Oct-15-17
 | | Pawn and Two: Diagram of position after 32...Be5, see photo submitted by <Stonehenge>, and also the photo of the position on the book cover, 'The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal'. click for larger viewHoudini indicates White has a winning position after 32...Be5: (1.92) (29 ply) 33.Qd3! Bxa4 34.Rc5! Bb5 35.Qd2 Qf5 36.d6; (2.64) (25 ply) 36...Kg7 37.Nf2; (2.79) (25 ply) 37...Kf8 38.Rxb5 axb5 39.d7 Bf6 40.d8Q+ Bxd8 41.Qxd8+ Kg7 42.Qd4+ Kg8 43.Qxb4. The move Tal played, 33.Qd2, allowed Black a narrow chance for survival, with the response 33...Qf3!: (.34) (30 ply) 34.Rc4 h6 35.Rxb4 a5 36.Rc4 Bf5 37.Nf2 Qxg3+, or (.28) (30 ply) 34.Qe2 Bd4+ 35.Kh2 Qf5 36.Nf2 Bxf2 37.Qxf2 Qh5+ 38.Kg2 Qxe5+. Other than 33....Qf3!, Black appears to have few chances for a successful defense. If 33...b3, (2.02)(26 ply) 34.Rc4 Qg6 35.d6 Kh8 36.Qe3 Kg7 37.Rc6 Qh5 35.Nc3 Bg4; or if 33...Qg6, (1.92)(25 ply) 34.Rc4 Bf5 35.Qe3 Bxb2 36.Rxb4 Be5 37.a5 h5 38.Rb6 f5 39.d6 Bxe4 36.d7. The best of the alternatives to 33...Qf3!, appears to 33...h6, which gives Black some chances to defend: (1.67) (25 ply) 34.d6 Qf3 35.Qd5 Bxg3 36.Rg2 Qe3+ 37.Kh1 Qf3 38.Nf6+ Qxf6 36.Rxg3+. In the game, Black played (5.51) (24 ply) 33...Bxa4? 34.d6!, and White was clearly winning, his passed pawn will cost Black a decisive loss in material. Houdini indicates the best two continuations are: 34...Qf5 35.Qd5 Bb5 36.Rf2 Qe6 37.Qxe6 fxe6 38.Rd2 Kf8 39.d7, and 34...Kg7 35.d7 Bxd7 36.Qxd7. |