Tegernsee R6 Game

PLAYED  March 31.

Bernd Wichmann (1695) - Spanton (1912)

Senioren Cup

Chigorin

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c4 Bg4 4.e3!?

Wilhelm Steinitz played this move four times against Mikhail Chigorin, scoring +3=1-0, but the main line runs 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxd5 6.e3, which Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon favours White.

4...e5

The engines prefer the more-modest 4...e6!?

5.h3?!

This has been tried by Alexander Shabalov and other strong players, but spends a tempo encouraging Black to make a capture Black often makes in the Chigorin anyway. The main move is 5.dxe5!?, although this is not liked by the engines. Steinitz's 5.Qb3!? is interesting, the engines continuing 5...Bxf3 6.gxf3 dxc4!? 7.Bxc4 Qd7 8.dxe5, preferring White.

5...Bxf3 6.gxf3?

White has to play 6.Qxf3, with a roughly equal position, according to the engines.

6...exd4 7.cxd5?

Best is 7.exd4, but White's bishop-pair can hardly compensate for having a smashed kingside.

7...Qxd5 8.e4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Nxd2 Qa5 11.a3 Nge7 12.b4 Qg5 13.h4 Qf6 14.Rc1 Rc8!?

Stockfish14 suggests castling queenside; Komodo12.1.1 kingside. Both engines also like 14...d3!?, and if 15.Bxd3 then 15...Rd8, eg 16.Qc2 Ne5 17.Be2 N7g6 with much the better position.

How should White proceed?

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15.Rc5

White can win the c pawn with 15.Bh3 Rd8 16.b5 Ne5 17.Rxc7 but the engines reckon Black is winning, eg 17...0-0 18.Rxb7 Nd3+ 19.Kf1 Qxh4 20.Rh2 Nf4 etc. The engines suggest trying to get queens off with 15.f4!? Qxf4 16.Qf3, but Black does not have to acquiesce.

15...0-0 16.Rg5 Rfe8 17.Bh3 Rcd8 18.Rhg1 g6 19.h5 Ne5 20.hxg6 Nd3+ 21.Kf1 hxg6

Not 21...fxg6?? 22.Qb3+ etc.

22.R5g3 Nf4 23.Nc4 Qa6 24.Qb3

The engines reckon 24.Qc1!? is better, but by no means sufficient.

24...d3 25.b5 d2! 26.Rxg6+

Or 26.Nxd2 Qf6.

26...Nexg6 0-1