1 e4 d6 2 d4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 Be3
Question: Are there positions in the 4 Nf3 move order
where White’s bishop doesn’t post on e3?
Answer: It’s rare, but here is one possibility: 4 ... a6 5 a4 b6 (we enter the Hippo, which we look at
later in this chapter) 6 Bc4 e6 7 Bg5?! (I think this move actually hurts White, who wants to provoke ... h6; the trouble with this plan is Black actually wants to play the move anyway, and gets to do so with a free kick on the bishop later on) 7 ... Ne7 8 0-0 h6.
Now White saw nothing better to retreat to e3 anyway, when the free ... h6 move constituted a gain of time for Black in E.Sevillano-C.Lakdawala, San Diego (rapid) 2004. Instead 9 Bh4 Nd7 10 Re1 Bb7 11 h3 was tried in A.Mirzoev-K.Solomon, Cappelle la Grande 2011. Now, instead of castling, more enterprising is to fight for the dark squares with 11 ... g5 12 Bg3 Ng6.
4 ... a6 5 Nf3 b5 6 Bd3 Bb7
Question: Didn’t you say in Chapter One that this may be an
inaccurate move order, and preferred 6 ... Nd7 instead?
Answer: I did, but in a slightly different position, where White’s queen was already posted on d2.
Tiger Hillarp feels that you can play ... Bb7 when White’s queen isn’t on d2, since after 7 a4 b4 8 Ne2 Black’s b-pawn isn’t under attack. Still, I think you are right. An early ... Bb7 may not be bad in this position, but it is however a bad habit! There is no benefit, so why not always play ... Nd7 first?
A new move at the time this game was played. I admit to a fondness for such h-pawn pushes, which effectively radicalize the position.
Question: What is Black’s idea?
Answer: Black threatens to dislodge and disrupt a defender of e4, with ... h4.
More normal here would be 9 ... Nbd7 10 h3 0-0 11 a5 c5 12 c3, and now Black took a chance with the enterprising 12 ... c4!? 13 Bb1 b3 with an interesting, unbalanced game in P.Rusan-M.Marin, Predeal 2007. White’s bishop and rook on a1 and b1 are buried for now.
10 e5!?
The most radical of White’s options. He seeks to punish Black for his non-developing last move, by creating an immediate crisis in the centre and threatening to ram his e-pawn to e6. Alternatively:
a) 10 Bg5 Nbd7 11 Qe2 Nh7 12 Bd2 h4 13 Nf1 c5 14 c3 bxc3 15 bxc3 was R.Todor-M.Schlosser, Austrian League 2009. Now I would go for 15 ... cxd4 16 cxd4 Nc5! (remember this trick – it crops up quite often) 17 Bc2 Ne6 and I like the zany feel to Black’s position, which seems to contain adequate counterplay.
b) After 10 h4 Ng4 11 Bd2 c5 12 c3 0-0 the inclusion of h4 and ... h5 has sharpened the game and didn’t hurt Black in S.Ansell-M.Drummond, Queenstown 2009.
12 e6!?
Desire and pain always walk hand in hand. Shirov’s instincts egg him on to try and refute Black’s previously provocative play, but in doing so he puts his position at grave risk of overextension. A more cautious path lies in 12 Bf4 Nc6 13 Be4, although Black looks okay here.
12 ... f5 13 Nh4
The imminence of the coming clash contours the landscape. Shirov seeks sac targets on g6 or f5. In the Introduction I mentioned that some lines of the Modern are so horrendously complex, that they are actually easy to play, since you basically just guess and pray your intuitive feel is on the right track! We have arrived at just one of those positions.
13 ... Ne5?!
We all assume we are going to hit the bullseye on the first arrow. Black is favoured in the crazy comp line 13 ... Bxb2! 14 Nxg6 Nxe3 15 fxe3 Qd5!. Now White must play 16 Nf4, since 16 Nxh8?? loses on the spot to 16 ... Bc3+!.
Exercise (critical decision): Shirov concocted his grand plan, but
or not to sac? Would you go for 14 Nxg6 or should White hold back? 14 Bf4?
In the arena when the opposing gladiator is doing his best to lodge his spiked morningstar into the base of your skull, that is not the most timely moment for nuance! Shirov uncharacteristically fails to conform to our expectations by backing off from a thematic and promising sac.
Answer: 14 Nxg6! and all bets are off if White embraces the crazy: 14 ... Nxg6 15 Nxf5 Kf8! (not 15
... Bxb2? 16 Nh6! Kf8 17 Qxh5) 16 Nxg7 Kxg7 17 Qe2 Nc6 18 0-0-0 offers White terrific compensation for the piece. In fact, he may well have a winning attack in this position.
14 ... Qd5!
Powerful centralization. The advantage swing to Black. 15 0-0 Nbc6
Also very strong is the line 15 ... Nxd3! 16 Qxd3 Qxd3 17 cxd3 Bf6! when Black’s g-pawn is taboo, due to the pressure down the open g-file.
16 Be4!?
A startling move which, however, fails to dent Black’s advantage. Do you get the feeling that the interpretation of ‘normal’ for Shirov and Azmai is not what it is for you and me?
16 ... Qxe6!?
Black gets a very promising ending after 16 ... Qxd1! 17 Bxc6+ Nxc6 18 Raxd1 Bf6! 19 Nf3 h4 20 Ne2 Nd8!.
17 Bd5 Qd6 18 Nhxf5!?
Shirov tries to edit and revise his earlier decision, and goes for a sac, but this time it fails to reach the same level of potency as the one he had on move 14.
18 ... gxf5 19 Nxf5 Qf6 20 Nxg7+ Qxg7 21 Bxe5 Qxe5 22 Re1
If 22 Qf3 Rh6! 23 Qf7+ Kd7 and Black’s king is safe, due to the ... Rd6 resource. 22 ... Qg7 23 Bf3 Rd8!
Azmai goes for the initiative, refusing to defend with 23 ... Qg5.
24 Bxh5+ Kf8 25 Qf3+ Qf6 26 Re3 Qxf3 27 Rxf3+ Kg7 28 Rg3+ Kf6 29 Rg6+ Kf5!
Black’s king, who looks dead, is partially alive, and about to go zombie on us! To checkmate, one requires attackers, a resource Shirov lacks at the moment.
30 g4+ Kf4
Black’s king is the drunk driver who drives the wrong way down a one-way street, yet his guardian angel manages to keep him in perfect safety from accidents.
31 Rg7 Ne5!
In for a penny ... One must sometimes unleash the forces of hell to defend heaven. Black initiates a multipurpose pawn sac which covers f7 and targets f3. Azmai comes to the realization that pawns are unimportant and stakes everything on his growing initiative.
32 Rxe7
He agrees to meagre payment for his toil. 32 ... Nf3+
Suddenly it is Black, not White, who attacks. 33 Kg2
Exercise (combination alert): Black to play and win.
The alternatives don’t look so tempting either, though:
a) 33 Kh1 Rxh5! 34 gxh5 Nd2+! 35 f3 Bxf3+ 36 Kg1 Rg8+ 37 Kf2 Rg2+ 38 Ke1 Rxh2 wins. b) 33 Kf1 Nxh2+ 34 Ke2 Bf3+ 35 Ke1 Bd5! 36 Rd1 Nf3+ 37 Ke2 Bc4+ also wins.
Answer: Eliminate the defender of the light squares.
33 ... Rxh5! 34 gxh5 Rg8+ 35 Kf1 White’s depressing alternatives: a) 35 Kh1 Ne5+ 36 f3 Bxf3 mate. b) 35 Kh3 Bc8+ 36 Rd7 Bxd7 mate. 35 ... Rg1+ 36 Ke2 Rxa1
When the star witness for the prosecution mysteriously turns up dead, you can bet it is no accident. Two extra pieces should do the job!
37 Rf7+ Kg5 38 Rg7+ Kf4 39 Rf7+ Ke5 40 Rxc7 Be4 41 Re7+ Kf4 0-1 Summary
Keep an eye out for the disruptive idea ... h5 when White’s g3-knight defends e4. Game 10
K.Movsziszian-Z.Azmaiparashvili