Sharp Najdorf Poisoned Pawn
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WanderingWinder
Aug 23, 2008
0
#1
This is a game I just played as white in the Poisoned Pawn variation of the Najdorf Sicilian with a time control of Game/7 with 4 second increment. Once out of my opening book, I floundered a bit for a plan, and soon I found myself lost. I am wondering where exactly I went wrong and for any improvements which I should have made. Any help is appreciated.
Bg5 was a weak move leaving queenside completely exposed. Like you also said, letting those three pieces hang was another mistake.
I play it differently so cannot help a whole lot, but I do wonder if you are truly in "book" through move 18. Are you? I find it a fascinating position and am sentimentally on your side as I have often claimed taking the b pawn with the queen early in the game is universally suicidal. I believe I usually play Bd2 and not g5. But it may well be playable.
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#4
starr, Bg5 is a very well-known and developed move for white and is perfectly fine. Also, the three pieces appear hanging, but they are all held at least after a move like Nce2. I believe that my attacking chances give me compensation there, and like I said, the first 19 moves are all book.
I worded that badly, I realize Bg5 is book, but I am unfamiliar with it. I sort of question other moves in your Bg5 variation, but if they are book and have stood the test of time, i will look for other later possibilities.
I looked into this and 19 Rf4 seems to be what is played in every variation I found. It seems dangerous, and only sometimes works in the games I played through. It is indeed fascinating. I like the following site. It is a bit awkward and "buggy" and does not let you link to specific positions, but there are lots of games and they let you search specific positions deeper than most.
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