Botvinnik's Games Part 2 - Botvinnik-Bondarevsky, 1945

M. Botvinnik - Bondarevsky Igor [E68]

Russia/Ch URS, Moscow 1945

A typical game that illustrates what White should aim for in the g3 variation of King's Indian - slow suffocation of Black's pieces. It is imperative to keep as many pieces on the board as possible(avoid exchanges), so that Black's limited space becomes an issue.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. g3 g6 6. Bg2 Bg7 7. O-O O-O 8. e4 c6 9. b3

9... exd4 10. Nxd4 Re8 11. Bb2 Nc5 12. Qc2 Ng4 13. Rad1 # 13... Qg5 14. h3 Nh6 15. b4 Ne6 16. Nf3 Qe7 17. Rfe1

17... f6 18. Kh2 Nf7 19. Nh4 Nf8 20. f4 a5 21. b5 Botvinnik is fighting for the d5 square. 21... Be6 22. bxc6 bxc6

23. Nf5! While it is considered that Botvinnik was not a sacrificial player, he often sacrificed material when the position demanded it, or when a sacrifice was a logical continuation of a strategic plan 23... Qb7 24. Nxg7 Kxg7 Now black does not have a dark squared bishop, so White has potential for gradually creating threats against the weakened Black king. 25. c5 dxc5 26. Na4 Qb4 27. Nxc5 Bc4 28. Qf2 Rab8 29. Ba1 Red8

30. e5 Now the long diagonal will open up... 30... Rxd1 31. Rxd1

31... Rb5 32. Nd7 again, increasing the pressure on f6 32... Qa4 33. exf6+ Kg8 34. Rd2 Rb1 35. Nxf8 Rxa1 36. Nd7 Qb4 37. Rb2 Rxa2

38. Qe3! The game move is even stronger than just winning the extra piece with 38. Rxa2 38... Nd6 39. Qe7 Bf7

40. Qf8# time trouble only made Black's inevitable defeat more embarassing 1-0