[Event "Candidates Tournament"] [Site "Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade"] [Date "1959.10.21"] [Round "24"] [White "Tal, Mihail"] [Black "Keres, Paul"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D34"] [Annotator "Llewellyn, Alan"] [PlyCount "158"] [EventDate "1959.09.07"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "28"] [EventCountry "CRO"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] {In one of the most titanic struggles of post-war chess this game pits the incredible abilities of Mihail Tal against the resourcefullness of Paul Keres, and although they were both Soviets they both came from differing Baltic states within the Soviet Union. Tal from Latvia, and Keres from Estonia. Although Paul went on to win this game he didn't make it through, in this candidates tournament, to play Botvinnik, mainly incidentally due to Bobby Fischers poor results against Mihail. Mihail Tal ended up being World Champion after winning this candidates tournament and then after beating the old Botvinnik.} 1. Nf3 {Although it starts as a Reti Opening it soon transposes.} d5 2. d4 c5 3. c4 e6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. g3 Nc6 6. Bg2 Nf6 7. O-O Be7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Bg5 Be6 (9... cxd4 {this is the line which superceeded this old line in the Queens Gambit Declined:Tarrasch Defence.}) 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Na4 {This is an unusual attempt at the advantage by Mihail. In this old line various moves have been tried like the more common 11.Rc1 and 11.Ne1} Bb6 $6 (11... Be7 { this gives equality.}) 12. Nxb6 axb6 13. Nd4 h6 14. Bf4 Qd7 15. a3 $6 (15. Nxe6 $14) 15... Bh3 16. Qd3 Rfe8 17. Rfe1 Bxg2 18. Kxg2 Re4 $3 {typical Keres 'vision'.} 19. Nf3 $6 $15 (19. Nb5 $142 $11) 19... Rae8 20. Bd2 d4 $1 { threatening to win the white e-pawn with Qe6.} 21. e3 Qd5 22. exd4 Rxd4 $1 23. Rxe8+ $5 Nxe8 24. Qe2 Nd6 25. Be3 $6 $17 {The Bishop just becomes a target there.} (25. Bf4 Rxf4 26. gxf4 Nd4 27. Qd3 N6f5 28. Re1 Qxf3+ 29. Qxf3 Nh4+ 30. Kg3 Nhxf3 $15) 25... Rd3 26. Kg1 Nc4 27. Ne1 Rb3 28. Rc1 Nxe3 29. fxe3 Qe5 $5 { attacking both loose pawns.} 30. Ng2 (30. Nd3 $6 Qe4 31. Nf2 Rxe3 32. Qd2 $17) 30... Rxb2 31. Qd3 Qe6 32. Nf4 Rb3 $2 (32... Qa2 $19) 33. Rc3 Rxc3 34. Qxc3 Qe4 {now the position has reached an endgame but Paul now tries in vain to bring a quick end to proceedings-against anyone else this may have been the outcome in this position but Mihail valiantly does not lie down before losing.} 35. Qb3 b5 $3 {the point of this move is Ne5 is threatened and now the b-pawn is lost yes but the Mihail Queen no longer takes it and is still defending e3.} 36. Qxb5 Qxe3+ 37. Kf1 Qf3+ 38. Kg1 Qe3+ 39. Kf1 g5 $6 (39... Nd4 40. Qc4 g5 41. Ne2 Nf3 42. Qc8+ Kg7 43. Qxb7 Nxh2+ 44. Ke1 Qxa3 $19) 40. Ne2 Ne5 $6 {Paul overestimates his position in that it is extremely hard to deliver checkmate with a Knight and Queen unless the King in question is in the corner.} 41. Qxb7 Nd3 42. Qc8+ Kg7 43. Qf5 Qd2 $5 {the threat is Qd1 winning the Knight, 44. Qf3?? loses the Queen to 44...Qd1+ 45.Kg2 Ne1+ 46.Kf2 and 46...Nxf3.} 44. Nd4 $3 Qe1+ 45. Kg2 Qe3 46. Qd5 Qf2+ 47. Kh3 Qf1+ 48. Kg4 Nf2+ (48... h5+ 49. Kxg5 Qf6+ 50. Kxh5 Ne5 51. Qd6 $3 $18 {and its White whose winning.}) 49. Kf5 Qd3+ 50. Ke5 Ng4+ 51. Kd6 Qxa3+ 52. Kc7 Qe7+ 53. Kc8 Ne3 54. Qb5 Qe4 55. Qb2 $6 Kg6 56. Qb6+ f6 57. Ne6 Nc4 58. Qa6 Ne5 59. Nc7 Qc2 60. Qd6 $2 $19 {Mihail cracks under the pressure and loses the game in effect but he STILL carries on fighting.} (60. Qe6 Qxh2 $2 61. g4 {with a posible and unlikely draw.}) 60... Qxh2 61. Nd5 Qf2 62. Kb7 Qxg3 63. Qxf6+ Kh5 64. Qe6 Ng4 65. Ne7 Qf3+ 66. Kc8 Kh4 67. Nf5+ Kh3 68. Kd8 $1 (68. Nxh6 $2 Qf8+ $19) 68... h5 69. Qg6 {seemingly has Mihail got a pawn back. Er no.} Ne5 $3 70. Qe6 $1 (70. Qxg5 $4 Nf7+ 71. Kd7 Nxg5 $19) 70... Ng4 71. Qg6 Ne5 72. Qe6 Qd3+ 73. Nd4+ $5 {Blocking the Check and simultaneously uncovering a Check to Pauls King.} Ng4 74. Qd5 Nf2 75. Kc8 h4 76. Qe5 Qe4 77. Qf6 Qf4 78. Nf5 $6 Ne4 79. Qe6 Qg4 {a swap off of Queens (to leave a totally won position for Paul) with 80.Nd4, or 80...Qxf5!? 81.Qxf5 Nd6+ 82.Kc7 Nxf5 is a posibility. Anyway Mihail gave up the ghost there.} 0-1