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D60 Queen's Gambit Declined (Orthodox)

Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense. Botvinnik Variation

Mikhail Botvinnik vs Milan Vidmar, 1936

1-0, 25 moves ("The Invincible Iron Man")

[Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Mikhail Botvinnik"]
[Black "Milan Vidmar"]
[ECO "D60"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "47"]
1. c4 {Notes by Alekhine} e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 {The variations starting with 7 Rc1 have been so much analysed of recent years that the text-move, though it allows the immediate ...c5, offers better fighting chances.} c5 8. O-O cxd4 {As the Black pieces are not developed so as to attack the isolated d-pawn, the better policy here is the usual line 8...dxc4 9 Bxc4 a6 10 a4 Re8.} 9. exd4 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nb6 11. Bb3 Bd7 {The beginning of a risky plan, in view of White's prospects of a K side attack. The half-pinning of his king's knight, which seems so harmless at the moment, will in a few moves become extremely disagreeable for Black. It was wiser therefore to clear the situation at once by 11...Nfd5 without much danger in the near future.} 12. Qd3 {! Intending, if 12...Nfd5; 13 Bc2.} Nbd5 13. Ne5 Bc6 14. Rad1 Nb4 {? A second mistake, after which White's attack becomes tremendously strong. A lesser evil was ...Rc8 in order to answer 15 Qh3 with ...Nxc3 16 bxc3 Be4.} 15. Qh3 Bd5 {This does not solve the problem of the defence, as White preserves his powerful king's bishop.} 16. Nxd5 Nbxd5 17. f4 {!} Rc8 {Or ...g6 18 Bh6 Re8 19 g4, etc.} 18. f5 exf5 19. Rxf5 Qd6 {? Losing immediately. The only move was ...Rc7, after which White would increase his pressure against f7 by 20 Rdf1 followed eventually by Qh4 with decisive advantage.} 20. Nxf7 {! Simple and neat. Black cannot avoid serious material loss.} Rxf7 21. Bxf6 Bxf6 22. Rxd5 {Much stronger than 22 Bxd5.} Qc6 {Or 22...Bxd4+ 23 Kh1.} 23. Rd6 Qe8 24. Rd7 1-0

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