Spanton (1927/168) - Michael Dunkley (1732/152)
French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Bd3 Nc6
This has been tried by aggressive players such as Morozevich and So.
6.0-0 Nge7 7.Re1 0-0 8.c3
Not 8.Bxh7+?? Kxh7 9.Ng5 Kg8 10.Qh5 Bf5.
8...Bf5 9.Nh4!?
This may be a novelty. The idea is to oblige Black, if he wants to exchange off White's 'good' bishop (based on the central pawn-structure), to do so in a way that develops the white queen to a good central square. Another way of trying to accomplish this is 9.Bg5, which is the most popular move in the position, but I rejected it because of 9...f6, when it is not clear White has achieved much.
9...Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Qd7 11.Nd2 Qg4?!
This looks aggressive, but the queen will be driven back with loss of time.
12.Ndf3 h6 13.h3 Qd7
Black loses his queen after 13...Qh5?? g4.
14.Ne5
 |
| Black to decide what to do about the knight on e5 |
*****
*****
*****
*****
14...Bxe5!
The problem with 14...Nxe5 15.dxe5 Bc5 16.Be3 is that White's 4-3 kingside majority could form the basis of a dangerous attack.
15.dxe5 g5!?
Clearly this weakens Black's king, but MD has a specific idea in mind.
16.Nf3 Qf5 17.Qxf5?!
I thought 17.Qb5 left my kingside weak, but Black has no real attack.
17...Nxf5 18.g4 Ng7 19.Nd4?! Nxd4 20.cxd4 Ne6 21.Be3
Now White has two central pawns on the same-coloured squares as the bishop, which is severely restricted, and Black has a fine blockading square for his remaining knight. However, the bishop is not completely toothless as it has pressure against Black's g and h pawns.
21...a5
I felt 21...f6 was more promising for Black, but the text is fine.
22.Kg2 Kg7 23.h4 b6
Preparing ...c5.
24.Rac1?
Playing to stop ...c5, but it does not! Better was 24.Rad1, which prevents ...c5 because of the latent threat to Black's d pawn.
24...a4
Black could have played 24...c5 as 25.dxc5 is met by 25...d4 26.Bd2 bxc5, with a good position for Black.
25.Rh1 Rg8 26.hxg5 hxg5 27.Kg3 Ra5 28.Rhd1 Rb5 29.Rd2 Rh8 30.f4!?
Fighting for the initiative as my position has become very passive.
30...gxf4 31.Bxf4 Rb4 32.Be3 Rb5
This was another good time to play ...c5.
33.Rf1 Rh7
Black has a small edge after 34...Kf8, according to Stockfish10 and Komodo10.
34.Rf6 Rb4?
Again ...Kf8 was best, according to the engines.
35.g5!?
Putting another pawn on a dark square, but menacing Black's kingside. However, possibly even stronger was 35.Rfd2. I missed that 35...Kf8 can be well-met by 36.Bh6, which threatens to win with 37.Rxe6! fxe6 38.Rf8#.
35...Nf8?!
35...Kg8 is probably better, although White has the advantage after 36.Kg4.
36.Rc2
Even stronger is 36.Rdf2 Kg8 37.g6! I missed that 37...Nxg6? fails to 38.e6. That leaves 37...Rg7 38.Rxf7 Rxg6+ 39.Kh4 Ne6 40.Re7 with much the better game for White, according to the engines. One likely line, in what is a sharp position, runs 40...Nxd4 41.Re8+ Kg7 42.Kh5 Re6 43.Rxe6 Nxe6 44.Rf6 Nc5 45.Bh6+ Kg8 46.Rf8+ Kh7 47.Rf7+ Kh8 48.Re7 Rxb2 (not the best, but illustrative of Black's difficulties) 49.Kg6 Rg2+ 50.Bg5 Rxg5+ 51.Kxg5, and White wins the rook-v-knight ending despite being two pawns down.
36...c5! 37.dxc5 d4?
The engines give 37...Re4 as equal.
38.Bd2 d3 39.Rc3?
Stronger is 39.Rc1, threatening to win the exchange, as 39...Rxb2 is met by 40.c6.
39...Rxb2?
Black should have tried 39...bxc5 40.Rxd3 Rxb2, when 41.e6! Nxe6 (not 41...fxe6? 42.Rd8) 42.Bc3 Rc2 43.Rf2+ Rxc3 44.Rxc3 is certainly good for White, but the game is not over.
40.c6 Rxd2
Not much better is 40...Rh8 41.Rxd3 (41.c7 is also strong) Rc2 42.Rdf3 etc.
41.c7 Rdh2 42.c8=Q Ne6 43.Rxf7+ Kxf7 44.g6+ Kxg6 45.Qxe6+ Kg5 1-0
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