Bad Wörishofen Round Eight

U2000 leaderboard pairings for round eight:

table	TNr	name	elo	pts	-	TNr	name	elo	pts	(w)	-	(b)
1	1	Spanton,Tim R	1912	5	-	12	Abed,David	1754	6		-
2	13	Bail,Leonhard	1759	5	-	14	Bigott,Martin	1747	6		-
3	22	Klein,Robert	0	4.5	-	4	Eschle,Hubert	1876	4.5		-
4	41	Fresow,Boris	0	4.5	-	9	Litfin,Boris	1818	4.5		-
5	16	Kampfmeier,Dirk	1733	4	-	11	Kopischke,Maik	1800	4.5		-

Spanton (1912) - David Abed (1754)

Veresov

1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bg5 h6!?

Hitting the bishop when a capture on f6 would mean Black having to recapture with a pawn is not very popular, although it has been tried by grandmasters. I guess the thinking is White may well want to double Black's pawns anyway, so why give him a tempo with which to do it?

4.Bh4!?

The main line in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 4.Bxf6 exf6 5.e3 c6 6.Bd3, which Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon is a tad better for Black.

4...c6 5.Qd3 Qa5 6.f3 g5!? 7.Bg3 b5!

This aggressive continuation is much-liked by the engines.

8.e4 b4 9.Nce2 Ba6 10.Qe3 e6

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

11.Bxb8?

Based on a misevaluation of tactical chances. The engines like 11.h4 Rg8 12.hxg5 hxg5 13.Nh3, when they slightly prefer Black, but the position is unclear.

11...Rxb8 12.exd5?!

It is probably better to keep the centre closed with 12.e5.

12...Qxd5

Black is spoilt for choice, eg 12...b3+ 13.c3 bxa2 14.Qd2 Nxd5 15.Nc1 Nxc3! 16.bxc3 Rb1 17.Rxa2 Rxc1+ 18.Qxc1 Qxa2 wins a pawn to add to Black's advantage of having the bishop-pair. The engines point out also strong is 12..Nxd5!? as 13.Qe5 can be coolly met by 13...Rb7, when grabbing the king's rook by 14.Qxh8?! is met by 14...b3+, eg 15.Nc3 (this is best, according to the engines) bxc2 16.Bxa6 Nxc3! 17.Bxb7 Nb1+ 18.Kf2 c1=Q, when Black's extra queen should be more than a match for the out-of-play white rooks. Even 12...cxd5!? is possible as 13.Qe5 can be met by 13...Qd8.

13.Qe5

The engines give 13.Nf4!, eg 13...gxf4 14.Qxf4 Rd8 15.Bxa6 (not 15.Qxf6 Bxf1! 16.Qxh8? Bxg2) Qxd4 16.Qxd4 Rxd4, but reckon Black is better.

13...Qd8

Taking queens off with 13...Qxe5!? 14.dxe5 Nd5 may be even stronger.

14.Nh3 Bd6 15.Qe3 Nd5 16.Qd2 c5

Neither king is safe, but Black has more pieces developed and is better coordinated.

17.Ng3 c4 18.Qe2 0-0 19.f4!?

Desperation - giving up a pawn to try to open lines to the black king.

19...Nxf4 20.Nxf4 Bxf4 21.Rd1 Bb5 22.Qg4 Qa5 23.Nh5 f5 24.Qe2 Rb6!?

Black is still on top after this, according to the engines, but it weakens the back rank. I thought Black more-or-less had to play Stockfish14.1's choice, 24...Rbe8, when 25.Nxf4 gxf4 26.Qe5 gives White equality, according to the engines. However Black has a major improvement in 25...e5!, when Black is again much better.

25.Nxf4 gxf4 26.g3 c3 27.Qe5 cxb2 28.gxf4 b3+ 29.Kf2

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

29...bxc2??

This is Komodo12.1.1's second-choice, but Black had to play 29...Rf7, when 30.Rg1+ Kh7 31.axb3 b1=Q! 32.Rxb1 Qd2+ 33.Be2 Bxe2 34.Qxe2 Qxf4+ and ...Qxd4+ leaves Black a pawn to the good and with the safer king.

30.Rg1+

Komodo12.1.1, like Stockfish14.1, now sees White has a mate-in-seven.

30...Kf7 31.Qc7+

31.Rg7+ also mates.

31...Ke8 32.Bxb5+??

This turns a win into a loss. Correct is 32...Rg7 33.cxd1=N+ Kg1 (I missed that the g1 square would be free for the king), after which the black king cannot escape the white mating net.

How should Black recapture?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

32...Rxb5

Not 32...Qxb5? as White draws with 33.Qc8+ Kf7 34.Qc7+ Ke8 35.Qc8+ etc. But White must avoid the plausible 34.Rg7? as Black wins with what is arguably a double-queen sacrifice: 34...Qe2+! 35.Kxe2 cxd1=Q+ 36.Kxd1 b1=Q+ etc.

33.Qc6+

Black to play and win

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

33...Ke7

Not 33...Kf7?? 34.Qd7+ Kf6 35.Qg8#,  but the engines point out 33...Kd8 34.Qd6+ Kc8! 35.Qxf8+ Qd8, when White seems to have nothing better than 36.Qxd8+ Kxd8 37.Rb1 cxb1=Q 38.Rxb1, which the engines reckon is an easily won rook-and-pawn ending for Black.

White to play and draw

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

34.Rg7+

Not 34.Rg6 cxd1=N+, eg 35.Ke2 Rf6 36.Rg7+ Rf7 37.Rg6 Qd8! But 34.Rde1! draws, eg 34...Qd2+ 35.Kg3 e5! (35...Rg8+? 36.Kh3 wins for White) 36.Rxe5+ Rxe5 37.Qc7+! and the engines agree the black king cannot escape the checks.

Black to play and win

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

34...Kf6??

Winning is 34...Rf7 35.Rxf7+ Kxf7 as 36.Qd7+ fails to 36...Kf6 while 36.Qxc2 runs into 36...Qb6 37.Qb1 Rb4 38.Ke3 Qc6 etc.

White to play and win

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****
35.Rg6+

This only draws, whereas 35.Qg2! cxd1=N+ 36.Ke2+! Nc3+ 37.Kf3 leaves Black unable to escape being mated, viz 37...Rf7 (37...b1=Q 38.Qg6#) 38.Qg6+ Ke7 39.Qxf7+ Kd6 40.Qd7#.

35...Kxg6 36.Qxe6+ Kh5 37.Qe2+ Kh4

White to play and draw

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

38.Rd3?

This threatens mate-in-two by 39.Rh3+! Kxh3 40.Qh5#, but Black can foil this, whereas 38.Qe7+ forces a draw by repetition.

Black to play and win

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

38...Qe1+??

The right idea, but this wrong execution turns a win into a loss. Winning is 38...Qd2 39.Rxd2 (39.Qxd2 c1=Q is no improvement for White) c1=Q, eg 40.Qe7+ Kh5 41.Qe2+ Kg6 42.Qe6+ Kg7 43.Qe7+ Rf7, and also winning is the engines' 38...Qd8, eg 39.Qf3 Qxd4+! 40.Rxd4 c1=Q 41.Qg3+ Kh5 42.Qh3+ Kg6 43.Rd6+ Kf7 44.Qh5+ Ke7 etc.

39.Qxe1 c1=Q 40.Qe7+

Other moves also lead to a quick mate.

40...Kg4 41.Qg7+ Kxf4 42.Qg3+ Ke4 43.Qf3#

U2000 leaderboard pairings for round nine:

table	TNr	name	elo	pts	-	TNr	name	elo	pts	(w)	-	(b)
1	14	Bigott,Martin	1747	6.5	-	4	Eschle,Hubert	1876	5		-
2	7	Plug,Arjan	1850	5	-	1	Spanton,Tim R	1912	6		-
3	12	Abed,David	1754	6	-	22	Klein,Robert	0	5		-
4	9	Litfin,Boris	1818	5.5	-	6	Klein,Reinhard	1874	5		-
5	11	Kopischke,Maik	1800	5	-	13	Bail,Leonhard	1759	5.5		-