High quality, entertaining league chess

The Najdorf is one of the most complex of all chess openings. It remains one of Black's most popular responses to 1.e4 and is named after the Polish-Argentinian GM Miguel Najdorf 1910 - 1997. The oldest and easily the sharpest response by White is an immediate 6. Bg5, generally countered by 6...e6, followed by 7. f4, hoping to exploit the pin on the knight. The most well known response by Black is 7...Be7, when the main line continues 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0-0-0 Nbd7 and now 10.g4 or 10.Bd3. In this game both players demonstrate their knowledge of the Najdorf main line and produce a fine example of high quality, entertaining chess.

Mizanur Rahman E163 (Atticus 1) - Stuart Smiley A147 (Wallasey A) [B99]
MCA League, Div1, Bd3, 26.01.2009
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. 0–0–0 Nbd7 10. Kb1

10...b5 11.e5!?N [more usual is 11.Bd3 or 11.g4] Bb7 12.Qg3 dxe5 13.fxe5 Nh5 [13... >= Qxe5!? 14. Bf4 Qh5=/+ 15. Be2 Qg6 and Black is fine] 14.Qg4 Bxg5 15.Nxe6! fxe6 16.Qxh5+ g6 17.Qxg5 b4?? [17... >= O-O was necessary 18. Qe7 Rf7 19. Qxe6 Qxe5 20. Qxe5 Nxe5 gives Black good practical chances] 18.Bb5 bxc3 19.Bxd7+ Qxd7 20.Rxd7 Kxd7 21.Qf6 Bd5 22.Qf7+ Kc6 23.Qe7 Rad8 24.b4 Rc8

25.Rf1 Rc7 26.Qd6+ Kb7 27.a4 Bxg2 28.Rf6 Bd5 29.a5 Bc4 30.Qb6+ Kc8 31.Rxe6 Rf8 [both players were now in something of a time scramble but still alarmingly for the spectators, quite preoccupied with keeping the score! 31... Bxe6? 32. Qxa6+ Rb7 33. Qxe6+ Kb8 34. Qd6+ Ka7] 32.Rf6 Rd8 33.Rd6 Rf8 34.Rf6 Rd8 35.Rd6 Rf8 36.Rd1 Re8 37.Qd4 Be6 38.Rd3 Bf5 39.Rxc3 Rxc3 40.Qxc3+ Kb7 41.Kb2 Re6 42.Qd4 g5 43.c4 Rh6 44.Qd2 Rh4 45.Qxg5 [again >= 45. Qd5+ makes for a quicker finish but again both players were in serious time trouble at the very end of the second time control 45... Kc8 46. e6 Bxe6 47. Qxe6+ Kc7+-] 45...Rxh2+ 46.Kc3 Rc2+ 47.Kd4 Bd7 48.Qe7 Kc8 49.Kc5 1–0 [A highly enjoyable game (for the spectators!) played with courage and exemplary use of the clock.]

Click here to see additional comments and play through the game move by move.