'She's A Fighter!': Shuvalova Wins On Demand, Sweeps Trent 3-0 In Tiebreaks

Both matches in the 2023 I'M Not A GM Speed Chess Championship Semifinals went to overtime. IM Polina Shuvalova defeated IM Lawrence Trent 14-11 and will face IM Levy Rozman (aka GothamChess) in the Final. 

Between the ebb and flow of blunders and brilliancies, we saw the clash of two determined wills. Trent dictated most of the match, leading by at least one point at several turns, but when it mattered most, Shuvalova won on demand in the last game to reach overtime. With a fresh gust of energy, she won the tiebreaks 3-0 with a game to spare. 

The Final will be on Thursday, October 19, at 2:00 p.m. ET / 20:00 CEST / 23:30 IST. 

Trent 11-14 Shuvalova | Semifinals

• 5+1: Shuvalova 3-4 Trent
• 3+1: Shuvalova 3.5-3.5 Trent
• 1+1: Shuvalova 4.5-3.5 Trent
• Overtime: Shuvalova 3-0 Trent

Shuvalova is the highest-rated player in the tournament, at 2506 FIDE. But Trent, with quirky openings and tactical resourcefulness, is never short of surprises. They'd never played each other before online or over the board, and nobody could have predicted the trajectory this match would take—especially in the end.

Out of 25 games, there were just two draws.

5+1: Shuvalova 3-4 Trent

In a tit-for-tat, blow-for-blow skirmish, Trent finished the first segment with a one-point lead—one that he would generally lose then ultimately regain for most of the match.

This was the toughest segment for Shuvalova, and she would later share: "I actually don't understand how to play 5+1. This is quite a strange [time] control for me," saying that she's more familiar with 3+1 in Titled Tuesday and 1+1 in her own games online.

The very first game featured a study-like ending. From a French Defense, Exchange Variation, it was pretty unexciting and seemed headed for a draw, but a miscalculation in the king and pawn endgame cost Shuvalova the full point.

She had to find the study-like 85.Kf1!! and follow the opposing king on the corresponding squares—good luck finding that with three seconds. 

She retaliated with two consecutive wins, but Trent too won the two games after that. The English IM's first victory, of those two, was a shocking swindle. Trent, in a losing position, was gifted a free hanging piece in the time scramble. He looked up at the sky, perhaps in gratitude, after the game.

Trent, from a losing position, turns it around and looks to the sky after a miraculous win!#IMSCC #SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/GAskUp3nfw

— chess24.com (@chess24com) October 17, 2023

Shuvalova, again, tied it up after Trent, with full compensation for two pawns, failed to find the proper follow-up. But Trent had the last laugh as he took the final game with a dangerous passed c-pawn, thus finishing the first portion with a +1 score and a fist pump.

3+1: Shuvalova 3.5-3.5 Trent

In hindsight, we can point to this segment as the first turn of the tides. Trent achieved a three-point lead at one point, but when Shuvalova cut it back down to just one point, it was clear that the English IM had his work cut out for him.

In chess, unlike poker, for example, both players have access to full information. There are no secrets, nothing physically hidden, yet bluffs often win games—especially in blitz. The first game of this segment was a case in point.

53.Nd6!? didn't win objectively, and in fact, Black could have drawn on the spot in two ways. But it set significant issues practically. Shuvalova, having no time, trusted the bluff (that the knight was well-supported on d6) and went on to lose quickly.

Trent won the next game, taking a three-point lead, with an explosive exchange sacrifice. 

A very nice exchange sac leads to a three-point lead for Trent!

Trent 6-3 Shuvalova. #IMSCC #SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/leYJPe2tcV

— chess24.com (@chess24com) October 17, 2023

Trent would later say that if he was able to extend his lead to four, he would have had much greater chances of winning the match.

The turning point came here. From a losing position, Shuvalova wiggled into a win and nearly won a second game when Trent found a miracle defense out of nowhere. Hess exclaimed: "Lawrence, you cheeky devil!" as the former chessboxer, once again, looked to the sky.

"Lawrence, you cheeky devil!" 🤣 (@GM_Hess)#IMSCC #SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/haSfXy8rAI

— chess24.com (@chess24com) October 17, 2023

It took 13 games and about two and a half hours for the players to reach their first draw.

Still, the momentum was on her side, and the Russian IM "corrected the record," so to speak and in the final game of the segment cut Trent's lead down to one point.

After a long maneuvering phase with bishop against knight (each side with a rook, too), she decisively found a discovered attack and created two unstoppable connected passed pawns. GM Dejan Bojkov annotates this one, our Game of the Day, below.

1+1: Trent 3.5-4.5 Shuvalova 

By the end of the 3+1 portion, Shuvalova explained: "I felt he got a little bit tired." And here she seized her chance, but it was rocky from start to finish.

It began well for Shuvalova. She won three of the first four games and took a two-point lead, mercilessly punishing Trent's Owen's Defense, an opening for which he authored a Chessable course.

Shuvalova punishes the Owen's Defense for the second time and takes the lead for the first time in a while!#IMSCC #SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/XLZpoGtUuj

— chess24.com (@chess24com) October 17, 2023

Down two points now, Trent recovered and won three games of his own. He won the second one in that set in just 15 moves after finding a game-ending double attack:

When Trent won the next game, in an opposite-color bishop endgame with equal pawns, it seemed over. Shuvalova would have to win on demand with Black in the final game of the match.

And she did.

It was an utter explosion of nerves and the following clip conveys the emotions much more effectively than game annotations could.

What!? 🤯#IMSCC #SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/bZPhWGDOSE

— chess24.com (@chess24com) October 17, 2023

Overtime: Trent 0-3 Shuvalova 

Just like in Monday's match, the player with the momentum won with a commanding lead. Trent, like his good friend and rival IM Greg Shahade yesterday, seemingly ran out of steam.

She first won two endgames before landing the final blow, unraveling the Owen's Defense one last time, in 23 moves. 

The moment @poli_chess completed her third, consecutive victory in the tiebreaks and clinched the match with a game to spare!#IMSCC #SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/uQJPn70OTD

— chess24.com (@chess24com) October 17, 2023

Shuvalova picks up $1,250 for winning the match plus an additional $700 by win percentage. Trent exits this year's tournament with $550 for the games he won. 

Asked about her preparations for GothamChess in the Final, she responded: 

How will @poli_chess prepare for her match against @GothamChess?

"I almost did not prepare for this match, and so maybe I will keep going with this tradition!" #IMSCC #SpeedChess pic.twitter.com/rQQjnJh8xw

— chess24.com (@chess24com) October 17, 2023

Trent, who mentioned that he'd send Shahade a book on knight forks, shared some raw emotions about the match result: "I feel absolutely gutted to lose this match. I think this is the match that hurts the most." He also added: "She's a fighter... and she just doesn't give up!"

Semifinals Bracket

The I'M Not A GM Speed Chess Championship is a spin-off of Chess.com's beloved Speed Chess Championship. Starting on October 12 at 11 a.m. ET/17:00 CEST/20:30 IST, players of IM (international master) strength will compete in a series of fast chess matches. The event features a $15,000 prize fund.

Previous coverage

• GothamChess Bites Back In Bullet, Makes It To IMSCC Final
• Trent Proves Shahade Wrong, Moves To Semifinals With Shuvalova
• GothamChess Tops Group B With 9-Game Winning Streak, Shahade Takes Group A
• Back For More Brilliancies: The I'M Not A GM Speed Chess Championship 2023