Arjan Plug (1850) - Spanton (1912)
U2000
French Tarrasch
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6!?
There are over 4,800 examples of this semi-waiting move in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.
4.Ngf3
This is easily White's commonest response, although many other moves have been tried by grandmasters - not surprising when Black's last is so non-forcing.
4...c5 5.exd5 exd5
One of the points of 3...a6!? becomes clear in that in the mainline sequence 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 White often likes to play 5.Bb5+.
Black's first five moves in this game have been with pawns - an unusual occurrence when White opens 1.e4. However during those five moves White has effectively only developed one piece, as the queen's knight will probably have to move again to let the white dark-square bishop into the game.
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| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
6.dxc5!?
This is the main move in Mega22, even though Black gets to recapture with the king's bishop without having spent a tempo on developing it at e7 or d6. Second-most popular is 6.Be2, which is not exactly an inspiring square for the bishop.
6...Bxc5 7.Bd3
The main line in this variation continues 7.Nb3 Bb6 8.Bd3, when Stockfish14.1 gives White a slight edge, but Komodo12.1.1 reckons Black has equalised.
7...Nf6 8.Qe2+
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| How should Black meet the check? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
8...Be7!
8...Be7!
Intervening with a developed piece may seem strange, but the bishop will have to move soon anyway when White plays Nb3. The alternatives are not exactly palatable: allowing an exchange of queens after 8...Qe7 reduces Black's isolani attacking chances, while 8...Be6 is a not-very active square for the queen's bishop. Meanwhile, in the game, the white queen will likely prove somewhat awkwardly placed on the open file. The engines agree the text is best.
9.0-0 0-0 10.h3 Nc6 11.c3
10.h3 prevented the pinning ...Bg4, and 10.c3, as well as being a typical move in similar IQP lines, prevents the light-square bishop being harassed with ...Nb4. But the whole concept seems slow to me. The engines reckon the position is equal.
11...Re8 12.Nb3 Bd6 13.Qc2 Ne4 14.Nbd4
On 14.Re1 I planned 14...Qf6!?, when 15.Bxe4 dxe4 16.Rxe4 runs into 16...Bxh3! (16...Bf5 also seems fine for Black), and if 17.Bg5 Black has 17...Qf5.
14...Qf6 15.Be3 Bd7
Not a great square for the bishop, but now ...Rc8 can come with tempo as Black will threaten ...Nb4.
16.Nxc6!?
Transforming an isolani structure into one with a pawn-island pair is nearly always a major, and frequently a controversial, commitment. The engines prefer development with 16.Rad1.
16...bxc6 17.Bxe4?!
Komodo12.1.1 is happy enough with this, but Stockfish14.1 is probably right in labelling it a mistake.
17...dxe4 18.Nd2
Even worse is 18.Nh2? Qe5.
18...Qe5 19.g3?
White has to play 19.f4 exf3 20.Rxf3, although 20...Qh2+ 21.Kf2 leaves White with a very-suspect position, eg one line given by the engines continues 21...Be6 22.Nf1 Qe5 23.Bd4 Qg5, when Black has the bishop-pair on an open board and much-the-safer king.
19...Bxh3 20.Nc4?
Better is 20.Rfe1.
20...Qf6 21.Nd2
Not 21.Nxd6?? Qf3 with unstoppable mate, while 21.Qd1 can be met by 21...Rad8.
21...Bxf1 22.Rxf1 Qg6 23.Kg2 f5 24.Nc4 Bc7 0-1
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