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| Ciutadella town hall |
Juan A Sanchez Liso (1488) - Spanton (1915)
U2000
New London
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Bd6 4.Qg4!?
This was tried by Efim Bogoljubow in 1923 but never really caught on.
4...g6!?
Not 4...Bxf4? 5.Qxg7 Qf6 6.Qxf6 Nxf6 7.exf4, when Black has very little for the pawn, but possible is 4...Nf6 5.Qxg7 (Bogoljubow played 5.Qf3?!) Rg8 6.Qh6 Rg6 7.Qh4 Rg4 etc, albeit Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 prefer White. The text weakens the black kingside but threatens ...e5.
5.Qf3!?
This is Stockfish14.1's top choice; Komodo12.1.1 prefers 5.Qg3.
5...Nc6!?
This may be a novelty. The idea is to again threaten ...e5.
6.a3?!
Almost certainly too slow. I was more concerned about 6.Nc3, when 6...Nb4 can be met by 7.0-0-0.
6...e5 7.dxe5 Nxe5 8.Qe2
Not 8.Qxd5?? Bb4+ etc, but 8.Qg3 may be better.
8...Nc4!?
The engines prefer simple development with 8....Nf6, not worrying about the pin 9.Bg5.
9.Nc3!
This equalises, according to the engines, the point being 9...Nxb2?? loses to Qb5+ etc.
9...c6 10.Bxd6 Nxd6
10...Qxd6? 11.0-0-0 favours White.
11.Nf3 Nf6 12.Nd4?!
The engines are not all that unhappy with this, but prefer 12.Qd2, which prepares development of the light-square bishop
12...0-0 13.h4?
Premature.
13...Re8
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 13...c5!? 14.Ndb5 Nf5, when 15.g4 can be met by 15...Nxe3!? or 15...Nd4.
14.Nb3
The engines reckon this is a good time to castle long, albeit much preferring Black.
14...a5 15.0-0-0!?
White is in difficulties anyway, but the engines reckon best is 15.Qf3 Bg4 16.Qf4 Nf5, after which Black has a strong attack.
15...b5 16.h5 b4 17.Nb1 bxa3 18.Nxa3 a4 19.Nc5?!
Almost certainly better is 19.Nd4.
19...Qb6 20.hxg6!?
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| How should Black reply? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
20...fxg6!?
This is best, according to the engines, but 20...Qxc5 is playable, the engines continuing 21.Qf3, which can be met by 21...Re6 or 21...Bf5, although in both cases 22.gxf7+ gives White practical chances thanks to the weak black king. Also very strong, according to the engines, is 20...Bg4!?
21.Nd3 Rb8 22.c3 Bg4 23.Qc2?
Better is 23.f3 Rxe3 24.Qc2, but 24...Bf5 leaves Black with a big advantage.
23...Bxd1 24.Kxd1 Nc4?!
The engines' 24...Nfe4 is simpler.
25.Nxc4 dxc4 26.Nb4 Rbd8+ 27.Kc1 Qc5?!
It was almost certainly better to give up the c4 pawn gracefully, eg 27...c5 28.Bxc4+ Kg7, when the engines continue 29.Nd3 Re4! 30.Ba2 a3!, one idea being to meet 31.bxa3 with 31...Qa6.
28.Rh4
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| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
28...Nd5??
This throws away Black's considerable advantage. I tried to make 28...Rxe3!? work, missing that 29.Bxc4+ can be met by 29...Qxc4! White should therefore play 29.fxe3 Qxe3+ 30.Kb1 Qe1+ 31.Ka2, but 31...Rd1 is very strong. Also good is 28...Kg7, eg 29.Rxc4 Rxe3! 30.fxe3 Qxe3+ 31.Kb1 Qe1+ 32.Ka2 Rd1 33.Ka3 Rd2! etc, or 29.Bxc4 Rxe3 (29...g5!? also seems strong) 30.fxe3 Qxe3+ 31.Kb1 Qe1+ 32.Ka2 Qxh4. White can also try meeting 28...Kg7 with 29.Kb1 but the engines reckon 29...a3!? is very good for White, eg 30.axb3 Qb6 31.Ka2 c5 etc.
29.Bxc4 Kg7 30.Bxd5 cxd5
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| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
31.Qxa4?
White has very good compensation for the exchange after 31.Nd3, according to the engines.
31...Rxe3! 32.fxe3?
Not 32.Na6?? Re1+ etc, but White is still in the game after 32.Nc2, albeit Black is the exchange up for a pawn and is winning (Stockfish14.1) or at least has the upper hand (Komodo12.1.1).
32...Qxe3+ 33.Kb1
Or 33.Kd1 Qg1+ followed by picking up the white rook.
33...Qe1+ 34.Ka2 Qxh4 35.Qa7+ Kg8 36.Qa6?!
Allowing the queens to come off reduces White's swindling chances.
36...Qc4+ (0-1, 78 moves).
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