A. Zaremba (2245) - W. Kelleher (2400)
B98 Sicilian Najdorf
Notes by Tim McGrew



1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Be7 8.Qf3 h6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.0-0-0 Qc7 11.f5 Nc6 12.Nde2 Ne5 13.Qg3 b5 14.fxe6 fxe6 15.Nf4 0-0 16.Nh5 Bg5+ 17.Kb1 b4 18.h4 Bf6 19.Ne2 Bb7 20.Qb3 Bxe4 21.Qxe6+ Kh8 22.Nd4 Rac8 23.Qb3 Nc4 24.Nxf6 Rxf6 25.Bxc4 Qxc4 26.Qxc4 Rxc4 27.b3 Rc3 28.Rd2 Rg6 29.Ne2 Rc5 30.Rg1 Rf5 31.Nd4 Rh5

After all the jabbing and feinting, Black picks up one of the weak kingside pawns.

32.Ne2 Rxh4 33.Rd4 d5

Setting up the stable position that Bishops and pawns love so well.

34.Kb2

White avoids 34.Rxb4?? Bxc2+ 35.Kxc2 Rxb4-+

34...a5 35.a3 Rhg4 36.g3 bxa3+ 37.Kxa3 Bxc2 38.Rxd5 Rb6 39.Nd4 Bh7 40.Nf5 Bg8 41.Rd3 Rgb4

Black has focused on the immobile weakness at b3. Now we enter a long period of tacking back and forth where Black risks nothing and White is forced to defend accurately move after move, hour after hour ...

42.Nd4 Kh7 43.Rgd1 Bf7 44.R1d2 Bg6 45.Rc3 Bf7 46.Rdd3 Be8 47.Nc2 Bg6 48.Rf3 Rg4 49.Ne3 Rg5 50.Nc4 Rb8 51.Rfe3 Rgb5

No progress yet, but Black can afford to be patient.

52.Re7 Rc5 53.Rce3 h5 54.Ra7 Bc2 55.Ra6

White shows signs of fatigue. There was a draw for the taking with 55.Rxa5 Rxa5+ (55...Rxb3+ 56.Rxb3 Rxa5+ 57.Nxa5 Bxb3 58.Nxb3= ) 56.Nxa5 g5 57.b4=

55...Rd5 56.Ra7 Kh6 57.Re6+ g6 58.Ne3 Bf5

58...Rxb3+ 59.Ka2 Rdb5 60.Nxc2 Rb2+ 61.Ka3 Rxc2 62.Re3 Rg2 63.Rc7 Rg1 64.Ka2 a4 65.Rcc3 Rb3 66.Rxb3 axb3+ 67.Kxb3 Kg5-+

59.Nxf5+ Rxf5

The minor pieces are gone, but once again White can hold everything for the time being. So the game moves into another cycle of maneuvering.

60.Re3 Rg5 61.Rd7 Rg4 62.Rdd3 Rb5 63.Rc3 Rbb4 64.Rcd3 a4 65.bxa4 Rxa4+ 66.Kb3 Rgc4 67.Re5 Rab4+ 68.Ka3 Rb6 69.Ra5 Rc1 70.Ka2 Rcb1 71.Rd2 Rg1 72.Rd3 Rg2+ 73.Ka3 Rf2 74.Rc5 Rf5 75.Rxf5 gxf5

White's King is now horribly cut off, and that -- more than the material imbalance on the Kingside -- is what gives Black his winning chances.

76.Rd8 Kg5 77.Rg8+ Rg6 78.Rh8 Kg4 79.Kb3 Kxg3 80.Rxh5 f4 81.Kc3 Rd6

Correctly cutting the King off by as many files as possible. The ending is now quite an elementary win.

82.Rg5+ Kf2 83.Rf5 f3 84.Rf8 Ke2 85.Re8+ Kf1 86.Rf8 f2 87.Kc4

White prevents the normal bridge-building maneuver, but this allows Black to create a humbler shelter. 87.Rf7 Rd5 88.Rf8 Kg2 89.Rg8+ Kf3 90.Rf8+ Kg3 91.Rg8+ Kf4 92.Rf8+ Rf5-+

87...Rd7

87...Rd2 is the simplest win: 88.Re8 Re2 89.Rh8 Ke1-+

88.Kc3 Rg7 89.Kd2 Kg2 90.Ke2 Re7+

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