FACED a junior (born 2009) last night.
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| Before the start of round two the players were given an anti-mosquito bracelet that supposedly works for seven to 10 days |
Julián Nieto Foresti (1739) - Spanton (1861)
Sicilian Accelerated Dragon
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4 0-0 8.Bb3
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| There are more than 12,000 games with this position in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database |
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8...d5!?
This positional pawn sacrifice has been pioneered in modern times by Boris Gelfand. There are seven more-popular moves in Mega22.
9.exd5 Na5
For a pawn Black gets the bishop-pair and hopes of recovering the arguably over-extended d5 pawn.
10.0-0
This is most popular in Mega22, but 10.Nde2!? and 10.Qf3 are not far behind.
10...Nxb3 11.Nxb3 b6
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| How should White proceed? |
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12.d6!?
Giving back the pawn in return for inflicting a positional weakness is a fairly well-known idea in such positions, and I believe in this case was the result of preparation. Marginally more popular in Mega22 is 12.Qd2 Bb7 13.Rad1, when Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon 13...Qc7 more or less gives Black full compensation.
12...Qxd6
This was Gelfand's reaction when he faced the move in 2016, but the following year he twice preferred 12...e6!?, although Alex Yermolinsky calls it dubious in Mega22.
13.Qxd6 exd6 14.Rfd1 d5 15.a4
If 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Rxd5, then 16...Bxb2 followed by 17...Be6 gives Black the upper hand, according to the engines.
15...Bb7?!
The engines reckon 15...Ne4 gives approximate equality.
16.a5 Ng4
Again they prefer ...Ne4.
17.Bd4 Bxd4?!
Probably better, but still good for White, is 17...Ne5.
18.Nxd4 Nf6
The weak d pawn is protected but White's lead in development and queenside pressure give White the advantage.
19.a6 Bc8 20.Nc6 Re8
20...Be6 loses the d pawn to 21.Ne7+ etc.
21.Nb5
Not 21.Nxd5 Nxd5 22.Rxd5, when the threat of back-rank mate allows 22...Bxa6, which is why the engines prefer getting rid of that threat with 21.f3 or 21.h3.
21...Bd7 22.Ncxa7!?
The engines marginally prefer 22.Nbd4, claiming a slight edge for White.
22...Rxa7 23.Nxa7 Ra8 24.Nc6?!
Probably better is 24.c4, when 24...dxc4? loses to 25.Nc6 Bxc6 26.Rd6 etc. But best may be Stockfish15's 24.g4!?, when 24...Bxg4 25.Nb5! Bxd1 26.a7 Bxc2 27.Nc7 Rxa7 28.Rxa7 is winning for White, according to the engines, while 24...Nxg4? 25.Rxd5 Rxa7 runs into 26.Rxd7! etc, and if 24...Rxa7 then 25.g5 Ne8 26.Rxd5 is very good for White.
24...Bxc6 25.a7
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| How would you assess this ending? |
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The material balance of bishop and knight versus rook and pawn is usually good for the minors in middlegames, which is why the common novices' combination, after Black has castled kingside, of Nxf7 Rxf7, Bxf7+ Kxf7 is frowned upon. But in endings, rook and pawn are usually reckoned to be the equivalent of bishop and knight. Here the addition of an extra pair of rooks gives a slightly more middlegame feel to the position, but Black has weak pawns at d5 and b6, and it is not clear whether the advanced a pawn is a strength or a weakness for White. The engines reckon the position is dead-equal.
25...Kf8 26.f3 ke7 27.Kf2 Kd6 28.b4?!
This makes the pawn push c4 a threat, but it is easily countered, or perhaps the text is aimed at stopping ...Kc5 - either way the b pawn becomes a weakness. White should be creating counterplay to distract Black from capturing on a7, which is why the engines suggest 28.Rd4.
28...Bb5 29.Ke3 Ng8
Heading for c6 or c8.
30.Rd4 Ne7 31.Rf4 f5
The engines prefer 31...Nf5+ 32.Kf2 Bd7, when 32.g4?? loses to 32...Ke5.
32.Rh4 h5 33.g4 Be8 34.gxh5 gxh5
34...g5 sets a trap - 35.Rh3?? f4+. after which the rook is lost to 36...Bd7 - but 35.Rd4 is equal, according to the engines. However, they reckon the game is also equal after the text.
35.c4 dxc4 36.Rxc4 Nd5+ 37.Kd4?!
The king is probably better retreating.
37...Bb5
Possibly slightly better is pushing either the f or h pawn, eg 37...f4 creates a nice outpost for the knight, and b4 remains weak.
38.Rc8?!
A 'clever' temporary rook sac to activate the other rook, but the engines prefer 38.Rc2 Nxb4 39.Rg2, although Komodo13.02, but not Stockfish15, gives Black an edge.
38...Rxc8 39.a8=Q Rxa8 40.Rxa8 Nxb4 41.Rh8 Bd7
Black is slightly better, according to the engines, after the active 41...Nc2+!? 42.Kc3 Ne1.
42.Rxh5 Nc6+ 43.Ke3
JNR offered a draw.
43...b5 44.h4 b4 45.Rg5 Ne5 46.h5 b3 47.h6 b2 48.Rg1
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| How should Black proceed? |
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48...f4+!?
The best try, based on the idea 49.Kxf4 Nd3+ and 50...Nc1.
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| How should White reply? |
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49.Ke4?
White should 'fall into the trap' as 49.Kxf4 Nd3+ 50.Kg5! Nc1 51.h7 b1=Q 52.h8=Q is drawn, according to the engines.
49...Be8 50.Kf5 Bg6+ 51.Kf6?
This makes it easy. After 51.Kxf4 b1=Q 52.Rxb1 I would have had to prove sufficient technique to mate with knight and bishop.
51..b1=Q 0-1
After 52.Rxb1 Bxb1 53.Kg5 Black holds on to the f5 pawn with 53...Ng6 54.h7 Ke5.
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