[Event "KazChess Masters Almaty 2026"] [White "Smirnov,Mark"] [Black "Shankland,Sam"] [Site "Almaty"] [Round "7.3"] [Annotator "TA"] [Result "1-0"] [Date "2026.07.06"] [WhiteElo "2436"] [BlackElo "2647"] [PlyCount "71"] [TimeControl "60"] {[%evp 9,70,29,18,13,4,0,2,-28,13,0,0,0,0,0,0,-8,31,-7,20,-22,-14,-159,-151,-146,-154,-183,-180,-188,-178,-169,-110,-116,31,44,76,0,0,0,0,0,201,54,325,335,339,344,340,340,330,336,620,607,730,726,754,670,789,772,29994,1003,1027,1019,1002]} 1. e4 {[%emt 0:0:0]} c5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 2. Nc3 {[%emt 0:0:6]} d6 {[%emt 0:0:11]} 3. f4 {[%emt 0:0:15]} Nc6 {[%emt 0:0:15]} 4. Nf3 {[%emt 0:0:38]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:0:12]} 5. Bb5 {[%emt 0:3:39]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:0:6]} 6. e5 {[%emt 0:5:55] B23: Closed Sicilian: Lines without g3.} dxe5 {[%emt 0:0:12]} 7. fxe5 {[%emt 0:0:27]} Ng4 {[%emt 0:0:4]} 8. O-O {[%emt 0:7:6] The position is equal.} e6 {[%emt 0:5:43]} 9. d3 {[%emt 0:5:45]} Ngxe5 {[%emt 0:7:53]} 10. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:0:0]} Nxe5 {[%emt 0:1:30]} 11. Bf4 $146 {[%emt 0:1:49] White sacrificed a pawn} ({Predecessor:} 11. Qh5 Bxb5 12. Nxb5 a6 13. Bf4 axb5 14. Bxe5 Qd7 15. Rf2 h6 16. c4 g6 17. Qf3 Rh7 18. Bf6 {½-½ Geider,F (2365)-Quaresma,L (2471) Jiri Pelikan mem-B email 1997} )Nc6 {[%emt 0:4:1]} 12. Ne4 {[%emt 0:16:58]} Qb6 {[%emt 0:13:19]} 13. c4 {[%emt 0:3:37]} a6 {[%emt 0:3:23]} 14. Ba4 {[%emt 0:2:2]} O-O-O {[%emt 0:0:0]} 15. b4 {[%emt 0:10:25]} cxb4+ $17 {[%emt 0:2:24]} 16. c5 {[%emt 0:5:53]} Bxc5+ {[%emt 0:1:57]} 17. Nxc5 {[%emt 0:2:15]} Qxc5+ {[%emt 0:0:6]} 18. Kh1 {[%emt 0:0:3] [#]} e5 $1 {[%emt 0:2:33]} 19. Rc1 {[%emt 0:2:8]} Qa5 {[%emt 0:3:42]} ({Black should play} 19... Qd6 $19 20. Be3 Kb8 21. Rxf7 Qg6 )20. Be3 {[%emt 0:3:52][%cal Oc1c5]} f6 {[%emt 0:3:47]} (20... f5 $17 {Threatens to win with ...f4.} 21. Rc5 Qc7 )21. Rc5 $14 {[%emt 0:1:24][%mdl 1024] White has compensation.} b5 {[%emt 0:2:25]} 22. Bb3 {[%emt 0:3:19] White is more active.} (22. Qf3 $16 {Bb3 would now be deadly.} Kb7 (22... Qxa4 23. Rxc6+ Bxc6 24. Qxc6+ Kb8 25. Qb6+ Kc8 26. Rc1+ )23. Bb3 )Kb8 $11 {[%emt 0:1:14]} 23. Qf3 {[%emt 0:2:45]} Rc8 $1 {[%emt 0:5:11]} 24. Qg3 {[%emt 0:0:29]} Qc7 $2 {[%emt 0:3:43]} (24... Qd8 $11 )25. d4 {[%emt 0:1:38]} (25. Qxg7 $18 f5 26. Bg5 )g5 $2 {[%emt 0:5:56][%mdl 8192]} (25... Qd6 $14 )26. d5 $18 {[%emt 0:0:24]} (26. Rxf6 exd4 27. Bxg5 (27. Qxc7+ Kxc7 28. Bxd4 Rhf8 $15 )Qxg3 28. hxg3 Na5 29. Rxc8+ Bxc8 (29... Rxc8 30. Bd1 $17 )30. Bf4+ Ka7 $17 )Qd6 {[%emt 0:0:3]} 27. dxc6 {[%emt 0:0:34]} Bxc6 {[%emt 0:0:3]} 28. Rd1 {[%emt 0:2:14]} Qe7 {[%emt 0:0:18]} 29. Qg4 {[%emt 0:0:33]} h5 $2 {[%emt 0:4:45]} (29... Rc7 30. Rdc1 (30. Qxb4 $2 Rhc8 $18 )h5 31. Qxb4 Bb7 )30. Qxb4 {[%emt 0:0:23]} Qb7 {[%emt 0:0:34]} 31. Rd6 {[%emt 0:0:46]} Bxg2+ {[%emt 0:3:8]} 32. Kg1 {[%emt 0:0:1]} Rxc5 {[%emt 0:0:12]} 33. Bxc5 {[%emt 0:0:14][%cal Od6b6] [#] A strong pair of Bishops.} Qd5 {[%emt 0:25:55]} 34. Re6 {[%emt 0:1:48]} (34. Bxd5 $142 Bxd5 35. Qa5 Rc8 36. Qb6+ Bb7 37. Rd7 Rc7 38. Qxc7+ Ka8 39. Qxb7# )Qf3 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 35. Rb6+ {[%emt 0:0:0]} Kc7 {[%emt 0:0:0]} 36. Bf2 {[%emt 0:0:0] Never resign too early! Weighted Error Value: White=0.47/Black=0.77 Loses game: --- Black=2 Mistake: White=3 Black=3 Inaccurate: White=3 Black=4 OK: White=4 Black=4 Best: White=1 Black=2 Strong: --- Black=1} 1-0