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I was bored, so I decided to take a shot at annotating a grandmaster game :) This game features Nigel Short as White (Short is one of the best British chess players around) In this game, Short is able to bring in an unexpected resource to deliver mate against his opponent, Jan Timman
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1. e4
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Since both players are (obviously) way above my playing level, there is a good chance that I'll miss a lot of ideas/points/trick behind the moves of both sides. I'm just warning you now... ;)
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  2 comments
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1... Nf6
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Alekhine's defence. I don't know much theory behind this opening, but I'll take a guess that Black hopes for counter-attacking options against White...
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2. e5
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Timman's knight move prompts this move - Short is able to get a tempo attack against him...
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2... Nd5 3. d4
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...in return for a solid centre.
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3... d6
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This move was played to perhaps weaken Short's centre control in the near future, as well as opening up a path for the light square bishop
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4. Nf3
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As I'm following the GK database to check the moves played so far [as I've said, I don't have a lot of experience with this line], I can tell that both sides are still in mainline theory. This knight development is defined as the modern variation of Alekhine's defence.
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4... g6
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!? According to GK, Bg4 is played more here (followed by dxe5, with this move coming in third place). This is defined as the fianchetto variation, as of course is completely playable.
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1 comment
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5. Bc4
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Before Timman can fianchetto his bishop, he needs to save his knight! [this is now called the keres variation according to GK]
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5... Nb6
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The best move, gaining a tempo attack on the bishop with the retreat
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6. Bb3
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Short maintains pressure on the a2-g8 diagonal
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6... Bg7 7. Qe2
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Another option here is 7.a4, starting activity queenside
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7... Nc6
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knight development...
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8. O-O O-O
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...and castling.
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9. h3
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Because of membership restrictions, my analysis of the database ends here, but it shows that only 15 games reached this position. h3 is played to prevent Bg4
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9... a5
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Timman starts activity queenside... (I may have looked at 9...Na5 as a possibility as well, looking to trade off bishop for knight)
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1 comment
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10. a4
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...and Short counters
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10... dxe5
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Timman initiates a pawn exchange...
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11. dxe5
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and now both sides will wage war over the e5 pawn in the centre.
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11... Nd4
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! Not a bad start. Timman provokes the knight exchange...
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12. Nxd4 Qxd4
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to bring out his queen. Now there are two pieces attacking e5 and one defending.
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