Spanton (1998 ECF) - Peter Menzinger (1938 Fide)
ACO World Senior Championship Group C (Fodele Beach, Crete) Round 3
French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bg4 6.0-0 Be7 7.Re1
Kasparov and Kramnik are among those who have played 7.Bg5.
7...0-0 8.h3 Bh5 9.Bg5 Nbd7 10.Nc3!?
As PM pointed out in the postmortem, the knight has limited prospects on c3 after Black's next move.
10...c6 11.g4!?
Viesturs Meijers (2483) - Vladimir Potkin (2470), Úbeda (Spain) 2001, saw 11.Bf5 Re8 12.Qd3 Bg6 13.Bxg6 hxg6 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Rxe5 Bd6, when Black is at least equal (½–½, 48 moves).11...Bg6 12.Ne5!?
This is not liked by Stockfish13 or Komodo12.1.1. They give 12.Qd2, but reckon Black already has an edge.
12...Re8 13.f4 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 h6 15.Bh4 Nxe5
Komodo12.1.1 prefers 15...Nf8 with the idea of continuing ...Ne6.
16.Rxe5?
Black gets a sizeable advantage after this. Best, according to the engines, is 16.fxe5, although Stockfish13, but not Komodo12.1.1, reckons Black is slightly better.
 |
| After 16.Rxe5? Black gains the upper hand |
*****
*****
*****
*****
16...Nd7!
This forces exchanges that leave Black controlling the open file.
17.Rxe7
Not 17.Bxe7?? Nxe5.
17...Rxe7 18.Bxe7
PM offered a draw and played:
18...Qxe7 ½–½
I had little choice but to accept his offer. Black's control of the e file and the exposed position of the white king give Black an advantage worth almost 1.5 pawns, according to Stockfish13, although Komodo12.1.1 values the black edge at just under a pawn. Both engines' evaluations tend to creep upwards the more time they are given to calculate.
Well done Tim - we're following your progress. It's been a good start without any extra ounces on the scales. It's a big one tomorrow, tomorrow - good luck. If you're looking for a different walk there's always the climb up to the water park. There's a self service cafe at the top for a coffee, cake and/or a hot dog!
ReplyDeleteCheers! I was thinking of walking up there to have a look at the mini-golf. I might tackle it tomorrow after round four, which is in the morning. Any ideas about what to do on the free day on Wednesday? I was thinking of going to Knossos or Rethymno, but both seem to require expensive taxi rides
ReplyDeletePreviously, ACO have organised a bus trip on the rest day which takes in Knossos. I suppose they lack the numbers to justify that this year. The Knossos site is mostly a pile of rubble with a few dodgy "reconstructions" dotted about the ruins. The good stuff is in the museum at Heraklion which is well worth a visit.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure there's a bus service running near the hotel which will take you to Heraklion. Hotel reception should have details.
ReplyDeleteWhat he said! Speak to Tobias or ask at Reception, there may be general tours collecting passengers from the Hotels. I'm much less active. In 2018 I spent the rest day in A&E at Heraklion (I wouldn't recommend that!). In 2019 I had a massage, a swim, then generally lazed around the pool laughing out loud to "I'm sorry I haven't a clue" and John Finnemore's "Cabin Pressure".
ReplyDeleteHa! I've just this evening been listening to some ISIHAC from 2010 in Crawley, W Sussex.
ReplyDeleteKnossos doesn't sound so good after all (and prices went up recently, apparently), and I'm not keen on museums - might settle for ascending one of the mountains, if that's not too grandiose a word, near the resort.