09-24-2009 PDF Print E-mail

Chess match 20 – 26 September 2009 - Game 4
Mukachevo (Ukraine)
Nigel Short vs. Zahar Efimenko

In game 4 Zahar Efimenko had a slight endgame advantage but it was not enough to convert it into a full point. Two games and two days before the match ends the score is now 2-2. Enjoy the analysis from grandmaster Klaus Bischoff.

Efimenko,Zahar (2654) - Short,Nigel (2706) [C80]
Match Mukachevo (4), 24.09.2009

Enjoy your free day, the arbiter may have said to the players after game 3. Nevertheless we can be almost sure that Nigel and Zahar spent their free day in front of their laptops. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.Nbd2 Nc5 10.c3 Nxb3

 

Of course he is not ready to repeat g6 against a better prepared opponent. Still, I would not make a bet that Nigel thinks Nxb3 is the best move here. He may intend to show the best move in game 6; classical match strategy. 11.Nxb3 Be7 12.Nfd4 Nxd4 13.cxd4 a5 14.Qc2 So Black has weaknesses in the c-file.But he will get a strong grip on the white squares to compensate this. 14...Qd7 15.Be3 Bf5 16.Qc1

 

Zahar intends Bg5, which is a strong positional threat. Exchanging the Bishops would be positional suicide and f6 is (still) highly undesirable. 16...h6! 17.Nc5 Qc6 18.Qd1 Qg6 18...Bxc5?! 19.Rc1! Qg6 20.Rxc5 c6 is not the end of the world for Black, but a guarantee to suffer. 19.Rc1 0-0 20.Bf4 h5 Black starts with useful pawn moves. It is not at all easy to decide where to put the rooks. 21.f3 a4 22.Kh1 Rfe8 23.Qd2 c6

 

Nigel seems to think that Nb7-d6 is not a problem. He could have prevented this with Ra7 and only then c6. 24.Nb7 Bd7 25.Rfe1 Bf8 26.Nd6

 

He is going for a very small but safe advantage. 26.h3 is a possible improvement. Even a well timed g4 may be an idea later. 26...Re6 Preparing mass exchanges down the e-file. 27.h3 Bxd6 28.exd6 Rae8 29.Re5 f6 30.Rxe6 Rxe6 31.Re1 Qe8 He is keeping his queen close to the main enemy, the d-pawn. 31...Rxe1+ 32.Qxe1 Qc2 is playable according to my engines. After 33.Qe7 Qd1+ 34.Kh2 Qxd4 35.Qxd7 Qxf4+ it's a draw. 32.Rxe6 Qxe6 33.h4 Kf7 34.Kh2 Qf5 35.Bg3 Qe6 36.Qa5 Qe8 37.Qc7 Ke6 38.a3 Kf7 39.Bf4 Qe6 40.Bd2 Ke8 41.Ba5 Kf7 42.Bd2 Ke8 43.Kg3 Kf7 44.Kf2 Kg6 45.Bf4 Kf7

 

So he can only sit and wait.The only plan for White could be Qd8 and hyperspace the king to c7. But how can Zahar cross the e-file? After Be3 Black has Qf5. 46.Be3 Qf5 47.Qd8 Qe6 48.Bf4 Qe8 49.Qxe8+ Kxe8 0,00 according to my engines. I do not doubt it. ½-½

Klaus Bischoff
 
 
< Prev   Next >
[ Back ]
copyright 2008 Universal Event Promotion