1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
The Najdorf Sicilian, a familiar guest to modern tournaments
6.Be3
An invitation to an English attack
6...e5
More aggressive than ...e6 and the English attack (f3, Qd2, 0-0-0, and g4-g5), but opening up the d5-hole.
7.Nb3
Unlike the Sveshnikov, white has no easy way to maneouver the Nb3 to control the d5-hole.
7...Be6
8.f3
In many lines, with the same idea of Qd2, 0-0-0, g4-g5
8...Nbd7
9.Qd2
b5
Inviting white to counter immediately on the queenside.
10.a4
b4
11.Nd5
All well known to theory. The capture on d5 will bring the e-pawn to fill the whole, but white will gain immediate pressure upon the b4-pawn.
11...Bxd5
12.exd5
Nb6
Two attacks upon the d5-pawn forces white to exchange the dark-squared bishop
13.Bxb6
Qxb6
White will now be able to muster pressure on the b-pawn with a5, Bc4, Nc1-d3, b3, and Ra4, but the absense of the dark-squared bishop gives black much counter-play
14.a5
Preventing black from defending the b-pawn with a6-a5
14...Qb7
Two attacks on the d5-pawn
15.Bc4
The bishop defends the pawn, but in many lines remains awkwardly placed behind the fixed d5-pawn.
15...g6
To activate the powerful dark-squared bishop on g7 or h6 and 0-0. I have played this varaition three times... all of my opponents played ...Be7 here
16.Ra4
Two attacks on the b4-pawn. A third is available with Nc1, b2-b3, and Nd3
16...Rb8
Two defenses
17.Qd3
White can play Qd3 and Qd2 to force a draw... probably played here to gain time on the clock for the complex middlegame ahead.
17...Ra8
18.Qd2
Rb8
19.Nc1
Usually with the idea of b3 and Nd3 (or Na2) going after the b-pawn.
19...h5
Seeking counterplay for the future loss of the b-pawn. Bh6 is coming
20.Nd3
Bh6
21.Qe2
Here's the novelty. There have been two games with Qxb4, one played by Shirov with Black! Qe2 prevents Black's counterplay with e5-e4 and puts pressure on the a6-pawn. White can still threaten the b-pawn with b2-b3. [ 21.Qxb4
Qc7
22.Qa3
0-0
23.Nf2
Bc1
24.Nd3
( 24.Bb3
Be3
25.0-0
e4
26.Kh1
exf3
27.gxf3
Rfe8
28.Rc4
Qd8
29.Ba4
Re5
30.Ne4
Nxe4
31.fxe4
Ba7
32.b4
Qe7
33.Qc3
Rg5
34.Qf3
Rf8
35.c3
f5
36.Bc2
Rf6
37.Rc8+
Kh7
38.h3
f4
39.Kh2
Rg3
40.Qe2
Qd7
41.Rc7
Rxh3+
42.Kg2
Rg3+
43.Kh2
Qxc7
44.Rxf4
Rxf4
45.Kxg3
Rg4+
46.Kh2
Qxc3
47.Bd3
Qe5+
0-1 Berg,E-Odeev,H/Bled 2002/EXT 2003 (45)) 24...Be3
25.Kd1
Rfc8
26.Re1
Bh6
27.c3
Rb5
28.Bxb5
axb5
29.Rb4
Nxd5
30.Rxb5
Qc4
31.Rxd5
Qxd5
32.Kc2
Ra8
33.a6
Qc6
34.Ra1
e4
35.Nb4
Qc4
36.Qa5
exf3
37.gxf3
Re8
38.Qd5
Re2+
39.Kd1
Rd2+
40.Qxd2
Bxd2
41.Kxd2
Qf4+
42.Kc2
Qf5+
43.Nd3
Qxf3
44.Ra5
Qa8
45.a7
d5
46.Nb4
d4
47.Nd5
dxc3
48.bxc3
Kg7
49.Kb3
1-0 Polgar,J-Shirov,A/Linares 2001/CBM 82 (47)]
21...0-0
22.Nxb4
[ 22.Rxb4
Qa8
]
22...Qd7
23.Nc6
Is the Nc6 well posted or not? It has very little scope in most lines.
23...Rxb2
Since b3 is usually in by now, it is unusual for Black to have this resource. Kasparov restores material equality, and the rook may have a role along the second rank, but surely it is trapped after Bb3.
24.0-0
h4
Counterplay is required to counter Ba6 and the advance of the white a-pawn.
25.Bb3
White prefers to trap the Rb2, but how now to attack it? If white approaches the rook, Kasparov will undoubtedly sacrifice it for the Bb3... meanwhile, black begins his attack.
25...h3
Attacking the g2-f3 pawn chain at its base, loosening up the white kingside
26.g3
e4
Kasparov has played very quickly until here
27.fxe4
Diagram But now he takes a very long time, perhaps 50 minutes! The threat is Rxf6
27...Qg4
A bigger threat (Qxe2) defends the Nf6. The exchange of queen's helps black to consolidate... Black gains access to both e5 and e3 for the attack and white's pawns would be fixed on light squares in the endgame.
28.Qd3
Heading to c3 or d4 to win the trapped Rb2
28...Qg5
Now on Qc3 or Qd4, Black has Qe3+
29.e5
Aggessive play in the center. Is Kasparov lost? Many on the ICC thought so.
29...dxe5
Restoring material equality, but white has Rh4!
30.Rh4
With two threats, Rxh3 stopping the black attack and Rxh6 Qxh6 Rxf6
30...e4
Stopping both threats with a bigger threat, the attack on white's queen.
31.Qd4
Black's position is hanging by a thread. White now has THREE threats in the position (adding Qxb2)
31...Ng4
To play on, white would have to try Kh1 or Ne7+ [ 31...Qe3+=
]
32.Rxh6
[ 32.Rxg4?
Qxg4
33.Qxb2
Be3+
34.Kh1
Qe2-+
; 32.Rxh3
Qe3+
33.Qxe3
Bxe3+
34.Kg2
with two trapped rooks on the board.]
32...Nxh6
33.Qxb2
[ 33.d6
Nf5
34.Qxb2
Qe3+=
]
33...Qe3+
34.Rf2
[ 34.Kh1??
Qe2-+
]
34...Qe1+
35.Rf1
Qe3+
perpetual check and a draw 1/2-1/2