Chess world was recently shocked when US champion GM Hikaru Nakamura started his game vs. GM Sashikiran with 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5. He got a good game but eventualy lost. But this queen`s move breaks all known opening axioms, is it possible to play like that at the top level? (Or play like that at all?)
Here's an article from (to me) unkown source:
Nakamura gambled and lost 23/4-2005
Nakamura surprised Sasikiran with what looked suspiciously like an attempt at fool's mate (1.e4 e5 2.Qh5!?, what is this opening called!?). Around move 35, Nakamura compromised himself positionally in an attempt to play for a win (without really spending any time on this decision). A little while later, he sacrificed a pawn without any obvious compensation. Commentator GM Lars Bo Hansen meant that decisions of this type are not to be recommended against strong GMs like Sasikiran. Sometimes you have to accept that your opponent has earned a draw by defending well!? Lars Bo Hansen meant that Nakamura will have to learn this if he wants to be able to match +2750 players in the future. However, Lars Bo also meant that it would be great for chess if Nakamura would establish himself at the very top with his "I want to win all games" attitude. No matter what, the spectators love it and so do the Sigeman organizers.
After many comments and analyses have been made, GM Nakamura decided to speak about this subject himself:
Hello everyone! After so many random comments I feel like explaining why I played 2.Qh5 and what inspired it. So here it goes... The night before I was to play GM Sasikiran in round 7, I decided to connect to the wireless internet from my room in Denmark. After talking randomly with some people Jason Doss suggested that I play 2.Qh5! Although I think Jason was only half-serious at the time I thought it was a practical opening choice and more importantly a surprise. I have analyzed this line thoroughly, and will probably play 2.Qh5 in the future...maybe in Minnesota, who knows? I think that in order for chess to be interesting in the future people need to come up with new ideas and avoid all the computer-prepared variations, which makes chess dull and unexciting as players do not have to exhibit real skill. Anyways in response to what some other Grandmasters have said; I do believe that 2.Qh5 is a playable move, in fact I had a very good position in the game, and was close to winning if I had in fact played 23.e5. Alas, due to my style I went for all or broke and lost the game. I truly believe that one only has one life to live, therefore one must enjoy this world. What does one loss mean in the scheme of life?
I dont know if Hikaru played Qh5 in Minnesota, but he tried that move on WCN only two days after he wrote the above post. Funny enough, he lost again, this time to a player rated 1825. The ISCC event had 30 mins time control and Hikaru was in winning position (2 pawns up), but he lost a game due to few mouse slips (game was played online).
For no doubt, Hikaru's style of playing chess is real refreshment in today`s era of computer analysis and "30 moves of theory" games. This game needs fresh blood and new heroes, and our eyes are focused on Hikaru, among the other young guns.
Event "13th Sigeman & Co"
Date 2005.04.22
White: Nakamura, H. 2657
Black: Sasikiran, K. 2642
1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4 g6 4. Qf3 Nf6 5. Ne2 Bg7 6. Nbc3 d6 7. d3 Bg4 8. Qg3 Qd7 9. f3 Be6 10. Bg5 Nh5 11. Qh4 h6 12. Be3 Na5 13. Bb3 Nxb3 14. axb3 a6 15. d4 Qe7 16. Qf2 exd4 17. Bxd4 Nf6 18. O-O-O O-O-O 19. Nf4 Rhg8 20. Rhe1 Kb8 21. Kb1 g5 22. Nfe2 Rge8 23. g4 Qf8 24. Ng3 Nd7 25. Be3 Qh8 26. Nge2 Be5 27. h4 Qg7 28. Rh1 Nf6 29. Bd4 Nd7 30. Qe3 Qf6 31. hxg5 hxg5 32. Bxe5 Qxe5 33. Rh5 Rg8 34. Nd5 Rde8 35. Qc1 Qg7 36. Ne3 Nf6 37. Rh2 Rh8 38. Rg2 Nd7 39. Nd4 Rh3 40. c4 Qf6 41. Rf2 Reh8 42. b4 Qe5 43. c5 dxc5 44. bxc5 Nxc5 45. Qc3 f6 46. Rc2 Na4 47. Qb4 Bd7 48. Nb3 Rh1 49. Rxh1 Rxh1+ 50. Ka2 Nb6 51. Qf8+ Qe8 52. Qxe8+ Bxe8 53. Nc5 Nd7 54. Nxd7+ Bxd7 55. Kb3 Re1 56. Rc3 Be6+ 57. Kc2 Re2+ 58. Kc1 a5 59. Nc2 Rf2 60. Nd4 Bd7 61. Rc5 b6 62. Rd5 Kc8 63. e5 fxe5 64. Rxe5 c5 65. Nb3 Rf1+ 66. Kd2 a4 67. Nxc5 bxc5 68. Rxc5+ Kb7 69. Rxg5 Rxf3 70. Rd5 Be6 71. Rd3 Rf1 72. Rg3 Rf2+ 73. Kc3 Kb6 74. Kb4 Rf4+ 75. Ka3 Kb5 76. Re3 Bd5 77. Rd3 Bc4 78. Re3 Rd4 79. g5 Rd1 80. b3 axb3 81. Re8 Ra1+ 82. Kb2 Ra2+ 83. Kc3 Rc2+ 84. Kd4 b2 85. Rb8+ Ka4 86. g6 Bb5 87. g7 b1=Q 0-1
Source: Michel Gagne post on WCN Forum.
No comments:
Post a Comment