Toby Cox (1690/164) - Spanton (1854/168)
Sicilian Morra Gambit Declined
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 g6 4.Nf3
The main line goes 4.cxd4 d5, when White usually chooses between 5.exd5 and 5.e5.
4...Bg7 5.Bc4 e6 6.Qe2!?
A very rare move. The idea, presumably, is to prevent ...d5, but it does not achieve this.
6...Ne7 7.0-0 Nbc6 8.Bg5?!
This too does not prevent ...d5, and meanwhile the bishop is a target.
8...h6
Already possible is ...d5, but putting the question to the bishop first seems sensible.
9.Bf4
On 9.Bh4, Stockfish10 and Komodo10 like 9...g5 10.Bg3 d5.
9...d5 10.exd5 Nxd5
Maybe even stronger is 10...exd5, but the text is good enough for a pleasant advantage.
11.Be5?!
Stockfish10 and Komodo10 give 11.Bxd5 Qxd5 12.Rd1, but prefer Black.
11...Nxe5 12.Nxe5 0-0
I rejected 12...Nf4 because of 13.Qe4, but I should have looked further as Black has 13...Nxg2! (13...Qh4!? may also be good), and if 14.Bb5+, then 14...Kf8. Also probably good is 12...dxc3!? 13.Bb5+ Kf8 14.Nxc3, although giving up castling rights for the sake of a pawn is double-edged.
13.cxd4 Nb6 14.Nf3
14.Rd1 Nxc4 15.Nxc4 (15.Qxc4?? Bxe5) b6 is good for Black, and if 16.Qe4, then simply 16...Rb8 and ...Bb7.
14...Nxc4 15.Qxc4
Black has the bishop-pair on a fairly open board, and White has a weak d pawn. Stockfish10 reckons Black is winning, but Komodo10's verdict of 'only' having the upper hand seems more realistic.
15...Bd7 16.Nc3 Rc8 17.Qe2 Bc6 18.Rfd1 Qa5
I rejected the engines' choice 18...Qb6 because of 19.d5, but 19...exd5 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.Rxd5 Rfe8 is strong for Black.
19.Rd3?!
Lining up rook and queen on the same diagonal is often unwise when the opponent has the bishop-pair.
19...b5 20.Ne4
Stockfish10's choice. Komodo10 prefers 20.d5 b4 21.dxc6 bxc3 22.bxc3 Rxc6, but with a clear advantage for Black.
20...Bxe4
This is fine for a continued advantage, but 20...b4 was consistent and good. Also natural was 20...Rfd8.
21.Qxe4 Rc2 22.Ra3 Qc7 23.Rxa7 Rc1+ 24.Rxc1 Qxc1+ 25.Qe1 Qxb2
The engines prefer 25...Rc8 on the basis that the b2 pawn cannot be saved as 26.b3 Bxd4 is hopeless for White.
26.h3 Rc8?
Forgetting that Black also has king-safety issues. Simple and good was 26...Bxd4.
27.Qe4 Qc1+ 28.Kh2 Qc6 29.Qf4 f6?
29...f5 holds as 30.Ne5 can be met by 30...Qb6 with ...g5 to follow.
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| How does White get a large advantage? |
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30.Ne5! Qe8
30...fxe5?? 31.Qf7+ Kh8 32.Qxg7#.
31.Ng4 Qf8!?
Probably objectively better was 31...Ra8 eg 32.Nxf6+ Bxf6 33.Rxa8 Qxa8 34.Qxf6 Qe8, but White is winning.
32.Qe4 Qe8 33.Qb7 Qf8 34.Nxh6+!
The engines prefer this to 34.Nxf6+, which is completely winning for White after 34...Qxf6?35.Qxc8+ Kh7 36.Qc7, but 34...Kh8 keeps the game going.
34...Kh8 35.Ng4
35.Qd7 leaves Black almost in zugzwang. The engines also point out 35.Nf7+ Kg8 36.Qxb5.
35...Rd8 36.g3 b4
36...Rxd4 is met by 37.Qxb5.
37.Qb6
The engines reckon White can give up the d pawn by 37.Ne3!? Rxd4, when Stockfish10 continues 38.h4 f5 39.Ng2 e5 40.h5! gxh5 41.Nh4 with numerous threats to the drafty black king.
7...Qd6 38.Qb7 Qf8 39.Qb6?
This was the last chance for 39.Ne3, or some other move, as now Black gets his pawn back with an equal position.
39...Qd6 40.Qxd6 Rxd6 41.Rb7 Rxd4 42.Kg2 f5 43.Ne3 Re4 44.Kf3 Kg8 45.Ke2 Bc3 46.Rd7 Kf8 47.Kf3 Ke8 48.Rd1 Ke7
Rook and bishop usually work better together than rook and knight, but here that is balanced by the vulnerability of the b pawn.
49.Ke2 Re5 50.Rc1 Ra5 51.Rc2 g5 52.Nd1 Be5 53.Ne3 Ra8 54.Kd3 Bc3 55.Re2 Kf6 56.Kc4 Rd8
56...Rc8+ 57.Kb3 Rh8 58.Nc2 Rxh3 59.Nxb4 Be5 holds the balance more easily.
57.Nc2 Rh8?
57...Rc8+ 58.Kb3 Be5 59.Nxb4 Rc3+ 60.Ka4 f4 61.gxf4 gxf4 62.h4 is equal, according to the engines, but looks easier for White to play.
58.Nxb4 Bxb4 59.Kxb4 Rxh3?
59...Rb8+ 60.Kc3 Ra8 holds, according to the engines.
60.a4
White gets his rook behind his passed pawn, giving him excellent winning chances.
60...Rh1 61.Ra2 Rb1+ 62.Kc3 Ke5 63.a5 Kd5 64.a6 Rb8 65.a7 Ra8 66.Ra5+?
Wrong technique. The rook is ideally placed defending White's kingside while supporting his passer. Correct therefore was 66.Kb4, eg 66...Kc6, and now 67.Ra6+ as 67...Kd5, trying to attack the kingside, is by now hopeless.
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| How should Black respond to White's mistake? |
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66...Kd6??
Poor. Black had to try 66...Ke4, when 67.Ra2 gives Black very good drawing chances with 67...e5 or 67...g4.
The engines give 67.f4 g4 (67...gxf4 68.Ra4+ Kf3 69.gxf4 and the white rook is again ideally placed, defending the kingside while supporting White's passer.) 68.Kc4 e5 (68...Kf3 69.Ra3+) 69.fxe5 (69.Rxe5+? Kf3=) f4 70.e6 fxg3 71.e7 g2 72.Ra1 Kf3 73.Kd5 Kf2 74.Kc6 g1Q 75.Rxg1 Kxg1 76.Kb7 Re8 77.a8Q Rxe7+. The engines reckon White wins with 78.Kc6, but the Nalimov endgame tablebase shows the position is drawn.
The game finished:
67.Kd4 g4 68.Ra6+ Ke7 69.Ke5 Kf7 70.Kd6 Kf6 71.Kd7 f4 72.gxf4 Kf5 73.Ra4 e5 74.fxe5 Kxe5 75.Kc7 1-0
MK Phoenix 2 won the match 4.5-1.5.
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