Spanton (1808) - Mateusz Ambroziak (1441)
Wrocław B
Benoni
1.d4 c5 2.d5 g6 3.e4 d6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.Nf3
This is the most-popular move in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, and is also the choice of the engines Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1, but at least six other moves have been played by grandmasters.
5...Bg4?!
Normal is 5...Nf6. The text has been played by GMs, but seems a little strange as after ...
6.h3
... Black either has to retreat the bishop along the h3-c8 diagonal or, as in the game, give up the bishop-pair.
6...Bxf3 7.Qxf3 Nf6 8.Bg5!?
More usual is 8.Be2.
8...0-0 9.Be2 Na6
Part of a plan to get in the move ...b5.
10.0-0 Nc7 11.Qe3!?
This clears a path for the f pawn to advance, but White has to be wary of the fianchettoed bishop coming to d4 while the queen is on the same diagonal as the king.
11...Re8 12.Rad1 a6 13.a4 Rb8 14.Qd3?
Played to prevent ...b5, which of course it does not. The engines reckon White has a healthy advantage after 14.f4.
14...Nd7!?
There seems nothing wrong with 14...b5.
15.a5
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
15...b5!
Many players would hesitate to play this but the activity Black gets on the queenside more than compensates for contracting an isolated a pawn.
16.axb6
16...b4!? 17.cxb4 is an interesting way to slow Black on the queenside, but the engines slightly prefer the text.
16...Rxb6 17.b3 Rb4 18.f4
The engines suggest the more-circumspect 18.Nb1!? with what they reckon is a slight edge for White.
18...Bxc3!?
Giving up the fianchettoed bishop to win a pawn is a brave decision. The engines prefer 18...Nb5, or moving the queen to support play on the queenside, but they do not flash red at the text.
19.Qxc3 Rxe4 20.Bf3
The engines give 20.Qf3!?, when Stockfish14 reckons White has a slight edge but Komodo12.1.1 rates the position as more-or-less equal.
20...Nb5 21.Qa1 Rd4 22.Qxa6 Qb6?!
Black is equal after 22...Rxd1 23.Bxd1 Nd4, according to the engines.
23.Qa1?!
It was probably time to give up thoughts of mating on g7. Instead 23.Qxb6 Nxb6 24.Rde1 leaves White better.
23...Rxd1 24.Bxd1!?
The engines agree this recapture is a little better than the alternatives.
24...f6?!
This appears unnecessarily weakening. Black is at least equal after the engines' 24...c4+ 25.Kh2 cxb3 26.cxb3 Qe3!
25.Bg4!?
Stockfish14 comes to prefer this over the simple 25.Bh4, but Komodo12.1.1 slightly prefers the latter.
25...Qb7
The engines slightly prefer shutting out the light-square bishop with 25...f5!?
26.Be6+?
White has an edge after 26.Bh6 Nf8 27.Qa4, according to the engines. The text hands the advantage over to Black.
26...Kg7 27.Bh4 Nd4
Even stronger may be 27...Nf8.
28.Rf2?
The engines reckon White has to play 28.Bxd7 Qxd7 29.Qd1. After the text, they rate Black's game as winning.
28...Nf8 29.f5!?
The engines prefer 29.Bg4 or 29.Qe1, but still have Black winning.
29...Nfxe6 30.fxe6 Ra8 31.Qf1 Qxd5 32.Rxf6!?
This is White's best attempt, according to the engines, but not good enough.
The game finished:
32...Ne2+ 33.Kh1 Ng3+! 34.Bxg3 fxe6 35.Qb5 Ra1+ 36.Kh2 Qxe6 37.Qb7+ Kh6 38.Qb8 Rd1 39.Qf8+ Kg5 40.Qg7 h5 41.h4+ Kf5 42.Qb7 Rd5 43.Qa6 g5 44.Qb7 Kg4 45.hxg5 h4 46.Bxh4 Qe5+ 0-1
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