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Vasily Smyslov vs Laszlo Szabo
Zuerich Candidates (1953), Zurich SUI, rd 2, Aug-31
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense. Mikenas-Carls Variation (A15)  ·  1/2-1/2

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)7.Qc2 was played in L Pantsulaia vs Z Kozul, 2015 (1-0)better is 9.d4 Ne4 10.e3 Qd8 11.Nbd2 Ndf6 12.Nxe4 Nxe4 13.Ne5 a5 ⩲ +0.60 (23 ply)= +0.08 (22 ply)better is 10.d3 Nb8 11.Nc3 Nc6 12.Na4 Qb4 13.Ne5 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Rd8 ⩲ +0.57 (22 ply)= 0.00 (25 ply)better is 11...Qxa3 12.Nxa3 b6 13.d3 Ba6 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 Rfc8 = -0.09 (24 ply)= +0.45 (26 ply) after 12.d3 Qxa3 13.Nxa3 Nd6 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Rac1 Nf6 16.Nc2 better is 13.d3 Qxa3 14.Nxa3 Nd6 15.Rac1 Nf6 16.Ne5 Bf5 17.Nc2 = +0.50 (24 ply)= -0.08 (25 ply)46...Kf5 47.a5 bxa5+ 48.Kxa5 = 0.00 (66 ply)1/2-1/2

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

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Kibitzer's Corner
Dec-04-04  Backward Development: of interest:
after black's 13th move:
"With the queens and darksquare bishops gone, White is banking on the open c-file and chiefly on the advantage of his 'good' bishop over black's, which will be hemmed in by its own pawns." after black's 27th move
"White's plan is too game, and insufficient for winning purposes. Black needs only to keep his bishop on the a6-f1 diagonal and his king at e7; most importantly, he must not advance any of his pawns. His last two moves only help his opponent to create a passed pawn." after black's 36th
"Allowing black's pawn to get to a3 cost white his winning chances. He had to push his own pawn to a3 on move 35."
May-22-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  Phony Benoni: The Wrong Rook? At black's 20th move:


click for larger view

<20...Rfc8> (instead of our 20...Rac8) is given in the "Los Angeles Times" for September 20, 1953, as well as Marfia's translation of the Bronstein tournament book.

Any other votes?

May-22-17  Retireborn: <Phoney Benoni> Chessbase 2002 and the Najdorf tournament book also give 20...Rfc8.

It makes surprisingly little difference to the course of the game, as it happens.

Jun-03-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: <Phony Benoni & Retireborn> Bronstein's original tournament book, in Russian, shows the move as 20....Rf8c8.

Other Zurich 1953 tournament books, by Najdorf, Stahlberg and Wood, all show the move in question, as 20...Rfc8.

In my opinion, our database should be corrected to 20...Rfc8.

Interestingly, the 2nd game at Zurich 1953 by Szabo and Smyslov, also has a wrong rook move in our database, (see the comments for this game).

Jun-04-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  Phony Benoni: <Retireborn> <Pawn and Two> Change has now been made. Thanks for your help.

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