The Times
March 17, 2004
Raymond Keene
Double Jeopardy
Continuing my series to accompany the Petrosian Memorial event currently in
progress, here are two devastating victories from the Armenian champion’s
early career.
White: Tigran Petrosian
Black: Victor Korchnoi
Leningrad 1946
Dutch Defense
1 d4 e6 2 Nf3 f5 3 g3 Nf6 4 Bg2 d5 5 0-0 Bd6 6 c4 c6 7 b3 0-0 8 Ba3
This move removes a key defender of the vulnerable e5-square. After the
recapture by the knight on a3, this piece is well placed to transfer to d3,
where it eyes this weak square.
8 … Bxa3 9 Nxa3 Qe8 10 Nc2 Qh5 11 Qc1
An excellent move, covering a number of important dark squares. White also
has the long term idea to target c7.
11 … Ne4 12 Nce1 g5 13 Nd3 Nd7 14 Nfe5 Kh8 15 f3 Nd6 16 e4
White has already won the positional battle and now opens the game decisively
with this thematic advance. Black is now in big trouble as can be seen from
the variation 16 … dxe4 17 fxe4 fxe4 18 Rxf8+ Nxf8 19 Qa3 exd3 20 Qxd6 Kg8
21 Rfl and the black position caves in.
16 … Nf7 17 cxd5 18 exd5 exd5 20 f4
Petrosian has comprehensively outplayed the future World Championship
challenger and Black is now quite lost.
20 … Rd8 21 Qc7 b6 22 fxg5 Ba6 23 Nf4 Black resigns.
White: Tigran Petrosian
Black: Alexander Tolush
Moscow 1950
Queen’s Gambit Declined
1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 d5 4 d4 c6 5 cxd5 exd5 6 Qc2 Bd6 7 Bg5 0-0 8 e3 Bg4 9
Ne5 Bh5 10 f4 Qa5 11 Bd3 h6
This is a blunder allowing White an overwhelming attach. Much better is 11
… Ne4.
12 Bxf6 gxf5 13 g4 fxe5 14 fxe5 Be7 15 0-0-0 Bg5 16 gxh5 Kh8 17 Qf2 f5 18 h4
Be7 19 Qf4 Black resigns.