Short beat Topalov Second Second...

Nigel Short beat Ivan Cheparinov second - GM Erwin L' Ami (photo right) last night. It is quite a good feeling for Short considering his "controversial" relation with Veselin Topalov team where Ivan is Topalov second. Last year Short and Ivan involve in a controversial incident where Ivan refuse to shake hand with Short at the start of their game. The game had to be rescheduled to the next day and Short won it quite convincingly!

GM_Short - *GM_l'Ami
Corus B, Round 3, 20.01.2009

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nigel Short is an expert of this Spanish Four Knights Game. He used it with great effect in his 1991 Candidate Match against Jon Speelman. 4...Nd4 L'Ami choose the Rubeinstein variation. 5.Nxe5 This is a less popular line and probably Short has choose to surprise his opponent. The main line and most popular continuation is 5.Ba4 5...Nxb5?! This move is the main culprits. Probably surprised by Short's 5th move, L'Ami seems confused with the move order. The correct move is 5...Qe7 6.Nf3 and now 6...Nxb5 7.Nxb5 Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 with equal chance. 6.Nxb5 c6 6...Nxe4 7.Qh5 g6 8.Qe2 d5 9.d3 7.Nc3 Qe7? Probably black should admit his mistake an opt for active play at the cost of the sacrifice pawn with 7...Bb4 8.f3 d6 9.Nd3 Ba5 8.Nf3 Nxe4 9.0–0!

9...Nxc3 10.dxc3 d5 Black have to do something because white is threatening Re1 11.Bg5 Qd6 11...f6?? 12.Re1 Be6 13.Nd4 12.Re1+ Be6 13.Nd4 c5 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Qh5+ g6 16.Qg4 Kf7 Black king is having a serious problems to find a save shelter. 17.c4! d4 not 17...dxc4? 18.Rad1 18.Qf3+ Kg8 18...Ke8? 19.Qf6 Rg8 20.Rxe6+ 19.Bf6

L'Ami resign because 19...Bg7 20.Qxb7 threatening mate on g7 or Qxa8 1-0