Grandmaster Understanding
We usually know what grandmaster understanding means - a blend of knowledge of common plans, structures and ideas with the personal intuition of the title-holder. This combination produces moves that are more or less in line with what the position requires.
In one game that features the Maroczy structure I was left speechless after seeing how a very strong grandmaster, number one player of one of the strongest European countries at the time of the game, treated the position.
The position in question is the following one.
It is common knowledge how these structures should be played out.
Black aims to exchange the dark-squared bishops and the queens in order to weaken White's dark-squares and further emphasise the limited light-squared bishop on e2. Logically, White should avoid this and try to use his space advantage by a timely jump to d5.
When I was young there were several players in my country that were playing the Maroczy with Black and they won countless easy games when White would fall into the above-mentioned scenario. I secretly envied them for these automatic wins, but I couldn't bring myself play the Maroczy with Black - what if they don't exchange the dark-squared bishops against me?
So, with the basic understanding of the position explained, can you guess what this young and promising grandmaster played?
Yep, you guessed right: 12.Bh6.
Imagine my shock. White is voluntarily exchanging the dark-squared bishops!!
Things got worse. After 12...Rfc8 13.Bg7 Kg7 14.Qd4 (what is the idea? Black's next is typical) 14...Qc5
15.Qc5
Aha, so that was the idea - to help Black accomplish his dream scenario.
White is strategically worse now. I cannot even attempt to explain why White played like this. I am pretty sure he knew all about the Maroczy structures and how they should be played. The fact that this was a blitz game is irrelevant.
After the shocks from the above decisions it is time for the funny part. White won the game.
P.S. This week’s video is about being practical in the opening. I discuss the current state of theory in two of the most popular Sicilian Defences - the Najdorf and the Sveshnikov. I go over all the lines one must learn and prepare if he/she is to play these variations. Things used to be different in the past, but lately the scales have shifted more in favour of one of them. Check the video and find out which one!