Today’s featured game pits Ratmir Kholmov against previous world chess champion David Bronstein. This game, which was played in January 1965, was included in the list of “The Ten Best Chess Moves of All Time”.
Kholmov was a world class grandmaster from the 1950s well into the 1970s. He was ranked Number 8 in the world by Chessmetrics.com during the 1960-61 period. Kholmov scored famous victories over grandmasters Efim Geller, Tigran Petrosian, Victor Korchnoi, Paul Keres, Laszlo Szabo, Leonid Stein, Mark Taimanov, Boris Spassky, David Bronstein, Bobby Fischer, and Garry Kasparov.
According to Wikipedia, Fischer rarely lost on the White side of the Ruy Lopez so this was quite an achievement!
In today’s game Kholmov plays a seemingly senseless move 18. Nc6!! to clear the way for another senseless pawn move 19. e5! The game is a gem.
Event: USSR Championship
Date: January 1965
White: Ratmir Kholmov
Black: David Bronstein
Sicilian Defence
1. e4c5 2. Nf3Nf6 3. Nc3d6 4. d4cxd4 5. Nxd4a6 6. Bg5e6 7. f4Be7 8. Qf3Qc7 9. O-O-ONbd7 10. g4b5 11. Bxf6gxf6 12. f5Ne5 13. Qh3O-O 14. g5b4 15. gxf6Bxf6 16. Rg1+Kh8 17. Qh6Qe7
18. Nc6Nxc6 19. e5Bg5+ 20. Rxg5f6 21. exd6Qf7 22. Rg3bxc3 23. Bc4cxb2+ 24. Kb1Nd8 25. Rdg1Ra7 26. d7Rxd7 27. fxe6Nxe6 28. Bxe6Rd1+ 29. Rxd1Bxe6 30. Kxb2Rb8+ 31. Ka1Bxa2 32. Rgd3Qe7 33. Kxa2Qe6+ 34. Rb3 1-0 Black resigns!
