Spanton (1837) - Jo Steinschuld (1552)
Bad Wörishofen U2000 Round 6
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.c4!?
I explained some of the pros and cons of this move in https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2020/03/an-unusual-line-against-petrov.html
5...Be7 6.d4 0-0 7.Bd3 Nf6
After 7...Ng5, Stockfish10 gives 8.Nc3 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 with a slight edge to White. Komodo10 gives 8.Bxg5 Bxg5 9.Nxg5 Qxg5 10.0-0, also claiming a slight edge for White. In both cases I guess the advantage is mainly based on White's extra central space.
8.0-0 d5
The engines prefer this to the more-aggressive 8...Bg4.
9.Nc3
In my previous two Petrovs, albeit not in exactly the same position, I met ...d5 by pushing past with c5, but here 9.c5?! can be well-met by 9...b6.
9...dxc4
Marginally more popular in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database is 9...Nc6, although the text has been played by strong GMs.
10.Bxc4 Nbd7!?
This may look slow but it has been tried by attacking players including Ivanchuk.
11.Re1!?
I felt it was not clear where the dark-square bishop should go, but the king's rook almost certainly belongs on e1.
11...Nb6 12.Bd3
Strong players have overwhelmingly preferred 12.Bb3.
12...h6!?
The engines like the text and 12...c6.
13.Ne5!?
A 2205 played Bc2!? in a 1998 game.
13...Be6
Not 13...Qxd4?? 14.Bh7+ etc.
14.Be3
14.Ng6 Re8 15.Nxe7+ Rxe7 is equal, according to the engines. However, Stockfish10 suggests 15.Rxe6!? fxe6 16.Qe2, when Black is the exchange up but his king's position is seriously weakened on the light squares.
14...Nbd5 15.Rc1 c6
Not 15...Nxc3?! 16.bxc3 Bxa2? as the bishop is trapped after 17.c4. Stockfish10 also points out 17.Bxh6!?, eg 17...gxh6 18.Qd2.
16.Bb1 Nxc3?!
This stabilises White's centre without even winning the bishop-pair. Probably better is 16...Nxe3. I intended 17.fxe3 with an unclear position. The engines reckon 17.Rxe3!? Re8 18.Ne2 is also approximately equal.
17.bxc3 Qc7?!
The engines prefer 17...Ba3, eg 18.Rc2 Re8 19.Rce2 Bd6 20.Qc2, when Stockfish10 reckons White has the upper hand, but Komodo10 rates the position as level.
18.Qc2?!
18.Qd2 is difficult to meet.
Stockfish10 gives 18...Ng4 19.Nxg4 Bxg4 20.Bxh6!, which wins a pawn as 20...gxh6? 21.Qxh6 f5 22.Bd3 b5 (to stop Bc4+) 23.Bc2 Rf7 24.Bb3 is a massacre after 24...Bf8 25.Qg6+ Bg7 26.h3!
Komodo10 suggests 18...Ba3, but then 19.Bxh6! Bxc1 20.Qxc1 strongly favours White,
18...Rad8?!
Komodo10's 18...Bd6 is met by 19.g4 with a strong attack.
Stockfish10 gives 18...Rfe8 19.Bf4 Rad8 20.Bg3 Qb6 21.Bh4 g5!? 22.Qd2! Nh7 23.Bg3 with a slight edge for White, although in practice the position would be very tricky for Black to play.
19.Bf4 Qa5?
This loses. I expected 19...Bd6, when I intended 20.c4 with promising play.
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| White to play and win |
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20.Nxf7!
Also strong is 20.Ng6, but the text is best.
20...Bxf7
20...Rxf7 21.Rxe6 is hardly an improvement.
Also very bad is 20...Kxf7 21.Qg6+ Kg8 22.Bxh6 Rf7 23.Rxe6.
21.Rxe7 1-0
Black's resignation may seem premature, but White's threats include 22.Bc7. If the fork is stopped by 21...b6, then 22.Be5 is devastating.
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