Tuesday, 2 March 2021

Knight v Bishop (part 47)

Black has just captured on c3 in Spanton (156) - R Elwell (165), London League Division 4 1992. Who stands better, and by how much?
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Black has the slightly better pawn-structure, and White is under pressure on the queenside. The bishop is also probably better than the knight in such a relatively open position. Stockfish12 reckons Black is winning; Komodo12.1.1 gives Black the upper hand (+.8).
39.Kd3 Be5 40.h3 Kb4 41.Nb3 a5
Not 41...Ka3? 42.Nc5, when White is equal, according to the engines.
42.Nd2 a4 43.Kc2!?
Nothing seems to save White, eg Stockfish12 gives 43.Ne4 Ka3 44.Kc2 Kxa2 45.Nc5 Ka3 46.Nxb7 Kb4 47.c5 Bd4 48.c6 Be5 49.Nd8 a3 50.Nxf7 a2 51.c7 a1=Q 52.c8=Q Qb2+ 53.Kd1 Qd4+ 54.Kc1 Qf4+ and 55...Qxf7.
43...Bf4 44.Ne4 Kxc4 45.g3 Kd4 46.Nf6 Bd6 47.Kd2 Be7 48.Ng4
Or 48.Nxh7 Ke4 49.Ke2 b5 etc.
48...b5 49.f3 Bd6 50.Nf6 Bxg3 51.Nxh7 b4
I failed to record a 51st move for Black, but my notes suggest 51...b4 was most likely.
52.Ng5? Bf4+ 0-1

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