chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Bent Larsen vs Boris Spassky
Linares (1981), Linares ESP, rd 4, Jan-21
English Opening: King's English Variation. Closed System Full Symmetry (A26)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

explore this opening
find similar games 41 more Larsen/Spassky games
sac: 22...Rxf5 PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: Games that have been used in game collections will have a section at the bottom which shows collections which include it. For more information, see "What are Game Collections?" on our Help Page.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE OF THIS GAME IS AVAILABLE.  [CLICK HERE]

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jan-17-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Richard Taylor: Larsen must have felt like screaming when he missed that one!! He was also a great attacking player...he is still playing?
Jan-17-06  dakgootje: Yup, not too hard, though its of course only tuesday. However i probably wouldnt have found it OTB, but youve got a board with pieces then instead of only a miniature, so maybe i would have found it...not sure
Jan-17-06  simsan: I got it, and I think I might have found it OTB as well.

I mean: The fork looks so delicious, that investigating it a little further should be worth the trouble.

Jan-17-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  LIFE Master AJ: I got this one rather quickly ... less than 30 seconds. (Even with counting the material!)

The double sac, with first a pawn fork, then a skewer, (...Bh5+) is very attractive. Of course, White cannot capture the Bishop, as ...Qg5 will be mate. Nice!

Jan-17-06  Halldor: This puzzle shows well the importance of the priority of check; it ends with a decisive pin.
Jan-17-06  Koster: It took me several minutes. my tactics are really bad these days.
Jan-17-06  Koster: Larsen lost a queen ending to Keres in very similar fashion, trying to hard to win.
Jan-17-06  YouRang: Got it...eventually. I saw the line 43...g4+ 44. Kxg4 Bh5+ right away, but I didn't see the point of it at first. So I went off on some other tangents for a minute, but came up empty.

So, I returned to that first line and looked at the position after 45. Kxh5, and finally noticed that 45....Qg5# was staring me in the face!

An excellent <decoy> tactic, leading the king to its deathtrap.

Jan-17-06  kevin86: A nice finish! First-the fork 43...g4+:the queen is forbidden to capturing the pawn,so the king must. Second,44...♗h5+: the skewer;the king must take or the queen is lost. Finally,the mate 45....♕g5# explains itself.
Jan-17-06  Grampmaster: Instead of 42. Kh3 does 42. Qf2 hold the draw and offer White winnimg chances?
Jan-17-06  RookFile: I'm sure that 42. Qf2 holds the draw.
Remember that Larsen was one of the strongest endgame players: if he did not play 42. Qf2, it was because he could see the endgame would be a draw. As Larsen typically did, he spurned this and went for the win.
Jan-17-06  Sami Jr: Does anyone know if there is a way to view previous daily puzzles?
Jan-17-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  tpstar: <Sami Jr> Premium Members can find dozens of recent Daily Puzzles in their Tactics Archive
Jan-17-06  WMD: <Premium Members can find dozens of recent Daily Puzzles in their Tactics Archive>

Somehow I think I'll live without it.

Jan-17-06  EmperorAtahualpa: Nice puzzle. :) Took me 15-20 seconds I think.
Jan-17-06  Steppenwolf: 15 seconds, 30 seconds! That's slow. You would be pretty lame at bullet chess. Even for a 5 minutes blitz, 30 seconds is an eternity. I am surprised Larsen didn't give up instantly on g4+!
Jan-17-06  McCool: Three seconds, too easy for a Tuesday.
Jan-17-06  Synergy: Such puzzles are found much more quickly with so few material remaining.
Jan-17-06  patzer2: After Larsen's blunder 43. Qf3?? (leading to a draw is 43. Kg2! =), Spassky plays the double attack (i.e. pawn fork) 43...g4+! (today's puzzle solution) as a decoy to force the winning skewer 44. Kxg4 Bh5+! 45. Kxh5 Qg5#.
Jan-18-06  notyetagm: If you liked this <double decoy>, be sure to check out Mecking's great 25 ♗xf7+! ♔xf7 26 ♖xc7+! ♕xc7 27 ♕h7+ ♔e6 28 ♕x♕ from Mecking vs L A Tan, 1973.
Jan-19-06  morpstau: After Larsen's blunder 43. Qf3?? (leading to a draw is 43. Kg2! =), Spassky plays the double attack (i.e. pawn fork) 43...g4+! (today's puzzle solution) as a decoy to force the winning skewer 44. Kxg4 Bh5+! 45. Kxh5 Qg5#. Overall a nicely played game by both gentleman.
Jan-20-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  ketchuplover: Even I got this one :)
Nov-08-11  sevenseaman: <43...g4+ 44. Kxg4> render White's position untenable with Qg5 and Bh5 to follow.
Sep-18-16  TaregZarty: Great players
Mar-21-20  Isthisamove: how about 42. Kg3 instead of Kh3 - if ...Qe1+.43. Qf2 Qb4: 44. Qa7:
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

<This page contains Editor Notes. Click here to read them.>

Featured in the Following Game Collections[what is this?]
Decoys: CHESS IS NOT JUST COUNTING
by notyetagm
the fork,the skewer,the mate
from Russian World Champions by kevin86
322
from Boris Spassky's 400 Selected Games by jakaiden
43. g4+!
from Decoy by patzer2
Boris Spassky's Best Games
by KingG
43.g4+ Decoy,skewer,decoy
from Mate/ combinations by avidfan
Great games by great players
by Tomtom
clever ending by Spassky
from adasjag's favorite games by adasjag
"nice and pretty"
from Spassky: Getting out of Reykjavik by pawn to QB4
Linares 1981
by suenteus po 147
It (cat.13) Linares, ESP 1981
from Favorite Games from (1980-1999) by wanabe2000
Regi Sidal's Favorite Games & Bacon
by regi sidal
64idi0t's flank_&_english_3
by 64idi0t
You do not always know the end is so near
from Stratagem Wins by sevenseaman
K's English. Closed System Full Symmetry (A26) 0-1 43...?
from SmyslovV and SpasskyB Games by fredthebear
43...? (Tuesday, January 17)
from Puzzle of the Day 2006 by Phony Benoni
43...? (January 17, 2006)
from Tuesday Puzzles, 2004-2010 by Phony Benoni
puzzles
by obrit
July 23- English
from Openings of the Day 2012 Starting July 2nd by shinelikeastar
English Opening: King's English Variation Closed System Full Sy
from MKD's Favourite Games by MKD
plus 32 more collections (not shown)

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2023, Chessgames Services LLC