Polgar, Judit – Mamedyarov, Shakhryar
Essent chess tournament, Hoogeveen, 2006
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 15.b3 d5 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bh4 g5 18.Nxg5 hxg5 19.Bxg5 (Judit is not happy with just a draw to clinch first place. She is going all out for the win as usual. Will it pay off for her this time?) 19…exd4 20.e5 Rxe5 21.Rxe5 Nxe5 22.cxd4 Nc6 23.Nf5 (Judit took a long time for this move.) 23…Bc8 (Shak responded immediately with this move. Another option would have been 23…Nb4) 24.Rc1 Bxf5 25.Bxf5 Qd6 (White has some compensations for the sacrifice, but will it be enough? I personally do not see a clear path for White.) 26.Bh4 Ne7 27.Bg3 Qb4 (Black certainly has an easier position due to the material advantage. The only chance for White is to continue putting on pressure on the Kingside.) 28.Bb1 (Now I expect 28…c6 to consolidate the weakness.) 28…c6 29.Be5 Bg7 30.a3 Qxa3 31.Rc3 Nd7 32.Rg3 Nxe5 33.dxe5 Qb4 34.Rg4 Qc3 35.f4 d4 36.Kh2 Nd5 37.f5 d3 38.Qxd3 Qxe5+ 39.Rg3 Nf6 40.Qf3 Rd8 0-1 Unfortunately, as I was afraid of, the sacrifice was unsound. Now, Judit fell back to a tie for first with Mamedyarov. She will have to face Topalov tomorrow with Black.
23. Nf5
The position after 22…Nc6 is known. In source game Federov (c.2600+)as white went 23.Nh5 and lost a wild game.
Judit taking a long time here . Position is critical and either checking/remembering analysis or looking for a new path?
23. Nf5 is an interesting choice. Guarding the d4 pawn, positioning for an assault on the king to be sure…but Shak’s Bc8 takes much of the sting out of it. What else does she have up here sleeve? In any case, kudos to Judit for going all out for an impressive tournament performance rather than trying to settle for dull draws to coast into first place.
To: QM1 Todd R. Forbes
Hi, the move you suggested for the game played yesterdy is sound (Rybka says so … however I’m still not shure if that is the best continuation!) Well guess I’ll have a fun time this weekend analysing yesterdays and todays games!
D.K.
24.Rc1.A qucik draw coming?
I suppose Black can go 24…Ba3 25.Rb1 Bf8 and offer the repetion.
If Black continues the game then Juidt will get an attack-even if Fritz prefers Black I would rather be white.
This is typical Judit! I played through many of her games where she creates an attack on both sides of the board. You think she is going somewhere and then she cuts across the grain of the defense, usually leaving only debris. Only time will tell in this game…most of it has been theory until now.
David said…
To: QM1 Todd R. Forbes
Hi, the move you suggested for the game played yesterdy is sound (Rybka says so … however I’m still not shure if that is the best continuation!) Well guess I’ll have a fun time this weekend analysing yesterdays and todays games!
David, I’ve been working on it. I left my email address on yesterdays post, so you can forward your response directly. I would be most interested to know what line you or your software choose.
As to the current game…read my above.
Against an equally skilled opponent as me I wuld take black … There is lots of potential in whites postion but I don’t see how Judit can achieve a break … then again I didn’t see it yesterday either …
GO Judit!
D.K.
Thought white had attack coming but changed my mind.
Black seems comfortable and could well be (well) within computer backed preparation here.
Black can build with ..Re8, …Bg7 idea …Ne4 with weakness on d4.
Where is white’s compensation for the piece? bring rook to g3 or push h-pawn?
Hope I’m wrong.
To QM1 Todd R. Forbes:
I’ll send you my analisis in PGN once I’m finished!
D.K.
Judit played the best move but still after Ne8 (easy move) the white bishop must retreat and black as caught up in development, true his king is a bit weak but all his pieces are near by … I’m afraid Judit is in big truble!
D.K.
>>(Judit is not happy with just a draw to clinch first place.
>>
A draw doesn’t clinch first place, does it? It only clinches a tie.
The 26.Bh4 was a nice GM move.Now 28.Bb1 and white can think about pushing pawn.
I imagine computers have Black winning but white may at least have a long attack.
David said…
To QM1 Todd R. Forbes:
I’ll send you my analisis in PGN once I’m finished!
Great, thank you! I don’t have Rybka to analyse with…I Fritz, but don’t how to get the most out of it. I find most of my stuff the old fashion way…at the board and move the pieces about and write down everything. I works for me.
I am still not sure about today’s game. Judit has an open game so her Bishops are a plus. She also has the initiative and a pawn majority on the King side. However, what is the path to the point or even the half point? As of move 27 I am stumped!
Serenity, I think you are right about the computers. Fritz has Black up by about 1.4 right now. It looks to me like black is mobilizing his pieces without great difficult, and the value of Judit’s knight sac is looking a bit thin. That may change once the king side pawns start moving, but it looks pretty rough to me right now.
I’m utterly baffled by J. Polgar’s decision in this game. Even if she manages to save the game by some miracle, I think embarking on this dubious speculative sacrifice was a horrible idea, based on her current tournament position. She’s almost begging Mamedyarov to beat her and once more tie for first. I just can’t understand this at all. Does she WANT to not win the tournament? This was going to be maybe her greatest success ever, and it’s going down the tubes for a pipe dream. How awful, I was hoping dearly for her to at least tie for first, now it looks like that probably won’t happen.
All that said, I do hope so much she saves this game and doesn’t lose to Topalov tomorrow.
i’m surprised no one has mentioned the clocks yet
To:
QM1 Todd R. Forbes
I am still not sure about today’s game. Judit has an open game so her Bishops are a plus. She also has the initiative and a pawn majority on the King side. However, what is the path to the point or even the half point? As of move 27 I am stumped!
Move 27 is the only logical one at least to me … prepares h4 in the future maybe gets the black queen out of the way … but I agree with you I don’t see a clear path …
D.K.
Hey, can anybody tell me, what the engines think about the current position?
Anonymous said…
I’m utterly baffled by J. Polgar’s decision …embarking on this dubious speculative sacrifice… based on her current tournament position…Does she WANT to not win the tournament?
Perhaps that is why she has played this way, to be number one. Judit is an exciting player. She gives chess fans what they want…drama, excitement, romantic chess. She is a fan favorite because of it. I think she is trying to win the only way she knows how…a dramatic attack on the opponents position!
Waw I just had a look at Topalovs game and it seems to me that Topy is in truble, huge space avantage for white and a king side attack to boot … (however is it wining?!)
D.K.
Why yuo want to know what engines think?
The engine will tell you that (-0,5 – 0,9) but that is becouse for them Knight > 2xpowns
Go and study some rules of the chess and you will get clear picture about the position.
Difficult to see how Judit can create counterplay with just piece play. Maybe 30.h4
I want to know what engines think because they are more reliable than most people here. I don’t know if any titled player posts in this blog but if not then what an engine tells is more accurate..
it’s becaus i was wondering as many of you what judit’s plan is! i can’t find anything conving
30. a3 looks like Judit is giving up a pawn to get the Rook to c3. Will black allow it? I don’t see how he can stop it.
to D.K
I dont see big advantage for the white at the moment. As you see all the black powns are on the black aquares – so white bishop is out of action at the moment. Im sure topalov now will going to push the powns of of the king side.
Engine (Fritz) says black by about 2.4 after Judit’s a3…
Topalov has a comfortable type of “compressed spring” position and may be better
Judits a3 is understandable -she wants to move Qd1 and know Be5 will have to be swapped at some point but …Qd4 would just collapse her game. but against a 2700+ it will be a miracle if she can get anything going.
Not looking too good for GM Polgar.
i think white is better.. judit has to play precisely though..
31. Rc3 with idea Rg3 may be
There’s a separate post for the Sokolov – Topalov game. Why not post comments related to that game there?
go go Rg3 now
31…Nd7. I think this allows Judit to uncork her magic. Her Rook is active on c3 and can be played to g3 and her Queen is free to move to f3, g4, h5 and her Bishop can come into play as well. I am looking at 32. Bg7 kg7 33. Qg4+ Ng6 34. Qd7 or a similar theme winning back the piece.
32.Bg7 Kg7 33.Rg3+ then maybe Kh2 or h-pawn push.
Looks like Topalov will win as Nb6 can go via c4 to e5. Very nice game so far.
Judit may have had some practical chances here against a weaker opponent but Black is 2700+ and a full piece up.
33dxe5 Judit looks totally lost.
32 Bxg7 was a better chance on the engines.
susan are you there? please talk to us… what do you think is going on?
I really don’t know. Perhaps 34. f4 followed by 35. Qg4 would yeild something. Judit surprised me with that Rook first move…that is why she is a GM. OMG, no he didn’t! Mamedyarov just ruined my plan with 33…Qb4, but wait 34. Rg4 and black’s Q to c3 and now 35. f4!!
OK…I don’t have any chess software in front of me…is GM Polgar lost? Can a draw still be obtained????
Any good opinions?
go go f5 now
Now 36.Kh2
i wasn’t following just now, but wouldn’t Bxg7 wins a piece? King takes and Qg4+ wins the knight. Maybe..
It looks bad for white now because black is controlling the center.
What evaluation do computers give of Jdit’s position?
gjrgmi guess, unfortunately, its over now…
thanks
After Topa crushes her tomorrow. she’d probably share 1 place with Shak and him or Shak will be a winner of the tourney.
Not Judith’s day. 0-1
but anyway, interesting game! And i have one more reason to play my patzer gambits…
What happened to Susan?
After 28.Bb1 no more analysis?
I was following this game off and on (mostly off) but I am sure Judit could have regained the piece at some point… from the live viewer it seems like she was in bad time trouble (although I am not sure I trust the time reporting).
I am sure the post mortem will reveal something she missed in time pressure…
Gutsy attempt all the same
What can I say, except I am broken hearted just now. Ah, I remember the day when Judit smashed Mamedyarov in a Ruy (Spanish game) in 23 moves…Bled 2002. Oh, I wish she would have won today.
23. Nf5? was the killer move – Judit took a long time, found nothing over the board to avoid the 23. Nh5!? draw line and pressed to hard … she should have played Nh5 with a draw – i’m sure it was Mamed’s intension, whilst playing 22…Nc6 – a known – DRAW position – if he had to go for a WIN – for sure, he’d have played 22… Ned7)
mx two pence …
I am very sorry that Judit risked and lost this game. The first place is still not lost, however. I change my wish for tomorrow’s game. Instead of drawing with Topalov, Judit should win. If Mamedyarov loses, Judit will still be in the first place.
Lyudmil Antonov
Heart breaking is exactly the word for it. I really don’t have the energy to say any words. It was tough just to force myself to play through the game in detail (I came home after it was finished). That sacrifice looked really premature. Why??
Hopefully she will win the game against topalov tomorrow. Black has many chances if they play a Najdorf.
@ lantonov, @ bob hu … it is a theoretical line in ruy … you don’t know it? … interesting – VERY intersting … and what a flush … ok!
Sorry your sister lost this one, Susan. I’m routing for her! I think it would be cool were she to become the top Grandmaster one day. I imagine she’d be a great representative.
I would have been very happy with a draw.
I agree with vohaul! The move that killed Judit was 23.Nf5N?! She was trying for more and it cost her, but “what if” Mamedyarov plays 23…bg7 or 23…Nb4. We don’t know what she was thinking his move would be…all we know is that he played the best move 23…Bc8! It’s hard for me to believe she didn’t consider this move…unless she was on a fishing trip and wanted to see if she could haul in the big one. I love her for trying, and she is exciting. Go Judit!!
Hi Susan,
Did you already have the chance to chat with Judit after the game? We would love to know what he told you regarding the game – where did she think she went wrong? why didn’t she play Nh5 with a draw instead of the losing Nf5? These are interesting questions for the chess fans.
I will continue rooting for her and I hope she will beat Topalov with black! – that would be a helluvan accomplishment! 🙂
The games tomorrow start at 6am ET, and it is Saturday (the only day when I can actually sleep till it’s time for supper) but I WILL follow the games and wish Topa to be done with Judit by let’s say 10am so I can go to a few garage sales as well. Tell guessthemove 1.d4
I think the blog lists 28. Bc1 as having been played but 28. Bb1 is the correct move.
To Vohaul:
No, I didn’t know it was theory, I do recall reading somewhere (after the game) that this sac has been played once and that it was a loss for white.
I don’t spend much time on opening theory at all and I don’t own a database (yet) so I have to rely on other people’s comments to discover this sort of thing. That said, the sacrifice looked rather premature to me based on general priniciples, such as having enough pieces on or aiming at the kingside before making a kingside sac. Of course a) I’m about a thousand points weaker than she is b) I’m not nearly as bold as she is in terms of style of play.