would become even worse. 
19.Ra4 Rad8 20.Rb4 Rd7 21.Rb6!  
The move paralyzed the opponent. The rest 
of  the  game  was  simple,  white  has  to 

include the second rook in to the attack and 
Black defence will be soon or less broken. 
Kg7 22.Ra1 f5  
This was not a counter play, because there 
was no target on the King’s flank. 
23.exf5  Rxf5  24.Ra4  Rf8  25.Rc4  Qb8 
26.Rcb4  
White easily won - 1:0. 
 
Fischer R. : Kupper J. 
Zürich 1959 
 
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 
5.Nc3 d6 6.Bc4  
Bobby’s favourite move. 
6…e6 7.Bb3 Be7 8.0–0 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 0–0 
10.Kh1 b6 
This set up was recommended by famous 
Grandmaster Isak Boleslavsky. 

XIIIIIIIIY 
9r+lwq-trk+0 
9zp-+-vlpzpp0 
9-zp-zppsn-+0 
9+-+-+-+-0 
9-+-wQP+-+0 
9+LsN-+-+-0 
9PzPP+-zPPzP0 
9tR-vL-+R+K0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

11.f4!  
The plan with f4-f5 was Fischer’s 
trademark. He liked to pressure pawn e6 
with Bishop from b3 and with Pawn from 
f5 and forced Black to play e6-e5 or to take 
e6-f5 and left the square f5 to the 
opponent. 
11...Bb7 12.f5 e5 13.Qd3 h6?  
Black was afraid of Bg5, with the idea Bf6. 
Interesting was 13...Rc8, with possible 
exchange sacrifice on c3. Move h6 just 
weakened the Black King position and 
Bobby changed his planes in the moment – 
from positional chess to the wild attack! 
14.Rf3! Rc8 15.Rh3 Kh7 

FIDE Surveys – Georg Mohr 

 5 

 

The best chance for the Black was the 
already mentioned exchange sacrifice: 
15...Rxc3 16.Qxc3 Ne4 17.Qe1 d5 18.c3 
Bc5, but we remember Fischer also as a 
player, who was never afraid of playing 
with the material advantage. 
16.Be3 Qd7  

XIIIIIIIIY 
9-+r+-tr-+0 
9zpl+qvlpzpk0 
9-zp-zp-sn-zp0 
9+-+-zpP+-0 
9-+-+P+-+0 
9+LsNQvL-+R0 
9PzPP+-+PzP0 
9tR-+-+-+K0 
xiiiiiiiiy 

17.Nd5!  
Things went forced by that moment. The 
threat was 18.Nf6 Bf6 19.Bh6! gh6 20.Qe3 
Bg7 21.f6. 
17...Bxd5 18.Bxd5 Nxd5?!  
A little better was to leave White Bishop 
on d5 and wait for the slowly death … 
19.exd5!  
This was the exception: Bobby took on d5 
with the Pawn! The reason was connected 
with tactical play: there was f5-f6 in the air 
and Black had only two logical defences. 
19…Bf6?  
Mistake, Black decided wrong. Better was 
19...f6 and there was nothing after 
20.Bxh6?! gxh6 21.Qe3 Qxf5 22.Qxh6+ 
Kg8 23.Rh5 (23.Rf3 Qh7 24.Rg3+ Kh8 
25.Qe3 Rc4! 26.Rh3 Rh4–+) 23...Qxc2 
24.Rf1 Rc4–+, probably Black was afraid 
of this sacrifice. But Fischer never 
sacrificed without clear win, so, he would 
continue quietly 20.Rf1 Rh8 21.Rff3 Kg8 
22.Rfg3±. Now, there was final execution 
left: 
20.Bxh6! gxh6 21.Qe3 Bg7 22.f6! Rh8 
23.Rf1 Qb5 
Of course, not 23...Bf8 24.Qe4+ Kg8 
25.Rg3+. 

24.Qf3 Rc4 25.Qf5+ 
With 25…Kg8 26.fxg7+–.  1:0.