1edwards Jon Sacking the Citadel the History Theory and Pract

Chess is Fun: The Sicilian Najdorf with 6.Be3

by Jon Edwards

©2012: Jon Edwards  jedwards.chess@gma  [email protected] il.com

The contents of this book are protected by the Byrne Convention. No  portion of this book may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any manner  or form whatsoever by any means without the express, written, prior   permission from the publisher except for clear instances of fair use, brie quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Chess is Fun 178 Pennington Harbourton Road Pennington, NJ 08534 Layout: Jon Edwards Proofreading: Cheryl Edwards Cover design: Lorene Lavora Created and published in the United States of America

Table of Contents Introduction Key Positions Game #1: Edwards, J (2250) - Berzanskis, P (1925) [B90] Game #2: Edwards, J - Biedermann, T [B90] Game #3: Edwards, Jon (2368) - michtech (2424) [B90] Game #4: Edwards, J (2475) - Grabinger, H (2495) [B90] Game #5: Karjakin, Sergey (2660) - Anand, Viswanathan (2792) [B90] Game #6: Edwards, J (2550) – Mihalko ,J (2530) [B90] Game #7: Anand, V (2690) - Kasparov, Garry (2795) [B90] Game #8: Leko, Peter (2753) - Topalov, Veselin (2780) [B80] Game #9: Anand, V (2760) - Kasimdzhanov, R (2665) [B80] Game #10: Kasparov, Garry (2849) - Topalov, Veselin (2718) [B80] Game #11: Del Castilho, Martyn (2260) - Papaioannou, Ioannis (2606) [B90] Game #12: Dikmen, Ali (2323) - Ould Ahmed, Samy (2344) [B90] Game #13: Edwar ds, J (2525) - De Filippas, Francesco (2418) [B81] Game #14: Morozevich, Alexander (2732) - Topalov, Veselin (2735) [B90] Game #15: Gopal, Geetha (2480) - Li, Chao B (2529) [B90] About the author  About the Chess is Fun series

Introduction

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

A regular visitor to tournament chess, the Najdorf is among the most interesting and complex Sicilian lines. At once, Black claims control over b5 and sets in motion the likelihood of quick queenside play with ...b5 and ...Bb7.

6.Be3

The quick development of the dark-squared bishop to e3 has been wildly  popular since the 1980's. In the early days, Fischer played 6.Bg5 and 6.Bc4, though the record shows that he thought about other alternatives, including 6.f4, 6.h3, and even 6.Rg1. Lately, I have even seen 6.a3, but the text move remains the key to the position. From e3, the bishop eyes the kingside on g5 and h6 and the queenside on  b6. White aims to create an English attack with the queen on d2, a pawn on f3 (to prevent ...Ng4, and to anchor e4 and g2-g4), castling on the queenside, ith a powerful pawn-led kingside attack with g4-g5. This e-book contains 15 carefully annotated games, but I have also added an extended introduction that identifies two key attacking ideas as well as ten

key positions out of the opening that will aid your exposure to and understanding of the wide variety of lines.

Key Positions Main idea #1

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3 Be7 8.Qd2 0–0 9.0–0–0 Qc7 10.g4 b5

We have arrived at a typical attacking position for White. Don’t dwell on or memorize the opening moves or the exact position, but instead, consider  the attacking themes.  Note that White has played g4 before playing h4. The result is that Black  cannot slow the attack with ...h5, and as we will now see, there's an advantage for White in holding back the h-pawn on h2.

11.g5

White continues with g5, forcing the knight to move. There are two  possibilities, a retreat of the knight towards the queenside at e8 or d7, or to advance to h5. 11...Nh5

The knight is dangerously unanchored on h5 and for the moment the

knight now has no safe retreats.

12.Nce2

White therefore swings the knight towards g3. When the knight reaches g3, Black might capture it there, when White, with the pawn still on h2, captures with h2xg3 opening the h-file and preparing Qd2-h2!

Main idea #2

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3 Be7 8.Qd2 0–0 9.0–0–0 Qc7 10.g4 b5 11.g5 Nfd7 12.h4 Bb7 13.h5 Nc6

In this position, Black has retreated the Nf6 to d7. White's attack now resembles the procedure against a kingside fianchetto as in the Sicilian Dragon save that here, there is no fianchetto. 14.g6

The point of the attack. A capture now with the h-pawn opens up that file to White's advantage. A capture or advance of the f-pawn leaves e6 unanchored for Nd4xe6, often resulting as here with a knight fork of the queen and rook. 14...hxg6 8.hxg6

With the file open, White now threatens Rh8+ with a classic Damiano checkmate with Qh2-h7.

Key position #1 There are 15 finely annotated games in this e-book, covering the modern lines of this opening. You may be able to defeat folks with the simple strategies outlined above,  but against more experienced players, it will help to review these games, the  product of more than three decades of grandmaster investigation. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5

Rather than sit back and wait for the English Attack to flourish, Black  counters quickly in the center, forcing the knight move and making it very tough to coordinate the knights on the hole on d5.

7.Nb3 Be6 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.f3 b5

10.a4

This move illustrates the sophistication of Najdorf theory. As the first game later illustrates, White wins a pawn in this line with play radically different from the overarching theory listed above in the two main attacking ideas.. 10...b4 11.Nd5 Bxd5 12.exd5 Nb6 13.Bxb6 Qxb6

14.a5

And only here, having exchanged off the dark-squared bishop and allowing a pawn to settle in the d5-hole, White will win the b4-pawn with

Ra4 and Nc1–d3 or Nc1-a2. See games 2 and 3.

Key Position #2

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.f3 Be6 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.g4 h6 11.0–0–0 b5 12.Kb1 Nb6

Here's the key opening position from Game #4. Black has refrained from castling, and White has commenced a pawn-led attack on the kingside. 13.Na5!

Modern theory favors this remarkable knight move, discouraging ...Nc4 and aiming to continue next with Bxb6 and then Nd5.

Key Position #3

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Be7 9.Qd2 0–0 10.0–0–0 Nbd7 11.g4 b5

Here in the variation with 6...e5, Black has castled and avoided playing ...h6. White will continue with g5 knowing that Black can counter with ...b4. See Karjakin-Anand, game #5.

Key Position #4

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

Black has countered 6.Be3 with ...Ng4, starting a dance between the knight and the dark-squared bishop. In this position, White has a choice  between 10.Be2, immediately pressuring the knight, and 10.h4, challenging Black’s provocative kingside . For 10.Be2, see Game #6, Edwards-Mihalko. For 10.h4, see Game #7, Anand-Kasparov Linares, 1998.

Key Position #5

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3 b5 8.Qd2 b4

A variation featuring many Blavk pawn moves by Black that was deeply  prepared by Topalov for the 2005 World Championship tournament. Since then it has become highly popular and many grandmasters have contributed a lot to the development of its theory. 9.Na4 Nbd7 10.c4

An effective, highly positional approach. After the exchange on c3, White ill be able to castle kingside and challenge effectively on the c- and d-files,  but Black will often be able to counter with …d5. See Game #8, LekoTopalov, 2008.

Key Position #6

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3 b5 8.g4 h6 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.0–0–0 Bb7 11.h4 b4 12.Na4 Qa5 13.b3 Nc5 14.a3

Remarkably enough, Whiter wins a pawn by force with this pawn move, hich results quite obviously in a significant compromising of White’s queenside. See Game #9, Anand-Kasimdzhanov for 14…Rb8 and Game #10, Kasparov-Topalov for 14…Nxa5.

Key Position #7

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.f3 Be6 9.Qd2 0–0 10.0–0–0 10...a5

In an effort to disrupt White’s kingside attack, Black lashes out, even at the cost of a tempo. The advance was a regular try in early Najdorf games, and is still seen from time to time. See game #11, Del Castilho –  Papaioannou.

Key Position #8

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 h5

Here, Black attempts to slow White’s kingside attack with an early …h5. As we will see in Game #12, Dikmen - Ould Ahmed, 2008, White will now  proceed actively in the center.

Key Position #9 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.g4

Once players with the Black pieces began defending with …h5, it was  perhaps inevitable that White would more often favor an early g4. The early advance of the g-pawn is an invitation to the Keres Attack, but Black is far  more likely here to play 6…e5 immediately winning material with the attack  on the knight and the double attack on g4. Our Game #13 (Edward - De Filippas, correspondence, 2012) provides a very fresh look at the piece sacrifice that Perenyi introduced here decades ago.

Key Position #10 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Qd2 b5 9.0–0–0 Nbd7

The final two games in this book, Morozevich – Topalov, 2004, and Gopal – Li examine a recent idea against 6…e5, delaying the development of  the f-pawn and gaining thereby the possibility of playing f2-f4 in a single move. The games examine three possibilities, Black’s capture on f4, White  pushing through with f4-f5, and Black’s attempt to exchange off the darksquared bishop with …Ng4.

Game #1: Edwards, J (2250) - Berzanskis, P (1925) [B90] APCT Correspondence, 1988 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 The Najdorf.

6.Be3 Many players consider 6.f3, a move that will often transpose to the main lines. There are at least two reasons to consider Be3 first. The first, as in this game, is that with 6.Be3 first, White gains a powerful answer to 6...b5? Second, there are lines, as we will see, in which White will actually play, or threaten to play, f4 in one move. Put simply, White gains options by delaying a quick f3. 6...b5? A clear mistake, pursuing queenside action but ignoring conventional piece development.

7.a4! A dagger! The b-pawn is now attacked four times and not really defended since the a-pawn is pinned and the Ra8 is unanchored. 7...b4 Black cannot meaningfully consider 7...bxa4 8.Rxa4 with an enormous lead in development. 8...Bb7 9.Bd3 Nbd7 10.Nb3 with White in charge. 8.Nd5 An apparent pawn sacrifice.

8...Nxe4? Tseitlin, M (2430) - Durban Piera, J Benasque 1993 instead tried 8...Nxd5 9.exd5 with a positional lock on c6. 9...Bb7 10.Bc4 Qc7 11.Bb3 Nd7 Steering the knight to b6 to augment the pressure on the fixed d5pawn. 12.0–0 Nb6 13.Re1 Inviting the capture of the other pawn. 13...Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Bxd5 15.Nb5 An easy move to play, exploiting the unanchored Bd5. 15...axb5 Not 15...Qb7 16.Qxd5 Qxd5 17.Nc7++16.Qxd5 Rb8 17.axb5 Recovering the pawn with a clearly superior position. 17...e6 18.Ra7 Qxc2 On 18...exd5 19.Rxc7 Kd8 20.Rxf7+- 19.Bg5 Qc8 20.b6 More quickly crushing is 20.Qf3 20...Rxb6 21.Ra8 Kd7 22.Qf3 1–0 .

9.Nb5! The knight is a marauder. The real threat is Bb6 and Nc7+. 9...Bb7 Trying to complicate. The capture on b5 runs into 9...axb5 10.Bb6 Qd7 11.Nc7+ Simply crushing. 11...Kd8 12.Nxa8+ Capturing the rook with check! 12...Ke8 13.Bxb5 Nc6 14.Qd5 and Black must resign.

10.Nbc7+ Kd7 11.Nxa8 Bxa8

12.Nb6+ A rare correspondence brevity. 1–0

Game #2: Edwards, J - Biedermann, T [B90] US11 CCC Correspondence, 1995 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 The Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense, a very popular choice in tournament play at every level. 6.Be3 As we will continue to see, a most flexible move. The bishop takes aim at the new-found hole on b6, anticipates f3 and Qd2 with coordinated pressure against Black's kingside, and White is one move closer to castling on the queenside. The last game, Edwards-Berzanskis, provided important evidence to demonstrate that Be3 is somewhat more accurate than 6.f3.

6...e5 Obviously attacking the knight and forcing it to move. The purpose of  ...a6 becomes more clear. The knight cannot move to b5 as it does in the Sveshnikov, and its retreat to b3 or f3 makes it hard for it to reach the new hole on d5.

7.Nb3 The best of some awkward alternatives. 7.Nf3 impedes the progress of f3 and the advance of the kingside pawns. 7.Ne2 is interesting because the knights may coordinate in occupying d5, but the knight retreat is seldom played because it inhibits the development of the light-squared bishop. With the knight on b3, the kingside pawns remain free to push with f3, g4-g5 and h4-h5. White usually intends to castle queenside in this line, though the knight retains the option of Na5-c6 with or without a2a4. Of course, both of White's knights are potential targets. Black can aim for ...b5-b4, forcing off the defender of the e4-pawn, or even ...a5-a4, when the knight may need to retreat to c1 or advance, perhaps with a pin on the d-file, to c5.

7...Be6 A very logical posting for the good bishop, watching the hole on d5, preparing ...Nbd7, pressuring White's queenside, and preparing a counter in the center with ...d5. We will later examine lines involving 7…Be7.

8.Qd2 8.f3 prevents ...Ng4 but also encourages an early ...h5. I am fond of  the queen move, holding back on the possibility of f2-f4. But the case for 8.f3 is also clear. White can consider playing g4 before Qd2, all in an effort to discourage an early ...h5.

8...Nbd7 There's really no point here in 8...Ng4 9.Bg5! Correctly holding on to the good, dark-squared bishop. 9...f6 10.Bh4 Be7 11.f3 Forcing the knight  back to an awkward post. 11...Nh6 12.0–0–0 with good play. Black can try to take advantage of White's move order with 8...Nc6 9.f3 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxd5 Qxd5 12.Qxd5 Bxd5 13.0–0–0 0–0–0 14.Bb6 Rd6 15.Bd3 g6 16.Rhe1 ½–½ (27) Tiviakov, S (2615) - Loginov, V (2525) Elista 1996. 9.f3 Reinforcing the center, preventing ...Ng4, and setting the kingside pawns in motion with g4-g5. Although this variation had served me well, I later in life explored a quick 9.Qd2 and 10.0–0–0 with the possibility of blasting through with

f4. See the final games in this book, Morozevich-Topalov and Gopal - Li. 9...b5 Setting the queenside in motion, and also with the idea of ...Nb6. For 9...Be7 see Game #4, Edwards-Grabinger.

10.a4 The critical test of the whole line, though by no means the only move. White can continue more thematically with 10.0–0–0 and Kb1, safeguarding the king before advancing the kingside pawns. 10.0–0–0 Nb6 Rushing the knight towards c4. 11.Qf2 Nc4 12.Bxc4 Not having moved, the bishop's real job here is to capture on c4 should the knight reach the square. 12...bxc4 Thematic, forcing the knight to move and opening the b-file for the attack. 13.Nc5 A critical move, relying on the pin on the queen to target the light-squared bishop. 13...Be7 14.h4 Qc8 15.N5a4 The knight is heading towards b6 and d5. 15.Nxe6!? fxe6 16.Kb1. 15...Rb8 16.g4 1–0 (53) Anand, V (2782) - Svidler, P (2727) Dortmund 2004. 10...b4 Attacking the knight and avoiding the opening of the a-file.

11.Nd5 Unlike the familiar lines of Sveshnikov, the knight reaches the central hole but White will not be able to recapture with a piece.

11...Bxd5 12.exd5 Nb6 With two attacks upon the central pawn, forcing White here to part  with the dark-squared bishop.

13.Bxb6 Qxb6 14.a5 An important move, gaining time on the queen and isolating Black's b-pawn. 14...Qb7 Maintaining contact with the b-pawn and augmenting the pressure on d5. 15.Bc4 Two attacks on the d5-pawn, and now two defenders. 15...Be7 Preparing to castle, and giving the bishop a future on d8.

16.Ra4 Two attacks upon the isolated pawn. 16...Rb8 And now two defenders. 17.Nc1

The knight will head to a2 or d3 to augment the pressure upon the now isolated b4-pawn. 17...Bd8 Preparing to answer the pressure on b4 with an attack on a5.

18.b3! At the time this game was played, this was the cutting edge in this line. White solidifies the queenside pawn structure and aims to eliminate any counterplay with ...Bxa5. 18...0–0 18...Nd7!? 19.Nd3 0–0 Not 19...Nc5 20.Nxc5 dxc5 21.Qd3+-. 20.Kd1 Likely transposing to the game. 19.Kd1 The safest location for the king (19.0–0 invites play on the a7-g1 diagonal) and opens e1 for the rook. For 19.Na2 see the next game, Edwards-michtech. 19...Nd7

c5 is the obvious target for the knight, and opening up ...f5 and ...e4 with counterplay in the center. On 19...e4 20.Na2 Re8 21.Re1 effectively limiting Black’s central chances. But, so early in the life of this line, Black misses 19...Qa7! See the notes to the next game.

20.Nd3 I feel very much at home here. I suppose that an argument can be made for 20.Na2, but I prefer the knight on d3 just in case of ...e4 and ...Ne5. 20...Qa8 21.Nxb4 Leading with the knight, which can subsequently park on c6 though Black cannot completely ignore the increased pressure on a6. 21...Nc5 Gaining time on the rook, preparing ...e4, and as I wrote in my original notes to the game: "Forced to defend dirt on a6."

22.Ra3 A thematic reaction, placing the rook two squares diagonally from the knight and aiming for Nc6, b4, and later a rook swing into the center. 22...Rb7 Understandable, aiming to defend the a-pawn with ...Ra7, but  probably the losing move. Black is far better advised here to try 22...Bg5 23.Qxg5 Rxb4 24.Re1 Qb8 with some, though I do not believe enough, compensation for the pawn. 23.Nc6 A beautiful post. 23...Re8

24.b4 Forcing back the knight before Black can use it to support ...e4. 24...Nd7 25.Bb3 Making room for the advance of the c-pawn and steering the bishop towards a4. 25.Re1 and 25.Qe1 may be even stronger. 25...Bh4 26.g3 Bf6

27.Re1 The only remaining question is whether White can convert the advantage winning. 27...Rc8 28.Ba4 Making it tough for Black to sacrifice the exchange. 28...Rcc7 Essentially capitulation.

29.Ke2 Taking care of the king, which heads towards the relative safety of  the kingside. 29...h5 30.Kf1 h4

31.c4 Black can resign. 31...Qc8 Aiming toward h3. So much for that. 32.g4 Nb8 33.b5 Four on two and on the move. 1–0

Game #3: Edwards, J (2368) - michtech (2424) [B90] Correspondence, 2011 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.f3 b5 10.a4 b4 11.Nd5 Bxd5 12.exd5 Nb6 13.Bxb6 Qxb6 14.a5 Qb7 15.Bc4 Be7 16.Ra4 Rb8 17.Nc1 Bd8 18.b3 0–0 All as played in the last game 16 years earlier! That’s not a coincidence. Like other strong correspondence players, my games are widely shared.

19.Na2 The line is similar. The knight still takes aim at b4, but White waits a moment longer to place the king. Sixteen years is a long time in chess. Sulypa, A (2415) - Neverov,V (2515) Donetsk 1998 had tried to improve with 19.Kd1 Qa7! 20.Nd3 Rb5!? 21.Nxb4 For some reason, White avoided 21.Bxb5! axb5 22.Ra2 Nxd5 23.Nxb4 Ne3+ 24.Kc1+- 21...Rxa5 22.Nc6 Rxa4 23.Nxa7 Ra1+ 24.Qc1 Rxc1+ 25.Kxc1 Bb6 26.Nc6 Ra8 27.Kb2 Ne8 28.Ra1 Nc7 29.b4 Kf8 30.Bb3 Nb5 31.c3 f5 32.Bc2 g6 33.Bd3 Nc7 34.c4 Ne8 35.Kb3 Nf6 36.h3

h5 37.Rf1 Kg7 38.Ka4 h4 39.Na5 Ra7 40.Nb3 Nd7 41.Na5 Kf6 42.Nc6 Ra8 43.Ra1 Kg5 44.Kb3 Kf4 45.Ne7 Bd4 46.Ra4 e4 47.fxe4 Ne5 48.Be2 fxe4 49.Nc6 Ke3 50.Nxe5 Bxe5 51.Bg4 Bd4 52.Ra2 Bb6 53.Re2+ Kd4 54.Rd2+ Ke5 55.Ra2 a5 56.Ra1 Ra7 57.bxa5 Rxa5 58.Rf1 Bc5 59.Kb2 Ra3 60.Re1 Kd4 61.Bd1 Rg3 62.Re2 Kd3 63.Rc2 Re3 64.Rc3+ Kd2 65.Rxe3 Bxe3 0–1 19...Nd7 Black continues as in the last game against Biedermann, steering the knight usefully towards b6, c5, and e5, and making room for ...f5. 20.Kd1 The only difference between this game and the last is the presence o the knight on a2 rather than d3. Although I won this game rather easily, an experiment of sorts, I continue to have faith in the knight on d3.

20...Rc8 The b-pawn is falling, but Black does have counterplay by taking the rook out of the line of fire. Topalovic, Z (2272) - Zufic, M (2321) Opatija 2002 tried 20...h6!? With support for ...Bg5 21.h4 21.Rxb4 Qa7 22.Rxb8 Nxb8 23.h4 Nd7 24.Nb4 Bxa5 25.Nc6 Bxd2 26.Nxa7 Bc3 27.Nc6 a5 with chances for both sides. 21...e4 22.Rxb4 Qc7 23.Rxb8 Nxb8 24.fxe4 Qc5 25.Bd3 Qa3 26.Nc1

Bxa5 27.Qf2 Nd7 28.g4 Ne5 29.g5 h5 30.Qd4 Rc8 31.Ke2 Bc3 32.Qa4 Qc5 33.b4 Bxb4 34.Nb3 Qb6 35.Kd1 Nxd3 36.cxd3 Qe3 37.Qxb4 Qf3+ 38.Kd2 Qf2+ 39.Kd1 Qc2+ 40.Ke1 Qb1+ 41.Ke2 Rc2+ 42.Ke3 Qxh1 0–1 . 21.Nxb4 As before, the knight can now head to c6. 21.Rxb4 is now too dangerous 21...Qa7 22.Ra4 e4! since 23.fxe4? Nc5–+.

21...Nc5!? A dubious-looking novelty. Jedryczka,K (2340) - Trichkov, V (2290) Griesheim 2003 continued 21...Rxc4 22.bxc4 Nc5 With an even more secure outpost for the knight. 23.Ra1 Bg5!? The play is difficult but White is holding after 23...e4 24.Nc6 Re8 25.Re1 Bf6 26.Ra3 Qb1+ 27.Qc1 24.Qxg5 Qxb4 25.Qd2 Qxc4 26.Rb1 Na4 27.Ke1 Nc3 28.Rb3 Rc8 with an even game despite the result. 1–0 (52). 22.Ra2 Bg5 Essentially exchanging the bad bishop for White's knight.

23.Qxg5 Qxb4

24.Qd2 Inviting a favorable endgame with a four-on-two queenside pawn majority. 24...Qb7 25.Re1 Discouraging ...e4. 25...f5

26.Ke2 The king must reach the kingside for White's rooks to work together harmoniously, and the king is needed to defend the kingside pawns. 26...Rf6 Black's compensation requires aggressive play on the kingside. 27.Kf1 Rh6 No better is 27...e4 28.f4 Rg6 29.Kg1. 28.Kg1 Qa7

29.Qe3 Shutting down the dangerous diagonal. 29...f4 A tough concession, making it much harder to play a later ...e4. 30.Qf2 Qb7 A concession that Black will make no further effort at making progress. And so, White is a clear pawn ahead with an opportunity for slow, steady progress on the queenside. 31.Kh1 Rb8 32.c3

32…Qc7 Avoiding 32...Nxb3 33.Rb1–+. 33.Qc2 Shutting down ...e4 and preparing to push the queenside. 33...Qd8 34.Rc1

34…Ra8

Anticipating b4 and the retreat of the Nc5. 35.b4 Nd7 36.Bd3 Locking in control over e4. 36...Qg5 37.Kg1 Relying upon the major pieces to defend the kingside laterally. 37...Nf6

38.c4 Charge! 38...Re8 39.Bf5 Snaking through to e6 and more directly defending the kingside. 39...Kh8 39...e4 fails to 40.fxe4 Ng4 41.Bxg4 Qxg4 42.Ra3+-. 40.Ra3 Qh5

41.h3 First taking care of the defense. 41...Qf7 42.Be6 Qb7 43.b5 Accurate play to the end.

43...Nd7 Capturing releases the a-pawn. 43...axb5 44.a6 Qa7+ 45.Qf2 Qxf2+

46.Kxf2 b4 47.Raa1+-. 44.Bxd7 Qxd7 45.b6 Rg6

46.Rb3 Ignoring the threat. 46...Qb7 46...Qxh3 loses quickly to 47.b7 Rb8 48.Qxg6+-. 47.Rc3 Talk about preparation! 47...Rf6 48.Qe4 c5 is mercifully next. 1–0

Game #4: Edwards, J (2475) - Grabinger, H (2495) [B90] ICCF WC 3/4 correspondence, 1999 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 The Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense. 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 As in the previous two games.

7...Be7 Differing with a logical deployment of the dark-squared bishop, preparing to castle kingside. The last two games continued 7...Be6 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.f3 when Black  can transpose to this game with 9...Be7 rather than 9...b5. 8.f3 The same points apply. The pawn move over-protects e4, freeing up

the Nc3 for other duties, prevents ...Ng4, and prepares g2-g4. 8...Be6 The logical deployment of the light-squared bishop, preparing ...Nbd7 without blocking in the bishop, watching d5, and helping to prepare the ...d5 pawn-break.

9.Qd2 Usual preparations, aiming to castle queenside and operate on the kingside with g4-g5. 9...Nbd7 All as we saw in the last game save that Black has here played ...Be7 rather than ...b5. 10.g4 The most aggressive choice, commencing kingside operations and avoiding ...h5. The obvious alternative is 10.0–0–0 b5 when, in addition to 11.g4 and 11.Kb1, White has an interesting idea in 11.Qf2 essentially trying to prove that Black's queenside attack is without merit, here preventing

...Nb6-c4 as well as ...Nc5.

10...h6 Reacting to the threat of g5, but by no means the only try. For 10...0–0 11.0–0–0 b5 12.g5 b4 13.Ne2 see the next game, Karjakin, S - Anand, V Wijk aan Zee 2006. 11.0–0–0 Before beginning kingside operations, safeguarding with 0–0–0 and ...Kb1. 11...b5 12.Kb1 A useful move in many of these lines, removing the king from the dangerous c1–h6 diagonal, from c-file, covering a2, and giving the Nb3 a useful retreat. The obvious alternative is 12.h4 Nb6 13.Kb1, essentially arriving at the position in the game but having committed the pawn to h4. 12...Nb6 The knight aims at c4 and puts the question now to the dark-squared bishop.

13.Na5 13.h4 is still playable, but this shot represents the key test of the line. The knight takes immediate advantage of the fact that Black's queen does not now have access to a5, and the Na5 now covers c4. 13...Qc7 Watching both c6 and b7, and augmenting the influence on c4 and pressure on c2. 14.Bxb6 As in the in the previous variation, ceding the good, dark-squared bishop in order to obtain a lock on c6. If White ignores the queenside now and tries 14.h4 Black emerges with all the play after 14...b4 15.Ne2 d5. 14...Qxb6

15.Nd5 White's point. The Qd2 defends the Na5, and the knight's arrival in the hole requires its capture. 15...Bxd5 A dangerous decision, parting with the good-light-squared bishop but  putting faith in the knight in what Black expects to be a relatively closed position. Topalov, V (2740) - Kasparov, G (2825) Leon 1998 was one of the inspirations for my correspondence game. 15...Nxd5 16.exd5 Bd7 The bishop cannot capture on d5 because the Ra8 is as yet unanchored. 17.h4 b4 18.Nc6 The knight, having to move, charges into the new perch. 18...Bxc6 19.dxc6 Qxc6 20.Qxb4 Recovering the pawn. The bishops are of  opposite color, magnifying White's positional advantage. 20...d5 21.Qb3 Rd8 Defending d5. 22.c4 No let up, peppering the hanging pawns. 22...0– 0 White has an obvious and lasting positional advantage after 22...d4 23.Re1 Bd6 24.Bd3 0–0 25.Be4. 23.Rxd5 Rxd5 24.cxd5 Qd6 25.Qc4 1–0 (51). 16.exd5 Fixing a pawn in the hole but providing support for Nc6, the

culmination of White's opening plan. 16...Rc8 Pressuring the c-file and threatening ...Rc5.

17.b4 A remarkable resource that enables the entire line for White. The pawn holds off ...Rc5, anchors the Na5, prevents ...b4, and frees up White's queen for duties other than the defense of the Na5. 17...Qc7 A novelty in an important correspondence game. The queen takes aim down the c-file and continues to prevent 18.Nc6. The key game here was Ivanchuk, V (2740) - Topalov, V (2740) Linares 1998. 17...0–0 18.h4 Rc7 19.Bh3 Better is 19.g5. 19...Nh7 20.Bg2 Rfc8 21.Nc6 Nf6 22.f4 22.Nxe7! 22...Nxg4 23.Bh3 h5 24.Rhg1 f5 25.fxe5 dxe5 26.Rgf1 Rf8 0–1 (52). 18.c4! As in the previous two games, White has a queenside majority. Avoiding 18.Nc6? Nxd5 19.Qxd5 Qxc6–+.

18...bxc4 19.Bxc4 The Na5 shows off its versatility. Now with the bishop holding d5, the knight is freed to take c6.

19...Qb6 It's impossible to ignore that Black has effectively thrown away three tempi in the past three moves. 20.Nc6 The culmination of White's opening strategy. The knight blocks the key file, limiting the rook's scope and usefully covers b4, e5, and e7. 20...Nd7 Defending the queen, eyeing e5, and allowing the f-pawn to advance. 21.f4 With the queenside and the defense of the king under control, White blasts open the center. 21...exf4 22.Qd4!

22…Bf6 It's much too dangerous to try to hold the pawn: 22...Qxd4 23.Rxd4 g5 24.Re1 Ne5 25.Bxa6. 23.Rhe1+ A useful check, first disorganizing Black's kingside. 23...Kf8 24.Qxb6 Nxb6

25.Bxa6 Cashing in, with an obvious two on zero queenside majority. Black  must rely now on pressing forward his four-on-two pawn advantage on the kingside. 25...Ra8 26.Bb5 h5

27.g5! Ditching a pawn but drawing the bishop off the long diagonal. 27...Bxg5 28.Kb2 Rh6 The aftermath of White's 23rd move. Black is struggling to organize the counter attack. 29.Nd4 Making room for Bc6. 29...Bh4 Not 29...Nxd5 30.Bc6+-.

30.Re2 As in the last game, the rooks will have two simultaneous roles, supporting the advance of the queenside pawns and defending the kingside laterally. 30...Bf6 31.Kb3 Stepping out of the pin and supporting the advance of the queenside pawns. 31...g5 Joining the race. 32.Bc6 Both correspondence players have already calculated the outcome of  the race. 32...Rd8

33.a4 White is winning! 33...g4 34.a5 Gaining time on the knight. 34...Bxd4 35.Rxd4 f3

36.Ra2

Behind the passer and watching f2. 36...Nc8 37.b5 f5 Black can already resign. Perhaps he hoped for ...Rf6 and ...f4. 38.b6 h4

39.Rf4 Gumming up the works. 39...Kg7 40.b7 Na7 41.Bd7

41…Rf6 41...Rxd7 42.b8Q. 42.a6 Kh6 43.Raa4 The kingside is now fixed.

43...h3 43...g3 44.Rxh4+ Kg5 45.hxg3 f2 46.Raf4+-.

44.Kb4 Rff8 45.Be6 1–0

Game #5: Karjakin, Sergey Viswanathan (2792) [B90]

(2660)

-

Anand,

Wijk aan Zee, 2006 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 Be7 9.Qd2

9…0–0 Many transpositions are possible in this line. In the last game, Black  here tried ...Nbd7. 10.0–0–0 Nbd7

11.g4 By this time in the last game, Black had already played ...b5 and now played ...h6. 11...b5 11...0–0 Transposes to the last game, Edwards-Grabinger. 12.g5 In the absence here of ...h6, White presses forward on the kingside, the thematic continuation.

12...b4 Unquestionably Black's most active continuation. Svidler, P (2743) - Ponomariov, R (2738) Sofia 2006 tried 12...Nh5 The knight takes aim at f4. 13.Nd5 Its customary post, requiring its capture by Black's good bishop. 13...Bxd5 14.exd5 Once again, White must recapture with a pawn in order to hold g5. 14...f5 15.gxf6 Forced, or else ...f4. 15...Bxf6 16.Na5 Once again, the knight takes aim at c6. 16...Nf4 17.Nc6 Qc7 18.c4 At the time, a novelty, as in the past games, beginning to exploit White's queenside pawn majority and forcing open the c-file for White's major pieces. 18...Nb8 Targeting the active Nc6. 19.Qa5 Anticipating a queenside advantage in the endgame. 19...Rc8 20.Kb1 Preparing Rc1. 20...bxc4 21.Qxc7 Rxc7 22.Bxc4 Necessary to defend d5 and anticipating the capture on c6. 22...Kf8 22...Nxc6 23.dxc6+ Kf8 24.Rxd6+-. 23.Na5 Nd7 24.Rc1 Bg5 25.h4 Bh6 26.Bb3 1–0 (43). 13.Ne2 Useful, anticipating ...Nh5-f4, preparing f4, and forcing Black now to retreat the Nf6. Chances are relatively even after 13.gxf6 bxc3 14.Qxc3 Nxf6 15.Na5 Qd7 16.Nc6 Rfc8 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.Qa5.

Less often played is 13.Nd5 Giving Black the opportunity to trade off  the minors. 13...Nxd5 14.exd5 Bf5 When White can choose to continue with h4 or Rg1, preparing h4-g5 and g6. 13...Ne8

14.f4 A strong pawn break, with the threat of f5-f6. 14...a5 Black is not without significant counterplay, here with the idea of  ...a4. 15.f5 Here's yet another reason to marvel at the Najdorf Sicilian. White's attack takes the form of an obvious assault on the kingside, but Black has promising counterplay on the other wing. Almasi, Z (2631) - Vallejo Pons, F (2666) Tripoli 2004 tried 15.Kb1 safeguarding the king and prepares a retreat for the knight 15...a4 16.Nbc1 exf4! 17.Nxf4 Bxg5 18.Nxe6 Bxe3 19.Nxd8 Bxd2 20.Rxd2 Rxd8 21.Rd4 Nef6 22.Rxb4 Nc5 23.Bg2 Rfe8 24.Re1 Nd5 25.Rd4 Nf4 with relatively even chances despite White's win 1–0 (63).

15...a4! Putting the question to the knight in the absence of its inability to retreat to c1.

16.Nbd4 Showy, arriving on d4 with the threat of Nc6, but not necessarily the most accurate continuation. Topalov, V (2757) - Vallejo Pons, F (2686) Linares 2005 tried the obvious alternative 16.fxe6!? axb3 17.exf7+! Rxf7 18.Kb1 bxc2+ 19.Kxc2 Nb6 The game remains complex after 19...Rxa2! 20.Bh3 Qc8+ 21.Kb1 Qa6 22.Be6 Ra1+ 23.Kc2 Qc6+ 24.Kd3 Bxg5 25.Bxf7+ Kxf7 26.Qxb4 with chances for both sides. 20.Nc1 d5 21.exd5 Nd6 22.Kb1 Rf3 23.h4 Na4 24.Qe2 Rg3 25.Bf2 Rc3 26.Qxe5 Nxb2 27.Bd4 Bf8 28.Kxb2 Rf3 29.Bd3 Kh8 30.Qe2 Rf4 31.Qh5 Nf5 32.g6 1–0. 16...exd4 Surely not 16...Bxa2 17.Nc6+-. 16...b3 17.Kb1 exd4 18.Nxd4 transposing back to the game. 17.Nxd4

The second knight returns to d4 once again with the threat of Nc6 picking back the piece.

17...b3 With the threat of ...bxa2 and a second queen. And so once again 17...Bxa2 fails quickly to 18.Nc6. 18.Kb1 bxc2+ 19.Nxc2 Necessary. 19.Kxc2 walks into ...Bxa2, and 19.Qxc2 invites ...Rc8. 19...Bb3 The trapped bishop gets some compensation. 20.axb3 axb3

21.Na3 Other knight retreats walk into Damiano's checkmate. 21.Nd4 Ra1+ 22.Kxa1 Qa8+ 23.Kb1 Qa2+ 24.Kc1 Qa1# 21...Ne5 Correctly played, posting the knight in the central hole. 22.h4

27.g6? White can play on only after 27.Bc5 Rxa3 28.bxa3 Not 28.Bxa3 Nxa3+ 29.bxa3 Qxa3 28...Nxa3+ 29.Kc1 Rxc5+ 30.Kd2 Rc2+ 31.Ke3 Nc4+ 32.Kf4 Rxg2. 27...hxg6 28.fxg6

28…Nxa3+

Or 28...Rxa3! 29.Qxf7+ Kh8 30.bxa3 Nxa3+ 31.Kb2 Nc4+–+. 29.bxa3 Rxa3 30.gxf7+ Kh7

31.f8N+ Cute, but resignation was better. 31...Rxf8 32.Qxf8 Ra1+! 33.Kb2 Ra2+ 34.Kc3 Qa5+ 35.Kd3 Qb5+

36.Kd4

36.Kc3 Rc2+ 37.Kd4 Qc4# 36...Ra4+ 37.Kc3 Qc4+ 37...Qc4+ 38.Kd2 38.Kb2 Qc2# 38...Ra2+ 39.Ke1 Qe2# 0–1

Game #6: Edwards, J (2550) – Mihalko ,J (2530) [B90] Olympiad XIII correspondence, 1998 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Here's our main line. We saw in the first game against Biedermann the usefulness of playing Be3 prior to f3. In a later game, we will see the usefulness of delaying f3 in order to consider f2-f4 in a single shot. But if there is a reason to consider 6.f3 before Be3, it is here in this game. 6...Ng4 Black challenges White's move order with a knight move against the dark-squared bishop. The knight move is anti-positional in that Black  still has seven other pieces still "in-the-box," but Black counts on the fact  that White must also now move the Be3 again.

7.Bg5 Of course, the Be3 is White's better bishop and should not be ceded without some tangible compensation. And so it moves again, part of a

dance with the knight. The other popular response here is the awkward-looking retreat  7.Bc1 when Black can simply play 7...Nf6 Inviting White to repeat the position. 7...h6 Black gains time against the bishop, but there is a question. Are these kingside pawns an asset or a long-term liability? 7...Nc6 8.Qd2 Qb6 9.Nb3 e6 10.h3 Nge5 11.f4 gave White a large advantage in Byrne, R - Browne, W, New York, 1970. 8.Bh4 Consistent. If challenged, the bishop will be usefully placed on g3.

8...g5 Gaining time and helping to secure a post for the knight on e5, but  making it hard for Black later to consider castling kingside. 9.Bg3 Bg7 It's easy here to understand the popularity of this line for the defenders of the Najdorf. White's dark-squared bishop has been driven

back to a passive square and a less active h2-b8 diagonal, while Black's bishop now occupies the appealing long diagonal. 10.Be2 At the time this game was played, the main line, now the old main line but making a come back. The current main line seems to peter out as in Vachier Lagrave, M (2684) - Edouard, R (2594) Livry Gargan 2009 10.h3 Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Ne3 Qa5+ 16.c3 Nf3+ 17.Qxf3 Bxc3+ 18.Kd1 Qa4+ 19.Nc2 Bxb2 20.Rc1 Not 20.Rb1 Qxa2 21.Rxb2 Qxb2 20...Rc8 21.Bd3 Rf8 22.Qg4 Nd4 23.Re1 Qxa2 24.Re4 Bxc1 25.Rxd4 Bf4 26.Bxf4 Rxf4 27.Rxf4 gxf4 28.Qg8+ Kd7 29.Qf7+ Kd8 30.Qxb7 Rc5 with even chances despite the result: 1–0 (39).

10...Ne5 The logical retreat, posting the knight in the center where the pawn on g5 protects it from attack from White's f-pawn. For 10...h5 see the next game, Shirov-Kasparov. 11.h4 A direct assault upon the kingside, knowing that the capture on h4

will encourage a later f4. 11...Nbc6 The other appealing feature of this variation: White will have to waste another tempo on the retreat of the centralized Nd4.

12.Nb3 A needed retreat, avoiding the capture on d4 and ...Nf3+. Immediate aggression is turned away. Eames, R (2320) - Neverov, V (2569) Hastings 2005 tried 12.Nf5 Bxf5 13.exf5 Nd4! 14.hxg5 hxg5 15.Rxh8+ Bxh8 16.Qd2 Rc8 Already with all the play. 17.0–0–0 Threatening Qxd4. 17...Nxe2+ 18.Qxe2 Nc4 19.Rd3 Qa5 20.Nd5 20.Bxd6 fails to 20...Nxd6 21.Rxd6 Bxc3–+ 20...Bxb2+ 21.Kd1 Be5 22.c3 Rc5 23.Nb4 Qa4+ 0–1. 12...g4 But now we begin to see that Black’s aggressiveness comes at a large price. The kingside is seriously nicked, Black's king has no obvious safe haven, and White retains the opportunity to attack in the center or on either wing. 12...Be6

13.h5 The key response, isolating the g-pawn.

13...b5 The novelty, lashing out now on the second flank. I cannot recall so distinct an opening variation with play so early on both flanks with both kings retaining their castling options. Around the time this game was played, so was Leventic, I (2390) Jovanovic, S (2354) Pula 1999: 13...Bf6 Eyeing g5. 14.Bf4 Bg5 15.Qd2 Bxf4 16.Qxf4 Be6 17.Nd5 Na5 18.0–0–0 Rc8 19.Kb1 Nac4 20.Qg3 Bxd5 21.exd5 Qc7 22.c3 Kf8 23.Rd4 Finally cashing in on the g4-pawn. 1–0 (35). 14.a4 With a similar operation on the queenside, here with three attacks upon the pawn. The opening is certainly not to everyone's taste, with both kings remaining for a time in the center. 14...b4 Black cannot afford to capture on a4, opening the position for White.

15.Nd5 The best post for the knight, and Black does not have an easy time getting rid of it. ...e6 will weaken the d6-pawn, and after Be6xd5, White can safely recapture with a piece. 15...Be6 Challenging the knight and steering the active bishop towards the queenside. On 15...f5 I had planned 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.0–0 0–0 18.a5 e6 19.Ne3 Qe8 20.Nxf5 Rxf5 21.Qxd6 Rxh5 22.Rfd1 with a substantial, likely winning advantage. 16.Qd2 A very useful move in this double flank game, with the queen poised to influence both wings. 16...0–0 ...Na5 and ...f5 kept the pressure up on the flanks, but Black blinks first, anxious about his king's position still in the center.

17.0–0–0 And now sanity seems restored, with the attacking lines better laid out. 17...a5 18.f4 Giving Black an awkward choice, move the knight or allow for the opening of the g-file. 18...Nd7

19.Bf2 Also playable are 19.Rh4 and 19.Qe3. 19...Kh7 20.Bb5 Rc8 21.Ba6

21…f5 Closing down the b1–h7 diagonal, and willingly ceding the exchange for substantial counterplay down the c-file and the long diagonal. On 21...Rb8 threatening both f5+ and Qc4. 22.Qd3. 22.Bxc8 Qxc8 23.Bh4 A simple principle. With the queen moving off, leaving the e7-pawn only once defended, White attacks it a second time.

23...Rf7 An awkward concession, ceding the rook's opportunity to reach the queenside, but also opening the queen's path to h8. 24.Rhe1 Qh8 Both sides are bringing the reserves into the game. Here, Black  threatens White's b-pawn. 25.e5 Blocking the diagonal, but the pawn is attacked five-times. White's threat is Nc7. 25...dxe5 Blowing open the center. 26.Nc7

26…e4 Reopening the diagonal, now at the cost of the Be6. On 26...Bxb3 27.Qxd7 Nb8 28.Qe8+-. 27.Nxe6 Bxb2+ 28.Kb1 Nb6 The knight heads to a4 and c4.

29.Rxe4!!

One of the rare times that I have awarded myself a double exclamation point. 29...Ba1 With the obvious mate threat. On 29...fxe4 White calmly continues 30.Qe3 when, remarkably enough, Black cannot hold the e4-pawn. 30.Nxa1 Nxa4 A bit of desperation, aiming for Nc3+. Not 30...fxe4 31.Qe2+-.

31.Rd4 Gleefully offering up the exchange to shut down the long diagonal. 31...Nxd4 32.Nxd4 Nc3+ 33.Kc1 Nxd1

34.Kxd1 The fireworks have died down, and White emerges with three minors for the rook and two pawns. 34...e5 35.Nxf5 Black can resign. 35...Qf8 35...Rxf5 36.Qd7++-. 36.Nd6 Rxf4

37.Qd3+ 37.Qd3++- Kh8 37...e4 38.Nxe4. 37...Kg8 38.Qg6+ Kh8 39.Bg3+- 38.Bg3. 1–0

Game #7: Anand, V (2690) - Kasparov, Garry (2795) [B90] Linares, 1998 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.Be2

10…h5 The more commonly played move, helping to defend the knight. For 10...Ne5 see the previous game, Edwards-Mihalko. 11.Bxg4 11.h4 is the more common reaction. Shirov reacts more aggressively, parting with the bishop pair and gains some time to preserve the Nd4. Morozevich, A (2721) - Grischuk, A (2717) Moscow 2006 continued 11.h4 gxh4 12.Bxh4 Nc6 13.Nb3 Be6 14.Qd2 Qb6 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Nce5 17.Bg3 Kf8 18.Bxg4!? Better are 18.c3 and perhaps also 18.Qa5. 18...hxg4 19.Rxh8+ Bxh8 20.Qe2 Qb4+ 0–1 (44).

11...Bxg4 Preserving the structure, attacking the queen, and maintaining the threat of ...h4. Shirov, A (2726) - Kasparov, G (2812) Sarajevo 1999 tried 11...hxg4 12.0–0 Nc6 13.Nf5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qa5 15.Qxg4 f6 when 16.Qf3 better preserves White's advantage. ½–½ (39).

12.f3 Blocking the check, reinforcing the center, and providing a path for the dark-squared bishop back into the game at f2. 12...Bd7 13.Bf2 Shirov, Alexei (2690) - Kasparov, Garry (2795) Linares 14th, 1997 had previously played 13.0–0 which looks a bit premature. 13...Nc6 14.Bf2 e6 15.Nce2 Ne5 16.b3 g4 0–1 (38). 13...Nc6

14.Qd2!? Maintaining the knight on d4 and keeping open the options for the king. White has an interesting alternative here in 14.Nd5 since 14...e6? runs smack into 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.Bb6+-. 14...Ne5 15.b3 Needed to prevent ...Nc4 in the absence of the light-squared bishop, but emboldening Black's dark-squared bishop. 15...e6

16.Nde2 Ready to challenge the long diagonal with Bd4. 16...Rc8 17.Bd4 b5 18.Nd1 Preventing ...Qa5. 18...Rg8 Playing on both wings but consigning the king to the center.

19.Ne3 a5 20.0–0–0 a4 21.Kb1 axb3 22.cxb3

22…Ra8 Chances are relatively even. 23.Bc3 Ra6 24.Nc2 Bf8 25.Nb4 Ra8 26.Nd4

26…Be7 After patient maneuvering, Black's flank attacks have stalled and

White is well positioned in the center and with interest in c6. 27.Rhe1 Qc8 28.Bb2 Qb7

29.Ndc2 29.Rc1 seems more active. 29...f6 Ready to park the king on f7. 30.Nd4 h4 30...Rc8 is safer. 31.g3 g4

32.f4 Finally forcing the knight off its central perch. 32...Nf3 White is winning after 32...Nf7 33.Rc1 Rc8 34.Rxc8+ Qxc8 35.f5 e5 36.Ne6 Bxe6 37.fxe6 Ng5 38.Nd5 Nxe6 39.Qh6. 33.Nxf3 gxf3 34.f5 hxg3 35.hxg3 Rxg3

36.Qh2 Or 36.Qf4. 36...Rg5 37.Bc1 Rg7 38.Qh5+ Rf7

39.Qxf3 39.Qxf3 Qa7 40.Qg4+-. 1–0

Game #8: Leko, Peter (2753) - Topalov, Veselin (2780) [B80] Morelia/Linares, 2008 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 A very popular alternative to 6...e5 and 6...Ng4, with a solid, Scheveningen-like defense. It is certainly flexible and full of interesting defensive ideas, not substantially different from the Hedgehog defenses that have become so popular during the past four decades. Black aims here to develop the dark-squared bishop on e7 and castle without having to defend a glaring weakness or a central hole on d6. And without a white pawn on c4, Black counts on quick queenside counterplay with ...b5, ...Bb7 and play down the c-file.

7.f3 Certainly a very useful move, defending e4, preventing ...Ng4, and providing support for g4-g5. But the pawn move is by no means the only idea here. White can also prepare the attack with Qd2 with the option of  8.f3 or a later f4.White's attack usually follows what is now the conventional lines of the English attack, castling queenside, g4-g5, and

sometimes also h4-h5 with preparation for g5-g6. 7...b5 By far the most aggressive and most played move right here, despite the obvious fact that seven of Black's pieces remain "in-the-box." More than any other player, Topalov has made his mark here and it is fully appropriate that we are following one his games in this line. 8.Qd2 All as even newcomers would expect. Unchallenged, White will castle queenside and offer up a quick g4-g5.

8...b4 Yet another pawn and, on its face, a premature weakening of the queenside. Topalov introduced this push which, despite its loose appearance, has held up in many grandmaster battles. The advance is unwelcome to White, who would prefer an interrupted pursuit of the kingside assault. 9.Na4 The most aggressive response, steering the knight towards b6 and making way for c2-c4. It is useful to emphasize that the apparent threat 

of Qxb4 is illusory in the face of Black's ...d5 break. 9...Nbd7 Finally bringing out a piece, here the other knight to its best square, watching b6, c5, and e5, and allowing 10.Nc6? Qc7. 9...d5 has been played here, but Black's position is unenviable after 10.e5 Nfd7 11.f4 with an imposing center.

10.c4 The positional approach, aiming to prevent the central ...d5 pawn break and, after the exchange, bringing the knight back into the game with influence over d5. In an earlier battle between these same two grandmasters Leko, P (2763) - Topalov, V (2788) San Luis 2005, White here tried 10.0–0–0 d5 10...Qa5!? 11.exd5 Nxd5 Remarkably, holding the position and even targeting White's valuable dark-squared bishop. 12.Bc4 N7f6 13.Bg5 Qc7 14.Bxd5 Nxd5 15.Rhe1 Bb7 16.Qe2! Threatening Nxe6. Not yet 16.Nf5 Rc8 17.Kb1 Bc6 with counterplay. 16...Qd6 17.Kb1!? More critical here is 17.f4 g6 18.f5! gxf5 19.Nxe6 fxe6 20.Qh5+ Kd7 21.Qf7+ Be7 22.Rxe6!+17...h6 18.Bh4 Nf4 19.Qf2 0–1 (40). 10...bxc3

The more positional alternative, 10...Qc7, permits White to preserve the Maroczy-bind structure. The result, of course, is very Hedgehog like, with chances for both sides. 11.Nxc3 White emerges with a queenside pawn majority and the ability to compete effectively for control over the open c-file. 11...Bb7 12.Be2

12…Be7 With e5 under control, Topalov also introduced here the idea of an immediate break with 12...d5!? Anand, V (2803) - Topalov, V (2804) Sofia 2006 continued 13.exd5 The principled response. Black won the game, but Black's central break seems risky. 13...Nxd5 14.Nxd5 Bxd5 15.0–0 Morozovich improved here with 15.Rc1! Qb8 16.a3 Bd6 17.Nf5! 0–0 18.Nxd6 Qxd6 19.0–0 a5 20.a4 Rfd8 21.Bb5 h6 22.Rc3 Nf8 23.Rfc1 Ng6 24.Qf2 1–0 (35) Morozevich, A (2747) - Grischuk, A (2710) Moscow 2006. 15...Qb8 16.Nf5 Better is 16.Rac1 or 16.a3 to prevent ...Bb4. 16...Qe5 0–1 (61). 13.0–0

With the b- and c-files open, the king cannot castle on the queenside. 13...0–0 14.Rac1 Holding back for a move on the development of the king's rook, since the rooks may double on the c-file.

14...Qb8 A common square for the queen in this Hedgehog-like position. With the b-pawn now exchanged, the queen posts actively on the semi-open bfile and assists the bishop in the defense of d6. After a possible ...d5, the queen will also enjoy enviable control over the b8-h2 diagonal. 15.Rfd1 Rd8 ...Rc8 is also possible. Topalov prefers to support the ...d5 break. 16.Kh1 d5 The equalizing move in the Sicilian, patiently and well prepared.

17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Nxd5 Bxd5

19.Bc4 Leko puts faith in the queenside majority and a favorable endgame. 19...Nf6 20.Qe2 Qb7

21.b3 Both sides are playing carefully, but there is no meaningful advantage here. 21...h6 22.Bf2 Rd7 23.Rc2 Bxc4

24.Rxc4 Preserving the integrity of the queenside pawn structure.

24...Rad8 25.Rf1 Or 25.Rdc1 Ba3 26.R1c2=. 25...Rd6

26.Qc2 Better is 26.Rfc1 Nd5 27.Nc6. 26...Bf8 27.Nc6 With an active post and possible support for the advance of the queenside pawns. 27...Re8 28.b4 e5 29.Na5 Qb5 30.Bc5 Rd5 31.Bxf8 Rxf8

32.Re1 32.Nc6=. 32...Rfd8 33.Nb3?! 33.Nc6! Rd1 34.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 35.Qxd1 Qxc4 36.Nxe5 Qxa2 37.h3=. 33...Rd1! 34.Qxd1 Rxd1 35.Rc8+ Kh7 36.Rxd1 e4

37.fxe4

37.Rc2 e3–+. 37.Rc3! though Black is doing well after both ....Qxb4 and ...Qe2. 37...Ng4 38.Rc5 Qb8 0–1

Game #9: Anand, V (2760) - Kasimdzhanov, R (2665) [B80] Leon Shenyang, 2005 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 Solid, with play similar to the Hedgehog and the Scheveningen. Black  intends to play ...Be7 and castle on the kingside, with active play on the queenside with ...b5, ...Bb7 and play down the c-file.

7.f3 Key to White's entire plan. The pawn reinforces the center, notably the e4-pawn, prevents ...Ng4, and provides support for the advance of the g-pawn to g4-g5. 7...b5 In the Hedgehog, I often defer this advance, waiting first for ...Qc7, ...Nbd7, and even for ...Be7 in case White sacrifices on b5 with play against d6. But there's no need to delay the move, since 8.a4 only discourages White from tucking in the king on the queenside.

8.g4 Consistent, with the threat of a quick g5 and avoiding even the possibility of 8.Qd2 h5. On 8.a4?! b4 9.Na2 Black will reluctantly again have to advance one of  the central pawns. 8.Qd2 Nbd7 9.g4 h6 transposes to the game. 8...h6 As in comparable lines of the Scheveningen, notably the Keres attack, spending a tempo to discourage g5 but also very committal, weakening the kingside and making it very hard to castle there.

9.Qd2 Further preparation, augmenting control over the c1–h6 diagonal and readying 0–0–0 with additional pressure down the d-file. 9...Nbd7 A move familiar to Sicilian players. The knight takes its best post, eyeing movement to b6, c5, and e5 and making sure not to block the long diagonal or the important, semi-open c-file.

10.0–0–0 With the kingside attack beginning to stir, castling on that side of the board is no longer a viable option. Castling queenside, of course, is less safe for the king, often encouraging an additional move with Kb1. 10...Bb7 With poor piece development, Black cannot yet expect to open the position and prosper. 10...b4?! 11.Na4 Ne5 12.Qxb4 Grabbing a pawn. 12...Bd7 13.Bf4 g5 14.Bd2 Rb8 15.Qa3 d5 16.Nc5 Qc8 17.b4 with another nice example of how White can fight effectively on the queen's wing.

11.h4 Favored by all the best players, preparing g5-g6. 11...b4 Less aggressive alternatives here run the risk of running into a quick  kill: 11...Ne5 12.Rg1 Rc8 13.g5 Nfd7 14.g6 Nxg6 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Rxg6. 12.Na4 Necessary, taking aim at b6 and c5.

12...Qa5 For those looking for a more active defense, such queen sorties in the Najdorf are more appealing than the staid and solid lines with ...Qc7. The queen move pressures the Na4 and White's queenside, forcing an awkward pawn move. On 12...d5!? 13.Bh3! Qa5 14.b3 Nc5 when White has time for 15.g5!

13.b3 Forced to defend the knight. 13...Nc5 Consistent, giving White no choice but to open up the queenside further. 14.a3 The only move to pursue an advantage. White wins a pawn by force, but of course, the queenside is now structurally nicked. 14...Rc8 Finally, a meaningful choice for Black, here pressuring the semi-open file.

For 14...Nxa4 see the next game.

15.Qxb4 Less appealing is 15.axb4 Nxb3+ 16.Nxb3 Qxa4 17.Kb2 d5 18.c3 dxe4 19.Ra1 Qd7 20.Qxd7+ Kxd7 21.Rd1+ Kc7 22.Bf4+ Kb6 23.fxe4 Nxg4 with even chances despite the fact that White has scored very well here in tournament games. 15...Qc7 Less appealing is 15...Qxb4 16.axb4 Nxa4 17.bxa4 d5 18.e5 Nd7 19.b5 using the threat on a6 to defend e5. 16.Kb1

16…Nfd7 Preparing rather than executing the central pawn break. Critical is 16...d5 17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.Qa4+ Kf8 19.e5 Nd7 Correctly avoiding 19...Qxe5 20.Bf4 Qxf4 21.Nxe6+ 20.b4 Bxd4 21.Bxd4 Nxe5 22.Be2 Kg8 23.Rhe1 With a small advantage thanks to the two bishops and an open board. Years earlier, Anand faced 16...Ncd7!? 17.Qd2 d5 18.Bh3 dxe4 19.g5 hxg5 20.hxg5 Nd5 21.fxe4 Nxe3 22.Qxe3 Ne5 23.Rhf1 Bxa3 24.g6 Nxg6 25.Bxe6 fxe6 26.Nxe6 Qe7 27.Qb6 Nf8 28.Rd8+ Rxd8 29.Nc7+ Qxc7 30.Qxc7 Rd7 31.Qb8+ Ke7 32.Qe5+ Ne6 33.Rg1 Kf7 34.Nb6 Rhd8 35.Ka2 Bf8 36.Nxd7 Rxd7 37.Qf5+ Ke7 38.Rf1 Bc8 39.Qf7+ Kd6 40.e5+ 1–0 Anand, V (2760) - Khalifman, A (2665) FIDE World Cup, 2000. 17.Nb2 d5 Breaking the center and threatening a discovery. 18.Qd2 Taking the queen out of the line of fire, returning to an efficient post. 18...dxe4

19.f4 A typical move pair, taking aim at f5 and closing down the Bb7's long diagonal. 19...Nf6 Pressuring g4, providing the Nc5 with a needed retreat, and steering the knight towards d5. 20.Be2 The final preparation, defending g4, connecting the rooks, and reserving c4 for the knight. 20...Nd5 21.Nc4 A powerful post for the knight, effectively clogging up the key c-file. A recent correspondence, Horvath, A (2474) - Muri, H (2410) ICCF 2008-2011 used c4 as part of a coordinated queenside pawn rush. 21.b4 Nd7 22.c4 Nxe3 23.Qxe3 1–0 (43). 21...Nd7 21...Rb8 or 21...Rd8 makes more sense here, transferring the major piece to a more useful file.

22.g5 Playable only now that the rooks are connected. 22...Nxe3 Lakatos, S (2399) - Aninis, T (2305) ICCF email 2006 explored 22...hxg5 23.hxg5 Rxh1 24.Rxh1 e5 On 24...g6 25.Rh8 Nxe3 26.Qxe3 Bd5 27.Rg8 with a pull. 25.fxe5 Nxe5 26.Rh4 Nxc4 27.Bxc4 Nb6 28.Be2 Qc3 29.Qc1 The critical line here is 29.Qxc3 Rxc3 30.Nf5 g6 31.Bd4 Nd5 32.Rxe4+ Kd7 33.Nh6+- 29...g6 30.Bg4 Bg7 31.Bxc8 Nxc8 32.Qg1 Ne7 33.Kc1 Be5 34.Qf2 Bd5 35.Kd1 Qa1+ 36.Ke2 Qc3 37.Kd1 ½–½. 23.Qxe3 Bd5

24.Rhf1 Missing 24.g6! f5 25.Qh3 Qxf4 26.Rhf1+-. 24...Bc5 Returning the favor: 24...hxg5! 25.hxg5 Bc5=. 25.Qc3 hxg5 But White is not obligated to recapture.

26.Nf5! Wonderful chess! 26...Bxc4!? But no better is 26...gxf4 27.Nxg7+ Ke7 28.Nf5+ exf5 29.Rxd5 Rxh4 30.Qg7+-. 27.Nxg7+ Ke7 27...Kf8 28.Bxc4+-; 27...Kd8 28.Qf6++-. 28.Bxc4 Rhg8 On 28...gxh4 29.Nxe6 fxe6 30.Qg7++-. 29.hxg5

29… e3 29...Bxa3 30.f5+-. 30.f5 Black can resign.

30...Ne5 31.fxe6 Rxg7 32.Rd7+ Nxd7

33.Qxg7 The end might be 33.Qxg7 Rf8 34.Rd1 Ne5 35.Qf6+ Ke8 36.Bxa6+-. 1–0

Game #10: Kasparov, Garry (2849) - Topalov, Veselin (2718) [B80] Corus Wijk aan Zee, 2001 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.f3 b5 8.g4 h6 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.0–0–0 Bb7 11.h4 b4 12.Na4 Qa5 13.b3 Nc5 14.a3 All as in the last game. White wins a pawn but at the cost of a weakened structure around White's king.

14...Nxa4 For 14...Rc8 see the previous game, Anand-Kasimdzhanov. 15.axb4 Inserting the capture on b4, winning a pawn. 15...Qc7 The only logical retreat.

16.bxa4 The immediate smoke has cleared. White has defended effectively, and won a pawn, leaving a deeply analyzed, modern structure in which both sides can claim play. White has an already advanced queenside pawn majority, which Black looks forward to peppering.

16...d5 Once again, Black has two continuations. Topalov plays the more aggressive of the two, the immediate central pawn break. Cioara, A (2403) - Vorobiov, E (2503) Pardubice 2001 continued more patiently, preparing rather than executing the break. 16...Nd7 17.Nb3 If left along, White will play Kb2, Rc1, and c4-c5. 17...d5 18.Kb2 Rc8 Attempting to overload the queen which now defends b4 and c2. 19.c3 Be7 20.exd5 Bxd5 21.Bxa6 White must be winning here with an impressive pawn mass ready to advance. 21...0–0 22.c4 Bf6+ 23.Ka3 Ra8 Not 23...Bxf3 24.g5 hxg5 25.hxg5 Be5 26.Qf2+- 24.Bb5 Missing the win with 24.cxd5 Rxa6 25.Rc1 Rfa8 26.a5 Qb7 27.g5+-) 24...Bc6 25.Qd6? White is fine after 25.Na5 Rxa5 26.bxa5 Ne5 27.Bb6 25...Bxb5! 26.cxb5 Not 26.Qxc7 Rxa4# 26...Qc2 0–1 26...Qc2! 27.Qxd7 Qb2# 17.e5

The natural response, setting a nice trap. 17...Nd7 For the moment pressuring e5, but the knight is heading for b6. Avoiding 17...Qxe5?? 18.Bf4 Trapping the queen! 18.f4 Defending the e5-pawn structurally, but also preparing f5. 18...Nb6 With pressure on a4 and c4.

19.Rh3 One of two critical tries here. The rook move aims to assist the defense of the weakened queenside as a preliminary to the f5-push. The two players knew the line well, having been here before with opposite colors! In that game, Topalov, V (2700) - Kasparov,G (2812) Linares 1999, the Bulgarian tried a line that did not impress: 19.a5!? Nc4 20.Qc3 20.Bxc4?! dxc4 threatening both ...b3 and ...Bb4, as well as the Rh1. 20...Qe7 Already crashing through on the queenside. 0–1 (61).

The direct attack with 19.f5 makes no effort to defend White's queenside but rather strikes out against the center. Anand, V (2762) Gelfand,B (2681) Shenyang 2000 continued 19...Nxa4 The knight picks up one of the queenside pawns and heads for c3. 20.fxe6 Nc3 21.exf7+ Kxf7 On 21...Kd7 22.Qd3 Nxd1 23.Qf5+ Kd8 24.Ne6+ is devastating. 22.Bd3 22.Qf2+ walks into 22...Kg8 23.Ne6 Qxe5 24.Bd4 Nxd1 with the advantage. 22...Bxb4 23.Rdf1+ Kg8 24.Qf2 Ba3+ 25.Kd2 Ne4+ 26.Bxe4 dxe4 27.Qf5 Bb4+ Or 27...Bd5= 28.Kd1 Qc4 29.Ne6 Qd5+ 30.Ke2 Qc4+ 31.Kd1 Qd5+ 32.Ke2 Qc4+ ½–½. 19...Nc4 Another critical line is 19...Nxa4 as played in Aroshidze, L (2537) Donovan, N (2057) Kalamaria 2009 20.Bf2 Providing the rook with access to the queenside. 20...Rc8 21.Be1! White has returned the pawn but has solidified the queenside defenses. f5 is coming. 21...Nb6 Perhaps ...Be7 to avoid this loss of time, but entering on c3 is no longer an option since the knight heads towards c4. 22.f5 Nc4 On 22...Qxe5? the rook  powerfully joins the hunt. 23.Re3 23.Bxc4 Qxc4 24.Kb2 a5 25.bxa5 The Ra3 permits White to plug the b-file. 25...Bc5 26.Rc3 1–0 (41). 20.Qc3 Rc8

21.Bd2

Preferring to defend b4 directly. White wins with style here, but there may be another powerful try here with 21.Bf2 since 21...Qe7 22.Qb3 Qxb4? 23.Qxb4 Bxb4 24.Rb3 and the rook picks off a bishop. 21...Be7 22.Be1 Rb8!? An unsuccessful attempt to pressure b4. Perhaps Black can bite the bullet and cancel here, 22...0–0 since the immediate g5-push meets ...h5. 23.Qb3 Qd7 24.Bc3 with an apparent  edge in a clearly double-edged position.

23.f5! Bc8 24.Bxc4 dxc4 Not 24...Rxb4? 25.Bb5++-. 25.Qf3 Or 25.b5+-. 25...Bd7 26.fxe6 fxe6

27.g5 27.c3 Bxa4 28.Rd2 is also winning. 27...hxg5 28.hxg5 Rxh3 29.Qxh3 Qxe5

30.Qh5+! Not 30.Qh8+ Kf7 31.g6+ Kxg6–+. 30...Kf8

30...g6 31.Qxg6++-. 31.Nf3 Qe3+ 31...Qa1+ 32.Kd2 Rd8 33.Ke3+-.

32.Kb2 32.Bd2 Qa3+ 33.Kb1 Rxb4+ 34.Bxb4 Qxb4+ 35.Kc1 Qa3+ 36.Kd2 Qc5 with continuing play. 32...Be8? The losing move. Missing 32...Bxa4! with a variation that shows off the complexity of  these lines. 33.Bc3 Rxb4+ 34.Bxb4 Bxb4 35.Qh8+ Kf7 36.g6+ Kf6 37.Qh4+ Kxg6 38.Rg1+ Kf7 39.Qxc4 Be7=. 33.Qh8+ Kf7

34.Bc3! With a break through on g7. 34.Bc3 Rxb4+ 35.Bxb4+-. 1–0

Game #11: Del Castilho, Martyn (2260) - Papaioannou, Ioannis (2606) [B90] Istanbu, 2012 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.f3 Be6 9.Qd2 0–0 10.0–0–0 All as we have previously seen. White intends to expand on the kingside with g4-g5. Unimpeded, White's pieces will combine harmoniously.

10...a5 This pawn move was explored in the early investigations of this variation. There is much logic, despite the obvious loss of the tempo. White's Nb3 is awkwardly placed, and Black hopes to attack it when it  cannot advance safely to a5, c5, or d4. 11.Bb5 Sensible and for many years considered to be the refutation of 10...a5, posting the bishop on the previously unavailable square, eliminating

obvious developmental paths for Black and now delaying the further advance of the a-pawn.

11...Na6 From a6, the knight aims at three useful squares, c7, c5, and b4. 12.Qe2 Enabling action on c5, augmenting the hold on c4, and preparing for a queen sortee to the kingside after f4-f5. 12.Kb1 is the other logical try here. 12...Nc7 13.Bb6 The pin preserves the Bb5 and thereby prevents ...a5-4. 13...Qb8 14.Bxc7 Qxc7 15.g4 Facing no immediate counterplay, White pushes the kingside. 15...Rfd8 16.Qe2 a4 17.Bxa4 17.Nxa4 allows 17...d5 17...Bc4 18.Qf2 d5 and Black is fine although White did win in 43 moves. Bologan, V (2669) - Freitag, M (2395) Izmir 2004. 12...Qb8 Stepping out of the pin and enabling the development of the king's rook. 12...a4 Black can choose instead to toss away the a-pawn to open lines towards White's king. 13.Nxa4 Less often played but more

convincing, taking aim at b6 and preserving the bishop's influence over c4. 13...Nc7 14.Bb6 Qc8 15.Bxc7 Qxc7 16.Nc3 when frustrated, Black  sacrificed the exchange. 16...Rxa2 17.Nxa2 Bxb3 18.Kb1 0–1 (41) Djukic, N (2543) - Hracek, Z (2613) Plovdiv 2008 with the advantage despite the final result. 13.g4

13…Rc8 The usual Sicilian idea, placing the rook on the semi-open c-file and enabling the exchange sacrifice on c3. 14.g5 Ne8 Steering the knight towards c7. 15.f4 With the idea of f5 and freeing the queen for duty on the kingside.

15...Nec7 When the threat of ...b5 forces the exchange of the light-squared bishop. White looks to have the better of the struggle after 15...a4!? 16.f5 Bxb3 16...axb3 17.fxe6 fxe6 18.Bc4 Nc5 19.cxb3 b5 20.b4 Nxe4 21.Bxe6+ Kh8 22.Qc2 17.f6! gxf6 18.axb3 axb3 19.Bxe8 fxg5 20.Ba4. 16.Bxa6 Nxa6 On 16...exf4 17.Bxf4 Rxa6 18.Nd4 a4 19.Nf5 Bxf5 20.exf5 with the threat of f6. 17.f5 Consistent, with the threat of f6. 17...Bc4 18.Qe1 Nb4

19.Kb1 White needed to try 19.f6 Bd8 20.Kb1 a4 21.Nd2 a3 22.Nxc4 Rxc4 23.b3 with fun play on both wings. 19...Qc7 19...a4! 20.Qf2? Promising is 20.f6 a4 21.Nc1 gxf6 22.gxf6 Bxf6 23.Rg1+ Kh8 24.Qf2.

20...a4 Black is breaking through. 21.Bb6 axb3! 22.cxb3 Bd3+ 23.Rxd3 Nxd3 24.Qe3 Qc6 25.Qxd3 Qxb6

26.Nd5 26.f6 Bd8–+.

26...Qa5 27.Nxe7+ Kf8 28.Nxc8 Qxa2+ 29.Kc2

29…Rxc8+ 29...Rxc8+ 30.Kd2 Qxb2+ 31.Ke3 Rc3–+. 0–1

Game #12: Dikmen, Ali (2323) - Ould Ahmed, Samy (2344) [B90] ICCF correspondence, 2008 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.f3 All as we have seen, although White certainly has the opportunity here to play Qd2 before f3.

8...h5 Since White aims with f3 to expand on the kingside with g4-g5, Black  strikes at the heart of that plan. If there's a clear downside, it's also clear that Black will now have some difficulty castling safely on the kingside. 9.Nd5 Played while White can. 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.a4!? is the other logical plan. If Black is bent on preventing g4, so too White can discourage ...b5. 10...Be7 11.a5 Rc8 12.Be2 Qc7 With pressure down the c-file in order to discourage Nd5,

when the c2-pawn will fall. 13.0–0 0–0 14.Rfd1 Rfd8 15.Qe1 Logical, but  it is clear that White does not have an obvious, safe plan to place the knight on d5. 15...Qc6 16.Kh1 d5 certainly with a playable game, although White won in 43. Jakubowski, K (2507) - Stocek, J (2561) Pardubice 2006. 9...Bxd5 Capturing while White cannot recapture with a piece. 9...Nxd5 10.exd5 Bf5 seems less accurate because, Black would rather be able immediately to pressure the d5-pawn with the Nf6. 11.Bd3 And here, White can gleefully offer up the exchange of his now bad, lightsquared bishop. 11...Bxd3 12.Qxd3 Nd7 The knight is ideally located here, in transit towards a range of useful squares, b6, c5, and f6. 13.0–0– 0 Be7 14.Kb1 Rc8 15.f4 With a tense battle ahead, with chances for both sides. Shirov, A (2722) - Anand, V (2794) Leon 2001 was 1–0 (57). 10.exd5

10…Nbd7 The knight's most flexible square, with immediate access to b6 and c5. 11.Qd2 Qc7

With the usual play down the semi-open c-file. 12.c4 Holding the center and eyeing the hole on e4 for the knight.

12...a5 Driving back the knight before White can organize to play c5. 13.Rc1 b6

14.Bd3 An important move to prevent ...e4. 14...g6 An improvement might be ...a4, forcing the knight back to a1 before it  can organize its path to e4. 15.0–0 Bg7 Aiming to castle and seeking long term action for the bishop after ...e4. 16.Qf2 Pressuring b6, supporting f4, and providing a path for the knight via d2 to e4. 16...0–0 17.Nd2

17…Nc5 Logical, especially with the a-pawn discouraging b4 and providing more influence over e4.

18.Bb1 Rfe8 All in preparation for ...e4. 19.Ne4 Nfxe4

20.fxe4 Neither bishop can be happy about the fixed central pawns, but Black  retains the possibility of an ...f5 break. 20...Qe7 21.b3 Rf8 22.Qd2 Qd7

23.Rf2 Both sides are eyeing f5. 23...Qc8 24.Rcf1 Permanently preventing the break. 24...Ra7 25.Qd1 Rb7 26.Qd2 Ra7

27.Rf3

The draw could be agreed to now. 27...Rb7 28.Qf2 Rc7 29.Bg5 Qg4 30.Qe3 Qd7 31.Bh6 Kh7 32.Bxg7 Kxg7 33.Rf6 Rb7 34.Bd3 Qd8 ½–½

Game #13: Edwards, J (2525) - De Filippas, Francesco (2418) [B81] ICCF correspondence, 2011 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.g4 Today I would play 7.f3 here, but my opponent had made a correspondence career in this line with 7...h5. I spent hundreds of hours analyzing these positions and I am now convinced that the verdict after 7.g4 is indeed a complex draw. I am tempted to offer my many pages o analysis, but instead, I present this game with what I intend to be useful verbal notes. Enjoy this struggle but know that I have lost my own faith in Perenyi's gambit. Hungarian IM Bela Perenyi introduced the immediate 7.g4!? into serious chess during the 1970s. The idea is to transpose quickly into a Keres Attack (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.g4), but  Black does gain the opportunity in this move order to gain material with ...e5.

7...e5

There are other tries here, notably ...h6 and ...b5, but this pawn move is the critical line. On its face, Black wastes a tempo now to attack the Nd4 as well as exposing White's g-pawn to a double attack. 8.Nf5 Perenyi found that White gains substantial play by sacrificing the knight here. 8...g6 There are other tries here too. Anand has played ...h5. But ...g6 is the main idea, attacking the knight while it cannot move without ceding the g4-pawn.

9.g5 For me, a new try, though many grandmasters have followed this path. White responds to the attack on the knight with a quick counter on the Nf6. More than twenty years ago, I played this line twice. I analyzed this and another game in my book, The Chess Analyst. 9.Bg2 gxf5 10.exf5 h5 11.h3 Nc6 12.Qe2 hxg4 13.hxg4 Rxh1+ 14.Bxh1 Bd7 15.0–0–0 Rc8 16.g5 Bxf5 17.gxf6 Qxf6 18.f4 Qg6 19.Rg1 Qh7 20.fxe5 dxe5 21.Bd5 b5 22.Rh1 Qg6 23.Rg1 Qd6 24.Qf2 Qd7 25.Rd1 Be6 26.Ne4 Be7 27.Bb3 Nd4 28.Qh2

Qc7 29.Bxd4 exd4 30.Qh8+ Kd7 31.Qxd4+ Kc6 32.Nc3 Bxb3 33.axb3 Kb7 34.Qe4+ Kb8 35.Nd5 Bg5+ 36.Kb1 Qd6 37.Re1 Rc5 38.Nb4 Ka7 39.Qg4 Bf6 40.Rd1 Qh2 41.Rf1 Qd6 42.Qg1 Qd4 43.Qxd4 Bxd4 44.Rxf7+ Kb6 45.Rd7 Be3 46.Rd6+ Kb7 47.Rxa6 Rh5 48.Re6 Bd4 49.Re2 Kb6 50.Nd3 Kc6 51.c3 Bb6 52.b4 Bc7 53.Kc2 Kd5 54.Kb3 Rh3 55.Ne1 Bb6 56.Rg2 Rh5 57.Rg6 Bd8 58.Nc2 Ke4 59.Na3 Bc7 60.Rg7 Bh2 61.Rb7 1–0 Edwards, J (2440) - DuBois, L (2280) ICCF correspondence 1990. 9...gxf5 10.exf5 But here's a surprise. White recaptures on f5 rather than f6, essentially sacrificing a knight in order to gain very quick positional activity down the d- and g-files and along the long h1–a8 diagonal.

10...d5 Black must play aggressively, but all readers must have already noticed that seven of Black's pieces remain "in-the-box." Black's idea is ...d4 forking White's knight and bishop. My Uncle Joe liked to remind me never to find myself up more than one pawn so early in the game, and if I did, to return one as quickly as possible. Here, Black aims to capture a second piece, undoubtedly with a comparable aim. Surely not 10...Ng8 11.f6 with a positional crush.

11.Qf3 Making room for a rook on d1, defending f5, and pressuring d5 and the squares along the long diagonal. The main alternative is 11.gxf6 recovering the knight straight away but committing both players to a very long, forced sequence. 11...d4 12.Bc4 Development is more important here than trying to save a piece. 12...Qc7 Guaranteeing that the pawn fork will net a piece. After a piece capture, White had Bxf7 winning the queen. 13.Qd3 dxe3 14.0–0–0 exf2 Essentially defying White to find compensation for the piece. 15.Bxf7+ Now offering the bishop too! 15...Kxf7 16.Qd5+ Kxf6 17.Ne4+ Ke7 After 17...Kxf5 18.Rhf1 and the rook will join the attack. 18.f6+ Ke8 19.f7+ Ke7 Avoiding 19...Qxf7 20.Qd8# 20.Qd2 Steering the queen back towards g5. 20...Qb6 21.Qg5+ Kxf7 22.Rhf1 Not many players would accept this position on either side! 22...Bh6 23.Rxf2+ Ke8 24.Rd8+ Needed to break  the pin on the queen. 24...Qxd8 25.Qxh6 Qe7 26.Nf6+ Kd8 27.Nd5 Qe6 28.Qg5+ Kd7 29.Qg7+ Kc6 30.Rf6 Kxd5 31.Rxe6 Kxe6 32.Qxh8 And only here is there room for creativity. White will capture on h7 and try to advance the h-pawn. Black has ...Nc6 and only a small inconvenience in developing the rest of the queenside. Almasi, Z (2665)-Svidler, P (2685) Memorial A.Rubinstein 2000 was a win for Black from here in 54 moves. 11...d4 The main line, with its obvious fork of White's two minor pieces. Little played and not compelling is 11...Bb4 12.gxf6 Nc6 13.0–0–0 Bxc3 Here's the point of Black's odd 11th move, nicking the queenside structure but giving up Black's dark-squared bishop. 14.Rxd5 Bxb2+ 15.Kxb2 Qxf6 16.Qg3 1–0 Lehiste, M (2247) - Jogi, J Estonia 2000 (34). The second alternative 11...Ne4 was a popular way of playing this line when Perenyi introduced it. White will only gain a pawn rather than the Nf6 outright, and White will not easily castle queenside, but then again, Black loses the opportunity to play ...d4. 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Qxe4 Nc6 Some development is sorely needed. 14.Bc4 It's hard to argue with a compelling development move, but better may be the immediate Rd1. 14...Qd7 Pressuring f5, and continuing to prevent 0–0–0. 15.Bd5 Aiming

at c6 and preparing to castle. 15...Ne7 16.0–0–0 Qxf5 0–1 Bartel, M (2594) - Shomoev, A (2567) Moscow 2009 (53) Old but not forgotten is 11...Bd7 12.0–0–0 Bc6 with its quick  reinforcement of the center. 13.Qe2 Bb4 14.Bd4 Justifying the whole approach, blasting the center and even covering the Nc3. 14...Ne4 15.Bxe5 Bxc3 Not 15...Qxg5+ 16.f4 16.Bxc3 Qxg5+ 17.Kb1 Rg8 18.f3 1–0 Timman, J (2590) - Portisch, L (2610) Reykjavik 1987 (39).

12.0–0–0 The rook needs to be on d1 to pin the d-pawn, so White might as well take the additional opportunity to safeguard the king. 12...Nbd7 Unpinning the queen. 13.Bc4 Many other moves have been tried here, notably including 13.Bd2, 13.Bxd4, the old main line with 13.gxf6, and even Rxd4, but I had a new idea in mind. Such is the nature of this line. Everyone is well prepared for it!

13...Qc7 As I said, not for the feint of heart. We are still in book. Black removes the queen from the d-file and pressures the Bc4. Black gets crushed after 13...dxc3 14.Bxf7+ Kxf7 15.gxf6 cxb2+ 16.Kb1 Qxf6 17.Qh5+ Ke7 18.Bg5 winning the queen. There's another long, forced sequence after 13...dxe3 14.Bxf7+ Kxf7 15.gxf6 Qxf6 16.Qh5+ Kg8 17.Ne4 Qf7 18.Rhg1+ Bg7 19.Rxg7+ Qxg7 20.Qe8+ Nf8 21.Nf6+ Qxf6 22.Rg1+ Qg7 23.Rxg7+ Kxg7 24.Qe7+ Kh6 25.Qf6+ Kh5 26.fxe3 when here, White emerges with a queen and two pawns for two undeveloped rooks and two undeveloped minor pieces. 14.Bxd4 With the light-squared bishop en pris, White offers up the other bishop. Farago, S (2360) - Stocek, J (2350) Budapest 1994 tried 14.Bb3? but  the retreat proves to be too slow. 14...dxc3 15.gxf6 Nxf6 16.Bg5 Be7 17.Ba4+ This was White's idea, but Black has 17...b5!? 18.Qxa8 bxa4 19.Rhe1 h6 and Black won in 42 moves. 14...exd4

Necessary, but now the e-file opens for White's rooks. 14...Qxc4 loses rather quickly. 15.Rhe1 Bd6 15...Ng4!? fails to 16.Qxg4 Be7 17.Re4! 16.gxf6 Rg8 17.Bxe5! Bxe5 18.Nd5 with the threat of Qa3+-.

15.Rhe1+ Kd8 Sad to have to keep the king in the center, but required. The upside for Black is the possibility later of ...Rhe8 challenging White's control over the e-file. Black cannot successfully play 15...Ne5 16.gxf6 Bd6 Not 16...dxc3 17.Qf4 cxb2+ 18.Kb1 Bd6 19.Rxd6 An obvious exchange sacrifice 19...Qxd6 20.Rxe5+ Black is a rook down and can now resign, facing mate on g7 or the loss the queen. 17.Rxd4 Bd7 Trying to castle to the safety of  the queenside. 18.Bxf7+ Kd8 On 18...Kxf7 19.Qh5++- 19.Qd5 Already with an overwhelming position. 19...Nxf7 20.Qxf7 Kc8 21.Nd5 Qa5 22.b4 1–0 Timman, J (2616) - Smeets, J (2535) Hilversum 2006. And 15...Be7 fails quickly to 16.gxf6 Nxf6 17.Nd5.

16.Rxd4 If you are impressed by all this, know that the two players were still following existing theory, a game played between Leko and Anand in a rapid game! 16...Bc5 Gaining time on the rook and getting ready for ...Re8. Less convincing is 16...Qc6!? when 17.Qg3 Bc5 18.Rdd1 Re8 19.gxf6 Rxe1 20.Rxe1 Bd6 21.Qg8+ Kc7 22.Qxf7 is much better for White with the advanced f-pawns as an asset. Not 16...b5 17.Qxa8 Bc5 18.Rd2 bxc4 19.gxf6+-.

17.Rd3 Not a novelty but an attempted improvement over the Leko -Anand game referenced just below. White readies the doubling of the rooks on either central file. A key game in this line is Leko, P (2753) - Anand, V (2799) Nice 2008: 17.Rdd1 Re8 18.gxf6 Rxe1 19.Rxe1 Nxf6 20.Rd1+ Bd7?! Much better is ...Ke8 aiming to hide the king on the kingside. 21.Bxf7 Qxh2 22.Nd5 Rc8 23.Be6 Bxf2 24.c3 Rc7 25.Nxf6 Qh6+ 26.Kb1 Qxf6 27.Qxf2 Ke8 28.Qg3 1–0. 17...Qxh2 Not quite a novelty, but improving on 17...Re8 18.Red1 Qxh2 19.gxf6 Kc7 20.R3d2 with very complex play. On 17...Qc6 I intended 18.Qg3. And on 17...b5!? I planned to play 18.Bxf7 Bb7 19.Nd5. 18.gxf6 Some folks may appreciate my raw research notes: 18.Rh1 Qxf2 19.Qxf2 Bxf2 20.gxf6 Kc7 21.Ne4 Ne5 22.Nxf2 Nxd3+ 23.Nxd3 Bxf5 24.Ne5 Rae8 25.Nxf7 Rhf8 26.Nh6 Rxf6 27.Nxf5 Rxf5 28.Rxh7+=.

18...Kc7 18...Qxf2!? 19.Qe4 Kc7 20.b4 with the advantage.

19.Re7 My novelty. I looked at seven moves here, including 19.Bxf7, 19.Rd2, 19.Na4, 19.Rh1, 19.Nd5, and even 19.b4. There's not an edge to be found anywhere. I selected what I judged to be the most tactically challenging line, but my opponent was up to the task. 19...Bxe7 On 19...Bd6 I intended 20.Qd5 Bxe7 21.fxe7 Qg1+ 22.Nd1 Qg5+ 23.Re3 Re8 24.Qe4=. Good for White is 19...Qg1+ 20.Rd1 Qg5+ 21.Kb1 Bxe7 22.fxe7 Re8 23.Bxf7 Rxe7 24.Nd5+ with play. 20.fxe7 Ne5 Has White walked into a family fork?

21.Qe3 Nxd3+ 22.cxd3 Leaving White the equivalent of a rook down, but take note of the fact  that both Black rooks are undeveloped. 22...Qd6 Re-centralizing the queen. 23.e8Q Recovering most of the material. 23...Rxe8 24.Qxe8 Kb8 And here, I spent a huge amount of time searching for even the smallest of edges.

25.Qxf7 25.Nd5!? was rejected owing to 25...b5 26.Ne7 Kc7 27.Bb3 Bb7 28.Qxf7 Rd8 29.f6 Kb6. And I found nothing for White after 25.Bxf7 Qf4+ 26.Qe3 Qxe3+ 27.fxe3 Bxf5 28.e4 Bg6 29.Bxg6 hxg6 30.e5 Kc7 31.Nd5+ Kd8 32.d4 Rc8+ 33.Kd2 g5 34.Nf6 Ke7 35.d5 Rh8 36.Ne4 Rh2+ 37.Ke3 Rxb2 38.d6+ Kd7 39.Nc5+ Kc6 40.d7 Kc7 41.e6 Kd8 42.Ne4=. And White is probably losing after 25.Ne4 Qc7 26.a4 Ka7 27.f6 Bf5 28.Qxf7 Qxf7 29.Bxf7 Rf8–+. 25...Ra7 26.Qg8 b5

Offering a draw, which I must accept since the lines require that I deliver a perpetual. Here's the main line of my final analysis. 26...b5 27.Be6 Rc7 28.Kd2 Qf4+ 29.Ke2 b4 30.Bxc8 Rxc8 31.Qe6 Qd4 32.Ne4 Rc2+ 33.Kf3 Qxd3+ 34.Kg2 Qc4 35.Qe5+ Qc7 36.Qe8+=. ½–½

Game #14: Morozevich, Alexander (2732) - Topalov, Veselin (2735) [B90] Monte Carlo, 2004 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 Here's our Najdorf. 6.Be3 Once again, a powerful post for the bishop, poking toward both h6 and b6 and getting ready for Qd2, 0–0–0, and usually also f3 and g4. 6...e5 Perhaps not the best move (...e6 may be better) but certainly an annoying one in the wake of ...a6. White's knight no longer has access to b5. 7.Nb3 As we have previously seen, steering the knight towards a5 and c5. 7...Be6 There may be no sense yet of anything new. Black develops aggressively, posting the bishop where it aims toward c4, makes room for ...Nbd7, and helps to support an equalizer with ...d5. But the bishop move robs Black of an alternative, playing an early ...b5 and ...Bb7, and the bishop on e6 is here vulnerable to attack from f4f5. In the next game, I will look at ...Be7, which more flexibly gives Black  the option of that kind of queenside play as well as enabling kingside castling.

8.Qd2 A sign of something new. White avoids a quick f3, still allowing ...Ng4, but enabling 0–0–0 and a quick f2-f4 with the aim of f5. 8...b5 9.0–0–0 A committal move, eliminating the line with a4. It's still not too late for White to play 9.f3 Nbd7 when White has 10.0– 0–0, 10.a4, or 10.g4. 9...Nbd7 Not 9...Ng4 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.f3 Nf6 leaving the d6-pawn inadequately defended.

10.f4 Over time 10.f3 is still more often played by far, but the advance to f4 is all the rage here. Even I have started to play it! 10...Be7 On 10...exf4 11.Bxf4 Ne5 With a well situated knight, but White has 12.Nd4 with the idea of a quick Nf5! It's much too dangerous here to try 10...b4 11.Nd5! since the greedy capture on e4 11...Nxe4 meets disaster (The power of White's position shows up clearly in the line 11...Bxd5 12.exd5 a5 13.fxe5 Nxe5 14.Bb5+ Nfd7 15.Nd4+-) 12.Qxb4 Bxd5 13.Rxd5 Ndf6 14.Qa4+ Qd7 15.Bb5+-. 10...Rc8 Logical, especially since Black is reluctant to castle in the face of f4-f5 and a kingside pawn storm with g4-g5. 11.Kb1 Be7 12.f5 Bc4 transposes to the game. On the obvious 10...Ng4 After all, f3 helped to defend the darksquared bishop from this intrusion 11.f5 Bxb3 12.axb3 Nxe3 13.Qxe3 When now Black does not gain access to e5 for the knight and must  languish with a bad, dark-squared bishop. Gaponenko, I (2465) Guramishvili, S (2289) Konya 2010 continued 13...Be7 14.Kb1 Nb6 when White could have launched an admirable kingside attack with 15.h4.

11.Kb1 There are relatively few games in this line, but this conventional retreat seems more prudent than the immediate f5. Jayaram, A (2399) - Purushothaman, T (2224) Balaguer 2007 tried 11.f5!? Bc4 12.g4 Typical in this line, offering up the g-pawn to open up the file. 12...Nxg4 13.Rg1 Nxe3 14.Qxe3 Qb6 15.Qg3 The queen trade offers nothing for White. 15...Nf6 16.Bxc4 bxc4 17.Qxg7 0–0–0 Better is 17...Rg8! 18.Nd5 Rxg7 19.Nxb6 Rb8 20.Nxc4 Rxg1 21.Rxg1 Nxe4 With chances for both sides. 18.Qxf7 cxb3 19.Qxe7 Qe3+ 20.Kb1 bxc2+ 21.Kxc2 Nxe4 22.Rge1 Qf2+ 23.Re2 Rhe8 24.Rxf2 1–0. 11...Rc8 Normal play in the Sicilian, still delaying kingside castling and placing the rook actively on the semi-open file where it provides useful pressure on c4 and the Nc3. 12.f5 It was positions like this one that turned me on to the idea of a very different sort of kingside assault  12...Bc4

13.g4 Here's the point, offering up a pawn and even the exchange of the dark-squared bishop to pry open the file. 13...Nxg4 White's idea would take on even more power had Black castled. 14.Rg1 Nxe3 15.Qxe3

15…g6!? Black needs to avoid exchanges such as 15...Bxf1 16.Rdxf1 0–0 17.Nd5 Kh8 18.Rf3 with a kingside attack that will be very tough to slow. Black gains equality with 15...Qb6 16.Qg3 Nf6 17.Bxc4 bxc4 18.Nd2 Qc5. 16.Bxc4 bxc4 17.Nd2 Nf6

18.Qh3 Or 18.Qh6=. 18...Qd7 19.Nf1 More promising is 19.Rdf1. 19...gxf5

20.Ne3 Expecting that the central perches for the knight will provide more than adequate compensation for the pawn and the exchange. 20...Nxe4 21.Ncd5 Nf2 22.Qh5 Nxd1 23.Rxd1

23…Rc5 The critical line is 23...Rg8 24.Nxe7 Kxe7 25.Nxf5+ Ke6 26.Qh3 Rg5 27.Rxd6+ Qxd6 28.Nxd6+ Kxd6=.

24.Nxe7 Qxe7 25.Nxf5 Breaking through, gaining time on the queen for the capture on d6 or the entry on g7. 25...e4 Pinning the knight to the queen. 25...Qf6 26.Rxd6+-. 26.Ng7+ Obviously not 26.Nxe7 Rxh5.

26...Kf8 On 26...Kd7 27.Qxc5+-. 27.Qh6+Black can resign. 27...Qe5 27...Kg8 28.Nf5 Rxf5 29.Rg1++-.

27...Rg8 28.Nf5+ Ke8 29.Nxe7. 28.Nf5+ Ke8 29.Nxd6+ Ke7 30.Nf5+

30…Ke8 30...Qxf5 31.Qd6+ Ke8 32.Qd8# 31.Qg5 Qc7 32.Ng7+ 32.Ng7+ Kf8 33.Rd8+ Qxd8 34.Ne6+ fxe6 35.Qxd8+ Kg7 36.Qe7++-. 1–0

Game #15: Gopal, Geetha (2480) - Li, Chao B (2529) [B90] Cebu, 2007 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 Playing ...Be7 first enables ...0–0 as well as ...Ng4. 8.Qd2 Once again, developing the queen before playing f3, preserving the option of f4.

8…0–0 On 8...Ng4 9.Nd5 Nxe3 10.fxe3 Preserving the Nd5 and opening the ffile for kingside operations. 9.0–0–0 Once again inviting ...Ng4 but preserving the possibility of f4 in a single move.

9...Be6 Speelman, W (2424) - Nepomniachtchi, I (2600) Wijk aan Zee 2008 is one of very few games to explore 9...Ng4 10.g3 Ceding the dark-squared bishop, but preparing both f4 and activity for the light-squared bishop at  g2 or h3. 10...Nxe3 11.Qxe3 b5 12.f4 Bb7 13.Kb1 Nd7 14.Bh3 b4 15.Na4 Bc6 16.Bxd7 Qxd7 17.Nb6 Qa7 18.Rhe1 exf4 19.gxf4 Rae8 20.Nd5 With relatively even chances despite the result. 0–1 (46). 10.f4 Even better than the last game in my view because Black has committed the king to the kingside, and after f5, g4 is easier to play.

10...Ng4 Embarking on the move now, attempting to exploit White's ambition. 11.g3 An important part of the plan, with support for f4, h2-h4 and enabling the development of the light-squared bishop. Surely not 11.Bg1 exf4 12.Qxf4 Bg5 with an early skewer! Don't let  that happen to you!

11...Nxe3 Facing the possibility of Bg1, Black must capture now. 12.Qxe3 So often in this line we have seen the willing exchange of the darksquared bishop. 12...Nd7

13.Kb1 Once again, a useful table setter, here removing the king from the dangerous file and the c1–h6 diagonal. 13...b5 14.f5 White's pawn-led attack begins first. 14...Bc4 15.Bxc4 Normally, White might prefer that Black initiate the capture on f1, but  White notices that the c-pawn will now be isolated and tough to defend. 15...bxc4

16.Nd2 One attack, no defender. 16...Nb6 17.Qe2 Two attacks. 17...Qc7 18.Nf1 For those who might have spent time mulling about how to coordinate the knights' entry into d5, here's one effective answer. 18...Rab8 For White, the downside of the capture on c4 is the opening of the bfile for Black's majors. 19.Ne3

19…Qb7 Coordinating the pressure down the file with an ominous battery, for the moment preventing Nd5. 20.b3 Playable with Black's dark-squared bishop well under control. 20...Rfc8 21.Ned5 Nxd5

22.Nxd5 White counts on the fact that the majors by themselves cannot effect  a queenside breakthrough. White emerges with a powerful knight on d5 and the possibility of a pawn-led kingside assault. 22...Bf8 23.Ka1 First tending to his defense, planning to cover b2 with Rb1. 23...a5 The majors need the pawns to pry open White's defenses. 24.Rb1

24…c3!? Now there will be no breakthrough, and White is free to attack. After 24...cxb3 White has 25.cxb3 a4 26.b4. 25.Rhd1 Preferring a slower, perhaps safer course. 25.f6!+-.

25...Rc5

26.f6! Kh8 On 26...g6 27.Rd3+-. 27.g4 With an effortless advantage. 27...Qd7 On 27...a4 White wins with 28.bxa4. 28.Rd3 Rb4 Offering up the exchange in an effort to pry open the a-file and to get  rid of White’s knight, but White is not obligated to capture.

29.Qe3 White can call Black's bluff: 29.Nxb4 axb4 30.fxg7+ Bxg7 31.Qf2 Ra5 32.Qb6+-. 29...Rd4 Trying to exchange off material in an effort to blunt White's kingside attack. On 29...Qxg4 30.Nxb4 axb4 31.Rg1 Qc8 32.fxg7+ Bxg7 33.Rxd6 Ra5 34.Qg5+-. 30.h3 Rxd3

31.Qxd3 White has a winning advantage. 31...gxf6 32.Nxf6 Qe6 33.Nd5 Bg7 34.Rd1 Nxc3 is also winning. 34...h5 35.gxh5 Qh6 36.Ne7 d5 37.Rg1 Bf6 White now mates quickly.

38.Rg8+ 38.Rg8+ Kh7 39.exd5+ e4 40.Qxe4++-. 1–0

About the author

Jon Edwards won the 10th  United States Correspondence Championship in 1997 and the 8th  North American Invitational Correspondence Chess Championship in 1999. He is a four time winner of the APCT (American Postal Chess Tournaments) Championship and a two time winner of the APCT Game of the Year Award. He received his correspondence International Master (IM) in 1997, his Senior International Master (SIM) in 1999. He has competed on the United States Correspondence Chess Olympiad team, reaching the final round. His correspondence ICCF rating of  2580 places him in the top 200 correspondence chess players worldwide. He has written more than a dozen chess books, notably including The Chess Analyst (Thinkers Press, 1999) which chronicles the success in the US championship, Teach Yourself Visually: Chess (Wiley, 2006), a  photographically based chess primer, and Sacking the Citadel: The History, Theory, and Practice of the Classic Bishop Sacrifice (Russell Enterprises, 2011). He writes a regular column, You Can Do It   for Chess Life for Kids. He is also web master of Chess is Fun [www.queensac.com], a popular chess instruction web site that receives more than 100,000 hits a week. Jon provides chess instruction in the Princeton, NJ area. He has taught chess to more than 1,500 students over 30 years.

About the Chess is Fun series

Our idea is to make useful chess instruction available on your tablet… We recommend that you start with  How to Read a Chess Book   and with ntroduction to Chess Strategy. Progress then through  Five Steps to Victory and An Introduction to King Pawn Openings. We have worked hard to keep these books affordable … you can build a library of chess books for less than you might spend on just one or two chess  books at the bookstore! Unlike many other inexpensive chess e-books, the books in the Chess is Fun series are fully annotated in understandable, simple language. Teaching and learning is important to us. The profuse use of diagrams make these among the first chess books that you can read WITHOUT A BOARD at your side. Please share your thoughts with us. We are interested in your constructive feedback, and also in ideas that you might have for future books in the Chess is Fun series. Good chess, Jon Edwards