Benidorm U2000 Games: Round Four

PLAYED on Tuesday.

Spanton (1829) - Luis Gutiérrez Abarrategui (1927)

French Classical Mainline

1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bg5 e6 4.e4

The normal move-order to reach this position is 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5.

4...Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.f4 a6

The major alternative is 7...0-0, but the immediate 7...c5?! is almost certainly a mistake thanks to 8.Nb5.

8.Nf3 c5 9.Bd3!?

This may be playable, but other moves are more solid.

9...Nc6

Probably best is 9...cxd4!?, not least because the plausible 10.Nxd4?! runs into 10...Qb4. The analysis engines Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 prefer 10.Ne2, when 10...Qb4+!? 11.Qd2 Qxb2 12.0-0 gives White a lot of compensation for being, at least temporarily, two pawns down.

Note that 9...c4?! takes the pressure of the white centre, leaving White with a freehand to attack on the kingside, while queenside castling for Black looks problematic.

10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.0-0 Bd7

The engines prefer this to 11...Nxd3!?, which leaves Black with the only bishop, but one that is badly hampered by its own pawns.

12.a3 Nxd3!?

The objections to this capture mentioned at move 11 still apply. The engines prefer 12...f6 or 12...f5.

13.Qxd3

The engines marginally prefer this way of recapturing.

13...Na5 14.b3 Rc8

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

15.b4?

This is both weakening and time-consuming, considering that the pawn could have gone to b4 on move 14. The engines reckon best is 15.Rf2, with maybe a slight edge for White.

15...Nc4 16.Nd2 Bb5?!

Black is better after 16...0-0, according to the engines.

17.Nxb5 axb5

Black is rid of the problem bishop but the doubled isolanis give White equality, according to the engines.

18.Nf3 Ra8 19.Nd2?!

Overly worrying about the admittedly well-placed Black knight. Instead 19.Nd4 is probably best as 19...Qd7 20.f5 is promising for White. The engines reckon Black should instead castle, claiming full compensation for the pawn after 20.Nxb5.

19...Qc7

Black is better after 19...Nxd2 20.Qxd2 g6, according to the engines.

20.Nxc4 Qxc4 21.Qxc4 dxc4

21...bxc4 is also equal, according to the engines.

22.Rfd1 Ke7 23.Rd6 Rhd8 24.Rad1

24.Rb6!? Rd2 25.Rxb5 Rxc2 26.Rxb7+ wins a pawn, but the game is dead-equal, according to the engines. A sample continuation: 26...Kf8 27.Rd1!? g6 28.Rdd7 Rxa3 29.Rxf7+ Ke8 30.h4 Raa2 etc.

24...Rxd6 25.Rxd6

25.exd6+? Kd7 gives Black a large advantage.

25...Ra6

Or 25...Rxa3 26.Rb6 Rc3 27.Rxb5 Rxc2 28.Rxb7+ Ke8 with dead-eye equality.

26.Rxa6 bxa6 27.Kf2 f5 28.Ke3

Or 28.exf6+, when both 28...gxf6 and 28...Kxf6 give an equal game.

28...Kd7 29.h3 h5 30.g3 Kc6 31.c3 g6 32.Kf3 Kb6 33.h4 ½–½