FIDE SURVEYS – Uwe Boensch

1

Uwe Boensh:

A very special ending

Spassky B. : Fischer R. J.
World Championship (1)
Reykjavik 1972

29.b5

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29...Lh2?!
A dubious choice by the future 11th world
champion in the history of chess. Even if this
move is sufficient for a draw, it in any case
makes play more difficult for Black in the
future. Right at the start of the search for a
move, a goal must be formulated which is
based on an evaluation of the position. Here
Fischer over-estimated his position and set
himself an over-ambitious goal.
After 29...Ke7 30.h3 (30.Ke4 f5 31.Kd4?
Lh2–+) 30...e5= followed by 31... Ke6
Fischer had no problems in drawing.
Eine fragwürdige Wahl des späteren 11.
Weltmeisters der Schachgeschichte. Selbst
wenn auch dieser Zug zum Remis ausreicht,
es erschwert in jedem Fall das weitere Spiel
für Schwarz. Ganz am Anfang jeder
Zugfindung muss ein Ziel aufgrund einer
Stellungseinschätzung formuliert werden.

Hier überschätzte Fischer seine Stellung und
setzte sich daraufhin ein zu ambitioniertes
Ziel. Mit 29...Ke7 30.h3 (30.Ke4 f5
31.Kd4? Lh2–+) 30...e5=, gefolgt von
31...Ke6

konnte

Fischer

problemlos

remisieren.
30.g3 h5
30...Ke7!? 31.a4 (31.Ld2 Kd6 32.Lb4 Ke5
(32...Kd7 33.Ke4 e5 34.Kf3+-) 33.e4 f5
(33...g5 34.Lc3 Kd6 35.Lf6+-) 34.Lc3 Kd6
35.Ke3 g5 36.Ld4 b6 37.Kf3 e5 38.Lc3 g4
39.Kg2 fe4 40.Kh2 Kd5 (40...e3 41.Kg2 e4
(41...e2 42.f4 gf3 (42...ef4 43.gf4 Ke6
44.Kf2 Kf5 45.Le5+-) 43.Kf3 Kc5 44.Ke2
Kb5 45.Le5+-) 42.Kf1! Kc5 43.a4 Kc4
44.Le1 Kd3

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(44...Kb3 45.a5 Kc4 46.ab6 ab6 47.Ke2 ef2
48.Lf2 Kb5 49.Ld4 Kc6 50.Ke3+-) 45.fe3
Ke3 46.Lc3 Kd3 (46...Kf3 47.Le5 h5 48.Lb8
e3 49.La7 h4 50.gh4 g3 51.Lb6+-) 47.Le5
Kd2 (47...e3 48.Ke1+-) 48.Lf4 e3 49.Lh6
Kd3 50.Ke1 Kc4 51.Lf4 Kb4 52.Lb8 Ka4
53.La7 Kb5 54.Ke2+-) 41.Kg2 e3 42.Kf1!+-
) 31...Kd6 32.La3 Ke5 33.e4 f5 (33...g5
34.Lb2 Kd6 35.Lf6+-) 34.Lb2 Kd6 35.Lg7
f4 36.g4 Kc5 37.Lf8 Kb6 38.Lb4 f3
39.Ke3+-.
31.Ke2 h4
If Black plays 31...g5 32.Kf3 g4 33.Kg2 h4
34.Kh2 h3 then White wins with 35.f3 f5
36.e4 Ke7 (36...gf3 37.Kh3 fe4 38.Le3+-)

FIDE SURVEYS – Uwe Boensch

2

37.e5+-. See the variations after 32....g5
instead of 32...Ke7.
Spielt Schwarz 31...g5 32.Kf3 g4 33.Kg2 h4
34.Kh2 h3 dann gewinnt Weiß mit 35.f3 f5
36.e4 Ke7 (36...gf3 37.Kh3 fe4 38.Le3+-)
37.e5+-. Siehe die Varianten nach 32....g5
statt 32...Ke7.
32.Kf3
After 32.gh4? Ld6 Black's strategy works
and he can continue to play for a win.
Nach 32.gh4? Ld6 geht die schwarze
Strategie auf und er kann weiter auf Gewinn
spielen.
32...Ke7

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32...h3 leads after 33.Kg4 Lg1 34.Kh3 Lf2
35.Ld2!+- to a win for White.
32...h3 führt nach 33.Kg4 Lg1 34.Kh3 Lf2
35.Ld2!+- zum Gewinn für Weiß.
32...g5?! 33.Kg2 g4 34.Kh2 h3 35.f3 f5
(35...gf3 36.Kh3 f5 37.e4! fe4 38.Le3+-)
36.e4 Ke7 37.e5!+- a6 38.a4 ab5 39.ab5 Kf7
40.Le3 Kg6 41.Kg1 Kh5 (41...f4 42.Lf4 Kf5
(42...gf3 43.g4+-) 43.fg4 Kg4 44.Kh2+-)
42.Kf1 gf3 43.Kg1 Kg4 44.Kh2 f2 (44...f4
45.gf4 f2 46.Lf2 Kf4 47.Lg3 Kg4 48.b6+-)
45.Lf2 Kf3 46.Lb6 f4 47.gf4 Kf4 48.Lc7
Kg4 49.Ld6 Kh4 50.Le7 Kg4 51.Lf6+-.
33.Kg2 hg3 34.fg3 Lg3 35.Kg3 Kd6 36.a4!
The bishop should be brought into play via
a3 and in addition the b5-pawn will be
protected.

Der Läufer soll über a3 ins Spiel gebracht
werden und nebenbei wird der Bauer b5
gedeckt. 36...Kd5
If 36...Kc5 there then follows 37.La3 Kc4
38.Lf8 g6 39.Le7! f5 40.Kf4 Kd5 41.Lf6 a6
42.b6 Kc6 43.Ke5! Kb6 44.Ld8 Kc5 45.a5!
winning.
Falls 36...Kc5 dann folgt 37.La3 Kc4 38.Lf8
g6 39.Le7! f5 40.Kf4 Kd5 41.Lf6 a6 42.b6
Kc6 43.Ke5! Kb6 44.Ld8 Kc5 45.a5! mit
Gewinn.
37.La3

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37...Ke4
This move was criticised by many
commentators. But it is no worse than the
moves suggested: 37 ...a6, 37 ...Kc4 or 37
...e5.
Dieser Zug wird von vielen Kommentatoren
getadelt. Er ist aber nicht schlechter als die
vorgeschlagenen Züge 37...a6, 37....Kc4
oder 37....e5.
37...e5 38.Kg4 Ke4 39.Lc5 a6 (39...b6?
40.Lb6! ab6 41.a5 f5 42.Kg5 f4 43.ef4 ef4
44.a6 f3 45.a7 f2 46.a8D Ke3 47.Dg2+-) ;
37...a6 38.b6
a) 38.ba6 ba6 39.Kf4 Kc4 40.Le7 is not
enough for a win either (40.Lf8 g5 41.Kf3
(41.Ke4 a5 42.Le7 f5 43.Kf3 g4 44.Kf4 Kb3
(44...Kd3? 45.Lg5!+-) 45.Lh4 Ka4 46.Ke5
Kb3 47.Ke6 Kc4 48.Kf5 Kd3 49.e4 a4 50.e5
a3 51.e6 a2 52.Lf6 g3 53.e7 a1D! (53...g2??

FIDE SURVEYS – Uwe Boensch

3

54.e8D g1D 55.Db5 Kc2 56.Dc4 Kd1
57.Dd3 Kc1 58.Dc3 Kd1 59.Da1+-) 54.La1
g2 55.e8D g1D with a draw) 41...Kd3
42.Le7 g4 43.Kf2 g3 44.Kf3 g2 45.Kg2
Ke3=) 40...Kd3 41.a5 e5 42.Kf3 g5 43.Lf6
g4 44.Kf2 g3 45.Kg3 Ke3=;
b) 38.Lf8 ab5 39.ab5 Ke4 40.Lg7 (40.Kf2 f5
41.Lg7 e5 … f4 =; 40.Lc5 e5= Purdy)
40...Ke3 41.Lf6 b6 42.Ld8 Kd3 43.Lb6
Kc4=; c) 38.Kf4 g5 39.Kf3 ab5 40.ab5 g4!
41.Kg4 Ke4 42.Lc5 e5 43.Kh5 f5 44.Kg6 f4
45.ef4 ef4 46.Kf6 Kd5 47.Lf2 b6!= Purdy;
38...Kc6 39.a5 (39.Lf8 Kb6 40.Lg7 Ka5
41.Lf6 Ka4 42.Kf4 b5 43.Ke5 b4 44.Ke6 b3
45.Kd5 Kb4! (45...Ka3?) 46.e4 a5= Purdy)
39...Kd5;
37...Kc4?! 38.Lf8 g6 (38...Kb3 39.a5
(39.Lg7? Ka4 40.Lf6 Kb5 41.Kf4 Kc4
42.Ld4 a5 43.Ke5? (43.Kf3=) 43...b5 44.Ke6
a4 45.Lf6 b4 46.e4 a3 47.Kf7 b3 48.e5 b2
49.e6 b1D 50.e7 Dh7 51.Kf8 The "wrong"
side is having to fight for a draw) 39...g5
40.a6 ba6 41.ba6 f5 42.Kf3 g4 43.Kf4 Kc4
(43...e5 44.Ke5 g3 45.Lc5 Kc4 46.La7 Kb5
47.Kf5 Ka6 48.Ld4 g2 49.e4+-) 44.Ld6 Kb5
45.Kg5 Ka6 46.Kf6 Kb5 47.Ke6 Kc4 48.Kf5
Kd3 49.e4 a5 50.e5 g3 51.e6 g2 52.Lh2+-)
39.Le7 f5 40.Kf4 Kb3 41.a5 Kc4 42.a6 ba6
43.ba6 Kb5 44.Ke5 Ka6 45.Lc5!+-.
38.Lc5! a6
38...b6? 39.Lb6 ab6 40.a5+-.
39.b6! f5 40.Kh4 f4?

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Fischer does not find the best defence and
quickly loses.
Fischer findet nicht die beste Verteidigung
und verliert rasch.
With 40...Kd5 he could put up stiffer
resistance.
Mit 40...Kd5 konnte er zäheren Widerstand
leisten.
41.Lb4!
a) 41.Ld4? f4 42.Lg7 fe3 43.Kg3 Kc5 44.a5
Kb4 45.Kf3 Ka5 46.Ld4 e5 47.Le3 Kb5
48.Ke4 a5 49.Ke5 Kc6! 50.Ke4 a4 51.Kd3
a3 52.Kc2 Kd7 53.Kb3 Kc8 54.Lf4 a2
55.Ka2 Kd7=.
The black king cannot be driven away from
its pawn.
Der schwarze König kann nicht von seinem
Bauern vertrieben werden;
b) 41.Lf8 g6 (41...Ke4 42.Lg7 Ke3 43.a5 f4
44.Kg4 f3 45.Lf8 f2 46.Lc5 Ke2 47.Lf2 Kf2
48.Kf4 Ke2 49.Ke5 Kd3 50.Ke6+-) 42.Kg5
Ke4 43.Kf6! Ke3 44.Ke6 Kd4 45.Kd7 f4
46.Ld6 f3 47.Lg3+-; 41...Ke4 (41...Kc6
42.a5 Kd5 43.Kg5 Ke4 44.Kg6 Ke3 45.Kg7
e5 (45...Kd4 46.Kf6 Kd5 47.Ld2 Kd6 48.Lf4
Kd5 49.Le5 Kc4 50.Ke6 Kb4 51.Kd7 Ka5
52.Kc7+-) 46.Kf6 Ke4 47.Ld6+-) 42.Lf8
Ke3 (42...g6 43.Kg5 Ke3 44.Kg6+-) 43.Lg7
f4 44.a5 f3 45.Lf8 f2 (45...e5 46.Kg3 Ke2
47.Lc5 e4 48.Kf4 Kd3 (48...f2 49.Lf2 Kf2
50.Ke4+-) 49.Le3+-) 46.Lc5 Kf3 47.Lf2 Kf2
48.Kg5 Ke3 49.Kf6 Kd4 50.Ke6+-.
41.ef4 Kf4

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FIDE SURVEYS – Uwe Boensch

4

42.Kh5! Kf5
42...g5 43.Ld6 e5 (43...Kf5 44.a5 e5 45.Lc5
Kf4 46.Kg6 g4 47.Ld6! g3 (47...Ke4 48.Kf6
g3 49.Le5 g2 50.Lh2+-) 48.Kf6 g2 49.Le5
Ke4 50.Lh2+-) 44.Kg6! a5 45.Kf6 Ke4
46.Le5 Kd5 47.Lc7 g4 48.Kf5 Kc4 49.Kg4
Kb4 50.Kf5 Ka4 51.Ke5 Kb5 52.Kd6 a4
53.Ld8 a3 54.Kc7 a2 55.Lf6 Ka6 56.La1+-;
42...e5 43.Kg6 e4 44.Kg7 e3 45.Le3 Ke3
46.Kf6 Kd4 47.Ke6 Kc4 48.a5+- Purdy.
43.Le3
Other bishop moves such as, e.g.,. 43. La3,
43.Lf2 and 43.Le7 also win.
Andere Läuferzüge wie z.B. 43. La3, 43.Lf2
und 43.Le7 gewinnen ebenfalls.
43...Ke4
43...g6 44.Kh6 e5 45.Lg5 e4 46.Le3 Kf6
47.Ld2 Kf5 48.Lg5+-.
44.Lf2
44.Lg5 Kd5 45.Kg6 Kc5 46.Le3 Kb4
47.Kf7! (47.Kg7? Ka4 48.Kf6 Kb5 49.Ke6
Kc6=) 47...Ka4 48.Ke6 Kb5 49.Kd7+-.
44...Kf5 45.Lh4 e5
45...g6 46.Kh6 e5 47.Lg5 e4 48.Ld2 Kf6
(48...Kg4 49.Kg6 Kf3 50.Kf5 e3 51.La5+-)
49.Le3 Kf5 50.Lg5+- Zugzwang.
46.Lg5 e4 47.Le3 Kf6 48.Kg4 Ke5 49.Kg5
Kd5 50.Kf5 a5
50...Kc4 51.Ke4 Kb4 52.Kd5 Ka4 53.Kd6
Kb5 54.Kc7 a5 55.Kb7+-.
51.Lf2 g5 52.Kg5 Kc4 53.Kf5 Kb4 54.Ke4
Ka4 55.Kd5 Kb5 56.Kd6

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Spassky played this ending superbly.

Das

Endspiel

wurde

von

Spassky

ausgezeichnet gespielt.
56.Kd6 a4 57.Kc7 Ka6 58.Lg3 a3 59.Le5 a2
60.La1+-. 1:0.