Farmer robbery variant

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

Position after 7.… Qd8 – b6

The pawn robbery variant is a variant in the Najdorf variant of the Sicilian defense in chess . It has the ECO code B97. In English, the opening is known as the Poisoned Pawn Variation , as Black is given the opportunity to beat a supposedly “ poisoned pawn ”.

The basic position of the variant arises after the moves ( see also: chess notation ):

1. e2 – e4 c7 – c5 (The Sicilian Defense )

2. Ng1 – f3 d7 – d6 3. d2 – d4 c5xd4 4. Nf3xd4 Ng8 – f6 5. Nb1 – c3 a7 – a6 (the Najdorf variation )

6. Bc1-g5 e7-e6 7. f2-f4 Qd8-b6

With his last move, Black threatens the pawn on b2, who is called poisoned , since capturing the pawn is connected with further losses in tempo , as the white can exploit the exposed position of the black queen and thereby advance his piece development. Black, on the other hand, is keen to contain White's initiative and to save his minimal material advantage in a won endgame .

history

The pawn robbery variant came up in 1954 in tournament chess in the games Raschid Neschmetdinow - Scherbakow, Riga and Egon Joppen - David Bronstein , Belgrade. Since then, it has been used again and again by the world's best grandmasters , for example by Bobby Fischer , Viktor Kortschnoi and Michail Tal in the 1960s to 1970s . In the 1990s until his retirement from chess (2005) Garry Kasparov occasionally accepted the variant, for example with Black he won the fourth game of the 1993 World Chess Championship against Nigel Short . Vishy Anand played in 2007 at the Corus chess tournament, both with White against Loek van Wely and with Black against Alexander Motyljow, two complicated games in this line, both of which he was able to win.

1972 in Reykjavík the pawn robbery variant was played for the first time at a world chess championship . It was Bobby Fischer in the so-called Match of the Century who played the sharp move 7.… Qd8 – b6 in the 7th and 11th match against Boris Spasski . In the 7th game Fischer achieved an advantage after overcoming entanglements, which he could not use to win, while he was clearly defeated in the 11th game.

The evaluation of the variant is still the subject of theoretical investigations and trials. It is not certain whether the farmer is really "poisoned".

variants

In the diagram position, the white man has two main continuations, with

• 8. Nd4 – b3 he can avoid the entanglements and block the queen's view of b2. The knight's retreat is compensated for by the fact that the queen on b6 is now unlucky and usually has to retreat to c7 in order to be able to initiate the typical counterplay on the queenside with b7 – b5. The queens exchange associated with chess on e3 (9.… Qb6 – e3 + 10. Qd1 – e2 Qe3xe2 + 11. Bf1xe2) is considered to be slightly advantageous for White, it has an advantage of space and thus freer play.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

Position after 13. Kg1 – h1

• The complicated lines of the pawn- robbery variant begin with 8. Qd1 – d2 , White offers the pawn on b2 and as a precaution covers his knight on c3 in order to cover the threatened rook on a1 with 9. Nd4 – b3 or with 9. Ra1 on 8.… Qb6xb2 –B1 to move away.

• 9. Nd4 – b3 also threatens queen catching with 10. a2 – a3 and 11. Nc3 – d1 or 11. Ra1 – a2. The move 9.… Qb2 – a3 gives the queen an escape route. In 1972 Spasski chose the then unknown move 10. Bf1 – d3 in the 7th match game, which led to a complicated draw game. In the 11th game he played the conventional move 10. Bg5xf6 g7xf6 with the deterioration of Black's pawn structure. The main variation has emerged as 11. Bf1 – e2 Nb8 – c6 12. 0–0 Bc8 – d7 . White has various options for his 13th move: Michail Tal tried 13.Be2 – h5 and 13th f4 – f5. Garri Kasparov played two games in 1982 against Elmar Məhərrəmov 13. Rf1 – f3. Nowadays, 13. Kg1 – h1 is the most common move.

• In the 13th (or earlier in the 11th or 12th move) Black can prevent White's active bishop line-up Be2 – h5 with 13.… h7 – h5 .

• In this position (after changing the move) Spasski played the paradoxical 14. Nc3 – b1 , which could lead to a repetition of moves after 14.… Qa3 – b2 15. Nb1 – c3 Qb2 – a3. Fischer evaded that with 14.… Qa3 – b4 and got at a disadvantage.
• Short in the 1993 World Cup game against Kasparov tried 14. Nc3 – d1 .

• In new games Black often develops the queen's rook 13… Ra8 – c8 and allows 14 Be2 – h5 .

• After 9. Ra1 – b1 and the only answer Qb2 – a3 White has two main continuations:

• Paul Keres introduced the move 10. e4 – e5 at the Gothenburg interzonal tournament in 1955 . His opponent Andrija Fuderer answered with 10.… Nf6 – d7 and quickly lost after a tactical mistake. After that it was mostly continued with 10.… d6xe5 11. f4xe5 Nf6 – d7 and now

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

Position after 15. Bg5 – f6

• 12. Bf1 – c4 with a sharp game was Keres' move against Alexander Kazimirowitsch Tolusch at the USSR championship in Moscow in 1957. The opening of the diagonals f8 – a3 connected with the pawn advance and the freeing of the black-squared bishop comes through 12 ... Bf8 – b4, however, to the benefit of Black ( pegging motifs on the diagonals a5 – e1 and a7 – g1). 13. Rb1 – b3 Qa3 – a5 14. 0–0 0–0 15. Bg5 – f6 results in the critical position that Robert Byrne first brought on the board at the USA championship in 1965 in his game against Larry Evans . While Evans accepted the piece sacrifice with 15.… g7xf6 and allowed an attack on the castling position, 15.… Nd7xf6 16. e5xf6 Rf8 – d8 17. Rb3xb4 Q5xb4 18. Qd2 – g5 g7 – g6 proved to be playable.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

Position after 14. Rb1 – d1

• 12. Nc3 – e4 was played by Michail Tal against Tolusch in 1956 in Leningrad. The sacrifice of another pawn by means of 12.… h7 – h6 13. Bg5 – h4 Q3xa2 was considered inferior for a long time until the strength of the move 14. Rb1 – d1 was discovered in the mid-2000s . In his game against Sergej Karjakin in Cap D'Agde 2006, Teymur Rəcəbov sacrificed after 14.… Qa2 – b2 15. Qd2 – e3 Bf8 – c5 16. Bf1 – e2 Nb8 – c6 17. c2 – c3 Qb2 – a3 18. 0– 0 0–0 using the development 19. Ne4 – f6 + !! Nd7xf6 20. Bh4xf6 Nc6xd4 21. Rd1xd4 Bc5xd4 22. Qe3xd4 g7xf6 23. e5xf6 a rook for the pawn f6, which guaranteed White an irresistible attack on the castling position, with which he won in 33 moves. Since then, 12. Nc3 – e4 has been the main move.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

Position after 15. Nc3 – e4

• 10. f4 – f5 is the Whites alternative plan that developed in the 1960s. A pressure game on point e6 with Bf1 – c4 is planned, followed by a short castling, opening of the f-file, possibly combined with the exchange on f6, after which the black kingside is further weakened. 10.… Nb8 – c6 11. f5xe6 f7xe6 12. Nd4xc6 b7xc6 13. e4 – e5 d6xe5 14. Bg5xf6 g7xf6 15. Nc3 – e4 is the result. On the continuation 15.… Bf8 – e7 16. Bf1 – e2 h7 – h5 the piece sacrifice 17. Rb1 – b3 Q3 – a4 18. Ne4xf6 + Be7xf6 19. c2 – c4 was often brought with unclear attack prospects. In 2003, instead, the possibility of 17. Rh1 – f1 was discovered with the idea of ​​Rf1 – f3, which seems to give White an advantage. Therefore, Black attacks mostly back to the version 15 ... 16 Da3xa2 Tb1-d1 Bf8-e7 17 L f1-e2 0-0 0-0 18 Ra8-a7, which, however, often in a perpetual check flows, such. B. the game Francisco Vallejo Pons - Garri Kasparow, Petrosian memorial tournament Moscow 2004, the course of which was largely anticipated by the game PGV Andersson - A. Poulsen, ninth correspondence chess Olympiad , final 1992-1993. A possible alternative is 18.… f6 – f5.
• White can prepare the tangles with the moves 10. Bg5xf6 g7xf6 11. Bf1 – e2 and
• 10. Bf1 – e2 Bf8 – e7 11. 0–0 h7 – h6 12. Bg5 – h4 .

• Cautious players forego the pawn with Black and play 8.… Nb8 – c6 ; B. Tigran Petrosyan at the 1956 Moscow championship against Jakow Neistadt .

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

Position before White's 14th move

• 8. Qd1 – d3 is a seldom played but also dangerous possibility that has recently been revived by Azerbaijani players, among others. After 8.… Qb6xb2 9. Ra1 – b1 Qb2 – a3 10. f4 – f5 Nb8 – c6 11. f5xe6 f7xe6 12. Nd4xc6 b7xc6 13. Bf1 – e2 Bf8 – e7 in the 14th move, White often castled briefly, or the position of the black king with 14. e4 – e5 d6xe5 15. Bg5xf6 g7xf6 16. Be2 – h5 + Ke8 – f8 attacked with the sacrifice of a second pawn; B. (after changing moves) in the game John Nunn - Garri Kasparow, Brussels 1987, where Black was able to defend himself and won after 27 moves. In the game Rauf Məmmədov - Dmitri Kokarew , European individual championship 2008, however, White bet with 14. Be2 – h5 +! g7 – g6 15. e4 – e5 !! went on, after the settlement got 15.… Nf6 – d5 16. Rb1 – b3 Qa3 – a5 17. Bg5xe7 Nd5xe7 18. e5xd6 Q5xh5 19. d6xe7 Qh5 – h4 + 20. g2 – g3 Qh4xe7 21. 0–0 development advantage and won after 29 Trains. Lately, black has mostly evaded the diagram position. So held z. B. Alexander Grischuk in his game against Vüqar Həşimov at Elista 2008 initially returned his queen knight to b8 and instead played 10.… Bf8 – e7 11. f5xe6 f7xe6 12. Bf1 – e2 Qa3 – a5, but got at a disadvantage and had to move after 64 moves to give up.
• In the starting position White still has the tricky move 8. a2 – a3 . The pawn is now obviously “poisoned” after 8.… Qb6xb2 ?? 9. Nc3 – a4 the queen could no longer be saved: queen catch . 8.… Bc8 – d7 prepares the robbery of the pawn.

literature

• Garry Kasparow: How to Play the Najdorf . (DVD) Vol. 1. ChessBase, Hamburg 2005, ISBN 3-937549-25-0 .
• Rolf Schwarz: Sicilian III. Handbook of chess openings . Volume 23 / III. Rattmann, Hamburg 1980.
• Lev Polugajewski: Sicilian: Najdorf system to Polugajewski variant. Sportverlag, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-328-00087-9 .
• John Nunn: The Complete Najdorf: 6. Bg5. Batsford, London 1996, ISBN 0-7134-7900-0 .

Web links

• Games with ECO code B97 on chessgames.com

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ChessBase Magazin , 117 ( Memento from June 21, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) chessbase.de via Internet Archive
2. ↑ Tim Harding: Is the Najdorf Poisoned Pawn Edible? (The Kibitzer 71) ( Memento from February 10, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 129 kB; 14 pages) Chesscafe.com, August 4, 2002
3. ↑ ^{a b} President’s Cup: Deep Junior takes the lead . chessbase.de, June 8, 2007
4. ↑ Tim Harding: The Poisoned Pawn is Still Looking Tasty . (The Kibitzer 122) ( Memento from June 4, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 260 kB; 18 pages) Chesscafe.com, October 7, 2006
5. ↑ Lubomir Kavalek : Chess , column of April 28, 2008