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Paul Keres vs Igor Bondarevsky
USSR Absolute Championship (1941), Leningrad-Moscow URS, rd 11, Apr-25
Catalan Opening: Open Defense (E02)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Feb-15-08  Benzol: Because Keres was ill this game was played on the 25th of April.
Jun-17-25  Stolzenberg: Parhaps Black was in time trouble, but instead of <40. ... Rd1?>, which immediately cost another pawn, he should have continued with 40. ... Rxa6 41. Nxa6 Bd6, pinning his hope on an endgame ♘ + 6 ♙ vs. ♗ + 5 ♙.
Jun-18-25  unspiek: <Stolzenberg> Your suggested defense is certainly better than what Black played. But Black would still have been in desperate trouble. White's Knight is the better minor here, on top of that extra P. Do you see a defensive plan offering any hope?
Jun-18-25  Stolzenberg: <unspiek>: Of course Black is still in trouble, no doubt about that.

A defense plan could be like this:

The bishop should find a way to the square b2 or at least threatening with it. The king should wait at the square f7 for an opportunity to play ... e5 and ... Ke6.

After 42. Nc5 Black must not take the knight, instead 42. ... Kf7 would be the best.

Jun-19-25  unspiek: <Stolzenberg> In the plan you suggest, as soon as Black's B reaches b2, White plays a4 and frees up his b-Pawn. His King can then infiltrate via c4. The BK can only go toward the Q-side, if it tries to advance toward White's K-side, his Pawns are vulnerable to that Knight. With his K staying on the scene, Black can possibly stop the b-Pawn, but White can then send his K to the unprotected K-side, and Black is hurting even more.

Honestly, Black looks busted to me, despite your improvement; but if you can work out a detailed plan that offers him any chances, I'd be interested to learn it.

Jun-19-25  Stolzenberg: <unspiek>: Your plan is good and probably Black will loose sooner or later. However he does not need to resign too early.

In the game he already resigned only one move later. I wanted to express that <40. ... Rd1> was a blunder perhaps in time trouble and that my suggestion 40. ... Rxa6 would at least have been the lesser evil.

Jun-19-25  unspiek: <Stolzenberg> I absolutely agree that 40. ... Ra6: would have been better Chess than what was played. Maybe Bondarevsky was in time trouble, and maybe gloomy about his mistakes in this game.

If you don't have a copy of the Absolute Championship tournament book, by Botvinnik, you should get one. Maybe there's an algebraic ed. by now.

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