The game that we are about to enjoy is generally strategic. Tactics play a part, but they do not dominate. I'd like you to play through the game using a chess set and board, and I will ask you some questions as we go along. Take a bit of time on the answers and avoid using an engine (I realise I am opening myself up to ridicule by suggesting this method!). We will then go through the game a second time and I will supply what I hope are instructive answers.
Larsen, Bent - Gheorghiu, Florin A17
Winnipeg (9), 12.10.1967
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.a3 Ba5
QUESTION: Black could capture on c3. Why does he avoid 5...Bxc3?
6.e3 Nc6 7.d4
QUESTION: Does White have a threat after 7.d4?
7...d6 8.Bd3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5
QUESTION : What is White's general plan in this position?
11.0–0 Bxc3
QUESTION Why did Black reject castling in place of 11...Bxc3?
12.Qxc3 0–0 13.b3 Re8 14.Bb2 b6 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.Bc2
QUESTION: Was 16.Rd2 followed by Rfd1 a better plan?
16...Bb7 17.f3 e4 18.f4 Rad8
This is a classic case of ' the wrong rook'. Why would 18...Rfd8! have been better?
19.h3 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 Rd8 21.Rxd8+ Qxd8 22.Qe5 Kf8 23.Bc3 Ne8 24.b4
QUESTION: Why did Larsen reject 24.Bxe4?
24...Qd6
QUESTION: Should Black have preferred 24..f6?
25.bxc5 bxc5 26.Ba4 Qxe5 27.Bxe5 Ke7 28.Bb8 Nf6
QUESTION: Black rejected both 28...a5 and 28...a6. Give some analysis to show why.
29.Bxa7 Nd7 30.Bb5 Kd6 31.a4 Bc6 32.a5 Kc7 33.a6 h5 34.g4 h4 35.Kf2 f6 36.f5 Nb6
QUESTION What would have happened after 36...Ne5? Was 36...Kd6 a possible defence?
37.Bxb6+ Kxb6 38.Ke2 Ba8 39.Kd2 Ka5 40.Kc3 Kb6 41.Kb3 Ka5
QUESTION: Was 41...Kc7 an improvement?
42.Ka3 Kb6 43.Ka4 1–0
Larsen, Bent - Gheorghiu, Florin A17
Winnipeg (9), 12.10.1967
Now to the answers.
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.a3 Ba5 Black avoids the capture on c3 because he does not want to surrender the bishop pair lightly. Naturally 5...Bxc3 is not a blunder, but it does give White the nice easy plan of gradually opening the game for his bishops. The bishop on c1 is potentially very powerful, aiming for b2 and intending to create pressure on the long diagonal.
6.e3 Nc6 7.d4 White's threat is 8.dxc5, which would be strong if allowed. Black intercepts the threat.
7...d6 8.Bd3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 Most masters would prefer White here. A gradual opening of the game for the bishops is a very good plan. Easy ideas such as b3, Bb2, 0–0, Rad1 and f4 come to mind. Occupying the d5-square in time could be useful. It is much less easy to see comparable ideas for Black.
11.0–0 Bxc3
Castling, while natural, leads to a positional disadvantage after 12.Ne4!. White already threatens Nxf6+ followed by Bxh7+, so capturing on e4 is more or less forced, leading to 12...Nxe4 13.Bxe4 h6, when White has a choice between 14.Rd1 or 14.Bd5, both of which give him a nice edge.
12.Qxc3 0–0 13.b3 Re8 14.Bb2 b6 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.Bc2 Larsen refrains from the attractive 16.Rd2 Bb7 17.Rfd1, when Black can play 17...Ne4! 18.Bxe4 Bxe4 with good drawing chances, and maybe more if White blunders with 19.Rd7? Qg5.
16...Bb7 17.f3 e4 18.f4 Rad8?
Here we have a move that is just begging to be played. What could be more natural than challenging on the open file? The problem is that 18...Rad8 is one natural move too many, and from now until the end Black suffers. 18... Red8 was correct, intending ....Ne8 and ...f6, bolstering the long diagonal.
19.h3 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 Rd8 21.Rxd8+ Qxd8 22.Qe5! A powerful centralisation.
22...Kf8 23.Bc3 Ne8 24.b4 But not 24.Bxe4??, as 24...f6 25.Qe6 Nc7 26.Qf5 g6 makes the white queen look foolish.
24...Qd6 We mentioned 24...f6 earlier:
…However, it weakens the black king position considerably: 25.Qh5! Kg8 26.bxc5 g6 27.Qh4! (27.Qg4 bxc5 28.Bxe4 Bxe4 29.Qe6+ Kf8 30.Qxe4 also looks good for White) 27...bxc5 28.Ba4 Qd3 29.Bxf6! Qxe3+ 30.Kh2 Nxf6 31.Qxf6:
Perhaps this is not 100% lost for Black, but you can see why Gheorghiu didn't go for it.
25.bxc5 bxc5 26.Ba4! Qxe5 27.Bxe5 Ke7 28.Bb8 Nf6 Both 28...a5 29.Ba7 Nd6 30.Bxc5 Ke6 31.Bb3 Ba6 32.Bxd6 Kxd6 33.c5+ Kxc5 34.Bxf7 Bc4 35.Bxc4 Kxc4 36.g4 and 28...a6 29.Ba7 Nd6 30.Bxc5 g6 31.g4 lead to winning positions for White.
29.Bxa7 Nd7 30.Bb5 Kd6 31.a4 Bc6 32.a5 Kc7 33.a6 h5 34.g4 h4 35.Kf2 f6 36.f5 Nb6 Black has been squeezed out of the game. Other moves were hopeless: 36...Ne5 37.Ke2! Nd3 38.Bxc6 Kxc6 39.Bb8 Kb6 40.a7 Kb7 (40...Nb2 41.Bd6 Nxc4 42.Bf8) 41.Bd6 Kxa7 42.Bf8, with a nice trick along the way: 36...Kd6 37.Bb8+! Nxb8 38.a7:
37.Bxb6+ Kxb6 38.Ke2 Ba8 39.Kd2 Ka5 40.Kc3 Kb6 41.Kb3 Ka5 For Zugzwang to occur the white king should be on a4, with the black King on b6 and Black to move. Thus 41...Kc7 is answered by the subtle 42.Ka3!.
42.Ka3 Kb6 43.Ka4 A very fine and instructive game by Larsen. 1–0