[Event "Match"]
[Site "Mukachevo UKR"]
[Date "2009.09.20"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Short, N."]
[Black "Efimenko, Z."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B23"]
[WhiteElo "2706"]
[BlackElo "2654"]
[Annotator "Klaus Bischoff"]
[PlyCount "76"]
[EventDate "2009.09.20"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. Bc4 Nc6 4. Nge2 Nf6 5. O-O e6 6. d4 cxd4 7. Nxd4 {All
these transpositions have now led to a Sozin Sicilian. This was Fischer's
favorite line against the Sicilian, and Nigel has even used it to try to make
life difficult for Black against Kasparov.} Be7 8. a3 {With this innocent
looking little move Nigel tries to avoid a theoretical battle. The move in
itself is not stupid at all, he wants to keep his Sozin bishop. But of course
Black is given extra time to finish his development.} O-O 9. Ba2 Bd7 10. Re1 a6
11. Be3 Rc8 {Zahar is now ready for Ne5-c4. If he could then protect this
wonderful knight with b5, Black would be fine.} 12. f4 $5 {The exclamation
mark is for the courage. But Nigel is weakening his king. For me it looks a
bit strange to combine Rfe1 and f4.} Nxd4 13. Bxd4 e5 $1 14. fxe5 dxe5 15. Bxe5
Bc5+ 16. Kh1 {Unfortunately 16.Bd4 does not work. Black has 16...Bg4 with a
double attack.} Ng4 {Black is now winning the exchange.} 17. Bg3 Bf2 18. Qf3
Bxe1 $1 {Brave! If Zahar had less selfconfidence, he could have gone for} (
18... Bxg3 {which leads to a draw. After} 19. Qxg3 {Black has} Qb6 20. Nd5 Nf2+
21. Kg1 Nh3+ 22. Kh1 Nf2+ {with a perpetual.}) 19. Rxe1 Qg5 20. Bf4 Qg6 21. Bd5
({It was safer to try} 21. h3 Nf6 22. Be5 Rfe8 23. Bxf6 Qxf6 24. Qxf6 gxf6 25.
Bd5 Rc7 26. Rf1 {White has chances to get away with a draw. But he would have
to suffer.}) 21... Bc6 22. e5 $6 {My engines do not like this move at all. But
Nigel wanted to prevent Sf6.} Rfe8 23. Bxc6 bxc6 $5 ({It was also possible to
play} 23... Rxc6 {Zahar probably did not like} 24. h3 Nf6 $6 ({but} 24... Nh6
$1 {is playable with a solid advantage.}) 25. Rd1 {and the knight suddenly has
no good squares.}) 24. h3 Nf6 25. Rd1 Nd5 26. Nxd5 cxd5 27. c3 Qe4 $1 {The
rest is easy for Black. White needs Bd4 for more resistance, but he will of
course never get this.} 28. Qf2 Rc4 29. Bg3 d4 30. Rxd4 Rxd4 $1 {This is a
well-known method. After winning the exchange, you should always try to
exchange your opponents last rook.} 31. cxd4 (31. Qxd4 {was also hopeless.
After} Qb1+ 32. Kh2 Qxb2 {White has no compensation at all.}) 31... Rd8 32. Qf1
Rxd4 33. Qxa6 h5 34. e6 fxe6 35. Qb5 Rd5 36. Qe8+ Kh7 37. Kh2 h4 38. Bc7 Rg5 {
This brutal move is winning the house. A perfect start for Zahar, who played
very well today.} 0-1

