[Event "World Championship"] [Site "?"] [Round "1"] [White "Tal"] [Black "Botvinnik"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C17"] [Opening "French: Winawer, 5.a3"] 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 {This is one of the sharpest variations of the French Defense. It was the subject of a number of important World Championship games, with Botvinnik playing the Black side against both Smyslov and Tal.} 6... Qc7 { This variation is no longer popular, having been replaced by 6...Ne7.} 7. Qg4 { A very aggressive move typical of the Winawer Variation of the French. But the more solid 7.Nf3 is now preferred, having been honed into a fine weapon by Anatoly Karpov.} 7... f5 {The main lines of the Winawer could still have been reached had Black chosen to develop the knight. Unlike most World Championship matches, which start out like boxing matches with a cautious first round, this is an early slugfest. 7...Ne7 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 cxd4 10.Kd1 This is a popular line, similar to the game, which is known as the "Life or Death Variation".} 8. Qg3 Ne7 9. Qxg7 Rg8 10. Qxh7 {The difference between this and the line in the previous note is that here the queen cannot easily retreat to help defend the king.} 10... cxd4 11. Kd1 {This is not such a good idea here, because the queen is in exile at h7. Tal, in his notes to the game, indicates that this eccentric move has pretty much vanished from the tournament arena. The move was originally recommended by Euwe.} 11... Bd7 {This bishop is headed to h4, where it can participate in an attack against White's king.} 12. Qh5+ Ng6 { 12...Kd8 13.Bg5 White has a strong attack.} 13. Ne2 { White threatens Nf4, adding pressure to the pin on the knight at g6.} 13... d3 {This forces White to weaken the a4-d1 diagonal.} 14. cxd3 Ba4+ 15. Ke1 Qxe5 { An obvious move but it is actually a bit slow. In order to attack successfully Black needs more power, and so developing the Nb8 would have been better. 15... Nc6 16.f4 O-O-O 17.Bd2 Tal notes that sooner or later Black will sacrifice the knight at e5, with complications which are hard.} 16. Bg5 { An important move, which strands the Black king in the center.} 16... Nc6 { 16...f4 17.d4 Qf5 18.Nxf4 Qc2 19.Ne2 White has a solid defense.} 17. d4 Qc7 { 17...Qe4 18.Rc1 keeps the enemy queen out.} 18. h4 {The point of this move is not to advance the passed pawn. Instead, it prepares a rook lift Rh1-h3-e3.} 18... e5 19. Rh3 Qf7 {The best defense was probably 19...e4, securing important central territory and creating an outpost at d3.} 20. dxe5 Ncxe5 21. Re3 {This pin is important not because it wins the knight (it doesn't) but rather because it forces the Black king to move off of the e-file. White is beginning to establish an initiative.} 21... Kd7 22. Rb1 b6 {The bishop is no longer doing much at a4 and so 22...Bc6 might have been a wiser move.} 23. Nf4 {White now enjoys a clear initiative. Black remains on the defensive for the rest of the game.} 23... Rae8 {23...Rh8 24.Nxg6 Nxg6 25. Qe2 and the queen attacks from the other flank by moving to a6!} 24. Rb4 Bc6 { Now we see that 22...b6 was just a waste of time.} 25. Qd1 { Her mission accomplished on the kingside, the queen returns home.} 25... Nxf4 { 25...Ng4 26.Rxe8 Rxe8+ 27.Ne2 Black is in deep trouble, and has no real compensation for the passed pawn on the h-file.} 26. Rxf4 Ng6 27. Rd4 Rxe3+ { 27...f4 28.Qg4+ Kc7 29.Bxf4+ Nxf4 30.Qxf4+ Qxf4 31.Rxf4} 28. fxe3 { White's extra pawn is becoming important.} 28... Kc7 29. c4 { This opening of the c- and d-files seals the victory.} 29... dxc4 {29...Ne7 30. cxd5 Bxd5 31.Bxe7 Qxe7 32.Qc1+ Bc6 33.Bb5 Rg6 34.Rc4 Qd7 35.Bxc6 Rxc6 36.Rxc6+ Qxc6 37.Qxc6+ Kxc6 38.h5} 30. Bxc4 Qg7 31. Bxg8 Qxg8 32. h5 1-0