Six moves on the trot with the same piece in an ending is probably not all that remarkable, although I cannot think of an example off the top of my head.
But six moves in the opening (I am taking the opening as continuing until one player has castled and cleared the back rank of minor pieces and the queen) is another matter.
Unfortunately I have been unable to find anything relevant on the internet.
Stephen Berkley (1391/121) - Spanton (1840/170)
Albin Countergambit
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.g3
Still the main line, although 5.a3 is fast catching up despite not doing as well percentage-wise, at least in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
5...Nge7 6.Bg2 Ng6 7.0-0 Ngxe5 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.b3 Be7
So far the game has followed what could easily be considered the modern mainline, but here the most-popular move is 9...Bc5.
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| White to start a knight tour |
*****
*****
*****
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10.Nd2
The first of six consecutive moves with this piece. Much more popular is 10.Bb2.
10...c5 11.Nf3
Komodo10's top choice.
11...Nc6 12.Ne1
The second choice, marginally behind 12.e3, of Komodo10 and Stockfish10.
12...0-0 13.Nd3
A great blockading square for the knight, so not surprisingly this is also the engines' pick.
13...Bd7 14.Nf4
Heading for d5. Stockfish10 is not keen on this move, but Komodo10 raises no objections.
14...Rc8 15.Nd5 b6
I partly played this, rather than, for example, 15...Bd6, in the hope White would reply 16.Nxe7+, making it seven consecutive moves with the same piece.
16.e3 Re8 17.exd4 Nxd4 18.Be3 Nf5 19.Bf4 Bd6 20.Bxd6 Nxd6 21.Re1 Nf5 22.Qd2 Nd4 23.Rxe8+ Qxe8 24.Qg5
I had not anticipated this, but luckily there is an answer.
24...Kf8 25.Qh4 Bf5
The engines' 25...Qe5 centralises the queen and gives Black a small edge.
26.Rd1 h6 27.Ne3 Bg6 28.Rd2 Nf5 29.Qf4 Nxe3 30.Qd6+?!
30.fxe3 is fine for White, according to the engines.
30...Kg8 31.Re2 Qd8 32.Qxd8+ Rxd8 33.fxe3
Black has a small edge, but White has good drawing chances and it may well be the game should be drawn with correct play.
But not 33.Rxe3? Rd1+ 34.Bf1 Ra1.
33...Bh5 34.Rf2?!
The rook needs to stay on White's second rank, but it should not obstruct the white king.
34...Rd1+ 35.Rf1 Rd3 36.e4 f6?
36...Bg6 is obviously strong.
37.e5!
The very move ...f6 was aimed at preventing!
37...Kf7
The engines prefer 37...Be2 38.Rf5 Rd1+ 39.Kf2 Bg4 40.Rf4 Rd2+ 41.Kg1 Be6 42.exf6 Rxa2 with roughly even chances.
38.Bd5+ Ke7 39.exf6+ gxf6 40.Re1+ Kd8 41.Re6 Rd1+ 42.Kf2 Rd2+ 43.Kg1 Rxa2?!
I probably should have settled for a draw by repetition, but was influenced by how I had been slightly better and was playing someone much-lower rated.
44.Rxf6 Bd1 45.Rxh6 Bxb3 46.g4 Re2?
Black cannot stop White's kingside pawns, so should go for 46...Rc2 47.g5 Bxc4 48.Bxc4 Rxc4 49.Kf2 Rg4 50.h4 Ke7 with an even position, according to the engines.
47.g5
Black is lost. The game finished:
47...Bc2 48.h4 Re7 49.h5 Rg7 50.g6 a5 51.Bf7 Ke7 52.Rh8 a4 53.Rb8 a3 54.Rxb6 a2 55.Ra6 Bb1 56.h6 Rxf7 57.Ra7+ Ke8 58.gxf7+ Kf8 59.Rxa2 Kxf7 60.Ra5 Kg6 61.Rxc5 Kxh6 62.Re5 Kg6 63.c5 Kf6 64.Re3 Bf5 65.c6 Be6 66.c7 Bd7 67.Kf2 Kf7 68.Ke1 1-0
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