Alexander Kalantar vs Tigran Petrosian (1948)

Notes by Peter ClarkeHow should Black take this slightly enigmatic move? Does it mean that his opponent dislikes or is afraid of meeting the Nimzovitch Defence and therefore has already, in a sense, surrendered the initiative? Or is it that White wants to get him into a Queen’s Indian, believing that he will be able to keep on top then? The answer must be a subjective one.He chooses the reply that was probably least expected. Although it is so rarely used, it gives a sound enough game.Black’s plan is unfolding. As in the Miner-Barry (or Zurich) Variation of the Nimzovitch itself, he is aiming, once his KB has been exchanged off, to free its colleague and at the same time secure a hold on the center by playing ...e5.But not 7.Qxd2 Ne4! 8.Qc2 Qb4+ 9.Nc3 Nxc3 10.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 11.bxc3 d6, when White has nothing to show for the doubled pawns.An example of prophylaxis. It looks ahead to the time when the pawn position in the center has become fixed and White’s main weapon of attack consists in a general advance on the Q side. However it is not essential; some four years later, in the Interzonal Tournament at Stockholm, Petrosian played 9...e5 at once against Unzicker, obtaining an equal game after 10.d5 Nb8 11.b4 Bg4 12.Qc2 Bxf3 13.Nxf3 a5 14.a3 Na6 15.Rab1 axb4 16.axb4 c5!A good alternative is 10.b3, to be followed by a3 and later b4. Weak, on the other hand is 10.e5 dxe5 11.dxe5 Nd7 12.Qe2 Nc5, with excellent play for Black.This two retreating moves by the Knights have not been made with a view to defence; rather the reverse. In closed positions considerations of time and even space are often less important than specific fatures like the pawn formation and weak squares. Black’s scheme, therefore, is to temp White into overreaching himself by pushing on prematurely and creating points in his own camp that are vulnerable to counter-attack.14.Nf5 Bxf5 15.exf5 would show a definite detioration in his pawn structure, and the use of e4 would not be sufficient compensation.White’s manouvering of his KKT and particularly its exchange has not been happy. Instead of gaining ground on the Q side, he has now been brought to a standstill there; what is more, with his center pawns placed on white squares his Bishop has decreased in strength compared with the other minor pieces. The following variation shows how easily: 16.f4 Nd7 17.Nb3 a4 18.Na5 Qf6 19.Nc6 exf4 20.Qxf6 (not 20.Qd2 Nb6 21.Rxf4 Nxc4 22.Qe2 Qxb2, etc.) Nxf6 21.Ne7+ (or 21.gxf4 Re8 22.e5 Ng4 23.Rfe1 Bd7 24.exd6 cxd6 25.Bh3 h5 and Black stands well), Kh8 22.Nxc8 Raxc8 23.gxf4 Rfe8 24.Rfe1 Re7 25.Re2 Rce8 26.Rae1 Nh5 27.Rf2 f5!Kalantar realises the long-term danger in the position and decides to try to avert it by an immediate assault on Black’s center. It is met with the greatest precision.The pressure could not well be stepped up by 19.Nf3 on account of the reply 19...exf4. The text move envisages a forcing continuation taking the enemy strong-point.White has achieved his end, but where is he to go from here? Were he able to maintain the position in the center, he could claim an advantage. He cannot; he is forced to exchange pawns, after which the soundness of Black’s game is no longer in any doubt.To concede the file by 25.Nxe1 is scarcely worth considering.At first glance it might seem that White has fair chances in this ending, for his pawns are more compact than Black’s (two groups are against three) and the general stability of the situation should be to the Knight’s benefit. A closer examination shows that there are other factors that far outweigh these and bring down the advantage heavily on Black’s side. They are; (i) Black’s K-side majority is potentially active, whereas White’s on his Q side is permanently crippled; (ii) the black King has a route into the center along the weakened black squares; and (iii) the Bishop is able to worry White by threatening to attack his pawns on the Q side. By exploiting these points, Petrosian rapidly takes over the initiative.Black had intended to provoke this, anyway, by ...Ba6. It is the first step in reducing White to passivity.Manouvering the Bishop round so as to penetrate into the enemy camp.White puts his faith in pure defence. If he tries to counter-attack with his Knight on the Q side, he finds his threats easily parried, eg. 35.Nb2 Bh5 36.Na4 Ke5 37.Nb6 f4+ 38.gxf4+ gxf4+ 39.Kf2 Bg4, etc.Decisive; on 39.Nc1 there comes 39...Ke5 followed by ...f4+, pushing White further anf further back.The King and pawn ending is the simplest of wins for Black, because he is to all intent and purposes a pawn up. It provides us with a perfect example of the relative value of mobile and immobile pawn majorities.Or 44.a3 h5 45.h4 Ke5, and White must retreat.Since the break by b4 is too late-49...axb4 50.axb4 cxb4 21.c5 Kxd5, etc.0-1