Immortal Space Invaders Game II - Top 10 of the 2000s - Timofeev vs. Khismatullin, 2009
I previously christened IM Sulyemanli's excellent win the Immortal Space Invaders game, but that was only because I hadn't seen this delightful 2009 game in which GM Artyom Timofeev brilliantly overwhelmed GM Khismatullin with two spectacular positional sacrifices.
Top 10 Games of the 2000s
- #1: Topalov vs. Aronian, 2006 (blog)
- #2: Morozevich vs. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, 2009 (blog)
- #3: Karjakin vs. Anand, 2006 (blog)
- #4: Rybka vs. Nakamura, 2008 (blog)
- #5: Fontaine vs. Vachier-Lagrave, 2007 (blog)
- #6: Sutovsky vs. Smirin, 2002 (blog)
- #7: Krasenkow vs. Nakamura, 2007 (blog)
- #8: Timofeev vs. Khismatullin, 2009
- #9: Carlsen vs. Ernst, 2004 (blog)
- #10: Schmaltz vs. Har-Zvi, 2001 (blog)
- See also: Top 10 of the 2010s
Timofeev's battle plan makes chess seem simple. First, he seizes space in a Maroczy Bind structure, second, he maneuvers for 30 moves, and finally, when his opponent has little time left, he offers an incredible exchange sacrifice to bind up his opponent's rook.
Of course, nothing is that simple, but perhaps we can all take a lesson from this game and hope to mimic such inspiring play.
Lessons:
- Four connected passed pawns are nigh unstoppable.
- An immobile rook is rarely superior to a knight.
- Give your opponent tough challenges before the time control.
- Video games can teach us a lot about chess
My notes are below. Enjoy the game!
If you like the content and want to support it, subscribe and follow on YouTube and Twitch!
I'm the Head of Community for Chess.com. I earned the National Master title in 2012, and in 2014, I returned to my home state of South Carolina to start Strategery: Chess and Games. In late 2015, I began working for Chess.com and haven't looked back since.
You can find my personal content on Twitch , Twitter , and YouTube where I further indulge my love of chess.
