[Event "GotM #44"] [Site "Tilburg"] [Date "1991.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Short, Nigel D"] [Black "Timman, Jan H"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B04"] [WhiteElo "2660"] [BlackElo "2630"] [Annotator "Connaughton, Ken"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "1991.??.??"] [EventCountry "NED"] 1. e4 {King's Pawn Game} Nf6 {Alekhine Defense} 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 { Modern Variation} g6 5. Bc4 Nb6 6. Bb3 Bg7 7. Qe2 Nc6 8. O-O O-O {[#] Both players will need to develop on the Queenside.} 9. h3 a5 10. a4 (10. c3 a4 11. Bc2) 10... dxe5 {Black resolves the central tension.} 11. dxe5 Nd4 12. Nxd4 Qxd4 {[#] And a fight for e5 will take place.} 13. Re1 e6 14. Nd2 Nd5 15. Nf3 { [%CAl Rf3d4]} Qc5 16. Qe4 Qb4 {Offering the Queen trade.} 17. Bc4 Nb6 18. b3 Nxc4 19. bxc4 {[%csl Ra4,Rc2,Rc4] [#] White is willing to rupture his pawns to keep the Queens on the board.} Re8 20. Rd1 Qc5 21. Qh4 {[%CAl Rc1h6,Rd1d8] White sees the weaknesses on Black's dark squares and is methodically progressing with his attack.} b6 {[%CAl Yc8b7]} 22. Be3 Qc6 23. Bh6 Bh8 24. Rd8 {[#] And now Black's difficulties become more apparent.} Bb7 25. Rad1 Bg7 { Black reluctantly trades dark-square Bishops.} 26. R8d7 Rf8 27. Bxg7 Kxg7 28. R1d4 Rae8 29. Qf6+ Kg8 30. h4 {The Knight of course can't join the attack on g5 as he is blocking ...Qxg2# so White needs another to be the next participant in White's attack.} h5 {A necessary device but the dark squares are weakened still further.} 31. Kh2 {The last and decisive attacker begins his journey to the coal-face. The King can attack like any other piece, even in the middlegame. This is possible because Black's heavy pieces are tied up and have no way to get within sight of the White King. He is on the other side of a closed position so he can become active in relative safety.} Rc8 {This is an error that will lead to his downfall.} ({He had to play} 31... Bc8 $14 { to stay in the contest.}) 32. Kg3 $1 {[#] Black hadn't anticipated an aggressive middlegame King!} Rce8 33. Kf4 {The King continues to stride forward.} Bc8 {Far too late.} 34. Kg5 {[#] White happily sacrifices the Rook as his attack can't be stopped and he is just a handful of moves from victory. Black resigns.} (34. Kg5 Kh7 (34... Bxd7 35. Kh6 Bc8 36. Qg7#) 35. Qxg6+ { [%CAl Rd7h7]} Kh8 36. Qh6+ Kg8 37. Kxh5 (37. Kf6 Qxf3+ 38. gxf3 Bxd7 39. Qg7#) 37... Qe4 38. Rxe4 Bxd7 39. Rg4#) 1-0
Embed code:
Game Url: