MARK RUBERY CHESS
Garry Kasparov in his book ‘My Great Predecessors- Part 3’ paid tribute to the ninth World Champion, Tigran Petrosian, a player whose games, in his opinion, had not been comprehensively studied until now. ‘Petrosian has a complete mastery of the art of creating harmonious positions, full of life, where behind the apparent absence of dynamics was concealed a colossal internal energy (the slightest changes being immediately taken into account in the general strategy, which was not always understandable to the opponent)’.
An example of his iron logic, that would be counter-intuitive to the majority of players, was his positional masterpiece against Pilnik.
Petrosian,T - Pilnik,H [A56]
Candidates Tournament Amsterdam (6), 1956
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e5 4.Nc3 d6 5.e4 g6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Bg5 (This move was Petrosian’s patent against the Kings Indian and its ilk)... Na6 8.Be2 Nc7 9.Nd2 Bd7 10.a4 b6 11.Nb5 Bxb5 12.cxb5 0–0 13.b4 h6 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.0–0 Rfd8 16.Nc4
Bf8 17.g3 cxb4 18.Qb3 Kg7 19.Rfc1 h5 20.Ne3 Ne8 21.Qxb4 Rdc8 22.Rc6 Qd8 23.Rac1 Nf6 24.Bf1 Rcb8 25.Bh3 a6 26.Re1!! (A unique move-another triumph for the idea of prophylaxis! White defends his pawn in advance, through the knight. The obvious 26 f3 has the significant drawback of weakening the dark squares and the second rank-after 26...axb5 27 axb5 h4 Black gains serious counterplay. On the h3-c8 diagonal the bishop occupies too strong a position for it to be switched to the modest role of guarding the e pawn-Petrosian. Fantastic logic!
This move might simply not be noticed, but when it is made you understand just how strong it is-Kasparov)... axb5 27.axb5 Nh7 28.Nc4 Ra2 29.Bg2 Qf6 30.Rf1 Ng5 31.Qb3 Rba8 32.h4 Nh7 33.Rxb6 Ra1 34.Rc6 R8a2 35.Qe3 (Preventing...Qxf2+. When you have a pawn-brains are not needed!-Petrosian)... Qd8 36.Rxa1 Rxa1+ 37.Kh2 Nf6 38.f3 Qb8 39.Qb3 Nd7 40.b6 Nc5 41.Qb2 Ra4 42.Qb5 Ra2 43.Rc7 g5 44.Ne3 gxh4 45.Nf5+ Kg8 46.gxh4 Ra6 47.b7 Ra7 48.Rc8 Qxb7 49.Qe8 Nd7 50.Nxd6 1–0
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. - Napoleon Bonaparte