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ANNOTATED GAME
Taking up the Open Sicilian: Najdorf #1
raskerino (1610) vs. steverand67 (1680)
Annotated by: raskerino (1841)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B99), Najdorf, 7...Be7 main line
raskerino (1610) vs. steverand67 (1680)
Annotated by: raskerino (1841)
Chess opening: Sicilian (B99), Najdorf, 7...Be7 main line
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1. e4 |
I have just begun a switch over to playing the open sicilian, for a year or two I've played the closed, I've had reasonable results but it always feels like I'm wussing out of the main lines. So here's my first attempt to tear down the najdorf. I recommend skipping to move 15 when we leave 'book.' Enjoy! | ||||
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1... c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 |
The move that defines the najdorf and leaves white with two types of choices. Black will usually play ...e5 if given the chance and white may choose to allow that with common moves such as Be3, Be2 or f3 (which typically transposes into 6.Be3) or white can prevent black with 6.Bc4 forcing black to block the dangerous a2-g8 diagonal with 6... e6 and white can prevent ...e5 with 6.Bg5 which is the move featured in this game. | ||||
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6. Bg5 |
Now if 6... e5 black will have a horribly weak d5 square due to the pin on the f6 knight. | ||||
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6... e6 |
So black sensibly controls the d5 square. 6... Nbd7 is a reasonable alternative that also avoids the weak doubled pawns that would happen after a move like 6...h6?! 7.Bxf6! | ||||
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7. f4 |
White's plan is an aggresive pawn storm on the kingside while castling queenside. At the same time though black can activate and has far better pawn structure in an endgame (as is the case in most sicilians, the sveshnikov being a notable exception). | ||||
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7... Be7 |
A common line but one I was happy to see as white can very quickly begin a pawn storm. Other moves include (but are not limited to) Gelfand's favorite 7... Nbd7, the infamous poisoned pawn that usually follows 7... Qb6 (the poisoned pawn is when black grabs b2), Polugaevsky's line with a risky 7... b5, 7... Nc6 and the tricky 7... Qc7 where if white follows with a standard plan of Qf3 and 0-0-0 black starts a very quick attack by marching the b pawn. But these are all main lines outside of this game. | ||||
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8. Qf3 |
The standard move, ...b5 can now be met by e5! forking rook and knight and white is prepared to castle queenside (which puts the rook on the same file as the black queen. | ||||
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8... Qc7 |
So the black queen leaves the file to a square where it can potentially stare down the white king on c1. | ||||
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9. O-O-O |
I'm happy to castle, I will now begin throwing forward everything I have with moves like g4. | ||||
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9... Nbd7 10. g4 b5 |
The battle lines are drawn. The plans are clear, black will conclude development if he gets the chance with ...Bb7 and then use the c file with moves like ...Rc8 and ...b4 to pry it open. White goes kingside, black has not castled yet but white can also blast open the center if necessary with one of his three levers (e5, f5 and g5). The main plan here is to get the bishop out of the way of the g pawn, so white plays: | ||||
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11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. g5 |
And white advances his pawn with tempo gaining even more kingside space. While white may be filled with holes in a potential endgame surely he has excellent play for the moment and excellently placed pieces. | ||||
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12... Be7 |
12... Bxd4 doesn't promise much to black white will play 13.Rxd4 followed by Bh3 and pressure on e6. | ||||
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13. f5 |
This pawn sac is theory and by far the most powerful move in the position. White has huge pressure on the weak e6 square. Black has two choices, defend e6 with 13... Nc5 or grab the pawn and survive the ensuing complications. | ||||
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13... Bxg5+ |
My opponent grabs. A reasonable choice, but he will have difficulty relieving pressure on e6. | ||||
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14. Kb1 Ne5 |
Defending e6 with tempo on the white queen, but the tempo (and pawn) will be won back. | ||||
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15. Qh5 |
This move both attacks the bishop on g5 and pins the f7 pawn (which renews pressure on e6). | ||||
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15... Be3 |
And we have finally left book. Black's move threatens to exchange white's knight but it draws the bishop away from defensive duties. I've seen 15... Bf6 recommended and Q to e7 or d8 seem to be the most popular moves. But why is 15... Be3 worse? That was the question posed to me, and I think it's because the bishop becomes a target for white's pieces, my queen will not be on h5 forever, and when it returns to e2 it will do so with gain of tempo. Also a knight on d5 will fork queen and bishop (again winning tempo), how can I make that happen? | ||||
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16. Nxe6 |
But of course! The f7 pawn is pinned and I now win the d5 square. | ||||
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16... Bxe6 |
The knight is far too threatening to leave alive. | ||||
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17. fxe6 O-O 18. Nd5 |
Winning a key square. | ||||
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