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The Chessboard Sun, Dec 19, 1971 – Page 51 · Asbury Park Press (Asbury Park, New Jersey) · Newspapers.com
The Chessboard: Petrosian Uses Old Defense by Harry T. Conover
Tigran Petrosian of the Soviet Union fell back on an old defense in the fifth game of his match against Bobby Fischer of the United States and managed to secure a draw.
The Petroff Defense, named for the Russian who championed it in the last century, was Petrosian's reply to Fischer's king pawn opening. Despite years of analysis and experience in practical play, the defense has yet to be refuted, and indeed, Fischer could make no headway against it.
It's only drawback, that it offers Black little chance for counterattack, weighs heavily against its adoption in serious competition today.
Here is the score of the fifth game:
Petroff Defense
Fischer (White) Petrosian (Black)
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nf6
3. Nxe5 …
Lasker's suggestion is the most popular line for White in the Petroff today. The alternative 3. P-Q4 has been largely abandoned in serious practice as offering White little better than equality.
3. … d6
But not 3. … NxP?; 4. Q-K2 N-KB3?; 5. N-B6 dis ch and wins. Or if 4. … Q-K2; 5. QxN P-Q3; 6. P-Q4 with advantage.
4. Nf3 Nxe4
5. d4 …
White might gain a slight edge with 5. Q-K2 Q-K2; 6. P-Q3 N-KB3; 7. B-N5 QxQch; 8. BxQ B-K2; 9. N-B3 P-KR3; 10. B-R4 B-Q2; 11. O-O-O N-B3; 12. P-Q4 O-O-O; 13. KR-K QR-K; 14. B-B4 N-Q. Against Marshall at San Sebastian, 1911, Maroczy tried 5. P-B4 and the game equalized after 5. … B-K2; 6. N-B3 NxN; 7. QPxN N-B3; 8. B-Q3 N-K4; 9. NxN PxN; 10. Q-B2 B-N4. In the present game Black replied
5. … Nf6
After 5. … P-Q4, Black gets equality after 6. B-Q3 B-Q3; 7. O-O O-O; 8. P-B4 P-QB3, but not 8. … B-KN5, when 9. PxP allows White to keep the advantage.
6. Bd3 Be7
7. h3 O-O
8. O-O c6
9. Re1 Nbd7
10. Bf4 Re8
11. c4 Nf8
12. Nc3 a6
Black tries to make capital of the fluid state of his queenside pawns; at this point his position is sturdy, though a bit cramped.
13. Qb3 …
Placing some restraint on Black's plans.
13. … Ne6
14. Bh2 Bf8
15. Re2 b5
and White replied:
16. Rae1 Bb7
17. Qc2 g6
Black has bolstered his defensive position considerably, defying White to find a suitable line of attack.
18. b4 bxc4
19. Bxc4 Nc7
20. Bb3 …
Worth considering was 20. -N5 when 20. … P-Q4 would leave Black with a backward queen bishop's pawn.
20. … Rxe2
21. Rxe2 Ncd5
22. a3 a5
Black tries to induce exchanges, increasing the likelihood of a draw. But there is some risk involved, since White gains a passed pawn.
23. Nxd5 cxd5
24. b5 a4
25. Ba2 …
If 25. BxRP, then 25. … R-R4 with the threat of 26. … Q-R is strong. Now came:
25. … Qb6
26. Qb1 Ra5
27. Rb2 Ne4
One way or another, Black will erase the passed pawn with subsequent exchanges hinting at a draw.
28. Bf4 Nc3
29. Qc2 Rxb5
30. Rxb5 Nxb5
31. Qxa4 Qa6
32. Qxa6 Bxa6
33. Be3 Nxa3
34. Bxd5 …
Things have quieted down and the draw looms on the horizon
34. … Bc4 and there followed
35. Bc6 Nc2
36. Bd2 Be2
37. Be4 Bxf3
38. Bxc2 Bd5 1/2-1/2
Robert James Fischer vs Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian Fischer - Petrosian Candidates Final (1971), Buenos Aires ARG, rd 5, Oct-14 Russian Game: Classical Attack. Closed Variation (C42) 1/2-1/2 https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106927
The Chessboard by Harry Conover Sunday, December 19, 1971 Asbury Park Press Asbury Park, New Jersey Chess Problem No....
Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Thursday, December 3, 2020
Chess Problem No. 238 by J.F. Ling, The Problemist, 1953. White mates in 2 moves.
FEN 8/3b4/1R5Q/k2KR3/r7/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
Key: 1. Q-QB6/Qc6
