[Event "Belgrade"] [Site "?"] [Round "23"] [White "Fischer"] [Black "Spassky"] [ECO "B23"] [Opening "Sicilian: Closed"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. Nge2 Nc6 4. g3 d5 {Spassky repeats the opening which did not bring him success in game 17, but he must have had some improvement in mind. Fischer does not let him spring it.} 5. exd5 exd5 6. d3 { Fischer deviates from game 17.} 6... Nf6 { 6...Bg4 is not so good here: 7.Bg2 Nd4 8.h3 and White has the better game.} 7. Bg2 Be7 8. Bg5 {White threatens to exchange at f6, and increase pressure on the center. In the present match Fischer seems to have evidenced a disrespect for the common wisdom that bishops are stronger than knights.} 8... d4 { 8...Be6 9.Nf4! Bg4 10.f3 Be6 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.O-O will leave Black with the difficult task of defending the pawn at e6.} 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. Ne4 Be7 11. Nf4 O-O 12. O-O Re8 13. Qh5 { White has harmoniously developed his forces and Spassky must now be careful.} 13... g6 14. Qd5 Bf5 {14...Qxd5?! 15.Nxd5 and the knights round up all the critical dark squares, especially f6 and c7.} 15. Rfe1 Kg7 16. a3 Rc8 17. h3 Qxd5 18. Nxd5 Bf8 {Spassky has successfully repulsed the initial wave of the attack, and chances are roughly level. Even without queens, Fischer goes after the kingside.} 19. g4 Be6 20. Nef6 Rcd8 21. g5 Bd6 22. Re4 {Fischer prepars his beloved march of the h-pawn. But Black's resources are up to the defensive task.} 22... Ne7 23. Rh4 Rh8 24. Re1 Nf5 25. Rhe4 h6 {Now it is White who must be careful on the kingside, where Black is setting up a counterattack.} 26. h4 hxg5 27. hxg5 Rh4 28. Rxh4 Nxh4 {Black now has a slight advantage, threatening to capture at g2 and use the bishop pair to great effect.} 29. Re4 {Fischer is willing to argue that the knights are as strong as the bishops. 29.Be4 c4! leaves White in an uncomfortable position.} 29... Nf5 {The most sensible decision. 29...Nxg2 30.Kxg2 Rh8 31.Nf4! Bxf4 32. Rxf4 Rd8 33.Rh4 and now White stands better, as any exchange of rooks will provide an easy win.} 30. Nf4 Ba2 {Spassky wants to hang onto his bishop pair, trying to squeeze a full point from the position. The idea is to attack the base of the pawn chain with Bb1. 30...Bxf4 31.Rxf4 b6 would have provided an even endgame.} 31. N4d5 Bxd5 32. Nxd5 Kf8 33. Kf1 Re8 34. Rxe8+ Kxe8 {This endgame is likely to be drawn as a result of the bishops of opposite colors.} 35. Nf6+ Kd8 36. Bxb7 { 36.Bd5 Bf4 37.Bxf7 Nd6 38.Bxg6 Bxg5 39.Ne4 Nxe4 40.Bxe4 b6 41.a4 Kd7 42.Ke2} 36... Bf4 { The weakness of the g-pawn now provides Black with the necessary target.} 37. Ne4 Bc1 38. a4 Bxb2 39. Nxc5 Bc1 40. Be4 {Fischer decides to continue the battle. 40.Ne4 Ke7 41.Bd5 Bf4 and Black will follow with Nd6, with an easy draw.} 40... Bxg5 41. Bxf5 gxf5 42. Nb3 Bf6 43. Kg2 { White starts the long trek to the pawn at f7.} 43... Kd7 44. Kg3 Ke6 45. Na5 { White's plan is simple. Capture the enemy pawn at a7 and then advance the pawn at a2 to the 8th rank.} 45... Be5+ {45...Kd5?! 46.Kf4!} 46. Kh4 Bf6+ { Spassky helps Fischer toward the objective at f7, confident in the counterplay on the queenside.} 47. Kh5 Kd5 48. Kh6 Kc5 {48...Ke5 49.Nc6+ Kf4 50.Nxa7 Kf3 51.Nc6 Kxf2 52.a5 and White achieves the goal more quickly than in the game.} 49. Kh7 Kb4 50. Nc6+ Kc3 51. Kg8 {51.Nxa7 Kb4 gets rid of the pesky a-pawn.} 51... Kxc2 52. Kxf7 Bh8 {The only move.} 53. a5 Kxd3 54. a6 Ke2 55. Nxa7 d3 56. Nc6 d2 57. a7 d1=Q 58. a8=Q {Black has the advantage in this endgame, and it is up to Fischer to display strong defensive technique.} 58... Qd5+ 59. Kg6 Qe6+ 60. Kh7 Bc3 61. Nd8 {The final finesse in the long game. The draw is now unavoidable, but Spassky tries to create a mating net anyway.} 61... Qe7+ 62. Kg6 Qf6+ 63. Kh5 Qh8+ {63...Bd2 64.f4 Bxf4 65.Qg2+!?} 64. Kg6 Qg7+ 65. Kxf5 Qf6+ 66. Kg4 Qg6+ 67. Kf4 Bd2+ 68. Ke5 Bc3+ 69. Kf4 Qd6+ 70. Kf5 Qd7+ 71. Kg5 Qe7+ 72. Kf5 Qf6+ 73. Kg4 Qg7+ 74. Kf5 Qf6+ 75. Kg4 Qg6+ 76. Kf4 Bd2+ 77. Ke5 Qg5+ 78. Ke6 Qg4+ 79. Kf7 Qd7+ 80. Kg6 *