Rukavina vs Tal
Dubna | ?
530
[Event "Dubna"] [Site "?"] [Round "0"] [White "Rukavina"] [Black "Tal"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A04"] [Opening "Reti: 1...c5, Nimzowitsch-Larsen"] 1. Nf3 c5 2. b3 d5 3. c4 d4 {This is a strong move since now the advance b2-b3 makes little sense. In fact, Rukavina soon changes his mind and advances it another square, wasting a tempo, so that it is just as if Tal were playing White.} 4. g3 Nc6 5. d3 Nf6 6. Bg2 e5 7. O-O Be7 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. b4 { A reckless move, but White was beginning to suffocate from lack of space.} 9... cxb4 10. a3 {This position somewhat resembles the Benko Gambit with colors reversed, but if so, then White has chosen an inferior variation because there is no counterplay on the queenside, because Tal is not going to open up lines.} 10... a5 {If 10...bxa3, then White would have room to operate on the queenside. } 11. Ne1 Bg4 {This pin will play a very important role in the next few moves.} 12. Nc2 Qd7 {Threatening 13...Bh3, after which the exchange of light-squared bishops would be in Black's favor.} 13. Re1 {The idea behind this move is to meet 13... Bh3 with 14.Bh1, but there is a greater danger which Rukavina fails to appreciate.} 13... e4 {A strong move. There are three legal captures, but two of them lead to immediate disaster.} 14. dxe4 { Or 14.Nxe4 b3, trapping the knight at c2.} 14... d3 { This advance exploits the pin on the e-pawn.} 15. Ne3 Bxe2 16. Qa4 Ng4 { The attack continues.} 17. Ndf1 Bf6 {This not only threatens the rook at a1, but also brings the bishop into the game.} 18. Ra2 Bc3 19. Bd2 Qd4 20. axb4 Bxd2 21. Rxd2 axb4 {This is a discovered attack against the White queen, which allows the rook to join the attack, a factor which will weigh heavily in a few moves.} 22. Qb3 Ra1 23. Rxa1 Qxa1 24. Nxg4 {Now White perhaps expected 24... Bxg4, but Tal doesn't bother with such material considerations.} 24... Nd4 25. Qb2 Nf3+ 26. Kh1 Qe1 27. Nge3 {This looks like a move which will hold White's position together, but Tal's queen carves a new path to the mating square.} 27... Qxf2 {White resigned since checkmate is inevitable.} 0-1
0-1
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