Boris Vasilievich Spassky – Robert James Fischer
World Chess Championship match game 21; Reykjavík, August 31– September 1, 1972
Sicilian Defence B46
World Chess Championship match game 21; Reykjavík, August 31– September 1, 1972
Sicilian Defence B46
Notes by Grandmaster Henrique Mecking, “O Encontro do Século: Fischer x Spassky”, APEC — VISÃO, São Paulo, 1973, pp. 145-149.
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6. For the first time in his career, Fischer played this move.
3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3. 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 is also very popular.
5. ... Nc6. 5. ... Qc7 is usually played, but Fischer has something in mind.
6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bd3 d5!
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6. For the first time in his career, Fischer played this move.
3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3. 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 is also very popular.
5. ... Nc6. 5. ... Qc7 is usually played, but Fischer has something in mind.
6. Be3 Nf6 7. Bd3 d5!
A novelty by Fischer, undoubtedly prepared at home.
8. exd5 exd5. If 8. ... Nxd5 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bd4 and White would have the edge.
9. 0-0 Bd6 10. Nxc6. Disastrous for White would be 10. Nf5?? Bxf5 11. Bxf5 d4 and Black wins a piece. White could try 10. Be2 defending against Black’s menace ... Nf6-g4 and threatening in the future to increase the pressure on Black’s d-Pawn by means of Be2-f3. With the text move White strengthens Black’s centre.
10. ... bxc6 11. Bd4 0-0 12. Qf3 Be6 13. Rfe1 c5! Black forces the exchange of some pieces also holding a good position.
14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. Qxf6 gxf6. Black has doubled and weak Pawns, but his Bishop pair is very strong. His position is not inferior.
16. Rad1 Rfd8 17. Be2 Rab8 18. b3 c4! Opening up lines for the dark-squared Bishop. The threat is ... Bd6-b4 dislodging the Knight.
19. Nxd5? Spassky, with White, obtained nothing from the opening. Needing desperately to win, he commits an imprudence in sacrificing the Exchange without compensation.
19. ... Bxd5 20. Rxd5 Bxh2+. It would be worse for Black 20. ... cxb3 21. axb3 Bxh2+ because the a6-Pawn is en prise.
21. Kxh2 Rxd5 22. Bxc4 Rd2! Black’s Rooks now have great offensive power. White Pawns are very backward and not dangerous.
23. Bxa6 Rxc2 24. Re2. Forced. Otherwise the Black Rooks raid White’s Pawns.
24. ... Rxe2 25. Bxe2 Rd8 26. a4 Rd2 27. Bc4 Ra2. If 27. ... Rxf2? 28. a5 Ra2 29. a6 Kf8 30. b4 Ra4 31. b5 Ke7 32. b6 Kd6 33. a7 Kc6 34. Bb5+ or 34. Bd5+ and White wins.
28. Kg3 Kf8 29. Kf3 Ke7 30. g4? A grave error in a difficult position. Now Black succeeds in creating a passed Pawn on the h-file. Correct was 30. g3, but Black would still have good winning chances with 30. ... f5 threatening ... f5-f4
30. ... f5 31. gxf5 f6 32. Bg8 h6 33. Kg3 Kd6 34. Kf3 Ra1. The threat is ... Ra1-g1 and the Black King keeps the Queenside Pawns at bay while the h-Pawn is free to advance. White’s next move is forced, dropping another piece from the defence.
35. Kg2 Ke5 36. Be6 Kf4 37. Bd7 Rb1. Black’s idea is to place the opponent in zugzwang, that is, without a good move.
38. Be6 Rb2 39. Bc4 Ra2 40. Be6 h5? Correct was 40. ... Kg4 and White would be helpless against the threat of the passed Pawn.
41. Bd7?
8. exd5 exd5. If 8. ... Nxd5 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bd4 and White would have the edge.
9. 0-0 Bd6 10. Nxc6. Disastrous for White would be 10. Nf5?? Bxf5 11. Bxf5 d4 and Black wins a piece. White could try 10. Be2 defending against Black’s menace ... Nf6-g4 and threatening in the future to increase the pressure on Black’s d-Pawn by means of Be2-f3. With the text move White strengthens Black’s centre.
10. ... bxc6 11. Bd4 0-0 12. Qf3 Be6 13. Rfe1 c5! Black forces the exchange of some pieces also holding a good position.
14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. Qxf6 gxf6. Black has doubled and weak Pawns, but his Bishop pair is very strong. His position is not inferior.
16. Rad1 Rfd8 17. Be2 Rab8 18. b3 c4! Opening up lines for the dark-squared Bishop. The threat is ... Bd6-b4 dislodging the Knight.
19. Nxd5? Spassky, with White, obtained nothing from the opening. Needing desperately to win, he commits an imprudence in sacrificing the Exchange without compensation.
19. ... Bxd5 20. Rxd5 Bxh2+. It would be worse for Black 20. ... cxb3 21. axb3 Bxh2+ because the a6-Pawn is en prise.
21. Kxh2 Rxd5 22. Bxc4 Rd2! Black’s Rooks now have great offensive power. White Pawns are very backward and not dangerous.
23. Bxa6 Rxc2 24. Re2. Forced. Otherwise the Black Rooks raid White’s Pawns.
24. ... Rxe2 25. Bxe2 Rd8 26. a4 Rd2 27. Bc4 Ra2. If 27. ... Rxf2? 28. a5 Ra2 29. a6 Kf8 30. b4 Ra4 31. b5 Ke7 32. b6 Kd6 33. a7 Kc6 34. Bb5+ or 34. Bd5+ and White wins.
28. Kg3 Kf8 29. Kf3 Ke7 30. g4? A grave error in a difficult position. Now Black succeeds in creating a passed Pawn on the h-file. Correct was 30. g3, but Black would still have good winning chances with 30. ... f5 threatening ... f5-f4
30. ... f5 31. gxf5 f6 32. Bg8 h6 33. Kg3 Kd6 34. Kf3 Ra1. The threat is ... Ra1-g1 and the Black King keeps the Queenside Pawns at bay while the h-Pawn is free to advance. White’s next move is forced, dropping another piece from the defence.
35. Kg2 Ke5 36. Be6 Kf4 37. Bd7 Rb1. Black’s idea is to place the opponent in zugzwang, that is, without a good move.
38. Be6 Rb2 39. Bc4 Ra2 40. Be6 h5? Correct was 40. ... Kg4 and White would be helpless against the threat of the passed Pawn.
41. Bd7?
After this move White resigned. Black would play 41. ... Kg4 winning without problems. Correct for White was 41. Kh3, but after 41. ... Kg5 Black should eventually win, even though with more difficulties.
0 : 1.
0 : 1.
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