Rainham Chess Club - Taimanov-Larsen

Taimanov,Mark E - Larsen,Bent [D37]

Vinkovci Autumn International, Round 13, 20th October 1970

The annotations of this game are based upon 'My Great Predeccessors, Part IV', by Gary Kasparov .

'I like this game' said Petrosian in his lecture Bent Larsen: is it posible to play like this today? continuing, 'I am one of those players who always regarded Larsen's manner of play with a certain scepticism. But when I now look at how he plays!... Of course he is not a player of such a solid style as many of the leading Soviet grandmasters, but he can win against anyone and lose to anyone. He is a player who, in view of his character and creative views, will find it hard to reach a match for the world championship, but his boldness and his concrete and non-routine approach to positions cannot fail to appeal to all connoisseurs of chess.'

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 0-0 6.Bf4 Bxc5 7.Nf3 Nc6 8.e3 d5 9.a3 Qa5 10.Rc1

[A modest move: White dreams of gaining a slight plus without any risk. Taimanov was leading the event going into this 13th round game and therefore he naturally aimed to avoid sharp variations. Alternatives are the logical 10.Rd1 ; The 21st century fashion 10.Nd2 ; or the aggressive 10.0-0-0 ]

10...Be7

[10...d4 11.exd4 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Bd3 e5 14.Bd2 Qd8 was simpler and equalising.]

11.Be2 dxc4

[After 11...Ne4 12.cxd5 Nxc3 13.Qxc3 Qxc3+ 14.Rxc3 exd5 15.0-0 Bf6 16.Rb3 h6 Black is also close to equalising.]

12.Bxc4 Nd5

[White would be perfectly happy with 12...Bd7 13.0-0 Rfd8 14.Rfd1 Rac8 15.Qb3]

13.Bxd5

[White is tempted into playing against the isolated d-pawn. Especially since after 13.0-0 Black easily solves his probelms by either 13...Nxc3 (or 13...Nxf4 14.exf4 Bd7 15.Rfd1 Rfd8) 14.Qxc3 Qxc3 15.Rxc3 Bf6 16.Rc2 e5 17.Bg5 Bf5 18.Rd2 Bxg5 19.Nxg5 h6]

13...exd5 14.Qb3!?

'To his misfortune, Taimanov began to develop ambitious intentions......at this point Larsen realised that Taimanov's thoughts were somewhat split.....Taimanov somewhat unexpectedly embarked on an aggressive course.' - Petrosian

[The second temptation: to immediately attack the weak pawn. A roughly equal game would have resulted from 14.0-0 Be6! (14...Bg4?! 15.Qb3! Bxf3 16.gxf3 d4 17.Qxb7! dxc3 18.Rxc3! Ne5 19.b4! Qb6 20.Qxe7 Nxf3+ 21.Kg2) 15.Rfd1 Rac8]

14...g5!

[A highly concrete typically Larsen move: it only required White to commit a small crime (delay with castling) and immediately the 'punishment' follows. The Dane was not afraid of sharply advancing his pawns and creating weaknesses in his own position - in the majorit of cases this justified itself. 'After 14...Rd8 15.0-0 Black would have been obliged to switch to passive defence. ' - Petrosian]

15.Bg3 g4 16.Nd4?!

[If 16.Ne5 Larsen had intended 16...Bf6 17.Nxc6 bxc6 18.0-0 Be6 19.Qc2 c5 with quite a good game for Black.; 16.Nd2 Rd8 followed by d4 is OK for Black. (16...d4 17.Nd5 is unclear) ]

16...Nxd4 17.exd4 Bg5!

18.0-0?!

[The exchange sacrifice appears tempting (the opponent is deprived of his important bishop, the defender of the dark squares), but it is dubious.

18.Rc2 Re8+! 19.Re2 Rxe2+ 20.Kxe2 Qa6+!? With the possible continuations;

- a) 20...Bd7?! 21.Qxb7 Re8+ 22.Be5 is unclear;
- b) 20...b6 21.f4!?;
- c) 20...Be6!? 21.Rd1! (21.Qxb7 Re8 22.Kd1 Rc8! 23.f4? gxf3 24.gxf3 Rxc3! and wins) 21...Re8! 22.Kf1 Qa6+ 23.Qb5 (23.Kg1 h5!) 23...Qxb5+ 24.Nxb5 Rc8 with a favourable endgame; 21.Qb5 Qe6+ 22.Kd1 Bd7 23.Qxb7 Rc8 is unclear but Black has a dangerous initiative.;

18.Rd1! By general consensus the best move. 18...Re8+ (18...Qa6 19.f4!? (19.Qxd5?! Re8+ 20.Ne4 Qg6 21.f3 gxf3 22.gxf3 Bf5 threatening Rxe4 23.0-0 Be3+! 24.Nf2 Bh3; 19.Qb5 Qe6+ 20.Kf1 Rd8 21.h4!) 19...gxf3 20.gxf3 Re8+ 21.Kf2 Bf5 22.Rhe1 with equality) 19.Kf1 Qa6+ (19...Be6 or Bf5 20.Qxb7 followed by h4 is possible.) 20.Kg1 Be6 21.h4! is OK for white]

18...Bxc1 19.Rxc1 Be6!

The exchange ahead , Black does not begrudge ceding his b7 pawn.

20.h3?!

[Taimanov is captivated by his pretty idea especially since the slow 20.Qc2?! Rac8 21.Qd2 is parried by 21...f6; The exchange of queens is unfavourable for White yet Petrosian suggested playing for a draw in this line. 20.Qxb7 Qb6 21.Qxb6 axb6 22.Bd6 Rfc8 23.b3 Rc6 24.Bb4]

20...gxh3 21.Be5?!

Of course the attack on the g4 pawn wasn't undertaken for the sake of the tedious gxh3. After a long think Taimanov found and set up an interesting atacking mechanism, anticipating a terrible queen check at g3. Now Larsen thought for 25 minutes and went along with his opponent's idea.

21...f6! 22.Ne4!? fxe5!

Taimanov was certain that he was now winning as did Petrosian but Bronstein said 'Larsen is winning'.

[The culmination of the battle. Black loses ignomiously after 22...dxe4?? 23.Qxe6+ Rf7 (23...Kg7 24.Rc7+; 23...Kh8 24.Bxf6+ Rxf6 25.Qxf6+ Kg8 26.Rc5) 24.Rc7 Raf8 25.Qg4+ Kh8 26.Bxf6+ Rxf6 27.Qg7#]

23.Qg3+

Petrosian compared this moment with a concluding major chord, after which the tired pianist leans back on his stool, but ... Black's instant reply sounds like the lid of the piano slamming shut:

23...Bg4!!

This brilliant sacrifice disrupts White's entire attack.

24.Qxg4+ Kh8 25.Ng5 Qd2

The final stroke, the rest is simple.

26.Rc7

[26.Rf1 hxg2]

26...Qxf2+ 27.Kh2 Qxg2+ 28.Qxg2 hxg2 29.dxe5

[29.Nxh7 Rf5]

29...Rac8 30.Rxb7

[30.Rxh7+ Kg8 31.Rh6 Kg7 32.Rd6 Rf2]

30...Rc2 31.Nf7+ Kg7! 32.e6 Kf6 33.e7 g1Q+ 34.Kxg1 Rg8+

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