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Botvinnik's Panov Attack

Submitted by NM GreenLaser on Fri, 02/13/2009 at 6:29pm.

Mikhail Botvinnik (1911-1995) was the Soviet Champion many times between 1931 and 1952. He held the World Championship in the years 1948-1957, 1958-1960, and 1961-1963. Playing against the Caro-Kann Defense in this game, Botvinnik used the Panov Attack or Variation. Due to his development of this variation, it is often called the Panov-Botvinnik Attack. Vasil Panov worked on the system in 1929-1930 and his name is still listed first or alone. The idea was tried earlier by the Dane, Orland Krause in 1911. Positions in this system resemble the Queen's Gambit Accepted and Declined and the Nimzo-Indian Defense. Sometimes they are identical with the difference of one or two tempoes or the other player on the move. Notice that positions in the Queen's Gambit Declined and Nimzo with Black playing c5 and cxd4 followed by White playing e3xd4 reach the same pawn structure as after move four in the game. In the Queen's Gambit Accepted, Black would already have played dxc4, which can occur later in the Panov. If Black has time for b6, the position may suggest the Queen's Indian Defense. Nikolai (Nicholas) Riumin (1908-1942) was the source for some of the notes. He was Moscow Champion three times in the thirties and placed second to Botvinnik in the latter's first Soviet Championship.

 

» posted in Opening Theory
 

Comments:

by 10acious - 9 months ago
London England
Member Since: Oct 2010
Member Points: 277

I would love to play like that!

by silverchess - 2 years ago
quezon city Philippines
Member Since: Apr 2008
Member Points: 90

strong+

by NM GreenLaser - 2 years ago
Chester, NY United States
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 2348

sixhobbits, Do you mean 6...Bg4? 6...Bf5 does nothing to counter White's plan of 7.cxd5 and 8.Bb5.

by NM GreenLaser - 2 years ago
Chester, NY United States
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 2348

kco, you may be right. I thought of that, but the question was on move 21. The capture was on move 22, so I did not want to appear to be jumping to any conclusions. I treated the question at face value. In any case, anyone questioning how a capture en passant works can see it happen by using the "MOVE LIST." 21...f5 was the move of a pawn two squares. 22.exf6 was a capture en passant of a pawn that passed over f6 when it moved to f5. White had the right to make that capture on move 22, but not later. 22.exf6 can also be written as 22.exf6 ep (or e.p.). This type of capture is only possible when a pawn has moved two squares.

by kco - 2 years ago
Perth Australia
Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 23226

Greenlaser I think pryda1515 doesn't understand the "en-passant" move

by NM GreenLaser - 2 years ago
Chester, NY United States
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 2348

pryda1515 wrote, "i don't understand move #21.  can someone explain the play with this pawn?" After 21.Rg4, White is attacking the Black king with three pieces and threatening 22.Qxh6. Black tried 21...f5 in order to make room for his pieces to defend the kingside.

by pryda1515 - 2 years ago
Los Angeles United States
Member Since: Feb 2009
Member Points: 1

i don't understand move #21.  can someone explain the play with this pawn?

by mikex22 - 2 years ago
United States
Member Since: Dec 2008
Member Points: 3967

It's usually easy to win when the other side doesn't develop or defend properly =) still nice to actually see half of the thinking done for you once in a while =P

by Mad_dog_96 - 2 years ago
Camlough Ireland
Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 439

Wow, the opening looked quite passive and then it just exploded!

by EnamouredKnight - 2 years ago
Valhalla Croatia
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 192

a slick attack... hate when the pin backfires... all the pins can be broken, exept the pin on the king. that should always be accounted for...

by sixhobbits - 2 years ago
South Africa
Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 76

I play 5... Nc6 6.Nf3 Bf5

I think that this gives black a better game.

Aron Nimzowitsch vs Alexander Alekhine

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1326960

by MPresident - 2 years ago
Minneapolis Ukraine
Member Since: Sep 2008
Member Points: 161

uhuh

by RoyalFlush1991 - 2 years ago
United States
Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 661

WOW! Quite an instructive game, the variations for the ending were extremely helpful. Great contribution, as always Smile

 

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