Fischer vs Spassky
Belgrade | ? | Round 29
670
[Event "Belgrade"]
[Site "?"]
[Round "29"]
[White "Fischer"]
[Black "Spassky"]
[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. h3 Nb8 {We return to the Breyer Variation which dominated the early
games of the match .} 10. d4 Nbd7 11. c4 {Fischer tries a different plan,
which dates back to the 1950's, when it scored heavily for White.} 11... c6 {
The approved reaction, which has been established for 30 years.} 12. cxb5 {
There are many alternatives here. It should come as no surprise that Fischer
chooses the continuation which was most popular in the early 1970s.} 12...
axb5 13. Nc3 Bb7 { An interesting decision, since 13...Ba6 has long been
considered best.} 14. Bg5 b4 15. Nb1 h6 {An attempt to improve upon previous
games.} 16. Bh4 c5 17. dxe5 {17.d5 Nb6 18.Nbd2 Ba6 19.Rc1 Ne8 and the knight
will leap to b5 via c7.} 17... Nxe4 {17...Nxe5 18.Nxe5 dxe5 19.Nd2 would leave
Black with big problems on the queenside.} 18. Bxe7 Qxe7 19. exd6 Qf6
{19...Qxd6?! 20.Qxd6 Nxd6 21.Rd1 Ra6 22. Nbd2 and White would play Rc1 with
pressure at c5.} 20. Nbd2 Nxd6 21. Nc4 Nxc4 22. Bxc4 Nb6 23. Ne5 {This is
forced, since otherwise the pawn at b2 is lost. But White's pieces are not as
well-coordinated as they seem.} 23... Rae8 { Spassky aims for complications,
but he could have settled for a slight edge with quieter play. 23...Nxc4
24.Nxc4 Rfd8 25.Qe2 Qg5 26.f3Ba6} 24. Bxf7+ Rxf7 25. Nxf7 Rxe1+ 26. Qxe1 Kxf7
27. Qe3 {Black has a small material advantage, but his king is vulnerable and
the queenside pawns are weak.} 27... Qg5 { The idea is to exchange queens and
eliminate mating threats. 27...Qxb2 28. Re1 and Black is in trouble. 27...Nd7
28.Re1} 28. Qxg5 hxg5 29. b3 Ke6 {Now Black h as the advantage, with a more
active king and two pieces for the rook and pawn. } 30. a3 Kd6 {30...bxa3!
31.Rxa3 Kd6 32.f3 Nd5 33.Ra1 g6} 31. axb4 cxb4 32. Ra5 {Now there are no
longer any winning plans, since 32...Bd5 is met by 33.Rb5!} 32... Nd5 33. f3
Bc8 34. Kf2 Bf5 35. Ra7 g6 {35...Bc2 36.Rxg7 Bxb3 37. Rxg5 Bc4 38.Ke1 b3
39.Kd2 and the king can handle the b-pawn all by itself.} 36. Ra6+ Kc5 37. Ke1
Nf4 {Black attacks the kingside pawns, as the queenside offers nothing.
37...Bc2 38.Kd2 Bxb3 39.Rxg6} 38. g3 Nxh3 39. Kd2 { White hopes to be able to
advance the pawn to g4.} 39... Kb5 40. Rd6 Kc5 41. Ra6 Nf2 {The knight
re-enters the game, but a draw by repetition is forced.} 42. g4 Bd3 43. Re6 *
http://chessmicrobase.com/microbases/10/games/670?token=mb68vj5t