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Teimour Radjabov vs Alexey Shirov
Linares (2004), Linares ESP, rd 13, Mar-04
Gruenfeld Defense: General (D80)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Mar-04-04  ctrlaltdel: go timur go!
Mar-04-04  Kenkaku: Say what you will about Shirov's play in Linares, but at least he has the guts to play the Grunfeld in such a high level tournament.
Mar-04-04  chessfected: Sweet revenge for Radja. After being ground down by Shirov in the endgame in their previous game, he has returned the compliment. 41.e5+! was a nice move to force a rook exchange. I wonder if Shirov erred with 66..a3. Preserving the f pawn is more likely to prolong resistance than hanging on to the remote a-pawn.
Mar-04-04  shr0pshire: Ah Shirov is having a bad tourney. Not to take anything away from Radjabov, but this is not shirov at his best. Shirov shouldn't lose these sort of games. :(
Mar-04-04  masig: just thinking out loud..would it have been better had Shirov captured Knight with his rook (instead of pawn) on move 35? that is..35..Rxd4

if
36. Rxd4..then f3xg2!
37. Ke2..Bg4!
38. Kf2 exd4
39. Kxg2 d3
(position in Black's favor as subsequent Be2 takes white rook out of play and black King-f4 captures white e4 pawn)

But since Radja is no patzy like myself, he'd probably opt for this..

35...Rxd4
36. g2xf3 Ra4
37. Ke2 (has white got any other better moves left..probably Rc2 or Ra1?) then black rook to a3!

I'd say Radja was still ahead at this point but with the black a-pawn able to advance without threats plus center pawns that were connected and intact and his King at f4, Shirov has a better chance of defending in the end game

Sep-16-22
Premium Chessgames Member
  plang: 12 Bd3 was a new move; 12 Bb5 and 12 Nd2 had each been played once previously. Shirov was critical of 12..e5 recommending 12..b6 or 12..cxd instead. 13 d5 was an interesting alternative though had Black responded 13..e4 White would have needed to avoid 14 dxc?..exd! when Black would have had dangerous counterplay (15 cxb..Bxc3+ followed by ..Rb8). Exchanging a pair of rooks with 22..Rxd1 would have been a more logical defense. With 24..Nb8? Black may have underestimated 25 Na5. Had Black responded 25..Bxc5 White would have had a large advantage after 26 Bxc5..Rxc5 27 Nxb7..Rxc3 28 Nd6..Rf8 29 Be8. 27..Bxc5 led to the loss of an exchange but White would still have been clearly better after 27..Na6. 37 Rc5+..Kf4 38 Ke2..Be6 39 Rxh5 would have made things easier for White. Radjabov referred to 41 e5! (with the intent of neutralizing the Black king) as the "most difficult move of the game". White would also have been winning after 41..Ke3 42 exf..Kxd4 43 f7..Re2+ 44 Kd1..Kd3 45 Ra1! (preventing 45..Ba4+).

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