The mountainous border separating France from Spain today lies quiet. The two countries are cooperating closely in realms like fishing, where there has long been contention, and they are also joining hands to fight the Islamic and Basque terrorists in their midst. On the surface, one might even say that in the long and bloody history of Europe, Franco-Spanish relations have never better. This would be a gross error.

Tension between the two European powers has hardly subsided. Indeed, at the Chess Olympiad just concluded in Mallorca, we saw a spectacular eruption in one of the best games of the event. The leader of the Spanish team, Alexei Shirov, unveiled a fascinating theoretical novelty and his French antagonist, Laurent Fressinet, was burned at the stake – Inquisition style.

SHIROV VS. FRESSINET

(white) (black)

Slav Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.g4 dxc4 8.Bxc4 e5 9.Bd2!

A very important novelty, taking the place of 9.g5, which has been almost automatically played in this position. 9… exd4 10.Nxd4 Ne5 Fressinet decides to take the offered pawn. Two days after this game, Shirov’s idea was tested further in the India-Russia match. Dreev playing black continued 10…Nb6 11.Be2 0-0 12.0-0-0 Nbd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 but after 14.Nf5 his opponent Harikrishna obtained the initiative. 11.Be2 Bxg4?! As this game proves, this move is a serious mistake. Now black lacks the pieces to cover the neuralgic f5 square. He had to choose 11…Nexg4!? 12.Rg1 (or 12.Ne4 Be5 13.h3 Nh6 14.0-0-0) 12…Bxh2 13.Rg2 Be5 14.0-0-0 with a messy position in both cases. 12.f4! Ng6 13.Bxg4 Nxg4 14.Nf5 Nh4?! Permitting the piece sacrifice, which yields a crushing attack for white, black had to play 14…0-0 despite the fact that after 15.Ne4 Be7 16.Rg1 Nf6 17.0-0-0 white would exert strong pressure. 15.Nxg7+ Kf8

(See diagram)

16.0-0-0! Nf2

In case of 16…Kxg7 17.Ne4 Kf8 18.h3! black has no defense.

17.Ne4! Nxd1

No better was 17…Nxh1 18.Bc3 Qb6 19.Nxd6 Qxe3+ 20.Kb1 Nf2 21.Ngf5 Nxf5 22.Nxf5 Qxf4 23.Bd2! Qe4 24.Bh6+ Ke8 25.Nd6+ and white wins; also failing to solve black’s problems was 17…Nxe4 18.Qxe4 Qe7 19.Qd3! After the move played in the game, Shirov finishes the attack in high style. 18.Rxd1 Be7 19.f5! Qb6 20.f6 Bb4 21.Bxb4+ Qxb4 22.a3 Qa5 23.Nc5 h6 24.Nf5 Ng6 25.Nd7+ Kg8 26.Ne7+ Kh7 27.Nxg6 fxg6 28.Ne5! 1-0