Isaak Boleslavsky - Igor Bondarevsky [C99]

URS-chT/Tbilisi 1951


1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Bb7 14. d5 Boleslavsky comments that since Black has opened the position somewhat with 12. ..cxd4, White has the possibility of playing on both wings, albeit in a limited way, because the position remains relatively closed. For this reason, White's move might appear inconsistent but, as is almost always the case, there is not just one single imporant factor in the position. With this advance, the b7-bishop is blunted, which is always an idea to consider, and at the same time the mobility of the a5-knight is somewhat restricted. The alternative was the natural 14.Nf1. 14... Bc8! Before taking any other decision, Black solves his most obvious problem. 15. Nf1 White had other moves. Another factor to consider was, as we indicated above, to position of the a5-knight; 15.Rb1 and 15.b3 have been played here, based on a similar idea, as we shall see. In the game Karjakin-Radulski, Calvia Olympiad 2004, White continued 15. b3 Bd7 16. Rb1 This move is designed to reply to 16... Nb7 with 17. b4 depriving Black of the use of the c5-square, and after 17... a5 it is possible to support the b4-pawn with 18. a3 since now there is no pin on the a-file.