Lessons From Fareham II

Jaimie Wilson (2195 ECF) - Spanton (1979 ECF)

Fareham Open Round 2

Maróczy Bind

1,c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 g6

This allows White to set up a Maróczy Bind. There are various ways to prevent, or at least to delay, it, starting with 4...Nf6, 4...e5 and 4...Qb6.

5.e4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 Nd7!?

My second outing with this slightly unusual system, the first being https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/09/lessons-from-coulsdon-iv.html

10.Qd2

This is White's commonest response in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, but there is a lot to be said for the 10.Rc1 played against me in my first outing.

10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bxd4 12.Qxd4 Qb6 13.Qd2 Ne5!?

Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 prefer 13...Nf6.

14.b3

The engines reckon White has a large advantage after 14.Nd5 Qd8 15.f4.

14...Be6 15.Kh1 f6 16.f4 Nc6

Not 16...Ng4? 17.f5 Nf2+ Rxf2 18.Qxf2 fxe6, when White is wining comfortably, according to the engines.

17.Rad1 Bf7

Ensuring the pawn-thrust f5 does not come with tempo, which makes f5 less attractive as Black can reply ...Ne5.

18.Bf3 Rad8 19.Nd5 Bxd5

An 'automatic' move, but the engines prefer 19...Qc5!?

20.exd5 Nb8 21.Rfe1 Rf7 22.Re3 a5 23.Rde1

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****
23...Re8

The engines prefer offering a pawn by 23...Qb4!?, claiming that 24.Qxb4 axb4 25.Rxe7 is only good enough for the upper hand (Stockfish14) or a slight edge (Komodo12.1.1). Indeed the engines reckon White should meet 23...Qb4!? by keeping queens on the board, eg with 24.Qe2, 24.Qc1 or 24.Qd1. I wonder if any human, certainly at club level, would seriously consider the engines' pawn sacrifice?

24.g4 Na6 25.Qe2 Nc5 26.Kg2 Qa6?

Unrealistically hoping to get in ...b5. The engines prefer 26...Qb4, with ...a4 to come.

27.g5?!

Much better, according to the engines, is 27.h4.

27...f5?

Closing the kingside condemns Black to more passivity. The engines give 27...Qb6 28.Rf1 fxg5 29.fxg5 Qd8, or immediately 27...fxg5, in both cases with prospects of counterplay.

28.h4 b6 29.h5 Qc8 30.Qf2 Qd7 31.Rh1 Rg7 32.hxg6 hxg6 33.Rh6 Kf7 34.Qh4 Reg8 35.Qe1 Qd8 36.a3 Rh8??

This loses on the spot, but after the engines' 36...Nd7 37.b4 they reckon White is positionally winning, although a breakthrough does not seem imminent.

37.Rxh8 Qxh8 38.Rxe7+ 1-0