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Boris Spassky vs Bent Larsen
Spassky - Larsen Candidates Semifinal (1968), Malmo SWE, rd 1, Jul-06
Slav Defense: Exchange Variation. Symmetrical Line (D14)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Nov-07-07  pacelli: Spassky was so freakin' strong in 1968-69.
Nov-07-07  RookFile: Yes, and he could 'punch with either hand', by opening 1. d4 or 1. e4.
Nov-23-07  HOTDOG: 29...Nh6? was the decisive mistake according to Lysenko;for example 29...Nd6 30.Ne5 h6! 31.Nd7 Qb4 32.Kf1 Qb5+ 33.Kf2 Qb4 34.g3 g5
Oct-31-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Mateo: < 29...Nh6? was the decisive mistake according to Lysenko.> Yes. It seems that Spassky could take the pawn with 28.Qxb7. For instance, 28...Qc1+ 29.Kf2 Qd2+ 30.Ne2 Nf5 31.Qb8+ Kg7 32.Qe5+. Thus, 27...h6 should be more accurate than 27...g6 (?), as White doesn't have the check on e5 (27...h6 28.Qxb7 Qc1+ 29.Kf2 Qd2+ 30.Ne2 Nf5 31.Qb8+ Kh7). I wonder if Lysenko said anything about this point.
Jan-13-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  scutigera: Spassky often chose the softly-softly approach vs. Larsen, the more so as Larsen kept losing game after game and perhaps felt compelled to assert himself, but not here. If it weren't for the no-PG restriction on puns, I'd propose calling this one "Get Bent".
Apr-12-15  A.T PhoneHome: 40.Qxf7+ is looming!

While Larsen may have meant well (for himself) with his brief King hunt, it did no good for him as Spassky exploited this by getting his King to where the action was, Black's kingside, at which point Larsen ran out of options.

Jun-13-16  edubueno: 22 ...Da3 is a mistake
Oct-02-16  edubueno: Why not 9 Da4?
This was the movement planned by Botvinik many years ago.
Oct-02-16  RookFile: I agree that white got nothing out of the opening. I thought Larsen was fine until he traded the last pair of rooks.
Jul-21-18  Ulhumbrus: 18...Nb6 puts the N out of play. This suggests 18...Nd6. The move 18...Nb6 suggests that Larsen was in poor playing form in this game. One example of an explanation is that in some way Larsen's state of mind was not the right one for the first game of such a match.
Sep-14-18  edubueno: 29...Nd6!; 30 Ne5! h5; 31. Qc5! Nb5 32.Qxa3 Nxa3 33.g5 Nc2 34.Kf2 Nb4 35.a4 Kf8 36.a5 Ke8 37.Ke2 Ke7 38.Kd2 Ke8 39.h4 Ke7 40.Kc3 Na2+ 41.Kc2 Nb4+ 42.Kd2 Nc6 43.Nxc6+ bxc6 44.Kc3 f6 45.f4 fxg5 46.fxg5 Kd6 y tal vez las negras puedan empatar.
Dec-27-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  woldsmandriffield: A strange game. Larsen complicates with 27..g6 (27..h6 =) and Spassky refrains from 28 Qxb7 Perhaps both players saw 28..Nf5 29 Qb8+ Kg7 30 Qe5+ Kg8! 31 g4 Nh4 but in this line White can improve with 30 Qc7! now after 30..Kf8 both a2 and e3 are threatened so White kicks the Knight with 31 g4 or 31 e4. There is still some play but White holds a large advantage. I first saw this game published without notes in the introduction to Golombek's book of the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match. I didn't understand the moves then and still don't!
Mar-30-19  Ron: Also pretty neat King march by Spassky

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