[Event "for Website: Principle of Two Weaknesses: Botvinnik - Zagoriansky Sverdlovsk 1943"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/0DbfK1hG/bax35LfQ"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "A13"] [Opening "English Opening: Agincourt Defense"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/MarcoCasanova"] [UTCDate "2017.10.23"] [UTCTime "17:13:18"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/0DbfK1hG/bax35LfQ"] [Orientation "white"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. b3 Nf6 4. Bb2 Be7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nc3 c5 7. cxd5 Nxd5?! { Small inaccuracies at the start of the game will lead to serious problems for Black later on. He already had to make a decision - whether to take on d5 with his queen (after an exchange of knights) or to go into a position with an isolated pawn. In the latter case he should avoid exchanges that are not necessary (7 ... exd5 ! ?). } 8. Nxd5 exd5?! 9. d4 cxd4 10. Qxd4 Bf6 11. Qd2 Nc6 12. Be2 Be6?! { In a simplified form, the verdict on positions with an isolated pawn is that the advantage lies with the side holding the initiative. Black should therefore have preferred 12 ... i..g4. } 13. O-O Bxb2 14. Qxb2 Qa5 { In terms of the principle of two weaknesses, which stage do you think the game has reached? That's right, the second stage. The first weakness - the pawn on d5 - has already been formed. Consequently it needs to be attacked. For this purpose let us envisage the arrangement of White' s pieces. Rooks on the d-file (dl and d2). Bishop on f3. Queen - this is a 'smart' piece that can join in the attack at any moment. But what about the knight? If it is placed on a square where it attacks the d5-pawn (i.e. c3 or f4), White loses control of the d4-square, and the freeing break with ... d4 becomes more than a realistic prospect. Let us recall Nimzowitsch, who affirmed that the isolated pawn had to be blockaded, since it strives to advance even at the cost of sacrificing itself. Does the knight belong on d4, then? But in that case the knight itself will be shielding the d5-pawn from the white rooks' attack. The modem attitude to the isolated pawn differs from that of Nimzowitsch; the isolated pawn must be not blockaded but destroyed! White would therefore like the knights to be exchanged off. After that, a white rook on d4 will not only blockade the black d5-pawn solidly but attack it at the same time. In view of what has just been stated, the next phase of the game requires no commentary. } 15. Rfd1 Rfd8 16. Rd2 Rd7 17. Rad1 Rad8 { Last moves are clearly copycat moves. } 18. h3 h6 19. Ne5! Nxe5 { Forced, as 19 ... Rd6 fails to 20 Nc4! } 20. Qxe5 Qc5 21. Bf3 b6 { The threat was 22 e4. } 22. Qb2 Re8 23. Qe5 Red8 24. Rd4 a5 { Stop for a sec. - Suggest White's further plan of action. Explanation below. - It isn't hard to see that the second stage of the 'two weakness' strategy is completed. White has attacked the pawn on d5 with as many pieces as possible but has not been able to destroy it. On the other hand, his opponent's pieces have been reduced to passivity, deprived of mobility and counterplay. To improve his position, White must proceed to the third stage - creation of a second weakness. But first he must decide where. There is no possibility on the queenside or in the centre. } 25. g4! { The second weakness is the black king! The weakening of White's own king position is immaterial - the black pieces are not trained on it, and their reach is limited. } 25... Qc6 26. g5 hxg5 27. Qxg5 f6 { Taking measures against Rh4 and Qh5 } 28. Qg6 Bf7 29. Qg3 f5? { In the sector where his opponent is attacking, the defender is not advised to move his pawns without extreme necessity. Black's position now becomes strategically untenable. } 30. Qg5 Qe6 31. Kh1 Qe5 32. Rg1 Rf8 33. Qh6 { Threatening both 34 Rh4 and 34 Qxb6 } 33... Rb8 34. Rh4 Kf8 35. Qh8+ Bg8 36. Rf4 Rbb7 37. Rg5 Rf7 38. Qh5 Qa1+ 39. Kg2 g6 40. Qxg6 Bh7 41. Qd6+ Rbe7 42. Qd8+ { And Black Resigns } *