Larsen - Spasski, Belgrade 1970
The chess game Larsen - Spasski, Belgrade 1970 was played on the occasion of the match between the USSR and the rest of the world in 1970 in Belgrade . The then reigning world chess champion Boris Spasski represented his homeland on the first board against the Dane Bent Larsen . In the 2nd round (4 rounds were played on 10 boards - the end result was 20.5: 19.5 for the USSR), on March 31, 1970, Spasski achieved a splendid victory in 17 moves with the black pieces. The game is considered to be one of the greatest and most ingenious in modern chess.
Notes on the game
1. b2-b3
- Larsen opens with the Larsen system named after him .
1.… e7 – e5 2. Bc1 – b2 Nb8 – c6 3. c2 – c4
- This creates a Sicilian suit . The alternative is 3. e2 – e3, after which Black is concerned with stability with 3.… Ng8 – f6 4. Bf1 – b5 d7 – d6 or with 3.… d7 – d5 4. Bf1 – b5 Bf8 – d6 5. f2– f4 allows tangles.
3.… Ng8 – f6 4. Ng1 – f3
- A few months later, both players had the same position on the board at the 1970 tournament in Leiden . Larsen chose 4. e2 – e3 and the game ended in a draw after 34 moves .
4.… e5 – e4! 5. Nf3 – d4 Bf8 – c5 6. Nd4xc6 d7xc6 7. e2 – e3 Bc8 – f5 8. Qd1 – c2 Qd8 – e7 9. Bf1 – e2 0–0–0 10. f2 – f4 ??
Position after White's 10th move |
- Larsen and Spasski later criticized this move. Larsen recommended 10. a2 – a3, Spasski 10. Bb2xf6 Qe7xf6 11. Nb1 – c3.
10.… Nf6 – g4! 11. g2-g3
- According to Larsen, 11. 0–0 (11. Be2xg4 De7 – h4 +) was also not playable because of 11.… De7 – h4 12. h2 – h3 h7 – h5.
11.… h7 – h5 12. h2 – h3
Position after White's 12th move |
- Spasski gave the following variant: 12. Nb1 – c3 Rd8xd2!
12.… h5 – h4! 13. h3xg4
- 13. Be2xg4 was followed by Bf5xg4 14. h3xg4 h4xg3 15. Rh1 – g1 Rh8 – h1! 16. Rg1xh1 g3 – g2 17. Rh1 – g1 De7 – h4 + 18. Ke1 – e2 (18. Ke1 – d1 Dh4 – f2 19. Qc2xe4) 18.… Qh4xg4 + 19. Ke2 – e1 Qg4 – g3 + 20. Ke1 – e2 ( 20. Ke1 – d1 Qg3 – f2 21. Qc2xe4 Qf2xg1 + 22. Kd1 – c2 Qg1 – f2 also wins) 20.… Qg3 – f3 + 21. Ke2 – e1 Bc5 – e7 with a win for Black (Spasski).
13.… h4xg3 14. Rh1 – g1
Position after White's 14th move |
- An ingenious tower sacrifice follows :
14.… Rh8 – h1 !! 15. Rg1xh1 g3-g2 16. Th1-f1
- 16. Rh1-g1 De7-h4 + 17. Ke1-d1 Qh4-h1 18. Qc2-c3 Qh1xg1 + 19. Kd1-c2 Qg1-f2 20. g4xf5 Qf2xe2 21. Nb1-a3 Bc5-b4
- 21.… De2 – d3 + 22. Qc3xd3 e4xd3 + 23. Kc2 – c3 Bc5xe3 (23.… a7 – a5 24. Sa3 – c2!) 24. d2xe3 d3 – d2 25. Ra1 – d1 Rd8 – h8 with a win for Black (Spasski )
16.… Qe7 – h4 + 17. Ke1 – d1 g2xf1D + and Larsen resigned.
- The forced sequence is 18 Le2xf1 Lf5xg4 + 19 K d1-c1 Dh4-e1 + 20. D c2-d1 De1xd1 Matt .
literature
- Schachinformator 9, Partie 25, Belgrad 1970, p. 20.