MARK RUBERY CHESS
In 1977 Korchnoi and Spassky contested one of the most bitterly fought matches in chess history with the winner going through to play Karpov for the world title. After ten games Korchnoi led the former champion 7.5-2.5 and then incomprehensibly proceeded to lose the next four games! This run of consecutive defeats while in such a commanding lead is virtually unprecedented at this level.
Korchnoi’s take on it was: ’Some kind of weapon was being employed against me-this was clear to me, but everything around, including Spassky’s behaviour was mysterious and sombre. During the second half of the match Spassky did not sit at the board on the stage. When he made his way to the board, he was swaying, with half-closed eyes, like a medium…’
Spassky did not see anything amiss with his manner :’This idea occurred to me with my match with Fischer. I was oppressed by remaining in public view for a long time, I lost concentration and found it hard to force myself to focus. It was the same in Belgrade.’
In this match Korchnoi had been in majestic form making the following blunder almost inexplicable…
Korchnoj,Viktor (2645) - Spassky,Boris V (2610) [A91]
Candidates final Belgrade (13), 1977 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.e3 0–0 6.Nge2 c6 7.d4 d5 8.b3 Bd7 9.Bb2 Be8 10.Nf4 Bf7 11.Nd3 Nbd7 12.Qc2 Rc8 13.c5 b6 14.b4 g5 15.Ne2 Bg6 16.h4 h6 17.hxg5 hxg5 18.Ne5 Bh7 19.f3 bxc5 20.dxc5 Nxe5 21.Bxe5 Nd7 22.Bb2 Bf6 23.Nd4 Qe7 24.f4 Rf7 25.0–0–0 a5 26.a3 axb4 27.axb4 g4 28.Bf1 Bxd4 29.Bxd4 e5 30.fxe5 Nxe5 31.Bd3 Nf3
32.Bxf5?? (In a tense position White throws a piece away for nothing)…Rxf5 (Perhaps …Bxf5 33 Rh8# was what he imagined) 33.Qxf5 (The chess equivalent of falling on one’s sword)…Bxf5 0–1
Thus Korchnoi blamed this lapse on his opponent’s bad behaviour due to his absence from the board during these games. Spassky preferred to analyse by looking at the demonstration board and only returned to the stage to execute his move. After initially threatening to walk out Korchnoi managed to hold his nerve, eventually triumphing 10.5-7.5