1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 1 Keres • l y, l y, y, y, l l y, 0 y, 0 l l l l l 12 Geller 0 • y, 0 l y, 0 l l 0 l y, l l l l l l 11Y, Petrosian y, y, • l y, y, y, l 0 y, 0 l l l l y, l l 11Y. 4 Smyslov 0 l 0 • l 0 l l y, l l y, y, l 1 y, 0 l 11 5 Bovinnik y, 0 y, 0 • y, l y, l y, 0 y, y, y, l l l l 10 y, y, y, l y, • 0 0 l y, y, l y, y, 0 y, l l 9Y. 7 Bronstein y, l y, 0 0 l • l 0 y, l y, 0 y, y, y, l l 9Y. Taimanov 0 0 0 0 y, l 0 • y, y, l l y, y, l l l l 9Y. 9 Aronin 0 0 l y, 0 0 l y, • l l 0 y, y, l y, l y, 9 10 Flohr y, l y, 0 y, y, y, y, 0 • y, y, l y, y, l 0 l 9 11 Kopylov l 0 l 0 l y, 0 0 0 y, • l 0 l l 0 1 y, 8Y. 12 Bondarevsky 'h 'h 0 y, y, 0 y, 0 l y, 0 • y, y, 0 l l l 8 Kotov l 0 0 y, y, y, l y, y, 0 l y, • y, 0 y, l 0 8 14 Simagin 0 0 0 0 y, y, y, y, y, y, 0 y, y, • y, l l l 7Y. 15 Lipnitsky 0 0 0 0 0 l y, 0 0 y, 0 l l y, • y, y, l 6Y. 16 Moiseev 0 0 y, y, 0 y, y, 0 y, 0 l 0 y, 0 y, • l l 6Y. 17 Novotelnov 0 0 0 l 0 0 0 0 0 l 0 0 0 0 y, 0 • y, 3 18 Terpugov 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 y, 0 y, 0 l 0 0 0 y, 2Y.
T
HE 1 95 1 CONTEST was probably the strongest in the whole series, as Botvinnik made a come-back, but could not shake off the rustiness of three fallow years. The tradition still applied that even the top players had to play in the semi-fmals, so Smyslov needed to qualify, which he did from the Leningrad group, while Boleslavsky took part in the Sverdlovsk group, qualifying along with Petrosian, Geller and A verbakh. However, Boleslavsky could not take part in the fmal due to illness.The Patriarch of Soviet chess, as Botvinnik was sometimes called, fmished fifth and lost his place in the Soviet Olympiad side for Helsinki 1952.
The event was also a Zonal which qualified five players, Averbakh, Geller, Kotov, Petrosian and Taimanov for the Stockholm 1 952 Interzonal.
Keres won again, by a half-point margin over the young men Petrosian and Geller. The Estonian had to defeat Taimanov in a tense opening in the last round to gain his second successive gold medal. So, the pattern of previous contests was repeated. The title went to a world figure, but several new names put in powerful performances while the Brilliancy prize went to the bold young men.
In the first round Keres won a miniature against a lesser known figure, who had just gained the master title for his performance in the semi-fmal.
Paul Keres-Evgeny Terpugov Queen's Gambit, Chigorin Defence 007 I d4 d5 2 c4 ltlc6 3 ltlc3 ltlf6 4 ltlf3 ..tg4 5 cxd5 ltlxd5 6 e4 ..txf3 7 gxf3 ltlb6 8 d5 ltlb8 9
..tf4 c6 10 Wb3 ltl8d7 l l .:tdl Wc8 12 ..tb3 g6 13 ltla4 fS { l 3 ... ltlxa4 14 dxc6!) 14 ltlxb6 axb6 (14 ... ltlxb6 15 ..te5 .l:.g8 16 dxc6) 15 exfS ltlc5 16 Wxb6 e5 17 dxe6 l:ta6 18 f6! ltlxe6 19 Wb3 �f7 20 0-0 c5 21 :ret c4 22 Wb5 l-0
Simagin was a debutant in this event and did not fmish high in the table, but the following effort worthily won one of the best game prizes.
('(_
Oleg Moiseev-VIadimir Simagin King's Indian Defence E90
1 d4 lbf6 2 c4 g6 3 lbc3 .i.g7 4 e4 0--0 s lbf3 d6 6 h3
One of the many possibilities here, to ensure a safe square for his bishop on e3, and preparing a possible g2-g4. Of course, there is the negative side of slightly weakening his kingside pawn structure.
6 eS
The natural reaction. As 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 'i'xd8 .:txd8 9 .i.g5 (9 lbxe5 lbxe4!) 9 ... .:te8 10 .i.e2 lba6!? is not be feared by Black, he can play in the centre straight away.
7 dS
The most logical. After 7 .i.e3 exd4 8 lbxd4 J:le8 9 'i'c2 'i'e7 10 f3 c6 White starts to have problems over central control.
7 lbhS
With the centre closed, play normally moves to the flanks. Black's main trump is the advance ... f7-f5.
8 .i.e3
This natural developing move proves faulty, as the bishop becomes a target for the enemy f pawn. Theory prefers 8 lbh2, hindering Black's counterplay, with a possible sequel of 8 ... 'i'e8 (or 8 ... .i.f6 9 .i.e2 lbg7 10 h4!?) 9 .i.e2 lbf4 10 .i.f3 f5 1 1 g3 !? lbxh3 12 .i.g2 fxe4 13 .i.e3 with complex play.
8 fS
9 exfS gxfS 10 .i.e2
Possibly White intended from afar 10 lbxe5 and only now noticed that it fails to IO ... 'i'e8!
l l lbdJ f4 12 .i.e2 fxe3 13 .i.xh5 ext2++.
10 lbf6
1 1 'i'c2 lba6 12 g3
There was no immediate need for this as a pawn advance to f4 would weaken the diagonal b1-h7 and the point e4. So 12 0--0-0 at once was better than this loss of a tempo.
12 lbb4!?
13 'i'b3 aS
14 � f4!
Exploiting a slight lack of harmony in the enemy position, Black boldly goes for tactical play. Such an original decision, often involving risk, was characteristic of the prominent theoretician Simagin who had a striking if, alas, short life in chess.
IS gxf4 .i.fS!?
The alternative 15 ... exf4 16 .i.xf4 (16 .i.d2 lbd7!) 1 6 ... lbfxd5 17 lbxd5 lbxd5 1 8 .i.g5 lbf6 would enable Black to keep the initiative, so he chooses a sharper line.
16 lbel?!
Hardly coping with the tasks Black has set him. Black's bold idea could only be contested by uncompromising play, which lies in 16 fxe5 ! .i.c2 17 'i'a3 .i.xd1 1 8 .:txd1 dxe5 19 lbg5 with a promising layout of forces for White.
16 exf4
17 .i.d4
Obviously 17 .i.xf4 is risky in view of 17 ... lbe4!.
17 �h8
An important prophylactic move - examine the diagonal a2-g8 and the g-file.
18 a3 (D)
18 cS!!
Wonderful. By the knight sacrifice Black gains operating space for his pieces.
19 .i.xf6
Clearly, 19 dxc6 lbxc6 20 .i.b6 was more careful, but then Black would have the initiative 'for nothing'.
19 'i'xffi
20 axb4 axb4 21 lbbS
76 The Soviet Championships rip through: 21 tba4 l:txa4!; 2 1 tba2 lla7! (to
double rooks) 22 �d2 W'd4+; 21 tbbl f.3! 22 .td3 (22 .txf.3 llal ) 22 ... b5 ! 23 .txf5 (23 cxb5 c4!) 23 ... bxc4 24 W'c2 l:.ta2 (or 24 ... b3 25 W'c3 Wxf5).
21 llal+
Black's attack is already so strong that he has a choice of wins. 2 l ...f.3 ! also wins, e.g. 22 .td3 .:tal + 23 �c2 l:txdl 24 <itxdl .:ta8! 25 �c2 l:.al .
22 �d2 f3! (D)
Bringing into play the h6-cl diagonal denies the king possibilities of flight. This final con clusion was confirmed by many analyses by different authorities. Examining the alterna tives creates a truly artistic impression:
a) 23 l:.txal .i.h6+ 24 �dl fxe2+ 25 �e2 .tg6! 26 f.3 (or 26 �dl Wf4!, or 26 l:.tfl We5+ 27 �dl Wf4!) 26 ... lle8+ 27 �fl W'e5! 28 W'dl W'g3 29 tbg2 (otherwise 29 ... :xel +! 30 Wxel .td3+) 29 ... l:.tf8! 30 tbel .te3 3 1 W'e2 .td3! ! 32 tbxd3 l:txf.3+;
b) 23 .txf.3 l:.te8! 24 tbc2 (or 24 llxal .th6+ 25 'ii>dl Wg5 26 We3 l:txe3 27 fxe3 W'xe3 28 l:th2 �3+) 24 ... l:txdl + 25 �xdl (25 l'hdl .th6+ 26 tbe3 .te4!) 25 ... .txc2+! 26 �xc2 Wf5+ 27 W'd3 b3+! 28 �d2 W'f4+ 29 �dl .txb2! ;
c) 23 tbxf3 .th6+ 24 � e l .tel ! (also 24 ... llfa8 is strong - 25 �fl llla2) 25 llgl (or 25 tbd2 .td3!) 25 ... llbl 26 W'a4 W'xb2 27 tbxd6 ._c3+ 28 �fl .txh3+ 29 l:tg2 W'g7 30 tbe I .te3 ! ;
d) 2 3 .td3 .th6+ 24 �c2 llxd I 2 5 �xd I ._g5 26 W'c2 :as! ;
e) 23 tbc2, as played in the game, but it too does not help.
It is hard to believe that Simagin saw all this, or even the greater part of the variations, but in view of the powerful cooperation of Black's forces he would have felt he was correct in his assessment.
23 tbc2 24 �xc2
.txc2! 24 W'xc2 is bad - 24 ... fxe2 25 llxal W'xt2.
24 fxe2
25 llxal W'g6+! 26 �d2
26 W'd3 meets with the fme winning line 26 ... eltb+! 27 :axel l:.xt2+ .
26
27 W'e3 .th6+
Despair, but 27 �e2 W'e4+ and 27 �el Wg2! also lose. 27 28 29 30 libel �xe3 �d2 0-1 llxf2 .txe3+ 'i'g3+ W'f4+
This game was the most striking of the no fewer than 40 candidates submitted to the jury - what stiff competition!
Keres won an elegant game against one of his main rivals, Geller, in a Ruy Lopez.
Efim Geller-Paul Keres
Keres fmds a striking tactical idea in a position that hardly seems to promise such an outcome.
22 tbf4!
Sacrificing a knight to break up the enemy king position.
Geller falls into the clever trap. He should have weighed up the chances more carefully and tried to coordinate his forces by 23 ..ie4.
23 ..txo
24 gxO lLlxh3+ 25 �g2
Some elegant variations arise after 25 �hI 'iff4!, e.g. 26 ..ie4 lLlxf2+ 27 �g2 lLlxe4 28 fxe4 l:tc2+, or 26 �g2 'ifh4! 27 lLlh2 lLlf4+ 28 �hi 'ifh3 29 l:tgl :tel ! , or 26 lLlh2 lLlxf2+ 27 �g2 l:tc5!. In all cases Black mates with limited material!
25 lLJf4+
26 �g1 lLJh3+ 27 �g2 lLlf4+
This repetition is merely to gain time on the clock.
28 �gl ! 'ifd5!
Bringing the queen directly into the attack. 29 lLlg3
29 ..ie4 is strongly met by 29 ... 'ifg5+ 30 lLlg3 h5.
29 d3
The main argument in Black's favour is that he closes out the enemy queenside, leaving too few defenders for White on the other side.
30 lLle4 'iff5! 31 'ifb4
Nor would 3 1 'ifd2 help - 3 1 ....l:tc4! (threatening 32 ... l:txe4!) 32 ..ixd3 .l:td4 33 .l:te3 l:tfd8.
31 :res!
0-1
The threat is 32 ... l:txe4, and 32 lLlg3 is decisively met by 32 ... 'ifh3. Typical Keres elegance!