Not Boring

In NIC no. 6, Pelletier reports that US grandmaster Nakamura is already bored studying the games of Smylsov. So one day I decided to haul myself down to the local chess shop and pick up Smyslov's 125 Selected Games.

When inspecting the book, the store owner, Peter Parr, informs me of Smyslov-Fuller from Hastings, 1968.

Mr Nakamura may be bored studying the games of his predecessors but the game (presented below) is certainly not boring. Against the Australian, the one-time World Champion was at his tactical best.

Hastings, 1968
Smyslov, Vasily
Fuller, Maxwell
E61

1. Nf3 g6 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 O-O 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 d6 7. e3 Nbd7 8. Be2 e5 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. O-O c6 11. b4

After 11. b4

Smylov writes: "White's strategic plan is clear. He intends to advance his pawn to c5, gaining a strong point at d6. and then direct his knight there (Nd2-c4-d6). In this case the open d-file becomes an important attacking line of communications." 11...a5 12. a3 axb4 13. axb4 Rxa1 14. Qxa1 g5 15. Bg3 Nh5 16. Nd2 Nxg3 17. hxg3 Nb6 18. Rd1 Be6 19. Nce4 Qc7 20. Nc5 Ra8 21. Nxe6 Qe7 22. Qb1 Qxe6 23. c5 Nd5 24. Bc4 Qg4 25. Ne4 Nc7

After 25. Nc7

26. Nf6+! Bxf6 27. Qg6+ Bg7 28. Qxf7+ Kh8? 29. Rd7 1-0

The two later had a rematch at the Politiken Cup, 1980; again, Smyslov was too strong.