Master Study: Fischer vs. Najdorf

Master Study

Fischer vs. Najdorf

The year is 1970, and the Olympiad is being held in Western Germany in the city of Siegen. It was here that rising star Bobby Fischer would face against one of the strongest grandmasters of the time, Miguel Najdorf. In this game, Fischer was playing with the white pieces. 

Fischer starts the game off with e4, and Najdorf responds with the Sicilian defense. Unfortunately, he doesn't play his famous Najdorf variation, but he plays a French variation with e6. This slowly builds up white's power and control of the light squares in the center of the board. We do see Najdorf play a6, preventing any sort of business on b5, a main idea of the Najdorf. 

The game continues with Fischer castling short, and Najdorf playing d6. Najdorf is able to essentially make a pawn blockade with his e and d pawns. Fischer responds with c4, the idea being to clamp down on the d5 square and prevent Najdork from breaking through in the center. Notice how Fischer is able to effectively coordinate all of his minor pieces to the center and dominate development. 

Najdorf, however, would find some counterplay with Ne5, threatening to take the bishop pair, as well as attack white's delicate c pawn. Fischer plays Be2, keeping the bishop on the board, but Najdorf, continues applying pressure on the c pawn. 

The game continues with Fischer developing his rook, challenging potential control of the c-file. Najdorf takes time for his king's safety and castles short. Here, Fischer plays a fairly aggressive move with f4, hitting black's knight. Najdorf falls back, and Fischer avoids a trade of knights. Notice how f4 allows the pawn to be the main piece of blockade, rather than Fischer's knights or bishops. 

Najdorf brings his bishop to the backrank, which isn't really a move that I can understand. He may have wanted to open up another square for his knight. However, his next move involves moving his knight to hit the c-pawn, but Fischer plays b3, building a pawn chain. Then, Fischer starts applying a lot of positional pressure with his bishops and queen, potentially pushing his pawns forward. But he very quickly turns the direction of attack onto the queenside with Qf2, hitting black's b pawn, which Najdorf decides to push forward. 

Fischer, instead of attacking directly, develops his rook first. This allows Najdorf to push his knight forward, threatening a trade of knight for bishop, but Fischer simply retreats his bishop while still defending his c pawn. There is an exchange, and Fischer ends up with an isolated c-pawn. However, this pawn continues to prevent a breakthrough for black in the center. Fischer also finds the only move to retain his advantage with Nd4, solidifying control in the center and opening squares for his queen and light square bishop. 

The game continues with both players gaining a knight outpost on the queenside. However, Fischer decides that this is the ideal position to break open the center by playing e5. Najdorf responds by taking the pawn, but Fischer doesn't take the pawn, but trades queens first. This is because it is more favorable for him to trade on his terms, as if Najdorf takes, Fischer's pawn structure will have doubled pawns and leave his king exposed. This slight variation in the order of capture can have a significant difference, especially when it comes to converting to an endgame. 

Here, Najdorf plays the first mistake of the game by pushing his knight forward. Although the reasoning is obscure. Nfd7 is the best move since it applies pressure on white's central pawns, while moving forward allows white to activate their pieces. Fischer apparently blunders back with Nd6, but the computer only justifies this through a really obscure sequence of moves that allows black to equalize the position. Najdorf doesn't see the sequence and the result is a position, where white has a passed pawn and a serious knight outpost on d6. 

Fischer initially avoids a trade, but when Najdorf pushes his h pawn all the way down the board, Fischer decides to give up the bishop pair. This is because the pawn Najdorf pushed is now fragile, as it is deep in enemy territory. From here, Fischer begins trading his pieces, converting to an endgame where he will potentially be up a pawn and with a far pushed passer. 

Najdorf tries to get counterplay with a pawn break, but Fischer expertly takes control of the second rank. Here, Fischer is able to pick up the pawn, and sacks his e pawn, but black has doubled pawns. In this position, Najdorf will have a hard time defending both doubled pawns, and will have to defend against white's passed c-pawn which is creeping closer to promotion. 

And Najdorf does his best to defend the position, but Fischer is able to advance his c pawn to knocking on the door of promotion. He then gets his knight an outpost and activates his king. Notice that Najdorf can't actually take the c-pawn because if he trades his bishop, white's rook will pick up the doubled pawns, or the a-pawn, which is simply a losing endgame. And on move 48, Najdorf resigns, meaning that Bobby Fischer emerged victorious. 

But what are your thoughts on this game? Is Fischer the greatest player of all time? Is the Najdorf Sicilian a legendary opening? Let me know!