ditzel@ssc-vax.UUCP (Charles L Ditzel) (09/20/83)
Do you have a Gurgenidze Complex?
Most people do, they look at this odd line and say 'White is much better'.
Unfortunately they're wrong. In an effort to show the problem
I have two (!) interesting games. One with Bobby Fischer giving his
answer as white to the problem and not succeeding in being convincing and
then with the complex's originator demonstrating a snappy victory over
the strong Russian master Mukhin.
First the Fischer game.
This game was played in a famous team match between the USSR versus
the Rest of the World. The Soviet team won the match under suspicious
circumstances. A certain Yugoslav player dropped his game
under bizarre circumstances. Many people have accused the fellow of
of throwing the game. This has never been confirmed. His opponent was
ex-world champion Mikhail Botvinnik who normally should have won except...
that this fellow had an easy and good position and 'inexplicably'
made a series of bad moves.
Anyway that's all behind us, on to the Fischer game-please note his
opponent is Tigran Petrosian (the grandmaster procrastinator). This fellow
is no slouch...he is amoung other things an ex-world champion and one of the
leading exponents of prophylaxis (prevention). Petrosian can sit back and
do little for a long time, he can prevent a threat before it enters his
opponents head...he was that good....until he met Fischer in 1971 in the
Candidates Matches at Buenos Aires. Fischer trounced him. This game is
is a different story.
R.Fischer - T. Petrosian
USSR vs Rest of the World Match
Belgrade , 1970
1.e4 c6
2.d4 d5
*The belief is that we are about to enter the tepid Caro-Kann Defense.
3.Nc3 g6
4.e5 Bg7
*What we really have emerging is what the Canadian players refer to as
'the Rat'. The English refer to it as 'the Modern'. I live closer to the
world center of expertise on this opening (Vancouver B.C.) so I call it
the rat. The Vancouver B.C. players have developed an expertise unrivaled
in the world for the understanding of this defense. A young BC player
named Duncan Suttles is THE world authority on this opening and has left
a deep mark. A good game to dig up is Fischer - Suttles...which I will
try to do...I believe it was a draw with an edge for Suttles (I don't
remember all the details I played it out years ago).
Incidentally an interesting alternative is 4....h5. This leaves the option
open on where to put the bishop later on (note:g7 is not always the best
*place).
5.f4 h5
*Black seeks to have some play on the kingside.
6.Nf3 ....
*A main alternative is 6.Be3.
6.... Bg4
7.h3 Bf3
8.Qf3 e6
*This is a crucial move(e6) without it White attacks quickly and with effect
*using f5.
9.g3(?!)...
*Many people criticize this move and give 9.Be3 as better.
9.... Qb6!
*This is a nice move which forces white to defend the b2 and d4 pawns.
10.Qf2 Ne7
11.Bd3 Nd7
12.Ne2 o-o-o
13.c3 f6
*Another nice move(f6) threatening to play Rhf8 with strong threats.
14.b3 ....
*This allows white to prevent the Rhf8 move because of 15.Ba3.
14.... Nf5
*A natural square for the knight in these positions.
15.Rg1 c5
*Another good move...Black has a slight edge...that is, he can do more.
16.Bf5! ....
*White now plays a defensive move which attempts to defend against
the Black initiative.
16..... gf5
17.Be3 Qa6
18.Kf1 ....
*18.Qf3 may be a better line of defense.
18.... cd4
19.cd4 Nb8
*Reshuffling the knight to a better square.
20.Kg2 Nc6
21.Nc1! ...
A good move. White has defended and the game is dead even.
21.... Rd7
22.Qd2 Qa5
23.Qa5 Na5
24.Nd3 Nc6
25.Rac1 Rc7
26.Rc3 b6
27.Rgc1 Kb7
28.Nb4 Rhc8
29.Rc6 Rc6
30.Rc6 Rc6
31.Nc6 Kc6
32.Kf3 draw
*This next game is a bit more decisive.
Mukhin - Gurgenidze
Riga 1975
1.e4 c6 31.Reb1 a5
2.d4 d5 32.cb6 ab4
3.Nc3 g6 33.Rc2 Rhb8
4.Bf4 Nf6(exciting) 34.Rc6 Ra2
5.e5 Nh5 35.Bc2 Ra3
6.Be3 Ng7 36.Rb3 Ra1+
7.Qd2 Nd7 37.Kf2 Ra6
8.f4 Nb6 38.Rc7 Bd8
9.b3 h5 39.Rd7 Bf3
10.Nf3 Bg4 40.Qf3 Rab6
11.Be2 e6 41.g4 hg3+
12.oo Nc8 42.hg3 Ra6
13.Na4 Ne7 43.Rb1 Rc8
14.c4 Nef5 44.Bb3 Ra3
15.Bf2 h4 45.Kg2 Bb6
16.Rfe1 Be7 46.Qg4 Rc6
17.Rab1 Nh6 47.Rb7 Qh8
18.c5 Nh5 48.Bd5 Rg3+
19.Be3 Nf5 49.Ng3 Rc2+
20.Bf2 Nh6 50.Kf1 Ng3+
21.Be3 Bf5 51.Qg3 ed5
22.Rb2 Ng4 52.Qf3 Rh2
23.Qc1 Ne3 53.Rb6 White lost on time
24.Qe3 Kf8 After 53...Rh1+ 54.ke2 Rb1 white is
totally lost.
25.Nc3 Kg8
26.Bd1 Qf8
27.B4 Qh6
28.Ne2 b6
29.Bc2 Bg4
30.Bd3 Kg7
Hope these are interesting to you.
Also recommend an excellent book put out by RHM Publishers called
THE ART OF CHESS ANALYSIS by Dutch Grandmaster Jan Timman
ditz