In Memory of 'Don' Miguel Najdorf
By Kristianus Liem
JAKARTA (JP): Grandmaster Miguel Najdorf died following a heart attack on July 4th in Malaga, Spain, at the age of 87. At the time, he was the guest of honor at a Garry Kasparov simultaneous exhibition in Madrid.
He appeared to be quite frail and was helped onto the stage by Kasparov. He had been advised not to attend by his doctors but said "I want to die watching a chess tournament," according to the Daily Telegraph.
Najdorf had a long and distinguished chess career, was a highly successful businessman, and in later years managed to combine these two talents by sponsoring grandmaster tournaments in Buenos Aires. Indonesia's best player, GM Utut Adianto, took part in the last Najdorf GM Tournament this year (read The Jakarta Post's chess column Sunday Nov. 2nd, 1997).
In his long chess career, the ever-youthful and optimistic veteran defeated, among others, world title holders Max Euwe (Holland), Mikhail Botvinnik (Russia), Vassily Smyslov (Russia), Mikhail Tal (Latvia), Tigran Petrosian (Russia), Boris Spassky (Russia), and Bobby Fischer (USA). In the 1940s and 1950s he vied with American Sammy Reshevsky, for the status of "Champion of the Free World".
At best Najdorf was among the ten best players of his time. This Polish-born master played the World Championship candidates in 1950 and 1953.
His first name was initially Mieczyslaw but World War II changed that. In 1939 he went to Buenos Aires to play in the Chess Olympiad but never returned to Poland as hostilities broke out while he was away. He sought asylum in Argentina in the same year.
Returning to Europe after the war, Najdorf found his family and friends devastated. Amid great adversity, he returned to Buenos Aires, married again, and changed his name to Miguel.
In an interview five years ago he said: "I must play chess every day. That is the reason I feel so strong. I will never give up chess. Every day I go to my office at nine o'clock in the morning. At six in the afternoon I go from the office to my chess club and play till eight. Two hours. This is my relaxation. I play my games and I feel wonderful. Like after a Mozart or Beethoven concert."
Najdorf played some fine attacking games, he said himself that above all he loved to take the initiative. But his greatest legacy to the chess world will be the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense. Below was his one best games when he beat Bobby Fischer at the Second Piatigorsky Cup International Tournament, Santa Monica (California) July 27, 1966, in round seven.
White: GM Miguel Najdorf Black: GM Bobby Fischer King Indian Defense
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 00 6.Bg5 c5 7.d5
The full force of Black's plan appears after 7.dxc5?! Qa5 8.cxd6? Qxg5 9.dxe7 Re8 10.Nf3 Qc5 11.e5 Ng4 and wins for Black.
7...e6 8.Nf3 h6 9.Bh4 exd5 10.cxd5 g5! 11.Bg3 b5?!
At first glance a very attractive move and only the hindsight offered by this game allows us to stamp it inferior, almost the losing move! The position after White's 11th is fine for Black, and after some creative home analysis Fischer was prepared when he met Larsen in round 15 at the same tournament who repeated it: 11...Nh5! 12.Nd2 Nxg3 13.hxg3 Nd7 14.Nc4 Qe7! Black here stands at least equal: the Bishop at g7 has a fantastic diagonal and Black's queen-side can be effectively mobilized, while White can't get anything started on the king-side. The strength of this new Fischer discovery has made White's opening approach in this game obsolete.
12.Nd2!
Black would stand well after 12.Bxb5 Nxe4! 13.Nxe4 Qa5+ 14.Nc3 Bxc3+ 15.bxc3 Qxb5 Najdorf's Knight maneuver is the positional refutation of Black's plan. Black remains with a chronically weak king-side, weak pawn on d5 and vulnerable queen-side, and no compensation for these ills.
12...a6 13.0-0 Re8 14.Qc2 Qe7?
Black's position is so precarious, strategically speaking, that he cannot afford any more mistakes, and the textbook move is exactly that. With the Queen as the lead, the pressure against White's e-pawn is ineffective, giving White the opportunity to efficiently complete his development, after which Black's many weaknesses must tell. The correct positional move was 14...Ra7 with the idea of 15...R2e7 when the attack on the e-pawn makes it more difficult for White's Knights to swing into action.
15.Rae1 Nbd7 16.a4! b4 17.Nd1 Ne5
Or 17...Nxe4 18.Bd3 f5 19.Nxe4 fxe4 20.Rxe4 Be5 21.f4 gxf4 22.Bxf4 Nf6 23.Ree1 Bd4+ 24.Be3 Qe5 25.Kh1 Bg4 26.Bg6 Bxd1 27.Bf7+ Kh8 28.Qg6 Bxe3 29.Rxe3 Qg5 30.Bxe8 and White is winning.
18.Ne3
White's grip over the key f5 and c4 squares is paralyzing. Even so, Black's next move is rather silly.
18...Ng6?! 19.Nec4 Nf4
This blockade attempt misses by a mile, yet there is nothing good to suggest.
20.Bxf4 gxf4 21.e5! dxe5
After 21...Nxd5 22.Bf3 Be6 23.Nxd6 Red8 24.Qd3 Bxe5 25.Rxe5 Qxd6 26.Nc4 Qd7 27.Rd1 wins for White.
22.Bf3 Qf8
A better spot for the Queen must be 22...Qa7 but White is still better off after 23.Nxe5 Bb7 24.Nc6 Bxc6 25.dxc6.
23.Nxe5 Bb7 24.Ndc4 Rad8
The Queen would be lost after 24...Bxd5? 25.Bxd5 Nxd5 26.Nd7. 25.Nc6! Rxe1 26.Rxe1 Re8 27.Rd1! Rc8
No hope either here or in the future for 27...Bxc6 28.dxc6 as the passed c-pawn would win.
28.h3! Ne8
If now 28...Nxd5 is punished by 29.N4a5! and White wins a piece.
29.N6a5 Rb8 30.Qf5 Nd6?
See diagram. This tactical blunder shortens the agony.
31.Nxd6 1-0
Black resigned here. A piece is lost after 31...Qxd6 32.Nxb7 since 32...Rxb7 loses the Rook after 33.Qc8+ Kh7 34.Qxb7.