Bobby Fischer — US Championship 1963–64
- dates
- 15 December 1963–1 January 1964
- location
- New York, United States
- score
- 11 / 11 — eleven wins
- winner
- Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer won the 1963–64 United States Championship in New York with eleven wins from eleven games. A twelve-player single round robin gave each competitor eleven opponents. Fischer finished three and a half points ahead of runner-up Larry Evans, achieving the only perfect score in the championship’s history.
The result was remarkable for its consistency as well as its best-known combinations. Fischer had to win with both colors, against experienced rivals including Samuel Reshevsky, the Byrne brothers and Pal Benko. His third-round victory over Robert Byrne received the tournament’s brilliancy prize and remains a celebrated example of active pieces overcoming an apparently secure position.
This collection follows Fischer’s complete schedule, from the opening win against Edmar Mednis to the final round against Anthony Saidy. The short games against Robert Byrne, Robert Steinmeyer and Benko sit alongside much longer struggles. Together they show why a perfect tournament cannot be reduced to a single attacking pattern.
Train as Fischer to explore his decisions, or choose an opponent to study the resistance from the other side. Both colors are available in every game. Each side has its own saved session; completing either side advances the eleven-game tournament counter once.
Tournament results
| No. | Player | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Points | Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bobby Fischer | ** | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1 |
| 2 | Larry Evans | 0 | ** | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7½ | 2 |
| 3 | Pal Benko | 0 | 0 | ** | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 7 | 3 |
| 4 | Anthony Saidy | 0 | ½ | 0 | ** | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 6½ | 4–5 |
| 5 | Samuel Reshevsky | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ** | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 6½ | 4–5 |
| 6 | Robert Byrne | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ** | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 5½ | 6 |
| 7 | Raymond Weinstein | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ** | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 8 | Arthur Bisguier | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ** | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 4½ | 8 |
| 9 | William Addison | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ** | ½ | ½ | 1 | 3½ | 9–10 |
| 10 | Edmar Mednis | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ** | ½ | ½ | 3½ | 9–10 |
| 11 | Robert Steinmeyer | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ** | ½ | 3 | 11 |
| 12 | Donald Byrne | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ** | 2½ | 12 |
Each numbered column refers to the player with that number. Each symbol shows their game result. 1 = win, ½ = draw, 0 = loss; ** = same player. Points are out of 11.
Completed 0 / 11
Game 1: Opening the perfect run
Fischer began with Black against Edmar Mednis in an Italian opening. This was the longest game in his championship schedule, showing the sustained effort behind the perfect score. The recorded game ends after 62 moves with Robert James Fischer winning.
| Game | Event | Year | Moves | Played | Current move | Score | Correct | Accuracy | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edmar J Mednis – Robert James Fischer 0-1 | United States Championship 1963/64 | 1963 | 62 | No | — | — | — | — | Start |
Game 2: A King’s Gambit against Evans
Fischer met Larry Evans with the King’s Gambit. The eventual runner-up could not stop Fischer from recording his second consecutive win. The recorded game ends after 36 moves with Robert James Fischer winning.
| Game | Event | Year | Moves | Played | Current move | Score | Correct | Accuracy | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert James Fischer – Larry Melvyn Evans 1-0 | United States Championship 1963/64 | 1963 | 36 | No | — | — | — | — | Start |
Game 3: The brilliancy against Robert Byrne
Robert Byrne adopted a fianchetto against Fischer’s kingside setup. Fischer’s active minor pieces and forcing play produced the tournament’s brilliancy-prize game. The recorded game ends after 21 moves with Robert James Fischer winning.
| Game | Event | Year | Moves | Played | Current move | Score | Correct | Accuracy | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Eugene Byrne – Robert James Fischer 0-1 | United States Championship 1963/64 | 1963 | 21 | No | — | — | — | — | Start |
Game 4: Ruy Lopez against Bisguier
Arthur Bisguier faced Fischer’s Ruy Lopez. Fischer kept his winning sequence intact through a substantially longer game than the preceding round. The recorded game ends after 35 moves with Robert James Fischer winning.
| Game | Event | Year | Moves | Played | Current move | Score | Correct | Accuracy | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert James Fischer – Arthur Bisguier 1-0 | United States Championship 1963/64 | 1963 | 35 | No | — | — | — | — | Start |
Game 5: Reshevsky’s English Opening
Samuel Reshevsky began with the English Opening. Fischer won with Black against one of the most experienced players in the field. The recorded game ends after 47 moves with Robert James Fischer winning.
| Game | Event | Year | Moves | Played | Current move | Score | Correct | Accuracy | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Reshevsky – Robert James Fischer 0-1 | United States Championship 1963/64 | 1963 | 47 | No | — | — | — | — | Start |
Game 6: A short Caro-Kann win
Robert Steinmeyer chose the Caro-Kann Defence. Fischer’s shortest game of the event took him to six wins from six games. The recorded game ends after 17 moves with Robert James Fischer winning.
| Game | Event | Year | Moves | Played | Current move | Score | Correct | Accuracy | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert James Fischer – Robert Henry Steinmeyer 1-0 | United States Championship 1963/64 | 1963 | 17 | No | — | — | — | — | Start |
Game 7: Returning to the Ruy Lopez with Black
William Addison challenged Fischer in the Ruy Lopez. Fischer won again after the tournament’s Christmas break. The recorded game ends after 38 moves with Robert James Fischer winning.
| Game | Event | Year | Moves | Played | Current move | Score | Correct | Accuracy | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William G Addison – Robert James Fischer 0-1 | United States Championship 1963/64 | 1963 | 38 | No | — | — | — | — | Start |
Game 8: Eight straight against Weinstein
Raymond Weinstein defended a Ruy Lopez against Fischer. The victory brought Fischer’s score to eight points without a draw or defeat. The recorded game ends after 36 moves with Robert James Fischer winning.
| Game | Event | Year | Moves | Played | Current move | Score | Correct | Accuracy | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert James Fischer – Raymond Allen Weinstein 1-0 | United States Championship 1963/64 | 1963 | 36 | No | — | — | — | — | Start |
Game 9: Donald Byrne’s Réti setup
Donald Byrne chose a Réti opening with White. Fischer’s victory continued the perfect run against the second of the Byrne brothers. The recorded game ends after 46 moves with Robert James Fischer winning.
| Game | Event | Year | Moves | Played | Current move | Score | Correct | Accuracy | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donald Byrne – Robert James Fischer 0-1 | United States Championship 1963/64 | 1963 | 46 | No | — | — | — | — | Start |
Game 10: A rook lift against Benko’s Pirc
Pal Benko used the Pirc Defence against Fischer’s Austrian Attack. Fischer’s rook lift 19.Rf6 and the central advance 20.e5 provide a striking example of coordinating pieces against a castled king. The queen on h5 and bishop on d3 were already aimed toward the kingside. The recorded score ends after 21.Ne2, leaving Fischer needing one more victory for a perfect championship.
| Game | Event | Year | Moves | Played | Current move | Score | Correct | Accuracy | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert James Fischer – Pal Benko 1-0 | United States Championship 1963/64 | 1963 | 21 | No | — | — | — | — | Start |
Game 11: Completing eleven out of eleven
Anthony Saidy began with the English Opening in the final round. Fischer won with Black on New Year’s Day to finish the championship with eleven wins. The recorded game ends after 56 moves with Robert James Fischer winning.
| Game | Event | Year | Moves | Played | Current move | Score | Correct | Accuracy | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Saidy – Robert James Fischer 0-1 | United States Championship 1963/64 | 1964 | 56 | No | — | — | — | — | Start |
Sources and image credits
- Results source
- 1963 tournament background and results (Wikipedia)
- Bobby Fischer: United States Championship 1963/64 1963 — tournament background and final standings (Wikipedia)
- Game 1: Opening the perfect run — game record (Chessgames.com)
- Game 2: A King’s Gambit against Evans — game record (Chessgames.com)
- Game 3: The brilliancy against Robert Byrne — game record (Chessgames.com)
- Game 4: Ruy Lopez against Bisguier — game record (Chessgames.com)
- Game 5: Reshevsky’s English Opening — game record (Chessgames.com)
- Game 6: A short Caro-Kann win — game record (Chessgames.com)
- Game 7: Returning to the Ruy Lopez with Black — game record (Chessgames.com)
- Game 8: Eight straight against Weinstein — game record (Chessgames.com)
- Game 9: Donald Byrne’s Réti setup — game record (Chessgames.com)
- Game 10: A rook lift against Benko’s Pirc — game record (Chessgames.com)
- Game 11: Completing eleven out of eleven — game record (Chessgames.com)
- Bobby Fischer in an Associated Press portrait distributed in 1966, after the 1963–64 championship. — photograph (Wikimedia Commons) · Public domain image license
- Full image credits and attribution
