Life Begins After Coffee

Nigel David Short – Erik Blomqvist
23rd TePe Sigeman & Co. Chess Tournament; Malmö, May 10, 2017
Spanish Game C92

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5. Given his experience as an élite player, Short – who is living a shining second (chess) life – must have felt happy to play the Spanish Game. 3. ... a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 0-0 9. h3 Bb7 10. d4 Re8 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. d5 Nb8 13. Nf1 Nbd7 14. Bg5 Nc5 15. Bc2 c6 16. Ne3 a5 17. b4! Ncd7 18. a4! Qc7 19. dxc6 Qxc6 20. axb5 Qxc3 21. bxa5 Rxa5 22. Rc1! Gently smiling at the Queen. 22. ... Qb4 23. Ng4! A powerful move – very far from obvious – which brutally threatens Bg5-d2. Presumably Blomqvist was only expecting 23. Nf5, that was quite good for White but not so psychologically strong. 23. ... Qxb5? And Blomqvist goes in confusion. Black had nothing better than 23. ... Nxg4! 25. Bd2 Qxb5 and then 26. Bxa5 Qxa5 27. hxg4 leaves White with a definite material advantage, but not so easily convertible into a win. 24. Rb1 Qa6 25. Bxf6 Nxf6 26. Nxf6+ gxf6 27. Nh4! No one can give Short such an attacking position without being doomed to a flashy finish. 27. ... Bc8 28. Bb3 Be6 29. Qh5 Rc8 30. Nf5 Ra3 31. Re3 Rxb3 32. Rexb3 Bxb3 33. Rxb3 Rc1+ 34. Kh2 Qf1

35. Qg4+ Kh8 36. Qg7+! 1 : 0. For after 36. ... Bxg7 37. Rb8+ there follows mate in two.