Shirov overpowers Sveshnikov with 5.5/6
9/29/2014 – It was a match that had been discussed over twenty years ago, but never came to fruition, which is a pity since the match was great fun despite neither being in his prime. Shirov was always the stronger of the two, and time did Sveshnikov no favors despite his great fighting spirit. Still, for those who accompanied the games live, there was no shortage of entertaining chess.
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A picture of Riga near the playing venue
The two players at the match's opening
Both are renowned for their creativity and original thinking, whether it be Shirov's willingness to play with an uncontrolled cyclone on the board, or Sveshnikov's pioneering opening analysis that led to one of the Sicilian's best known lines to be named after him. Although today's grandmasters usually try to keep a broad array of openings, to avoid being predictable, there is a flip side to Sveshnikov's unwavering choices: how can you trap a player in an opening in which he is an encyclopedia?
For the online viewers, this was a familiar scene as all the moves and player moves could be seen
Alexei Shirov overpowered his compatriot
Still, it was not opening play that was his downfall, and despite the lopsided score in favor of the younger Latvian who won 5.5/6, the question as to whether they would retain commercial interest will depend on the audience. Some players will turn their noses up at any match that does not involve the very elite, while others will recognize the pedigree both players carry, and the deserved reputation for enterprising and entertaining chess. In this, they were served, and well.
The simple yet efficient setup shows that one does not need a TV studio setup in order to
broadcast live high-resolution video
Pictures by Vladimir Barsky
LinksThe 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 a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 12 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs. |
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Discussion and Feedback
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He developed that opening and I think he has good reasons that he play it this way these days.
Not a fan of the 4...e5, 6...a6 move order, and the annotated game is a good example. With 4...Nf6, white can't get this variation because black just swaps on d5 the moment white plays a knight there. At any rate, I love playing the Sveshnikov (4...Nf6 version of course) on ICCF. It's a very solid defense with just enough traps to nab the occasional upset win there.
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