Hull 4NCL U2000 Round Five
Giuoco Piano
1.Nf3 Nc6 2.e4 e5 3.Bc4
A few words about the move-order. As I was shortly to discover, RK had a special variation of the Giuoco Piano in mind. But he would have seen from my games that I meet 1.e4 with 1...c5 and 1...e6 as well as 1...e5, so playing 1.e4 would not guarantee a double e-pawn game. However he would also have seen I often meet 1.Nf3 with 1...Nc6, in which case by continuing 2.e4 he could be fairly sure I would play 2...e5 to keep within my repertoire. Such are the joys of database-aided preparation, even at club level.
3...Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.0-0!?
Much more popular are 6.cxd4 and 6.e5 but the text is also played by grandmasters.
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| Position after 6.0-0!? |
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6...Nxe4
Also playable, but very risky if tried without knowing the theory, is 6...dxc3!?, when the main line continues 7.e5 d5 8.exf6 dxc4 9.fxg7 Rg8 with a sharp position that the analysis engines Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon is dynamically balanced. There are significant sidelines along the way that could easily catch someone who only knows the bare bones.
Other moves played by grandmasters include 6...d5?!, 6...0-0?!, 6...d6?! and 6...d3?!, but the engines dislike them all.
7.cxd4 Be7?
This was played by Wilhelm Steinitz at least three times, and he won all three games. but, though it may be presumptuous of me to say so, it is a mistake. Correct, as is often the case in similar Giuoco Piano positions, is the counterthrust 7...d5, when the main line runs 8.dxc5 (Komodo12.1.1 prefers 8.Re1) dxc4 9.Qe2 (also popular is 9.Qxd8+) Qd3!? 10.Re1 f5 11.Nc3 0-0 12.Nxe4 fxe4 13.Qxe4 Bf5!? 14.Qh4, which Stockfish14 reckons is equal, but Komodo12.1.1 claims a slight edge for Black.
8.d5 Na5
Steinitz played 8...Nd6?! against Cecil De Vere, London 1865, but after 9.dxc6 Nxc4 10.Qd4 bxc6 11.Qxg7!? (the obvious 11.Qxc4 is also strong) was simply lost (but 0-1, 26 moves). In two later games - one a simul - he played 8...Nb8, but was significantly worse both times before turning things around thanks to his overall greater chess strength.
9.Bd3 f5?!
I hoped to slow White's play by giving back the pawn, but almost certainly better are 9...Nf6 and 9...Nd6.
10.Qa4!?
The engines reckon 10.Nbd2 is strongest, but it is hard for White to come up with a move here that does not give a substantial advantage.
10...Nc5 11.Qc2!?
Stockfish14 much prefers this to Komodo12.1.1's choice 11.Qxa5, when after 11...Nxd3 it seems the bold black knight cannot be trapped. Indeed the engines reckon White's only route to advantage is 12.d6!? Bxd6 followed by 13.Qxf5, 13.Nc3 or 13.Bg5.
11...Nxd3 12.Qxd3 0-0 13.Bd2
The engines reckon this is stronger than 13.b4!? Bxb4 14.Qb5 Qe7 15.a3 Nb3 16.axb4 Nxa1 17.Qa4.
13...b6?
Better, but still horrible for Black, is 13...c5 14.d6 Bf6 15.Nc3, which the engines reckon gives White more than enough compensation for a pawn and the bishop-pair.
14.Bxa5 bxa5
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| White to play and win |
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15.Nc3?
White wins a piece with 15.d6 thanks to the threatened fork of king and rook at d5. Black can try to complicate the picture with 15...Bf6!? but 16.Qd5+ Kh8 17.Qxa8 Bxb2 18.Nbd2 Bxa119.Rxa1 is crushing, according to the engines.
15...Rb8 16.b3 Rb6 17.Rfe1 Ba6 18.Qe3 Bf6?!
Almost certainly stronger is 18...Bb4, which protects the a5 pawn as well as pinning the knight.
19.Rac1 f4?!
The engines prefer 19...Bb7.
20.Qc5 Bb7 21.Qxa5
White has won the pawn back and has the better-coordinated pieces, but Black has a pair of bishops on a fairly open board.
21...Qa8!?
Creating a Réti queen to give counterplay along the long light-square diagonal, but the engines prefer the prosaic 21...a6, awarding White a slight edge.
22.Na4?!
White wins a pawn with 22.Nb5.
22...Rd6
I rejected 22...Bxd5? 23.Nxb6 cxb6 24.Qb5 Bxf3 25.Qxf3 because of 25...Qe2, but even stronger for White is the engines' 25...Qxd7.
23.Qxc7 Rxd5 24.Nc5?
White is at least equal, according to the engines, after the prudent retreat 24.Qc4.
24...Bc6
Threatening to trap the white queen with 25...Bd8.
25.Qxf4?
Best is 25.Na6, according to the engines, when 25...Bd8? lets White off the hook thanks to 26.Qb8. Instead Black can start a strong kingside attack with 25...Rh5.
25...Bb2
Even stronger is 25...Bd4.
26.Qc4 Bxc1 27.Rxc1 Kh8 28.Qg4 Rdf5 29.Nd4?!
This does not help, but there is no defence.
29...Rf4 30.Qd1 Rxf2 31.Rc2 Rxg2+ 32.Rxg2 Bxg2 33.Nxd7 Rf1+ 0-1
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