| Jan-18-09 | | Ezzy: Vallejo Pons,Francisco (2702) - Short,Nigel D (2663) [D37]
Corus Chess 2009 Wijk aan Zee (2), 18.01.2009
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4 0–0 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.a3 Be7 10.Rd1 Qa5 11.Be2 <12 Nd2 is main line. Of the top players, Mamedyarov has played this a few times. It seems to be a British move as well, because The late great Tony Miles and the current British champion S. Conquest have played it. So has Vallejo played into Nigel's hands?> 11...dxc4 12.Bxc4 Nh5< No less a player than Karpov has played this.> 13.Bd3< This seems to be a novelty. 13 Bd6 has been played before.> 13...g6 <Proof that Nigel isn't using hidden electronic devices, (except for the cheap mobile phones he uses which go off without authorisation :-)) as none of the silicon beasts suggest this. GM Short has been playing the Queens gambit declined all of his career, so he knows the opening better than the silicon machines anyway!> 14.Bh6 Rd8 15.0–0 Bd7 16.Be2 a6 17.Nd2 <Threat is 18 Nc4 and 19 Bxh5 >17...Nf6 18.Bf4 <With a serious threat of 19 Nc4 Qc5 20 Na4 Qa7 21 Nab6. So this is the second game in a row where Nigel is making some attempt to get his Queen trapped :-)> 18...e5 19.Bg5 Be6 20.h3 Rac8 <And with development completed, it looks finely balanced and equal. Or so it seems> 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Bg4 Bxg4 23.hxg4 Nd4 24.Qa4?! <Vallejo decides to keep clear of the complicated 24 Qb1 Rxc3 or 24 Qe4 Rxc3 lines. Perhaps by doing so, he drifts into a disadvantaged position.> 24...Ne2+ 25.Kh2 Qxa4 26.Nxa4 Be7 27.Nb6 Rc2 28.Ndc4 e4< The idea is now 29...Bh4. As in his previous game, Nigel does have a keen eye for his opponents f pawn. >29.Kh3 Kg7 30.b4?!< Is it really necessary to give up the c3 square? >30...Bf6 31.f3 exf3 32.gxf3 Nc3 33.Rd7 Rxd7 34.Nxd7 Nb5 <Black's pieces are so active that white can't avoid losing a pawn in all variations.> 35.Nxf6 Kxf6 36.Nb6 Nxa3 37.Rd1 Rc6 38.Nd7+< [38.Nd5+ Kg7 39.e4 Is the engine choice.]> 38...Ke7 39.Nc5 Rc7 40.g5?< Seems a bit loose. Perhaps piece play is the way to go with 40 Rd4> 40...Nc2 <Now black is starting to think about a won game >41.Rb1 a5 42.Nd3 Rc3 43.Rc1 Rxd3! <A long think by Nigel, who was probably calculating his way to the finish line.> 44.Rxc2 axb4 45.Rc7+ Kf8 46.Rxb7 Rxe3 47.Kg3< Vallejo playing on through adrenalin, but he must know he's lost and there will be no blunders by Nigel.> 47...Rb3 48.Rb8+ Kg7 49.Kg2 Rb1 50.Kg3 h6 51.f4 b3 52.Kf2 b2 53.Kg2 h5 54.Kh2 Rf1 55.Rxb2 Rxf4 56.Kh3 <Vallejo's just hoping for miracles now. >56...Rg4 57.Rb5 f5 58.gxf6+ Kxf6 59.Ra5 Re4 60.Rb5 g5 61.Kg3 Re3+ 62.Kf2 0-1Excellent craftsman type display Nigel. The 13...g6 move seems to force white into making wasting moves like 14 Bh6, where you simply move the rook and gain time developing your excellent piece play on the queenside. Fantastic game to play through, with many threats for you to overcome before grabbing the initiative in a patient and classy style. Great game and congrats on a classy performance.
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Jan-18-09
 | | Octavia: thanks <Ezzy> for that interesting analysis. <except for the cheap mobile phones he uses which go off without authorisation :-))> You may like to know that Keti, 1 of Nigel's opponents, is now a GM! The first female to reach those lofty heights in Britain! |
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Jan-18-09
 | | sisyphus: There was mutual time trouble for the last ten moves or so before time control. By the time move 40 had been completed, Nigel had picked up one pawn and was set to get another. Mig has lobbied repeatedly to capture elapsed time per move with game scores. It would contribute a great deal to our appreciation of these fights. |
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| Jan-18-09 | | Ezzy: <Octavia: You may like to know that Keti, 1 of Nigel's opponents, is now a GM!> Congrats to her. A fantastic achievement. Great for women's chess in the UK. |
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| Jan-18-09 | | SniperOnG7: Love it how Nigel Short stays faithful to the classic Queen's Gambit Declined while all the other GMs move onto "greener pastures". One advantage is that it is hard for Short to be outprepped and shot down by homecooking. And the fact that he is able to use it in such style and bring home the point... what more can one ask from an opening? |
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