Scarborough Round Five
Spanish Berlin
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.0-0 Nd4 6.Bc4!?
Overwhelmingly more popular is 6.Nxd4, but the text is the top choice of the analysis engine Stockfish14 and is also liked by Komodo12.1.1.
6...d6 7.Nxd4 Bxd4 8.c3 Bb6 9.a4 a6?!
Probably better is 9...c6, and if 10.b4 then 10...a5.
10.a5 Ba7 11.Be3 Bxe3!?
This is best, according to the engines.
12.fxe3 0-0 13.Nd2 Be6 14.Qf3 Bxc4 15.Nxc4 Qd7
Stockfish14 likes 15...b5!?
16.h3 Rae8 17.Qg3 Re6 18.Rf5 Ne8 19.Raf1 Rg6 20.Qf2 Qe6 21.b3 Rf6 22.Qh4 Rxf5 23.Rxf5
The engines reckon 23.exf5?! Qd5 is very good for Black.
23...g6 24.Rf3 f6 25.g4 c6 26.g5 d5 27.Nd2
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| How should Black proceed? |
*****
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27...fxg5?!
27...fxg5?!
Komodo12.1.1 reckons Black has a tiny edge after 27...dxe4 or 27...f5, while Stockfish14 recommends 27...dxe4 and 27...Kg7, evaluating the position as equal.
28.Rxf8+ Kxf8 29.Qxh7 g4 30.Kg2 gxh3+ 31.Qxh3 Qxh3+ 32.Kxh3 Kf7 33.exd5 cxd5 34.e4 Ke6 35.Kg4
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| What should Black play? |
*****
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35...dxe4?
The game is equal, according to the engines, after 35...Nf6+ 36.Kg5 Nh5 or 35...Nc7.
36.Nxe4 Kd5 37.Kg5 Nc7?
Better is 37...Ng7, although White is still well on top.
38.Kxg6
Even stronger is the engines' 38.Kf6, putting Black in zugzwang.
38...Ne6 39.Kf5 Ng7+!?
Possibly better is the semi-forced 39...Nf4 40.d4 Nd3 41.Nf6+ Kd6 42.Ke4 Nf2+ 43.Ke3, when the engines want to offer the black knight with 43...exd4+!? 44.Kxf2 dxc3 45.Ne4+ Kc6. Komodo12.1.1 reckons White is winning; Stockfish14 gives White just a slight edge.
40.Kg4 Ne6
40.Kg4 Ne6
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| How should White proceed? |
*****
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41.b4?
White is winning after 41.Kf3, according to the engines.
41...Nf4 42.Nc5
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| Black to play and draw |
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42...Nxd3?
Correct is 42...Ne2, eg 43.c4+ Kd4 44.Nxb7 Kxd3 45.b5 Nd4!
43.Nxd3 Kc4 44.Nc5!
44.Nxe5+ Kxc3 is a draw.
44...Kxc3 45.Nxb7 Kxb4 46.Kf5 Kb5 47.Kxe5 Kc6 48.Nd6 Kc5 49.Ke6 Kc6 50.Ke7 Kc7 51.Nc4 Kc6
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| White to play and win |
*****
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52.Nd2!
The key idea.
52...Kc7
Or 52...Kc5 53.Nb3+ Kb4 54.Kd6 Kxb3 55.Kc5 (55.Kc6? Kc4 draws) Kc3 56.Kb6 Kc4 57.Kxa6 etc.
53.Nb3 Kc6 54.Ke6 Kc7 55.Kd5 Kb7 56.Kd6 1-0
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