chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Mikhail Botvinnik vs Tigran Petrosian
5th Soviet Team Cup (1966), Moscow URS, rd 11, Oct-05
English Opening: Great Snake Variation (A10)  ·  0-1

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)7...c5 was played in Bareev vs Azmaiparashvili, 2003 (0-1)9...Nxd5 was played in C Hanley vs D Lobzhanidze, 2000 (0-1) 10...f4 11.gxf4 Nxd5 12.cxd5 exf4 13.Bxf4 Nd4 14.Nxd4 = 0.00 (24 ply) ⩲ +0.89 (21 ply) after 11.b4 fxe4 12.dxe4 Ng8 13.Qd2 b6 14.f3 Nf6 15.Rfd1 Qd7 better is 15.b3 b6 16.Ne2 fxe4 17.dxe4 Ne5 18.Bg5 Nxd5 19.cxd5 ⩲ +0.68 (21 ply)= +0.10 (24 ply)better is 24...fxe4 25.Rxf8 Rxf8 26.Bc5 Re8 27.a4 a6 28.Nf4 Bb2 = +0.09 (26 ply) ⩲ +0.82 (26 ply) after 25.exf5 Rde8 26.Bg5 h6 27.f6 hxg5 28.fxg7+ Kxg7 29.Rxf8 25...Rc8 26.exf5 Nd4 27.Nxd4 Bxd4+ 28.Kh1 Rxc4 29.Rfd1 ⩲ +0.56 (20 ply) ± +1.56 (25 ply)better is 27.c5 Rd2 28.Rfe1 Bxa2 29.Bg2 Bb2 30.Rcd1 Rxd1 31.Rxd1 ± +1.64 (24 ply) ⩲ +0.95 (18 ply) after 27...Ne5 28.Rfd1 Nd3 29.Rc2 Re8 30.Nf4 Nb2 31.Re1 g5 34.Re1 Kg7 35.Rxd2 exd2 36.Re8 Bb6 37.Bd1 h5 38.Re2 Ba5 ⩲ +1.11 (31 ply)-+ -3.13 (33 ply); 35.Rxe3 Bxe3 36.Rxd2 Bxf3+ 37.Kxf3 Bxd2 38.Ke4 Kg7 -+ -3.01 (33 ply)0-1

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

Click Here to play Guess-the-Move
Given 41 times; par: 56 [what's this?]

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

explore this opening
find similar games 30 more Botvinnik/Petrosian games
sac: 25...fxe4 PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: Premium members can suggest a game for Guess-the-Move with the Guess-the-Move Suggestion Queue.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

THIS IS A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE.   [CLICK HERE] FOR ORIGINAL.

Kibitzer's Corner
Aug-20-04  morphynoman2: Incredible! 34. Rc3?? Be4!! and all is over.
Jan-06-05  jondoe: 34 Re1 is better?
Nov-14-06  stanleys: <34 Re1 is better?>

Of course.I believe it's even winning.

But apparently the 55 years old Botvinnik was extremely tired(it was the last round of an incredibly strong URSS team championship)

Dec-10-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: <stanleys> Botvinnik's missed win also meant 2nd place for his team, instead of a 1st place finish.

Here are the final team standings and the 1st board (5 World Champions plus Geller, Keres & Stein!) for each of the teams:

Armed Forces - 80.5 - Geller
Trud - 80 - Botvinnik
Spartak - 79 - Petrosian
Burevestnik - 78 - Smyslov
Avangard - 63 - Stein
Daugava - 58 - Tal
Lokomotiv - 57.5 - Spassky
Moldava - 47.5 - Lutikov
Kalev - 41.5 - Keres
Vodnik - 37.5 - Chernikov
Mehnat - 36.5 - Birbrager

Botvinnik won 1st prize for best score on board 1, with 6/9, Geller and Petrosian were next with 6.5/10.

Aug-24-08  ToTheDeath: Eyewitness to this game Ilya Figler talks about it in this interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loxy...

"I could see tears from Botvinnik when he lost to Petrosian."

Aug-24-08  ughaibu: There's a crosstable of games between the players mentioned by Pawn and Two, here: http://www.endgame.nl/spassky.htm
Apr-27-10  parisattack: <ToTheDeath: ...

"I could see tears from Botvinnik when he lost to Petrosian.">

I remember the first time I saw this game in Chess Review. I had just learned to play and Botvinnik was my hero... I almost cried, too.

Botvinnik played some of his best games after he lost the title...this was so close to being one of them!

Apr-27-10  Eisenheim: 14 ...bg8 - just lovde watching how tight he plays these defensive gems. this should be GOTD
May-01-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <To the Death>

Thanks for that link to Figler. I played him in one of my rare tournaments...he slaughtered me of course, but was so warm, pleasant and instructive in the post-mortem!

May-01-10  parisattack: <Eisenheim: 14 ...bg8 - just lovde watching how tight he plays these defensive gems. this should be GOTD>

I wouldn't consider a game where white blundered a win away on the last move GOTD material.

May-23-16  Fanques Fair: It´s a myth that Botvinnik was winning before the last move. 34- Rce1, Bb4 ! keeps the grip on White´s postion, despite being the exchange up.
Oct-01-16  ewan14: Another exchange sacrifice. !

I think. P v. the Elite said Qe2 was a poor move allowing P. to swap queens

Apr-07-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <Fanques Fair: It´s a myth that Botvinnik was winning before the last move. 34- Rce1, Bb4 ! keeps the grip on White´s postion, despite being the exchange up.>

I don't see Black's grip after 35.Rxd2 Bxd2 (35....ed 36.Re8+ Kg7 37.Rd8 is easier). It won't be an easy ending to win, though.

Oct-25-19  ewan14: 22 Qe2 losing move
Oct-25-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  PhillyCheapskate: Another exchange sacrifice by Petrosian
Jul-20-20  PJs Studio: I think that white still has to try and hold the balance after Re1 even being the exchange up. The d pawn is too big of a menace. Botvinnik didn’t see Be4 or the game would likely have ended in a draw.

Very exciting matchup of two legends

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

<This page contains Editor Notes. Click here to read them.>

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC