Fischer Forces Queen Trade Shock! Demolishing Spassky in Game 21 – You Won’t Believe the Zugzwang!

Описание: Fischer Forces Queen Trade Shock! Demolishing Spassky in Game 21 – You Won’t Believe the Zugzwang!
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The 1992 rematch between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky, often dubbed the "Match of the Century II," was an unofficial World Chess Championship held in Sveti Stefan and Belgrade, Yugoslavia, amid international controversy due to UN sanctions. Fischer, returning after a 20-year hiatus from competitive chess, faced his old rival Spassky in a best-of-10-wins format (draws not counting), ultimately triumphing 10-5 with 15 draws. Game 21, played on October 17, 1992, was a pivotal encounter where Fischer, playing White, secured a convincing 1-0 victory in 67 moves, extending his lead in the match.
This game opened with the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation (ECO B44)

Fischer's early play featured a fianchetto on g2 (moves 8.g3 and 9.Bg2), a setup he occasionally employed against the Taimanov Sicilian in earlier games (e.g., against Tal in 1961 and Taimanov in 1971), aiming for a solid kingside while pressuring the center with c4 on move 6, turning the game positional. Spassky responded with standard development, but tensions built around move 22, where Fischer opted for the cautious 22.Nab1 instead of the more aggressive 22.Nd5, which commentators note could lead to drawish lines—Fischer, true to form, played for a win.
The middlegame exploded around move 27.e5, forcing a knight exchange on e4 and opening lines. Fischer sacrificed material subtly, exchanging bishops on c5 (move 29.Bc5) to push his b-pawn to c5, creating a passed pawn threat. A critical moment came at move 31...Ne7, where computer analysis (Stockfish) suggests 31...e3 might have been stronger for Black, potentially putting White in zugzwang with an evaluation around -2.84 (indicating Black's advantage if played optimally). Instead, Spassky's choice allowed Fischer to capture on e4 and launch a kingside pawn storm with 36.f5, breaking open the position and leading to exchanges that favored White's active pieces.
By move 40, Fischer had regained material equality but held superior pawn structure and activity. He advanced his a-pawn aggressively (moves 46.a4, 50.a5, 52.a6), creating a dangerous passed pawn duo on a and c-files. Spassky's rook became passive, defending against promotion threats, which proved fatal in the endgame. Fischer forced a queen exchange on move 57.Qc2+, transitioning to a rook endgame where his active king and rook dominated. Key highlights include 65.Ra3!, a brilliant maneuver praised by users for sealing Black's fate by threatening to infiltrate, and the final zugzwang after 66.hxg5 Kxg5 67.Ke4, where Spassky resigned as his king couldn't defend both the e5 pawn and prevent White's king invasion. Black's passive rook and isolated pawns left no counterplay—after 67...Kf6, 68.Ra5 wins the e5 pawn decisively.
User discussions on chess forums highlight Fischer's endgame as "flawless" and "wonderful," emphasizing how he won despite Black's kingside passed pawn, thanks to superior rook activity and zugzwang motifs. Some note Fischer's style differed from his 1960s aggression, appearing more positional, possibly due to his long absence, but still world-class (estimated 2660 performance rating). Critics point out Spassky's middlegame inaccuracies, like 31...Ne7, as turning points. Overall, this game exemplifies Fischer's enduring genius, blending strategic patience with tactical precision in a high-stakes rematch that echoed their 1972 epic but under far more controversial circumstances.
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