Mikhail Tal vs Mikhail Botvinnik (1960)

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Mikhail Tal vs Mikhail Botvinnik
Botvinnik - Tal World Championship Match (1960), Moscow URS, rd 15, Apr-21
Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation (B18) · 1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

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Mar-16-06		talisman: 26....rook c8-c7?

Nov-21-09		plang: Tal had played 6 N1e2 in games 5,7 and 9. The disadvantage of 7..Bd6 was that after 9 Nf4 Black has to exchange his dark-squared bishop as after 9..Bh7 10 Ngh5 is awkward to meet. Geller had played the pawn sacrifice 11 h5..Bh7 12 Qe2 in his draw against Bagirov at the 1960 Soviet Championship. Tal's 11 Qd2 was less risky which fit his match strategy given his 2 point lead. 17..a5 18 a4..b5 would not have been dangerous for White. Black has no time for 18..b5 19 h5..Bh7 20 Rh3 with dangerous threats. The complications after 22..Rxd4 23 Nxf7! are in White's favor. Tal felt that 26..c5 would have equalized as after 27 dxc..bxc (not 27..Rxc5? 28 Rxc5..bxc 29 Re5..Rc8 30 Rxe6! and wins) White cannot take advantage of the weak c-pawn. Tal could have maintained his positional advantage with 36 dxc..bxc 37 b5; 36 Bb3? allowed Botvinnik to activate his rooks and achieve sufficient counterplay.

Nov-11-10		talisman: <plang> thanks!

Jul-16-23		nummerzwei: At move 22, Tal offers the d4-pawn with 22.Rh3!? (in place of 22.c3 with play similar to the game): click for larger view In case of 22...Rxd4, he had prepared 23.Nxf7!, whereupon 23...Kxf7? 24.Bxe6+ loses for Black as follows: a) 24...Ke7/Ke8?! 25.Bf5+ +- b) 24...Kf8 25. Rf3+ +- c) 24...Kf6 25.Rf3+ Kg6?! 26.Bf7# d) 24...Kg6 25.Rg3+ Kh5 26.Rxg7 +,-, threatening e.g. 27.g4+ Kxh4 28.Rh1# Apart from those lines, Tal also points out the stronger alternative 23...Bf5! in his book on the match. After 24.Rf3, the move 24...Re4! suggested by Stockfish improves on Tal's 24...Bg4 25.Rg3 Bh5 26.Ne5 ± click for larger view that lets him conclude the d4-pawn is untouchable (24...Kxf7? 25.Rxf5+), and after 25.Rxe4 Bxe4 26. Re3 (26.Rf4!?) Kxf7 (White doesn't get to retain the strong knight) 27.Rxe4 ⩲ click for larger view both 27...Re8 and 27...Nd5 give Black an inferior, but distinctly tenable endgame. So, contrary to to Tal's opinion, 22...Rxd4 is not a mistake, and may even be seen as Black's most straightforward way to equalize. In the game continuation, White retains his space advantage, which is quite poisonous.

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