Fischer vs Spassky
688
[Event "Sveti Stefan"] [Site "?"] [Round "7"] [White "Fischer"] [Black "Spassky"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C70"] [Opening "Spanish: 4.Ba4"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. d3 { Fischer decides to avoid the main lines, rather uncharacteristically.} 9... Na5 {Spassky shifts from the Breyer to the Classical Chigorin formation.} 10. Bc2 c5 11. Nbd2 Re8 {11...Nc6 is a good alternative.} 12. h3 {12.Nf1 might lead to some messy complications, for example h6 13.a4 b4 14.cxb4 cxb4 15.Ne3 Bf8 16. d4 Qb6} 12... Bf8 13. Nf1 Bb7 14. Ng3 g6 15. Bg5 h6 16. Bd2 d5 {A tactical r. Black must be very careful with this methodical break. The Spassky himself succeeded with d5 vs. Tal in a fairly similar situation. 16... Nc6 is correct.} 17. exd5 c4 {Apparently Spassky overlooked a tactical point here or at the next move. 17...Qxd5 18.c4! Qd8 19.Ne4 is clearly better for White.} 18. b4 { It is even more effective, then the same break in the first game.} 18... cxd3 { 18...cxb3 19.axb3 and there is no way to prevent c4, after which White is cruising.} 19. Bxd3 Qxd5 {19...Nc4 20.Bxc4 bxc4 21.Nxe5 Qxd5 22.Qf3! Rxe5 23. Rxe5 Qxe5 24.Qxb7 and Black has no compensation for the pawn.} 20. Be4 { This is the point.} 20... Nxe4 21. Nxe4 Bg7 22. bxa5 f5 {Spassky decides that he is going to sacrifice a piece for active counterplay, the bishop pair, and a pawnstorm.} 23. Ng3 e4 24. Nh4 Bf6 { The critical mistake. 24...Rad8 would have provided adequate counterplay.} 25. Nxg6 e3 {This sharp continuation regains the piece, because of the threat of mate at g2 , but the endgame nevertheless favors White.} 26. Nf4 { Guarding g2 and forcing the next few moves.} 26... Qxd2 27. Rxe3 Qxd1+ 28. Rxd1 Rxe3 29. fxe3 {The smoke clears and Spassky's bishops are not enough compensation for the pawns.} 29... Rd8 { 29...Bxc3 30.Nxf5 is an easy win for White.} 30. Rxd8+ Bxd8 31. Nxf5 Bxa5 { Black hopes that the bishops will compensate for the missing pawns, but the clerics are not all-powerfulayatollahs!} 32. Nd5 Kf8 { 32...Bxd5 33.Ne7+ Kf7 34.Nxd5} 33. e4 Bxd5 {What else? 33...Ke8 34.Nd6+} 34. exd5 h5 35. Kf2 Bxc3 {Black finally gets this pawn out of the way, but White has one passed pawn and one potential passed pawn, which prove decisive.} 36. Ke3 Kf7 37. Kd3 Bb2 38. g4 hxg4 39. hxg4 Kf6 40. d6 Ke6 41. g5 a5 { 41...Kxf5 42.d7} 42. g6 Bf6 43. g7 {The pawns are just too active. Even sacrificing the remaining piece will not help.} 43... Kf7 {43...Bxg7 44. Nxg7+ Kxd6 45.Kd4 a4 46.Nf5+ is a simple winning endgame, since Black cannot eliminate the White pawn.} 44. d7 1-0
1-0
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941
HITS
Players
WhiteFischer
BlackSpassky
Game
Moves44
OpeningC70 — Spanish: 4.Ba4
Result1-0
Date
Tags
Tournament
TournamentSveti Stefan
Location?
Round7