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Paul Keres vs Miguel Najdorf
Goteborg ct (07.09.55) 1955  ·  Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation. Goteborg (Argentine) (B98)  ·  1-0


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Kibitzer's Corner
May-30-03   sleepkid: Classic Keres! An incredible game, with head spinning variations. Keres attacks with verve right from the start!

Already a piece down, Keres' 22. Nd5!!? is incredible, though maybe not entirely sound. It certainly is intimidating.

One of the few times you will see Najdorf resign a piece up! However, Najdorf realized that he couldn't hold onto the piece, the two defensive tries (25. ...Qe8 26. Qxb5+ Kd8 27. Qb6+ Kd7 28. Qxd6# and 25. ...Qd8 26. Qxb5+ Kc7 27. Qc5+! Kb8 28. Bxd6+ Ka8 29. Rxe7 regaining the piece with a won position) being hopeless.

Loads of fun.

May-30-03
Premium Chessgames Member
  ughaibu: This variation was introduced simultaneously in three games in this round. I think Geller was the first to play Bg5, Spassky I think was the other white, the blacks were all Argentine and had specially prepared g5-Nd7 for the Soviets.
May-30-03   actual: After those three games, the rest of the games in this database starting <1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7  8. Qf3 h6  9. Bh4 g5  10. fxg5 Nfd7  11. Nxe6 fxe6  12. Qh5 Kf8  13. Bb5 > are draws
May-30-03   drukenknight: Ugi: The variation is known as "Goteborg" for site where it was introduced. Spassky/Pilnik and Geller/Panno are the other two. Both games are in the database:

Geller vs Panno, 1955

Spassky vs Pilnik, 1955

The problem here, I think is 10...Nd7, this will block the Bishop for certain. THe Bishop has an opening and now he doesnt. Opening and closing a diagonal for the B usually is bad.

Plus this will take a spot away from the other N. Yes the N can go to c6 but if the pawn recaptures there it will disconnect the h pawn.

Try it with 10...Nh7 see if that doesnt make it better.

Evans says the original idea was 13...Ne5 as you see in the Panno game. After witnessing Pannos destruction in the early round, Pilnik/Najdorf switched to 13....Kg7. But why not 13....Bxg5 trying to force exchanges, when ahead in material makes logical sense.

Same reasoning on the 18th move. Grabbing material when already ahead in material is often questionable why not 18...Qf8?

Aug-28-03
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: 22.Nd5 is good. For example 22...exd5 23.Qxd6+ Ke8 24.Qg6 Kd7 25.exd5 looks very promising for white, not to mention the possibility to repeat moves.
Jun-27-05   calman543: sleepkid, what if in your second line of analysis black played 26. ... Kd7 27. Qxd6+ Ke8 ? What would white do then?
Jun-28-05   Cyphelium: <calman543> 25.- Qd8 26. Qxb5+ Kc7 27. Qc5+ Kd7 28. Qxd6+ Ke8 29. Rf8+ wins the queen.
Jun-28-05   calman543: Cyph, how do you do the figurine notation?
Jun-28-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  WannaBe: <calman543> Use the {} around your letters. Example, Nxd4 becomes Nxd4. Also visit the help (upper right hand corner) page. you can do all your notations inside the then when you are done, close it with .
Jun-28-05   offramp: The figurine slook good but they are not too useful if someone else wants to cut & paste that analysis into - say - a PGN file.
Jul-15-05   calman543: Oops. My first question should have had "27... Kd7" not move 26. But it looks like Cyph caught it.
Sep-27-05   Queens Gambit: Beatifull game.
Jun-27-06   Kings Indian: 9...g5 looks strange, why not 9...Nxe4?
Jun-27-06   CapablancaFan: <Kings Indian><9...g5 looks strange, why not 9...Nxe4?> That loses a piece to 10.Bxe7! The purpose of 9...g5 was probably to open up the h-file for the rook, but Najdorf played it wrong.
Nov-04-09   howian1: This is one of the games thought to be brilliant with a black loss inevitable until a computer looks at the position, and shows just two before resignation, the position could probably be held.

Accepting the second sacrifice, exd5 23.Qxd6+ Ke8 24.Qg6 Kd7 25.exd5, R-a6! looks sufficient to require white to repeat moves for the draw. Beyond providing insight, the computer is showing us that the winner is right methodology is infecting much analysis, and the human tendency to become depressed upon defense, rather than the brilliancy of the game impacts the outcome.


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