I prepared to play Black and knowing that he likes Ruy Lopez, wanted to play the Marshall attack, though I found that he plays the line I almost never played. But in the club I saw that he allowed half of the players to play White and decided to take White.
I got my Ruy (here is the game) and played the quiet d3, c3 line which has pretty good stats by the way. After the black-colored bishops were exchanged he offered to exchange the white-colored too, but I decided to avoid it, not wanting to get too simple, completely symmetrical position. We exchanged them eventually and I suspected that he wants to overplay me in the endgame, having a better pawn structure. I managed to get some initiative and Fritz thinks that by playing 27. Nd6 I could get 0.73 advantage.
But my quiet existence finished too, as there only a few people left standing and Shirov started to come to my board pretty fast, it became almost a blitz. Right at that time he played 33… g4, and I could get an advantage just by taking the pawn. But I hesitated and we went into N vs. N endgame where he could get some advantage by playing 39… Nd6 instead of 39…. c5. I managed to counteract his threats and suddenly I heard him saying: “I offer you a draw”. Of course I agreed. That was a really happy moment. I asked him to write something on my scoring sheet, a few words and he wrote in Russian (he knew that I am from Russia) – “Congratulations on a good play!” and signed it. Then after all the games finished I was able to talk to him in Russian together with my friend and some other guy. He was really nice answering our questions and keeping the conversation. Then the organizer announced the result: +17, =6, -2. Taking into account a very strong playing field this result was very good. But it wasn’t all, as the organizer said that Shirov offered players to go over their games in his hotel (the club was closing), which was 5 minutes drive away. Of course I couldn’t miss it.
So, let’s say you are a singer. Can you imagine a rock star sitting at the table in the bar with you and a few other fellow singers (there were 3 other guys besides me), drinking beer and talking about your songs and rock in general? That’s how I felt, sitting across super-GM, chatting and drinking my “Molson Canadian” – truly amazing. Shirov was very friendly and relaxed. First one guy went over his opening, closed Ruy and Shirov showed his erudition, throwing lines and mentioning the games where these lines were played. Then we went through my game and the level of his analysis was very high. He saw the better moves right away and was critical of some of his own moves, especially 33… g4. He basically found everything what Fritz found later.
I just got a nice photo, here it is. It’s right after simul ended, I am on the right, in a blue shirt, on the left my friend from work, also playing chess and in the middle – GM Alexei Shirov.
Copyright 2010 by the photographer David Cohen.
February 19, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Next thing you know we’re going to have to be admonishing you – “Stop taking draws with Shirov!” lol.
I don’t buy the line 34.hxg4, and then he suddenly plays 34..Nf8, no freaking way. Even if it was best, you can’t expect him to play that move vs. ..Ng6 or something. That 27.Nd6 line, I don’t see that coming off, either. The end of the game is definitely a draw.
How come 29. Ne7 doesn’t give you a decent chance to win? …Ng6 30.Nxc6 Nxe4 31.You could trade queens here with Qe7 and might be winning the pawn endgame.
Great result, though. There are probably no bad draws against someone like him for us. That’s pretty awesome that you got to meet and play Shirov and speak in Russian with him!
February 19, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Oh, I was going to say, I think it helps that you know your openings. It was a quiet opening, and then you squashed his ideas of counterplay.
I didn’t like his …c6 move, maybe he was starting to thrash around a bit by this point. If he didn’t have ..h5 pawn to protect, maybe it would have been alright.
February 19, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Sorry for so many posts, but I have to say that letting him double your pawns and keep maneuvering was brilliant. I think the typical 1800 level player loses that ending to him easily.
February 19, 2010 at 4:06 pm
That seems very unusual that you got White. In most simuls, I thought the grandmaster gets White on all the boards. Kudos to Alexei for not “padding” his result by being White on all boards. 😉
February 19, 2010 at 10:09 pm
linuxguy – the line 34… Ng5 35. Nf3 Nxe4 36. Qc7+ Kf8 37. Nxh4 Ng3 38. g5 fxg5 39. Nf3 Nh5 40. Qxe5 Qxe5 [2.12] is even worse than 34..Nf8 one.
Fritz gives the line 29. Ne7 Ng5 30. Nc8 Qe6 [0.20], no win. He thought he could play … c6 earlier. About White – he did in Ottawa the same thing.
My neighbors had Black by the way, so one was smashed in Accelerated Dragon and another in Nimzo-Indian :).
Here is some video:
I am in the end of the right long row, barely visible, in black with a grey hear.
February 20, 2010 at 5:37 am
lol, barely visible yes. Was that you in the auburn shirt in the background, too, when people were gathered around Alexei? It looked more like a grey jacket, there though.
Yeah, you were right, the line I was looking at, didn’t realize that it doesn’t work until the 7th move down the line.
The …Nf8 line looked clearly lost. I didn’t visualize far enough in the Ng6 line to where it is worse unless the White queen is eating pawns down there or harassing the king badly. His pawn push forced your hand before you could possibly centralize your king better.
You did well to dodge the discussion and maneuver til you got a chance later. You maneuver better than I do. I don’t usually maneuver well unless it involves a direct attack on the king, but in the few where I have, those were my fondest games. It takes a real knack to do that, which you have. 😉
February 20, 2010 at 12:31 pm
Wow what an experience.
Shirov comes across as a normal guy,just the sort of image chess needs.
Many other GM’s would want to crush their opponents and be off,i’m thinking of Kasparov here.
But to get a chance to go over your game with him(a game that means very little to him),shows he is a GM that cares about lower rated players.
Now be honest with us you went easy on him didnt you,you let him off with a draw so not to hurt his feelings!!!!!
February 21, 2010 at 7:14 pm
linuxguy – no, it’s not me. I am besides the guy in glasses, on the very first frame. If I’ll get a better photo, I’ll post it.
Thanks, that game and the event blew away my latest upsets.
chessx – he was more than normal, rather exceptionally nice and friendly.
I got pgn file of all the games and made a correction related to my neighbor’s game. A few Shirov’s victories look quite crashing, as the name of his book – “Fire on board”.
Couple of games from simul:
http://www.chess5.com/public_games.php
February 22, 2010 at 5:08 pm
I thought that that was you, but was looking to see if you weren’t also in another frame.
I can’t help but wonder if he walked up to your board and thought, “no way I am going to beat this gray-haired guy in an endgame.” hehe.
I just checked out that game against Bob A. there. He made that look so easy, it’s hilarious. Child’s play.
February 23, 2010 at 12:14 am
Finally you can see me with him. I think, I am going to get his “Fire on board” book, at least the 1st one and I’ll see then. I read rave reviews about that book and he plays Ruy and other stuff that I like.
February 23, 2010 at 12:42 pm
I wouldn’t mind picking that book up. I know it’s full of analysis, but it would be neat to see how far he looks at stuff, if one has the discipline to follow his analysis.
I am trying to go for slower games now so as to focus more on analysis, not simply pattern-recognition like in blitz. I’ve seen enough openings patterns, need to get back to improving analysis methods in the middlegame.
February 23, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Ah, there you are on the right. Proof that you were there. hehe. 😉
February 23, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Judging by discussion at the bar, he looks very far. He was actually better than Fritz, since he also suggested some strategic plans (for example f5 at some moment for black, I said – “it would be isolated pawn”, he said – “so what – black gets initiative”) Fritz didn’t have any idea about. And his analysis of that closed Ruy was really deep, I just was too tired to fully follow.
February 23, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Yeah, that photographer really saved me. I couldn’t find at home my charger for camera’s batteries, and regular ones that I bought in convenience store just before the simul didn’t work.
February 23, 2010 at 5:58 pm
You never let him get …f5 in though. hehe.
Thank goodness for the people with the cameras. The last picture I have of myself is maybe 4 years old. Other people have taken my picture, though, but even that one picture I had to request it shot and given, not so candid exactly in reality. What is that where people, relatives, want to take your picture all the time but never give you a copy? hehe. One of life’s mysteries. But they shower you with copies of pictures of their families, although I like those a lot, too. One of the perils of not having a wife or my own handy camera, I guess.
I’m half-tempted to blog on the French Advanced. My Be2 var. is almost like a secret weapon now. The Soltis book gave me an interesting idea for a pawn sac (although mysteriously didn’t really cover it, simply mentioned that it was sound. I think the variation/move actually belongs to Nimzovich but it never got played out in one of his games, a quick draw) – I’ve analyzed it a few times and it works (it’s a very technical variation).
But here’s the picture, in general. After 1.e4 e6 2.d5 e5, Black has the initiative and is now essentially “White”. But White is seeking structural advantages (and can still sac a pawn for initiative).
February 23, 2010 at 6:05 pm
Oh yeah, forgot to say, my favorite part of this “secret variation” is that Crafty hates it, but is rejoicing triumphantly its virtues within another 10 moves. It’s weird how White is winning later on, but no way I think a computer can understand that, it’s simply too abstract and conceptual.
February 23, 2010 at 6:09 pm
SB: After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5…Black has the initiative.
February 26, 2010 at 8:37 am
I you decide to blog about it (Be2), it would be interesting to read.
I saw your picture on Polly’s site.
February 26, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Wow! That is really impressive … both the draw and getting to play against him and even go over the game with him. I’d be giddy for a week!
February 26, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Rocky – I was :). There were a few moments when he was very modest, like when he offered me a draw he said something like: “I offer you a draw. White (me) is somewhat better, but we have to finish somehow, the club is closing soon”. I was better by 0.02 according to Fritz :). Also in the bar he said: “My Spanish is better than my English”, though his English was good, especially for the person not living in the English-speaking country.
February 28, 2010 at 7:52 am
If I get to blogging about Be2, it won’t be for at least another week. My chess/work/last ditch chance of getting a home-loan plate will be full this week.
Thank goodness Polly got a picture of me. 😉
March 26, 2010 at 6:40 am
Congratulation on the game – a draw against Shirov no less. However when I click on your link to the pgn it only goes as far as 27.Qd1, and you mention in your post that it went beyond move 39.
March 26, 2010 at 8:39 am
Myopic – thanks. It goes until move 45, you need to scroll down and follow moves in bold.