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Miguel Najdorf vs Tigran Petrosian
Second Piatigorsky Cup (1966), Santa Monica, CA USA, rd 17, Aug-14
King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation. Immediate Fianchetto (E60)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Feb-05-05  Jack Rabbit: Interesting way of winning with the Rook Pawn. The White King will be cut off from with the Black King on escort duty and the Rook able to shield attacks.

1. <75 Kd2 Kb2>

2. <75 Kd3 Kb2 76 Rh2+ Kb1 77 Rh1+ Rc1>

3. <75 Kd4 Kb2 76 Rh2+ Rc2>

Oct-17-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: Another example of Petrosian prevailing with a "bad" bishop.
Oct-17-06  thatsmate: Doesn't 73...Rb2 win as well? It strikes me that white either has to let the pawn promote, or play 74. Ra1 Rb1 75. Rxa2+ Kxa2 with black winning, obviously.
Oct-18-06  wharfrat: <thatsmate> After your suggestion of 73...Rb2, how does Black win after 74.Rf8?
Aug-29-08  PAWNTOEFOUR: <Jack Rabbit> when i see analysis that looks interesting i like to see if shredder or crafty comes up with the same thing..and after 1.3 million nodes crafty seems to prefer this line....pv 75.Kd3 Kb2 76.Rg1 Rc1 77.Rg2+ Kb3 78.Rxa2 Kxa2 79.<HT> -575 Crafty
Jan-10-15  zydeco: Petrosian had a weak tournament but for some reason was able to play like himself against Najdorf.

Najdorf plays prematurely for his central break with 12.e5. It looks good but black ends up with a solid position, control over e5, and a lasting kingside initiative.

At move 18, Petrosian comments: "The present game is extremely instructive in that White, while not making one visible error, and going along all through simply with good moves, soon found himself in a position without prospects. I think this is a good example to demonstrate the importance, in complex modern systems, of creating a sharp strategic picture of the struggle and taking tactical elements into consideration."

Petrosian thought he was close to a quick win when he played 29....Qf5 but missed Najdorf's cute trick with 30.Bxg5 -- based on the idea that black has just cut off the escape squares for his own bishop.

After this exchange, black's initiative is basically gone, but Petrosian keeps grinding away.

Petrosian thought white had a fairly easy draw with 42.Re4. 64.bxa3 was the losing move. White could have just held a draw with 64.b3.

Dec-18-23  Olavi: 67.Rf2 with the idea of 67...d2 68.Rf5+ and a barrage of checks seems to draw.
Dec-18-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: That would have led to Petrosian finishing minus at Santa Monica had he taken the draw with Fischer in the last round, an inconceivable result for a reigning world champion.
Dec-18-23  Olavi: <perfidious:> There aren't many. Botvinnik lost 1½-2½ to Reshevsky in the 1955 USSR-USA match and Karpov scored 2/5 in Skara 1980, a team event. Anand did have one or two minus scores and so did Carlsen; Kramnik?
Dec-19-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: After 56...Rxg5! 57.Kxd3 Rc1! white King stays cut from QS Pawns and black should win.
Dec-19-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: 66...Rd7 was a slip, which could lead to draw after 67.Rf2! as <Olavi> suggested. 66...Rd5 was correct, and only if white plays 67.Rg1, then 67...Rd7!
Dec-19-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <zydeco><White could have just held a draw with 64.b3.>

I don't think so. If 64.b3, then 64...Rg8 65.Rg5+ Kc6 66.Ke3 Rd7 67.Rg6+ Kc7 68.Rxd3 Rdxg7 69.Re6 a2! 70.Ra6 Rg3+ 71.Kd2 Rg1 (diagram) and white must give up the Rook for a-Pawn.


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