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Nikolay Novotelnov vs Vasily Smyslov
"Super Novo" (game of the day Apr-04-2005)
USSR Championship (1951), Moscow URS, rd 10, Nov-29
Nimzo-Indian Defense: Normal Variation. Gligoric System Bernstein Defense (E56)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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find similar games 1 more N Novotelnov/Smyslov game
sac: 13.cxd5 PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

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Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-04-05  Knezh: I've never seen this game before. To see SMyslov beaten so ruthlessly near his prime by a near unknown is quite astounding.
Apr-04-05  ReikiMaster: Was Smyslov ever World Champion? In this game he certainly was outplayed time and time again!
Apr-04-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  Benzol: <Was Smyslov ever World Champion?> Yes, he was in 1957, though Botvinnik beat him in the rematch in 1958.
Apr-04-05  Milo: Crafty: 14.Qc2.

It looks to me like black can wriggle out with 14...Nd4.

Apr-04-05  dzanone: He was world champion back in 1957 for a year or so, then Botvinnik defeated him and reclaimed the crown. Everyone has bad days. And Novotelnov proved that some of us even get to have good ones.
Apr-04-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  Benzol: Novotelnov was an IM titled player and like many players in the Soviet Union his light was hidden by a giant bushel.
Apr-04-05  EmperorAtahualpa: Excellent endplay by Novotelnov.
Apr-04-05  Shams: <Milo> what does your improvement get black? 14...Nxd4 15.Nxd4 and I want to see black's next move.
Apr-04-05  martinshortsays: <Milo> Could you elaborate some?
Apr-04-05  England The Great: White kept waiting for that Queen trap, inviting her in on 12.c4 (now we'd like to think so :) Which was nicely countered by black - 18 Rxc5
Apr-04-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: White ventured to take the queen-and managed to be a pawn up-a big profit at this level.

How about:"Tricky Nicky?"

Apr-04-05  Goato: Doesn't 17. ...Ba4 escape?

18. Qxa4 Qxb2
or 18. Qe2 Nb3

Am i missing something?

Apr-04-05  KillerDarwin: <goato>
17...Ba4 18.Qc3
Apr-04-05  England The Great: Goato - After Ba4..Qc3. 18 Nxd5 e4xd5 and black Queen escapes at the forfeit of Knight.

Or after your Nb3...Bc4 thus pinning the Queen

My response is superficial at this moment. Maybe someone else can elaborate.

Apr-04-05  Ezzy: The late great Paul Keres won this 1951 Russian Championship with 12/17. Smyslov was 4th with 11/17, so this loss stopped him sharing first place. Novotelnov was 17th with 3/17! - N Novotelnov - Smyslov Vassily (RUS) [E56] Ch URS, Moscow Ch URS, Moscow, 1951
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 d5 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Bd3 c5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.a3 Ba5 9.cxd5 exd5 10.dxc5 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Qa5 12.c4 Qc3 13.cxd5 Qxa1< I would guess that noboday ever plays this variation again. It,s just horrible for black. Especially if he is crazy enough to try to hold on to his material advantage.> 14.Qc2 Na5 15.e4 Bd7 16.Bb2 Qa2 17.Nd4< [17.Nd2! Nxd5 Only move 18.exd5 Qxd5 19.Bxh7+ Kh8 20.Qc3 Threatens mate. 20...Qg5 21.Bc2 Nc6 22.Ne4 Qh6 23.Nd6 Rab8 24.Re1 and white has a fantastic position, if not winning!! (Fritz 8: 2) 24...Rbd8 25.Re4 f6 26.Qg3 g5 27.Qb3 Qg7 28.f4 gxf4 1.85/0 ; Fritz 8: 3) 24...f6 25.Qc4 Qh5 26.Bd1 Qh7 27.Nf7+ 1.91/6 ) 24..Kg8 25.Re4 Rbe8 26.Nxe8 Rxe8 27.Qg3 b5 28.Rxe8+ Bxe8 29.f4 Bd7 1.88/13 ]> 17...Rfc8?< Basically loses by force. [17...Nxe4 Blacks only try in this position. 18.Bxe4 Nc4 19.Bxh7+ Kh8 20.Bf5 Rfd8 21.c6 bxc6 22.Nxc6 Threat 23 Bxg7+ picking up the queen! 22...Nxb2 23.Nxd8 Rxd8 24.Qc7 Bxf5 25.Qxd8+ Kh7 26.Qh4+ Kg8 27.Qf4 g6 28.Qb8+ Kh7 29.Qb7 Kg7 30.d6 Nd3 31.g4 Bxg4 32.d7 Bxd7 33.Qxd7 Qc4 and white has an advantage, but black still has a bit of fight left in him.]> 18.Ra1 Rxc5 <[18...Ba4 Loses in all variations. 19.Qc3 (Fritz 8: 2) 19...Qb3 20.Nxb3 Nxb3 21.Re1 Nxc5 22.Qd2 Nfd7 23.e5 Nxd3 3.28/12 ; Fritz 8: 3) 19...Nxe4 20.Bxe4 Rxc5 21.Rxa2 Rxc3 22.Bxc3 Rc8 23.Bb2 Nc4 3.82/11 ; Fritz 8: 4) 19...Nxd5 20.exd5 Rxc5 21.Rxa2 Rxc3 22.Bxc3 Nb3 23.Nf5 Nc1 24.Rd2 Nxd3 25.Rxd3 f6 4.28/11 ) 19..Rc5 20.Rxa2 Rxc3 21.Bxc3 Nc4 22.Nf5 b5 23.Bxf6 2.16/12 ]> 19.Rxa2 Rxc2 20.Nxc2 Rc8 21.f3 Bb5 22.Ne1 Bxd3 23.Nxd3 Nd7 24.Bd4 b6 25.Nb4 Rc4 26.Be3 f5 27.exf5 Kf7 28.Re2 Kf6 29.g4 Ne5 30.Kg2 g6 31.fxg6 hxg6 32.h4 Nf7 33.Kg3 Nb3 34.Nc6 Rc3 35.Bf2 Rd3 36.Re3 Rxe3 37.Bxe3 Nd6 38.Bg5+ Kf7 39.Nxa7 Nc5 40.Bf4 Nc4 41.Nb5 Ke7 42.h5 gxh5 43.gxh5 Kf6 1–0
Apr-04-05  Goato: Thankyou England The Great, looking closer i see that your line is the one smyslov was probably scared of.

after 17. ... Ba4
18.Qc3 Nxd5
19.exd5 Qxd5
20.Ne6

and i think black is a whole peice down on account of the threat on g7

Apr-04-05  Ezzy: <Goato -
after 17. ... Ba4
18.Qc3 Nxd5
19.exd5 Qxd5
20.Ne6>
Not 20 Ne6? but 20 Nf5 and 21 Ne7+ picking up the queen!!
Apr-04-05  Hinchliffe: What a game. It seems that Smyslov failed to appreciate the depth of his problems and became in grave difficulty after the queen exchange which of course he had anticipated.Once again this end game illustrates that understanding of positions together with appropriate technique bears fruit and the little known Novotelnov demonstrates that a lone a or h ( as in this case) pawn can be deadly. The most ammazing thing about this game is that I would wager that Smyslov actually praised the victory and once having overcome his defeat enjoyed the play that led to his demise. The unexpected nature of chess is of course one of the many pleasures this game has to offer.
Apr-04-05  Rama: I thought 23. ... Rc2, looked good. It covers the Nf6 by pinning the B, gains the 7th, threatens 24. ... Nc4, and practically forces 24. Ra1 ..., which is met handily by 24. ... Nb3. What am I missing?
Apr-04-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  benveniste: <Goato> I ended up with:

17. ... Ba4
18. Qc3 Rfe8
19. Ra1 Nxe4
20. Bxe4 Qc4

Advantage still to white, but slightly better for black than the played game.

Apr-04-05  Ezzy: Apr-04-05
<benveniste: <Goato> I ended up with: 17. ... Ba4
18. Qc3 Rfe8
19. Ra1 Nxe4
20. Bxe4 Qc4>
That line seems ok, but as i analysed earlier, I think that if white plays 17 Nd2! instead of 17 Nd4, then black has massive problems in all variations. I will stick my neck out and suggest that after 17 Nd2! black is theoretically lost?
Apr-04-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  samvega: <rama> if 23..Rc2, 24.Nb4 relieves the pin.
Jul-13-22  cehertan: I thought for sure the engine would bust whites sacrifice, but no. Amazing how the Soviet Championship was in a class by itself in those days. Note to Smyslovs ghost, even you cannot hold an ending down 3 pawns for nothing, it is OK to resign.
Jul-18-22  Saniyat24: The back-bencher wins...!

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