ODT100223

=**Shirov fires up Corus**=




 * Problem:** White to play and mate in three.

Although now playing for Spain, the Latvian-born Alexei Shirov's firey sacrificial style is still very reminiscent of another great Latvian, ex-world champion Mikhail Tal. Shirov set a scorching pace in the Corus A tournament at Wijk Aan Zee last month, starting with five straight wins. Some bad luck in the remainder of the event meant these were his only wins and he eventually finished second equal with Vladimir Kramnik, behind world number one Magnus Carlsen.

Today's game is Shirov's brilliant win from the third round, playing Black against Sergei Tiviakov of the Netherlands. media type="custom" key="26310058" Instead of the usual sharp Sicilian variations, White has prepared a sort of hybrid Closed/Rossolimo Sicilian, where the idea is to avoid central pawn exchanges with d2-d3 having put the light-bishop outside the pawn chain. Black now grabs the bishop pair and takes the long diagonal for his unopposed bishop. The following exchanges activate Black's rook and bishop against the g2 square, at the cost of a safe shelter for his king – a typical Shirov decision. Recouping the knight as 17...Rxg2+ is threatened. The queen comes back to it's magnificent central post before it gets sidelined by 19 Bb2. Now the queen is entrenched on d4 (If 20 Bb2 c3). Losing a vital tempo.Instead 23 Qh6! Kd7 24 Be3 keeps Black out. Now the fireworks begin.The last chance was 24 f6! allowing the queen to defend g2 with a tempo. E.g. 24...Rab8 25 Qh3+ Kc7 26 Qe3 Qxe3 27 Bxe3 cxd3 28 cxd3 Bxg2+! 29 Ke2 Rb2+ regaining the pawn with the initiative but not yet winning. Or 25 Rxg2 Rxg2 26 Kxg2 Rg8+ 27 Kf3 (27 Bg5 Qg4+ 28 Kf2 Rxg5 29 Rxc4 Rxf5+ 30 Ke3 Qg2! wins the queen or mates) e4+ 28 dxe4 Qd1+ 29 Kf2 Qg1+ 30 Kf3 Qf1+ 31 Ke3 Qxc1+ winning the queen. Leading to a merry king hunt ending in mate, but 26 Rf1 Rg1 also wins for Black, if more prosaically: 27 Qe3 Qh4+ 28 Qf2 Qxf2+ 29 Kxf2 Rg2+ 30 Ke3 Rh8! (threat: 31... Rh3+) 31 Rf2 Rxf2+ 32 Kxf2 Rxh2+ 33 Ke3 Rxc2 etc.
 * 1.e4 c5**
 * 2.Nc3 Nc6**
 * 3.Bb5 Nd4**
 * 4.Bc4 e6**
 * 5.Nge2 Nf6**
 * 6.O-O a6**
 * 7.d3 b5**
 * 8.Bb3 Nxb3**
 * 9.axb3 Bb7**
 * 10.f4 d5**
 * 11.e5 d4!?**
 * 12.exf6 dxc3**
 * 13.fxg7 Bxg7**
 * 14.bxc3 Rg8!**
 * 15.Rf2 Bxc3**
 * 16.Nxc3 Qd4**
 * 17.Kf1 Qxc3**
 * 18.Ra2 Qd4**
 * 19.Qh5 c4!**
 * 20.bxc4 bxc4**
 * 21.Ra4 Bd5**
 * 22.f5 e5**
 * 23.Qxh7?! ---**
 * 23.--- Kd7**
 * 24.Qh6? ---**
 * 24.--- Bxg2+!!**
 * 25.Ke1 ---**
 * 25.--- Bd5**
 * 26.Ba3 ---**
 * 26.--- Rg1+**
 * 27.Ke2 Qg4+**
 * 28.Ke3 Re1+**
 * 29.Kd2 Qd1+**
 * 30.Kc3 Qa1+**
 * 31.Kb4 Rb1+**
 * White resigns**


 * 0-1**


 * Solution:** 1 Rxh7+! Kxh7 2 Bg7+ (or B any except g5) Qh5 3 Qxh5#.