[Event "Nigel Short Simul"] [Site "BCC"] [Date "2016.03.10"] [White "Nigel Short"] [Black "Jasan Barnett"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2671"] [ECO "B04"] [Opening "Alekhine: Modern Variation"] 1.e4 {e4 allowed Black to play his favourite Black opening (Alekhine), probably allowing black to last longer in the game than he would have otherwise :) Chessmaster 10th edition stated that Nigel's preferred first move is indeed e4 (which he played as his first move on 29 of the 31 boards). This gave black the benefit of preparing a more in-depth Alekhine opening before the game.} Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 {Black wanting to castle early and stay out of trouble} 5.Bc4 c6 6.O-O {5 moves in and (to my knowledge), the longest time that black has followed an opening book without departing from it (Alekhine Defense/Modern Variation/Fianchello Variation)} Nb6 {Black wanting to put some pressure (no matter how slight) on white. Black may not get another chance to do so ;)} 7.Bb3 d5 {White bishop stuck at b3 (for now)} 8.h3 Bg7 9.Re1 O-O 10.c3 Re8 11.Bf4 h6 {Was originally thinking 11....f6. 12.exf6 exf6 and have the rooks stare each other down but got spooked at the prospect of 12. Ng5} 12.Nbd2 e6 {Abandoned the rook staring down idea} 13.Nf1 f6 {13 moves in and no pieces taken yet. Black is very happy with this (But Chessmaster 10th ed says this move has weaknesses and that a5 was better). Black wasn't even considering that side of the board at this point :)} 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.Be5 {Uh-oh. Black has to retreat.} Qd8 {Wrong place to retreat. Chessmaster says Qf7.} 16.Bc2 {Black expected a Qd3 move here (which Chessmaster agreed with)} Bxe5 17.Nxe5 Rf8 18.Nxg6 {Black running out of kingside pawns :(} Rf6 19.Qh5 {Wow. Black was expecting Qd3. Looks bad for Black now.} Kg7 20.Re3 Nc4 21.Rg3 Rxf2?? {This moves smacks of desparation. Hoping for 22. Kxf2 Qf6+ (Very silly). Chessmaster says Nd6 is better.} 22.Nf4+ Kf8 {Run away!!} 23.Qxh6+ Ke7 24.Kxf2 Kd6 25.Ne3 Nxe3 26.Rxe3 Kc7 27.Nxe6+ Bxe6 28.Rxe6 Qd7 29.Rae1 Qf7+ {Is there still a chance........} 30.Kg1 Kb6 31.Re7 {Ah....no} Qg8 32.Qd6 Na6 33.a4 {Time for the foot soliders to swarm down....} Rd8 34.Qa3 c5 35.dxc5+ {That'll do. Chessmaster has this as a forced mate in 12 more moves. 35...c6 36.a5 b5 37.cxb6ep axb6 38.Ba4+ b5 39.Bxb5+ Kxb5 40.Qb3+ Kc5 41.Qb6+ Kc4 42.Qxa6+ Kb3 43.Qb5+ Ka2 44.Qa4+ Kxb2 45.R7e2+ Kxc3 46.Rc1+ Kd3 47.Qd1#} {#r} 1-0