[Event "Ch URS (1/4 final)"]
[Site "Tbilisi URS"]
[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