Race with Delay • Delay vs Renet • Geneva Open • Geneva, Switzerland (1988) • Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Poisoned Pawn Accepted (B97)

This fascinating game was played during the Geneva Open in January 1988, a tournament that frequently gathered the strongest masters from across Europe in the Swiss city.

Olivier Renet, at the time, was one of the rising stars of French chess, holding the title of Grandmaster. He was known for his sharp opening preparation and his proficiency in the Sicilian Defense.

Fabrice Delay, a competitive Swiss master. Facing a grandmaster like Renet in an open tournament, Delay opted for a highly aggressive approach to challenge his opponent’s theoretical knowledge.

The match took place in the heart of winter in Geneva. Renet was the heavy favorite, but in the Sicilian Najdorf, Poisoned Pawn Variation, the “favorite” status often vanishes behind a curtain of extreme tactical complexity. On the eve of such a game, players usually spend hours refining their home analysis, as a single slip in the first 15 moves frequently leads to immediate disaster. Delay decided to “fire” a speculative piece sacrifice on move 13, forcing the game into uncharted territory. This encounter is a quintessential example of why the Poisoned Pawn is feared by both sides.

The game followed the main line of the Najdorf until move 13. White played the shocking 13.Bb5?, a piece sacrifice aimed at disrupting Black’s coordination. While creative, the engine reveals it as an error (13…axb5 leads to a −1.35 advantage for Black).

In the Poisoned Pawn variation, material counts for little compared to the initiative. By playing 14…hxg5!, Olivier Renet makes a profound positional and material decision. He allows Delay to capture his Queen in exchange for a massive amount of minor piece activity and the destruction of White’s coordination.

In this specific structure, the White Queen is “naked.” Without minor pieces to support her, she cannot easily create threats. Meanwhile, Black’s minor pieces (the Bishops and Knights) control the center and the dark squares, creating a “fortress” that is extremely difficult for White to penetrate. The engine evaluates this position as nearly equal (10 or −0.22). This confirms that Renet’s intuition was world-class. After changes, Black has a Bishop, and two Knights against the Queen.

Renet accepted the material and stabilized the position. However, the game remained volatile. After 16…Ra4, Black signaled his intent to use his active Rooks to harass the White King. White’s attempt to stir up trouble with 22.g4?! was met with the accurate 22…g5!, though the engine suggests 22…Ne4+ would have been even more decisive.

The endgame turned into a frantic race. Both players promoted to a second Queen (moves 39-40): White promoted with 40.d8=Q, Black promoted with 40…h1=Q. For a brief moment, the board featured four Queens and two exposed Kings.

The complexity of the position causes several errors by both players in the final phase of the game (37.Dxa6??, 38…h3??), passing from losing to drawing at alternating stages.

The decisive mistake occurred when White played 43.Qc4?, missing a narrow defensive path. Renet seized the opportunity with a lethal Rook and Queen coordination. The Black Rook infiltrated via 43…Ra7 and 44…Ra2+, dragging the White King into a mating net. Delay resigned as checkmate became unavoidable.