Taimanov_Najdorf_1953

SECRETS OF THE KING’S INDIAN DEFENSE

Taimanov vs. Najdorf

Candidates Tournament, Zurich, 1953

1.d4 Nf6; 2.c4 g6; 3.Nc3 Bg7; 4.e4 d6; 5.Nf3; 0–0; 6.Be2 e5; 7.0–0 Nc6; 8.d5 Ne7; 9.Ne1 Nd7; 10.Be3 f5; 11.f3? f4; 12.Bf2 g5; 13.Nd3.

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White sets up a solid defense, with coordinated pieces that stay out of each other’s way. This has long been the main line of the King’s Indian, with good reason. White is ready to start the queenside action. Black has nothing to complain about, as the kingside counterplay is already underway. The chances are about even. The knight at d3 actually can be in the way, and it is exploited nicely in this famous game, one of the most famous in the King’s Indian literature. 13...Nf6! Still the best move, after almost half a century. 14.c5 Ng6.

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White must get moving on the queenside, or face annihalation in the west. 15.Rc1?! 15.a4 h5; 16.a5 (16.h3 Rf7 is considered strong for Black) 16...g4; 17.cxd6 cxd6; 18.Nb5 g3; 19.Bxa7 (19.hxg3 fxg3; 20.Bxg3 h4; 21.Bf2 Nh5 gave Black a strong attack in Pavlenko-Zhmurov, Anapa 1981. 19...Nh7; 20.h3 Qh4; 21.Bb6 Bxh3; 22.gxh3 Qxh3; 23.Rf2 Nh4; 24.Qf1 gxf2+; 25.Nxf2 Qg3+; 26.Kh1 is Larsen-Torre, Bauang 1973. Black could have won now with 26...Nxf3; 27.Qg2 Nd2!; 28.Bxh5 Nf6; 29.Bg6 Nf3!; 30.Qxg3 fxg3; 31.Nd3 g2+; 32.Kxg2 Nh4+; 33.Kh1 Nxg6 etc. Another plan is 15.cxd6 cxd6; 16.a4 (16.Rc1 Rf7 transposes to the game.) 16...h5; 17.Nb5 Rf7; 18.Qc2 g4; 19.Rfc1 Ne8; 20.Ra3 Bh6; 21.Rc3 Bd7; 22.b3 g3; 23.Be1 a6; 24.Na3 Rg7; 25.h3 Nh4; 26.Bf1.

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The typical sacrifice works here. 26...Bxh3!; 27.Nxe5 dxe5; 28.gxh3 Qb6+; 29.Kh1 g2+; 30.Bxg2 R xg2; 31.Qxg2+ Nxg2; 32.Kxg2 Nd6; 33.Bf2 Qd8; 34.Nc4 Nxe4! It takes some time, but Black delivers in the end. 35.fxe4 f3+; 36.Kxf3 Bxc1; 37.R xc1 Qf6+; 38.Ke2 Rf8; 39.Be3 Qf3+; 40.Kd3 Rf4; 41.d6 R xe4; 42.d7 Rd4+; 43.Kc2 Rxd7; 44.Rg1+ Kh7 and White resigned in MeyerDizdarevic, Weilburg Nuernberg 1995. 15...Rf7.

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SECRETS OF THE KING’S INDIAN DEFENSE

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B1) First we need to look at 17.b4 h5; 18.Nb2 g4; 19.Rc2 g3; 20.hxg3 fxg3; 21.Bxg3 h4. Black’s momentum carries through to the finish. 22.Bf2 Nh5; 23.Nd3 Qg5! What does White do now? 24.Nb5 Bh3; 25.Ne1 Bxg2; 26.Nxd6 (26.Nxg2?? h3) 26...Bxf3+ (26...h3; 27.Nxf7 Kxf7; 28.Qc1 h2+!; 29.Kxh2 Nhf4!; 30.Rc7+ Kf6 and White has nothing but the kamikaze checks 31.Rc6+ bxc6; 255

CARDOZA PUBLISHING • GUFELD & SCHILLER

32.Qxc6+ Kf7; 33.Qe6+ before giving up.) 27.Kh2 Qf4+; 28.Kg1;. On the other hand, 24.Kh2 loses to 24...Ng3; 25.Nb5 Nf4; 26.Bxa7 Bf8; 27.Be3 h3 Bischoff-Schmidt, Postal 1983. B2) The next try is 17.Qb3 g4; 18.Qb4?! but 18...g3!; 19.hxg3 fxg3; 20.Bxg3 Nh5; 21.Be1 Qg5! 22.Rc2 (22.Qxd6?? Bf8–+) 22...Ngf4; 23.Nxf4 Nxf4 gave Black a strong attack in BucciardiniBucciardini (perhaps related?), Postal 1991. B3) 17.Nb5 is an attempt to wrest the initiative. 17...g4 is the logical reply.

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18.Nxa7 g3 is stronger than usual because the bishop must defend the wayward knight. 19.hxg3 fxg3; 20.Be3 Bd7; 21.Qc2 Nxd5!; 22.exd5 Qh4; 23.Rfd1 Bh6! and Black wins. 18.Qd2 was seen in a classic game. 18...Bf8; 19.Rc2 a6; 20.Na3 gxf3 (20...g3!?) 21.Bxf3 Ng4; 22.Nc4 Nxf2; 23.Qxf2 Nh4; 24.Nb6 Nxf3+; 25.gxf3 Bh3; 26.Nxa8 Rg7+ was seen in another Najdorf game. 27.Kh1 Bxf1; 28.Qxf1 Qxa8 was eventually drawn in Najdorf-Trifunovic, Mar del Plata 1953. That tournament again! C) 16.Qc2 h5; 17.cxd6 cxd6; 18.Nb5 g4!; 19.Nxa7 g3; 20.hxg3 fxg3; 21.Be3 Nxd5 still works, though it is more complicated. 22.exd5 Qh4; 23.Rfd1 Bh6!!; 16.b4 h5; 17.b5 is also much too slow. 17...g4; 18.b6 axb6; 19.cxb6 cxb6; 20.Qb3 g3!; 21.Bxb6 (21.hxg3 fxg3; 22.Bxg3 Bh6! Black has a tremendous attack.) 21...Qe7; 22.Rfd1.

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SECRETS OF THE KING’S INDIAN DEFENSE

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22...Ng4!; 23.fxg4 hxg4; 24.Rf1 gxh2+; 25.Kh1 f3!; 26.g3 (26.gxf3 g3; 27.Rfe1 Nh4; 28.Rc2 Bh3; 29.Bd1 Nxf3; 30.Bxf3 R xf3 and Black wins.) 26...fxe2; 27.Nxe2 Bh6!; 28.Rce1 Bd7; 29.Kxh2 Bd2; 30.Ra1 Raf8!; 31.Rf2 Qg5; 32.Rh1 Be3; 33.Rxf7 Rxf7; 34.Kg2 Qf6 White resigned. Kalveus-Qwint, Postal 1993. D) 16.a4 Bf8 demonstrates a more defensive mindset which has taken hold in this line on a number of occasions. 17.g4 h5; 18.h3 Rh7; 19.a5 hxg4; 20.hxg4 a6; 21.b4 Be7; 22.Kg2 Nh4+; 23.Bxh4 gxh4; 24.cxd6 h3+; 25.Kh2 cxd6; 26.Nb2 Qf8 led to a complicated game in Sher-Hebden, Challenger Hastings 1996. This line hasn’t found any new followers, for some reason. Perhaps it will re-emerge later.

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16...Bf8; 17.cxd6 cxd6; 18.Qd2 g4; 19.Rfc1 g3! Bronstein described this as “a pawn sacrifice with a tremendous future.” Indeed it is. 20.hxg3 fxg3; 21.Bxg3 Nh5; 22.Bh2. 22.Bf2 Ngf4; 23.Nb5 a6; 24.Nc7 Qg5!; 25.Nxf4 Nxf4; 26.Qxf4 Qxf4; 27.Nxa8 Bd7; 28.Nc7 Bh6 Black has a powerful attack, Gligoric-Lukic, Novi Sad 1955. 22...Be7; 23.Nb1. White prepares to sacrifice the exchange at c8, if necessary. 23...Bd7. 23...Bg5? would even lose material after 24.R xc8 Rxc8; 25.Rxc8 Qxc8; 26.Qxg5; 24.Qe1 Bg5; 25.Nd2 Be3+; 26.Kh1 Qg5.

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Now whose forces seem coordinated and which seem jumbled? From the pretty picture of the first diagram, the White position has become a shambles. Not even a mother could love offspring like this, but surprisingly computers feel quite optimistic about White’s chances. 27.Bf1 Raf8; 28.Rd1 b5?; 29.a4 a6; 30.axb5 axb5; 31.Rc7 Rg7; 32.Nb3 Nh4; 33.Rc2 Bh3. 33...Rxf3 was playable, since 34.gxf3 loses to Qg1+, but the move played in the game forces a win.

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SECRETS OF THE KING’S INDIAN DEFENSE

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Go back to the last diagram, and then look at this one again. Black’s pieces have joined forces to press the attack, and White’s still look silly. There is only one way to try to save the game. 34.Qe2! This does not succeed in avoiding a loss, but it is the best chance. 34.gxh3 Qg1+; 35.Bxg1 Rxg1+; 36.Kh2 Nxf3#. 34...Nxg2!; 35.Bxg2 Bxg2+; 36.Qxg2 Qh4.

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The queen is lost. White played on to adjournment, then gave up the ghost. 37.Qxg7+ Kxg7; 38.Rg2+ Kh8; 39.Ne1 Nf4; 40.Rg3 Bf2; 41.Rg4 Qh3; 42.Nd2 h5; 43.Rg5. White sealed this move, but resigned without bothering to watch his opponent play 43...Rg8; 44.Rxg8+ Kxg8 with mate in six.

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