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Game of the Week

By GM Sergey Shipov

GM Shipov’s Game of the Week:
October 2-8, 2000

Traditions of the Nineteenth Century still
are alive and winning. When people lack
money…

The idea of selecting some games from the World Championship match into the best games
of the week was rejected resolutely. First, too much attention is paid to the 2K’s games
(each one takes about 9 hours of my life). Second, too many interesting competitions are
taking place right now and, surprisingly, a lot of matches. Third, real creativity is possible
only when there are no million dollar stakes.

Pitifully, chess players are quite poor people and even much smaller sums (two or three
decimal zeros) sometimes induce in them a desire to play more firmly and reliably. Luckily,
there are examples of the opposite attitude. Today we present three of them. In all the
games, an interesting positional struggle took place from the very beginning, maybe, not
without some mistakes. Finally, the outcome of each game was decided by an interesting,
not obvious combination. Each of them would do credit to every master of the attack. If it
only happened more frequently…

Aleksandrov,A. - Oral,T. [D94]
Prague , 2000

Honestly, I expected the Belorussian GM to win quickly. Perhaps he did so too... However,
the young Czech player prevailed in this game, as well as in the match, scoring 4:2. Bravo!

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.e3 0-0 6.b4

An insidious variation: White prevents the c7-c5 thrust. The Soviet master Vladimir
Makogonov was the first to implement it on the top level.

6...b6 7.Qb3 e6

A somewhat passive reply. More consistent for Black is the pawn sacrifice by: 7...c5! (path
for the g7-bishop!) 8.bxc5 bxc5 9.cxd5 Na6 (or 9...Nbd7 )

8.Ba3 Re8 9.Be2 c6

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After 9...c6

Tomas admits that he has failed to revive his
g7-bishop.
Now not sufficient is the pawn sacrifice 9...c5,
which was tested in practice; And after 9...Bb7
White can shut the position with 10.c5!, which
also has been played.

10.0-0

White has the advantage. He is better
developed and controls more space.

10...Bb7 11.b5?!

Alexei hurries to exploit his developmental

advantage. Perhaps he should transfer his
rooks to the central files first.

11...a6

Not bad seems 11...dxc4 12.Bxc4, and only now 12...a6!, and Black is all right.

12.bxc6 Nxc6

Black cannot play 12...dxc4? because of 13.cxb7!

13.Rfb1

Why this rook? Now the white a1-rook will be imprisoned in the midst of white pieces.
However, after 13.Rab1 Nd7 it is also difficult to prove any advantage for White.

13...Nd7 14.cxd5 Na5 15.Qd1 exd5

After 15...exd5

White obtains the better pawn structure, but
Black controls the important c4-square.

16.Bb4 Nc4 17.a4 Rc8 18.Na2

A lame maneuver that causes a catastrophe.
White should play 18.Rc1 instead.

18...Nf6! 19.Qb3 Ne4!

Now the second black knight occupies a
dominating position in the center which is
very convenient to deliver the decisive strike!

20.Rc1

White admits his mistake: his rooks were poorly positioned.

20...g5!

The attack starts! Black sacrifices the pawn on c4, because the diagonal for his b7-bishop is
opened in this way!

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21.Bxc4

Alexandrov is a principled player, he always checks his opponent’s set ups at the board.

21...dxc4 22.Rxc4 g4 23.Ne1

Black obtains a strong attack also in the variation 23.Rxc8 Qxc8 24.Ne1 Qf5 25.Nd3 Ng5

23...Qh4 24.Nd3

After 24.Nd3

Is it safe yet?

24...Nxf2!

No way! By this sacrifice, Tomas breaks
White’s fortifications and destroys him
completely with the bishops.

25.Rxc8 Rxc8 26.Rf1

The main variation of Black’s combination is:
26.Nxf2 g3 27.Nh3 Qe4! 28.Qxf7+! Kxf7 29.
Ng5+ Kg6 30.Nxe4 Bxe4 31.Nc3 Bb7 , and
White has problems in the endgame. Black’s
two bishops are extremely active, two threats

are actual: one of Bg7-h6, and another one of
Rc8-c4. ; And after 26.Bd6 Black would deliver the following beautiful series of strikes:
26...Nh3+! 27.Kh1 (27.gxh3 Qxh3 28.Nf4 Qf3 and so on) 27...Qf6 28.Bf4 Bxg2+! 29.Kxg2
Qc6+ 30.d5 Qc2+ , and Black wins after capturing the a1-rook.

26...g3! 27.hxg3

Of course, failing is 27.h3 due to 27...Nxh3+!

27...Qh1+ 28.Kxf2 Qxg2+ 29.Ke1 Bd5!

After 29...Bd5!

This decides. The black light-squared bishop
dominates all over the board.

30.Qb2

Much more stubborn is 30.Qd1 , after which
Black must play 30...Qxg3+ 31.Kd2 Bxa2 ,
and so on.

30...Rc2 31.Qxc2 Qxc2 32.Nac1 Qxa4

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After 32...Qxa4

At this moment Alexei could resign and he
should do so. But he is a fighter...

33.Bd2 a5 34.Nf4 Bc4 35.Rf3 Qc6 36.Kf2 a4
37.Nh5 a3 38.Rf4 Qh1 39.Nxg7 Qf1# 0-1

Gurevich,M. - Bologan,V. [E97]

When two such experienced players meet, the spectators have every reason to enjoy their
play. Both Mikhail and Viorel are in perfect sporting form now. Both of them have won
dozens of tournaments. And in the match, the more experienced player won with the score
2.5:1.5.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Nd2

Mikhail Gurevich’s favorite move. Previously everybody played so, but then this
continuation yielded in popularity to the plan including 9.b4 Nh5 10.Re1!.

9...c6

Black just dodges; the current main line 9...Nd7 is fine.

10.a3

The immediate 10.b4 runs into 10...a5!

10...Ne8 11.b4 f5 12.Qb3N

Mikhail has a pleasant experience of playing in this position: 12.dxc6 Nxc6 13.Nf3 f4?! 14.
c5 g5 15.h3 g4 16.hxg4 Bxg4 17.b5 Bxf3 18.Bxf3 Nd4 19.c6 bxc6 20.bxc6 Rc8 21.Nb5
Nxf3+ 22.Qxf3 Rxc6 23.Bd2 a6 24.Nc3 Nc7 25.Rac1 Ne6 26.Nd5, and White obtained
more than sufficient compensation for the pawn, Gurevich,M-Shirov,A/Moscow 1992/1-0
(75)

12...Kh8 13.Bb2 Nf6 14.Rad1

White has completed all the necessary preparations before opening the center and
apparently, has better chances.

14...fxe4 15.dxc6! Nxc6 16.Ncxe4 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 Nd4

Black still holds on thanks to his d4-outpost.

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18.Bxd4

Black obtains counterplay also in the case of 18.Qe3 Qb6 19.Rfe1 Bf5 20.Bd3 a5!

18...exd4 19.Qg3

White stakes his hopes on the attack on the light squares since he has traded off his dark-
squared bishop.

19...d5

Worse is 19...Be5 20.f4 Bg7 21.Ng5±

20.Ng5

The Belgian GM does not take a risk by trying to out-calculate his younger opponent.
Suggesting itself is 20.Nd6, after which extremely sharp play starts. 20...Qe7 21.Rde1! Be5
22.Nxc8 Qc7! 23.Qh3 dxc4! 24.Bg4 c3 and so on.

20...Bf6 21.h4 a5 22.Bd3 dxc4 23.Bxc4 axb4 24.axb4 Qb6?

Well, here it is! Black has practically equalized, he has only to make a couple of firm
moves.
Correct is 24...Qe7 25.Rfe1 Qg7 (but not 25...Qxb4? 26.Qc7 Bg7 27.Nf7+) 26.Bd5 Bf5 27.
Rc1 Rad8! with full-fledged play for Black.

25.h5! gxh5

Mikhail has exerted some extra effort and he finds a winning combination. Generally,
global comprehension is fine, but one should also implement some tactics when realizing
the advantage. Thus, White to play and win. The primitive 26.Nf7+ does not even deserves
calculation.

26.Nxh7! Kxh7 27.Bd3+ Kh8 28.Qg6 Qc7 29.Rc1 Qf7 [Or 29...Qe7 30.Qh6+ Kg8 31.Bc4
+ Rf7 32.Rfe1+-

30.Qh6+ Kg8 31.Bc4 Be6 32.Bxe6 Qxe6 33.Qg6+! Kh8 34.Rc7 A gorgeous conclusion!
1-0

Shabalov,A. - Fedorowicz,J. [B67]
Seattle, 2000

And they even say that the USA championship was dull!! Well, it is impossible to create a
masterpiece like the following in every game:

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5

The Rauser attack.

6...e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.0-0-0 Bd7 9.f3 Rc8 10.Kb1 Be7 11.h4 h5!?

This idea is currently popular in the Sicilian defense. Black prevents the g2-g4 thrust. The
drawback of this continuation is that the black king has to linger in the center for a while.

12.Nxc6 Rxc6 13.Bd3

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Interesting seems the immediate 13.Ne2, in order to transfer the white knight to f4. This has
already been played, with some success.

13...b5?!

This standard pawn attack is not appropriate in this particular situation, because all the
same, the white knight is going away from c3 by himself!

Bad is also 13...Qc7 14.Rhe1 0-0 due to 15.Nd5! exd5 16.exd5 Rc5 17.Rxe7 Nxd5 18.Ree1
Be6 19.Re4± Luecke,N-Kalinitschew,S/Muenster 1990/1-0 (38); Perhaps, the best
possibility for Black is 13...Qa5!? 14.f4 Ng8 15.f5 Bf6 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.Qg5 Qe5! and
Black is all right, Shirov,A - Kozhul,Z/Budapest,1996/0-1(58)

14.Rhe1 b4 15.Ne2 Qb6 16.Nf4

Even to the naked eye, it is apparent that Black has not solved all the opening problems. He
cannot castle due to the weakness of the h5-pawn, and if he keeps his king in the center,
then he must permanently watch out for the possibility of the e4-e5 thrust and also for a
Nf4-d5 strike.

16...a5?

Black proceeds with an attack of his own cold-bloodedly, paying no attenttion to White’s
action. Shabalov just cannot forgive such disrespect... Black can stand his ground somehow
with 16...Rc7 17.e5 dxe5 18.Rxe5 Kf8

17.e5!±

Infantry - out!

17...dxe5 18.Ng6!

Then the cavalry joins the assault...

18...fxg6?!

18...Rg8 19.Nxe7 Kxe7 20.Rxe5±

19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Bxg6+ Kf8 21.Qxd7

And now the big guns’ turn.

21...Kg7 22.Qxe7+ Kxg6 23.Rd7 Qc5 24.Qg7+ Kf5 25.g4+ Kf4 26.Qxf6+ Kg3

The black king inspires his army to new achievements in future games by his personal
example.

27.Rd2 1-0

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