Spassky vs. Rashkovsky

Spassky vs. Rashkovsky

USSR Ch Moscow 1973

Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4 Qc7 8 Bd3

After 8 Bd3

An interesting line against 7…Qc7; for the moment White does not commit his queen. 8…Nbd7 This may already be inaccurate, since it allows White to develop his queen to e2 and prepare for e5 more quickly than usual. After 8…Be7 White would be more or less forced to transpose into a normal lines by 9 Qf3 because 9 Qe2?! H6 10 Bh4? loses a pawn to 10…Nxe4. 9 Qe2 b5 10 0-0-0 Bb7 11 Rhe1 It contrast to the line with the queen on f3, the e4-pawn is not pinned and therefore White is already threatening 12 e5. 11…Be7 12 e5 dxe5 13 fxe5 Nd5

After 13...Nd5

14 Bxe7 Perhaps slightly inaccurate, although it requires exceptionally deep analysis to show this. The alternative 14 Nxe6! Seems to give White the advantage in every line. Then 14…fxe6? Is very bad due to 15 Qh5+ Kd8 (or 15…g6 16 Bxg6+ hxg6 17 Qxh8+ Nf8 18 Bxe7 Qxe7 19  Ne4 leading to a clear advantage for White) 16 Nxd5 Bxd5 17 Bxe7+ Kxe7 18 Qh4+! (the key move; if Black’s king moves to e8, the h-pawn is pinned and so Bg6+ is possible) 18…Ke8 (18…g5 19 Qxg5+ Ke8 20 Qg7 Rf8 21 Bxh7 Qa5 22 Be4! Qxa2 23 Bxd5 exd5 24 e6 Nc5 25 e7 wins) 19 Bg6+ hxg6 20 Qxh8+ Nf8 21 Rf1 Qc5 22 Qg8 Qe7 23 Rf2 followed by 24 Rfd1 and wins. Thus Black has to try 14…Bxg5+ 15 Nxg5 Nxc3, but then 16 Qf2!

After Qf2! (analysis)

(a very hard move to see in advance!) 16…Bd5 (16…Nxa2+ 17 Kb1 Nc5 18 e6 f6 19 Bxh7 and 16…Nc5 17 bxc3 Nxd3+ 18 Rxd3 0-0 19 Qf5 g6 20 Qh3 h5 21 Rd7 are worse) 17 e6 Nxa2+ 18 Kb1 Nf6 19 Bxh7!, while very complex, is probably better for White, e.g. 19…Nxh7 20 Rxd5 Nxg5 21 exf7++ Kf8 22 Rxg5 with a winning attack. 14…Nxc3 14…Kxe7 loses to 15 Qg4 Nxc3 16 Nxe6 Qc6 17 Qg5+, given as winning for White, does not seem completely clear to me. One sample line is 15…axb5 16 Ncxb5 Qb6 17 Nd6+ Kf8 18 Rf1 Nf5 19 N4xf5 Rxa2 20 Nc4 Qb4 21 c3 Ra1+ 22 Kd2 Rxd1+ 23 Rxd1 Qc5 24 Kc1! And now White is certainly better, although in such a variation virtually anything is possible! 15 Qg4

After 15 Qg4

15 bxc3 Kxe7 16 Qg4 Bd5 17 Be4 Bxe4 18 Nxe6 Qxc3 is unclear. 15…Nxd1 The best chance, because 15…Nxe5 16 Qxg7 Nxd1 17 Rxe5 Qxe7 18 Qxh8+ Kd7 19 Qg7 Nf2 20 Bxh7 certainly favours White. 16 Nxe6!

After 16 Nxe6!

Not 16 Bd6 Nxe5! 17 Bxe5 Nf2 18 Nxe6 (if 18 Qxg7, then 18…Nxd3+ 19 Kb1 Nxe5 20 Qxh8+ Ke7 21 Qxe5 Qxe5 22 Rxe5 Bxg2 wins for Black) 18…Nxd3+ (18…fxe6 19 Qxe6+ Qe7 20 Qxe7+ Kxe7 is also slightly better for Black) 19 Kb1 Qxe5 20 Rxe5 Nxe5 21 Qxg7 Ng6 22 Nc7+ Ke7 23 Nxa8 Rxa8 and Black has an edge. 16…Qc6? Black collapses under the sustained tactical barrage. He had to accept the knight, and after, 16…fxe6 17 Bd6 Qb6 (17…Qc6 loses to 18 Qg5 Nf6 19 Be4 Qd7 20 Bxb7 Qxb7 21 exf6) 18 Qxe6+ (18 Qg5 Nf6 19 exf6 0-0-0 20 fxg7 Rhg8 21 Bc5 Qc7 22 Rxd1 Rxg7 and White certainly has no advantage) 18…Kd8 19 Bf5 Bc6 (19…Qc6? 20 Qe7+ Kc8 21 e6 wins for White) 20 Qe7+ Kc8 21 e6 a tremendously unclear position arises; both 21…Nf6 and 21…Rd8 seem playable. 17 Nxg7+ Kxe7 18 Qg5+

After 18 Qg5+

White now wins by force. 18…f6 18…Kf8 19 Nf5 wins after 19…Qg6 20 Qe7+ Kg8 21 e6 fxe6 22 Rxe6, 19…Qxg2 20 Qe7+ Kg8 21 e6 or 19…Nf2 20 e6 Nxd3+ 21 Kb1. 19 exf6++ Kd8 20 f7+ Kc7 21 Qf4+ 1-0

Source from:

GAMBIT: John Nunn’s 101 Brilliant Chess Miniatures (Pages 18 - 19)

#SpasskyVsRashkovsky

#chess

#chessbrilliancy

#chessminiature

#chessnovelty

#chesslesson

#chesstactics

#chesstechniques