Alexey Shirov vs Judit Polgar

jQuery(document).ready(function($) { var selector = '#' + "rpbchessboard-6475f64107b1a-1" + ' .rpbchessboard-chessgameAnchor'; RPBChessboard.renderPGN($(selector), {"pgn":"[Event \"Buenos Aires Sicilian\"] [Site \"Buenos Aires ARG\"] [Date \"October, 1994\"] [Round \"8\"] [White \"Alexey Shirov\"] [Black \"Judit Polgar\"] [Result \"0-1\"] [ECO \"B54\"] [Annotator \"Mac\"] [PlyCount \"58\"] {What happens when the greatest female chess player of all time faces off against one of the world’s most aggressive player? A complete tactical slugfest! In this game we get to see Judit Polgar in her element, conducting a vicious attack.} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 d6 {Not a very popular line of the Sicilian but it muddies the waters quickly and gets into fresh positions early in the game.} 6. g4 {True to his style, Shirov chooses the most aggressive option.} a6 7. Be3 Nge7 (7... Nf6 {This reaches a Scheveningen sicilian that is favorable for White.} 8. g5 {[%cal Gh2h4,Gd1d2, Ge1c1]}) 8. Nb3 $5 {It’s always an interesting decision to take the knight away from the center like this. Perhaps one of Shirov’s reasons was to prevent black from exchanging on d4 and bringing the second knight to c6.} b5 9. f4 Bb7 10. Qf3 $6 {[#][%csl Ge5,Rf3]} (10. Qe2 {Based off what happens in the game, it seems that this is likely a better square for the queen. It stays out of harms way and leaves the d-file open for white’s rook once they castle.} Na5 11. O-O-O $14) 10... g5 $1 {Polgar was renowned for having an incredible sense of the initiative and attacking instincts. Here she senses the opportunity to burst into the center with a few forceful moves.} 11. fxg5 $6 {Shirov continues with the most combative move although it’s not called for here. White is losing control of the position and needs to consolidate instead.} (11. O-O-O {It was more prudent to castle here although Black has a good game here after…} gxf4 {[%csl Ge5][%cal Gc6e5,Ge7g6,Gg6e5]}) 11... Ne5 {[#][%csl Ge5] A dream square for the knight.} 12. Qg2 b4 13. Ne2 h5 $1 { [#] [%csl Re4][%cal Rb7g2] Opening up more files and lines for her pieces.} 14. gxh5 $2 {It was easy to underestimate Polgar’s reply.} Nf5 $1 {A ruthless move. We see now why Polgar was willing to sacrifice both kingside wing pawns in order to gain center squares for her knights.} 15. Bf2 (15. exf5 $1 {A very difficult move to play but White is best off parting with his queen. The resulting positions are highly irregular and extremely imbalanced but offer white the best chances they can get.} Bxg2 16. Bxg2 Rc8 17. fxe6 fxe6 18. h4 {Black is better here}) 15... Qxg5 $3 {Boom! What a shot. If White takes, they will lose the house.} 16. Na5 {[#][%csl Re1] A natural response considering how powerful black’s light-squared bishop is but black has a coldblooded response. Can you find it?} (16. Qxg5 Nf3+ 17. Kd1 Nxg5 18. exf5 Bxh1 {With similar play to the game.}) 16... Ne3 $3 {White’s position completely collapses after this move. It threatens white’s queen and also a fork on c2.} 17. Qg3 (17. Qxg5 Nf3# { Mate! The point of black’s idea with Ne3.}) (17. Bxe3 Qxe3 {[%cal Re5f3,Re3d2, Rf3d2,Gb7e4] This is absolutely hopeless for White.}) 17... Qxg3 $6 (17... Nxc2+ $1 18. Kd1 Qxh5 {The computer points out here that black could continue there attack with a winning position. Polgar’s response however was a human approach.}) 18. Nxg3 {[#][%csl Ra1,Re1]} Nxc2+ 19. Kd1 Nxa1 20. Nxb7 b3 (20... Rc8 $1) 21. axb3 Nxb3 22. Kc2 Nc5 23. Nxc5 dxc5 24. Be1 Nf3 25. Bc3 Nd4+ 26. Kd3 Bd6 27. Bg2 Be5 28. Kc4 Ke7 29. Ra1 Nc6 {Shirov had enough and resigned here. A brilliant tactical display from Polgar!} 0-1","nboSquareSize":50,"idoSquareSize":50,"nboCoordinateVisible":true,"idoCoordinateVisible":true,"nboColorset":"greenvintage","idoColorset":"greenvintage","nboPieceset":"new-set-mac","idoPieceset":"new-set-mac","nboAnimated":true,"nboMoveArrowVisible":false,"nboMoveArrowColor":"b","pieceSymbols":"native","navigationBoard":"frame","withFlipButton":true,"withDownloadButton":true}); });