Thematic Knight Sacrifice in the Najdorf Sicilian
by GM Magesh and GM ArunThis week we shall see a sacrificial idea in the Sicilian Najdorf. 6.Bg5 has always been one of the finest systems to counter the Najdorf. The arising positions are full of complications when White tries to pressurize Black on the kingside or in the center, while Black often creates counterplay on the Queenside.
In today's article we feature a sacrifice that allows white a lot of activity on the kingside and in the centre. On the other side, black is often left without much counterplay and his main focus is on exchanging the pieces till his material advantage is really felt. The following position illustrates the importance of this thematic sacrifice.
Here the sacrifice is more or less forced for White. White's pieces are well coordinated and optimally placed to start an attack in the centre. We shall now see the game Shirov - Van Wely Aerosvit 2007. White made this sacrifice and with a couple of inaccuracies Black managed to hold the game.
Shirov, A. (2699) vs. Van Wely, L. (2674)
Aerosvit | Foros UKR | Round 3| 20 Jun 2007 | ECO: B99 | 0-1
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Nbd7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O b5 10. Bd3 Bb7 11. Rhe1 Be7 ( 11... Qb6 ) ( 11... O-O-O ) 12. Qg3 b4 ( 12... O-O-O 13. Bxf6 Nxf6 14. Qxg7 Rdf8 15. Qg3 b4 16. Na4 Rhg8 17. Qf2 Nd7 18. Kb1 Kb8 19. c3 Nc5 20. Bc2 bxc3 21. Nxc3 Bf6 22. g3 h5 23. e5 dxe5 24. fxe5 Bh8 25. Nf3 Rd8 26. Rxd8+ Rxd8 27. Ng5 Bxe5 28. Qxf7 Rd7 29. Qxh5 Bxc3 30. bxc3 Qb6+ 31. Kc1 Qa5 32. Qh8+ Ka7 33. a4 Nd3+ 34. Bxd3 Rxd3 35. Kc2 Rd5 36. Re4 Rd8 37. Qg7 Qf5 38. Kb3 Qd5+ 39. Ka3 Qd2 40. Rb4 Qc1+ 41. Rb2 Qa1+ 42. Ra2 Qc1+ 43. Rb2 Qa1+ ) 13. Nd5 exd5 14. exd5 Kd8 ( 14... g6 15. Qh4 ) 15. Nc6+ ( 15. Nf5 Bf8 ) ( 15. Qe3 Nb6 16. Nf5 Nbxd5 17. Qd4 Kc8 18. Nxg7 Bd8 19. Nf5 Kb8 20. Bc4 Rg8 21. Re2 Qd7 22. Qd3 Rg6 23. g4 Ka7 24. h4 Bb6 25. Qb3 Re8 26. Rde1 Rgg8 27. Qd3 Rxe2 28. Rxe2 Rxg5 29. fxg5 Nf4 30. Qxd6 Nxe2+ 31. Bxe2 Qe8 32. Qe7 Qxe7 33. Nxe7 Ne4 34. Bc4 Bf2 35. Nf5 f6 36. gxf6 Nxf6 37. g5 Ng4 38. Bd3 Ne5 39. Be2 Bc8 40. Ne7 Be6 41. g6 Nxg6 42. Nc6+ Kb6 43. Nxb4 a5 44. Nd3 Bxh4 45. b3 Nf4 46. Nxf4 Bg5 47. Kb2 Bxf4 48. Bh5 Be5+ 49. c3 Bf5 50. a3 Bg6 51. Bd1 h5 52. b4 h4 53. Bf3 a4 ) 15... Bxc6 16. dxc6 Nc5 ( 16... Qxc6 17. Bxf6 Nxf6 ( 17... Bxf6 18. Be4 Qa4 19. Bxa8 Qxa2 20. Rxd6 Qxb2+ 21. Kd1 Qb1+ 22. Ke2 Qxc2+ 23. Kf1! Qc4+ 24. Rd3 Re8 25. Red1 Re7 26. Qf3 ) 18. Qxg7 Rg8 19. Qxf7 Qe8 20. Qc4! ) 17. Bc4 ( 17. Bh4 ) 17... Nfe4 18. Qe3?! ( 18. Bxe7+ Qxe7 19. Qxg7 Kc7 ( 19... Re8 20. Qxh7 Kc7 21. Bd5 Qf6 22. Qxf7+ Qxf7 23. Bxf7 Rf8 24. Bg6 ) 20. Bd5 Qf6 21. Qxf6 Nxf6 22. Re7+ Kb6 23. Bf3 d5 24. c7 Rac8 25. Rxf7 Rhf8 26. Rxf8 Rxf8 27. Bxd5 Kxc7 28. Bf3 ) 18... f5 ( 18... f6 19. Bh4 f5 ) 19. g4 g6 20. gxf5 gxf5 21. Rd5 Bxg5 22. fxg5 Rf8 23. Rf1 Qxc6 24. Rdxf5 Rxf5 25. Rxf5 Qe8 26. Rf7 Rc8 27. Rxh7 Qe5 28. g6 Na4 29. g7 Qxb2+
After the knight sacrifice it is not easy for Black, as he has to avoid several mines in his defense of his king. Shirov in his best form would have definitely created a masterpiece but a few inaccuracies cost him the game. In our next game we shall see Kotronias - Shneider Korinthos Open 2004. White deviated on move 17 from the previous game and managed to create more problems for Black.
Kotronias, Vasilios (2608) vs. Shneider, Aleksandr (2532)
Korinthos op 7th | Korinthos | Round 8| 29 Jul 2004 | ECO: B99 | 1-0
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Nbd7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O b5 10. Bd3 Bb7 11. Rhe1 Be7 12. Qg3 b4 13. Nd5 exd5 14. exd5 Kd8 15. Nc6+ Bxc6 16. dxc6 Nc5 17. Bh4 Rg8 18. Bxh7 Rh8 19. Qxg7 Rxh7 20. Qxf6 Rxh4 21. Qxf7 ( 21. Qxf7 ) 21... Rh8 22. Re5 ( 22. Qg7 Re8 23. Re3 Qxc6 24. Rde1 Rc8 25. R1e2 Rc7 26. f5 Qd5 ) 22... Na4 ( 22... Rf8 23. Qg7 b3 ( 23... Ra7 24. Rxc5 Qb6 25. Qe5 Rf6 26. Rc4 Rc7 27. Qe4 ) 24. axb3 Nxb3+ 25. cxb3 Qxc6+ 26. Kb1 Qd7 ( 26... Re8 27. Re6 ( 27. Qg6 Rb8 28. Re6 Rb6 29. f5 Qb5 30. Qf7 Rc6 31. g4 Rc5 32. h4 Bf8 33. h5 Rxe6 34. fxe6 Be7 35. h6 Qc6 36. Qh7 Rg5 37. Rc1 Qf3 38. Qh8+ Bf8 39. Qd4 Rxg4 40. Qb6+ Ke7 41. h7 Qe4+ 42. Ka2 Bg7 43. Rc7+ Kxe6 44. Rxg7 ) 27... Ra7 28. g4 Rc7 ( 28... Qb6 29. Qg6 Rd7 30. Qe4 Qb7 31. Qe3 Qa7 32. Qe1 Rf8 33. f5 Qb6 34. Qe4 Qb8 35. Qd4 Bg5 36. Rg6 Bh4 37. Rc1 Qa7 38. Qd5 Qb7 39. Qe6 d5 40. Rg8 ) 29. Ka2 Rb7 30. Rde1 Qf3 31. Qc3 Qxc3 32. bxc3 Rh8 33. R1e2 Rd7 34. Kb1 Rh3 35. R6e3 Rxe3 36. Rxe3 d5 37. Kc2 Bd6 38. f5 Re7 39. Rd3 Re2+ 40. Kd1 Rxh2 41. Rxd5 Ke7 42. Ra5 Rg2 43. Ra4 Rg3 44. Kd2 Be5 45. Rxa6 Bxc3+ ) ( 26... Qe8 27. Rxd6+ ( 27. Re4! ) 27... Bxd6 ) 27. Re4 Rb8 28. Rde1 Re8 29. g4 ) ( 22... Bh4 23. Qf5 Qh7 24. Qg4 Qg8 25. c7+ ) 23. Re6 ( 23. Qe6 Ra7 24. Red5 Qc8 25. c7+ Rxc7 26. Rxd6+ Ke8 27. Qg6+ Kf8 28. Rf6+ Bxf6 29. Qxf6+ Ke8 30. Re1+ Kd7 31. Re7+ Kd8 32. Rh7+ ) 23... Nc5 24. Re5 Na4 25. Re3 Ra7 ( 25... Nb6 26. Rde1 Nc8 27. Qg7 Re8 28. f5 Qxc6 29. f6 Kc7 30. h4 Kb6 31. fxe7 Ra7 32. Re4 a5 33. b3 Qc5 34. Qf6 Rc7 35. Rc4 Qd5 ) 26. Rde1 Re8 ( 26... Qxc6 27. Rxe7 Rxe7 28. Qxe7+ ( 28. Rxe7 Nb6 29. b3 ( 29. h4 Kc8 30. Qf6 ) 30... Qc3 ) 28... Kc8 29. h4 ( 29. h3 Nc5 30. Kb1 a5 31. f5 Qd7 32. Qg5 ( 32. b3 Qxe7 33. Rxe7 Rh5 34. f6 Rf5 35. f7 Nd7 36. g4 Rf1+ 37. Kb2 Kd8 38. Re8+ Kc7 39. g5 Rxf7 40. h4 Rg7 41. Ra8 Kb6 42. Rd8 Kc6 43. Ra8 Nb6 44. Rxa5 Rh7 45. g6 Rxh4 46. Rg5 Rh8 47. g7 Rg8 48. a3 bxa3+ 49. Kxa3 Nd5 50. c4 Nc7 51. b4 Ne6 52. Rg6 Kd7 53. c5 ) 33... Re8 33. Rxe8+ Qxe8 34. Qc1 Ne4 35. g4 a4 36. a3 bxa3 37. bxa3 Qb5+ 38. Ka1 Qe5+ 39. Qb2 Nc3 40. Qc1 Kc7 41. g5 d5 42. f6 d4 ) 29... Qd5 30. Rd1 Qxa2 31. Rxd6 Qxb2+ 32. Kd1 Qa1+ ( 32... Nc3+ 33. Kd2 Nb1+ 34. Ke1 Qc1+ 35. Rd1 Qxf4 36. Qe6+ Kb8 ) 33. Ke2 Nc3+ 34. Kf2 Qa5 35. Qe6+ Kb8 36. Rxa6 Qc5+ ) 27. f5 Qxc6 28. f6 Qxg2? ( 28... Nb6 29. Rxe7 Raxe7 30. Rxe7 Nc8! ( 30... Qb5 31. b3 Nc8 32. Rxe8+ Qxe8 33. Qxe8+ Kxe8 34. g4 d5 35. g5 Nd6 36. g6 Kf8 37. h4 a5 38. Kd1 Nf5 39. h5 Ne3+ 40. Ke2 Ng4 41. f7 Nf6 42. h6 Nd7 43. h7 Kg7 44. c4 bxc3 45. a3 Nf8 46. b4 axb4 47. axb4 Nxg6 48. b5 Kxh7 49. b6 ) 31. Rb7 ( 31. Rxe8+ Qxe8 32. Qxe8+ Kxe8 33. g4 Nb6 34. Kd2 Nc4+ 35. Ke2 Nxb2 36. g5 Kf7 37. Kf3 Nc4 38. Ke4 Kg6 39. h4 Ne5 40. Kd5 Kh5 41. Kxd6 Ng6 42. f7 Kxh4 43. Kc5 Kxg5 44. Kxb4 Kf6 ) 31... Re1+ ) ( 28... Rc7 29. R1e2 Nb6 ( 29... Qb5 30. Qg7 Nc3 31. bxc3 bxc3 32. fxe7+ Rcxe7 33. Qxc3 Rxe3 34. Rxe3 Qg5 35. Kd2 Qxg2+ 36. Kd1 Qg1+ 37. Re1 Rxe1+ 38. Qxe1 Qd4+ 39. Qd2 Qg1+ 40. Qe1 Qd4+ 41. Qd2 Qg1+ 42. Qe1 ) 30. Rxe7 Rcxe7 31. fxe7+ Kd7 32. Qf5+ Kc7 33. b3 Nd7 34. Qa5+ Qb6 35. Qh5 Qg1+ 36. Kd2 Qd4+ 37. Kc1 Qf4+ 38. Kd1 Nf6 39. Qf7 Qg5 40. Ke1 Qc1+ 41. Kf2 Qf4+ 42. Ke1 Qd4 43. Kf1 Ng4 44. Ke1 Qa1+ ) ( 28... Nc5 29. Kb1 Rc7 30. R1e2 Qb5 31. b3 Kc8 32. Qd5 Nd7 33. Qxb5 axb5 34. Rxe7 Rd8 35. R2e6 Ne5 36. h4 Ng6 37. Re8 Nxh4 38. Rxd8+ Kxd8 39. Rxd6+ Ke8 40. Rd5 Rd7 41. Rxb5 Rd4 42. g3 Nf3 43. Rf5 Rd1+ 44. Kb2 Nd2 45. c3 bxc3+ 46. Kc2 Ra1 47. a4 Nxb3 48. Kxb3 ( 48. Kxb3 c2 49. Kxc2 Rxa4! 50. Kd2 Kf7 51. Ke3 ) ) 29. fxe7+ Kd7 30. Rg3 Qa8 31. Rg6 Nc5 32. Rd1 Nb7 33. Qe6+ Kc7 34. Rg4 a5 35. Rc4+
Black has no ways to escape as Kb8 loses to Qe7 and Kb6 losing to Qe3+. The position arising after the knight sacrifice is not completely lost for Black, but requires patience and precision to defend. Life is easier for White.
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