[Event "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
[Date "1946.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian"]
[Black "Yuri M Kotkov"]
[ECO "E10"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "39"]

1. d4 {Notes by Peter Clarke} Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 d5
{Sometimes it is more trouble naming an opening than playing
it. 'Obviously this is a Queen's Gambit Declined,' one might
say, but so far there has been no gambit offered, let alone
declined. And with his next move -typycal Petrosian- White
gives the game a rather different character.} 4. Nbd2 c5 5. e3
{With 5.g3 we would have had a sort of Catalan.} Nc6 6. a3 {A
harmless-looking, yet insidious little move. Whereas an
experienced master would probably have reacted at once with
the exchange of pawns, Kotkov plays right into White's hands.}
Bd6 7. dxc5 {!} Bxc5 8. b4 {Petrosian's tactics have
triuphed. He has reached a Queen's Gambit Accepted with not
only the additional tempo of colours reversed but also a whole
move extra. Considering the good reputation the defence has in
normal circumstances, the outlook for Black is grim.} Be7
9. Bb2 O-O 10. Bd3 dxc4 {Otherwise White may tighten his grip
by c5, leaving Black with little or no chance of
counterplay. With another open file, he can hope to relieve
his position by exchanges.} 11. Nxc4 a6 {Black underestimates
the attacking potential of his opponent's Bishop battery. If
he is to organize his defences properly, he must complete his
development as quickly as possible and without setting up more
targets. Better, therefore was 11...Bd7 to be followed by
...Rc8.} 12. Qc2 {! A very fine move, suddenly bringing into
sharp relief the dangers Black is exposed to. At first sight
it might seem a blunder, for Black can play 12...Bxb4+ 13.axb4
Nxb4 14.Bxh7+ Nxh7 15.Qc3 Nd3+ and ...Nxb2, finishing a pawn
up. Only a closer examination reveals White's cunning
idea-12...Bxb4+ 13.Ke2!! The Bishop would then have nothing
better than to go back to e7, after which White could either
recover the pawn at once by Bxf6 and Bxh7+ or, still stronger,
continue 14.Rad1 Qc7 15.Ng5 h6 16.Bh7+ Kh8 17.h4 with a
tremendous attack. Here we can appreciate the quality of
White,s conception-his King is absolutely safe on e2 while his
KR takes on an aggresive role from its initial square.} h6
13. O-O b5 {? Now 13...Bd7 was essential. The text move leaves
a gaping hole on the q side. It is true that it is not by any
means obvious how White can exploit it; for instance, 14.Nce5
Nxe5 15.Nxe5 Bb7 and Black has a playable game. Petrosian
solves the problem in a most original way.} 14. Bxf6 {!} Bxf6
{14...bxc4 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 simply loses a pawn, whilst 14...gxf6
is positional suicide, e.g. 15.Rad1 Qe8 16.Bh7+ Kg7 17.Nd6
Bxd6 18.Rxd6 Ne7 19.Be4, etc.} 15. Rad1 {Threatening a
discovery on the Queen. Attempts at flight fail as follows:
(i) 15...Qc7 16.Na5, and the pin leads to gain of material;
(ii) 15...Qe7 16.Nb6 etc. (iii) 15...Qe8 16.Nd6 Qd7 17.Be4!}
Bd7 16. Bh7+ Kh8 17. Be4 {! One must admire the precision of
White's manouvers. Each move makes a telling blow. Black finds
that 17...Rc8 is inadequate on account of 18.Rxd7 Qxd7 19.Nb6
and wether he plays 19...Qc7 20.Nxc8 Rxc8 21.Rc1 or 19...Nxb4
20.Nxd7 Nxc2 21.Nxf8 a piece is lost.} Nxb4 {Despair, which as
usual merely hastens the end.} 18. axb4 Rc8 19. Rxd7 {!} Qxd7
20.Nb6 {Again White comes out a piece ahead. It is a pleasing
touch that the Knight, en prise for six moves, should have the
last word.} 1-0

[Event "Tbilisi"]
[Site "t"]
[Date "1947.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian"]
[Black "Akaki Pirtskhalava"]
[ECO "A90"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "71"]

1. c4 {Notes by Peter Clarke} f5 {If you do not wish to meet
the English on its own ground, then the Dutch Defence,
provided you are happy with it, makes quite a good choice. It
is a challenge for the initiative that must be taken up by the
first player.} 2. d4 e6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 d5 {As a general
principle, one should not commit oneself too readily in the
opening, especially when Black. Here it is considered unwise
to settle for a definite formation (i.e. by moving the d-pawn)
before White has brought out his KKt. The reason is that
against the stonewall set-up, which is characterised by pawns
at c6, d5, e6, and f5, he could well develop it via h3,
leaving himself free to expand rapidly in the center by f3 and
e4. Even given the most accurate order of moves (4...Be7 5.Nc3
O-O 6.O-O d5), this system is not without drawbacks. Chiefly,
it tends to leave Black with a far too rigid and limited
position. The ...d6 variation, since it reserves more options,
has the preference nowadays.} 5. Nf3 c6 6. O-O Bd6 7. b3 Qe7
{With his last two moves Black has started to play
anti-positionally. There was no way of improving on the simple
6...Be7, 7...O-O and waiting for White to show his hand.}
8. Nc3 O-O 9. Bb2 Nbd7 {More precise was 9...Ne4, in order to
exchange off the enemy QKT.} 10. e3 {! Preparing a fine
manouver, designed to clamp down on the hole at e5 and saddle
Black with a permanent disadvantage. It is only fair to say
that it is not Petrosian's own idea. Simagin employed it in a
similar position against Chistiakov in the Moscow Championship
the year before.} Ne4 11. Ne2 {!} Qf6 {The basic plan in the
Dutch, motivating Black from the very first move, consists in
an attack on the K side. Accordingly, the decision to abandon
it and accept a less ambitious role is not at all an easy
one. But here it had to be taken, for unless the strength of
Black's strategy is recognised at once it will be too
late. Best, therefore was 11...dxc4 12.bxc4 e5!, it being the
one method of contesting the grip White has on the black
squares. After 13.Qc2 followed by Rad1, White would remain
with the much better developed game.} 12. Nf4 Qh6 {12...dxc4
and 13...e5 was still the best chance.} 13. Nd3 Ndf6 14. Nfe5
{As long as he is in occupation of this point, it is virtually
impossible for Black to undertake anything active. The
strangle-hold may be broken at the expense of material - for
example, 14...Ng4 15.Nxg4 fxg4 16.Qxg4 e5 - but the result is
hardly encouraging.} Ng5 15. f3 Nf7 {Behind this retreat there
is the reckless intention to advance the g-pawn, a course
which is only likely to accelerate the disaster. The sensible
thing to do was to prepare as much as he could for the
inevitable clash in the center by 15...Bd7 and ...Rae8,
leaving it to his opponent to drive back the Knight.} 16. Qe2
g5 {?} 17. Rae1 {Setting a little trap: 17...g4 18.fxg4 Bxe5
19.dxe5 Nxg4 20.h3, winning a piece.} a5 18. e4 {Opening books
may in the future use this position as an illustration of, on
the one hand, the ideal objective for White and, in contrast,
what is wholly to be avoided by Black. The negative aspects of
the defence have become accentuated - the QB is shutin behind
the pawn barrier and the central weakness on the black squares
is making itself felt; moreover, the virtue of aggresion has
rebounded on itself. In the exchages that result from White's
thrust it is clear that Black is hopelessly outgunned.} Bb4
{This explains his last move. But since the Bishop is exposed
on b4 - White is not obiged to take it - 18...Bc7 was
relatively better.} 19. Rd1 dxe4 {In view of the threat of c5
followed by a3, Black must play further into White's hands by
opening up the center himself.} 20. fxe4 Nxe5 21. dxe5 Nxe4
22. Bxe4 fxe4 23. Nf2 {! No mechanical 23.Qxe4 for Petrosian!
He is not content with merely a good move when there is a
possibility of a stronger one.} Bc5 24. Bd4 Be7 25. Nxe4 Bd7
26. Bc5 {Pirtskhalava's errors have been exploited without
mercy. Now with the elimination of the guardian of the black
squares his defences collapse.} Rxf1+ 27. Rxf1 Bxc5+ {Or
27...Bd8 28.Rf8+ Qxf8 (28...Kg7 29.Qf3 Qg6 30.Rg8+!); 29.Bxf8
Kxf8 Qh5, winning easily.} 28. Nxc5 Be8 {If 28...Rd8 or
28...Bc8, then 29.Qd2 is immediately decisive.} 29. Rf6 Bg6
30. Nxe6 g4 {In the faint hope of struggling on by 31.Qxg4
Qe3+ and ...Qxe5.} 31. Nf4 Qg5 32. Nxg6 {The Knight performs
its last duty -to uncover the black King a little more.} hxg6
33. Rf4 Kg7 {Total passivity by 33...Re8 34.e6 Qe7 35.Re4,
etc., would be equivalent to resignation.} 34. Qe3 Qd8 35. e6
Qe8 36. Rf7+ 1-0

[Event "Erevan"]
[Site "Erevan"]
[Date "1948.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "A Kalantar"]
[Black "Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian"]
[ECO "E11"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "96"]

1. d4 {Notes by Peter Clarke} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 {How should
Black take this slightly enigmatic move? Does it mean that his
opponent dislikes or is afraid of meeting the Nimzovitch
Defence and therefore has already, in a sense, surrendered the
initiative? Or is it that White wants to get him into a
Queen's Indian, believing that he will be able to keep on top
then? The answer must be a subjective one.} Bb4+ {He chooses
the reply that was probably least expected. Although it is so
rarely used, it gives a sound enough game.} 4. Bd2 Qe7 5. g3
Nc6 {Black's plan is unfolding. As in the Miner-Barry (or
Zurich) Variation of the Nimzovitch itself, he is aiming, once
his KB has been exchanged off, to free its colleague and at
the same time secure a hold on the center by playing ...e5.}
6. Bg2 Bxd2+ 7. Nbxd2 {But not 7.Qxd2 Ne4! 8.Qc2 Qb4+ 9.Nc3
Nxc3 10.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 11.bxc3 d6, when White has nothing to show
for the doubled pawns.} O-O 8. O-O d6 9. e4 a5 {An example of
prophylaxis. It looks ahead to the time when the pawn position
in the center has become fixed and White's main weapon of
attack consists in a general advance on the Q side. However it
is not essential; some four years later, in the Interzonal
Tournament at Stockholm, Petrosian played 9...e5 at once
against Unzicker, obtaining an equal game after 10.d5 Nb8
11.b4 Bg4 12.Qc2 Bxf3 13.Nxf3 a5 14.a3 Na6 15.Rab1 axb4
16.axb4 c5!} 10. Qc2 {A good alternative is 10.b3, to be
followed by a3 and later b4. Weak, on the other hand is 10.e5
dxe5 11.dxe5 Nd7 12.Qe2 Nc5, with excellent play for Black.}
Nd7 11. d5 Ncb8 {This two retreating moves by the Knights have
not been made with a view to defence; rather the reverse. In
closed positions considerations of time and even space are
often less important than specific fatures like the pawn
formation and weak squares. Black's scheme, therefore, is to
temp White into overreaching himself by pushing on prematurely
and creating points in his own camp that are vulnerable to
counter-attack.} 12. Nd4 Nc5 13. Qc3 e5 14. N4b3 {14.Nf5 Bxf5
15.exf5 would show a definite detioration in his pawn
structure, and the use of e4 would not be sufficient
compensation.} b6 15. Nxc5 bxc5 {White's manouvering of his
KKT and particularly its exchange has not been happy. Instead
of gaining ground on the Q side, he has now been brought to a
standstill there; what is more, with his center pawns placed
on white squares his Bishop has decreased in strength compared
with the other minor pieces. The following variation shows how
easily: 16.f4 Nd7 17.Nb3 a4 18.Na5 Qf6 19.Nc6 exf4 20.Qxf6
(not 20.Qd2 Nb6 21.Rxf4 Nxc4 22.Qe2 Qxb2, etc.) Nxf6 21.Ne7+
(or 21.gxf4 Re8 22.e5 Ng4 23.Rfe1 Bd7 24.exd6 cxd6 25.Bh3 h5
and Black stands well), Kh8 22.Nxc8 Raxc8 23.gxf4 Rfe8 24.Rfe1
Re7 25.Re2 Rce8 26.Rae1 Nh5 27.Rf2 f5!} 16.f4 Nd7 17.Bh3
{Kalantar realises the long-term danger in the position and
decides to try to avert it by an immediate assault on Black's
center. It is met with the greatest precision.} Re8 {!}
18. Rae1 Qf6 19. Bxd7 {The pressure could not well be stepped
up by 19.Nf3 on account of the reply 19...exf4. The text move
envisages a forcing continuation taking the enemy
strong-point.} Bxd7 20. fxe5 Qxe5 21. Qxe5 Rxe5 22. Nf3 Re7
23. e5 {White has achieved his end, but where is he to go from
here? Were he able to maintain the position in the center, he
could claim an advantage. He cannot; he is forced to exchange
pawns, after which the soundness of Black's game is no longer
in any doubt.} Rae8 24. exd6 Rxe1 25. Rxe1 {To concede the
file by 25.Nxe1 is scarcely worth considering.} Rxe1+ 26. Nxe1
cxd6 {At first glance it might seem that White has fair
chances in this ending, for his pawns are more compact than
Black's (two groups are against three) and the general
stability of the situation should be to the Knight's
benefit. A closer examination shows that there are other
factors that far outweigh these and bring down the advantage
heavily on Black's side. They are; (i) Black's K-side majority
is potentially active, whereas White's on his Q side is
permanently crippled; (ii) the black King has a route into the
center along the weakened black squares; and (iii) the Bishop
is able to worry White by threatening to attack his pawns on
the Q side. By exploiting these points, Petrosian rapidly
takes over the initiative.} 27. Kf2 f5 {!} 28. Ke3 Kf7 29. Nd3
Bc8 30. b3 {Black had intended to provoke this, anyway, by
...Ba6. It is the first step in reducing White to passivity.}
g5 31. Kf3 Kf6 32. Ke3 Bd7 33. Kf3 Be8 {Manouvering the Bishop
round so as to penetrate into the enemy camp.} 34. Ke3 h6
35. Kf3 {White puts his faith in pure defence. If he tries to
counter-attack with his Knight on the Q side, he finds his
threats easily parried, eg. 35.Nb2 Bh5 36.Na4 Ke5 37.Nb6 f4+
38.gxf4+ gxf4+ 39.Kf2 Bg4, etc.} Bh5+ 36. Ke3 Bd1 37. Kd2 Bf3
38. Ke3 Be4 {Decisive; on 39.Nc1 there comes 39...Ke5 followed
by ...f4+, pushing White further anf further back.} 39. Kd2
Bxd3 40. Kxd3 Ke5 {The King and pawn ending is the simplest of
wins for Black, because he is to all intent and purposes a
pawn up. It provides us with a perfect example of the relative
value of mobile and immobile pawn majorities.} 41. Ke3 f4+
42. gxf4+ gxf4+ 43. Kf3 Kf5 44. Kf2 {Or 44.a3 h5 45.h4 Ke5,
and White must retreat.} Ke4 45. Ke2 f3+ 46. Kf2 Kf4 47. h4 h5
48. a3 Ke4 {Since the break by b4 is too late-49...axb4
50.axb4 cxb4 21.c5 Kxd5, etc.} 0-1

[Event "USSR Championship"]
[Site "Moscow URS"]
[Date "1949.10.24"]
[EventDate "1949.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian"]
[Black "Andre Lilienthal"]
[ECO "C49"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "87"]

1.e4 {Notes by Peter Clarke} e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4
{The Rubinstein Counter-Attack (4...Nd4) is sound enough, but
Lilienthal was no doubt unwilling to provide the 'novice' with
a ready-made simplifying line-5.Nxd4 exd4 6.e5, etc.} 5.O-O
O-O 6.d3 Bxc3 7.bxc3 d6 8.Bg5 Qe7 {This and his next two moves
constitute the Metger Defence; while holding on firmly to the
center Black seeks to unpin himself and drive back the
agressive Bishops.} 9.Re1 Nd8 10.d4 Ne6 11.Bc1 c5 {Here we
have a position which is not only of fundamental importance
for the theory of the opening but also extremely interesting
from the point of view of general strategy. It is a question
of Bishops versus Knights and of the advantages and
disadvantages of the doubled pawn complex. Nimzovitch
considered that White was not in an attacking but a
'crouching' position and that any move on the part of his
central pawns would disclose their dynamic weakness. He
recommended Black's last move as the correct way to challenge
them. On the other hand, Botvinnik has frequently demonstrated
that this type of position can be very favourable for White if
he can stabilise the situation in the center and consolidate a
piece-preferably his KB-on d5. To this end the continuation
12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Bc4 (Not 13.Nxe5 Nc7, etc.) is well worth
considering.} 12.Bf1 Qc7 {Inconsequential play; Black could
and should have carried out the positional threat of 12...cxd4
13.cxd4 Qc7 with prospects on the c-file. He is not given a
second opportunity.} 13.d5 Nd8 {13...Nf4 would allow White to
break up the center to his advantage by 14.Bxf4 exf4 15.e5
dxe5 16.Nxe5. Petrosian supports this as follows 16...Rd8
17.c4 b5 18.Qf3 Bb7 (or 18...bxc4 19.d6 Qb7 20.Qxf4, etc.)
19.Rad1 bxc4 20.Bxc4 Rd6 21.Bb3. It shoul be noted that while
Black has succeeded in immobilising the enemy pawns this is
not necessarily a permanent state of affairs. Wite immediately
starts preparing for a thrust on the K side with h4.} 14.Nh4
Ne8 15.g3 Qe7 16.Nf5 Bxf5 {Otherwise this Knight may settle on
c4 and harass him on all sides. However, leaving onelf with
two knights against two bishops, even in a closed position, is
a serious step,. It may be all right in theory, but in
practice many difficulties are involved. The trouble is that
the player with the Knights must be extremely cautious about
changes in the pawn formation, whereas his opponent may
undertake almost any action he likes. The rest of the game
affords a good illustration of the way the bishops work
towards the breaching and ultimate collapse of the opposing
defences.} 17.exf5 Qf6 18.Qg4 Qe7 19.Bg5 Qd7 20.a4 f6 {After
non too happy manouvering with his Queen, Black was faced with
the threat of 21. Bb5 Qc7 22.Bxe8 Rxe8 23.Bf6 and wins.}
21.Bd2 g6 {Is this not helping White? Yes; but if he does
nothing to relieve his rather cramped position, White will
buid up a K side offensive at his leisure. That is Black's
dilemma.} 22.Bh3 Qxf5 {Not 22...Ng7? 23.fxg6! winning a pawn;
while if 22...g5, White simply retires his KB again and gets
ready to strike back with h4.} 23.Qxf5 gxf5 24.Bxf5 Ng7 25.Bd3
f5 {He ought to have played 25...Nf7 and kept his pawns firmly
entrenched where they were. By his weakening his support to
the strongpoint at e5 he makes it easier for White to
undermine it. It is doubtful whether Black's game can be saved
after this.} 26.f4 e4 {Closing the position again, but the
respite is only temporary. With every new advance the Knights
find it harder to plug the gaps. 26...Nf7 was therefore the
better choice.} 27.Be2 Rc8 28.c4 Ne8 29.h3 Nf6 30.g4 {!
White's strategy has won the day. The barrier of enemy pawns
that curbs his Bishops can no longer be maintained.} fxg4
31.hxg4 Rc7 32.Kf2 h6 33.Rh1 e3 {A desperate attempt at
counter-play. Passive defence was hopeless in any case; for
example, 33...Kg7 34.Bc3 Kg6 35.Ke3 Rh7 36.Rag1 Nf7 37.g5 hxg5
38.f5+!, winning a piece.} 34.Bxe3 Ne4+ 35.Kg2 Nf7 36.Bd3 Re7
37.Rae1 Rfe8 38.Bc1 Nc3 {The Knight makes a sortie at last.}
39.Rxe7 Rxe7 40.a5 b6 41.Bd2 Ne2 42.axb6 axb6 43.c3 {And gets
trapped! As is fitting the Bishops have had the final way.} b5
44.Kf3 1-0

[Event "Tbilisi"]
[Site "It"]
[Date "1949.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian"]
[Black "Iosif Pogrebissky"]
[ECO "D74"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "55"]

1. d4 {Notes by Peter Clarke} Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3
{In the last few years this fianchetto has lost ground as a
means of combating the King's Indian, being replaced by
systems involving a more immediate and aggresive occupation of
the center. Petrosian's part in this trend is clear to see in
later games. Here, of course, White may have been prepared for
the Gruenfeld anyway.} O-O 5. Bg2 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 {The basic
idea behind Black's play, as in the Alekhine Defence, to
provoke his opponent into making premature pawn
advances. Inevitably there is a considerable element of risk
in such a policy, for nobody can predict the outcome with
certainty and pawns which prove weak in one game may, given
some new finesse, become a crushing force in the next. All
this is typical of the modern approach to the openings -a
willingness to make concessions of some sort in the belief
that real counter-chances will be obtained in return.} 7. O-O
c5 8. e4 Nf6 {8...Nb6 went out of favour with the game
Botvinnik - Novotelnov, Chigorin Memorial Tournament, 1947,
which continued 9.d5 e6 10.Bg5 f6 11.Be3 Na6 12.Nc3 Nc4 13.Bc1
e5 14.Nb5 Bd7 15.a4, etc.} 9. e5 Nfd7 {Tempting fate a little
too far. He should play 9...Nd5, to which White normally
replies 10.dxc5, with an intense struggle ahead.} 10. Ng5 {! A
very useful opening principle refers to the danger of moving
the same piece twice before completing one's development. In
this game Black's whole strategy has so far been a negation of
this - yet it cannot be condemned as wrong - and now White
'errs' as well. Knowing principles is good; knowing how to
break them is better! The Knight move is the only way to
obtain the advantage. It fulfill two functions; permits him to
consolidate his e-pawn by f4 and at the same time threatens
the disruptive e6.} cxd4 {He has no choice. After 10...e6
11.f4 White has secured his spatial advantage and Black's play
has failed accordingly.} 11. f4 {Too slow now. 11.e6 gives
excellent chances; for instance, 11...Ne5 12.exf7+ Nxf7 13.Qb3
e6 14.Bxb7 Bxb7 15.Qxb7 Nxg5 16.Bxg5 Qxg5 (though 16...Qb6 is
better, White still has the upper hand after 17.Qxb6 axb6)
17.Qxa8 Qb5 18.Na3 Qxb2 19.Qxa7 Nc6 20.Qd7 Ne5 21.Qxe6+
(Donner-Bouwmeester, Munich, 1954).} Nc5 {If 11...Nc6
(reckoning on 12.e6 Nc5 13.exf7+ Kh8!) White could probably
get away with 12.Bxc6 bxc6 13.Qxd4, the initiative and command
of the center being his.} 12. b4 {This is really the decisive
moment. White realises he must play with the outmost
vigour-having failed to do so on the previous move! His idea
here is that after 12...Ne6 (not 12...Nca6 13.a3!) 13.Nxe6
fxe6 Black's KB would be shut out of the game for good while
his other one would be a little better off. And the d-pawn
would be sure to fall. So what is Black to do? He must play
vigorously himself and instead of ...fxe6 be ready to
sacrifice the exchange by 13...Bxe6 14.Bxb7 Bd5; if he
accepts, White is left desperately weak on the white
squares. Petrosian, who pointed out this possibility
afterwards, would probably have exchanged Bishops and tried to
make something out of the temporary isolatin of the
d-pawn. The likelyhood of his succeeding would not appear to
have been very great. But Pogrebyssky panics and in a vain
attempt to drive back the enemy Knight gets his King position
compromised.} f6 13. exf6 {!} exf6 14. Nxh7 Kxh7 15. bxc5 Nc6
16. Bb2 Qc7 {Defending the d-pawn indirectly, e.g. 17.Bxc6
Qxc6 18.Qxd4 Bh3 19.Rf2 Rad8, etc. However, since there was
not that much to lose now, he might have boldly played
16...Bf5 and hoped for some counterplay if White took the
pawn.} 17. Nd2 Be6 18. Ne4 Rad8 19. h4 {! By this energetic
thrust White shows up the true weakness of his opponent's K
side. Though Black has got all his pieces out, they are
powerless to stop the onslaught.} Qd7 20. h5 Bg4 {Seeming to
block the way, but White has a small combination ready.}
21. hxg6+ Kxg6 22. f5+ Bxf5 {If 22...Qxf5, then 23.Qb1! forces
Black to expose himself to a deadly discovered check; while if
22...Kh5, there is the drastic finish 23.Qxg4+! Kxg4 24.Rf4+
and mate next move.} 23. Nd6 {The quiet point. Petrosian
concludes the attack with a series of elegant strokes.} Bg4
24. Be4+ Kh5 25. Rf4 {! An echo of a previous idea; if
25...Bxd1, then Rh4+ Kg5 27.Bc1 mate.} f5 26. Rxg4 fxg4
27. Qd2 {Threatening mate in two by Qh2+.} Rh8 28. Kg2 {!} 1-0

[Event "USSR Championship"]
[Site "Moscow URS"]
[Date "1950.12.11"]
[EventDate "1950.??.??"]
[Round "17"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian"]
[Black "Igor Bondarevsky"]
[ECO "A04"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "82"]

1. Nf3 {Notes by Peter Clarke} e6 {There are people who play
this against any opening move by White. Perhaps it is the only
reply that unquestionably deserves such a strange
distinction.} 2. g3 f5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. O-O Be7 5. d4 O-O 6. c4
c6 {He intens to adapt the stonewall formation and decides on
this order of moves to avoid the possibility of his
black-squared Bishop being exchanged by b3 and Ba3 (this way
he has ...d6 in reserve); not that there is anything really to
be feared in that.} 7. Qc2 Qe8 {The manouver ...Q-e8-g6 (or
h5) is the normal method of preparing the K-side attack. Here
he starts it while waiting for White to reveal his hand more.}
8. Nbd2 d5 9. Ne5 {Petrosian is employing the same strategy as
he did against Pirtskhalava-placing his Knights on d3 and f3
in order to exploit the hole on e5. What is interesting is
that he has found an entirely different route for them to
take.} Nbd7 10. Nd3 Ne4 11. Nf3 {White has avoided relieving
Black's game by exchanges and is now ready to begin the drive
forward in the center. This is a critical moment for the
second player, for he must seek counter-play on the K side and
yet not overreach himself there; 11...Qh5 seems
natural. Instead Bondarevsky tries to combat White's plans by
striking out first on the other wing, a policy as wrong as it
is anti-thematic.} Nd6 12. b3 b5 13. c5 {!} Nf7 14. a4 {The
new extension to the wall must fall, after which Black is left
with a weakened and exposed Q side, not at all what he had
bargained for.} bxa4 15. Rxa4 Bf6 16. Bb2 a6 {For the one and
only time he could have played ...e5 here. Although it would
have greatly freed his pieces-after, for instance, 17.dxe5
Nfxe5 18.Rfa1 Nxd3 19.exd3 Bxb2 20.Qxb2 Nxc5 21.Rxa7-White's
too would have had the board opened up for them. And open
positions invariably favor the side with the initiative.}
17. Nfe5 Nfxe5 18. dxe5 Be7 19. f4 Rb8 {If 19...g5 20.fxg5
Bxg5 21.Bc1! Black's problem is to find a constructive plan
which does not help his opponent.} 20. Rfa1 Rb5 21. b4 {!
21.Bd4 was superficially correct, but White would like to see
his Knight on d4; moreover, he wishes to preserve the
possibility of Bc1, as mentioned in the previous note.} h5
{Bondarevsky has not yet had all the fight squeezed out of
him.! He is aiming to win some space on the K side and so
perhaps put White out of his methodical stride.} 22. Bc3 h4
23. e3 Nb8 {Unfortunately this passive step is necessary, as
White is threatening to bring his KB to bear on the a-pawn.}
24. Ne1 Rb7 {Better was the prelimanary 24...hxg3. As played,
Black loses the benefit he expected from the advance of the
h-pawn.} 25. gxh4 Bxh4 26. Nf3 Bd8 27. h4 {! It is clear that
Black's last chance of doing anything active- ...g5-has
gone. The outlook is one of grim defence behind his pawn
barrier.} Qh5 28. Be1 Bd7 29. Qf2 Kf7 {? A final error,
shortening the game by many moves. He had to return his Bishop
to c8 to protect his a-pawn, in which event it still would
have required a long campaign of White to breach the defences
(the g-file is the weak spot). As soon as the pawn is removed,
there is nothing to hold the attacker off.} 30. Bf1 Rh8
31. Bxa6 Nxa6 32. Rxa6 Be7 33. Ra7 Rhb8 {He attacked the enemy
h-pawn in vain and now he has had to give up. The end is not
far away.} 34. Rxb7 Rxb7 35. Nd4 Qh8 36. Qg3 Qb8 {Black was
almost in Zugzwang; for instance, Bishop moves permit Ra8,
whilst the threat of b5 continually hangs over him.} 37. h5
Ra7 38. Rc1 {Avoiding a subtle trap-38.Rxa7 Qxa7 39.Qg6+ Kf8
40.Ne6+ Bxe6 41.Qxe6 Qa1! 42.Qc8+ Kf7 48.Qxf5+ Kg8, and White
must either give perpetual check or lose his Bishop.} Qg8
39. Qg6+ Kf8 40. b5 {This inevitable breakthrough is the
stronger for being delayed. If 40...cxb5, then 41.c6 Bc 8
42.Nxb5 and 43.Nd6 wins.} Qf7 41. bxc6 Bc8 {Black sealed this
move and the next day, in view of the continuation 42.Qxf7+
Kxf7 43.Nb5 Ra8 44.Nd6+ Kf8 45.c7, he resigned.} 1-0

[Event "Ch URS (1/2 final)"]
[Site "Gorky (Russia)"]
[Date "1950.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "12"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian"]
[Black "Anatoly Sidorov"]
[ECO "D43"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "83"]

1. Nf3 {Notes by Peter Clarke} Nf6 2. d4 d5 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 c6
{Up to here neither player had revealed his hand much. But now
Black, by his adopting his initial position of the Semi-Slav,
seems to be showing agressive intentions,. He is unwilling tio
meet the hazards of meeting a prepared variation in the Meran
(5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5) or the even sharper
Anti-Meran (5.Bg5). He wants to keep the play on a line of his
own choosing.} 5. cxd5 exd5 {Sidorov is determined to have a
keen struggle. The alternative Exchange Variation (of the
slav), which he could have had by recapturing with the other
pawn, is considered to give Black a comfortable, if dull,
game.} 6. Qc2 Bd6 {The Bishop is better placed on e7, where it
can counter White's Bg5. The point is that before undertaking
anything else Black should think in terms of equalising.}
7. Bg5 O-O 8. e3 Nbd7 9. Bd3 Qc7 {This would not have been
necessary had his sixth move been correct. Black has now the
same battery of Queen and Bishop as White, but in
effectiveness there is no comparison-especially after White's
reply.} 10. O-O-O {! Indeed, Black's pieces are, as it were,
facing the wrong direction. Normally, the so-called minority
attack is the first choice, while castling Q side and
advancing on the other wing, being rather double-edged, is
less frequently seen. In this case it is clearly the right
strategy, for Black is ill-prepared for making a
counter-attack.} Re8 11. g4 {There is to be no
time-wasting. Already Black is faced with the threat of
12.Bxf6 Nxf6 13.g5. Since both 11...Nxg4 and 11...h6 would
only accelerate trouble, he decides to give up a pawn and try
to use the respite to start his own plans moving. It is the
best practical chance.} Kh8 12. Rdg1 b5 13. Bxf6 Nxf6 14. g5
Ne4 {!} 15. Nxe4 dxe4 16. Bxe4 Be6 {The sacrifice has resulted
in an opening of lines in the center and on the Q side and,
consequently, in the increased activity of the Black
pieces. His Bishops, in particular, have suddenly become
hostile and could easily take the lead in a dangerous attack
on the King. At the same time, White finds that his attach has
slowed down, and despite the promising beggining six moves ago
he still lacks an open file on the K side. How, then, can be
put new life into this game and get the initiative back?
Petrosian provides an energetic answer.} 17. g6 {! The main
point is the clearance of the g5 square for the Knight, an
idea which cannot be foiled by 17...f6 because of 18.gxh7
followed by N-h4-g6+} hxg6 18. Ng5 f5 {Otherwise (for
instance, 18...Bxa2) White smahes his way through by
19.Bxg6. The same would have applied if the f-pawn had made
the capture on the previous move.} 19. Nxe6 Rxe6 20. Bf3 {! He
could still win a pawn by 20.Bxc6, but that would be entirely
contrary to the theme of the game and, moreover, give his
opponent renewed hopes of counter-play after 20...Rc8 21.d5
Re4.} Rc8 21. h4 c5 22. d5 {Spelling the end for Black; he can
now do nothing to stop the storm breaking on the K side.} Rf6
23. h5 g5 {Or 23...gxh5 24.Rxh5+ Kg8 25.Rxf5, etc.} 24. Rxg5
c4 25. Kb1 {But not 25.Rxf5? c3! when the pawn cannot be
by-passed by 26.b3 on account of 26...Ba3+} Rcf8 26. Rhg1 R8f7
27. Rg6 Be5 28. h6 gxh6 29. Rg8+ Kh7 30. Bh5 Rf8 {An exchange
of Rooks is forced now, since if 30...Re7, then 31.f4 Bd6
32.Qg2 is crushing (33.Rh8+ is the threat)} 31. Rxf8 Rxf8
32. f4 Bg7 33. Bg6+ Kh8 34. Bxf5 {Three connected passed pawns
in the center represent a tidy profit-and the assault is not
finished yet.} Qc5 {34...Qd6 35.Qg2 Qf6 36.e4 was just as
bad.} 35. Qg2 Qe7 36. Qg6 {In a way this would have been a
fitting moment for Black to resign. Kis g6 has proved a fatal
square for him, and now White's most powerful piece has
settled on it. Sidorov reckons he ought to fight on a little
longer.} Rxf5 37. Qxf5 Qxe3 38. Rd1 Qf2 {If 38...c3, White
ignores it. The d-pawn wins for him.} 39. Qc2 Qxf4 40. d6 Qf8
41. d7 Qd8 42. Qg6 {!} 1-0

