On move 18, he writes: "The threat of 19.Rxd6 could be averted in three ways. They are 18....Rc6, 18...Bxf5, and 18....g6. The first move, though I do not know exactly why, I declined immediately, and the second one I did not like after quick consideration, for the simple reason that I was not compelled to give up the bishop-pair, especially not the guardian of the square d5. Then, by elimination, I came to the conclusion that the only good reply was 18....g6. And then an absurd and sudden idea put into disorder all the logic of my consideration, and I began to wonder why the immediate 18....g6. The pawn is pinned and does not threaten anything. Better first 18....Kh8 and then 19....g6! For just a second I forgot that in this position it is white who is threatening. All this on one move!"

And then on move 19: "Besides the loss of the pawn, the position of the knight is less secure. A vital point in the mechanism of black's position is missing. Therefore, if it was not much too early to resign, if the instinct of self-preservation was not so strong, and in addition if the rules did not forbid it, I would have thrown the pieces to the most distant corner of the playing room. Actually, I recalled the story about Alekhine who, after a lost game, threw his king far away. Though I am far from Alekhine's genius, I could understand him at that moment."

On move 25: "Now again came time trouble because after the 18th move I allowed the clock to go along, thinking about chess in general, its laws and injustices, asking for the best chances in the unpleasant position. Now I want just a little more time."

Ivkov managed to get close to a drawing position and then, in time trouble, threw it away with 68....Kf7 (better ....Kh6) and 69....Ng6 (better 69....Rb4).