Spanton (1912) - Wolfgang Basener (1727)
Senioren Cup
1.Nc3
1.Nc3 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4?!
Exchanging knights to bring the white queen into the centre of the board is rarely a good idea, unless the queen can be harassed on its new post. The main line runs 4...Nf6 5.Bg5 Bb4!? 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Qd4, which Komodo12.1.1 calls equal but Stockfish14 reckons slightly favours White.
5.Qxd4 Nf6 6.e4 d6 7.Bg5 Be7 8.0-0-0 0-0
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| How would you assess this opposite-side-castling position? |
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White is better thanks to being ahead on development and having more space in the centre. Stockfish14 reckons White's advantage is worth a pawn; Komodo12.1.1 reckons about half a pawn.
9.Bc4 h6!?
The engines prefer this to the more-popular 9...Be6, after which they reckon 10.f4 is good for White.
10.Bh4 Ne8 11.Bg3!?
Avoiding immediate simplification, but the bishop is not well-placed on g3, and 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Nd5 is very pleasant for White.
11...Bh4 12.Kb1
Even better may be the engines' 12.e5!?
12...Bxg3 13.hxg3 Qf6 14.Qe3 Be6 15.Bd3 Qe5?!
This helps White's attack, The engines suggest 15...Qe7 or 15...c6. albeit much preferring White.
16.f4 Qc5 17.Qe2?!
Again avoiding simplification, but White is clearly much better after 17.Qxc5.
17...Nf6 18.f5 Bd7
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| How should White proceed? |
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19.Rh4?
The engines reckon this throws away White's advantage, whereas White is winning (Stockfish14) or at least has the upper hand (Komodo12.1.1) after 19.g4.
19...Rae8 20.Rdh1?? Bxf5
Now Black is winning (Stockfish14) or at least has the upper hand (Komodo12.1.1).
21.Qf3 Bg6 22.Qf4
22.Rxh6!? gxh6 23.Qxf6 is well-met by 23...Qe5 or 23...Qg5.
22...Re5 23.g4 Rg5 24.Ne2
24.Rxh6!? gxh6 25.Qxf6 Qe5 26.Qf3 is better, or least less bad, according to the engines, but White's prospects are very poor.
24...Qe5 25.Qf3 Nxe4
Not only winning a pawn, but also threatening the fork ...Nd2+.
26.Kc1!? Re8 27.Nf4 d5 28.Nh3
Winning the exchange? Not really.
28...Qe7 29.Nxg5? Qxg5+ 0-1
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