John Nunn vs Igor Alexandre Nataf (1999) Slim to Nunn

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John Nunn vs Igor Alexandre Nataf
"Slim to Nunn" (game of the day Jun-06-2013)
FRA-chT (1999), France, rd 6
Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian. Open (B32) · 0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Given 28 times; par: 35 [what's this?]

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< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 3 OF 3 · Later Kibitzing>
May-13-10		SpiritedReposte: This hasnt been game of the day yet?? Sparkling attack weaved around the White king. 21. ...Bh3+! so cool.

Dec-31-10		DarthStapler: Since my pun is apparently going to never be used, it's "Nataf bad!"

Mar-07-11		scormus: <Jim> let me add my thanks, a very interesting game. Brutal attacking play by Nataf, the sort of customer you hope not to meet in the ring. <9 ... f4> I can imagine W was not expecting this, even though <Albertan> it had been played before. To me it looks anti-positional but the sort of move that can cause an opponent to go wrong. I dont think 10 g3 is the best reply while 11 gxf4 seems to compound the error. It will be interesting to see how Rybka evals some of this. Finally <DarthStapler> your pun aint at all bad.

Apr-11-11		wordfunph: GM Nataf referred to this game as his best game ever played.

Feb-21-13		plang: 8..f5 was apparently first played by Shabalov in his win over Kudrin at the 1997 US Masters. Kudrin responded 9 exf which allows White to respond to ..Nf6 with Bg5 fighting for control of d5. In the 1998 US Championship Defirmian played 10 Nc2 against Shabalov and won; Nunn's 10 g3 was new. Nunn was surprised by the pawn sacrifice 10..Nf6 though that move has been played several times since this game with great results for Black. Note that 14 Qd2? would not have avoided the sacrifice: 14..Nxf2! 15 Bxf2..Rxf2 16 Kxf2 Bg5! (chasing the queen away so Black can play ..Qg5+) followed by ..Bh4+. Since 14 0-0!? looks shaky Watsons suggestion of 14 f4!? looks best (as mentioned earlier in this thread. Nunn pointed out that 16 Rf1..Ng4 would have left Black with only a small edge. Nunn after 24 Qxh4: "...After 16..Nb4 I had calculated up to here, and thought that Black had nothing better than 24..Qxf3+ 25 Kg1..Qe3+ 26 Kg2 with perpetual check. It is true that 24..Rxf3+ is bad after 25 Kg2 but, astonishingly, Black has a quiet move which gives him a decisive attack." After all his brilliant moves Nataf could be excused for missing the stronger 25..Rxf3+ 26 Kg2..Qe2+ 27 Kg1..g5. Voted the best game of Informant 75.

May-02-13		chesswar1000: This game really should be one of the games of the day...14. Be2? 14. f4! and Black's position is cracking.

Jun-06-13		LoveThatJoker: Lovely stuff from GM Nataf! LTJ

Jun-06-13		FSR: Shouldn't this pun have been reserved for one of the many games between Nunn and Slim Bouaziz? http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

Jun-06-13		morfishine: Nunn was (is) extremely difficult to beat. Nunn graciously annotated this loss in that wonderful book "The World's Greatest CHESS GAMES" http://www.amazon.com/Mammoth-World... In his notes, Nunn overlooks Black's initial sac 14...Nxf2 setting up the follow up rook sac and agrees that best for White was 14.f4 (instead of 14.Be2 after which there is no salvation) and actually claims a small advantage for White

Jun-06-13		queenfortwopawns: Goodness. That was a demolition act.

Jun-06-13		kevin86: Black is just up a rook for a piece,but will certainly gain victory.

Jun-06-13		weisyschwarz: <FSR> A few years ago, I placed the game you mentioned in my pun submission page, under the title of, "Your Chances of Winning Are...". I guess my entry was overlooked...again. :-(

Jun-06-13		Lutwidge: Well, that escalated quickly.

Jun-07-13		Check It Out: What an explosive game. The early pawn sac by black is brave.

Jun-07-13		Moszkowski012273: Really wish 25...Rxf3+ had been played (forcing mate).

Jun-07-13		FSR: <weisyschwarz: <FSR> A few years ago, I placed the game you mentioned in my pun submission page, under the title of, "Your Chances of Winning Are...". I guess my entry was overlooked...again. :-( > The ChessGames pun gods are fickle, no doubt about it.

Mar-17-14		Sourav: Does anyone know how to invert the board?

Mar-17-14		WannaBe: What viewer are you using?

Mar-18-14		Sourav: pgn4web

Mar-18-14		Cemoblanca: Absolutely breath-taking.

Mar-19-14		Sourav: @WannaBe: Pressing the f key does it!

Aug-21-14		docbenway: Nunn annotates this game in his book Understanding Chess move by Move.

Oct-22-14		notyetagm: Nunn vs I A Nataf, 1999 Wow, what an incredible attacking game.

Oct-22-14		john barleycorn: The first game I saw in which sacrificing both rooks did not work...

Oct-20-18		Saniyat24: Nataf the penetrator...!

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