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Aleksandar Matanovic vs Mikhail Tal
"Mata of Life and Death" (game of the day Aug-17-2023)
Portoroz Interzonal (1958), Portoroz SLO, rd 4, Aug-10
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation (B94)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Nov-30-06  nescio: This was the most sensational game of the tournament. At the beginning of the interzonal the two most discussed questions were "What can be expected of Bobby Fischer?" and "What to do against Tal"? To the second question Matanovic provided an answer. Tal had already won the USSR championship in murdering style, but here in the fourth round he was defeated with his own weapons. Matanovic released such a concentrated violence on the black position that Tal succumbed. But Tal did not allow such an attack to other paticipants and went on to win the tournament.
Mar-16-08  Eyal: <here in the fourth round [Tal] was defeated with his own weapons>

12.Nd5 indeed looks like a Tal-move (it's also practically forced if White wants to achieve anything - 12.Na4 or Nce2 are answered by 12...Nxe4 followed by capturing on g5); but the best part of the game is actually the way Matanovic plays the ending from move 27 onwards, following the exchanges that Tal initiates in order to ease White's pressure. Btw, a few months after this game Tal played this line again as Black, substituting 15...Qb6 for 0-0-0, and won without too much trouble (Lokvenc vs Tal, 1958).

Aug-10-16  zydeco: Tal describes this game as a "very annoying loss." He says he played the opening carelessly and thought he was winning a piece but ran into home preparation (phe means 12...b4 and 13.Nd5!). Then he says Matanovic made several mistakes and gave him good drawing chances. I'm not sure what Matanovic's mistakes would have been.

24.b3 seems like a sharp move that kills most of Tal's counterplay.

Dec-05-20  The17thPawn: < Eyal> - True but Lokvenc wasn't of the same caliber as Matanovic #77 world high ranking as compared to #14 world ranking for Matanovic.
Aug-12-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  An Englishman: Good Morning: The manner in which White "slow-walks" his attack *after* sacrificing the Knight looks very impressive.

Black did have one trick in the endgame, although it might have availed nothing--28...Kc7; 29.Rxd5,Bxd5; 30.cxd5,Kd6; 31.Rd1!?,Rxh2 (threat: ...Rh5); 32.g4, and now either ...Re2 or ...Rf2 give Black some chances. However, 31.Kc2,Kxd6; 32.h4 probably leads to a long miserable slog ending in a victory for White.

Aug-17-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: Excellent pun!

You can't go wrong with Tal.

Aug-17-23  jffun1958: Istructive endgame by Matanovic!
Aug-17-23  SkySports: A deserved celebration for the recently passed away Yugoslav (then Serbian) Grandmaster. Thanks <MissScarlett> !
Aug-17-23  Brenin: And thank you <An Englishman> for suggesting this excellent tribute to the late GM Matanovic.

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