1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6
Fischer's favorite Najdorf Variation.
6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6
The Poisoned Pawn Variation.
8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5!?
This line was introduced by Paul Keres way back in 1955. Kasparov
analyzed it twice in his My Great Predecessors
series. There are two annotated games, Tal-Tolush 1956(MGP II) and Bilek-Tal
1962(MGP IV). He opined that the text was a dubious move. However, in an
article in the New in Chess Magazine 8/2006 he analyzed the variation again
and held that it was viable. In the recent Corus 2007 Tournament Anand faced
it as Black against Motylev and won. Then he played it as White against Van Wely and won again!
The other major lines are 10.Bxf6, 10.Be2 and the sharp 10.f5.
10...dxe5
10...h6 was played in the games Motylev-Anand and Anand-Van Wely,
Corus 2007.
11.fxe5 Nfd7 12.Bc4
A major alternative is Tal's move 12.Ne4. It has been recently
revived, thanks to the efforts of players like Radjabov and Anand. 12...h6
13.Bh4 (13.Bb5!?
Analysis Diagram: after 13.Bb5!?
...is the new miracle move being
debated on the pages of NIC Yearbook 82. See the forthcoming Chessville
Review for a discussion of the same.) 13...Qxa2 14.Rd1 (An improvement
on 14.Rb3?! 14...Qa1+ 15.Kf2 Qa4 Korchnoi-Tolush 1958)
14...Qd5! (Kasparov's recommendation) 15.Qe3 Qxe5 leads by
transposition to Motylev-Anand and Anand-Van Wely, Corus 2007 games.
12...Bb4
12...Qa5 is a powerful alternative tried by Fischer in other games.
13.Rb3
13.Nxe6?! It took years to prove that this move is unsound. But
not 13...fxe6
14.Rxb4 ! 14...Qxb4
A) 15.00 Qc5+ ! (15...Qxc4 ? 16.Ne4 Qxe4 17.Qd6+-)
16.Rf2 Qxc4 17.Ne4 Qxe4 18.Qd6 Qe1+ 19.Rf1 Qxf1+ ! 20.Kxf1 Rf8+ 21.Kg1 Kf7+
-Soltis
B) 15.Bxe6 15...h6 ! 16.00 ? 16...Qb6++ -Nunn. But after
17.Be3 Qxe6 18.Nd5 Qc6 White still has some threats with 19.Qa5 (or
19.Qd4 - NSH)
16.Bf7+ 16...Kxf7 17.Qd5+ Kg6 18.Qd3+ Kh5! (Not 18...Kxg5??
19.h4+ Kh5 20.Qf5++-) - Nunn.
Now it is impossible to see how White can justify his sacrifices.
For example, 19.Be7!? 19...Nxe5 (19...Qxe7? 20.Qf5++-)
20.Qe2+ Qg4 21.Qxe5+ Kg6 +
13...Qa5 14.00 00
14...Nxe5!? deserves attention. - Kasparov
15.Nxe6?
15.Bf6! 15...Nxf6 ! 16.exf6 Rd8 17.Rxb4 ! 17...Qxb4 18.Qg5 g6 is correct
with an unclear game. - Kasparov
15...fxe6 16.Bxe6+ Kh8 17.Rxf8+ Bxf8 18.Qf4 Nc6!
18...Qxe5 19.Qxe5 (19.Qf7 ?? 19...Qe1+ 20.Qf1 Qxe6+)
19...Nxe5 20.Bxc8 is at least equal according to Soltis. But White may have
the edge on account of his active pieces. - NSH
19.Qf7 Qc5+ 20.Kh1
If 20.Be3 Qxe3+ 21.Kf1 Qc1+ 22.Kf2 (22.Ke2 Nd4+ 23.Kf2
Nxe6+) 22...Bc5+
20...Nf6!
21.Bxc8
The knight cannot be captured:
21.exf6 Bxe6 22.fxg7+ Bxg7 23.Qxe6 Qxg5 +; or
21.Bxf6 Bxe6 22.Qxe6 gxf6 23.Qxf6+ Bg7 +
21...Nxe5 ! 22.Qe6 Neg4
Now White has no answer to the threats of ...Nf2+ and ...Rxc8.
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