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Jonathan Speelman vs Nigel Short
Short - Speelman Candidates Eighthfinal (1991), London ENG, rd 7, Feb-05
Gruenfeld Defense: Exchange Variation (D85)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-21-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: <The most unlikely convert was Nigel Short, a classical player who liked his pawns to be present in the center. For him the Grunfeld belonged to another universe, but as his coach I thought it made perfect sense to use it against Jonathan Speelman in the 1991 Candidates match in London. Speelman was one of those “diagonal players” who liked to place his kingside Bishop on the long diagonal h1-a8 as white. The Grunfeld steals the diagonal play from white because black’s dark bishop has a target in the center. I taught Short the Grunfeld defense in three months and it won him the match.

When they met in the 1988 Candidates quarterfinal, Speelman won convincingly 3.5 - 1.5. He seemed to have a psychological edge and what was even worse, Short didn’t have suitable repertoire for the black pieces against him. No matter what he did, he was playing to Speelman’s strength. The Grunfeld changed all that and Short had suddenly something new, fresh and surprising up his sleeve.

Speelman was switching from variation to variation, but in four Grunfeld games he was able to surprise Short only once. When he tried to win in the same variation again, Nigel easily drew by repeating all 27 moves I have analyzed for him the previous night. In the final game Speelman developed his light bishop on the diagonal, but ran into a prepared setup we used to play in Czechoslovakia in the 1960s around the time Short was born. Nigel won the game and the match. Considering the limited time we had to prepare the Grunfeld, it was a miracle.>

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-...

Speelman vs Short, 1991

Mar-07-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Tabanus: This game was awarded the brilliancy prize, according to Keene in The Spectator 16 Feb 1991.
Mar-07-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: <Tabanus: This game was awarded the brilliancy prize, according to Keene in The Spectator 16 Feb 1991.>

Are you sure? This won a Brilliancy Prize - what were the other games like??

Mar-08-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Tabanus: <offramp> Keene says so: http://archive.spectator.co.uk/arti...

The other games are here: Short - Speelman Candidates Eighthfinal (1991)

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