Spanton (1731) - Enrique Fernando Asensio Ramos (2104)
Jobava-Prié/Queen's Fianchetto Defence
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 b6!? 3.Nc3!?
This has been played by Alexander Alekhine, Max Euwe, Boris Spassky and Tigran V Petrosian, but commoner responses in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database to Black's slightly unusual second move are 3.g3, 3.c4, 3.e3, 3.Bf4 3.Bg5 and even 3.Nbd2.
3...Bb7 4.Bf4
Normal is 4.Bg5. None of the aforementioned world champions chose the text.
4...e6.5.a3 Be7
Black has a classic Queen's Indian set-up.
6.e3 Ne4!?
This is a normal move in many Queen's Indian positions, but here it seems somewhat time-consuming.
7.Nxe4 Bxe4 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 d5
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| Position after 9...d5 |
Black, as well as gaining a full share of the centre, has, as a result of the knight manoeuvre and the move 9...d5, engineered a position in which Black has a good-versus-bad bishop. But the white bishop is active and the black one is passive, and White has a useful lead in development. The analysis engines Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon White has the upper hand.
10.Ne5!?
Aimed at making it awkward for Black to develop his queenside, but the engines reckon the move is over-elaborative, preferring 10.c4 or 10.0-0.
10...a6?!
This seems weakening and slow.
On 10...f6 I planned 11.Qb5+ when Black is obliged to play 11...Kf8 as 11...c6? 12.Nxc6 Qd7? fails to 12.Bxb8 Nxa7.
Best, according to the engines, is 10...0-0, although White has an edge after 11.0-0 or 11.c4. If, instead, White plays 11.Qb5 the engines reckon 11...c5 equalises.
11.0-0 0-0 12.c4 Bd6 13.Bg3
I think I rejected 13.cxd5 because of 13...f6, but the engines give 14.Qe4!?, when 14...fxe5 15.dxe5 Be7 16.d6 is strong for White.
13...Bxe5 14.Bxe5 Nd7 15.Bg3 c6
The engines prefer 15...c5, albeit with an edge for White.
16.cxd5 exd5 17.Rac1
White is still better after this, but stronger seems to be preceding the rook move with 17.Bd6!? Re8 as then 18.Rac1 wins a pawn.
17...Qf6 18.Rc3 Rfe8!?
The engines prefer simple defence with 18...Rfc8, when they reckon White has a slight edge.
19.Rfc1 Re6 20.Qc2 c5!?
Active defence.
21.dxc5 bxc5
Or 21...Nxc5 22.b4 Ne4 23.Rc8+ Re8 24.Rxa8 Rxa8 25.Qc8+ Qe8 26.Qxe8 Rxe8 27.Rc6 with advantage to White.
22.Qb3?!
Probably better is 22.Qd2.
22...d4?
Black is almost equal after 22...c4!?, according to the engines, as 23.Qb7 can be answered by 23...Nb6.
23.exd4 Rae8 24.Re3?!
The simple 24.h3 is almost certainly stronger, eg 24...cxd4 (24...Qxd4?? 25.Rd3) 25.Rc8 with pressure.
24...cxd4
This seems better than 24...Rxe3 25.fxe3 cxd4 when my intended 26.Rf1 and the engines' 26.Qd5!? are both promising.
25.Rxe6 Qxe6 26.Qxe6 fxe6 27.f4?!
This looks odd, and probably is. The idea is to prevent the black central pawns linking, but the engines prefer the more-conventional 27.Rc7 or 27.Kf1.
27...Nf6 28.Rd1 Rc8!? 29.Rxd4 Rc1+ 30.Kf2 Rc2+ 31.Kf3 Rxb2 32.Ra4 Rb3+ 33.Ke2 Rb6 34.Bf2 Rc6 35.Bd4 Nd5
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| Who stands better? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
A bishop usually works better than a knight with a rook, and here Black has an extra pawn-island. But the bishop has no target, apart from a temporary one at g7, and the knight has a great outpost. The engines reckon White is a tad better.
36.Be5 Kf7 37.Kd3 g6 38.Rc4 Rb6 39.Ra4 Ke7 40.Ra5 Kd7 41.Ra4 Kc8 42.g3
Another pawn on a dark square, but there were lines in which Black might be able to make a quick raid on the kingside with his rook or knight.
42...Kb7 43.Kc2 Rc6+ 44.Kd2 Kb6 45.Rd4 Kb5 46.Bg7 Rc4!?
I have been unable for 10 moves or so to come up with a plan for making progress, while AR has come up with a plan for Black.
47.Rxc4 Kxc4 48.Bf8 Kb3!?
Decentralising the king in a position in which the game may come down to a race between passed pawns, with yours aided by a knight and the opponent's by a bishop, is a very risky proposition. However the engines reckon the position remains equal, and no doubt AR had our rating difference in mind.
49.Kd3 a5 50.Kd4 a4?
Black holds with 50...Nb6 or 50...Nf6, according to the engines.
51.Ke5 Nc7 52.Kf6 Nb5 53.Kxe6?!
This should be good enough, but 53.Kg7 is simpler.
53...Nxa3 54.g4 Nc2 55.f5 gxf5 56.gxf5 Nd4+
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| White to play and win |
*****
*****
*****
*****
57.Kf6?
I rejected the winning 57.Ke5 because of 57...Nc6+ when 58.Kf6 is too slow and 58.Ke6 Nd4+ is a repetition. I missed that 58.Kd5 wins, eg 58...Nb4 59.Bxb4 Kxb4 60.f6, the point being the white pawn queens with check.
57...Kc4 58.Ke5 Nf3+ 59.Ke6 Nd4+ 60.Ke5 Nf3+ 61.Ke6 Nd4+ 62.Ke5 ½–½
The full standings can be seen at http://chess-results.com/tnr560234.aspx?lan=1
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