In Russians versus Fischer, which I'm reading now, it has no annotation for the first three moves. First annotation of game 6 is on the 8th move, suggesting either Be2 or Bd3 instead of cxd5.
I'd say 3. d4 was a surprise for Spassky. Although it's given as the most popular move on Game Explorer here at chess.com, I don't see too big a problem with a king side fianchetto or even e3 to cover the pawn.
Outta curiousity, at book are you reading the game from?
I think the "surprise" is that Spassky suddenly finds himself dropped into a Queen's Gambit Declined, but it really isn't much of a surprise from what I understand about the English Opening's transpositional potential.
Wait a minute, I found an explanation. Makes sense to me.
From this site.
"
1.c4!?, (Maybe - '!')
Many writers gave this an exclam, mainly for surprise value.
Having been burned in game # 4, Fischer is not anxious to see what new "TN's" ...
(theoretical novelties) the Russians have prepared for him. (In his more normal lines.)
[ A more standard move order is: 1.d4 d5; 2.c4 e6; 3.Nc3 Nf6; 4.Bg5, ("+/=") {Diagram?}
etc. Then White will be playing the 'main line' of the Q.G.D. ].
1...e6;
Spassky almost always responded this way to the English, most of the time he would try to
transpose to a "Queen's Gambit Declined."
I think this is a weakness of Spassky's that he did NOT have a more varied approach
to meeting the English.
[ 1...Nf6!? ].
2.Nf3 d5; 3.d4, ('!')
White has transposed to a Q.G.D. (A "Queen's Gambit Declined.")
This is - in itself - a HUGE surprise, (!!!) as Fischer had NEVER (before) played this
opening from the White side in his whole, entire career!
(He always had said the "Queen's Gambit" was "boring ... and a draw.") "
I just have a question about Fischer's 3rd move. The first several moves are as follows:
1) c4...e6
2) Nf3...d5
3) d4...
In the book it says "the surprise value alone of this move is not to be underestimated." Could someone please explain the value of d4? I'm not disputing its importance; I just want to understand what variation this is and what kind of advantage it gives white.