Negi against the Najdorf

Here’s a small preview of the next volume in Negi’s 1.e4 series, which you can either use as a “find the best move” exercise, or just follow for your own enjoyment. It comes from a line in the Poisoned Pawn.

Take a look at the following position, where Black has just answered 18.c2-c4 with 18…Qd5-c6, exploiting the pin on the white knight.

White has a big lead in development, but he is three pawns down, and must act quickly before Black organizes his defences. How would you proceed?

Negi’s analysis continues: 19.Bd6! Qb6 20.Bxf8 Bxf8 21.Bh5! f6 (21…g6 22.Ng5! Bh6 [22…gxh5 23.Rxf7+–] 23.Qf2 f6 24.Ngxe6 gxh5 25.c5 Nxc5 26.Nf5+–)

How can White break the defence?

22.c5! Forcing the exchange of a valuable defensive piece. If the queen moves away then the e6-pawn drops, so Black has to capture on c5. 22…Bxc5 (22…Nxc5 23.Nxf6†! gxf6 24.Rxf6+–) 23.Nxc5 Nxc5 24.Nb3! Nbd7 25.Nxc5 g6 In material terms Black is just about hanging on, but his position will be left in tatters. 26.Rc1 gxh5 27.Kh1 White has a winning position, as Black’s king is too exposed.

This was just a snippet, but it gives you some idea of what you can expect from the book. We expect it to be available in early 2015.

6 thoughts on “Negi against the Najdorf”

  1. Very interesting piece of analysis – very much looking forward to Negi’s next book! And to be honest, also a bit scared, because I’m slightly worried how on earth I’m going to remember these razor-sharp lines. I’m also quite curious what Negi will recommend against the Poisoned Pawn.

  2. @Ray
    What Negi will recommend against the Poisoned Pawn has already been revealed. The position on the diagram comes from the variation 8.Qd2, Qxb2 9.Rb1, Qa3 10.e5.

    I am very happy that he recommends such a critical continuation. I hope he will have the same approach to the other variations as well.

  3. I knew I had seen this position before – at least in my database, a CC game in which I had White is the only instance of the position after Black’s 18th.

    [Event “WS/H/230”]
    [Site “ICCF”]
    [Date “2010.03.28”]
    [White “Rotella, Anthony”]
    [Black “Oleksak, Andrzej”]
    [Result “1-0”]
    [EventDate “2010.??.??”]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8. Qd2
    Qxb2 9. Rb1 Qa3 10. e5 dxe5 11. fxe5 Nfd7 12. Ne4 Qxa2 13. Rd1 Qd5 14. Qe3 Qxe5
    15. Be2 Bc5 16. O-O O-O 17. Bf4 Qd5 18. c4 Qc6 19. Bd6 Qb6 20. Bxf8 Nxf8 21.
    Bh5 f6 22. Nxf6+ gxf6 23. Kh1 Qc7 24. Rxf6 Qe7 25. Rdf1 1-0

    Glad to know I was on the right track! I look forward to another Negi masterpiece!

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