John F Wheeler (169) - Spanton (170)
QGD Dutch Gambit
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c5!?
A sharp variation tried by Steinitz, Keres, Geller, Polugaevsky and other grandmasters. It was a favourite of many top British players in the 1950s.
5.cxd5 cxd4
The line with 4...c5!? is often referred to as the Dutch-Peruvian Gambit, but strictly speaking, I believe, the text is the Dutch Gambit, while 5...Qb6, pioneered by Esteban Canal, is the Peruvian Gambit.
6.Qxd4
For 6.Qa4+!?, and the main line after 6.Qxd4, see https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/11/game-of-missed-chances.html
6...Be7 7.Nf3
Second in popularity to 7.e4.
7...exd5 8.e3 Nc6 9.Qa4 0-0 10.Be2
Part of the reason the bishop goes here, rather than d3, is so White can put pressure down the d file against Black's isolani. But also, if the bishop went to d3, it could be biffed by a black knight going to b4 or possibly e5.
10...Be6 11.0-0 Qb6 12.Qb5
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| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
12...Rfd8?!
A novelty, it seems, and almost certainly not a good one. If Black really wants to allow White to give him doubled isolanis, the king's rook should surely go to the open c file, rather than passively defend d5. However it is doubtful if Black can afford this, which is presumably why 12...Qxb5 13.Nxb5 h6 was played in Loek van Wely (2688) - Romain Édouard (2664), EU Cup (Eilat, Israel) 2012, which was drawn in 37 moves.
13.Qxb6 axb6 14.Rfd1
Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer 14.Nb5 Rdc8 15.a3 with a slight edge for White.
14...Ne4?!
The engines give 14...h6 15.Bf4 Ne4!?, when they reckon 16.Bc7 Rdc8 17.Bxb6 Bf6 gives Black good compensation for a pawn. If 15.Bh4, the engines give 15...g5 16.Bg3 Ne4 17.Bc7 Rdc8 18.Bxb6 Bf6, when they again reckon Black's piece-activity gives good compensation.
15.Bxe7 Nxe7
I rejected 15...Nxc3 because of 16.Bxd8 Nxd1 17.Bxb6?! Nxb2, but the engines reckon this is equal. Instead they give 17.Rxd1 Rxd8 18.a3, with a slight edge for White thanks to his better bishop and pawn-structure.
16.Nb5 Rdc8 17.Nfd4 Bd7 18.a3 Bxb5!?
Swopping off Black's bad bishop is probably the right strategy, but White remains better.
19.Bxb5 Rc5 20.Bd3 Rac8?!
Black's position is so fragile that this natural-looking move is probably a mistake. The engines suggest something along the lines of 20...Nd6 21.Ne2!? g6 22.Nc3, with White having the upper hand.
21.Kf1
White remains better after this, but the simple 21.b4 seems stronger, eg 21...Rc3 22.Nb5, when the engines reckon best is the uncoordinating 22...Rb3, as 22...R3c6? allows a fork on a7.
21...Kf8 22.Nb5 Nf6??
The engines give 22...Ra8, but White is on top.
23.b4
Black loses the exchange. The game finished:
23...Rc4 24.Bxc4 dxc4 25.Rac1 Nf5 26.Nd6 Nxd6 27.Rxd6 c3 28.Rxb6 Ne4 29.Rxb7 Nd2+ 30.Ke2 Nb3 31.Rc2 Na1 32.Kd1!? (White is still winning after this, but JW said afterwards his first reaction to my next move was that he was getting mated) 32...Rd8+ 33.Kc1 Nb3+ 34.Kb1 Rd1+ 35.Ka2 Nc1+ 36.Rxc1 Rxc1 37.Rc7 Rc2+ 38.Kb3 Rxf2 39.a4 Rxg2 40.a5 Ke8 41.a6 Rb2+ 42.Kxc3 Ra2 43.b5 g5 44.a7 1-0
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