Robert Byrne
Notable Games

Robert Byrne

20 celebrated games · 399 in the full archive
Player Index ◈ Biography 399 CURATED GAMES

Notable Games

  • 1952.08.22 Bronstein, David Ionovich vsByrne, Robert Eugene 0-1 Queen's Gambit Accepted: Showalter Variation 42 moves Olympiad-10 Final A Helsinki Olympiad 1952, in the United States' match against the Soviet Union, with Black against David Bronstein, who had played Mikhail Botvinnik for the world title the year before. Black keeps the pawn from 2...dxc4, wins White's e-pawn with 11...Qxe6+ and the c-pawn with 36...Rxc5, and Bronstein resigns after 42...Rd5. Byrne's last New York Times column, in 2006, was about this game.
  • 1960.10.31 Ivkov, Borislav vsByrne, Robert Eugene 0-1 King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation 44 moves Olympiad-14 Final A Leipzig Olympiad 1960, where Byrne scored 12 from 15 without a loss on third board, with Black against Borislav Ivkov, the first World Junior Champion (1951). 39...Qxc5+ 40.Qxc5 Bxc5+ forces the queens off, Black is left with rook against bishop after 43.Bxf4 Rc2, and Ivkov resigns after 44.Be5.
  • 1961.03.18 Byrne, Robert Eugene vsFilip, Miroslav 1-0 Indian Defense: West Indian Defense 42 moves Mar del Plata International-24 Mar del Plata 1961, where Byrne shared second place behind Miguel Najdorf, against Miroslav Filip, who reached the Candidates Tournament the next year. Filip gives up the exchange with 28...Rxc3 29.bxc3 Rxc3, White opens the g-file with 30.gxf5 and 33.fxg6, and Filip resigns after 41.Ng5+ Kg7 42.Qd5.
  • 1964.07.10 Najdorf, Miguel vsByrne, Robert Eugene 0-1 King's Indian Defense: Petrosian Variation, Normal Defense 36 moves Buenos Aires International Buenos Aires 1964, where third place behind Paul Keres and Tigran Petrosian earned Byrne the grandmaster title, with Black against Miguel Najdorf in the King's Indian. White castles long with 23.O-O-O; 28...d5 and 29...dxe4 open the center, 33...Rd3 and 34...Rxa3 win the bishop on a3, and Najdorf resigns after 36...Qe6.
  • 1965.12 Fischer, Robert James vsByrne, Robert Eugene 0-1 French Defense: Tarrasch Variation 36 moves USA-ch U.S. Championship 1965–66, round 8, with Black against Bobby Fischer, the future World Champion, who won the tournament. Fischer's 12.Nxc6 is met by 12...Bd6, and 13...Bxe2 and 14...Bxf1 win the exchange. Black's queen and rooks then sweep up White's pawns with 28...Qxb2, 29...Qxc3, 30...Rxa2 and 32...Rxf2, and Fischer resigns after 36...d4. It was Byrne's only win against Fischer.
  • 1965.12.30 Byrne, Robert Eugene vsEvans, Larry Melvyn 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn Variation 36 moves USA-ch U.S. Championship 1965–66, round 11, against Larry Evans in the Poisoned Pawn Variation of the Najdorf. White gives up pieces with 15.Bf6 gxf6 16.Qh6 Qxe5 17.Nf5 exf5 18.Ne4, the rook from b3 joins the attack with 21.Rg3+, and the queen returns via 34.Qh2 and 35.Qe5 before 36.Nd7+ ends it. The World Chess Hall of Fame features this game on its Byrne page.
  • 1966.08.22 Byrne, Robert Eugene vsLombardy, William James 1-0 Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Norwegian Variation 46 moves US Open-67 U.S. Open, Seattle 1966, where Byrne shared the title with Pal Benko, against William Lombardy, the 1957 World Junior Champion, in the Norwegian Variation of the Ruy Lopez. Black loses the right to castle after 15.Rxe3+ Kd8, 20.Rxh7 Rxh7 21.Qxh7 wins the h-pawn, and the knights finish it with 44.Nxf5 and 45.Nd6+.
  • 1967.04.04 Byrne, Robert Eugene vsStein, Leonid 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon, Modern Bc4 Variation 42 moves Sarajevo-10 Sarajevo 1967 against Leonid Stein, three times Soviet champion, in the Accelerated Dragon. 22.Rf4 Qxf4 23.Bxf4 Bxd3 gives Black two rooks for the queen, but White's queen and h-pawn reach the black king with 33.Qe7+ and 34.h6+, and the game ends after 42.Qe6+ Kf8.
  • 1967.04.05 Kozomara, Vladimir vsByrne, Robert Eugene 0-1 Amar Opening 38 moves Sarajevo-10 Sarajevo 1967 with Black against Vladimir Kozomara. 16...Bh6 lets the bishop on g4 go for an attack on e3, the queen and knight drive the white king across the board (32...Qxf1+ 33.Kc2 Ne3+ 34.Kb3 Qxc4+ 35.Ka3), and 37...Qxb2+ 38.Kxb2 Kxf6 leaves Black four pawns up in the rook ending.
  • 1971.12.09 Savon, Vladimir A vsByrne, Robert Eugene 0-1 King's Indian Attack 40 moves Alekhine Memorial-02 Alekhine Memorial, Moscow 1971, with Black against Vladimir Savon, the 1971 Soviet champion. 22...g5 and 31...gxf4 open the g-file, 37...Bxa4 wins a pawn, and 39...Rxf3 40.Bd2 Rxh3+ ends the game.
  • 1973 Reshevsky, Samuel Herman vsByrne, Robert Eugene 0-1 King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation 40 moves USA-ch playoff U.S. Championship play-off, Chicago 1973, with Black against Samuel Reshevsky; winning the play-off sent Byrne to the Leningrad Interzonal. Reshevsky is a pawn up after 30.Qxd6, but 38...Qxa2 39.Be5 Qxg2+ 40.Kxg2 Bxe5+ is a discovered check from the rook on g8, and the bishop on e5 attacks the white queen on d6.
  • 1973.06.08 Torre, Eugenio vsByrne, Robert Eugene 0-1 Amar Opening 41 moves Interzonal-09a Leningrad Interzonal 1973, where Byrne finished third and qualified for the Candidates, with Black against Eugenio Torre. Black gives up the exchange with 23...Rxe5 24.fxe5 Qxe5, and the checks that follow drive the white king up the board to b8 (35.Ke5, 36.Kxe6, 38.Kc7, 41.Kb8); Torre resigns after 41...Qxe4.
  • 1973.06.16 Byrne, Robert Eugene vsTaimanov, Mark E 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation 41 moves Interzonal-09a Leningrad Interzonal 1973 against Mark Taimanov in the Taimanov Variation of the Sicilian. 26.Nc5 dxc5 27.Rd7 Qxd7 28.Rxd7 gives a knight and a rook for the queen, 30.Bxa6 and 34.Qxc4 win pawns, and the game ends after 41.Bd5 Kg7.
  • 1973.06.23 Larsen, Bent vsByrne, Robert Eugene 0-1 King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation 31 moves Interzonal-09a Leningrad Interzonal 1973 with Black against Bent Larsen in the Sämisch Variation of the King's Indian. 25...g5 26.fxg5 Bxe5 breaks up White's pawn center, 28...Qd1+ and 29...Nd5 bring the pieces in, and Larsen resigns after 31...Qe2.
  • 1974.06.16 Timman, Jan H vsByrne, Robert Eugene 0-1 Queen's Gambit Declined 37 moves Olympiad-21 Final A Nice Olympiad 1974, where Byrne went unbeaten on second board with 12 from 16, with Black against Jan Timman. 30...f4 31.Qd3 fxg3 32.Rxb4 Rxb4 33.Qxa6 gxh2+ opens the white king, 34...Bxe4, 35...Bxg2 and 36...Qh3+ follow, and Timman resigns after 37...Bd5.
  • 1975 Byrne, Robert Eugene vsKorchnoi, Viktor Lvovich 1-0 Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack 38 moves Moscow Moscow 1975 against Viktor Korchnoi, later twice the challenger for the world title, in the Austrian Attack of the Pirc. 14.a3 dxe5 15.axb4 wins the knight, the white king steps up with 16.Kd2 after 15...Qa1+, and the extra piece decides; Korchnoi resigns after 38.Rb3.
  • 1976.07.17 Byrne, Robert Eugene vsLiberzon, Vladimir Mikhailovich 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation 29 moves Interzonal-10a Biel Interzonal 1976 against Vladimir Liberzon in the Richter-Rauzer, with both kings castled long. 24.Ne6 fxe6 25.dxe6 frees the bishop on f3, 27.Bxb7+ and 28.Qxa6 break up the black king's cover, and Liberzon resigns after 29.Qxa4.
  • 1976.07.26 Byrne, Robert Eugene vsSmyslov, Vasily V 1-0 French Defense: Winawer Variation, Advance Variation, Smyslov Variation 37 moves Interzonal-10a Biel Interzonal 1976 against Vasily Smyslov, the former World Champion, in the French Winawer. White takes en passant with 19.exf6 and the pawn goes on to g7 with 20.fxg7; later 29.Qxe7 Rxe7 30.Rxe7 gives the queen for a rook, 32.Rxd7+ Kxd7 33.f7 puts the f-pawn on the seventh rank, and Smyslov resigns after 37.Kh3.
  • 1980 Seirawan, Yasser vsByrne, Robert Eugene 0-1 Zukertort Opening 51 moves Baden Baden 1980 with Black against Yasser Seirawan, who had won the World Junior Championship in 1979. 23...Rxd5 24.exd5 Qxe2 25.Rxe2 Rxe2 trades queens and wins a pawn, White's d-pawn reaches d7 but falls to 35...Nxd7, and Black wins the knight ending in 51 moves.
  • 1984 Byrne, Robert Eugene vsBenjamin, Joel 1-0 Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation 28 moves USA-ch U.S. Championship, Berkeley 1984, against Joel Benjamin. With the black king stuck in the center, 25.Nf5+ exf5 26.Nd5+ Kd8 27.Nxb6 removes the defending bishop, and Benjamin resigns after 28.Qb3.
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