(The annotations to this game, by A. A. Kotov, are from the Soviet tournament book, Mezhzonal’nyi turnir v Stokgolme 1952 g. (Fizkultura i Sport, 1954). The translation from the original Russian is by Douglas Griffin.)

Kotov – Matanović 13th round, FIDE Tournament, Saltsjöbaden, 5th October 1952

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 d5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.0–0 0–0 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Qc7 One of the most topical variations of the Nimzo-. This position is now met with in virtually every tournament.

11.a4 An interesting idea. White develops the on a3 and simultaneously intends, in some cases, the of Black’s position on the ’s flank with a4–a5.

11...Rd8 Matanović made this move instantly – and it became clear that White would clearly have to fight against an expert in this variation.What is to be done? The double capture on d4 is threatened, while the move of the queen to e2 is not good on account of 11...e5. It transpires that Matanović had already played several games with this variaiton. His opponents had continued 12.Qe2 e5 13.Ng5 Bg4! 14.Qa2 Bh5, and Black has quite a good game. After lengthy consideration White managed to find the solution to the position.

Subsequent games, for instance Moiseev-Byvshev (20th USSR Championship) showed that on 11...e5 Black does best to reply immediately 12.Ba3 e4, retaining a comfortable game. XIIIIIIIIY 8r+ltr-+k+0 7zppwq-+pzpp0 6-+n+psn-+0 5+-zp-+-+-0 4P+LzP-+-+0 3+-zP-zPN+-0 2-+-+-zPPzP0 1tR-vLQ+RmK-0 xabcdefghy

12.Ba3! A pawn , which, evidently, should have been refused by means of 12...b6. However, Black fails to notice all of the subtleties and believes that he simply wins a pawn.

12...cxd4 13.cxd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Qxc4 XIIIIIIIIY 8r+ltr-+k+0 7zpp+-+pzpp0 6-+-+psn-+0 5+-+-+-+-0 4P+qsN-+-+0 3vL-+-zP-+-0 2-+-+-zPPzP0 1tR-+Q+RmK-0 xabcdefghy

15.Be7! The first finesse: the queen need not be driven from the c4–square, on which it stands out of play and only facilitates the creation of White’s attack.

15...Rd5! Here and subsequently Black defends very solidly. The move played by him here is the only one. Bad is 15...Re8 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Qg4+ Kh8 18.Qh4, while if desired White could also renounce the attack in favour of the prosaic 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Rc1 and 18.Nb5 with a dangerous attack for the sacrificed pawn.

16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Qf3! Regaining the pawn and retaining an overwhelming position.

The essence of White’s idea is simple: Black cannot defend the f6–pawn with the , since on 17...Kg7 there follows 18.Qg3+ Kh8 19.Qf4 Kg7 20.Nf5+, winning the queen; nor can he play 17...f5, since then 18.Qg3+ Kh8 19.Qh4 followed by 20.f4 gives White a crushing attack in view of the indefensible weaknesses on the dark squares.

17...Bd7 18.Qxf6 Qc7 19.Rab1! It is very important for White to provoke the advance ...b7–b6, so that Black does not subsequently have a base for the pieces at c6.

19...b6 Of course, 19...Bxa4 is bad on account of 20.Rb4.

20.Nf3 Qd8 21.Qf4 Rc8 22.e4 Ra5

XIIIIIIIIY 8-+rwq-+k+0 7zp-+l+p+p0 6-zp-+p+-+0 5tr-+-+-+-0 4P+-+PwQ-+0 3+-+-+N+-0 2-+-+-zPPzP0 1+R+-+RmK-0 xabcdefghy

23.Ne5 Having achieved a completely winning position, White hurries and significantly complicates his victory. Winning most simply of all is 23.Rfd1, with the threat of 24.Ne5. Then after 23...Qc7 24.Qh6 with the threat of 25.Ng5, as also in the case of 23...Qe7 24.Ne5 Bxa4 25.Rd3 Rf8 26.Rg3+ Kh8 27.Qh6 Rg8 28.Rxg8+ Kxg8 29.Ng4 White obtains an irresistible attack.

However, there is a silver lining. White’s lapse allows us to subsequently witness a endgame of rare fantasy.

23...f6! Repulsing the threat of 24.Ng4, on which there now follows 24...e5! 25.Qg3 (25.Nxf6+? Kf7) 25...Kh8. White transposes to a complicated major-piece struggle, in which he all the same retains a significant advantage.

24.Nxd7 Qxd7 25.Qxf6 Rf8 26.Qh6 Rxa4 27.Rb3 Qe7 28.Rg3+ was threatened. Now White tries to carry out the advance e4–e5 and f2–f4, so as to prepare the subsequent further advance of the king-side pawns.

28.Rg3+ Kh8 29.e5 Rh4 30.Qc1! A turnaround in events – White doubles on the c-file and invades on the 7th rank. For the time being 31.f4, cutting of the h4–, is threatened.

30...Rhf4 31.Rc3 a5 The game is entering a stage of great complications, provoked by the headlong advance of the black a-pawn. Clearly, passive tactics could not have saved Black on account of the open position of his king.

32.Rc7 Qb4

XIIIIIIIIY 8-+-+-tr-mk0 7+-tR-+-+p0 6-zp-+p+-+0 5zp-+-zP-+-0 4-wq-+-tr-+0 3+-+-+-+-0 2-+-+-zPPzP0 1+-wQ-+RmK-0 xabcdefghy

33.Qe3 Here White very nearly fell into a trap: 33.Rd1 Rxf2 34.Qh6, and it seems that White wins, since on 34...Rxg2+ there follows 35.Kh1 Rxh2+ 36.Kxh2. But it turns out that Black has two paths to victory: 34...Rf1+! 35.Rxf1 Qd4+, and 34...Rxg2+! 35.Kh1 Rg1+!, and in both cases White is mated.

33...a4 34.g3 R4f7 35.Rc6 Rb7 36.Rxe6 a3 This pawn is very dangerous. But now, after eliminating the e6–pawn, White exploits his main trump – an attack on the king.

37.Rf6 Ra8 38.e6! Threatening the deadly 39.Qe5.

38...Qb2 39.Qf3 Rg8 40.Rf8! XIIIIIIIIY 8-+-+-tRrmk0 7+r+-+-+p0 6-zp-+P+-+0 5+-+-+-+-0 4-+-+-+-+0 3zp-+-+QzP-0 2-wq-+-zP-zP0 1+-+-+RmK-0 xabcdefghy

40...Ra7 Black fails to choose the best defence and deprives the opponent of the chance of demonstrating an interesting path to victory. Stronger was 40...Rbg7! . Nothing is then given by 41.Qa8 in view of 41...Qb4 42.Rd8 Qd6! etc. White achieves victory in an altogether unusual, fantastic way. Winning is 41.Rd1 a2 (41...Rxf8 42.Qxf8+ and 43.e7) 42.e7 a1=Q (Black cannot take on e7 on account of 43.Rxg8+ Kxg8 44.Rd8+ Kg7 45.Qf8+ and 46.Rd6+ with a quick mate) 43.e8=Q Qaa2 44.Rd8 Qab3 (or 44...Qc4 45.h4 and wins) 45.Qa8 Q2a2. XIIIIIIIIY 8Q+-tRQtRrmk0 7+-+-+-trp0 6-zp-+-+-+0 5+-+-+-+-0 4-+-+-+-+0 3+q+-+-zP-0 2q+-+-zP-zP0 1+-+-+-mK-0 xabcdefghy (analysis diagram)

In this position, the like of which is hardly to be found in the , White can win after exchanging all eight(!!) major pieces on the g8–square, as well as by means of 46.Rxg8+ 46...Qxg8 47.Qxa2 or 46...Rxg8 47.Qe5# .

41.Rxg8+ The simplest.

41...Kxg8 42.Qd5! XIIIIIIIIY 8-+-+-+k+0 7tr-+-+-+p0 6-zp-+P+-+0 5+-+Q+-+-0 4-+-+-+-+0 3zp-+-+-zP-0 2-wq-+-zP-zP0 1+-+-+RmK-0 xabcdefghy

Black resigned. Only a move by the king saves Black from the threat of 43.e7+, but then there follow checks on g5 or d8, and with the queen on d8, e6–e7 is decisive.