Hull 4NCL U2000 Round Two
Pribyl
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d6!? 3.Nf3!?
The main line in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database runs 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f4 Qa5 5.Bd3 e5 6.Nf3 Bg4, reaching a position with more than 1,300 examples. The analysis engines Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon White has the upper hand. However there are many possible deviations along the way, including 3...e5!?, when 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Bc4 f6 is only slightly better for White, according to the engines.
3...Bg4
This is the main line, although GB said in the postmortem he should probably have played 3...Qc7.
4.Bc4!?
The main moves are 4.Be2 and 4.h3. The text hopes for tactical trickery, but is easily countered by Black.
4...Nf6
An even simpler answer is 4...d5.
5.e5 d5
As GB pointed out, also possible is 5...Nd5. But not 5...dxe5? 6.Bxf7+! etc.
6.Bd3 Ne4!?
The engines prefer the more-circumspect 6...Nfd7.
7.h3 Bh5 8.g4 Bg6 9.Nh4
The engines like the pawn-sac 9.e6!?, eg 9...fxe6 10.Ne5 with what looks like good compensation. Indeed the engines reckon Black should reply 9...f6 with what seems an unclear position, although the engines favour White.
9...e6 10.Nxg6 hxg6
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| White has won the bishop-pair but left many weaknesses on the kingside |
I was worried about 12...Qb6!?, when 13.Bc3?! runs into 13...c5. However the engines reckon 13.c3 Qxb2 14.Rb1 Qxa2 is good for White after 15.Kf1!?, intending Kg2. Accordingly they reckon Black should ignore the b2 pawn and instead get on with attacking the white centre with 13...c5, rating the position as equal.
13.c3 Nd7 14.Qc2 Nf8?!
Defending against Bxg6 and hoping to reroute the knight on the kingside, but it is probably too slow. Instead the engines like 14...c5, when 15.Bxg6 cxd4! (15...fxg6 16.Qxg6 Kf8 17.Qxe6 is unclear) 16.cxd4 Qb6 17.Bd3 Qxd4 seems to favour Black.
15.0-0-0 Qc7 16.f4 0-0-0 17.f5
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| After 17.f5 the holes on the white kingside no longer look so significant, and it is the black kingside that is under pressure |
This seems better than 18...cxd4 19.cxd4 Qxc2+, which increases the power of the bishop-pair.
19.Be2 Bh4!?
The best way to defend f7.
20.Qa4 Kb8 21.b3?!
Opening lines for the bishops and along the a file, but the engines reckon the good points are outweighed by the weakening of the white king's position.
21...cxb3
Almost certainly not 21...Rc8?! 22.bxc4 dxc4, which gives white a central pawn-majority, the h1-a8 diagonal for the light-square bishop and better protection for the king.
22.axb3 gxf5 23.gxf5 exf5 24.Rxf5 Be7?!
Setting a little trap, but probably better is 24...Ne6.
25.Kc2
After 25.Rxf7?! Ba3+ 26.Qxa3 Qxf7 White has two bishops and a pawn for rook and knight. The engines still favour White, but not as much as after the text.
25...f6?!
Best, but still very good for White, is 25...Qb6 26.Rg1 (26.Rxf7?? Qg6+) Qe6.
26.Bf4?
White is winning after 26.exf6 gxf6 27.Ra1 a6 (27...b6 28.Bf4 Bd6 29.Rxd5 a5 30.Rxd6 Rxd6 31.Qa3) 28.Bxa6! bxa6 29.Bf4+ Bd6 30.Qxa6 Qb7 31.Bxd6+.
26...Ne6 27.exf6?!
Probably better is 27.Bg3, but Black has a slight edge, according to the engines.
27...Nxf4 28.fxe7 Qxe7
During the game I was more worried about 28...Rde8?!, which worked well in the postmortem, but 29.Bg4 equalises, according to the engines. However Black had 28...Rc8!, when 29.Bg4 (forced) Qxc3+ 30.Kb1 is very good for Black after both 30...Qc2+ and 30...Nd3.
29.Re5 Qh4?
Black may have a slight edge after 29...Qf6, as suggested by GB in the postmortem.
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| White to play and win |
*****
*****
*****
*****
30.Ra1! Qf6
30.Ra1! Qf6
There is no defence, eg 30...a6 31.Bxa6! bxa6 32.Qb4+! Kc8 (32...Ka7 33.Re7+) 33.Qc5+ Kd7 (33...Kb8 34.Qb6+ ; 33...Kb7 34.Re7+) 34.Qa7+ Kc8 35.Qxa6+ and mates.
31.Qxa7+ Kc8 32.Bg4+ Kc7 33.Ra5 Qg6+ 34.Bf5 Qg2+ 35.Kb1 Qf1+ 36.Ka2 Ra8 37.Qc5+ 1-0
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