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Nigel Short vs Luke McShane
London Chess Classic (2010), London ENG, rd 2, Dec-09
Sicilian Defense: Dragon. Yugoslav Attack Panov Variation (B76)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Dec-09-10  Atking: Somehow Black keeps the pawnS. Thus I still don't understand why Nigel didn't take h5 at move 22? 22.Rxh5 NxBe3 23.QxB Nxg4 24.Qh3 Nf6 25.Rxh7+ NxR 26.Rh1 (f1 square is covered by Qh3)
Dec-09-10  pulsar: The position after 15.Qd3 intrigues me.


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Isn't 15...Nxb2 playable? Then 16.Kxb2 Rxc3 17.Kxc3 Nxe4+ 18.Kb4 a5+ 19.Ka3 Nc3 with a very interesting position, where I prefer Black.


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Dec-09-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: Cool Hand Luke! (google it, please)

What might his live rating be?

Dec-09-10  Elsinore: McShane is kicking arse and taking names. <HeMateMe> You have just found the next GOTD pun and game <Cool Hand Luke> Would you mind if I submitted it and took all of the credit?

Newman was a boderline pinko, but a great actor!!

Dec-09-10  tharsitis: <pulsar: Isn't 15...Nxb2 playable? Then 16.Kxb2 Rxc3 17.Kxc3 Nxe4+ 18.Kb4 a5+ 19.Ka3 Nc3 with a very interesting position, where I prefer Black.>

Why not 17)Qxc3?
It indeed looks playable to me though

Dec-09-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: I was just hypothesizing that the younger folks here have never heard of <"Cool Hand Luke,>" a great movie, which still holds up well.

I want Luke and Ellen Page (who I have a crush on) to star in Juno II. I just have a good vibe about it.

Dec-09-10  pulsar: <tharsitis> Yeah, looks like 17.Qxc3 giving up the Queen looks better. The continuation looks forced 17...Nxe4 18.Qxg7+ Kxg7 19.fxe4 and the material imbalance looks favorable for White with Bishop and Rook pairs against Q+R by Black. Still, I'd say both sides have chances here.
Dec-09-10  FISCHERboy: The force is with you, Luke.
Dec-10-10  Elsinore: <HeMateMe> Ellen Page has that 40 year old look thats stuck in a 23 year old body. Another negative; she's Canadian.

Canada: America's hat
Mexico: America's beard

I will assume that you have no problem with the fact that I will "borrow" your pun.. You didn't say no therefore, ipso facto, you're ok with it. That's a contract!!!!!!!!

Dec-10-10  Elsinore: <HeMateMe> On the topic of Newman, you should watch a movie called "The Hudsucker Proxy". Tim Robbins is also in it. It was made in the mid '90s and is a very clever comedy. A BLUE LETTER!!!! Watch the movie and you'll get it.
Dec-10-10  bravado1: The funny thing is that during the post mortem Short seemed to see far more variations, mates, resources and solutions on the board than McShane. Unless Luke knew more than he said this win must be considered lucky.
Dec-10-10  pulsar: <bravado1> This ain't luck. GM Short did not make a catastrophic blunder; he was simply outplayed. If, for instance, Short were winning and suddenly dropped a piece then resigned, then maybe you can say Luke was lucky. Lucky not; Lukey maybe.
Dec-10-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  scormus: <He Mate Me> brilliant pun, sums up his play perfectly.

I wouldnt say Nigel blew the win, more he was outplayed or got lost among the maze of possibilities while Luke kept a clear head. Yet Nigel had chances and there were several moves of his that puzzled me at the time. The Nc4 is thematic for B and Nigel should have got rid of it - it almost invites ... Nxb2 and although Luke never played it the Ns became very influential. I wondered why not 22 Rxa5, after g5 Luke took control with the help of his his tandem Ns.

Dec-10-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  scormus: <Akting> Nice continuation after 22 Rxa5. It looks decisive but maybe theres a way out for B, 24 ... Bh3+ 25 Kg1 Nf7 perhaps?
Dec-10-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: I thought the game was somehow lost after white's 21.h5, which seemed to not be well thought through. If this was the start of a pawn storm/attack, then a forcing variation should ahve been calculated. Otherwise, you just have a ruined pawn structure. This results in 2 weak, lost pawns and the game.
Dec-10-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  scormus: <HeMateMe: I thought the game was somehow lost after white's 21.h5, which seemed to not be well thought through>

I agree, since he rejected the thematic 22 Rxa5, which is the only continuation to justify h5. I'm not certain it was winning, but it was surely his best chance and much better than g5?

He would have wanted to play 23 Qh5, but B easily stopped it and Nigel must have seen that. Did he think there was another winning line (I sure cannot see what it might have been) or was it more an act of desperation? I recall he was already under time pressure.

He perhaps sowed the seeds of his defeat by not playing 15 Bxc4. And as it turned out he'd have been better without g4 - it took up another move, weakened f3 and blocked 22 Qh5.

Dec-10-10  pulsar: <22 Rxa5, > I'm sure you mean 22.Rxh5; I am compelled to correct the minor error after reading it several times already. Please humor me. :)
Dec-10-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  scormus: <22 Rxa5, > Thanks, I meant Rxh5. And in all 3 posts as well, I fear the onset of chessboard dysexila :(
Dec-10-10  Eyal: Short, during the post-mortem:

<I had a game in this line last week in St. Louis - I played against Ray Robson, and it was quite an interesting game, actually. The most interesting point in the game was on move 20 or 21. I played the move Kf2, and my opponent responded in a way that was completely unexpected to me – he said: "it's my move!" And the sad thing was, he was right.>

Dec-10-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  scormus: <pulsar .... Nxb2 line>

Yes, I'm sure Luke nust have seriously consisdered it, and I think most of us following rather expected it. I would not have hesitated in a friendly game but I couldnt judge by looking if it was sound. Surely Luke saw it right through and judged it not the best. I guess Nigel would have already made the same judgement (yes? .... yes!) and so decided 15 Qd3 was OK.

Any move mistakes? No, not this time ;-)

Dec-10-10  banane: speaking of movies Mcshane`s last games remind me of "Lucky Luke", the cowboy who could outshoot his own shadow and lasso a whirlwind!
Dec-10-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: I, too was assuming 22. Rxa5. I kept looking for the finese, the idea of gaining a tempo or some tactical mileiu by not recapturing the pawn. I guess Short thought that the double h pawns were no great value for black.
Dec-11-10  whiteshark: Hilarious joint post-mortem analysis:
pt1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-77...

pt2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YI5...

pt3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7eI...

Dec-18-10  arnaud1959: The position is funny after black's 36th move. Black has 6 pawns in 3 pairs of doubled pawns.
Dec-19-10  achieve: <whiteshark: Hilarious joint post-mortem analysis: pt1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-77...

> Not only hilarious, but fascinating variations as well as thoughtful considerations and reflection are released into the ether... Short is a fascinating person, and his humour is of such quality, that he doesn't have to *try* to be funny; he just *is* funny every 5 or 6 sentences he speaks: the humour's continually there and comes out as a natural consequence... Very enjoyable.

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