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I used to play chess regularly until the mid-70's. This game was a highlight.

Bent Larsen offered me a draw at one point, but I turned him down and went on to lose. My friend Pascal Diethelem submitted the game to the local newspaper. While cleaning out a filing cabinet in 2003, I found the game as published in the Tribune de Geneve, August 5, 1974.

A game played by the Danish grand master, Bent Larsen, during a session of simultaneous games at New Haven, USA, in June 1974.

I play white.

Move White Black Comment
1 c4 c5  
2 Nc3 Nc6  
3 Nf3 g6  
4 e3 d6  
5 h3 Bg7  
6 Be2 Nf6  
7 d4 cxd4  
8 exd4 O-O  
9 O-O d5  
10 c5 Ne4  
11 Be3 f5  
12 Qb3 e6  
13 Rad1 Rb8  
14 Bf4 Ra8  
15 Nb5 g5  
16 Bd6 Rf7  
17 Ne5 Nxe5  
18 dxe5 a6  
19 Nd4 Nxd6  
20 exd6 Qa5  
21 Bh5 Bxd4 Sacrafice of quality to eliminate two troubling pawns
22 Bxf7 + Kxf7  
23 d7 Bxc5  
24 dxc8 Rxc8 Alternative suggested by editor below
25 Qxb7 + Rc7  
26 Qb3 Qb5  
27 Qxb5 axb5  
28 Rc1 b4  
29 Rc2 Ke7  
30 Rfc1 Kd6  
31 Kf1 e5  
32 Ke2 e4  
33 a3 d4  
34 Kd1 d3  
35 Rc4 bxa3  
36 bxa3 Kd5  
37 a4 f4  
38 a5 e3 The race of pawns
39 fxe3 fxe3  
40 a6 e2 +  
41 Kd2 Bb4 +  
42 Kxd3 Rxc4  
43 a7 ! e1 = N + ! This actually happens in real games! (I never even considered the possibility.)
44 Rxe1 Rc3 +  
45 Ke2 Ra3  
46 Rb1 Bc5  
47 Rb7 Rxa7  
48 Rxa7 Bxa7  
49 g3 Ke4 White abandons. A belle lutte!
 

Alternative Suggested by Editor.

Move White Black Comment
24 Rxd5 exd5  
25 Qxd5 + Ke7  
26 d8 = Q + QxD8  
27 Re1 +