Spassky vs Fischer
Belgrade | ? | Round 20
695
[Event "Belgrade"] [Site "?"] [Round "20"] [White "Spassky"] [Black "Fischer"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B20"] [Opening "Sicilian: Keres Variation (2.Ne2)"] 1. e4 c5 2. Ne2 Nf6 3. Nbc3 e6 4. g3 Nc6 {4...d5 is playable.} 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O d6 {This gives White a free hand on the kingside and fails to achieve Black's opening objective: the advance d7-d5. Black should choose 6... g6 instead, and Fischer does so in game 22.} 7. d3 a6 {7...Rb8 is logical.} 8. a3 {8.h3 was played in Fischer-Garcia, Buenos Aires 1970.} 8... Qc7 9. f4 { White unleashes his kingside pawnstorm.} 9... b5 10. Kh1 O-O 11. Be3 Bb7 12. Bg1 Rab8 13. h3 Ba8 14. g4 { This shows the Closed Sicilian in its most aggressive form.} 14... b4 { This is dubious, because it creates light-square weaknesses on the queenside. Still, it is hard to find convincing alternatives, since White seems to have a strong game all over the board.} 15. axb4 cxb4 16. Na4 Nd7 17. Qd2 Rfc8 18. b3 {Now White will be able to transfer a knight to a strong position at c4.} 18... a5 19. g5 Bf8 20. Ra2 Ne7 21. Nd4 g6 {21...e5? is perhaps what Fischer originally had in mind, but it doesn't work: 22.fxe5! dxe5 23.Bh2 and the pin on the pawn at e5 gives White the better game.} 22. Nb2 Bg7 23. Nc4 d5 { Fischer's psychology does not permit him to suffer without counterplay, so he tries to introduce some complications.} 24. Nxa5 {Why not? The knight may be offside for a while but Black is in no position to do anything about it.} 24... dxe4 25. dxe4 e5 26. Ne2 exf4 { Otherwise the f-pawn will advance with devastating effect.} 27. Nxf4 Ne5 { Black's outpost at e5 does not give sufficient counterplay, and White easily eliminates it.} 28. Nd3 Rb5 29. Nxe5 Qxe5 30. Nc4 Qxg5 { Black loses the exchange and really doesn't get anything in return.} 31. Be3 Qh4 32. Nd6 Bc3 33. Qf2 Qxf2 34. Rxf2 Rbb8 35. Nxc8 Rxc8 36. Ra7 { The infiltration of the rook is decisive.} 36... Kf8 37. Bh6+ Ke8 38. Bg5 f6 39. Bxf6 Bxf6 40. Rxf6 Bc6 41. Kg1 Bd7 42. Rd6 Bc6 43. Bf1 1-0
1-0
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