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Alexander Shabalov vs Ratmir Kholmov
"Shabalov to Buffalo" (game of the day May-23-2008)
URS-ch otbor (1987), Norilsk URS, Aug-??
Indian Game: Knights Variation. General (A46)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Oct-05-02
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: Or 25...Nce8 26.Bb2 e5 27.Nd7 +-

Poor Ratmir! 23.Rb8+ was really shocking surprise for him. Was 22...Ra2 sufficient for black?

Oct-05-02
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sneaky: I was looking at 22...Ra2, I can't find a continuation for White in that line that is clearly winning.
Oct-06-02  drukenknight: on 25...Nc8 26 Nd7

Are we sure this is a lost game?

Oct-06-02
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: Drukenknight, see my comment above - if 25...Nce8 then 26.Bb2! (26.Nd7? Rxc1 27.Nxf6 gxf6 28.Rxe8 Kg7 and black with +1 pawn has good chance to win) 26...e5 (What else? White threatens to play 27.Bxf6 and 28.Rxe8+; 26...Kf8 is bad for 27.Ba3 and black rook is pinned.) 27.Nd7 and white wins a piece.
May-23-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: Okay, been a while since this happens to me, what is this pun?? Please help me out here...
May-23-08  ernieb: Shuffle off to Buffalo is a song from the musical 42nd Street, made in the 30's. It is a pretty good movie featuring a very young Ginger Rogers.
May-23-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  An Englishman: Good Evening: Um, "Shuffle Off to Buffalo?" The best thing about CG puns is that I feel less guilty about my own.
May-23-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: Ah! Thank you, thank you! =)
May-23-08  Gilmoy: To Niag'ra in a sleeper
there's no honeymoon that's cheaper
and the train goes slow
oh oh oh
off we're gonna shuffle
shuffle off to Buffalo
May-23-08  orrimoch: what do you guys think of 26..Rd5 ?
May-23-08  Wolfgang01: orrimoch: For instance 27. Rc8??
May-23-08  ezmerin: Black's position logically collapses. First, he pushes pawn to b5, where it cannot be defended properly. Then he moves his knight to a6 to protect the pawn, and the knight soon sinks passively on c7. In the end, despite all exchanges, it dies on e8.
May-23-08  orrimoch: ohh i see..thank you wolfgang01

i think that ratmir should make "air" for his king at first..

May-23-08  xKinGKooLx: Rejected puns:

"You dirty Ratmir"
"Not too Shab-by"

Lol. Anyway, A very nice game. The final move 30. Rc8 was a clever way to get away from the king fork.

May-23-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: For the pun's sake,it was too bad the game wasn't played in Buffalo.

I enjoyed the great circus of rook and knight moves by both players. In fact white's last FOURTEEN moves were made by rook or knight.

The final move is a great signature;if black takes the knight,the rook is lost and if he takes the rook,the exchange will thrust white's knight from the clutches of the adverse king.

May-23-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Jimfromprovidence: As <Honza Cervenka> and <Sneaky> mention, 22,...Ra2, holds for black. So does 22...Ra4, below.


click for larger view

Now, if white continues with 23 Rb8+, then 23... Rxb8 24 Nxb8 h6 and black is fine this time.


click for larger view

The difference in position from the text is that Black's rook now remains on the a file, protecting his knight, so he is able to afford a tempo to play h6 and not lose material.

May-23-08  dumbgai: 3...b5 sure looks like an unusual opening.
May-30-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  patzer2: The winning tactical shot 23. Rb8+!, pointed out by <Honza Cervenka> exploits Black's weakened back rank by creating a pin to win decisive material.

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