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Mikhail Tal vs Thomas Paehtz Sr
"Binding the Patzer" (game of the day Jul-26-2016)
Halle DSV (1974), Halle GDR, Sep-??
Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon. Maroczy Bind Breyer Variation (B39)  ·  1-0

8
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2
a
1
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h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Nov-30-03  Spitecheck: Any Tal fans out there will appreciate this game.

Spitecheck

Nov-30-03  mack: They don't make 'em like Tal any more
May-26-04  Jim Bartle: OK, I remember this game was analyzed by Robert Byrnes in the NYT, but forget what happens if black takes the second rook with 17...Qxa1? 18. Qf6 followed by Bh6?
Jan-04-06  Lupechmand: I think then Bh8 and Qg7# without any pieve able to do anything about it?
Jan-04-06  aw1988: Yes, but if Qxa1 Bh8 f6, then what?
Jan-04-06  Jim Bartle: According to Byrne, 17...Qxa1 would be answered by 18. Qf6 to be followed by Bh6 and mate.
Jan-04-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: How about 18 Bh6 f6 19 Bf3?
Jul-04-09  backrank: Interestingly, this game has a predecessor which had been played only a few weeks before: N Gaprindashvili vs R Servaty, 1974

That game shows also very drastically what would have happened if Paehtz had taken also the second rook.

However, the final stroke in this game is also very nice, for if Black takes the rook e6 he has only the choice between two pretty mates by queen and bishop: 22. ... fxe6 23. ♕f6+ and now either 23. ... ♔g8 24. ♗xe6 # or 23. ... ♔e8 24. ♗c6 # !. An elegant finish.

Sep-27-09  WhiteRook48: 19...Rb8 would win
Feb-16-11  TheRavenPK: <WhiteRook48> After 20.Re1 every move by black leads to mate, or I found 20.Qh6+ 21.Kc2 Qg7 22.Re8+ Kxe8+ 23.Qxg7 losing just a lady in black.. I don't think it is necessary to post the mating lines..
Aug-23-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: This game deserves to be a POTD, with Tal's brilliant masterstroke 16.Qd4.
May-14-12  Llawdogg: Thanks for posting the mating lines, backrank.
Sep-15-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  maxi: 19...Rb8 offers no relief after 20.Re1 with multiple threats.
Sep-15-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: Ah, memories; first saw this attacking gem published in Chess Life and Review.
Sep-16-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  maxi: The main tactical line (avoided in the game) is fascinating: 17.Kd2 QxRa1 18.Qf6 Qxa2 19.Bh6 Qa5+ and now the White King must find the road to safety. Moves 20.Ke3 Re8+, 20.Kc2 Qf5+ and 20.Kd3 Qf5+ are no good. The only way is 20.Kc1 Qa1+ 21.Kc2 Qa4+ 22.Kb1 and now Black is truly helpless. It is kind of nice how the King must travel to the corner to be safe.
Sep-16-14
Premium Chessgames Member
  maxi: It's like a study.
Jul-26-16  mruknowwho: After 16.Qd4, I think what Black never realized was that due to the fact that his bishop is on c8, Tal actually has excellent light square control for the moment. Maybe instead of taking the rook on h1, perhaps a little bit better would have been to challenge the light squares with 16...Bb7. Black is still threatening to take rook, and 17.Qf6 can be answered by 17...Qc6. Black can eventually play Re8, pointing out that White hasn't yet castled and also pinning the bishop in the process. Black must also accept that the rook on f8 is lost. It cannot move or else Black no longer has the defensive move of f6, and Tal's dark square bishop becomes too powerful.
Jul-26-16  knutinge: Ein hervorragendes Spiel, deshalb liebe Schach!
Jul-26-16  Moszkowski012273: 16.Qh6... is actually quite a bit stronger.
Jul-26-16  kevin86: Tal wins big!
Jul-26-16  Moszkowski012273: 17.. Qc6 was muchhhhhh better.
Jul-26-16  morfishine: Nice game, but what does "Binding the Patzer" have to do with ANYTHING???????
Oct-11-16  Malfoy: morfishine, I suppose it has to do with the surname of Tal's opponent, of course!
Sep-11-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  kingscrusher: There is a super cool move behind the scenes if black had played 17...Qxa1

Qf6 !!
"The threat of a threat of mate in 1" - justifies its own extra layer of sophistication by shutting down f6 ! - Bh6 is now threatened "without resistance" :)

Mikhail Tal - Thomas Paehtz Sr 1-0 0.0, Halle DSV Halle GDR 1974


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Analysis by Stockfish 14:

1. +- (6.55): 18...Bb7 19.Bh6 Qxb2+ 20.Qxb2 f6 21.Qd4 Rac8 22.c5 Rxc5 23.Bc4+ d5 24.Bxf8 Kxf8 25.Qxf6+ Ke8 26.Qe6+ Kd8 27.Qd6+ Ke8 28.Qb8+ Bc8 29.Bb5+ Rxb5 30.Qxc8+ Kf7 31.Qd7+ Kf6 32.Qxb5 Ke6

Sep-17-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  OBIT: For those gushing over Tal's genius in this game: Tal himself called it an act of plagiarism, as he essentially duplicated Gaprindashvili's win over Servaty a few weeks earlier (as was already noted by <backrank>).

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