Between Scylla and Charybdis

Boris de Greiff – Boris Vasilievich Spassky
1st José Raúl Capablanca Memorial; Havana, 1962
Queen’s Pawn Game D02

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bf4 Bg4 4. e3 e6 5. Be2 Nf6 6. Ne5 Nxe5 7. Bxe5 Bxe2 8. Qxe2 c6. The reference book also contemplates 8. ... Nd7 ½ : ½ L. Ortega – Godena, 1st International Open Capo d’Orso, Porto Mannu 2007. 9. 0-0 Be7 10. Nd2 0-0 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. c4 Be7 13. Rfc1? I don’t like the opening play by de Greiff, but it’s just my taste. Here, however, White certainly uses the wrong Rook to occupy the c-file! 13. ... Bd6 14. c5. White seems strategically confused, caught between the Scylla and Charybdis dilemma, while Spassky hits the time for strengthening his own position, starting from the centre. 14. ... Bc7 15. f4 f6! 16. Qg4 Qe7 17. Rf1 e5 18. fxe5 fxe5 19. Rxf8+ Rxf8 20. Rf1

20. ... Re8! A very bright and elegant mind: Black takes control of the e-file. Almost forever. 21. Kh1 Qe6 22. Qf3 Bd8! The Bishop is surrounding the d4-Pawn. 23. b4. 23. dxe5 Bc7 is far from satisfactory, but it seems a bit more tenacious than the untimed text move. 23. ... Bf6 24. Nb3 exd4 25. exd4 Qe2 26. Qf4 Qc4 27. g4 h6 0 : 1. White’s Queenside is falling apart, while the Black Rook is eager to penetrate along the e-file. Nothing worse could have happened to a Spassky’s admirer such was de Greiff!

Seated: Boris de Greiff (left) vs. Boris Vasilievich Spassky (right). Standing on left, Ernesto Che Guevara is watching the game. Photo: Oud Zuylen.