Annotated chess game: Quarter Final Candidates Match, Italy 1977

« TAP TO LOG IN

ANNOTATED GAME

Quarter Final Candidates Match, Italy 1977
T Petrosian (?) vs. V Korchnoi (?)
Annotated by: far1ey (1200)
Chess opening: Queen's pawn game (D02)

Interactive

•

Show all comments

•

All annotated games

•

View chessboard as:

Pages:

« Previous

13... Bb7

Logical follow up.

14. Rad1

White has now completed his objective and has mobilised his rooks and is ready to play d5.

14... Ne7

With this move black anticipates the coming d5 advance and although it is too late to stop the pawn, after d5 exd exd black has Nf5 and Nd6 to blockade the pawn.

15. d5

! With all white's forces ready he breaks through. Now he must watch for the Nd6 blockading maneuvre as mentioned previously.

15... exd5

It is necessary to exchange pawns to free the f5 square.

16. exd5

White has now obtained what he wants, a passed pawn but he must now work on trying to queen the pawn.

16... Nf5

With the idea of Nd6 blockading the pawn but Petrosian has an excellent move.

17. Ne5

! This is in my opinion an excellent move because it prepares to bring the knight to c6 where it will either cause much annoyance for black if he leaves it there or he will have to exchange it for his white bishop turning the passed d pawn into a passed c pawn meaning the blockading move Nd6 is useless.

17... Nd6

So black blocks the passed pawn but with the Nc6! move coming he brings a little trouble about himself.

18. Nc6

! Now black has 3 choices 1. trade the bishop for the knight (See game) 2. Attempt to ignore the knight by Qf6 after which white will protect the bishop and black will have to endure a awful middle game due to the well placed knight. 3. An attempt to win a piece with 18...Nxc4 when after 19.Nxd8 Nxd2 20.Nxb7 Rab8 21.Na5!! bxa5 Rxd2 he is left with 2 doubled A pawns which have no chance of becoming passed while white still has the passed d pawn.

18... Bxc6

? From all the alternatives mentioned, this is the worst continuation although it temporarily wins a piece black has no way to block the future passed c pawn and with less pieces on the board white's passed pawn is increasing in power and this ultimately leads to blacks downfall.

19. dxc6

So now white's passed pawn has turned from d - c meaning the Nd6 is completely pointless therefore black exchanges it for white's bishop.

19... Nxc4 20. Qf4

! Winning back the piece as there is a discovered attack on the queen. Wrong is Qxd8? when Raxd8 21. Rxd8 Rxd8 22.c7 loses to Rf8! (eg 23. Rd1 b5! 24.Rd8 Nb6!.) So black must now give back the piece.

20... Nd6 21. Rxd6

! White keeps the queens on the board (instead of Qxd6) which allows him to attack on the K-side while blacks pieces are tied down to defending the passed c-pawn. This move also gains a tempi which will help white.

21... Qc7

With the sensible and logical idea of blockading the pawn.

22. g3

Petrosian realises that black has no winning prospects and cannot do anything as his pawn majority on the left wing is of no value in comparison to white's passed pawn. Therefore he takes his time, firstly by giving his king some 'luft' so that the Re1 is free to maneuvre if necessary.

22... h6

Black wants to give his king some luft to prevent back rank mates as there could be many threats to the back rank to come. However, perhaps such a weakening of the kings position mightnt be necessary at this point in time as white has no direct threats against the back rank.

23. Qe5

! With this move (and the next) White demonstrates his complete superiority over black as he can take his time to maneuvre since black cannot do anything productive. Rae8 loses to 24.Qxe8! Rxe8 25. Rxe8 Kh7 26.Red8 since the passed pawn is too strong.

23... Rac8

With nothing to do, black hopes to at least prevent white from queening the pawn with all his forces. However, this allows white to launch an attack.

24. Qd5

! Petrosian protects his pawn again while centeralising his queen to the best square possible. White is completely dominating and the only thing which remains to be given a useful job is the rook.

Pages:

« Previous