Note by Bronstein on Najdorf-Stahlberg (Zurich, 1953)

In Najdorf-Stahlberg (Zurich Candidates, 1953), the following position was reached after 19. Rfd1.



To prevent the possibility of 20. Nd6, which would hit both b7 and f7, Black played 19...Nc8. In his book on the tournament (translated by Oscar D. Freedman), David Bronstein suggests 19...Nfd5, and if 20. e4, then 20...Nf4.

In the position reached by 19...Nfd5, the following "chess movie" gives a sample continuation starting with 20. e4, with comments interwoven.



In the above line, the following position was reached after 23. Rb1:



The next chess movie starts with 23. Rb1 and diverges with Black's reply.



This seems to refute 22. Rc3, which was played in the following position:



Now we'll examine a continuation starting with 22. Rc2 instead of 22. Rc3.



Here again is the position after 19...Nfd5.



White needs to improve over 20. e4, which weakened the f4-square without compensation.

20. a4 would carry the threat of 21. a5, the consequence of which is depicted in the next chess movie.



One way avoid this is to play 20...g6, expelling the darned knight. A possible continuation (starting with 20. a4 g6) is given in the following chess movie.



Returning to the position after 19...Nfd5,



20. a4 seems strong.

But only after doing a lot of this analysis did it dawn on me that the simple 20. Rd4 would threaten to double on the d-file and would prevent ...Nb4. Stahlberg's 19...Nc8, although passive, maintained a rook in the d-file and therefore seems better than the "more active" 19...Nfd5.

(A list of the threads I've initiated at this forum is available at http://www.davidlevinchess.com/chess/RHP_my_threads.htm .)

@fmdavidhlevin said
In Najdorf-Stahlberg (Zurich Candidates, 1953), the following position was reached after 19. Rfd1.

[fen]3r1rk1/pp3ppp/1np2n2/5N2/8/1B2PP2/PP3P1P/2RR2K1 b - - - - [/fen]

To prevent the possibility of 20. Nd6, which would hit both b7 and f7, Black played 19...Nc8. In his book on the tournament (translated by Oscar D. Freedman), David Bronstein suggests 19...Nfd5, an ...[text shortened]... initiated at this forum is available at http://www.davidlevinchess.com/chess/RHP_my_threads.htm .)

I recently hired a chess coach, who suggested I purchase this book, and go through games carefully with emphasis on Mr. Bronstein's notes. After only 2 games I must say the author's thoughts on these games are more instructive and helpful for the average player than other than any chess book I own. I used to dismiss this book as overrated, but I can now see some real value here.

I'd like to clarify a note to the first chess movie in the original post. I wrote, 'I prefer to avoid "threats" when possible.' I meant that I try to avoid the impulse to passively defend against a threat.

Here's an example, from my game against David Vest (Black) in the 2000 Georgia (USA) Open. Black has just played 30...N(c6)-d4, effecting a discovered attack on my knight.



Defending the knight by 31. Rc1 would lose to 31...Ne2+. So, must White move the knight?

I didn't. I played 31. Qe4!, centralizing while pressuring the a8-rook (and thereby preventing 31...Rxc5).

The game score can be found at chessgames dot com.

@mchill said
I recently hired a chess coach, who suggested I purchase this book, and go through games carefully with emphasis on Mr. Bronstein's notes. After only 2 games I must say the author's thoughts on these games are more instructive and helpful for the average player than other than any chess book I own. I used to dismiss this book as overrated, but I can now see some real value here.

I just bought the book also.
I haven't started it yet 😕

Where do you play Chess if not here?
Just otb?

Got this book, think Bronstein is great. Frankly rather would read his commentary than run the game through an engine and interpret the results. Frankly, not qualified to do that, anyway. The man was a GM who played for the World Championship at one point.
If you like the Tournament book, I'd recommend you might want to get the book "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" by Bronstein and Tom Furstenberg. Good read and insight into Bronstein's life and games.

@contenchess said
I just bought the book also.
I haven't started it yet 😕

Where do you play Chess if not here?
Just otb?

Where do you play Chess if not here?
Just otb?

I play online OTB on another site (which I'm not allowed to post here) also, competed in the Oregon Open in person in November. 🙂

Correspondence chess was fun for a few years, but I've recently gotten the itch to go with otb.

@mchill

😉