WEBVTT 00:01.760 --> 00:02.510 Hi there. 00:02.540 --> 00:08.060 In this lecture, we see an iconic historical game between Tekken Petrosian and Viktor Korchnoi. 00:09.230 --> 00:11.810 So Tigran Petrosian, a possible chess champion. 00:11.810 --> 00:12.410 Victor Korchnoi. 00:12.410 --> 00:19.220 They could have been so easily a world chess champion, and they have distinctive styles which later 00:19.220 --> 00:19.550 evolved. 00:19.580 --> 00:25.790 This was an underwriting tournament, so they were meeting in their youth. 00:26.660 --> 00:30.020 1946 URS Championship round six. 00:31.070 --> 00:40.340 So Petrosian with the white piece is playing D4 so Petrosian style later on turned into a kind of really 00:40.340 --> 00:41.960 strengthening position so he couldn't lose. 00:41.960 --> 00:43.310 He really hated losing. 00:43.340 --> 00:48.920 He had experience of taking quite a few losses in some of the strong tournaments and gradually made 00:48.920 --> 00:51.230 his style kind of impenetrable so he couldn't lose. 00:51.230 --> 00:53.240 He really hated losing, basically. 00:53.240 --> 00:55.490 But caution is a great counterattack. 00:55.640 --> 00:59.270 His style evolved into being able to really counterattack. 00:59.540 --> 01:05.210 And so, you know, he could take counterattack wins against even the greats like Bobby Fischer. 01:06.380 --> 01:13.610 And that's quite different to playing against Petrosian, who's trying to not to lose and not really 01:13.610 --> 01:15.310 attacking him directly. 01:15.320 --> 01:22.940 So the counter attack role isn't so available in general if the opponent's just got this strengthening 01:22.940 --> 01:25.130 style, you know, not wanting to lose. 01:25.130 --> 01:31.370 So in this game, yeah, this early encounter, cautionary place, an aggressive Dutch formation, Dutch 01:31.370 --> 01:41.540 Stonewall and actually Tigran Petrosian displays great positional play here with this plan, which is 01:41.540 --> 01:47.030 very, very logical to exchange off the dot square bishops and trying to amplify these dots where weaknesses 01:47.060 --> 01:48.280 in Black's camp. 01:48.290 --> 01:53.810 So that's the guardian bishop to try and be swapped off so we have black castling. 01:53.810 --> 02:00.410 Bishop A3 So Bishop takes a free knight, takes A3 and now there's basically a backward pawn which is 02:00.410 --> 02:02.450 not able to be supported. 02:03.260 --> 02:06.140 Plenty of the pieces and generally against backward pawns. 02:06.140 --> 02:07.850 We want to use the outpost square. 02:07.880 --> 02:09.010 Ideally there's a semi. 02:09.160 --> 02:15.350 My father isn't here, but ideally we want to use that outpost square in front of the pawn. 02:15.350 --> 02:22.970 Such a pawn knight C two We have Queen H five, Queen C one, we have 94, knight C one. 02:22.970 --> 02:30.350 These knights are kind of engaged in the E5 square occupation G5 pawns don't go backwards. 02:30.710 --> 02:37.250 So it seems as though Kush thing is going out of his way to attack Tigran Petrosian. 02:37.250 --> 02:45.530 But in a way, this strengthening operation as a side effect is creating committal pawn moves. 02:46.160 --> 02:51.560 And we see time and time again, you know, you don't mess around with Tigran Petrosian with this kind 02:51.560 --> 02:57.500 of stuff because you could end up flat on your face because in a way, you know, Petrosian is a hugely 02:57.500 --> 03:00.070 talented tactical and compensatory player. 03:00.080 --> 03:07.460 If there's a vacuum of weaknesses you're leaving behind, expect to be punished basically for that vacuum 03:07.460 --> 03:10.790 on a strong counterattack based on comments or pawn moves. 03:10.790 --> 03:14.090 So this is a classic for commensal pawn moves from black. 03:14.480 --> 03:22.010 So Knight's f e5 shows already tactical prowess not mining e to being sacrificed. 03:22.010 --> 03:23.540 Here we have King H eight. 03:23.540 --> 03:28.490 So what happens on Queen takes E to why is this positional operation possible? 03:29.060 --> 03:36.360 Well, here one can play Bishop takes E4 and if F takes e4, Queen takes G5 check. 03:36.380 --> 03:37.100 Ouch. 03:37.100 --> 03:39.650 So exploiting the king, The black king. 03:39.650 --> 03:40.190 Yes. 03:40.610 --> 03:42.770 And therefore this is just crushing. 03:43.640 --> 03:44.780 What is black doing? 03:44.780 --> 03:48.410 Rook, thanks for this is just a winning position. 03:48.980 --> 03:53.690 But you know what else takes E5? 03:53.720 --> 03:56.060 We've got the king to ourself already. 03:56.060 --> 04:01.340 This is a fantastic attacking position in effect, and also winning the Queen as well. 04:01.400 --> 04:02.360 Another perk. 04:02.360 --> 04:05.570 So yes, it's just a crushing position here. 04:07.220 --> 04:13.190 If Queen C2 Knight takes E6 were French, think checkmate on G7 Rook G ain't we've got Knight of seven 04:13.190 --> 04:13.850 checkmate. 04:14.540 --> 04:23.090 The mounts are just already there and this is like you know this is just about move 15 to 19 these variations 04:23.090 --> 04:30.770 where black's getting mated already so you can see take you on E two does seem to be an extremely bad 04:30.800 --> 04:36.230 idea indeed because the Queen is looking at G5. 04:36.230 --> 04:38.300 This queen has abandoned G5. 04:38.330 --> 04:40.220 That's the only defender of G5. 04:40.220 --> 04:43.340 Once we hit G5, we've got all sorts of attacks. 04:45.760 --> 04:48.240 And you might wonder, what about Queen takes E4? 04:48.370 --> 04:49.930 Again, we just take on Gee five. 04:49.960 --> 04:51.430 This is a marvelous position. 04:51.430 --> 04:56.620 This position we can offer d4 up infiltrate with Queen E seven. 04:57.130 --> 04:59.910 And here this is just super strong. 04:59.920 --> 05:02.410 Look at Black's queenside. 05:02.620 --> 05:05.560 It's like can't even get out of bed if it wanted to. 05:05.590 --> 05:07.650 So, Rook 81 or trying to get out of bed. 05:07.660 --> 05:11.680 But it's a bit slow when the queen is skewered against the knight. 05:12.760 --> 05:19.180 And if that's the best move to sacrifice the queen now because Rook takes these seven is coming potentially 05:19.180 --> 05:21.010 well just Knight takes the seven of Queen C3. 05:21.370 --> 05:28.000 It's just a crushing position so okay I hope that's compelling evidence. 05:28.000 --> 05:33.340 Black cannot take on E2, which means one's got a really dominant position already. 05:33.640 --> 05:36.040 We have a three. 05:36.370 --> 05:39.160 So Black's movies catch eight not taking only two. 05:39.160 --> 05:43.030 So we have F 396 and now E4. 05:44.590 --> 05:50.020 So, yes, not minding, trying to make this a semi open file outpost potentially, if we can open up 05:50.110 --> 05:50.470 position. 05:50.470 --> 05:54.850 That's a beautiful outpost square in front of the backward pawn. 05:54.940 --> 05:56.020 We have nine of seven. 05:56.020 --> 06:03.940 So what happens here on D10 E4 after C4 19 C4, there's a penalty here. 06:03.940 --> 06:09.790 After Bishop takes E4, we can give up our fee and cancel Bishop because we're getting some advantages 06:09.790 --> 06:10.330 here. 06:10.660 --> 06:14.890 Of the 95, Black's position is paralysed here. 06:15.280 --> 06:19.800 B six Queen F one And how does Black handle these threats? 06:19.900 --> 06:24.550 Black's playing basically two pieces down in inspiration Line takes E4. 06:24.550 --> 06:31.510 We're think things like Queen F six, so say Queen H six to stop Queen F six check, Queen F seven check. 06:32.380 --> 06:33.880 And here, this is brutal. 06:33.880 --> 06:36.730 We're threatening F seven vacating F seven for seven. 06:36.730 --> 06:40.210 Check to Fort King and Queen Queen G seven. 06:40.210 --> 06:47.530 This could be the horror ending Knights of seven checking g89 of six Player has to give up the Queen. 06:47.530 --> 06:48.520 It's nasty. 06:48.670 --> 06:51.850 And we're coming in with H six mate as a friend now. 06:52.810 --> 06:57.700 Okay so this looks also it's fairly tragic. 06:57.700 --> 07:05.080 Basically, this is a tragic variation where it might not seem it, but this is absolutely, you know 07:05.080 --> 07:10.510 what what is black actually doing here if we don't choose b six, what about 97? 07:10.510 --> 07:16.480 You know, again, Queen F one is strong and it's kind of pin down. 07:16.480 --> 07:18.460 If the knight takes, then we have Queen F eight. 07:18.460 --> 07:20.410 These guys are not helping the back row here. 07:20.410 --> 07:21.160 That's checkmate. 07:21.190 --> 07:27.620 So if King G seven takes E, six, Jack, Queen F five, and yeah, White's getting a gigantic attack 07:27.640 --> 07:28.510 winning material. 07:28.510 --> 07:29.560 It's brutal. 07:30.160 --> 07:38.770 So, okay, so F seven is played and we have those C takes D five Knight details E5 which seems to sell 07:38.770 --> 07:40.570 the whole at least on E5. 07:40.750 --> 07:47.770 If C takes the E5 here, Knight takes F seven, chunk Rook takes seven, Y could play E takes D five, 07:47.800 --> 07:52.660 E takes the five F for targeting D five isolated Queen's pawn here. 07:52.660 --> 07:59.110 And this position is just brutal of F tanks g 595 It's another huge possession. 07:59.120 --> 08:06.270 White can give up the thing catto here because this is just such a brutal position that's even Queen 08:06.320 --> 08:12.010 65 as a tactic winning the queen that winning material as an example. 08:12.190 --> 08:17.560 So Knight D takes e5 D tanks, e5 C tanks D five. 08:17.560 --> 08:18.730 And now look at this. 08:18.730 --> 08:20.620 This Queen can also infiltrate. 08:20.620 --> 08:29.050 Now he takes the E5 e takes and now f four making a strong protected pass pawn a big target of D5. 08:29.320 --> 08:31.390 Where is Black's attack? 08:31.750 --> 08:37.390 Black has just left this vacuum of weaknesses and these pieces are still not out of bed yet. 08:37.630 --> 08:42.970 We have Rook d eight if Bishop e six, Queen C seven. 08:43.420 --> 08:47.050 This position is just beautiful for white. 08:47.170 --> 08:54.550 Any F-type C5 gives us that lovely F4 square for the knight and this is very very nice if G4 Yeah, 08:54.550 --> 08:56.050 we're just taking on D5. 08:56.200 --> 09:01.180 We can consolidate here with Queen C C4 and this is a beautiful position. 09:01.180 --> 09:08.770 So Rook, the eight is played, we have Queen C seven, B six if rook D7 this doesn't really help. 09:08.770 --> 09:12.820 The Queen can bounce threatening Queen F eight. 09:13.330 --> 09:19.720 If the rook goes back, we gain a tempo there for our queen to be in even more aggressive place. 09:19.720 --> 09:21.190 So this position. 09:21.610 --> 09:22.090 F Thanks. 09:22.090 --> 09:23.020 G five. 09:23.740 --> 09:26.020 It's just a dismantling of the knight at four. 09:26.050 --> 09:27.850 The Queen's clinging on to the knight. 09:28.210 --> 09:29.380 The Queen's been hit. 09:29.500 --> 09:35.260 Yeah, it's just a horrendous position if the knight So Queen HD eight for Queen two, queen size of 09:35.260 --> 09:44.380 seven so B six is tried F tanks G five vacates f4 anyway for the beautiful knight bishop a6 if Knight 09:44.380 --> 09:45.190 takes G5. 09:45.190 --> 09:49.510 Yeah, we're just taking on D eight if Queen actually if I would just take an F seven just to recap. 09:49.510 --> 09:51.220 So Bishop A6 Knight at four. 09:51.220 --> 09:51.790 Brutal. 09:51.790 --> 09:59.320 Trying to get the queen away from the knight and it's end of game so cautionary resigned quite a bit 09:59.320 --> 10:03.010 of loss here it seems and they really did become. 10:03.790 --> 10:08.840 Like fierce enemies of the board later in matches like kicking each other under the table. 10:08.860 --> 10:13.630 But yeah, there's a stylistic, stylistic kind of clash between the two. 10:13.960 --> 10:17.800 Of course, when he enjoys games, he likes people attacking them directly, not strengthening their 10:17.800 --> 10:18.370 position. 10:18.400 --> 10:23.550 It's like there's a funny kind of undertone to their rivalry in terms of the style. 10:23.560 --> 10:25.420 You can see how agitated. 10:26.230 --> 10:30.820 You know, fundamentally, if you're playing against a player that doesn't really attack you, whereas 10:30.820 --> 10:32.830 your role as a counter attacker. 10:33.280 --> 10:39.520 So, yes, it does seem as though, you know, Petrosian has got on his number here. 10:39.520 --> 10:40.180 There's no contract. 10:40.180 --> 10:41.860 This is just an early encounter, though. 10:42.220 --> 10:45.240 But I'm just generalizing from their style. 10:45.250 --> 10:51.460 So if the game continued to pieces for a rook with that big passport is huge here, you know, this 10:51.460 --> 10:52.990 position is just huge. 10:52.990 --> 10:55.480 For example, one's going to have a huge advantage. 10:57.070 --> 10:57.460 Yeah. 10:57.460 --> 11:01.870 So I thought, this is a very interesting game. 11:02.500 --> 11:04.060 Very interesting indeed. 11:07.730 --> 11:11.540 So we'll go to the end of the game. 11:15.210 --> 11:23.010 And it just shows you that you can attack in subtle ways. 11:23.010 --> 11:26.670 You can attack by kind of strengthening opposition like Nimzowitsch. 11:27.060 --> 11:28.970 So Petrosian was a big Nimzowitsch fan. 11:28.980 --> 11:35.610 You know, the idea of positional security can also give your opponent kind of rope to hang themselves 11:35.610 --> 11:41.160 if they start committal, poor moves, they kind of self-destructing in their own king position and 11:41.160 --> 11:45.970 they're making the attacks that you can have later way easier, way more effective. 11:45.990 --> 11:49.490 So this is a kind of form of delayed gratification as well. 11:49.500 --> 11:55.410 You could say that we're delaying our gratification through strengthening our position, and that delay 11:55.410 --> 12:01.080 in itself is causing the opponent to make commit or poor moves, which in itself is creating weaknesses 12:01.080 --> 12:02.100 around their king. 12:02.100 --> 12:09.030 And it just makes attacking chess looks extremely easy and effective if there's a vacuum of weaknesses 12:09.030 --> 12:10.500 around the opponent's king. 12:10.650 --> 12:15.510 So, yes, an interesting game showing, in fact. 12:16.630 --> 12:23.290 It's the kind of counter-attack style shown by Petrosian in this particular game against Korchnoi on 12:23.290 --> 12:28.870 the attack from early on, but later cautioning was to develop into a counter-attacking player waiting 12:28.870 --> 12:35.050 usually for the opponents to come at him to unbalance the position to make it more dramatic and more 12:35.050 --> 12:36.460 intense, more difficult to calculate. 12:36.460 --> 12:38.970 So of course they're here on the direct attack. 12:38.980 --> 12:44.170 It really backfires through Petrosian counterattack in this particular game. 12:44.640 --> 12:49.300 Okay, so there's a number of interesting aspects to this game. 12:49.300 --> 12:53.800 It's one of my favorite Tigran Petrosian crushes early on in his career. 12:53.980 --> 12:57.880 Okay, How have you found that interesting so much.