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Paul Keres vs Vasily Smyslov
USSR Absolute Championship (1941), Leningrad-Moscow URS, rd 7, Apr-01
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation (E32)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-10-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: Paul Keres' good Knight and Vasily Smyslov's bad Bishop decided this game.
Mar-02-06  Maynard5: This game features very strong positional play by Keres. Smyslov's main mistake was 24. ... Ne4, after which Black must defend the vulnerable pawn on e4 by creating a white square pawn chain. This in turn locks in the bishop. But Keres' way of exploiting this is nice. The main breakthrough is on the queenside, but 42. Rg2 creates the threat of a breakthrough on the king side by g4. Smyslov cannot parry both threats simultaneously.
Mar-02-06  woodenbishop: Very strong chess by both players!
Mar-02-06  suenteus po 147: Am I to understand that in the final position, if Keres sacs his rook for the pawn, his connected pawns on the sixth rank will defeat Smyslov's rook?
Mar-02-06  RookFile: Yes. You can try this as an experiment. Clear the entire board, and put two pawns on the 6th rank. Put the rook anywhere you want on the chessboard, with the sole priviso that the rook to move cannot immediately capture one of the pawns. Now, even with the rook to move, it cannot prevent one of the pawns from queening.
Jul-19-09  King.Arthur.Brazil: If 27.Nxe4 Txe4? 28.Txe4 Bxh3 (29.gxh3 Qg3+ with draw =) 29.Te7 Qg3 30.Te2, it seems white mantain his material. So why dont capture it? After 28. Kh2, Kg8 is forced (white treats: 29.Th5! followed by Txh6+!)Again 30. Th5, Qe7 .31. f5! smashes! 30...Qf6?31. Qxf6 wins a P. Ater that black makes a stone wall with bad B inside it. Ater 55 black could resign. Keres complcated the game!
Sep-26-24  JohnSimmons: Seirwan noted in his book of games against the champions, that a lot of the Soviet greats played 4...d6 against the classical Nimzo, and he couldn't understand the attraction.
Sep-27-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <King.Arthur.Brazil: If 27.Nxe4 Txe4? 28.Txe4 Bxh3 (29.gxh3 Qg3+ with draw =) 29.Te7 Qg3 30.Te2, it seems white mantain his material. So why dont capture it? After 28. Kh2, Kg8 is forced (white treats: 29.Th5! followed by Txh6+!)Again 30. Th5, Qe7 .31. f5! smashes! 30...Qf6?31. Qxf6 wins a P. Ater that black makes a stone wall with bad B inside it. Ater 55 black could resign. Keres complcated the game!>

27.Nxe4 Bc6 28.Nf2 (28.Ng5? h6) Qg3 29.e4 Qxf4 regains the pawn.

30.Rh5 does look strong. Black has 30....Qd8 and if 31.f5 Bf7. But then 31.Rd1 keeps the pressure on.

Has anyone seen Botvinnik's notes for this game?

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