Bobby Fischer's opening repertoire can be divided into three general periods:
Early years: 1955 through 1962
Middle years: 1964 through 1969
The Road to the World Championship years: 1970 through 1972
After each of the first two periods, Bobby took time off, only to return to competition a much stronger player as was evidenced by the modifications to his opening repertoire.
From the beginning of his career, Fischer has been a devotee of 1.e4
vs. Alekhine's
Defense
The only examples of this defense in this period show Bobby
playing the solid 5.ed6 variation, avoiding possible surprises
against the Four pawn's attack.
vs. the Caro Kann
Defense
During this period Fischer played the Two Knights variation
almost exclusively. (1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3) He doggedly used
this setup, which generally results in a closed center and long
maneuvering games. It can be viewed as a young player's method
of having one system to always be played against a particular
defense. Bobby can be seen playing this variation most
effectively against Addison (U.S. Open Cleveland, 1957). In
1960, Bobby switched to the sharper Panov attack (1.e4 c6 2.d4
d5 3.ed5 cd5 4.c4). Few players challenged Fischer in this line
due to his decisive victory over Euwe at the Leipzig Olympiad,
1960. In 1961 he tried out the Classical 3.Nc3 against Petrosian
at Bled, winning the game without a clear edge in the opening.
vs. the French
Defense
When faced with the French Defense, Fischer almost invariably
invited the Winawer with 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3. After the
further moves 3...Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bc3 6.bc3, we arrive at the
theoretically crucial position.
vs. Petroff's
Defense
There were but two encounters against the Petroff Defense during
this period: vs. Bisguier (U.S. Championship, 1959), and German
(Stockholm Interzonal). Bobby played 3.Ne5 vs. Bisguier and 3.d4
vs. German, winning both games.
vs. the Pirc
Defense
Fischer nearly always used the direct Austrian Attack
(characterized by 4.f4) or the Byrne system (4.Bg5).
Four Knights Game
This opening (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6) occurred only one
time during this period. Bobby scraped a draw with this early
experiment in the U.S. Junior Championship, 1955, vs. Ames.
King's Indian
Attack
Bobby once said of the King's Indian Attack, "This used to be my
favorite." Indeed, there are numerous examples throughout his
career of his using this opening. The opening is characterized
by the White setup 1.Nf3 2.g3 3.Bg2 4.d3 5.O-O and 6.e4. Bobby
often played this formation against the Caro Kann, French
defense and occasionally even the Sicilian.
Ruy Lopez
The Ruy Lopez has been a potent weapon for Bobby throughout his
entire career. Strategic play across the board suited Bobby's
talents from the start. During this early period, Fischer was so
proficient in the main lines that many of his opponents chose
irregular setups when defending the Ruy.
vs. the Sicilian
This early period is marked by a search for attacking formations
against all of the main lines of the Sicilian. It was during
this period that Bobby finally settled on the 6.Bc4 Sozin-like
attacking system for White. Once this system jelled, Bobby was
prepared for virtually all Black Open Sicilian variations, and
began to introduce theoretical novelties which popularized the
system.
Fischer as Black
vs. Queenside openings (1.d4, 1.c4, etc.)
King's Indian
Defense
This modern, active defense found a place in Fischer's
repertoire when he was but 12 years old at the 1955 U.S. Junior
Championship. During this period Bobby played the King's Indian
almost exclusively against non-1.e4 openings. The King's Indian
is characterized by flexible piece play and pawn formations
which allowed Bobby to play for a win and create dynamically
unbalanced positions straight from the opening.
Grunfeld Defense
Fischer's Grunfeld defenses from this period are among his most
famous games, including the "Game of the Century" vs. D. Byrne,
and Botvinnik at the Varna Olympiad.
Queen's Gambit
Fischer occasionally adopted this solid, but basically passive
line in order to avoid prepared variations against his usual
hypermodern defenses. In these games he demonstrated that he was
very capable of playing a solid, classical type of game.
vs. 1.e4
The story of Fischer's adoption of the Sicilian Defense is
essentially a study in the Najdorf variation, for this has been
virtually the only variation of the Sicilian he has ever played.
Against 6.f4 (after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 Nf6 5.Nc3
a6), he usually played 6...e5 followed by an early ...b5.
Against 6.Be2 he played 6...e5 again with the idea of early
Queenside play which is so thematic in the Sicilian. Against
6.g3, 6...e5 was still the prescription. Finally, against the
currently popular 6.Bg5 he played an early ...h6 followed by
...g5 (the Goteberg variation), which leads to extremely
complicated tactical play.
vs. Alekhine's
Defense
Bobby encountered Alekhine's Defense only once in this period,
drawing with Ciocaltea at the Capablanca Memorial, 1965.
vs. the Caro Kann
Defense
Fischer continued with the Two Knights variation, but also tried
the Panov attack and the Exchange variation.
vs. the French
Defense
During this period, Fischer had uneven results against the
French defense. He maintained his allegiance to 3.Nc3 inviting
the Winawer variation, but many of his opponents chose less
critical variations like the MacCutcheon and Burn variations.
vs. the Pirc
Defense
During this period Fischer played only the Austrian attack,
winning all six games.
Ruy Lopez
Fischer began to face the world's strongest players with the Ruy
Lopez, scoring well against all defenses. His opponents
continued to avoid the long, closed variations by trying new
move orders and the Marshall Attack.
vs. the Two Knights
Defense
The only examples of the Two Knights in this period of Fischer's
career are his games against Bisguier and Radoicic, both from
the 1963 New York State Open. Fischer won both games while
reviving an old Steinitz line characterized by 9.Nh3.
vs. the Sicilian
Defense
Against the ever-popular Sicilian, Fischer has been challenged
by a variety of Black systems. Against the Schevenigen and
Najdorf lines he often used his pet 6.Bc4, scoring many
brilliant victories. Against the Dragon he invariably played the
sharp Yugoslav Attack, which is without doubt the most serious
attempt to maintain the initiative.
Fischer as Black
vs. Queenside openings
vs. the English
Against the English Bobby mixed his reliable King's Indian
formation with systems employing an early ...c5.
King's Indian
Defense
The King's Indian remained Fischer's main weapon against all non
1.e4 openings, and he demonstrates greater knowledge of move
orders and often takes over the initiative early in the game.
Grunfeld Defense
Fischer increased the number of Grunfelds he played, adopting
this alternative to his normal King's Indian. Bobby maintains
that Black obtains excellent play against White's center in the
Exchange variation, while other, less sharp lines give Black no
problems.
Nimzo-Indian
Defense
Fischer occasionally played the Nimzo-Indian, especially when
facing a King's Indian specialist. One of his favorite setups
involved the "extended" fianchetto of the Queen Bishop to a6.
Queen's Gambit
Although Fischer was famous now for his play of the hypermodern
defenses, he also played two Queen's gambits as Black, winning
both games.
vs. 1.e4
During this period Fischer continued to play the Najdorf
variation of the Sicilian Defense almost exclusively. Against
the most popular 6.Bg5 variation he played both the solid ...Be7
and the ultra-sharp ...Qb6 poisoned pawn variation.
vs. the Caro Kann
Defense
During this period Bobby all but abandoned the Two Knights
variation and went back to his early favorite, the King's Indian
Attack with 2.d3. Also of interest is his adoption of the
ancient line 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.ed5 cd5 4.Bd3 vs. Persian [575]
in the USSR vs. the rest of World match. Fischer's 11.a4! was an
important improvement in this opening.
vs. the French
Defense
Bobby stayed with 3.Nc3, still inviting the Winawer. He
successfully experimented with 4.a3 vs. Uhlmann at Zagreb, 1970,
but lost against Kovacevic with this move later in the same
tournament.
vs. Petroff's
Defense
Fischer essayed the classical 3.Ne5 twice in this period,
beating Gheorghiu and drawing with Petrosian.
vs. the Pirc
Defense
Bobby continued with the Austrian Attack, but adds a new twist
with an early h3, g4 Kingside expansion, defeating Udovic with
this plan.
vs. the Sicilian
Defense
Fischer stayed with the Yugoslav Attack vs. the Dragon and the
Sozin against other main systems, but several times against the
popular Taimanov move order (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4
e6) he chose the solid 5.Nb5.
Ruy Lopez
Bobby continued to score well against all defenses to the Ruy
Lopez, and broadened his arsenal with the Exchange variation,
4.Bc6.
Fischer as White
not playing 1.e4
Fischer broadened his repertoire during this period, playing an
occasional English, (1.c4), Nimzowitsch/Larsen Attack (1.b3),
and Queen's Gambit, usually by transposition from the English.Fischer as Black
vs. 1.e4
Alekhine's Defense
Fischer adopted Alekhine's Defense six times during this period
(3 wins, 3 draws) usually fianchettoing his King Bishop in order
to strike at White's center.
Sicilian Defense
Throughout Fischer's mature period he remained faithful to his
beloved Najdorf variation, expanding on known theory with
regularity. Against the closed Sicilian he introduced the
theoretical idea ...Bg4 followed by the capture of White's Nf3,
thus eliminating one of White's strongest attacking pieces.
vs. the Queen pawn openings
vs. the English
Bobby continued with the flexible King's Indian Defense and
occasionally tried the symmetrical variation (...c5) while still
fianchettoing the King Bishop.
Benoni
Fischer added to his King's Indian repertoire the Modem Benoni
(2 ...c5),playing very aggressively and scoring well against his
unsuspecting opponents.
Grunfeld Defense
Fischer saved this defense for top-level encounters. The
Grunfeld's tendency to lead to a build up of increasingly
greater tension, with Black firing a direct volley at White's
center, creates the preconditions for decisive chess which so
admirably suits Fischer's uncompromising style.
King's Indian
Defense
Always Fischer's first string against the 1.d4 systems, he
innovated in this period with the double fianchetto, as well as
5...c5 against the Samisch attack.
Nimzo-Indian
Defense
Bobby played this opening successfully on the road to the World
Championship as well as in his match with Spassky.
vs. the Queen's
Gambit
Fischer showed flexibility when playing against King's Indian
specialists and adds the Semi-Tarrasch to his ever-widening
repertoire.