Knight v Bishop (part 43)

White has just captured on e3 in Spanton (1951) - Rohilla Shivika (1744), Hastings 2019-20. Who stands better, and by how much?

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This is another ending from an Exchange Variation of the Spanish. White has much-the-better pawn-structure, but Black has bishop-v-knight on a relatively open board with rival pawn-majorities. My experience of such positions tells me White has the upper hand, but Stockfish12 reckons White only has a slight edge, while Komodo12.1.1 rates the position as equal.

20...Kf7 21.Kd2 Ke6 22.f4 c5 23.g3 b5 24.c3 c4!?

This is Komodo12.1.1's choice, but the more pawns Black puts on light squares the weaker her dark squares become.

25.Ng4 Bf5 26.Nf2 h5 27.g4 hxg4

The engines prefer 27...Bb1 28.a3 h4!? This has the merit of fixing the white h pawn, but the black one will be hard to defend in the long run.

28.hxg4 Bb1 29.a3 Kd5 30.Ke3 Bc2 31.Nh3 Bd1 32.Nf2 Bc2 33.Kf3 g6!?

This is Komodo12.1.1's choice. At first it is strongly disliked by Stockfish12, but later comes to be that engine's top choice too.

34.Kg3 Ke6

By now Stockfish12 reckons White is winning, while Komodo12.1.1 gives White the upper hand (+.77), all without at any point coming up with a different plan for Black, apart from the questionable suggestion at move 27. 

35.Kh4 Kf6 36.Nh3 Be4 37.Ng5 Bd5 38.Kg3 a5 39.Nf3 c6 40.Ne5

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 40.g5+ Ke7 (40...Kf5? loses a pawn to 41.Nh4+) 41.f5! gxf5 42.Nd4 etc.

40...a4 41.Kf2 Bh1 42.Ke3 Bd5

Not 42...c5? 43.Nd7+.

43.Nf3 Ke6 44.Nh2 Bg2 45.Kd4 Kf6 46.Ke3

Not 46.Kc5? g5, when the engines agree Black has fully equalised. However, from a general view, this type of position is much easier for White to play. The bishop only has one target, the g4 pawn, and the black king cannot penetrate White's position. Meanwhile White can try multiple feints and thrusts until one works.

46...Ke6 47.Nf3 Kd5

The engines prefer 47...Kf7, but White is winning, eg 48.g5 Kg7 49.Ne5 Bd5 50.Kd4.

48.Ne5 Be4

Or 48...g5 49.Ng6 Bh3 (49...gxf4+? 50.Nxf4+) 50.Kf3.

49.Nxc6! Bc2? 50.Nd4?

50.Nb4+ ends the game immediately.

50....Bd1 51.g5 Kc5 52.Ke4 Bg4 53.Ke5 Bd7 54.Ne6+ Kc6 55.Nf8 Bf5 56.Kf6 Kd5 57.Nxg6 Ke4 58.Ne7 1-0