SOL CRUZ vs NM GUTIERREZ

MERALCO - TRANSCO GOODWILL MATCH
Pasig City

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6
This is the very popular NAJDORF VARIATION of the SICILIAN DEFENCE.

6 Be2
The OPOCENSKY VARIATION was played by World Champions such as Botvinnik vs Konstantinopolsky in Russia 1940, Smyslov vs Kottnauer in Groningen 1946, Euwe vs Najdorf in Buenos Aires 1947, Petrosian vs Smyslov in URS Ch 1949, Fischer vs Olafsson in Reykjavic 1960, Tal vs Najdorf in Bled 1961, Karpov vs Balashov in Riga 1970, Spassky vs Byrne in Candidates 1974, Khalifman vs Inarkiev in Russian Ch 2005, & Anand vs Topalov in Linares 2008. Among Filipinos, its practicioners are Cardoso vs Lombardy in WCh U20 1957, Torre vs Bukic in Nis 1972, and Paragua vs Bu in Beijing 2008.

6 ... e5 7 Nf3
MODERN CHESS OPENINGS, "7 Nf3 is safe and solid, but not challenging."

According to Chessgames.com, 7 Nb3 is the most popular line with 1,823 games with White winning 32% of the time. My prepared line, 7 Nf3, has logged only 68 games but is just as effective with 31%.

This position has appeared in Smyslov vs Karpov in URS Ch 1973, Van der Wiel vs Portich in Tilburg 1984, Zapata vs Olafsson in Belgrade 1988, Iordachescu vs Bologan in Chebanenco 1998, Navara vs Hracek in CZE Ch 2003, Megaranto vs Bao in Ho Chi Minh Zonal 2003, and Nguyen vs Tu in VIE Ch 2006, among others.

7 ... b5 8 Bg5 Bb7 9 O-O
THE CHESS PLAYER'S HANDBOOK, "It is mostly advisable to castle the K pretty early in the game, and to do do on the K's side, because he is less subject to an attack, and better able to repel one on that side than the other."

9 ... Be7 10 BxNf6 BxBf6 11 Nd5= (0.25)
LOGICAL CHESS, "Pieces placed in the center enjoy the greatest freedom of action and have the widest scope for their attacking powers."

11 ... Nd7 12 c4 BxNd5 13 cxBd5= (0.20)
Better is Qxd5!? (1.06).

13... O-O 14 Rc1 Nc5 15 Nd2= (-0.24)
RYBKA gives 15 b4 Nxe4 16 Bd3 Ng5 17 Nd2, with a slight advantage for White; (0.32).

15... Bg5 16 f3 Qa5 17 Rc2 Rac8 18 a3 Qb6 19 Kh1 a5













20 Rc3?
NM Cabellon recommends 20 b4 which Rybka rates with (-0.43). Other possible continuations are Nb3 (-0.37) and g3 (-0.36).

20 ... b4 21 axb4 axb4 22 Rc4 b3

23 Re1 (-1.34)
Rybka's top choice is Rc3 (-0.41).

23... Bxd2 24 Qxd2 h6 25 Ra1 Ra8 26 Ra8 (-0.59)
Better is either Rb1 (-0.36) or Rcc1 (-0.37).

26 ... Ra8 27 Rb4??
Better is Rc1 (-0.59).

27... Qa5 28 Rb8+ Kh7 29 QxQ RxQ 30 h3 Ra2 [0-1]