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Mikhail Botvinnik vs Ilya Rabinovich
Leningrad (1934), Leningrad URS, rd 3, Aug-31
Semi-Slav Defense: Bogoljubow Variation (D46)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply)better is 20...Ne4 21.Qf3 Bg5 22.Qe2 Bf4 = 0.00 (26 ply) ⩲ +0.55 (27 ply)better is 21...e5 22.h4 g6 23.h5 Bc8 24.Qe2 Bb7 25.hxg6 fxg6 26.Qg4 = 0.00 (29 ply) ⩲ +0.66 (23 ply) after 22.Be5 g6 23.Bf6 Rde8 24.Qg3 Bg7 25.Bxg7 Kxg7 26.Bf1 Qc8 22...Rde8 23.Re1 g6 24.Re5 Rd8 25.Bxd8 Rxd8 26.Be4 Qb8 ⩲ +0.60 (25 ply) 23.Bxh7+ Kxh7 24.Rxd7 gxf6 25.Qxe6 Kg7 26.Qg4+ Kh7 ± +1.94 (27 ply) ⩲ +0.69 (26 ply)better is 24.Qh5 Be4 25.Rxd7 Qxd7 26.Rd1 Qb7 27.Bc3 Bc2 28.Rd6 Bf4 ⩲ +0.96 (25 ply)= +0.44 (26 ply)better is 26.Qh5 Bf4 27.Qg4 Bh6 28.Qh4 Re8 29.Rd8 Rxd8 30.Bxd8 Qb8 ⩲ +0.64 (26 ply)= +0.10 (27 ply)better is 33...a5 34.Rd8+ Kh7 35.a4 Bc2 36.Rb8 f5 37.Rb5 f4 38.Rxa5 = +0.29 (29 ply)better is 34.b4 Kf8 35.b5 Ke7 36.Kf2 Rd7 37.Ke3 Rxd2 38.Kxd2 g5 ⩲ +0.94 (34 ply)= +0.40 (28 ply)better is 37...f5 38.Bd3 Rb6 39.g4 Kf6 40.Rb3 h5 41.b5 hxg4 42.hxg4 = +0.24 (23 ply)better is 38.b5 Kc7 39.Be2 a6 40.Ra2 Ra7 41.a4 axb5 42.cxb5 Kb6 ⩲ +0.80 (28 ply)= +0.23 (26 ply) after 38...Rb6 39.Rd2+ Rd6 40.Rxd6+ Kxd6 41.Bd3 Bxd3 42.Kxd3 better is 40.Rd2 Rd8 41.Rxd8 Kxd8 42.a4 a5 43.Bd3 Bxd3 44.Kxd3 f6 ⩲ +0.80 (31 ply)better is 40...Rd8 41.a5 e5 42.b6+ axb6 43.Rxb6 f6 44.f4 exf4+ = +0.27 (33 ply) ⩲ +0.81 (27 ply) after 41.Rd2 Bf7 42.f4 g6 43.Ke4 h5 44.a5 h4 45.Bf3 Re8 46.Kd3 better is 45...Bxc4 46.Rc2 Bd3 47.Rxc5+ Kb8 48.Bc6 Re7 49.Rc3 g5+ ⩲ +0.68 (30 ply) ⩲ +1.37 (39 ply) after 46.b6+ axb6 47.a6 g5+ 48.Kg3 Bd7 49.Rxd7+ Kxd7 50.a7 Kd6 50...Rd7 51.Kf3 Bb7 52.Rd2 f5 53.Rd3 f4 54.Ke4 Bc8 55.Ke5 ⩲ +0.86 (28 ply) 51.Bxb7 Kxb7 52.Rf2 Rd4 53.Rxf6 Rxc4 54.Rxh6 Rb4 55.a6+ ± +2.27 (35 ply) 51...f5 52.Bxb7 Rxd2 53.Kxd2 Kxb7 54.Ke3 Kb8 55.Ke2 Kc7 ⩲ +0.67 (33 ply) ± +1.74 (30 ply) 52...Bc8 53.Rb2 Bb7 54.b6+ axb6 55.Bxb7 Kxb7 56.Rxb6+ ± +1.57 (30 ply) ± +2.37 (35 ply) after 53.a6 Ba8 54.Ke2 Re8+ 55.Kf3 Rd8 56.Ke4 Kb6 57.Kf5 h5 54.Re2 f5 55.Re7+ Rd7 56.Re8 fxg4 57.hxg4 Rd6 58.Rf8 Rg6 +- +3.53 (30 ply) 54...Be6 55.Ke3 Bc8 56.Rb3 f5 57.b6+ Kb8 58.b7 Bd7 ⩲ +1.16 (30 ply)+- +3.57 (32 ply) 63.Re6 h5 64.Bd7 Rf7 65.Be8 Rf8 66.Bxh5 Rf4 67.Be2 Ka5 +- +4.30 (32 ply)better is 63...Rf6 64.Bb7+ Ka5 65.Bd5 Kb4 66.Re2 Kc3 67.Re8 Rd6 ± +1.52 (42 ply) ± +2.24 (40 ply) after 64.Re6 Ka5 65.Bd3 Rd4 66.Bf1 Rh4 67.Be2 Ka6 68.Kg3 Ka5 67...h5 68.Re4 g4 69.hxg4 hxg4 70.Kxg4 Rf2 71.Kg3 Rf8 ± +1.91 (40 ply)+- +2.82 (48 ply) 68...Rh4 69.Rxb6+ Kc3 70.Rd6 Kb4 71.Re6 Kc3 72.Kg2 Kd4 +- +2.69 (44 ply)better is 69.Rxh6 Kd2 70.Re6 Rf8 71.Re5 Rb8 72.Bf1 Rg8 73.Rd5+ Ke3 +- +4.68 (34 ply)+- +2.88 (44 ply)77...Ke3 78.h5 g2 79.Kxg2 Rg4+ 80.Kh3 Rg8 81.Rxc5 Rf8 +- +9.08 (31 ply)1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

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Given 5 times; par: 161 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-01-06  fred lennox: An excellent example of QSM attack. Also of Botvinnik's minimalist approach - where his playing is "pizzicato"; precision and gradations allow the position a lust to expand to its destiny. This can be found in kingsids attacks as in this game Botvinnik vs V Sherbakov, 1955
Oct-12-08  whiteshark: A classical <QSM attack>, indeed!
Nov-04-09  Plato: Botvinnik always had great technique in clear positions with a small advantage, and he plays a flawless endgame here.
Jan-06-15  johnkr: In his book "100 Selected Games" he gives a comment on the possible Black defense 21 ... e5, writing it off with "after the simple Bc2 leads only to a weaking of the King's pawn". Hmm. Not so simple and Fritz actually gives it as Black's first defense. Black can continue Rfe8. True Black is still passive but nothing is obvious or forced.

Instead, after the game's 21...Bh6 22 Bf6 White does have a clear advantage. Although I have great respect for Botvinnik's abilities and his insights, I'm wondering how often he might 'bend the truth' a bit in this book.

Jun-05-15  extremepleasure2: Botvinnik missed 23.Bh7 Kh7 24.Rd7 gf6 24. Qe6. With bishop sac It's much easier to win this game than 23. Bf1
Dec-17-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  Chutzpah: 20 �Nxg4 seems to play into White�s hand. 20�Ne4 was equal.
Dec-18-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <johnkr: In his book "100 Selected Games" (Botvinnik) gives a comment on the possible Black defense 21 ... e5, writing it off with "after the simple Bc2 leads only to a weaking [sic] of the King's pawn". Hmm. Not so simple and Fritz actually gives it as Black's first defense. Black can continue Rfe8. True Black is still passive but nothing is obvious or forced....>

It should be borne in mind that Fritz et al did not exist when <Selected Games> was published; moreover, I rather suspect ol' Fritzie's defence--whatever its eval--is based on some lines which leave Black hanging on by tactical threads, because it is by no means obvious, as it evidently was not to Rabinovich, that 21....e5 is not a hazardous undertaking.

<....Although I have great respect for Botvinnik's abilities and his insights, I'm wondering how often he might 'bend the truth' a bit in this book.>

How might Botvinnik have 'bent the truth'? In analysing as he did, with the assessment being reevaluated with the help of modern-day silicon?

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