Master game · Pirc

Shirov, Alexei vs Damljanovic, Branko, 2003

Bosnia GM. A Pirc game with annotated key positions you can drill.

White
Shirov, Alexei (2735)
Black
Damljanovic, Branko (2587)
Event
Bosnia GM
Date
2003
Opening
C41z Pirc
Result
1-0

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Show full PGN as text
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bc4 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 c6 8. a4 b6 9. b3 a6 10. Bb2 Rb8 11. Qd2 b5 12. Bd3 Re8 13. Ne2 Bf8 14. Ng3 g6 15. axb5 axb5 16. c4 bxc4 17. Bxc4 d5 18. dxe5 dxc4 19. exf6 Rxb3 20. Bc3 Nc5 21. Nd4 Rb7 22. Rad1 Nd3 23. Nxc6 Qc7 24. Ne7+ Bxe7 25. fxe7 Qxe7 26. Rf1 f6 27. f3 Be6 28. Ne2 Bf7 29. Qe3 Rd8 30. Ra1 Rbd7 31. h3 g5 32. Nd4 Qe5 33. Ra5 Qf4 34. Nf5 Qxe3+ 35. Nxe3 Rd6 36. Ng4 Ne5 37. Nh6+ Kf8 38. Bb4 Ke8 39. Bxd6 Rxd6 40. Ra8+ Kd7 41. Ra7+ Ke8 42. Nxf7 Nxf7 43. Rb1 1-0

Key positions

The masters found these critical moments. Drill them in spaced repetition to internalise the ideas.

. . b . r b k .
. r q . . p . p
. . N . . P p .
. . . . . . . .
. . p . P . . .
. . B n . . N .
. . . Q . P P P
. . . R R . K .
24. Ne7+!
. . b . r . k .
. r q . b p . p
. . . . . P p .
. . . . . . . .
. . p . P . . .
. . B n . . N .
. . . Q . P P P
. . . R R . K .
25. fxe7!
. . . . r . k .
. r . . q b . p
. . . . . p p .
. . . . . . . .
. . p . P . . .
. . B n . P . .
. . . Q N . P P
. . . R . R K .
29. Qe3!
. . . r . . k .
. . . r q b . p
. . . . . p p .
. . . . . . . .
. . p . P . . .
. . B n Q P . .
. . . . N . P P
R . . . . R K .
31. h3!
. . . r . . k .
. . . r q b . p
. . . . . p . .
. . . . . . p .
. . p . P . . .
. . B n Q P . P
. . . . N . P .
R . . . . R K .
32. Nd4!
. . . r . . k .
. . . r . b . p
. . . . . p . .
R . . . . . p .
. . p N P q . .
. . B n Q P . P
. . . . . . P .
. . . . . R K .
34. Nf5!
. . . r . . k .
. . . r . b . p
. . . . . p . .
R . . . . N p .
. . p . P . . .
. . B n q P . P
. . . . . . P .
. . . . . R K .
35. Nxe3!
. . . r . k . .
. . . . . b . p
. . . r . p . N
R . . . n . p .
. . p . P . . .
. . B . . P . P
. . . . . . P .
. . . . . R K .
38. Bb4!
. . . r k . . .
. . . . . b . p
. . . r . p . N
R . . . n . p .
. B p . P . . .
. . . . . P . P
. . . . . . P .
. . . . . R K .
39. Bxd6!
. . . . k . . .
. . . . . b . p
. . . r . p . N
R . . . n . p .
. . p . P . . .
. . . . . P . P
. . . . . . P .
. . . . . R K .
40. Ra8+!
R . . . . . . .
. . . k . b . p
. . . r . p . N
. . . . n . p .
. . p . P . . .
. . . . . P . P
. . . . . . P .
. . . . . R K .
41. Ra7+!
. . . . k . . .
R . . . . n . p
. . . r . p . .
. . . . . . p .
. . p . P . . .
. . . . . P . P
. . . . . . P .
. . . . . R K .
43. Rb1!

Drill the key positions in spaced repetition

This game's critical moments are part of the Pirc repertoire on DawnChess. FSRS-6 spaced repetition makes them stick. Free to use.

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