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Boris Spassky vs Robert James 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]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 22 OF 22 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Feb-11-21  Petrosianic: One good example of how your skill increases over time is why 64...h1 is necessary. When I studied this game, just starting to play chess, it was a mystery, and Gligoric's comment didn't explain it well.

Now, it's obvious, virtually at a glance, that it's necessary if Black wants to play for a win. White's Rook can hold the isolated f and h pawns back. Black's qside pawns are self-supporting with or without the Black King guarding them, but they also can't queen, with or without the King helping them. Only if the King gets over to try escort the f pawn in is there even a chance of playing for a win.

Feb-11-21  Petrosianic: One thing to keep in mind. When you study this ending a lot, you tend to ignore the pieces on f7, g7 and g8 entirely and try to calculate the R vs. P ending. But even immobile, the White B performs a valuable service, keeping the K off the a3-f8 diagonal. If you removed those three pieces, Black would win easily.
Apr-07-21  Margetic D: I m not sure about Karpovs finding. To me, it seems that 25.e6 (i have doubts that in this position whit have strong movies) , 25. ...Nc4, A) 26.Qb4,b6, 27.exf7+, Bxf7, 28.Nce6,Bxd4+

B)26.exf7+, Bxf7,27.Qc1,e5

C) 26.Qc1,and here 26. ..a3, maybe Ra5 or b6 . In any case, black should remain significantly better. Maybe Karpov found some better moves earlier. However, i adore this game. It is a real prove how humans (ok, Fischer and Spassky were in 1972 giants, especially Fischer) can play excellent and in the same time creative , interesting chess in opening, middle game or endgame ,without machines. BEAUTIFUL !

Aug-11-21  Albion 1959: Once a year I have a look at this game. It was without doubt the most difficult, hardest and technically challenging game of the match. It is not surprising that both players did not find the correct moves. Would Alpha Zero, Stockfish or Deep Blue have solved the finer points of this ending? Fischer creates games like these, because he pushes nearly every game played to it's limits !
Aug-11-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: < Albion 1959: Once a year I have a look at this game. It was without doubt the most difficult, hardest and technically challenging game of the match. It is not surprising that both players did not find the correct moves. Would Alpha Zero, Stockfish or Deep Blue have solved the finer points of this ending? >

<AlphaZero> Almost certainly.

<Stockfish> Definitely.

<DeepBlue> Probably not.

<You are also a machine, as are Anand, Carlsen, Kasparov, and Fischer. You and the others are just inferior machines.> --vsaluki

Nov-10-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  Plaskett: One of the dumbest things I ever did (and, Oh Boy have I done some dumb things!) was, when chatting with Kavalek in London in late 1987, NOT to have quizzed him more about his work with Fischer in Rekyavik 1972, not only during the adjournment analysis of this game (patently that of a pre-computer era yet, what with the occasion and the fantastic courage it displays from both men and with all its many errors, still for me one of the greatest ever played) but also in subsequent opening preparation for the eight remaining games plus on the adjournments of Games 18 and 21. That will always be a big regret for me.
And now he´s dead...
Nov-10-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Kavalek had plenty of time and opportunity to spill the beans with regard to anything especially interesting that occurred during his time with Fischer. He didn't, so there probably wasn't. Ask Nigel.
Nov-10-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  harrylime:

Some great comments above on such a beautiful monster of a chess game.

As an aside . So many folk have tried to ally themselves with Bobby and claim credit for this or that during his chess career that it sends me dizzy lol lol

Fischer did it alone. It was his genius. Nobody else. He fought the commies alone ...

Nov-10-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  harrylime:

<<MissScarlett: Kavalek had plenty of time and opportunity to spill the beans with regard to anything especially interesting that occurred during his time with Fischer. He didn't, so there probably wasn't. Ask Nigel.>>

Yes. You've nailed it here. Loike.

Nigel still wants his hand shaking ...

Nov-10-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: <He fought the commies alone>

I think Solzhenitsyn deserves a mention in dispatches.

Nov-10-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: < subsequent opening preparation for the eight remaining games plus on the adjournments of Games 18 and 21.>

Was Kavalek really this involved after game 13? What did he say on the matter? Have I - perish the thought - been unfair in the past for suggesting he exaggerated his role in the match?

Nov-10-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  harrylime:

<<MissScarlett: < subsequent opening preparation for the eight remaining games plus on the adjournments of Games 18 and 21.> Was Kavalek really this involved after game 13? What did he say on the matter? Have I - perish the thought - been unfair in the past for suggesting he exaggerated his role in the match?>>

No Internet or Laptops in 72 ,,,

Bobby got help from

Everyone it

Seems

lol lol

Nov-10-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  harrylime: This game is just ...

Crazy

Dec-29-21  probabilitytheorist: This game is beautiful but it is full of huge errors, especially 69. Rd1+?? by Spassky, when 69. Rc3+ leads to a draw.
Dec-29-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: <probabilitytheorist: This game is beautiful but it is full of huge errors...>

"Full of huge errors"? I really like this game. I think both players were on top form.

I can't remember many huge errors.

Dec-29-21  Granny O Doul: @Plaskett: Most of the dumbest things I've done are things I haven't done, or didn't do (where my time is now up).

In life there is often no hanging flag.

Jan-13-22  N.O.F. NAJDORF: <Sep-08-19 N.O.F. NAJDORF: 'I found ways that Spassky could get a winning position in the opening of the Alekhine Defence. Fischer played the Alekhine Defence and Spassky missed a very big advantage.' https://www.stabroeknews.com/2015/f...

<Oct-09-20 Morlaf: Karpov has claimed (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPd...) that he found over the board a refutation for white, allowing him a near-forced win. Does any1 know Karpov's refutation cosists of, please?>

<Dec-20-20 dejandjakovic: I think that Karpov found 25. e6>

I just visited this page to give my opinion as to what Karpov had in mind and then saw the last two comments above.

I wanted to say that I finally realised that 25 e6 was what he had in mind, after seeing an analysis of it by agadmator on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO8...

which gives

25. e6 Nc4 26. Qe2 Nxb2 27. Nf5 Nxd1 28. Nxg7 Kxg7 29. Qe5+ f6 30. Qxd5 Nc3 31. Qc4 g5 32. fxg5 hxg5 33. Bxg5 fxg5 34. Qxc3+ Kh7 35. Re5 possibly followed by Ne4.

After, for example, 35... Rg8 36. Ne4 Qf8 37. Nxg5+ Rxg5 38. Rxg5

it seems that Black has no answer to the threat of

39. Qd3+

agadmator seems to imply that Fischer was afraid of 25. e6, and that this was why he played 25 ... e6 himself.

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.

Jan-15-22  N.O.F. NAJDORF: If black declines the offer of the bishop, the game might continue:

33. ... b6 34. Nd3 Qa6 35. Qxc3 Qa5 36. Qxa5 Rxa5 37. Bd2 Ra7 38. Bc3 c5 39. Rb1 Ra6 40. Nf4 Rd8 41. g5 Rd6 42. Kf2 a3 43. gxf6+ exf6 44. Rg1+ Kf8 45. Bxf6 Ra8 46. Rg7 forces mate

Jan-15-22  probabilitytheorist: <offramp: "Full of huge errors"? I really like this game. I think both players were on top form.

I can't remember many huge errors.>

I am not taking anything away from the players strength, but in this match, and this game especially, there were many big blunders. In this game there are a few blunders, but mostly there are a ton of major mistakes.

Jan-15-22  RookFile: Well, stockfish analyzed the game and gives Spassky 30 centipawn loss, Fischer 22. It's not a 9 centipawn loss like Fischer was capable of, but it's not bad. That being said, I would rather play over the game any day of the week than a lot of the dry, boring Berlin defenses between 2 guys who have memorized a lot of moves.

https://lichess.org/XtUjOnb3#10

Feb-23-22  jerseybob: It's quite possibly mentioned in an earlier post, but I've seen 18..Be6 recommended. Fischer's 18..Bf5 seems calculated to goad white into a 'weakening' pawn advance, but who benefits by that advance?
Jun-19-22  CapablancaDisciple: According to Stockfish 14+ NNUE, Fischer played absolutely perfectly from move 39 to the very end.
Jun-20-22  CapablancaDisciple: It was after this game that Spassky must have accepted he was done for. Amazed, dumbfounded Spassky, unwilling, unable, to leave the board after feeling like he had just played a game against Chess itself... that was the pinnacle of Fischer's greatness right there.
Jun-20-22  CapablancaDisciple: I have found this incredible source which lists the times for this game, and a few insightful comments. (It is from a website called crackteam.org):

<<Game 13, August 10-11, 1972

Spassky Fischer
White Black
(ar) (-0:02) (ar) (0:06)
1. e4 (0:00) Nf6 (0:07)
(Spassky left when he made his move and returned 2 minutes after Fischer made his move. ) 2. e5 (0:02) Nd5 (0:07)
3. d4 (0:02) d6 (0:07)
4. Nf3 (0:03) g6 (0:08)
5. Bc4 (0:05) Nb6 (0:08)
6. Bb3 (0:06) Bg7 (0:08)
7. Nbd2 (0:23) 0-0 (0:14)
8. h3 (0:25) a5 (0:22)
9. a4 (0:33) dxe5 (0:25)
10. dxe5 (0:33) Na6 (0:26)
11. 0-0 (0:47) Nc5 (0:35)
12. Qe2 (0:50) Qe8 (0:51)
13. Ne4 (0:58) Nbxa4 (0:54)
14. Bxa4 (1:04) Nxa4 (0:56)
15. Re1 (1:08) Nb6 (0:58)
16. Bd2 (1:12) a4 (0:59)
17. Bg5 (1:14) h6 (1:06)
18. Bh4 (1:26) Bf5 (1:16)
19. g4 (1:29) Be6 (1:16)
20. Nd4 (1:31) Bc4 (1:17)
21. Qd2 (1:35) Qd7 (1:19)
22. Rad1 (1:37) Rfe8 (1:23)
23. f4 (1:38) Bd5 (1:30)
24. Nc5 (1:40) Qc8 (1:31)
25. Qc3 (1:51) e6 (1:38)
26. Kh2 (1:57) Nd7 (1:40)
27. Nd3 (2:00) c5 (1:41)
28. Nb5 (2:00) Qc6 (1:42)
29. Nd6 (2:04) Qxd6
30. exd6 Bxc3 (1:42)
31. bxc3 (2:04) f6 (1:46)
32. g5 (2:05) hxg5 (1:47)
33. fxg5 (2:05) f5 (1:47)
34. Bg3 (2:06) Kf7 (1:50)
35. Ne5+ (2:07) Nxe5 (1:50)
36. Bxe5 (2:07) b5 (1:56)
37. Rf1 (2:08) Rh8 (2:02)
38. Bf6 (2:12) a3 (2:04)
39. Rf4 (2:22) a2 (2:08)
40. c4 (2:27) Bxc4 (2:09)
41. d7 (2:36) Bd5 (2:16)
42. Kg3(s) (3:08)
(Fischer was 25 minutes late for the second session. This was a 4 hour Friday adjournment session which started at 2:30 PM. The next two time controls were at move 56 with 3:30 and move 72 with 4:30.) (ar) (2:41)
42. ... Ra3+ (2:42)
43. c3 (3:08) Rha8 (2:42)
44. Rh4 (3:10) e5 (2:42)
45. Rh7+ (3:11) Ke6 (2:42)
46. Re7+ Kd6
47. Rxe5 (3:12) Rxc3+
48. Kf2 (3:13) Rc2+
49. Ke1 (3:13) Kxd7
50. Rexd5+ (3:14) Kc6
51. Rd6+ (3:16) Kb7 (2:43)
52. Rd7+ (3:20) Ka6 (2:44)
53. R7d2 (3:23) Rxd2
54. Kxd2 (3:25) b4
55. h4 (3:26) Kb5
56. h5 (3:26) c4 (2:45)
57. Ra1 (3:37) gxh5 (2:48)
58. g6 (3:39) h4 (2:49)
59. g7 (3:50) h3 (2:50)
60. Be7 (4:08) Rg8 (3:11)
61. Bf8 (4:11) h2 (3:49)
62. Kc2 (4:11) Kc6 (3:51)
63. Rd1 (4:13) b3+ (3:57)
64. Kc3 (4:15) h1Q (4:02)
65. Rxh1 (4:15) Kd5 (4:02)
66. Kb2 (4:18) f4 (4:03)
67. Rd1+ (4:19) Ke4 (4:05)
68. Rc1 (4:23) Kd3 (4:06)
69. Rd1+ (4:26) Ke2 (4:07)
70. Rc1 (4:27) f3 (4:08)
71. Bc5 (4:27) Rxg7 (4:11)
72. Rxc4 (4:28) Rd7 (4:14)
73. Re4+ (4:45) Kf1 (4:15)
74. Bd4 (4:49) f2
0-1

(ar) indicates the player’s arrival.
(s) indicates a sealed move.

Although Fischer was 25 minutes late for the second session, he still had 45 extra minutes to use at the second time control on move 56.

Fischer took 38 minutes for his 61st move, which was the longest of the match for him. And he had spent 21 minutes on the previous move that allowed his Rook to be imprisoned. He had played the first 18 moves of the adjournment quite rapidly, until Spassky’s 60. Be7.

The four-hour playing session had not been exhausted, since Spassky took 32 minutes for his sealed move in the first session, making that session 5 hours 24 minutes long.

After he resigned, Spassky immediately analyzed the last few moves at the board, seeing that at move 69, he would have drawn with Rc3 instead of Rd1. He said something to Lothar Schmidt, but he was busy with the official paperwork. Fischer had already left.>>

Dec-02-22  andrea volponi: e6 nc4-qe2 nxb2(...ra5!?)-nf5 nxd1-nxg7 kxg7-qe5+ f6-qxd5 a3-rxd1 a2-ra1=.
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