Chess match 20 – 26 September 2009 - Game 6
Mukachevo (Ukraine)
Nigel Short vs. Zahar Efimenko

In the last game of their match Zahar Efimenko tried an unusual line to distract his opponent and to even the score. But Nigel Short was concentrated during the whole game. He saved the draw and won the match with 3,5-2,5. Enjoy the analysis of the last game from grandmaster Klaus Bischoff.

Efimenko,Zahar (2654) - Short,Nigel (2706) [C56]
Match Mukachevo (6), 26.09.2009

The last time I saw this position was probably  when I played a junior tournament. 4...Nf6 5.e5 Ng4 For the second time in the match I try to find very old books to give you a little more information. And I found a very nice book written by Keres in 1973. Those were the days, the book has 350 pages and I could learn 6 or 7 different openings when I was 12 years old. Nigel's 5.Ng4 got half a page and Keres knew already in 1973 that "this knight-move is better than it's reputation". 6.0-0 d6 7.exd6 Qxd6 Keres recommended Bxd6. So do my engines. 8.Na3

White gets this Na3 for free, because Black has to play a6 to stop Nb5. 8...a6 9.h3 Nh6! The first move which is not given by Keres. But modern players do not mind to put their knights on the rim. It is important to have f7 well protected. 10.Re1+ Be7 11.Bg5 Nf5

12.Bb3!? Here Zahar spent oceans of time to make g4 work. But after 12.g4 h6 13.Bd2 Black has 13...Ne3! 14.fxe3 (14.Bxe3 dxe3 15.Rxe3 0-0 does not give much.) 14...h5 is recommended by my engines. (14...Qg3+ is good enough too.); The quiet 12.Bd3 may be the best chance. After 12...0-0 13.Bxf5 Bxf5 14.Bxe7 Nxe7 15.Qxd4 White has his pawn back. 15...Nc6 16.Qxd6 cxd6 17.Rad1 with a lasting advantage is unpleasant for Black. 12...0-0 13.Nc4 Qd8 14.Bxe7 Nfxe7 15.Nce5 h6 16.Qd3 Nxe5 17.Rxe5 Nc6 18.Rh5

Good old coffehouse-chess. 18...Qf6 19.g4 19.Ng5? could have worked in a coffehouse 150 years ago but not in Mukachevo today. After 19...Bf5 20.Nxf7 Bxd3 21.Nxh6+ Kh7! (of course not 21...Kh8?? 22.Nf7+ Kg8 23.Rh8#) 22.Ng4+ Kg6 Black is winning. 19...Be6 20.g5 Qg6

20...Qf5 was also playable. After 21.Qxf5 Bxf5 22.gxh6 g6 23.Rh4 Rad8 the position is equal according to my engines. But I understand perfectly well that Nigel did not go for this. This "weak" h-pawn is still dangerous. 21.Qxg6 fxg6 22.Bxe6+ Kh7 23.Rh4 Rxf3 24.Bd5 Rf5 25.Bxc6 bxc6