Leonid Stein vs Mark Taimanov (1963)

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Leonid Stein vs Mark Taimanov
9th Soviet Team Championship qual-3 (1963), Moscow URS, rd 2, Aug-08
Sicilian Defense: Paulsen Variation. Modern Line (B44) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Aug-30-06		Albertan: Here is some analysis of this game: Stein,Leonid - Taimanov,Mark E Opening:Sicilian Defense,Taimanov variation ECO:[B44] URS-chT Moscow, 1963 1.e4 c5 The Sicilian Defense. 2.Nf3 Nc6 This move, in combination with the pawn advance ...d6 will allow Taimanov to develop his king's knight to f6 without having to worry about the knight being displaced by the pawn advance e4-e5. 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 This move defines the variation being played. Taimanov is playing the variation named for him. It is a flexible variation. 5.Nb5 Stein breaks an opening principle by moving the s ame piece twice in the opening. However now Taimanov's queen cannot develop to c7 and it is tied to the defense of the c7 square preventing the fork Nc7+. 5...d6 Taimanov gains more control over central squares and faciliates the development of his queen's bishop. 6.c4 By playing this move Stein makes it more difficult for his opponent to play the pawn break ..d5 and also it inhibits queenside counterplay by Taimanov. 6...Nf6 By far the most popular continuation for Black in this position, developing another minor piece and gaining more influence over the key d5-square. 7.N1c3 The most popular continuation for White in this position, developing another minor piece,which will make it even more difficult for Taimanov to play the pawn break ...d5. 7...a6 A move almost universally played by Black in this position according to my database.He wins a tempo by attacking Stein's knight. 8.Na3 The lost tempo. Now we see that by playing his pawn to c4 Stein has prevented the idea of ...a6...b5...b4 winning the exchange. [Analysis:Rarely played is the move 8.Nd4 ] 8...Be7 By far the most popular continuation for Black in this position in my database ,Taimanov develops another minor piece and prepares to castle on the kingside. 9.Be2 Again a move almost always played by White in this position, preparing to castle. 9...0-0 10.0-0 b6 This move is the most often played by Black in this position, Taimanov intends to develop his queen's bishop by fianchettoeing it. 11.Be3 This move is the most often played by White in this position. He ties Taimanov's queen to the defense of the weak black d-pawn. 11...Bb7 Developing his last minor piece and indirectly pressuring Stein's weak e-pawn. 12.f3 Stein spends a tempo to overprotect his e-pawn. [Analysis:The main continuation in this position is to play: 12.Qb3 and play most often continues: 12...Nd7 13.Rfd1 Nc5 14.Qc2 Qc7 15.Rac1 Rac8 16.f3 (16.Qd2 Rfd8) 16...Qb8] 12...Re8 Taimanov centralizes his rook. [Analysis:The main continuation for Black in this position is: 12...Ne5 ]

Aug-30-06		Albertan: 13.Qb3 The most ofen played move in my database for White in this position, creating a double-attack against Taimanov's b-pawn. 13...d5 Taimanov spends a tempo to occcupy the key d5-square,development of tension in the center by the creation of the pawn levers. [The most popular move for Black in this position is: 13...Nd7 ] 14.Bxb6 Winning a pawn and a tempo. [Analysis:Hiarcs 8: 14.cxd5 Na5!? 15.Qxb6 exd5 16.Rfd1 Qxb6 17.Bxb6 Bb4 18.Nc2 Bxc3 19.bxc3 Nc6 and Black would have insufficient compensation for the pawn.] 14...Qb8? The lost tempo.Hiarcs 8 gives Stein an advantage after analyzing this move. [Analysis:Hiarcs 8: 14...Na5 15.Bxa5 Qxa5 16.cxd5 Bxa3 17.dxe6 (17.bxa3 exd5 18.Rab1 (18.Qxb7?! Qc5+ 19.Kh1 Reb8 20.Qxa8 Rxa8 ) ) 17...Bc5+ 18.Kh1 Reb8 19.exf7+ Kh8 20.e5 Nd7 21.Qe6 Nf8 22.Qc4 Bc8 And Black has compensation for the pawn.] 15.cxd5 exd5 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Qxd5 Stein goes up two pawns in material. 17...Bd6 Creating the threat of 18...Bxh2+ [Analysis:Hiarcs 8: 17...Nd8 18.Qb3 Bd6 19.h3 Ne6 20.Rfd1 Nc5 21.Qc2 Nxe4!? 22.fxe4 Bxe4 23.Qb3 Bh2+ 24.Kf1 Bxg2+!? 25.Kxg2 Rxe2+ 26.Kf1 Qe5] 18.Qh5 Ne5 19.Be3 [Analysis:Hiarcs 8: 19.Bd4 Nc6 20.Bf2 Re5 21.Qh4 Re6 22.Be3 Ne7 23.Nc4 Ng6 24.Qh3 Nf4 25.Bxf4 Bxf4] 19...Ng6 Intending to move the knight to f4. 20.Nc4 Centralizing the knight which ties down Taimanov's queen to the defense of the Black bishop on d6. 20...Nf4 Attacking Stein's queen threatening to win a tempo. 21.Bxf4 [Analysis:Less precise is moving the queen: 21.Qa5 Nxe2+ 22.Kf2 Bc7 23.Bb6 Bxb6+ 24.Qxb6 Nf4 25.Rfd1 Re6 26.Qd4 Rc6 ] 21...Bxf4 22.g3 Winning a tempo. 22...Bc7 The lost tempo. 23.Kg2 Re6 Taimanov intends to chase Stein's queen from h5 by playing ...Rh6. 24.Rad1 Gaining control of the open file. 24...Rh6 Winning a tempo. 25.Qc5 The lost tempo. 25...Bc8 He gives his bishop more mobilty on the open diagonal. He intends to move the bishop to e6. 26.h4!? Stein is willing to sacrifice his g-pawn in order to set up a possible game ending threat against Taimanov's king (taking advantage of Taimanov's weak back rank). 26...g5? Taimanov is willing to sacrifice his g-pawn. [Analysis:(a) 26...Bxg3?? 27.Rd8#; (b) 26...Bb7 27.e5 Rc6 28.Qd4 Re6 29.Bd3 Bxe5 30.Nxe5 Qxe5 31.Bc4 Qxd4 32.Rxd4 Re7 And Taimanov lacks compensation for the pawn. ] 27.h5 [Analysis:Hiarcs 9: (a) 27.hxg5? Bh3+ 28.Kf2 Bxg3+ 29.Ke3 Bxf1 30.Rxf1 Bf4+ 31.Kd4 Rh2 32.Kd3 Qd8+ 33.Qd5 Rc8 ; (b) 27.Qxg5+? Rg6 28.Qe7 Rxg3+ 29.Kf2 Rg6 30.b4 Bh3 31.Rg1 Bg3+ 32.Ke3 Be6 33.Rh1 Bf4+ 34.Kf2 Bg3+ And Black would have compensation for the pawns.] 27...Rxh5 28.Rh1 Rxh1 29.Qxg5+ He goes up a minor piece in material and wins a tempo. 29...Kf8 The lost tempo. [Analysis:Hiarcs 8: 29...Kh8 30.Rxh1 Be6 31.Qf6+ Kg8 32.Rh5 Bd8 33.Qh6 Qc7 34.Qxh7+ Kf8 35.Qh8+ Ke7 36.Qc3 Ra7] 30.Rxh1 Qb5 Taimanov offers to exchange queens. 31.Qf6 [Analysis:Hiarcs 8: 31.Qxb5 axb5 32.Na3 Be5 33.Rxh7 Be6 34.f4 Bxb2 35.Nxb5 Rxa2 36.Kf3 Bg7 ] 31...Kg8 32.e5 [Analysis:Hiarcs 8: 32.Qh6 Bb7 33.Rh5 Qc6 34.Rg5+ Qg6 (34...Kh8?? 35.Qg7#) 35.Ne3 Bxe4 36.fxe4 Be5 37.Rxg6+ hxg6 ] 32...Be6?? Double-attacking Stein's knight however this move is a blunder. 33.Qg5+ Kh8?? 34.Rxh7+ 1-0 Possible continuations are: (a)Hiarcs 8If 34...Kxh7 35.Bd3+ Kh8 36.Qh6+ Kg8 37.Bh7+ Kh8 38.Bf5+ Kg8 39.Qh7+ Kf8 40.Bxe6 fxe6 41.Qxc7 (b)Fritz 8:If 34...Kxh7 35.Bd3+ Kh8 36.Qh6+ Kg8 37.Bh7+ Kh8 38.Bf5+ Kg8 39.Qh7+ Kf8 40.Bxe6 fxe6 41.Qxc7 Qd5 42.b3 Qd1 43.Qb7 Rd8 44.Nd6 Qd2+ 45.Kh3 Qh6+ 46.Kg4 Qg6+ 47.Kf4 Kg8 48.Ne4 Qf5+ 49.Ke3 Qxe5 50.Qb6 Rd1 51.Qxa6 [Analysis:Better was 34.Bd3 f5 35.Qf6+ Kg8 36.Qxe6+ Kg7 37.Bxf5 Qxb2+ 38.Nxb2 h5 39.Qe7+ Kg8 40.Be6+ Kh8 41.Rxh5#] 1-0

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