Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation

BORIS SPASSKY vs. NUKHIM RASHOVSKY
USSR championship, 1973

1. e4, c5
2. Nf3, d6
3. d4, cxd4
4. Nxd4, Nf6
5. Nc3, a6
6. Bg5, e6
7. f4, Qc7
8. Bd3, N8d7
9. Qe2, b5
10. 0-0-0, Bb7
11. Rhe1, Be7
12. e5, dxe5
13. fxe5, Nd5
14. Bxe7, Nxc3
15. Qg4! ....

White sees possibilities on the kingside. He keeps Black from castling.

15. .... Nxd1

If 15....Kxe7, then 16. Nxe6 fxe6, 17. Qxg7+ Ke8, 18. Rf1!! and Black may either lose his Queen or get a back-rank mate.  A pretty continuation arises after 18....Kd1, 19. Qxh8+ Nf8, 20. Qxf8 Kd7, 21. Bxb5 mate.

16. Nxe6!!, Qc6

If 16.....fxe6, then 17. Qxe6 Qc6, 18. Bd6+ Kd8, 19. Rxd1 with a good attack for White.

17. Nxg7, Kxe7
18. Qg5+, f6

If 18.....Kf8, then 19. e6! fxe6, 20. Rf1+ and White wins.

19. exf6+, Kd8
20. f7+!!, Kc7

Forced. If 20....Nf6, then 21. Re8+ Rxe8, 22. Nxe8!!. White's additional pin on the Knight and queening pawn assures him of victory.

21. Qf4+, Resigns

The King has nowhere to go. If 21.....Qd6, then 22. Ne6+ Kc6, 23. Be4+....

If 22....Kc8 or 22....Kd8, White initiates mate by 23. Re8+.

If 22....Kb6, Black loses his Queen by 23. Re6.

Sicilian Defense Najdorf Variation Adams Attack

ROBERT JAMES FISCHER vs. MIGUEL NAJDORF
Varna Olympiad Final 1902

1. e4, c5
2. Nf3, d6
3. d4, cxd4
4. Nxd4, Nf6
5. Nc3, a6
6. h3 ....

The Adams Attack.

6. .... b5
7. Nd5, Bb7

If 7....Nxe4, 8. Qf3 and White controls the a8-f3 diagonal.

8. Nxf6, gxf6
9. c4, bxc4
10. Bxc4, Bxe4

White gives up the e4 pawn in exchange for control along the e-file.

11. 0-0, d5
12. Re1, e5
13. Qa4+, Nd7

Not 13....Qd7, because of 14. Bb5 axb5, 15. Qxa8+ which is favorable for White.

14. Rxe4 !! .....

A surprise move by Bobby Fischer!  The purpose of this move is to increase the control of the c4 Bishop.

14. .... dxe4
15. Nf5, Bc5
16. Ng7+, Ke7
17. Nf5+, Ke8
18. Be3, Bxe3
19. fxe3, Qb6
20. Rd1, Ra7
21. Rd6, Qd8
22. Qb3 ....

Now, we begin to understand why Fischer placed such importance on the c4 Bishop.

22. .... Qc7

If 22....Rf7, then 23. Ng7+ Ke7, 24. Qa3 .... Black's latest move intends to give room for the Black King at d8.

23. Bxf7, Kd8
24. Be6, Resigns

The Black Knight is pinned, and there is nothing else Black can do to relieve the situation.

A great lesson on material value.

Garry Kasparov

Every chess player living today knows Garry Kasparov.  He is the first world champion to have an official website.  Just go there in order to see some of the games he played.  The following game, which he played against Adams in 2005, stands out in unique brilliancy.

MICHAEL ADAMS vs. GARRY KASPAROV
XXII Torneo Ciudad de Linares, 2005

Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation

1. e4, c5
2. Nf3, d6
3. d4, cxd4
4. Nxd4, Nf6
5. Nc3, a6

The Najdorf Variation of Sicilian Defense.  Black's fifth move (a6) aims to deny White the b5 square to his knight and light-squared Bishop while maintaining flexibility in development.

6. Be3, e6
7. Be2, Qc7
8. Qd2 ....

White prepares for Queen-side castling.

8. .... b5
9. a3, Bb7
10. f3, Nc6
11. 0-0-0, b4
12. axb4, Nxb4
13. g4, Be7
14. g5, Nd7
15. h4, Nc5!

Black prepares for Queen-side attack.

16. Kb1, Rb8!
17. h5, 0-0
18. g6, Bf6
19. Rdg1, Ba8

Black opens the b-file...

20. Bg5, Be5
21. gxh7+, Kxh7
22. Nb3, Nxc2

23. Nxc5 ....

If 23. Qxc2 then 23. .... Rxb3 which is good for Black.

23. .... Na3+
24. Ka2, Qxc5
25. Na4, Nc2!!
26. Kb1 ....

If 26. Nxc5, then 26. .... Rxb2 mate.

26. .... Qa3!!
(0:1)

White resigns.  If 27. Qxc2, then 27. ... Rfc8+, 28. Qd1 Rxb2+ and mate next move.