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| Roadside death announcements are commonplace |
England 3 v Maccabi Matnas Kiryat Yam
Spanton (2003) - Boris Fainberg (2066)
Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6
This is a popular alternative to the mainline 4.0-0.
4...bxc6 5.d3 d5!?
This is the top choice of Dragon1 for quite some time, although it eventually comes to equally like the commonest continuation, 5...Ne7. Stockfish18 likes the latter, and 5...Qc7.
6.0-0 Nf6
The engines prefer 5...Ne7.
7.e5 Nd7 8.Re1 Be7 9.c4 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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As usual in variations of the Rosolimo with Bxc6, White's better pawn-structure is up against Black's bishop-pair. In this particular line, it may be that White's kingside space advantage, conferred by the pawn on e5, is what makes the engines give White a slight edge.
10.Nc3 Rb8 11.b3 f6
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| How should Black's attack on the white centre be met? |
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12.Bb2?!
Apparently a novelty, and one that is strongly disliked by the engines. They suggest the known 12.exf6, or another apparent-novelty in 12.Bf4. After 12.exf6, the engines' main line runs 12...Bxf6 13.Bb2 Qe8 14.Rc1!?, claiming at least a slight edge for White. After the super-sharp 12.Bf4, their main line more-or-less runs 12...fxe5 13.Nxe5!? Rxf4 14.Nxc6 Qf8 15.Rxe6 Bf6 16.Nxd5!? Rxf2!? 17.Nxf6+ Rxf6 18.Rxf6 Qxf6 19.Nxb8 Nxb8, after which White has rook and two pawns for bishop and knight. That gives White at least a slight edge, according to the engines, but there are many sharp alternatives along the way.
12...Nxe5!?
The engines slightly prefer 12...fxe5.
13.Nxe5 fxe5 14.Rxe5?!
The engines award White a slight edge after 14.Na4!
14...Bd6
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| What should White play? |
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15.Re1??
Better rook moves are 15.Re2 and 15.Rh5, but the engines suggest offering the exchange with 15.Na4!?, when 15...Bxe5 16.Bxe5 Rb7 17.Qe2 seems to give White good compensation. Instead, the engines reckon closing the long dark diagonal with 15...d4 is one of several moves giving Black the upper hand.
15...Bxh2+! 16.Kxh2
Declining the bishop is even worse.
16...Qh4+ 17.Kg1 Qxf2+ 18.Kh1 Rf4 19.Qh5
The only move that sort of keeps the game going.
19...Rh4+ 20.Qxh4 Qxh4+ 21.Kg1 Qd4+ 22.Kh1 Rb7
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| Black has queen and two pawns for rook and knight, and much the safer king, adding up to an advantage worth more than a rook, according to the engines |
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23.Rf1!?
This is the engines' top choice - there is little point in trying to defend the d3 pawn.
23...Qxd3 24.cxd5 exd5 25.Rf3 Qc2 26.Raf1
Developing the rook is possible, thanks to the threat of mate at f8.
26...h6 27.Ba3 Rc7 28.Nb5 Rc6!? 29.Nxa7 Ra6 30.R3f2 Qe4
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| Black's advantage is now worth a little more than a rook, according to Stockfish18, and more than a rook and a pawn, according to Dragon1 |
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31.Bxc5 Bb7 32.b4 e5 33.Nb5 Rg6
Black is still winning comfortably after this, according to the engines, but they prefer 33...d4 or 33...Qg6.
34.Nd6 Qh4+ 35.Kg1 Ba6?!
Again, Black is still winning after this, according to the engines, but they reckon stronger are 35...Rg5 and 35...Rxd6!?
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| After 35...Ba6?!, how should White proceed? |
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36.Nf5
Not 36.b5? Bxb5 37.Nxb5 Qc4.
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| How should Black respond? |
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36...Qg4?
Best seems to be 36...Qe4 37.Ne7+ Kh7 38.Nxg6 Kxg6 39.Rd1 d4, which is winning for Black, according to the engines. They also quite like 36...Qg5.
37.Ne7+ Kh7 38.Nxg6 Kxg6
Dragon1 suggests 38...Bxf1!?, but 39.Nf8+ Kg8 40.Rxf1 gives equal chances, according to Stockfish18.
39.Re1 Qe6 40.Bd4! e4 |
| Black's connected passers are blockaded, leaving the game completely equal, according to the engines |
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41.a4 Bc4?!
The engines suggest 41...Qe7 or 41...Qd6, when 42.b5?? loses to 42...Qb4 (hitting a rook as well as the white bishop), so best may be 42.Re3!?, the point being 42...Qxb4 can be met by 43.Rg3+ Kh5 (forced) 44.Bc3!?, a possible finish being 44...Qb1+ 45.Kh2 Qb6 46.Rh3+ Kg4 47.Rg3+ Kh5 48.Rh3+ etc.
42.b5 h5?
Black had to play 42...Qg4!?, according to Stockfish18, eg 43.b6 Ba6 44.a5 h5!? 45.Rb2 e3!? 46.Bxe3 d4 47.Bc1 d3 48.Rf2 h4 49.Bd2 h3 50.Re3 Qd1+ 51.Kh2 hxg2 52.Rg3+ Kh7 53.Rfxg2 Qa1, after which it seems neither side can make progress. This is another tricky line, and one which Dragon1 misassesses until after 45.Rb2 is inputted.
43.b6?
Much stronger is 43.Rb2, eg 43...Qd7 44.a5!? Bxb5 45.a6 Bc6 46.Rb8!? (threatening Rg8 and Rxg7, as well as threatening to promote the a pawn) Kh7 (there is nothing better, according to the engines) 47.a7 etc.
43...Ba6 44.Rb2 Qc6??
The engines point out that both 44...Qc8 and 44...Qd7 draw.
45.b7 1-0
TEAM RESULT
| Bo. | 13 | England 3 | Rtg | - | 12 | Maccabi Matnas Kiryat Yam | Rtg | 3 : 1 |
|---|
| 7.1 | | | 2003 | - | | | 2066 | 1 - 0 |
| 7.2 | | | 1950 | - | | | 1958 | 0 - 1 |
| 7.3 | | | 1921 | - | | | 1873 | 1 - 0 |
| 7.4 | | | 1903 | - | | | 1938 | 1 - 0 |
