USSR Championship

When Vassily Smyslov met Keres the former was leading the field and their encounter in the tenth rough virtually settled the USSR Championship. A characteristic Keres game. Notes by H D Addis.  1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 The symmetrical defence; not supposed to be good for Black  3.Nf3 e6 4.g3 d5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nc6 7.O-O Nc7 8.b3 Be7 9.Bb2 e5 10.Rc1 f6 11.Na4

11...b6 Black has defended on original lines, but this move leads to trouble. (11...Ne6 looks stronger but cramps Black's game. ) 12.Nh4 Attacking the weak spot immediately.  12...Bd7 13.e3 All sorts of complications are now on.  13...O-O 14.d4 A strong move to which there does not seem to be a satisfactory answer.  14...exd4 15.exd4 Rc8 16.dxc5 b5 17.Nc3 f5 Trying for counterplay, but it does not turn out well.  18.Rc2! The unexpected reply!  18...Bxh4 19.Rd2 Brilliant play, forcing a win in a few moves.  19...Rf7 20.gxh4 Ne6 21.Nxb5 Nxc5 22.Nd6 Re7 23.Nxc8 Qxc8 24.Ba3 Ne4 25.Bxe4 fxe4 26.Bxe7 Nxe7 27.Rxd7 A very fine attacking game by the new champion. 1-0

A short but theoretically interesting game in which Smyslov finds that the raid on the b-pawn does not pay. Flohr demonstrates that Black has nothing to fear from 9.Qb3. Notes by H D Addis  1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4 8.O-O Nbd7 ( More usual is 8...O-O ) 9.Qb3 a5 10.Na2 Be7

11.Qxb7 Rb8 12.Qa6 Ra8 13.Qb7 Rb8 With a draw by repetition of moves. The Queen has nowhere to go. 1/2-1/2

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 Bb4 7.O-O O-O 8.Qc2 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Bd6 10.Bd3 Qe7 11.Ne2 e5 12.Ng3 g6 13.Bd2 Re8 14.e4 exd4 15.Rae1 Ne5 16.Nxe5 Bxe5 17.f4 Bc7 18.e5 Nd5 19.f5 Bxe5 20.fxg6 f6 21.Bh6 Ne3 22.Rxe3

22...dxe3 23.g7 f5 24.Nxf5 Bxf5 25.Rxf5 Bxg7 26.Rg5 e2 27.Bxe2 Qe3+ 28.Kh1 Qxg5 29.Bxg5 Kh8 30.h4 Re5 31.Bf4 Ra5 32.Qe4 Rf8 33.Bd3 Rh5 34.Bg5 Bxb2 35.g4 1-0