Fareham Open Round 6
Pirc
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.Nf3
This introduces the Classical System in the Pirc. It scores just 52% in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, well behind almost every other try, including the 57% of 4.f4, the 58% of 4.f3 and the 60% of both 4.Be3 and 4.Bg5.
4...Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 c6!?
This is easily the most-popular continuation in Mega21, reducing White's score to 51%
7.a4
But this increases the white score to 53%, which probably goes to show that fixating on minor statistical differences early in the opening is not productive (but I find it interesting!).
7...Qc7
A common black plan in the Pirc is to play ...e5, strong-pointing the pawn there while retaining the option of capturing the white d pawn at a favourable moment, and 7...Qc7 fits in with this, as does 7...Nbd7. White often replies by pushing on with d5.
8.h3
Preventing ...Bg4. One idea Black has in many lines of the Classical System in the Pirc is to play ...Bg4 and ...Bxf3, usually after ...e5. This surrenders the bishop-pair but Black argues pawns fixed in opposition on e4 and e5, combined with the generally semi-closed nature of the position, is good for knight-play.
8...e5 9.Be3 Re8?!
Forcing White to make a decision about the d4 pawn, but the resulting positions seem to favour White. Probably better is Vasily Smyslov's 9...exd4, although the engines reckon 10.Bxd4!? gives White a slight edge.
10.dxe5!?
Quite often capturing on e5 in the Pirc is an admission by White of having, at best, equality, but here the move is strong, although the engines also like 10.d5.
10...dxe5 11.Qc1!?
Another way to avoid the queen being embarrassed on the open file is to vacate the e2 square by 11.Bc4, although that allows Black to more-or-less force a simplifying exchange with ...Be6.
11...Nbd7 12.Rd1 Nf8?!
The knight is headed for e6, from which it will eye f4 and d4 (note that a white knight on e3 would have few prospects of using f5 or d5). But the idea is too slow here, which is why the engines prefer Boris Avrukh's 12...Bf8!?
13.Bc5 N6d7
The engines prefer 13...Rd8!? 14.Rxd8 Qxd8 as 15.Nxe5 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 Bxe5 is only slightly better for White. However Stockfish14 is keen on 15.Bc4!? Ne6 (15...Be6?! runs into 16.Bxf8 and 17.Bxe6) 16.Bxe6 Bxe6 17.Nxe5 Nxe4 18.Nxf7 Bxf7 19.Nxe4, when White has won a pawn, although Komodo12.1.1 reckons the bishop-pair gives Black a fair amount of compensation. Note that in the line 15.Nxe5 Nxe4, if White plays 16.Nxf7, Black has 16...Nxc3 17.Bc4 Ne2+!, which the engines reckon is dead-equal.
14.Bd6 Qd8 15.Bc4 h6 16.a5
 |
| Black is horribly cramped |
*****
*****
*****
*****
16...Qf6
This is best, according to the engines, as 16...Be6 drops the e5 pawn while 16...b6 17.axb6 Qxb6 (17...Nxb6?? drops a piece to 18.Bxf8 as the black queen is under attack) 18.Na4 - White has other good moves - keeps Black bottled up.
17.Qe3 Ne6 18.Ne2 Bf8?
This loses a pawn, but after the engines' 18...Ng5 19.Nxg5 hxg5 20.f3 White seems well on top.
19.Bxf8 Ndxf8 20.Qxh6 Nf4?!
The engines give 20...Nc7 but reckon White is winning.
21.Nxf4 exf4 22.e5 Qf5 23.Rd4 Ne6 24.Bxe6 Bxe6 25.Rxf4
This is strong but there is an immediate win with 25.g4! fxg3 26.Rh4, eg 26...gxf2+ 27.Kxf2 Qxc2+ 28.Kg3 f5 29.Qh8+ Kf7 30.Rh7#
25...Qh5 26.Qxh5 gxh5 27.Rd1 Kg7 28.Ng5 Bd5 29.c4 Rxe5 30.cxd5 Rxg5 31.dxc6 bxc6 32.b4
 |
| Black has reduced his two-pawn deficit but is left with four isolanis |
*****
*****
*****
*****
32...Rd5
This comes to be Komodo12.1.1's top choice although Stockfish14 prefers 32...c5, when 33.h4 Re5 34.Rd7 cxb4!? gives an illusion of counterplay, but 35.Rfxf7+ Kg6 36.Rg7+ quickly extinguishes this, eg 36...Kh6 (or 36...Kf6 37.Rdf7+ Ke6 38.Re7+ Kd5 39.Rxe5+ Kxe5 40.Rb7) 37.Rh7+ Kg6 38.Rdg7+ Kf6 39.Rb7 as 39...Rxa5?? loses to 40.Rh6+ Ke5 41.Rxh5+ and 42.Rxa5.
33.Rxd5 cxd5 34.Rf5
This restores White's two-pawn advantage, whatever Black plays.
The game finished:
34...Rb8 35.Rxd5 Rxb4 36.Rxh5 Kg6 37.Rc5 Ra4 38.Kh2 Ra3 39.g3 f6 40.h4 Ra2 41.Kg2 Ra3 42.g4 Ra4 43.Kg3 Ra3+ 44.f3 Ra4 45.h5+ Kh6 46.Rf5 Kg7 47.Kh4 Ra1 48.Kg3 Ra4 49.Kf2 Ra3 50.Ke2 Rc3 51.Kd2 Rc6 52.Kd3 Rc1 53.Kd4 Ra1 54.Rb5 Kh6 55.Rf5 Kg7 56.Kc4 Rb1 57.Kc5 Rb2 58.Kc6 Rb3 59.Rf4 Rb1 60.Rd4 Rb3 61.Rd7+ Kh6 62.Rxa7 Rxf3 63.Rf7 Kg5 64.a6 Kxg4 65.a7 Ra3 66.h6 Kg5 67.h7 1-0
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