AylerKupp: What an interesting violation of many “rules” about pawn captures by Short.a. 4...Nf6 5.Nxf6 gxf6. This is book and played 17% of the time in cg.com’s opening database, so it's not that unusual.
b. 11.Nxg6 hxg6. Short disregards the opportunity to undouble his f-pawns.
c. 12.Qb3 a6. Short disregards the opportunity to double his opponent’s b-pawn, rightly preventing white’s counterplay on the a-file but accepting an additional doubled pawn.
d. 14. Qxb5 cxb5. Short captures away from the center, preferring the semi-isolation of white’s d-pawn over the semi-open a-file and continued pressure on the d-pawn.
And, of course, he wins the game. What chance do us mere mortals have?
But IMO white played somewhat unwisely. 10. Nh4 Bg6 11.Nxg6 eliminated black’s h-pawn weakness and opened up the h-file. Instead 10.b3 intending 11.c4 and allowing castling seemed like a more solid plan, although Rybka4 preferred 10.Nh4 Bd3 11.f4 f5 [+0.45], d=20.
After 10.b3 Be4 11.c4 Qh5 12.0-0 f5 13.Nh4 Qxd1 14.Rxd1 Bxg2 15.Kxg2 e6 I don’t particularly like black’s chances; it seems like white will have a lasting initiative. Rybka4 evaluated the position after 16.Bb2 at [+0.57], d=20, preferring instead 13.Re1 Rg8 14.Bb2 [+0.88], d=20.