Najdorf Classical System
by GM Magesh and GM ArunThis week we shall see a very modern interpretation of the Najdorf Classical system from the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2011 between Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura. Usually the classical system is more of a positional battle rather than a battleground for direct attacking ideas. But in this article we shall see the classical system being played in the spirit of the English attack. The players castled opposite sides, and soon began their attack on their enemy king's respectively and Carlsen managed to hold off Black's threats and soon crushed his opponent.
The point behind this move (normal would be O-O instead) is to gain space and also to get control over the d5-square. White clearly shows his interest in creating a kingside attack. Now let us see the game.
Carlsen, Magnus (2814) vs. Nakamura, Hikaru (2751)
73rd Tata Steel GMA | Wijk aan Zee NED | Round 8| 23 Jan 2011 | ECO: B92 | 1-0
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. Be3 O-O ( 8... Be6 ) 9. g4 Be6 10. g5 Nfd7 ( 10... Ne8 11. Qd2 Nd7 12. f4 g6 13. O-O-O Ng7 14. h4 Rc8 15. Kb1 f5 16. h5 ) 11. h4 ( 11. Qd2 Nb6 ( 11... a5 12. a4 Nc6 13. f4 f5 14. exf5 Bxf5 15. fxe5 dxe5 16. O-O-O Nb4 17. Rhf1 Be6 18. Rxf8+ Qxf8 19. Rf1 Qc8 20. Bb5 Qc7 21. Bxd7 ) ( 11... Nc6 12. O-O-O Nc5 13. Kb1 Rc8 14. h4 Qe8 15. h5 Nb4 16. Nxc5 dxc5 17. Nd5 Rd8 18. c4 b5 19. h6 bxc4 20. hxg7 Rxd5 21. gxf8=Q+ Bxf8 22. Qc3 Rd4 23. a3 Qa4 24. axb4 cxb4 25. b3 Qc6 26. Qc2 Rxe4 27. f3 Bf5 28. Bxc4 ) 12. O-O-O N8d7 13. Kb1 Rc8 14. h4 Nc4 15. Bxc4 Rxc4 16. f4 ( 16. f3 f5 17. exf5 Rxf5 18. Nd5 Bf8 19. Qd3 b5 20. Nd2 Nc5 21. Bxc5 Rxc5 22. Ne3 ) 17... exf4 17. Bxf4 Ne5 18. Nd4 Qc8 19. Nd5 Bxd5 20. Nf5 Re8 21. Qxd5 Bf8 22. h5 Rxc2 23. g6 Rc5 24. Qb3 Qe6 25. Bxe5 Qxb3 26. axb3 Rcxe5 27. gxf7+ Kxf7 28. Nxd6+ Bxd6 29. Rxd6 Rxe4 ) 11... Nb6 12. Qd2 ( 12. f4 exf4 13. Bxf4 d5 ( 13... Nc6 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15. exd5 Ne5 16. Qd4 Rc8 17. O-O-O Nbc4 18. Nd2 b5 19. Nxc4 Nxc4 20. Bd3 Re8 21. Kb1 Ne5 22. Bxe5 dxe5 23. Qg4 e4 24. Bxe4 Rc4 25. Qg2 ) 14. Nd4 Nc6 15. e5 Nd7 16. Nf3 Qb6 17. Nxd5 Qa5+ 18. Nc3 Ndxe5 19. Nxe5 Nxe5 20. Qd4 Nc6 21. Qa4 Qxa4 22. Nxa4 Nb4 23. O-O-O Nxa2+ 24. Kb1 Nb4 25. Nb6 Rad8 26. Bd2 Nc6 27. Be3 Rxd1+ 28. Rxd1 Rd8 29. Rxd8+ Bxd8 ) 12... N8d7 ( 12... a5 13. a4 Nc6 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15. exd5 Nb4 16. c4 Rc8 17. Rc1 Nxa4 18. Bg4 Nxb2 19. Bxc8 N2d3+ 20. Ke2 Nxc1+ 21. Rxc1 Qxc8 22. Nxa5 Na6 ) 13. f4 exf4 14. Bxf4 Ne5 15. O-O-O Rc8 16. Kb1 Qc7 17. h5 ( 17. Nd4 Nbc4 18. Bxc4 Nxc4 19. Qd3 Qb6 20. Bc1? Na3+ 21. Ka1 Qxd4 22. Qxd4 Nxc2+ 23. Kb1 Nxd4 24. Rxd4 Rc4 25. Rxc4 Bxc4 ) 17... Rfe8 ( 17... Nbc4 18. Bxc4 Nxc4 19. Qd3 Na3+ 20. Kc1 Qc4 21. Nd4 Qxd3 22. Rxd3 Nc4 23. Nf5 ) 18. Ka1! Bf8 19. Nd4 Qc5? ( 19... Nec4 20. Nxe6 fxe6 21. Bxc4 Nxc4 22. Qd3 Qc5 ) 20. g6! Nec4 21. Bxc4 Nxc4 22. Qd3 fxg6 ( 22... h6 ) 23. hxg6 ( 23. Nxe6! Rxe6 24. Qh3! Rce8 25. hxg6 h6 26. Nd5 Rxg6 27. Qf5 Rge6 28. Bxh6 ) 23... h6 24. Qg3 Qb6 25. Bc1 Qa5 26. Rdf1 Ne5 ( 26... Nxb2 27. Nxe6! ( 27. Bxb2 Rxc3 ) ) 27. Nd5 Bxd5 28. exd5 Qxd5? 29. Bxh6! gxh6 30. g7 Be7 ( 30... Nf7 31. gxf8=Q+ Kxf8 32. Nf5 Qe5 33. Nxh6 ) 31. Rxh6 Nf7 32. Qg6 Nxh6 33. Qxh6 Bf6 34. Qh8+ Kf7 35. g8=Q+ Rxg8 36. Qxf6+ Ke8 37. Re1+ ( 37. Re1+ Qe5 38. Rxe5+ dxe5 39. Qe6+ )
The system resembles more the English Attack than the classical system. Castling opposite sides, it is important for both sides to create an attack on the enemy king. The side that launches the attack first will come out successful. Black's 19th Move clearly made the difference. 19. ... Nec4!? was a possible alternative for Black. Carlsen has re-infused a forgotten system with life and we are sure there will be many followers. Now it is Black who has to find an idea to equalize against it.
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