Originally posted by no1marauderarrakis had better not disappoint after all the hype :-)
Well as Arrakis just showed me - Game 869502 - I'm certainly no expert on the Poisoned Pawn!! Apparently, 14 ....... Nxe5 is an analyzed blunder leading to an almost certainly lost game (there's a couple of games in the databases that I missed), though if people want to do an analysis of the game they're welcome.
The idea of an ...[text shortened]... es. However, as shown in our game, one misstep can be fatal so it's not for the faint of heart!
Talking of which, I presume fxe6 (after Nxe6) would've been suicide because the King is stuck in the middle with all remaining pieces on the back rank, correct? Just asking because I think like a newbie at most times and can sometimes miss the obvious.
Originally posted by lucifershammerActually, it would have been suicide because Qd8 is mate!!
arrakis had better not disappoint after all the hype :-)
Talking of which, I presume fxe6 (after Nxe6) would've been suicide because the King is stuck in the middle with all remaining pieces on the back rank, correct? Just asking because I think like a newbie at most times and can sometimes miss the obvious.
Fine. Any challenges come my way, and you play e4, let's pursue this. I have 3 boards (real boards, remember the movie Juice? ISBM). I love poisoned pawn as black, yet fischer lost sometimes. Larson knew what was coming. I love that guy. The longer the time control, I believe the poisoned pawn is not correct for black. So, I guess I will lose. Might as well see what's going on!
Sicilian Poisoned Pawn Part I
Moves Not To Play
The Poisoned Pawn variation is one of the most complicated lines originating from the Najdorf Sicilian. I once tried to learn all the critical variations, but the task was too overwhelming. So for awhile I avoided the main line because I figured anyone who is bold enough to play the Black side must have spent hours studying the lines. Of course White can avoid the Poisoned Pawn variation entirely if he doesn't play the 6.Bg5 variation, but is the Poisoned Pawn that strong – that it must be avoided? I don't think so. The move 6.Bg5 has been regarded as one of the strongest lines against the Najdorf setup, so let's take a look at it.
After the moves:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6
We have the beginning position of the Poisoned Pawn variation. I'd like to start with some of the lines that White should NOT play.
8. a3?!
I played this line because a freind showd me that after 8...Qxb2?? 9.Na4! wins the Black queen! Hahahah!! Cute.
BUT, when I played this move against someone who knows how to play chess I got crushed!
White arrakis
Black Feivel
GameId 526282
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6 8.a3? Nc6!
Wow! Black is already better! My knight is attacked twice and can't be defended by the black squared bishop because the pawn on f4 is now in the way. I can't take the knight without giving Black a huge advantage because he would recapture with his pawn, giving him a pawn majority in the center and opening the b-file for attack. So I have to retreat with:
9. Nf3?!
Another poor choice. White can at least survive if he plays 9.Nb3.
9...Ng4!
Black is relentless, threatening MATE already!
10. Qd2 Qxb2 11. Ra2
An ugly move. But necessary to keep from losing a 2nd pawn. As far as I'm concerned the game is lost for White at this point and serves no further purpose, but if anyone wants to see how Feivel wrapped it up they can find the game under ID 526282 .
Well, let's try a different way of avoiding the main line:
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6
7. f4 Qb6
Now the 8.Nb3 line:
8. Nb3?! Be7 9. Qf3 Nbd7 10. O-O-O Qc7 11. Bd3 h6 12. Bh4
And now Black has the choice between 12... g5 13. fxg5 Ne5 14. Qe2 Nfg4 15. h3 Nxd3+ 16. Qxd3 hxg5 17. Bg3 Ne5, leaving his king in the center, or an even better continuation: 12...b5!? which the opening books give as a bad line but are mistaken.
After 12...b5!? 13. a3 Bb7 14. Rhe1 Nc5!? Black stands better. He has the initiative, an advanced pawn attack, and can castle K-side.
Sicilian Poisoned Pawn Part II
So how should White play against the Poisoned Pawn? I think White should take the bull by the horns and play one of the many main attacking lines. There are far too many lines to show and/or even learn in this space so we'll just look at one of the most popular ideas.
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. Bc4!?
As mentioned, there are other good lines. An alternative is 12. Be2!? But we'll get some ideas behind the Bc4 line. Since Bobby Fischer is credited with making the Poisoned Pawn variation so popular it's fitting to show one of his wins against White.
[Event "Capablanca mem"]
[Site "Havana CUB"]
[Date "1965.08.??"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Tringov, Georgi P"]
[Black "Fischer, R."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "B97"]
[WhiteTeam "Bulgaria"]
[BlackTeam "United States of America"]
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. Bc4 Bb4 13. Rb3 Qa5 14. O-O O-O 15. Nxe6 fxe6 16. Bxe6+ Kh8 17. Rxf8+ Bxf8 18. Qf4 Nc6 19. Qf7 Qc5+ 20. Kh1 Nf6 21. Bxc8 Nxe5 22. Qe6 Neg4 0-1
Where did White go wrong? Let's analyze the moves from the critical position after our recommended move 12. Bc4
12. Bc4 Bb4
Not 12...Nxe5? because it loses to 13. Nxe6! Qa5 14. Bb5+!! Nbd7 15. Nxf8! axb5 16. Rxb5 Qc7 17. Nd5 Qc4 18. Nxd7 Bxd7 19. Rb4 Qc5 20. Re4 f6 21. Nxf6+ gxf6 22. Bxf6 and wins.
13. Rb3 Qa5 14. O-O
And still not 14...Nxe5 because of 15. Rxb4 Qxb4 16. Nxe6 Qb6+ 17. Be3 Nxc4 18. Nxg7+ Kf8 19. Rxf7+ Kxf7 20. Qd5+ Be6 21. Qh5+ Kxg7 22. Bxb6 Nxb6 23. Qe5 Kf7 24. Qxh8 Nd7 25. Qxh7 Kf6 26. h4!
Yes, Black has a lot of wood for his queen, but has a difficult position without any pawn cover for the king. An example of play can be seen in my game with no1marauder ID 869502
14... O-O 15. Nxe6?
When you play over this game you'll see the mate that GM Tringov narrowly missed due to Fischer's excellent play, but the the fact is that his sacrifice was unsound. Therefore is is at this point where White needs to find a bettter continuation for the 12. Bc4 line and here it is:
So that you don't get lost, here's the position we're talking about:
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. Bc4 Bb4 13. Rb3 Qa5 14. O-O O-O 15. Bf6!
Yes, 15. Bf6 is the way for White to continue the attack. Black can capture the bishop 2 ways or ignore it.
If 15... gxf6 16. Qh6 Qxe5 17. Nf5 exf5 18. Ne4 Bd2 19. Nxd2 Qd4+ 20. Kh1 Ne5 21. Rg3+ Ng4 22. Bd3 and White is considered to be winning.
Here are some games to show the play around the line of 12. Bc4 in conjuction with 15. Bf6
[White "WYVILL"]
[Black "AManuel"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B97"]
[WhiteElo "2591"]
[BlackElo "2425"]
[WhiteTeam "Bulgaria"]
[BlackTeam "United States of America"]
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. Bc4 Bb4 13. Rb3 Qa5 14. O-O O-O
15. Bf6 Nxf6 16. exf6 Rd8 17. Rxb4 Qxb4 18. Qg5 g6 19. Ne4 Nd7 20. Nxe6 Qxc4 21. Qh6 1-0
[White "WYVILL"]
[Black "AManuel"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B97"]
[WhiteElo "2570"]
[BlackElo "2446"]
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. Bc4 Bb4 13. Rb3 Qa5 14. O-O O-O
15. Bf6 Nxf6 16. exf6 Rd8 17. Rxb4 Qxb4 18. Qg5 g6 19. Ne4 Rxd4 20. c3 Qf8 21.
cxd4 Nc6 22. Qe3 b5 23. Bb3 Na5 24. h4 Nxb3 25. axb3 Bb7 26. Nc5 Bd5 27. h5 a5
28. hxg6 fxg6 29. f7+ Kg7 30. Qe5+ Kh6 31. Nd7 Qe7 32. f8=Q+ 1-0
[Date "2000.03.14"]
[White "WYVILL"]
[Black "AManuel"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B97"]
[WhiteElo "2581"]
[BlackElo "2435"]
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. Bc4 Bb4 13. Rb3 Qa5 14. O-O O-O
15. Bf6 Nxf6 16. exf6 Bxc3 17. Rxc3 Rd8 18. Bd3 Qh5 19. fxg7 Nc6 20. Nxc6 bxc6
21. Rxc6 Bb7 22. Rc7 Rab8 23. Rfxf7 Qxf7 24. Rxf7 Kxf7 25. Qc3 Kg8 26. Qf6 Bd5
27. h4 Rd7 28. c4 Rxg7 29. cxd5 exd5 30. Bf5 Re8 31. Be6+ Kh8 32. h5 h6 33.
Qxh6+ Rh7 34. Qf6+ Rg7 35. h6 Ree7 36. hxg7+ Rxg7 37. Bxd5 Kh7 38. Be4+ Kh8 39.
g4 Kg8 40. g5 Rc7 41. Bd5+ Kh7 42. g6+ Kh6 43. g7+ Kh5 44. g8=Q Rc1+ 45. Kf2
1-0
I hope this article helps players who want to play either side of the Sicilian Poisoned Pawn. I regret that I will not be able to answer any questions you have regarding these moves or other moves not mentioned. Perhaps some of the other players can though, if you post them.
Best regards,
Arrakis
Originally posted by arrakisI posted this article... probably should've started a new thread cause now you have to go to the end of these messages to find it. <sigh>
I have dreaded playing against this line as White, but discovered that Black will obtain the better position if White trys to avoid the main line once he/she has reached the critical position.
Therefore I was forced to study this line, and now I would like to share the variations with you if there are enough people interested. Please post if you are interested in seeing some analysis of this line.
Arrakis
Originally posted by arrakisGood stuff!! You almost had me considering to take up the sicilian again. But the closed variation is just to borring for me to play againts with black. And at otb almost everyone plays it!
I posted this article... probably should've started a new thread cause now you have to go to the end of these messages to find it. <sigh>