(The annotations to this game, by S. A.

Furman, appear in Semyon Furman (Fizkultura i Sport,

Moscow 1988). Their original source is the magazine Shakhmaty v SSSR (№ 4, 1966). The
translation from the Russian is by Douglas Griffin.)

Furman – Taimanov
1st round, 33rd USSR Championship, Tallinn, 22nd November 1965

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 Nc6 5.Nge2 d5 6.a3 Bf8
Black’s last move at first sight appears to be ridiculous. However, it contains an interesting idea.
The point is that after the usual continuation – 6...Be7 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Nf4 Black, in view of the
threats of 9.Qb3 or 9.Be2 and Bf3, experiences difficulties with the defence of the d5–pawn.
(Translator’s note: One may point, for example, to the 4th match-game Botvinnik-Taimanov (20th
USSR Championship Playoff, Moscow 1953) for an illustration of these difficulties.)

7.cxd5 exd5 8.Nf4

XIIIIIIIIY
8r+lwqkvl-tr0
7zppzp-+pzpp0
6-+n+-sn-+0
5+-+p+-+-0
4-+-zP-sN-+0
3zP-sN-zP-+-0
2-zP-+-zPPzP0
1tR-vLQmKL+R0
xabcdefghy
8...Ne7
Now the idea of Black’s 6th move is understood. The e7–square is left free for the knight and
now the intention is to play ...Ng6, exchanging or driving away the worrisome knight at f4. Then
the bishop can occupy an active position at d6.

In the game Uhlmann-Taimanov (Buenos Aires, 1960) Black continued 8...g6 and after 9.Qb3
Ne7 10.e4 c6 11.Be3 Bg7 12.exd5 0–0 13.dxc6 bxc6 achieved a good game. However, instead of
11.Be3, White can reply 11.e5, obtaining a positional advantage.

9.b4
For the time being not determining the position of the king’s bishop. However, the move
played is not a waiting one – it comes into the plans of White, who intends operations on the
queen’s flank.
 (Translator’s note: The following year, in the game Stein-Taimanov (Chigorin Memorial
Tournament, Kislovodsk 1966) White played instead 9.g3.)

9...Ng6
(Translator’s note: Against Osnos (34th USSR Championship, Tbilisi 1966/67) Taimanov later
attempted to improve Black’s play with 9...a6 10.g3 c6 11.Bg2 Nf5 12.0–0 Bd6, etc.)

10.Nh5 c6 11.g3!
Now it will be difficult for Black to organise active play: the knight at g6 is limited in its actions,
while there will be a barrier in the path of the bishop, which will obviously be developed at d6.

11...Nxh5 12.Qxh5 Bd6 13.Bg2 0–0 14.0–0 f5

A questionable decision. Black limits the mobility of his queen’s bishop. Simpler and more
reliable is 14...Be6.

15.b5 Be6 16.Qd1

The queen hurries to return to where the main developments should take place.

16...Nh8
Black also tries to improve the position of his pieces – the knight is aimed at e4!

17.bxc6 bxc6 18.Na4 Qe7 19.Qc2 Rfc8 20.Bb2 Nf7

XIIIIIIIIY
8r+r+-+k+0
7zp-+-wqnzpp0
6-+pvll+-+0
5+-+p+p+-0
4N+-zP-+-+0
3zP-+-zP-zP-0
2-vLQ+-zPLzP0
1tR-+-+RmK-0
xabcdefghy
21.Bc3!
White intends the strategically favourable exchange of bishops, not stopping at the sacrifice of a
pawn.

21...Rab8
The tactical basis of this plan: on 21...Bxa3? there follows 22.Rxa3 Qxa3 23.Nc5, and Black is
defenceless against the threat of 24.Ra1.
22.Bb4 Bxb4 23.axb4 Rxb4 24.Nc5 Nd6
The attempt to hold the extra pawn by means of 24...Rc7 led after 25.Na6 Rc4 26.Qa2 Rb7
27.Nc5 Rc7 28.Rfb1 to a difficult situation for Black, while in the case of 24...Ra8 25.Ra6 Rb6
26.Rfa1 White re-establishes material equality, retaining a positional advantage.

25.Nxe6 Qxe6 26.Rxa7 Ne4 27.Rfa1 h6

XIIIIIIIIY
8-+r+-+k+0
7tR-+-+-zp-0
6-+p+q+-zp0
5+-+p+p+-0
4-tr-zPn+-+0
3+-+-zP-zP-0
2-+Q+-zPLzP0
1tR-+-+-mK-0
xabcdefghy
28.R7a6
More energetic is 28.R1a6. After the move played Black could, with 28...Rb7 29.Rc1 Rbc7,
have obtained a position that although passive, is sufficiently solid.

However, my opponent does not exploit the chance presented to him, and White manages to
correct his mistake.

28...Qd7 29.Bh3 Kh8 30.Ra7 Qe6 31.R1a6 Qg6

Greater chances were retained by 31...Rbb8.

32.Ra8 Rxa8 33.Rxa8+ Kh7 34.Rf8

This move Black had evidently overlooked.

34...Rc4
The best defence, and at the same time, a cunning trap. On the tempting 35.Qxc4 dxc4 36.Bxf5
there could follow 36...Qxf5 37.Rxf5 c3 38.Ra5 c2 39.Ra1 Nc3, and it is Black who wins!

35.Qb1 Nd6 36.Bxf5 Nxf5 37.Qxf5 Qxf5 38.Rxf5 Kg8 39.h4 g6 40.Rf6 Kg7 41.Rd6 h5
42.Kg2 Rc2
Here the game was adjourned. Despite the extra pawn, the win involves significant difficulties
in view of the absence of a passed pawn. Moreover, it is not so simple for White to activate the
king.
 XIIIIIIIIY
8-+-+-+-+0
7+-+-+-mk-0
6-+ptR-+p+0
5+-+p+-+p0
4-+-zP-+-zP0
3+-+-zP-zP-0
2-+r+-zPK+0
1+-+-+-+-0
xabcdefghy
43.Re6 Kf7 44.Rd6 Kg7 45.Rd7+ Kf6 46.Ra7 Ke6 47.Ra5! Kd6 48.Kf3
An interesting position. Black is in a peculiar zugzwang. The king cannot move in view of
49.Rc5, while the rook cannot abandon the 2nd rank on account of 49.Kf4. Therefore the rook is
forced to move away from the c-file. Interestingly, without this move White fails to achieve
anything. For example, 48.Ra1 Ke6 49.Re1 (or 49.Rf1 Kf5) 49...c5, and Black has every chance of
a draw.

48...Rb2
XIIIIIIIIY
8-+-+-+-+0
7+-+-+-+-0
6-+pmk-+p+0
5tR-+p+-+p0
4-+-zP-+-zP0
3+-+-zPKzP-0
2-tr-+-zP-+0
1+-+-+-+-0
xabcdefghy
49.Ra1!
Less convincing is 49.Rc5 in view of 49...Rb8 50.Kf4 Rf8+ 51.Kg5 Rxf2 52.Kxg6 Rf3 53.Kxh5
Rxg3, and Black retains chances of salvation.

49...Rb8
After 49...Ke6 50.Rc1 Kd6 51.Rf1 Ke6 52.Kf4 Kf6 53.f3 White significantly activates his
position.
50.Kf4 Rf8+ 51.Kg5 Rxf2
XIIIIIIIIY
8-+-+-+-+0
7+-+-+-+-0
6-+pmk-+p+0
5+-+p+-mKp0
4-+-zP-+-zP0
3+-+-zP-zP-0
2-+-+-tr-+0
1tR-+-+-+-0
xabcdefghy
52.Rg1!
First of all it is necessary to defend the g3–pawn.

52...Ke6
In the case of 52...Rf3 53.Kxg6 Rxe3 54.Kxh5 Rd3 55.g4 Rxd4 56.g5 Ke7 57.Rf1 White
achieves the win, since his pawn is nearer to the promotion square.

53.Kxg6 Rf3 54.Kxh5 Kf7 55.g4 Rxe3 56.g5 Kg7 57.Rc1 Re4 58.Rxc6 Rxd4
Already now the achievement of victory does not present difficulty. There still followed:

59.Rc7+ Kf8 60.g6 Re4 61.Kg5 d4 62.h5 Re1 63.h6 Rg1+ 64.Kf6 Rf1+ 65.Ke5
Black resigned.