Rossetto — Bobekov

OlympiadAmsterdam, 1954

• Héctor Rossetto (1922–2009)Argentine grandmaster and five-time national champion, a fixture of South American chess for three decades.
• Radko Bobekov (1928–1993)One of Bulgaria's leading players through the 1950s and 60s, a four-time national-championship finalist who shared first at Sofia 1958.

A closed center lets both sides attack boldly on the flanks without fearing that their own king gets exposed. With the center locked, an exposed king usually carries little risk, because the opponent cannot strike back in the center and cannot "get at" the king with their pieces.

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The pawn placement is typical of the King's Indian Defense. In such positions White's plan is usually to push the queenside pawns, open files, seize them with the pieces, and break into the opponent's camp. The advance c4-c5 is what makes this work.

Black's plan is an attack on the kingside. By advancing the pawns there, Black gains a lot of space for maneuvers and for placing pieces on the attacking front. Black also aims to open files and bring the major pieces into the attack.

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1. 17.
2. From d3 the knight will support the advance c4-c5
3. This was no good, because afterWhite has no move(and if the white b-pawn advances to b5 or is traded for the a-pawn, then Black, with the movewill cut off the threat of the c4-c5 advance)
4. 17.
5. Black's offensive is more dangerous. The black kingside pawns rush forward. It does not matter that the king loses its pawn cover. On this flank the black pieces have more space and take over every important file and square, and the center is closed, so there is no counterblow to fear here. What is there to be afraid of? A white breakthrough on the queenside and an invasion by White's pieces? But that takes more time than Black needs to create strong threats
6. 18.
7. 19.
8. White slows down the pawn advances g5-g4 and f4-f3
9. 19.
10. 20.
11. Time is very precious in such positions. Is it worth losing it on defensive moves that are not forced?
12. In practical terms the best chance was probably to try for counterplay on the queenside. Black would still keep a strong attack, though
13. 20.
14. 21.
15. Black follows the plan and has imposed their will on the opponent. White loses time and, on top of that, shuts the king in the corner
16. 21.
17. Concrete mating threats have already appeared
18. 22.
19. White would have lost at once, but this is not the only way, and Black decides the game differently
20. 23.
21. 24.
22. 25.
23. 26.
24. Threatening mate in two
25. 27.
26. White resigned in view of the unavoidable mate