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Fischer game reference on TV show

Fischer game reference on TV show

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During the TV show "White Collar" which airs on the US TV station TNT, the following Fischer game is referenced. One character is studying the game, and another one walks in, identifies the game as Byrne-Fischer, 1956, and remarks that it is the one where Fischer sacrifices his queen on move 17. The episode is "Vital Signs", and it aired on Tuesday February 2nd. A chess board has been a recurring prop in the series, but this is the first time a pure chess reference has been made.

Here's the game:

  • 8
  • a
  • 7
  • b
  • 6
  • c
  • 5
  • d
  • 4
  • e
  • 3
  • f
  • 2
  • g
  • 1
  • h
1.Nf3Nf6
2.c4g6
3.Nc3Bg7
4.d4O-O
5.Bf4d5
6.Qb3dxc4
7.Qxc4c6
8.e4Nbd7
9.Rd1Nb6
10.Qc5Bg4
11.Bg5Na4
12.Qa3Nxc3
13.bxc3Nxe4
14.Bxe7Qb6
15.Bc4Nxc3
16.Bc5Rfe8
17.Kf1Be6
18.Bxb6Bxc4
19.Kg1Ne2
20.Kf1Nxd4
21.Kg1Ne2
22.Kf1Nc3
23.Kg1axb6
24.Qb4Ra4
25.Qxb6Nxd1
26.h3Rxa2
27.Kh2Nxf2
28.Re1Rxe1
29.Qd8Bf8
30.Nxe1Bd5
31.Nf3Ne4
32.Qb8b5
33.h4h5
34.Ne5Kg7
35.Kg1Bc5
36.Kf1Ng3
37.Ke1Bb4
38.Kd1Bb3
39.Kc1Ne2
40.Kb1Nc3
41.Kc1Rc2

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      That's a pretty sweet looking mate.

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      Donald Byrne did a great service to chess history by playing it out to mate. The game has the feel of a complete story. Compare that to R. Byrne's very early resignation against Fischer in a later US championship (the one with Nxg2 instead of Nxd1).

      I'm hoping the culture of chess changes such that winning middlegame attacks are played out to mate.

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      Originally posted by DawgHaus
      Donald Byrne did a great service to chess history by playing it out to mate. The game has the feel of a complete story. Compare that to R. Byrne's very early resignation against Fischer in a later US championship (the one with Nxg2 instead of Nxd1).

      I'm hoping the culture of chess changes such that winning middlegame attacks are played out to mate.
      That would be so great. Thousands of games to look at with resignations too early. All that "technique" we never get to see

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      That game is so last century.

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      Originally posted by Green Paladin
      That game is so last century.
      Since that game is often called "The Game of the Century" (20th), do we have any candidates for "Game of the 21st Century?"

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      Originally posted by ParShooter
      Since that game is often called "The Game of the Century" (20th), do we have any candidates for "Game of the 21st Century?"
      Guess it could be a while

      User 201571

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      Originally posted by ParShooter
      Since that game is often called "The Game of the Century" (20th), do we have any candidates for "Game of the 21st Century?"
      I propose this one:

      • 8
      • a
      • 7
      • b
      • 6
      • c
      • 5
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      • 4
      • e
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      • f
      • 2
      • g
      • 1
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      1.e4e5
      2.Qd1h5Ng8f6
      3.Qh5xe5Bf8e7
      4.Qe5g3O-O
      5.d3d6
      6.Bc1h6d5
      7.Qg3xg7

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          1 edit
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          Originally posted by Paul Leggett
          During the TV show "White Collar" which airs on the US TV station TNT, the following Fischer game is referenced. One character is studying the game, and another one walks in, identifies the game as Byrne-Fischer, 1956, and remarks that it is the one where Fischer sacrifices his queen on move 17. The episode is "Vital Signs", and it aired on Tuesday Fe 38. Kd1 Bb3+ 39. Kc1 Ne2+ 40. Kb1 Nc3+ 41. Kc1 Rc2# 0-1[/pgn]
          Does Fritz find the queen sacrifice and the mate ? Anyone ?

          4 edits
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          Don't know about Fritz.

          Rybka agrees with the sacrafice:
          ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
          12 00:36 757.438 21.283 -0.59 Qb6c7 Qa3xc3 b7b6 Bc5a3 Ra8d8 Qc3c1 Qc7c8 Rd1d3 b6b5 Bc4b3 a7a5 Qc1f4
          12 00:36 660.621 21.594 -0.23 Nc3b1 Qa3d3 Qb6c7 Qd3xb1 Bg4xf3 g2xf3 Qc7f4 Qb1d3 Ra8d8 Bc5xa7 Qf4c7 Ba7c5 b7b6 Bc5a3 Rd8xd4 Qd3b3 b6b5 Rd1xd4 Bg7xd4 Bc4e2 Qc7f4
          12 00:36 512.671 20.271 -0.21 Bg4xf3 g2xf3 Nc3b1 Qa3d3 Qb6c7 Qd3xb1 Qc7f4 Qb1d3 Ra8d8 Bc5xa7 Qf4c7 Ba7c5 b7b6 Bc5a3 Rd8xd4 Qd3b3
          12 00:36 407.400 19.547 -0.17 Nc3b5 Bc4xf7+ Kg8h8 Bc5xb6 Nb5xa3 Bb6c5 Re8f8 Bc5xf8 Ra8xf8 Rd1d3 Rf8xf7 Rd3xa3 Bg4xf3 Ra3xf3 Rf7xf3 g2xf3 Bg7xd4 Kf1e2 Kh8g7 Rh1b1 b7b6 Rb1f1 Kg7f7
          12 00:36 350.342 19.130 +1.46 Bg4e6 Qa3xc3 Qb6xc5 d4xc5 Bg7xc3 Bc4xe6 Re8xe6 g2g3 Ra8e8 Rd1b1 Re8e7 Rb1b3 Bc3a5 Kf1g2 Re6e2 Rh1b1
          ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
          12 01:11 757.438 21.283 -0.59 Qb6c7 Qa3xc3 b7b6 Bc5a3 Ra8d8 Qc3c1 Qc7c8 Rd1d3 b6b5 Bc4b3 a7a5 Qc1f4
          13 01:11 1.465.421 21.149 -0.49 Nc3b1 Qa3d3 Qb6c7 Qd3xb1 Bg4xf3 g2xf3 Qc7f4 Qb1d3 b7b6 Bc5a3
          13 01:10 1.241.410 20.942 -0.40 Bg4xf3 g2xf3 Nc3b1 Qa3d3 Qb6d8 Qd3xb1 b7b6 Bc5b4 Qd8f6 Qb1d3 Ra8d8 Rh1g1 a7a5
          13 01:10 993.750 21.233 -0.20 Nc3b5 Bc4xf7+ Kg8h8 Bc5xb6 Nb5xa3 Bb6c5 Re8f8 Bc5xf8 Ra8xf8 Rd1d3 Rf8xf7 Rd3xa3 Bg4xf3 Ra3xf3 Rf7xf3 g2xf3 Bg7xd4 Kf1e2 Kh8g7 Rh1b1 b7b6 Rb1f1 Kg7f7 Ke2d3
          13 01:10 874.493 21.087 +1.45 Bg4e6 Qa3xc3 Qb6xc5 d4xc5 Bg7xc3 Bc4xe6 Re8xe6 g2g3 Ra8e8 Rd1b1 Re8e7 Rb1b3 Bc3f6 a2a3 g6g5 h2h3


          But Rybka finds mate faster than Fischer! #5 - with
          36...Ng3+ 37. Ke1 Re2+ 38. Kd1 Bb3+ 39. Kc1 Ba3+ 40. Kb1 Re1# 0-1

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          Originally posted by ivanhoe
          Does Fritz find the queen sacrifice and the mate ? Anyone ?
          Within seconds.

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          Originally posted by ivanhoe
          Does Fritz find the queen sacrifice and the mate ? Anyone ?
          The sacrifice is easy for any engine to find; Also note that as Nowakowski posted, the best line shows the queen sac should have been one-half move later. (But who am I to quibble? )

          But, even starting after 18.Bxb6, finding the mate is another matter. I doubt that any engine could find it quickly, if ever, since the mate is over 40 plies deep.

          1 edit
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          Originally posted by ParShooter
          Since that game is often called "The Game of the Century" (20th), do we have any candidates for "Game of the 21st Century?"
          • 8
          • a
          • 7
          • b
          • 6
          • c
          • 5
          • d
          • 4
          • e
          • 3
          • f
          • 2
          • g
          • 1
          • h
          1.e4e5
          2.d4exd4
          3.c3dxc3
          4.Nxc3Bb4
          5.Bc4Nc6
          6.Nf3Nf6
          7.e5d5
          8.exf6dxc4
          9.Qxd8Kxd8
          10.fxg7Re8
          11.Be3Bc5
          12.O-O-OBd6
          13.Nd5Be5
          14.Nf6Ke7
          15.g8=NKf8
          16.Bh6

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              white simple won on the purpose of his material superioty, I do not call that a sacrifice, but a really good move, which gain material, as thee queen is poisonned.

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              Originally posted by AudreyxSophie
              white simple won on the purpose of his material superioty, I do not call that a sacrifice, but a really good move, which gain material, as thee queen is poisonned.
              😕 white didn't win at all?

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