Games
[Event "Monte Carlo"] [Site "Monte Carlo"] [Date "1968.??.??"] [Round "7"] [White "Botvinnik, Mikhail"] [Black "Portisch, Lajos"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A29"] [Annotator "Llewellyn, Alan"] [PlyCount "51"] [EventDate "1968.04.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "MNC"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] {Lajos Portisch is a famous Hungarian Grandmaster, here he gets demolished by the Patriach of Russian Chess, Mikhail Botvinnik in a swansong tournament at Monte Carlo 1968. The double Rook sacrifice Mikhail plays is extremely pretty. } 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. g3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Bg2 Be6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. O-O Nb6 8. d3 {This opening is a favourite of mine, The English Opening : Four Knights Variation.} Be7 9. a3 a5 {9...f6 or 9...f5 are usually played against me.} ( 9... f6) (9... f5) 10. Be3 O-O 11. Na4 Nxa4 $6 (11... Nd5 12. Bc5 b6 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Rc1 Qd6 15. Nc3 Nxc3 16. Rxc3 Rac8 17. Qc2 Bd5 18. e4 Nd4 19. Qd1 $15) 12. Qxa4 Bd5 13. Rfc1 Re8 14. Rc2 Bf8 (14... Qd6 15. Bc5 Qe6 16. Nd2 Rab8 17. e4 Ba2 18. Bxe7 Rxe7 19. b4 $4 b5 20. Rxc6 Qxc6 21. Qxa5 Ra8 22. Qxa8+ Qxa8 23. Rxa2 $19) 15. Rac1 Nb8 $4 {This looks a peculiar move but if 16.Rxc7 doesnt 16. ..Bc6 trap the Rook...} 16. Rxc7 Bc6 $6 (16... Nc6 17. Rxb7 Nd4 18. Nxd4 Bxb7 19. Bxb7 exd4 20. Qxd4 Qxd4 21. Bxd4 Rab8 22. Bf3 Rec8 $16) 17. R1xc6 $3 bxc6 18. Rxf7 $3 {suicidal Rooks- the idea is that Lajos will be struggling on the light squares.} h6 (18... Kxf7 {The same Checkmate is threatened whether Lajos gives up his Queen on d5 or not.} 19. Qc4+ Qd5 (19... Kg6 20. Qg4+ Kf7 21. Ng5+ Kg8 22. Qc4+ Kh8 23. Nf7+ Kg8 24. Nh6+ Kh8 25. Qg8#) 20. Ng5+ Kg8 21. Bxd5+ cxd5 22. Qxd5+ Kh8 23. Nf7+ Kg8 24. Nh6+ Kh8 25. Qg8#) 19. Rb7 Qc8 20. Qc4+ Kh8 (20... Qe6 21. Nxe5 Qxc4 22. Nxc4 Re7 23. Rb6 $18) 21. Nh4 $3 {The Rook is determined to commit kamaikaze} Qxb7 22. Ng6+ Kh7 23. Be4 $1 Bd6 24. Nxe5+ g6 25. Bxg6+ Kg7 26. Bxh6+ $3 {This is final and either leads to Checkmate or loss of the Lajos Queen. If 26...Kxh6 then 27.Qh4+ Kg7 28.Qh7+ Kf8 29.Qxb7 is the superb reply from Mikhail. So Lajos resigned there.} (26. Bxe8 Bxe5 27. Qe6 Bf6 28. Bxh6+ Kxh6 29. Qxf6+ Kh7 30. Bf7 Na6 31. Qg6+ Kh8 32. Qh6#) 1-0