1. e4 e5 2. f4

<An interesting choice. Spassky has used the King's Gambit occasionally throughout his career, mostly as a surprise weapon. Here he tries it against one of his few grandmaster colleagues who also experiments with this old gambit from time to time.>

2... exf4 3. Nf3 d5 4. exd5 Bd6

<A somewhat unusual move. Normally Black plays 4... Nf6, often with ... Bd6 to follow shortly.>

5. Nc3

<Spassky makes no real attempt to refute Black's 4th move.

1) 5. Bb5+ is a natural alternative, both speeding up White's kingside development and keeping his centre pawns mobile, for examble 5... Bd7 (5... c6!? is a more ambitious reply) 6. Bxd7+ Nxd7 7. 0-0 Ne7 8. c4 0-0 9. d4.

2) 5. d4 with possible ideas of c4-c5 seems more critical. 5... Nf6 6. c4 0-0 and then:

2a) 7. c5?! (this immediate push is unconvincing) 7... Re8+ 8. Be2 Bf8 and now 9. Nc3 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 Qxd5 11. Bxf4 Nc6 12. Bxc7 Bg4 13. 0-0 Nxd4! 0-1 was the dramatic conclusion of Gons - Van Hofwegen, correspondence game 1986.

2b) 7. Ne5?! Re8 8. Bxf4 c5! (a thematic blow to White's centre) 9. dxc6 (not exactly the move white wants to play, but there is no decent way to meet the threat of ... cxd4) 9... Nxc6 and Black will regain his pawn while blowing open the centre.

2c) 7. Be2 Re8 8. 0-0 c5 9. Nc3 (9. b4!?) 9... Bg4 10. Kh1 is considered good for White by King's Gambit expert Joe Gallagher.>

5... Ne7

<Bronstein reveals the point of this move-order, giving the knight a more flexible role than it would have on its natural square, f6. From e7 the knight eyes both the g6- and f5- squares, but is a less robust defender of the kingside.

5... Nf6 leads back to standard positions after 6. Bb5+ or 6. Bc4.>

6. d4 0-0 7. Bd3 Nd7

<7... Bf5 is a more consistent follow-up to Ne7, seeking to exchange off White's aggressive bishop.>

8. 0-0 h6?

<Black cannot afford this weakening pawn move. Black's game will stand or fall depending on how much influence his pieces can exert, and for this purpose one of the following would be more appropriate:

1) 8... Nf6 9. Ne5 (9. Ng5!? is an interesting idea) 9... Nexd5 10. Nxd5 Nxd5 11. Qh5 (11. Bxf4 Nxf4 12. Rxf4 Qg5) 11... g6 (or 11... Nf6) 12. Qh6 Qf6 is equal - Spassky.

2) 8... Ng6 9. Ne4 Nf6 10. Nxd6 Qxd6 11. c4 Bg4.>

9. Ne4!

<Now, when his pieces are fully developed and his king is safe, Spassky prepares to advance his c-pawn. True, this move surrenders the d5-pawn, but in return White gains some precious tempi.>

9... Nxd5 10. c4 Ne3

<It is logical to make White give up his dark-squared bishop for the knight; otherwise White has a solid positional advantage:

1) 10... N5f6?! 11. Nxd6 cxd6 12. Bxf4 gives White a space advantage, better development, the bishop-pair and the superior structure.

2) 10... Nb4 11. Bb1 leaves the black knight out on a limb without inconveniencing White's attacking forces.>

11. Bxe3 fxe3 12. c5 Be7

<White has surrendered the bishop pair, and it seems that he will need to spend a couple of moves rounding up the e3-pawn - and in that time Black will be able to activate his forces. However, it turns out that Spassky has a far more daring scheme in mind.

Instead 12... Bf4? 13. g3 Bg5 14. Nfxg5 hxg5 15. Qh5 gives White a decisive kingside attack.>

13. Bc2!

<Playing directly for a kingside attack. 13. Qe2?! Nf6 (13... f5 intending ... f4 is rather too greedy) 14. Qxe3 Nd5 leaves Black well positioned; it will be hard for White to drum up attacking chances.>

13... Re8

<It appears a little unnaturaly to move away the main defender of the sensitive f7-pawn, but Bronstein wishes to coordinate his defences by bringing the knight back to f8, whereupon the queen's bishop can also participate. Instead 13... Nf6 14. Nxf6+ (14. Qd3 should be met by 14... Re8!? rather than 14... Nxe4 when 15. Qxe4 f5 16. Qxe3 followed by Ne5 secures a substantial superiority for White) 14... Bxf6 15. Qd3 g6 (15... Re8!? could be tried) 16. Qxe3 gives White the better prospects.>

14. Qd3 e2

<Rather than continue with the intended ... Nf8, Bronstein chooses to flick in this disruptive little pawn move. However, Spassky's staggering reply has ensured that this game will be remembered for a long, long time.

Instead 14... Nf8 15. Ne5 Be6 (not 15... f6?? 16. Ng5!! hxg5 (16... fxg5 17. Qh7+ is the same) 17. Qh7+! Nxh7 18. Bb3+ and Ng6# follows - we see this theme later in the game) 16. Rae1 is clearly better for white.>

15. Nd6!?

<Objectively, this move is hardly necessary. Instead 15. Rf2 keeps an excellent position, but psychologically the impact of this surprise was enormous, with Bronstein immediately going seriously wrong.>

15... Nf8?

<Bronstein nonchalantly decides to press ahead with his intended fensive plan, even though his attempt to distract the white queen from the b1-h7 diagonal has failed. This turns out to have drastic consequesnces.

Instead 15... exf1=Q+ 16. Rxf1 is no improvement because 16... Nf8 transposes to the game continuation, while 16... Nf6 17. Nxf7! Kxf7 Ne5+ (18. Bb3+ also wins) 18... Kg8 (18... Kf8 19. Bb3) 19. Qh7+! Nxh7 20. Bb3+ Kh8 21. Ng6# is a pretty mate.

The critical line is 15... Bxd6! 16. Qh7+ Kf8 17. cxd6 exf1=Q+ (17... cxd6 18. Rf2 Nf6 19. Qh8+ gives White a decisive attack while Black does not even have a rook for his troubles) 18. Rxf1:

1) 18... Nf6? 19. Qh8+ Ng8 20. Ne5 (threatening mate and so forcing Black's reply; 20. Bh7 Qxd6 is less convincing) 20. f6 21. Bh7 Be6 22. d7! Bxa2 (22... Re7 23. Bxg8 Bxg8 24. Rxf6+! gxf6 25. Qxf6+ Bf7 26. Ng6+ Kg8 27. Qh8#) 23. Bxg8 Bxg8 24. dxe8=Q+ Qxe8 25. Rxf6+! gxf6 26. Qxf6+ wins the black queen, since 26... Bf7 27. Ng6+ Kg8 28. Qh8# is mate.

2) 18... cxd6 19. Qh8+ Ke7 20. Re1+ Ne5 21. Qxg7 Rg8 22. Qxh6 Qb6 23. Kh1 Be6 24. dxe5 d5 leads to quite an unclear situation. Black has survived the initial onslaught, but White has a pawn for the exchange and continuing pressure against the black king, which has long-term problems finding a shelter, and against Black's isolated d- and f-pawns. Bronstein would undoubtedly have gone in for this if he had seen White's 16th move.>

16. Nxf7! exf1=Q+

<Given that White will not be distracted from his attack, Black might as well eat the rook and pray for salvation.>

17. Rxf1 Bf5

<Or:

1) 17... Kxf7 allows a pretty forced mate: 18. Ne5++ Kg8 19. Qh7+ Nxh7 20. Bb3+ Kh8 21. Ng6#.

2) 17... Qd7 loses to 18. N3e5.

3) 17... Qd5 18. Bb3 Qxf7 (White also wins after 18... Qh5 19. Nxh6++ Kh8 20. Nf7 Kg8 21. N7g5! Kh8 22. Bf7) 19. Bxf7+ Kxf7 20. Qc4+ Kg6 21. Qg8! Bf6 (21... Be6 22. Ne5+ Kh5 23. Qxg7 forces mate) 22. Nh4+ Bxh4 23. Qf7+ Kh7 24. Qxe8 wins.>

18. Qxf5 Qd7

<By returning a bishop Black has gained a little time to defend.>

19. Qf4 Bf6 20. N3e5

<20. Nxh6+ is a perfectly good way to win material, but Spassky is after bigger game.>

20... Qe7

<20... Bxe5 21. Nxe5 Qe7 (21... Rxe5 just leaves Black a pawn down) 22. Qe4, with threats of 23. Rxf8+ and 23. Bb3+, is decisive.>

21. Bb3 Bxe5

<21... Ne6 22. Nxh6+! gxh6 23. Qxf6 and White picks off the e6-knight too.

21... Kh7 22. Qf5+ g6 23. Qxf6 forces an ending with a huge material advantage.>

22. Nxe5+ Kh7 23. Qe4+ 1-0

<There will follow 24. Rxf8(+). This finish was used in a famous scene at the start of the James Bond film From Russia With Love, but with the white pawns absent from c5 and d4 - perhaps the director felt they obscured some shot. The fictitious version of the game was between Kronsteen and McAdams.>

p. 239

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