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Shirov 
Photo courtesy of Eric Schiller.  
Alexey Shirov
Number of games in database: 2,686
Years covered: 1983 to 2013
Last FIDE rating: 2708
Highest rating achieved in database: 2755
Overall record: +816 -349 =943 (61.1%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games
      Based on games in the database; may be incomplete.
      578 exhibition games, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 Sicilian (392) 
    B90 B33 B42 B30 B47
 Ruy Lopez (213) 
    C67 C84 C92 C80 C95
 Sicilian Najdorf (125) 
    B90 B96 B92 B97 B94
 French Defense (113) 
    C11 C02 C10 C18 C00
 Ruy Lopez, Closed (107) 
    C84 C92 C95 C89 C96
 Caro-Kann (86) 
    B12 B17 B19 B18 B10
With the Black pieces:
 Sicilian (277) 
    B33 B90 B62 B30 B22
 Ruy Lopez (155) 
    C78 C88 C69 C77 C99
 Slav (147) 
    D15 D12 D11 D10 D13
 Semi-Slav (139) 
    D45 D47 D44 D43 D48
 King's Indian (124) 
    E97 E63 E92 E81 E60
 Grunfeld (58) 
    D85 D86 D87 D97 D80
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Shirov vs J Lapinski, 1990 1-0
   Topalov vs Shirov, 1998 0-1
   Kramnik vs Shirov, 1994 0-1
   Gelfand vs Shirov, 2007 0-1
   Shirov vs A Hauchard, 1990 1-0
   Shirov vs Radjabov, 2004 1-0
   Kramnik vs Shirov, 1998 0-1
   Kamsky vs Shirov, 1993 0-1
   J Elbilia vs Shirov, 1993 0-1
   Ivanchuk vs Shirov, 2009 0-1

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: [what is this?]
   FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (2000)
   FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (2001)

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   Linares (1994)
   Linares (1998)
   Sarajevo (2000)
   Superstars Hotel Bali (2002)
   Russia vs The Rest of the World (2002)
   Spanish Championships (2002)
   XXXIV Bosnia (2004)
   Canadian Open (2005)
   European Club Cup (2007)
   World Chess Cup (2007)
   Canadian Open (2009)
   World Cup (2009)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   Match Shirov! by amadeus
   Fire on the Board by Alexey Shirov by suenteus po 147
   Guess-the-Move Chess: 1990-1999 (Part 3) by Anatoly21
   Shirov miniatures by morphynoman2
   Fire on Board, part II. by 810609
   Exchange sacs - 3 by obrit
   Shirov Crushing Kramnik by Conde de Montecristo

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Alexey Shirov
Search Google for Alexey Shirov
FIDE player card for Alexey Shirov


ALEXEY SHIROV
(born Jul-04-1972) Latvia

[what is this?]
Alexey Dmitrievich Shirov was born in Riga, Latvia. He became the World Champion (under 16) in 1988, the World Vice-Champion (under 20) in 1990, and achieved the title of International Grandmaster in 1992. His aggressive and imaginative style has made him one of the crowd favorites throughout his career. Shirov is the winner of numerous international tournaments: Biel 1991, Madrid 1997 (shared first place with Veselin Topalov), Ter Apel 1997, Monte Carlo 1998, Merida 2000, just to name a few. In 1998 he defeated Vladimir Kramnik in a ten-game match that was intended to select a challenger for World Champion Garry Kasparov. Unfortunately, the plans for the Kasparov match were squelched when sufficient financial backing could not be found. Spanish champion in 2002. In 2009 he won the M-Tel Masters (2009) with a performance rating of 2864. Qualifying for the World Cup (2011) because of his high rating, Shirov defeated Mexican GM Manuel Leon Hoyos in the first round, but unexpectedly lost to Vladimir Potkin in the second round. Also in 2011 he helped his team Gros Xake Taldea to victory in the Spanish League. In 2012, he won the round robin Buenos Aires Masters (2012) by a clear point ahead of outright second place-getter Ruben Felgaer.

In 1994 Alexey married an Argentine Verónica Alvarez, moved to Tarragona, and became a citizen of Spain. He is now married to Russian WIM Olga Dolgova after previously being married to Lithuanian GM Victoria Cmilyte and is again playing for Latvia, where he is that country's top player.

Live rating: http://www.2700chess.com/ Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexei...


 page 1 of 108; games 1-25 of 2,686  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves Year Event/LocaleOpening
1. Shirov vs V Zhuravliov 1-025 1983 RigaC10 French
2. Shirov vs S Petrenko 1-034 1984 USSRB78 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 10.castle long
3. Shirov vs Ozolinsh 0-132 1985 Riga (Latvia)C29 Vienna Gambit
4. I Jakobson vs Shirov  0-132 1985 Riga (Latvia)B90 Sicilian, Najdorf
5. Shirov vs E Vitolinsh 0-138 1985 Riga (Latvia)B99 Sicilian, Najdorf, 7...Be7 Main line
6. Y A Saksis vs Shirov 0-137 1985 Riga (Latvia)B99 Sicilian, Najdorf, 7...Be7 Main line
7. Shirov vs M Golubev  ½-½38 1985 YurmalaB76 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack
8. Shirov vs J Petkevich  0-122 1985 Riga (Latvia)C03 French, Tarrasch
9. Shirov vs M Golubev  ½-½38 1985 URSB76 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack
10. Shirov vs D Burmenko  0-139 1986 Sochi (Russia)C15 French, Winawer
11. I Rausis vs Shirov 0-125 1986 Ch LatviaB02 Alekhine's Defense
12. Shirov vs Kamsky 1-039 1986 Sochi (Russia)C69 Ruy Lopez, Exchange, Gligoric Variation, 6.d4
13. Shirov vs J Klovans 0-125 1986 Ch LatviaC55 Two Knights Defense
14. Kasparov vs Shirov ½-½44 1986 URSA34 English, Symmetrical
15. Lutsko vs Shirov  0-130 1986 Riga (Latvia)A15 English
16. Shirov vs Shabalov  ½-½26 1986 ?B03 Alekhine's Defense
17. Ulibin vs Shirov  ½-½42 1986 Kapsukas jrC78 Ruy Lopez
18. Shirov vs Akopian  ½-½28 1986 Sochi (Russia)A45 Queen's Pawn Game
19. Shirov vs A Vitolinsh 0-155 1986 Riga (Latvia)A45 Queen's Pawn Game
20. Shirov vs Sakaev 1-035 1986 Sochi (Russia)D00 Queen's Pawn Game
21. Shirov vs V Zhuravliov 1-032 1986 Riga (Latvia)A80 Dutch
22. A Vitolinsh vs Shirov 0-124 1987 RigaC78 Ruy Lopez
23. Shirov vs Kamsky 1-029 1987 KapsukasD44 Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav
24. Gelfand vs Shirov 1-039 1987 RigaC78 Ruy Lopez
25. Smirin vs Shirov  ½-½54 1987 RigaC78 Ruy Lopez
 page 1 of 108; games 1-25 of 2,686  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Shirov wins | Shirov loses  
 

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 51 OF 51 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Nov-23-11  Layson: It has been reported from Susan Polgar (from e3e5.com, but I can't read russian) that Shirov has transferred chess federation and has returned to his homeland, Latvia, where he now again resides.
Nov-23-11  polarmis: He's been living in Latvia for years, it seems, but yes, he's switching on 1 January. I put up a quick story about it when it was first revealed a month ago: http://whychess.org/node/2609
Nov-23-11
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: Could Spain have run out of money to sponsor/stipend such talented players, so he is cutting some expenses by moving back to his homeland? Just guessing.
Jan-09-12  timhortons: <shirov spot the mate in 12>

Shirov,A - Fedoseev,V, XXI Paul Keres Memorial Main Tournament 2012


click for larger view

1. (#12): 34.Qe6+

Jan-09-12  timhortons: shirov is playing in keres memorial.
Jan-21-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  ketchuplover: He'll be in Toronto on 2-27-12 giving a lecture & exhibition
Jan-26-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  SuperPatzer77: He divorced twice from first wife Veronica Alvarez from Argentina and second wife Olga Dolgova from Russia. He is now married to his third wife - Lithuanian GM Victoria Cmilyte. Now he represents Latvia. Wow - he married and divorced. I don't know if he's a womanizer.

SuperPatzer77

Jan-27-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Shams: <SuperPatzer77> Shirov and Victoria Cmilyte split up years ago. She is now with Peter Heine Nielsen. As for Shirov, as of two years ago he was dating this woman:

http://www.chessbase.com/espanola/n...

Jan-30-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  waustad: He is not listed as Spanish at Gibraltar. FIDE again lists him as Latvian.
Feb-07-12  Calar: Games from Lublin tournament are uploaded:

3rd Lublin GM (2011)

Feb-29-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eggman: Super GM Shirov gave a simultaneous exhibition at the Annex Chess Club in Toronto this past Monday night, alternating with the White and Black pieces, and ceded but a single draw in 27 games! Most impressive.
Mar-07-12  Penguincw: A rare event: A person playing black and giving a simul.

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail...

Mar-07-12  frogbert: not as rare as one might think; i've seen multiple ims and gms not being particularly strict about getting white in every game as long as the simul isn't extremely "serious". gm carlsen has offered simul opponents to play white for instance.
Mar-07-12  Penguincw: Let's just say, they have an option, but most prefer the first move.
Mar-08-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eggman: From Penguicw's link above: << ... Alexei Shirov is willing (a) to take the black side of as many boards as the participants want; and (b) to do a four-hour lecture with his opponents on their games after the event is over.>>

(b) makes me want to move to Ottawa! In the Toronto simul, which started just before 8pm, there of course wasn't time for such analysis. Fantastic stuff.

Mar-10-12  Penguincw: Shirov shows how you beat the Berlin.

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail...

May-28-12  ConLaMismaMano: Shirov participating at the "Magistral Ciudad de Buenos Aires" in Argentina. First round already played, he beat GM Flores with the black pieces.

Official site: http://www.magistralajedrezbsas.com/

Jul-04-12  LoveThatJoker: Happy 40th Birthday, GM Shirov!!

LTJ

Jul-04-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  talisman: Happy birthday Alexei! born on the 4th of July. Born free!
Jan-22-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  waustad: On the broadcast and on chessbomb, they had Shirov losing in the first round of Gibtel. Now some are saying on chessbomb that the nice game by black there was really Bird-Navara and Shirov won his game. On the results page Shirov won. http://www.gibraltarchesscongress.c...
Apr-25-13  Just Another Master: The only man to crush his WC Candidates opponent and never play for the title...Despicable....A Shirov-Kaspy match might have been one of, if the most exciting ever, sure couldn't have been more boring than Kaspy vs the man Shirov demolished.
Apr-25-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <SuperPatzer77: ....Wow - (Shirov) married and divorced (thrice). I don't know if he's a womanizer.>

Nice try at a strawman, but I hate ta break it ta ya: being thrice married and divorced does not necessarily imply being a womaniser.

How much more ill-judged a comment can you make without knowing someone, and in any case, why do you consider it your business?

Apr-25-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <JAM> In such a match, Shirov might even have managed a feat which he was signally unable to accomplish vs Kasparov in their tournament encounters: win a game outright.
Apr-25-13  Just Another Master: If they played a match who knows...thats why they play the games
May-05-13  The Last Straw: http://www.365chess.com/players/Ale...

:)

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