The Perenyi variation of the Sicilian Defense is for the brave of heart. I have played it twice in correspondence chess. The first game helped to propel me into the final round of the 10th US Correspondence Chess final round. The other game helped me to win the title.
My database contains about 120 games in this amazing line, a quick piece sacrifice by white with fairly clear positional compensation.
In addition to that collection, I offer today a summary of the line, as well as three games played by Alexei Shirov. It's chess at its best!
1.e4 c5 The Sicilian Defense 2.Nf3 "Knights before Bishops"... because we usually know exactly where the knights are going. 2...d6 Perhaps the most flexible continuation, though I prefer 2...e6 3.d4 The natural follow to Nf3 3...cxd4 exchanging a flank pawn for a central pawn 4.Nxd4 Qxd4 is playable, but the queen is exposed to attack in the center 4...Nf6 Attacking the e4-pawn 5.Nc3 Developing the N to its natural square, defending the e-pawn and eyeing the key d5-square. 5...a6 The Najdorf, played with often the idea of ...e5 because the Nd4 cannot now go to b5 6.Be3 Perhaps the most popular move today. Bg5 was all the rage (thanks to Fischer) in the 1960s and 1970s. 6...e6 7.g4 The Perenyi Attack. At the recent Wijk aan Zee tournament, f3 and Qd2 (the English Attack) was a familiar guest. 7...e5 White appears to be in trouble. The e5-pawn attacks the Nd4 and Black has two attacks (NF6 and Bc8) upon the white g4-pawn. 8.Nf5 Defending the g-pawn by blocking the attack of the Bc8, but of course, black has... 8...g6 and now, if the Nf5 moves, Black will win the white g-pawn. But Perenyi discovered that white gets much compensation by leaving the N on f5! 9.Bg2 [ 9.g5 also playable, and more often played 9...gxf5 10.exf5 And white has obvious compensation since Ng8 f6 leaves three Black pieces "in-the-box."] 9...gxf5 10.exf5 d5 11.Qe2 d4 12.0-0-0 Diagram
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.g4 e5 8.Nf5 g6 9.g5 gxf5 10.exf5 d5 11.Qf3 d4 Forking the Nc3 and Be3. White can delay the loss of a second piece with... 12.0-0-0 Nbd7 re-initializing the threat and developing a piece 13.Bd2 Qc7 [ 13...dxc3 14.Bxc3 Ng8 leaves black dangerously undeveloped.] 14.gxf6 dxc3 15.Bxc3 Qc6 [ 15...Rg8; 15...Bh6+] 16.Qg3 Down a piece, white seeks continued activity 16...Bh6+ 17.Kb1 Bf4 [ 17...Qxh1 18.Bxe5 Qe4 19.Bc7 Bd2 20.Bg2 Qd4 21.Ba5 Qxf6 22.Bxd2 Qxf5 23.Re1++-] 18.Qd3 Rg8 Diagram
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.g4 e5 8.Nf5 g6 9.g5 gxf5 10.exf5 d5 11.Qf3 d4 12.0-0-0 Nbd7 13.Bd2 Qc7 14.gxf6 dxc3 15.Bxc3 Qc6 16.Qg3 Qxh1 Diagram
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 e6 7.g4 e5 8.Nf5 g6 9.g5 gxf5 10.exf5 d5 11.Qf3 d4 12.0-0-0 Nbd7 13.Bd2 Qc7 14.gxf6 dxc3 15.Bxc3 Qc6 16.Qg3 Bh6+ 17.Kb1 Bf4 18.Qd3 0-0 Diagram
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