Friday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Saturday: 80.7kg (178lb)
Sunday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Monday: 80.2kg (177lb)
Tuesday: 80.8kg (178lb)
Wednesday: 80.2kg (177lb)
Yesterday: 80.7kg (178lb)
Today: 81.4kg (179lb)
FACED the runaway leader, against whom I lost horrendously in round four (https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/crete-round-four.html), in this morning's round eight.
Spanton (1998 ECF) - Tomasz Sielicki (1938 Fide)
Amateur Chess Organization World Senior Championship (Fodele Beach Resort, Crete) Group C
Caro-Kann Fantasy
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 e6
This is Black's most-popular choice in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database. The move looks passive at first sight but it introduces the threat of capturing on e4 followed by ....Qh4+.
4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Be3!?
This has been played by grandmasters but there are six more-popular moves in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, including the commonest move 5.Bf4.
5...dxe4 6.Qd2!?
The most popular line in Mega21, albeit the position is quite rare, runs 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3, as played in the stem game, Savielly Tartakower - Salo Flohr, Kemeri (Latvia) 1937. The engines reckon Black is better, although the game was drawn in 37 moves.
Surprising, but apparently playable, is 6.fxe4!? Qh4+ 7.g3 Qxe4, when Komodo12.1.1 reckons White has good compensation for a pawn after 8.Qd2 or 8.Qe2, although Stockfish13 slightly favours Black.
6...Nf6 7.a3 Qa5!?
This apparent novelty is much liked by Stockfish13, although Komodo12.1.1 prefers 7...Bxc3, which was played in a 2002 Czech women's championship game in which a 1697 won with the black pieces against a 1581.
8.Bc4?!
Almost certainly better is 8.Nge2 exf3 9.gxf3 Nd5, when Stockfish13 gives Black the upper hand, although Komodo12.1.1 reckons White has decent compensation for being a pawn down.
8...exf3!?
Even better, according to the engines, is 8...Bxc3 9.bxc3 c5!?, or first 8...b5, eg 9.Bb3 Bxc3 10.bxc3 0-0.
9.gxf3
9.Nxf3?! runs into 9...Ne4.
9...Bxc3 10.bxc3 Nd5 11.Ne2 Nxe3 12.Qxe3
 |
| Position after 12.Qxe3 |
Black has won a pawn and deprived White of the bishop-pair. White also has multiple weak pawns. In compensation White has a lead in development and half-open files for the rooks, and Black will not find it easy to complete his development.
12...Nd7
This is best, according to the engines, who prefer Black, but not to a huge extent.
13.Rg1 g6 14.Qh6
The engines prefer the prophylactic 14.Bd3!?, which avoids the bishop being hit by ...b5 or ...Nb6.
14...Nb6 15.Bb3 Bd7 16.Rg5 Nd5 17.Kf2 Qc7 18.c4 Ne7 19.Ng3 0-0-0
In addition to his other advantages, Black now has the safer king. Stockfish13 reckons Black is winning, although Komodo12.1.1 'only' gives Black the upper hand.
20.Qg7?!
The engines' 20.Re5 seems much better.
20...Rhf8?!
Black has a huge advantage, according to the engines, after 20...Qf4 21.Rg4 Qd2+ 22.Ne2 Nf5 23.Qe5 f6!
21.Kg2!?
Freeing the knight from being pinned against the h pawn. The engines do not like this, but their suggested 21.Qe5 is unlikely to bring White any joy.
21...Qf4 22.Rg4 Qd2+ 23.Kh1 Nf5 24.Qf6!?
Offering the exchange.
24...Ne3
The engines prefer winning a pawn with 24...Qf2!?, when they give best-play as 25.Nxf5 Qxf3+ 26.Rg2 exf5.
25.Ne4 Nxg4 26.fxg4!?
Objectively better may be 26.Qxd8+ Rxd8 27.Nxd2, but after 27...Nf6 Black is a good pawn up, White has numerous weaknesses and there is no prospect of a white attack.
26...Qe3 27.Nd6+ Kc7 28.c5 e5!
This is best, according to the engines.
29.dxe5 Bxg4 30.Rf1
 |
| Position after 30.Rf1 |
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
30...Qxc5?
Black is still winning, according to the engines, after 30...Kb8. There are also other good moves.
31.Qe7+ Bd7?
The engines point out a draw by repetition: 31...Rd7! 32.Qxf8 Qxe5 33.Ne8+ Kc8 34.Nd6+ etc.
32.Ne8+ Rfxe8 33.Qxc5
TS could have resigned here with a clear conscience, but he played on, no doubt recalling how I threw away a simple win in our previous game.
33...Bf5 34.Bxf7 b6 35.Qe3 Re7 36.e6 Rd5 37.Qf4+ Kb7 38.Qh4 Rxe6 39.Bxe6 Bxe6 40.Qxh7+ Rd7 41.Qxg6 Bd5+ 42.Kg1 Rd8 43.Qg7+ Ka6 44.Rf8 Rd6 45.Ra8 Kb5 46.Rxa7 c5 47.a4+ Kb4 48.Qb2+ Kc4 49.Qb3+ Kd4 50.Qd3+ Ke5 51.Qe3+ Kf5 52.Rg7 Re6 53.Rg5+ Kf6 54.Qf4+ Ke7 55.Rg7+ 1-0
TS rather sportingly quipped: "There is justice in chess after all."
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