I WAS upfloated against a player on 2pts.
Spanton (1831) - Željko Bjeletić (1564)
34th Belgrade Trophy International Round 7
1.Nc3
1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 Bf5 3.e3!?
Not exactly dynamic. More popular are 3.f3, 3.Bf4, 3.Bg5!? and 3.Nf3.
3...Nf6 4.Bd3 Bg6 5.Nf3 e6 6.Ne5 a6!?
This apparent novelty - the move is not in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database - is the choice of the analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01.
7.0-0 c5 8.b3 Nc6 9.Bb2 Be7 10.f4?!
Probably over-ambitious. Stockfish12 reckons White has a slight edge after 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.dxc5!? Bxc5 12.Na4, although Komodo11.01 has Black close to equality.
10...Bxd3
Even better, according to the engines, is increasing the pressure on the queenside with 10...Rc8.
11.Qxd3 cxd4 12.exd4 Nb4?!
This lets White off the hook as there is no real follow-up. Better is 12...Rc8.
13.Qe2 0-0 14.a3?!
The knight is not much of a danger on b4 as Black cannot seriously threaten c2 or a2. Therefore the text spends a tempo to drive the knight to arguably a better square, while at the same time weakening White's queenside. The engines reckon 14.f5 is viable, with a roughly equal game.
14...Nc6 15.Rad1 Rc8 16.Kh1 Re8 17.g4!?
The engines quite like this - it is their first or second choice, depending on how much time they are given - but the position seems unclear, as is often the case when players are operating on opposite sides of the board.
17...Bf8 18.g5 Nd7 19.Qh5 g6 20.Qg4 Ne7 21.Rd2 Nf5
The knight threatens a fork at e3, but more importantly makes it difficult for White to build up on the kingside.
22.Rf3 Nxe5 23.fxe5 b5
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| Position after 23...b5 - who stands better, and by how much? |
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The engines reckon Black is positionally winning (Stockfish12) or at least has the upper hand (Komodo11.01). In particular note that all the black pawns are on light squares while most of the white pawns are on dark squares, so no prizes for guessing which bishop is more useful. Black also has the better knight and pressure down the half-open c file. The only question is whether White can generate mating threats on the kingside.
24.Rdf2 b4 25.axb4 Bxb4 26.Nd1 Qe7?!
The engines much prefer 26...Qa5, presumably believing Black's king is in no danger.
27.Qf4 Rc7 28.c3!?
Another white pawn moves to a dark square, but this may be the best way to relieve the c-file pressure.
28...Ba5?!
I was more worried about 28...Ba3, when the engines continue 29.b4 Bxb2 30.Rxb2 a5 with a large advantage for Black. I was strongly considering 29.Ba1?! but the engines give 29...Rb8, and if 30.b4?! then 30...a5 is very strong as the white back-rank is so weak.
29.Rf1?!
Hoping to get in Nf2-g4-f6+, but it is almost certainly too slow. Instead 29.b4 seems to be equal.
29...Rec8 30.b4 Bb6 31.Ne3
Black seems to be holding after 31.Nf2?! a5 32.Ng4 axb4 33.Nf6+ Kg7, eg 34.Rh3 h5 35.gxh6+ Kh8, when the black king is safe but White's queenside is collapsing.
31...a5 32.Nxf5 exf5!
If Black captures towards the centre with 32...gxf5?!, White gets good attacking chances after 33.Rh3.
33.bxa5 Bxa5 34.Rh3?
Chasing a mating attack that is not there. The engines give 34.Ra1 Ra7 35.Ba3, slightly preferring Black.
34...Bxc3 35.Qh4
White gets mated after 35.Rxh7? Kxh7 36.Qh4+ Kg8 37.Rf3 Bxb2 38.Rh3 Rc1+.
35...h5
Somehow I had missed this, or at least that White in response cannot capture.
36.Bxc3 Rxc3 37.Rxc3 Rxc3 38.Qe1 Rc4 39.Qe3 Qa7 40.e6 fxe6?
Black has a winning advantage after 40...Qxd4, eg 41.Qxd4 Rxd4 42.e7 Re4.
41.Qxe6+ Qf7
It is hard to be sure but the engines reckon 41...Kh7!? may give Black better chances of gaining a meaningful edge.
42.Qe5
The queen's strong central post compensates for the pawn deficit.
42...Rc7 43.Rb1 Rc8 44.Re1!?
White has a cast-iron draw after 44.Rb8 Rxb8 45.Qxb8+ Kh7 46.Qe5, according to the engines.
44...Rd8
White has to be exact after 44...f4!?, eg 45.Rf1? runs into 45...f3 when the threat of ...Re8 is very strong. But it seems 45.Rb1! f3 46.Rb8 Rxb8 47.Qxb8+ Kh7 48.Kg1 Qe7 is not winning for Black, as Komodo11,01 reckons, but is drawn, thanks to Stockfish12's 49.Qe5 Qxe5 50.dxe5, eg 50...Kh7 51.Kf2 Kf7 52.Kxf3 Ke6 53.Kf4 h4 54.h3.
45.h4 Rf8 46.Kg2 Ra8 47.Re3 Rf8 48.Qd6
Black has to give back the extra pawn.
48...Re8 49.Rxe8+ Qxe8 50.Qxd5+ Qf7 51.Qa8+ Kg7 52.d5 Qe7 53.Kf1
Avoiding an immediate check, but the white king is too exposed to permit winning chances.
53...Qe5 54.Qb7+ Kf8 55.Qc8+ Ke7 56.Qb7+ Kd6 57.Qc6+ Ke7
ŽB offered a draw in my time.
58.Qxg6 Qf4+ 59.Ke2 Qe4+ ½–½
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