[Event ""]
[Site "Lodz"]
[Date "1929.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Najdorf"]
[Black "Shapiro"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Tim McGrew"]
[ECO "C10"]

{ It's hard to believe that Najdorf was turning out brilliancies as far back as 1929 -- but watch! } 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 { This variation has a mixed reputation. On the one hand, Black concedes some space to White without much of a struggle, creating the pawn formation that Hans Kmoch would immortalize as the "French Jump Formation." On the other hand, Black's position resembles a brick: small, compact, hard to crack. Blackmar-Diemer Gambit fans are apt to play f3 here, counting on the materialistic nature of the average French player to make him munch the pawn. } 4. Nxe4 { Najdorf just takes it off: he's interested in fluid development with a slight but pleasant spatial advantage without a material sacrifice. 
(4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Nf6 By transposition, then, we'd have the Euwe Defense to the BDG. The Euwe Defense has a pretty good theoretical reputation at present thanks to endorsements from GM Joe Gallagher and the Watson & Schiller analytical team. But it's not clear that this reputation is deserved since there are some improvements for White on the aforementioned analysis. In any event, what makes the 4.f3 line less attractive for White is the fact that Black can simply ignore it, like so: 4...e3 Now White has no open f-file, his f-pawn stunts his Kingside development, and the pawn formation is otherwise the same as he would get by just taking the pawn on e4.) } 4... Nd7 { Partly because of the uncomfortable position of a Queen on f6, Black prepares the Knight exchange by playing Nbd7. Black would like to exchange off this strong N/e4, but the most natural way to do it can lead to trouble. 4...Nf6 Every time I give a simultaneous exhibition, I look to catch another victim in some version of the following age-old trap: 5.Nxf6+ Qxf6 6.Nf3 b6 7.Bd3 White weaves a nefarious web; Black plans a counter-blow. 7...Bb7 8.Bg5 Oh no! Is the Queen caught? 8...Bxf3 No she isn't! 9.Qd2 Yes she is!!! 9...Qxd4 No! 10.Bb5+ Yes!! Variants of this trap come up in many different openings. Whenever I teach the Colle System to a beginner, I make a point of illustrating how it can arise there -- and I have had more than one student come back and tell me tales of Queens netted like this! } 5. Nf3 { Najdorf, imperturbably confident in his slight spatial and developmental edge, continues to bring out his pieces. } 5... Ngf6 6. Bd3 { How should we assess the position here? 
White's spatial advantage is worth the most when Black is cramped, with too many pieces on the board and too little space for maneuvering them. It makes good sense, therefore, for Black to swap off a pair of Knights. Makes sense -- but also takes time, and a single pair of Knights isn't all he'd like to get rid of. (6...Nxe4 7.Bxe4 Nf6 8.Bd3 After a tit-for-tat like this, Black is still left with a deficit in space and, importantly, a trapped B/c8.) } 6... Be7 { Shapiro decides to defer the exchanges and concentrate on getting his Queenside untangled. To that end, he fianchettoes the B/c8. } 7. O-O b6 { What square does this move weaken? c6! Najdorf seizes the opportunity to take a peek at that square. } 8. Ne5 { He's threatening Nc6 now, and if Black captures on e5, watch: 8...Nxe5 9.dxe5 Nxe4 10.Bxe4 The exchanges have opened up some space but now Black's pieces look badly-placed. 10...Qxd1 11.Rxd1 Rb8 12.Bc6+ Kf8 This is not a happy position for Black, despite the material equality. His pieces lack good squares and White is pretty obviously going to be coming down the d-file in the very near future. For example: 13.Be3 Bb7 14.Bxb7 Rxb7 15.Rd7 ...with Rad1 to come. White hasn't won material yet, but Black is being squeezed badly. } 8... Bb7 { Shapiro, reasonably enough, figures that there's nothing much to fuss about as long as he covers his c6 square. } 9. Nxf6+ { Najdorf, however, has a keener sense of the tactical usefulness of a N on e5. Black has three possible recaptures. Which one is best? 
9...Nxf6 
This is the most natural way to recapture -- yet it is precisely against this move that Najdorf's idea can be put into action. 
10.Bb5+! Kf8
Because of the combined force of Bishop and Knight covering c6 and d7, Black is obliged to forfeit castling now.Perhaps you're thinking, "So what? The King looks pretty safe on f8." But the point is that in the long run Black's position will be even less coordinated than it is now -- he would have real difficulties getting his pieces into action. Already one of the difficulties he faces from being cramped, he should really want to avoid it -- whether or not there are immediate tactical consequences. } 9... gxf6 { Despite the awkwardness of it, Shapiro should have taken with the Bishop. But he reasons thus: why not take with the pawn and get rid of that pesky N/e5 once and for all? Now if White backs up the Knight, Black can play f5, Nf6, Qd7 and 0-0-0 -- he might even be able to use the g-file for an attack on White's King later on. Even ugly moves can give victory if they are not met resolutely. Fortunately for us, resolute play is Najdorf's strong suit!
Can you guess what he uncorks here? } 10. Nxf7 $1 { Let your imagination run wild and you will see that Nxf7 has all the earmarks of an excellent investment. First point: it's an offer Black can't refuse. } 10... Kxf7 11. Qh5+ { Second point: White has at least a perpetual check now, since if nothing else he can keep going from g4-h5-g4+. Black can never set his King on a dark square or Bh6+ will be the end of him. 
For example: 11...Kg7 12.Bh6+ Kg8 13.Qg4+ Here's a delightful little line. 13...Kf7 14.Qg7+ Ke8 Now taking the Rook allows Black to play Nf8. Can you see a better idea? 15.Qg6+!! (15.Bg6+ hxg6 16.Qxg6#) 15...hxg6 16.Bxg6# Same effect, but a little more glamourous this way. } 11... Kg8 { All of that demonstrates why Black must not put his King on a dark square. So we know, already, that White has at least a perpetual check in hand any time he wants it.Najdorf, of course, wants a good deal more than that. Now it's a sad but true fact that with the material aimed at the King right now, White cannot deliver checkmate. How can he best get another heavy piece into action? It will take a few moves to get a rook into action. Nevertheless, Najdorf starts the process. } 12. Re1 Nf8 { Shapiro hunkers down to defend. 
Najdorf decides he'd like more open diagonals, thank-you-very-much. } 13. Rxe6 $3 { And yes, he'd like fries with that. Crispy french-fried Black pieces, please! } 13... Nxe6 { The gift cannot be refused. But now White's lightsquare Bishop becomes a brilliant laser pinning down the Knight on the e-file. } 14. Bc4 Qd6 15. Bh6 Bf8 16. Re1 { Najdorf tightens the screws mercilessly. How can the Knight be defended? White has a grip on d5 thanks to his Queen's control of the fifth rank, so ...Bd5 is out of the question. That leaves only Bc8. } 16... Bc8 { Now Black's pieces are so awkwardly pinned and stuck together that it's almost a miracle he's not mated already. Najdorf gleefully adds another pin to the mix. } 17. Qe8 $3 { But now the threat is just Rxe6!! e.g. 17...a5 18.Rxe6 Bxe6 19.Qxe6+ Another nice little touch. This game is for the Bishops in our audience... 19...Qxe6 20.Bxe6#. I can well imagine that Shapiro was getting desperate hereabouts. } 17... Bd7 { He offered to shed an entire Rook to relieve the immediate pressure. Najdorf, however, knows what to do with an open line. } 18. Rxe6 $3 { This stunning sacrifice brings down the house. } 18... Rxe8 19. Rxe8+ { Discovered check! } 19... Be6 { Some form of interposition is forced. } 20. Bxe6+ Qxe6 21. Rxf8# { The final mating position is reminiscent of the "Opera Box Game" Morphy v. Allies. Note, in particular, that the mate is carried out with White's two remaining pieces, and that throughout the whole of this brevity Najdorf has wasted not a single move on wing pawns. 
This is imaginative play of a very high order! } 1-0