Nezhmetdinov vs Tal

jQuery(document).ready(function($) { var selector = '#' + "rpbchessboard-6475b5afa28b3-1" + ' .rpbchessboard-chessgameAnchor'; RPBChessboard.renderPGN($(selector), {"pgn":"[Event \"2nd Soviet Spartakiad final A\"] [Site \"Moscow URS\"] [Date \"1959.08.??\"] [Round \"3\"] [White \"Rashid Gibiatovich Nezhmetdin\"] [Black \"Mikhail Tal\"] [Result \"1-0\"] [ECO \"B48\"] [Annotator \"Mac\"] [PlyCount \"79\"] [EventDate \"1959.??.??\"] [SourceDate \"2014.01.17\"] {Normally when Tal is featured in a game, it is a given that he is the most aggressive player in that contest. In this case it is the other way around! Rashid Nezhmetdinov is less known than Tal but is just as aggressive if not more so! With a lifetime record of 3-1 against Tal, he was no slouch.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Nc3 (5. Bd3 {This is also a good alternative and probably the most popular move. It maintains some flexibility on the queenside and prepares a quick kingside castling.}) (5. c4 $1 {I like this move the best. It was also played by Carlsen in a World Championship match against Anand, which Carlsen one after mistakes by both players.} Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Qd3 {This is a good choice.} (7. e5 $2 {This move is tempting but not strong yet.} Ne4 8. Qg4 Nxc3 9. a3 Bf8 $1 {It looks odd at first to have to come all the way back but black has seriously damaged white’s pawn structure. The lost time here is definitely worth it and black enjoys the better game.} 10. bxc3)) 5... Qc7 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Be3 Nf6 8. O-O Ne5 {[#][%csl Gh2] [%cal Ge5g4,Gc7h2,Gg4h2]} 9. h3 $1 {Preventing black’s idea and setting up f2-f4.} b5 10. f4 Nc4 $1 (10... Nxd3 $6 11. cxd3 $1 {[#][%cal Ya1c1,Yc1c7]}) 11. Bxc4 Qxc4 12. Qd3 $1 {I was surprised to see Nezhmetdinov play this at first because of his aggressive tendencies while playing but this queen exchange would be a nice trade for white. The center will be more strongly reinforced with a white pawn on d3, and white may be able to use the open c-file more quickly than black here.} d5 (12... Qxd3 13. cxd3 $14 Bb7 14. a4 $1 b4 15. Nce2 {[%cal Yd4b3,Yb3a5] Black’s queenside is coming under a lot of pressure.}) 13. exd5 $2 {[%csl Gc8,Gf8] Unfortunately, this is completely the wrong idea. It leads to a worse pawn structure for white and opens up the position for black’s bishop pair. White was much better off keeping the center closed.} (13. e5 $1 {[%csl Rc8][%cal Rc8e6,Rb7d5]} Nd7 14. Qxc4 bxc4 {[%csl Rc8]} (14... dxc4 15. f5 $1 $14 Nxe5 16. Rae1 $1 {[%csl Ge1,Gf1][%cal Ge1e6,Gf1f7,Gd4e6]}) 15. b3 $14) 13... Qxd3 $1 14. cxd3 {[%csl Rd3,Rd5]} b4 $1 15. Ne4 Nxd5 {Tal has effectively changed the nature of the position to his favor. He needs to make sure that no funny business happens that allows Rashid back into the game. That will not be easy as you will soon see because Nezhmetdinov is willing to do anything complicate the game and turn the tables.} 16. Bd2 a5 {[%csl Ga6]} ( 16... g6 {[%cal Gf8g7,Gg7b2] This was also a good option.}) 17. Rac1 Ba6 $6 { This maneuver from Tal to free up his bishop makes sense but it’s not the best option. It’s a little slow and allows Nezhmetdinov some potentially dangerous counterplay in the center.} (17... g6 $1 {[%cal Rg6f5,Re6f5] This was definitely best now.}) 18. Rfe1 $6 (18. f5 $1 {Rashid plays it when it is involving a sacrifice but it’s even better when he doesn’t need to give up as much! White has dangerous play here and black must be careful.}) 18... g6 19. f5 $5 {What else can we expect?} Bg7 (19... gxf5 $1 {Tal should have called the bet here by accepting the sacrifice. It’s easy to say in retrospect, but at least this way he will keep the center closed for the most part.} 20. Nxf5 Bxd3 $1 21. Ned6+ Bxd6 22. Nxd6+ Ke7 $1 $17 {Black has survived the minor piece attack and can look forward to a serious advantage in this endgame.}) 20. f6 Nxf6 21. Nd6+ Ke7 {[%cal Yf7e6]} 22. Nxf7 $5 {[#][%csl Ge6][%cal Ge1e6,Gd4e6, Gc1c7] Activity above all else! Black already has an advantage here, so why not complicate matters with an unclear sacrifice?} Kxf7 $17 23. Rc7+ Kg8 24. Nxe6 Ne8 $1 25. Rd7 Bf6 $4 {[%csl Rf7,Rf8,Rg7][%cal Rg8f8,Rg8f7,Rg8g7] Tal had defended perfectly up to here but now he makes a decisive mistake. The king needs some breathing room.} (25... h5 $1 {This would have been a strong defensive idea. It clears h7 for the black rook so that the 7th rank can be contested, and so that black can make something out of their spectator on h8.} 26. Nxg7 Nxg7 27. Ree7 {[%cal Gd7g7]} Rh7 {[%cal Ya8e8]}) 26. Rf1 $1 $18 { [#][%csl Rf6][%cal Gf6g7,Ge8g7,Rf1f6] Now the threat is Rxf6 followed by Rg7 mate! } Ng7 (26... Bg7 27. Rff7 $18) 27. Rxf6 Nxe6 28. Rxe6 {[%csl Gd2,Rg8,Gh6,Rh8] [%cal Gd4h8,Gh6f8] Black is down material and positionally busted. Tal is lucky to drag the game on a bit but he should be finished off quickly here.} Bb5 29. Rc7 h5 {[%csl Gd2]} 30. Rxg6+ (30. Be3 $1 {[%csl Gc5,Gg7,Gh8][%cal Ge3d4,Gd4g7,Gc5f8,Ge3c5] What a monstrous bishop.}) 30... Kf8 31. Bh6+ Ke8 32. Re6+ $2 (32. Rgg7 $1 {The attack on the 7th rank would quickly be decisive.} Rxh6 $2 33. Rg8#) 32... Kd8 33. Rc5 $6 Kd7 34. Rb6 $6 Bxd3 35. Bf4 Rhf8 (35... Ke8 $1 {This would offer more resistance although with good play, white should still win.} 36. Re5+ Kf7 37. Rb7+ Kf6 {[%cal Gd3g6]}) 36. Rd6+ Ke7 37. Rc7+ Ke8 38. Bg5 $1 {[%csl Rd7,Rd8,Re7,Rf7][%cal Re8d8,Re8d7,Re8e7,Re8f7,Gg5e7,Gc7e7]} Rf1+ 39. Kh2 Bb1 40. Rh6 $1 {[%csl Gh8][%cal Gh6h8,Rh8e8,Rc7g7] Finally, Rashid manages to slam the door shut on Tal’s defensive hopes. Now the combined attacks on the 7th and 8th ranks will lead to certain checkmate. What a fight from these two players! They battled until the finish. The chess world was always in for something special when these two players played.} 1-0","nboSquareSize":50,"idoSquareSize":50,"nboCoordinateVisible":true,"idoCoordinateVisible":true,"nboColorset":"greenvintage","idoColorset":"greenvintage","nboPieceset":"new-set-mac","idoPieceset":"new-set-mac","nboAnimated":true,"nboMoveArrowVisible":false,"nboMoveArrowColor":"b","pieceSymbols":"native","navigationBoard":"frame","withFlipButton":true,"withDownloadButton":true}); });