From: hwr@intercal.com (Hanon W. Russell)
Subject: Botvinnik Autobiography, Game 35
Organization: Chessnews list (chessnews-request@tssi.com)
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 02:34:36 GMT


No. 35  Queen's Gambit
M. Botvinnik-G. Kasparyan

Semi-Finals, 7th USSR Championship
Moscow, 1931

1 d2-d4       d7-d5
2 c2-c4       e7-e6
3 Nb1-c3      Ng8-f6
4 Ng1-f3      Nb8-d7
5 Bc1-f4      ...

I played this way successfully against Ragozin in the 1930/31 Leningrad 
Championship. I focused attention on this move after studying Alekhin's 
game against Lasker (New York, 1924). The continuation 5...dc 6 e3 Nd5 7 
Bxc4 Nxf4 8 ef Bd6 9 g3 0-0 10 0-0 Nf6 11 Qe2 (see game No. 62) is not 
considered very good for Black, and therefore my opponent chooses another 
variation, which has, however, a worse reputation.

5 ...         Bf8-b4
6 e2-e3       ...

Stronger is 6 cd! ed (6...Nxd5 7 Bd2) 7 e3, so that Black cannot create 
pressure against c3, although theory recommends the move played in the 
game.

6 ...         0-0
7 Qd1-b3      c7-c5
8 a2-a3       ...

There could follow 8...Qa5 and 9...Ne4, which would release the tactics in 
the position.

8 ...         Qd8-a5

Black now does not succeed in doubling the White pawns, which would have 
happened after 8...Bxc3+! 9 bc (worse is 9 Qxc3 because of 9...Ne4 and 
10...Qa5+).

9 Ra1-c1      Bb4xc3+
10 Qb3xc3     ...

After 10 bc b6!, Black would seize the initiative on the Queenside, while 
now an endgame arises in which White's opening advantage in the center 
will manifest itself via his two Bishops. Perhaps my opponent did not 
realize that I would agree to the exchange of Queens. He only needed a 
draw in this game: he was leading the tournament. I had already lost two 
games and needed to win to fight for second place, as otherwise I might 
not qualify for the finals. Only a win would do for this; sober reason 
showed that the best winning chances were in the ending.

10 ...        Qa5xc3+
11 b2xc3      b7-b6
12 c4xd5      Nf6xd5

If 12...ed, then Black's center pawn restricts the activity of the Queen 
Bishop. Now it occupies the long diagonal and will participate in the 
piece pressure on White's center.

13 Bf4-g3     ...

An attempt to take advantage of the Bishops' activity by an immediate 13 
Bd6 Rd8 14 Bb5 does not work: 14...Bb7 15 Bxd7 Rxd7 16 dc Rc8.

13 ...        Bc7-b7
14 Bf1-b5     Nd5-f6

Black defends carefully in stormy seas. After the natural 14...Rfd8 there 
would follow 15 Bh4 N5f6 16 Ne5!.

15 Ke1-e2     ...

Another factor determining White's advantage: His King is in the center 
while Black's is still out of play.

15 ...        a7-a6
16 Bb5-d3     Rf8-c8
17 Rh1-d1     ...

White allows his opponent a double attack, which could have been avoided 
with 17 c4 (17...Ne4 18 Bf4).

17 ...        Nf6-e4

The excellent position of the Bishop is under attack, and 18...cd 19 cd 
Nc3+ is threatened. White chooses the lesser evil.

18 c3-c4      Bb7-c6

Black is not justified in refraining from the intended exchange. Instead 
of this, which would have given him an approximately equal game, he cedes 
White the basic advantage of the two Bishops.

19  Bg3-f4    f7-f6

It seems that White now wins a piece: 20 d5 ed 21 cd Bxd5 22 Bxe4, but the 
reply 21...Bb5! maintains the balance.

20 h2-h4      h7-h6
21 Bf4-h2     ...

A preventive move, depriving Black of the potentially useful advance 
g7-g5-g4.

21 ...        Ra8-a7
22 Nf3-e1     f6-f5

Otherwise the Knight cannot retreat, but creating weaknesses in the pawn 
structure.

23 f2-f3      Ne4-f6
24 Rd1-d2     b6-b5

Of course, the opening of the position favors the side with the two 
Bishops, and that is White. But on the other hand, Black does not have at 
his disposal any active possibilities, while White has several interesting 
plans. For example, preparing to advance d4-d5, transferring the Knight to 
f4 (after Kf2 and Be2).

25 d4xc5      b5xc4

Impossible is 25...Nxc5 because of 26 cb and material loss is inevitable.

26 Bd3xc4     Nd7xc5
27 Bh2-d6     Nf6-d7

The only chance of saving the Knight on c5 without giving up the pawn on 
e6.

28 Rd2-c2     Rc8-e8

A clever defense: The Bishop on c4 has nowhere to go (29 Ba2 Bb5+) while 
on 29 Bxe6+ Nxe6 30 Rxc6 there follows 30...Nd4+.

29 Ke2-f2!    ...

White has two threats: 30 Ba2 and 30 Bxe6+, and they both cannot be 
parried. For example, 29...Ba4 30 Rc3 Kf7 31 Ba2 Nb7 32 Rc7 etc. The game 
continuation ends things quickly.

29 ...        Nc5-b7
30 Bc4-a2!    Nb7xd6

Or, as has already been noted, 30...Bb5 31 Rc7.

31 Rc2xc6     Nd6-f7

The pawn on e6 finally falls.

32 Ba2xe6     Nd7-e5
33 Rc6-c8     Ra7-e7
34 Rc8xe8+    Re7xe8
35 Be6xf5     Resigns

A complicated and double-edged struggle even without Queens.

The results of the Semi-Finals were Kasparyan first and I second, and we 
both proceeded to the finals. Unfortunately, in the finals Kasparyan 
finished last, but I upheld the honor of our preliminary group by winning 
the title of Champion of the USSR for the first time in my life.

Copyright 1988, 1992 Hanon W. Russell
All Rights Reserved