Chess Strategy

It’s not a *real* exchange sacrifice as Black could have taken it back anytime, but the Rook maneuver was really amazing yet efficient.

Bruno Parma - Tigran Petrosian
Moskow, 1971

The Rc5 is under attack and it can’t go back on c-file because White has crushing e5. But Petrosian was planning way in advance.

21… Rh5!

Suicidal move at the first glance. Rook is running among opponent’s pieces and pawns, setting itself on *volley* g4. Note that 22. Qe3 Rxh2 with Ng4 is losing for White.

22. Qf3 e5!

Just on time. Petrosian’s basic idea is pressure against e4 pawn and target should be blocked prior to attack. 23. g4 Rh4! (24. h3 Nxg4) is not working well.

23. f5 d5!

Now we discover one of the Rh5 roles. 24. exd5 e4! is losing because of mate threat on h2. White has to support e4 pawn.

24. Nd2 Rh4!

The whole point of Rc5-h5 route. Trading on e4 gives nothing 24… dxe4 25. Nxe4 Nxe4 26. Bxe4 Bxe4 27. Qxe4 and White not only has solved all the problems but he’s even better thanks to Black’s lose pieces. The catch is that White is in some sort of zugzwang, his pieces are tied for e4 pawn and he can’t make any useful moves while Black will simply continue with Bc6-Qb7 adding decisive pressure. Note that again 25. exd5 e4! is losing.

Parma understands that he cannot sit and wait for execution, and decides to challenge Rh4. Still, the cost will be weakening long diagonal and strong attack against White King.

25. g3 dxe4 26. Nxe4 Rxe4! 27. Rxe4

27. Bxe4 Nxe4 28. Rxe4 Qd8 makes no difference. Petrosian will rather take advantage of the deadly pin than grabbing material back. White is all tied up and Nb5 is out of play. The following moves were played in time trouble and Black has probably spent more moves than necessary to finish the opponent off.

27… Qd8 28. Rfe1 Rc8 29. Rae2 Qd5 30. b3 h6 31. Kg2 Qd7 32. h3 Bc5 33. h4 h5 34. Kh3 Bb6 35. Kh2 g6! 36. fxg6 Ng4 37. Kg2 f5 and Parma resigned.
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