Shirov’s ...Bh3!!

In Shirov–Topalov, Linares 1998, Black’s bishop appears to be the piece holding the ending together. Shirov instead puts it en prise on h3.

Lesson

Black to move. Main line: 1... Bh3!! 2. gxh3 Kf5

1...Bh3!! clears f5 for the king and fixes White’s pawn structure. If White accepts, 2...Kf5 brings the king into the position before the bishop on c3 can stop the connected passers.

The move is brilliant because its point is strategic, not a short material recovery. Black gives up a bishop so the king and pawns become stronger than White’s remaining bishop.

This is the kind of move an animation explains especially well: the empty f5-square and the king’s route are easier to see after the bishop physically leaves.