1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
6.a4
Nc6
7.Be2
e5
8.Nxc6
bxc6
9.f4
Be7
10.a5
0-0
11.0-0
exf4
12.Bxf4
Be6
13.Kh1
Qc7
14.Qd2
Rfd8
15.h3
Qb7
16.Qe3
d5
17.Be5
Nxe4
18.Nxe4
dxe4
19.Qxe4
Bd5
20.Qg4
g6
21.Qf4
c5
22.Bf3
f5
23.Bc3
Bd6
24.Qh4
Bxf3
25.Rxf3
Qf7
26.Re1
Re8
27.Rfe3
Rxe3
28.Rxe3
Bf8
29.b3
Rc8
30.Qe1
c4
31.b4
f4
32.Re6
f3
33.Qe5
Bg7
34.Qxg7+
Qxg7
35.Bxg7
f2
36.Rf6
Kxg7
37.Rxf2
c3
Rook endings are extremely drawish. So, despite being a sound pawn ahead, Nigel Short still has to demonstrate great precision:
38.Rf4!
An important prophylactic move which ensures that an activation of the black rook will be at a price.
38...Rd8
39.Rc4
Rd1+
40.Kh2
Rb1
41.Kg3
Rb2
42.Rxc3
Rxb4
43.Rc6
g5
44.Kf3
Rb5
45.Rxa6
Rc5
46.c4!?
With this move, Short arranges things so that his rook can get out of the unfavourable position in front of the a-pawn.
46...Rxc4
47.Rb6!
h5
48.a6
Ra4
[Nor does the exchange of pawns with 48...g4+!?
suffice for a draw. Because of the strongly reduced winning potential, however, White has to play with great accuracy, e.g. 49.hxg4
Rxg4
(49...hxg4+
50.Kg3
Ra4
51.Kh4
Kf7
52.g3
Ke7
53.Kg5
Kd7
54.Kf5+-
) 50.a7
Ra4
51.Rb7+
Kf6
52.g3
Ke5
53.Re7+
Kf6
54.Rh7
Kf5
55.Ke3
Kg4
56.Rg7+
Kh3
(56...Kf5
57.Kd3
Ke5
58.Kc3
Kd5
59.Kb3
Ra1
60.Kb4
Kc6
61.Rh7+-
) 57.Kd3
Kh2
58.Kc3
Kh3
59.Kb3
Ra1
60.Kb4
Ra2
61.Kb5
Ra3
(61...Rxa7
62.Rxa7
Kxg3
63.Rg7+
Kf3
64.Rh7
Kg4
65.Kc4+-
) 62.Kb6
Rb3+
63.Kc7
Rc3+
64.Kb8
Rb3+
65.Ka8
Rb5
66.Rg8
Kg2
67.g4
h4
68.Rb8+-
]
49.Ke3
Ra2
50.Rb7+!
The advance of the a-pawn to the seventh rank which follows forces the black rook to remain on the a-file, where sooner or later it can be put under pressure by the white king.
50...Kf6
51.a7
Kf5
[51...Ke5
essentially makes no difference, e.g. 52.Re7+
Kf6
53.Rh7
Ra4
54.Kd3
g4
55.h4+-
]
52.g3
Ra4?!
[After 52...Ke5!?
White must first position his rook better with 53.Re7+
Kd5
54.Rd7+
before he can approach with the king: 54...Ke6
(54...Ke5
55.Kd3
h4
56.gxh4
gxh4
57.Kc4+-
) 55.Rh7
Ra4
56.Kd3
h4
57.g4+-
]
53.Kd3
Ra1?!
Now White can win with the a-pawn. [53...Ke5
was more stubborn, but in the long run there will be a winning endgame with linked passed pawns: 54.Kc3
h4
55.g4
Kd5
56.Kb3
Ra1
57.Rg7
Ke6
58.Rxg5
Rxa7
59.Rh5+-
]
54.Kd4!
Good technique! Short's king will any case require three moves to get to b6 and so he exploits the possibility of getting in another bodycheck.
54...h4
55.gxh4
gxh4
56.Kc5
Kf4
57.Rg7
Kf3
58.Kb6
and Efimenko resigned in view of
58...Rb1+
59.Kc7
Ra1
60.Kb8
Rb1+
61.Rb7+-
1-0