Reply #5: Efimenko - Short, Match, Mukachevo [View All]

[Jack Rabbit]

Nigel Short
Photo: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=2164">ChessBase.com


Zahar Efimenko - Nigel Short
Match, Round 2
Mukachevo, 21 September 2009

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Gothic Defense (Open Defense)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2

• For other moves, see Grandelius-I. Sokolov, IT, Malmø, 2009.

9...Nc5 10.c3 g6

• If 10...Be7 11.Bc2 Bg4 12.Re1 then:
• If 12...Qd7 13.Nf1 Rd8 14.Ne3 Bh5 then:
• 15.b4?! Ne6 16.g4 Bg6 17.Nf5 0-0 18.a4 Rfe8 19.axb5 axb5 20.Bd3 Rb8 21.Qe2 Ncd8 22.Ra5 d4 23.Rd1 c6 24.N3xd4 Bg5 25.Nxe6 Nxe6 26.Bc4 Qc7 27.Bxe6 Bxc1 28.Rd7 Qb6 29.Bxf7+ Bxf7 30.Raa7 Ra8 31.Rxa8 Rxa8 32.e6 Black resigns (Khalifman-Marin, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 15.Nf5 0-0 16.Nxe7+ Nxe7 17.Be3 Na4 18.Qd3 Ng6 19.e6 fxe6 20.Ne5 Nxb2 21.Nxd7 Nxd3 22.Nxf8 Nxe1 23.Bxg6 Bxg6 24.Nxg6 Nc2 25.Ne7+ Kf8 26.Nc6 Rd6 27.Bc5 Nxa1 28.Nd4 Kf7 29.f4 Nc2 30.Nxc2 Rc6(Marjanovic-Korchnoi, Belgrade, 1987).
• 12...0-0 then:
• 13.Nb3 Ne6 14.Qd3 g6 15.Bh6 Re8 16.Rad1 Bf5 17.Qd2 Bxc2 18.Qxc2 Qd7 19.Qd3 Rad8 20.Rd2 Na7 21.Red1 c6 22.h4 gives White the advantage in space (Ziatdinov-Mikhalevski, Op, Caerleon (Wales), 2005).
• 13.Nf1 then:
• 13...Re8 14.h3 Bh5 15.Ng3 Bg6 16.Nf5 Bf8 17.Bf4 Qd7 18.N3h4 Rad8 19.Nxg6 hxg6 20.Nd4 Nxd4 21.cxd4 Ne6 22.Bg3 c5 23.dxc5 Bxc5 24.Bd3 draw (Svidler-Jussupow, Budesliga, Germany, 2003).
• 13...Bh5 14.Ng3 Bg6 15.Be3 Qd7 16.h4 Rad8 17.h5 Bxc2 18.Qxc2 Ne6 19.Rad1 f6 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.h6 g6 22.Ne4 Qf7 23.Neg5 Bxg5 24.Nxg5 Nxg5 25.Bxg5 Rd7 26.Qe2 gives White a small advantage in space (Anand-E. Torre, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1988).
• If 10...d4 11.Bxe6 Nxe6 12.cxd4 Ncxd4 13.a4 Be7 14.Nxd4 then:
• 14...Qxd4 15.axb5 Qxe5 16.bxa6 0-0 17.Qa4 Nc5 18.Qc4 Rfb8 19.Ra5 Qd6 20.Ne4 Nxe4 21.Qxe4 Qb4 22.Qxb4 Bxb4 23.Ra4 Rb6 24.a7 Bc5 25.Rd1 h6 26.b4 Rxb4 27.Rxb4 Bxb4 28.Be3 Kf8 29.Rb1 Black resigns (Topalov-Korchnoi, IT, Madrid, 1996).
• 14...Nxd4 15.Ne4 0-0 16.axb5 Nxb5 17.Be3 Qc8 18.Qc2 Qe6 19.f4 Rad8 20.Ra4 Rd7 21.Rfa1 Qd5 22.h3 f6 23.exf6 Bxf6 24.Nxf6+ Rxf6 25.Rxa6 Rxa6 26.Rxa6 Nd4 27.Qa4 gives White a huge lead in space (Adams-Jussupow, Op, Hastings, 1989).

11.Bc2 Bg7 12.Re1 0-0

• 12...Nd7 13.Nd4 Nxd4 14.cxd4 c5 15.Nf3 Bg4 16.Bb3 is equal (Z. Almasi-Korchnoi, IT, Budapest, 2003).

13.Nb3 Nd7!?

• 13...Nxb3 14.Bxb3 Na5 15.Bc2 c5 16.Bg5 Qc7 is equal (Gilg-Schmitzer, Op, Silberpokal, 1962).

14.Bg5 Qc8 15.Bf4 Ne7

• White has a clear advantage in space.

16.Qd2 c5 17.Bh6

• Both sides are feeling craamped and even White, although ahead in space, would feel some relief with an exchange.
• If 17.a4 Bg4 18.Bg5 then:
• 18...Re8 19.Bxe7 Bxf3 20.Bd6 Bxe5 21.Bxe5 Nxe5 is equal.
• 18...Qe8 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.Qxd5 bxa4 21.Na5 Bxf3 22.Nc6 is equal.

17...Qc6

• 17...Bxh6 18.Qxh6 Re8 19.Ng5 Nf8 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Rad1 improves Black's position not a jot.

18.Qg5

• 18.Bxg7!? Kxg7 19.a4 h6 20.Nc1 Bg4 is equal.

18...Rfe8 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.h4!?

• It's just a little too early to think about this kind of move. White should first complete his development.
• It is doubtful at this stage of the game that White could have maintained his eddge in space.
• If 20.Rad1 a5 then:
• 21.Qe3 Bf5 22.Bxf5 Nxf5 23.Qd3 a4 is equal.
• 21.Qg3 a4 22.Nc1 Nf5 23.Qf4 Rad8 24.Nd3 is equal.

20...a5

• The game is equal.

21.a4 h6 22.Qf4 Reb8

• 22...b4 23.cxb4 axb4 24.Rec1 Qa6 25.h5 d4 26.Nbd2 remains equal.

23.Nbd2 b4 24.c4

• 24.Bd3 bxc3 25.bxc3 Qc7 26.h5 Rb2 27.Rab1 Rab8 remains equal.

BLACK: Nigel Short
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WHITE: Zahar Efimenko
Position after 24.c3c4

24...b3!?

• Black sacrifices a pawn in an effort to open lines for his pieces.
• 24...Re8 25.cxd5 Bxd5 26.Ne4 Nf5 27.Rad1 b3 is equal.

25.Bxb3

• This looks like the best way to accept the pawn.
• If 25.Nxb3!? dxc4! 26.Be4 Nd5 then:
• 27.Nbd2 Nxf4 28.Bxc6 Ra7 29.Re4 Nd3 gives Black a more active game.
• 27.Bxd5?! Bxd5! 28.Nbd2 Rxb2 29.Qe3 Rc2 30.Ra3 Re8 gives Black an extra pawn.

25...Rb4 26.cxd5

• If 26.Ra3?! then:
• 26...Qb7! 27.h5 g5 28.Qg3 dxc4 29.Bc2 Rxb2 gives Black an extra pawn and the initiative.
• 26...d4?! 27.Bc2 Bxc4 28.Nxc4 Rxc4 29.Bb3 gives White excellent chances.

26...Nxd5 27.Bxd5 Bxd5 28.Qe3 Nf8

• The Knight is on its way to e6 to guard the c-pawn.
• Better is 28...Rxa4 29.Rxa4 Qxa4 30.Qd3 Qc6 31.Qc3 Qe6 with equality.

29.b3 Ne6 30.Rac1!?

• White uses the wrong Rook. His position remains more secure if the King's Rook or the Queen is used to occupy the c-file while this Rook remains on the a-file to keep vigil over the queenside pawns.
• 30.Qc3 Qb6 31.Ra3 Nd4 32.Nxd4 cxd4 33.Qh3 Qc5

BLACK: Nigel Short
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WHITE: Zahar Efimenko
Position after 30.Ra1c1

30...Qb7!

• The Queen, relieved of guard duty, joins in the attack on the backward pawn.
• The game is equal.

31.Rc3 Rd8 32.Rd3?

• This allows Black to regain his pawn and free his pieces.
• If 32.h5! then:
• 32...g5 33.Rec1 Bxf3 34.gxf3 Nf4 35.Ne4 Nd5! gives Black the active game, although he is a pawn down.
• If 32...gxh5!? then after 33.Rec1 Bxf3 34.gxf3 Rb8 35.Rc4! White maintains the pawn at b3, but the pawn count is level.
• Wrong is 32.Rec1!? Bxf3! 33.gxf3 Rxh4! 34.Ne4 Nf4 when Black wins back the pawn and exposes the White King to attack by the Knight and Rook.

32...Bxf3 33.Nxf3

• If 33.Rxd8 then:
• 33...Bxg2!! 34.Rd3 Rg4 35.f3 Bxf3+ gives Black a fierce attack on the White King.
• If 33...Nxd8!? then after 34.Nxf3 Rxb3 35.Qxc5 the game is equal.

33...Rxd3 34.Qxd3 Rxb3!

BLACK: Nigel Short
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WHITE: Zahar Efimenko
Position after 34...Rb2b3:p

• Black clearly has the better game. He has a passed pawn and is able the c-file, most of the long light diagonal and much of the ranks on White's side of the board with little difficulty.

35.Qd1 Rb4 36.h5 g5

• Also good is 36...gxh5 37.Qc2 Rg4 38.Re3 Qc6 39.Kh1 Qxa4.

37.Qc2 Qc6 38.Ra1 Rg4 39.Qf5

• 39.Qd1 Nf4 40.g3 Nh3+ 41.Kg2 Rd4 42.Qb3 g4 gives Black an overwhelming position.

39...Rf4 40.Qc2 Rg4 41.Qf5 Rf4

• This allows White's Queen to just slip away.
• 41...Qe4 42.Qf6+ Kg8 43.g3 Qf4 44.Qxf4 gxf4 gives Black more freedom.

42.Qc2 Kg8 43.Qd1 Rb4

• If 43...g4 44.Nd2 Qd7 then:
• 45.Nb3 Qxd1+ 46.Rxd1 Rxa4 47.Rd5 c4 gives Black an extra pawn and a clearly better game.
• If 45.Qc2 Rxf2 46.Kxf2 Qd4+ then:
• 47.Ke1 Qxa1+ 48.Qb1 Qxe5+ 49.Qe4 Qxh5 leaves Black three pawns to the good.
• 47.Kg3 Qf4+ 48.Kh4 g3+ 49.Kh3 Ng5#.

44.g3

BLACK: Nigel Short
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WHITE: Zahar Efimenko
Position after 44.g2g3

44...Qe4!

• As we've pointed out many times before, it's not a good sign when one is out of pawn moves. White is out of pawn moves.

45.Nd2 Qxe5 46.Rc1 Qd5 47.Qc2 g4!

• White is permanently out of pawn moves.

48.Re1 Qxh5 49.Qd3

• If 49.Qa2 then Black wins after 49...Nd4 50.Re8+ Kh7 51.Qa1 Kg6 52.Rg8+ Kf6.

49...Rd4 50.Qe3 Ng5 51.Qe8+

• No better is 51.Qc3 Nh3+ 52.Kf1 Qd5 53.Re8+ Kh7 54.Ne4 Rxe4.

51...Kh7 52.Re2

BLACK: Nigel Short
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WHITE: Zahar Efimenko
Position after 52.Re1e2

52...Rxd2!! 0-1

• The sacrifice of the exchange announces Zugzwang.
• 53.Rxd2 Nf3+ 54.Kf1 Qh1+ 55.Ke2 Qe1+ wins the Queen.
• Efimenko resigns.