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Lev Polugaevsky vs Efim Geller
Portoroz Interzonal Playoff (1973), Portoroz YUG, rd 4, Sep-09
King's Indian Defense: Saemisch. Closed Variation 7…c6 (E88)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jul-21-24  morphynoman2: Chess Informant 16/650
Jul-22-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Fusilli: Not sure about 15...exf4. The f5-pawn is pretty weak, and Polu killed it eventually.

The computer looks at various moves that do not seem to differ much in evaluation from the about equal that it assesses after exf4.

<morphynoman2> Any GM insight in the Chess Informant analysis on where Geller erred?

Fine game by Polu, by the way.

Jul-23-24  morphynoman2: Bad moves:
19... Rc8?
(19... Qb6 20. Qd2 Rae8 21. Rce1= (21. Be3? 21... Nc4!)) (Geller & Gufeld)

23... Bb5?
(23... f4 24. Nh5!? (24. Bg6 hg6 25. Bf4 Qb4!∞) 24... Be5 25. Bg6 hg6 26. Nf4±) (23... Ne7±) (Geller & Gufeld)

Jul-24-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Fusilli: <morphynoman2> Thank you.
Jul-24-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  saffuna: <Not sure about 15...exf4. The f5-pawn is pretty weak, and Polu killed it eventually.>

I've always read that the pawns on e5 and f5 are a key part of black's strength in the KID, taking away key squares from white. Curious to give that up voluntarily.

Jul-24-24  FM David H. Levin: <saffuna: <Not sure about 15...exf4. The f5-pawn is pretty weak, and Polu killed it eventually.>

I've always read that the pawns on e5 and f5 are a key part of black's strength in the KID, taking away key squares from white. Curious to give that up voluntarily.>

I agree it would be nice not to give that up. But if Black maintains the pawn tension between e5 and f4, how does he develop the queenside? The light-square bishop seems to be needed on the c8/h3 diagonal, to protect the f5-pawn. This implies that this bishop should ultimately go to d7. But where does the d7-knight move? At f6, the knight would block the f8-rook's protection of f5; if instead ...Nc5 and ...Bd7, then the move b4... could be awkward.

So, it seems to me that 15...exf4 was necessary (clearing the e5-square for Black's d7-knight) and as it turns out, should have led to equality (according to the earlier citation by <morphynoman2> of analysis by Geller & Gufeld).

Jul-24-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: Another standard motif in these Saemisch KID middlegames is for Black to play ....e5-e4, but that works out poorly for him here.

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