Much less popular is 4.Nf3, which rules out f3 as a response to ...Bf5.
Black does now normally play 4...Bf5, one point being that 5.f3, intending a later e4, will be less effective when White has already spent a tempo on e3.
Christophe Philippe (IM 2380) - Frederik Fries (2297)
Oberliga South West 2017-18
5.Bd3
First essayed, it seems, by Alekhine in a 1933 simul.
As when Black plays ...Bd6 to confront White's dark-square bishop, so here Black has three main choices, which are, in increasing popularity in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database: 5...e6, 5...Bg6 and the game's …
5...Bxd3
Now White has a choice. 6.Qxd3, which gives White a lead in development, is most popular, but Black is very solid after 6...e6.
6.cxd3!?
This scores much better than 6.Qxd3.
6...e6 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.0-0 Be7
8...Nh5!? was seen in Yusup Atabayef (IM 2473) - Alexey Dreef (GM 2652), World Rapid Championship (Doha, Qatar) 2016, which continued 9.Bg3 Nxg3 10.hxg3 Bb4 11.Qb3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Rb8 13.c4 with a slight edge for White (½–½, 37 moves).
Philippe - Fries reached the position after 8...Be7 by the move-order 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c6 3.Bf4 Bf5 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.cxd3 Nf6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Nc3 Nbd7.
9.Ne5 0-0
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| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
This position has been reached 10 times in Mega20, with nine different moves being tried.
White has a central pawn-majority, and may hope to advance there to create prospects of a kingside attack. Alternatively he can think about a Minority Attack on the queenside.
Black is very solid, but must create counterplay - he cannot just sit tight and give White time to optimally organise his forces.
This game features the strongest players to reach this position in Mega20, and Philippe's continuation is particularly interesting.
10.Bg5!?
Perhaps thinking of gaining kingside space with f4, which would also open a way for the white rooks to join a kingside attack.
10...Ne8 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Qb3
The exchange of bishops has lessened the chances of a successful outcome on the kingside, so White switches to the queenside.
12...Nd6 13.a4 a5 14.f4?!
White plays f4 after all, but it is doubtful if his position can stand such expansion. The analysis
engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer a more prosaic approach, such as 14.Nxd7 Qxd7, followed by manoeuvring, for example 15.Nb1!? Rb8 16.Nd2 with equal chances.
14...f6
The engines reckon White is overstretched after 14...Nxe5!?, eg 15.fxe5 Nf5 or 15.dxe5 Nf5, in both cases with annoying pressure against e3, and the prospect of the knight jumping into d4 if the e3 pawn moves.
15.Nxd7 Qxd7 16.e4
This is the difference - White is able to mobilise his central pawns.
16...dxe4 17.dxe4 f5 18.d5!? exd5 19.exd5
19.e5? is comfortably met by 19...Ne4.
19...c5?
Better is a move such as 19...Kh8, rather than allowing the d pawn to become a base for actions on the e file.
20.Rae1
Black's weak squares on the e file afford White a way into his position.
20...Rae8 21.Re5 Nf7
The knight was on a good blockading square, but it is difficult to come up with a better suggestion for Black.
22.Rfe1!?
Simple and good is 22.Re6, but the text grows on the engines the longer they are given to consider it..
22...Nxe5 23.fxe5 f4
The only good move, according to the engines.
24.e6 Qd8
24...Qd6? 25.Nb5 helps White.
25.Ne4 Qh4
Equal, according to Komdo10, but Stockfish10 reckons White has a won game. Give them long enough, and Stockfish10 sticks to its guns, but Komodo10 comes to favour White.
26.Rf1 Qg4
Komodo10 suggests sacrificing the f pawn by 26...f3!? 27.gxf3 Qh3 with a position hard to assess. The engines come up with various lines - Stockfish10 much preferring White, but Komodo10 giving Black excellent equalising chances.
27.Qf3 Qg6 28.h3 b6 29.Kh1
White calmly consolidates, apparently confident his central passed pawns at least fully compensate for the exchange, so there is no need to rush.
29...h6 30.b3 Kh7 31.Re1 Re7 32.Nd2 Rf5 33.Qe4 Rf6 34.Nc4 Qxe4 35.Rxe4 Kg6 36.Kg1
Black has been unable to organise restraining pressure on the black passers, let alone blockade them, and White has a choice of ways to win, eg 36.d6 Rexe6 37.d7 Rd6 38.Nxd6 Rxd6 39.Re6+! Rxe6 40.d8=Q, but the text is even more sure.
36...Kf5 37.Re5+ Kg6 38.Kf2 Rb7
Black at last succumbs to the urge to protect the b6 pawn, but the game ends immediately.
39.e7 1-0
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