Reykjavík, 23 July 1972

The Game Spassky Applauded

Bobby Fischer – Boris Spassky · 1-0

Result: 1-0
Moves: 41
Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined: Tartakower Defense
The names end at: 11... Be6

Watch it on the map Final position on the map

The story

Game six of the 1972 world championship match in Reykjavík. Fischer, who almost always opened with 1. e4, surprised everyone with 1. c4, and the game turned into a Queen’s Gambit Declined — an opening he had never played in a serious game.

Spassky chose his favourite Tartakower Defense. Fischer’s 20. e4! is the key move: White’s pieces take over the centre and the kingside, and the attack ends with 41. Qf4.

When the game was over, Spassky joined the audience in applauding Fischer’s win. The win gave Fischer his first lead in the match, which he went on to win 12½–8½.

The Game Spassky Applauded: the map where the opening names end — The position where the game leaves the named openings, with every game of the next four moves around it.

The moves

1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 O-O 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 b6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.Rc1 Be6 12.Qa4 c5 13.Qa3 Rc8 14.Bb5 a6 15.dxc5 bxc5 16.O-O Ra7 17.Be2 Nd7 18.Nd4 Qf8 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.e4 d4 21.f4 Qe7 22.e5 Rb8 23.Bc4 Kh8 24.Qh3 Nf8 25.b3 a5 26.f5 exf5 27.Rxf5 Nh7 28.Rcf1 Qd8 29.Qg3 Re7 30.h4 Rbb7 31.e6 Rbc7 32.Qe5 Qe8 33.a4 Qd8 34.R1f2 Qe8 35.R2f3 Qd8 36.Bd3 Qe8 37.Qe4 Nf6 38.Rxf6 gxf6 39.Rxf6 Kg8 40.Bc4 Kh8 41.Qf4 1-0

Through the openings

1. c4English Opening
1... e6English Opening: Agincourt Defense
2. Nf3English Opening: Agincourt Defense
2... d5English Opening: Agincourt Defense
4. Nc3Queen's Gambit Declined: Three Knights Variation
5. Bg5Queen's Gambit Declined
6. e3Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Normal Line
6... h6Queen's Gambit Declined: Neo-Orthodox Variation
7. Bh4Queen's Gambit Declined: Neo-Orthodox Variation, Main Line
7... b6Queen's Gambit Declined: Tartakower Defense
8... Nxd5Queen's Gambit Declined: Tartakower Defense, Makogonov Exchange Variation
11... Be6Queen's Gambit Declined: Tartakower Defense

Source of the moves: en.wikipedia.org

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