Chess lessons › Famous chess games
Mikhail Botvinnik
A sharp attack: Botvinnik’s Sicilian beats Rauzer at the 1933 USSR championship.
The idea
Botvinnik answers a threat with a bigger one, then attacks.
- The bishop on c4 is attacked by the pawn on b3.
- The pawn on e5 steps to e4 and attacks the bishop on f3.
- After bxc4 exf3, each side has taken a bishop.
In a game: When a piece is attacked, look for a bigger threat before you move it.
How the lesson begins
Mikhail Botvinnik was born near St Petersburg in 1911, and he was an engineer as well as a chess player. After Alekhine died as champion, Botvinnik won the 1948 world championship tournament. He lost the title to Vasily Smyslov in 1957 and won it back in 1958, lost it to Mikhail Tal in 1960 and won it back in 1961, and lost it to Tigran Petrosian in 1963.
Here is a game from the 1933 USSR championship. Vsevolod Rauzer has White, Botvinnik has Black.
A Sicilian with the bishop on g7. Black’s light-squared bishop goes to c4, and Black strikes in the centre with ...e5 and ...d5. White takes on d5.
- 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. Nb3 Be6 9. f4 O-O 10. O-O Na5 11. Nxa5 Qxa5 12. Bf3 Bc4 The bishop goes to c4.
- 13. Re1 Rfd8 14. Qd2 Qc7 15. Rac1 e5 16. b3 The pawn on b3 attacks the bishop on c4.
- 16... d5 Black pushes the d-pawn anyway.
- 17. exd5
Find the move
Black to move. Your bishop on c4 is attacked. Instead of moving it, attack a white piece with a pawn.
A hint
The pawn on e5 can go one step.
Show the answer
17... e4
17...e4 attacks the bishop on f3. After 18.bxc4 exf3 each side has taken a bishop, and Black’s pawn on f3 stands close to White’s king.