Spanton (168) - John Mackinnon (176)
Sicilian Closed
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 e6 4.g3 d6 5.Bg2 a6 6.0-0 Rb8
The immediate 6...b5 is possible.
7.a4
This does not stop ...b5 but it means the white queen's rook will get an open file if ...b5 is played.
7...b5
Both games to reach this position in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database featured 7...Be7.
8.axb5 axb5 9.d3 b4 10.Nb1 g6?!
It is often a doubtful idea to combine ...e6 and ...g6 in Sicilian positions that can still be opened up. Stockfish10 and Komodo10 recommend 10...e5, but this does give White the useful pawn lever f4.
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| White to make his 11th move |
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*****
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11.d4! cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd7 13.Be3
On 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Qd4, the engines give 14...e5!?, albeit slightly preferring White.
13...Bg7 14.Nxc6
The engines suggest 14.Nb3!?, and if 14...Bxb2, then 15.Ra2 Bf6!? 16.N1d2!?, disdaining capturing the d pawn, at least for the moment. White leads in development, and Black's position looks disjointed.
14...Bxc6 15.Bd4 e5!? 16.Be3 Nf6 17.Bg5
17.f3? allows 17...d5, after which Black has no more problems.
17...Qc7 18.Bxf6?!
Probably premature. Getting on with development by 18.Nd2 seems natural as 18...d5? simply drops a pawn to 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.exd5.
18...Bxf6 19.Nd2 0-0 20.Re1 Rfd8 21.Nc4!?
Stockfish10's choice, but it involves a pawn sacrifice.
21...Bxe4 22.Bxe4 Qxc4 23.Ra7??
I had planned 23.Bd5, but somehow thought I could get the rook to an aggressive square and then play Bd5. The engines like 23.Qf3 Kg7 24.Red1, although preferring Black.
23...d5
Black is winning.
24.Qf3 Kg7 25.Bd3 Qc5 26.Ra6 Rb6 27.Qe3
This avoids immediately losing a second pawn.
27...Qxe3 28.fxe3!?
The engines' choice, albeit by a small margin. My idea was that the pawn on e3 would make it more difficult for Black to mobilise his central pawns.
28...Rxa6 29.Bxa6 Rd7 30.Bb5 Rc7 31.Ba4
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| Black to make his 31st move |
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31...e4!
A strong move. White's dark-square pawns prove more vulnerable than Black's light-square ones.
32.Rd1 Bxb2 33.Rxd5 Bc1 34.Rd7?
This hastens the end as the bishop-and-pawn ending is lost for White. However the engines' 34.Kf2 Rc3 35.Rd7 Bxe3+ 36.Kg2 is not a lot better as Black can easily defend f7, eg 36...Bc5 37.Bb3 Rf3.
34...Bxe3+ 35.Kf1 Rxd7 36.Bxd7
The game finished:
36...f5 37.Ke2 Bd4 38.g4 Kf6 39.gxf5 gxf5 40.Kf1 Ke5 41.h4 h6 42.Kg2 f4 43.Bc8 Bc3 44.Kf2 f3 45.h5 Kf4 46.Ba6 e3+ 0-1
My updated Battersea statistics for 2019-20
Event*..Colour...Grade...Opponent's Grade...Result
CLL..…...B....…..168...………169...……….....W
CLL...…..B...…...168...………196...…………..D
CLL...…..W...…..168...………176...…………..L
LL....……W...…..168...…....…175...………….D
CLL...…..B...…...168...………192...…………..D
CLL...…..W...…..168...………181...…………..L
LL...…….W...…..168...………168...…………..L
EC...…….B...…..168...………175...……….….L
CLL...…...B.........168...………170...…………..L
LL...…….W...…..168...………193...…………..D
LL............W.........168...............176.....................L
Overall this season for Battersea I have scored +1=4-6 for a grading performance of 156.
In season 2018-19 I scored +12=12-13 for a grading performance of 169.
In season 2017-18 I scored +10=8-9 for a grading performance of 175.
*CLL: Central London League; LL: London League; EC: Eastman Cup.
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