[Event "Superstars Hotel Bali"]
[Site "Benidorm ESP"]
[Date "2002.11.30"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Psakhis, Lev"]
[Black "Shirov, Alexei"]
[Result "0-1"]
[BlackElo "2699"]
[ECO "E63"]
[EventDate "2002.11.29"]
[PlyCount "74"]
[WhiteElo "2588"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O { A key question for White now is how does he intend to use Bc1 and where does he expect the fight to occur. If he wishes to stay within English Opening lines then he might delay a bit with d2-d3, but if he intends e2-e3, Ng1-e2, d2-d4 then that wouldn't do. If he intends e2-e4, d2-d3, Ng1-e2, h2-h3, Bc1-e3, Qd1-d2 then that choice has to be made within the next move or two. If he is interested in switching to a Regular King's Indian Defense with d2-d4 then he could delay a move, but not much longer. It's not the easiest choice to make because Black hasn't already committed his central and queen-side pawns & pieces to any particular formation (a goal of the KID) and Black will usually endeavor to choose the set-up which best challenges whatever White starts with. } 5. d4 { It's interesting that this position for White can just as easily be played against a Tarrasch Defense or a Queen's Indian Defense or a Benko Gambit. } 5... d6 6. Nf3 Nc6 { Shirov has been playing this move (Panno) against the Saemisch Variation too (with mixed results) . } ( 6... Nbd7 { is most common } ) ( { also interesting is } 6... c6 { intending possibly ...Bc8-f5 to control e4 and/or ...Qd8-b6-b4 to threaten Pc4 or ...Qd8-a5-h5 to invade White's king-side } ) 7. O-O a6 { The general idea appears to be to expand on the queen-side to pressure the weak Pc4, though at this early point Black might even have in mind ...e5 and ...Nd4. } ( 7... Bf5 $5 ) ( 7... e5 8. d5 Ne7 { (Uhlmann) isn't considered very good because the king-side attack against Kg1 isn't so easy with Bg2 defending } ) 8. Re1 Na5 9. Qa4 ( 9. Nd2 { is a typical response, though it blocks Bc1 and weakens Pd4 } ) ( 9. b3 { would secure Pc4, but severely weaken the long dark diagonal } ) 9... b6 { This move might just be a way of defending Na5 without committing to ...c5 (yet) , but it could also be a way of offering a light square bishop trade by ...Bc8-b7 (if White opens the diagonal further) . } ( 9... c5 10. dxc5 dxc5 11. Ne5 { slows Black's queen-side play and prevents Na5 from returning comfortably to c6 } ) 10. Nd5 { This is probably over-reaching and Black's play will show that soon. } 10... Bd7 11. Qc2 c5 { Black had no intention of playing ...Nxd5 to allow White cxd5, securing control of c6 and removing Pc4 as a target. } 12. Nxf6+ { Helping to uncover Bg7 can't be recommended. } 12... Bxf6 13. Bh6 Re8 14. e3 { Around 1920 this would have seemed to be a pretty good flexible way to develop without committing to d4-d5 and without giving up on a2-a3 and b2-b4. However, the truth is that Black is targeting White's central pawns and it's not so easy for White to get away from that defensive task to do something aggressive. Occupying the center has it's down-side. } 14... Rc8 15. d5 b5 { Black trades one way of attacking Pc4 for another; Bf6 is also more open, though White might soon evacuate the dark square diagonal altogether. } 16. Nd2 Nxc4 17. Nxc4 bxc4 18. Bf1 Rb8 19. Rab1 Qa5 20. Rec1 ( 20. Bxc4 $4 Rxb2 { overworks Rb1 which needed to defend both Pb2 & Re1 } ) 20... Qxa2 21. Bxc4 Qa5 { So, Black has won a pawn and has the b-file with Bf6 piling on Pb2. How can it be so easy for Black to achieve such a terrific position? This is an excellent example of the hyper-modern style of play (for Black) . } 22. b3 { Keeping up the approach it would seem Black could trade Pa6 for Pb3 and win a pawn ending because of Pc5, but much comes before that ending. Actually Black has to avoid simple trades because they might give White enough room to create some counter-play. Fortunately he has Bf6 to prevent White from occupying a1 with a rook. So, Black piles up on Pb3 and just tries to win in astraight-forward manner. Doubling rooks on the b-file is also likely. } 22... Bb5 { If Black trades bishops at c4 and White has to recover with a pawn then Black will have a passed Pa6 and Pc4 will still be weak. } 23. e4 Rb7 24. Bd2 Qa3 25. Re1 Reb8 26. Bc1 Qa5 27. Bd2 Qc7 28. Re3 Qd7 { Heading for the open h3 square or just backing up Bb5? } 29. Rc1 Bd4 { Now Re3 goes on a strange journey. } 30. Rf3 ( 30. Rd3 Bxc4 31. Qxc4 Qg4 { and Pe4 is difficult to defend } ) 30... Qg4 31. Rf4 ( 31. Kg2 Bxc4 32. bxc4 Rb2 33. Qd3 R2b3 34. Qxb3 Rxb3 35. Rxb3 Qxe4+ $17 ) 31... Qh5 32. Rh4 Qe5 { White finds it difficult to defend all his weak spots: Pb3, Bc4 and Pe4. } 33. Rb1 Bxc4 34. Qxc4 f5 { Black is smashing White's position into tiny little bits, but he has to be a little careful not to expose Kg8 to some incidental counter-attack. } ( 34... Rb5 ) 35. Re1 Rxb3 36. exf5 Qxf5 37. Rf4 Qd3 $19 { Forcing a queen trade would end any hope White had of creating a surprise attack on Kg8. That would leave Black's superior rooks and passed pawns to win the game. } 0-1