The Strangest Sacrifice in Chess History. Averbakh vs Spassky

What to do when you misplay the opening and get a strategically lost position after the first ten moves. When you are completely squeezed, have no chances of counterplay and your opponent starts a devastating pawn storm on the kingside. In this game all this happens to the future World Champion Boris Spassky. However, Spassky doesn't give up and finds a miraculous idea. In the hopeless position Spassky comes up with one of the most unusual sacrifices in chess history. A Dutch novelist and chess player Tim Krabbe even called it the greatest move ever made in chess history.
1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. d4 Bg7 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 c5 7. d5 Qa5 8. Bd2 a6 9. a4 e5 10. g4 Ne8 11. h4 f5 12. h5 f4 13. g5 Qd8 14. Bg4 Nc7 15. Bxc8 Qxc8 16. Nf3 Nc6 17. dxc6 bxc6 18. Nh4 Qe8 19. hxg6 hxg6 20. Qg4 Rb8 21. Nd1 Ne6 22. Ra3 Nd4 23. Rah3 Qf7 24. Bc3 Rfe8 25. R3h2 Qxc4 26. Nxg6 Re6 27. Bxd4 Rxg6 28. Qf5 Qe6 29. Qxe6+ Rxe6 30. Bc3 d5 31. f3 Rb3 32. Rh3 c4 33. Kd2 Rg6 34. Rg1 d4 35. Ba5 Bf8 36. Rg4 Rd6 37. Kc2 Rd7 38. g6 Rdb7 39. Be1 c5 40. Rgh4 Bg7 41. Ba5 c3 42. bxc3 Ra3 43. cxd4 exd4 44. Rxf4 Ra2+ 45. Kd3 Rb1 46. Rh1 Rxa4 47. Kc2 Rb5 48. e5 d3+ 49. Kxd3 Rxf4 50. Bc3 Rxf3+ 51. Ke4 Rg3 52. Kf4 Rxg6 53. Ne3 Rb8 54. Nf5 Rf8 55. Rh5 Re8 56. Ke4 Rg1 57. Rh3 Bf8 58. Kd5 Rd1+ 59. Ke4 Rc1 60. Kd5 Rd1+ 61. Ke4 Rd7 62. Nh6+ Bxh6 63. Rxh6 Rh7 64. Rg6+ Kf7 65. Rf6+ Ke7 66. Rc6 Kd7 67. Rxc5 Rh6 68. Kd5 Rb6 69. Ba5 Rb5 70. Rxb5 axb5 71. e6+ Rxe6 72. Kc5 Re5+ 73. Kb6 1/2-1/2

[@shawnv123]

spassky is such an underrated chess player, it sucks that he’s only remembered for his loss against fischer

[@davidgoble8891]

Absolutely he is definitely one of the best of all time... His game against Bent Larson is incredible

[@paulburtwistle5665]

I agree. He was one of the best players of the 20th century, and in addition to that, he is a cultured, well educated, gentleman unlike his nemesis Bobby Fischer.

[@BREAKocean]

My favorite thing about him was how he played some unsound gambits at the top level and won

[@ChristopherRuggiero-mm4ky]

He's not underrated. Considered one of the best ever. Ask a Russian if he's underrated. Terrible comment

[@BREAKocean]

@@ChristopherRuggiero-mm4ky On the internet and when talking about historical significance, it is Always Fischer, Kasparov, Carlsen that are considered top tier. There are many World Champions that are not as popular like Smyslov and Euwe

[@fvujacic]

This was a wonderful analysis of a very complicated game. Spassky's sacrifice was completely unexpected and threw Averbakh off but in the ending he produced his own magic! An extensive analysis was called for and the length is appropriate. I love your channel and will recommend it to friends! I used the be an active chess player in my youth in the 1970s and early 1980s in Yugoslavia. I remember analyzing many of the games you present from earlier periods. Your presentation of the Botvinnik - Bronstein match was superb. Consider presenting the Kotov - Gligoric game from the Zurich tournament - an early example of a double pawn sacrifice for blockade on the dark squares. And also Gligoric's invention of the Mar del Plata variation in the King's Indian against Najdorf!

[@chesswisdom]

Thank you very much! I appreciate it.

[@jurajcacic6229]

,dddr

[@louiscypher6919]

WOW, really amazing explanation, I would love to see more videos about soviet players, like Spassky, Korchnoi etc. Thank You!

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure! A video about Korchnoi is coming soon.

[@user-kg7yc1nb5o]

Wow, one of the best chess videos on KZbin. Keep making videos, you are amazing!

[@chesswisdom]

Thank you very much!

[@ytmndman]

I saw this game many years ago and I just took it for granted that the sacrifice was good because the annotator said so and black managed to draw the game, but I didn't understand the move at all. Now I can actually understand it, looking at it today.

[@alieskandari633]

What a beautiful and complex game. Genius of Spassky deserved him to become the world champion sooner and last longer. Thank you for game of the day

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure.

[@jeremyorr9227]

I really like your analysis

[@andreitiberiovicgazdovici]

Unfortunately Spassky is remembered today only for having lost the world title to Fischer in 1972. But Spassky was a truly exceptional player, and deservedly led the Soviet national chess team for many years... and Tal, Petrosyan, Taimanov played there ...a great player

[@amosdraak3536]

@@andreitiberiovicgazdovici He is most notably remembered for that by and large, but once one gets more “mature” as a chess player, they don’t have that opinion anymore. I felt that way a few years ago but when I think of Spassky now I honestly rarely think about his loss of that match and more of how powerful of a player he was, as well as the fact that he admitted he wasn’t that interested in defending the crown anymore by that point

[@Rkcuddles]

Love it. Hope to see more from you

[@therhubarb]

An enthralling video, thanks... one of the best chess vids I've ever watched!

[@chesswisdom]

Thank you!

[@TheOneMonk]

An amazing game and a very good analysis. Spassky‘s advantage after the stunning sacrifice: a plan and activity. Interestingly he gives this advantage back after winning back material and now it is White who has a plan and active figures. The icing on the cake is that the longtime passive Knight suddenly becomes a strongpoint, together with the active King. Very entertaining game and lots to learn! Thanks!

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure!

[@johnburns9634]

Great Video! Thanks for sharing!

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure!

[@davidkalinov4570]

I am so happy that I found your channel. I am learning so much by watching your videos. Great analysis!

[@chesswisdom]

I am also happy that the channel found you!

[@nadavfranckovich2811]

Great stuff, i like the analysis and it's good that it's long and detailed, you really explain all the important aspects and the tactics and dynamics of the game so well

[@ericastier1646]

Wow you explanations are the best, i could follow most of it. You don't rush and are poised and clear, i like it. Some others speak very fast to look like they can think fast but actually they're maybe hiding less understanding. You are like extending my view into a level i don't have and i can get a true impression of how it feels to play at a higher level which i couldn't from others. Well done. Suscribed.

[@chesswisdom]

Thank you for your kind words.

[@adriannudelman4519]

Tottally agree. Suscribe x2

[@popitoto]

Very good instructive chess video!

[@ahmadkoopal3120]

Very nice commentary on a beautiful game.

[@strong8705]

Superb insight, presentation, rhythm, and of course game.

[@alexisperrottey1640]

Great video and great sacrifice

[@henrysalami7593]

Loved the analysis with the understanding of probabilities shown as calculations by the participants considerations .. the hour long pause comment correctly emphasized .. and highlighted errors .. the length of the video is respective to the complexity of the match and deserves its due .. thanks

[@pavel_insight]

Thanks a lot, great analysis. :)

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure.

[@hallu6666]

An exemplary game to study chess strategy and tactics. You cannot find such gems of games under time control.

[@wikradani]

sooner or later this channel will be one of the best chess channel in the world. How you explain the opening, mid game Ideas and all the tension really remarkable. thank you so much that's all I can say.

[@chesswisdom]

Thank you very much for your kind words.

[@wikradani]

@@chesswisdom you are welcome Sir

[@marcomontangero6918]

Very nice match and really good analysis. Thank you

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure.

[@airtondossantos9789]

Nice analysis. This game was impressive. Thank you for present us with your knowledge.

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure.

[@sharegreats2157]

Good game and well presented. Thanks.

[@chesswisdom]

Thank you.

[@kevinmurphy4595]

One of the most instructive games Ive ever seen

[@Ilovemarvelll]

Both Averbakh and Spassky were so good players it is insane they are too underrated

[@sesh7357]

a great game, nicely explained.

[@dannieee333]

really good analysis :D thank you shukran❤

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure.

[@johannesbitterhaupt251]

brillant analysis

[@zogzog1063]

One Soviet GM said of NC6 "I would rather resign than play such a move"

[@modolief]

Superb!

[@giovannicorno1247]

Very beatiful game indeed!

[@snactimusmaximus]

Well explained.

[@donaldevans5752]

Brilliant play .

[@123ARES]

Acesta este șahul adevărat și nu blitzurile promovate activ din ziua de azi. Eu am ca favoriși pe: Paul Keres, Max Euwe, Boris Spassky, Alexander Kotov și Anatoli Karpov.

[@user-zj1fo4oo4y]

Nice. Very nice!

[@zelandakhniteblade5436]

Important context for this game is that Averbakh played precisely the same line, all the way until 13. g5, 2 years prior to this game against Oscar Panno. Panno played 13...Rf7 instead of ...Qd8 and the game continued 14. Bg4 Qd8; 15. Bxc8 Qxc8; 16. Nf3 Bf8 with white winning in 31. Therefore Spassky can hardly not have been prepared for this. It thus seems to me highly likely that the 16...Nc6 sacrifice was pre-game analysis. Averbakh played precisely the moves that could be predicted from the previous game and substituting ...Nc7 for ...Rf7 can be seen as preparing the planned ...Nc6 idea. Therefore calling it the greatest move in chess history is to me just wrong. But the idea of preparing deep opening novelties like this was relatively new in 1956 so it is easy to understand why others might think that way at the time. In the modern game, such prep is commonplace. You could give 100 or more prepped computer moves a similar moniker and be equally (in)correct.

[@mathswithgarry7104]

Surely it was a great move, regardless og whether it was prepared or not.

[@zelandakhniteblade5436]

@@mathswithgarry7104 Sure, a great move, just like the other 100+ great moves from prep I mentioned. But the greatest? For that I don't think you can take prep but should instead look at one of the great OTB visionary moves. It is not like there is a shortage of these to choose from.

[@gabydewilde]

This game indeed changes everything.

[@ernieschwarcz9077]

Excellent! The length is not too long.

[@mayanm7105]

KID, Boris Spassky, Legendary material

[@FloydMaxwell]

Averbakh lived to be 100, and played chess right up to the end

[@FenceThis]

in The future, many will live to be 100 and play Minecraft right up to the end

[@mr.kochappan2418]

@@FenceThisBut Aurbach lived up to 100 and played chess right unto the end.

[@BREAKocean]

Hell yeah. I always joke about elderly homes for òur generation having gaming pcs and 8k tv with a bunch of streaming services​@@FenceThis

[@FenceThis]

@@BREAKocean 😀

[@matruprasadjyotiranjan8138]

What a game

[@yogi9631]

Absolutely superb game. Probably not up to the Queen sacrifice level of Fischer vs Burn's game purely because the result was a drawn game. Furthermore, both players had the opportunities to win and was missed by both. I swear I would love to see how Fischer would do against Spassky in this same scenario.......!!! (I strongly feel Fischer would win because of his relentless attack MO). Been a new Chess student at 50+ with a score of probably under 400 atm (with potential improvements), I don't think I have the authority to make any recommendations. However, I was surprised to see the White took the Black Knight even after 1 hour of thought! Even as an L plater under score of 400, I would immediately smell a rat in the Black knight move. A great and complex game, far beyond my abilities.

[@MichaelJordan-xp3yb]

Spassky been real quiet since vidits king sacrifice

[@andreasandergast6839]

A really great game of Spassky.

[@Lovin_It]

I don't see this move as anywhere close to the best move in chess. Curious what further analysis of that position will yield [not that this is so important either].

[@nabilkha5647]

Merci .

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure.

[@michael-grandpamoses2571]

Wicked game

[@TheNameOfJesus]

I understood every word. And I'm not a great chess player.

[@anatolydn]

After such analysis it’s getting clear that computers destroyed the spirit of old good chess

[@BREAKocean]

In blitz at the top level you still some craziness he engine wouldn't agree with. Magnus sacrificed his queen in a crazy game against anish

[@siddhiawal9159]

Defender in this game was fantastic

[@daviddurbin7682]

Pretty amazing game

[@indianfan1029]

Couple of things. Firstly that sacrifice was pretty obvious to spot in this video. Because you had already given us the hints regarding what Black's problems were. So for grand masters i m sure that's not a very hard move to spot. Secondly, black could have gotten the b5 pawn break in if he was willing to sacrifice some material. White was basically just playing for one side of the board. infact, just one file actually. So he really didn't have any prepration or defence on the other side.

[@zetristan4525]

Chess is so much better in the Russian accent! Better cuntrol of tyektikal variations too.🕊️ And note you didn't mention the other possible square for the Black king in Averbakh's winning option: 27 Rh8+ Bxh8 28 Rxh8+ *Kf7* 29 Rxb8 f3 which I think is met with the nice forking sacrifice 30 Nxe5+! opening up 31 Qh5+ 1-0

[@zithromaxzomax4610]

Nice school chess !

[@vyacheslavb079]

Great review of the famous game. However, some important points were not shown. On the 17th move the Knight's sacrifice should be taken, but intermediate 17.h6 or even pawn exchange 17. hg6 were better. After 20... Rb8 there were two better ways to defend b2. 21. 0-0-0! or nice 21. Qh3!?. After mistaken 21.Nd1? white were too passive to have good progress, but still winning. 24.0-0! was a good option compared to 24.Bc3 And of course 27.Rh8! wins immediately, but Averbakh played 27.Bd4, still winning , then luckily, he finds that ingenuity in the endgame.

[@bigpoppa192]

I found the best move in chess history

[@Ricardo7250]

I love that sacrifice. That knight was incredibly useless, and yet, deploying it as fodder for the white center pawn created a real counterattack for black

[@asgeiroverby34]

Spassky was about to be suffocated. When in extreme need good ideas often duck up. But he knew Averback was an endgame specialist, he had to avoid it going that way.

[@magicsinglez]

Spassky is a genius

[@captain007x]

Every move faced a trap or an advantage. Intriguing fame.

[@aaronwalderslade]

While paused my own favourite move is Ne6.

[@ScottySkilz1]

@ 17:23 couldnt Spassky play bishop to f6 or no because he is down material already?

[@chesswisdom]

Yes, Bf6 is perfectly playable, however, this move doesn't create any threats, as Black cannot capture the g5 pawn next move - if he captures with the rook, a pair of rooks would be exchanged, while Black needs both of his rooks to create the counter play on the queenside. And if Black captures the g5 pawn with the bishop, White plays Rh5 and the bishop would fall next move.

[@ScottySkilz1]

@@chesswisdom ok ty for clarifying

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure.

[@ernestogarcillan1977]

why not Nf3 instead of R3h2

[@muskyoxes]

If the h file attack is so inevitable, it would stay that way if Nd4 is allowed. This makes no sense

[@johnlux1699]

How many moves total. I like this stat but we never get it.

[@chesswisdom]

73 moves. You can find this information in the description of the video.

[@johnlux1699]

I do thank you for that. This game is such an adventure, I had to know.😎

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure.

[@austinlance7206]

Spassky never lost while playing with white in the king's gambit.

[@kenneththorberg6914]

Hello chessplayers around the world. I´m just tryin´to establish a new type of chess called "Double-draw". The simple point of it is to eliminate blacks disadvantage of being a step behind all the time. The rules is as follows : White starts as usual with one draw then black makes two consecutive draws followed with two draws for white and so it continues throughout the game. You are only allowed to check on your SECOND draw and you have to use two DIFFERENT pieces for the double draw unless of course you´re only left with the king. I tried this just recently in a IRL game so I don´t really know if there are any illogicality that might occur due to the rules in more complicated positions. Please try with your friends and let me know what you think ; but you have to play IRL games as you can´t find this on internet. Yet!

[@johndalzell904]

When you say "draw" do you mean "move"? I've seen "double chess" where each side has 2 moves in a row, but white must either win or draw with best play. Your modifications look interesting to make the game more even.

[@PlaguevonKarma]

6:00 bookmark

[@stgmt6117]

Excuse me, sir, are you a native English speaker? You have a beautiful accent.

[@chesswisdom]

Thank you, sir. I'm Azerbaijani.

[@ExtraditionLawFirm]

👍

[@YingTou1]

(0:37) Tim Krabbé - (emphasis on "bé").

[@YingTou1]

Tim Krabbé: "The Rider" - recommended. (Also for those chess players who do not engage in cycling to keep their "mens sana in corpore sano".)

[@apennameandthata2017]

bishop to e3?

[@YingTou1]

(12:37) Kg7 - why not Kf7 - since then there would have been no pin on the d4 knight (13:05)?

[@chesswisdom]

In this case the white queen would capture the f4 pawn with a check, which leads to checkmate - 28...Kf7 29. Rxb8 f3 30. Nf4 exf4 31. Qxf4+ Kg7 32. Qf8+ Kg6 33. Qh6+ Kf7 34. Qh7#

[@YingTou1]

Thank you so much for spending some of your valuable time to please this engine- and clueless enthusiast rookie.@@chesswisdom

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure :)

[@sonphan739]

There are so many mistakes on both sides. Lots of pieces hanging.

[@takenote8613]

How is that a draw when the king can go around the rock to the pawn to push it?

[@johnnyrepine937]

7:25 He spent an hour before his next move...Was this before chess timers?

[@chesswisdom]

No, I guess the time control was 2 hours for the first 40 moves.

[@Arcturus367]

@@chesswisdom Afaik they had 2.5 hours per player for the first forty moves, followed by adjournment

[@chesswisdom]

@@Arcturus367 Yes, most probably you're right.

[@kevinbyrne4538]

Hmmm ... errors on both sides lead to ... a draw.

[@evilbritta2]

Remi pos, couldn’t black king just have moved behind the rook and in the long run captured the bishop after losing the pawn? What am i missing?

[@chesswisdom]

White needs just 3 moves to capture the pawn (Bb4, Bc5 and Kxb5), and the arising rook vs bishop endgame is a theoretical draw.

[@albertahlstrom713]

@@chesswisdom awesome, thx for explaining. Just realized i missed the end explanation in the video

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure.

[@bach5861]

After e5 d3+ black win the rook.

[@vermeirenniels3464]

1:12 Can't black just play Nbd7 and protect both threats while only losing a single pawn?

[@chesswisdom]

Yes, but in this case White is up a pawn and Black has no compensation for it. So by playing precisely White must win in this position.

[@vermeirenniels3464]

@@chesswisdom oh I see, thanks 😁

[@ranarauf9259]

that was very sloppy chess all over!!

[@sHaterred-vh7cs]

Hm they are playing classic with 12 h not blitz they not good enough to be top players 😅 good game many mistakes for classical game tho

[@underratedcritic1983]

Soon as Black sacrificed his Knight, I knew something special was about to go down.

[@ernestogarcillan1977]

white can play now f3, Nf2, Ng4 heading Nf6

[@chesswisdom]

Yeah, that was a possible plan. The problem is, f3 weakens the e3 square and after white moves the d1 knight (which was also defending the e3 square) to f2, the black knight can invade e3 via c2 (with a check) attacking the white queen and the c4 pawn. That might be one of the reasons White played Rh2, to take under control the second rank, and prevent Nc2+.

[@ernestogarcillan1977]

@@chesswisdom oh i didn't saw that.. thanks for answering my comment..

[@chesswisdom]

My pleasure.

[@magicsinglez]

What is it called when you have s triple-fork? When the knight threatens 3 separate pieces at the same time?

[@chesswisdom]

I've just found this on Wikipedia: "A fork of the king and queen, the highest material-gaining fork possible, is sometimes called a royal fork. A fork of the enemy king, queen, and one (or both) rooks is sometimes called a grand fork. A knight fork of the enemy king, queen, and possibly other pieces is sometimes called a family fork".

[@no-one-in-particular]

Many forks is called an orgy

[@rickprice7919]

I do not agree, I have seen games which are much more innovated. This game had real blunders by both players. Spassky approach was just a normal use of errors due his opponents' mistakes later after his. I think both players were true grandmasters but this game in not exceptional. Donald Byrne's loss to Robert Fischer is one of the greatest games in chess history. And there are many more examples. Always nice to win a lost game, I have done so myself! USCF NM

[@righo96]

It's not about the game, it's about the miraculous Nc6. And the fact that you have already turned around a lost game is irrelevant here. Thanks.

[@yusufyusuf1998]

thanks for thinking a world champion is a true grandmaster. what would the world be if you didnt think so. you are truly our saviour i shall express our gratitude in behalf of humanity

[@LastDance007]

Who play's white ?

[@chesswisdom]

Yuri Averbakh.

[@rotvonrat]

Can't be that great when I even saw the move.

[@nasyr3]

THEY AGREED TO A DRAW?? NO one considered in all these years Black king can move to e6 f5 upto c4??

[@Skjeggspir]

Wrong, white captures the pawn way before that.

[@antoniusgolly3417]

That was actually explained in the commentary. Whatever black does, white can go bishop b4, followed by bishop c5, blocking the rook away. If black captures the bishop, white will capture the rook an the pawn next, no way to prevent that by black. If black doesn't capture, the pawn will fall. All ends in draw, as said.

[@user-vk2rm3rb4c]

he lost against Fischer hahahaha he can draw but cannot win.

[@brianssemondo6398]

Q E8

[@KirubanithiKiruba-vo6ih]

Who is winner is none other than Boris Spasky Boris Spasky just acting like a child against Bobby Fisher after first game wining by Spasky Fisher crying like a child but not against genius Spasky so Spasky surrendered to a child like Bobby Fisher afraid of Anotoly Karpov because he has no own brain

[@user-wo9bc1du4y]

Tedious narration but an excellent sacrifice just the same.

[@mvitalyus]

Хватит насиловать английский язык. Начните со звука [h] в слове "hеlp". Это не звук русского языка в слове "хлеб". Просто сделайте выдох без сжатия челюстей характерного для русского "х".

[@user-nu8hw3hf3x]

aa

[@justinwalt8417]

downvote for the unskippable ads

[@DickEnchilada]

The Soviet era of Chess was truly a magical time to be a player. Nc6 is such a beautiful positional sacrifice.

[@dinofx35]

Game full of blunders. What’s the big deal?

[@user-iu8fj9ch8v]

Spassky = 2500 Gm(present day)