[Event "World-ch27 Fischer-Spassky +7-3=11"] [Site "Reykjavik"] [Date "1972.08.03"] [Round "10"] [White "Fischer, Robert James"] [Black "Spassky, Boris Vasilievich"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C95"] [WhiteElo "2785"] [Annotator "Nagesh Havanur"] [PlyCount "111"] [EventDate "1972.07.11"] [EventType "match"] [EventRounds "21"] [EventCountry "ISL"] [SourceTitle "MainBase"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] [SourceVersion "2"] [SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"] [SourceQuality "1"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 ({In Santa Monica 1966 Spassky played} 7... O-O 8. c3 d5 {the Marshall Attack leading to draw. He had used the same system with Tal in the Candidates' Match 1965 drawing all his games.}) 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Nb8 {The Breyer Variation, a favourite of Spassky.} ({In the Havana Olympiad he had played} 9... h6 {(Smyslov Variation) and the game was a hard-fought draw. However, the variation had received some hard knocks in the games, Fischer-Gligoric, Rovinj/ Zagreb 1970 and Fischer-Ivkov, 1970 Interzonal.}) 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 ({Fischer decided not to play his old line} 11. Nh4 {on account of} exd4 12. cxd4 Nb6 13. Nd2 c5 $11 {that led to an easy draw in Robert Byrne-Boris Spassky, Moscow 1971.}) 11... Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. b4 {This plan preventing the freeing advance...c5 was popular in those days.} ({In his own games with White Spassky had preferred} 13. Nf1 {and currently it is in vogue.}) 13... Bf8 14. a4 Nb6 15. a5 Nbd7 16. Bb2 Qb8 {A novelty in this position. Otherwise the idea is known. The move indirectly defends e5 and targets White's b-pawn. However, its drawback is that it shuts out the QR.} ({Later} 16... Rb8 {followed by...Ba8 came to be seen as the antidote to White's play. Consequently the line with 13. b4 was given up.}) 17. Rb1 {Indirectly defending the b-pawn.} ({Here} 17. c4 bxc4 18. Nxc4 $5 {deserves attention. If} (18. Ba4 {recommended by Timman and Kasparov is met by} exd4 19. Nxd4 (19. Bxd4 Re7 $11) 19... Ne5 20. Bxe8 Qxe8 $44) 18... exd4 19. Qxd4 $14 {White has more space and better development.}) 17... c5 18. bxc5 {The battle is for the control of e5 and this move strikes at d6, the heart of its base.} dxc5 19. dxe5 Nxe5 20. Nxe5 Qxe5 21. c4 {Calling into question Black's entire plan initiated with 16...Qb8.} Qf4 22. Bxf6 (22. cxb5 axb5 23. e5) 22... Qxf6 23. cxb5 Red8 $5 {Spassky offers a pawn for active counterplay.} ({If} 23... axb5 24. Rxb5 Ba6 25. e5 $1 Rxe5 26. Rb6 Qe7 27. Rxe5 Qxe5 28. Nf3 $14) 24. Qc1 $1 (24. Qe2 $2 {is tactically flawed on account of} axb5 $1 25. Rxb5 Ba6 26. e5 Qc6 27. e6 Qxe6 28. Qxe6 fxe6 29. Rb2 Rxd2 30. Bxh7+ Kxh7 31. Rxd2 Bc4 $17) 24... Qc3 (24... axb5 25. Rxb5 Ba6 26. Rb6 Qc3 $13 {led to a tense draw in Vasiukov-Smejkal, Polanica Zdroj 1972.}) 25. Nf3 Qxa5 26. Bb3 axb5 27. Qf4 {The point of White's 24th move.} Rd7 (27... c4 $2 {loses a pawn to} 28. Bxc4 $1 bxc4 29. Rxb7 $14) 28. Ne5 Qc7 29. Rbd1 Re7 $2 {anxious to defend the second rank and yet the move turns insufficient} ({He had to play} 29... Rad8 $1 30. Bxf7+ Rxf7 31. Qxf7+ Qxf7 32. Nxf7 Rxd1 33. Rxd1 Bxe4 34. Ng5 Bf5 (34... Bc2 35. Rd8 b4 36. Ne6 Kf7 37. Nxf8 b3 38. Rb8 Ke7 $3) 35. Rd5 h6 36. Rxf5 hxg5 37. Kf1 (37. Rxg5 b4 $11) 37... Be7 $11 {analysis initiated by Olafsson and refined by Timman and Kasparov}) 30. Bxf7+ $1 Rxf7 {Forced.} (30... Kh8 $4 {runs into} 31. Ng6+ $1 hxg6 32. Qh4#) 31. Qxf7+ Qxf7 32. Nxf7 {The point. White exploits the weak second rank.} Bxe4 ({If} 32... Kxf7 $2 33. Rd7+ $16) 33. Rxe4 Kxf7 34. Rd7+ Kf6 35. Rb7 Ra1+ $6 {By now Spassky was in time trouble. Here he tries to activate his rook & bishop and at the same time keep away the White king from his advancing pawns. Unfortunately, it falls short of expectations.} ({Larsen offered} 35... b4 $1 {and it sets more problems for White. However, after} 36. Rb6+ Kf7 ({If} 36... Kf5 37. f3 {(Nei) preparing h4 followed by Rbe6 forming a mating net should win.}) 37. f4 Re8 38. Rxe8 Kxe8 39. Rb7 {White has the upper hand, but no clear win according to Timman and Kasparov.}) 36. Kh2 Bd6+ 37. g3 b4 38. Kg2 h5 ({The suggestion of Krogius and Nei} 38... Kf5 39. Rh4 Be5 {is refuted by Timman.} 40. Rh5+ $1 Ke6 41. Rb6+ Bd6 ({or} 41... Kd5 42. f4 $18) 42. Rxc5 $18) 39. Rb6 Rd1 40. Kf3 Kf7 ({or} 40... g5 41. Ke2 Rd5 42. g4 hxg4 43. hxg4 Kf7 44. Rb7+ {followed by 45.Rd7 wins.}) 41. Ke2 {The sealed move. During the adjournment Spassky and his seconds could find no way of saving the game.} Rd5 42. f4 $1 g6 43. g4 hxg4 44. hxg4 g5 {This attempt to prevent g4-g5 does not alter the outcome of the game.} (44... Kf6 45. Rb5 Kf7 46. g5 ({not} 46. Rexb4 $2 cxb4 47. Rxd5 Bxf4 $11 {with a theoretical draw.}) 46... Rf5 47. Ke3 $18 {Soon Black runs out of moves, either falling into a mating net or losing his queenside pawns.}) 45. f5 Be5 46. Rb5 $1 {Pinning the c-pawn so that its companion can be captured.} Kf6 ({not} 46... Bd4 47. Rb7+ Kf8 48. Re6 $18) 47. Rexb4 Bd4 48. Rb6+ Ke5 49. Kf3 $1 {A little joke.} Rd8 ({If} 49... cxb4 $4 50. Re6#) 50. Rb8 Rd7 51. R4b7 Rd6 52. Rb6 Rd7 53. Rg6 Kd5 54. Rxg5 Be5 55. f6 Kd4 56. Rb1 $1 {...and Spassky resigned.} (56. Rb1 $1 Bxf6 57. Rd1+ Kc4 58. Rxc5+ Kxc5 59. Rxd7) 1-0