1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qf3$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This move has really taken off in recent years and Shirov has played it no less than 9 times. This game will make his 10th time at bats! The idea behind it is to quickly castle and then attack. Possibly also Qg3 under some circumstances. </strong>}
d6{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black has many ways to proceed and theory has not yet decided which is the best.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A: </strong> } 7...Bd6$5 {<strong style="color:black;">Shirov has encountered this no less than 5 times! </strong> } 8.O-O-O Be5$5 {<strong style="color:black;"> the idea</strong> } 9.g3 Nge7 10.Qe2 b5 11.Qd2!
( {<strong style="color:black;">Improving over </strong> } 11.f4 Bxd4 12.Bxd4 Nxd4 13.Rxd4 Rb8 14.e5 Bb7 15.Bg2 Bxg2 16.Qxg2
b4 17.Ne4 O-O 18.Rhd1 Nd5 19.Qf3 a5 20.Nd6 a4 21.a3 Qc5 22.axb4
Rxb4 23.Qa3 Rfb8 24.c3 Qc6 25.Rxb4 Nxb4 26.Kb1 Qf3 27.Qxa4 Nd5
28.Nb5 h5 29.c4 Nb6 30.Qc2 Nxc4 31.Rxd7 Ne3 32.Qd3 Qh1+ 33.Ka2
Nd5 34.Kb3 Qe1 35.Rxd5 exd5 36.Qxd5 Qa5 37.Kc4 Qa4+ 38.b4 Qa2+
{<strong style="color:black;"> 0-1, Shirov,A – Hambleton,A , Reykjavik ISL 21/ 4/2017</strong> } )
Nxd4 ( 11...Rb8 12.Nxc6 Qxc6 13.Bg2 Qc4 14.Bf4 f6 15.Bxe5 fxe5
16.Qd6 Nc6 17.a3 b4 18.Bf1 Qxf1 19.Rhxf1 bxc3 20.bxc3 {<strong style="color:black;"> 1-0, Shirov,A – Kleinman,M, Reykjavik ISL 24/ 4/2017</strong> }
) 12.Bxd4 b4 13.Na4 Rb8 14.f4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 f6 16.Be2 e5 17.fxe5
fxe5 18.Qc5 Qxc5 19.Nxc5 Rb6 20.Rhf1 d6 21.Bc4 Bh3 22.Rf2 Rf8
23.Rxf8+ Kxf8 24.Nxa6 Bg2 25.Nc7 g6 26.Nd5 Rc6 27.Ne3 Rc5 28.Rxd6
Bxe4 29.Rf6+ Ke8 30.Rb6 Nf5 31.Nxf5 gxf5 32.Rxb4 Kd8 33.Kd2 Rc6
34.Bd3 Bxd3 35.cxd3 Rh6 36.Rh4 Rd6 37.Ke3 h6 38.d4 f4+ 39.Ke4
exd4 40.Rxf4 d3 41.Rf1 Rb6 42.b3 Ra6 43.Rf2 {<strong style="color:black;"> 1-0, Shirov,A – Saric,Iv , Lund SWE 6/ 8/2017 CellaVision Cup</strong> }
)
({<strong style="color:black;">B:</strong> } 7...Ne5$5 {<strong style="color:black;">This move is really developing a following this past year </strong> } 8.Qg3 b5 ( 8...Bb4$6 9.O-O-O! ) )
( {<strong style="color:black;">C: </strong> } 7...Nf6$5 {<strong style="color:black;">is what I played many years ago, and has a following even today </strong> } )
( {<strong style="color:black;">D:Somewhat too provocative seems </strong> } 7...b5$5 8.Nxc6 Qxc6 9.O-O-O b4 10.Nd5 exd5 11.exd5 Qb7 12.Bd4
d6 13.Bd3 Ne7 14.Rhe1 Bd7 15.Qg3 Qc7 16.Re4 f6 17.Rde1 Bb5 18.Bxb5+
axb5 19.Rxe7+ Bxe7 20.Qxg7 Rf8 21.Bxf6 Rxf6 22.Qxf6 b3 23.c3
Rxa2 24.Re3 Ra1+ 25.Kd2 Ra2 26.Qh8+ Kd7 27.Qxh7 Rxb2+ 28.Kc1
Rc2+ 29.Kb1 Qd8 30.Qf5+ Kc7 31.Qf7 Kb6 32.Qxe7 Qxe7 33.Rxe7 Rxf2
34.Rg7 Kc5 35.h4 Kc4 36.Rc7+ Kd3 37.g4 Rf4 38.Kb2 Rxg4 39.Kxb3
Ke4 40.c4 Rg3+ 41.Kb4 bxc4 42.Kxc4 Rg4 43.Re7+ Kf5+ 44.Kb5 Kf6
45.Re6+ Kf7 46.Rh6 Ke7 47.Rh7+ {<strong style="color:black;"> 1-0, Shirov,A – Johannesson,O, Riga LAT 10/ 8/2015</strong> }
)
8.O-O-O Bd7{[#] <strong style="color:red;">This cautious move is the most popular choice amongst masters today. Black prepares to play b5 and will capture on c6 with the Bishop</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Against the immediate </strong> } 8...Nf6 {<strong style="color:black;">White can get good chances with </strong> } 9.Nxc6! bxc6 ({<strong style="color:black;">or if instead </strong> } 9...Qxc6 10.Bd3 b5 11.a3
Bb7 12.Rhe1 Be7 13.Qg3 O-O 14.f4 g6 15.f5 Nh5 16.Qh3 Bf6 17.Bd2
exf5 18.Nd5 Bd8 19.Bh6 Re8 20.exf5 Nf6 21.fxg6 hxg6 22.Nf4 Bb6
23.Bg5 Ne4 24.Bxe4 Rxe4 25.Bf6 {<strong style="color:black;">1-0, Perunovic,M – Ozer,Omer F , L 11/ 2/2017 Portugal Open Rapid</strong> }
) 10.g4 Bb7 11.g5 Nd7 12.Qh3 g6 13.f4 O-O-O 14.Bd4 e5 15.fxe5
dxe5 16.Ba7 c5 17.Na4 Qc6 18.Nb6+ Kc7 19.Nd5+ Kc8 20.Bc4 Bd6
21.Rhf1 {<strong style="color:black;">1-0, Perunovic,M – Vazquez,G , 26/11/2014 Qatar Masters Open</strong> }
)
9.g4{[#] <strong style="color:red;">I am curious: How many times has Shirov NOT played this move when it was legal?</strong>} ( {<strong style="color:black;">The most popular variation begins with </strong> }9.Qg3 {<strong style="color:black;">but Shirov has his own ideas </strong> }) b5 ( 9...Rc8$5 10.g5! ) 10.Nxc6 Bxc6{[#]}
11.g5$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Apparently a new move in this position, but this move seems the most intuitive idea. White prepares his King side pawn storm</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Another good idea is </strong> } 11.Bd3$5 Nf6 12.g5 Nd7 13.Qg3 Rc8 {<strong style="color:black;">but Shirov has other plans for his King Bishop. </strong> } )
Qb7$5 {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Ruck does not want to create an immediate crisis and so increases the pressure on e4. </strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">After the immediate </strong> } 11...b4$5 12.Nd5 ({<strong style="color:black;"> Perhaps Ruck was more worried about</strong> } 12.Ne2$5 {<strong style="color:black;">and if </strong> } Ba4$6 13.Nd4 e5 14.Nb3 Rc8 15.Bd3 {<strong style="color:black;">and White is simply better </strong> } ) exd5 13.exd5 Ba4 14.Qe4+
Ne7 15.Bd3 Rc8 16.Kb1 {<strong style="color:black;"> with a complex and chaotic game, similar to what happens in the game. </strong> } )
12.Bg2 {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Ne7 ( 12...b4 13.Nd5! ) 13.Rhe1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">White has mobilized all of his pieces and is now ready to strike at first opportunity</strong>}
Ng6 14.Qg3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Stopping any Nh4 idea and preparing to advance his f-pawn or h-pawn depending on circumstances</strong>} b4$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">It is now or never.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">An example of how things can go wrong is </strong> } 14...Be7 15.h4$5 b4 16.Nd5! exd5 17.exd5 Bd7 18.h5
Ne5 19.f4 Nc4 20.Bd4 Rg8 21.h6!{<strong style="color:black;">and Black’s position collapses </strong> } ) 15.Nd5$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Shirov would have it no other way! White gets play for the piece and a pawn or two. Not to mention the initiative. Players like Tal or Shirov have a special 6th sense when it comes to the initiative.</strong>} exd5 16.exd5 Bd7{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 17.Bf4+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;">Shirov decides to go after the 2nd pawn.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A good alternative to consider the next time this position arises is to build up the pressure some more </strong> } 17.Bd4+$5 Kd8 18.h4! Rc8 19.h5 {<strong style="color:black;">with a chaotic game. </strong> })
Kd8 18.Bxd6 Bxd6 ( {<strong style="color:black;">Worse seems </strong> } 18...Rc8 19.Bxf8
Rxf8 20.d6 Bc6 21.d7 ( {<strong style="color:black;">Even strong is </strong> } 21.Bh3! Bd7 22.Re7! ) ) 19.Qxd6 a5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black wants to protect his b-pawn before playing Qc7 trying to exchange Queens in some lines. </strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">A very critical line worth investigating is the forcing </strong> } 19...Re8$5 20.Rxe8+ ( 20.f4 Rxe1 21.Rxe1 Qb8 ) Kxe8 21.Re1+ Kd8
22.Bh3 Rc8 ( 22...Qc7 23.Re8+ ) 23.Bxd7 Qxd7 24.Qxa6 Qc7 25.Qa4{<strong style="color:black;">with a position difficult to evaluate.Black seems to be quite ok, apart from the material assymetry. </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">Possibly playable but somewhat inferior is </strong> } 19...Qc7 20.Qxc7+ Kxc7 21.d6+ Kb6 22.Bxa8 {<strong style="color:black;">as the endgame is pleasant for White </strong> } Rxa8 23.b3 a5 24.Kb2
Rh8 25.a3 h6 26.axb4 axb4 27.Re4 Kb5 28.h4 )
20.Qg3{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Shirov returns his Queen and so avoids any forced Queen exchange</strong>} Rc8 21.d6
Qb5!{[#]} ( 21...Bc6 22.Bh3! ) 22.Bd5 ( {<strong style="color:black;">Similar play could follow </strong> }22.Kb1 Qc5 23.Rd2 Re8! ) Rc5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Sometimes it is difficult to decide if the Queen should be infront of the Rook or the other way around. Here Ruck decides on the latter, but it is possibly not the best decision!</strong>}
( {<strong style="color:black;">Not so good is </strong> }22...Bf5 23.Be4! Bxe4 ( 23...Be6 24.f4! ) 24.Rxe4 Qf5 25.Qe3 )
( {<strong style="color:black;">Now the Rook exchange is not so good as before: </strong> }22...Re8 23.Rxe8+ Kxe8 24.Qf3 {<strong style="color:black;">with pressure </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;">The best seems to be </strong> } 22...Qc5!{<strong style="color:black;">tying White down to the c2 pawn </strong> } 23.Rd2 Re8! {<strong style="color:black;">when White must be careful not to fall for some of the tricks hidden in the postion: </strong> } 24.Rxe8+
Kxe8 25.Qf3 Ne5 26.Qe4$6 Kf8 27.Qxe5 Re8 28.Qd4 Re1+{<strong style="color:black;">and game over </strong> } )
23.Qf3 Rf8
24.Re4$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Not necessarily the strongest move, but typical of Shirov: he is continually seeking ways of intensifying the struggle, giving his opponent more problems or opportunities to go wrong at every move.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">To be considered is </strong> } 24.Be4$5 Rxg5$4 25.Bxg6 hxg6 26.Qa8+ Bc8 27.d7 )
( {<strong style="color:black;">Or the simple </strong> }24.Kb1$5 {<strong style="color:black;"> waiting to see Black’s next move.</strong> } )
Bc6? {[#] <strong style="color:red;">With this move Black’s game begins to crumble. It was imperative to keep his Bishop to better control White’s passed d-pawn.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Obviously not </strong> } 24...Rxd5? 25.Rxd5 Qxd5 26.Re8+ Rxe8 27.Qxd5{<strong style="color:black;"> when White will win easily because all of Black’s pawns are vulnerable. </strong> } )
( {<strong style="color:black;">The correct line of defence is </strong> }24...f6! {<strong style="color:black;"> and if </strong> } 25.Qe3 {<strong style="color:black;">then </strong> } Bf5! {<strong style="color:black;"> White would still have to justify his sacrifice </strong> } )
25.Bxc6! Qxc6 ( 25...Rxc6$5 )
26.Qe3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Brilliant! Shirov ignores the ‘threat’ and plans to soon break in along the e-file.It is here that Ruck probably regretted his earlier decision to opt for playing his Queen behind his Rook.</strong>} Rxc2+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">There are only bad choices.</strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Now if </strong> } 26...f5 {<strong style="color:black;">then </strong> } 27.gxf6 gxf6 28.Re7! {<strong style="color:black;"> is crushing </strong> })
27.Kb1 Qc5 ({<strong style="color:black;">If instead </strong> } 27...f5 28.gxf6
gxf6 {<strong style="color:black;"> then</strong> } 29.Re7! Ne5 30.Qa7!{<strong style="color:black;">and Black can resign </strong> } ) 28.Qd3!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Rxf2 29.Rc1! ({<strong style="color:black;">Not </strong> } 29.d7? Ne5! {<strong style="color:black;">and the tables are turned </strong> } ) Qb6
30.d7 {[#]}
({<strong style="color:black;">Perhaps even more precise is </strong> } 30.Rec4! {<strong style="color:black;">but Shirov’s move is good enough to do the job! </strong> } )
Ne7 31.Rec4 Qg6 32.Rc8+{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 1-0
