Spassky's Immortal - "When Pawns Attack"

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Follow MprooV on Twitter / mproovapp #agadmator This team match was held between March 29th and April 4th, 1970. Participants for the Soviet Team were, in board order: Boris Spassky, Tigran Petrosian, Viktor Korchnoi, Lev Polugaevsky, Efim Geller, Vasily Smyslov, Mark Taimanov, Mikhail Botvinnik, Mikhail Tal, Paul Keres, and the Reserves, Leonid Stein and David Bronstein. Participants for the Rest of the World Team were, in board order: Bent Larsen, Bobby Fischer, Lajos Portisch, Vlastimil Hort, Svetozar Gligoric, Samuel Reshevsky, Wolfgang Uhlmann, Milan Matulovic, Miguel Najdorf, Borislav Ivkov, and the Reserves, Fridrik Olafsson and Klaus Viktor Darga.
Bent Larsen vs Boris Spassky
"When Pawns Attack" (game of the day Sep-15-2016)
USSR vs. Rest of the World (1970), Belgrade SRB, rd 2, Mar-31
Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern Variation (A01)
1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. c4 Nf6 4. Nf3 e4 5. Nd4 Bc5 6. Nc6 dc6 7. e3 Bf5 8. Qc2 Qe7 9. Be2 O-O-O 10. f4 Ng4 11. g3 h5 12. h3 h4 13. hg4 hg3 14. Rg1 Rh1 15. Rh1 g2 16. Rf1 Qh4 17. Kd1 gf1Q
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[@jarvis1508]

"Which do you prefer, chess, or sex? Depends on the position" Brilliant 😂

[@michiel4111]

Jarvis Morris i Saw that too lmao

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

"Bent" Larsen - played it like a gay!

[@pop9095]

heelfan- Silence prole. You would have played it like a real hetero and got stomped too.

[@sidjdykakjskdnejdif2891]

I prefer sex on the chess board

[@sidjdykakjskdnejdif2891]

Roman Goldovsky 😂

[@gwynjudd]

A good sporting move by Larsen to allow the checkmate

[@lukecash3500]

I get the sense that he allowed it because he saw how brilliant and aesthetically pleasing Spassky's play was.

[@griffisme4833]

I don't think he did, I remember studying this and it ending on gxf1Q

[@akmd114379]

@@griffisme4833 that's checkmate

[@Mainscout]

@@akmd114379 wait really? Can’t bishop take? It’s a mate in 2 or 3, innit?

[@jaapvandertuuk9307]

Actually,Larsen did not allow being mated,a great player but an enormous ego,bigger than Bobby's.

[@mon_playztv9177]

I was named after Larsen and all I see all over KZbin is this guys getting pummeled. If it's not to much to ask, can you do a video with him winning? Much appreciated.

[@agadmator]

+Larsen Villaranda I will :)

[@bjdaniels3810]

@@thenumeroncode6921 See Larsen vs Petrosian 1966 Santa Monica and you'll see why Larsen is no push-over. The game was a Sicilian Defense Marocsy Bind.

[@bjdaniels3810]

@@thenumeroncode6921 Of course, you didn't say he was a pushover. Did I print anything other than facts?

[@bjdaniels3810]

@@thenumeroncode6921 I clarified that already. Why so concerned about what other people will think? I was just narrating some facts. Do you have a problem with the English language? You're getting way off the road.

[@TransparentEclipse]

@@thenumeroncode6921 I declare u not crazy. I interpreted the comment exactly as u pointed out. U are in the right.

[@karimmoorad4128]

I just realized that Agad has been saying "hello everyone" for the last 5 years. Pure commitment 💚

[@thomasaskew1985]

Spassky was an artist of the highest order.

[@danielphipps415]

THIS game from Boris I think was clean, kept the pressure on his rival, he was relentless. pure attack, from the start. he showed his will to win this game. Brilliant.

[@marcwordsmith]

I agree. I think this is Spassky's most beautiful game. I've loved this game for longer than you've been alive, Mr. Agadmator! Thank you for the excellent (as always) presentation.

[@subhrajyoti1]

Growing up was my favorite match , it still is. A lot of immortal games are there but this one is just wonderful

[@gillrowley7264]

Great quote by Spassky, if he indeed said that!

[@agadmator]

+Gill Rowley So I've heard. What do you think Bobby would answer to this question? :)

[@gillrowley7264]

agadmator's Chess Channel I'll just quote Fischer. "Chess is everything".

[@mihaibulugea1902]

@@agadmator f*cking is for p*ssies

[@lukasg4807]

@@gillrowley7264 until he decided he hated it :(

[@colecarter2829]

Just watched Pawn Sacrifice, I'd love to see more Spassky games

[@mastrake]

That is my favorite Spassky game for sure. I was absolutely spell-bound when I played over that game for the first time.

[@cosmos1980]

When I saw the game between Fischer and Spassky, with Spassky genuinely applauding Fischer, little did I know that Spassky was a genius himself and capable of such brilliance

[@thisnicklldo]

It all looks so inevitable. Very beautiful.

[@shibasishbiswas3855]

Spassky became World champion defeated patrician in1969.he faced many difficulties in his childhood. He spend some years in a orphanage. His father was a soldier. He lived in France from 1976.he known as the all-rounder. He was ideal of Garry Kasparov. The revenge of the century was played between him and Bobby fisher in 1992.he always been a good friend of Bobby Fisher. Iconic figure.

[@JohnnyReb1976]

Him screwing up the game so quickly in the opening reminds me of me.

[@dr.drakeramoray789]

wow bent larsen looked hipster af

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

Styles repeat themselves... as you get older, you'll see.

[@ladi9403]

Bring back the agadmator opening: spinning chair variation to the beginning of the videos :)

[@VigoDoria]

Spinning chair is an exciting imagery that helps switching the brain to high gear for the upcoming epic chess battles.

[@ladi9403]

BerylusRed yeah I’ll get right on that

[@prakhardwivedi3649]

BerylusRed Fuck JESUS! Fuck Mary!

[@kyle-vj4lx]

Soundwave ay this is a Christian server so no swearing

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

@ZDProletariat "Hello everybody, let me show you a very nice photo of a very nice game. ... "

[@Lens98052]

I was astonished by this game's beauty when it was played. Thank you for reminding me of it.

[@Marlboro100sfan]

Do a wrong move at 4th move and suffer for whole game. Welcome to chess!

[@willnash7907]

Play perfectly for the whole game and still suffer for the whole game anyway because you got matched with idiots. Welcome to LoL!

[@user-qw5cn5qg9r]

Billy Hatzi xddd

[@hendriesantio8825]

@@willnash7907 so whats harder, chess or LoL?

[@willnash7907]

@@hendriesantio8825 If I was to give a snap reply I would have to say LoL. However that would probably be because I've played it at a higher level than chess. I have a few silver and bronze and a solitary gold medal as regional chess champion from my childhood and I was instructed by a very amiable and talented GM but that's still not a very high level of play. In league I am the elo equivelant of around that of International Master in terms of top % of all players. League has the potential to be as deep in strategy as chess and also challenging in different ways but also extremely easier.

[@willnash7907]

They are also both notoriously difficult to learn and while chess is more elegant league is more dynamic and expressive. I think chess is an excellent game but in the twenty-first century it has begun to show it's age. Elegance in the sense of depth with limited complexity has this disadvantage of feeling "solved" of "finite" after a certain point and I think we are past that with professional chess. In a way the game was more interesting when we knew less about it.

[@kagathal]

Well Spassky "Bent" Larsen over.

[@12jswilson]

Larsen was a strong enough to get demolished in very entertaining battles against eventual world champions like Fischer and Spassky. He was the 60's version of Shirov.

[@TransparentEclipse]

@@12jswilson sounds like topalov to me, everyone seems to have an immortal against that dude

[@12jswilson]

@@TransparentEclipse I associate that more with Shirov, but Topolov works too

[@user-cx2bk6pm2f]

The joke isn't funny. But you're probably a grown man with the mind of a child.. and that's kinda funny !

[@tonyclements]

Hey, Man! I have been watching MANY, MANY of your vids. THANK YOU for taking the time to share these games and your wonderful analyses as well. Glad to see your dog snoozing in the background, too! CHEERS!!

[@herzwatithink9289]

Agree! This game is an all-time classic.

[@SSmitar]

Holy shit that quote though!!! Never laughed so much in my life. 🤣🤣🤣

[@flamefusion8963]

Smit Ramteke😉🏘😂😞🐄🤔😒😎❄

[@vasiliscond9433]

Larsen was a gentleman letting Spassky mate

[@evanlove9687]

This is my favorite spassky game most informative

[@kennystimpson2775]

The first game I've memorized!

[@user-jy3io4iz2p]

Fantastic Spassky game. Thanks for the upload.

[@iaponasegantini3036]

Really nice channel! I have enjoy it for so long time. It is not just a lesson of chess but history and entertainment, all together! thank you. I will make sure to save some to contribute to your channel.

[@fredrikjernskau1480]

I enjoyed this game, but any Boris vs Fischer is probably my favorite. For me it’s impossible to pick just one, when any of them is beautiful in its own way.

[@cosmos1980]

This is the most stylish game I have ever seen

[@derekwitt9751]

I love the comment by Boris Spassky..

[@jeffjones6951]

Great commentary!

[@peterwarme7036]

one of my favourite games.

[@amyalindaily3781]

Thanks

[@peterbrandt6085]

Hi agadmator...Really like your videos and your commentary..You're the best.. This was a terrible game by Bent Larsen, but in fairness of Larsen you should show one of his many brilliant games. He was a fantastic player and for years the only player who could beat the soviets.....

[@TheAlex-dl6vz]

Great vid!!

[@richardfeynman5560]

Wow! Really an immortal game!

[@thomas8853]

This was in “the maurice ashley teaches chess pc program” . So far waiting on seeking tal game from the same program it has been the most dominate game I have ever seen. I have watched all the tal games since I’ve discovered you this channel since, looking for an understanding of the other side.

[@jonarmani8654]

Great play by Spassky here

[@Pouncingpuma7]

Amazing how quickly things can fall apart in chess even at the highest level

[@thesarasohrabi]

Someone said that spassky is underrated due to him being Fischer's contemporary..I was not sure but after seeing this game I think I can agree

[@zonszein]

Brilliater than any game played by Fischer ever 😊

[@alexisi.torres5936]

Oh please, you surely don’t mean that

[@jaapvandertuuk9307]

This is really nonsense.

[@jonathanruano4973]

I cannot help but think that while Spassky played brilliant moves, Larsen's two major blunders were ultimately responsible for his loss.

[@rohanp]

Beautiful game

[@lartensgrill6106]

Brutal game!

[@godoukusanagi8707]

Boris spassky is so my favorite funny chess player of all time now

[@jx14aby]

Spassky is the man!

[@jamesflagg4824]

Man, I wish I could see this stuff better. I always feel like I'm constantly trading pieces, or simply losing them.

[@averagejohnson3985]

Excellent quote

[@armaanmalhotra9042]

🔥🔥🔥

[@egyptianking4726]

Damn Spassky is a savage lmao that quote

[@ericsbuds]

i'd have to agree this was a great game.

[@gregoryzala136]

"Depends on the position" hahahah

[@RayFowler]

It all fell apart for Larsen with four consecutive inaccuracies starting with 10. f4. For example, Stockfish at 25ply shows these evaluations after each Larsen move: 9.Be2 (-0.31), 10. f4 (-1.28), 11. g3 (-3.28), 12. h3 (-5.74), 13. hxg4 (-9.97). In each case, there were better moves available.

[@Bazhul]

Why does, Larsen play his own opening like that? It seems almost obvious that white gets an uncomfortable position :\

[@jimskea224]

JC may have risen again, but Larsen didn´t.

[@mwangikimani3970]

Most likely this was the first positional refutation in top level play of what really is an inferior opening... The idea that White begins a game with the Fianchetto of the Queens Bishop flies in the face of the laws of chess. Of course even an inferior opening has novelty factor and Larsen must have beaten several strong players with this opening, especially if the opponent is looking for a quick tactical refutation of the opening can get into lots of trouble... The Catalan and Kings Indian Attack sometimes begin with g3, but this is the Kings bishop and therefore a primary developing move.

[@slafla]

Absolutely what Marco Kimani said regarding the novelty factor- playing an objectively weak opening and winning against some of the best players in the world was the Larsen trademark (See Larsen v Spassky, Amsterdam 1964 for example (*cough* #suggest)). It stands to reason that it would occasionally backfire, especially against someone as strong as Spassky was in 1970. If his opponent doesn't find the refutation over the board though, it's game over the other way.

[@FloydMaxwell]

In short, Larsen lost the center and never got it back.

[@aj502]

???? Ok then....

[@ALF8892]

Another awsome Spassky game is Spassky vs. Evans 1962 King's Indian, Samisch Variation.

[@FormostPanda]

It's awe inspiring to see a great player get crushed by another great player.

[@Gregoryt700]

At ... Rh1 by Spassky, the move was apparently met with applause in the playing hall by the spectators.

[@LJLMETAL]

Great attack by Spassky

[@gaifogel1]

Larsen plays the Larsen attack!

[@jasperhalsey8574]

best quote chess quote i’ve read so far😂

[@awesomeguy684]

Haha I remember typing that into one of the stream chats.

[@danschmo7413]

I'd like to see more b4 openings please.

[@mirokajevskivelevski8895]

It's the best

[@arvindshastry]

This is spassky's immortal game!

[@tottenvillemiddleschool94]

This game looks interesting

[@weeooh1]

Spassky brilliant, sure. But its almost like Larsen threw away the game with that horrible b2 opening. He was immediately in trouble in just a few moves.

[@erberlon]

dude, that's literally the Larsen Attack, it's his opening, he was very strong with it, and he made it popular, even Fischer played it. Nowedays it is very rare, but in the time of Larsen, he was well known for this opening

[@weeooh1]

Yes I noticed mentioned in the vid that it was a Larsen opening. But to see Larsen (the supposed master of this opening) doing so horrible with it so early is not a good testament for it. I am sure he had better results with it in other games, but here he was crushed so badly one cannot help but think this would not have been the case with alternate openings.

[@maelstrom57]

1 b3 is an okay opening. Larsen didn't play it correctly, though.

[@aj502]

I think the 3. c4 move ruined it...He would have prolly put up a better fight with something else. (e4 would be my choice, but I'm just a 1300~ :P )

[@badcornflakes6374]

B3

[@josephcoleman57]

it's quite unbelievable Larson doesn't move his knight and castle queen side

[@krisnachristian8212]

What a quote! Where did you find that?

[@anand.s.manjeri9278]

#suggestion - Petrosian vs Kasparov Petrosian destroying the attack by Garry with amazing king walks. If possible please. Really love your channel- Anand (not Vishu Anand ;) ) from India

[@eminence_]

Inspired by this channel - I just started playing chess. It's great and I feel like I'm learning quickly, but the games I play just keep spinning in my head even if I'm not playing. Today I woke up and I was dreaming a chess game, I could see the board in my head and one part of my mind was still figuring the next move. Is this normal? :D

[@agadmator]

+eminence Completely normal :)

[@DaveGeelen88]

sure ! check the docu on youtube fischer against the world !

[@8BallScience]

Yes

[@Rivler20]

When I talk to somebody, I have chess moves in my mind, and its not even deliberate on my part :)

[@cbkusman9068]

all of here suffer this, chess keeps runningin my mindad subconciously

[@cristiangamboa2037]

Wow an actual check mate between grand masters

[@adememresadkoglu1532]

larsen seemed to enjoy getting himself in cramped positions

[@wolfgangwilhelm9699]

3:44 I think, it was GM Yasser Seirawan, who said, that a Russian man don't retreat back. And about the move 4:58 h1 it was from an other star.

[@HeartlandTuber]

After watching this game a second time, I have to conclude that it is difficult to award an immortal designation to Spassky for a game against a position that was so poorly conceived by Larsen that from the fifth or sixth move on it was amateurishly cramped, and begging to be overwhelmed and crushed. Maybe this should instead be called Larsen's Mortal game, or maybe Larsen's Death Cramp Game.

[@cd1168]

Vicious

[@sesh7357]

Sad Spassky doesn't get the recognition he deserves

[@anton0180]

Wei Yi games, by any chance?

[@Nullifidian]

4:55 - In this position, another thing Spassky could have done is play Qh4 immediately. If Larsen were to play Rg2 to prevent any g2+ discoveries, then Qxg4!, offering a queen sacrifice, is the strongest move. The sac can't be accepted because of Rh1+ Rg1 Rxg1+ Ke2 Bxg4#. However, if white doesn't accept the sac, it's difficult for him to find a continuation. If white were to play Bf1, blocking any threats of Rh1+, then Rh1 is played anyway pinning the bishop with Qf3 on the next move. If white were to try to gain an escape square for the king by playing d3 or d4, which seems to be the best of several bad options, then exd3 (en passant if d4 is played) puts a protected pawn on d3 and threatens both the queen and the bishop, practically forcing Bxg4. But if that's played, then black doesn't recapture immediately, but plays Rh1+ forcing the king to the d2 square, then dxc2+ (disc.) winning the queen with tempo, and only after Kc3 playing Bxg4. The pawn is no longer defended, so it can be captured, but the g-pawn is still there and the bishop pair can be maneuvered to cover all the squares it needs to pass through.

[@jozio1891]

"Which do you prefer, chess or sex? Depends ont the position" agadmator Brilliancy :D

[@abdelrahmananbar6286]

The quote though lol

[@mudasirnapar2452]

Sir please show us world championship held between Spassky and Peterson

[@PaterTenebrarum1]

We can also state: Spassky doesn't overlook any mates in one....:)

[@shuqiongliang887]

The team match

[@srikanths7873]

The *pawn on top* position

[@pietplatzak9809]

i enjoy youre short video's. but i have the question when you call a game an "immortal" game

[@theneapolitanchord8884]

piet platzak the game has great educational and aesthetic value and will be studied by serious players in the future for many years to come.

[@gillrowley7264]

I've seen hundreds of Spassky games - most of the time he outlasts his opponent - this one he destroyed the third greatest chess player back in 1970. It was brilliant.

[@Mrius86]

Spassky won the chess game. But Larsen won the slick hair competition.

[@davidcopson5800]

I don't know, Spassky has pretty good hair - even today!

[@kishansoni6787]

any chess loving person will immediately subscribe to this channel .

[@badjaeaux]

i have few even more beautiful games only i lost most of the games

[@tonyennis3008]

Larsen seems like he's good enough that defeating him is a fine victory, but not so good that he's an actual danger to a true WC contender.

[@JacksonDMM]

Does anyone know which software he uses?

[@terryglenweaver]

I cannot keep up when I cannot hear, can always turn the volume down.

[@themargrave]

Is it me, or is Bent Larsen's primary role in chess history to be the designated 'opponent' in so many amazing games? He reminds me of the incredibly intimidating monster that you KNOW will always find a way to lose. I'm exaggerating, but still. He's still better than Hoodie Guy I guess!

[@griffisme4833]

I remember this game, didn't larsen resign after gxf1Q?

[@pokerandphilosophy8328]

Larsen probably played Larsen's Opening because it was popular at the time and he didn't bother to study it properly.

[@fienddube]

PN Houle I don’t think it was all that popular was it? It gives black too much by focusing on Qside development at the price of king safety of white. Granted, this game is an extreme example of that.

[@UsaydTV]

agadmator - do you know what "check mate" means and its etymology?

[@christianchapoco5472]

Bent larsen looks modern haha

[@newfbs]

News announcement!! The dog fell from the sofa on move 7... Bf5!! Very disturbing - the bishop goes on the attack and the dog runs away!

[@atmunn1]

I saw in another comment section where you loved someone's comment for no reason.

[@nicolaszan1845]

So who won the USSR vs Rest of the World match then? They both have amazingly strong players on their side....