Spassky's 17-Move Demolition

Billed as the Match of the Century, the 1970 USSR versus Rest of the World event paired Bent Larsen, on board one for the World team ahead of Fischer at his own insistence, against reigning World Champion Boris Spassky. Larsen opened with his favourite 1.b3, and Spassky met the flank opening with an aggressive central response, pushing ...e4 and following up with the unusual kingside knight sortie ...Ng4.

What followed is one of the most compressed attacking sequences ever played by a reigning World Champion. After 12...h4, Larsen was forced to capture on g4, opening the h-file; two moves later Spassky played 14...Rh1!!, giving up an entire rook so that his advanced g-pawn could keep running. Larsen's king never found safety, and after 17...gxf1=Q+, a pawn capturing the rook on f1 while promoting with check, Larsen resigned, only seventeen moves into the game.

The game is remembered as much for its context as for the moves. Larsen had claimed the top board for the World team ahead of Fischer, a decision that looked reasonable on paper given Larsen's recent results, but one that this particular loss did a great deal to make look premature.