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In 1972 the chess world witnessed something very special. It was this Round 6 game of
the World Chess Championship between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky. Special for many
reasons. To name a few...Fischer for only the third time in serious play began with
c4, and regarding the game itself it's maybe best described in the words of International
Master Anthony Saidy who said, "It was like a symphony of placid beauty." And not to be
overlooked was a wonderful act of sportsmanship by Boris Spassky who, after the game, stood
up and applauded Fischer for the masterful game he just played. This is that game. So
Fischer opening up with c4, the English Opening. But what we'll soon see is that it transposes
into a Queen's Gambit Declined. And that can be denoted by these group of pawns right here.
After knight f6, knight c3, soon enough we enter the Tartakower variation with this move
seven, b6. This h6 move is just throwing a question to the bishop. There's not really
going to be any way to exploit this type of a weakness against the black kingside. It's
more longterm flight square for that king. And you'll note that after this b6 advance...it's
only at this point does Fischer decide to release the tension between these two pawns.
Only after black has spent a move in creating a new door for this bishop. If white is to
capture maybe prior to that b6 move, then the bishop can make use of this classic diagonal.
But again, only after that b6 advance does white now clarify the structure in the center,
capturing on d5. We do have a series of exchanges. And after the smoke clears, this is the pawn
structure we're now dealt with. Rook c1, logical enough applying pressure to this c7 pawn.
Bishop e6, a curious move. One may think why not just play to b7? b6 was played for a purpose
but black is going forward with the bishop e6 move. If you do a quick comparison between
this e6 square and b7 square...some of the differences may include well from b7 it's
unprotected...e6 it's not. And additionally the bishop might want to later make use of
let's say f5, or even harass the knight by playing to g4. So now queen a4, and one of
the interesting things in my opinion with this game is how the white queen makes use
of the whole chessboard. Or really, maybe better stated, wherever she is that's where
the ensuing play will take place. So right now stuff is happening on the queenside after
this queen a4 move. Again still looking to do something against this c7 pawn. Black presses
forward challenging that d4 point of white's. Queen a3, this is a bit of an uncomfortable
pin. A third piece is now hitting that c5 pawn...rook, pawn, and queen. It needs additional
support. Rook c8 is decided on, and now more development by white. One step closer to being
fully developed, and why not play to b5. In some sense you're just boxing out that knight
on b8. a6 is, for the moment, not yet a threat since this rook is unprotected. So there's
no need to react to a threat that's not there. Instead we just have more clarification in
the center with d takes c, b takes c, and the resulting structure is the hanging pawn
structure. So ideally white would like to have both rooks on the c and d-file applying
pressure to these guys. White castles, fully development. And now only after rook a7, and
the queen now defending that rook does white react with bishop to e2 just tucking it away.
And just taking a snapshot of this position right here...it just seems so smooth right
now. The knight on a classic square f3, the bishop tucked away on e2, a rook very well
placed, soon enough the f-rook one would think is going to be placed to the d1 square, black
being still in this slightly awkward pin...okay yes it's protected right here. But on the
black end, look at the disjointed nature between these rooks right here, and the knight still
on its home square...an isolated pawn on a6. After just these seventeen moves, okay it's
a pretty decent amount of moves but, the differences between both sides I think is a great one.
And soon enough what we'll see is an additional imbalance taking place. As it stands right
now, it's just with regard to the pawn structure...this hanging pawn structure. So more development
for black, fully developed at this point, but again not so harmonious. Knight d4, making
use of this pin. This knight is now providing a disconnect between the queen and rook. So
a very timely knight d4 is going to grant this knight for bishop exchange. So the queen
backs up, getting out of the pin and just for the one moment...well just taking that
bishop right away. And after the recapture we have now one strike in the center that
really is going to turn the tables. These pawns right here...the furthest advanced ones...this
pawn duo on the fifth rank is challenged with e4, and something needs to be done. And what
black tries is just pressing forward which is typical. If you do have the knight you
want to try and keep things closed. That d4 move is a step in that direction. It's also
a passed pawn. But as we'll soon see, this pawn really could just never get going and
is no serious threat to white whatsoever. Additionally with that advance, we now...looking
a bit more closely at the pawn structure...recognize that we have a four on three majority tipping
in white's favor on the kingside. Now that said, that's not to say you're supposed to
throw up all of your pawns in this direction. It's more commonly seen that just the f-pawn
and e-pawn for white will be the ones to press forward and try and induce some weakness against
the black side. And the g and h-pawns would just stay back and act as the shield for that
white king. So that's exactly what we see. f4, these pawns get rolling, queen e7, and
now e5. Right here this now a static point for black, this pawn is immobile and will
soon be pinpointed. So rook to b8, it wasn't really needed anymore to watch over that c5
square...so now coming back to this b-file to exert pressure on b2. Bishop c4...repositioning
time at this point placing this pawn in a pin and looking forward to an f5 advance where
this pawn is just going to strike at e6. Black gets out of that, and now the queen swinging
over. Again, really dictating where the play will take place in the game. So making use
of this whole third rank right here...sweeping from a3 to h3 and now pinpointing that e6
pawn for a second time. Knight f8, retreat to defend e6. And now something as simple
as b3 makes these rooks look absolutely ridiculous. Because there's nothing that's now going to
take place on the queenside. You could forget about it. Just this bishop and two pawns alone...this
is one thing that I like to do in my own games is just recognize how a particular grouping
of pieces can negate an opponent's group of pieces. And right now it's just these three
highlighted white pieces negating these three right here. Or in other words you could view
it as like a five points negating eleven points. And on the flip side of things there's going
to now be a group of let's say these two rooks and queen, and even the bishop that are influencing
the kingside. This bishop right here really being a multipurpose pieces in some sense...locking
down on the queenside, and still exerting pressure on that kingside. So a5, looking
to get in this advance right here...looking to maybe peel open that a-file. But things
happen too quickly on the kingside. f5, something needing to be done about maybe capturing on
e6 or even pressing forward one more step to f6, and that king will be in some serious
hot water if that's allowed. So the pawn is captured, and it's the rook on f that recaptures
so that this rook can soon contribute...doubling on the f-file. Knight h7, looking to reposition
to that g5 square. White doubles, the queen backs up to d8. Queen g3 allows this pawn
to press forward to h4. And what we basically see now is that move played. And look at this
sad knight right here. It's just completely restricted, and this bishop is incredibly
dominant. The differences between this bishop and knight are just enormous. This bishop
is just way too powerful, as we will soon see in the resulting final position. So there's
not really a whole lot unfortunately for black to be done right here. These rooks are just
helpless to really doing anything. This is the only completely open file, and white controls
it. It really cannot be contested whatsoever. So pressing forward with e6, rook c7 defending
this c5 pawn. Queen e5, repositioning for white . And unfortunately for black...for
pretty much the duration of the game...just can do nothing more that just shuffle the
queen on these d8 and e8 squares. So basically emphasizing at this point is white...you know
what black has nothing to do. Just a4 doesn't even allow the possibility for black to play
a4 and create some opening on the queenside. So queen d8, rook f2...a slightly, I guess,
curious move. Maybe in some sense it's saying... you know what...there's nothing that you could
even do. Maybe just emphasizing the fact that black has again nothing. Or maybe also another
way to view it is it's wanting to play to f3 so that after this queen d8 move...white
has bishop d3 and this pawn can now not be taken. White maybe wanting this particular
sequence to come about so that bishop d3 could be played and there's not going to now be
rook takes pawn if the queen is still on e8. This would now be available after the bishop
d3 move. But as it stands after queen d8, white now focuses the attention on this diagonal
right here, and soon enough we have a tactical shot coming into play here. Nice battery...the
threat now being rook to f8, which is going to be deadly. For example, if rook takes e6
we would just have rook check, knight takes rook, rook takes knight removing the defender
of h7, queen takes rook, queen h7 and that's game over. So rook takes pawn is not played.
Instead what is tried is just a knight move to f6, but Fischer just rips the position
right open...grabbing that knight, recapture a couple times on f6, and king to g8. This
is a hopeless position for black. What is tried is just king g8. But after bishop c4,
the king is just having to get off of this diagonal so that this rook maybe has the possibility
to move. Moving it now is going to allow the pawn to just press forward...one step closer
to queening as well as having a discovered check against the king. So the king goes back
to the corner. But after queen to f4, black can do nothing more than resign right here.
The threats are just way too much. We have possibilities for rook to f8, winning the
queen...rook takes h6 check...queen takes h6 check. There's not really a whole lot black
can do. Just to show one variation...if the king is to let's say come back over to g8,
we could have queen takes h6. And with now the threat of rook g6 check, and pawn push...there's
not really a whole lot black can do. Just kind of making a passing move...if rook b7,
we could have this check, rook block, pawn push discovered check. And what to do? The
queen has to block. You could pick your favorite way to mate at this point...promotion or just
capturing right here. However you slice it, black is beat from this position after Fischer's
41st move, queen to f4. So, in this video, it's really my hope that it acts as a great
example of how the whole chessboard can be made use of...and how seemingly simple moves
can translate into a significant advantage...and of how competitors of this great game can,
or really should carry themselves in a similar way as Boris Spassky did in defeat.