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Efim Geller vs Boris Spassky
Spassky - Geller Candidates Quarterfinal (1968), Sukhumi URS, rd 1, Apr-03
French Defense: Tarrasch Variation. Open System Main Line (C09)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-26-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  wwall: This was the 1st game in the Spassky-Geller quarter final Candidates match played on the Black Sea coast. Bondarevsky was Spassky's second and Gufeld was Geller's second. The match was played from April 2, 1968 to April 17, 1968. They had met 23 times before, with 6 wins for Spassky, 4 wins for Geller and 13 draws.

Geller surprised Spassky with 1.e4, as he was known as a 1.d4 player.

10.Re1 was a bit unusual. 10.Be3 was more common.

11.Bg5 was Geller's idea from home analysis. Bondarevsky thought 11.Be3 was better. White wants to play 12.Bxc6. If 11...Be6, then 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Nbd4. If 11...f6, then 12.Bf4. Spassky's move of 11...h6 surprised Geller, who spent 40 minutes before playing 12.Be3. The main line he was considering was 12.Bh4, expecting 12...g5 13.Bg3 Nf5, but Spassky said he was considering 12...f6 if 12.Bh4 was played.

Perhaps 14.Bd3 is better than 14.Bxc6.

Instead of 16.c3, if 16.f3?, then 16...Bxc2 17.Qxc2 Nxd4 18.Nxd4 Qxd4+ 19.Qf2 Qb4.

18...Bc2 looked OK. 18...Bf5 looks like a good alternative. If 18...Qxd4?!, then 19.Nxd4 c5 20.Nb3 helps White.

After 21...c5, best is 22.Nf5 Bd7 23.Ne7+ Kh7 24.Nxd5 Rxa2 25.Nxb6 Rxe1+ 26.Rxe1 Be6 should draw.

Mar-04-12  King Death: < wwall: ...Geller surprised Spassky with 1.e4, as he was known as a 1.d4 player...>

Que? One look at this player page will prove otherwise (Efim Geller). The real surprise was Spassky playing Black in a French.

Jun-17-17  edubueno: Geller, un jugador de ataque, se encuentra sorpresivamente con la Defensa Francesa, a la cual es difícil vulnerar. Elige la variante Tarrasch donde las negras quedan con un peón aislado central, probablemente BS haya sido el mayor especialista mundial en el aprovechamiento de dicho peón, así que Geller lleva la partida a tablas.
Mar-22-19  edubueno: 12...g5 13.Bg3 Nf5 14.a4 Nxg3 15.hxg3 a5 16.Nfd4 Qd6 17.c3 Bd7 18.Qd3 Rfe8 19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.Qxf5 Qxg3 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.Nxa5 Re5 23.Qf6 Bxf2+ 24.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 25.Kxf2 Nxa5 26.Rh1 con igualdad.
Jan-16-24  stone free or die: You can find a picture of the first move of the first game of the match in <CR (Jul 1968) p203>:

https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/C...

(Guess Geller was a smoker. Wonder what brand?)
.

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