[Event "USSR 38th Champs"] [Site "Riga"] [White "Zaitsev"] [Black "Dementyev"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B90"] [Opening "Sicilian: Najdorf"] 1.e4 {Selected notes and analysis by Taimonov} c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bc4 e6 7.Be3 b5 8.Bb3 Qc7 9.f4 b4 10.Na4 Nbd7 (10...Nxe4 {Risky.} 11.f5 e5 12.Nf3 Nc5 (12...Bb7 13.Nb6) (12...Nd7 13.Qd5) 13.Nxc5 dxc5 14.Qd5) 11.f5 e5 12.Ne6!! {The key rejoinder. The sacrifice is based more on intuition than exact calculation of the many ramifications. All the more credit to White's bold gesture. It is interesting that, as Tal recalled, he once watched a blitz game between Fischer and Stein at the Havana Olympiad in 1966. In an analagous position Fischer chose the rather modest retreat 12. Ne2 rather than the knight sacrifice.} fxe6 13.fxe6 Nc5 14.Nxc5 dxc5 15.O-O {A remarkable position. White has merely one pawn and the better development for the sacrificed knight. But the wedge on e6, like a thorn in one's side, causes Black many problems, dividing his forces and likely to generate eventual threats to the king. In any event, it is very awkward for Black to find a defence.} c4 (15...Qd6 16.Rxf6! Qxd1+ (16...gxf6 17.Qh5+ Ke7 18.Qf7+ Kd8 19.Qxf6+) 17.Rxd1 gxf6 18.Ba4+ Ke7 19.Bxc5+ Kxe6 20.Bb3#) (15...Be7 16.Ba4+ Kf8 17.Rxf6+ Bxf6 (17...gxf6? 18.Bh6+) 18.Qd5! Bb7 (18...Ra7 19.e7+ Bxe7 20.Rf1+ Bf6 21.Bxc5+) 19.Qc4!! Rc8 (19...g6 20.Bxc5+ Kg8 21.e7+ Kg7 22.e8=N+! Rhxe8 23.Bf8+!) (19...Be7 20.Rd1! Rd8 21.Qf1+ Bf6 22.Rxd8+ Qxd8 23.Bxc5+ Kg8 24.e7! Bxe7 25.Bb3+) 20.Rd1 Bc6 21.Rd7! Qa5 (21...Bxd7 22.exd7 Rd8 23.Bxc5+ Be7 24.Qf1+ Kg8 25.Bb3#) (21...Bxa4 22.Rxc7 Rxc7 23.Qxa6 Be8 24.Qd6+ Re7 25.Bxc5) 22.Bxc6 Rxc6 23.Qd5 b3! 24.c3! bxa2 25.Rf7+ Kg8 26.e7! a1=Q+ 27.Kf2 Bh4+ 28.g3 Qxb2+ 29.Kf3 h5 30.e8=Q+ Kh7 31.Rxg7+! Kxg7 32.Qdf7#) (15...Bd6! 16.Rxf6 gxf6 17.Qh5+ Kd8 18.Rd1 Qb6 19.Qf7 Re8 20.e7+! Rxe7 21.Qd5! Bb7 22.Bxc5! Bxd5 23.Bxb6+ Bc7 24.Bc5 Rd7 $13) 16.Rxf6 gxf6 (16...cxb3 17.Qh5+ g6 18.Rxg6 hxg6 19.Qxg6+ Ke7 20.Rd1!) 17.Qh5+ Ke7 (17...Kd8 18.Rd1+ Bd6 19.Bxc4 Rb8 (19...Qxc4 20.Bb6+) 20.e7+! Qxe7 21.Bc5) 18.Qf7+ Kd6 19.e7 Qxe7 (19...Bxe7 20.Qd5#) 20.Qxc4 {A short struggle in which many fine points remained unfulfilled on the board.} {#r} 1-0