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Mikhail Botvinnik vs Salomon Flohr
"Mop the Flohr" (game of the day May-14-2007)
Moscow (1936), Moscow URS, rd 15, Jun-03
Alekhine Defense: Modern Variation. Main Line (B05)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
May-14-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  An Englishman: Good Evening: We all know the old saw of how exchanges relieve a cramped position. What makes this game so interesting is how each exchange leaves Black more cramped than before.
May-14-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  al wazir: I wonder what would have happened if white had played 43. Rxb7. If 43...Qd2+, then 43. Qf2 leaves white a ♙ up. But the interesting line is 43...Rxb7 44. Qxc6! Now if 44...Rbb8 (44...Rfb8 45. Rxb7), then 45. Rxb8 Rxb8 46. d7 Qd8 (46...Kf7 47. Qc8 Rxc8 48. dxc8=Q Qxa4) 47. Qxe6+ Kh8 48. c6.
May-14-07  Autoreparaturwerkbau: Ahh, that's nice of you, cg.com. Spelling of the name (Flohr) matches the spelling of the pun's meaning (floor). Or at least if i am not mistaken :) Way to go!
May-14-07  ounos: Too bad White allowed 45. ... b5. It would be an even more fun cramped game!
May-14-07  actionhero56: flohr and floor are pronounced the same not spelled the same
May-14-07  Phony Benoni: <al wazir> After 43.Rxb7 Rxb7 44.Qc6, doesn't Black get at least a perpetual check with 44...Qd2+? The interposition on f2 is no longer available, and the king can't escape via f3 due to ...Rxb3 with check.
May-14-07  kevin86: A very good game. There is a funny rook exchange in the middle of it and super pawn play late. I understand Flohr was a good player in his prime,but his game dropped off later in his career. Botvinnik,of course,became WC upon winning the tournament held after Alekhine's death.
May-14-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  al wazir: <Phony Benoni: After 43.Rxb7 Rxb7 44.Qc6, doesn't Black get at least a perpetual check with 44...Qd2+?> Yep. Too bad; maybe that's why Botvinnik didn't try it.
Nov-26-07  HOTDOG: seems that the game wa adjourned after 57.b6 and Flohr resigned there
Feb-05-08  kasp: Also 38.Nxb7,Rxb7 39.Qxc6,Bd8 40.Qxe6+,Rf7 may be interesting,doesn it?
Jun-09-09  maelith: Botvinnik erred with 45. Qc4, which allow 45..b5! for black. Still this is an instructive game.

33.c5! is the star move. It's first purpose is to attack with b3-b4-b5, and the second one is to transfer the knight to the outpost on d6, Black's weak spot and White's stronghold.

Jul-31-13  TheFocus: This game was adjourned after 57.b6 and Flohr resigned without further play. The extra moves 57...Rb7 - 66.Kb5 are analysis by Botvinnik in <One Hundred Selected Games>.
Jul-05-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  kafkafan: Yaroslavl Srokovski claims in his book that Florh was so shocked by 33.c5 that he wanted to resign but continued playing because the spectators would not have understood his decision. After manoeuvre Nc3 - b1-a3-c4-d6 if black exchanges bishop for knight on d6 White gets strong passed pawn.
Apr-09-22  Granny O Doul: It speaks well for Flohr that in the grip of shock he remained careful not to confuse the spectators.

By the way, "Flohr is sealing" was once a team name at the US Amateur Team, and to me, clearly best of the three finalists though it seemed to attract little support from the room generally.

Nov-29-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  Messiah: Terrible pun.

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