| Feb-11-03 | | ughaibu: Spassky's victorys over Geller and Petrosian in this cycle are a convincing demonstration of the importance of understanding the opponent's style when choosing which openings to play. It also helped that he was a brilliant player at his peak and in top form. |
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| Jun-21-03 | | drukenknight: Hello RIbiero: here is one of spassky's victories over Geller. This is maybe the most famous of the series. How did he win this game? Yes 23 RxN was a brilliant sacrifice but it was set up because of some odd moves by Geller. Play it through and see what move you think looks the most odd. Before we get to that; there is a key moment in the game at move 25. What should Geller do? Evans says 25...Kxf7 loses and shows that the key move in this line is: Nf4 (keep this idea in mind); however Evans gives 27…d5 which is a walkover; w/ 27…Rxc2 it is far from clear, but white has a pull… 25. Nxf7 Kxf7
26. Bh6 Rg8
27. Nf4 Rxc2
28. Rf1 Qb5
29. Qxg6+ Ke7
30. Bxg7
in that line white might have preferred the immediate Q check; again the battle is still far from over: Kxf7
26. Bh6 Rg8
27. Nf4 Rxc2
28. Qxg6+ Ke7
29. Re1 Bxh6
30. Nd5+ Kd7
31. Qf7+ Kc6
32. Qxg8 Bc8
OKay now let's go back look at Geller’s 21st. What the hell is 21...Na3? what does that do? Play the same thing but w/ 21..Qa3 now instead of Na4; and see how Spassky’s idea doesn’t quite come off: 21...Qa3
22. Qh4 Rc8
23. Rxf6 exf6
24. Qh7+ Kf8
25. Nxf7 Kxf7
26. Bh6 Rg8
27. e5: Bxg2
28 Kxg2
It's still a very close game. But now, we see it, this time, the N cannot get to f4 because it has to secure the Rook on c1! THis must have been what Spassky noticed before he attempted this diffficult sack. Even w/ the odd N move the sack is still not clear. Geller did not offer much resistance at the end, for example: even as late as move 30; 30...Kd8 may offer more resistance:
31. Qf7 Qc6
32. g6 Qd7
33. e5 dxe5
34. Bxb7 Rb8
35. Bg5+ Kc7
36. Bd5
Geller looks shook up at the end. |
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| Jun-21-03 | | Ribeiro: <drunkenknight>I will study both games! I also have found some comments by Trifunovic. |
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| Jun-22-03 | | drukenknight: Somewhere in an alternate universe the Chess Gods are looking down at the Geller Spassky game. They are dumbfounded when Spassky sacks the Rook and they feel that they must help out Geller to preserve the sanctity of chess. First ALekhine steps to the plate and announces to them. "The problem is classical; and Geller needs to make the classic liberating thrust d4. Here I will show you." BUt is is no use as the chess gods laugh as they watch: 25…d5
26. Nh6 Bxh6
27. Bxh6+ Ke8
28. exd5 Rxc2
29. d6 Rxc1+
30. Bxc1 Qxd6
31. Qxg6+ Ke7
32. Qh7+
THen it is Morphy who steps to the plate and says that Geller needs to immediately counterattack and then get the King over to the queen side. But again the rest of the Gods can only smile as Morphy goes down: 25...Rxc2
26. Bh6 Rxe2
27. Qxg7+ Ke8
28. Qxf6 Kd7
29. Qg7 Kc6
30. Qxg6 Nb5
31. Bf1 Qa2
32. Bf4 Rf2
33. Nxd6 Nxd6
34. Qxd6+ Kb5
35. Be3
Finally Lasker stands up and announces. "Gentlemen you are all good players, but you have not not calculated this out completely. Here let me show you." But the Gods laugh themselves silly as Lasker sits staring at the board after: 25...Kxf7
26. Bh6 Rg8
27. Nf4 Rxc2
28. Rf1 Qb6
29. Ne6 c4+
30. Kh1 Rf2
31. Rxf2 Qxf2
32. Nxg7 Rxg7
33. Qxg7+ Ke6
34. Qxb7 Qe1+
35. Kh2 |
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| Jun-22-03 | | fred lennox: Hello drunkenknight. You sure gave some interesting lines. This might be of interest...14 Nxe4, Rc1...Nc3 Nxc3...Bxc3 (Qe1...Nxe2, Qxe2...Ne4 is bad for white) or...Nxe4, dxe4...Bxa1, Qxa1...Qa5, Qb2...Qa3. Get the queen off the a1-h8 diagnol. If white wants to exchange Queens the better with black's weak dark sqrs. around the king. |
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| Jun-22-03 | | drukenknight: Hello fred. Those are interesting I have not really studied it in depth. The thing is to try to find what is last the possible moment that Geller can be saved. Hey have you looked at Fischer/Rossolimo in the French yet? I will get back to the chess gods discussion momentarily. There still is a final chapter. |
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| Jun-27-03 | | Ribeiro: <drunkenknight> Sorry for the absence! I have started to analyze both games. Typically, in the closed variant, white attacks the kingside and black attacks the queenside. However, I think Geller focused too much on his own plan and allowed Spassky to obtain a good position(including f5). Trifunovic, a very good defensive player, considers 6 ... e6 fundamental. I will study the lines in more detail! |
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| Nov-23-03 | | lordazol: Calculating a lot of move is noisance but understanding position is more important,even interesting.Fisher's kickers Geller comes very quick as black at the queen side.But Spasky spanning him at his king side.First stroke is 23.RxN black begins to bleeding.Than Nxf7 hurts.Black tries to
hit as 25..Rxc2 but not effective..after 28.move and than every move of white is a suffer to black.Silent g5 move gives a breathe but this is last breathe of black.Killer shots comes.The only wish is not suffering too long and this pry is accepted. |
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| Nov-23-03 | | ughaibu: I dont like Bb7 in this opening, how about Bd7 then after moving the rook Be8? |
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| Nov-23-03 | | Spitecheck: Well either way ugh in my opinion the follow up for black is wrong, which might suggest that the b7 plan is flawed. Black seemed to attracted to the queen's wing in this game (the bishop is aiming in the wrong direction for that). He had to break open somewhere in the centre, ironically perhaps on the white squares. His only motif for putting the B on b7 (in front of (defended by) the rook) may have been to exchange it against it's counterpart on g2. Spitecheck |
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| Jan-03-05 | | ArturoRivera: Cant believe what Spassky did, was legendary yo switch to the closed sicilian instead of the normal variation just beacause the closed was Geller's favorite, what a pychological hit!
Geller defeated in his favorite opening! |
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Sep-10-08
 | | chancho: Spassky was playing great chess during his run to the title. Too bad he got kind of lazy after winning it. |
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| Jan-26-10 | | nescio: Powerful play by Spassky. Geller quickly has a winning game on the queenside, as often happens in the King's Indian, but Spassky let it happen, trusting his ability in the inevitable kingside attack. This game makes one wonder why he didn't play the King's Indian with the black pieces more frequently. |
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May-10-10
 | | stoy: The opening is a closed sicilian! But Geller was a pioneer in playing the black side of the KID. |
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| May-10-10 | | MaxxLange: This opening, the Closed Sicilian, has vanished from top GM play, as far as I know. I think that the last heydey was a pawn sac on e5, in the '80's, that the GMs eventually neutralized. I guess that theory has just, for now neutralized it? Attention at the top level turned to stuff like the Bb5 systems, for Whites who wanted to avoid the Open Sicilian It's still a fearsome weapon, at the lower levels. |
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May-11-10
 | | Albertan: <This opening, the Closed Sicilian, has vanished from top GM play, as far as I know. I think that the last heydey was a pawn sac on e5, in the '80's, that the GMs eventually neutralized.
I guess that theory has just, for now neutralized it? Attention at the top level turned to stuff like the Bb5 systems, for Whites who wanted to avoid the Open Sicilian It's still a fearsome weapon, at the lower levels.> In my Chessbase Megadabase 2010 this opening was used 9 times involving players over 2500 last year, white won two games, black two and 5 games were draws. |
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| May-11-10 | | Dravus: Boar is Spassky, iff'n I'm Geller. |
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Oct-18-10
 | | sevenseaman: Its a deliciously instructive game by Spassky. In full attack he is mindful of the small details, and the caravan rolls. |
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| Oct-28-10 | | Knight13: Geller's usually the aggressive player. Here, Geller discovers too late that his plan is too slow. The move 14. b3!! is a great defensive move. |
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| Mar-16-11 | | selfmate: I have a question if anyone is interested:
Is 10.a3 a good move? It seems to me like it just gives black an opportunity to open a file on the q-side - which helps his attack. Houdini, Stockfish and Rybka all concur with Spassky though that 10. a3 is best. So what am I missing? |
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Jan-16-12
 | | DrGridlock: Spassky v Geller
By White’s 23’rd move, Rxf6, Black is lost. The question is by which move black is still able to save himself. Earlier speculation has focused on Black’s 21’st move, … Na3 as an error. This is the move which sets up White’s combination. However, the suggestion of … Qa3 as an improvement is not correct. Komodo analysis suggests that … Qc6 is black’s saving defensive resource, after which the game is approximately even: 
click for larger viewAnalysis by Komodo32 3 32bit:
1. = (0.01): 21...Qc6 22.Qh4 Rb8 23.Nf4 Qc8 24.Nxf7 Kxf7 25.Qg5 Kg8 26.Qxg6 Qe8 27.g5 Qxg6 28.Nxg6 Kf7 29.gxf6 Bxf6 30.Nf4 Nd4 31.Rf2 Bh4 32.Bxd4 cxd4 33.Rff1 Bf6 34.Nh5 Rg8 35.Nxf6 exf6 Komodo finds that after 21 … Qa3, it is not Rxf6 which is white’s threat, but e5 (either immediately, or after Qh4) which is difficult for Black to counter: 
click for larger viewAnalysis by Komodo32 3 32bit:
1.  (2.91): 22.Qh4 Rd8 23.e5 dxe5 24.Bxb7 Qa7 25.Be4 Nd6 26.Bxg6 fxg6 27.Rxf6 exf6 28.Qh7+ Kf8 29.Ne6+ Ke7 30.Nxg7 Ra1 31.Qxg6 Rxc1+ 32.Nxc1 Rf8 33.Ne2 Rf7 34.Nf5+ Nxf5 35.Qxf5 Qc7 36.Ng3 Kf8 37.Nh5 2. (2.66): 22.e5 Qb2 23.exf6 exf6 24.Bxb7 fxg5 25.Bxg5 Qe5 26.Bf4 Qe7 27.Bd5 Qd8 28.Qg3 Ra7 29.Bc6 Qb6 30.Bxb5 Qxb5 31.Bxd6 Re8 32.Qf3 Qb6 33.Bg3 Qe6 34.Rce1 g5 35.Kh1 Qh6 |
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Mar-25-12
 | | Eduardo Bermudez: "Geller was relatively weak in defence and I only needed to attack him at all costs" Boris Spassky |
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| Mar-25-12 | | positionalgenius: what a game! |
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| May-11-12 | | nr77man: wow...good game |
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| Dec-26-12 | | leka: The closed Sicilian is a very good opening against the computers.You can play plan to attack black king down.Bishop g2 knight e2 h3! g4! f4! and try to double your rooks to f1 and rook f2.My computer do not understand it.But this game Geller put his piecies the queen the rooks knights to queen side.This shows how gangerous closed Sicilian can be if black do not protect the king.Trifunovic is right 6..e6!!! is the best.Ribiero 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6!! is the best defence it takes the d5 poit to blaack control |
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sac: 23.Rxf6