Fareham Open Round 3
Slav
1.Nf3 c6 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 a6!?
There are more than 17,000 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, with the earliest example coming from 1929 when Mir Sultan Khan used it to score a win at the British championships in Ramsgate, Kent.
5.c5
This is the choice of Stockfish14 and Komdo12.1.1, but also popular are 5.e3, 5.a4 and 5.cxd5.
5...Bf5 6.e3!?
Rather passive, but it has been played by grandmasters. The engines like 6.Qb3 and 6.Bf4.
6...Nbd7 7.Nh4 Bg6 8.Nxg6 hxg6 9.f4!?
Preventing, at least for the foreseeable future, Black's ...e5 pawn-break, and indirectly protecting h2. The move comes to be Stockfish14's top choice.
9...e6 10.Bd3 Qc7 11.Qf3!?
The engines prefer queenside play with 11.a3 or 11.b4.
11...Be7 12.Bd2 a5 13.Na4
The engines now prefer kingside play with 13.g4.
13...b6 14.cxb6 Nxb6 15.Nxb6 Qxb6 16.Bc3 c5 17.0-0
A sensible move, but it also sets a little trap.
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
17...c4?
Black has an edge after 17...a4, 17...0-0 or 17...Rc8, according to the engines.
18.Bxc4 Ne4 19.Bd3 f5 20.Bxe4!?
Giving up the bishop-pair is double-edged, but I felt the knight was too powerful to leave on e4.
20...dxe4 21.Qe2 Kf7
The kings is relatively safe here, and Black retains pressure down the h file.
22.Rab1 Rac8 23.Qd2 a4 24.Rfd1?!
Leaving the kingside is probably a mistake. The engines prefer 24.b3 or 24.g3, but reckon Black has more-or-less full compensation for the missing pawn.
24...g5
 |
| How should White respond? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
25.g3?
This helps Black open lines. Better is 25.fxg5 Qd6 26.g3 Bxg5 with equal chances, according to the engines.
25...gxf4 26.gxf4 Rh3 27.Re1 g5 28.d5 gxf4 29.dxe6+ Qxe6 30.exf4?
Another move that does not help White's cause, but by now the game is beyond saving, eg the engines' 30.Kh1 is met by 30...f3 with an overwhelming attack.
30...Rg8+ 31.Kf1
Or 31.Kh1 e3 etc.
31...Qc4+ 32.Qe2 Rf3#
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