[Event "Biel"] [Site "Biel"] [Date "1995.??.??"] [Round "7"] [White "03.05 Shirov, Alexei"] [Black "Timman, Jan H"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C51"] [WhiteElo "2695"] [BlackElo "2590"] [Annotator "Mueller,Karsten"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "1995.07.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "SUI"] [EventCategory "15"] [SourceTitle "The Art of Sacrifice"] [Source "Russell"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] [SourceVersion "1"] [SourceVersionDate "1999.07.01"] [SourceQuality "1"] {C) When castling to opposite sites what counts is the speed of the attack So pawn sacrifices often occur to win time in the attacking race:} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 $5 {The Evans Gambit. A real pawn sacrifice for development in the spirit of the old masters like Anderssen and Morphy - see chapter 4.} Bxb4 5. c3 Be7 $5 (5... Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O Nge7 8. cxd4) 6. d4 Na5 {[%CAl Gc4b3,Gc4b5,Gc4e2,Rf3e5]} 7. Be2 (7. Nxe5 Nxc4 8. Nxc4 d5 9. exd5 Qxd5 10. Ne3 Qd8 11. O-O Nf6 12. c4 $14) 7... exd4 8. Qxd4 {[%csl Gh8][%CAl Rd4g7] ?} d6 (8... Nf6 {had been played before in Kasparov-Anand, Riga 1995:} 9. e5 Nc6 {[%CAl Rc6d4]} 10. Qh4 Nd5 11. Qg3 g6 12. O-O Nb6 13. c4 d6 {[%tqu "En","","","","f1d1","?",10]} 14. Rd1 {[%CAl Rd1d8] ?} Nd7 $6 {Now Black's king will get realy serious problem. The computer gives} (14... O-O 15. c5 Na4 {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 16. cxd6 cxd6 17. Bb5 Qa5 18. Bxa4 Qxa4 19. Nc3 Qg4 20. Nd5 Qxg3 21. hxg3 Be6 22. exd6 Bxd5 23. Rxd5 Rfd8 24. Bf4 $14) ({and even} 14... Na4 15. Bh6 f6 {[%CAl Ge8f7,Gh8e8] as better options. White has good compensation in any case of course.} {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 16. exd6 Bxd6 17. Bf4 O-O 18. Bxd6 cxd6 19. Rxd6 Qe7 20. Nbd2 Be6 (20... Qxe2 $4 21. Re1 $18) 21. Re1 Nc5 22. Bf1 Rad8 23. Rd5 Ne5 24. Rxd8 Rxd8 25. Nxe5 Rxd2 {[%tqu "En","","","","e5g6","",10]} 26. Nxg6 $1 hxg6 27. Qxg6+ Qg7 28. Qe8+ Qf8 29. Rxe6 Nxe6 30. Qxe6+ Qf7 31. Qg4+ Kf8 32. Qc8+ Kg7 33. Qg4+ Qg6 34. Qc8 $11 {[%eval 0,33]}) 15. Bh6 $1 {[%CAl Rh6f8]} Ncxe5 ({White also has good compensation after} 15... dxe5 16. Nc3 Bd6 (16... Bf8 17. Qh3 $18 {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} Bxh6 ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 17... Qe7 18. Nd5 Nb6 {[%CAl Rd5e7,Rc8h3]} 19. Bxf8 Rxf8 20. Nxe7 Bxh3 21. Nxc6 bxc6 22. gxh3 Nd7 23. Rab1 Ke7 24. Rb7 $18 {[%csl Ga7,Gc6,Gc7,Gd7][%CAl Rb7c7,Rd1d7]}) 18. Qxh6 Ne7 19. Nxe5 Nf5 20. Qf4 O-O 21. Rxd7 Bxd7 22. Rd1 Nd6 23. c5 Be6 24. cxd6 cxd6 25. Ng4 Bxg4 26. Bxg4 Re8 27. Nd5 Re5 28. Qd2 h5 29. Bh3 Qh4 30. f4 Rxd5 31. Qxd5 Qxf4 32. Bd7 $18) 17. Ng5 $16 {[%csl Ge8,Gh8]} ({Even the real sacrifice} 17. Rxd6 $5 cxd6 18. Rd1 Nc5 19. Nxe5 Nxe5 20. Nb5 $16 {[%CAl Rb5d6,Rd1d8] is interesting, so large is White's advantage in development.})) (15... Ndxe5 {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 16. Nxe5 Nxe5 17. c5 f6 18. Nc3 Be6 19. cxd6 cxd6 20. Rab1 Rc8 21. Rxb7 Rc7 22. Rb2 a6 23. Nd5 Bxd5 24. Rxd5 Nf7 25. Bd2 Qc8 26. Ra5 Qe6 27. Bxa6 O-O 28. h3 f5 29. Rb7 Bd8 30. Rxc7 Bxc7 31. Ra4 Qe5 32. Qd3 d5 33. g3 Bb6 34. Kg2 Qe6 35. Bf4 g5 36. Bc1 $16 {[%eval 120,31][%csl Ra2][%CAl Gc1b2,Ra2a3]}) 16. Nxe5 Nxe5 17. Nc3 (17. Bg7 $6 {is met by} Bf6) 17... f6 {?} 18. c5 $1 {Kasparov opens more attacking roads.} Nf7 $2 {Black should not remove his powerful road blocking knight.} (18... Bf5 {was called for.}) 19. cxd6 cxd6 20. Qe3 $1 Nxh6 21. Qxh6 Bf8 22. Qe3+ $1 Kf7 23. Nd5 Be6 (23... Bd7 24. Rac1 Bc6 25. Qb3 Kg7 26. Rxc6 $5 bxc6 27. Qb7+ Kh6 28. Rd3 $18 {[%CAl Gd3h3,Gb7b2,Rb2h8,Rh3h6]}) 24. Nf4 Qe7 25. Re1 $1 {[%csl Ge6][%CAl Rf4e6,Re3e6] ?and Anand resigned as he loses at least a piece.}) 9. Qxg7 Bf6 10. Qg3 Qe7 {[%csl Ge4][%CAl Re7e1,Re7e4] ?} 11. O-O $6 (11. Qf4 {is more precise.}) ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 11. Qf4 Bd7 12. O-O O-O-O 13. Nbd2 Nc6 14. Rb1 h6 15. Qe3 Bg5 16. Qd3 Re8 17. Nd4 Bxd2 18. Qxd2 Qxe4 19. Rxb7 $5 Nxd4 (19... Kxb7 $2 {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 20. Qb2+ Kc8 21. Bf3 Qe5 22. Nxc6 Bxc6 23. Bxc6 Ne7 24. Qb7+ Kd8 25. Qb8+ Nc8 26. c4 Qc5 27. Bxe8 Rxe8 28. Bxh6 Re6 29. Be3 {[%CAl Re3a7]} Qxc4 30. h3 Qxa2 31. Rc1 Qa5 32. h4 Re5 33. Bg5+ Kd7 34. Qb3 Rf5 35. g4 Qb5 36. Qa2 Rd5 37. Re1 Qb4 38. Qxd5 Qxe1+ 39. Kg2 Qe6 40. Qb5+ c6 41. Qb7+ Ke8 42. Qxc6+ Kf8 43. Kg3 $16) 20. Ba6 Bc6 21. Rb4+ Kd7 22. f3 Ne2+ 23. Kf2 Qe5 24. Bxe2 Ne7 25. Bd3 Nd5 26. Rc4 Qxh2 27. Bf5+ Kd8 28. Rxc6 Rhg8 29. Bg4 Rxg4 30. fxg4 $11 {[%eval 18,32]}) ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 11. Nfd2 b6 12. Bb5+ Bd7 13. Ba6 Qe6 14. Na3 Ne7 15. f4 Rg8 16. Qf3 Qg4 17. e5 Qxf3 18. Nxf3 Bh8 19. O-O Bc8 20. Bd3 Bf5 21. Ba6 Bc8 $11 {[%eval 0,32]}) 11... Bd7 (11... Qxe4 $1 {is critical as} 12. Re1 Kf8 13. Bb5 $2 {can be met by} Qg6 $15 {(Cifuentes, Shirov)}) 12. Nd4 $1 {[%csl Rd4,Ge4][%CAl Gd4f5,Gd4b5,Gf1e1,Re1e8,Rf6a1]} ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 12. Nbd2 $5 Bxc3 13. Rb1 Nf6 14. Ng5 Bd4 15. Ndf3 Bc5 16. e5 {[%csl Re5][%CAl Re1e8,Rd1d8]} O-O-O 17. Bd3 Nd5 18. Re1 $14) ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 12. Bf4 $2 Qxe4 13. Nbd2 Qg6 14. Nd4 O-O-O 15. Bd3 Qxg3 16. fxg3 Nc6 17. Ne4 Bxd4+ 18. cxd4 f5 19. Ng5 Rf8 20. Bd2 Nf6 $15) ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 12. Be3 $2 Qxe4 13. Nbd2 Qg6 14. Qf4 O-O-O 15. Ne4 Re8 16. Bd3 Be5 17. Nxe5 dxe5 18. Qg3 b6 19. f4 f5 20. Qxg6 hxg6 21. Ng5 exf4 22. Bxf4 Nf6 23. Nf7 Rhg8 24. Ne5 Kb7 $15) 12... O-O-O $6 {As White's attack always seems zo be quicker than Black's Timman should probably still have taken the pawn with} ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 12... Qxe4 13. Nd2 Qg6 14. Bd3 (14. Qf3 $2 Ne7 15. Bd3 Qg7 16. Rb1 O-O {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 17. Ne4 Bxd4 18. cxd4 f5 19. Ng5 h6 20. Nh3 Bc6 21. Qg3 Be4 22. Bxe4 Qxg3 23. hxg3 fxe4 24. Bxh6 Rf7 25. Bf4 d5 26. Ng5 Rf6 27. f3 b6 28. fxe4 Rg6 29. Rbe1 Rf8 30. Nf3 dxe4 31. Rxe4 Nd5 32. Rc1 Rc6 33. Rce1 Nc4 34. Be5 $16) 14... Qxg3 15. fxg3 Nc6 16. Ne4 Be5 17. Nxc6 bxc6 18. Bf4 Bxf4 19. gxf4 h5 20. Rab1 a5 21. f5 a4 22. c4 c5 23. Ng5 Nf6 24. Rbe1+ Kf8 25. Ne6+ fxe6 26. fxe6 Be8 27. Be4 c6 28. Rxf6+ Ke7 $11 {[%eval -4,31]}) 13. Nd2 Nc6 14. Qe3 h5 15. Rb1 Nh6 {?} 16. Qd3 {Shirov true to his style continues to prepare his own attack.} ({Taking the pawn with} 16. Nxc6 $5 Bxc6 17. Qxa7 Qe5 18. f3 $18 {is playable as well.}) 16... b6 ({White's attack is also more dangerous after} 16... Rdg8 17. f4 Rh7 18. Nc4 Rhg7 19. Ne3) (16... Ne5 $4 {runs into} 17. Qa6 $1 $18 {(Blatny)} bxa6 18. Bxa6#) {[%tqu "En","","","","a2a4","Shirov wants to use his a-pawn as battering ram.",10]} 17. a4 {[%CAl Ra4a5] Shirov wants to use his a-pawn as battering ram.} Kb8 18. a5 {[%CAl Gb1a1,Ra1a8,Gd3a6] ?A typical pawn sacrifice to open roads against Black's castled king see chapter 10.} Nxa5 19. Qa6 {[%CAl Gd4b5,Ra6a7,Ra7c7]} Ka8 $2 {Timman does not have time for this prophylactic measure as his king will also not be safe on a8.?} ({It was neccessary to play} 19... Bxd4 20. cxd4 {first and only now} Ka8 {when Shirov gives} 21. Bb2 {[%CAl Rb2h8,Gd4d5]} Bc8 22. Qb5 $16 {with compensation for the sacrificed pawn.}) 20. e5 $5 {A line respectivly diagonal opening sacrifice.} (20. Nb5 $5 {[%CAl Ra6a7]} Bxb5 21. Bxb5 c6 {[%tqu "En","","","","d2c4","is also very strong.",10]} 22. Nc4 $1 $18 {[%CAl Rc4b6,Rb5c6] is also very strong.} {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} Nxc4 ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 22... cxb5 23. Nxb6+ Kb8 24. Nd5 {[%CAl Rd5e7,Rb1b5]} Qb7 25. Rxb5 Rd7 26. Be3 Ng4 27. Bxa7+ Kc8 28. Rfb1 $18 Kd8 29. Qxa5+ Ke8 30. Rxb7 $18) 23. Bxc6+ Kb8 {[%tqu "En","","","","c1e3","",10]} 24. Be3 $1 {[%CAl Re3b6,Rb1b8]} Rc8 25. Bxb6 axb6 26. Rxb6+ Kc7 (26... Nxb6 $4 27. Qxb6+ Qb7 28. Qxb7#) 27. Rb7+ Kd8 28. Rxe7 Kxe7 29. Qb7+ Kf8 30. Qxc8+ $18) 20... Qxe5 {The alternativs do not help either:} (20... dxe5 21. Bf3+ $18 c6 (21... Bc6 22. Nxc6 Nxc6 23. Bxc6+ Kb8 24. Qb7#) (21... Nc6 22. Nxc6 Bxc6 23. Bxc6+ Kb8 24. Qb7#) (21... Kb8 {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 22. Qxa5 ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 22. Ra1 $1 {[%CAl Ra1a5,Ga6b7]} Bc8 23. Qxa5 bxa5 24. Nc6+ Ka8 {[%tqu "En","","","","a1a5","",10]} 25. Rxa5 {[%CAl Ra5a7]} a6 26. Nxe7+ c6 27. Nxc8 $18) ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 22. Nc4 Bc8 23. Qxa5 Rxd4 24. cxd4 Bb7 25. Bxb7 bxa5 26. Nxa5 c5 27. Nc6+ Kc7 28. Nxe7 Bxe7 29. Be4 $18) 22... Qe8 {[%tqu "En","","","","b1b6","",10]} 23. Rxb6+ $3 {[%CAl Ga5a6]} cxb6 24. Qd5 {[%CAl Gd5b7]} Bc6 25. Nxc6+ Kc7 26. Nxd8 Qd7 27. Qa8 $18) {[%tqu "En","","","","b1b6","",10,"c1a3","",0,"d4c6","",0] Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 22. Rxb6 $1 ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 22. Ba3 $5 Bc8 (22... Qxa3 23. Nb5 {[%CAl Rb5a3,Rf3a8,Ra6a8,Ra5a7]} Nb7 {[%CAl Ga3a7]} 24. Qxa3 $18) 23. Qxa5 $1 Qb7 (23... bxa5 24. Bxe7 Bb7 25. Bxf6 $18) 24. Qa4 Qa6 25. Qxc6+ Bb7 26. Qxf6 Bxf3 27. N4xf3 $18) ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 22. Nxc6 $5 Bxc6 23. Bxc6+ Nxc6 {[%tqu "En","","","","d2c4","",10]} 24. Nc4 {[%CAl Rc4b6,Rb1b6]} Qb7 25. Nxb6+ Kb8 26. Nd7+ Rxd7 27. Rxb7+ Rxb7 28. Qxc6 Bd8 29. Ba3 {[%CAl Ra3d6]} Nf5 30. Qe4 Bc7 31. Qxf5 Rd8 32. Bc5 $18) 22... e4 {[%tqu "En","","","","d4b5","",10]} 23. Nb5 $1 Bc8 24. Qxa5 Bxc3 25. Qxc3 exf3 (25... axb6 {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 26. Qa1+ Kb8 27. Nxe4 Ba6 28. Qxa6 Qb7 29. Bf4+ Rd6 30. Bxd6+ Kc8 31. Na7+ Kd7 32. Qxb7+ Ke6 33. Qe7+ Kd5 34. Nd2+ Kd4 35. Qe3# {[%eval 32748,24]}) (25... cxb5 {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 26. Nxe4 Rd5 27. Nd6 axb6 28. Bf4 Rd8 29. Bxd5+ Kb8 30. Nxc8+ Rd6 31. Nxe7 Nf5 32. Qc8+ Ka7 33. Ra1# {[%eval 32752,31]}) 26. Qxc6+ Bb7 27. Nc7+ Qxc7 28. Qxc7 $18) (20... Bxe5 21. Bf3+ d5 (21... c6 22. Rxb6 $18) (21... Nc6 22. Nxc6 Bxc6 23. Bxc6+ Kb8 24. Qb7#) (21... Bc6 22. Nxc6 Nxc6 23. Bxc6+ Kb8 24. Qb7#) 22. Bxd5+ c6 23. Nc4 $1 Nxc4 (23... cxd5 $4 24. Nxb6+ Kb8 25. Nxd5+ $18 {[%CAl Rb1b8,Rd5e7]} Ka8) 24. Ra1 Bc8 25. Bxc6+ Kb8 26. Qxc4 Nf5 27. Bf4 Bxf4 28. Nb5 $18) 21. Bf3+ d5 {?} 22. Nc4 $1 {Bringing in another attacker overloads Timman's defense.} Bc8 (22... Nxc4 23. Ra1 $1 Na5 24. Rxa5 bxa5 25. Nc6 Bxc6 26. Be3 Qxe3 27. Qxc6+ Kb8 28. fxe3 $18 {(Shirov)}) 23. Qxa5 $1 {This is not a real sacrifice of course as Black's queen is also attacked.} Qxd4 (23... bxa5 24. Nxe5 Bxe5 25. Nc6 $18 {[%CAl Rb1b8,Rf3a8] (Shirov)} {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} Bf5 ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 25... Bb7 26. Nxe5 f6 27. Ng6 Rh7 28. Bxh6 Rxh6 29. Nf4 f5 30. c4 c6 31. Rfd1 Rb8 32. cxd5 cxd5 33. Ra1 h4 34. Rxa5 a6 35. h3 Ka7 36. Bxd5 Rd6 37. Rda1 Rbd8 38. Ne6 R8d7 39. Bxb7 Rd1+ 40. Kh2 Rxa1 41. Rxa1 Rxb7 42. Nd4 $18) ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 25... Bg4 26. Nxe5 Bxf3 27. Nxf3 Rd6 28. Bf4 Rb6 29. Ra1 Ra6 30. Bxc7 $18) 26. Rb5 Ng4 27. Nxd8 Bxh2+ 28. Kh1 Rxd8 29. Bxd5+ Rxd5 30. Rxd5 Be6 31. Rxa5 $18) 24. Qa2 Qxc3 {?} {[%tqu "En","","","","c1e3","Shirov directs all his forces against Black's king.",10,"c1b2","",0]} 25. Be3 $1 {Shirov directs all his forces against Black's king.} (25. Bb2 $2 Qxf3 26. Ra1 a5 27. Nxa5 Bh3 28. Nc4+ Kb7 29. Qa7+ Kc6 30. Ne3 $16 {[%CAl Gf1c1,Ra7c7,Rc1c8] is also better for White but not nearly as good as the game.}) 25... Bb7 (25... Kb8 26. Rfc1 $18) {[%tqu "En","","","","e3b6","The decisive sacrifice to open roads against Black's king for the final attack - see chapter 3.",10]} 26. Bxb6 $1 {The decisive sacrifice to open roads against Black's king for the final attack - see chapter 3.} cxb6 (26... a6 27. Bxc7 Qxc4 28. Qxc4 dxc4 29. Rxb7 $18 {[%CAl Rf3a8]}) 27. Nxb6+ Kb8 28. Nxd5 {and Timman resigned. One beautiful sample line runs} Qxf3 29. gxf3 Rhg8+ 30. Kh1 Bd4 31. Qc4 Ka8 {[%tqu "En","","","","c4c6","?",10]} 32. Qc6 $3 {[%CAl Gb7c6,Rb1b8,Gd5c7] ?} (32. Qa6 $4) 32... Bb6 (32... Bxc6 33. Nc7#) {[%tqu "En","","","","b1b6","(P.Blatny)",10,"b1b6","",0]} 33. Rxb6 $3 $18 {(P.Blatny)} (33. Rxb6 {Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} Rg1+ ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 33... Rd7 34. Rxb7 Rxb7 35. Rb1 Rg1+ (35... Rgb8 36. Nc7#) 36. Kxg1 a6 37. Qxb7# {[%eval 32760,245]}) ({Stockfish dev-20230314-f0556dcb:} 33... axb6 34. Ra1+ Kb8 35. Qc7# {[%eval 32764,245]}) (33... Bxc6 34. Nc7#) 34. Rxg1 Rd7 35. Rxb7 Rxb7 36. Rb1 a6 37. Qxb7# {[%eval 32760,245]}) 1-0