1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
d6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
Nf6
5.Nc3
a6
Novikovs beloved Najdorf. I had a feeling that we would be seeing a lot of the Najdorf from Igor in the future weeks of this tournament
6.Be3
The main line.....and the one that the top players are playing lately....they are always good to follow.
6...e6
7.f3
b5
8.g4
Nfd7
Kasparovs recent idea.....to bring the knight to b6 and then the b8 knight to d7. The point of this is that Nbd7 immediately is impossible because of g5. [8...Nbd7?
9.g5!
; 8...h6
This is the older main line. The idea of Nfd7 is to simply omit the move ....h6 all together.]
9.Qd2
Nb6
10.0-0-0
Of course in these lines white castles queenside and tries to attack on the kingside. Meanwhile black castles kingside and attacks on the queenside. These are everyones favorite types of games.
10...Bb7
11.Nb3!?
This was the move I had planned. My sister mentioned it to me in passing once, claiming that John Fedorowicz thought it was a strong move.....the idea is to simply stick the knight on a5, and sometimes even on c5, due to the pin on the d file.
11...Nc6
Already I have achieved a victory, as black usually places this knight on d7. [11...N8d7
12.Na5
]
12.Qf2
Now the big question.....what to do with the knight? a4, c4 or d7?? You'd be surprised
12...Na4?
This looks like a GrandMaster type of move, boldly ignoring the possible doubled a pawns...however there are some serious flaws behind it. [12...Nc4?
This looks like the natural reply but unfortunately the c pawn will eventually be lost. 13.Bxc4
bxc4
14.Nd2
Ne5
15.Qe2!
With the idea of f4, and then winning the c4 pawn. Also if I get a knight on c4 it can be very well placed there, eyeing b6 and d6.; 12...Nd7!
The wimpiest looking move turns out to be the best choice! Of course during the game I didn't even consider that Novikov would play this, but now there is no immediate way for white to claim an advantage.]
13.Nxa4
bxa4
14.Nc5!
a3!?
tricky move.....he made it so quickly I worried that it was some kind of home analysis.
15.b3!
calm reaction...my plan is to eventually win the a3 pawn with ideas like Kb1, Bc1 and Bxa3 [15.Nxb7?!
axb2+
16.Kb1
Qc7
I'm up a piece but not for long....the knight is trapped and black has a fine position]
15...Bc8
16.Na4
Unpleasantly eyeing b6. Now whites plan is Nb6-c4...c4 is a dream square for the knight
16...Rb8
[16...Qf6
17.Kb1
idea Bc1-a3]
17.Kb1
[17.Bc5?
Qf6~~
]
17...Be7?
A blunder in a very difficult position. Black had no effective way to stop whites simple plan of Bc1xa3
18.Bb6!
I was sitting there considering this move for a while...my plan was to play Bc5 after Qd7. I didnt want to play Bc5 right away because of Qa5 moves. You can imagine my delight when I realized that Qd7 actually allows Nc5, winning the queen.
18...Bh4
[18...Qd7
19.Nc5!+-
]
19.Bxd8
Bxf2
20.Bc7
Rb7
21.Bxd6
Rd7+-
22.Be2?!
a little sloppy, however still enough to win comfortably.....white is going to win a 2nd pawn very soon on a3. [22.Bc4!?
]
22...Nd4
Somehow I totally overlooked this move....good thing it doesnt work
23.Bc5
Nxe2
24.Bxf2
Rxd1+
25.Rxd1
Bd7
26.Bb6!
Winning instantly. Whites threat is Rd2 and after the knight moves away Nc5.
26...h5
27.Rd2!
[27.Nc5??
Nc3+
]
27...hxg4
[27...Nf4
28.Nc5+-
]
28.Rxe2
gxf3
[28...g3
29.Bg1
(29.hxg3??
Rh1+
) ]
29.Rf2
Bxa4
30.bxa4
And white soon won with the extra piece. So white got a pleasant position after 11.Nb3. This was a major victory for me. I have taken Novikovs main opening and torn it to shreds. How would he ever recover? Would he abandon the Najdorf and begin to play the French defense? Or would he perhaps crush me like a bug next week? Take a look..... 1-0