Scarborough Round Two
French Classical Steinitz
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nf3!?
This move, recommended by Tarrasch, scores just 45% in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, while 5.Nce2 scores 56% and 5.f4 scores 57%.
5...c5 6.dxc5
The engines give 6.Ne2!? as an interesting alternative to the overwhelmingly more-popular text.
6...Nc6 7.Bf4 Bxc5 8.Bd3 a6 9.0-0 b5 10.Qe2 h6 11.Rfe1 Nb6
 |
| Can you find a winning combination for White? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
No.
12.Rad1
Not 12.Bxb5? axb5 13.Qxb5 Qe7 14.Qxc6+ Bd7, when the engines reckon best is 15.Qb7 0-0 16.Be3 Rfb8 17.Qc7 Bxe3 18.fxe3 Nc4 19.a4 (19.b3 Rc8 20.Qb7 Na5 etc) Rxb2, which they rate as giving Black much the better game.
12...b4 13.Nb1 Na4 14.Bc1?!
Almost certainly too passive. White has an advantage after 14.c4, which seeks to open lines for White's better-developed pieces.
14...Qb6 15.c4 bxc3 16.Nxc3 Nxc3 17.bxc3 a5 18.Bf4?!
The engines like 18.Nd4!?, the point being 18...Nxd4 19.cxd4 Bxd4 20.Ba3 looks promising for White.
18...0-0
JW explained after the game that he changed his mind about playing 18...Ba6 because of Rb1 followed by Bb5, but the engines show 19.Rb1? is punished by 19...Bxf2+!
19.Rb1
This looks natural, but quite possibly better is 19.Bb1!?, the point being to threaten to set up a bishop-queen battery on the b1-h7 diagonal. The engines continue 19...Ne7 20.Nd4, claiming a slight edge for White.
19...Qc7 20.Qd2 Be7?!
A better defensive try may be 20...Ba6.
 |
| Can you find a winning combination for White? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
21.Bxh6! gxh6 22.Qxh6 f5 23.Qg6+ Kh8 24.Re3 Bc5
This is Black's best move, according to the engines, but White is winning.
25.Nd4 Qg7?!
Probably better is 25...Qh7!? 26.Rh3 Qxh3 27.gxh3 Rg8, but 28.Qxg8+ Kxg8 29.Nxc6 leaves White with two extra pawns, albeit all the white pawns are isolated and two of them are doubled. Black also has the bishop-pair, but the engines reckon Black is lost.
26.Rh3+ Kg8 27.Qh5?
Much better is the simple 27.Qxg7+ Kxg7 28.Nxc6, when White is up two good pawns.
27...Nxe5 28.Rg3 Qxg3??
Black should play 28...Ng4, when best-play, according to the engines, runs 29.h3 Bd6 30.Nxf5! exf5 31.Rxg4! fxg4 32.Qxd5+ Rf7 33.Qxa8 with what they reckon is a balanced position, although it is one in which it would be easy for either player to go wrong.
29.hxg3 Nxd3 30.Rd1
Missing a mating attack with 30.Qg6+ Kh8 31.Rb7! Bxb7 32.Nxe6 etc.
30...Nb2?
Better is 30...Ne5, although the engines reckon White is better after 31.Re5.
31.Qg6+ Kh8 32.Qh6+ Kg8 33.Nxe6 Bxe6 34.Qxe6+ Kg7 35.Rxd5
Materially Black is doing OK with rook, bishop and knight for queen and three pawns, but the black pieces are uncoordinated and the black king is wide open to attack.
35...Rad8!?
Setting a trap. All other continuations also lose easily, according to the engines.
36.Rxd8
Not 36.Rxc5?? Rd1+ 37.Kh2 Rh8+ and mate.
36...Rxd8 37.Qe5+ Kg6 38.Qxc5 Rd1+ 39.Kh2 Nd3 40.Qxa5 Nxf2 41.Qb6+ 1-0
No comments:
Post a Comment