Spanton (1731) - Alberto De Luna Butz (1601)
Scandinavian
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6
This move, which dates back to 1968 in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, and is the top choice of Komodo12.1.1, long ago overtook 3...Qd8 as the second most-popular continuation behind 3...Qa5.
4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.g3
The main line runs 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Nc4 Qc7 8.Qf4 Nb6 9.Bf4 with a slight edge for White, according to Komodo12.1.1 and Stockfish14.
6...Bg4 7.Bg2 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Bf4 Qb4
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| How should White proceed? |
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10.Rb1?!
10.Rb1?!
White is still better after this passive move, according to the engines, but it is unnecessary. Normal is 10.Qd2 (the engines reckon 10.a3 is even stronger), when 10...Qxd2? 11.Rab1 Qa3 12.Rxb7 Bb4? runs into 13.Rb1 (13.Rxb4!? Qxb4 14.Rb1 Qa5 15.Bxb8 is also strong) Bxc3 14.Rxb8+ Rxb8 15.Rxb8+ Ke7 16.Rb7+, when White's position is overwhelming, according to the engines.
10...0-0 11.a3 Qa5 12.h3 Bxf3!?
The engines slightly prefer 12...Bh5, but there is not a lot in it.
13.Qxf3 Nbd7 14.Rfe1 Rfe8 15.Kh2 Nd5 16.Nxd5 exd5
Black can hope for a minority attack after 16...cxd5, but the engines reckon the vigorous 17.c4!? foils this and gives White the upper hand.
17.Re2 Bf6 18.c3 Rxe2 19.Qxe2 Qd8 20.h4?
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20...Nf8?
Black wins a pawn with 20...Bxh4, as I saw to my disgust almost immediately after playing 20.h4?
21.Bh3 Ng6 22.Bd2 Qe7 23.Qd3 Re8 24.Re1 Qd8 25.Rxe8+ Qxe8 26.Bf5 Nf8 27.Qf3 Qd8 28.Qg4 Qe7 29.h5 Ne6 30.Qe2 h6?!
This seems an unnecessary concession. The engines prefer 30...g6.
31.f4 Nc7?!
This allows what is probably an unfavourable liquidation into an ending.
32.Qg4?
I did not see much advantage for White after 32.Qxe7 Bxe7 33.Bc8 b6 34.Bb7 c5 35.dxc5, but the engines reckon White is quite a bit better whichever way Black recaptures. The text lets Black equalise, according to the engines.
32...Ne8 33.Bc2 Nd6 34.Qf3 Kf8
Also good is 34...Ne4.
35.Qe3 Qxe3!?
Again ...Ne4 is good. Exchanging queens does not alarm the engines, but has the practical disadvantage of allowing White a new set of plans in a classic bishop-pair versus knight-and-bishop endgame.
36.Bxe3 Bd8!?
Playing for ...f5 is the correct plan, according to the engines.
37.g4 Nc4 38.Bc1 Bh4 39.b3 Nd6 40.Bd2 Ke7 41.Kh3 Bf2 42.g5?!
The engines are happy enough with this but probably better is my original idea of 42.Kg2 Bh4 43.Kf3.
42...f5
At last getting in his ...f5 plan. The engines marginally prefer this to the move that worried me more, ie 42...Ne4, when White will be obliged to give up the bishop-pair, eg 43.Bxe4 dxe4 44.Kg2 e3 45.Bc1 hxg5 (45...Be1 also looks good) 46.fxg5 f5 with what the engines reckon is an equal game.
43.gxf6+ Kxf6 44.Kg2 Bh4
DL offered a draw in my time.
45.Kf3
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| How should Black proceed? |
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45...Ne8
45...Ne8
The engines give 45...Nf5!?, which I thought was impossible because of 46.Kg4, but then comes 46...Be1! Instead White should probably mark time with something like 46.Bd3, when 46...g6 47.hxg6 Kxg6 is equal (48.Kg4 is not a problem for Black as he has 48...h5+).
46.a4 Nd6 47.Bd3 b6?!
The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 47...Ke6 with a minimal edge for White.
48.c4 dxc4 49.bxc4 Ke6 50.c4!
This gives White a decent advantage.
50...bxc5 51.dxc5 Nb7 52.Bc4+ Kf5 53.Bd3+ Ke6 54.Be4?!
Almost certainly better is 54.Kg4 Bf6 55.Bc4+ Ke7 56.Be3, when White has gained space. I am fairly sure I was worried about 54...Be7, but should have seen that 55.Bc4+ Kd7 56.Bc3 is very strong.
54...Nxc5 55.Bxc6 Kd6 56.Bb5 a6 57.Bf1
If 57.Be8 then 57...Ke7.
57...Nxa4 58.Bxa6 Nc5 59.Bf1 Nd7 60.Kg4 Bf6 61.Bb4+ Kd5
Not 61...Ke6?? 62.Bc4#.
62.Kf5 Nc5 63.Bg2+ Kd6 64.Kg4 Bd4 65.Kf5 Bf6 66.Kg6 Bd4 67.f5 Bf6 68.Bd2 Bd4 69.Bh3 Ke7 70.Bb4 Kd6 71.Bg4 Be5 72.Kf7 Bf6 73.Bd2 Bd4
DL offered a draw in my time (just).
74.Bf4+ Kd5 75.Bf3+
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| Black has two legal replies - one draws, one loses |
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75...Ne4?
The decentralising 75...Kc4 leaves White with at best a slight edge. After the text, Black is lost.
76.Kg6 Bb2
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| White to play and win |
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77.Bxh6?
The simplest way to win is 77.f6! Bxf6 78.Kf5 etc. Indeed Black cannot prevent the f6! idea, so 77.Bg2 also wins, eg 77.Bg2 Bc3 78.f6!
77...gxh6 78.Bxe4+
Also insufficient are 78.Kxh6 Ke5 79.Bxe4 Kxe4 80.Kg6 Kd5 81.f6 Ke6 82.f7 Ke7 etc and 78.f6 Bxf6! 79.Bxe4+ Kxe4 80.Kxf6 Kf4 81.Kg6 Ke5 82.Kxh6 Kf6 etc.
78...Kxe4 79.f6
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| Black to play and draw |
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79...Kf4?
Several lines draw including 79...Ke5 80.f7 Ba3 81.Kxh6 Kf6 etc, 79...Bxf6! 80.Kxf6 Kf4 81.Kg6 Ke5 82.Kxh6 Kf6 etc and 79...Ba3 80.Kxh6 Kf5 81.Kg7 Kg5 82.h6 Bb2.
80.f7 Ba3 81.Kxh6 Kf5
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| White to play and win |
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82.Kg7
Not 82.Kh7? Kf6 83.Kg8 Kg5 etc.
82...Kg5 83.h6 Bb2+ 84.Kg8 1-0
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