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Isaac Boleslavsky vs Igor Bondarevsky
USSR Absolute Championship (1941), Leningrad-Moscow URS, rd 12, Apr-12
Pirc Defense: Classical Variation. Two Knights System (B08)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Aug-17-07  laskereshevsky: in the match-tournament book wrote by Botvinnik this game opening is called:

<King Indian Defence
(with moves interchage)>
...!!!....

also interesting are same comments..

after 4...♗g7 <this variation is not a new one. Practice shows that it is not as bed for black as it might seem....>(sic!)<...judging by this game, the most correct move is 5.♗f4 or 5.♗g5...>

6...♘bd7 <Evidently Bondarevsky thought 6...0-0 7.♕d2 ♔h7 8.0-0-0 is dangerous.>

17.♙cxb <the position of the White king will of course be more secure than with 17.♙axb, but on the other hand with 17.♙axb White would have retained equal chances in the end-game. Now he will be forced to avoid the end-game as long as possible, as in fact Black has an extra pawn on the K-side.>

22.♙f4 <Passive tactics would be better (if they could still be of any use).>

25...♗h6! <A cunning trap, wich his gullible> (...) <adversary failed to evade>

26...♖g8!! <Now this IS a combination! The threath ♕g1+ is fatal, The spectators got their money's worth!>

Aug-17-07  Maynard5: It's difficult to agree with the characterization in the previous note, attributed to no less an authority than Botvinnik, that this game resembles a King's Indian by transposition. The Pirc was of course a relatively new opening at the time this game was played. White's opening deployment here, with 5. Bg5 and 7. Qd2 is rather poor, and rapidly results in the dark-bound bishop being put out of action. White's classical deployment in the Pirc, with h3, Be3 and Bc4 is of course much stronger. Ironically, the position later takes on some similiarities to variations in the Sicilian.
Aug-17-07  laskereshevsky: From the Translator's Note:
<The Russian test of "The Match Tournament of 1941" was published in Moscow in 1947, and, as Botvinnik says in his foreward to that edition, represent the result of three years of study.>

The book was translated by Stephen Garry...

For shore Botvinnik was affectionated and proud of his job.... i presume this too from the touching book's dedication.....

<To the memory of my brother I. M. Botvinnik, who was killed in action, during the Battle of Leningrad, September 1941.>

Apr-25-10  AlexanderG: <laskereshevsky
17.Pcxb the position of the White king will of course be more secure than with 17.Paxb...>

I wonder why Botvinnik thought that. 17.cxb opens c-file for the black rook aimed at the white king, which, in fact, proved fatal a few moves later.

May-26-25  Stolzenberg: The fact, that White did not play 21. Rc1 shows, that the whole plan with 17. cxb3? was totally wrong.

*****

The end is very nice.

<26. ... Rg8!!> 27. Rxh6 would see 27. ... Qg1+ 28. Qxg1 Rxg1+ 29. Rd1 Rxd1#

and

<27. ... Qg1+> 28. Rd1 would see 28. ... Rc1+ 29. Rxc1 Qxc1#.

May-26-25  Stolzenberg: Botvinnik: <25. ... Bh6! A cunning trap, which the adversary failed to evade.>

Instead of <26. Rxh5?> 26. Qf2 was necessary.

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