Lessons From Northumbria VI

I LOST in round six of the Northumbria Challengers (U2000) after a ridiculous blunder, but the opening is of interest.

Ned Carmichael (1664 Fide/1833 ECF) - Spanton (1808 Fide/1998 ECF)

Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Tarrasch

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nf3 c5 5.cxd5 cxd4!?

More popular are 4...exd5 and especially 4...Nxd5, but the sharp text has been played by Vladimir Kramnik, So and other top grandmasters.

How should White proceed?

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6.Qxd4

White wins a pawn after 6.Qa4+ Bd7 7.Qxd4 exd5 8.Nxd5, but Black gets strong counterplay, starting with 8...Qa5+ 9.Nc3 Nc6. Magnus Carlsen and Vassily Ivanchuk are among those who have played 6.Nxd4.

6...exd5 7.e3!?

The main moves are 7.e4!? and 7.Bg5. The text looks passive but has been chosen by attacking players, including Nakamura and Aronian.

7...Nc6 8.Qd1

Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon 8.Bb5 Bd6!? 9.0-0 0-0 is fine for Black.

8...Bc5

Jonny Hector and Šarūnas Šulskis have played this. Slightly more popular in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database is 8...Bd6.

9.Be2 d4?

Just because simplification is available does not mean Black should go for it. Black has a good IQP position after 9...0-0.

10.exd4 Nxd4 11.Nxd4 Qxd4

Not 11...Bxd4? 12.Qa4+ Qd7?? 13.Bb5.

12.Bb5+!? Kf8?

White is only slightly better after 12...Ke7.

13.0-0

Stronger, according to the engines, is 13.Be3! Qxd1+ 14.Rxd1, the point being 14...Bxe3?? loses to 15.Rd8+ etc.

13...Qh4??

Black is only slightly worse after the sensible 13...Qxd1 14.Rxd1 Bg4.

14.Qd8+ 1-0