[Event "Sveshnikov Memorial Blitz"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2025.03.31"] [Round "?"] [White "Poley, Vladimir"] [Black "Shirov, Alexei"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Monokroussos,Dennis"] [ECO "D02"] [PlyCount "82"] [GameId "2162080436129652"] [EventDate "2025.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2025.01.05"] {I don't think the name given in the video for the player with White is correct, so if someone can correct it that would be appreciated.} 1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. d4 Nf6 5. O-O O-O 6. Nbd2 (6. c4 {is the reliable main line.}) 6... c5 7. c4 $6 (7. dxc5 {is the only decent option.} Qc7 8. b4 (8. Nb3 e5 $15) 8... a5 9. c3 axb4 10. cxb4 Ng4 11. Rb1 Bf5 12. Rb3 (12. Rb2 $5) 12... Rxa2 13. Ra3 $11 {This and/or the position after 12.Rb2 is critical for assessing the 6.Nbd2 line.}) 7... cxd4 8. Nxd4 e5 $15 9. N4f3 e4 10. Nd4 e3 $5 $146 (10... Nc6 $15) 11. fxe3 Re8 (11... Qe7 $142 $15) (11... Ng4 $142 $15) 12. Qb3 (12. cxd5 Nxd5 13. Nc4) 12... Ng4 13. Bxd5 $2 {Getting into a wild tactical scrap with Shirov, one of the all-time greats in that aspect of the game, is almost irresistible fun. It's not good for one's results, but how can one resist the temptation? Black is worse or even losing if he doesn't play the next three moves perfectly, and - of course - he does.} (13. cxd5 Nxe3 14. Ne6 $1 fxe6 15. Qxe3 exd5 16. Qb3 $11) 13... Rxe3 $1 14. Rxf7 Bxd4 $1 15. Rd7+ {This is of course what White was counting on, and it wins against every move but one.} Re6+ $1 $19 {The refutation of White's 13th move.} 16. e3 Qxd7 17. exd4 Kg7 18. Bxe6 Qxe6 19. Nf3 Qe2 20. Bf4 $2 (20. h3 {is better, but not enough to make a difference.}) 20... Nc6 (20... Qf2+ $1 21. Kh1 Nc6) 21. d5 $2 {Now White will lose a second piece.} (21. Rf1 $1) 21... Nd4 $1 22. Qc3 (22. Nxd4 Qf2+ 23. Kh1 Qxh2#) 22... Qf2+ 23. Kh1 Qxf3+ {White had clearly overlooked this little two-step by the Black queen.} 24. Qxf3 Nxf3 {The rest was unnecessary, but (a) it's blitz and (b) one doesn't get the chance to play Alexei Shirov every day, so the game continues.} 25. Kg2 g5 26. Bc7 Nd2 27. Re1 Bf5 28. Re7+ Kf6 29. d6 Be4+ 30. Kg1 Nf3+ 31. Kg2 Nfe5+ 32. Kg1 h5 33. b4 h4 34. gxh4 gxh4 35. h3 Nf3+ 36. Kf1 Nge5 37. c5 Rg8 38. Kf2 Bc6 39. Ke3 Rg3 40. Kf4 Ng5 $1 41. Rxe5 Nxh3# 0-1