Showing posts with label B90. Show all posts
Showing posts with label B90. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Sicilian Najdorf theory debate

The following Sicilian Najdorf position has been reached several times in the recent GM tournaments.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be3 Ng4
7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 g5 9. Bg3 Bg7 10. h3 Nf6



Note that 10..Ne5 is a solid alternative
(see Bacrot-Adly Bundesliga '08 for instance 10..Ne5 11 Nf5 http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1525472;
10 ..Ne5 11 f3!? was played by Akopian against Grishuk)

10..Nf6 has been played by GM Karjakin with mixed results at the highest level.

A) Akopian-Karjakin 2009 followed 11 Qf3 !? and White won after a long struggle.

B) Lenier-Dominguez and Bacrot chose 11 Qe2 !? with the following moves :

11. Qe2 Nc6 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. e5 dxe5 14. Bxe5 O-O



Here Lenier-Dominguez chose 15 g4!? a5 16 h4 and reached a promising position but lost eventually. Lenier-Dominguez Karjakin 0-1 Corus 2009





Bacrot chose 15. h4 g4 16. g3 Bf5? 17. Bg2 Qd7
18. O-O Rfd8 19. Rfe1 e6 20. Na4 Qb7 21. c4

and eventually won the game ( Bacrot-Karjakin Fide GP 4th Nalchik, 2009 )
Full game here
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1544154

In that variation 16..Bf5 ? is not as strong as 16..a5 with a possible continuation as 17 Bg2 Ba6 18 Qe3 and Black prevents White king-side castle.