1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Bb5
a6
4.Ba4
Nf6
5.0-0
Be7
6.Re1
b5
7.Bb3
0-0
8.c3
d5
The Marshall. Nigel has played this a handful of times over the years but Hikaru was probably not expecting it.
9.exd5
e4!?
The Steiner variation. It may be that, after GMs have analysed this game thoroughly, that the exclamation and question marks shown here swap places. "This is the sort of recklessness that happens when you've got 1/2/4" (Short). "I had an idea Nigel would play something a little bit crazy" (Nakamura). Nigel claimed that Malcolm Pein plays this line and jokingly suggested that he played it in his honour but no game by our esteemed tournament director could be found on the Mega database.
10.dxc6
exf3
11.g3
[This logical continuation, simply aiming at emerging from the opening with an extra pawn, was more or less improvised by Hikaru at the board. It has been played before but barely mentioned in books on this line. "The book recommendation is 11.d4
- maybe there will be a new book recommendation after this game" (Short); 11.Qxf3
is another way to play and one chosen by Bobby Fischer a couple of times.]
11...Re8
12.d4
[Black's innocuous-looking last move actually carried a payload of venom. If 12.Qxf3?
Bc5!
and White is suddenly vulnerable to tricks against his rook and back rank, e.g. 13.Rf1
Bg4!
14.Qg2
Qc8
, etc.]
12...Bg4
13.Bg5
h6
[13...Qd6
14.Qd3
h6
15.Bxf6
Bxf6
16.Nd2
Qxc6
17.Qg6!?
Be6
18.Qh5
rounds up the f3 pawn and ensures White keeps his one-pawn advantage.]
14.Bxf6
Bxf6
White's decision to give up his dark-squared bishop wasn't too problematic as the residual black dark-squared bishop doesn't have much of a future against White's preponderance of pawns on black squares.
15.Nd2
Qd6
16.h3!
Bh5
[16...Rxe1+
17.Qxe1
Bxh3
18.Qe4
and White will soon be a pawn up once again, with an enhanced positional advantage.]
17.Qc2!
With the threat of Qf5, embarrassing the h5 bishop.
17...Bg5
18.Ne4
Qxc6
[If 18...Qg6
White can step up the pressure with 19.Qd3
and then 11 Bc2, while Black has only succeeded in bottling up his own pieces on the kingside.]
19.Nxg5
hxg5
20.Qf5
Nigel told us that, paradoxically, he still had some belief in his position while he was a pawn down, but now the material was level, he completely despaired of it.
20...Rxe1+
[20...Qg6
21.Qxg6
Bxg6
22.Bd5
wins the f3 pawn, leading to a comfortable technical win.]
21.Rxe1
Re8
22.Re5
[Not 22.Rxe8+?
Qxe8
when the back rank threat would necessitate 23.Qe5
Qxe5
24.dxe5
and White has endangered his winning chances.]
22...Rxe5
23.dxe5
Bg6
[Once again 23...Qg6
allows 24.Qxg6
Bxg6
25.Bd5
and the f3 pawn drops off.]
24.Qxg5
Qe4
25.Qd8+
Kh7
26.Qh4+
Qxh4
27.gxh4
f6
[Annoyingly for Black, the doubled h-pawns almost help White's cause. If he tries to defend his f-pawn with 27...Bh5
the white king can now march out to attack it via h2 and g3 and then play Bd1 to win it.]
28.exf6
gxf6
29.Bd5
a5
30.b4
axb4
31.cxb4
Bd3
32.Kh2
Bc4
33.Be4+
[33.Bxc4??
we can discount; 33.Bxf3?
is also sub-optimal as after 33...Bxa2
Black might have a few tricks based on driving the b-pawn through (on a very good day, anyway).]
33...Kh6
34.a3
[34.a3
At this point in the commentary room, Nigel concluded the session with a short snatch of song with the first line "What do you get when you sac a pawn?" to the tune of the 1960s hit "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" by Bobbie Gentry (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIVOjfadGf0). It was a show-stopping rendition, with the crowd on their feet begging for more and throwing garlands of flowers. A whole new career suddenly opens up for Nigel - this year Olympia, next year the Albert Hall. You can hear it for yourself on video 5.3 at the website. Nigel graciously attributed the libretto to former British champion and joker extraordinaire GM Jonathan Mestel. But, returning reluctantly to the chess, Black is right to quit at this point: 34...Be6
35.Bxf3
Kg6
36.Kg3
f5
37.Kf4
Bd7
38.h5+
Kf6
39.Be2
Bc6
40.Bd3
Bd7
41.h6
is hopeless.] 1-0