Jun-08-03
 | | kevin86: R plus 2p vs r is usually won-except that a RP and BP is a notorious draw-even without black's pawn. |
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| Jun-09-03 | | ksadler: I once drew an ending with R+2P v. R (I had just the Rook) but both pawns were doubled on the a-file and my opponent gave me a lot of help :) |
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| Aug-10-07 | | RookFile: Somebody today advanced the theory that Spassky threw this match. They obviously didn't play over this game.... Spassky tries very hard to win, and comes within the knife's edge of doing so.... a couple of mistakes, and Fischer is able to hold with a miracle defense. |
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Aug-11-07
 | | acirce: <The further course of the play confirmed my suppositions. When Spassky succeeded in creating real threats or dangerous counterplay, Fischer became flustered! And soon Spassky even took the lead, winning the 4th and 5th games. 'After two defeats,' the press wrote, 'for the first time Fischer did not come down for dinner in the restaurant of the Sveti Stefan Hotel (where he and Spassky had neighbouring tables), but ordered it in his room. The first peals of thunder were heard later. Before the start of the 6th game the match director went up to Spassky's seconds and in an apologetic tone he informed them: Fischer had asked them not to be allowed into the hall. As "compensation" his seconds would also not be allowed...' In the 6th game the American found himself in an absolutely hopeless endgame and saved himself only thanks to some obvious technical mistakes by his opponent. It is terrible to imagine what might have happened with Bobby, had he lost a third successive game! Apparently Spassky was afraid of 'losing his opponent': he had said several times that he was playing this match for the sake of Fischer's return. And here he displayed genuine 'magnanimity': after this draw he lost three games in succession.> -- Kasparov, OMGP IV |
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| Aug-12-07 | | capatal: <That seems exactly why Fischer chose simpatico Spassky> "We need to change rooms, Boris."
Spassky,"Okay Bobby."
"None of your seconds can come, Boris."
Spassky,"Sure Bobby."
Bobby and Boris walk away... with Boris humming, " Hitch your wagon to a star..." |
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Aug-12-07
 | | chancho: Is that really possible? That Boris Spassky would actually throw three games in a row to appease Bobby in this match!? I doubt that Boris took the idea of his match with Bobby as a world championship match seriously, but to throw the games? Say it isn't so. |
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| Aug-13-07 | | Petrosianic: While there's a certain man-bites-dog poetic justice in seeing Fischer on the receiving end of a wild, unsubstantiated claim for a change <(remember Fischer's own claim that every move of every game of every Karpov-Korchnoi and Karpov-Kasparov world championship match was pre-arranged)> still, that's what it is: a wild, unsubstantiated claim. "Is that really possible?", you ask. Well sure, anything's possible. But if you ask "Is there any evidence whatsoever to support the idea?", then no, there's not. Spassky's problem was psychological. Like Euwe in 1935, he was more concerned with his opponents problems than his own. I posted this the other day, but it bears repeating. From Jude Acers: <Just a few words on Dr. Euwe that are not written today. He repeatedly offered to postpone games with Alekhine instantly the moment Alekhine appeared in poor condition or in a drunken stupor. The late Hans Kmoch told me: "Euwe was amazing, such a wonderful person and player at all times. During some 50 match games with Alekhine, despite all the pressure, the umpire did not ever have to be summoned once! Euwe had made up his mind to help Alekhine play chess and was sympathetic to him. It's really true that Alekhine wore a tuxedo in honor of Euwe the day that the world title was lost in 1935."> We can applaud Euwe for his extraordinary sportsmanship, but at the same time, observe that when you're <too> focused on sympathizing with your opponent's problems, then it becomes difficult to play your best. Euwe and Spassky both, to a certain extent, put their opponents on a higher plane than themselves. If you're too focused on helping him, that makes it mentally difficult to turn around and try to crush him over the board. The main difference between the two is that Euwe managed to eke out a victory anyway. |
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| Aug-13-07 | | RookFile: The idea that Spassky lost any games on purpose is just absurd. And by the way, there is another way to look at the game in front of us. It is an example of <terrific defense> by Fischer! The way he coordinated his forces, on the knife's edge of losing, was remarkable. It is this type of terrific defense that Kasparov says characterizes <modern chess>.... and it seems that Fischer was quite capable of it! This is a little bit better than resigning a drawn position like Kasparov did, wouldn't you say? |
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