Lesson
White to move. Main line: 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O Nc6 6. Nc3 d6 7. d4 a6 8. d5 Na5 9. Nd2 c5 10. Qc2 e5 11. b3 Ng4 12. e4 f5 13. exf5 gxf5 14. Nd1 b5 15. f3 e4 16. Bb2 exf3 17. Bxf3 Bxb2 18. Qxb2 Ne5 19. Be2 f4 20. gxf4 Bh3 21. Ne3 Bxf1 22. Rxf1 Ng6 23. Bg4 Nxf4 24. Rxf4 Rxf4 25. Be6+ Rf7 26. Ne4 Qh4 27. Nxd6 Qg5+ 28. Kh1 Ra7 29. Bxf7+ Rxf7 30. Qh8+
Petrosian first accepts 21...Bxf1, giving up one rook for Black’s bishop. Then 24.Rxf4! offers the second exchange, stripping away the knight that protects the dark squares and opening a route for bishop and queen.
After ...Rxf4, Be6+ drives the rook into a defensive role while Ne4–d6 joins the attack. The final 30.Qh8+ forces resignation because Black’s king is caught in a mating net and the nominal material advantage has no defensive value.
This game makes a strong post because it overturns the “Petrosian only defended” caricature. His exchange sacrifices were positional calculations: he traded material for control of exact squares, then converted that control through forcing moves.