chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Ludek Pachman vs Tigran Petrosian
Portoroz Interzonal (1958), Portoroz SLO, rd 4, Aug-10
Old Indian Defense: Tartakower-Indian (A54)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

explore this opening
find similar games 7 more Pachman/Petrosian games
sac: 15...Qxd1+ PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: You can learn a lot about this site (and chess in general) by reading the Chessgames Help Page. If you need help with premium features, please see the Premium Membership Help Page.

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]

A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE OF THIS GAME IS AVAILABLE.  [CLICK HERE]

Kibitzer's Corner
Mar-16-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: The threat 37...R3e5+ 38.Kd4 Re2+ winning the Queen is unavoidable.
Dec-18-04  maheshml: When ever ptrosian sacrifies ,he wins
Dec-17-05  CapablancaFan: Great game by Petrosian! He sacrafices a queen, not for mate, just to allow his remaning pieces more active play! It's amazing how Pertosian DOES NOT have a queen and just continues to play as if materials even! Wow.
Dec-17-05  technical draw: However Pachman got his revenge when he came back in the early 80's and started the video game revolution.
May-16-06  Mating Net: Would any other player have played 15...Qxd1+!? other than Petrosian? I mean come on! I bet he snatched that Rook after the briefest of calculations. There's no imminent mate, no further material gain, just an enemy King stuck in the center with a coordinated Black Army massing for the attack. It sure sounds good on paper, but it takes boatloads of confidence and guts to play such a move.
May-16-06  Runemaster: Yes, a masterpiece. Pachman brought out the best in Petrosian. Here are some more gems for anyone who doesn't know them:

Petrosian vs Pachman, 1961

Petrosian vs Pachman, 1952

May-16-06  RookFile: < Technical draw: However Pachman got his revenge when he came back in the early 80's and started the video game revolution.>

LOL! I used to play that game!

May-16-06  TylerD: The most original WC ever delivering true beauty!
May-16-06  mormonchess: I agree. One of Petrosian's finest. The period of the later 50s to early 60s is Petrosian's finest era. He became ultra conservative after he won the World Championship and let his creative energies temper a bit. This game clearly shows that he was a true contender for the world crown at this time.
May-17-06  Mating Net: The Iron Tiger sure had Pachman's number. Pachman was to Petrosian what Larsen was to Fischer.
Oct-25-07  HOTDOG: 23.Qxe4! Rfe8 24.Qxe8+ Rxe8+ 25.Kd2 =
Feb-11-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: Pachman was a noted openings expert. 3..Bg4 was apparently intended to reach a non-theoretical position. Clarke felt that 7 e5? was an over-reach; he recommended 7 Be3 or 7 Qd1 instead. I wonder if 8 e6!? would have been an alternative for white. 9..e5?! led to unecessary complications after 12 Bf4; 9..Bg7 would have been better. Clarke recommended 15 Qh4 rather than accepting Petrosian's queen sacrifice. 35 Bxb7 was the final mistake. After
35 c6 white would have been clearly worse but not yet quite lost. Pachman lost on time but there was no defense to 37..R3e5+.
Feb-25-12  screwdriver: Definately one of my favorite players of all time.
Mar-26-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: Petrosian's fianchettoed bishop performed in yeomanlike fashion before delivering a final, devastating blow in its return home to g7.
Jun-19-15  yiotta: 12...O-O; what, me worry? And after 15.Nb6, I had thought here we go, just another Petrosian exchange sac (yawn), but no, a positional queen sac !
May-03-16  yiotta: Oops,that should be <14...0-0>.
Jun-17-20  Ibisha Biscotto: a very ambitious e-pawn ,
storms off to c7 !
Jun-18-20  andrewjsacks: Very able and creative game by Petrosian.
Jun-18-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  Fusilli: The position after 22...Nxe4 deserves not a diagram but a portrait!


click for larger view

As if this wasn't painful enough for white, remember that he has already castled, so it's not that his king can even remotely hope to scuttle away.

If 29.Kf1, the cutesy 29...Nd2+ soon mates.

Dec-05-23
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: <HOTDOG> 23.Qxe4! Rfe8 24.Qxe8+ Rxe8+ 25.Kd2 =

<HOTDOG>
Pachman probably didn't play this potential drawing line because he thinks his material advantage will eventually win him the game, which Petrosian shows is not the case.

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.

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