[Event "URS Absolute-ch"] [Site "Leningrad/Moscow"] [Date "1941.03.26"] [Round "3"] [White "Keres, Paul"] [Black "Botvinnik, Mikhail"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E35"] [Annotator "Llewellyn, Alan"] [PlyCount "44"] [EventDate "1941.03.23"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "20"] [EventCountry "URS"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] {Before the split of Russia between occupied by nazi and Soviet Regions, during the Second World War. Paul Keres and Mikhail Botvinnik were part of the same country and also after the war they were too. Now Paul Keres didn't curry favour with Stalin and as such suffered hardships. The invasion of his country, Estonia led to suspicion from the authorities who 'nationalised' his bank account which translatted from Russian into English means pinched. This game with the 'all Chessplayers are created unequal'(a missquote from Animal Farm a book by George Orwell), Mikhail Botvinnik, (who did curry favour with Stalin in other words) was one that was played just before the Soviet Union was forced into the war. After the war Paul Keres suffered descrimination for playing in nazi tournaments during the war, when under occupation, even though he refused to play Alexander Alekhine in a World Championship Match which, the then World Champion wanted to instigate. He wasnt murdered though like many other of his citizens.} 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 {The Nimzo-Indian Defence. Actualy Paul plays this opening rather lackzedaisically.} 4. Qc2 d5 5. cxd5 exd5 (5... Qxd5 {Alexander Alekhines invention, the White Knight on c3 cannot take the Black Queen because it is pinned by the Bishop (ie on b4) to the King.}) 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 (7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. O-O-O $15 {I think Paul probably had this variation in mind when he castled long later.}) 7... c5 $6 {a dubious move although Garry Kasparov doesnt say so in so many words in his book 'My Great Predecessors Vol II' even though he states that White has an edge with 8. dxc5 when he talks about this game.} 8. O-O-O $6 $13 {The words Castling into trouble spring to mind here.} (8. dxc5 $14) 8... Bxc3 9. Qxc3 $2 $17 (9. bxc3 $142) 9... g5 10. Bg3 cxd4 11. Qxd4 Nc6 12. Qa4 Bf5 $1 {This is a common move to play when there is no c pawn and the White King has Castled Long (ie from e1 to c1 and rook from a1 to d1, or castled on the Queenside). It severly limits the movement of the King.} 13. e3 Rc8 14. Bd3 Qd7 $1 {this by unpinning the Black Knight on c6- allows the Knight to move uncovering a serious check winning material-ie it gives Black the threat of a free move.} 15. Kb1 (15. Nf3 Nb4+ 16. Kd2 Qxa4 17. Bxf5 Ne4+ 18. Ke1 Nc2+ 19. Kf1 Nxe3+ 20. fxe3 Qxd1+ 21. Ne1 $19) 15... Bxd3+ $5 16. Rxd3 Qf5 $5 17. e4 Nxe4 18. Ka1 O-O 19. Rd1 $2 (19. Rc3 Nxc3 20. bxc3 $19 {Paul is completely lost here but he doesn't get immediately mated.}) 19... b5 $3 {a computer like move.hmm, allows for Nd4 as the Queen is forced away from the d4 squares defence and the hapless d1 Rook is over-worked as it already has a job defending against Rc1#.} 20. Qxb5 { nothing better.} Nd4 $1 21. Qd3 Nc2+ 22. Kb1 Nb4 $3 {A queen move here away from attack leads to utter destruction, eg. 23.Qf1 Nd2+ 24.Ka1 Nc2#} 0-1