Polugaevsky Variation
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- This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
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| The Polugaevsky variation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Polugaevsky variation is a chess opening, and a line in the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defence, noted for its sharpness and tactical play and devised by the Soviet International Grandmaster Lev Polugaevsky.
After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6, the Najdorf Variation, White's usual response is 6.Bg5, pinning Black's knight. 6. ... e6 continues development for Black, then White then aims to destroy Black's kingside pawn structure with 7.f4. After this, 7. ... b5 is the defining move of the Polugaevsky Variation (see diagram), launching a counterattack at White's queenside. Also possible is 7...Qb6!? leading the Poisoned Pawn Variation, more popular at master level and also extremely complicated.
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If white continues the attack on the kingside we reach positions which are highly tactical. For example;
8.e5 dxe5 9.fxe5 Qc7! 10.exf6 Qe5+!, where we reach the position as shown in the second diagram, and Black regains the lost piece through the fork on the king. This is the usual line in this variation, and from this point onwards play is extremely tactical, leading to a sharp, dynamic game on both sides.
