Mikhail Tal – Paul Keres [#] The main line of the Tarrasch defence. Mikhail Tal Paul Keres Result: 0-1 Metadata » Click to open. Date: October 21, 1959 Location: Bled, Zagreb & Belgrade YUG Tournament: Bled-Zagreb-Belgrade Candidates Round: 24 Opening: D34 Queen's Gambit Declined Tarrasch, 7...Be7 Submitted by: Published on: June 11, 2023 [Event "Bled-Zagreb-Belgrade Candidates"] [Site "Bled, Zagreb & Belgrade YUG"] [Date "1959.10.21"] [Round "24"] [White "Mikhail Tal"] [Black "Paul Keres"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D34"] [PlyCount "158"] [EventDate "1959.09.07"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 c5 3. c4 e6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Nf6 7. O-O Be7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Bg5 {[pgndiagram] The main line of the Tarrasch defence.} Be6 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Na4 Bb6 12. Nxb6 axb6 {From the modern viewpoint, White has a very good position. Two bishops, isolani, what more do you want} 13. Nd4 h6 14. Bf4 Qd7 15. a3 (15. Nxe6 {Not allowing the bishop exchange, was better, although it is hard to judge whether to relinquish Black of his isolated pawn.}) 15... Bh3 16. Qd3 Rfe8 17. Rfe1 Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Re4 {Very strong play by Keres, and a model example of using the piece activity with the isolated pawn.} 19. Nf3 Rae8 20. Bd2 d4 {The e2 pawn is a constant target, whereas Black's d4 pawn is not weak} 21. e3 $2 {[pgndiagram] A very serious mistake} (21. Rac1 {Was more normal} Rh4) 21... Qd5 22. exd4 Rxd4 (22... g5 {The computer indicates this move, reminiscent of the famous Kasparov octopus game, where the GOAT also played g5 in similar position with great effect.}) 23. Rxe8+ Nxe8 24. Qe2 Nd6 25. Be3 Rd3 26. Kg1 {White's position is very unpleasant nevertheless} Nc4 27. Ne1 Rb3 28. Rc1 Nxe3 29. fxe3 Qe5 30. Ng2 $2 {[pgndiagram]} (30. Nf3 {Going in the rook endgame was probably the best chance} Qxe3+ {It is not clear which pawn to take} (30... Qxb2 {Is also not clear} 31. Qxb2 Rxb2 32. Nd4 Ne5 33. Rc8+ Kh7 34. Rc7 Kg6 35. Rxb7 {[pgndiagram] And god knows what is the evaluation of this position}) 31. Qxe3 Rxe3 32. Kf2 Rb3 33. Rb1 {[pgndiagram] And it is hard to judge whether Black can win this, his doubled pawns hurt him} (33. Rc2 Rxf3+)) 30... Rxb2 31. Qd3 Qe6 32. Nf4 Rb3 (32... Qa2 {The computer finds solutions instantly in these positions}) 33. Rc3 Rxc3 34. Qxc3 Qe4 35. Qb3 b5 36. Qxb5 Qxe3+ 37. Kf1 Qf3+ 38. Kg1 Qe3+ 39. Kf1 g5 40. Ne2 Ne5 { [Event "Bled-Zagreb-Belgrade Candidates"] [Site "Bled, Zagreb & Belgrade YUG"] [Date "1959.10.21"] [Round "24"] [White "Mikhail Tal"] [Black "Paul Keres"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D34"] [PlyCount "158"] [EventDate "1959.09.07"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 c5 3. c4 e6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Nf6 7. O-O Be7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Bg5 {[pgndiagram] The main line of the Tarrasch defence.} Be6 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Na4 Bb6 12. Nxb6 axb6 {From the modern viewpoint, White has a very good position. Two bishops, isolani, what more do you want} 13. Nd4 h6 14. Bf4 Qd7 15. a3 (15. Nxe6 {Not allowing the bishop exchange, was better, although it is hard to judge whether to relinquish Black of his isolated pawn.}) 15... Bh3 16. Qd3 Rfe8 17. Rfe1 Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Re4 {Very strong play by Keres, and a model example of using the piece activity with the isolated pawn.} 19. Nf3 Rae8 20. Bd2 d4 {The e2 pawn is a constant target, whereas Black's d4 pawn is not weak} 21. e3 $2 {[pgndiagram] A very serious mistake} (21. Rac1 {Was more normal} Rh4) 21... Qd5 22. exd4 Rxd4 (22... g5 {The computer indicates this move, reminiscent of the famous Kasparov octopus game, where the GOAT also played g5 in similar position with great effect.}) 23. Rxe8+ Nxe8 24. Qe2 Nd6 25. Be3 Rd3 26. Kg1 {White's position is very unpleasant nevertheless} Nc4 27. Ne1 Rb3 28. Rc1 Nxe3 29. fxe3 Qe5 30. Ng2 $2 {[pgndiagram]} (30. Nf3 {Going in the rook endgame was probably the best chance} Qxe3+ {It is not clear which pawn to take} (30... Qxb2 {Is also not clear} 31. Qxb2 Rxb2 32. Nd4 Ne5 33. Rc8+ Kh7 34. Rc7 Kg6 35. Rxb7 {[pgndiagram] And god knows what is the evaluation of this position}) 31. Qxe3 Rxe3 32. Kf2 Rb3 33. Rb1 {[pgndiagram] And it is hard to judge whether Black can win this, his doubled pawns hurt him} (33. Rc2 Rxf3+)) 30... Rxb2 31. Qd3 Qe6 32. Nf4 Rb3 (32... Qa2 {The computer finds solutions instantly in these positions}) 33. Rc3 Rxc3 34. Qxc3 Qe4 35. Qb3 b5 36. Qxb5 Qxe3+ 37. Kf1 Qf3+ 38. Kg1 Qe3+ 39. Kf1 g5 40. Ne2 Ne5 { White to move: find the best move... click the ? for the solution Black to move: find the best move... click the ? for the solution Warning: This game can only be seen if JavaScript is enabled in your browser. No related posts.