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Vasily Smyslov vs Paul Keres
USSR Absolute Championship (1941), Leningrad- Moscow URS, rd 2, Mar-24
Spanish Game: Morphy Defense. Steinitz Deferred (C79)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Given 27 times; par: 122 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-10-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: I think that it was Smyslov who often asserted that the advantage lies within the hand of side, which has prospect of better endgame. Validity of Smyslov's maxim was demonstrated by Keres against Smyslov quite convincingly in this game.:-)
Jan-10-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  ray keene: hardinge simpole have brought the book of this event back into print-notes by botvinnik -championship chess the ussr absolute championship of 1941
Dec-23-07  whiteshark: The immediate pawn sacrifice with <35.d5> keeps the white rook in an active position which is more important than a pawn.


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as an example continuation: <35...Rxb2+ 36.Kg1 cxd5 37.Rxa4> Furthermore black 's qside pawns are now isolated and weak.


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to continue <37...Rb3 38.Rd4 Rxa3 39.Rxd5 Rb3 40.Kf2 b5 41.Rg5+ Kf6 42.h4>


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Jul-19-09  King.Arthur.Brazil: Again a nice N x bad B. After premature attack 22.Qf5 white position becomes ill. 25...Ne4! very srong, induces error Be7 which changes everything and gives black winner final.
Apr-20-10  Marco25440: More interesting could be 22. Bf6 both if B is accepting or not the sacrifice.
Apr-20-10  Boomie: <Marco25440: More interesting could be 22. Bf6 both if B is accepting or not the sacrifice.>

22. Bf6 seems to be OK. White maintains an advantage in space. Even though it's not easy to see how white can make progress, at least he's in no danger of losing.

In the lines I ran through the engine, white transfers the bishop to b4. Nothing comes of white's attack on the kingside. Perhaps a timely b3 with action against the black b-pawn is the only way to make progress.

Feb-21-12  Dr. Siggy: Here's the position after 34. Rxe4:


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"This position is a fine illustration of the manner in which a great master can bring to maturity an apparently trifling advantage. The forces are level but White has a weak Queen's pawn and the Black Rook is more mobile, and these two points are sufficient to decide the issue. The ending is of a type which is constantly recurring in match play, and deserves careful study."

(William Winter, "Chess for Match Players", Bath 1951, pages 270-1.)

Feb-22-12  RookFile: It appears that Keres played endgames better when he didn't have a gun to his head.
Jan-15-19  Saniyat24: simple Smyslov met a Keres on his way to Leningrad-Moscow/but there was ice, and he could not go...and also his road was blocked by a black crow...simple Smyslov drank some vodka and forgot where he wanted to go :P

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