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Mikhail Botvinnik vs Vasily Smyslov
Botvinnik - Smyslov World Championship Match (1957), Moscow URS, rd 1, Mar-05
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense. Queen's Knight Variation (A16)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jun-17-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: Possibly time ran out, computer did not see any immediate win. After 20 more computer analyzed moves, it was 0.03/17
Jun-17-05  Shams: interesting game...
it's unlikely white flagged just after making his 41st move. computers are often wrong in these endings. if white had no c-pawn he would have better chances, but it's his queen that will be tied to the defense of a1. maybe: 41...Qc5+ followed by ...Qf5!, a3, a2, and Qb1. Any defense to that? show us what you have, WannaBe.

Jun-17-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: I had the numbers wrong on the previous analysis. it is -0.02/14

41. ... Qc5+ 42. Kg2 a3 43. Bxe7 Qd5+ 44. Kf2 a2 45. Bb4+ Kc8 46. Qa7 Qd2+ 47. Kf3 Qd1+ 48. Kf2 Qd2+ 49. Kf3 Qd3+ 50. Kf2 Qf5+ 51. Ke2 Qd3+

Jun-17-05  Shams: <WannaBe>um, did your engine consider *ahem* retaking the bishop on e7?

41. ... Qc5+ 42. Kg2 a3 43. Bxe7 Qxe7 44.Qc2 Qd6 and black threatens ...Qd3 or ...Qc6+ and Qa4-b3, etc.

Jun-17-05  TheSlid: This is Game 109 in OMGP2.

41.Bf6 was the last move before the first adjournment and White resigned without resuming.

The main line given runs 41...Qc5+ 42.Kg2 a3 43. Bxe7 Qxe7 44. Qc2 Qc5 45.g4 Qa5.

After this sequence white loses the c pawn and cannot stop the a pawn.

(Not my work, you understand!)

Jun-17-05  TheSlid: Re <Shams> comment - That is an interesting computer you have there, <Wannabe>, the Bishop recapture is what a human would consider intuitive.
Jun-17-05  Shams: <TheSlid> thanks -- 44...Qc5 is even stronger than my ...Qd6. Does Garry have any other interesting comments about this game?
Jun-17-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: <Shams> I don't know if Shredder 9 *considered* retaking, I am going to guess it did. And found it to be not a good line. Here are the results...

I ran your line, up to 43. Bxe7 Qxe7 then I set the engine loose...

44. Qc2 Kc8
45. Qa4 Qb7+
46. Kg1 Qb1+
47. Kf2 Qb2+
48. Kf1 Qxc3
49. Qc6+ Kd8
50. Qd6+ Ke8
51. Qxe6+ Kf8
52. Kf2 Qd4+
53. Kg2 Qd2+
54. Kf3 -1.65/13

if 44. Qc2 Qd6 (your second line.)
45. h4 Qd5+
46. Kh2 Ke7
47. Qh7+ Kd6
48. Qh8 Kc7
49. Qf6 Kc6
50. Qh8 Kc7
51. Qf6 Kc6
52. Qh8 Qd2+
53. Kh3 Kb7
54. Qe5 -1.22/14

These are definitely not -0.02/14 as my previous post.

Jun-17-05  TheSlid: <Shams> <An unpleasant defeat, but Botvinnik then displayed his champion's character: after two fighting draws, he managed to win both the fourth and fifth games. But beginning from the sixth game the challenger again siezed the initiative in the match, which he did not relinquish right to the very finish>.
Jun-17-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: <Slid> interesting computer? Don't quite understand what you mean. :-) It's the same as everyone else's, keyboard, monitor, cpu, etc...
Jun-17-05  TheSlid: GKK comments include:

Smyslov has confidently equalised at move 11, thanks to his high quality opening preparation.

27.Rd2 aims for exchanges in time trouble. If 27.c4 and White is in no danger.

34.f5? Is a desparate attempt at counterattack in a difficult position.

Jun-17-05  TheSlid: <Wannabe> Just don't tell your computer I think it's counter-intuitive : )
Jun-17-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: I find some of the chess moves I have seen here in the database, which upon further analysis proved to be correct move(s), to be counter-intuitive also. :-)
Jun-17-05  Shams: <WannaBe> 44...Qd6 was my only line, actually. ...Qf5 was if white doesn't trade dark-squared bishops. I will allow myself to believe that white makes the trade just because ...Qf5 is so strong. Probably I am full of it.

Shredder, having busted his butt during the middle game, should take a deserved rest in this phase. It is evident he has no clue how strong black's position is. 44...Kc8? (his first line) indicates that the black king has forsaken worldly ambition for abject wandering in the desert. And his follow-up to my line, 44...Qd6 45.h4 Qd5+? is also braindead. 45...Qd3 46.Qc1 Qe2+ 47.Kh3 Qb2 and there is not a sniff of a perpetual for white. Brother Shredder, rest o ye weary head.

Jun-17-05  Shams: <TheSlid> thanks! I agree, 27.c4 looks fine for white. I wonder why Botvinnik didn't play it.
Jun-17-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: <Shams> Okie-Dokie. I wonder what Crafty would have came up with. :-)
Jun-17-05  Shams: <WannaBe> I was wondering that too. Anyway, it's not often I get to feel smarter than one of these damn computers, so I guess thanks are in order. cheers.
Jun-18-05  TheSlid: <Shams> I trust you celebrated in style!
Nov-13-06  Alberich: Hi! This is my first post here. I'm posting because the final position of this game has puzzled me the last three days. Fritz 8 gives 45. h4 Db5 (instead of Kasparov's 45.g4 Qa5 in OMGP2) as the best continuation and, after ten or so more moves there's no clear win for black (please illuminate me if I'm wrong). The engine’s evaluation gives advantage to black, but white has a choice of unpleasant checks that may make the procedure strenuous and difficult to find. I wonder what Botvinnik saw that motivated resigning the game when potent analysis engines don't find a clear path to victory for black. Thank you!
Nov-14-06  Calli: It looks like a win because after 41...Qc5+ 42.Kg2 a3 43.Bxe7 Qxe7 44.Qc2 Qc5 45.h4 Qb5, I can't see the "unpleasant checks" continuing too long 46.Qh7+ Kd6 47.Qh8 a2 48.Qf8+ Kc7 49.Qf7+ Qd7 50.Qf4+ Kb7 51.Qc1 Qa4 wins or if 46.Kg1 Qa5 looks good. I probably missed something so post your computer line if possible.

Mar-03-08  Knight13: Black gained the queen side first, locked the pawns on the same color as his oppponent's bishop, beat them up, and won. Simple as that.... Except that it wasn't that simple.
Sep-05-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: The first game of the match, played on 5th March 1957. The final game was on 27th April.
Oct-12-14  Ulhumbrus: Botvinnik may have hoped to play a piece ahead if Smyslov were unable to free his KB in time but Smyslov did
Oct-12-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: Hope chess is not a game played at the highest levels; doesn't do terribly well down here in the trenches, either.
Mar-17-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: 8..Ne8 had been played in Taimanov-Najdorf 1956 Alekhine's Memorial Tournament in Moscow where White went on to win (8..Be6 had also been played in a short draw at the 1956 Czech Championship); 8..Bd7 was new. Botvinnik spent 35 minutes on 12 Be3 apparently realizing that his intended 12 b4..cxb 13 cxb..b5! would not have worked out to his advantage. Lilienthal recommended an interesting pawn sacrifice: 13 d4!?..cxd 14 Nxd4..Bxd4 15 Bxd4..bxc 16 Be3 with sufficient compensation. The opening of the d-file initiated by 16 dxc?! worked to Black's advantage; 16 Kh2 would have been better.

Aronin after 26..Qc6:
"Black's advantage consists in his more secure king position and the greater activity of his heavy pieces. As far as the bishop is concerned, it can come to life after ...f7-f6. There is also one other serious positional threat on Black's part, which was actually realised in the game, namely to place his a- and c- pawns on white squares, taking advantage of the fact that the dark-squared bishops remain on the board. This would set up the conditions for a potentially winning endgame. In view of this threat...the correct move was 27 c4!, fixing the opponent's pawn on a dark square."

The active 29 Qb8+..Bf8 30 f5!?..gxf 31 Bg5..Kg7 32 Qd8 might have given White better drawing chances. Similarly, 31 Qb8 perhaps should have been considered.

A very subtle positional achievement by Smyslov.

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