Boris Spassky - the final link with the golden era

While writing on Spassky, Kasparov wrote......: "while working on Spassky's games, I discovered that his play does not lend itself to a distinct division into any clearly expressed components, thus making it unique and unrepeatable." He further writes, "But at the slightest opportunity Spassky would nevertheless demonstrate his innate ability to find his way in complex positions, abounding in tactics and lacking customary guides. And in this aspect, Spassky is much closer to Chigorin, Alekhine and Tal"

When it comes to acclaiming the great players in Chess, we find ourselves in the position of a Buridan's Ass.....named after the philosopher John Buridan, and the tale goes...A donkey finds itself positioned exactly halfway between two equally divided stack of delicious hay and because he lacks reason to decide one over the other, the ass cannot arrive at a decision and will die of hunger!

Yet.....!

Well, Boris Vasilievich Spassky - the living legend...who turned 80 this Jan 30th, is the last link that we have with that golden past!

Garry could not have been more precise in his expression......Spassky is an enigma....and along with Bobby Fischer, he was instrumental in getting the status to Chess, that we enjoy today!

Spassky had great respect for Paul Keres, his favourite player and person....and speaking of Ivanchuk and Carlsen.....in an interview in 2008, Spassky was mentioning why they were his favourites amongst the new crop of masters, and said that, (as Malcolm McDowell expressed in the movie "Passage" before chopping of the finger of a captive 'chop chop!'); "they always try to find....some sort of points, you know...in a position....this little things...."

How else could you explain those ideas.....that never ending stream of ideas which flows into the chessboard from the ether.....! (don't even hint the name of the ugly monster called "engine"... and what the legend thought about this is in line with my views...... "Computer is a gangster....completely destroyed Chess" - Spassky)

Spassky had a great flair for that inexplicable "something.....some points....little things"....and his games are a testimony to that!

It is pity that he did not write a book on his games and about Chess in general, which would have been a great addition to the treasure trove that we already have!  He still has time, though he said

Spassky was so forthright in his remarks and views....who once said that his best period was from 1960 to 70 and in 1971 though he was the World Champion, he was not the best player and gave credit to Fischer and Larsen and wittily remarked that Botvinnik may have been the FIDE World Champion for 13 years, but he was not the Champion of the world, as he was not the strongest......He had the temerity to fight against the Soviet sports administration and valued the sense of freedom that he got after he defected in 1976, as the greatest....

Now for some...."little things" from Spassky's play, commemorating his 80th birthday!

Boris Spassky - Theodor Ghitescu, Beverwijk, 1967

1) d4 Nf6; 2) c4 c5; 3) d5 e5; 4) Nc3 d6; 5) e4 Be7; 6) Nf3 OO; 7) Bd3 Nbd7 8) Qe2 Ne8; 9) g4 g6; 10) Bh6 Ng7; 11) OOO Nf6; 12) h3 a6 

"Black tries vainly for some counter play on the Queenside, while his monarch is going to be drowned on the other wing" wrote Gligoric, commenting on this game!

Is it so serious!?  Perhaps, Gligoric might have been too strong and caustic in his remark.....but, he too, like Spassky was a fine player who meticulously spotted those "little things" and added a great treasury of masterpieces that we are privileged to work with.

Chess is a game of moments....and movement of pieces is only a pretext, by and large, and everything else happens in the minds of the players! Snatching the moments and capitalising on the opportunities that come your way is pivotal.

Perhaps, Gligoric was right, as Black did not get any further on the Queenside, except this lone pawn push....and hence, should have resorted to restraining White's attack on the Kingside and look out for ways to defuse it, starting with .....Kh8 so as to enable him to play .....Ng8 and kick that nemesis sitting on h6!

13) Rdg1 Bd7; 14) Nd2 Kh8; 15) h4 Ng8; 16) Be3 h5; 17) g5 Be8; 18) f4 f5;

Avoiding the opening up with "e5" by White, Black is allowing infiltration on another area

19) gf6 Nf6; 20) fe5 de5; 21) Nf3! Ng4?!

Perhaps, better was 21.....Bd6 and putting up a fight. The move played allows Spassky to crash through!

22) Rg4! hg4; 23) Ne5

.....and after-all, the centre collapses!

23)......Nh5; 24) Ng4!!

Sacrificing the exchange one after the other....this time to remove the 'blockader' on h5!

24) ......Ng3; 25) Qg2 Nh1; 26. e5!!

Spassky is relentlessly pouring fuel into the fire!  In such positions, material does not count so much as the time!

26) ......Rf7

Black is desperately trying to bring his pieces to the defense of his King.

27) Qh1 Rh7; 28) e6 Bg5; 29) Qe4! Be3; 30) Qe3 Qe7; 31) Ne4 Rh4; 32) Nef6 Qc7; 33) Be4! Qa5; 34) Qg3!

Superb geometry! White has covered all the plausible checks and the end is nearer.

34) .......g5; 35) Ne8 Re8; 36) Qe5! Black Resigned

Such a clinical execution and he made his sacrifices look very natural!



Boris Spassky - Nukhim Rashkovsky, URS, Moscow, 1973

14)......Nc3

Black was counting on this intermezzo when he allowed White to play what he did......as he could not capture back on e7 either way.

Forget 14......Ke7.....if Black plays 14.....Ne7; 15.Bb5! ab5; 16.Ndb5 Qb6; 17.Nd6 Kf8; 18.Rf1 + -

But, the text move doesn't bring him any respite either....!

15) Qg4!!

"The little thing", which storms Black's King!

15)......Nd1

Again, the Bishop on e7 is taboo as 15) ......Ke7; 16) Ne6!! and you may work out the variations and revel in it!

16) Ne6! Qc6? 

Taimanov gives a beautiful mate after 16) ......fe6  17) Bd6 Qb6; 18) Qg5 Qd8? 19) Qg6!! and mate next!  But, instead of 18) .....Qd8? Black can play 18) .....Nf6! and its consequences will appear unclear over the board!

However, instead of 18) Qg5, White can play 18) Qe6! and maintain initiative at the least, if not more!

But, the consequences of Spassky's Qg4 is very difficult to comprehend for human mind at that time, which is the justification of such enterprise! A game of Chess is not about certainties....but a fine balancing act done in unclear situations and comprehending and embracing uncertainties!

The text move however ends the game abruptly.....after....

17) Ng7 Ke7; 18) Qg5 f6; 19) ef6 Kd8; 20) f7 Kc7; 21) Qf4   Black Resigned


There are innumerable examples which could be shown.....but...

Hence, in conclusion let me just paste a picture of a position which prevented Spassky from progressing further towards challenging Botvinnik in 1960....and he was destined to wait for another 7 years and Petrosian.....

Boris Spassky - Mikhail Tal, URS Ch, 1958

This position could be analysed for pages and Judit Polgar recently wrote a brilliant article on this position in New in Chess, and ofcourse, many annotators have analysed this game and this position for pages, including the great Kasparov!

I conclude this article with the fervent wish that Boris writes a book and hope somebody will prevail upon him and aid him in every way possible.......for.......


I remain