Açaí na tigela

Henrique da Costa Mecking – Alexei Dmitrievich Shirov
3rd Floripa Chess Open; Florianópolis, January 24, 2017
Grünfeld Defence D79

1. Nf3 d5 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. 0-0 Nf6 5. d4 0-0 6. c4 c6 7. cxd5 cxd5 8. Nc3 Ne4 9. Qb3 Nc6! Puntuaction mark by Bobby Fischer. 10. Be3. “Of course Black’s d-Pawn was taboo”, writes Fischer in his notes to his game with Smyslov at Herceg Novi 1970. 10. ... Na5 11. Qb4!? The “novelty” recommended by Fischer in 1970, as after 11. Qd1? Nxc3 12. bxc3 b6 13. Ne5 Ba6 “Black has ideal play against White’s backward c-Pawn”, Smyslov – R. J. Fischer, World Blitz Chess Championship, Herceg Novi 1970. 11. ... Nxc3. Of course, the ambitious Shirov is not interested in repeating position by 11. ... Nc6 12. Qb3 Na5. 12. Qxc3 Bf5 13. Rfc1 Qb6. Grandmaster Rafael Duailibe Leitão also considers, in his commentary to the game, 13. ... Rc8 14. Qb4 Nc4 15. Bf4 Qb6 with equality. 14. b3 Rfc8 15. Qd2 Nc6 16. h3 a5 17. g4 Be6. 17. ... Be4!? (Leitão) is also interesting. 18. Ne5 Nb4 19. f4 f6 20. a3 Rc2 21. Nd7. Mequinho boldly challenges the fire! After 21. Rxc2 Nxc2 22. Qxc2 fxe5 23. fxe5 Bxe5 24. Qd3 the game would be fairly even (Leitão’s analysis). 21. .. Rxc1+. Or 21. ... Bxd7 22. Rxc2 Nxc2 23. Qxc2 f5 with dynamic balance (Leitão’s analysis). 22. Rxc1 Bxd7 23. axb4 e6= 24. bxa5 Rxa5 25. f5! Qxb3. Else 25. ... exf5 26. Rc5 Ra1+ 27. Kf2 fxg4 28. Bxd5+ Kh8 (Leitão). 26. Rc7 Ra1+? This careless check loses a valuable tempo as it allows the White King to defend the e-Pawn. Best was 26. ... Ra2 as after 27. Qc1 (27. Qd3 Qxd3 28. exd3 Bc6 29. Rc8+ Kf7 30. Rc7+ leads to a draw) 27. ... Bf8 28. Rxd7 Rc2 White’s grand Queen sacrifice would occur under (much) less favourable circumstances. 27. Kf2 Ra2

28. Qxa2!!?? A brilliant Queen sacrifice which leaves White with the Bishop pair and a Rook almost perfectly coordinated for claiming the initiative, but... not much more. As shown by Leitão, 28. Qc1! would have left Black in serious trouble, and even 28. Rxd7 Rxd2 29. Bxd2 would have perhaps produced somewhat better results as the Bishop seems to be better placed on d2 than on e3. 28. .. Qxa2 29. Rxd7 gxf5 30. gxf5 Qc2! 31. fxe6 Qf5+ 32. Kg1. Leitão rightly recommends 32. Kg3 (I guess to defend the Pawn on h3), but then 32. ... Kf8! 33. Bd2 (or 33. Bxd5 Ke8!) 33. ... Qg6+ 34. Kf2 f5! seems to give Black excellent drawing chances. 32. .. Bf8 33. Bxd5 Be7! 34. Bg2 Kf8 35. d5 Qe5 36. Kf2 f5 37. Bh6+ Ke8 38. Bf3 Qh2+ 39. Ke3 Qg1+ 40. Kd3 Qb1+ 41. Kd4 Qb2+ 42. Kd3 Qb3+ 43. Kd4 Qb4+ 44. Kd3 Qb3+ 45. Kd4 Qb2+ ½ : ½.

Henrique da Costa Mecking vs. Alexey Dmitrievich Shirov
Photo: Divulgação