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Mikhail Botvinnik vs Gosta Stoltz
"Gosta Aghast" (game of the day Sep-19-2008)
Stockholm - Leningrad (1926), Stockholm SWE, rd 2, Nov-07
Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation. Normal Line (D55)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Oct-19-07  mhelshou: In his book Botvinnik 100 selected games he gave the following variation as a better alternative for White's 14th move:

14. Be2 exf3 15. Bxf3 Ba6 16. Bxa8 Bxf1

However 16... Bxf1 loses easily to Qc6 (Fritz), since the queen move defends the bishop at a8 and attacks the queen and knight at the same time!

Oct-19-07  mhelshou: 18. Qxf8+ is obvious but naturally unexpected and brilliant. Taking a Rook for a Queen was probably unexpected by Stoltz however it leaves Black's lonely Queen against two Rooks and a Bishop!
Mar-10-08  Richerby: (Botvinnik says that Stoltz played on for a few moves after the final position here, though he doesn't give the moves.)
Sep-19-08  johnlspouge: I was sure the pun would be "Go for the Gosta".
Sep-19-08  johnlspouge: Toga II 1.3.1 declares 15...Qd6 about 2 Ps worse than 15...Rb8, a real lemon.
Sep-19-08  DoubleCheck: I was thinking before black castles 5...0-0

If
5. e3 c5?!
6. dxc5 Bxc5
7. cxd5 exd5
8. Nxd5 Qxd5
9. Bxf6! Qxd1+
10. Rxd1 gxf6

A slighty better under-developed white but far better positioning.

Sep-19-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <mhelshou: In his book Botvinnik 100 selected games he gave the following variation as a better alternative for White's 14th move:

14. Be2 exf3 15. Bxf3 Ba6 16. Bxa8 Bxf1

However 16... Bxf1 loses easily to Qc6 (Fritz), since the queen move defends the bishop at a8 and attacks the queen and knight at the same time!>

I don't get it. How can the white Queen leap on c6 from d1? Okay, after 17.Qa4 black's position looks bad. But instead of 15...Ba6 here 15...Qd8 attacking Rc7 and unpinning the Knight seems to be better.

An interesting alternative would be also 14.Bc2. If 14...exf3 15.Qxf3 Ba6(?), then 16.Qh3 with double attack (d7, h7) gives white advantage. After better 15...Rb8 16.Rc1 white has two pawns and great pressure for sacced piece.

Sep-19-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: <johnlspouge: Toga II 1.3.1 declares 15...Qd6 about 2 Ps worse than 15...Rb8, a real lemon.> 15...Qd6 was a tactical mistake. Stolz simply missed or underestimated K.O. blow 16.Qc6 (if he was seeing that and thought that 16...Qb4 17.Qxa8 Ba6 saves the day for him). Black could have played also 15...Qd8 which was better way to attack Rc7 than 15...Qd6.
Sep-19-08  newzild: A brilliant game by the Big Bot, who is probably my least-favourite world champion.

A highly imaginative sac in the opening!

Sep-19-08  agb2002: It seems that nobody complains about the quality of the game like yesterday. I wonder whether we would grumble if John Doe played instead of Botvinnik...
Sep-19-08  gtgloner: See Botvinnik vs. Thomas (Nottingham 1936)
Botvinnik vs G A Thomas, 1936
Sep-19-08  newzild: The difference between today's game and yesterday's is that today's effort is very good and yesterday's was an average club game.

agb2002: It seems that nobody complains about the quality of the game like yesterday. I wonder whether we would grumble if John Doe played instead of Botvinnik...

Sep-19-08  patzer2: So I suppose 15...Qd8 = or 15...Rb8 = would have been the best alternatives to 15...Qd6? 16. Qc6! with a winning double attack threat.
Sep-19-08  kevin86: Not a bad game from a fifteen year old. Maybe he had been drinking from the fountain of youth. Reliable reports had him being accused of the same crime in 1886,1721,1508,1113,and 3123 BC-lol

I enjoyed the unexpected queen "sacrifice" at move eighteen.

Sep-19-08  Chessmensch: For those commenting on the pun, I believe Gosta is pronounced as though the first letter were H--as in the early Greta Garbo film, The Saga of Gosta Berling. Anyone Swedish able to comment on that?
Sep-19-08  Chessmensch: Further to my previous comment the pun should be Gosta la vista, baby.
Sep-19-08  Xeroxx: In swedish Gösta is pronunced something like "Justa".
Sep-19-08  apexin: fantastic game! what skill botvinnik had
Jun-12-11  bharatiy: 12. Nxe4 is amazing, unbelievable that young Bot saw all those tactics well ahead!
Oct-23-12  vinidivici: lolololol. the title so funny AGHAST!!!
Jul-31-13  TheFocus: From the Leningrad - Stockholm Team Match.
Jan-12-16  yureesystem: Stoltz was extremely strong player, Botvinnik just played brilliantly and won beautifully.
Jan-10-18  TheFocus: It is interesting that they did not play each again for 20 years after their match.
Jan-10-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  Retireborn: <TheFocus> Mildly depressing as well. If the young Botvinnik had not been a Soviet, then (like Flohr) he might have played similar games against Rubinstein, Nimzowitsch, Maroczy, Kashdan, Yates and so on.
Apr-14-20  johnfagg: Use to use this one as a "didactic" - Botvinnik got a calculation wrong, Nxe4, overlooking Bc8 - but he kept looking for opportunities. You work with the young, they error a pawn or exchange, they lose heart... Future champions show bottle!
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