[Event "GotM #52"] [Site "Moscow"] [Date "1966.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Spassky, Boris Vasilievich"] [Black "Petrosian, Tigran V"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D03"] [Annotator "Connaughton, Ken"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "1966.??.??"] [EventCountry "URS"] 1. d4 {Queen's Pawn Game} Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 d5 {Transposing to the Tartakower Variation of the Torre Attack} 4. Nbd2 Be7 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 c5 7. c3 b6 8. O-O Bb7 {[#] and after the opening we have an intriguing game in store as the two players will maneuver strategically before the game opens later.} 9. Ne5 (9. a4 $5 {to launch an assault on the Queenside was an idea.}) (9. h3 {would keep the Knight out of g4.}) 9... Nxe5 10. dxe5 Nd7 11. Bf4 { believing this move was more likely to lead to an advantage.} (11. Bxe7 $142 Qxe7 12. f4 O-O 13. e4 $10) 11... Qc7 {[%csl Re5][%CAl Rc7e5,Rd7e5] It's a more dynamic game now but the e-pawn is facing pressure.} (11... g5 $6 { straight away would lead to} 12. Bg3 h5 13. h3) 12. Nf3 {White must bring the piece to e5's defense but in doing so he blocks his f-pawn from providing concrete security.} h6 13. b4 g5 $1 {[#] Black throws his Kingside at White while White has begun his assault on Black's Queenside pawns.} 14. Bg3 h5 { White's pieces in front of the Black pawns are vulnerable and this will cost him time.} 15. h4 gxh4 $1 {Opens the Kingside.} ({If} 15... g4 16. Ne1 Nxe5 17. Bb5+ Kf8 18. bxc5 bxc5 19. Qa4 $16 {and White has better chances.}) 16. Bf4 ( 16. Nxh4 $2 c4 17. Bc2 Bxh4 18. Bxh4 Qxe5 $17) 16... O-O-O $1 {[#] It's official. Opposite sides castling and we are in for a race as both sides try to give # first.} 17. a4 $2 {is energetic but Black will play to close the Queenside.} (17. bxc5 $5 {to open lines against the Black King} bxc5 18. Rb1 $13) 17... c4 $1 18. Be2 (18. Bf5 $5 {e.g. 18...} exf5 19. e6 Bd6 20. exd7+ Rxd7 21. Qd4 $11) 18... a6 $1 {so if White pushes either the a or b-pawn, Black can close it down by interlocking the chains. He will simply push his b-pawn in response to a5 or push his a-pawn in response to b5.} 19. Kh1 Rdg8 { Now the question is are Black's prospects better on the Kingside?} 20. Rg1 Rg4 {[%CAl Rh8g8]} 21. Qd2 Rhg8 22. a5 b5 {The Black King is secure on the Queenside.} 23. Rad1 Bf8 {[%CAl Rf7f6,Re6e5]} 24. Nh2 Nxe5 $1 {Petrosian is making his move!} 25. Nxg4 hxg4 {[%CAl Rg4g3,Rh4h3] [#] A dangerous attack is forming after the exchange sacrifice.} 26. e4 {Spassky knows he has to open up the center if he wants to carry any counter-threat in the game at all.} Bd6 ( 26... dxe4 $4 27. Bxe5 Qxe5 28. Qd7+ $16) 27. Qe3 Nd7 28. Bxd6 Qxd6 29. Rd4 $2 (29. f4 $1 {might have taken some of the impetus out of Black's Kingside advance.} f5 30. e5 Qc7) 29... e5 $1 {Punishing White's error.} 30. Rd2 ({ He could have tried} 30. Rxd5 $5 Bxd5 31. Rd1 Nf6 32. exd5 $15) 30... f5 $1 { [%CAl Rf5f4] Now Black is ready to pawn storm White.} 31. exd5 (31. exf5 h3 $1 $17 (31... Nf6 $1 32. f3 Nh5 33. fxg4 Ng3+ 34. Kh2 d4 $1 $17 {[%CAl Rb7g2]})) 31... f4 $1 {[#] Continually winning time and space by kicking pieces out of the way.} 32. Qe4 {Queen is a poor blockader but this move is kind of necessary.} (32. Qa7 e4 $17) 32... Nf6 33. Qf5+ Kb8 34. f3 {He wants to close the long diagonal.} (34. Qe6 {Trading Queens would dilute Black's attacking power.} Qxe6 35. dxe6 Ne4 $1 $17) 34... Bc8 {The White Queen is driven back for the second time in the game.} 35. Qb1 g3 {[#] The White King is trapped in the corner and the Black pieces are well placed to target him.} 36. Re1 { [%CAl Re2f1,Rd2d5,Re1e5]} h3 {White's trying to get something going in the center but Black is way ahead. His attack is reaching it's zenith.} 37. Bf1 ( 37. gxh3 g2+ 38. Kg1 Qd7 $1 $19) 37... Rh8 {[%CAl Rg3f2,Rg3h2,Rh8h1] The White King becoming ever more uncomfortable.} 38. gxh3 Bxh3 39. Kg1 {He had to get out of the discovery but still has a world of problems.} (39. Bxh3 Qd7 $1) 39... Bxf1 40. Kxf1 (40. Rxf1 Qd7 {/\ 41...Qh3 or 41...Qa7+}) 40... e4 $1 { [%csl Ge4,Gf4,Gg3] It's looking grim for the White King in the face of these powerful pawns.} 41. Qd1 (41. fxe4 f3 $1 $19) 41... Ng4 $3 {[#] This sacrifice shows the value of the f3-pawn. It is the boy with his hands in the dyke.} 42. fxg4 {[%csl Ge4,Gf4,Gg3] And now there is nothing to stop the avalanche.} f3 { [%CAl Rh8h1]} 43. Rg2 {Necessary.} fxg2+ {[#] Here White resigns in the face of a forced #.} (43... fxg2+ 44. Ke2 (44. Kxg2 Rh2+ 45. Kg1 Qh6 {[%CAl Rh2h1]} 46. Qf3 exf3 47. Re8+ Kb7 48. Re7+ Kc8 49. Re8+ Kd7 50. Re7+ $19 {[%CAl Rh6c1]} ) 44... Qf4 45. Qd4 Qf3+ 46. Kd2 Qf2+ 47. Qxf2 gxf2 48. Rc1 f1=Q 49. Rxf1 gxf1=Q 50. Ke3 Qf3+ 51. Kd4 (51. Kd2 Rh2+ 52. Kc1 Qf1#) 51... Kc7 52. g5 (52. Kc5 Qe3#) (52. d6+ Kxd6 53. g5 Qd3#) 52... Kd6 53. g6 Qd3#) 0-1