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ANNOTATED GAME
The king as an attacking piece
Nigel Short (2660) vs. Jan Timman (2630)
Annotated by: black_cat_hamlet (1531)
Chess opening: Alekhine's defence (B04), modern, Keres variation
Nigel Short (2660) vs. Jan Timman (2630)
Annotated by: black_cat_hamlet (1531)
Chess opening: Alekhine's defence (B04), modern, Keres variation
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23... Bh8 |
Timman initiating the exchange doesn't work - after Short recaptures with his queen, all roads lead to mate after Ng5 (and his pawn on e5 conveniently stops f6) leaving the bishop isn't as hazardous, but Black still has to deal with increased pressure on his king e.g. 23...Bb7 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Qf6+ Kg8 26.Nf6 Rf8, and White looks better. Undoubtedly this is the best move to make, I believe. | |||||||
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24. Rd8 |
!! Very strong move! Short takes advantage of the fact that Timman's rooks aren't connected and will now claim full ownership of the file, no matter what Black does. Timman cannot exchange, as that will lead to mate | |||||||
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24... Bb7 |
This was Timman's original plan anyway... | |||||||
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25. Rad1 |
solidifying the d-file for White | |||||||
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25... Bg7 |
Seeing a trick, Timman has a change of heart. Now that Short's knight cannot move, it will be perfectly safe to exchange on h6. This move also threatens to win the rook on d8, as after Bxh6, Qxh6 Timman simply plays Rxd8. | |||||||
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26. Rd8d7 |
Short takes care of the material gaining trick... | |||||||
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26... Ref8 |
Seems forced, because 27.Bxg7 Kxg7 28.Qf6+ will mate I guess that Bxh6 is unplayabe now (because the rook-winning trick is gone) because Short can then play a rook to d4, then Rh4, and there doesn't seem to be any valid defence to this | |||||||
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27. Bxg7 |
Short now trades off the bishops... | |||||||
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27... Kxg7 28. Rd1d4 |
!! A subtle, but brilliant move. This move accomplishes three things, which will be revealed in due course. It doesn't look like Short has any forcing sacrificial combinations, (though he is undoubtedly better) the path to victory is surprisingly simple... | |||||||
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28... Rae8 |
What else can Tammin do? he doesn't have many options... (note that Qxa4 isn't that good of an idea - after Rxc7 it will now be nigh on impossible to shift the roof from the seventh rank, and if Timman doesn't play Bc8, then Rdd7! is crushing!) | |||||||
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29. Qf6+ |
This is vital for Short's plan | |||||||
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29... Kg8 |
Forced. | |||||||
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30. h4 |
And now comes the first use of the rook on d4. The h4 pawn cannot be allowed to advance! Should the white pawn get to h5, it cannot be captured; 30...Ba6 31.h5 gxh5 32.Rh4!! Qxd7 33.Rxh5 Qd1+ [delaying mate] 34.Kh2 Qd2 [the only way to stop mate] 35.Rg5+ Qxg5 36.Nxg5 and it is now mate in 2 (Qh6, Qxh7#). Of course, ignoring the pawn doesn't help either, because after h6, Short simply mates on g7. | |||||||
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30... h5 |
The only move to stop the h4 pawn. Now though Timman is still cramped in his play, it doesn't seem like Short can do anything. (though if anyone sees a line other than what was played in the game, feel free to comment) The rook on d7 is keeping the pressure on Black - not advised to move it. The rook on d4 protects d7 - where can that go? the queen, again, is there to keep pressure on Timman, and the knight is still pinned due to the mate threat on g2. There is only one piece that can be moved... | |||||||
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31. Kh2 |
At first glance, this does look like a waiting move, as most king moves are in the middlegame... | |||||||
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31... Rec8 |
Does Bc8 look better here? well, it does put up more of a fight to me, it seems, but I think that Short can still win in those lines; 31...Bc8 32.Ng5! and now; if Bxd7 then Rf4 and mate will follow after Nxf7 (the second useful advantage of 28.Rd1d4) If 32...Qxd7 33.Rxd7 Bxd7, then the game would continue a lot like the game continuation (though with a difference... I'll let you know when I come to it, as I may have miscalculated in the Qxd7 line..) | |||||||
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32. Kg3 |
What's this? where's the king going? Technically this is still the middlegame, surely! | |||||||
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32... Rce8 |
Perhaps now, Timman sees the final destination of the king... | |||||||
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33. Kf4 |
and knows that there is nothing he can do to stop it! The third use of Rd1d4 - if not for that rook, Timman could have stopped this with Qe4. | |||||||
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33... Bc8 |
Hoping to distract Short - but it is not to be! Short's king moves to Kg5 next move, and Timman resigns as there is no defence to Kh6, then Qg7#. This would never have been possible without Short's vicelike grip on Timman's position. great tactics by Short, and a classy finish too! :) Just one more thing... | |||||||
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