Chess - The Scotsman 12/10/12

WHILE everyone marvels at Magnus Carlsen’s comeback in the Sao Paulo/Bilbao Grand Slam final, the world No 1‘s two-game winning streak to jump into the joint lead is nothing compared to the record set by Bobby Fischer, achieved en route to his showdown 40 years ago k with Boris Spassky in Reykjavik.

In a show of complete dominance, the likes of which has never seen before or since, Fischer scored the game’s ultimate hot streak by defeating 20 grandmasters in a row.

It began at the 1970 Interzonal in Palma de Mallorca, the first rung in the world championship cycle, a competition comprising the best players from the major zones of the world. Undefeated, he finished 3.5 points ahead of his nearest rival.

Next, in the quarter-final candidates match against Mark Taimanov of Russia, he swept all six games. The pundits said that it was a one-off and predicted that Bobby would not be able to dispose so easily of Bent Larsen, his formidable Danish semi-final foe. They were wrong; Fischer did: and again six.

In the finals, the almost unbeatable Soviet former world champion Tigran Petrosian finally stopped the Fischer juggernaut, but only after the American had defeated him in their first game of the match to take his incredible streak to 20 straight wins over top-flight grandmasters. This is a record that has stood the test of time and more than likely will never be broken. Fischer’s streak started at the Palma de Mallorca Interzonal with today’s gem, as he crushed Jorge Rubinetti.

R Fischer - J Rubinetti

Palma de Mallorca Interzonal, 1970

Sicilian Sozin

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e6 6 Bc4 a6 7 Bb3 b5 8 0–0 Bb7 9 Re1 Nbd7 10 Bg5 h6 11 Bh4 Nc5 12 Bd5 exd5 13 exd5+ Kd7 14 b4 Na4 15 Nxa4 bxa4 16 c4 Kc8 17 Qxa4 Qd7 18 Qb3 g5 19 Bg3 Nh5 20 c5! dxc5 21 bxc5 Qxd5 22 Re8+ Kd7 23 Qa4+ Bc6 24 Nxc6 1–0