[Event "Moscow TCh"]
[Site "Leningrad"]
[Date "1961.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Shamkovich, L"]
[Black "Prokhorovich"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Shamkovich, L"]

{ French Defense C12
Even more exciting was this next game where my opponent (one of Moscow's best masters) played 7...Kf8, where White's fierce kingside attack was met by Black's ferocious queenside counterattack. } 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Bb4 $5 5. e5 h6 6. Be3 Ne4 7. Qg4 Kf8 { This alternative to 7...g6 seems to be more reliable for Black, despite the unavailability of castling. } 8. a3 $5 { The same idea as the previous game. With the pawn sacrifice White can achieve a significant initiative. After 8.Nge2 c5 9.0-0-0 Nxc3 10.Nxc3 Nc6 11.Nb1 c4, Black got the superior position in the old game Spielmann-Vidmar, Vienna 1907. Forget about the c3-pawn - the Chess Terrorist understands the advantages in development and the quick preparation of an attack. } 8... Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Nxc3 10. Bd3 b6 $5 { An interesting concept aimed at exchanging off one of White's strong bishops with Bc8-a6. Hort has played 10...c5 against me but did not equalize after 11.dxc5 Qa5? 12.Bd2 Qa4 13.Qb4! Qxb4 14.axb4 with a winning position for White (Shamkovich-Hort, Marianske Lasne 1965). However the up-to-date recommendation of 11...Nc6 12.Nf3 f5! is an improvement. More promising for White is likely 12.Qf4 f5 13.h4. } 11. h4 Ba6 12. Rh3 { Threatening 13.Rg3 g6 14.Bxg6 winning. } 12... h5 { 12...Bxd3 is met strongly by 13.cxd3 Nd7 14.h5 (Idea 15.Rg3). However, after the text, the g5-square becomes weak and serves as a nice outpost for the White pieces. } 13. Qf4 Qe7 14. Rf3 { White now threatens 15.Bxg6 (and also Nh3-g5). Therefore Black's reply is practically forced. } 14... Kg8 15. Nh3 Bxd3 16. cxd3 Na6 { 16...Nd7 fails to 17.Rc1. } 17. Qg3 $1 { Liberating the g5-square for the bishop. } 17... c5 $1 { Beginning a sharp counterattack. } 18. Bg5 Qe8 { If 18...Qf8 19.Nf4 intending both 20.Nxe6 and 20.Ng6. } 19. Bf6 Qf8 20. Qg5 Nb5 { A tense and uncompromising position has been reached. If only Black can repulse White's basic threats, he can look forward to success. } 21. Rg3 Rh7 22. Nf4 Nxd4 { The Black knight reenters the fray. Now White's attack is difficult. } 23. Be7 $1 { Not 23.Nxh5 g6! and now either 24.Be7 Rxh5, or 24.Nf4 Qh6 are winning for Black. } 23... f6 $1 { My opponent once again finds the best defense. 23...Qe8 loses to 24.Nxh5 (Threat 25.Nf6+) 24...Kh8 25.Nxg7 and wins. } 24. exf6 { The alternative 24.Bxf6 is weaker because of 24...Nf5! } 24... Qf7 25. Ng6 $1 { With the new threat of 26.Ne5. } 25... Nc6 { If 25...gxf6, 26.Bxf6 is crushing. } 26. Kf1 $1 Nc7 { Black also brings his forces to the fight. A blunder would be 26...Nxe7 27.Nxe7+ Kf8 28.Ng6+ Ke8 29.Rf3! and White wins. } 27. Re1 Nb5 28. fxg7 Nbd4 { Black's knights are very active and are willing to fall in battle to secure the release of their monarch. } 29. Bf6 Nf5 { Necessary because of the threat of 30.Nf8. Now Black threatens both 30...Nxg3+ and 30...Rh6. } 30. Rf3 { Parrying both threats. The battle reaches its peak. } 30... Rh6 $5 { Forcing further complications which are eventually advantageous to White. But Black did not have anything better, e.g., 30...Nxg7 31.Bxg7 Qxg7 32.Rxe6 Nd4 33.Re7, or 30...Re8 31.Nf8! winning. } 31. Rxf5 $1 Qxg6 { The alternative 31...Rxg6 fails to 32.Qxh5 Rxg7 33.Bxg7 Qxh5 (33...Qxf5 34.Qh8+ Kf7 35.Qxa8 wins for White) 34.Rxh5 Kxg7 35.Rxe6 etc. } 32. Rxe6 Nd4 { Now the position is transferred prosaically to a won ending for White. } 33. Qxg6 Rxg6 34. Rxh5 Nxe6 { If 34...Rxf6 35.Rxf6 Kxg7 36.Rd6 and White wins. } 35. Rh8+ Kf7 36. Rxa8 Nxg7 37. Bxg7 Kxg7 38. Rxa7+ 1-0