03.08.2014 August 2014 - Wee When Hari met the Sicilian Najdorf - 11...b4?! 12.e5! eee Sicilian Najdorf with 6. ¥Yyd3 ee al = Oxide al uide ee) a 7 Current Reputation: White has the upper hand 1. e4 c5 2. 2\f3 dé 3. d4.cxd4 4. Axda Afe 5. Dc3 ae 6. Has Usually white starts with 6. 2.95, but the featured game between Harikrishna and Vachier-Lagrave quickly transposed to a more frequently played line, 50 this move order doesn't change much actually. \bd7 7. & 95 e6 8. 0-0-0 A seldom seen line at the top level, so it’s ne surprise that we're in for an exciting battle. e7 9. £4 te7 10. Se2 b5 11. 283 Everything has been pretty logical until now, but now Black comes up with a rare ba ?!11... 8.67 is by far the most popular choice. Recommendation for advanced players (with international titles): 12. e5 ! Chapter 1 White accepts the challenge with a strong novelty, and this is the only way to fight for opening advantage. Black is doing fine in other directions: = 12. &xtooxfo. = 12... 2c5 13. We gxf6 14. Dce2 2b7 15. Lb1 Promising line for Black: a5 = 15... Hcg 16. c4 0-0 = 16... bxc3 17. Qixc3 Hos 18.h4 Bas 19. 94 0-0 20. Hh2 Bhs 21. 05 Ws 22. Bez + (with the idea &h5) = 16... Dd? (Rybka 1.01 Beta 11 - , Internet (blitz) 2006) 17. b3 0-0 18. Ehe1 + (with the idea Dei -d3) with White's characteristic advantage in this type of position. 17. 94 2\d7 ig.h4 @hs 19. b3 a5 20. 2\b5 Wes 21. Wa2 a4 1 22. Qxd6 @xde 23. WYxde axb3 24. axb3 Wxde 25. Hxde Acs = 16. bs = 16, Dig3 a4 (1. Necula - H. Krueger, Internet 2004) 17. e5 1? dxe5 18. Qbs Was 19. Qde+ Bxd6 20. Hexd6 &xf3 21. gxf3 a3 22. b3 b7 1 23. Fics @az 124. HYbe Wxbe 25. Exbe Ehbs 26. frees Dies 27. Hdi+ Bez 28. Hco Hs white has a vulnerable first rank. 29. Hac7+ Gg 30. Bxds+ Hxds 31. c4\xb3 | This move leads to perpetual check. 32. axb3 Hdi+ 33. @a2 Haas 3a. @ai Has = 16... WYb6 17. Neda e5 This move leads to perpetual check. 18. fxe5 dxe5 19. DES Webs 20. Qa7+ Gre 21. Whe tes 22. s+ Bes 23. Da7+ Wits = 13. Ace2 &b7 14. bi Bes 15. g3 0-0 = 15... Acs 71 16. WHd2 Whe 17, hei a5 (0. Yoos - 1. Crisan, Brantford 1999) 18. &hs + white has a promising position. 16. Hhe1 @hs = Updated on September 4, 2012 16... Bras (Bouquet 1.6 - PanChess 00.537, Internet 2013) 17. a2 12 Abe is. 294 Aca is. WYR2 + (weakness e6) 17. Dhs We 18. 04 a5 19. WYbs Hfde 20. ha Wxbs 21. Axbs cs == 12, Dece2 7! White's choice hands over the advantage to Black. Bb7 13. Qg3 Hes 14. hel (Key game S. Agdestein - H. Hunt, Port Erin 2003) Suggested improvement for Black: 0-01 15. Gb1 he 16. Bhs = 16, Bxf6 71 Dxto 17. 05 Dds 18. Dhs dxes 19. fee5 Hids 20. 204 Whe 21. Wo Ste 1 F (with the ides Dez) 16... Hfes 17. 5 dxe5 18. 8xb7 Dic5 19, Wea WYxb7 20. fxes Dds 21. Bxe7 @\xe7 F White has difficulties reaching full equality. 12... dxeS = Dangerous line for Black; 12... bxc3 ?! is insufficient for Black, for instance: 13. 8 xaB dxe5 14. fxe5 = 14, Dice 17 he 15. Dxe7 Bxe7 16, Bxte+ axfo 17. Hxc3 WYxe3 18. bxc3 exta 19. Bd es20. Hca 1! This move thwarts Biack’s plans. 5 = 20... Abe ? 21. He7+ Bas 22. Ha7 Dxes 23, Hai+! Wes 24, Bas! Figg 25. Hxae We7 26. Hadxaé +- 21. Ec? + Black has insufficient compensation for material deficit. 14... eb2+ 15. @bi Mixes 16. WYg3 1 The key move, which secures a lasting advantage for White, and the following line is a good example thereof; &.47 17. Hhe1 ds 18. &x6 gxfé 19. WY97 Black's king is stuck in the center. Ets 20. fs! Be7 = 20... exf5 ? 21. Wxte B eo 22. Hxes! Be7 = 22... Bxes5 27 23, Bc6+ + 23. Hxes fxes 24. Wxes Hfe 25. Was+ Bfs 26, Bf + and white has a decisive attack. Black doesn't have any control aver the white squares.21. Dxe7 Bxe7 22. Hf fs 23. 2d5 | This sacnfice thwarts Black's plans. Baa = 23... exd5? 24. Hier Geo 25, Wxes +- 24. &b3 + white can increase his advantage with accurate play. 13. Bxas = 13. Bxf6 gxf6 1 14. Bxas bxc3 15. Dc6 exfa 16. Wes Abs 17. Pxe7 Wxc3 18. bxc3 @xe7 19. 23 e5 = white has doubled pawns. Black has sufficient compensation for material deficit.13... exd4 Suggested improvement for White: 14. @\e4 | The ensuing lines end favorably for White. This might be a serious improvement on the Harikrishna's original choice, which was quite double-edged and eventually ended up in a draw. = Updated on July 19, 2014 14, Qe? This line reduces White's chances to play for a win. he 15. &ha 0-0 16. Bb1 = 16. Wxa4 e5 117. fxe5 Axes 18. Bo3 Bis! 19. Haz Atos The position is objectively equal, but precise play is required from both sides. 20. h3 | This move leads to approximately equal positions. & g5 = 20... Hag 21. Bds b3 1 22. axb3 Was 23, Aca Wai+ 24. Abi Bes 25. Waa! xa 26. bxad Bxd5 27. hxgd Sica 28. Hee Mc5 20. Hei &xf2 30. xf2 &xqg2 = This position is rather drawish. 21. Bra Ape 22, Bxg5 hxgs 23. Waa Ads+ 24. Hxad3 @&xa3 25. Ada Exas. 26. Vrs Hae 27. Wxa3 Wyra+ 28. @bi Hxda 29. WYxas Wea 30. Hci WYxa2 This move leads to perpetual check. 31. WYea+ hz 32. thts+ Was = 16... e5 17. Ys Promising line for Black: Hes | = 17... exfa (Key game P. Harikrishna - M. Vachier-Lagrave, Biel 2014) 18. Bxfe 1 Dafoe 19. Wxta Bde 20. Wa2 1 £ Black has insufficient compensation for material deficit. 1s. Qxfe Bxie 19. Hhe1 Has 20. Bce Dbe 21.b3 Bes = Black has sufficient compensation for material deficit. The position is objectively equal, but precise play is required from White.14... h6. = 14... be 71 15. Wda Axas 16. Axte+ gxfe 17. Gxfe Bxfs is. Wife Hs 19. 8 d2 | Black has poor piece coordination. Black's king is stuck in the center. @\b6 = 19... We7 20. tne + 20. Hei (aimed against Ads) Adz = 20... Aca 21. Has Hxg2 = 21... Abs 22. a3 Daz 23. Wada Wes 24. Wes Axes 25. Bds Daz 26. Exba + 22. Hedi Dds 23.3 Ab7 24. Bb1> = 20... We7 21. Waa Diaz 22. 5 De 23. h3 Hrs 24. Wes Des 25. g4 + white has an overwhelming advantage. 21. Waa Wes 22. Wes Dixcs 23. Baa We7 24. Exb4 Bb7 25. g3 + 1s. 2xte Dxte 16. Wxda Wxta+ 17. Wi Black has insufficient compensation for material deficit. O-O 18. 2\xf6+ WYxf6 19. Ehea -+ White can increase his advantage with accurate play. Best Mutual Play; My overall conclusion and the final verdict is quite simple: 11... b4 is most likely 2 dubious idea, although it requires a very precise refutation from White.1.e4 c5 2.4)f3 d6 3.04 cxd4 4.2)xd4 26 5.4)c3 a6 6 Yas Abd? 7.2.95 e6 8.0-0-0 2 e7 9.f4 VHYc7 10.8 e? bS 11. CURRENT REPUTATION White has the upper hand KEY GAMES S. Agdestein - H. Hunt, Port Erin 2003 P. Harikrishna - M. Vachier-Lagrave, Biel 2014 12.e5 dxe5 13. & xag exd4 14. le he 15. &xfo Axo 16. Wxda Wxte+ 17. @b1 0-0 18. Aixfe+ July 19, 2014: 12.e5 dyes 13. Bxas exda 14.62 September 4, 2013: 12. 2xf6 gxfé 13.2\ce2 &b7 14.@b1 Hes 15.4193 0-0 16. Bhe1 EH fas BEST MUTUAL PLAY RECENT ADDITIONS1.e4c5 2.2113 d6 3.04 cxd4 4.2) xd4 Df6 5.213 a6 6-YYd3 Dbd7 7.295 e6 8.0-0-0 Severin Be2bs Wis; Iz. Ts.21cez D7 14. 0r ace To. EN PROMISING LINES FOR BLACK 12. Bxf6 es 13. Wes gxfs 14.A\ce2 &@b7 15. fbi as 12.05 dxe5 13. Sxa8 exd4 14.2162 hé 15. Sha 0-0 16.b1 05 17, His Hes SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS FOR WHITE 12.65 dxeS 13. &xas exd4 14.404 SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS FOR BLACK 12.Ace2 Bb7 13.493 Hcs 14. Hhei 0-0 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADVANCED PLAYERS: 12.65, DANGEROUS LINES FOR BLACK