Shirov on the Prowl
On the verge of turning 50, the legend is still playing his brand of chess with success.
Alexei Shirov was one of the world’s absolute top players in the 1990s and the 2000s, but starting in the mid-2010s he took a dip. Not only did he fall from the tier of world championship contenders, but he also even dropped below the 2700 level. For younger chess fans, this may not mean very much, but for those of us who were watching Shirov in his best years it was a real shame. He was one of the most exciting players of his era, possibly of all time, and hardly a tournament went by when he didn’t manage to win at least one mind-blowing game.
It was therefore a pleasant surprise when he made it back over 2700 late last year while qualifying for the Grand Prix. His results there weren’t fantastic, to understate the matter, but in the last week or so he has once again righted the ship, crushing Jorden Van Foreest 3.5-0.5 in a short match to return to the promised land (i.e., to return to the 2700 club). Doing so also required one other win, against Gawain Jones in the 4NCL.
The five games were all entertaining (well, the four wins were), and as they flew under the radar while Norway Chess was going on, I’ve decided to annotate them for you - have a look. Shirov will turn 50 on the 4th of July, so we should enjoy these performances from him while he can still produce them. For those of you who are unfamiliar with chess - and for that matter, even for those of you who are - I can very strongly recommend his two “Fire on Board” books. His best chess is incandescent and inspirational, and worth your time if you are a chess fan.