Spassky - Bronstein, USSR Championship 1960

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The chess game between Boris Spassky with white and David Bronstein with black at the 27th USSR championship in 1960 in Leningrad has become famous because of the sharp playing structure and its final combination . It has also gone down in film history in a modified version: In a scene towards the beginning of the James Bond film From Russia With Love (1963), two chess players, the Czechoslovak grandmaster Kronsteen and the Canadian master McAdams, meet during a match Demonstration board shows a changed position of the final combination from Spasski - Bronstein.

At the 27th USSR Championship (winner: Viktor Kortschnoi ) Spassky was 9th, while Bronstein took 12th place. Spasski sacrificed a tower on move 15 in this game and achieved a decisive attack that quickly led to victory. Spasski himself describes it as his " evergreen game ", the best of his career.

Lot

1. e2 – e4 e7 – e5 2. f2 – f4

Spasski plays the risky King's Gambit , which had its heyday in the 19th century. This choice was particularly spicy against Bronstein, who himself was one of the few top players of his time who liked to use this outdated opening with white.

2.… e5xf4 3. Ng1 – f3 d7 – d5 4. e4xd5 Bf8 – d6

Bronstein had made the same opening moves with White against Mikhail Botvinnik in the 20th USSR Championship (1952 in Tbilisi ). The world champion then answered 4.… Ng8 – f6, which was followed by 5. Bf1 – b5 + c7 – c6 6. d5xc6 b7xc6 7. Bb5 – c4 Nf6 – d5 with an approximately equal position.

5. Nb1 – c3 Ng8 – e7 6. d2 – d4 0–0 7. Bf1 – d3 Nb8 – d7 8. 0–0 h7 – h6?

This move was reprimanded by all commentators. 8th… Nd7 – f6 was better!

9. Nc3 – e4! Ne7xd5 10. c2 – c4 Nd5 – e3 11. Bc1xe3 f4xe3 12. c4 – c5 Bd6 – e7 13. Bd3 – c2!

An evacuation train for the lady. Spasski concentrated his pressure on point h7.

13.… Rf8 – e8 14. Qd1 – d3 e3 – e2?

The stronger was 14.… Nd7 – f8 (Kasparow). After Schwarz had made this move, he only had 20 minutes to think about the time control on move 40. This probably played a role in Spasski's decision for the next move. (Cafferty)

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Position after Black's 14th move

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15. Ne4 – d6 !?

White sacrifices his rook and finally reaches the goal. According to Kasparov, 15. Rf1 – f2! ± also led to an advantageous position for White. "An ordinary mortal would have been content with 15. Qd3xe2 and a good game." (Teschner)

15.… Nd7 – f8?

"Panic", writes Kasparow and gives the cold-blooded 15.… Be7xd6 16. Qd3 – h7 + Kg8 – f8 17. c5xd6 e2xf1D + 18. Ra1xf1 c7xd6 19. Qh7 – h8 + Kf8 – e7 20. Rf1 – e1 + Nd7 – e5 21. Qh8xg7 Re8 –G8 22. Qg7xh6 Qd8 – b6! 23. Kg1 – h1 Bc8 – e6 24. d4xe5 with good compensation for White but an unclear position. Spasski himself stated the same variant in his analyzes .

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Position after Black's 15th move

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16.Nd6xf7! e2xf1D +

"A dying man can eat anything," comments Cafferty.

17. Ta1xf1 Bc8-f5

The knight is inviolable: 17.… Kg8xf7 18. Nf3 – e5 + Kf7 – g8 19. Qd3 – h7 +! Nf8xh7 20. Bc2 – b3 + Kg8 – h8 21. Ne5 – g6 mate . Kasparov recommends 17.… Qd8 – d5!?, But sees White after 18. Bc2 – b3! in winning position.

18. Qd3xf5 Qd8-d7 19. Qf5-f4 Be7-f6 20. Nf3-e5 Qd7-e7

20.… Bf6xe5 21. Nf7xe5 Qd7 – e7 22. Qf4 – e4 g7 – g6 23. Rf1xf8 + Re8xf8 (23.… De7xf8 24. Bc2 – b3 + Kg8 – h7 25. De4xg6 + Kh7 – h8 26. Ne5 – f7 # -) 24. Bc2 – b3 + Kg8 – h7 25. De4xg6 + Kh7 – h8 26. Qg6xh6 + De7 – h7 27. Ne5 – g6 mate.

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3 Chess --t45.svg Chess --t45.svg Chess --t45.svg Chess --t45.svg Chess --t45.svg Chess --t45.svg Chess --t45.svg Chess --t45.svg 3
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Position after Black's 20th move

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21. Bc2-b3 Bf6xe5 22. Nf7xe5 + Kg8-h7 23. Qf4-e4 +

Black gave up. After 23.… g7 – g6 24. Rf1xf8 or 23.… Kh7 – h8 24. Rf1xf8 the fight is over immediately.

In the James Bond film From Russia With Love , the final combination was reproduced, but without the two white pawns on d4 and c5. Although the white player Kronsteen also won in the film scene, Black could defend himself: after 21. Bc2 – b3 Bf6xe5 22. Nf7xe5 + Nf8 – e6 23. Ne5 – g6 Qe7 – c5 + 24. Kg1 – h1 Qc5 – b5 25. Qf4 – f7 + Kg8 -H7 26 Lb3 c2-d4 Ne6-28 would have to White with 27 Sg7-f8 + h8 Kh7-Sf8-g6 + perpetual check passed.

See also

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Interview with Boris Spasski, April 18, 2009 .