A Kalantar vs Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian - Erevan 1948.??.??

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A Kalantar vs Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian
Erevan Erevan 1948.??.??
Bogo-Indian Defense 0-1

[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

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Updated: 26 November, 2021
Created: 26 November, 2021