What's New- February '04
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Hello everyone! Welcome to my late February 2004 update. Hope this update finds everyone well! |
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This month was very good with the Super GMs discussing the still very hot English Attack.
To download the February '04 Open Sicilian games directly in PGN form, just click here: 
Sveshnikov/Kalashnikov Variation [B32-B33]
Lets start off with a Sveshnikov in the 7 Bg5 variation for a change.
Svidler - Van Wely, including the notes, looks like 'Van Wely's greatest hits'! The Dutch GM had a great update with this one game! The main game was a complicated battle that fizzled-out into a drawn rook ending, but was very exciting. White missed some nice chances according to Fritz. Check the note Asrian-Van Wely where Black looked to be struggling. I think that one of the lines with Bd3 is White's best try for an opening edge.
Richter-Rauzer [B60 to B69]
Lets switch over to our 2 Richter-Rauzer games.
Hariharan - Neelotpal saw Black play one of my old favorites... 6...Qb6:
            
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, which presents White with several pleasant possibilities. I gave up the line because of 7 Be3, but 7 Nb3 has been putting up the points in recent times.
Najer - Miton in the 9 f4 line:
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(so we don't forget!) saw Black get an absolutely miserable-looking game and never recover. Black was rolling along on the dark squares when a couple of fine defensive moves, 21 Bc4! and 24 Rg3!, put White in the driver's seat... Fritz, of course, disagrees! Computers are forcing us to change our way of thinking.
Najdorf [B90 to B99]
We end our late February update with a string of English Attacks.
First, Bacrot - Berkes which saw Black give 6...e6 a try [B80]. One point of interest is Suba's 9...Qa5!? in the notes, which deserves consideration. If White must play 10 Nb3 in order to castle queenside then I like it! In the main game White tried the solid Qf2 instead of the Nxb5 sacrifice which is rarely seen. Black got serious play with 16...bxc4, but White could have defended better with 19 Ka1 Rb8 20 Rb1 achieving a solid game. Instead White tried to defend b2 with Bd4 and when it was undermined with ...Bc5 things got rough.
In game 2 of this section, Kramnik - Topalov saw Black make a strange choice of 10...h5!? or is it 10...h5?!:
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Perhaps Topalov was trying to catch Kramnik off guard, but things backfired in spectacular fashion. White found some tactical shots and made quick work of Black. After 10 Qc3! Be7 11 Bb6! Black was already on the ropes. 14...Rb8!? was the only chance. I'd wager that we never see Topalov (or anyone else for that matter) trying 10...h5 again.
Next up, Leko - Kasparov where Black got a good game without breaking a sweat. 6...e5!? continues as Black's most popular choice, with ...e6 seen sometimes and ...Ng4 fading away. In this game Kasparov tried 9...Nb6 to good effect:
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The main discussion revolves around whether the knight on h5 is stranded or strong? Kasparov seized the chance for 15...f5!? getting the better game until 20...Ng3 lost the advantage. 23 Rxa6! returned the exchange and put Black into defensive mode. A very entertaining game ends in a draw.
Finally, two games annotated by Tony Kosten, again in the 6...e5 line (which he recommends in his book Easy Guide to the Najdorf.)
First there is Shchekachev - Kosten and then Fedorchuk - Kosten.
See everyone at the March update! Adios,
GM John Fedorowicz
P.S. Feel free to contact me at the Forum (above) or send stuff to my email at feddy@mindspring.com (subscribers only). I'll try to answer your questions as soon as possible. I've had problems replying when contacted through Chess Publishing at thefed@chesspublishing.com. Thanks! Fed.