1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5
The Grünfeld Defence with which Fischer has scored
some sterling victories, especially, against the brothers, Donald
Byrne and Robert Byrne.-NSH
4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4
The Exchange Variation, a favourite with Spassky.
5...Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Bc4 c5 8.Ne2 Nc6 9.Be3 0-0
10.0-0 Qc7 11.Rc1 Rd8
A familiar position to both players and it had
occurred in their game in Santa Monica 1966 tournament.
12.h3
In Santa Monica Spassky had continued with 12.Qe1.
Now he varies.
12...b6 13.f4 e6 14.Qe1 Na5 15.Bd3 f5! 16.g4! fxe4
17.Bxe4 Bb7 18.Ng3 Nc4 19.Bxb7 Qxb7 20.Bf2 Qc6 21.Qe2 cxd4 22.cxd4 b5
23.Ne4!?
Spassky sacrifices a pawn and seeks obscure
complications.
23.Rfd1 Rf8! is only good for Black.
23...Bxd4
Boldly accepting the challenge.
24.Ng5 Bxf2+ 25.Rxf2 Rd6
Not 25...Rd2?? 26.Qxd2+-
26.Re1 Qb6! 27.Ne4!
Refusing the bait. If 27.Nxe6?! Re8 28.f5 Rd2
29.Qf3 Rxa2 30.Ref1 Rxf2 31.Rxf2 Qe3 32.Qxe3 Nxe3 33.Nc7 Re5 34.fxg6
a5!-+
27...Rd4?!
"Unfortunately for Bobby, the type of position that
has arisen is one where it is extremely difficult to calculate the
consequences of this or that variation. Meanwhile, Fischer
requires accuracy and clarity. He has an exceptionally "pure"
style of play and in positions that do not lend themselves to concrete
analysis he feels unsure. After 27...Rc6! the game would
probably have ended in a draw, but Bobby flinched, lost the thread of
the game and began to play too nervily." -Spassky
While the former world champion is good at explaining
what went wrong with Bobby, he is entirely blind to the fatal flaw in
his own thinking. After 27…Rc6! it is he who would have been
forced to fight for a draw, and not Bobby!
Unfortunately, Spassky's sanguine view was shared by
his trainer, Bondarevsky who suggested 28.Qf3 or 28.Rd1, playing for
an attack. In this book Kasparov shows how they were both wrong.
To begin with, he refutes the lines suggested by
Bondarevesky. If 28.Qf3?! Rd8! with the threat of...Nd2.
Or if 28.Rd1Rf8! 29.g5 (Or 29.Kh1 Ne3! 30.Re1 Nd5) 29...Ne3!
30.Rd7 Rc2 31.Qe1 Qc6!! 32.Nf6+? Rxf6!
According to Garry the only practical chance of a draw
lay with 28.Nf6+ Kh8 29.Nd7 Qd4 30.Ne5 (30.Rd1 is met by 30...Qe3)
30...Nxe5 31.Qxe5+ Qxe5 32.Rxe5 a6 33.Rfe2 Re8 34.Kf2.
What does all this analysis show? Fischer saw
these positions no worse than Spassky. It was merely that
Spassky was a more astute psychologist and his nerves held better at
this point in time.
28.Nf6+ Kh8
Kasparov adorns this move with a" !?" mark. but I
think it deserves a "?!" mark.-NSH
Safer is 28...Kg7 29.Qxe6 Qxe6 30.Rxe6 Rf8! 31.Ne8+ (31.g5
a5 32.Re7+ Rf7 33.Re8 Rf8 34.Rxf8 Kxf8 35.Nxh7+ Kg7 36.Nf6 b4)
31...Kf7=
29.Qxe6 Rd6
Alas, the planned reply 29...Rd1??
Analysis Diagram: after 29...Rd1
...would have been refuted by the brilliant stroke
30.Qf7!! Rxe1+ 31.Kg2 Qc6+ (31...Ne3+
32.Kf3! (32.Kg3? Nf1+ 33.Kh4? Qxf2+ 34.Kg5 Re5+! 35.fxe5
Qe3+ 36.Kh4 Qh6+ 37.Nh5 g5# mate!) 32...Qc6+
33.Kg3 Rg1+ 34.Kh4! Rxg4+ 35.hxg4 Qh1+ 36.Kg5 Nxg4! 37.Kxg4 Qg1+
38.Kf3 Qh1+ 39.Kg3 Rd8 40.Nd7! Qg1+ 41.Rg2 Qe1+ 42.Kh3 Qh1+ 43.Rh2+-
-Fritz; 32.Kg3 Re3+ (32...Rg1+
33.Kh4 Rxg4+ 34.Kxg4 Ne3+ 35.Kg5 Qc5+ 36.f5+-)
33.Kh2 Rxh3+ 34.Kxh3 Qh1+ 35.Rh2 Qf1+ 36.Kh4
Qe1+ 37.Kg5+-
30.Qe4 Rf8?!
A futile attempt to put pressure on the knight on f6.
Black had to play 30...Rad8! 31.g5 Rd2 32.Ree2 Rxe2 33.Qxe2 Qe3!
34.Qxe3 Rd1+ 35.Kg2 Nxe3+ 36.Kf3 Nf5=
31.g5 Rd2
32.Ref1!
With the threat of Qe7!
32...Qc7?
"An indication that Black is completely rattled.
After 32... Nd6 it was still possible to defend."-Spassky.
Once again Kasparov demonstrates that Spassky is
wrong: 32...Nd6? 33.Qe5! Nf7 (33...Qd4? 34.Qe7+-) 34.Qc3 Rfd8
35.Nd5+! Qd4 36.Qxd2+-;
32...Rxf2?! 33.Rxf2 Qe3 34.Qxe3 Nxe3 35.Rd2 and Black
has a bad ending.
The only chance was 32...Kg7!
33.f5 (33.h4!? Qd4! 34.h5 Qxe4 35.h6+ Kh8 36.Nxe4)
33...Rxf2! 34.Rxf2 Qe3 35.Qh4 h5!= 36.gxh6+
(36.fxg6 Qe1+ 37.Kg2 Ne3+ 38.Kh2 Nf1+=)
36...Qxh6 37.Qxh6+ Kxh6 38.Ng4+ Kg5 39.fxg6 Rd8 40.g7 Kg6
33.Rxd2! Nxd2 34.Qd4! Rd8 35.Nd5+ Kg8 36.Rf2 Nc4
37.Re2! Rd6
37...Qb6
Analysis Diagram: after 37...Qb6
...loses to 38.Re8+ Rxe8 39.Nxb6+-
38.Re8+ Kf7 39.Rf8+!
Fischer resigned in view of 39.Rf8+ Kxf8 40.Qh8+ Kf7
41.Qxh7++-
1-0
