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Mikhail Botvinnik vs Bent Larsen
Noteboom Memorial (1965), Noordwijk NED, rd 1, Feb-21
Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange. Positional Variation (D35)  ·  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 11.O-O Nh5 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.a3 b6 14.Rac1 Ndf6 15.h3 Bd7 = +0.35 (34 ply)better is 11...Bd6 12.Qd2 b6 13.Bg3 Bc7 14.Rc1 Bb7 15.O-O c5 16.Nb5 = -0.17 (19 ply)= +0.40 (20 ply) 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Kh1 Bb7 16.Nxd5 Bxd5 17.Bxf6 Nxf6 = +0.21 (23 ply) ⩱ -0.84 (26 ply)better is 15...b4 16.Na4 Nb6 17.Nxb6 Qxb6 18.Ng3 Bd6 19.Rfe1 a5 ⩱ -0.77 (22 ply)= -0.20 (21 ply) after 16.Bxc8 Qxc8 17.Ng3 b4 18.Nce2 a5 19.e4 dxe4 20.fxe4 a4 better is 16...Bxf5 17.Nxf5 b4 18.Ne2 Bf8 19.Nfg3 a5 20.e4 dxe4 ⩱ -0.60 (22 ply)= +0.03 (23 ply) 17...Bxf5 18.Qxf5 g6 19.Qb1 h5 20.e4 h4 21.Nge2 h3 22.Bh4 = -0.21 (22 ply) ⩲ +0.61 (23 ply) 21...Bc6 22.Ra1 Bd7 23.axb4 axb4 24.Rxa8 Nxa8 25.exf6 = -0.08 (19 ply) ⩲ +1.30 (23 ply) 24...c3 25.bxc3 b3 26.f5 g5 27.f6 Nxf6 28.Be1 Ne4 29.Nxe4 = +0.47 (21 ply) 25.Nxf5 gxf5 26.Bxf5 Qe7 27.Bg6 Kh8 28.f5 Qg5 29.axb4 ± +2.18 (21 ply) ⩲ +1.35 (24 ply) 28.Bg6 Bb5 29.Bxe8 Qxe8 30.Rxa8 Nxa8 31.f5 Ng5 32.Nf4 ± +2.12 (23 ply) 28...Bb5 29.Rxa8 Rxa8 30.Bg6 c3 31.bxc3 Bxf1 32.Nxf1 Nc4 = +0.26 (24 ply) ⩲ +1.33 (22 ply) after 29.Rxa8 Rxa8 30.Bg6 Be8 31.Be3 c3 32.bxc3 Nc4 33.Nf5 Qe6 33...Nb8 34.Qa4 Qe6 35.f5 Qc6 36.Qd1 Re7 37.Ra1 c3 ⩲ +0.80 (24 ply)+- +4.02 (25 ply)better is 36.Rc7 Re7 37.Rc8 Rb7 38.Bd4 Kf7 39.Rc6 Be7 40.f5 c3 +- +4.47 (23 ply) ± +2.24 (23 ply) 46...Nd8 47.Nf6+ Kf8 48.Nd5 Rc5 49.Kxd4 Ne6+ 50.Ke4 c2 ± +2.28 (25 ply)+- +5.14 (28 ply)52...Nf3+ 53.Ke3 c2 54.e7+ Kg7 55.Rc6 Rxe7+ 56.Nxe7 Ng5 +- +8.93 (24 ply)1-0

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

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Given 16 times; par: 73 [what's this?]

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35437 more games annotated by Stockfish]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-02-03
Premium Chessgames Member
  lostemperor: Here a modelgame for those who considers battling the QGD as white the <"bane of their existence"> (as mentioned at the kibitzcafe). The exchange variation.
Apr-02-03  ksadler: I may give a serious look to this line (I was the one who called the QGD the <bane of my existence>). It is reminiscent of the Classical Nimzo-Indian lines that go 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6 7. Bg5, where White pushes his f3 pawn to give support for e4 and give the g5 bishop an escape square, as in Bareev vs Leko, 2002 (I'm sure there's a better example though)
Apr-02-03  refutor: this is a model game for both sides actually...in this sort of line, normally white goes for the minority attack and pushes b4-b5 etc. black beats him too it and has an impressive wall of queenside pawns which unfortunately for his sake, white defends brilliantly ;)
Apr-03-03
Premium Chessgames Member
  lostemperor: In more than a few cases, also in this game <.12. 0-0-0> is possible, white can castle long and start a kingside attack with g4 and h4. Sometimes even if the bishop on g5 is attacked by h6 white can play h4. Even here <10.h4!? hxg? 11. hxg Ne4 12 Bxe4 dxe 13Qxe4 f5 <(13...g6 14Qh4)> 14Qe6+ Rf7 15.g6.>
Apr-03-03  refutor: 12.O-O-O looks pretty brave here especially after something like 12. ... cxd where Black looks ready to storm at the White king. I'd prefer Black's position after 12. ... cxd. i'm not gonna give a bunch of variations just ideas, we'll leave crafty sort out whether in a game of god v. god who's right ;) black's position is easier to play i think after 12. ... cxd, his attack will definitely get there first
Nov-01-10  ColdSong: I don't play this kind of opening but 9.g4,before allowing Re8 and Nf8,immediately threatening h7 and later a kingside pawn storm, does not seem completely stupid to me.
Nov-06-10  ColdSong: Certainly the kind of game Larsen was thinking about when considering his need to study his defeats in order to become the champ.I don't understand the idea which can make 9...h6 something other than a weakening move if white can play 11.f3!(the kind of plan which gave Kasparov thousands and thousands points with 1.d4 ... thank you Mr Botvinnik) Now black has a hard choice between playing with an isolani or a white e5 pawn and problems with f file and castle.17...Bb7 seems really slow if black does not play de4 after and try a blockade on e5 or d5 square.I'd be curious to know what thinks the computer after the sacrifice at move 27,but in principle two central pawns for an exposed king ,weaknesses and no counterplay is a little too much for black.
Jun-21-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  Fusilli: Botvinnik had his priorities right.


click for larger view

23.Ra1! responds to the ...Ba4 threat and places the rook in the best place to dispute the queenside. 23...Ba4:


click for larger view

24.Qb1! keeping the queen on the crucial b1-h7 diagonal.

Beautiful strategic play by Botvinnik.

Dec-07-13  parisattack: <ColdSong: Certainly the kind of game Larsen was thinking about when considering his need to study his defeats in order to become the champ.I don't understand the idea which can make 9...h6 something other than a weakening move if white can play 11.f3!(the kind of plan which gave Kasparov thousands and thousands points with 1.d4 ... thank you Mr Botvinnik) Now black has a hard choice between playing with an isolani or a white e5 pawn and problems with f file and castle.17...Bb7 seems really slow if black does not play de4 after and try a blockade on e5 or d5 square.I'd be curious to know what thinks the computer after the sacrifice at move 27,but in principle two central pawns for an exposed king ,weaknesses and no counterplay is a little too much for black.>

Botvinnik was familiar with this plan against ...h6 long before this game:

Botvinnik vs Pilnik, 1952

Aug-30-15  whiteshark: Game video-annotaded by GM Melikset Khachiyan
http://chessindia.net/community/vid...
Aug-31-15  RookFile: Complex game. For both sides, all three results (win, lose, draw) were in sight for almost the entire game.

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