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Mikhail Botvinnik vs Grigory Levenfish
Botvinnik - Levenfish (1937), Leningrad RUS, rd 6, Oct-16
Zukertort Opening: Queen Pawn Defense (A06)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
May-30-08  whiteshark: Can you explain why Black missed <35...Rxh5> here?


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May-30-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Benzol: After 35...♖xh5 36.♖b7 followed by 37.♖xb6 I think the White joined passed Q-side pawns will be run faster than the Black K-side one and hence be harder to stop.
May-30-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: <whiteshark & Benzol> Belavenets & Yudovich gave the following line: 35...Rh5 36.Rb7 b5 37.a5 b4 38.a6 Ra5 39.a7; with advantage for White.
May-31-08  whiteshark: <Pawn and Two <Belavenets & Yudovich gave the following line: 35...Rh5 36.Rb7 b5 37.a5 b4 38.a6 Ra5 39.a7; with advantage for White.>> I think in the Belavenets & Yudovich line <36...b5> is a mistake, that leads to a small advantage for white.

After <35...Rh5 36.Rb7 b5 37.a5 b4 38.a6 Ra5 39.a7> both black rooks have only defensive functions and the black pawn majority on the kingside is freezed.


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May-31-08  whiteshark: <Benzol> I think you are right regarding Levenfish thoughts. But I think he underestimated his own recources:

- White's queenside passed pawns didn't pass the 4th rank so there are no acute threats

- By taking pawn b6 white reduces the pressure from f7

- Black's e+f pawns could be advanced quite easily now.

To sum it: There is enough time for black to create activate counterplay.

Jun-01-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: <whiteshark & Benzol> Fritz verified that 36...b5?, in Belavenets & Yudovich's line, is an error that would have allowed White to gain a small advantage.

Fritz preferred 35...Rxh5 36.Rb7, and now: (-.23) (23 ply) 36...Ra5 37.Rxb6 Ra7 38.Rf2 Rfa8 39.Ra2 Ra5 40.Rb7 h5 41.g3 g6; or (-.17) (23 ply) 36...Rc8 37.Rfxf7 Rg5 38.Rfc7 Rxc7 39.Rxc7 Rg3 40.Rb7 Rxb3 41.a5 Ra3 42.axb6 Rb3 43.Kf2 e5.

Jun-01-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: At move 45, Levenfish missed a draw. At that point, any of three moves would have enabled him to draw: 45...Kh8 46.Rcd7 Rc8 47.g6 Rxb3 48.Rxe4 Rb2 49.Rde7 Rf8 50.Re8 Kg8 51.Rxf8 Kxf8; or 45...Rxb3 46.Rxg7+ Kh8 47.gxh6 Rb1+ 48.Kf2 Rb2+ 49.Ke3 Re2+ 50.Kf4 Rf8+ 51.Ke5 Re8+; or 45...e3 46.Rxe3 hxg5 47.Ree7 Rxb3 48.Rxg7+ Kh8 49.Rh7+ Kg8 50.Rcg7+ Kf8.
Jan-23-10  nescio: Having seen this game before I seem to remember that Black resigned after 49.Rxg7+, which is also given by 365chess: http://www.365chess.com/game.php?gi... It would mean that the last four moves are merely analysis, albeit rather forced. Can someone confirm?
Jan-23-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: <nescio> In "Chess in USSR - Soviet Tournament News Review", issue 3 - July - September 1989, for the centenary of Levenfish's birth, they published all the games of his 1937 match with Botvinnik.

The annotations, (collected by M.M.Yudovich Jr.), for these games were by Belavenets, Bogatirchuk, Botvinnik, Chekhover, Grigorev, Levenfish, Panov, Riumin, and Yudovich.

The above Soviet publication, shows the final move to game 6 of the match, was 49.Rg7+.

Jan-26-10  nescio: <Pawn and Two> Thank you. There are worse errors in the database, but nonetheless I'll submit a correction.

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