[Event "World Championship 26th"] [Site "Moscow"] [Date "1966.05.02"] [Round "10"] [White "Petrosian, Tigran V"] [Black "Spassky, Boris V"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E66"] [Annotator "TW"] [PlyCount "59"] [EventDate "1966.04.11"] [EventType "match"] [EventRounds "24"] [EventCountry "URS"] [Source "ChessBase"] {[%evp 0,59,19,29,18,4,33,12,20,20,14,21,35,23,38,22,41,51,69,0,-15,-47,34,29, 73,38,85,59,44,37,37,40,11,17,8,1,24,32,19,40,85,43,54,-9,-9,98,96,111,236,218, 268,268,262,280,247,230,500,506,741,522,517,534]} 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O Nc6 6. Nc3 d6 7. d4 a6 {It is worth noting that this game was played at a tense moment in the match, when the candidate after losing the seventh round, tried to even the score at all costs, hence the choice of the aggressive opening variation. It was probably no surprise for Petrosian since Spassky has already played it against Bronstein in the Candidates Tournament in Amsterdam.} 8. d5 {There are other well-known continuations: 8 h3, 8 Qd3, and even 8 Be3, but the text move is without a doubt the most fundamental response to Black’s plan.} Na5 9. Nd2 c5 {Hindering the move 10 b4.} 10. Qc2 e5 {[#]} 11. b3 {As we have already mentioned, Botvinnik’s plan 11 a3 and b2-b4 also deserves attention. The calm continuation in the game is unassuming and leads to a lengthy game.} Ng4 12. e4 {Otherwise with 12…f5, Black would achieve a space advantage, while now after 12..f5, Black assumes certain obligations. It is obvious that during the activity on the kingside which will soon follow, he will greatly miss the a5-knight, which is “offside”.} f5 13. exf5 gxf5 14. Nd1 {According to many annotators (grandmaster Suetin et al) 14 Bb2 is, if not a better move, more cautious. But I think that Tall was the closest to the truth. He suggested that with his last move Petrosian deliberately “drew the fire upon himself”.} b5 {The straightforward 14..f4 is also possible, but in this case Black would definitely have to finish the game with a direct attack because the weakening of the e4-square would have the most serious consequences. Spassky does not want to burn bridges. After all, by the standards of the Kings Indian Defence, Black has a decent position after the two important conceptual advances …b5 and …f5. Here many expected that White would still play 15 Bb2, so that after something like 15… Rb8 16. f3 Nf6 17. Bc3 Bh6 (18. Re1 he could somewhat stabilise the position (indicated by Issac Boleslavsky). Instead the “cautious” Petrosian suddenly significantly complicates the game.} 15. f3 $5 e4 {Almost all annotators put an exclamation point next to the move 15…e4. Oddly enough, Tal was the only one who did not, noting that after the simple knight retreat to h6, playing with White would be most unpleasant, because Black remained in control and can then cause a crisis in a moment even more favourable for him.} 16. Bb2 { Here riskier players suggested an exchange sacrifice: 16 fxg4 Bxa1 17. gxf5 Bxf5 (17…Bd4+!?) 18.Nxe4. But I think that White’s position is not bad enough to resort to extreme measures.} exf3 17. Bxf3 Bxb2 {A controversial exchange. As Tal pointed out, Black could have saved the bishops: 17…Ne5. Then, after the inevitable opening of play (…f4) , Black’s kingside would be better protected. However, according to Kasparov, it would not change the nature of the fight. for example, 18 Bg2 Qg5 19. Nf2 f4 20. gxf4! Qf4 21. Nfe4 Qe3+ 22. Kh1 with advantage for White: 22…Bh3? 23. Bh3 Qh3 24. Rg1! or 22… Bf5 23. Rae1 Qh6 24. Nf3, and after the exchange of a couple of minor pieces, the remoteness of the a5-Knight begins to be important.} 18. Qxb2 Ne5 19. Be2 f4 $6 {In the same impassioned style! Of course, sooner or later Blacks would have to make this move, so one of the white knights would not gain a foothold on the f4-square. But it is still a long way from d2 or d1, so there is no rush. A plan to transfer the queen’s rook to g7, recommended by Mikhail Tal, looks rather good, for example: 19…Ra7 20. Ne3 Qf6! 21. Qc2 Rg7 22. Ng2 Ng6 23. Kh1 f4! 24. Nxf4 Nxf4 25. gxf4 Bh3, and now the exchange sacrifice, similar to the text one, is not so strong, because the a1-hh diagonal is controlled by Black. Instead of 21 Qc2 stronger is 21 Kh1! Re7 (21…bxc4 22. bxc4!) 22.Rae1 followed by Ng2 and it is difficult for black to play …f4 Spassky’s impatience can be explained mainly by Petrosian’s lead. Also, all the experts Petrosian’s lead. Also, all the experts unanimously advised the candidate to drag Petrosian into a whirlpool of complications.} 20. gxf4 $5 { A very bold idea for the world championship match. Probably 20. Rxf4 Rxf4 21. gxf4 etc. was objectively stronger. (Garry Kasparov tried to prove this later. The third volume of his book My Great Predecessors has a detailed analysis of this position.) However, Petrosian undoubtedly took into account the psychological state of his opponent and decided to create a trap. Later Tigran Vartanovich admitted: “With this move I have paid tribute to Mikhail Tal, who made psychological tricks fashionable. At the time of the match I already had a clear understanding of my approach to problem solving, and I could bet that Boris Spassky would respond with the dynamic and dramatic 20…Bh3, fully understanding that 20…Rf4 was objectively stronger.”} Bh3 $2 {[#] Falling into the trap! Black should have given up his ambitions and secured the position of the e5-Knight: 20… Rxf4 21.Rxf4 (or 21. Ne3 Qg5+ 22. Kh1 Rxf1+ 23 Ndxf1 Bh3, and Blacks chances are not worse – suggested by Alexey Suetin) 21…Qxg5+ 22. Kh1 Qxf4 23 Nc3 with a complicated fight with mutual chances. However, if we take into account Spassky’s state of mind, this development seems highly unlikely.} 21. Ne3 $1 {A forced yet correct sacrifice. After the h3-bishop disappears and the e5-outpost is eliminated, all of the white pieces become actively involved in the game. The bishop gets access to the e6, which perfectly complements the queen’s activity along the long diagonal, the knights occupy threatening positions on e3 and e4, and now White has an attack. Incidentally, it is at this point that White has an attack. Incidentally, it is at this point that it becomes clear that the knight’s position on a5 is very unfortunate.} Bxf1 $6 22. Rxf1 Ng6 {The lesser of two evils was probably 22…Nf7, seeking to block the scary a1-h8 diagonal: 23… Bg4 Qf6!, was was pointed out by many annotators. But even then White retains a significant advantage via 23 Ne4 Qe7 24. Bd3} 23. Bg4 $1 {After 23 Ng4 Black would have 23 ….h5 while now White decides the game in a few moves.} Nxf4 {[#] Desperation. However, there was no good anymore. 23…Rxf4 24. Be6+ Kf8 25. Rf4+ Nxf4 26. Qh8+ with mate on the next move. 23…h6 (Alexey Suetin) did not help either because of 24. Be6+ Kh7 25. Nf5 Ra7 26. Ne4! (Gary Kasparov). The most stubborn was 23…Qf6, which White could counter with 24. Be6+ Kh8 25. Qxf6+ Rxf6 26.f5 (Issac Boleslavsky) 26…Ne5 27. Ne4! (Gary Kasparov) with a technically straightforward win.} 24. Rxf4 $1 {Petrosian had to sacrifice a rook for a minor piece many times before. it is a well-known that in this respect he was a great “connoisseur”. But two exchange sacrifices in the same game! This is definitely a rare event, if I am not mistaken, something like this happened in his games on only one instance, against Troianescu (Bucharest, 1953).} Rxf4 25. Be6+ Rf7 26. Ne4 {[#] “A picture perfect position. Black is helpless despite the fact that he is up two exchanges. The knight on a5 is a passive witness to the destruction of his army”. (Issac Boleslavsky)} Qh4 { After 26…Raa7 27. Nf5 Qf8, the easiest is 26. Qf6 (Issac Boleslavsky)} 27. Nxd6 Qg5+ {Or 27…Qe1+ 28. Kg2 Qxe3 29. Bxf7 Kh8 30. Qxh8 Ke7 31. Hf5+ kxf7 32. Qg7+ and 33 Nxe3 (suggested by Issac Boleslavsky).} 28. Kh1 Raa7 29. Bxf7+ Rxf7 {[#]} 30. Qh8+ $1 {A spectacular blow crowning the grand plan 30… Kxh8 would be followed by 31. Nxf7 and 32. Nxg5 Black resigned.} 1-0

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