[Event "USSR Championship"]
[Site "Leningrad"]
[Date "1960.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bronstein, D"]
[Black "Shamkovich, L"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Shamkovich, L"]

{ I have crossed swords over the board with the great David Bronstein about a dozen times in different events since 1942 when we were 18-19 years old. Almost all of our battles have been uncompromising.
Our unofficial match stands at +4 =4 -4 unless I fail to recall some other games. Will we meet again?? I remember with pleasure some details of our chess duels. Tbilisi 1942 (our first game - which I won.), games from strong USSR Championships, the Moscow Championship of 1964 where we tied for first place (I succeeded in our individual encounter), the ensuing playoff match where David triumphed +2 -1 =3 and Amsterdam 1967 (he beat me) amongst others.
I am proud to be an admirer of this uniquely talented chess artist. I present to the reader one of my most memorable games against this legend. } 1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e3 Nf6 4. b3 c5 5. cxd5 exd5 6. d4 $6 Nc6 7. Be2 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bb4+ 9. Bd2 Bd6 $1 { Now white must spend a couple of tempi to improve the position of the bishop on d2. } 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Nc3 O-O 12. O-O Bf5 13. g3 Qd7 14. Re1 h5 { The h-pawn is used as a battering ram in a classical attack against the king's fortress. } 15. Bc1 h4 16. Bb2 hxg3 17. hxg3 { White has managed to strengthen the position of his dark squared bishop, but white's king position has become weakened. Nevertheless, the demolition of white's kingside will be no easy task. } 17... Ng4 $1 { Now 18...Bxg3 is a real threat. } 18. Bf3 { White organizes the strong counterthreat e3-e4. 18.e4 at once is premature because of 18...Bxg3 19.fxg3 Qd6 20.Qd3 Qc5+ winning. } 18... Rae8 19. Rc1 Qe6 20. e4 $1 Bc5 $1 { The beginning of a real "Total War "which flares up with great intensity even to the end of the game. } 21. Bxg4 Bxg4 22. Qd2 { The alternative 22.Qd3 is weaker because of 22...f5 23.exd5 Qxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 25.Kg2 f4! and black has much the better game. } 22... Bf3 23. Qf4 { If 23.Qg5 f6 24.Qh4 Kf7! threatening 25...Rh8. } 23... f5 $1 24. e5 { White cannot play 24.Qxf3 because 24...fxe4 gives black a crushing attack. } 24... Be4 { Who is better? Black's ideas include ...Qg6-h5; and ...Be7 followed by ...g5 with a strong attack. But white has serious
pressure along the c-file. True, 25.Nxd5? doesn't work because of 25...Qxd5 26.Red1 Qf7 27.Rxc5 Qh5! winning. } 25. Ne2 $1 Be7 26. f3 { The best move again. 26.Nd4 is a blunder since 26...Qg6 gives two threats (27...Bg5 and 27...Qh5). } 26... Qg6 $1 { Black's bishop is still invulnerable; 27.fxe4 fxe4 28.Qd2 Rf3 29.Kg2 Ref8 30.Rf1 Bh4 with a tremendous attack. But my famous rival discovers a new resource for counterplay. } 27. Kg2 Bg5 28. Rxc6 $1 Qh5 { I intended to trap white's queen in any case, but the cost is too much for black. Correct was 28...Qxc6 29.Qxg5 Qc2! 30.Bd4 Re6 31.Qe3 (31.fxe4? Qxe4+ 32.Kf2 Rh6 winning) and black has some advantage. } 29. fxe4 $3 Bxf4 30. Nxf4 Qf7 31. exd5 { The table is suddenly turned as white gets a tremendous attack as his two minor pieces and strong central pawns dominate black's queen. But white must still be careful. } 31... Qb7 32. Ba3 $2 { After the game, we discovered the shot 32.Rg6!! which comes close to punishing me for the super-optimistic 28...Qh5. But in sharp time pressure, it is never too easy. After 32...Rd8, there is 33.Rd1 Rc8 34.Rd2 Qb4 35.Re2 Rc3! 36.e6 Rfc8 37.Nh5 (37.e7! Kf7 38.Rxg7+ Kxg7 39.e8=Q Rxe8 40.Rxe8 Kf7 41.Bxc3 Qxc3 42.Re2 is equal) 37...Kh7 38.Rxg7+ Kh6 which is unclear; or 33.e6 Rxd5 34.Rxg7+ Qxg7 35.Bxg7 Rd2+ 36.Kf3 Kxg7 37.a4 with a roughly level game. } 32... Rc8 33. Rec1 { 33.Bxf8 Rxc6 34.dxc6 Qxc6+ 35.Kf2 Kxf8 36.e6 g5 with a clear edge for black. } 33... Rfe8 34. e6 Rxc6 35. Rxc6 { 35.dxc6 Qa6 36.c7 g5 is good for black. } 35... g5 $1 36. e7 $5 { Despair, as knight moves lose, e.g., 36.Nh5 Rxe6! } 36... gxf4 37. gxf4 Qb5 { The fight is over, as black's queen is free at last. } 38. Rf6 Qxd5+ 39. Kh3 Qf3+ 40. Kh2 Qxf4+ 41. Kh3 Qg4+ 42. Kh2 Qh4+ 43. Kg2 Qxf6 0-1