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Sicilian Defence: Najdorf, 6.Bg5 Main Line 8.Qf3 Qc7

Motylev–Polgar, Biel GM 2007 · Naiditsch–Bologan, TCh-CRO Sibenik 2010 · 6:44 · ECO B99

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In this video

Game 1: Alexander Motylev (2648) vs Judit Polgar (2707)

Biel GM 2007, 29 July 2007 · Black won (0-1) · 52 moves

Click a move to jump the video to it. Dotted moves are the opening line the video is about.

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Key moments

  1. 10.g4The first move after the opening line0:41
  2. 29...e5The evaluation moves from −2.01 to −0.222:16
  3. 32.Nf4The evaluation moves from −0.26 to −2.25, and Black stays more than two pawns ahead from here2:29
  4. 33.gxf6The queens come off2:34
  5. 38.Kc1The evaluation moves from −2.30 to −3.702:59
  6. 52...d4Black wins after 52 moves4:12

Evaluation

Above the line, White is better; below it, Black. Scores are in pawns, capped at five either way.

Game 2: Arkadij Naiditsch (2674) vs Viktor Bologan (2690)

TCh-CRO Sibenik 2010, 7 September 2010 · White won (1-0) · 30 moves

Click a move to jump the video to it. Dotted moves are the opening line the video is about.

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Key moments

  1. 10.Bd3The first move after the opening line4:52
  2. 25...Qb4The evaluation moves from +1.52 to +3.58, and White stays more than two pawns ahead from here6:08
  3. 28...Bd4The evaluation moves from +4.84 to +6.976:22
  4. 30.Rc2White wins after 30 moves6:30

Evaluation

Above the line, White is better; below it, Black. Scores are in pawns, capped at five either way.

About these games

After 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.O-O-O Nbd7 both kings are headed for opposite wings, and the position becomes a race. White masses queen, rooks and pawns against the centre and kingside, aiming at the e5 and f5 breaks or a g4–g5 pawn storm. Black keeps the solid d6–e6 pawn pair, prepares ...b5 and ...Bb7, and puts pressure on e4 and down the c-file.

Motylev–Polgar followed the main 10.g4 b5 11.Bxf6 gxf6, giving Black doubled f-pawns but the bishop pair. White pushed h4 and g5, while Black broke with ...f5, then 18...fxe4 and 19...d5, and castled long. After 29...e5 the score went from −2.01 to −0.22, but 32.Nf4 was a mistake: it dropped to −2.25 and Black stayed over two pawns ahead from then on. The queens came off with 33.gxf6, and after 38.Kc1 the evaluation fell from −2.30 to −3.70. Polgar's two active rooks took over the second rank, and Black won after 52...d4.

Naiditsch–Bologan chose 10.Bd3 h6 11.Qh3 and 12.f5, which drew 12...e5 and gave White a hold on d5. After 15.Bxf6 and 16.Nd5, the pawn on d5 fixed the centre. Unlike Game 1, White's attack came on the queenside, through 24.c4 and 25.Nxd6. After 25...Qb4 the score jumped from +1.52 to +3.58, and 28...Bd4 took it from +4.84 to +6.97. White won after 30.Rc2.

Chapters

  1. 0:00Introduction and the opening line
  2. 0:10Game 1: Motylev vs Polgar, Biel GM 2007
  3. 4:20Game 2: Naiditsch vs Bologan, TCh-CRO Sibenik 2010

The opening line

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Be7 8. Qf3 Qc7 9. O-O-O Nbd7

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