Scarborough Round Three
Colle
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 Bd6 4.Bd3 Nc6!?
The main line in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database runs 4...f5 5.c4 (also popular is 5.0-0) c6 6.0-0 Nf6 7.b3, reaching a Dutch Stonewall position from which White scores an impressive 64%.
5.Nbd2 Nf6 6.c3!?
This is a popular continuation, narrowly eclipsed by 6.0-0, but it is arguably too slow. The analysis engines Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 prefer 6.c4, seeking to inhibit ...e5. Black can try 6...e5!? anyway, but 7.cxd5 (much better than 7.c5 e4, according to the engines) Nxd5 8.Be4!? Nde7 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.0-0 favours White, according to the engines.
6...e5 7.dxe5 Nxe5 8.Nxe5 Bxe5
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| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
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9.f4?!
9.f4?!
Seeking to gain the initiative, but almost certainly too weakening. The engines reckon 9.0-0 and 9.Qc2 give equality but 9.Nf3 Bd6 gives Black a tiny edge.
9...Bd6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Kh1
Getting rid of the backward pawn with 11.e4? runs into 11...Bc5+ 12.Kh1 Ng4.
11...Re8 12.Qf3?!
Probably better is 12.Nf3.
12...Qe7 13.Re1 Ne4 14.Bxe4!?
This is Stockfish14's choice - Komodo12.1.1 prefers 14.Qf1 - but the move is horrible from a positional view.
14...dxe4 15.Qf2
White's backward pawn is no longer on a half-open file, but to achieve this White has had to give up his better bishop and permanently concede central space.
15...c6!?
The engines suggest 15...a5 (or 15...Rad8) and if 16.Nc4, which I was afraid of because Black would lose the bishop-pair, they reckon 16...a4!? 17.Nxd6 Qxd6 is very good for Black.
16.b3
Now 16.Nc4 can be met by 16...Bc7, preserving the bishop-pair and preventing 17.Ne5. The knight would later be vulnerable to being hit by ...b5.
16...a5 17.a3 b5 18.Bb2 Bf5 19.Nf1 Be6 20.Nd2 f5
I was slightly concerned that ...f5 gave White a pawn-lever in the shape of g4, but arranging that with advantage is no easy task.
21.Rec1 Rab8 22.Qe2 Bc5!?
The engines strongly prefer 22...Red8.
23.b4 Bb6 24.c4
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| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
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24...axb4?!
The engines strongly dislike this at first, although it comes to be Komodo12.1.1's second-choice. They reckon Black should keep the position closed with 24...a4!?
25.cxb5!?
I expected 25.axb4, when 25...Qxb4?? 26.Ba3 is a disaster for Black, and other moves give little more than equality, eg 25...bxc4?! 26.Nxc4 Qxb4 27.Nxb6 Qxb6 28.Bd4 gives White a strong initiative for the pawn, one line running 28...Qb5 29.Qxb5 cxb5 30.Ra7.
25...cxb5 26.axb4 Red8 27.Bc3 Rd3 28.Nc1 Bc4 29.Qe1 Rbd8 30.Rd1?!
The engines prefer 30.Be5 or 30.h3, but reckon Black is well on top.
30...Rxd1 31.Rxd1 Rxd1 32.Qxd1
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| What is Black's best continuation? |
*****
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32...Qa7?
This throws away Black's advantage. Also no good is 32...Bxf1? 33.Qxf1 Bxe3 34.Qxb5, but the engines reckon Black wins with 32...Qd8 33.Qxd8+ (more-or-less forced) Bxd8, when pawns are equal, materially, but Black's bishop-pair, space advantage and better-placed king give a large advantage.
33.Ng3 Be6 34.h3!?
White has to be careful about falling into a back-rank mate, but also playable is 34.Bd4.
34...Bxe3 35.Qd8+ Kf7
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| White to play and draw |
*****
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36.Nh5?
White draws with 36.Qg5, when the engines reckon Black has nothing better than 36...Qa2 (36...g6?? loses to 37.Qf6+) 37.Qxg7+ Ke8 38.Be1! Qb1 39.Qh8+ Kd7 40.Qg7+ (not 40.Qxh7+?? Kc6) with a draw by repetition as 40...Kc6?? loses to 41.Qc3+ etc.
Also better than the text is 36.Bxg7!? Qe7 (36...Kxg7?? loses to 37.Nh5+) 37.Qh8 Qe8 38.Qxh7 Qg8 39.Qxg8+ Kxg8 40.Bc3, although the black position is certainly easier to play after 40...Bxf4.
36...Qd7 37.Qxd7+
Forced, as otherwise the threat of ...Qd1+ wins, eg 37.Qh4 Qd1+ 38.Qe1 Qxe1+ 39.Bxe1 g6 40.Ng3 Bxf4, when Black is two pawns up and has much the better pieces.
37...Bxd7 38.Nxg7 Bxf4 39.Nh5 Bd6 40.Nf6 Be6 41.Nxh7
White restores material equality (in pawns) but the knight will be out of play for several moves.
41...Kg6 42.Nf6 Be7 43.Ne8 f4 44.Kg1 e3 45.Be1 Bc4 46.Nc7 Kf5 47.Na6 Bf6 48.Nc5 Bb2 0-1
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