(The annotations to this game are by Ratmir Kholmov, from Shakhmaty v SSSR (№ 5, 1965). The translation from the original Russian is by Douglas Griffin. The introduction to the game states "This game obtained a special prize as the most beautiful in the tournament. It is annotated, at our invitation, by the winner.")

Kholmov – Bronstein 17th round, 32nd USSR Championship, Kiev, 23rd January 1965

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d6 The opening 'reconnaisance' is concluded. Black offered the Rubinstein Variation to the opponent, but now he himself shifts the play to the usual lines.

Interesting is the short game Kholmov-Chikovani (Georgian Championship, 1961): 3...d5 4.exd5 Nxd5 5.Bb5+ Nc6 (the theoretical handbooks recommend 5...Bd7) 6.0–0 Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.Ne4 e6 9.c4 Ndb4 10.d4 cxd4 11.a3 a6 12.Ba4 b5 13.Bb3 Bg6 14.Re1 bxc4 15.Ba4 Qb6 16.axb4 0–0–0 17.Bxc6 Qxc6 18.Ne5 Qb7 19.Qc2 Qxb4 20.Bd2, and Black laid down his arms.

4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 I expected the double-edged 7...Qb6, on which I intended to play 8.Nb3, defending the pawn.

8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0–0–0 Nbd7 10.g4 b5 11.Bxf6 gxf6 XIIIIIIIIY 8r+l+k+-tr0 7+-wqnvlp+p0 6p+-zppzp-+0 5+p+-+-+-0 4-+-sNPzPP+0 3+-sN-+Q+-0 2PzPP+-+-zP0 1+-mKR+L+R0 xabcdefghy

Often played here is 11...Nxf6. However, as practice has shown, this move permits White to create a formidable attacking position. After the game Gligorić-Fischer (Candidates' Tournament, 1959), this variation began to have a doutful reputation (12.g5 Nd7 13.a3 Bb7 14.Bh3 0–0–0 15.f5 Bxg5+ 16.Kb1 e5 17.Ndxb5 axb5 18.Nxb5 Qc5 19.Nxd6+ Kb8 20.Nxf7 Qe7 21.Nxh8 Rxh8 22.Rhe1 Bf4 23.Qb3 Nc5 24.Qb5, and White achieved an advantage).

In the game Tal-Gligorić (Moscow Central Club International, 1963) the Yugoslav had evidently resolved to improve Black's play. However, at the 15th move the ex-World Champion went a different way. Sacrificing the bishop - 15.Bxe6! fxe6 16.Nxe6 - he rapidly obtained a winning position: 16...Qc4 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.exd5 Kb7 19.b3 Qc8 20.Rd3 Nb6 21.Rc3 Qd7 22.Rc7+ Qxc7 23.Nxc7 Kxc7 24.Qc3+ Kb8 25.Qxg7, and Black had to capitulate.

Despite Black's failures, analyses continue. In the game Tringov-Reshevsky ( Tournament, Amsterdam 1964) Black instead of 13...Bb7 played 13...Rb8. However, after 14.Bh3! 0–0 15.Rhg1 Nc5 16.f5 b4 17.axb4 Rxb4 18.f6 White was first to begin an attack.

12.f5 Having learned from the bitter experience of the game v. Suetin (Zonal Tournament, Moscow 1964), I did not play 12.h4, which represents a significant loss of time.White does not pay attention to the weakening of the e5–square. In such positions every tempo is valuable.

12...Ne5 In the case of 12...b4 13.fxe6 bxc3 14.exd7+ Bxd7 White, continuing 15.e5! Rb8 16.exf6, gains a strong attack.

13.Qh3 0–0 Many considered this move to be a serious mistake and even the cause of Black's defeat - after all, the pawn cover of the king is weakened. However, on "its" flank the king does not feel as bad as it seems. (Translator’s note: Of course, the move 13...0–0 was already well known from the game Gligorić-Fischer (Candidates' Tournament, Bled/Zagreb/ 1959), in which the continuation was 14.Nce2 Kh8 15.Nf4 (15.Rg1 Rg8 16.Rg3 is now considered to be more critical) 15...Rg8 16.Rg1 d5, etc. Kholmov's next move was new, however.) XIIIIIIIIY 8r+l+-trk+0 7+-wq-vlp+p0 6p+-zppzp-+0 5+p+-snP+-0 4-+-sNP+P+0 3+-sN-+-+Q0 2PzPP+-+-zP0 1+-mKR+L+R0 xabcdefghy

14.g5!? b4 As becomes clear, this move is a mistake. But can one criticise Black? After 14..b4 the game enters a phase of complications, the consequences of which are very difficult to calculate.

A more cautious chessplayer would have preferred 14...fxg5. Now on 15.Qh6 there follows 15...Ng4, while on 15.Rg1 - 15...b4. Clearly, White would have had to play 15.fxe6 and after 15...fxe6 16.Nxe6 Qd7 17.Nd5 Qxe6 18.Qxe6+ Bxe6 19.Nxe7+ Kf7 20.Nf5 reconcile himself to an approximately level endgame.

15.gxf6 Bxf6 16.Rg1+ Kh8 17.Qh6 Qe7 XIIIIIIIIY 8r+l+-tr-mk0 7+-+-wqp+p0 6p+-zppvl-wQ0 5+-+-snP+-0 4-zp-sNP+-+0 3+-sN-+-+-0 2PzPP+-+-zP0 1+-mKR+LtR-0 xabcdefghy

How is the attack to be continued? If the knight retreats from the c3–square, Black gains time for the mobilisation of his forces. Clearly, it was on this that Black had counted when playing 14...b4.

18.Nc6! I had found this sacrifice when thinking over my 15th move. Its difficulty consists in the fact that Black not only manages to repulse the immediate threats, but also retains a material advantage.

18...Nxc6 19.e5! Bg5+ Also after other continuations it was hardly possible to defend the position. Altogether bad, for example, is 19...dxe5 in view of 20.Ne4 Bg5+ 21.Nxg5 f6 22.Nxh7!, and White wins.

More complicated are the replies 19...Nxe5 and 19...Bxe5. In the first case after 20.Ne4 Black has a choice between 20...Nd7 and 20...Ng6.

On 20...Nd7 White wins as follows: 21.Rxd6 exf5! 22.Rxf6! (22.Rxd7? Bxd7 23.Nxf6 Qe1#) 22...Rg8 23.Rxg8+ Kxg8 24.Rxf5 Nf8 (24...Qxe4 25.Rg5+!) 25.Nf6+ Kh8 26.Re5! Be6 27.Rg5 etc. 20...Ng6 gives White clearly the better endgame: 21.Nxf6 Qxf6 22.fxg6 Qg7! (22...fxg6? 23.Bg2! and Rf1) 23.Qxg7+ Kxg7 24.gxf7+ Kxf7 25.Rxd6 etc.

If instead 19...Bxe5 , then 20.f6! Bxf6 21.Bd3 Bg5+ 22.Rxg5 f5! (22...f6 23.Rg3! bxc3 24.Bxh7!, and White wins) 23.Rdg1 Ra7 24.Ne2 Ne5 25.Nf4, and due to with the threat of Nh5 and Rg7 Black is forced to captitulate; on 25...Rc7 there follows 26.Bxf5!.

20.Rxg5 f6 Black simplifies the position and retains an extra piece, but the attack continues.

21.exd6 Qf7 22.Rg3 bxc3 XIIIIIIIIY 8r+l+-tr-mk0 7+-+-+q+p0 6p+nzPpzp-wQ0 5+-+-+P+-0 4-+-+-+-+0 3+-zp-+-tR-0 2PzPP+-+-zP0 1+-mKR+L+-0 xabcdefghy

23.Bc4! A move that binds Black hand and foot.

23...cxb2+ 24.Kb1 Nd8 25.Rdg1 Winning immediately is 25.d7!. Now Black manages to continue the resistance.

25...Ra7 26.d7 Rxd7! 27.fxe6 Nxe6 28.Bxe6 Rd1+! 29.Rxd1 Bxe6 30.Kxb2 Rb8+ 31.Ka1 Bxa2 XIIIIIIIIY 8-tr-+-+-mk0 7+-+-+q+p0 6p+-+-zp-wQ0 5+-+-+-+-0 4-+-+-+-+0 3+-+-+-tR-0 2l+P+-+-zP0 1mK-+R+-+-0 xabcdefghy

32.Rgd3! It transpires that Black is not in a position to defend the 7th and 8th ranks, as well as the bishop at a2.

32...Qe7 33.Kxa2 Qe6+ 34.Rb3 Black resigned.