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Boris Spassky
Spassky gives up a rook for a knight and keeps on attacking against Tal in 1959.
The idea
Spassky gives a rook for a knight and gets to Tal’s king first.
- Black’s pawn on d3 is two steps from promoting.
- The queen goes to h5 and aims at e8.
- Next the queen checks on e8, and the f-pawn joins in.
In a game: When an enemy pawn runs, check whether your attack on the king comes first.
How the lesson begins
Boris Spassky was born in Leningrad in 1937. He was at home in every kind of position, quiet or sharp. In 1969 he took the world title from Tigran Petrosian, and in 1972 he lost it to Bobby Fischer in Reykjavik.
Here is a game from a Soviet team event of 1959, the Spartakiad of the Peoples of the USSR. Spassky has White against Mikhail Tal.
A Ruy Lopez. White gains space with the e-pawn. Later Black’s knight lands on e4, and White takes it and lets Tal take the rook on b2.
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Nd7 10. d4 Nb6 11. Nbd2 exd4 12. cxd4 d5 13. Bc2 Be6 14. e5 The pawn on e5 gains space.
- 14... Qd7 15. Nb3 Bf5 16. Bg5 Bb4 17. Re2 Rfe8 18. Rc1 Nc4 19. Na1 Bxc2 20. Qxc2 Re6 21. Qf5 h6 22. Bf4 Rf8 23. b3 f6 24. Qg4 f5 25. Qh5 Nd6 26. Nc2 Ne4 27. Nxb4 Nxb4 28. Ne1 c5 29. Rb2 cxd4 30. Qd1 g5 31. Bh2 Rc8 32. Rxc8+ Qxc8 33. f3 Qc3 34. fxe4 The pawn takes the knight on e4.
- 34... Qxb2 Tal takes the rook on b2.
Find the move
Tal has just taken your rook on b2. Take the pawn on f5. Your pawn then attacks Black’s rook.
A hint
Which pawn can take on f5?
Show the answer
35. exf5
35.exf5 hits the rook on e6. Tal moved it to c6, and the bishop went to g3.