Newsgroups: rec.games.chess
Subject: Re: Petrosian-Bronstein, Amsterdam 1956
From: Ralph Frisch <RFFCC@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Date: Friday, 1 Jan 1993 17:19:54 EST
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center

>From: arimakel@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Ari Kalevi Makela)
>Subject: Petrosian-Bronstein, Amsterdam 1956
>Date: 1 Jan 93 16:24:13 GMT
>
>In Amsterdam Candidates' Tournament 1956 Petrosian played a famous game
>against Bronstein. Petrosian completely outplayed Bronstein. At the end
>Bronstein could move only his knight forwards and backwards. But then
>Petrosian blundered his queen and lost.
>
>The game should be a strategical masterpiece and Petrosian once said
>that it was his most beautiful game. Many books mention that game but I
>have never seen the game. If someone could mail or post it I would be
>very pleased.
>--
>Ari K. M{kel{               Department of Radiochemistry
>ari.makela@helsinki.fi      University of Helsinki

Ari, I've translated this game from a book in Russian, with comments
by Tigran Petrosian.


Petrosian,T - Bronstein,D
Amsterdam Candidates Tournament, 1956

From the "Turnir Grossmeisterov v Amsterdame" by L. Abramov book.
Publisher "Fizkultura i Sport", Moscow 1958.
Round 2, March 28, 1956, annotations by Tigran Petrosian, game #7, p20.

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nf3 c5 6.0-0 Nc6 7.d4 d6 8.dxc5

White is steering the game towards a symmetric position, where Black
as is well known, must observe some degree of caution.

8...dxc5 9.Be3 Nd7

Of 3 possible continuations
9...Qa5, 9...Be6 and 9...Nd7, the most unfortunate.

10.Qc1

White takes over the d file with his Rook, and it becomes apparent,
that the Black Queen does not have a comfortable shelter.

10...Nd4? 11.Rd1 e5?

It is clear, that Black cannot maintain the Knight on d4, and the d5
square becomes a permanent White possession. The last 2 Black moves
are ill chosen and are the reason for Black's later difficulties.

   [11...b6 Relatively better was 10...b6 and 11...Bb7]

12.Bh6 Qa5 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Kh1

Dealing with the threat of 14...Qxc3 and Nxe2+

14...Rb8

Black has played the opening poorly and obtained a very difficult
position.

15.Nd2!

From here the Knight can bother the Queen and also move to e4, from
where  together with his "companion" on d5, will lead to minimal
freedom of movement by Black pieces. 15...a6

16.e3 Ne6 17.a4

Restraining b5, White condemns Bc8 to a pitiful role, where it stays
for the remainder of the game.

17...h5 18.h4 f5

The last two moves brought about the creation of new weaknesses. But
it was difficult to avoid this. It was necessary to deny the e4
square to White pieces and to somewhat expand the territory on the
kingside.

19.Nd5 Kh7 20.b3

   [20.b4 cxb4 21.Nb3 This looked more energetic. White however, did
   not choose this line, not  wishing to grant the c5 square to Black
   Knights.]

20...Rf7 21.Nf3 Qd8 22.Qc3 Qh8

In a difficult situation, Bronstein finds an interesting relocation
of the Queen, somewhat enriching his defensive resources.  Black
plans 23...e4, achieving a trade of Queens, and the e5 square for the
Knight.

   [22...e4? Bad is 22... e4 because of 23.Ne5 with an overwhelming
   position for White. It is not simple to find the correct plan
   after 22...Qh8, though]

23.e4!

White  denies his opponent the above mentioned continuation and
opens lines, creating  concrete threats.

23...fxe4

   [On 23...f4 24.Bh3 is very strong]

24.Nd2 Qg7

At this moment Bronstein was already in a serious zeitnot, and he
decided to move his pieces away from the possible Knight forks,
and to move with the only  piece, whose movement does not worsen
his position, namely the Knight on e6.

   [24...Rxf2 With an overwhelming position for White the opening of
   the f file would have been to White's advantage.]

25.Nxe4 Kh8 26.Rd2 Rf8 27.a5 Nd4 28.b4 cxb4 29.Qxb4 Nf5 30.Rad1 Nd4
31.Re1 Nc6 32.Qa3

White successfully escapes the danger, which he nevertheless
succumbed to 4 moves later.

32...Nd4 33.Rb2

Taking advantage of the fact that Black has nothing to do, White
intends to maneuver until the end of the time control, without
making decisive actions.

33...Nc6 34.Reb1 Nd4 35.Qd6 Nf5

Making his 35th move, White intended to respond to 35...Nf5 by
36.Qc7, but, having thought for 1+-2 minutes, decided to play
the move which "wins" immediately.

36.Ng5?? Nxd6

White resigns.