Boris Spassky’s exploits as an attacking player are legendary. Perhaps, amongst the World Champions, only Alekhine’s attacking games can compare in terms of elegance, originality of idea and precision in execution.
Curiously, by his own admission, Spassky was not an attacking player by nature; but it was his second trainer — Alexander Tolush — who insisted the future world champion start attacking more in his games!
“He was a brilliant player who loved to sacrifice pieces, and he helped me very much. When I first met him in the early 1950’s I had a great desire to work with him, and I changed my style because he was an attacking player.” — Boris Spassky on Alexander Tolush
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In this blog article I want to discuss one of Spassky’s favourite attacking schemes against the Tchigorin Variation in the Spanish Opening.
More than any other top grandmaster, Spassky seemed to be quite happy to simply close the center with d5 and then soon follow up with a g4 (after a minimum of preparation), trying to create attacking chances on the Kingside.
The opening theorists are doubtful as to whether this direct approach is the best, preferring a more subtle approach involving some diversionary Queenside play first, but there is no question that Spassky’s success is impressive in this line.
I have chosen his game from the 1959 Alekhine Memorial (Moscow) against Icelandic grandmaster Fridrik Olafsson as the model for this approach.
I also recommend the readers to refer to the 3 games below this game — Spassky against Averbak (1959), Tal (1959) and Janetschek (1980) — to understand Spassky’s learning curve with this variation.
Spassky,B – Olafsson,F
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3
d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Bb7$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A rare move order (see the games below for the more ‘normal’line) but perfectly playable. From White’s point of view, it will lead into similar looking middlegames as in the ‘normal’ lines.</strong>} 12.d5{[#]}
({<strong style="color:black;">There is nothing to be gained with </strong> } 12.dxc5 dxc5
13.Qxd8 Raxd8 14.Nxe5 Bxe4! )
Bc8 {<strong style="color:black;">A typical manoeuvre in the Tchigorin </strong> } 13.Nbd2{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Of course, Spassky could have played g4 immediately, but it would have been less strong. In Spassky’s games below, he ALWAYS put his Knight on f1 before playing g4. For an example of where White plays g4 with his Knight on b1, I suggest the reader take a look at the game Fischer-Keres, Curacao 1962, which is given below.</strong>} c4 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Preparing to put a Knight on c5. This move can be prepared first (Bd7, Qc7, etc), but sooner or later this move has to be played.</strong>} 14.Nf1 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">The opening theorists prefer for White to play on the Queenside first (some plan involving a4 or b4 (b3!?) or both, but Spassky always followed his own ideas against the Tchigorin Variation.</strong>}
Nb7 15.g4$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Spassky’s favourite way of playing this kind of position, and this is the theme of this article. I think that most grandmasters today would prefer to play less committal, Ng3 or N3-h2 (amongst other ideas). </strong>} h5$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"> I think it was Rubinstein or Alekhine who first played this idea. White is forced to make an immediate decision and is not allowed to quietly build up his attack with Ng3 and so on. The opening theoreticians think that if Black can play this way then he should do so, but there are other ideas that are reasonable:</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A: </strong> } 15...h6$5 16.Ng3 Nh7{<strong style="color:black;">followed by a later Ng5 (or Bg5) </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">B: </strong> } 15...g6$5 {<strong style="color:black;">followed by placing either a Knight or a Bishop onto g7. The game Spassky – Janetschek (1980) below is an example of this plan. </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">C: </strong> } 15...Nc5$5 {<strong style="color:black;">and leaving for later the decision of how to play on the Kingside (if at all!) </strong> } )
16.gxh5!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This is the key move! Anti-positional, but all part of Spassky’s well thoughtout attacking scheme. White intends to use the open g-file later for his Rooks.</strong>}
( 16.N3h2$6 hxg4 17.hxg4 Nh7!{<strong style="color:black;">when Black has everything comfortably under control. He will continue with Ng5, g6,Kg7 and Rh8 and have a good counterattack himself! </strong> } )
Bxh3 17.N3h2!
Nh7 18.Ne3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White is able to allow his Kingside to be opened up without negative consequence because his Knights are well positioned to prevent Black from getting an advantage on the Kingside. This is why Spassky always put a Knight on f1 before playing g4.</strong>} Bg5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 19.Qf3$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Bd7 20.Kh1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Preparing to move a Rook to the g-file.</strong>} Bf4$6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Perhaps Black has some designs on playing Qh4, as what Tal tried in a game given below. What is so impressive about this game is the difficulty to say exactly where Black goes wrong. But this last move of Black might actually be the decisive error!</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Some have suggested that Black should play the immediate </strong> } 20...Qf6! {<strong style="color:black;"> when after the ‘normal’</strong> }21.Nf5
( 21.Rg1$5) Bxf5 22.exf5
Bxc1 23.Raxc1 Nc5 {<strong style="color:black;">Black gets good counterplay </strong> } 24.Rg1 e4! )
21.Nf5! Bxc1 ( 21...Bxf5 22.Bxf4 )
22.Raxc1 Bxf5 23.exf5 Qf6
({<strong style="color:black;">Now after </strong> } 23...Qh4 24.Re4!{<strong style="color:black;"> and Black must immediately </strong> } )
( {<strong style="color:black;">Some have suggested that Black should bunkerdown with </strong> }23...f6 {<strong style="color:black;"> and use his Rooks to defend g7, but this would be too passive in the long run. White would have all the time he needs to strengthen his attack.</strong> } )
24.Rg1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Curiously, the g-file turns out to be the decisive factor in the game’s conclusion.</strong>} Nc5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">No better would be </strong> } 24...Qh6 25.Ng4! Qxh5+ 26.Kg2 {<strong style="color:black;">when White will soon play Rh1 with decisive effect </strong> })
25.Rg2!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White’s plan is obvious.</strong>} Qh6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Making room for the Knight to help defend</strong>} 26.Rcg1{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Nf6 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 27.Ng4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">An elegant move and the perfect solution to breaking down Black’s defences. Spassky removes Black’s best defender and at the same time does not fall into Olafsson’s subtle trick:</strong>}
( 27.Rxg7+$2
Kh8!! ( 27...Qxg7$2 28.Rxg7+ Kxg7 29.Qe3!{<strong style="color:black;"> The ‘Killer’. Numerous writers have overlooked this strong move when publishing this game. </strong> } Ncd7 ( 29...Kh7
30.Qg5 Ncd7 31.Ng4 ) 30.Qg5+ Kh8 31.Qh6+ Nh7 32.f6 Ndxf6 33.Ng4 )
28.R7g5 Rg8{<strong style="color:black;">and only Black has winning chances! </strong> } )
Nxg4 28.Rxg4!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
( 28.Qxg4$6 Kh8 29.Qxg7+ Qxg7 30.Rxg7
e4$13 31.h6 Rae8 32.f6 Re5! )
Kh8 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">There is nothing better. Black can only wait. </strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A: </strong> } 28...Qxh5+$6 29.Kg2 Qh6 30.Rh1
Qf6 31.Qh3 {<strong style="color:black;">and Black can resign </strong> } )
( {<strong style="color:black;">B: </strong> } 28...f6 29.Rg6 Qd2 30.h6! )
({<strong style="color:black;"> C:</strong> } 28...Qf6 29.Qh3 Kh8
30.Rg6! {<strong style="color:black;">is immediately decivisve </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">D: </strong> } 28...Nd3 29.f6! )
29.Rxg7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Now this is good!Notice that in many of these lines the Bishop on c2 plays the key role.</strong>} e4$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;"> A:</strong> } 29...Qxg7$6 30.Rxg7 Kxg7
31.f6+! $18 Kh8 ( 31...Kh6 32.Qe3+ Kxh5 33.Qh3+ Kg5 34.Qf5+
Kh6 35.Bd1 ) 32.Qe3! )
({<strong style="color:black;">B: </strong> } 29...f6 30.R7g6 )
({<strong style="color:black;">C: </strong> } 29...Rg8 30.f6! )
30.Qg4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">There is no doubt that White has a huge advantage, but it is less clear how to take advantage of this. Spassky finds the solution: it involves retreating the Rook to g5 and then play Qf4 – creating tricks agains the Black Queen on h6, to force its retreat. As we shall see, Olafsson defends creatively, but it is not sufficient in the long run.</strong>} Nd7 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Brining in the Knight for defensive reasons. Alternatives are no better, and often worse: </strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A: </strong> } 30...Nd3 31.Bxd3 exd3
( 31...cxd3 32.Rg5 d2 33.Rg3 b4 34.Qe2 f6 35.Rg6 Qf4 36.R3g4 )
32.Qd4 f6 33.R7g6! )
({<strong style="color:black;">B: </strong> } 30...a5 31.Rg5 b4 32.Qf4 Qf6 33.Rg6! )
( {<strong style="color:black;">C: </strong> }30...Rae8 31.Rg5 Re5 32.Rg8+ Kh7 33.Rg7+ Kh8 34.Rxf7!{<strong style="color:black;">Etc </strong> })
31.Rg5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Beginning the above mentioned winning plan.</strong>}
Rae8 32.Qf4 Nf6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black makes the most of his chances</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;"> A:</strong> } 32...Qh7 33.h6! Rg8 ( 33...Qxh6+ 34.Kg2 f6 35.Rg3
Qxf4 36.Rh1+ ) ( 33...Re5 34.Rh5 Nf6 35.Rg7 Nxh5 36.Rxh7+ Kxh7
37.Qg5 ) 34.Rg7! )
( {<strong style="color:black;">B </strong> } 32...Kh7 33.f6 ( 33.Rg7+ Qxg7 34.Rxg7+ Kxg7
35.f6+ Kh7 36.Bxe4+ ) )
( {<strong style="color:black;">C </strong> } 32...Qf6 33.Rg6! fxg6 34.Qh6+ Kg8 35.Rxg6+
Qxg6 36.hxg6 ({<strong style="color:black;">Everything wins for White: </strong> } 36.Qxg6+ Kh8 37.Qxd6 ) Re7 37.Bxe4 Nf6 38.Bf3{<strong style="color:black;">Black can resign with a clear conscience </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;"> D:</strong> } 32...Ne5 33.Rg8+ Kh7 34.R1g7+ Qxg7 35.Rxg7+ Kxg7 36.f6+ )
( {<strong style="color:black;">E:</strong> } 32...Re5 33.Bxe4! ( 33.Rg8+$6 Kh7 34.R1g7+ Qxg7 35.Rxg7+ Kxg7{<strong style="color:black;"> Black can resist</strong> } )
Nf6 ( 33...Rfe8 34.Rg8+ Kh7 35.f6+ ) 34.Rg8+! )
33.R1g2!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Precision. One of Spassky’s best qualities. Black is in a very curious Zugzwang: his pieces are all on their best squares, and if he moves one of them it will be to a worse square and there will be a specific tactic that wins for White (as we shall see). If instead he moves his pawns, then White will simply wait as Black soon runs out of useful pawn moves!</strong>}
( 33.Rg8+? Nxg8 34.Rxg8+ Kh7 )
Nxd5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Probably short of time, Olafsson speeds up the inevitable. But nothing is satisfactory:</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A: </strong> } 33...Kh7 34.Rg7+! )
( {<strong style="color:black;">B: </strong> }33...Re5 34.Rg8+! Nxg8 35.Rxg8+ Kh7 36.Qxh6+ Kxh6 37.Rxf8{<strong style="color:black;">Etc </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">C: </strong> }33...a5 34.a3 a4 35.R2g3 Rd8 ( 35...Re5 36.Rg8+ ) 36.Bxe4! {<strong style="color:black;">Etc </strong> } )
34.Rg8+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Now this wins immediately the game.</strong>} $18 Kh7 35.R2g7+! Qxg7 36.Rxg7+ Kxg7 37.f6+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Nxf6 38.Qg5+
Kh7 39.Qxf6 Re5 40.Bxe4+!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">A brilliantly executed attack, all the more deserving because Olafsson did not play so badly!</strong>} 1-0
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Spassky – Averbak
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3
d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.d5 Na5
14.Nf1 c4 15.g4{[#]} h5 16.gxh5 Bxh3 17.N3h2 Qc8 18.Ne3 Nh7 19.Kh1
Bg5 20.Nf5 Bxf5 21.exf5 f6 22.Nf3 ( 22.h6 {!} $16 {} ) Nb7 23.Nxg5
fxg5 24.Be3 Nc5 1/2-1/2
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Spassky – Tal
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3
O-O 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Bd7 13.Nf1 Rfe8
14.d5 c4 15.g4{[#]} h5 16.gxh5 Bxh3 17.N3h2 Nh7 18.Ne3 Bg5 19.Kh1
Bf4 20.Rg1 Qd8 21.Qf3 Qh4 22.Ng2 Bxg2+ 23.Qxg2 Qxh2+ 24.Qxh2
Bxh2 25.Kxh2$16 {[#]<strong style="color:black;">Despite the Queen exchange, White still has attacking chances and a clear positional advantage with his Bishop pair also!</strong> } Nf6 26.Rg5 Nh7 27.Rf5 g6 28.Rf3 Kg7 29.hxg6 fxg6
30.b4 cxb3 31.axb3 Nb7 32.b4 Rec8 33.Bd2 Nf6 34.Bd3 Rh8+ 35.Kg2
Ng4 36.Kg3 Nf6 37.Kg2 Ng4 38.Rh1 Rxh1 39.Kxh1 a5 40.Kg2 a4 41.Rh3
Nf6 42.Bh6+ Kf7 43.Rf3 a3 44.Bb1 a2 45.Bxa2 Rxa2 46.Bg5 Rc2 47.Rxf6+
Ke8 48.Rxg6 Kd7 49.Rg7+ Kc8 50.Be3 Rxc3 51.Bb6 Rc4 52.Rg8+ Kd7
53.Rb8 Nc5 54.bxc5 1-0
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Spassky – Janetschek
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3
d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.d5 Nd8
14.Nf1 c4 15.g4{[#]} Kh8 16.Ng3 g6 17.Nh2 Ng8 18.Kg2 Bh4 19.Rf1 Qe7
20.Nf3 Bf6 21.Be3 Bg7 22.Qd2 f6 23.b3!$16 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">With most of Black’s pieces waiting on the Kingside, White now gets a decisive advantage on the Queenside with this surprisingly strong move!</strong>} cxb3 24.axb3 Nf7 25.Bd3
Bd7 26.c4 Bh6 27.Ra5 Rfb8 28.Rfa1 bxc4 29.Bxc4 Bc8 30.Qd3 Bxe3
31.Qxe3 Qa7 32.Qxa7 Rxa7 33.Ne1 h5 34.gxh5 gxh5 35.Nf3 Ng5 36.Nxg5
fxg5 37.Nxh5 Rh7 38.Ng3 Bxh3+ 39.Kg1 Bc8 40.Bxa6 Bxa6 41.Rxa6
Rxb3 42.Rxd6 Rf7 43.Kg2 Nf6 44.Raa6 1-0
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Fischer – Keres
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3
d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7 12.d5 Nb6 13.g4 h5{[#]} 14.Nh2
hxg4 15.hxg4 Bg5 16.Nd2 g6 17.Ndf3 Bxc1 18.Qxc1 Kg7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">If anyone is better, it is Black!</strong>} 19.Qg5 Nb7
20.Qxd8 Rxd8 21.a4 bxa4 22.Bxa4 Nxa4 23.Rxa4 Bd7 24.Ra2 c4 25.Nd2
Bb5 26.Nhf1 Rh8 27.Ne3 Rh4 28.Kg2 Rah8 29.Nf3 Rh3 30.Nf1 Nc5
31.Ng3 Bd7 32.g5 f6 33.gxf6+ Kxf6 34.Re3 Ke7 35.Nd2 Rh2+ 36.Kg1
Bb5 37.Ra1 R2h4 38.Kg2 Rf8 39.Rf3 Rb8 40.Kg1 Ra8 41.Ra5 Rc8 42.Ra3
Ra8 43.Ra5 Ra7 44.Kg2 Nb7 45.Ra1 a5 46.Ngf1 Nc5 47.Ne3 a4 48.Rh3
Rxh3 49.Kxh3 Nd3 50.Ra2 Nxf2+ 51.Kg3 Nd3 52.Nexc4 Ra8 53.Nb6
Ra6 54.Nbc4 Nc5 55.Kf3 Ra8 56.b4 Nb3 57.Na3 Bd7 58.Kg2 Bg4 59.Nac4
Rc8 60.Ne3 Bd7 61.c4 Rb8 62.b5 Nc5 63.Nd1 Kd8 64.Nc3 Ra8 65.Nf3
Kc7 66.Ng5 Kb6 67.Nf7 Rf8 68.Rf2 a3 69.Rf3 Bg4 70.Rf2 a2 71.Nxa2
Nxe4 72.Rf1 Bf5 73.c5+ dxc5 0-1
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