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Mikhail Tal vs Leonid Shamkovich
URS-ch sf Riga (1955), Riga URS
Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan. Sveshnikov Variation (B33)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jul-06-08  mmmsplay10: Tal could play the endgame, regardless of common belief
Jan-12-09  M.D. Wilson: <Tal could play the endgame, regardless of common belief> I don't know why there exists a myth that Tal couldn't play endgames. It's just absurd. He was a World Champion!
Sep-24-10  libertyjack: Tal was absolutely impressive at rook endgames
Oct-23-15  quirite: And I am impressed by his knight endgames.
His level in endagme in general was very good.
Aug-22-21  Messiah: <M.D. Wilson: <Tal could play the endgame, regardless of common belief> I don't know why there exists a myth that Tal couldn't play endgames. It's just absurd. He was a World Champion!>

Exactly. No one can become a World Champion without very serious skills in the endgame.

Aug-22-21  faulty: Yet this particular game was won by white well before the endgame
Aug-22-21  Messiah: <faulty: Yet this particular game was won by white well before the endgame>

I am not certain, that 36.Kf3 needs deeper insights.

Dec-01-21  Messiah: I am still uncertain exactly where this game got decided. Someone please look at it and share thoughts.
Dec-01-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  Retireborn: It's a surprise to see this line, which one associates with Sveshnikov in the 70s, being played as early as 1955. Shamkovich would have had no theory or experience to rely on.

The Stockfish engine notes that 13...Be6 is the standard move now.

I do not like the move 15...h5. Clearly he wants to prevent h5-h6, but this pawn becomes a significant weakness later.

I suggest 15...f5 (more thematic) and if 16.h5 Bf7 17.h6 Be5 Black has an active position, or 17.Qxf5 0-0 looks like reasonable compensation.

After 22.Nf4! Tal is already close to winning because of the weaknesses on d3 and h5.

One nice variation is 30...Kh7 31.b3 Rd4 32. Rxd4 Bxd4 33.Qb7+ Kh6 34.Qxb4 Bxe3 35.Qe1! (Houdini)

I can't see any problem with 36.Kf3, as ...Ke6 can be met with 37.Ke4.

Finally, one notes that the game is analysed in one of Timman's books; I don't have that one, but he may provide some deeper insights.

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