Trying to play like Petrosian and failing

I love his playing style, and though I will never be "Petrosian", I'll take almost any chance to play like him. I ask for assistance with analyzing this game as computers just don't help much. It was a 5/0 game, and it was riddled with blunders at the end. However, I know I made a positional "blunder" somewhere that truly hampered my chances to win. I just don't know where. I refused to play Petrosian's common move Bg5, because I hate Bg5. I just hate it. I also don't like the idea of playing Ne1/Nd3, as that is a Mar Del Plata variation, and I prefer the Petrosian system.

My basic strategy was "develop pieces, grab some pieces, and then develop some more pieces followed by exchanging pieces hoping for a draw."

I knew I was never gonna win this one so I went for the 3-rep draw. I also know my opponent had many chances to win and he didn't, maybe fearing complications?

Originally posted by hamworld
I love his playing style, and though I will never be "Petrosian", I'll take almost any chance to play like him. I ask for assistance with analyzing this game as computers just don't help much. It was a 5/0 game, and it was riddled with blunders at the end. However, I know I made a positional "blunder" somewhere that truly hampered my chances to win. I just ...[text shortened]... b2 Bc4 33. Qc3 {3-fold repetition} 1/2-1/2[/pgn]

After move 28 the following position seems to call for 29.Qc2 trapping the bishop.

Originally posted by RJHinds
After move 28 the following position seems to call for 29.Qc2 trapping the bishop.
[fen]5rk1/2p2r1q/1p1p3p/pP1Pp1p1/P1b1N3/5P2/1Q3RPP/3R3K w - -[/fen]

Yep. After 29. Qc2 Bxd5 30. Rxd5 Black cannot play 30...Qxe4 as White has 31. Qxe4!

Do you think this was a classic case of time management problems and not knowing the tactics in the position?

I still think I misplayed the opening somewhere.

Originally posted by hamworld
Yep. After 29. Qc2 Bxd5 30. Rxd5 Black cannot play 30...Qxe4 as White has 31. Qxe4!

Do you think this was a classic case of time management problems and not knowing the tactics in the position?

I still think I misplayed the opening somewhere.

I could not see anything I could say was bad about your opening. However, I am not an expert in the openings. But your early middle game play could have been improved starting with 10.a3 which seems to be a useless move. But as you say your opponent did not see better moves he could have made too.

From a strategic point of view in these queen pawn (by transposition openings) white's chances lie on the queen side and he should aim to open things up here. As soon as you played b5?! black would have been very happy as you no longer have any pawn breaks on that side of the board and the action would switch to the king side where you've driven his pieces. You should have been trying to work a c5 break possibly supported with major pieces behind it on the c file.

Computers tend to play these and Kings Indian type positions badly as a human can look at the locked pawns and see immediately that there is no way through. This would be beyond the horizon of a computer.

Trying to play like Petrosian is a mammoth task you have set yourself.
Trying to play like Petrosian in a blitz game is impossible.
Even Petrosian could not play like Petrosian in a blitz game.
(....his opponent on the other hand played like this all the time.)
This is just superb.

Tal - Petrosian, Blitz game, Russia 1975

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Trying to play like Petrosian is a mammoth task you have set yourself.
Trying to play like Petrosian in a blitz game is impossible.
Even Petrosian could not play like Petrosian in a blitz game.
(....his opponent on the other hand played like this all the time.)
This is just superb.

Tal - Petrosian, Blitz game, Russia 1975

[pgn]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 ...[text shortened]... Qxa1 14. cxd5 Qa6 15. Re1 O-O-O 16. Bf4 Rxd5 17. Rc1+ Kd8 18. Bg5+ Ke8 19. Ne5 b6 20. Qa4+[/pgn]

These type of games typify Tal's style. What a great game..!! Haven't looked how sound it was but it definitely was fun

Set your sights much lower, try to play like GM Arshak B. Petrosian. His current Elo rating is 2470, and has been inactive for at least five years.

Originally posted by hamworld
17. Nxg5 {1-0 Arena Adjudication. Illegal move!}
27. Rd1 {1-0 Arena Adjudication. Illegal move!}

I'm not answering your main question - others have done that better than I could hope to - but... what did you mean by these remarks?

Richard

Originally posted by homedepotov
Set your sights much lower, try to play like GM Arshak B. Petrosian. His current Elo rating is 2470, and has been inactive for at least five years.

Or maybe Tigran A. Petrosian, whose rating is 2376. 😀

Or Peter Leko's wife. Who just happens to be Petrosian's granddaughter.

Originally posted by hedonist
Or Peter Leko's wife. Who just happens to be Petrosian's granddaughter.

Kramniks people said that Leko was obsessed with Petrosian in "From London to Elista," but dang I didn't realize how obsessed he was.

Originally posted by kingshill
From a strategic point of view in these queen pawn (by transposition openings) white's chances lie on the queen side and he should aim to open things up here. As soon as you played b5?! black would have been very happy as you no longer have any pawn breaks on that side of the board and the action would switch to the king side where you've driven his piece ...[text shortened]... see immediately that there is no way through. This would be beyond the horizon of a computer.

Thanks, I finally understand what to do now. Hopefully now time management won't be such a big issue in that opening.

The post that was quoted here has been removed

So Petrosian just happens to be a common name?