[Event "French-chT Top 16 Final-Bas 2023"] [Site "Chartres"] [Date "2023.06.12"] [Round "1.1"] [White "Baklan, Vladimir"] [Black "Cheng, Bobby"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "2544"] [BlackElo "2560"] [PlyCount "102"] [EventDate "2023.??.??"] [TimeControl "60"] {[%evp 13,102,10,9,0,0,0,15,0,13,23,82,94,86,83,68,69,89,85,79,78,91,83,113,41, 88,42,78,20,106,75,65,66,69,65,38,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,-45,-42,-43,-28,-112,-52, -146,-133,-412,-420,-393,-389,-370,-349,-520,-502,-514,-510,-433,-406,-929, -929,-929,-929,-929,-929,-929,-921,-905,-899,-883,-885,-814,-805,-664,-646, -717,-1170,-1170,-1154,-1093,-1097,-994,-945,-650,-631] Speaking of New or Novelty moves, GM Bobby Cheng discovered 11...Bg4!?N in the B90: Sicilian Najdorf. Any Novelty (N) is a contribution to chess knowledge until found a new solution or refutation in quite some time. Let's find out.} 1. e4 {[%emt 0: 00:03]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 2. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:04]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 3. d4 { [%emt 0:00:06]} cxd4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 4. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00: 06]} 5. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:04]} a6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 6. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:06]} e5 { [%emt 0:00:25]} 7. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:11]} 8. h3 {[%emt 0:00: 04] B90: Sicilian Najdorf: Unusual White 6th moves, 6 Be3 Ng4 and 6 Be3 e5.} Be6 $1 {[%emt 0:12:35][%mdl 4] is more profitable than 8...0-0 at the moment.} 9. g4 {[%emt 0:00:19]} h6 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 10. g5 {[%emt 0:00:10] The position is equal.} hxg5 {[%emt 0:10:55]} 11. Nxg5 {[%emt 0:00:41] [#]} Bg4 $5 $146 { [%emt 0:00:11][%mdl 8] Against Qf3 New and interesting.} ({Predecessor:} 11... Nc6 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. Bc4 Qd7 14. Rg1 Bd8 15. a3 Rxh3 16. Qd2 Ba5 17. b4 Bc7 { 1-0 Ganguly,S (2625)-Sethuraman,S (2644) FIDE World Cup AICF Qual rapid 2021 (7)}) 12. hxg4 $16 {[%emt 0:20:45]} Rxh1 {[%emt 0:00:19]} 13. Qf3 {[%emt 0:00: 03]} Rg1 {[%emt 0:18:31]} 14. O-O-O $1 {[%emt 0:00:21] Bc4 is the strong threat.} Qc8 {[%emt 0:02:12] [#] Inhibits Bc4.} (14... Nxg4 $2 15. Qxf7+ Kd7 16. Bh3 $18) 15. Qh3 {[%emt 0:07:45]} (15. Bb5+ axb5 16. Rxg1 b4 $17) 15... Nbd7 {[%emt 0:16:21][%CAl Yg1f1]} 16. f3 {[%emt 0:12:09]} (16. Qh8+ {is more complex.} Bf8 17. Kb1 b5 18. f3) 16... Rxf1 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 17. Qxf1 {[%emt 0: 01:37]} Qc6 {[%emt 0:04:55]} 18. Qf2 {[%emt 0:03:57]} ({White should play} 18. Nh3 $16) 18... Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:34]} (18... b5 $1 $14 {feels stronger.}) 19. Kb1 {[%emt 0:00:17]} ({Better is} 19. Nh3 $16) 19... b5 $1 $14 {[%emt 0:03:08] [%CAl Yb7b5,Yb5b4][%mdl 32]} 20. Qh2 {[%emt 0:14:35]} ({White should try} 20. a3 $16) 20... Qc4 {[%emt 0:05:05]} (20... b4 $11 {keeps the balance.} 21. Nd5 ( 21. Qh8+ $2 Bf8 $19) 21... a5) 21. Rd3 {[%emt 0:03:39]} Nc5 {[%emt 0:01:47]} 22. Bxc5 {[%emt 0:01:04]} Qxc5 {[%emt 0:02:15]} 23. a3 {[%emt 0:00:06] Strongly threatening Nd1.} a5 {[%emt 0:06:09]} 24. Nh3 {[%emt 0:10:06]} (24. Nd1 {looks sharper.} b4 25. Ne3 a4 26. Qd2) 24... b4 {[%emt 0:01:34][%CAl Yb4a3]} 25. g5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:01:32][%CAl Yb4a3] And now ... bxa3! would win.} 26. Nd5 {[%emt 0:00:07][%CAl Yg5g6]} Nb6 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 27. Nxb6 {[%emt 0:02:32]} Qxb6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 28. a4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} g6 { [%emt 0:03:44][%CAl Yc8c3]} 29. Qd2 {[%emt 0:05:20] Wards off Rc3} Kf8 { [%emt 0:04:48]} 30. f4 {[%emt 0:07:08]} exf4 {[%emt 0:00:47]} 31. Rf3 {[%emt 0: 00:03] [#]} (31. Qh2 $11 Kg7 32. Nxf4) 31... Bxg5 {[%emt 0:02:19]} 32. Nxf4 { [%emt 0:06:40]} (32. Qh2 $1 $15 Bf6 33. Qxf4 (33. Rxf4 $2 b3 $19)) 32... Kg8 { [%emt 0:00:45][%CAl Yb4b3] White must now prevent ...b3!} 33. Qg2 $2 {[%emt 0: 00:28][%mdl 8192] White is weak on the dark squares. This costs White the game. } (33. Qd3 $17 {might work better.}) 33... Bxf4 $19 {[%emt 0:01:01]} 34. Rxf4 { [%emt 0:00:04][%mdl 4096] Endgame KQR-KQR} b3 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 35. cxb3 { [%emt 0:00:15]} Qxb3 {[%emt 0:00:46] ( -> ...Qd1+)} 36. Qd2 {[%emt 0:00:30] Repels Qd1+} Rc4 {[%emt 0:01:48]} (36... Qxa4 37. e5 $17) 37. e5 {[%emt 0:03: 44]} Rxf4 {[%emt 0:00:23]} ({Stronger than} 37... Qxa4 38. Rxc4 Qxc4 39. exd6 Qe4+ 40. Kc1 $11) ({And not} 37... Rxa4 38. Rxa4 Qxa4 39. exd6 $11) (37... dxe5 38. Qd8+ Kh7 39. Rxf7+ Kh6 40. Qh8+ (40. Qxa5 Qd1+ 41. Ka2 Rxa4+) (40. Qd2+ Rf4 $11) 40... Kg5 41. Qf6+ Kh6 42. Qh8+ Kg5 43. Qxe5+ Kg4 44. Qe2+ (44. Qxa5 Qd1+ 45. Ka2 Rxa4+) 44... Kg5 45. Qd2+ Kg4 46. Qg2+ (46. Qxa5 Qd1+ 47. Ka2 Rxa4+) 46... Qg3 47. Qe2+ Kg5 48. Qe7+ Kh5 49. Rh7+ Kg4 50. Qe6+ Kg5 51. Qe7+ Kg4 52. Qe6+ Kf4 53. Qf7+ Ke5 54. Qxc4 $18) 38. Qxf4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} dxe5 {[%emt 0:01: 18]} 39. Qxe5 {[%emt 0:00:08] KQ-KQ} (39. Qe4 $142 Qd1+ 40. Ka2) 39... Qd1+ { [%emt 0:00:06] Black is clearly winning.} 40. Ka2 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Qxa4+ { [%emt 0:00:07]} 41. Kb1 {[%emt 0:30:02]} Qd1+ {[%emt 0:07:20]} 42. Ka2 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Qd8 {[%emt 0:02:37]} 43. Ka3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qf8+ {[%emt 0:02: 45]} 44. Ka2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qb4 {[%emt 0:01:00]} 45. Qe8+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 46. Qe5+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 47. Qf6 { [%emt 0:00:00]} Qa4+ {[%emt 0:02:11]} 48. Kb1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qe4+ {[%emt 0: 00:05]} 49. Kc1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qf5 {[%emt 0:00:47]} 50. Qh4+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} Kg7 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 51. Qd4+ {[%emt 0:00:00]} f6 {[%emt 0:00:49] What a fighting game!! This is typical of the Sicilian Najdorf pattern of play, attack!! attack!! then attack. Lovely game by Australian GM Bobby Cheng, congratulations for contributing a Novelty (N) on this very entertaining game. To all Sicilian players, this is another 'FOOD FOR THOUGHT' for you to enjoy. Have a nice day to all of you...cheers.} 0-1