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Tigran Petrosian vs Mikhail Botvinnik
Botvinnik - Petrosian World Championship Match (1963), Moscow URS, rd 9, Apr-13
Catalan Opening: Closed Variation (E08)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-04-08  Knight13: This is great! Botvinnik couldn't do anything, and Petrosian just cracks the game down bit by bit and draws nicely.
Apr-04-08  talisman: <Knight13> now when you get to the 69 match check out game 17.spassky was waiting for it.SIC. big mistake for tigran.
Apr-05-08  Knight13: <talisman> Gotcha. ;-)
Aug-14-09  lostgalaxy: Why not 46.Rg2 isn't that two pawns up for White?
Aug-14-09  whiteshark: <lostgalaxy:> My guess is that it won't make a big difference. The immobility of ♖a4 is compensation the pawn minus.
Jun-01-12  shepi13: < Why not 46.Rg2 isn't that two pawns up for White?>

Exactly what whiteshark said. Not only is the immobility of the Ra4 compensation for the pawn, white cannot make any progress. The rook blocks the a pawn, so that isn't a threat, while the kingside pawns are easily stopped by black's king, leading to an easy draw. Rather than just wait in this immobile position and do nothing, petrosian sacks a pawn to try to possibly win the pawn up ending. Great defense by botvinnik though.

Oct-10-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Phony Benoni: Useless trivia: What is the connection of this game to Garry Kasparov?
Sep-15-13  whiteshark: Played on his birthday.
Oct-06-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: 9 Nc3 was new; 9 Nfd2 had been played several times previously and Ne5 once. The Stonewall Dutch was part of Botvinnik's repertory so 9..g5 and 10..g5 would not have been a surprise. 12..Qe7 was suggested as an improvement. An interesting line suggested by Tal (and extended by Akopian) was 26..dxc 27 bxc..c5 28 Nxc5..Rxc5 29 ba3..Rxc4 30 Bxe7..Bxd4 31 Qxd4..Rxd4 32 Bxg5..Ra4 33 Rf6..Rxa2 34 Rxe6..Bf7 when Black should be OK and is certainly more active than in the game. 30 d5 looks strong. 33 Be4 also looks like it would have given White better winning chances.

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