Four Knights

PLAYED in Division One West of the London League last night.

Spanton (2040 ECF) - Baptiste Alloui-Cros (*)

Battersea - King's College London, Board One (of eight)

Spanish Four Knights

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nd4

This move is often attributed to Akiba Rubinstein, but was known long before his playing career, the oldest game in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database being from 1881.

5.Bc4

The commonest reply is 5.Ba4. Grabbing the e5 pawn with 5.Nxe5 is usually met by 5...Qe7, when the main line runs 6.f4 Nxb5 7.Nxb5 d6 8.Nf3 Qxe4+ 9.Kf2!? Ng4+, reaching a somewhat murky position that may slightly favour Black.

5...Bc5 6.0-0

Normal is 6.d3, although White does much better percentagewise in Mega22 with 6.Nxe5!? However, after the latter the most-popular continuation 6...Qe7 7.Nf3 d5!? 8.Bxd5 Bg4 9.d3 0-0-0 10.Be3 Nxd5 22.Nxd5 Rxd5!? 23.exd5 Re8 is not clear despite White being the exchange and two pawns up.

6...0-0!?

More popular is defending the e5 pawn with 6...d6.

7.Nxe5!?

In turn more popular is the solid 7.d3, but the text may be better. 

7...d6 8.Nf3

Not 8.Nd3?? Bg4 9.f3 Nxf3+ 10.Kh1 Nd4 11.Qe1 Nxc2, when Black had a winning advantage in Benoit Pigeat (1873) - Alloui-Cros (2139), French Online Blitz Championship Qualifier 2020 (but 1-0, 26 moves).

8...Bg4 9.Be2 Nxe2+ 10.Qxe2 Nh5!?

The analysis engines Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 give 10...Re8 11.d3 with what they reckon is a slight edge for White.

11.d3 f5

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

12.h3??

The engines reckon White is much better after several moves, including 12.e5 and 12.exf5.

12...Ng3 13.Qe1?

Better, but still very good for Black, is 13.Qd1.

13...Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nxf1 15.Qxf1 fxe4 16.Nxe4 Qh4!?

Even stronger is 16...Rxf3, when 17.Qg2 can be met by, among other moves, 17...Qf8 since 18.Bh6 is not much of a threat in view of Bxg7?? being meetable by ...Qxg7, pinning the white queen.

17.Qg2 Qh5 18.Nxc5 Qxc5 19.Bh6 Qe5 20.c3 Qf6 21.Be3 Qxf3

Black has regained his pawn and is a pure exchange ahead (0-1, 48 moves).
Battersea defaulted on board eight. King's College London won 4.5-3.5.

*Has a Fide rating of 2076 and an ECF "F" rating, based on six games, of 1995.