Isle of Man: Nigel Short wins brilliancy

by Johannes Fischer
10/8/2015 – Nigel Short, born 1. June 1965, is the oldest player in the World's top 100. And he is still tactically alert. Which he proved in round 5 of the Isle of Man PokerStars Open when he countered a dangerous piece sacrifice by Alon Greenfeld with a countersacrifice, which brought him a quick win. With 4.0/5 Short now shares the lead with ten other players.
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Douglas, the capitol of the Isle of Man

The new venue. The chess players moved into a bigger one. When
the open started the poker players still occupied the hall.

Sergey Movsesian

Sergey Tiviakov inspects the new surrounding

In round five Nigel Short played a brilliancy against Alon Greenfeld. On the black side of the Réti he came up with a novelty (4...f6) - after only four moves. Both sides continued to play aggressively, which soon led to complications. White sacrificed a piece to keep Black's king in the center and exploit Black's lack in development. But with 16...Bc5!! Short found a surprising rejoinder that threw White off balance. Though his position was objectively still promising Greenfeld failed to find the best continuation and lost quickly.

Greenfeld-Short

 
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1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 d4 3.b4 Bg4 4.g3 More common is 4.Qb3 4...f6 Technically a new move - though the idea to play ...e5 is well-known. 5.Bg2 e5 6.0-0 Nd7 7.Qb3 a5 8.e3 White decides to give the b-pawn to open files and exploit the fact that Black is behind in development and that the black king is still in the middle of the board. dxe3 9.fxe3 axb4 10.d4 Be6 11.Bb2 Nh6 12.dxe5 fxe5 13.Nbd2 Instead of winning back the sacrificed pawn White decides to increase the pressure and develops another piece. After 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Ng4 15.Bd4 c5 16.Bb2 the position remains dynamic and is roughly equal. 13...Nf7 14.Nd4! An inspired piece sacrifice. White opens the e-file to attack Black's king. exd4 15.exd4 Die Öffnung der a-Linie garantiert den Figurenrückgewinn. Nde5 Black is ready to give material back. Being greedy does not pay off: After 15...Be7 16.Rae1 Ra6 17.d5 Bg4 18.Bxg7 Rg8 19.Bd4 the black king remains stuck in the center and White has ample compensation for his piece. 16.Rae1 White does not want to take the offered knight but insists to continue with his attack. However, he is in for a surprise:
16...Bc5‼ A brillant idea. Black develops the bishop - even though he sacrifices it - and suddenly has threats of his own. 17.Qe3? A very human reaction. But not the best. The computer prefers 17.Bd5! and likes White's position, e.g.: Bxd5 17...0-0 18.dxc5 18.Bxe6? Bxd4+= 18...Re8 19.Nf3± 18.cxd5 0-0 19.dxc5+- 17.dxc5 leads to complications with chances for both sides: Qxd2 18.Bxe5 18.c6!? b5 19.Bxe5 0-0 20.Bf4 Qd4+ 21.Rf2 Bxc4 22.Qxb4 Rxa2 23.Be3 Qd6= 18...Rxa2 19.Qf3 0-0 20.Bd6= 17...Rxa2 18.dxc5 Rxb2 19.Rxf7 Perhaps White relied on this move when calculating the complications a few moves earlier. Now, if Black had to take the rook things would be fine for White. But Black has other options. Qxd2! With a winning position for Black. 20.Qxd2 Rxd2 21.Rf4 Nd3 22.Rxe6+ Kd7 White loses material, e.g. 22...Kd7 23.Rfe4 Rd1+ 24.Bf1 b3-+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Greenfeld,A2534Short,N26780–12015A09PokerStars IoM Masters5.5

 

Pentala Harikrishna has the best tiebreak
and "officially" leads the field.

Laurent Fressinet is second on tiebreak.

Best women: Harika Dronavalli

Standings after five rounds:

Rank Name Score Fed.
1 GM Harikrishna, P. 4.0 IND
2 GM Fressinet, Laurent 4.0 FRA
3 GM Naiditsch, Arkadij 4.0 AZE
4 GM Sargissian, Gabriel 4.0 ARM
5 GM Short, Nigel D 4.0 ENG
6 GM Granda Zuniga, Julio E 4.0 PER
7 GM Movsesian, Sergei 4.0 ARM
8 GM Grandelius, Nils 4.0 SWE
9 GM Melkumyan, Hrant 4.0 ARM
10 GM Tiviakov, Sergei 4.0 NED
11 IM Zumsande, Martin 4.0 GER
12 GM Adams, Michael 3.5 ENG
13 GM Howell, David W L 3.5 ENG
14 GM Kuzubov, Yuriy 3.5 UKR
15 GM Sengupta, Deep 3.5 IND
16 GM Donchenko, Alexander 3.5 GER
17 IM Rambaldi, Francesco 3.5 ITA
18 GM Hillarp Persson, Tiger 3.5 SWE
19 GM Boruchovsky, Avital 3.5 ISR
20 GM Harika, Dronavalli 3.5 IND
21 GM Sundararajan, Kidambi 3.5 IND
22 IM Lampert, Jonas 3.5 GER
23 IM Swayams, Mishra 3.5 IND
24 IM Houska, Jovanka 3.5 ENG
25 IM Afek, Yochanan 3.5 ISR

...

Jan Timman

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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.exf6 Nxf6 10.Nf3 Bd6 11.0-0 0-0 12.Bf4 Bxf4 13.Nxf4 Ne4 14.Qc1 Ng5 15.Nxg5 Qxg5 16.Bxh7+ Kxh7 17.Nxe6 Qxc1 18.Nxf8+ Kg8 19.Raxc1 Kxf8 20.Rfe1 Bf5 21.f3 Kf7 22.g4 Nxd4 23.Kf2 Be6 24.Rc7+ Kf6 25.h4 Rd8 26.Rxb7 Rc8 27.Rxa7 Rc2+ 28.Ke3 Nc6 29.Rc7 d4+ 30.Kf4 Bxa2 31.g5+ Kg6 32.h5+ 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Adams,M2742Jedynak,R24271–02015C06PokerStars IoM Masters1.1
Kobo,O2427Harikrishna,P27370–12015E20PokerStars IoM Masters1.2
Howell,D2705Roberson,P24231–02015A37PokerStars IoM Masters1.3
Satyapragyan,S2416Fressinet,L27020–12015B31PokerStars IoM Masters1.4
Naiditsch,A2682Koop,T24071–02015B30PokerStars IoM Masters1.5
Eggleston,D2404Short,N26780–12015B43PokerStars IoM Masters1.6
Sargissian,G2679Houska,J23721–02015A13PokerStars IoM Masters1.7
Gara,T2370Granda Zuniga,J26670–12015B41PokerStars IoM Masters1.8
Movsesian,S2658Shvayger,Y23681–02015B32PokerStars IoM Masters1.9
Jackson,J2368Fridman,D2649½–½2015C02PokerStars IoM Masters1.10
Grandelius,N2647Arakhamia-Grant,K23631–02015C41PokerStars IoM Masters1.11
Ansell,S2360Kuzubov,Y26410–12015A10PokerStars IoM Masters1.12
Jones,G2623Berry,N23551–02015C19PokerStars IoM Masters1.13
Ciuksyte,D2354Tiviakov,S26120–12015B01PokerStars IoM Masters1.14
Sengupta,D2580Vuilleumier,A23451–02015B77PokerStars IoM Masters1.15
Mannion,S2344Donchenko,A25770–12015B93PokerStars IoM Masters1.16
Timman,J2562Tate,A23411–02015C45PokerStars IoM Masters1.17
Zozulia,A2335Brunello,S25530–12015B47PokerStars IoM Masters1.18
Van Foreest,J2548Merry,A23351–02015B01PokerStars IoM Masters1.19
Duncan,C2334Rambaldi,F25470–12015A37PokerStars IoM Masters1.20
Hillarp Persson,T2546Mertens,H23091–02015E52PokerStars IoM Masters1.21
Klein,F2306Boruchovsky,A2536½–½2015C78PokerStars IoM Masters1.22
Greenfeld,A2534Zisman,P23051–02015D09PokerStars IoM Masters1.23
Harika,D2516Kolbus,D2300½–½2015A48PokerStars IoM Masters1.24
Efroimski,M2255Vaisser,A2515½–½2015C07PokerStars IoM Masters1.25
Arkell,K2505House,G22291–02015A46PokerStars IoM Masters1.26
Gormally,D2500Grant,J22251–02015D37PokerStars IoM Masters1.27
Allen,K2210House,G22290–12015E32PokerStars IoM Masters1.28
Hebden,M2490Gikas,A22081–02015D12PokerStars IoM Masters1.29
Walton,A2205Tarjan,J24790–12015B06PokerStars IoM Masters1.30
Player,E2200Neelotpal,D24650–12015C46PokerStars IoM Masters1.31
Nakar,E2463Byron,A21881–02015B31PokerStars IoM Masters1.32
Hill,A2180Lampert,J24610–12015A07PokerStars IoM Masters1.33
Cherniaev,A2458Burrows,M21471–02015A40PokerStars IoM Masters1.34
Zahn,A2130Greet,A2455½–½2015C11PokerStars IoM Masters1.35
Pert,R2450Ottosen,D20961–02015C04PokerStars IoM Masters1.36
Logallo,C2067Paehtz,E24470–12015A45PokerStars IoM Masters1.37
Tan,J2445Hewson,B20591–02015B17PokerStars IoM Masters1.38
Harari,Z2053Swayams,M24440–12015C56PokerStars IoM Masters1.39
Hamitevici,V2439Sipos,S20031–02015A46PokerStars IoM Masters1.40
Weinstein,S1991Williams,S24290–12015A40PokerStars IoM Masters1.41
Basso,P2428Winter,K18111–02015A84PokerStars IoM Masters1.42
Gaehwiler,G2328Melkumyan,H26220–12015B06PokerStars IoM Masters1.43
L'Ami,E2619Zwahr,P23261–02015E63PokerStars IoM Masters1.44
Lyell,M2285Illingworth,M25171–02015B10PokerStars IoM Masters1.45
Vishnu Prasanna,V2503Ambartsumova,K22621–02015A13PokerStars IoM Masters1.46
Afek,Y2252Klein,G18811–02015B40PokerStars IoM Masters1.47
Leutwyler,M2156Daulyte,D23921–02015A46PokerStars IoM Masters1.49
Dragnev,V2380Cafolla,P20671–02015C84PokerStars IoM Masters1.50
Fox,A2031L'Ami,A23690–12015B23PokerStars IoM Masters1.51
Zumsande,M2422Johnson,P18821–02015C45PokerStars IoM Masters1.52
Arkell,K2505Adams,M2742½–½2015D02PokerStars IoM Masters2.1
Harikrishna,P2737Vishnu Prasanna,V25031–02015C88PokerStars IoM Masters2.2
Gormally,D2500Howell,D2705½–½2015D11PokerStars IoM Masters2.3
Fressinet,L2702Hebden,M24901–02015E60PokerStars IoM Masters2.4
Sundararajan,K2497Naiditsch,A2682½–½2015A05PokerStars IoM Masters2.5
Tarjan,J2479Sargissian,G26790–12015A07PokerStars IoM Masters2.6
Short,N2678Nakar,E24631–02015C17PokerStars IoM Masters2.7
Granda Zuniga,J2667Cherniaev,A24581–02015C41PokerStars IoM Masters2.8
Neelotpal,D2465Movsesian,S26580–12015B46PokerStars IoM Masters2.9
Lampert,J2461Grandelius,N26470–12015C97PokerStars IoM Masters2.10
Kuzubov,Y2641Pert,R24501–02015A13PokerStars IoM Masters2.11
Paehtz,E2447Jones,G2623½–½2015E60PokerStars IoM Masters2.12
Melkumyan,H2622Tan,J2445½–½2015D11PokerStars IoM Masters2.13
Swayams,M2444L'Ami,E2619½–½2015E46PokerStars IoM Masters2.14
Tiviakov,S2612Hamitevici,V24390–12015C50PokerStars IoM Masters2.15
Williams,S2429Sengupta,D2580½–½2015E15PokerStars IoM Masters2.16
Donchenko,A2577Basso,P2428½–½2015D52PokerStars IoM Masters2.17
Zumsande,M2422Timman,J25620–12015C45PokerStars IoM Masters2.18
Brunello,S2553Dragnev,V23801–02015D85PokerStars IoM Masters2.19
L'Ami,A2369Van Foreest,J25480–12015E32PokerStars IoM Masters2.20
Rambaldi,F2547Lyell,M2285½–½2015A01PokerStars IoM Masters2.21
Afek,Y2252Hillarp Persson,T2546½–½2015B40PokerStars IoM Masters2.22
Leutwyler,M2156Greenfeld,A25340–12015A40PokerStars IoM Masters2.23
Fridman,D2649Klein,F2306½–½2015D27PokerStars IoM Masters2.24
Boruchovsky,A2536Efroimski,M22551–02015B39PokerStars IoM Masters2.25
Greet,A2455Harika,D25160–12015D11PokerStars IoM Masters2.26
Vaisser,A2515Zahn,A21301–02015D35PokerStars IoM Masters2.27
Kolbus,D2300Jackson,J2368½–½2015A30PokerStars IoM Masters2.28
Illingworth,M2517Mertens,H23091–02015A01PokerStars IoM Masters2.29
Grandelius,N2647Harikrishna,P2737½–½2015B48PokerStars IoM Masters3.1
Timman,J2562Fressinet,L27020–12015B31PokerStars IoM Masters3.2
Sargissian,G2679Kuzubov,Y2641½–½2015A85PokerStars IoM Masters3.3
Van Foreest,J2548Short,N2678½–½2015C84PokerStars IoM Masters3.4
Greenfeld,A2534Granda Zuniga,J2667½–½2015E17PokerStars IoM Masters3.5
Movsesian,S2658Brunello,S25531–02015A07PokerStars IoM Masters3.6
Hamitevici,V2439Melkumyan,H26220–12015A48PokerStars IoM Masters3.7
Adams,M2742Vaisser,A25151–02015A10PokerStars IoM Masters3.8
Howell,D2705Arkell,K25051–02015C10PokerStars IoM Masters3.9
Naiditsch,A2682Gormally,D25001–02015B99PokerStars IoM Masters3.10
Jones,G2623Sundararajan,K24970–12015C09PokerStars IoM Masters3.11
L'Ami,E2619Paehtz,E24471–02015D45PokerStars IoM Masters3.12
Sengupta,D2580Swayams,M24441–02015C07PokerStars IoM Masters3.13
Tan,J2445Donchenko,A2577½–½2015B13PokerStars IoM Masters3.14
Basso,P2428Rambaldi,F25470–12015A57PokerStars IoM Masters3.15
Hillarp Persson,T2546Williams,S24291–02015C05PokerStars IoM Masters3.16
Lyell,M2285Boruchovsky,A25360–12015B23PokerStars IoM Masters3.17
Harika,D2516Afek,Y22521–02015A16PokerStars IoM Masters3.18
L'Ami,A2369Fridman,D2649½–½2015E32PokerStars IoM Masters3.19
Jackson,J2368Tiviakov,S26120–12015B01PokerStars IoM Masters3.20
Shvayger,Y2368Illingworth,M2517½–½2015B91PokerStars IoM Masters3.21
Vishnu Prasanna,V2503Arakhamia-Grant,K23631–02015B48PokerStars IoM Masters3.22
Hebden,M2490Berry,N2355½–½2015D30PokerStars IoM Masters3.23
Vuilleumier,A2345Tarjan,J24790–12015B12PokerStars IoM Masters3.24
Mannion,S2344Neelotpal,D2465½–½2015B32PokerStars IoM Masters3.25
Nakar,E2463Tate,A2341½–½2015C65PokerStars IoM Masters3.26
Zozulia,A2335Lampert,J24610–12015C42PokerStars IoM Masters3.27
Cherniaev,A2458Merry,A23350–12015A04PokerStars IoM Masters3.28
Pert,R2450Zwahr,P2326½–½2015A48PokerStars IoM Masters3.29
Fressinet,L2702Movsesian,S2658½–½2015D38PokerStars IoM Masters4.1
Melkumyan,H2622Adams,M27421–02015D16PokerStars IoM Masters4.2
Harikrishna,P2737L'Ami,E26191–02015C88PokerStars IoM Masters4.3
Sengupta,D2580Howell,D2705½–½2015C84PokerStars IoM Masters4.4
Rambaldi,F2547Naiditsch,A26820–12015A05PokerStars IoM Masters4.5
Boruchovsky,A2536Sargissian,G26790–12015B10PokerStars IoM Masters4.6
Short,N2678Hillarp Persson,T2546½–½2015B20PokerStars IoM Masters4.7
Granda Zuniga,J2667Van Foreest,J25481–02015A06PokerStars IoM Masters4.8
Sundararajan,K2497Grandelius,N2647½–½2015A07PokerStars IoM Masters4.9
Kuzubov,Y2641Greenfeld,A2534½–½2015A33PokerStars IoM Masters4.10
Tiviakov,S2612Harika,D25161–02015C65PokerStars IoM Masters4.11
Donchenko,A2577Hamitevici,V24391–02015E68PokerStars IoM Masters4.12
Koop,T2407Timman,J25621–02015E00PokerStars IoM Masters4.13
Brunello,S2553Kobo,O24271–02015C77PokerStars IoM Masters4.14
Daulyte,D2392Vishnu Prasanna,V25030–12015B23PokerStars IoM Masters4.15
Tarjan,J2479Zumsande,M24220–12015D37PokerStars IoM Masters4.16
Lampert,J2461Dragnev,V23801–02015E00PokerStars IoM Masters4.17
Merry,A2335Tan,J24451–02015C48PokerStars IoM Masters4.18
Fridman,D2649Houska,J2372½–½2015D37PokerStars IoM Masters4.19
Roberson,P2423Jones,G26230–12015C92PokerStars IoM Masters4.20
Illingworth,M2517Eggleston,D24041–02015B22PokerStars IoM Masters4.21
Vaisser,A2515L'Ami,A23691–02015A68PokerStars IoM Masters4.22
Arkell,K2505Shvayger,Y2368½–½2015A15PokerStars IoM Masters4.23
Gormally,D2500Ansell,S2360½–½2015D17PokerStars IoM Masters4.24
Movsesian,S2658Harikrishna,P2737½–½2015C07PokerStars IoM Masters5.1
Sargissian,G2679Fressinet,L2702½–½2015D38PokerStars IoM Masters5.2
Naiditsch,A2682Granda Zuniga,J2667½–½2015B10PokerStars IoM Masters5.3
Howell,D2705Melkumyan,H2622½–½2015A07PokerStars IoM Masters5.4
Greenfeld,A2534Short,N26780–12015A09PokerStars IoM Masters5.5
Grandelius,N2647Koop,T24071–02015A15PokerStars IoM Masters5.6
Hillarp Persson,T2546Kuzubov,Y2641½–½2015A80PokerStars IoM Masters5.7
Vishnu Prasanna,V2503Tiviakov,S26120–12015E12PokerStars IoM Masters5.8
Sundararajan,K2497Sengupta,D2580½–½2015A12PokerStars IoM Masters5.9
Lampert,J2461Donchenko,A2577½–½2015E00PokerStars IoM Masters5.10
Zumsande,M2422Brunello,S25531–02015B14PokerStars IoM Masters5.11
Adams,M2742Merry,A23351–02015B01PokerStars IoM Masters5.12
Jones,G2623Neelotpal,D2465½–½2015A22PokerStars IoM Masters5.13
L'Ami,E2619Williams,S2429½–½2015D41PokerStars IoM Masters5.14
Van Foreest,J2548Paehtz,E2447½–½2015C09PokerStars IoM Masters5.15
Pert,R2450Rambaldi,F25470–12015A41PokerStars IoM Masters5.16
Basso,P2428Boruchovsky,A25360–12015D83PokerStars IoM Masters5.17
Houska,J2372Illingworth,M25171–02015D45PokerStars IoM Masters5.18
Harika,D2516Berry,N23551–02015D38PokerStars IoM Masters5.19
Afek,Y2252Vaisser,A25151–02015C02PokerStars IoM Masters5.20
Hebden,M2490Swayams,M24440–12015A47PokerStars IoM Masters5.21
Dragnev,V2380Fridman,D26490–12015C07PokerStars IoM Masters5.22
Timman,J2562Daulyte,D23921–02015E45PokerStars IoM Masters5.23
Gara,T2370Arkell,K2505½–½2015B11PokerStars IoM Masters5.24
Shvayger,Y2368Gormally,D2500½–½2015B31PokerStars IoM Masters5.25
Ansell,S2360Tarjan,J2479½–½2015C45PokerStars IoM Masters5.26
Tan,J2445Zozulia,A23351–02015B32PokerStars IoM Masters5.27
Hamitevici,V2439Gaehwiler,G23281–02015A00PokerStars IoM Masters5.28
Kobo,O2427Zisman,P2305½–½2015C10PokerStars IoM Masters5.29

 

Sunset at the sea

Photos: Alina l'Ami

 

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Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".

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