Aronin-Petrosian, VTSSPS Team-Ch, Riga 1954
Aronin-Petrosian, VTSSPS Team-Ch, Riga 1954
Aronin-Petrosian, VTSSPS Team-Ch, Riga 1954
Aronin – Tolush
th th
7 round, 20 USSR Championship, Moscow, 08.12.1952
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Na5
10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4
This exchange begins a system of play proposed by V. Panov. A serious objection to it consists
in the plan of play for White beginning at the 14th move.
14...Bc8
The bishop at b7 has nothing better to do and A. Tolush returns it to the c8–h3 diagonal. It is
clear that Black is trying to carry out the advance ...f7–f5, but White easily prevents this.
XIIIIIIIIY
8r+-+-trk+0
7+-wqlvlpsnp0
6p+-zp-+pvL0
5snp+Pzp-+-0
4-+-+P+P+0
3+-+L+NsNP0
2PzP-+-zP-+0
1tR-+QtR-mK-0
xabcdefghy
White intends a plan involving a struggle on both flanks. Keeping the black king under fire, he
simultaneously begins play against the queen-side pawns.
24...axb5 25.Rc2 Nb6 26.Rxc8 Qxc8 27.Kg2 Na4 28.Rc1 Qa6 29.Qa2 Bb6 30.Qd2
Preparing a blow on the king's flank, to which Black wrongly does not pay attention. He ought
now to have defended by means 30...f6.
30...Qa7
XIIIIIIIIY
8-tr-+-+k+0
7wq-+l+psnp0
6-vl-zp-+pvL0
5+p+Pzp-+-0
4nzP-+P+P+0
3+-+L+NsNP0
2-+-wQ-zPK+0
1+-tR-+-+-0
xabcdefghy
31.Nf5!
How many times, in positions arising from this opening, has this move of the knight to f5 been
made and, as a rule, succesfully for White! The skill of play in the middlegame consists, in
particular, of noticing such patterns.
31...Nxf5
Taking with the pawn loses immediately in view of 32.Qg5, as does 31...Ne8 on account of
32.Ne7+ Kh8 33.Ng5. After the forced move in the game White's king's bishop is activated, which
is one of the main problems in the Spanish Game. Black's king now comes under a strong attack.
32.exf5 Bd8
Defending against the threat 33.Bg5 Bd8 34.Bxd8 Rxd8 35.Qh6. But all the same the move
33.Bg5 is now decisive.
33.Bg5 f6
Black is forced to give up a pawn. After 33...Kg7 White wins immediately with 34.Bxd8 Rxd8
35.f6+.
34.Be3 Bb6 35.fxg6 hxg6 36.Bxg6 Kg7 37.Be4 Rh8 38.Kg3
Preparing the transfer of the knight via h4.
38...Qb8 39.Nh4 Bxe3 40.Qxe3 Nb6 41.Qf3 Nc4 42.Bf5 Qb7 43.Ra1 Bxf5 44.Qxf5 Qf7
45.Qe6
More decisive was 45.g5! Rh5 (if 45...fxg5, then 46.Qxg5+ Kh7 47.Ra7!, while on 45...Rf8
decisive is 46.g6 and 47.Qh5) 46.gxf6+ Kh6 47.Qe6 etc.