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Boris Gelfand vs Alexey Shirov
Tal Memorial (2010), Moscow RUS, rd 2, Nov-06
Slav Defense: Soultanbeieff Variation (D16)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Nov-06-10  Marmot PFL: If black is planning a6 than 34...Kg6 almost has to be bad. Or maybe a6 was bad and Ke6 or a5 better. Anyway it adds up to 2 endgame losses for Shirov, where he is usually dependable.
Nov-06-10  Eyal: Yeah, it seems that Shirov's troubles began with 34...Kg6 - he should have played 34...a6 35.Nd4 f4. Gelfand, in his turn, could have played Rd6+ already on move 36.

Gelfand shows good technique in converting his pawn advantage in the rook endgame. Monokroussos, on his blog, makes the following comment:

<49.Rb5+! Kg6 50.Rg5+


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This is a standard technique and well worth taking the time to learn if you don't already know it. White cannot win the game without bringing his king into the action. Normally doing so gives Black the chance to grab a pawn or two, and then a race typically arises where White's a-pawn will cost Black the rook, and then the question is whether White's king can get back in time to beat the Black passers or only draw. Here, however, with the rook on g5 covering both the a- and g-pawns, there is no race. White's king comes over to the a-pawn and wins.> (http://www.thechessmind.net/storage...)

Therefore, instead of trying to stop the a-pawn, Shirov goes after the h-pawn, and there comes another nice touch by Gelfand on move 54:


click for larger view

Here he plays Kd2 instead of the (perhaps) more natural Kd3 - the point being that this way, after 54...Rxh4 55.Re5, he can meet both 55...Rh2 with 56.Re2 (as in the game) and 55...Rh1 with 56.Re1.

Nov-06-10  kellmano: What's wrong with 55. a6 followed by 56. Ra5 or 57. a7 if the rook is captured?
Nov-06-10  Eyal: <kellmano> To quote Monok. again, <55.a6 Kxg5 56.a7 Rh2 57.a8Q Rxg2+ [I would add, followed by ...Kh4! and ...g5] will be extremely difficult for White to win, if it's possible at all.>
Nov-06-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: thanks, <Eyal>, a nice motif to bookmark. the position looked equal after 29 moves. Did Shirov miss a draw, before getting into the bad R + ppp endgame?
Nov-07-10  minasina: Why not 58.gxh3 ?
Nov-07-10  Eyal: <Why not 58.gxh3?> Because White would have to allow the black rook to reach the a-file: 58...Rh1 59.Re1 Rh2+ followed by ...Ra2 (60.Re2 would be repetition). In the game itself this idea wouldn't have worked, of course, with 56...Rh1 57.Re1 Rh2, because then White has 58.Rg1.
Nov-07-10  el nanes: after the 32nd move from white the positions is 100% symetric and shirov still manages to loose the endgame. Poorly played by shirov. I admire him but this is BS.
Dec-07-10  minasina: Ok, thanks.
Apr-02-14  KingPetrosian: I might be mistaken, but isn't Re5 mate?

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