[Event "Los Angeles"] [Site "?"] [Round "0"] [White "Gligoric"] [Black "Petrosian"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C70"] [Opening "Spanish: 4.Ba4"] {GLIGORIC (Born 1923) Grandmaster Gligoric's style is reminiscent of Capablanca, Fine and Flohr. In addition to his highly developed feeling for slight advantages and his excellent endgame skills, he has a very durable, tenacious temperament. His skill in holding on firmly to a positional advantage through all sorts of complications has made him a formidable opponent for even elite players of the world. It is very appropriate, therefore, that he was the first player to defeat Petrosian after he won the World Championship} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Nb8 {This variation has been tried repeatedly since the Second World War. The principle however is far from new: Steinitz frequently withdrew developed pieces to the back rank in order to redeploy them more effectively later} 10. d4 Nbd7 11. c4 c6 12. c5 $1 Qc7 13. cxd6 Bxd6 14. Bg5 exd4 $5 {This raises a question which is perpetually debated: which is more important - active play for the pieces, or disruption of the pawn position? Here Black voluntarily permits the doubling of his f-pawn} 15. Bxf6 gxf6 16. Nxd4 Nc5 17. Nf5 Bxf5 18. exf5 Rad8 19. Qh5 Be5 {The critical moment. Black's pieces are active, and by 20. ... Pb4 he could have put considerable difficulties in the way of White's development} 20. Nc3 (20. -- b4 21. Qe2 Bf4) 20... Rd4 21. Re3 Bf4 22. Re2 Bd2 23. Nd1 Bg5 24. g3 Qd6 25. Ne3 Bxe3 { Black cannot allow this Knight to come nosing into his weakened King position} 26. Rxe3 Kg7 27. Bc2 Qd5 28. a3 Rd2 29. Qg4+ Kh8 30. Rd1 $1 {Forcing Black into an endgame in which the activity of his pieces will count for less, while the weakness of his pawns will be accentuated} 30... Rxd1+ 31. Qxd1 Qxd1+ 32. Bxd1 Rd8 33. Bf3 Rd3 {Black must play an active game} (33... Rd6 34. Rc3 Na4 35. Rc2 c5 36. b3 {Black would have completely no counterplay}) 34. Re8+ Kg7 35. Bxc6 Rb3 36. Re7 Rxb2 37. Bd5 Kh6 38. Bxf7 Kg5 39. Be6 $1 {And now, althoug h nearly all the pieces have disappeared, White is threatening mate:} 39... Nxe6 (39... -- 40. f4+ Kh6 41. Bg8) 40. fxe6 Kf5 41. Rxh7 Kxe6 42. Ra7 Ra2 43. Rxa6+ 1-0