Kenilworth Kibitzer

In this game Najdorf's opponent has aimed straight from the opening for a draw, exchanging pieces wherever possible.  From the Black side this is always a risk as White can always hope for a small advantage from superior development.  On the other hand, exploiting this transient advantage takes great skill, but this is what Najdorf demonstrates in this poppin' gem of a game.

18. Nf5   Rad8

19. Rfd1  Nc8?!  (...Nd5)

20. Kf1   Rfe8

21. Ke2   Kf8

22. Rxd8  Rxd8

23. Rg1     Ne8      

White has centralized his king, defending his back ranks and freeing his rook to continue the assault on g7 that he began with Nf5.  

Bronstein:  A curious picture.  Black has absolutely no intention of playing g7-g6, even though that would relieve him of many of his later difficulties.  In the succeeding phase of the game, Black saddles himself with a number of weaknesses, advancing nearly every pawn but the one he should have.

24. Rg4!  Ne7

25. Nxe7  Kxe7

26. Re4+  Kf8

27. Ra4    a6

28. Rf4    f6?!  (...Nf6)

29. Rh4   h6

30. Rh5!

Bronstein:  An excellent move!  Having done its work on the fourth rank, the rook now goes to work on the fifth, where it restricts Black's pawns to complete passivity.  White begins to occupy more space by advancing his pawns and bringing up his king.

30. ....   Nc7

31. f4    Ke7

32.  Rc5  Rd6

33. Rc1?!   b6?!

White had been steadily gaining space but Bronstein suggests 33. f5 as the necessary conclusion to this plan, and instead Black should now play 33. ....  f5!  in order to hold the levee.

34. f5   c5

35. f4  Rc6

36. a4  b5

37. Bc2  Ne8

38. Be4  Rc7

39. Bd5  c4

White has maneuvered his pieces to support the advance of his e-pawn.

40. e4  Nd6

41. axb  axb

42. Ke3  Ra7

43. Rg1  Kf8

44. Kd4  Rc7

45.  Rc1  Nb7?

A key feature of this game is that Black's position was defensible at many points, including in the current position.  However, Black's ideas are now essentially passive, and this is a psychological burden to the defender.   After the long maneuvering and weakening of his position, Black makes a real error.  Seemingly improving the position of his knight he allows a nice combination.

46. Ra1   Nc5

47. Ra8+ Ke7

48. e5!    (With the knight on d6 this would not have been possible)

48. ...   Nb3+

49. Kc3  Nc1

50.  Rg8  Ne2+

51. Kd2  Nxf4

52. Rxg7+ Kd8

53. exf!   Rd7

54. Rxd7+ Kxd7

55. Bc6+!       and Black resigned since the promotion of the lead f-pawn or loss of material can't be stopped.  

Credit Najdorf's tenacity in constantly setting his opponent new problems to solve in an otherwise simple position.