Spanton (1837) - Swidbert Dohmes (1735)
Petrov Defence
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.c4!?
I explained the basic thinking behind this move, and the suggested antidotes, in a post earlier this month from Fareham: https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2020/03/an-unusual-line-against-petrov.html
5...Be7
The main alternative to the text is 5...Nc6, when the main line in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database goes 6.Nc3 Nxc3 7.dxc3 Be7 8.Bd3 Bg4 9.Be4 with a position Stockfish10 and Komodo10 reckon is more-or-less equal.
6.d4 0-0 7.Bd3 Nf6
If 7...Ng5, the most popular line runs 8.Nxg5 Bxg5 9.Qh5!? Re8+ 10.Kd1 h6 11.Bxg5 Qxg5 12.Qxg5 hxg5 13.Nc3 with a position favouring White, according to the engines.
8.0-0 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Nc3 Nc6 11.Be3 d5 12.c5!?
Via a slight transposition, we have reached the same position as in my game earlier this month at Fareham. Black then played 12...a6, but I pointed out the engines recommend:
12...Re8
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
13.g4!?
I had forgotten that the engines give 13.a3, but it is possible the text is better.
13...Bg6 14.Bb5 a6?!
It looks strange to spend a tempo to oblige White to make a capture he planned to make anyway, but it is difficult to come up with a fully satisfactory move. The engines suggest 14...Ne4 15.Ne5 Nxe5!?, but after 16.Bxe8 it is hard to believe Black has full compensation for an exchange.
If 14...Rf8?!, then 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Qa4 or 16.Ne5.
15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Ne5 Qb8 17.g5?
Over-elaborate. Simple and good is 17.Nxc6, and if 17...Qxb2, then 18.Qb3 Qxb3 19.axb3, eg 19...Bf8 20.g5 Nh5 21.Nxd5.
17...Bh5?
This hits the queen but leaves the black knight short of usable squares, so very much the lesser evil is 17...Ne4 when, after 18.Nxc6 Qb7 19.Nxe7+ Rxe7 20.Bf4, White is only slightly better, according to the engines.
18.Qc2 Ne4 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Nxc6?!
There is no need to defend the b pawn, so the engines prefer 20.Qxe4, and if 20...Qxb2, then 21.Rfb1, eg 21...Qc3 22.Qxc6 with a large advantage.
20...Qc8 21.Nxe7+ Rxe7 22.Kh2
White is a pawn up, but Black has decent compensation thanks to the white king's exposure and the attacking potential of opposite-coloured bishops.
22...Bf3 23.Rg1 c6
Hoping to use the b8-h2 diagonal, and effectively preventing White playing d4.
24.Bf4 Qf5 25.Bd6 Re6 26.Qd2 Rae8 27.Qf4 Qd5 28.Qe3 Rg6 29.Rg3
Apart from anything else, this threatens Bxf3.
29...Ree6 30.Qb3?!
White keeps a good edge with 30.Bf4, according to the engines.
30...h5
I thought my 30th move forced queens off as White is threatening a back-rank mate. It was only after moving that I saw 30...Rxd6! 31.cxd6 Qxd6, when the engines reckon Black has full compensation for the exchange.
31.Qxd5 cxd5 32.h4
With queens off the board, the white king is no longer in serious danger, and the main feature of the position is White's 3-1 queenside majority.
The game finished:
32...f6 33.gxf6 Rgxf6 34.Be5 Rf7 35.Rc1 Rc6 36.Kg1 Rb7 37.b3 g6 38.Rc2 a5 39.Rb2 Kf7 40.a3 Ra6 41.Kh2 Raa7? 42.c6 Rb5 43.c7 Ra8 44.Rg1 Rc8 45.Rc1 Bg4 46.Rc6 Bd7 47.Rf6+ 1-0
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