Happy Birthday, Boris!

Boris Vasilievich Spassky was born January 30, 1937 in Leningrad Boris was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from 1969 to 1972. Today he celebrates his 79th birthday!
Spassky won the Soviet Chess Championship twice outright (1961, 1973), and twice more lost in playoffs (1956, 1963), after tying for first during the event proper. He was a World Chess Championship candidate on seven occasions (1956, 1965, 1968, 1974, 1977, 1980, and 1985).
The above information is what you would find on WIKI, but what it does not tell you is that Boris Spassky is the most famous chess player alive, the most respected and certainly the best ambassador that chess could ever want. Now long retired from active competition, Boris is a most welcome guest where ever he goes. The millions of friends and fans that he has made in his life all feel honoured to have him in their presence.
It is hard for me to pick which one of his games is my favourite–he has played so many brilliant and unforgettable games–but undoubtedly his victory over David Bronstein in the Soviet Championship in 1960 has a very special place. When Fischer saw this game he was blown away. Left speachless! In his very next interview he said that Spassky was one of the 10 best players in history!
Spassky B. – Bronstein D.
Leningrad 1960.
1. e4 e5 2. f4!
A universal player, Boris was very fond of the romantic King’s Gambit, having won many games with it, including against the legendary Bobby Fischer. Spassky has a special feeling for the initiative and was , next to Tal, the greatest attacker of his generation.
2… ef 3. Nf3 d5 4. ed Bd6 5. Nc3 Ne7 6. d4 O-O 7. Bd3 Nd7 8. O-O h6 9. Ne4 Nxd5 10. c4 Ne3 11. Bxe3 fe 12. c5 Be7
Black pieces are momentarily uncoordinated, and Spassky takes full advantage of this by immediately creating threats
13. Bc2! Re8 14. Qd3 e2
15. Nd6!!?!
One of the most remarkable moves in history! Rather than just move the rook (a good move!) Boris strikes immediately, creating head-spinning complications almost impossible to work out over the board! To add to the spectators’ amazement, Bronstein does not immediately take the rook, even though it is check(!!).
15… Nf8!!?!
White gets a strong attack no matter how Black defends: 15… Bxd6 16. Qh7 Kf8 17. cd efQ 18. Rxf1 cd 19. Qh8 Ke7 20. Re1 Ne5 21. Qxg7 Rg8 22. Qxh6 Qb6 23. Kh1 Be6 24. de; or if 15… efQ 16. Rxf1 will most likely transpose into the previous note.
16. Nxf7!
Pirate chess!! Now Bronstein can not refuse Spassky’s gifts…
16… efQ 17. Rxf1 Bf5 18. Qxf5 Qd7
For the exchange White has a dangerous initiative.
19. Qf4 (Also good is 19. Qd3) 19… Bf6 20. N3e5
White is attacking with his entire army!
20… Qe7 21. Bb3 ouch!
21… Bxe5 There is nothing better
22. Nxe5 Kh7 23. Qe4! ouch!
Bronstein resigns. A likely finish is 23… g6 24. Rxf8! Rxf8 25. Qxg6 Kh8 26. Qxh6 Qh7 27. Ng6#
The chess game between “Kronsteen” and “McAdams” in the early part of the James Bond movie From Russia With Love is based on this same game!! Here we can see ”Kronstein” capturing the Bishop with his Knight (move 22)

Several years ago I wrote a blog entry (Spassky according to Spassky) , and for the occasion of Boris’ 79th birthday I reproduce it here.

”The place of chess in society is closely related to the attitude of young people towards our game. Nowadays young people have great choice of occupations, hobbies, etc, so chess is experiencing difficulties because of the high competition… so our profession does not attract young people.”

”I later told Botvinnik that the best example of the Soviet School of Chess was…Bobby Fischer… He was not amused…”

1958 Soviet Championship; the decisive game

Before I played important games I usually tried to bathe, to put on a good shirt and suit, and to look comme il faut. But on this occasion I had analyzed incessantly and came to the board looking very disheveled and fatigued.
Then I was a like a stubborn mule. I remembered that Tal offered me a draw, but I refused. Then I felt my strength ebb away, and I lost the thread of the game. My position deteriorated, I proposed a draw, but Tal refused.
When I resigned there was a thunder of applause, but I was in a daze and hardly understood what was happening.
I was certain the world went down; I felt that there was something terribly wrong. After this game I went on the street and cried like a child.
I remembered that in 1951 when I lost to Smyslov in his clock simultaneous was the last time I cried, and I promised myself then never to cry again, but after losing to Tal I couldn’t keep my word.”

On Bronstein in the 1956 Candidates Tournament

”It was a revelation to me how seriously and nervously the other candidates took their tournament work. I remember especially Bronstein one evening wanted to reassure himself about his prospects. He took three dice and threw them three times. Each time three fives came up, and Bronstein decided this was a lucky omen. Next round he had to play against Smyslov and he lost, completely killed. I tried to understand this situation; I was very young and I saw that the other candidates were very nervous and excited. I felt quite calm, and I understood that I was a very weak player in this company but had to fight-attack.”

After Spassky lost a highly publicized game to the American William Lombardy on first board in the 1960 Student Olympiad he was left off the 1961 team and was eventually suspended from foreign travel three times…a typical Sports Committee humiliation… ”My nervous energy was completely destroyed for three years.” Spassky said of this period.
Spassky on his first GM trainer

”It was then that I met Tolush, and it seemed natural that we should work together. He continued as my trainer from 1952 to 1960. It became hard for me, because I didn’t find a good personal contact with Tolush. He was a rather brutal man and he liked very much to give advice to me…it was terrible! Eight years is a very long time, you know. I had nobody to turn to at that time except my mother.
I didn’t have contact with my brother and sister and was alone. That man…I still had respect for him, of course….Also I made the mistake of leaving Tolush at the time of my divorce, when I was in a very nervous state. I should have had a special meeting with him to explain what I was doing, but instead I refused to speak to him.”
Spassky then met GM Bondarevsky in 1961:

”Bondarevsky did a lot not only for my chess knowledge and understanding of positions, but also for my character. I admired him less as a grandmaster than I did Tolush. Bondarevsky used to be a combination player, but then he decided to become like Capablanca and now his chess is rather dull. But when I first got to know him well, I was drawn to him, felt a great respect and saw that this man was a very interesting man.”

”When we played a Candidate’s match with Larsen in Malmo in 1968, the total prize fund was something like $250! I protested to the FIDE President Rogard then. But he reasonably replied that it was according to the wishes of the Soviet Chess Federation, to which he had to listen. The Soviet Chess Federation, of course, did not care about the players, for the communists chess was only an instrument.”
On fighting to become World Champion:

”I don’t believe that I ever considered the possibility. I used to play from tournament to tournament and from game to game. My outlook only changed much later, in 1964, when I was a main referee of the match Russian Republic vs Budapest. I decided to make a joke and told Bondarevsky ”I shall be world champion.” Then I saw that my joke was coming rather good, and that I had a strong position. That was the first time I thought seriously about the title.”

”In chess we must fight…”

Spassky on Karpov:

Leningrad 1974
”He was eating me like crocodile eating small animal.”
Spassky’s heroes :






”The talent of coach is a special one. You can be an excellent chess player, but at the same time an absolutely untalented coach…I said recently to Garry: ‘Garry if you come back to chess, I’m ready to be your coach. Gratis [for free]’


On Spassky’s preparation against Petrosian:

On the whole, our idea justified itself: in the Tarrasch Defence, for example, Petrosian was not able even once in five attempts to seize the isolated queen’s pawn.”



“Now I’m preparing myself to die very peacefully.”
“Do you think the spot next to him is available?”
—————————–
Boris on Korchnoi:

Boris, at one point, came up with the incredible statement that Korchnoi had every quality necessary to become world champion BUT lacked ONE very essential quality…and it was precisely this quality that prevented him from attaining chess’ highest title. I coaxed Boris on…
He began to list Korchnoi’s many qualities:
…Killer Instinct (nobody can even compare with Victor’s ‘gift’)
…Phenomenal capacity to work (both on the board and off the board)
…Iron nerves (even with seconds left on the clock)
…Ability to Calculate (maybe only Fischer was better in this department)
…Tenacity and perseverance in Defense (unmatched by anyone)
…The ability to counterattack (unrivaled in chess history)
…Impeccable Technique (Flawless, even better than Capa’s)
…Capacity to concentrate (unreal)
…Impervious to distractions during the game
…Brilliant understanding of strategy
…Superb tactian (only a few in history an compare with Victor)
…Possessing the most profound opening preparation of any GM of his generation
…Subtle Psychologist
…Super-human will to win (matched only by Fischer)
…Deep knowledge of all of his adversaries
…Enormous energy and self-discipline
Then Boris stopped, and just looked at me, begging for me to ask the question that needed to be asked….I asked: ‘But, Boris, what does Victor lack to become world champion?‘ Boris’ answer floored me: ”He has no chess talent !”
And then Spassky roared with laughter…Ofcourse, Spassky had tremendous respect for Korchnoi’s skill, that one must never forget. But life-long rivalries create such curiosities.