Spanton (1731) - Toni Tomás Viver (1308)
QGD Exchange
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 c6 7.Bd3 Ne4!?
Seeking exchanges with ...Ne4 is a common theme in the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined, but it is unusual for it to be played so early. However is has been tried at this point by grandmasters.
8.Bf4!?
Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 prefer this to the more-common 8.Bxe7.
8...Bf5!?
This is third in popularity in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database behind 8...Nxc3 and 8...f5.
9.Qc2
The engines prefer 9.Bxe4, as played in 2009 by four-time Ukrainian champion Valeriy Neverov in a win over a 2033.
9...Bb4?!
Black is falling dangerously behind in development. The engines prefer 9...Qa5, claiming a slight edge for White.
10.Ne2 Bg6 11.0-0 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Bd6 13.Rab1 b6 14.Rfe1?!
White is still better after this, but White's play will be on the queenside, so better moves are 14.Rfc1 and the engines' 14.Rfd1!?
14...Bxd3 15.Qxd3 0-0 16.c4 dxc4
The c6 pawn will be weak after this, but even worse would be allowing cxd5.
17.Qxc4 b5?!
Increasing the weakness of c6.
18.Qc2 a5 19.d5 Bb4
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
20.Red1
20.Red1
Interesting is 20.dxc6!? White seems better after 20...Bxe1 21.c7 Bxf2+ 22.Kxf2 Qc8 23.Nd4 Na6 24.Rxb5 and after the engines' 20...Nxc6!? 21.Qxc6 Bxe1 22.Rxe1. However the engines prefer the text.
20...c5?
Better, but still very good for White, is 20...cxd5 21.Qd3.
21.Nc3?
21.Qb2 a4!? 22.a3 Bxa3 23.Qxa3 wins the black bishop and, although the queenside pawn-mass looks scary after 23...b4, the engines reckon White is winning. Black can save the bishop with 21...c4, but 22.a3 Bd6 23.Qxb5 is strong.
21...Bxc3 22.Qxc3 Qb6 23.Rdc1
Perhaps 23.Bxb8!? is better.
23...Nd7 24.e4 f6?!
An almost-certainly better way of restraining the e pawn is 24...Rfe8.
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
25.Be3?
This looks aggressive, but achieves little. The engines give 25.Qh3 Rf7 26.Qe6!, when White has the initiative.
25...Rfc8
Black has at least equalised, according to the engines.
26.a3?!
This is not liked by the engines, although they cannot agree what White should play. One line given by Komodo12.1.1 runs 26.d6 b4 27.Qd2 Kh8, claiming a slight pull for Black. One of Stockfish14's lines runs 26.Qd2 b4 27.d6, reaching the same position as Komodo12.1.1 but continuing 27...Ra6 28.Qd5+ Kh8 29.a3 with equality, eg 29...Qxd6 30.Qxd6 Rxd6 31.axb4 axb4 32.Rxb4.
After the text, TTV offered a draw (twice) before playing:
26...Rab8 27.f4!?
Striving for counterplay, but perhaps better is 27.Bf4, although the position is difficult for White.
27...b4 28.axb4 axb4 29.Qc4?!
Slightly better, according to the engines is 29.Qb3.
29...Qb5 30.Rb3?!
The attempted blockade is easily broken. Probably better is 30.Kf2, although 30...Qxc4 31.Rxc4 Rb5 leaves Black on top.
30...Qxc4 31.Rxc4 Rb5 ½–½
I felt I had to accept TTV's latest draw offer in view of 32.Rc1 c4. The engines reckon White's best chance lies with 32.g4, assessing 32...Nb6 33.Rxc5!? Rbxc5 34.Bxc5 Rxc5 35.Rxb4 Rf1+ 36.Kf2 Nd7 as only slightly better for Black. However they reckon a more-patient approach, eg 32...Kf7 33.Kf2 Ke7 34.Bd2 Ra8 35.Rc2 Kd6 keeps Black well on top, albeit without an immediate breakthrough.
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