Saturday, December 08, 2007

Fire On Board !



Alexei Shirov is the only player so far to reach the semifinal of the World Cup 2007 without having to play any tie-breaks game (rapid or Blitz).
Alexei Shirov noted for his attacking style and for seeking complications, a tendency which has led to comparisons with fellow Latvian and former world champion, Mikhail Tal. This style of play need a great amount of time especially when it involve calculating variation, combination and tactical opportunity. That's why Classical time control suit Shirov style perfectly!
His style is familiar with a gambler. A lucky gambler would wins and wins, and increases the stakes he plays for, so when he finally loses just one big hand, he is wiped out and loses everything.
Another interesting observation is he seems to lost many kilo's of his weight. Just compare the last year photo on right side and the recent video interview by Europe-Echecs at the recent Tal Memorial 2007 on top of this article. Would it be the main factor of his succes so far!?

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