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ANNOTATED GAME
The Boa Constrictor in action
Petrosian (?) vs. Wolfgang Unzicker (?)
Annotated by: nyctalop (2166)
Chess opening: Queen's pawn (A46), Torre attack
Petrosian (?) vs. Wolfgang Unzicker (?)
Annotated by: nyctalop (2166)
Chess opening: Queen's pawn (A46), Torre attack
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16. Bxa6 |
This should be a good lesson, if your opponent has weaknesses, don't be shy to exchange pieces. In the endgame, weak pawns fall much faster than in middlegames. | |||||||
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16... Rxa6 17. Qd3 |
Using the undefended position of the Ra6 to secure the c-file. | |||||||
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17... Ra7 18. Rfc1 Nd6 |
Heading for either c4 or e4. | |||||||
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19. Bxd6 |
No qualms over the superiority of Bishops over Knights. In structures like these, where there is only one open file on the board, the center in locked and you control that file, Knights are much better than Bishops. | |||||||
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19... Bxd6 20. Rc6 |
Petrosian wants to double the Rooks with tempo. | |||||||
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20... Nb8 |
Forcing White to retreat the intruder, but Black has wasted a tempo here. More sensible was 20...Nb6. | |||||||
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21. Rc2 Nd7 |
The Knight wasn't doing anything on b8. | |||||||
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22. Rac1 |
White has doubled Rooks and now must start attacking. Generally, if your only advantage is an open file, then that won't be enough to secure victory. Your opponent will either find a way to exchange Rooks and simply defend everything. So from a strategic viewpoint, once you have an open file, it's time to create new targets of attack or at least provoke your opponent into creating weaknesses that he can't defend. Look at this position. White stands better, but he isn't winning. There are no concrete targets to attack. Black has a small space advantage on the Q-side, which is enough for him to regroup his pieces and defend, albeit passively. White has to use the dominance on the c-file in other ways. | |||||||
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22... Nb6 |
Aiming for c4 and attacking a4. Since controlling the c4 square with a pawn is possible only by removing the blockading Nb3, White contests it with a piece. | |||||||
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23. Qb5 |
Since Black doesn't have his LSB anymore, the light squares are the perfect point to infiltrate on the Q-side. | |||||||
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23... Nc4 24. Nfd2 |
This Knight wasn't very active on f3, so White exchanges it off. | |||||||
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24... Nxd2 |
Retreating would have meant loss of all prospects for this Knight, so Unzicker rightly swaps it off. Sometimes it's better to exchange pieces, even if your position is worse, than retreating that piece to a passive square. | |||||||
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25. Rxd2 |
Since Black can't contest the c-file, this is a safe recapture. | |||||||
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25... Qa8 |
Black's alternative defense plan would be to exchange Queens and go for a passive defense, while allowing White his supremacy on the c-file. This might have put a more stubborn resistance but very few players like passive positions. | |||||||
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26. Rdc2 Rd8 27. Rc2c6 |
White can't win anything on the Q-side. Black can defend everything and he's not going to run out of moves. So it's time to change the plan. | |||||||
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27... g6 28. g3 Kg7 29. Kf1 Kf8 30. h4 |
First, placing all the K-side pawns on the same color as his opponent's Bishop. This is an important point in endgames, where many beginners place their pawns on opposite color squares, so that the pawns will be safe from capture. This is a mistake, with one notable exception, opposite color Bishop endings, because you want to use your pawns to restrict the Bishop's movement. Petrosian knew this and moved his pawns accordingly. | |||||||
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30... h5 |
Unzicker knew this as well and move his pawns to the opposite color squares as his Bishop, so that the pawns will control the light squares and his Bishop the dark ones. | |||||||
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31. Rc1c2 |
Preparing for a brave plan. White has seen that things have stalled on the Q-side and that action is needed elsewhere. So he rightfully judged that he can move his King to the Q-side, where it will be perfectly safe and start attacking on the K-side. Black doesn't have that option, since his King wouldn't make it past the c-file. A brilliant concept by Petrosian and something to remember in case you run out of ideas. | |||||||
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31... Kg7 32. Ke1 Kg8 |
Not that Black can't start active plans because Petrosian has placed all his pieces on optimal squares to prevent this. All he can do is sit and watch the march of the White King, knowing undoubtedly what is coming next. | |||||||
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33. Kd1 Kh7 34. Kc1 Kg8 35. Kb1 Kh7 36. Qe2 |
Time to start attacking the K-side. | |||||||
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