Belgrade Round Six

FACED a junior (born 2006).

Spanton (1831) - Strahinja Ivanović (1338)

34th Belgrade Trophy International Round 6

Spanish Exchange

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Be3 Nf6 9.f3 Bc5!?

This is new in this exact position, although the game has transposed to known games. Normal is 9...0-0-0.

10.Nf5

Position after 10.Nf5

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10...Bd6?!

SI drew in round one after playing the Sicilian Wing Gambit: 1.e4 c5 2.b4!? against a player rated 2102. Looking at other games of his in the tournament - he has none in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database - the thing that stood out to me is how aggressively he played. But sacrificing a pawn with ...Bd6 is almost certainly too much. Known moves are 10...Bxe3 and 10...Bxf5, while I wondered about 10...Bf8!?, which maintains Black's bishop-pair.

11.Nxg7+ Kf8 12.Nf5?!

Probably stronger is 12.Bh6, which somehow never occurred to me (playing too quickly).

12...Bxf5 13.exf5 Re8 14.Kf2 Nd5 15.Bh6+ Kg8 16.Re1?

I did not want my king shutting in the king's rook after being forced to the back rank, but the analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 prefer 16.Nd2 Bc5+ 17.Kf1, when Stockfish12 reckons White is winning but Komodo11.01 gives White just a slight edge.

16...Bc5+ 17.Kf1 Ne3+?

Not 17...Be3?? 18.Nc3, but 17...Rxe1+ 18.Kxe1 Be3 equalises.

18.Bxe3 Rxe3 19.Nc3 Rxe1+ 20.Rxe1 Kg7 21.Ne4 Bd4 22.c3 Be5 23.Rd1 h6

Not 23...Bxh2 24.g3.

24.g3 Re8 25.Kf2 a5 26.h4 b5 27.a3 b4 28.axb4 axb4 29.Rd2 c5 30.c4?

The bishop had limited mobility but now it becomes very active.

30...Bd4+ 31.Kg2 h5 32.Kf1?

Throwing away what is left of White's advantage. The engines give 32.b3 Ra8 33.g4 Ra3 34.Rd3, when Stockfish12 very much likes White but Komodo11.01 reckons White's advantage is small.

32...Ra8 33.Ke2 Ra1 34.Kd3 Rf1 35.f4??

35.Ke2 maintains equality.

35...Rf3+ 36.Kc2 b3+??

Black wins after 36.Re3, eg 36...Ng5 37.b3+ Kd1 38.Rxg3, when White collapses on the kingside.

37.Kd1 Rf1+ 38.Ke2 Rc1 39.Kd3 Rf1 40.Ke2

SI offered a draw.

40...Rc1 41.Rd3!?

Keeping the game going, but objectively White has no advantage.

41...Rc2+ 42.Nd2 Bxb2 43.Rxb3 Bc3 44.Kd3 Rxd2+ 45.Kxc3 Rg2 46.Rb5 Rxg3+ 47.Kd2 Rf3 48.Rxc5 Rxf4 49.Rxc7 Rxh4 50.c5 Rd4+ 51.Kc3 Rd8 52.Rc6?!

A pointless move, or, rather, it was only after moving that I realised my planned follow-up of Rd6 loses to ...Rxd6, cxd6 Kf8 etc.

52...h4 53.Rb6 Rd1?!

More logical is 53...h3 or 53...Rh8, but it seems White can hold.

54.Rb2 Rd8 55.Kc4 Kf6 56.Rf2?

Holding are 56.Rh2 (blocking the passed black pawn) and 56.c6 (advancing the passed pawn).

56...Kg5?

Returning the tempo White has just lost. Both 56...h3 and 56...Rh8 win.

57.c6 h3 58.Kc5 Rh8 59.Rh2 Kxf5 60.Kd6 Kg4 61.Ke7?

White maintains the draw with 61.c7, eg 61...Kg3 62.Rb2 h2 63.Rb3+ Kg5 64.Rb1.

61...f5

White is completely lost.

The game finished:

62.c7 Kg3 63.Rd2 h2 64.Rd3+ (or 64.Rd8 h1=Q 65.c8=Q Qh4+ 66.Kd7 Rxd8+ etc) Kf4 65.Rd1 Kg4 66.Kf6 Rc8 67.Rc1 Rxc7 68.Rxc7 h1=Q 69.Rc4+ Qe4!? 0-1