Boris Spassky vs Bobby Fischer (1972) Fischer King

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Boris Spassky vs Bobby Fischer
"Fischer King" (game of the day Nov-01-2008)
Spassky - Fischer World Championship Match (1972), Reykjavik ISL, rd 13, Aug-10
Alekhine Defense: Modern. Alburt Variation (B04) · 0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Given 48 times; par: 120 [what's this?]

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< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 23 OF 23 · Later Kibitzing>
Aug-17-23		N.O.F. NAJDORF: Here is one variation after 25. e6: 25. e6 c6 26. exf7+ Kxf7 27. Nde6 Bxb2 28. f5 g5 29. Bxg5 hxg5 30. Qxg5 Rg8 31. Qh5+ Kf6 32. g5+ Kxf5 33. Qh7+ Rg6 34. Rf1+ Ke5 35. Qxg6 a3 36. Qf5+ Kd6 37. Qf4+ Be5 38. Ne4+ Kd7 39. Qxe5 followed by Nc5+ and mate.

Sep-11-23		andrea volponi: 25 E6! (smyslov) Nc4 (a3 prins 26 f5 timman Nc4 -Qf4 Nxb2 -f6 Bxf6 -bxf6 -exf6 -Qxf6 Qd8 -Qxf7+ Kh8 -Nf5 gxf5 -Rxd5 Qxd5 -Qf6+ =) Qe2! Nxb2 (26...Ra5 -b4 Rxc5 -bxc5 fxe6 -f5=) -Nf5!! Nxd1 -Nxg7 Kxg7 -Qe5+ f6! -Qxd5 a3! -Rxd1 a2 -Rxd1 -Ra1 Ra5=.

Oct-04-23		N.O.F. NAJDORF: In Smyslov's line 25. e6 Nc4 26. Qe2 Nxb2 27. Nf5 Nxd1 28. Nxg7 Kxg7 29. Qe5+ f6 30. Qxd5 a3 31. Rxd1 a2 White can continue 32. Qd4 For example: 32. Qd4 b6 33. Nd7 Qa6 34. Ra1 Qa4 35. c4 Qc2 36. Nxf6 Qb1+ 37. Kg2 Qc2+ 38. Kf1 Qb1+ 39. Ke2 Qc2+ 40. Ke1 Qb1+ 41. Kd2 Red8 42. Nd7+ Kh7 43. Bxe7 winning

Oct-04-23		N.O.F. NAJDORF: After 25. e6 Nc4 26. Qe2 Nxb2 27. Nf5 gxf5 28. Rxd5 fxg4 29. Qxg4 white threatens 30. exf7+ Kxf7 31. Rf5+ Kg8 32. Ne6 winning the queen If 29 ... f6 30. Kh2 (or Kh8 31. Rh5 Rg8 32. Qg6 Qf8 33. Nd7 wins) Kh7 31. Rg1 Rg8 32. Qg6+ Kh8 33. Rh5 Qf8 34. Nd7 wins

Oct-04-23		N.O.F. NAJDORF: Another possibility (after 25. e6 Nc4 26. Qe2 Nxb2 27. Nf5 gxf5 28. Rxd5) is 28 ... f6 29. gxf5 Ra5 30. Kh2 Kh8 31. Qg4 Rg8 32. Rg1 b6 33. Rd7 Rxc5 34. Rxe7 Rxc2+ 35. Rg2 Rxg2+ 36. Qxg2 Qf8 37. Rf7 Qd8 38. e7 Qe8 39. Rxg7 Rxg7 40. Bxf6 Qg8 41. e8=Q

Oct-04-23		N.O.F. NAJDORF: Alternatively, after 25. e6 Nc4 26. Qe2 Nxb2 27. Nf5 gxf5 28. Rxd5 f6 29. gxf5 black could play Kh8 30. Kh2 Rg8 31. Rg1 Bf8 32. Rxg8+ Kxg8 33. Qg4+ Kh8 34. Rd2 Bg7 35. Rg2 Qg8 36. Nd7 a3 37. Qg6 Rf8 38. Bxf6 exf6 39. e7 Rf7 40. e8=Q Qxe8 41. Nxf6 Qg8 42. Qxh6+ and mate next move

Oct-05-23		harrylime: This is a Holy game. A candidate for the greatest Chess game of the 20th Century.

Oct-22-23		N.O.F. NAJDORF: How about this variation? 25. e6 c6 26. exf7+ Kxf7 27. f5 Nc4 28. Qf4 b6 29. fxg6+ Kxg6 30. Re6+ Bxe6 (Bf6 31. Qf5+ Kf7 32. Bxf6 Bxe6 33. Ncxe6 Rh8 34. Qh5+ Kxf6 35. Rf1#) 31. Ndxe6 Rf8 32. Qe4+ Kf7 33. Rf1+ Bf6 34. Qh7+ Ke8 35. Qg6+ Rf7 36. Qg8+ Rf8 37. Qxf8#

Oct-23-23		N.O.F. NAJDORF: Or this? 25. e6 c6 26. exf7+ Kxf7 27. Nde6 Bxb2 28. f5 g5 29. Bxg5 hxg5 30. Qxg5 Rg8 31. Qh5+ Kf6 32. g5+ Kxf5 33. Rxd5+ Nxd5 34. Qg4+ Kg6 35. Qe4+ Kf7 36. Qh7+ Rg7 37. Rf1+ Nf6 38. g6+ Ke8 39. Qh8+ Rg8 40. Qxg8+ Nxg8 41. Rf8#

Feb-23-24		andrea volponi: 25 e6! Nc4 -Qe2! Ra5! -b4 Rxc5 -bxc5 fxe6 -f5! e5 -Nb5 c6 -Nc3 gxf5 -gxf5 Qxf5 -Nxd5 cxd5 -Rxd5 Qf4 -Qh5 Ra8 -Rf1 Qxf1+ -Kxf1 Ne3+ -Ke2 Nxd5 -Bg3 Nc3+ -Kd3 E4+ -Kc4 a3 -Qg6 Kh8 -Be5 Bxe5 -Qxh6+ Kg8 -Qe6+ Kh7 -Qxe5 a2 -Qxe7+ perpetual. (=).

Jun-11-24		Retired Patzer: After 69.Rc3+ Kd4 it almost looks like White has winning chances with 70.Be7, aiming for f6 to help blockade the Black queenside pawns while retaining protection of his own g-pawn. But 70....Ke5 pretty much forces the bishop back to f8.

Jul-10-24		Chessmaletaja: Poor Boris. I am so sad.

Jul-11-24		Chessmaletaja: In the 13th game of the 1972 match, Spassky had white pieces but played the opening poorly. Interestingly, Fischer grabbed White's pawn on the edge of the board—the a-pawn—spending several tempos. But Fischer did not touch White's central pawn, e5, which is essential for White's attack in the Alekhine defence. Perhaps Fischer was afraid of opening the lines and diagonals blocked by that pawn. White had a typical Spassky-style attack. Tactical analysis shows that Black could take the pawn e5 with 20...♗xe5 or with 21...♗xe5. Instead, Fischer played 21...♕d7 and after 22 ♖ad1!, instead of playing 22...♗xe5 made a mistake 22...♖fe8?. <The position after 22...♖fe8:> click for larger view Note that on 23 ♘c5? Black has the answer 23...♕d5!. However, Spassky missed here a strong move 23 b3!. The idea is that after 23...♗d5 the square d5 is occupied, and White will play 24 ♘c5!. However, Black has a strong answer 23...c5!, after which the position is approximately equal. In the game, Spassky played such slow or passive moves as 23 f4, 25 ♕c3, 26 ♔h2 and 27 ♘d3. As a result, Black dissipated White's attack and after 29...♕xd6 30 exd6 ♗xc3 31 bxc3 Black had simply an extra pawn in the complex endgame: click for larger view The analysis of that fantastic endgame of the 13th match game needs a separate book. Above, I have used the book Karoly, Tibor "Fischer - Spassky 1972" (2022)

Aug-12-24		N.O.F. NAJDORF: 75. Bxf2 Rd1 76. Ra4 Rb1+ 77. Kc3 Kxf2 wins 75. Rf4 Rxd4 76. Rxd4 Kg2 77. Rd1 f1=Q 78. Rxf1 Kxf1 79. Ka1 Ke2 80. Kb2 Kd3 81. Ka1 Kc4 82. Kb2 a1=Q+ 83. Kxa1 Kc3 84. Kb1 b2 wins

Aug-13-24		N.O.F. NAJDORF: <agadmator says that Gligoric mentioned 25. e6 in his book of the match, but I don't remember that and certainly do not recall that Gligoric rated it a missed winning move.> He did mention it! He wrote: 25 Q-B3!? 25 P-K6! was strong and more dangerous. White probably did not like 25 ... N-B5, but after 26 Q-B1 there would be good counterplay ahead for him.

Oct-21-24		andrea volponi: 25 e6!(la migliore mossa)...Nc4(...a3-f5!=)- Qe2 Nxb2 -Nf5 Nxd1 -Nxg7 Kxg7 -Qe5+ f6! -Qxd5 Nc3(la mossa di agadmator ;30...Nb2 -g5!( migliore di 31Qd4 (smyslov) Qd8!=)Qc4 g5 -fxg5 hxg5 -Bxg5 fxg5 -Qxc3+Kh7 -Re5(Qd3 ⩲/+-) Rg8!-Ne4 Qd8! -Nxg5 = parità.

Oct-21-24		offramp: Spassky vs Fischer, 1972 (kibitz #55) <WMD: <Timman's match book, crediting Smyslov, indicates the line 25.e6 Nc4 26.Qe2! as being critical. "The plan is 26...Nxb2 27.Nf5!, a very original attacking idea. The former World Champion stops here with the statement that White has a fierce attack. No doubt he had the variation 27...Bc4 28.exf7+ Kxf7 29.Qxe7+ Rxe7 30.Rxe7+ Kf8 31.Nd7+ in mind.">> <andrea volponi: 25 e6!(la migliore mossa)...Nc4...> click for larger view We may never know the best move. If Spassky had been on good form he might have played 25. e6. Fischer was on great form. He would have defended no problem. But who knows?

Oct-21-24		harrylime: I'm thinking this game was the template for Alekhine's defence players for years to come. Invaluable for theory. An extraordinary game. An extraordinary match.

Oct-22-24		Olavi: <Invaluable for theory> Hardly; as every commentator pointed out, Spassky played a completely innocuous, unambitious opening...

Oct-22-24		Petrosianic: <Olavi: <Invaluable for theory> Hardly; as every commentator pointed out, Spassky played a completely innocuous, unambitious opening...> You're spoiling the illusion. Harry says he doesn't even play chess, he's only interested in Fischer The Pop Culture Icon. From that POV the more famous the game, the more monumental it must be in every way. In his heart, this would be the MCO game of the year, if he knew what MCO was.

Nov-05-24		andrea volponi: 25 e6! smyslov followed his idea with 25...Nc4 -Qe2! (Qc1gligoric 26...a3! -+) 26...Nxb2 -Nf5!! when white has a very strong attack . it seems kasparov,timman, soltis,muller,among others,think that black problaby loses this position,but 27Nxd1!! -Nxg7 Kxg7 -Qe5+ f6! -Qxd5 Ne3! (30...Nb2 smyslov -31 g5!!+- )-Rxe3 a3 - Re1 a2 -Ra1 Ra5 leads to an unbalaneed but roughly equal position.

Nov-05-24		andrea volponi: 2 5 e6! a3!? (suggested by prins )-26 f5! (timman )Nc4 -white coold have thrown every thing at black king -27 Qf4 Nxb2 -f6 Bxf6 -Bxf6 exf6 -Qxf6 Qd8 -Qxf7+ Kh8 -Nf5 gxf5 -Rxd5 Qxd5 -Qf6+ but white must settle for a draw by perpetual check.

Jan-06-25		N.O.F. NAJDORF: After 25. e6 Nc4 26. Qe2 b6 27. Nf5 gxf5 28. Rxd5 bxc5 29. Qxc4 Bd4+ 30. Kh2 fxe6 31. Rxf5 Qa6 32. Qa2 c4 33. Rh5 Bg7 34. g5 Qb5 white cannot win

Mar-17-25		frankumber: it is without a doubt one of the finest games played in a championship match. Even with the computer aided examination of the missteps and outright errors playing this game in the heat of the moment must have been terrifying.

Mar-18-25		Petrosianic: <frankumber: it is without a doubt one of the finest games played in a championship match. Even with the computer aided examination of the missteps and outright errors playing this game in the heat of the moment must have been terrifying.> If by "fine game" you mean one of the most dramatic fights, it is that, on the same kind of level as Capablanca-Alekhine, Game 11, or Topalov-Kramnik, Game 2. But if you mean best played game, it's certainly not that. You alluded to the missteps and errors yourself. If I were to rate Fischer's wins in this match by quality of play, I'd make it something like this: Game 6 Game 10 Game 3 Game 13 Game 21 Game 5 Game 8

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