Viewer

B25 Sicilian Closed

Sicilian Defense: Closed Variation

Terrey Ian Shaw vs Raymond Keene, 1979

0-1, 42 moves

[Event "Brisbane"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1979.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Terrey Ian Shaw"]
[Black "Raymond Keene"]
[ECO "B25"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "84"]
1. e4 { Notes by Raymond Keene. } c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. f4 Nf6 {In the Manila leg of the Asian Circuit I won against Shaw with 6...Rb8 7 Nf3 b5 8 a3 a5 9 O-O b4 10 axb4 axb4 11 Nd5 e6 12 Ne3 Nge7. White now sacrificed a pawn with 13 f5, but it turned out to be insufficient. I decided, for this game, that it would be a mistake to try to win the same way twice, especially since White has a significant improvement in 13 g4.} 7. Nf3 O-O 8. O-O Rb8 9. h3 {9 Nh4 is a reasonable alternative.} 9...b5 10. g4 {?! This looks too sharp; stronger would be 10 Be3 or 10 a3.} 10...b4 11. Ne2 Ba6 {Even more to the point is 11...c4 followed by ...Ba6, when White cannot avoid pawn weaknesses in the centre. My choice forces White onto the defensive to hold up the ...c5-c4 thrust, but it gives Black fewer prospects of active play.} 12. Nd2 Nd7 13. Kh1 Bb5 {I did not like 13...Nb6 14 a3, which throws a spanner into the works of Black's plan of achieving ...c5-c4.} 14. Rg1 {? A highly artificial means of removing the rook from the line of fire of Black's queen's bishop. Much better would be 14 a4!, when after 14...Ba6 15 Rb1 followed by b2-b3, White could seal up the queenside and avert much of the impending danger. And 14 a4! bxa3 15 Rxa3 gives White a target, in the shape of Black's a-pawn, to compensate for the vulnerability of his own b-pawn.} 14...a5 15. Rb1 a4 16. b3 axb3 17. axb3 Ra8 {Now Black controls the a-file, which is a distinct advantage in comparison with the previous note.} 18. Bb2 Nd4 19. Nf3 {If 19 Bxd4 cxd4 20 e5 Black can offer a promising exchange sacrifice with 20...dxe5 21 Bxa8 Qxa8+.} 19...Nxf3 20. Bxf3 Bxb2 21. Rxb2 e5 {! Introducing the theme of dominating the dark squares. White's only chance now is 22 f5, although after 24...Qh4 he must avoid 23 Qf1 Ra1!} 22. Rb1 {?} Qh4 23. Qf1 exf4 {The omission of 22 f5 allows Black to occupy the powerful e5 square with a knight, and this piece will exert a decisive influence on events.} 24. Nxf4 Ra2 25. Rc1 Ne5 {Threatening 26...Bxd3! 27 Nxd3 (or 27 cxd3 Rf2-+) 27...Nxd3 28 cxd3 (28 Qxd3 Qxh3 is mate) 28...Rf2-+.} 26. Kh2 Rfa8 27. Rg2 Bc6 28. Nd5 {White is running out of constructive moves. The text is an unpleasant choice, which leaves White with a virtually helpless minor piece to combat the monster on e5.} 28...Bxd5 29. exd5 h5 {!} 30. Rg3 {If 30 gxh5 Qf4+ 31 Rg3 Nxf3+ 32 Qxf3 Qxc1-+.} 30...hxg4 31. Bxg4 Kg7 32. Qg2 Ra1 {White has been totally surrounded. I particularly liked the way in which Black's pieces operate together on the far-flung a- and h-files. It is only a matter of time now before White's position collapses in the pincer movement.} 33. Rg1 Rxg1 34. Qxg1 Ra2 35. Qb1 Ra3 36. Qd1 Qf6 37. Kg2 Qf4 38. Qf1 Qd4 39. Qf2 Qxd5+ 40. Bf3 Qd4 41. Be4 Ra2 42. Qd2 Qc3 {White resigned at adjournment. } 0-1

Game links and puns: www.chessgames.com