Nico Zwirs: Sicilian Najdorf
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.f3 Be6 9.Qd2 Nbd7 10.0–0–0 h5 11.Kb1 Qc7
In Wijk aan Zee, Anish Giri chose the Najdorf Variation with 11...Qc7 against Jorden van Foreest – a move that our author himself had used three years ago in the same place in the Challengers tournament. In his analysis, Nico Zwirs explains the advantages and disadvantages of this move. Van Foreest's maneuver 12.a3, 13.Nc1 (“A Karpovian move”), 14.Na2, 15.Nb4 is exciting for opening theory – White invests four moves in improving his knight and his king's position. A new concept that paid off in full in this game!