Petrosian vs Fischer - 1958 Annotated



Petrosian,Tigran V - Fischer,Robert James Result: Draw
Portoroz Interzonal 1958




Fischer









Petrosian


A16: English Opening: 1...Nf6 with ...d5 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nf3 d6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.d3 Nh5 8.d4 e5 9.d5 Ne7 10.e4 f5 11.exf5 gxf5 12.Nxe5 Nxg3 13.hxg3 Bxe5 14.f4 Bg7 15.Be3 Bd7 16.Bd4 Ng6 17.Re1 last book move

17...Rf7
[17...Bxd4+ 18.Qxd4 h5 19.Rad1+/= ]

18.Bf3 White has an active position [18.c5 Bxd4+ 19.Qxd4 Qf6 20.Qxf6 Rxf6+/- ]

18...Qf8 19.Kf2 Re8 20.Rxe8 Qxe8 21.Bxg7 Rxg7 22.Qd4 b6 23.Rh1 a5 24.Nd1 Qf8 25.Ne3 Rf7 26.b3 Qg7 27.Qxg7+ Kxg7 28.a3 Rf8 29.Be2 Ne7 30.Bd3 h6 31.Rh5 Be8 Black threatens to win material: Be8xh5

32.Rh2 [Weaker is 32.Nxf5+ Nxf5 33.Rxf5 Rh8-/+ ]

32...Bd7 33.Rh1 Rh8 34.Nc2 Kf6 35.Nd4 Kg7 36.Be2 Ng8 37.b4 [37.Kf3 h5+/= ]

37...Nf6+/= 38.Bd3 axb4 39.axb4 Kg6 40.Ra1 Ng4+ 41.Ke2 Re8+ 42.Kd2 Nf6 43.Ra6 Rb8 44.Ra7 White threatens to win material: Ra7xc7 44...Rc8

45.c5
[45.Rb7 Nh5+/= ]

45...bxc5 46.bxc5 dxc5 Black has a new passed pawn: c5.

47.Nf3 Kf7 48.Ne5+ Ke7 49.Nxd7 Nxd7 50.Bxf5 White has a new protected passed pawn: f4

50...Rf8 51.g4 Kd6 52.Bxd7 Kxd7 A rook endgame occured

53.Ke3 Re8+ 54.Kf3 Kd6 Black threatens to win material: Kd6xd5

55.Ra6+ White skewers: h6

55...Kxd5 56.Rxh6 c4 57.Rh1 c3 Black advances the passed pawn

58.g5 This push gains space

58...c5?? not a good decision, because now the opponent is right back in the game [>=58...Kd4= this is the best bet to save the position]

59.Rd1++- Kc4 60.g6 c2?? [60...Rg8 61.f5 Kb3+- ]

61.Rc1+- Kd3 62.f5 Rg8 63.Kf4 Kd2 64.Rxc2+ Kxc2 65.Kg5 c4 66.f6 c3 67.f7

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Analysis completed by the Fritz11 engine.