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A Really Spectacular Game

by Csaba Balogh

Volokitin, A (2724) – Mamedyarov, S (2748)

European Club Cup Eilat ISR, 11.10.2012
Chess Sicilian Najdorf [B94]

Evolution A really spectacular game, even though a closer look shows mistakes by both
sides.
Arkadij Naiditsch CEWN Subscription
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 by Arkadij Naiditsch

At the moment, this 6...Ng4 line against the Be3 system is doing very well.
Volokitin, as a huge theoretician, decides to play another system.

Translate this page 7.Bc1

Black has nothing better than retreating the knight.

7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 is the starting position if White decides to

challange the 6...Ng4 variation.

7...Nf6
Greatest 365 Chess Puzzles
Part One
White now goes for the sharpest system of the Najdorf.
by Csaba Balogh

8.Bg5 Nbd7 9.Qe2 e6

9...b5 is a good alternative for Black if he wants to avoid the long theoretical
battles with e6. We have analyzed the Motylev-Wang Hao game in Chess
Evolution Newsletter #19.

10.0-0-0 Qc7 11.f4 b5

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[FEN "r1b1kb1r/2qn1ppp/p2ppn2/1p4B1/
3NPP2/2N5/PPP1Q1PP/2KR1B1R w kq - 0 12"]

We are still just at the beginning of theory, and White chooses a sideline.

12.f5
This is the principled idea to weaken the d5-square by putting pressure on the
e6-pawn. However, the main and probably better move is the prophylactic 12.
a3 before pushing f5.

12...b4!

12...e5 meets with a nice and typical response: 13.Nd5! Nxd5 14.exd5 The
knight is ready to occupy the c6-square.

13.fxe6 bxc3 14.exd7+ Nxd7!

This is the stronger recapture.

White gets a better endgame after 14...Bxd7 15.Qc4! cxb2+ 16.Kb1 Qxc4 17.
Bxc4 Be7 18.Rhe1 White wants to play Nf5. Despite the fact that the queens
have left the board, White has serious threats. Black needs to transfer his
knight to e5 to reduce the pressure, but it doesn't solve all the problems either.
18...Ng4 19.Bf4! Ne5 20.Bb3 White wants to play Nf5 again, with the idea of
gaining the bishop-pair and improving his pawn structure (after Bxf5 exf5).
Black has to parry it with 20...g6 21.Nf3! += and White has better prospects!

15.Qc4 cxb2+ 16.Kb1

The b2-pawn gives a nice shelter for the king. This is a known motif in the
Sicilian. The same happens often on the other side as well, when Black is
castled kingside and White's attack arrives with g6. He takes with gxh7 and
Black hides his king with Kh8.

16...Nc5!

16...Qxc4 leads to a similar position to the 14...Bxd7 line. White will be better
here as well. 17.Bxc4 Ne5 18.Bb3 Be7 19.Bf4! +=.

[FEN "r1b1kb1r/2q2ppp/p2p4/2n3B1/2QNP3/
8/PpP3PP/1K1R1B1R w kq - 0 17"]

17.e5!

White urgently opens the lines against the black king, which still needs a few
moves to get into safety. Both players have definitely studied this position,
since it has already been played before.

17...Rb8!

A strong novelty, recommended by the computer.

17...dxe5?! happened before, but White refuted it elegantly by 18.Nb5!!

 [FEN "r1b1kb1r/2q2ppp/p7/1Nn1p1B1/
2Q5/8/PpP3PP/1K1R1B1R b kq - 0 18"]

18...axb5 19.Qd5! with a triple attack: Qd8, Qxa8 and Bxb5.

A) 19...f6 offers more resistance, but the attack breaks through after 20.Bxb5+
Ke7 21.Be3! Black has only one ugly move to protect the c5-knight and the
a8-rook. 21...Nb7 22.Bc4! Nd6 (On 22...Ke8 23.Bb6! wins. 23...Qxb6 24.
Qf7#) 23.Bc5 with a huge attack.

B) 19...Be7 This loses immediately. 20.Bxb5+ Kf8 21.Bxe7+ Kxe7 22.Qxa8

+/- Guseinov-Benitah, Marrakesh 2010.

18.exd6 Bxd6 19.Re1+!

Depriving Black of the right to castle!

19...Kf8!

Both kings are quite exposed, but they are still safe against direct threats.

19...Ne6? loses against the little combination 20.Nxe6 Bxe6 21.Rxe6+! fxe6
22.Qxe6+ Be7 23.Bc4 +- Black can't hold the threats after the h1-rook joins
the attack.

20.Bd3!

With the idea of freeing the f1-square for the rook.

20...h6?

This loses. Mamedyarov's idea was to open the back-rank in order to be able
to take the d3-bishop, but he missed a fantastic tactical blow!

20...Nxd3? is refuted by 21.Be7+!!

[FEN "1rb2k1r/2q1Bppp/p2b4/8/2QN4/
3n4/PpP3PP/1K2R2R b - - 0 21"]

Black either loses his queen or after 21...Kg8 22.Bxd6!+- wins because of the
back-rank. This was the idea behind 20...h6, when after 21.Bh4, this line
works perfectly for Black! However, the great 20...Rb4!! seems to solve all
the problems. 21.Qxb4 Nxd3 22.Qa4 Nxe1 23.Rxe1 Qd7 Black parries the
concrete threats and wants to coordinate his pieces with h6, Kg8-h7.
 [FEN "1rb2k1r/2q2pp1/p2b3p/2n3B1/2QN4/
3B4/PpP3PP/1K2R2R w - - 0 21"]

21.Bd8!!

Beautiful! White sacrifices a bishop in order to win some tempi for the attack.

21.Bh4? Nxd3 22.Be7+ Kg8 The king has "luft" on h7.

21...Qxd8 22.Rhf1!

The f7-square is the critical target! White has an extra option to increase the
pressure.

22...Rb7

22...f6 loses as well to 23.Nc6 Qc7 24.Bg6+-; 22...Qc7 23.Bg6!+-.

23.Bg6!

Forcing a fatal weakness with f6.

23...f6

White is winning because of the strong g6-bishop, which creates threats on f7

and e8. But how to breakthrough?

[FEN "2bq1k1r/1r4p1/p2b1pBp/2n5/2QN4/
8/PpP3PP/1K2RR2 w - - 0 24"]

24.Qd5?

With the idea of Qxd6, deflecting the queen, followed by Re8 mate. However,
this allows Black back in the game.

The easiest is probably 24.Re3!+- doubling the rooks on the e-file. Black has
no acceptable answer against it. The nicest is 24.Nc6! Qd7 and now 25.Re3!
again, with the idea of doubling the rooks, and on 25...Qxc6, White wins by
deflecting the queen from the e8-square. 26.Qd5!! Qd7 27.Qxd6+! Qxd6 28.
Re8#.

24...Re7!

The game is unclear, thanks to the following tactical resource.

25.Nc6 Bb7!

Many pieces are hanging. Where to take? 25...Rxe1+? 26.Rxe1 Qd7 would
have lost again to 27.Qxd6+! Qxd6 28.Re8#.

26.Qxc5!

After losing almost all the advantage, Volokitin starts to play extremely
precisely again! On 26.Rxe7 Qxe7! keeps Black alive.

26...Bxc5 27.Nxd8

Black must move with his b7-bishop and also has to cover the e6-square
against the threatened check.

27...Bd5

27...Bxg2? loses to 28.Ne6+! Kg8 29.Nxc5 +-; 27...Bc8 is met with the same
move as in the game.

28.Rd1!

Very well played! White creates different kind of threats around the d8
square. At the same time, he keeps the rooks on the board in order not to help
Black to solve the problem of the h8 rook.

28...Be4

28...Re5 was an alternative. Probably the strongest for White is 29.Rf5 Rxf5
30.Bxf5 Bc4 31.Rd7 Black hasn't yet managed to solve the problem with his
h8-rook. 28...Bc4? loses to the nice 29.Nc6! and wins.

[FEN "3N1k1r/4r1p1/p4pBp/2b5/4b3/8/
PpP3PP/1K1R1R2 w - - 0 29"]

29.Nf7!

Another fantastic shot! Volokitin shows his best again! 29.Bxe4 Rxe4 and the
rook escapes soon, Black is fine.

29...Rxf7?

The decisive mistake. Black missed the upcoming blow!

Critical is 29...Bxg6 30.Nxh8 Be8 White is an exchange up, but suddenly,

instead of the rook, another piece is trapped on h8. 31.Rd8 with the idea of
Ng6. 31...Re4 32.Ng6+ Kf7 33.Nf4 White should be slightly better, although
Black has strong counterplay with the bishop pair after 33...Bb5 34.Nd3 Ba3.

30.Rfe1!!

An unpleasant surprise! The back-rank decides the game.

Black expected 30.Bxe4 and he probably wanted to save the opposite-colored

bishop endgame after 30...g5 31.Bd5 Ra7 32.Rxf6+ Kg7 33.Rc6 Be7 White
will end up with an extra pawn, but Black has real chances to get a draw.

30...Bxc2+

30...Bxg6 31.Rd8#; 30...f5 31.Rd8+ Ke7 32.Rxh8 Rf6 doesn't save Black
because of 33.Bxf5!+-.

31.Kxc2 Kg8

The cruelest part of the game is just ahead of us!

32.Rd8+!

White is not greedy by taking the rook. He rather enjoys the situation with the
imprisoned h8-rook.

32.Bxf7+ Kxf7 is also a decent chance to win for White, but the text is much
better.

32...Rf8

32...Bf8 33.Bxf7+ Kxf7 34.Rd7+ Kg6 35.Re8 +- Black can't leave the pin.

33.Rxf8+ Bxf8

[FEN "5bkr/6p1/p4pBp/8/8/8/
PpK3PP/4R3 w - - 0 34"]

34.g4!! 1-0

A picturesque final position! Black is two pawns up, but he is just completely
lost, since he has zero chances to rescue his pieces from the f8-, g8-, and h8-
squares. The white king collects the b2- and a6-pawns, followed by promoting
his own a-pawn.

34.g4 f5 (34...h5 35.gxh5 f5 doesn't help. The easiest is 36.Rf1 Be7 37.Rxf5
Bf6 Black can't get out with his pieces because of 38.Rc5! +-) 35.gxf5 h5
White blocks with 36.h4+-.

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