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Sofia Polgar vs Bent Larsen
"Sofia Rules" (game of the day Mar-08-2010)
Reykjavik F. Olafsson (1995), Reykjavik ISL, rd 3, Sep-04
Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations (B56)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jul-02-02  Coy Morphew: That definately was a massacre of one of my favorite players! I hope Sophia gets her GM title soon...
Jul-02-02
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sneaky: What if Larsen played on with 25 ...f5? I suppose then Qh4 is good.
Jul-02-02  Coy Morphew: Sneaky f5 loses thus: 26. Rxh7 Kxh7; 27. Qh4+ Bh6 and mate next move
Jul-02-02
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sneaky: Right you are.
Mar-08-10  SugarDom: ahem ahemm...
Mar-08-10  sfm: Without difficulties or taking risks White quietly overplays her grand opponent, who never gets any counterplay started. Where is the mistake? I don't like 5.-,Nbd7 anyway, the knight is in the way of the bishop here, it does not attack d4, can not go to b4. But I am sure X great grandmasters have played it in Y great games with good results. This is what is real hard about chess - to understand what goes on in these positions, where nothing and everything is happening.
Mar-08-10  AccDrag: <sfm> I agree in disliking 5...Nbd7, but I will be less generous than you. I think it's premature, and might even deserve "?!"

I understand not wanting to have to memorize reams of theory, but then why play the Sicilian? The Scandinavian or Caro-Kann can be played in interesting ways, and Black has a rather solid position most of the time.

Mar-08-10  thegoldenband: Whatever the merits of 5...Nbd7, we end up transposing into the f4 Najdorf with 6. f4 a6, in a line that's not bad at all for Black (at least after a subsequent ...e7-e5, not played here). So that move certainly isn't the culprit. I don't know what sixth move would challenge 5...Nbd7 more directly.
Mar-08-10  eaglewing: I have the impression 22. ... f6 was played to defend against Ne7 or Rg5 (or Rh5?). However, it seems to me such plans by White are better thwarted by 22. ... Qd3, taking control of the b1-h7 diagonal, protecting h7 and the btw attack on rook f5 delays the Ne7 threat. Maybe f6 still follows, but on c4 the black queen does no good for Black.
Mar-08-10  birthtimes: A line better for Larsen is 13...h5 14. f5 exf5 15. exf5 Nxd3 16. cxd3 d5. This ...d5 move is an important one for Black to implement...
Mar-08-10  goodevans: Black's <23 ... Raf7> reminds me of the "helpmate" problems I used to be into when I was a kid.

I'm sure it must have seemed a great idea to rob the K of his only escape square in order to add further protection to the f6 pawn (already protected 3 times). Although to be fair black was probably lost anyway after 22 ... f6.

Mar-08-10  Sem: I'd rather call it: Bent Rules.
Mar-08-10  kevin86: 25...Bh6 forstalls the mate,but black is hopeless,anyway. 26 Bxh6 traps the rook...
Mar-08-10  PinnedPiece: Why not 17...Bxd3?
Mar-08-10  carl giraffe: <PinnedPiece: Why not 17...Bxd3?> looks to me like 17... Bxd3 loses to 18. Rxf6 and there is no pin with 18...Qe7 because 19.Rf4 supports the loose white queen and knight.

and after 18.Rxf6 black certainly doesn't want to play 18...Bxf6 because of 19.Qxf6 and 20.Bh6 and mate

Mar-08-10  PinnedPiece: <carl: 18.Rxf6 black certainly doesn't want to play 18...Bxf6 because of 19.Qxf6 and 20.Bh6 and mate>

what about 19...Qd8


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Mar-08-10  1. h4: Er...

17...Bxd3 loses, of course, to 18.Rxf6, when either 18...Qe7 or Qd8 is met by 19.Bg5, pretty much winning on the spot.

18...Bxf6 is probably best at this point, even though Black retains a miserable position due to the incredibly weak dark-squares around the Black king.

Play might continue with something like 19.Qxf6 Qd8 (forced) 20.Qf3 Bc4 21.Bh6 Re8 22.Ne4, when Black can't defend against White's threats of 23.Nf6+ and 23.Bg5-f6, Qh3 etc.

Mar-08-10  1. h4: To follow-through:

22...f5 fails to 23.Nxf5!, and if 23...gxf5, then 24.Qg3+ Kf7 25.Nxd6+ wins outright.

Mar-08-10  Travis Bickle: Sofi Polgar care to comment on this fine game!?
Mar-08-10  Travis Bickle: The three Queens of chess!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Q0lTtPVTG...

Mar-08-10  patzer2: Larsen's attempt to vary from the mainline sicilian causes him much more trouble than it does Sofia Polgar.

Realizing her active Knights are more valuable than Black's cramped Bishops, Sofia calmly ignores the attack 12...Nc5 on her Bishop and plays 13. Qh4! to begin her own attack.

After the sham pawn sacrifice 14. f4!, White gains a positional advantage and initiative that is difficult to defend against. Indeed White's moves almost play themselves, while Black struggles to find counter play.

Following 18. Nxd5 gxf5, the deflection 19. d4! to gives Sofia a near decisive advantage.

With 24. Ne7+!, Sofia's attack on the weakened Kingside will mate or win decisive material.

Nov-26-12  Purpleducktape00: Wow, white removed the defenders and made excellent use of the f file.
Jan-16-15  Whitehat1963: Crushing!

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