Northumbria Round Three

FACED a Scot in this afternoon's third round of the Northumbria Challengers (U2000).

Spanton (1808 Fide) - Adam Walkowiak (1595 Fide)

Sicilian ...e6

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 g6?!

I explained in https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/07/basel-round-four.html why I believe this move, although it has been played by strong grandmasters, is probably a mistake.

5.d4 Bg7!?

For the most-popular move, 5...cxd4, see the above link.

6.d5!?

The analysis engines Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 prefer this to the commoner 6.dxc5.

6...exd5

The engines suggest 6...Nd4 7.Nfd2!? exd5 8.c3 Nc6 9.exd5 Qe7+ 10.Qe2 Qxe2 11.Kxe2 Ne5, but claim a large advantage for White.

7.exd5 Qe7+ 8.Be3!

This offer of a pawn and the exchange is strong, even though I did not realise how strong at the time.

8...Bxb2

The engines agree this is best, but reckon White is already winning.

9.Nbd2 Bxa1

The engines give best-play as 9...Nf6 10.0-0 Nxd5 11.Bg5 Nc3 12.Bxe7 Nxd1 13.Bd6 Bxa1, at which point Black is a rook and two pawns up but seems completely lost after 14.Re1+ Kd8 15.Ng5.

10.Qxa1 Nd4 11.Nxd4 cxd4 12.Qxd4 Qf6

Or 12...f6 13.Ne4 with a huge attack for the exchange.

13.Qxf6 Nxf6 14.Bd4 Ke7 15.0-0

The immediate 15.d6+ is also good.

15...Re8 16.d6+

Nor 16.Re1? Kf8 as 17.Bxf6?? loses to 17...Rxe1+.

16...Kxd6 17.Bxf6

Position after 17.Bxf6

Materially, White only has two pieces for rook and pawn, but White also has the bishop-pair and a lead in development, while Black will have problems developing his queenside and keeping the king out of trouble. Stockfish14 has White at +5.92; Komodo12.1.1 has White at +2.67.

1-0 (37 moves)