An old friend, Mark Sherbring, made fun of my emails - "Write about some 30 year old game no one cares about."

I took that as a personal challenge so I looked at the games that Botvinnik, Tal, Petrosian, Spassky, Bronstein and Smyslov played in exactly 1978.  When you live over half a century you miss certain people, even if they're not dead, like the smooth positional wins of Smyslov, the un-theoretical but deadly style of Petrosian, the fearless and endlessly energetic style of Tal, the relentlessly logical positional squeezes of Botvinnik, the un-theoretical but lively attacking style of Spassky, the endless delight of David Bronstein who always played to surprise you.  Petrosian was like a willow tree that could bend almost to the ground when a high wind blew but refused to fly away.  Tal looked for tactical refutations of everything.  Playing Botvinnik was like arguing with your accountant.

I miss the boxing of Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson, I miss the laughter of John Belushi or Chris Farley or Paul Lynde.  I miss kind women and kind relatives.

I've had many women demand I yank everything I wrote about them off the internet because they did not want to be Google-able.  They didn't want new boyfriends or employers or old creditors to be able to research them.  One was Nikita - she would wake up in the middle of the night, run downstairs and see if everything looked right.  She wanted to get an immediate unbiased impression.  If some picture or lamp or chair looked out of place at 4 AM, she would get rid of it or adjust it 3 degrees.

Something similar happened last night.  I was enjoying the games of the World Champions but I was looking for something special.  When I woke up one game stayed with me.  This one's for Mark.

Each World Champion had a credo, a philosophy that guided their moves.

Petrosian did not want to be dragged into any theoretical nightmares so he avoided tactical fights in the openings.  He just wanted a solid position he could slowly massage.

My son Devon and I watched a boxing match where one guy wasn't paying attention when the bell rang.  His Irish opponent ran up and got in a free punch.  That's kind of Tal's style, he wants to knock you out before you're warmed up.

Fischer and Kasparov and Tal and Nakamura want to win every game so they like hyper-active defenses.  Petrosian wasn't like that, he was very content with Frenchs and Caro-Kanns and as White he would sneak up on you slowly with c4, b3, e3, moves like that.

I consider anyone that ties or almost ties a World Championship match a World Champion, so in my private world, Schlecter, Bronstein and Leko are World Champions.  David Bronstein's credo was unbridled imagination, he wanted to visit every country, play every variation, sac brilliantly, keep the King's Gambit alive and yet also play cutting edge stuff too.

Playing Bronstein was like playing an encyclopedia swirling in the wind, you never knew if he was going to play the Long Whip (King's Gambit) or the latest wrinkle in the Najdorf.

So here we are, the unpredictable sorcerer, David Bronstein, versus the unshakable mountain, Petrosian.  Petrosian did not come up with many tactical novelties, he did something much more, conceptual novelties.

His exchange sacs lit up a dark world.

In order to prepare myself for the inevitable Obama presidency, I will sprinkle the game with African proverbs.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

White - GM David Bronstein February 19, 1924 – December 5, 2006	Black - GM Tigran Petrosian June 17, 1929 – August 13, 1984

Every time an old man dies it is as if a library has burnt down.
- Chiek Oumar Ba- (Mandinka West Africa)

Opening - French Winawer
May 1978
Ordzhonikidze Cup
USSR Team Tournament

1.e4 e6

Whatever Petrosian played, he played deeply.

His only book for a long time as a child was My System by Nimzovich and he learnt those lessons by heart.

2.d4! d5!

Between true friends even water drunk together is sweet enough. (Zimbabwe)

Petrosian and Bronstein were good friends for decades.

David and Boris Spassky did not subscribe to the Fischer/Korchnoi theory that hating your opponent produced better Chess.

3.Nc3 Bb4!

A bird is in the air but its mind is on the ground. (Mandinka)

Petrosian brought the bird back home with 4.e5 b6 5.Qg4 Bf8 for 27 years, even against Tal, before losing a game to Beliavsky three years before his death.

4.Nge2

Lack of knowledge is darker than night. (Nigeria, Hausa)

It is typical Bronstein, with his massive Chess library, to try and revive a classic continuation.

4 ... dxe4!

A ripe melon falls by itself. (Zimbabwe)

5.a3! Be7

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even the mightiest eagle comes down to the tree tops to rest. (Uganda)

Also played by World Champions Botvinnik (twice), Capablanca (twice) and thousands of lesser lights.

IM John Watson claims it's playable but when Nimzovich tried to hold on to the pawn Alekhine tore down his house:

[Event "Bled"]
[Site "Bled"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Alekhine,Alexander"]
[Black "Nimzowitsch,Aaron"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "C15"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 dxe4 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Nxc3 f5 7.f3 exf3 8.Qxf3 Qxd4 9.Qg3 Nf6 10.Qxg7 Qe5+ 11.Be2 Rg8 12.Qh6 Rg6 13.Qh4 Bd7 14.Bg5 Bc6 15.0-0-0 Bxg2 16.Rhe1 Be4 17.Bh5 Nxh5 18.Rd8+ Kf7 19.Qxh5 1-0

"He is treating us like children!" - Nimzovich after the game.

This is not Petrosian's way.

The hunter does not rub himself in oil and lie by the fire to sleep. (Nigeria)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

6.Nxe4! Nf6! 7.N2g3

Played by Lasker and 512 others

Still in massive theory.

7.N:f6+ played 61 times

7.Qd3 played 394 times

7.N2c3 played 169 times by Alekhine, Lasker, Keres and others

7.N4c3 and 7 f3 have been played twice.

Long ago did not live long ago. (Zimbabwe)

I can only guess at the ideas of the lost Champions.

7 ... 0-0!

In God's shrine, this world, what everybody wants is a good life.

Why do people always make trouble?

God has given principles to live by but only you yourself can follow them. (Dogon)

Petrosian is not looking for trouble, he just castles peaceably.

8.Be2

Played 8 times before, and two dozen times afterwards.

8 ... Nbd7

Bronstein, Szabo and Botvinnik and a dozen others as Black have played 8 ... Nc6! 9 N:f6+ B:f6 10 c3 e5 11 d5 Ne7 12 c4 Ng6.

One goat cannot carry another goat's tail. (Nigeria)

8 ... Nbd7 has been played by Capablanca and Urbanek before him and a dozen more after Tigran.

9.0-0! b6 10.Bf3! Rb8 11.c4 TN

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Theoretical Novelty by Bronstein, copied thrice since.

If all seeds that fall were to grow, then no one could follow the path under the trees. (Akan)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11 ... Nxe4! TN

Theoretical Novelty by Petrosian.

This position has not been repeated so far.

Words are spoken with their shells, let the wise man come to shuck them.
(West African, Mossi)

Petrosian goes his own way, the best way, after studying what happened before.

12.Bxe4?

Humans hate pins even to the point of letting that knight rot on g3.  12 N:e4 was more logical.

12 ... Nf6! 13.Bf3 Bb7

The soulless automaton prefers 13 .. b5 but creating pointless weaknesses is anathema to Armenians

14.Bxb7! Rxb7!

If you say you have no business with anybody
no one will have any business with you either. (Mandinka)

15.Qf3! c6

A family is like a forest, when you are outside it is dense,
when you are inside you see that each tree has it's place. (Ghana, Akan)

The ex-World Champion's Queenside may seem in disorder, but if you wait, the harmony will be revealed.

16.Ne2

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

16 Q:c6? Rc7! 17 Qf3 R:c4!

He who rides the horse of greed at a gallop will pull it up at the door of shame.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

16 ... Qc8

If you see an elder bending his neck for the fufu, it's not because of its sweetness,
but because he doesn't want it to drop on him. (Mandinka)

fufu

Petrosian's Queen steps aside to avoid a future rook on d1 and prepare for ...c5.

17.b4

To create rolling pawns with b5 and a4 after ... c5 rather than just a backward b-pawn on an open file.  I tried this against Renard Anderson last round 2008 Colorado Closed but it didn't work out somehow.

17 ... Rd8!!

A child whose hand is clean may eat with the elders. (Mandinka)

Petrosian is worried about ... c5 d5, not ... c5 b5

18.Bf4! Rbd7!!

Although the snake does not fly it has caught the bird whose home is in the sky. (Akan)

Petrosian slithers around the first three ranks so harmoniously that ... c5!! will give him the advantage almost whatever Brosntein tries.

19.Rfc1 h6

A Tiger does not have to proclaim his Tigritude. (Nigeria, Wole Soyinka)

Tigran makes sure everything is just right before he leaps from the bush with ... c5.

20.h3 c5!!

A shade seeker and sunset met. (Mandinka)

Petrosian's cramped position suddenly makes sense.  No one prepared their pawn breaks like Petrosian.

21.dxc5! bxc5! 22.b5!

Bronstein does what he can with vague future Queenside threats.

22 ... Rd3

Having a good discussion is like having riches. (Kenya)

Petrosian asks the Queen where it would like to go.

22 ... Bd6!! looks bad due to 23 B:h6?, but 23 ... Be5! refutes that.

Most likely Petrosian can move his bishop to e5 or trade it off and keep an edge by controlling the d-file.

23.Be3! Qc7!!

If one is fortunate people say he has been to the diviner,
if he is destitute they say he is hopeless. (Ghana, Asante)

No one can tell what the result of this game will be yet.

24.a4 Qa5

O God, we beseech Thee to bless our native land;
The land of our fathers bestowed upon us all;
From Zambesi to Limpopo, May leaders be exemplary;
And may the Almighty protect and bless our land.
(Zimbabwean National Anthem)

Petrosian is praying he can stem Bronstein's Queenside expansion.

25.Qc6

A master drummer must have seven eyes. (West)

Bronstein's Queen looks everywhere for trouble.

25 ... Nd7?

An amazing number of moves in this game are slightly second best, but which maintain a high standard of play.

This move is just a little passive and it leads to serious problems.  Evicting the Queen with 25 ... R3d6!! would have maintained an even game.

26.Bf4!!

A Fulani will lie but he will not make a lying proverb. (Fulani)

Bronstein may fool around in the opening for variety's sake but his middle game/ending play is deadly serious.

26... Nb6 27 Bc7!! Rf8! 28 Qe4!  This takes over the initiative and puts Petrosian in a big bind so he fights back.

26 Bf4!! Nb8 27 Qe4 Bd6 28 Be3 Qc7 29 Nf4 B:f4 30 B:f4 is painfully passive even for Petrosian while 26 Bf4!! Nb8 27 Qe4 Bd6 28 Be3 Qc7 29 Nf4 Rb3 30 Qc2 R:e3 31 fe B:f4 32 ef Q:f4 would be another Petrosianic exchange sac, patent protected, but a dismal one considering that miserable b8-outcast.

26 ... e5! 27.Qe4!

A man does not wander far from where his corn is roasting. (Nigeria)

Grandmasters usually keep their pieces centralized.

27 ... Rd6!

When the drumbeat changes, the Dance changes. (Nigeria, Hausa)

Tigran had the initiative when he played 22 ... Rd3 but now he must retreat.

28.Be3!!

Even the Niger River must flow around an island. (Nigeria, Hausa)

28 B:e5? N:e5 29 Q:e5 Bf6 wins.

28 ... Bf8

A feeble effort will not fulfill the self. (Dogon)

Petrosian is drifting into a lost game, not that there is any great move here.

29.Nc3!!

Heading for the open wound on d5.

29 ... Rd4!?!

Until Lions have their own historians,
tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.
(Igbo, Nigeria)

Today, we will hear the Lion's side:

Things were getting very ugly so
Tigran lashed out with a desperate
exchange sac. It ultimately fails
but it almost worked and I doubt
there is a better practical try.
In books you will only read
about the sacs that triumph.

The wily cat slams full force into the crocodile. Photo Hal Brindley / China.com

This reminds me of these unique pictures of a leopard that pounced on an alligator in the water, bit into his neck and dragged it out of the water.  Alligators killing leopards is common but not leopards killing alligators.

The outraged alligator thrashed around trying to knock the leopard with his tail and fight back with his steely jaw muscles but the leopard's grip on his throat held up in the end.

In this scenario Bronstein is the leopard with a deadly grip on the d5 jugular and Petrosian is the crocodile thrashing around madly with 29 ... Rd4!?!  Usually the crocodile's exchange sac wins but not this time.  How many times have you seen Petrosian sac the exchange and lose?  Think of that d4-rook as an agitated alligator tail and think of d5 as an exposed alligator throat.

30.Bxd4!

Correct but I think anyone would be a bit nervous taking it.

It is the woman whose child has been eaten by a witch
who best knows the evils of witchcraft. (Nigeria)

Bronstein knew very well the power of Petrosian's exchange sacs so I am sure he treated it very respectfully.

I give three games below where Petrosian sac'd the exchange against Bonstein (1959, 1960, 1967) and scored two wins and a draw

30 ... cxd4 31.Nd5!!

That Bronstein leopard just isn't going to let go.

31 ... Re8

31 ... Nc5 32 Q:e5 Nb3 winning back the exchange but remaining a pawn down plus weak pawns at a7 and d4 plus staring at that obnoxious knight on d5 seemed lifeless to the wily Armenian.

Justice today, injustice tomorrow, that is not good government. (Ghana, Asante)

Some exchange sacs work, some don't, seems unfair.

32.Qg4

The d7-knight can't move due to 33 Nf6+ so a major piece has to babysit.

32 ... Re6!! 33.Rd1!!

I have to admire the beauty of Tigran's conception - David's pawns are solidly blockaded on c5 and a5 while Petrosian's are a mobile mass that could gain speed.  David sees the handwriting on the wall and tries to smash the structure with Rd1 - attacking d4, and with f4 - attacking e5.

33 ... g6

Must be like seeing a twister tail from 40 miles away for Bronstein.

34.f4

Trying to stem the forest fire with a 20 foot trench of water.

34 ... f5!!

At this point I thought Petrosian might crash through after all.

35.Qe2?

The bitter heart eats it's owner. (Tswana)

Bronstein's Queen is better off on g3 but she yearns for the center.

The idea of 35 Qg3!! is a counter espionage reverse exchange sac with 35 Qg3!! e4 36 R:d4 Bc5 37 Rad1 Kf7 which admittedly is hard to evaluate.

35 ... Bc5!!

No one points out Nyame (God) to a Child. (Ghana, Akan)

Petrosian's exchange sacs seemed so natural to him that he would exclaim at lectures, "Cannot everyone here see that White cannot benefit from his useless rooks?"

Everyone stared at the board, puzzled.

36.Kh2

36 fe?? d3+! wins the Queen

The hunter in pursuit of an elephant does not stop to throw stones at birds. (Uganda)

36 ... e4!!

Doesn't it look as if Petrosian has done it again with his massive central tsunami?

I was admiring Petrosian's position, thinking he would beat Bronstein the same exact way that he did in 1960, given below.  Then something terrible happened.

" The Queen belongs near her King. "

Kasparov, after beating Vivek Rao in a Harvard (Cambridge, Mass) simul, 1988 I think.  I was there.  He returned there recently to give a talk about a decision-making book he wrote.

Bronstein notices Petrosian's Queen and King are universes apart and goes on the attack.  Petrosian tries to backtrack but it's too late.

37.g4!!!

The only good move.

Do a thing at its time and peace follows it. (Mandinka)

Amateurs are loath to move pawns in front of their Kings but Grandmasters do it routinely.

A student doesn't know about masterhood but a master knows about studenthood. (Mandinka)

37 ... Qd8!

If words fail no others will avail. (Zimbabwe)

The best moves sometimes fail.

37 ... Qd8! is the only decent move by a wide margin.

37 ... fg?? 38 Q:g4!! attacks everything in sight.

38.gxf5!!

Don't mention the g-file to Kramink, whatever you do.

38 ... gxf5!

Again the best move by a wide margin.

39.Qh5!! Qf8!!

Again the best move by a wide margin.  Petrosian is in survival mode.

40.Ra2!! d3!!

Again both players are playing perfectly.

Perhaps I was too harsh giving Bronstein a question mark for 35 Qe2.  Petrosian warned us all about the folly of exclamations points teaching the masses not to think.

41.Rg2+!!

The dead say to each other "Dead one". (Mandinka)

Petrosian's pieces stared and pointed and shared the blame but no one could say how to save the game.

It all started downhill with the innocent looking 25 ... Nd7?.  Petrosian had lots of time after the time control to predict the future.

1-0

The mighty Petrosian resigns, a rare event.

Unless You die of Nyame (God) let living man kill you and you will not perish.
(Ghana, Akan)

Are you ever embarrassed because you can't tell why someone resigned?  Let's investigate.

41 Rg2+ Kh7 42 Nc7 Rf6 43 Ne8!! Bd4 and Bronstein can win another exchange or the Queen;

41 Rg2+ Kh7 42 Nc7 Rf6 43 Ne8!! Rf7 44 Rg6!! threatens 45 Ng7 or 45 R:h6+ Q:h6 46 Q:f7+;

41 Rg2+ Kh8 42 a5!! improves David's position which is the whole key to understanding the finale.

... d2 or ... e3 just drop pawns.

41 Rg2+ Kh8 42 a5!! Bd4

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

African proverbs:

· A feeble effort will not fulfill the self (Dogon)

· A bird is in the air but its mind is on the ground (Mandinka)

· In God's shrine, this world, what everybody wants is a good life. Why do people always make trouble? God has given principles to live by but only you yourself can follow them. (Dogon)

· Between true friends even water drunk together is sweet enough (Zimbabwe)

· If words fail no others will avail (Zimbabwe)

· A shade seeker and sunset met (Mandinka)

· A ripe melon falls by itself (Zimbabwe)

· The dead say to each other "Dead one" (Mandinka) an analogy for a wicked person pointing out another persons wickedness

· A student doesn't know about masterhood but a master knows about studenthood. (Mandinka)

· Long ago did not live long ago (Zimbabwe)

· If you see an elder bending his neck for the fufu, it's not because of its sweetness, but because he doesn't want it to drop on him (Mandinka) If you see a man making peace between himself and the other man, it is not because of cowardice, but because he doesn't want trouble.

· O God, we beseech Thee to bless our native land; The land of our fathers bestowed upon us all; From Zambesi to Limpopo, May leaders be exemplary; And may the Almighty protect and bless our land. (Zimbabwean National Anthem)

· This great panorama of creation dates back to time immemorial. No one lives who saw it's beginning. No one will live to see it's end, Except God. (Asante)

· Having a good discussion is like having riches (Kenya)

· A master drummer must have seven eyes (West)

· Every time an old man dies it is as if a library has burnt down - Chiek Oumar Ba- (Mandinka West Africa)

· Words are spoken with their shells, let the wise man come to shuck them (West African, Mossi)

· Lack of knowledge is darker than night (Nigeria, Hausa)

· Do a thing at its time and peace follows it (Mandinka)

· Even the Niger River must flow around an island (Nigeria, Hausa) sometimes the strongest person must turn aside.

· When the drumbeat changes, the Dance changes (Nigeria, Hausa)

· He who rides the horse of greed at a gallop will pull it up at the door of shame. (West Africa, Fulani)

· A Fulani will lie but he will not make a lying proverb (Fulani)

· A child who's hand is clean may eat with the elders (Mandinka)

· Justice today, injustice tomorrow, that is not good government (Ghana, Asante)

· if one is fortunate people say he has been to the diviner, if he is destitute they say he is hopeless (Ghana, Asante)

· If you say you have no business with anybody no one will have any business with you either. (Mandinka)

· No one points out Nyame (God) to a Child (Ghana, Akan)

· Unless You die of Nyame let living man kill you and you will not perish (Ghana, Akan)

· The bitter heart eats it's owner. (Tswana)

· Until Lions have their own historians tales of the hunt will always glorify the hunter (Igbo, Nigeria)

· A Tiger does not have to proclaim his Tigritude (Nigeria, Wole Soyinka)

· A family is like a forest, when you are outside it is dense, when you are inside you see that each tree has it's place (Ghana, Akan)

· One goat cannot carry another goat's tail (Nigeria).

· It is the woman whose child has been eaten by a witch who best knows the evils of witchcraft. (Nigeria).

· The hunter does not rub himself in oil and lie by the fire to sleep (Nigeria).

· The hunter in pursuit of an elephant does not stop to throw stones at birds (Uganda).

· If all seeds that fall were to grow, then no one could follow the path under the trees (Akan).

· Even the mightiest eagle comes down to the tree tops to rest (Uganda).

· Although the snake does not fly it has caught the bird whose home is in the sky (Akan)

· A man does not wander far from where his corn is roasting. (Nigeria)

· This great panorama of creation dates back to time immemorial.

· No one lives who saw it's beginning. No one will live to see it's end, Except God. (Asante)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "URS-CupT"]
[Site "Ordzhonikidze"]
[Date "1978.05.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Bronstein,David I"]
[Black "Petrosian,Tigran V"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "C15"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 dxe4 5.a3 Be7 6.Nxe4 Nf6 7.N2g3 0-0 8.Be2 Nbd7 9.0-0 b6 10.Bf3 Rb8 11.c4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Nf6 13.Bf3 Bb7 14.Bxb7 Rxb7 15.Qf3 c6 16.Ne2 Qc8 17.b4 Rd8 18.Bf4 Rbd7 19.Rfc1 h6 20.h3 c5 21.dxc5 bxc5 22.b5 Rd3 23.Be3 Qc7 24.a4 Qa5 25.Qc6 Nd7 26.Bf4 e5 27.Qe4 Rd6 28.Be3 Bf8 29.Nc3 Rd4 30.Bxd4 cxd4 31.Nd5 Re8 32.Qg4 Re6 33.Rd1 g6 34.f4 f5 35.Qe2 Bc5 36.Kh2 e4 37.g4 Qd8 38.gxf5 gxf5 39.Qh5 Qf8 40.Ra2 d3 41.Rg2+ 1-0

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "Belgrade"]
[Site "Belgrade"]
[Date "1954.??.??"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Joppen,Egon"]
[Black "Petrosian,Tigran V"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "C16"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 b6 5.Qg4 Bf8 6.Nf3 Qd7 7.Nb5 Nc6 8.c3 a6 9.Na3 f5 10.Qg3 Bxa3 11.bxa3 Bb7 12.Ng5 0-0-0 13.h4 Nh6 14.Bd3 Kb8 15.Qf3 Nf7 16.Nh3 g6 17.Qe2 Ka7 18.Bg5 Nxg5 19.Nxg5 h6 20.Nh3 Qe7 21.Nf4 g5 22.Nh3 Qxa3 23.Qd2 Qe7 24.0-0-0 Rdg8 25.Kb1 Na5 26.hxg5 hxg5 27.f4 g4 28.Ng5 Bc6 29.Qb2 Nc4 30.Qb4 Qd7 31.Bxc4 a5 32.Qb2 dxc4 33.Qd2 Bd5 34.Rdg1 Qc6 35.Rxh8 Rxh8 36.g3 Qe8 37.Kb2 Qh5 38.Kc2 Qh2 39.Qxh2 Rxh2+ 40.Kb1 Ka6 0-1

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "Moscow-ch"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "1956.??.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Chistiakov,Alexander Nikolaevi"]
[Black "Petrosian,Tigran V"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "C16"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 b6 5.Qg4 Bf8 6.Nf3 Qd7 7.a3 Nc6 8.Be3 Bb7 9.Bb5 0-0-0 10.0-0 Nge7 11.b4 f6 12.Rfe1 Nf5 13.Qh3 h5 14.g3 a6 15.Ba4 g5 16.g4 hxg4 17.Qxh8 gxf3 18.Qh5 b5 19.Nxb5 axb5 20.Bxb5 fxe5 21.Kh1 Qg7 22.Bxc6 Bxc6 23.dxe5 Be7 24.b5 Bb7 25.Qg4 Rh8 26.Qg1 d4 27.Bd2 g4 28.Bf4 g3 29.Bxg3 Nxg3+ 0-1

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "Palma de Mallorca"]
[Site "Palma de Mallorca"]
[Date "1969.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Damjanovic,Mato"]
[Black "Petrosian,Tigran V"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "C16"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 b6 5.Qg4 Bf8 6.Nf3 Qd7 7.Bb5 c6 8.Bd3 Ba6 9.Bxa6 Nxa6 10.a3 Ne7 11.0-0 Nf5 12.Ne2 Nc7 13.Qh3 0-0-0 14.g4 Ne7 15.Ng5 Ng6 16.f4 f6 17.Nf3 Ne7 18.Ng3 f5 19.gxf5 Nxf5 20.Nxf5 exf5 21.Kh1 g6 22.a4 Ne6 23.Be3 Be7 24.b3 Kb7 25.a5 b5 26.Qg2 a6 27.c3 Rc8 28.b4 Rcg8 29.Qc2 Qe8 30.Rg1 Qf7 31.Rg2 h6 32.Rag1 Rg7 33.Bc1 Kc8 34.Rg3 Kd8 35.R1g2 Rhg8 36.h4 Rh8 37.Kg1 Rhg8 38.Kf1 Ke8 39.Ke2 1/2

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "Sarajevo 15th"]
[Site "Sarajevo"]
[Date "1972.03.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Bogdanovic,Rajko"]
[Black "Petrosian,Tigran V"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "C16"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 b6 5.Qg4 Bf8 6.a3 Ne7 7.Nf3 Qd7 8.b4 c6 9.Rb1 Nf5 10.Bd3 Ba6 11.b5 cxb5 12.Nxb5 Nc6 13.0-0 h5 14.Qf4 g6 15.h4 Be7 16.g3 Kf8 17.Rd1 Rc8 18.Kg2 Na5 19.a4 Nc4 20.Nd2 Bb7 21.Nxc4 dxc4+ 22.Be4 Kg7 23.Nc3 Rhd8 24.a5 Bxe4+ 25.Qxe4 bxa5 26.d5 exd5 27.Rxd5 Qe6 28.Bg5 Rxd5 29.Qxd5 Bxg5 30.hxg5 Re8 31.Qxe6 Rxe6 32.f4 Rb6 33.Ra1 Rb2 34.Nd5 Rxc2+ 35.Kf3 Nd4+ 36.Ke4 Nb3 37.Ra4 Nc5+ 0-1

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "URS-ch45"]
[Site "Leningrad"]
[Date "1977.11.28"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Tal,Mihail"]
[Black "Petrosian,Tigran V"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "C16"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 b6 5.Qg4 Bf8 6.Nf3 Qd7 7.a4 Nc6 8.Bd2 Nge7 9.Be2 Nf5 10.0-0 h5 11.Qf4 g6 12.Bb5 Bh6 13.Ng5 Nfxd4 14.Rad1 Kf8 15.Bxc6 Nxc6 16.Nce4 Bxg5 17.Nxg5 Ba6 18.Rfe1 Kg8 19.b4 Bc4 20.b5 Nd8 21.Bb4 Qe8 22.Re4 Bxb5 23.axb5 dxe4 24.c4 c5 25.Nxe4 Qf8 26.Nf6+ Kg7 27.Bc3 Nb7 28.Qf3 Na5 29.Rd7 Rd8 30.Rxa7 Nxc4 31.h4 Ra8 32.Nxh5+ gxh5 33.Qf6+ Kg8 34.Qg5+ Kh7 35.Qxh5+ Kg8 36.Qg5+ Kh7 37.Qh5+ Kg8 38.Qg4+ Kh7 39.Qe4+ Kg7 40.Qg4+ Kh7 41.Qe4+ 1/2

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "Moscow"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "1981.04.08"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Beliavsky,Alexander G"]
[Black "Petrosian,Tigran V"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "C16"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 b6 5.Qg4 Bf8 6.a4 Nc6 7.Bb5 Bd7 8.Bg5 Nge7 9.Nf3 h6 10.Qh3 Nb4 11.Rc1 a6 12.Be2 c5 13.0-0 Qc7 14.dxc5 bxc5 15.Rfe1 Rg8 16.Bd2 Nbc6 17.Bd3 g6 18.b3 Bg7 19.Qg3 Nb4 20.h4 Rb8 21.Bf1 Nf5 22.Qf4 Bf8 23.Nd1 Bc8 24.Ne3 Nxe3 25.Qxe3 Nc6 26.Bd3 Nb4 27.Bf1 Nc6 28.Nh2 h5 29.Nf3 Ne7 30.g3 Nf5 31.Qe2 Bb7 32.Bg2 Be7 33.Bg5 a5 34.Bxe7 Kxe7 35.Ng5 Rh8 36.Qd2 Qb6 37.Rb1 Kf8 38.Kh2 Kg7 39.Bh3 d4 40.Qf4 Qc6 41.Ne4 Qc7 42.Nd6 Qe7 43.Bxf5 gxf5 44.c3 Bd5 45.b4 dxc3 46.b5 Kh7 47.Rbc1 Rhg8 48.f3 Rbd8 49.Rxc3 f6 50.Nc4 Ra8 51.exf6 Qxf6 52.Qe5 Qg6 53.Nd6 Rg7 54.Rxc5 Bxf3 55.b6 Qh6 56.Rc2 f4 57.Rg1 Qg6 58.Rd2 Rf8 59.Rb2 Qg4 60.b7 fxg3+ 61.Qxg3 Rb8 62.Rb5 Rd7 63.Rxa5 Qxg3+ 64.Rxg3 Bd5 65.Ra6 Bxb7 66.Rb6 Rc7 67.a5 e5 68.Rb2 Rd7 69.Ne4 Rd1 70.Rg1 Rd4 71.Ng5+ Kh8 72.Nf7+ Kh7 73.Ng5+ Kh8 74.Nf3 Rf4 75.Rb6 Kh7 76.Ng5+ Kh8 77.Nh3 1-0

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "Bled"]
[Site "Bled"]
[Date "1931.??.??"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Alekhine,Alexander"]
[Black "Nimzowitsch,Aaron"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "C15"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 dxe4 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Nxc3 f5 7.f3 exf3 8.Qxf3 Qxd4 9.Qg3 Nf6 10.Qxg7 Qe5+ 11.Be2 Rg8 12.Qh6 Rg6 13.Qh4 Bd7 14.Bg5 Bc6 15.0-0-0 Bxg2 16.Rhe1 Be4 17.Bh5 Nxh5 18.Rd8+ Kf7 19.Qxh5 1-0

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "Bratislava sim"]
[Site "Bratislava"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Alekhine,Alexander"]
[Black "Lista"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "C15"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 dxe4 5.a3 Be7 6.Nxe4 Nf6 7.N2g3 0-0 8.c3 c6 9.Bd3 b6 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Qe2 Nbd7 12.Bf4 Nd5 13.Bd2 N5f6 14.Rad1 Qc7 15.f4 c5 16.Ng5 h6 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.Qxe6+ Kh8 19.Nf5 Bd8 20.Nh4 Re8 21.Ng6+ Kh7 22.Ne5+ Kh8 23.Nf7+ Kg8 24.Nxh6+ Kh8 25.Qg8+ Nxg8 26.Nf7+ 1-0

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "Riga sim"]
[Site "Riga"]
[Date "1935.??.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Alekhine,Alexander"]
[Black "Klopotovsky"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "C15"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 dxe4 5.a3 Be7 6.Nxe4 Nf6 7.N2c3 Nbd7 8.Bd3 c5 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Nd6+ Bxd6 12.Qxd6 Bxb5 13.Qxc5 Bc6 14.0-0 Nd7 15.Qb4 a5 16.Qd6 Qe7 17.Qg3 0-0 18.Re1 Rfd8 19.Bh6 Qf8 20.Bf4 Qe7 21.h4 Re8 22.Rad1 e5 23.Bh6 f6 24.h5 Kh8 25.Bc1 Qf7 26.h6 gxh6 27.Ne4 Rg8 28.Qh4 f5 29.Ng3 f4 30.Ne4 Bxe4 31.Rxe4 Qg6 32.g3 Qxe4 33.Rxd7 Qe1+ 34.Kg2 f3+ 35.Kxf3 Raf8+ 36.Bf4 Rxf4+ 0-1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "World Championship 16th"]
[Site "Netherlands"]
[Date "1935.10.03"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Alekhine,Alexander"]
[Black "Euwe,Max"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "C15"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 dxe4 5.a3 Be7 6.Nxe4 Nc6 7.Be3 Nf6 8.N2c3 0-0 9.Ng3 b6 10.Be2 Bb7 11.0-0 Qd7 12.Qd2 Rad8 13.Rfd1 Qc8 14.Qe1 e5 15.d5 Nd4 16.Bxd4 exd4 17.Rxd4 c5 18.Ra4 Nxd5 19.Bg4 Qc7 20.Rxa7 Nxc3 21.bxc3 Ra8 22.Rxb7 Qxb7 23.Bf3 Qd7 24.Bxa8 Rxa8 25.Qe4 Ra4 26.Qe2 Bf8 27.h3 Qe6 28.Qxe6 fxe6 29.Rb1 Rxa3 30.Ne4 Ra6 31.Kf1 Be7 32.Ke2 Kf8 33.Ke3 Bd8 34.Rd1 Ke7 1/2

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "World Championship 16th"]
[Site "Netherlands"]
[Date "1935.10.03"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Alekhine,Alexander"]
[Black "Euwe,Max"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "C15"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 dxe4 5.a3 Be7 6.Nxe4 Nc6 7.g4 b6 8.Bg2 Bb7 9.c3 Nf6 10.N2g3 0-0 11.g5 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Kh8 13.Qh5 Qe8 14.Nf6 Bxf6 15.gxf6 gxf6 16.Qh4 Qd8 17.Bf4 e5 18.Bg3 f5 19.dxe5 Rg8 20.Bf3 Qd3 21.Be2 Qe4 22.Qxe4 fxe4 23.Bh4 h6 24.0-0-0 Rae8 25.Bf6+ Kh7 26.f4 exf3 27.Bxf3 Na5 28.Bxb7 Nxb7 29.Rd7 Nc5 30.Rxf7+ Kg6 31.Rxc7 Nd3+ 32.Kb1 Kf5 33.Rd1 Nxe5 34.Rf1+ Ke4 35.Rxa7 Nc4 36.Rd7 Ke3 37.Re1+ Kf3 38.Rxe8 Rxe8 39.Rd4 Ne3 40.Rh4 1-0

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "Kemeri"]
[Site "Kemeri"]
[Date "1937.06.??"]
[Round "10"]
[White "Alekhine,Alexander"]
[Black "Ozols,Karlis"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "C15"]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nge2 dxe4 5.a3 Be7 6.Nxe4 Nc6 7.Be3 Nf6 8.Nxf6+ Bxf6 9.Qd2 Ne7 10.0-0-0 Nd5 11.Ng3 Bd7 12.Ne4 Nxe3 13.Qxe3 0-0 14.h4 Bc6 15.Ng5 g6 16.f4 h6 17.Bc4 Bd5 18.Bxd5 Qxd5 19.Ne4 Bg7 20.h5 Rad8 21.c3 b6 22.hxg6 fxg6 23.Rhe1 Qf5 24.g3 Rfe8 25.Rd2 Rd5 26.Qf3 g5 27.Qh5 Qf7 28.Qxf7+ Kxf7 29.fxg5 hxg5 30.g4 Kg6 31.Rde2 c5 32.dxc5 bxc5 33.Nd2 Kf7 34.Kc2 e5 35.Nf3 Kg6 36.Kb3 Rb8+ 37.Kc4 Rd6 38.b3 Rdb6 39.Nxe5+ Bxe5 40.Rxe5 Rxb3 41.Re6+ 1-0

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "URS-ch26"]
[Site "Tbilisi"]
[Date "1959.01.09"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Bronstein,David I"]
[Black "Petrosian,Tigran V"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Eco "B12"]

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.g4 Bd7 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.c5 b6 8.b4 a5 9.Na4 Nc8 10.Rb1 axb4 11.Rxb4 bxc5 12.dxc5 Qc7 13.Nf3 Rxa4 14.Qxa4 Bxc5 15.Ba3 Ba7 16.Rb1 c5 17.Bb5 0-0 18.0-0 Bb6 19.Qc2 Bxb5 20.Rxb5 Nd7 21.Ng5 g6 22.f4 Ne7 23.Rfb1 Rc8 24.Qf2 h6 25.Nf3 d4 26.Qh4 Qc6 27.Qxe7 Qxf3 1/2

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "URS-ch27"]
[Site "Leningrad"]
[Date "1960.??.??"]
[Round "13"]
[White "Bronstein,David I"]
[Black "Petrosian,Tigran V"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Eco "C02"]

1.e4 c6 2.Ne2 d5 3.e5 c5 4.d4 Nc6 5.c3 e6 6.Nd2 Nge7 7.Nf3 cxd4 8.Nexd4 Ng6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Bd3 Qc7 11.Qe2 f6 12.exf6 gxf6 13.Nd4 Kf7 14.f4 c5 15.Qh5 cxd4 16.Bxg6+ hxg6 17.Qxh8 dxc3 18.Qh7+ Bg7 19.Be3 cxb2 20.Rd1 Ba6 21.f5 exf5 22.Qh3 Qc2 23.Qf3 Bc4 0-1

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Event "URS Spartakiad"]
[Site "Moscow"]
[Date "1967.04.??"]
[Round "0"]
[White "Petrosian,Tigran V"]
[Black "Bronstein,David I"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Eco "B14"]

1.d4 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 c5 5.e3 cxd4 6.exd4 Be7 7.Rc1 0-0 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.c5 h6 10.Bf4 Ne4 11.Bb5 Bd7 12.0-0 g5 13.Bg3 a6 14.Bxc6 Bxc6 15.Ne5 Be8 16.Re1 Nxg3 17.hxg3 Bf6 18.b4 Bg7 19.Rb1 f6 20.Nd3 Bf7 21.b5 Qc7 22.bxa6 bxa6 23.Rb6 e5 24.dxe5 fxe5 25.Nxe5 Qxc5 26.Rc6 Qa7 27.Ng4 Kh8 28.Nxh6 Be8 29.Rxe8 Qxf2+ 30.Kh2 Raxe8 31.Qh5 Qe1 32.Nf5+ Kg8 33.Nxg7 Rf1 34.Qxe8+ 1-0

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Return to: Off the Wall

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