MARK RUBERY CHESS

In these days of computer assisted opening preparation where novelties are uncorked around move 25, it is a somewhat refreshing to see that during the 1966 world championship match Boris Spassky surprised his opponent on move one! However, to play an unusual move so early means that one is venturing on dubious territory, but in this case the nature of the circumstances dictated his choice

Trailing 10-11 with three games remaining (and the champion retaining his title in the event of a tie) Spassky played an extremely rare first move 1...b5, known as the Polish Defence. Unfortunately for the challenger, the then world champion, Tigran Petrosian, was unfazed by the move and won in a canter.

Petrosian,T - Spassky,B [A40] Wch Moscow (22), 1966

1.d4 b5?! (Normally this move is seen in the line 1 Nf3 Nf6 2 g3 b5!? where it is deemed

quite respectable) 2.e4 Bb7 3.f3 a6 4.Be3 e6 5.Nd2 Nf6 6.c3 Be7 7.Bd3 d6 8.a4 c6 9.Ne2 Nbd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Ng3 Re8 12.axb5 axb5 13.Rxa8 Qxa8 14.Qc2 Bf8 15.b4 Qb8 16.Nb3 g6 17.Ra1 e5 18.Qf2 d5 19.dxe5 Nxe5 20.Bc2 Bg7 21.Ba7 Qc7 22.Bb6 Qb8 23.Ba7 Qc7 24.Bb6 Qb8 25.Ba7 Qc8 (The repetition of moves only serves Petrosian) 26.Bd4 h5 27.h3 h4 28.Nf1 dxe4 29.fxe4 Ned7 30.Nfd2 c5 31.Nxc5 Nxc5 32.bxc5 Bxe4 33.Bb3 Bf5 34.Ra7 Nd7 35.Nf3 Qb8? 1-0 (Not waiting for 36 Rxd7 Bxd7 37 Bxg7 Kxg7 38 Qd4+ and 39 Qxd7 with an easy win.)

Spassky made an unsuccessful attempt to revive the opening 24 years later.

Seirawan, Yasser (2595) - Spassky, Boris V (2560) [B00]

USA m, 1990

1.d4 b5 2.e4 Bb7 3.Bd3 e6 4.Nf3 a6 5.0–0 d6 (5…c5 6 c3 Nf6 looks more viable) 6.c3 Nd7 7.a4 Ngf6 8.Re1 Be7? (8…c6 had to be played) 9.axb5 axb5 10.Rxa8 Qxa8 11.e5 dxe5 12.dxe5 Nd5 13.Bxb5 Bc6 14.Bxc6 Qxc6 15.Nd4 Qb7 16.Qg4 g6 17.Nd2 c5 18.N4f3 h5 19.Qe4 Qc7 20.Nc4 h4 21.Bg5 Bxg5 22.Nxg5 Rh5 23.Nxe6! 1–0

BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN

Do we really remember anything Dvoretsky, Nunn, and Pandolfini have to say while we’re actually playing? Hell, I’m lucky to remember how to spell Dvoretsky, let alone recall the “rule of eighteen weaknesses” until I already have seventeen in my position. – Mig Greengard