Journal and Courier Lafayette, Indiana Tuesday, July 18, 1972 - Page 18
Two Inferior Moves Cost Spassky Game by Isaac Kashdan
Los Angeles (AP)—When world champion Boris Spassky appeared in the playing room for the resumption of the adjourned third chess game with Bobby Fischer, it was to face the inevitable.
For the first time in their careers, Spassky was to surrender to Fischer. Spassky watched referee Lothar Schmid open the envelope and reveal the move B-Q6ch, which Fischer had made the night before.
Spassky and his second, Eufim Geller, had examined all the possibilities in the position. So had all the other grandmasters in Reykjavik. They had all come to the same conclusion. The game was hopeless.
Fischer's check forced Spassky's king to move to a black square, and none were helpful. If Spassky tried 42. K-K3, Fischer would reply Q-Q8.
This attacks the white bishop and also threatens mate in several moves. The bishop must fall as the minimum loss.
Spassky's best alternative would be 42. K-K1, when Fischer would win a second pawn by Q-Pch. Fischer would then have two connected passed pawns ready to advance. He could win with that advantage even if the queen were exchanged.
This was the kind of game that had been expected of Fischer after his extraordinary successes of the last two years.
The opening was quiet but with latent power on both sides.
Fischer aimed to set up an unbalanced pawn formation. He advanced tentatively on both the king and queen sides, feeling out his opponent.
Spassky, who seemed to lack any aggressive ideas, soon found himself on the defensive. Two or three of his moves were slightly inferior and that is all Fischer needed.
As soon as a single weakness was fixed which turned out to be Spassky's king pawn, Fischer concentrated his attack on that point.
He won the pawn and the game, with little further efforts.
