Sokolov vs. Shirov
France Team Ch 1994
Modern Defense
1 e4 g6 2 Nc3 Bg7 3 f4 A very unusual move. Black can, of course transpose to the
Sicilian with 3…c5m but Shirov pursues an independent course. 3…c6 4
Qf3?!
After 4 Qf3?!
This is inaccurate; the aim is to prevent …d5, but it turns out
that Black can play it in any case. In return for the pawn, Black obtains a
dangerous lead in development. 4 Bc4 d5 5 exd5 b5 6 Bb3 b4 7 Nce2 cxd5 is also
good for Black, but 4 g3 d5 5 Bg2 would have been a better chance. 4…d5! Equalizing
immediately. 5 d3 5 exd5 Nf6 6 dxc6 (6 Bc4 0-0 7 Nge2 Bg4 8
Qg3 b5 9 Bb3 b4 is awkward for White) 6…Nxc6 7 Bb5 Bd7 8 Bxc6 Bxc6 gives Black
excellent play for the pawn. 5…Nf6 6 h3 This non-developing
move is perhaps a little slow. 6 e5 Ng4 7 h3 Nh6 8 g4 f6, with an unclear
position, would have been more active. 6…e5!
After 6...e5!
Black opens the position to
exploits his lead in development. 7 f5 A double-edged move,
which allows Black to take the command of the centre. 7 fxe5 is safer, and
after 7…dxe4 (7…Nfd7 8 d4 c5 9 Be3 is less clear, since 9…cxd4 10 Bxd4 Nc6?
fails to 11 e6) 8 Nxe4 (8 dxe4 Nfd7 slightly favours Black) 8…Nxe4 9 Qxe4 Bf5
10 Qe2 Qa5+ 11 Bd2 Qxe5 an equal endgame arises. 7…gxf5 8 exf5 0-0 If
White had time, the advance of his g-pawn would give him a crushing attack, but
his own king is exposed. 9 Nge2? Too casual. Having committed
himself to the kingside attack, White should have pushed ahead without delay. 9
g4 e4 10 Qg2 is unclear after 10…Re8 11 d4 c5 12 g5 Nfd7 13 Nxd5 or 10…exd3 11
Bxd3 Re8+ 12 Nge2 d4 13 Nd1. 9…e4!
After 9...e4!
Seizing the
initiative. 10 Qf2 10 dxe4 dxe4 11 Nxe4 Nxe4 12 Qxe4 Re8 13
Qf3 Nd7 is very good for Black. 10…exd3 11 cxd3 Re8 Threatening
12…d4. 12 Kd1 White is in trouble whatever he plays. There is
now no time for12 g4, e.g. 12…d4 13 Nd1 Nd5 14 g5 Qa5+ 15 Bd2 Nb4 winning for
Black. Also after12 d4 c5! 13 Be3 cxd4 14 Bxd4 Nc6 15 0-0-0 Nxd4 16 Nxd4 Ne4 17
Nxe4 Rxe4 White’s position is crumbling. Finally, 12 Be3 Bxf5 wins a pawn while
retaining the initiative. 12…Nbd7?
After 12...Nbd7?
This lets White back in the
game. Shirov points out that 12…c5! is stronger; for example, 13 Qxc5 (or else
13…d4) 13…Bxf5 14 Nd4 (14 Bg5? Nfd7! 15 Bxd8 Nxc5 wins material) 14...Bg6 with
a large advantage for Black. 13 g4 Ne5 14 Ng3 White has
managed to glue his position back together, and threatens to resume his
kingside pawn advance. 14…d4 15 Nce4 Nd5 16 Rh2? Too slow. 16
Nh5! Was the only chance. After 16…Nc4! 17 Bg5 (17 dxc4? Ne3+ 18 Kd2 Rxe4 is
good for Black) 17…Nce3+ 18 Kc1 Qa5 the position is roughly balanced. 16…b6 Preparing
to take aim at the weak d3-pawn. 17 Nh5 Ba6 18 Qxd4 18 Bg5
loses to 18,,,f6 19 Bh4 Nxd3, while 18 Nxg7 Kxg7 19 Qxd4 c5 leads to disaster
along the d-file. 18…Bh8!
After 18...Bh8!
Quite suddenly White is lost. 19 f6 Or 19 Bg5
Nf3! 20 Bxd8 Bxd4 winning material. 19…c5 20 Qf2 Nxd3 21 Qh4 Nf2+ 21…Rxe4
also wins. 22 Kc2 Allows mate, but it no longer matters as 22
Ke1 (22 Nxf2 Ne3++ 23 Ke1 Nc2#) 22…Nxe4 23 Bxa6 Nb4 24 Be2 Nc2+ 25 Kf1 Nxa1
picks up a rook. 22…Nb4+
After 22...Nb4+ 0-1
0-1 Mate is forced
in a few moves; one line runs 23 Kb3 Qd1+ 24 Ka3 Nc2+ 25 Kb3 c4+ 26 Bxc4 Bxc4+
27 Kxc4 Qd3#.
Source from:
GAMBIT: John Nunn’s 101
Brilliant Chess Miniatures (Pages 127 - 128)
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