GM Leko (2741) – GM Shirov (2741) [B90]
2008 Tal Memorial – Round 3 – www.russiachess.org/eng, 20.08.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.Be2 0–0 9.0–0 Be6 10.Qd2 Nbd7 11.a4 Nb6 12.a5 Nc4 13.Bxc4 Bxc4 14.Rfd1 Rc8 15.f3 Rc6 16.Bb6 Rxb6 17.axb6 Bxb3 18.cxb3 Qxb6+ 19.Kh1 Qxb3 20.Rac1 Rd8 21.Nd5 Nxd5 22.Qxd5 Qxd5 23.Rxd5 Rd7 24.g3 Kf8 25.f4 f6 26.Kg2 Bd8 27.Kf3 Ke7 28.b4 Rc7 29.Rxc7+ Bxc7 30.Rd1 Bb6 31.Ke2 Bd4 32.Kd3 Kd7 33.f5 Bb6 34.Rc1 Bd4 35.Rc2 Bb6 36.g4 h6 37.h4 Bd8 38.Kc4 Kc6 39.Kb3+ Kd7 40.Kc4 Kc6 41.b5+ axb5+ 42.Kb4+ Kd7 43.Kxb5 Be7 44.Rd2 Kc7 45.Rd1 White wins 1–0
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Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Great endgame technique by Leko. Something must have gone terribly wrong in the opening for Shirov as his exchange sacrifice clearly did not give him any winning chances, he was goiong do defend all along and eventually failed to hold.
You simply can not play like this against LEKO! In such positions he can show his accuracy in technical positions.
By the way, I have the impression that Leko is on the path back to strength (after his match against Kramnik and his problems after it).
I don’t think you can play that to any top-50 player. The technical difficulty is not high when there’s only one side that can improve his position.
Is this a rated tourney?
And why on earth shouldn’t it be?
And who cares?