But, because engines are allowed, most games are drawn, so I only post here those games that avoid this or have some other feature of special intertest.
Spanton (2277) - Zdenko Barbalić (1934)
World Team Cup, England v Croatia, Board 18 (of 20) 2021
Old Indian
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 e5!? 4.Nf3
The 'obvious' 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ is equal according to Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1.
4...Nfd7?!
Provocative and strange.
5.g3!?
A new idea, or at least the move is not in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, which was the main reference source I used while this game was played (and it is not in Mega22 either).
5...Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0
The game has transposed to a known position, a 1993 Norwegian game that saw 7...exd4, which is not liked by the engines.
7... c6!? 8.e4 Qc7 9.Be3 Nb6 10.b3 Na6 11.Qd2 Bg4
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| How would you assess the position now both players have connected rooks? |
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White has more space on the central-queenside, and the white centre is not under pressure. Black has no weaknesses, but the black knights make an odd impression and are a long way from influencing events on the kingside. Stockfish14.1 reckons White is positionally winning, while Komodo12.1.1 gives White the upper hand.
12.Nh4! Bxh4 13.gxh4
The White king's position is smashed, but Black is not well-placed to exploit this. White has swopped off a defender of the black kingside and half-opened a file to the black king. White has also gained the bishop-pair, although on a board still crowded with pawns.
13...Bh5!?
The engines prefer 13...Rae8, albeit with a large advantage for White.
14.f3!?
Planning to transfer the white knight to the kingside without letting Black exchange it off for the remaining black bishop, which, left on the board, could become a target for white pawn-advances and for the white knight coming to g3 via e2.
14...Bg6 15.f4!?
Gaining kingside space. If now 15...Bh5, Black has lost time and White can switch to central play with 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.d5.
15...f6 16.Ne2 exd4 17.Bxd4 Nc5 18.Ng3 h6 19.Rae1 Rad8
Both sides are fully mobilised, but White has more space.
20.Kh1 Rfe8 21.f5 Bh7 22.Nh5 Nbd7 23.b4 Na6 24.Rg1
Starting a build-up against g7. Black has little scope for counterplay.
24...Re7 25.Bf3 Kh8
This allows a winning combination, but Black had nothing better, according to the engines.
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| White to play and start cashing in |
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26.Nxf6! Nxf6
Even worse, it seems, is 26...gxf6, eg 27.Qxh6 Rg8 28.Rxg8+ Kxg8 29.Rg1+ Kh8 30.c5 dxc5 31.bxc5 Naxc5 32.e5 fxe5 33.Bxc5 Rf7 (33...Nxc5? allows a mate-in-two) 34.Qe6 Nf6 35.Rg5 with an overwhelming position. This is a long line from the engines, but Black's options along the way are very limited.
27.Rxg7! Rxg7 28.Bxf6 Rdd7 29.Bh5 Kg8 30.a3!?
Also strong is 30.Qxh6, and the simple 30.Bxg7 Rxg7 31.f6 also seems to be winning.
30...Nb8 31.Qxh6 c5 32.Bxg7 1-0
There is no answer to 32...Rxg7 33.f6 etc.
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