Spanton (1808) - Justyna Łochina (1526)
Wrocław B
Sicilian ...e6
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 Nc6 4.Bg2 Nf6
This is Black's usual response in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database.
5.Nc3
But more popular for White are 5.Qe2 and 5.d3.
5...d6 6.0-0 Be7 7.d3 0-0 8.h3
Preparing Be3 without the possibility of harassment by ...Ng4.
8...Rb8!?
One of the rules-of-thumb put forward by first world correspondence champion Cecil Purdy is to never place a rook behind an unmoved pawn, even if you intend moving the pawn. I suspect there are many cases when this rule should be ignored, and perhaps it suffices to point out in this instance that the text has been played by Alexander Morozevich, Loek van Wely, other strong grandmasters ... and a 13-year-old Garry Kasparov.
9.a4 a6 10.Be3 Qc7
There seems no good reason to avoid the consistent 10...b5.
11.Nh4!?
Preparing like this the pawn-thrust f4 seems to be a novelty, and it is not liked by the analysis engines Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1. Known moves are 11.Nh2!?, 11.Qd2 and 11.Kh2.
11...Rd8 12.f4 d5
Countering in the centre is the classic way to meet a flank attack. Black is better, according to the engines.
13.e5 Ne8
The engines give 13...d4!?, which I thought was impossible because of 14.exf6, overlooking that Black can simply reply 14...Bxf6, when 15.Bd2 dxc3 16.Bxc3 Nd4 is better for Black, according to the engines.
14.Bf2
Not 14.d4?? cxd4 15.Bxd4 as 15...Nxd4 cannot be met with 16.Qxd4? as Black wins the white queen with 16...Bc5.
14...f6
14...Bxh4 15.gxh4 seems nothing special for Black, who is left with a bad bishop; White's kingside weaknesses are not easy for Black to get at, and White may develop decent kingside attacking chances.
15.exf6 Nxf6 16.Re1 Nd4 17.Nf3
The engines like 17.a5!? Nc6 18.Nf3, and if 18...Nxa5 then 19.Ng5, when White wins back his pawn and can claim an edge.
17...Nxf3+ 18.Qxf3 b6
The engines prefer this to the more loosening 18...b5 19.axb5 axb5.
19.d4!?
Weakening control over the e4 square but fixing the e6 weakness.
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| How should Black proceed? |
*****
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19...cxd4?!
JŁ goes for liquidation, which is probably the wrong thing to do as White will be left with the superior pawn-structure and the better bishop.20.Bxd4 Bc5 21.Qe3 Bxd4 22.Qxd4 Qc5 23.Rad1 Kf7!?
Queens are going to come off, so JŁ decides her king should come nearer the centre and, while doing so, it can support the backward e pawn.
24.Kh2 Qxd4 25.Rxd4
This queenless middlegame looks good for White, who has the better pawn-structure, the better bishop and the generally more-active pieces. Even so, the engines reckon it is only a slight edge.
25...Bb7 26.Nb1
Heading for e5, or g5.
26...Rdc8 27.c3 Bc6 28.Nd2 b5?!
Consistent with her last move, but ...
29.a5
... leaves the black bishop looking very bad.
29...h6
The engines suggest the surprising 29...b4!?, when 30.Rxb4 Rxb4 31.cxb4 Bd7!? 32.Nf3 is good for White, but Black has counterchances thanks to her protected passed pawn and active rook. Indeed the engines reckon White should reply 30.c4!? with continuing pressure on the black centre.
30.Nf3 Nd7 31.h4
Freeing the h3 square for the white bishop.
31...Ba8
31...Re8 looks natural, but 32.Bh3 is very good for White, according to the engines.
32.Bh3 Nc5?
Necessary is 32...Re8, but White remains on top, eg 33.g4 Nc5 34.g5 Nb3 35.Rdd1 Nxa5? (the engines give 35...b4 but believe White still has a big advantage) runs into 36.Ra1 and 37.Rxa6.
33.Ne5+ Ke7?!
More natural is 33...Kf6.
34.f5 exf5?!
This looks like a blunder, but it is Komodo12.1.1's choice for a while. The fact is JŁ's position has gone downhill since she took the decision to liquidate at move 19.
35.Nc6+ Kf6 36.Nxb8 Rxb8 37.Rf4?!
Almost certainly better is 37.Rf1, not worrying about a later ...Nb3, and if, as in the game, 37...g6, then 38.h5.
37...g6 38.Re2
Not 38.h5?? Nd3.
I rejected the engines' choice, 38.Ref1, because I did not want to give up the open file, but 38...Re8?! 39.h5 Re2+ 40.R4f2 Rxf2+ 41.Rxf2 keeps White well on top.
38...Nb3?
Better is 38...h5 to stabilise the kingside, when White is better but the game very much continues.
39.g4 Nxa5 40.gxf5 gxf5
Or 40...g5 41.Re6+ Kf7 42.Rf2 etc.
41.Rxf5+ Kg6 42.Re6+
The engines point out two mates-in-four, one starting with 42.Re2+ and the other with 42.Re7+, but the text wins easily enough.
42...Kg7 43.Rxa6 Nc4
The game finished:
44.Ra7+ Kg8 45.Rh5 Bb7 46.Rxh6 Kg7 47.Rh5 Kg6 48.Rg5+ Kf6 49.Rf5+ Kg6 50.h5+ Kh6 51.Rf7 Bc8 52.Rf8 Nb6 53.Bxc8 Rxc8 54.Rf6+ Kxh5 55.Rxb6 1-0
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