Spanton (170) - Jonathan Rubeck (166)
Scandinavian
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Bd2 Qc7
Black can grab a pawn after 5...Qb6, but he rarely does.
6.Bc4
Kasparov played 6.Bd3 in a 1998 simul.
6...Nf6 7.Nf3 Bf5
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| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
8.0-0
This popular move is strongly disliked by the analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10, who prefer the unpopular 8.Nh4!?
8...e6 9.Re1 Bd6 10.Qe2 0-0
Again Black can grab a pawn, but on 10...Bxc2?! I was seriously considering 11.Bxe6!? Other moves, including 11.Bg5, also give White plenty of compensation for a pawn.
11.Bg5 Nbd7 12.Rad1 Rae8 13.Bxf6!?
Giving up the bishop-pair to prevent ...e5 (or weaken the black king's position in the event of 13...gxf6).
13...Nxf6 14.Ne5?!
More prudent is 14.h3.
14...Nd5 15.h3
White cannot capture on d5 because the reply ...exd5 pins the white knight. Perhaps best is 15.Bb3, but 15...Nxc3 16.bxc3 leaves Black with the better game. Another reasonable option is the retreat 15.Nf3.
15...Nxc3 16.bxc3 Bxe5 17.dxe5
White loses a pawn after 17.Qxe5!? Qxe5 18.dxe5 Bxc2, although 19.Rd7 gives some compensation.
17...Rd8 18.g4 Bg6 19.h4?!
19.f4 makes more sense, but advancing pawns in front of the king while queens remain on the board is usually double-edged at best, especially when the centre is not closed.
19...h6 20.h5 Bh7 21.Bd3 Qe7 22.Qe3 b6?!
Objectively a mistake, but it works out well for Black.
23.Bxh7+ Kxh7 24.Qe4+ Kg8 25.Qxc6?
Much better is 25.Rxd8 as it prevents Black's next.
25...Rc8 26.Qd6?
26.Qe4 Rxc3 27.Re3 gives defensive chances.
26...Qh4 27.Qd4 b5!?
Threatening ...Rc4.
28.Qxa7?
The engines give 28.Qf4 Rxc3 29.Re2, when Black has multiple pleasant continuations, and White's multiple weaknesses must be fatal.
The game finished:
28...Qxg4+ 29.Kf1 Rxc3 30.Qd4 Qh3+ 31.Kg1 Rc4 32.Rd3 Qxh5 33.Qe3 Rxc2 34.Rd2 Rfc8 35.Rde2 R2c4 36.f3 Rh4 37.Rg2 Rh1+ 38.Kf2 Rc2+ 39.Re2 Qh4+ 40.Rg3 Rh2+ 0-1
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