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Boris Spassky vs Paul Keres
USSR Championship 1961b (1961), Baku URS, rd 4, Nov-21
Spanish Game: Closed Variations. Keres Defense (C92)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jun-12-05  Legend: A good fighting game, that ends with a stalemate!
Jun-12-05  PARACONT1: Great end. It HAD to be Keres! I recall he did something almost similar to Fischer during one of their games at Curacao '62.
Nov-22-08  EstonianHunter: 69. Kh1-h2 ...
70. Qg3# and 70.g3# threatens. 69. ... Qe5+ changes nothing... "It's all over," said someone from the onlookers... At that time Keres made a move 69. ... La1-h1!! and opponents shook their hands - stalemate, draw!
Apr-02-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: Wouldn't 68...Qh2+ have ended the game a move earlier?
Apr-02-15  Howard: Probably, but who's counting ?
Aug-10-17  zydeco: Great game. Nobody else has repeated Keres' sacrifice with 13...Nd7, which doesn't work so well here.

Very clever tactics by Spassky starting with 26.e6 to secure the extra pawn.

37.Qxa6 Qf4+ 38.Kg1 Qe3+ 39.Kf1 Qf4+ and if 40.Ke1 Qe4+.

Aug-11-17  paul1959: Those were Spassky's dark years when he missed two complete WC cycles. 34 Qxc7 seems bad as it exchanges a weak pawn for the important one at f2. 34. Re5 looks much better: Black has to prevent Qc4+ and on all continuations , White can either get a rook ending with a pawn up or the continuation of the attack with Re7 or Qe3
Aug-11-17  ewan14: The USSR Championship 1961 ( a ) was dark for Spassky

He won 1961 ( b )

Sep-08-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  Telemus: There was a moment, when it was easy!

Position after Black's 54th move:


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Spassky played 55.♕d6. Much better and a clear win was possible by a slight modification: 55.♕d7+ ♔h6 56.♕d6. That's the same position, but with the black king on h6. This gives the additional check on f4 (or, if Black plays like in the game 56.. ♖c3, White has 57.♕d2+!). Black is completely lost.

Dec-26-19  edubueno: 38 Td6 y gana
Dec-27-19  Granny O Doul: 38. Td6 y perde después de ...Dg3+ y 39...Dxd6.

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