Matemax wrote on 11/20/08 at 12:18:40:

Ah I see. I think in general the queen is better on c7 in these rauser structures. Often when Qb6 is played to chase away the knight from d4 it goes to c7 later anyway.

Matemax wrote on 11/20/08 at 09:20:06:

If white always plays Nb3 everybody would be playing 7..Qb6. Just check how many whites play Nb3 after after 7..Qc7. It is even the case that black often plays Qc7 later on as the Nb3 is just standing bad.
Kamsky played it a while back, but has a bad score.

Here's one of his bad experiences, with exactly the type of play Najdorfers hope to get:
[Site "Khanty Mansiysk"]
[Date "2005.11.27"]
[White "Kamsky,Gata"]
[Black "Smirin,Ilia"]
[Result "0-1"]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qb6 8.Nb3 Be7 9.Qf3 Nbd7 10.0-0-0 Qc7 11.Bd3 b5 12.Rhe1 b4 13.Nb1 Bb7 14.Qh3 a5 15.Nd4 Nc5 16.Bb5+ Kf8 17.Nd2 Rc8 18.e5 dxe5 19.fxe5 Nfe4 20.Nxe4 Bxe4 21.Bxe7+ Qxe7 22.Kb1 h5 23.Be2 Qg5 24.Bf3 Bg6 25.Qg3 Qxg3 26.hxg3 a4 27.Ka1 Rh6 28.Rd2 h4 29.Nc6 b3 30.cxb3 axb3 31.Red1 f6 32.exf6 gxf6 33.Na5 hxg3 34.axb3 Rh4 35.Ka2 Na6 36.Rd8+ Rxd8 37.Rxd8+ Kg7 38.Nc6 e5 39.Ka3 Rh1 40.b4 Ra1+ 41.Kb3 Rc1 42.Rd7+ Kh6 43.Ra7 Bd3 44.Bd5 e4 45.Nd4 Nc7 46.Bg8 e3 47.b5 Nxb5 48.Nxb5 e2 49.Re7 Bxb5 0-1

PS Mnb is sort of right, as I was indeed a bit joking. I think the PP is one of the best lines for black in the whole Bg5 complex, precisely because you win a pawn.

He just was funny.

Stigma wrote on 11/20/08 at 01:04:45:

The former wins a pawn, so not much of a contest...

Quote:

Qb6 is played to force White's knight to b3 in the "Botvinnik" approach to the Rauzer - if I remember correctly he won one game where he made an exchange on d4 (queen and knight) and lost a second one where Keres played Nb3! instead. The conclusion for me is: White should not trade too many pieces in this line as in the endgame the Black bishop pair may count. So if you go Qc7 the knight has a better post and there is no trading - from a mathematical point of view I would say that in these structures the knight on d4 favours White. On the other hand - chess is not a game of rules but of exceptions and perhaps I am completely wrong...

Yes, if I recall correctly, 9. f5 was recommended in a great najdorf book by arizmendi & moreno (hope this free ad doesn't go against Mr K.'s website policy). Actually they said that Qc7 was one of the few Bg5 subvariations that didn't allow a forced draw by White, the only disadvantage being that Black has to tolerate a richter-rauzer structure after Bxf6. The book had few followers because it ducked the English attack with the straightforward queenside variation allowing White to repeat moves, but its coverage of Be2 and g3 variations are "thinking like a grandmaster" level in my humble opinion.

Hello, recently I am looking at the following variation in the Najdorf: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf4 d6 3.d4 cd4 4.Nd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5 e6 7.f4 Qc7 8.Qf3 b5.
I spent some time analysing the variation with 9.Bxf6 and my conclusion is that Black has very good chances to obtain better position. I have checked various sources and discovered some interesting ommisions in them.
I wonder what is the best line for White in the mentioned position.
9.f5?! looks not good also for White. Now I am trying to estimate the chances in the 9.0-0-0 variation.
If there White has no way to get an advantage then definetely he should search an improvement before (maybe 8.Bxf6).
Would be interested to hear your opinions about the starting position.