Malcolm Pein's Annotated Bronstein Games in PGN

Chess for Friday December 8th 2006

David Bronstein (1924-2006), one of the most creative thinkers the chess world has ever has known has died at his home in Minsk. He had been unwell for some time. He leaves a legacy of hundreds of magical games and some of the finest chess literature. He can claim to have influenced all the leading players of his and subsequent generations.

For a period of at least 6 years in the post war period he was, in my opinion, the strongest player in the world. He won the USSR championship in 1948 and 1949 and triumphed at the Candidates tournament at Budapest in 1950 where he shared first place with the opening theoretician Isaac Boleslavsky and won a play off. Bronstein is survived by his wife Tatiana who is Boleslavsky’s daughter. Defeating Boleslavsky gave Bronstein the opportunity to challenge the legendary Mikhail Botvinnik for the world title in a best of 24 game match the following year.

I had the honour of playing him three times and found him to be the most charming and modest man. He would never be drawn totally on the defining point in his life when he lost the 23rd game and allowed Botvinnik to level the score. It is widely believed the Communist authorities pressured him into losing. Bronstein admits he was pressured but has never stated that he deliberately lost the game.

Today we will look at the fifth game of the match, the first decisive one and won by Bronstein with black to give him the lead 3-2. With some typically original play Bronstein creates counterplay from a cramped position with f7-f5 which gives the game the character more of a Dutch Defence. William Winter and Bob Wade in their book World Chess Championship 1951 describe 30…Kh8! as : ‘ a move of extraordinary subtlety’ their eye witness accounts of the match are well worth reading.

Botvinnik,Mikhail - Bronstein,David I [E43]
World Championship 19th Moscow (5), 25.03.1951

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 c5 6.Nf3 b6 7.0-0 Bb7 8.Na4 cxd4 9.a3 Be7 10.exd4 Qc7 11.b4 [11.h3 d5!] 11...Ng4 12.g3 f5 13.Nc3 [13.Ne1 Nc6 14.Bb2 Nd8 15.Ng2 Nf7 16.f3 Nf6 17.Rc1 Rac8 18.c5 Qd8 19.Qe2 Nd5 20.Ba6 Bxa6 21.Qxa6 Bf6 22.Qe2 Nh8 23.Rc2 Ng6 24.f4 Nge7 25.b5 Qe8 26.Rfc1 Qf7 27.Qd2 Rb8 28.Qd3 g6 29.Nc3 Qg7 30.Ne2 bxc5 31.Rxc5 Rb7 32.Rb1 Rfb8 33.Bc1 Nc8 34.Ne3 Nce7 35.Nxd5 Nxd5 36.Rc2 Qf8 37.Bd2 Qd6 38.a4 Nb6 39.Bb4 Qd5 40.Rc5 Qe4 41.Qxe4 fxe4 42.Rc2 Nxa4 43.Ra1 Rxb5 44.Rxa4 Rxb4 45.Rxa7 Bxd4+ 46.Kg2 Bxa7 0-1 Alatortsev,V-Lisitsin,G/Tbilisi 1937; 13.Re1 f4 14.Bxf4 Rxf4 15.gxf4 Qxf4 16.d5 exd5 17.Rxe7 Nc6 18.Re1 Rf8 19.Be4 dxe4 20.Qd5+ Kh8 21.Qxe4 Qf6 22.Qxg4 Nd8 23.Qg3 Bxf3 24.Rac1 Ne6 25.Nc3 Nd4 26.Re3 Bc6 27.Nd5 Qf7 28.Rce1 b5 29.Re7 Qg8 30.Kf1 bxc4 31.Ne3 c3 32.Rc1 c2 33.Nxc2 Qc4+ 34.Ke1 Nf3+ 0-1 Petrosian,T-Kopylov,N/Moscow 1951] 13...a6 14.Re1 Nc6 15.Bf1 Nd8! Opening the bishop and en route to f7. 16.Bf4 Bd6 17.Bxd6 Qxd6 18.Bg2 Nf7 19.c5 Qc7 20.Rc1 [20.Na4!] 20...Rae8 21.Na4 b5 22.Nc3 f4! 23.d5 fxg3 24.fxg3 [24.hxg3 was better. ] 24...exd5 25.Qd4 [25.Nxd5 Rxe1+ 26.Nxe1 Qe5] 25...Nf6 26.Nh4 Re5 27.Rxe5 Qxe5 28.Qxe5 Nxe5 29.Nf5 Nc4 30.Rd1

30...Kh8!! 31.Re1 [31.Nxd5 Bxd5 32.Bxd5 Nxd5 33.Rxd5 g6 and wins because Ne7+ is not possible. ] 31...Nxa3 32.Nd6 Bc6 33.Ra1 Nc2 34.Rxa6 d4 35.Ncxb5 Bxg2 36.Kxg2 Ng4 37.Nf5 [37.Ne4 d3] 37...d3 38.Rd6 Rxf5 39.Rxd3 Nge3+ 0-1

Chess Saturday December 9th 2006

Bronstein in play against Brett Lund in 1995 at the Manchester Open.

Today I will continue my tribute to David Bronstein (1924-2006) a chess genius who nearly claimed the world title from Mikhail Botvinnik, ‘ The Patriarch of Soviet Chess’ in an epic match at Moscow in 1951. Yesterday we saw how he outplayed Botvinnik in the fifth game but in the sixth, a hard fought Sicilian Defence Bronstein also got the better of his opponent but pressed too hard for a win in the endgame with disastrous results.

Bronstein,David I - Botvinnik,Mikhail [B63]
World Championship 19th Moscow (6), 26.03.1951
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 h6 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.0-0-0 a6 10.f4 Bd7 11.Kb1 Be7 12.Be2 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Qa5 14.Rhf1 h5 15.Rf3 Qc5 16.Qd2 Bc6 17.Re3 Qa5 18.Bf3 0-0-0 19.Qd3 Rd7 20.h4 Kb8 21.a3 Bd8 22.Ka2 Qc5 23.Re2 a5 24.a4 Bb6 25.b3 Rc8 26.Qc4 Qxc4 27.bxc4 Rh8 28.Kb3 Rdd8 29.Rd3 Bg1 30.Red2 Kc7 31.Ne2 Bf2 32.Rd1 Bc5 33.Ng3 Rdg8 34.Ne2 Rh7 35.f5 e5 36.Nc3 Bd4 37.Rxd4 exd4 38.Rxd4 Rhg7 39.Ne2 Rxg2 40.Bxg2 Rxg2 41.Nf4 Rg3+ 42.Kb2 Rg4 43.Nxh5 Rxh4 44.Nxf6 Kb6 45.Rxd6 Kc5 46.e5 Rd4 47.Rxd4 Kxd4 48.Ng4 Bxa4 49.e6 fxe6 50.f6 Be8 51.Kb3 e5 52.c3+ Ke4 53.Nh6 Kf4 54.f7 Bxf7 55.Nxf7 e4 56.Nd8 e3

Botvinnik had just played 56...e3 and now Bronstein could draw trivially but instead he played 57.Kc2?? [57.Ne6+ Kf3 58.Nd4+ Kf2 59.Ka4 e2 60.Nc2 e1Q 61.Nxe1 Kxe1 62.Kxa5 Kd2 63.Kb4] 57...Kg3 The knight cannot get back to prevent Kf2 and e2-e1 and promotes. 0-1

Botvinnik then took the lead when he took advantage of some impatient play from Bronstein in game 7, a Stonewall Dutch. I suspect psychologically the ninth game must have been a turning point. This was extraordinary as Bronstein was a rook down for nebulous compensation. After Botvinnik panicked and played a counter sacrifice Bronstein remained a piece for two pawns behind but outplayed Botvinnik to such an extent in a time scramble that when the draw was agreed on adjournment his position was superior although not quite winning. In the match book Botvinnik declares: "Played abominably...By chance he fell into a trap after which I played like an imbecile".

Botvinnik,Mikhail - Bronstein,David I [A91]
World Championship 19th Moscow (9), 03.04.1951
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.d4 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nc3 0-0 6.d5 Bb4 7.Bd2 e5 8.e3 d6 9.Nge2 a6 10.Qc2 Qe8 11.f3 b5 12.Qb3 Bc5 13.cxb5 Bd7 [13...axb5 14.Nxb5 Qf7 15.Nbc3 Na6 gives great compensation for example 16.0-0 Rb8 17.Qc2? Nb4 18.Qb1 Ba6] 14.Na4! Ba7

Overlooking something, [14...axb5!] 15.b6! Bxa4!? A decent practical chance instead of [15...cxb6 16.Nxb6 Bxb6 17.Qxb6 Nxd5 18.Qxd6] 16.b7! Bxb3 17.bxa8Q Bb6 Perhaps Bronstein overlooked [17...Bxe3 18.Bxe3 Bxd5 19.Qa7 and the lady vanishes.] 18.axb3 Qb5 19.Nc3 Qxb3 20.Rxa6? [20.0-0 f4 21.Rfe1 Qxb2 22.Ra2 Qb4] 20...Nxa6 21.Qxa6 Nxd5 22.Qa4 Qxa4 23.Nxa4 Bxe3 24.Bf1 Ra8 25.b3 Bxd2+ 26.Kxd2 Kf8 27.Bd3 g6 28.Rc1 Rb8 29.Nc3 Nb4 30.Be2 Ra8 31.Na4 c6 32.Rc4 Rb8 33.Bd1 Ke7 34.Nb2 d5 35.Rh4 h5 36.g4 hxg4 37.fxg4 f4 38.g5 Rf8 39.Rh7+ Kd6 40.Rg7 e4 41.Rxg6+

41...Ke5 [41...Ke5 42.h4 f3 43.Rf6 (43.h5? f2 44.Be2 f1Q 45.Bxf1 Rxf1 46.h6 Rh1 47.Rg7 Rh2+ 48.Kc1 d4 49.h7 Na2+ 50.Kd1 Nc3+ 51.Ke1 e3 wins.) 43...Rxf6 44.gxf6 Kxf6 45.Bxf3 exf3 46.Ke3 which just holds after 46...Nc2+ 47.Kxf3 Nd4+ 48.Ke3 Nxb3 49.Nd3 c5 50.Nxc5 Nxc5 51.Kd4] 1/2-1/2

Chess Monday December 11th 2006

I have been looking back on the match between David Bronstein and Mikhail Botvinnik from 1951 as part of my tribute to Bronstein who died last week. Bronstein got his title chance after finishing equal first with Isaac Boleslavsky at the Candidates Tournament in 1950 at Budapest and then defeating him in a play off.

Bronstein was half a point behind his rival going into the last round and when Boleslavsky agreed a short draw with Gideon Stahlberg in a position where he stood slightly better Bronstein caught him by fearlessly taking on Paul Keres in the latter’s territory of the Ruy Lopez.

Bronstein even introduced a pawn sacrifice which must have come as a complete surprise to Keres who was crushed in 33 moves. The sacrifice is perhaps not wholly sound but Bronstein was a fearless player who was always prepared to take risks and looking back on it I imagine he only rejected his favourite King’s Gambit on the grounds that Keres would be prepared for it.

Bronstein,David I - Keres,Paul [C91]
Candidates Tournament Budapest (18), 1950
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.d4 d6 9.c3 Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3! Previously only 11.gxf3 had been played. 11...exd4 12.Qd1 dxc3 13.Nxc3 Na5 14.Bc2 White has some white squares and space plus the chance to play f2-f4 and e4-e5 but with no weaknesses Black should be alright. 14...Re8 15.f4 b4 16.Nd5 Nxd5 [16...c6 17.Ne3 Bf8 looks more solid.] 17.Qxd5 c6 18.Qd3 g6 19.Kh1 Bronstein is not in a hurry and avoids annoying checks on the b6-g1 diagonal. 19...Bf8 20.Rf1 Bg7 21.Bd2 c5 22.Ba4! Preventing Na5-c6-d4. 22...Rf8 23.Rab1 Qb6 24.f5 Bd4 otherwise f5-f6 blocks in the bishop. 25.Qg3 Nc4 26.Bh6 Bg7 [26...Nxb2 27.Rxb2 Bxb2 28.Bb3 was feared by Keres but then perhaps 28...Qb5 29.Rf2 c4; If 26...Rfd8 27.fxg6 hxg6 28.Bb3 Ne5 29.Rxf7 and wins Winter and Wade. 29...Nxf7 30.Qxg6+ Kh8 31.Bxf7] 27.Bxg7 Kxg7 28.f6+ Kh8

29.Qg5! In The Sorcerer's Apprentice Bronstein writes that Keres intended [29.Qh4 g5 but overlooked that 29.Qg5! blocking the g pawn was stronger.] 29...b3 [29...Rg8 30.Rf4 Qd8 31.Rh4 Qf8 32.Rh6 Ne5 33.Qh4 wins.] 30.axb3 Bronstein wrote: 'With this move I show respect for Paul Keres as it would be very childish to play. [30.Rf4 bxa2 31.Qh6 axb1Q+ 32.Kh2] 30...Qb4 31.bxc4 Qxa4 32.Rf4 Qc2 33.Qh6 [33.Qh6 Qxb1+ 34.Kh2 Rg8 35.Qxh7+ Kxh7 36.Rh4#; Not 33.Ra1 Qd2!] 1-0

Chess Tuesday December 12th 2006

Today I will look at the play off between Isaac Boleslavsky and David Bronstein that was to decide who would play Mikhail Botvinnik for the world title. In his wonderful book ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’ Bronstein makes some fascinating comments and reveals that Boleslavsky, who remained unbeaten in the 18 games at the Budapest Candidiates tournament slowed down towards the end of the event so that he could catch him.

The pair were great friends. The pair were great friends and hatched a plan with an official of the Soviet Chess Federation to organise a three way match with Botvinnik but it did not come about so there had to be a play off at Moscow. Bronstein records that there was no prize money so the players gave their comments to the Moscow evening paper in return for some food money.

After twelve games the score was 6-6 and the thirteenth game was played with abandon by both players but ended in a draw. Bronstein won the match with some prepared analysis in the French Defence in the fourteenth and final game.

Boleslavsky,Isaak - Bronstein,David I [C15]
Candidates playoff 1pl Moscow (14), 1950
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2 dxe4 5.Qg4 Qxd4 6.0-0-0 Nf6 7.Qxg7 Rg8 8.Qh6 Bf8!? Prepared by Bronstein and Konstantinopolsky after Boleslavsky had played 4.Bd2 in game 12 and gained a clear advantage. This rather unlikely retreat caught Boleslavsky by surprise and he was unable to unravel the huge complications over the board. [8...Ng4 9.Qh4 Nxf2 (9...Qxf2? 10.Qd8+ Kxd8 11.Bg5+ Ke8 12.Rd8#) 10.Nxe4! with the idea of 10...Bxd2+ (10...Qxe4 11.Qd8+ Kxd8 12.Bg5+ Ke8 13.Rd8#; 10...Nxe4 11.Bxb4 Qxb4 12.Qd8#) 11.Rxd2 Qxe4 12.Qd8#; 8...Rg6 9.Qh4 Rg4 10.Qh3 Qxf2] 9.Qh4 Rg4! 10.Qh3 [10.Bg5 Qxd1+ 11.Kxd1 Rxh4 12.Bxh4 Nbd7 is good for Black.] 10...Qxf2!

11.Nb5? Boleslavsky errs [11.Be2 Rg6 12.g4 Qc5 13.Be3 Qe5 14.Bd4 Qf4+ 15.Be3 is equal - Euwe.] 11...Na6 12.Kb1 Bd7 13.Be3 [13.Bc3 Rh4 14.Bd4 Rxh3 15.Bxf2 Rh5 16.Nc3 Bc5 with two extra pawns.] 13...Qf5 14.Nd4 Qg6 Black is two pawns up and has pressure against g2. 15.Nb3 Nb4 16.Ne2 Nfd5 17.Nc3 [17.Bc1 e3!] 17...Nxc3+ 18.bxc3 Nd5 19.Bd4 Rg5! to play e6-e5. 20.g4 e5 21.Bf2 Bxg4 22.Rxd5 Bxh3 23.Bxh3 Rd8 24.Rxd8+ Kxd8 25.Rd1+ Bd6 26.Be3 f5 27.Nc5 [27.Bxg5+ Qxg5 would not change anything.] 27...f4 28.Ne6+ Ke7 29.Bxa7 Rh5 Boleslavsky stopped the clocks, congratulated Bronstein and wished him success against Botvinnik. 0-1

Chess Wednesday December 13th 2006

I will continue my look at the career of David Bronstein by continuing where we left off in his famous title contest against the reigning champion Mikhail Botvinnik at Moscow in 1951.

Bronstein swindled a draw in the ninth game to keep the score at 4-5. In his pre game notes Botvinnik wrote: "The decisive stage of the match is beginning" but after adjourning with a won position in game 10 Botvinnik missed a zugzwang and Bronstein escaped with a draw. In his post - game notes Botvinnik described his analysis as ‘shameful’.

The book of the match by Botvinnik gives a predictably one-sided account but the insights into his thoughts are fascinating; he was unerringly self-critical. He leaned heavily on his skill in adjournment analysis as games were halted at move 40 and resumed the next day. Although his analysis did not always serve him well all his wins came after the time control.

Bronstein with one exception scored his wins in less than forty moves. Today we will look at game 11 where Bronstein levelled the score to 5.5-5.5 after what looks like faulty opening analysis by Botvinnik to me.

Botvinnik,Mikhail - Bronstein,David I [E17]
World Championship 19th Moscow (11), 08.04.1951
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.0-0 0-0 7.b3 d5 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bb2 Nbd7 10.Nc3 Re8 11.Ne5 Bf8 12.Rc1!? [12.f4 c5 13.e3 Rc8 is fine for Black.] 12...Nxe5 13.dxe5 Rxe5 14.Nb5 Re7 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.e4 [16.Nd4 c5 17.Nf5 was a sharper way to play and if 17...Re5 18.f4 Rxf5 19.e4 dxe4 20.Qg4+ Bg7 21.Qxf5 Qd4+ 22.Kh1 Qd5 23.Qxd5 Bxd5 24.Rfd1 when White has good chances.] 16...dxe4 17.Qg4+ Bg7 18.Rfd1 Qf8! A good move reinforcing the kingside. 19.Nd4 [19.Nxc7 Rd8 20.Nb5 f5 21.Qxf5? Re5] 19...Bc8 20.Qh4 f5 21.Nc6?! [21.Bh3 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 was much better when White's positional advantage is almost worth the two pawns 22...Be6 23.Rxc7 Rxc7 24.Qg5+ Qg7 25.Rd8+ draws - Keres and Tolush.] 21...Re8 22.Bh3 Bh6 23.Rc2 e3 24.fxe3 Bxe3+ 25.Kh1 Be6 26.Bg2 a5 27.Bf3 Kh8 28.Nd4 Rad8 [28...Rac8 29.Nxf5 Bxf5 30.Qf6+ Qg7 31.Qxf5] 29.Rxc7 Bd5 In time trouble its good to weaken the enemy king. 30.Re1? [30.Rf1 was better.] 30...Qd6 31.Rc2 Re4!

Totally decisive. 32.Bxe4 Bxe4+ 33.Qxe4 fxe4 34.Nf5 Qb4 35.Rxe3 Rd1+ 36.Kg2 Rd2+ 37.Rxd2 Qxd2+ 38.Kh3 Qf2 39.Kg4 f6 0-1

Chess Friday December 15th 2006

I continue my examination of the career of David Bronstein, who died recently from where we left off in his title contest against the reigning champion Mikhail Botvinnik at Moscow in 1951. After levelling the score with the victory we saw on Wednesday Bronstein seemed to get carried away and his cavalier play against Botvinnik’s favourite Dutch Stonewall was comfortably refuted.

Botvinnik led 6.5-5.5 but then missed several chances in subsequent games to take a two point lead most notably in games thirteen, fifteen and sixteen. Bronstein was better in game fourteen when he employed the King’s Indian Attack but 55 years ago some of the intricacies of the positions were not fully understood and even there he had to scramble a draw after the adjournment. It was therefore a great surprise when Bronstein, who appeared to be clinging on, levelled the score in style in game 17.

Botvinnik,Mikhail - Bronstein,David I [E45]
World Championship 19th Moscow (17), 22.04.1951
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 b6 5.Nge2 Ba6 6.a3 Be7 By retreating Black renews the annoying attack on the c4 pawn. Botvinnik defeated Vasily Smyslov in a 1957 world title match after [6...Bxc3+ 7.Nxc3 d5 8.b3] 7.Ng3 In another title match against Smyslov, Botvinnik improved with Nf4 which gave him more pressure against the d5 square. 7...d5 8.cxd5 [8.b3 0-0 9.Bd3 c5=; 8.Qf3 c6=] 8...Bxf1 9.Nxf1 [9.Kxf1!? exd5 10.Nf5 0-0 11.Qf3 Re8 12.Qg3] 9...exd5 10.Ng3 Qd7 Preventing Nf5. Black is slightly ahead in development and White's bishop on c1 is a bad piece but with vigorous play Botvinnik can still fight for an edge however he plays meekly. 11.Qf3 Nc6 12.0-0 g6 13.Bd2 0-0 14.Nce2? The knight achieves nothing on f4 and becomes a target. [14.Rac1 h5 15.b4! with pressure on the c file was much better when White has chances of advantage.] 14...h5 15.Rfc1 h4 16.Nf1 Ne4 17.Nf4 a5!

With two prophylactic moves Bronstein neutralises White's queen side play and gives himself a free hand on the other wing. The intended 18.b4 now loses a pawn. 18.Rc2 [18.b4 axb4 19.axb4 Nxd2 20.Nxd2 Nxb4] 18...Bd8! Securing c7. 19.Be1 Ne7 20.Qe2 Nd6 21.f3 g5 22.Nd3 Qe6 23.a4 Botvinnik feared a5-a4 and Nd6-c4. 23...Ng6 24.h3 [24.Rac1 f5 25.Bf2] 24...f5 25.Bc3? Taking all the pressure off c7. 25...Bf6 Stopping Ne5. 26.Re1 Rae8 27.Qd1 Rf7 28.b3 White is completely passive. 28...Rfe7 29.Bb2 f4 30.Ne5 [30.exf4 Qxe1 31.Nxe1 Rxe1 32.Qd3 Nxf4 33.Qa6 Nf5 34.Kh2 Bxd4 35.Bxd4 Nxd4 36.Rxc7 Nxf3+ 37.gxf3 R8e2+ 38.Kg1 Nxh3+ 39.Kh1 Rxf1#] 30...Bxe5 31.dxe5 Nf7 32.exf4 Nxf4 33.Nh2 c5 34.Ng4 d4 Botvinnik blunders in time trouble but after 35.Bc1 Qd6!? Black is much better. 35.Nf6+? Qxf6 0-1

Botvinnik’s comment after the eighteenth game was: ‘’Played badly, was saved by a miracle’’. Let us see why.

Bronstein,David I - Botvinnik,Mikhail [D46]
World Championship 19th Moscow (18), 24.04.1951
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.e3 a6 6.Bd3 b5 7.b3 Nbd7 8.0-0 Bb7 9.c5 Be7 10.a3 a5 11.Bb2 0-0 12.Qc2 g6 13.b4 axb4 14.axb4 Qc7 15.Rae1 Rfe8 16.Ne2 Bf8 17.h3 Bg7 18.Ne5 Nf8 19.f3 N6d7 20.f4 f6 21.Nf3 Re7 22.Nc3 f5 23.Ra1 Ree8 24.Ne5 Rxa1 25.Rxa1 Ra8 26.Qb1 Qc8 27.Bxb5 Nxe5 28.fxe5 Bh6 29.Bc1 cxb5 30.Nxb5 Nd7 31.Nd6 Rxa1 32.Qxa1 Qa8 33.Qc3 Bf8 34.b5 Bxd6 35.exd6 Qa4 36.Qb2 Kf7 37.Kh2 h6 38.e4 f4 39.e5 g5 40.Qe2 Kg7

41.Qd3 Bronstein did not want to seal a committal move but this allows an amazing save found by Botvinnik and his team overnight. [41.c6 Bxc6 42.bxc6 Qxc6 43.Bxf4 gxf4 44.Qg4+ Kf7 45.Qxf4+ Kg7 46.Qg4+ Kf7 47.Qh4 Nf8 48.Qxh6 would have won as the protected passed pawn on d6 will ensure Black cannot prevent the advance of the white h pawn. Of course this is very hard to see.] 41...Nb8!! 42.h4 [42.c6 Nxc6 43.bxc6 Bxc6 and Black is saved by the presence of opposite coloured bishops.] 42...Qc4 43.Qh3 Qxb5! [43...Qxc1 44.d7 Nxd7 45.Qxe6 Bc8 46.Qe7+ Kg6 47.Qe8+ Kg7 48.e6 Nf8 49.Qf7+ wins.] 44.hxg5 hxg5 45.Qxe6 Qd3 46.Qf6+ Kh7 47.Qf7+ [47.Qxg5 Qg3+ 48.Qxg3 fxg3+ 49.Kxg3 Kg6 50.Kf4 Nc6 51.Be3 Bc8 blockades.] 47...Kh8 48.Qf6+ Kh7 49.Bxf4 gxf4 50.Qf7+ Kh8 51.Qe8+ Kg7 52.Qe7+ Kh8 53.Qe8+ Kg7 54.Qe7+ Kh8 55.Qf8+ Kh7 56.Qf7+ Kh8 57.Qxb7 Qg3+ 58.Kh1 1/2-1/2

Chess Tuesday December 19th 2006

I continue my tribute to David Bronstein with a continuation of the discussion of his title match against Mikhail Botvinnik at Moscow in 1951. Last week we saw how Bronstein missed a win in the eighteenth game of their world title match and with six games to go the score was 9-9. Botvinnik’s strategy, particularly with white was to adjourn the game after forty moves, preferably with an edge and then use his superiority in adjournment analysis. In game nineteen this worked when Bronstein missed at least two draws in the endgame. Here is one.

Botvinnik,Mikhail - Bronstein,David I [D75]
World Championship 19th Moscow (19), 27.04.1951
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Nf3 0-0 7.0-0 c5 8.e4 Nf6 9.e5 Nd5 10.dxc5 Nb4 11.Nc3 N8c6 12.a3 Nd3 13.Be3 Bg4 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Ndxe5 16.Qe4 Qd3 17.Qa4 Qc4 18.Rad1 Rad8 19.Bd5 Qxa4 20.Nxa4 e6 21.Ba2 Nf3+ 22.Kg2 Nfd4 23.g4 h6 24.Rd2 Kh7 25.f4 f5 26.Nc3 e5 27.fxe5 Bxe5 28.Nd5 fxg4 29.hxg4 Rxf1 30.Kxf1 Rf8+ 31.Rf2 Rxf2+ 32.Bxf2 a6 33.Kg2 Kg7 34.Bc4 Ne6 35.b4 Bb2 36.a4 Ne5 37.Be2 Bd4 38.Bg3 a5 39.bxa5 Nxc5 40.Nc7 Nc6 41.a6 bxa6 42.Nxa6 Ne4 43.Bc7 Nc3 44.Bf3 Ne5 45.a5

45...h5 [45...Nxf3 46.Kxf3 Kf6 47.Nb4 Nb5 48.Bb6 h5 49.Nc6 hxg4+ 50.Kxg4 Bxb6 51.axb6 Nd6=] 46.g5 Now this pawn remains on the board. 46...Nc4 47.Nb4 Nb5 48.Bd8 Kf8 49.Nc6 Bc5 50.Be2 Ne3+ 51.Kf3 Nd4+ 52.Nxd4 Bxd4 53.Bd3 Ng4 [53...Nf5 54.Bb6 Be5 55.Bxf5 gxf5 56.a6] 54.Bxg6 Ne5+ 55.Ke4 Nc6 56.Bb6 Bxb6 57.axb6 h4 58.Bf5 Ke7 59.Kf4 Kd6 60.Be4 1-0

Chess Thursday December 21st 2006

Today I will continue my tribute to David Bronstein (1924-2006) with a look at the concluding stages of his world title match against Mikhail Botvinnik. When we left it last week the score was 10-9 to Botvinnik after Bronstein had missed a draw in the ending of game 19.

Game twenty was a fairly quiet draw but in game twenty one Bronstein scored a famous victory to level the score with what was to become his trademark King’s Indian Defence. At the time the opening was considered dubious but over the next twenty years Bronstein led the way in developing strategies that subsequently encouraged many other leading players to take it up.

Botvinnik,Mikhail - Bronstein,David I [E69]
World Championship 19th Moscow (21), 04.05.1951
[IM Malcolm Pein]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5 This move order keeps White guessing as to whether Black will play an Old Indian with Be7 or a King's Indian with Bg7. It has the added advantage of ruling out the dangerous Saemisch Variation with pawn f2-f3. 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.g3 g6 6.Bg2 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.e4 c6 9.h3 Nh5 10.Be3 Qe7 11.Nh2 [11.Re1 f5 12.exf5 gxf5 13.Nxe5 dxe5 14.Qxh5] 11...Kh8 12.Re1 a6 Thwarted on the kingside, Bronstein goes for queenside play. 13.a3 Rb8 14.Bf1 Nhf6 15.Qd2 [15.d5 cxd5 16.cxd5 Nc5 17.Bg2 a5 18.b4!] 15...b5 16.cxb5 axb5 17.Rad1 Nb6 18.Bh6 [18.dxe5 dxe5 19.Qd6 Qxd6 20.Rxd6 Na4!= 21.Bg5 Ne8 22.Rxc6 Bb7 23.Bxb5 Bxc6 24.Bxc6 Nxb2; 18.b4 Threatening dxe5 and Bc5 was more promising.] 18...Bxh6 19.Qxh6 Be6! 20.Nf3 Bb3 21.Rd2 Nfd7! [21...Nc4 22.Bxc4 Bxc4 23.Ng5] 22.Qe3 Bc4 23.Bg2 f6! Making the kingside safe.

24.Rc2 Bb3 25.Rce2 Nc4 Bronstein has taken over the initiative. Botvinnik has played too passively and his light squared bishop lacks influence. 26.Qd3 Na5 27.Rd2 Nb6 28.Qb1 Nbc4 29.Rde2 b4 Black has a strong initiative on the queenside and b2 comes under pressure. 30.axb4 Rxb4 31.h4 Nb6 32.Na2 Bxa2 33.Qxa2 Nbc4 34.h5 Rfb8 35.hxg6 hxg6 36.Qb1 Kg7 37.dxe5 fxe5 38.Qc1 Nxb2 39.Qc3 Na4 40.Qc1 Rc4 41.Qg5 Qxg5 42.Nxg5 Nb3 43.f4 Nd4 44.Ra2 Rb2 With superior pieces and an extra pawn Bronstein wins easily. 45.Rxb2 Nxb2 46.Kh2 Nd3 47.Re3 Rc3 48.Bf1 Rc2+ 49.Kh3 Nf2+ 50.Kh4 Rc1 51.Bg2 Rg1 52.Bh3 Rh1 53.fxe5 dxe5 54.Ra3 Kf6 55.Nh7+ Ke7 56.Ng5 Kd6 57.Nf7+ Ke7 58.Kg5 [58.Nxe5 Rxh3+] 58...Kxf7 59.Ra7+ Ke8 60.Bd7+ Kd8 61.Kxg6 Nxe4 62.g4 Rf1 63.Bf5 Nxf5 64.gxf5 Ke8 0-1