The Times
March 16, 2004
Chess
Raymond Keene
Petrosian Remembered
With the Petrosian Memorial tournament in full swing I propose to give this
week a selection of games demonstrating the unique talent of the Armenian
world champion.
White: Boris Spassky
Black: Tigran Petrosian
World Championship
Moscow 1969
Queen’s Indian Defence
1 d4 Nf6 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 a3 Bb7 5 Nc3 d5 6 e3 Nbd7 7 cxd5 exd5 8 Be2 Bd6 9
b4 0-0 10 0-0 a6 11 Qb3 Qe7 12 Rbl Ne4
Petrosian has handled the opening skilfully and WHite has been prevented from
taking the initiative.
13 a4 Ndf6 14 b5 Nxc3 15 Qxc3 Ne4 16 Qc2 Rfc8 17 Bb2 c6 18 bxc6 19 Qb3 Qd7 20
Ra1 b5 21 a5
This move is a mistake, depriving Spassky of any meaningful strategic play.
21 … Bb7 22 Ne5 Qd8 23 Rfdl Qh4 24 g3 Qe7 25 f3 Ng5 26 h4
These clumsy pawn advances merely serve to weaken the white kingside.
26 … Ne6 27 f4 f6 28 Nf3 Nd8 29 Kf2 Nf7 30 Nd2 Rc4
If White ever captures this rook, the resultant opening of the long diagonal
(after … dxc4) will be fatal.
31 Qd3 Re8 32 Bf3 Bb4 33 Ba3 Bxa3 34 Rxa3 Nd6 35 Re1 f5 36 Raa1 Ne4+ 37 Bxe4
fxe4 38 Qbl Qd7 39 Ra2 Rec8 40 Nxc4
Spassky cannot resist the temptation any longer. However, the black bishop
and pawns now overwhelm White. Better chances for survival were offered by 40
Nb3.
40 … dxc4 41 d5 bxd5 42 Rd1
This position is extremely difficult for White. Black threatens to invade on
the kindside with his queen and also to advance the queenside pawns. Coping
with all these threats proves to be an impossible job.
42 … c3 43 Rc2 Qh3 44 Rg1 Qg4 45 Kg2 Qf3+ 46 Kh2 Qxc3 47 f5 Qc5 48 Rfl b4
49 f6 b3 50 rcf2 c2 51 Qcl e3 52 f7+ Kf8 53 Rf5 b2 54 Qxb2 clQ 55 Qxg7+ Kxg7
56 Rg5+ White resigns.