Universal Event Promotion (UEP), the company that staged major events like
Kramnik
vs Deep Fritz and the World
Championship Anand vs Kramnik, is now continuing their series of the first-class
matches with an encounter between former World Championship candidate Nigel
Short and the very promising Ukraining GM Zahar Efimenko. The event is taking
place in the West-Ukrainian town of Mukachevo. It is a classical match over
six games, with time controls of 90 minutes for 40 moves, plus 30 minutes for
the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting with
the first move. Efimenko is seconded by GM Alexander Beliavsky, Short is playing
without a second.
From the official web site:
The 44-year-old Nigel Short belongs to the greatest of his craft. He caused
a stir with numerous successes in his early years and was considered a prodigy.
In the World Junior Championship 1980 he won the silver medal behind Garry
Kasparov and very soon he became a chess grandmaster at the age of 19, the
youngest in the world at that time. After winning several tournaments and
a victory against Jan Timman in the Candidates final 1993 he got the opportunity
to fight for the highest chess crown. The match against Garry Kasparov, which
took place outside the World Chess Federation and under the aegis of the Professional
Chess Association (PCA) and can be considered as the climax in Short's career.
He lost against the mighty Russian 12.5 - 7.5.
Although Short temporarily disappeared from the scene after this defeat he
still plays at the highest level to this day and is always a most welcome
guest, especially because of his dynamic and aggressive play. His current
Elo is 2706 whereby he ranks numer 29th in the world.
Nigel Short, UEP President Josef Resch, Zahar Efimenko
The 24-year-old Zahar Efimenko belongs to a group of young and talented Ukrainian
players. As a youngster, his biggest success was a victory in the World Junior
Chess Championship U-14 in Oropesa del Mar. In spite of some strong rivals
he plays in the national team and won the Ukrainian championship in 2006.
In Germany he is known for his participation in the Bundesliga, where he plays
for the team of Werder Bremen. The young Ukrainian, like Short, is known for
his constant search for the initiative and for the fact that he has no fear
of big names. He is supported by the president of the Universal Event Promotion,
Josef Resch, and lives in Mukachevo. His current Elo is 2654 whereby he captures
the 83rd rank in the world.
The match between Short and Efimenko promises six high class and exciting games
with a totally open result. You can follow the games at the official
UEP website of Universal Event Promotion and the Mukachevo
Chess Club website. Naturally you can watch the games at Playchess.com,
together with thousands of other members.
The drawing of lots, with match arbiter Oleg Tovchyga (left) officiating
Liliya Sholomey, a singer from Moldova, performed at the opening ceremony
Photos Viktor Manak
Schedule of the Short-Efimenko match
| Saturday |
19 September |
CEST |
Opening ceremony, drawing of colours |
| Sunday |
20 September |
15:30h |
Game one: Short-Efimenko |
| Monday |
21 September |
16.30h |
Game two: Efimenko-Short |
| Tuesday |
22 September |
16.30h |
Game three: Short-Efimenko |
| Wednesday |
23 September |
|
Free day |
| Thursday |
24 September |
16.30h |
Game four: Efimenko-Short |
| Friday |
25 September |
16.30h |
Game five: Short-Efimenko |
| Saturday |
26 September |
16.30h |
Game six: Efimenko-Short |
Game one
The first game of the six-game match was a resounding victory with the black
pieces for the local grandmaster Zahar Efimenko. In an exciting and aggressive
game he took his British opponent apart to draw first blood in this event. The
following commentary was provided by German GM Klaus Bishoff.
Short,N (2706) - Efimenko,Z (2654) [B23]
Match Mukachevo UKR (1), 20.09.2009 [GM Klaus Bischoff]
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Nge2 Nf6 5.0-0 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. 7...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. 8...0-0
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!?
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. 12...Nxd4 13.Bxd4 e5!
14.fxe5 dxe5 15.Bxe5 Bc5+ 16.Kh1. Unfortunately 16.Bd4 does not work.
Black has 16...Bg4 with a double attack. 16...Ng4
Black is now winning the exchange. 17.Bg3 Bf2 18.Qf3 Bxe1! Brave! If
Zahar had less selfconfidence, he could have gone for 18...Bxg3 which
leads to a draw. After 19.Qxg3 Black has 19...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?! My engines do not like this move at all. But Nigel wanted to prevent
Sf6. 22...Rfe8 23.Bxc6 bxc6!? It was also possible to play 23...Rxc6
Zahar probably did not like 24.h3 Nf6?! (but 24...Nh6! 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!
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! 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
31...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. [Click
to replay]
Results and standings
| |
Nat. |
Rtng. |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
Tot. |
Perf |
| Nigel Short |
ENG |
2706 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
| Zahar Efimenko |
UKR |
2654 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Links
The games are being broadcast live on the official
web site and on the chess server Playchess.com.
If you are not a member you can download the free PGN reader ChessBase
Light, which gives you immediate access. You can also use the program
to read, replay and analyse PGN games. New and enhanced: CB Light 2009! |
|
Pictures from Mukachevo
The venue of the match: Cinema Theatre "Peremoha", Mira Square,
Mukachevo
The central street of the Ukrainian city
Catholic church in Mukachevo
The well-known "Saints Cyril and Methodius" statue in contemporary
Mukachevo. The Byzantine Greek brothers are credited with the creation of the
Slavic Glagolitic and Cyrillic alphabets.
