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Boris Spassky vs Alberic O'Kelly de Galway
San Juan (1969), San Juan PUR, rd 2, Oct-??
French Defense: Rubinstein. Fort Knox Variation (C10)  ·  1-0

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jun-10-07  micartouse: An excellent positional game by Spassky annotated by Soltis in <Pawn Structure Chess>. After 15 ... g6 White's intent is to play d4-d5, but he must first prepare this thrust. So he patiently makes a few maneuvers:

1. Repositions the lightsquare bishop to the fianchetto position to support d5 and clean up the d-file.

2. Doubles rooks on the e-file.

3. Moves the queen to b2 to reinforce the long darksquare diagonal and the Re2.

Then, White is able to play d4-d5 and gains a great position, even though it sacrifices a pawn!

Also after 31. c5, we can watch him make use of the queenside pawn majority as a diversion so he can attack the king.

Mar-04-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  tpstar: 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bd7 5. Nf3 Bc6 <The Fort Knox Variation quickly solves the problem of Black's QB> 6. Bd3 Bxe4 <6 ... Nd7 is more common Opening Explorer > 7. Bxe4 c6 8. 0-0 Nf6 9. Bd3 Nbd7 10. c4 <10. b3 Be7 11. Bb2 0-0 12. c4 c5 K Spraggett vs R Hamilton, 2004 > Bd6 11. b3 0-0 12. Bb2 <White does well to fianchetto the QB in the Fort Knox - compare Ivanchuk vs Epishin, 1992 & Shirov vs Huebner, 1993 & Shirov vs A Chernin, 1993 > Qc7 13. Qc2 Rfe8 14. Rfe1 Bf8 15. Rad1 <White has a strong and versatile set-up> g6 16. Bf1 Bg7 <[last book move]<>> 17. g3 Rad8 18. Bg2 Nh5 19. Re2 Rc8 20. h4 Rcd8 21. Rde1 Nhf6 22. Qc1 h5 <[22 ... Qa5 23. Qe3 =]<>> 23. Bh3 Nf8 24. Qa1 <White prepares a Discovery on the Nf6 (25. d5)> <[24. Ne5 Qd6 ]<>> Ng4 <[24 ... N6h7 25. Bg2 ]<>> 25. Bc3 Nh6 26. Qb2 Nf5 27. Bxf5 gxf5 <The Pe6 is pinned and cannot recapture> 28. d5 <A Pawn sacrifice to help create a passed Pawn> Bxc3 29. Qxc3 cxd5 30. Nd4 <White threatens 31. Nxf5> Qd7 31. c5 Nh7 32. b4 a6 33. a4 Rc8 <33 ... Qxa4? 34. c6! traps Black's Queen with 35. Ra1> 34. b5 <[34. a5!? ]<>> axb5 35. axb5 Rf8 36. c6 bxc6 37. bxc6 Qd8 38. Rc1 Nf6 39. c7 Qd7 40. Qe3 Ne4 <Otherwise 41. Qg5+ wins a piece> 41. f3 e5? <[41 ... Nd6 ]<>> 42. fxe4 f4 <42 ... exd4 43. Qg5+> 43. gxf4 exd4 44. Rg2+ 1-0 <44 ... Kh7 45. Qxd4 Rg8 46. Rcc2>.

<[Fritz 7]<>>

May-17-11  squaresquat: a fantasy of mine is that I discovered a chess secret Bobby Fischer (The Man) took to his grave.In the French,give up the center,then swap off the problem piece. Now black has two central pawn strikes and a head start in controlling the d file. Now we see what ace attacker spassky does to the set-up.
May-17-11  squaresquat: In chess the currency is material and time.This set-up has obvious post for rooks.When and where the Rooks are played seem key. I've thought that being the first to get the rooks into play is a significant plus. Why would black not play Re8&Rc8 as soon as possible?
May-18-11  squaresquat: My icon is uncomfortable,but fitting.I've been a giddy child with a new toy.Man up. This variation is like playing a semi-Slav without a d pawn.3...dxe is the height of liberalism. 'gimme the keys,I'll study tomorrow'. I am ashamed.My advocating this variation of the French defense is akin to spitting on the flag.
May-18-11  squaresquat: My icon is uncomfortable,but fitting.I've been a giddy child with a new toy.Man up. This variation is like playing a semi-Slav without a d pawn.3...dxe is the height of liberalism. 'gimme the keys,I'll study tomorrow'. If the terms 'liberal' and 'conservative can't be used about chess, then they are meaningless words. If we can't use the thinking tools employed by chess to solve problems in general,then chess is no better than pro wrestling.
Jan-25-12  LoveThatJoker: According to Stockfish this is how White would have won after 44...Kh8 45. Qe2 f6 46. Qxh5+ Qh7 47. Qxh7+ Kxh7 48. exd5 Rf7 49. d6 Kh6 50. Rc5 Rh7 51. Rd5 Rd7 52. Kf2 Rcxc7 53. dxc7 Rxc7.

LTJ

Jan-25-12  LoveThatJoker: According to Stockfish this is how White would have won after 44...Kh7 45. Qe2 Qd6 46. Qxh5+ Qh6 47. Qf5+ Qg6 (47...Kh8 48. Rc6) 48. Rxg6 fxg6 49. Qxd5

LTJ

Jul-09-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  sjunto: I'm just reading Soltis' Pawn Structure Chess - doesn't 38. Nxf5 end it quicker?
Nov-08-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: According to Andrew Martin, Spassky's win in this game helped to give the Fort Knox line a bad reputation for 20 years -- until Martin himself revived it.
Nov-05-16  RookFile: ...Bxe4 was too early from black in the opening.

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