Morphing The French XVII

AM playing on board 19 for England against Switzerland in a friendly correspondence match at the Fide-recognised ICCF.

This game, which finished today, is my second attempt at correspondence chess to play against the French Defence in the style of Paul Morphy.*

Spanton (2262) - Hans Graf (2287)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3

Morphy played this move all four times he reached the position after 6...0-0, but much more popular today is 7.Bg5!?, when the main line continues 7...Bg4 8.Nbd2 Nbd7 9.c3 c6 10.Qc2 Qc7 11.Rfe1 Rfe8 with a symmetrical position that Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 reckon is equal.

7...Bg4 8.h3 Bh5

For 8...Be6?! see https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/07/morphy-v-french-part-four.html

9.Bg5 c6 10.g4!? Bg6 11.Ne5 Re8 12.f4!?

The engines reckon Black is better after 12.Nxg6 hxg6.

12...Qb6 13.Kg2 Bxd3

Not 13...Qxd4? 14.Bxg6, eg 14...Qxd1 15.Bxf7+ Kf8 16.Raxd1 Bxe5 17.fxe5 Kxf7 18.exf6 or 14...Bxe5 15.fxe5 Qxd1 16.Raxd1 Rxde5 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Bd3.

But possible is 13...Qxb2!?, when the engines give 14.Ne2 Be4+ 15.Kh2 with an unclear position that they reckon gives White good compensation, but no more, for a pawn.

14.Qxd3 Nbd7

White is winning after 14...Qxb2? 15.Rab1 Qa3 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Rxb7, according to the engines, eg 17...fxe5 18.fxe5 Re7 19.Rb3 Qa5 20.exd6 with a huge attack.

15.Rae1 Nf8 16.f5 Qxb2!? 17.Rb1 Qa3 18.Rxb7 Bxe5 19.dxe5 N6d7

Not 19...Rxe5? 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Ne4 Qxd3 22.Nxf6+ Kg7 23.Nh5+ Kg8 24.cxd3, when material is level but Black's uncoordinated pieces mean White is winning, according to the engines.

Position after 19...N6d7

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

20.e6!?

This initiates a drawing combination that neither player can get out of. More enterprising, on the face of it, is 20.Ne2, but after 20...Qxa2 the engines reckon White must either seek a repetition by 21.Nc3 or play the same drawing combination as in the game, starting with 21.e6!?

20...fxe6 21.f6 gxf6 22.Rxf6 Rab8 23.Rxd7 Nxd7 24.Rf7

24.Rh6 comes to the same thing - both moves have to be met by 24...Nf8.

24...Nf8 25.Rxh7

The engines point out another draw by 25.Qf3 Qb2 26.Bh6 Qxc2+ 27.Kg3 Qg6 28.Rf6 Qc2 29.Rf7 etc.

25...Nxh7 26.Qg6+ Kh8 27.Bf6+ Nxf6 28.Qxf6+ Kg8 29.Qg6+ ½–½

*My first attempt: https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2020/10/morphing-french-xvi.html