Calvià (part nine)

Adrian Ponce Cano (2169) - Spanton (1793)

Calvià U2350 Round 9

Sicilian Alapin/Hyper-Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c3 Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4 d5 6.e5 Bg4 7.Bb5+ Nd7!?

The point of avoiding 7...Nc6 is to avoid contracting a backward pawn on a half-open file after 8.Bxc6+!?

8.0-0 Nh6?!

Russian grandmaster Boris Savchenko has played both 8...e6 and 8...a6, the two moves suggested by Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1. The text is strongly disliked by the engines.

9.Nbd2 0-0 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Nxf3 a6 12.Bd3

Position after 12.Bd3

12...e6

Miroslav Zacharias (1727) - Spanton (1923), Trebic Highlands (Czechia) 2018, saw 12...f6 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Ng5 Qd6 15.Re1 with a large advantage for White, according to the engines (but 0-1, 58 moves).

13.Re1 Qb6 14.a4 Rae8?!

Over-optimistically expecting the game to be decided on the kingside. The engines prefer 14...Nf5 or 14...Nb8!?, while giving White a large advantage. 

15.a5 Qa7 16.Qa4 Nb8 17.b4

White's queenside initiative is winning, according to the engines.

17...Nc6 18.b5 axb5 19.Bxb5 Rc8 20.Ba3 Rfd8 21.Bc5 Qa8 22.Bb6 Rf8 23.Rec1 Nf5 24.a6 Nfe7 25.Nc5 Rfe8

Or 25...Bh6 26.axb7 Qxb7 27.Rcb1 with a large advantage.

26.Bxe7 Rxe7 27.axb7 Qxb7 28.Ba6 Qb2 29.Bxc8 Ra7 30.Qd1 1-0