Game has been getting younger by the day

Chess Checks

However for the next World Chess championship scheduled in 2012 it will be 42-year-old Viswanathan Anand against 43-year-old Boris Gelfand of Israel which indicates that form and experience cannot be shrugged off and it is consistency which matters most.
There have been innumerable debates about how the Old Masters would have fared against the teen talents of today, though comparisons of this sort are rather unfair. However there have been tournaments where top chess players have played against veterans and so called established youngsters against the Old Masters. The ensuing game is one such where former World Champion Boris Spassky takes on youngster Shaked Tal.

White: Shaked Tal (2535) – Black: Boris Spassky (2535)
Cannes Generations, 1998
The Scotch Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4
The Scotch game
3. ..exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4 5.Qxd4
Some quick exchanges
5. ..Ne7 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.Qe3
If 7.Qd1 a6 8.Be3 Bb4 9.a3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 0–0
7...g6. Black played a new move here.  The continuations usually are 7...Bb4 8.Bd2 0–0 9.Bc4 d6 10.0–0 Be6 11.Nd5 Bxd2 12.Qxd2 Bxd5 13.exd5 Ne5. Also played is Nb4 8.Bd3 Be7 9.Nd5
8.Bd2 Bg7 9.0–0–0
The players are yet to complete their developments and Qhite quickly decides to castle on the queen side
9. ..Qf6 10.f4 . White could have also given a thought to 10.g4
10. ..0–0. Black castles on the King side only. If 10...d6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Nd5 Qd6 13.Bc3 0–0
11.e5. White can also try out 11.h4 here
11. ..Qe6 12.Qe4. An interesting move with the promise of positing the bishop and knight on the central squares. 12. ..d6 13.Bc4
If 13.Nd5 dxe5  14.Nxc7 Qxa2
13...Qe8. If 13...Qf5 14.Qxf5 Bxf5 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Nb5
14.Nd5. Interesting move! If 14.exd6 Bxc3 15.Qxe8 Bxd2+ 16..Rxd2 Rxe8 17.d7 Re7
14...Bf5. An interesting tussle is on with both players trying to control the centre . If 14...Qd8 15.exd6 (15.Bc3 Bf5 16.Qf3 dxe5) 15...Bf5 (15...Qxd6 16.Bb4 Nxb4 17.Ne7+) 16.Qf3 Qxd6 17.Bc3
15.Qe3 dxe5 16.Nxc7 Qc8 17.Nd5
White decides to avoid getting the exchange. If 17.Nxa8 Nd4 18.b3 (18.Bd3 Nxc2 19.Bxf5 Nxe3+ 20.Bxc8 Rxc8+ 21.Bc3 Nxd1 22.Rxd1 exf4 23.Rd7 Rxa8 24.Rxb7 18...exf4 (18...Nxc2 19.Qxa7) 19.Qe7 (19.Qxf4 Ne2+ 20.Bxe2 Qxc2 checkmate) 19...Bxc2
17...Re8 . If 17...Nd4 18.Ne7+
 18.Bc3 Nd4 19.fxe5
If 19.Bd3 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 (20.Rxd3 Qc4) 20...Qc5 21.fxe5 Qxd5 22.Kb1 Bxe5 23.Bxd4 Bxd4 24.Qxd4 Qxg2 with advantage for black and if 19.Bb3 exf4 20.Ne7+ Rxe7 21.Qxe7 Nxb3+ 22.axb3 Bxc3 23.bxc3 Qxc3 24.Rd8+ (24.Rd2 Qa1checkmate) 24...Rxd8 (24...Kg7 25.Qf8+) 25.Qxd8+ Kg7 26.Qd1 Be4
19...Qxc4 20.Qxd4

Diagram 1

20. ..Qxa2 . Things are looking bad for White now! 21.Qh4. White is desperately trying to gain some counter play and decides to attack on the King side.
21. ..h5. Black also plays accurately. If 21...Rad8 22.Ne7+ Kf8 (22...Kh8 23.Nxg6+ (23.Rxd8 Qa1+ 24.Kd2 Rxd8+ 25.Ke3 Rd1 (25...Qxh1 26.Nxg6+) ) 23...Bxg6 24.Rxd8) 23.Nxg6+ fxg6 24.Rxd8 Qa1+ 25.Kd2 Qxh1 26.Bb4+
22.Qg5
If 22.Nf4 Bh6.  22...Rad8 23.Ne7+. If 23.b3 Qxc2 check-mate .
23...Kh7 0–1

Diagram 2

Black to play and win

1. Bd3+ 2.Ke1 Rf1 checkmate.