chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Alexey Shirov vs Levon Aronian
"Are You Shir?" (game of the day Jan-05-2011)
Tal Memorial (2006), Moscow RUS, rd 4, Nov-10
Spanish Game: Marshall Attack. Modern Main Line (C89)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Click Here to play Guess-the-Move
Given 33 times; par: 101 [what's this?]

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35435 more games annotated by Stockfish]

explore this opening
find similar games 21 more Shirov/Aronian games
PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: If we are missing an important game, you can submit it (in PGN format) at our PGN Upload Utility.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

THIS IS A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE.   [CLICK HERE] FOR ORIGINAL.

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Nov-10-06  THE pawn: <notyetagm> A fork-overload trick?? Wha...oh wait...HAHAHA...poor him.
Nov-10-06  Ezzy: Aronian in round 3 makes one of the worst blunders of his career. He comes out in round 4 and plays one of the the most instructive beautiful endgames of his career! Wow, the chess mind is fickle.

To make a blunder in one round and then hit back with a double exclamation mark move in the next round is just a fantastic demonstration of focus, technique and world class ability.

Superb play and amazing charachter from Lev Aronian.

Nov-10-06  notyetagm: <Ezzy: Aronian in round 3 makes one of the worst blunders of his career.>

Was {24 exd4??? by Aronian really a blunder or did he just want to end the game in style, since he was going to be ground down by Svidler in a losing endgame?

Nov-10-06  crazy monk: <notyetagm> blundered, ending like that embarrassing not stylist.
Nov-10-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  paulalbert: Yes,a great comeback from the previous game blunder. In spite of the flak some of the players in this tournament get sometimes on this site, they are all incredibly strong. Leko's g6 today was a nice move, which I'll give myself some credit for spotting as an idea since I tuned into the game around that time, but what was really impressive was the technique afterward to achieve a win.

Paul Albert

Nov-10-06  Confuse: what the heck!!!! nice end game wowowowow.
Nov-10-06  Sannder: I just won a blitz game with a little tactic that I thought up with this game at the back of my mind. No rooks involved, but an exchange and a clever manouver stalemated the enemy king and he was forced to march his pawn to certain death and allow me to promote and checkmate.
Nov-10-06  dehanne: Respect for Shirov, who rather goes for the win than settle for a draw.

Hear that, Leko.

Nov-10-06  Sannder: My thanks to Aronian:)
Nov-10-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Gypsy: Nice zugzwang theme. And it does help to know the classics: J A Corral Blanco vs Capablanca, 1901.
Nov-10-06  Tomlinsky: <dehanne: Respect for Shirov, who rather goes for the win than settle for a draw.>

Ditto. This tournament has been a nice playground for the Shirov Spanish and he has been a bit more himself, although some way to go yet.

Good stuff from both players and especially Aronian for proving his point. I'm enjoying this tournament a lot.

Nov-10-06  slomarko: i dont know why is everybody giving 48 ... Ke8 two exlamation marks. i was watching the game and saw it after 46.h7
Nov-10-06  veigaman: quite similar the end to this game: J A Corral Blanco vs Capablanca, 1901
Nov-10-06  vaxel: Incredible game by Aronian! I'm speechless.
Nov-10-06  Marmot PFL: In the daily puzzle this zugzwang idea would not be hard to find. Also since I was 1800 I understood the danger of getting the king trapped on the rook file in this type ending and the whole plan starting with 38.Kh4 looks bad. Maybe he is much worse/losing anyway but trading pawns must be better.
Nov-10-06  DUS: <Keshishian: I couldn't agree more, especially with the endgame technique. Very instructional game with sharp tactics. Well played, Levon!!>

Haven't seen long time your nice postings, but now they are coming again. I don't know much chess, but was able completely understand this endgame and I think chess people will still talk on it.

Nov-10-06  DUS: <vaxel: Incredible game by Aronian! I'm speechless.>

Congratulations to you too! This was such nice day for all of us, for all chess funs.

Nov-10-06  DUS: <sheaf: aronian must have seen 48.. Ke8 while playing 43..Ke6, which shirov obviously missed.. and i think a lot of others must have missed... shirov must have been confident at the time of sac that he is winning but aronian saw the magnificant 48..Ke8 which leaves white with no choice but to resign... >

<sheaf> I think this is the reality, an excellent analysis of that portion of the game. Thank you! And the game of Pono you have mentioned was brilliant too.

Nov-10-06  shintaro go: Two things: 1) Leko won against Gelfand and 2) by allowing the Marshall, you pretty much give up on winning the game as White.
Nov-11-06  Keshishian: <DUS: Haven't seen long time your nice postings, but now they are coming again.>

I came out everytime my favorite players come out and dominate, like Aronian did yesterday.

But thank you for a welcome. I probably missed a lot of arguments, but it's probably for the best...

How have you been?

Nov-11-06  acirce: <1) Leko won against Gelfand and 2) by allowing the Marshall, you pretty much give up on winning the game as White.>

3) Shirov went straight for the draw as White in game 1 (theory and Fritz say forced draw, Shirov forced the draw), 4) Lékó played aggressively in game 2, etc. But preconceived stereotypes will prevail no matter what actually takes place on the board.

I disagree about 2) though even though the Marshall is pretty drawish.

Nov-11-06  percyblakeney: <preconceived stereotypes will prevail no matter what actually takes place on the board>

I think Leko's reputation as more drawish than Shirov is based on results from many years back and won't change quickly. From year 2000 it looks like this in draw percentage:

2000:
Leko 72%
Shirov 43%

2001:
Leko 83%
Shirov 47%

2002:
Leko 61%
Shirov 48%

2003:
Leko 65%
Shirov 46%

2004:
Leko 78%
Shirov 56%

2005:
Leko 67%
Shirov 44%

Then something happens with Shirov's draw percentage this year and they are closer than ever, Leko with 66% and Shirov with 63% this far. So if things go on like in 2006 rather than as in previous years, more people will probably complain about Shirov's short draws...

Nov-11-06  acirce: Many draws doesn't mean you "settle for the draw" rather than "go for the win" either, it's got to do with many things including style and level of opposition. As far as short draws go, they are a small minority for Lékó as well as Shirov, although Lékó has a slightly higher frequency since 2000, and I never understood why people focus so much on the exceptions.
Nov-11-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Peligroso Patzer: <paulalbert: <notyetagm> and <Peligroso Patzer> I just got back from my run and when I saw how this game had ended I recognized it also as a study I had solved and shown to my chess group about six months ago. I think I got it from the TrainingBot exercises on ICC. Assuming it is a composed study, not from a real game as here, do you know its origins ? I don't have the Flear book. Does he give any citations? Paul Albert> Flear's book (Starting Out: Pawn Endgames, p. 54, Diagram #10) does not give a source for the position. It has the look and feel of a study, rather than a position from an actual game, but who knows?
Nov-11-06  DUS: <Keshishian> Thanks! How are you? It is great that we can follow nice chess games, in particular yesterday's great game of Aronian. You are right, missing a lot of arguments and discussions here is probably for the best.
Jump to page #    (enter # from 1 to 4)
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC