The Game of the Century
Rosenwald Memorial Tournament, New York
Thirteen-year-old Bobby Fischer sacrifices his queen on move 17 and runs Byrne's position ragged — announced as 'The Game of the Century' by chess journalist Hans Kmoch.
Fischer at 13 — the queen sacrifice on move 17 shocked the chess world. Play through the winning combination.
📖 The Story
In October 1956, thirteen-year-old Bobby Fischer was unknown outside New York chess circles. Playing Black in a Grünfeld Defense, he made the startling queen sacrifice 17...Be6! — giving up his queen for a bishop while his knight forked White's queen and rook. The resulting attack was so precise that Byrne, having collected the queen, could do nothing as Fischer's pieces dismantled his position move by move. Chess Review's Hans Kmoch immediately dubbed it 'The Game of the Century'.
⚡ Key Moment — Move 17
17...Be6! offers the queen for free. After Bxb6 Bxc4+ Kg1 Ne2+, Black's three minor pieces run rampant while White's extra queen sits uselessly on b6.
🎯 Tactical Themes
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How old was Fischer when he played the Game of the Century?
Fischer was 13 years old, playing in the 1956 Rosenwald Memorial Tournament in New York City.
What was Fischer's queen sacrifice in the Game of the Century?
On move 17, Fischer played 17...Be6!, offering the queen. After Bxb6, Fischer played Bxc4+, Ne2+, and his three minor pieces coordinated for a decisive attack.
Who named it the Game of the Century?
Hans Kmoch, writing in Chess Review magazine, gave it the name immediately after the game was played in 1956.
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