Spassky's Ruthless Sacrifice Crushes Fischer in Epic 1992 Rematch Game 4

Описание: Spassky's Ruthless Sacrifice Crushes Fischer in Epic 1992 Rematch Game 4
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The fourth game of the 1992 Fischer-Spassky rematch, held on September 6, 1992, in Sveti Stefan, Yugoslavia, was a pivotal moment in this unofficial "Revenge Match of the Century." Boris Spassky, playing with the white pieces, defeated Bobby Fischer 1-0 after 50 moves, tying the match at 1-1 with two prior draws. This Queen's Gambit Accepted (ECO D27) marked the first time Fischer publicly employed this defense, likely drawn from his preparation studying Spassky's recent games where the Russian favored early queen exchanges. The game showcased Spassky's positional mastery and Fischer's uncharacteristic passivity, culminating in a decisive victory that highlighted the rust on the American legend after his 20-year hiatus from competitive chess.
The opening followed standard lines: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Bxc4 c5 6. O-O a6 7. dxc5 Qxd1 8. Rxd1 Bxc5 9. b3 Nbd7 10. Bb2 b6 11. Nc3 Bb7 12. Rac1 Be7 13. Nd4 Rc8. Here, the position was even, with Spassky's 13. Nd4! maintaining balance. Fischer spent a full hour deliberating between moves 12 and 19, eventually playing 19...b4, a critical decision that invited Spassky's bold exchange sacrifice: 20. Rxc5 Nxc5 21. Bxb4. This rook-for-bishop-and-pawn trade gave Spassky strong positional compensation, controlling the center and restricting Fischer's pieces. Analysts noted Fischer could have opted for 19...Bxa3 20. Nxa3 gxf3 21. gxf3 Ne5, yielding a solid game for Black, but his materialistic tendencies led him astray.
As the middlegame unfolded, Spassky's pieces dominated: 26. h4 closed off Black's active options on the kingside, while Fischer's 28...h5 further weakened his structure. Spassky seized the open g-file with his rook, creating a passed b-pawn after Fischer's a-pawn advance backfired. A turning point came at 32...Nb7, where Spassky built a decisive advantage. Fischer's aggressive 34...e5 was refuted instantly by Spassky's 35. Nxe5 Nxe5 36. Rf5+ Kg7 37. Rxe5, forking the king and knight to regain material with interest. By 38. Bd3, Fischer was forced to return the exchange (Rc3 followed by Rxd3+), but his position crumbled.
In the endgame, Spassky's extra pawn and active rook overwhelmed Fischer. With only nine minutes left for his final moves, Fischer's passive play left him hopeless. The game ended with 50. h5+, where resignation followed as lines like 50...Bxh5 51. b7 or 50...Kg7 51. Ra7+ Kg8 52. b7 led to inevitable material loss and defeat. Spassky's farsighted sacrifice, central control, and exploitation of Fischer's blunders (notably 19...b4 and 28...h5) secured his first win over Fischer since their 1972 Reykjavik clash, underscoring the match's drama amid UN sanctions and a $5 million purse. This victory boosted Spassky's morale, though Fischer ultimately won the series 10-5 with 15 draws
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