[Event "World Cup"] [Site "Barcelona"] [Date "1989.03.??"] [Round "17"] [White "Speelman, Jonathan S"] [Black "Short, Nigel D"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A17"] [WhiteElo "2640"] [BlackElo "2650"] [Annotator "Llewellyn, Alan"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "1989.03.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "17"] [EventCountry "ESP"] [EventCategory "15"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1989.10.01"] {Jonathan Speelman used to be one of our best ever players, he is still strong today but back in late eighties/early nineties he reached dizzy heights of success. I think I am right in that he beat the otherwise invincible Garry Kasparov in a rapid game and almost challenged for the World Championship himself a number of times. His style was similar to Petrosians (ie positionally intense) and for that reason I wont be including many of his games on the website, good as they are. They need to be appreciated in a Book not online, hint, hint Mr Speelman. Anyway here is an unusually, for him, in it being a tactical, exciting game (rather than tense). It is against the famous Nigel Short arguable our most successfull ever Grandmaster, certainly in recent times.} 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 b6 4. e4 Bb7 5. Bd3 {If Jonathan played d4 here then it would be a Queens Indian Defence but it remains an English Opening under the definitions (after this move)despite the Reti Opening start.} c5 6. e5 Ng4 7. O-O Nc6 {fighting for the unoccupied d4 square but the e4 square is more important.} 8. Be4 f5 $1 {just what I would play in such a position maybe I would have played it a move earlier.} 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. Bxc6 Bxc6 11. d4 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 cxd4 {temporarily winning a pawn.} 13. Nb5 Rc8 14. Bf4 a6 15. Nxd4 Rxc4 16. Rfd1 Qc8 17. Rac1 Kf7 $6 (17... Be7 $142) 18. Qe2 Rxc1 19. Rxc1 Qa8 20. Nf3 $1 {the Knight retreats to go forwards as it was doing absolutely nothing on d4 and on e5 it can cause havoc in Nigels ranks.} Bc5 21. Ne5+ Ke7 22. Bg5 Rf8 (22... Bd4 $142 $11) 23. Rd1 d6 24. b4 $3 {a fine finese} dxe5 (24... Bxb4 25. Qg4 Bc5 (25... dxe5 $2 26. Qxb4+ Kf7 27. Bxf6 Kxf6 28. Rd3 $16) 26. Bxf6+ Kxf6 27. Nd7+ Ke7 28. Nxf8 Qxf8 29. Qg3 $11) 25. bxc5 bxc5 26. Qc2 Kf7 27. Bxf6 Kxf6 28. Rd3 e4 (28... Qc6 $142 29. Rf3+ Ke7 30. Rc3 Rd8 31. h3 e4 $15) 29. Qc3+ Kf5 30. Rd7 $6 $14 (30. Qxc5+ e5 31. Rd7 $16) 30... e3 $2 31. Qxc5+ Kg6 32. Qxe3 Qc6 {this seemingly wins material for Nigel or allows Nigel to back row mate but because the King has no-where to escape...} 33. Qg3+ $1 Kf5 34. Qh3+ Ke5 35. Qg3+ Kf5 36. Rc7 $1 {the position is totally under control- honest says Jonathan.} Qe4 37. h4 h6 38. Rxg7 Qe1+ 39. Kh2 Qe5 40. Ra7 $1 {anticipating the swap off when White will be two pawns to the good, Nigel doesnt have many options here, its Hobsons choice, but to swap off the Queens.} Qxg3+ 41. Kxg3 Rg8+ 42. Kh3 Rc8 43. Rxa6 Rc3+ 44. g3 h5 45. Ra5+ e5 46. f4 Ke4 47. fxe5 Kf3 48. e6 Kf2 $5 49. Rf5+ $1 {the endgame is totally won for White the threat of an unlikely draw is thrawted-ie the threat was Rxg3+ and the King cannot escape the Checks but now the King must retreat from the threat and either passed pawn by White can just advance forcing further concessions. So Nigel threw in the towel.} 1-0