chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Tigran Petrosian vs Mikhail Botvinnik
Botvinnik - Petrosian World Championship Match (1963), Moscow URS, rd 1, Mar-23
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical. Noa Variation (E34)  ·  0-1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply)better is 14.h4 b6 15.Kf2 Bb7 16.Ne2 Na6 17.Nf4 Nc7 18.g3 Ne6 = 0.00 (29 ply) ⩱ -0.58 (26 ply)better is 15.h4 b6 16.Qd2 Qd6 17.Kf2 Nf6 18.b4 Bd7 19.Rhc1 a5 = -0.22 (28 ply) ⩱ -0.89 (28 ply)better is 18.Rhf1 Bf5 19.Kg1 h3 20.g3 c5 21.e4 dxe4 22.fxe4 Qxd4+ ⩱ -0.67 (21 ply) ⩱ -1.21 (27 ply)better is 19...Ne6 20.b4 Ng5 21.Bf1 Rae8 22.Rac1 a6 23.a4 Nh7 ⩱ -1.29 (26 ply) ⩱ -0.62 (28 ply) after 20.Bd3 Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Ne6 22.b4 Ng7 23.Nf1 Nf5 24.b5 cxb5 better is 25...Kg7 26.Rb3 Kg8 27.Rc3 Nh5 28.Bd1 Kg7 29.Rb3 a6 ⩱ -0.94 (28 ply)better is 26.b4 a6 27.f4 Nf6 28.Bf3 Be4 29.Qf2 Bxf3 30.gxf3 Kg7 = -0.40 (30 ply) ⩱ -0.90 (27 ply) after 26...Nf4 27.Bc2 Nh5 28.Bd1 Kf8 29.Re2 Kg7 30.Qe1 g5 27...Ng3 28.Qd2 Kg7 29.b4 R6e7 30.Ba4 a6 31.Rec1 Rh8 ⩱ -0.85 (30 ply)better is 28.f4 Be4 29.Bg4 f5 30.Be2 Kg7 31.b4 a6 32.Rec1 Rh8 33.a4 = 0.00 (29 ply)= -0.50 (27 ply) after 28...Qf6 29.Bd1 Nf4 30.Be2 Nxe2+ 31.Rxe2 g5 32.Rb3 Qe7 better is 29.e4 Nf4 30.Qd2 Bg6 31.Ne3 f6 32.Ng4 f5 33.Ne5 fxe4 = -0.13 (30 ply) ⩱ -0.81 (24 ply) 30.b4 Kg7 31.Qb2 Ng3 32.Nxg3 hxg3 33.Bc2 Bxc2 34.Qxc2 = -0.37 (26 ply)-+ -3.28 (31 ply) 32.Qd2 Nxh3+ 33.Kg2 g4 34.fxg4 Ng5 35.Kg1 Ne4 36.Nxe4 ∓ -2.40 (31 ply)-+ -4.28 (33 ply) after 32...Nd3 33.Re2 Rxe3 34.Bc2 Rxe2 35.Qxe2 Qxe2 36.Nxe2 40.Bxg6 Qxg6 41.Rc1 R1e3 42.Rg1 Qxg5 43.Kh1 Qh4+ 44.Qh2 -+ -5.67 (26 ply)-+ -15.74 (27 ply) after 40...Qg4 41.Kf2 Bxc2 42.Qxc2 Qxf4+ 43.Kg2 Qxg5 44.Kh3 ; 41.Nxe2 Qxe2+ 42.Qxe2 Rxe2+ 43.Kf3 Rxc2 44.Rxc2 Bxc2 -+ -7.87 (28 ply)0-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

Click Here to play Guess-the-Move
Given 12 times; par: 65 [what's this?]

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35437 more games annotated by Stockfish]

explore this opening
find similar games 30 more Petrosian/Botvinnik games
PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: Premium members can suggest a game for Guess-the-Move with the Guess-the-Move Suggestion Queue.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

THIS IS A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE.   [CLICK HERE] FOR ORIGINAL.

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Apr-01-06  lentil: <swindler> there was another category: "candidate master", which i GUESS should be about "high expert", so using this as an anchor, i further guess that first category is about "A-class", etc.
Oct-17-06  orio24: < Swindler: <Petrosian later said he played this game at no better than First Category strength.> Reading through Russian chess books you often come into contact with these different categories: first, second and third. How do these correspond to the rating system?>

There use to be so called "performance categories" before the rating system, and before national ratings came into play. It was that way in Slovakia, where I come from, and I guess it was similar in Soviet Union.

There were 5 numbered perfomance categories, 5th was the lowest, and 1st the highest. That was followed by master of sport candidante perf category (shortly master candidate), and also master of sport perf category (shortly master), I guess. Those were all national categories. Only after those followed the international titles (international master, international grandmaster). If I remember correctly the 1st perf category corresponded to 1900 and master candidate to 2100.

Oct-17-06  RookFile: You know, the funny thing about this game is, I do think that if you showed this to some people, and didn't identify the players, they might think that white was an expert or something. (2000)
Oct-19-06  slomarko: Petrosian played like crap
Nov-08-06  kevin86: It seems that in most every match in which a new champion is crowned,that the champ-to be, is clobbered in the first game.
Mar-21-08  Knight13: White should've just played 13. Bd3 and castle. f3 creates weaknes on e3.
Aug-25-08  Artemi: Yes a weakness is created on e3 by Petrosian himself! Of all people!
Nov-07-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: I guess that Petrosian played 13.f3 with intention to prepare e3-e4 but he missed that this plan can be thwarted by advance of black h-Pawn.
Nov-07-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: 30.g4 was awful mistake. Iron Tigran was from a bit less solid material that day.
May-04-11  lost in space: This was lost by Petrosjan and not won by Botwinnik
Nov-13-12  Cemoblanca: So many fine moves in a single game! Wow! For example: 17...Re7! 22...Nh5! 23...Qd6! 26...Re6! 28...g5! 29...Bg6! (Safety first: A typical Vartanovich move!) ;) 30.g4?(?) The beginning of the disaster! 31...Nf4! Prolly overlooked by Botvinnik! 32.Qh2? 2 steps to the left would be the better option (32.Qd2) for example: 32...Nxh3 33.Kg2! (there was nothing better: 33.Kf1? g4! 24.fxg4 Rf6+!, etc.) 33...g4! 34.fxg4 (& again: There was nothing better) 34...Ng5! 35.Kg1! Ne4! 36.Rf1 Rh6! 37.Bf3! (The only move) 37...Rh3! 38.Qg2 (The best, but however, it's not enough & white is lost soon). 32...c5! (if 33.dxc5 then d4! with a deadly passed pawn on the e-file soon!) 34.b5! (with the idea Rb8!) 37...Nf4+! The same game! ;) 40...Re2+! The easiest way! 41.Nxe2 Qxe2+ 42.Qxe2 Rxe2+ 43.Kg3 Rxc2!, etc.
Nov-23-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <ray keene> noted long ago that even after the stronger 11.Nf3 as played in Dreev vs Kulaots, 2006 amongst many games since, Black has no problems whatever after 11....Bf5, as he has got himself a type of QGD Exchange with his light-squared bishop favourably developed.
Apr-21-13  Expendable Asset: <RookFile: You know, the funny thing about this game is, I do think that if you showed this to some people, and didn't identify the players, they might think that white was an expert or something. (2000)> If you asked me, I would've probably said that White was ~1800 and Black ~2300--there just isn't much in this game to show either player's real strengths.
Apr-22-13  Petrosianic: <Expendable Asset>: <If you asked me, I would've probably said that White was ~1800 and Black ~2300--there just isn't much in this game to show either player's real strengths.>

Nothing new there. Petrosian said himself that he played the game at about First Category level. Opening night jitters, most likely, because when he camer under pressure in Game 2, he hung in tough and didn't collapse.

Dec-18-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: This is really weird:

<Dec-03-03 Petrosianic: Opening night jitters. Petrosian later said he played this game at no better than First Category strength.>

And then:

<Apr-22-13 Petrosianic: ... Petrosian said himself that he played the game at about First Category level. Opening night jitters, most likely...>

LOROL!

Dec-30-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: < Cemoblanca: So many fine moves in a single game! Wow! For example: 17...Re7! 22...Nh5! 23...Qd6! 26...Re6! 28...g5! 29...Bg6! (Safety first: A typical Vartanovich move!) ;) 30.g4?(?) The beginning of the disaster! 31...Nf4! Prolly overlooked by Botvinnik!...>

I've just noticed that <Cemoblanca> thinks that Petrosian won this game.

Dec-31-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: Although Petrosian lost this game there were some rays of hope for him. As <Chessical> mentions above Botvinnik missed a fairly straightforward win with 21...Ng5. In fact MMB saw this move, analysed it, then rejected it in favour of a more positional line of play. So TVP could take heart that even in the first game of the match, when tiredness is not a factor, MMB had failed in his analysis of a crucial line.
Aug-08-15  thegoodanarchist: < So TVP could take heart that even in the first game of the match, when tiredness is not a factor, MMB had failed in his analysis of a crucial line.>

TVP, or "Textured Vegetable Protein", went on to win the match versus MMB (Monkey Meat Balls).

Just goes to show the superiority of vegan over meat.

Nov-28-15  Ulhumbrus: Botvinnik played this like Bronstein
Jan-16-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: <Ulhumbrus: Botvinnik played this like Bronstein.>

Opening night jitters, most probably.

Feb-25-18  tgyuid: this ought to be good....
Jun-08-21  CivilDisobedience: 13. f3 and the game is lost...
Jun-08-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: Reminiscent of this game, one of Botvinnik's worst.

Botvinnik vs Kotov, 1946

Feb-25-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: The idea behind 11 Ne2!? was to post the knight on f4 but after Botvinnik's innovation 11..Re8 this idea was already difficult to implement. 19 h3 weakened the kingside but White was already worse by this point. Botvinnik missed the opportunity to play 21..Ng5! which would have threatened a decisive sacrifice on h3. Subsequent analysis showed that there would have been no satisfactory defense. One pretty mating variation: 21..Ng5! 22 Kg1 (22 Qd1 was found to be the best defense but still led to a decisive advantage for Black) ..Bxh3 23 gxh..Nxh3+ 24 Kh2..Rxe3! 25 Nxe3..Qf4+ 26 Kh1..Nf2+ 27 Kg1..Qg3+ 28 Kf1..Nh3 29 Bd1..Qg1+ 30 Ke2..Nf4#. Despite White's shaky play he could have stayed in the game had he played more actively. Tal recommended 29 e4..Nf4 30 Qd2 followed by Rce3. Petrosian did eventually lash out but not effectively with 30 g4? after which he was lost; he may have overlooked 31..Nf4.
Feb-25-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: < CivilDisobedience: 13. f3 and the game is lost..> 13.f3 was definitely source of all troubles of white in this game, and so it is hard to disagree with this. But objectively the game of white was just significantly worse from that point and not lost by force. In fact, white missed several chances to equalize the position, one of them was 29.e4!? suggested by Tal but also 28.f4 preventing g6-g5 could have been interesting. 30.g4?? lost the game.
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

<This page contains Editor Notes. Click here to read them.>

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC