Democratic Underground - Shirov - Illescas, Magistral, Pamplona

Alexei Shirov
Photo: Rochade Kipperheim (Germany)

Alexei Shirov vs. Miguel Illescas
Magistral, Round 7
Pamplona, Navarre (Spain), December 2006

Open Sicilian Game: Taimanov Defense

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 Qc7 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Be3 d6

If 8. -- Bb4 9. Na4 then:

9. -- Be7 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Nb6 Rb8 12. Nxc8 Qxc8

13. Bd4 c5 14. Be5 Rb6

15. Qd3 d6 16. Bc3 0-0 17. b3 d5 18. e5 Nd7 19. f4 c4 20. bxc4 Rc6 21. Qh3 Nb6 22. Bd3 g6 is even.
15. b3 Nxe4 16. Bxg7 Rg8 17. Be5 Bd6 18. Bg3 Nxg3 19. fxg3 Be5 20. Bh5 Bxa1 21. Qxa1 Kd8 22. Qf6+ Kc7 23. Qe5+ Kb7 24. Rxf7 gives White an extra pawn and fine piece activity (Szczechowicz-Dobrowolski, Lasker Mem Open, Berlicek 2001).

13. e5 Nd5 14. Bc1 Bc5 15. c4 Ne7 16. b3 Qc7 17. Bb2 d6 18. exd6 Bxd6 is even.

after 9. -- 0-0 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Nb6 Rb8 12. Nxc8 Rfxc8 13. Bxa6 Rf8 14. Bd3 Bd6 15. f4 e5 16. f5 Rxb2 17. g4 Qa5 18. g5 Ne8 19. Bc1 Rxa2 20. Bb2 Rxa1 21. Qxa1 Bb4 White's space on the kingside is more than compensated for Black by his activity on the queenside and the overall solidity of his position (Ehlvest-Illescas, French League 1989).

9. f4 Bd7

If 9. -- Be7 10. Kh1 0-0 11. a4 Re8 then:

12. Bf3 Rb8

13. Qd2 Bd7

14. Nb3 b6 15. g4 Bc8

16. g5 d7 17. Bg2 Na5 18. Qf2 Nc4 19. Bc1 Bf8 20. Nd4 Na5 21. f5 Ne5 22. Nce2 Nac6

23. c3 exf5 24. exf5 Nxd4 25. Nxd4 Bb7 is an equal game (Jansa-Ftacnik, Prague 1989).
23. Ra3 Nxd4 24. Nxd4 exf5 25. Rc3 Qe7 26. exf5 Bb7 give White an edge in space (Morky-Horvath, Prague 1989).

16. Qf2 Na5 17. Rad1 Nc4 18. Bc1 b5 19. g5 Nd7 20. axb5 axb5 21. Bg2 b4 22. Ne2 Nc5 is level (Topalov-Anand, Las Palmas 1996).

14. Qf2 Nxd4 15. Bxd4 e5 16. Bb6 Qc4 17. a5 exf4 18. Be2 Qe6 19. Qxf4 Bc6 20. Bf3 is equal (van der Wiel-Renet, Cannes 1990).

13. g4 Nxd4 14. Bxd4 e5 15. fxe5 dxe5 16. Ba7 Ra8 17. g5 Rd8 18. Qe2 Ne8 19. Be3 Be6 20. Bg4 Qc6 21. Qg2 Nc7 22. Bxe6 Nxe6 23. Rad1 draw agreed (Svidler-Vekshenkov, Russian TCh, Tomsk 2001).

12. Bd3 Nb4 13. a5 Bd7 14. Qf3 Rac8 15. Qg3 Nh5 16. Qf3 Nf6 17. Qg3 Nh5 draw agreed (Wang Hao-Khalifman, Aeroflot Open, Moscow 2006).

10. g4 h5!?

It is very unusual in a Sicilian for Black to attempt to counter White's anticipated kingside attack so violently. Usually, Black seeks counterpaly on the queenside. See the first two notes to this game for concrete examples.
10. -- Nxd4 11. Bxd4 Bc6 12. Bf3 e5 13. Be3 Be7 14. f5 h6 15. Qd2 b5 16. Rad1 Rc8 17. a3 Qb7 18. Qd3 gives White a little more space (Barden-Rossolimo, Hastings 1950).

11. g5 Ng4 12. Bxg4 hxg4 13. g6

White is intent on disrupting Black's kingside.
13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. Qxg4 Rb8 15. Rab1 d5 16. Qf3 f6 17. g6 gives White a significant edge in space.

13. -- 0-0-0

Black seldom castles long in the Open Sicilian. Usually, that is where he hopes to launch a counterattack.
On the other hand, this game has developed on very unique contours.
After 13. -- f6 14. Nxc6 bxc6 15. Qxg4 Bc8 16. f5 Rb8 17. Rab1 White has a strong edge in space.

14. gxf7 Rh3!?

An interesting move that suggests that Black may want to force some action on White's third rank. However, Black's other pieces are cramped and cannot yet join the battle.

14. -- Nxd4 15. Bxd4 g3 16. hxg3 Bc6

17. Qg4 Qxf7 18. Rad1

after 18. -- Re8 19. Rf3 Rh7 20. f5 exf5 21. Qxf5+ Qxf5 22. Rxf5 White is up by two pawns.
after 18. -- Kb8 19. Rf2 Be7 20. f5 e5 21. Bb6 Rc8 22. Nd5 White has an advantage in space and an extra pawn.

17. Re1?! Qxf7 18. Qg4 Be7 19. Nd5 Kb8 20. Nxe7 Qxe7 gives White an extra pawn.

15. f5 d5?!

This opens a diagonal for Black to exploit.
Better is 15. -- Nxd4 16. Bxd4 g3 when:

17. hxg3 Rxg3+ 18. Kf2 d5 19. e5 Rg5 20. Ke1 Be7 give Black actives pieces with White's King stranded in the center.
17. Kg2 Rxh2+ 18. Kxg3 Rh6 19. Re1 g6 20. Be3 d5+ gives Black the initiative and the open diagonal after 21. Bf4 Bd6 22. Bxd6 Qxd6+.

16. Bf4 Qb6 17. fxe6 Bxe6 18. Na4

White now attacks the Queen, which must retreat.

18. Nxd5?! Rxd5 19. exd5 Nxd4 20. dxe6 Ne2+

21. Kg2 Qc6+ 22. Kf2 Rf3+

23. Ke1 Nxf4 gives Black an edge in mobility and King safety.
after 23. Kxe2? Qe4+ 24. Kd2 Qxf4+ 25. Ke1 Bb4+ 26. c3 Bxc3+ 27. bxc3 Black mates as follows: 27. -- Rxf1+ 28. Ke2 Qf3+ 29. Kd2 Rf2+ 30. Kc1 Qxc3+ with mate on the next move.

after 21. Kh1? Qc6+ Black mates in two.

18. -- Qa7 19. c3 dxe4 20. Kg2 Rxd4?

The exchange sacrifice turns out badly for Black.
Correct is 20. -- Nxd4 21. cxd4 Rxd4 22. Rc1+ Kd8 23. Nc5!

23. -- Qxc5 24. Rxc5 Rxd1

25. Rxd1+ Rd3 26. Rxd3+ exd3 27. Rc3 Bxa2 28. Rxd3+ gives White the edge in King safety and with the pawn at f7.
25. Bg5+ Kd7 26. Rxd1+ Rd3 27. Rxd3+ exd3 28. Rc3 Bxa2 Rd3+ give White an edge in King safety and with the pawn at f7.

23. -- Rxd1? 24. Rcxd1+ Kc8 25. Nxe6 assures White of gaining a material edge.

21. cxd4 Rd3

This is Black's best hope. He was probably expecting White to reply 22. Qe2.

21. -- g5 22. Be5 Rf3 23. Qc2 Bd5 24. Nc3 Be7 25. Nxd5

Black: Miguel Illescas
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White: Alexei Shirov
Position after 21. -- Rh3d3

22. d5!!

22. Qe2 Qxd4 23. Rad1

23. -- b5 24. Nc3 Kb7 25. Bg3 Bc4 26. Qxg4 gives White a strong edgein piece activity and mobility, but not a winning one.
23. -- Rxd1 24. Qxd1 Qd3 25. Nb6+ Kd8 26. Bg3 gives White a huge edge in mobility as well as a small one in material.

22. -- Rxd1 23. Raxd1 e3

If 23. -- Bxf7 24. dxc6 Be6 25. Be5 then:

25. -- Bb4 26. c7

26. -- Bd7 27. Rf7 Qe3 28. Nb6+ Qxb6 29. Rfxd7 is lights out for Black.
after 26. -- b5 27. Rf7 Bd6 28. Rxd6 Black must lose material or submit to mate.

after 25. -- Be7 26. Bd4 Qb8 27. Nb6+ Kc7 28. Be5+ White skewers the Queen.

24. Rfe1 b5

24. -- e2 25. Rxe2 Bxf7 26. Be3 Nd4 27. Bxd4 Qb8 28. Nb6+ Kd8 29. Rc1 give White a clear attack on the King/

25. dxe6 bxa4 26. Rd7 Qb6 27. Rxe3 Qxb2+

After 27. -- g5 28. Rc7+ Qxc7 29. Bxc7 Kxc7 30. Rd3 Ne5 31. Rd5 Black's kingside pawns will fall,

28. Kg3 g5

If 28. -- Qb6 29. e7 then:

29. -- Qxe3+ 30. Bxe3 Nxe7 31. Ra7 gives Black a threat aganinst Black's queenside pawns and threat against the Bishop (32. Ra8+).
after 29. -- Bxe7 30. Rdxe7 Nxe7 31. f8Q+ Black must lose material or submit to mate.

29. Bxg5 Nd4

After 29. -- Qa1 30. Bf4 Qg1+ 31. Kh4 Qf2+ 32. Kg5 Qf1 33. Kxg4 Qg1+ 34. Rg3 the Queen moves and White continues to hammer Black with 35. Rc7+ winning the Knight.

30. Rd8+ Kb7 31. Rxd4 Qxd4

Black: Miguel Illescas
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White: Alexei Shirov
Position after 31. -- Qb2xd4

32. e7!

The pawn must promote.

32. -- Qh8

32. -- Qxe3+ 33. Bxe3 Bxe7 34. Bh6 Kc6 35. Kxg4 Kd7 36. h4 Ke6 37. f8Q

33. e8Q Qh3+ 34. Kf4 Bd6+ 35. Kf5 1-0

After 35. Kf5 Qf1+ 36. Kg6 Qb1+ 37. Kh5 Qh7+ 38. Kxg4 Qxh2 Black is out of checks; there follows 39. Qd7+ Kb6 40. Bd8+ Kc5 41. Qc8+ Kd4 42. Bb6+ Kd5 43. Rd3+ Ke4 44. Qf5#
El señor Illescas resigns.

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