His notes are in italics.
Matthew H Shaw (1955) - Gluckman (1869)
SCCU U2050
Bird
1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 c6 5.0-0 Qb6+
This early development of the queen is the most-popular move in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.
6.d4!?
And this slightly strange-looking reply is much more popular than 6.e3 or 6.Kh1 (6.Rh2?! does not occur in Mega22).
6...Nf6 7.Ne5!?
This apparent-novelty, albeit transposing to a known position, is the top choice for a while of the analysis engine Komodo12.1.1, although it comes to prefer Stockfish14.1's 7.c4.
7...h5!?
Hinting at, but not committing to, castling long, against which White takes immediate measures.
8.c4 Be6 9.Nc3!? h4
White gets plenty of compensation for a pawn after 9...dxc4 10.Na4 and 11.Nc5, according to the engines.
10.Na4
An idea after …h4 is for White play g4 to seal up the h file, which is Black’s main hope of counterplay. Black must hold the pawn on d5 at all costs because if that is lost White will form a huge centre with pawns on c4, d4, e4 and f4, which will allow White to win the game in robot mode.
10...Qd8 11.Nc5 Bf5!?
An interesting positional pawn sacrifice. Certainly the black position looks rather passive after 11...Bc8
12.Nxb7 Qc8
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| How should White proceed? |
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13.Qb3
This is Komodo12.1.1's top choice, at least for a while, although Stockfish14.1 strongly prefers 13.g4!? Bxg4 14.Na5!? h3 15.Bh1, claiming a large advantage for White (Komodo12.1.1 disagrees). The conservative 13.Nc5 also seems very reasonable.
13...hxg3 14.hxg3 Bh3
The point of the pawn sacrifice. Now Black will have at least some counterplay based on the h file.
15.Nc5 Bg2 16.Kxg2 Qh3+ 17.Kf2
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| How should Black proceed? |
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17...Nbd7
17...Nbd7
I fantasised for a while with ideas based around Ng4 and Bxd4+, forking king and the knight on c5. However, Black is one tempo short and White’s piece-coordination with, e.g. e3 or Be3. [TH's annotation seems truncated here] The main weakness for Black is the lame queenside. White threatens to play Qb3 [Qb7 presumably] so instead of pursuing chimeras of attack, I decided to develop.
The engines point out after 17...Ng4+!? that 18.Nxg4? is good for Black thanks to 18...Qxg4 (rather than 18...Bxd4+?? 19.Be3), when Black has a strong attack thanks to the twin threats of ...Rh2+ and ...Bxd4+. But White can instead play 18.Ke1, emerging a pawn up with Black's attack seemingly out of steam.
18.Qb7?
I expected all the knights coming off and switching to a quieter position in which White is a pawn up but Black should have some counterplay based on the exposed position of the white king.
The engines give 18.Ncxd7 Nxd7 19.cxd5!?, when Black is hard-pressed to find a decent reply, eg 19...cxd5 20.Qxd5 Qh2+ 21.Ke1 Qxg3+ 22.Kd1 0-0 23.Nxd7 Rfd8 24.f5! leaves White with a very strong attack. Best may be 19...Rb8 20.Qf3 cxd5 21.Qxd5 Qh2+, but 22.Qg2 seems to hold everything together for White, who emerges two pawns up, albeit in a position with practical chances for Black, who has the safer king.
18...Nb6
Even stronger seems to be the engines' 18...Rd8!?, when it is White's turn to have difficulties finding a decent continuation, eg Stockfish14.1's 19.Qxc6 runs into 19...Ng4+ when 20.Ke1 (20.Nxg4? Qxg4 is even worse) does not work thanks to 20...Bxe5 21.fxe5 Qxg3+ with a strong attack for a pawn. Komodo12.1.1 suggests 19.Ncxd7 but then 19...Ne4+! 20.Ke1 Qg2! threatens a quick mate, so White has to play 21.Qb3, when 21...Nxg3 22.Qf3 (only move) Qxf1+ 23.Qxf1 Nxf1 24.Kxf1 dxc4 leaves material approximately equal but with the black pieces much better coordinated.
19.Qxc6+ Kf8
As usual I have succeeded only in creating a total mess.
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| The engines reckon the position is equal but precariously balanced, so much so that White has to find an only-move to stay in the game |
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20.Be3!
Nothing else will do, it seems, certainly not 20.Ncd7+?? Nfxd7 21.Nxd7+ Qxd7, while the plausible 20.Ke1!? is probably best met by 20...Qg2+!? If then 21.cxd5 White is temporarily three pawns up but appears to be in trouble, eg 21...Rc8 22.Qb5 Qxg3+ 23.Kd1 Qg2 24.Re1 (24.Ke1?! Nfxd5 is not an improvement) Rh1 25.Bd2 Rxe1+ 26.Bxe1 Nfxd5, when Black has recovered two of the pawns and still has a big attack.
20...Rc8 21.Qb7
The engines reckon White had to play 21.Rh1!, when 21...Qxh1 22.Rxh1 Ng4+! 23.Nxg4 Rxc6 24.cxd5 Nxd5 is still precariously balanced.
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| Black to play and win |
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21...Rxc5! 22.dxc5 Ne4+ 23.Ke1 Bxe5
This the point of the exchange sac on move 21. I have finally created luft for the king, which had been crippled by threats of a back-rank mate.
24.cxb6 Qxg3+ 25.Bf2 Bc3+!
A pseudo sac leading to mate in two if accepted.
26.Kd1 Nxf2+ 27.Kc2 Qe3 28.Qxd5
This allows a mating sequence, but 28.bxc3 Qxe2+ 29.Kb3 Qxc4+ 30.Kc2 Qd3+ 31.Kb3 Qb5+ 32.Kc2 Ng4 is overwhelming.
28...Qe2+ 29.Kxc3 Rh3+ 30.Kb4 Qxb2+ 0-1
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