Sharp Chess Played by GM Alexei Shirov

Samantha212 

| Aug 2, 2015 at 9:32 PM 

| Posted in: Samantha212's Blog 

| 1900 reads 

| 11 comments

Hello Chess Fans,

GM Alexei Shirov has graced the halls of chess for almost thirty years, becoming the World Champion Under 16 in 1988, the World Vice Champion Under 20 in 1990 and earning the title of Grandmaster in 1990.  He has since won many international tournaments and was ranked #4 in the world in 1998.  One of his greatest career triumphs was placing 1st in theCategory 21 M-Tel Masters 2009 Tournament held in Sofia, Bulgaria finishing

undefeated with a score of 6½/10 — seven draws and three victories, two against Vassily Ivanchuk and the other against Magnus Carlsen in the final round.  He was a student of Mikhail Tal who was known for his Firery Play and who mentored him in his Sharp Chess Style.  

On July 18,2015 he graciously taught a class on chess.com to eager students.  He explained that before a "Big Tournament" he spends a lot of time preparing strategies for different lines of attack.  Let's watch GM Shirov show us his moves as he plays on both sides of the Sicilian Defense and shares his thoughts during his tournament games:GM Michail Feygin vs. GM Alexei ShirovBudesliga | ECO: B87 | 0-1

1. e4c52. Nf3d63. d4cd44. Nd4Nf65. Nc3a66. Bc4Alexei said he wasn't expecting this line for the bishop and hadn't done any thorough preparation for it before the tournament. 6... e6He strengthened the diagonal against the bishop. 7. Bb3Feygin drops back the bishop anticipating ...b5 next. 

7... b58. Bg5Alexei wants to complete development but he's concerned if he should move ...Be7 White can follow up with 9.Qf3 - attacking the knight again. 8... b4He pushes the pawn to attack the knight, aniticipating the knight to move to e2 where it would block the queen. (8... Be79. Qf3)9. Na4Feygin moves his knight to an unexpected square instead 9... Be7Alexei continues his development 10. Qe2The Queen supports a pawn push to attack the knight 10... Bb7The bishop adds pressure in the center 11. f3Supports the pawn and strengthens the pawn chain. 11... O-OThe Black king scoots to safety 12. c3Challenges the overextended pawn 12... bc313. Nc3Ne4BAM! The knight picks up a pawn and offers an exchange of pieces. 14. Ne6White sacrifices his knight for a pawn (14. Bxe7Alexei was anticipating this variation...IF the bishop captured e7 14... Nxc3Black would counter with an attack on White's queen. 15. bxc3Qxe7And the pieces would be exchanged )14... fe615. Be7The bishops exchange 15... Qe7(15... Nxc3Black can't play this move now because of a check by the queen 16. Qxe6+The Black

queen would have been lost )16. Ne4The knights exchange and after the dust settles Black is up a pawn 16... d517. Nc3Black has two pawns in the center that he's carefully guarding 17... Nc618. Rd1Attacks the pawn (18. Nxd5IF the knight captured the pawn 18... Qh4+The queen can check 19. g3Qh6)18... Qf6Doubles the queen with the rook and prepares to support a knight move to the center board 19. O-ONd4POW! Forking the queen and the bishop 20. Qe3Nb3At this point Alexei comments that he wanted to eliminate White's bishops, leaving himself with a LS bishop that can become more powerful as the game continues. 21. ab3Rfd8Alexei supports the pawn with the f-rook so that his a-rook could scoot behind the bishop if the queen moved to Qb6 22. Ne2Without the knight threatening to immediately attack the center pawns Alexei decides to push one them (22. Qb6Rab8IF he had originally moved the a-rook to support the pawn, it would have left the bishop vulnerable to a queen attack. )(22. Qb6Rab8)22... e523. f4d4Attacking the queen 24. Qe5Offers an exchange 24... Qb6POW! Threatens a Discovered Attack on the king. 

25. Rd3The rook blocks the pawn's progression 25... a5Alexei opens the diagonal for the bishop to attack the rook 26. Rf2His second rook blocks the diagonal 26... Ba6WHAM! Attacking the rook and skewering the knight 27. Rd4Re8POW! Attacking the queen 28. Qd5Checks the king 28... Kh829. h3The king gives himself some LUFT 29... Be230. Re2Red8White would lose either his queen or rook and Feygin resigned. 

–XfJ#,.@GM Alexei Shirov vs. GM Magnus CarlsenM-Tel Masters | Sofia, Bulgaria | 2009 | ECO: B33 | 1-0

1. e4c52. Nf3Nc63. d4cd44. Nd4Nf65. Nc3e56. Ndb5d67. Bg5a68. Na3b5Here Alexei explains was the first critical moment. This is a well-known theoretical position and it can be continued in two ways. 

9. Bf6Since he was playing against Carlsen and wanted to play sharp moves, he opted for the more aggressive attack, which leaves double pawns on the f-file. (9. Nd5This is considered the "Quiet Variation", which allows Black to defend the bishop's attack with ...Be7 and avoids doubling the pawns. 9... Be710. Bxf6Bxf611. c4This move creates counterplay on the queenside with the intent to recapture with the knight. )9... gf610. Nd5Now, the knight settles onto his outpost on d5. 10... Bg711. Bd3Ne7Carlsen isn't fighting to gain control of the center immediately. Instead he opts to exchange White's very active knight to leave him with a dim knight on the rim. 12. Ne7Qe713. c4Counters on the queenside to open it up for his knight 13... f5BAM! With the knight gone, Carlsen pushes the f-pawn to counter White's control of the center 14. O-OO-OWe again arrive at a well-known theoretical position. Many players move the queen to f3 here. Let's watch what can happen... 15. Qh5Alexei decided to avoid mainline moves and instead applied pressure on the h-file. (15. Qf3Usual move for this position amongst Masters 15... d5Closes the diagonal. 16. cxd5fxe417. Bxe4Rb8And Black NOW

threatens ...f5 followed by e4 )15... Rb816. ef5e4He said that Carlsen was playing very sharp attacking moves, taking advantage of the Knight's non-existence in the center board. Black threatens to take the bishop and the b2 pawn 17. Rae1POW! The rook stops the bishop's capture with a discovered attack on the queen. But Black can not take the b2 pawn because of the following variation... 17... Bb7Instead, Carlsen supported the e4 pawn with the bishop first. (17... Bxb2IF the bishop captures the b2-pawn 18. Rxe4Captures the pawn with an attack on the queen 18... Qf6Retreats 19. Rg4+Kh820. Rh4h621. Nc2White has a stronger position )18. Qg4Alexei pins the bishop from attacking the pawn 18... Rfe819. cb5d5Carlsen supports e4 with d5. White is UP 2 pawns but his knight is still inactive and Black has 2 center pawns and the bishop pair. 20. ba6Bc621. b3He moves the pawn from a possible attack 21... Kh822. Nc2Be5POW! The bishop blocks the queen from any attack after the pawn captures the bishop. 23. Be2Retreats 23... d424. Bc4Rg8Carlsen attacks the queen and x-rays the king. 25. Qh3Supports both h2 and g2 which are under attack 

25... Rg7Prepares to double the rooks 26. g3Provides some needed defense 26... Rbg827. Qh6Attacks the undefended bishop 27... Qc7Queen defends but this move is a BLUNDER! Do you see why?? (27... Ba8This was the better move to retreat from the queen's attack while maintaining control of the diagonal )28. Nb4Ba829. Nd5Qd830. Re4Carlsen was now 4 pawns behind - and he resigned 30... Bxd5Even if he continued with the following capture (30... Bxg3Or with this variation 31. fxg3Rxg3+32. Kh1Qg533. Qxg5R8xg534. hxg3Rh5+35. Kg2There was no continuation )31. Rxe5

–XfJ#,.@

GM Alexei Shirov (2730) vs. Jan Markos (2565)chT Hon Gp2 | Spain | 2009 | ECO: B33 | 1-0

1. e4c52. Nf3Nc63. d4cd44. Nd4Nf65. Nc3e56. Ndb5d67. Bg5a68. Na3b59. Bf6Shirov plays the more aggressive variation in this position by saddling his opponent with double pawns and opening his king's defensed. 9... gf610. Nd5BAM! Followed by an immediate Nd5 occupying a center outpost. 10... Bg711. Bd3Shirov says the preparation for his game with Carlsen makes him ready for the lines he's

playing against Markos. This game was also played 4 months afterwards. Shirov explains that in the Master world 4 months is a long time and his game would have been analyzed and incorporated into play and his opponents would be ready for his moves. 11... Ne7Offers to exchange knights to eliminate White's most active knight 12. Ne7Qe713. c4Again, to create counterplay on the queenside and recapture with the knight 13... f5NOW Black fights for center control 14. O-OO-O15. Qh5The queen prepares to work with the bishop after the pawn exchange to attack on h7 15... Rb8Moves the rook to avoid an attack by the bishop on the diagonal 16. ef5e417. Rae1POW! With the same Idea, to prevent the bishop capture and threaten a discovered attack on the queen 17... Bb7The bishop defends the pawn 18. Qg4The e4 pawn is attacked 3 times and defended only twice. Up to this point this game is very reminiscent of Alexei's game with Carlsen. Now comes the differences... 18... Kh8Markos breaks the pin on his bishop, prepares to move the rook to g8 and plans to activate his bishop. 19. Bxe4Picks up the pawn 19... Bxb2Also picks up a hanging pawn 

20. Re3WHAM! A very strong move that defends Na3 and threatens a discovered attack on the queen. Shirov said he felt very proud of his next series of moves. 20... Bxe4(20... Rg8Shirov had this variation prepared IF black moved the rook now. 21. Qf3Bxa322. Bd5CAPOW! Avoids the black queen from defending the recapture. 22... Bxd523. cxd5Says it's best to take with the pawn...otherwise, black's b-pawn will capture the c-pawn, creating a passed pawn. 23... Qf624. Rxa3After the dust settles, white has a slight advantage, is a pawn up and threatens to capture a6. )21. Rxe4Qf622. Nc2bxc423. Rxc4Alexei is adamant that you MUST capture this pawn NOW! Otherwise, Black will have 2 passed pawns. 23... d524. Rb4Bc325. Rxb8Rxb826. Nd4Qe527. f6Rg828. Qd7Qe829. Qe7Alexei wants to recapture with the pawn. 29... Ba530. Rd1Qa431. Qe2Rg532. Rb1Threatening to attack on the back rank 32... Re533. Qg4NOW Threatening a mate in one and Black resigned. 

–XfJ#,.@

Shirov and Carlsen competed again a year later and played the same opening.  Alexei was curious how Carlsen would improve his tactics against him and he was impressed.  Let's watch:

              GM Alexei Shirov vs. GM Magnus CarlsenCorus | 2010 | ECO: B33 | 1/2-1/2

1. e4c52. Nf3Nc63. d4cd44. Nd4Nf65. Nc3e56. Ndb5d67. Bg5a68. Na3b59. Bf6Again, Shirov approaches this well-known position with the more aggressive move, doubling Carlsen's pawns on the f-file. 9... gf610. Nd5Bg711. Bd3Ne7Carlsen again offers an exchange of White's active knight in the center board 12. Ne7Qe713. c4f5NOW he fights for control of the center with an f5 push. 

14. O-OO-O15. Qh5Alexei continues with his prepared queen move to the h-file 15... Rb816. ef5e417. Rae1Bb718. Qg4Rfe819. cb5d520. ba6Bc621. b3Kh8It's at this move Carlsen takes a page out of Jan Markos's game and scoots the king off the g-file to unpin his bishop 22. Nc2Bc3BAM! Shirov said he almost fell off his chair when Carlsen played this move. Quite unexpected. Typically the bishop moves to e5, like we saw in the 2009 game to attack the h2 square. 23. Qh3He says, "He's happy if he takes the rook." He would have three pawns for the exchange. 23... Qf6Carlsen simply retreats his queen off the e-file with the intent of capturing the bishop with the pawn. (23... Bxe124. Rxe1)24. Be2Retreats 24... d4POW! NOW Carlsen's idea was evident! The bishop was meant to defend the passed pawn as it pushed forward while attacking the square of the pawn's defenders on e1. 25. Bc4Rg8The rook x-rays the king. 26. g3Defends the g-file from an attack. 26... Rbe8Defends the e-pawn. Alexei shares his thoughts at this point of the game saying he feels this is UNREAL. He has 3 more pawns than Carlsen and Carlsen is not attacking his king and is pushing passed pawns in the middle game where there are more pieces on the

board instead of waiting till the endgame. He says that Carlsen has strong pawns in the center and although he has more material he realizes his position is not better. 27. Rd1Attacks the d-pawn - But Carlsen has other ideas 27... e328. fe3de3WHAM! To create a passed pawn on the e-file where the bishop is defending the queening square. 29. Be2Blocks the pawn from progressing 29... Re4POW! Carlsen intends to attack the queen on h4. 30. Qg2Retreats with an attack on the rook 30... Re7Rook retreats 31. Qh3Re432. Qg2Re733. Qh3They agree to a draw 

–XfJ#,.@Alexei concluded his lecture with a Rapid Tournament Game against GM Boris Gelfand in Odesa, 2007, where he played the Gruenfeld Defense.  Gelfand later went on to play against Anand in the 2012 World Championship Match only to lose on a tie-breaker rapid playoff, where Anand held his title.  Let's watch some interesting attacking lines:

GM Boris Gelfand vs. GM Alexei ShirovPivdenny Band Chess Cup | 2007 | ECO: D85 | 0-1

1. d4Nf62. c4g63. Nc3d54. cd5Nd55. e4Nc36. bc3Bg77. Nf3Alexei says that Gelfand is playing his favorite PET lines that he's been playing since 1985 7... c58. Rb1O-O9. Be2cd410. cd4Qa511. Bd2Qa212. O-OThis is a well-known position. White sacrifices the a-pawn for a strong center, which provides positional pressure on Black. He admitted to no longer playing the Gruensfeld as Black because of its dense theory. He explained that when you play it against a strong competitor Black can FALL with any lapse of memory in its many variations and lines. 12... Bg413. Be3Nc614. d5Na515. Bg5b616. Be7Rfe817. d6Nc618. Bb5Ne719. h3CAPOW! Instead of capturing the rook or the knight Gelfand attacks the bishop as well. Black now has 3 pieces en prise! 19... Bf3Alexei responds by capturing the knight. His knight has no safe squares to retreat to and he realizes he will lose his rook as well. 20. Qf3Recaptures 20... Qe6The queen adds more defensive muscle to the

attack 21. Be8Re822. de7Re7After the dust settles Alexei has the bishop and rook to Gelfand's rook pair and is a pawn up with connected passed pawns on the queenside. A small compensation. 23. Rfe1Bd424. Rbd1Qe525. Rd3a5He realizes he needs to improve his pawn's position and pushes them forward to promote 26. Qd1Bc5Defending his precious pawns - nascent queens 27. Re2Re628. g3Rd629. Kg2Rd330. Qd3a431. Rd2a332. Qc4Kg733. Rd7Qf634. f4Qb235. Kf3Qf236. Kg4h5Black has corralled White's king into a box - He realizes during the game that this could be winning! 37. Kh4g538. fg5Kg6Supports the pawns progression and secures the h5 pawn. The king is TRAPPED and ripe for tactical possibilities. 39. Qc3f6(39... a2Analysis after the game concludes that this move was better with the following continuation. 40. Ra7a1=Q41. Qxa1(41. Rxa1IF the rook captured the pawn instead the following moves were possible 41... f642. Qxf6+Qxf643. gxf6Bd4Attacking the rook and threatening a mate in one. 44. Rf1Bxf6+45. Rxf6+Kxf6)41... Qf4+42. gxf4Bf2#Finishing with a quick mate )40. Rd5a241. Rf5(41. Rxc5Gelfand could have

played for a draw with the next series of moves... 41... bxc542. Qe5fxe5POW! Stalemate )41... Qf4(41... a1=QAlexei says this also could have won 42. Qxa1Qf4+43. Rxf4fxg5#)42. gf4(42. Rxf4If Gelfand captured with the rook 42... fxg5#Immediate mate! )42... Bf243. Qg3Bg344. Kg3a1Q45. Rf6Kg746. e5b5At this point his idea was to run the b-pawn up the board to promote 47. Kh4b448. Kh5Qd149. Kh4b350. e6b251. Rf7Kg852. Rb7b1Q53. Rb1Qb154. Kg4Qe4Despite Gelfand's pawn dominance they're TRUMPED by Black's powerful queen. White resigned. 

–XfJ#,.@Alexei's suggestions to Chess Students:1.Thoroughly prepare your openings by comparing GrandMaster games. 2. Practice tactical exercises.3. Take your opponent out of theory then execute preprepared lines of attack.4. GrandMasters spend no less than 3 hours a day studying lines, openings, and endgame strategies. 

If you're serious about chess, plan on spending 10 hours or more a week on developing your game.5. He stressed that you can't progress as a player if you do not evaluate and study your games afterwards.  It's essential to improving your overall playing ability. 

     

Look for Alexei's big championship in 2016

I hope this has shed some light on Playing Sharp Chess annotated by one of the World's Best chess players.  Look for the next in the series and feel free to send a friend request to be notified of future articles.  Until then....Cheers.