Tal – Zeid

This leads to a temporary pawn sacrifice, for which White will be able to build an ideal pawn center.

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Date: 1951.??.??
Location: ?
Tournament: Riga
Round:
Opening:
Submitted by:
Published on: February 9, 2020

[Event "Riga"] [Site "?"] [Date "1951.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Tal"] [Black "Zeid"] [Result "1-0"] [PlyCount "57"] 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 {This leads to a temporary pawn sacrifice, for which White will be able to build an ideal pawn center.} dxc4 4.e4 e5 {Black counters by putting immediate pressure at d4.} 5.Nf3 {5.dxe5 Qxd1+ 6.Nxd1 b5 Black has an acceptable position.} exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 Bc5 8.Be3 {White has a lead in development and a kingside pawn majority, while Black has an extra pawn, but it sits very weakly at c4.} Nf6 9.f3 {There is no rush to recapture at c4, because the pawn cannot be defended.} Nbd7 {9...b5 10.a4 a6 11.axb5 cxb5 12.Ncxb5} 10.Bxc4 Ne5 11.Be2 Bd7 12.h3 {White wants to play f4 without allowing the Black knight to go to g4.} O-O 13.f4 Ng6 14.e5 Nd5 15.Nxd5 cxd5 {Black now has a concrete weakness.} 16.O-O f6 {An attempt to undermine the center. But now White employs a decoy tactic to lure the bishop to an unfortunate position.} 17.e6 Bxe6 18.f5 {This fork wins material.} Bxf5 19.Nxf5 Bxe3+ 20.Nxe3 Rfe8 21.Kf2 {White defends both pieces and Black's two pawns are not sufficient compensation for the bishop.} Nf4 {21...d4 22.Bc4+ Kh8 23.Nf5} 22.Rad1 Nxe2 23.Kxe2 Rad8 {The threat is 23...d4, recovering the piece.} 24.Rd4 Re5 25.Rfd1 Rde8 26.R1d3 f5 27.Kf3 {Breaking the pin and creating an easily winning position.} Re4 28.Nxd5 Re1 29.Re3 1-0