Efim Geller learns a positional lesson from La Bourdonnais!
Two games, 127 years apart...similar concepts!
In this case, the concept in common is how Black exploits the weakness of a whole complex of white squares in White's position, and uses this to penetrate the position and attack. Enjoy!
Charles de la Bourdonnais
The first game is from the famous encounter between La Bouronnais and Macdonnell in 1834. This was an unprecedented contest in many ways....it was the first of its kind in which all the moves from every game were recorded.
Morphy studied these games, and commented some of them. We can say that Morphy's positional sense was developed in part by studying the games of these two great Masters.
We are fortunate enough to have Morphy's comments for this game:
The second game is between Petrosian and Geller, from the USSR Team Championship, Moscow, 1961!
Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian
Efim Geller
Just one note: It is said that, in his deathbed, Botvinnik said, "Before Geller we did not know how to play the King's Indian Defense." This game illustrates Geller's dynamic play in that opening....
