[Event "25th U.S.S.R. CHAMPIONSHIP"]
[Site "Riga"]
[Date "1958.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Averbakh, Y"]
[Black "Tal, M"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Sushant Banerji"]

{ The legendary Mikhail Tal was the finest ever exponent of attacking chess. His all-out sacrificial style took him all the way to the World Championship title in 1960, when he defeated Botvinnik in the World title match. Though the eighth World Champion Tal lost the return match, his keenly combinational and uncompromising style won him a big number of fans in the chess world. } 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 { This is the Modern Benoni Defence. Here Black develops his Bishop on g7 by playing... g6 and the move... c5 gives Black control of the dark squares in the centre. } 6. e4 g6 7. Be2 { Not the best square for the Bishop. Better would have been 7. Nf3, 8.h3 and then placing the Bishop to d3 as per the latest theory. } 7... Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O Re8 { Black puts pressure on the e - Pawn and also prevents its advance. Later Black plays on the Queenside for... b5,... b4 etc. } 10. Qc2 { White plans to develop his Bishop to f4 before playing Nd2. As will be seen, Tal brilliantly refutes this idea. It looks better to play 10. Nd2 as recommended by theory. } 10... Na6 { Black's idea is to play... Nc7,... Rb8 followed by... b5. Also the Knight can be used for other purpose as demonstrated in the game. } 11. Bf4 { Better was 11. Re1 Nc7 12. Bf4 Rb8 13. a4 a6 14. a5 b5 15. axb5 Rb6 with chances for both the sides. } 11... Nb4 12. Qb1 Nxe4 $3 { It was not possible to play 12...Nfd5 due to 13. exd Bc3 14. bxc Re2 15. cxb } 13. Nxe4 Bf5 14. Nfd2 { Forced. Since after 14. Bd3 Nd3 15 Qd3 Be4 Black remains a Pawn up.
Black has compensation since he will get another Pawn on d5 with a tempo and also White pieces are in a cramped position. Practically it is difficult for White to find the best path. } 14... Nxd5 15. Bxd6 ( { Many alternatives were available at this stage. } 15. Be3 Nxe3 16. fxe3 d5 17. Rxf5 dxe4 18. Rxc5 Qxd2 $1 { and the Pawn on e3 is lost with a winning position for Black. } ) ( 15. Bg5 Qd7 $1 ( 15... f6 16. Bc4 ) 16. Bf3 ( 16. f3 h6 17. Bh4 Nf4 18. -- d5 ) 16... h6 17. Bh4 Nb4 18. a3 Nc6 { with many threats -... g5 - g4,... d5 and... Nd4. } ) ( 15. Bg3 $1 { Looks to be the best move. } 15... Qe7 16. Bf3 ( 16. Bb5 $1 Bxe4 17. Nxe4 Qxe4 18. Bxe8 Qxe8 19. Bxd6 Qc6 20. Bg3 { White can achieve equality since Black seems to have good attacking prospects on the Queenside. } ) 16... Rad8 { Black has fully developed and centralised pieces, in addition to two Pawns for a piece. } ) 15... Nf6 $1 16. Bf3 ( 16. Nxf6+ Qxf6 17. Bd3 ( 17. Qd1 Qxd6 18. Ne4 Qxd1 ) 17... Qxd6 18. Bxf5 Qxd2 19. -- Bxb2 $19 ) ( 16. Bxc5 Nxe4 17. Nxe4 Bxe4 { when 18. Qd1 and 18. Qc1 can be met by 18...Qg5 and 18...Re8 respectively. } ) 16... Nxe4 17. Nxe4 Bxe4 18. Bxe4 Qxd6 19. Qc2 { Instead 19. Bb7? is met by 19...Rab8.
Now White is having some hope in the opposite coloured Bishop endgame/middlegame. } 19... Re7 20. Bf3 Rae8 21. Rad1 Bd4 { Black is a Pawn up but the most important factor is that it provides a fine outpost for the Bishop in the centre. } 22. a4 b6 23. b3 Re5 24. Rd2 { White has placed all his Pawns on the light squares and avoids giving Black any target of attack. Now White is planning to exchange a pair of Rooks which will ease the pressure. Even after that the material on the board is enough for Tal to build up the decisive attack. } 24... h5 $1 { Here 24...Qe6 would have been met by 25. Qc4 and 24...Qe7 with 25. Bc6. } 25. Re2 Rxe2 26. Bxe2 h4 27. Kh1 { White puts his King on a White square and plans to play g3 as a counter to Blacks... Qf4 and... Be5. } 27... Qf4 28. g3 { (28. Bc4?, Be5 28. Qg6+ (29. g3, Qf3+ with the idea of 30...h3) 29...Kf8 wins for Black.) } 28... Qf6 29. Qd1 { Intending Bf3. } 29... Rd8 $1 30. Bg4 { Better would have been 30. Kg2, since 30...Bf2 is met by 31. Qc2. So Black may continue 30...Bc3 31. Bd3 (Else 31...Rd2) 31...Qc6+ 32. Kg1 Qd5 33. Be2 Qg5 34. Qc1 Qf6 35. Rd1 Bd4 36. Rf1 hxg 37. hxg Qe5! winning a second Pawn. } 30... Bxf2 $1 31. Qe2 { (31. Qf3, Qf3+ and 32...hxg is hopeless for White.) } 31... Rd2 $1 32. Qe8+ Kg7 33. gxh4 Qd4 34. Bh3 Qd3 35. Bg2 { Last try would have been 35. Qe5+ Kh7 36. Qf6! When 36...Qh3 leads to a draw after 37. Qf7+ Kh6 38. Qf8+ Kh5 39. Qh8+ Kg4 40. Qc8+ Kh4 41. Qh8+ etc. However after 36...Qd5+ 37. Bg2 Qg2+ 38. Kg2 Bd4+ Black wins. } 35... Rd1 { After 36. Qb5 Rf1+ 37. Bf1 Qe4+ 38. Bg2 Qh4 Black wins. } 1-0