Naumann-Gormally Golombek Memorial, Paignton
2000 Sicilian Najdorf B99
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 Nf6 4 Nc3 cxd4 5 Nxd4 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4
Be7 8 Qf3 Qc7 9 0-0-0 Nbd7 10 g4 b5 11 Bxf6 Nxf6 12 g5 Nd7
13 Bd3 This is a relatively rare move. White's two
main lines are 13 a3, preventing....b5-b4 and more commonly the direct 13 f5.
13...Nc5 13...b4 14 Nce2 Bb7 15 Qh3 0-0-0 16 Kb1 Kb8 17 Qe3
Qb6 18 h4 led to a level position in Antonio-Momeni, Dubai 1992. 14 h4
b4 15 Nce2 Bb7 16 Kb1 f5 17 gxf6 Bxf6 18 Qg4 Bc8 19 Nf3 e5 20 f5 Bb7 21 Ng3
0-0-0 22 Ng5 Kb8 23 b3 d5 24 exd5 Rxd5 25 Be4 Rd4!? 26 Rxd4 exd4 27 Bxb7
d3!? The beginning of some very ambitious play by Gormally. 28
cxd3 28 Bd5 Ne4! wins for Black. 28...Na4! 29 bxa4 Qc3
A crucial position. White is two pieces up, but is faced with
some deadly threats. Certainly it's very difficult for White to find the best
defence here and it's no surprise that White's next move is a mistake. It seems
that White should play 30 Qe2! and now: 1) 30...Kxb7? 31 d4! and the threat
of Qf3+, exchanging queens, gives White the advantage. 2) 30...Qa1+! 31 Kc2
Qxa2+ 32 Kd1 (32 Kc1? b3! 33 Qxa2 bxa2 is better for Black) 32...b3 33 Be4
(once again 33 Qxa2 bxa2 is better for Black, while 33 Qd2!? b2 34 Ke2 Kxb7 35
Qb4+ Ka8 offers White a draw with perpetual starting with 36 Qe4+, but probably
nothing more) 33...b2 34 d4 Bxg5 35 hxg5 Re8 36 Qh2 b1Q+ 37 Bxb1 Qxb1+ 38 Kd2
Qb2+ with a draw by perpetual check. So perhaps Black's sacrificial attack
is worth a draw with best play. 30 d4? Bxd4 31 Qf4+ Or 31
Rh2 b3! 32 axb3 Qxb3+ 33 Kc1 Be3+ 34 Rd2 Rd8 and Black wins. 31...Be5 32
Qc1 Qa1+ 33 Kc2 Qxa2+ 34 Kd3 Rd8+ 35 Ke4 Bxg3 36 Kf3 White has no time
to save the extra piece. After 36 Bxa6 Black wins with 36...Qd5+ 37 Ke3 Re8+ 38
Ne6 Qxf5 39 Bc4 Bf4+. 36...Rd3+ 37 Kg4 Kxb7 Now Black is a pawn
up and White's king has no safe place to hide. The rest is relatively
straightforward. 38 Qf1 Qc4+ 39 Kh5 Qd5 40 Rh3 h6 41 Qg1 hxg5 42 Rxg3
Qxf5 43 Qg2+ Kb8 44 Rxg5 Qh7+ 45 Kg4 Rd4+ 0-1 Black wins after 46 Kf3
Qe4+ 47 Kg3 (or 47 Kf2 Rd2+) 47...Qf4+ 48 Kh3 Qxh4 mate. A creative game by
Gormally. |