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| Coastal view |
Spanton (1861) - Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (GM 2354)
Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.c3!?
The main moves in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database are 4.Bxc6 and especially 4.0-0, but Magnus Carlsen has played all three.
4...Nf6 5.Qe2
A major alternative is 5.e5 Nd5 6.0-0 Bg7 7.d4 with what Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon is an equal position.
5...Bg7 6.d4
Castling is much more popular but there seems nothing wrong with the text.
6...cxd4 7.cxd4 d5 8.e5 Ne4 9.0-0 0-0
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| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
10.Nc3!?
This is the most popular continuation in Mega22 and was Carlsen's choice in a 2019 blitz game, but 10.Be3!? scores 21 percentage points more.
10...Bf5!?
The engines prefer this to the 'natural-looking' 10...Nxc3, which gives White a backward c pawn but strengthens the white centre.
11.Bxc6!?
Giving up the bishop-pair without being provoked by, for example, ...a6, but ensuring White will not get a backward c pawn.
11...bxc6 12.Nh4 Nxc3
Levon Aronian (2758) - Quang Liêm Lê (2708), Fide World Cup (Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia) 2019, saw 12...e6!? 13.Nxf5 exf5 14.Na4 c5!? 15.Nxc5 Nxc5 16.dxc5 Qc7 17.f4 Qxc5+, when White has at best a slight pull, according to the engines (½–½, 32 moves).
13.bxc3 Bc8 14.Ba3 a5 15.Rfe1 Re8 16.Rab1 e6 17.Nf3 Ba6
The engines prefer occupying the h6-c1 diagonal with 17...Bh6!?
18.Qc2
Bearing the last note in mind, the engines prefer 18.Qe3 or 18.Qd2.
18...a4
Here the engines like returning the bishop-pair with 18...Bf8!? in order to exchange the powerful white bishop or get it to become passive.
19.Rb2 Bb5!?
Preventing White penetrating on the b file, but again the engines prefer ...Bf8.
20.Qc1 Qd7 21.Qf4 h6 22.h4 Bd3 23.Re3 Bc4
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| How should White continue? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
24.Re1
I tried to make 24.h5 g5 25.Nxg5?! hxg5 26.Qxg5 work, but it seems Black is fine after 26...Kh7, although 27.h6 Bh8 28.Rf3 is not clear.
KA-G after the game said 24.Nh2 is very strong. One line given by the engines runs 24...Reb8 25.Rxb8+ Rxb8 26.Ng4, which they reckon is at least slightly better for White.
On playing 23.Re3 I had intended meeting 23...Bc4 with 24.Nd2, but forgot it and played the text instead. After 24.Nd2, one line given by the engines runs 24...Reb8 25.Nxc4 dxc4 26.Rb4 Rxb4 27.Bxb4, when White is clearly better.
24...Reb8 25.Reb1 Rb5 26.Nd2 Bd3 27.Rxb5 cxb5 28.Rc1 Rc8
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| White hopes of a kingside attack have largely vanished, and now Black gets a queenside initiative |
*****
*****
*****
*****
29.Qf3 Bc4 30.Nxc4 Rxc4 31.g3 h5 32.Bb4
This is not the only defence, according to the engines. The position may look visually appealing for Black, but according to the engines is dead-equal.
32...Qc6 33.Qe3 Qc8 34.Kg2 Bf8 35.Bxf8
35.a3?! Bxb4 36.axb4 gives Black an edge, according to the engines.
35...Qxf8 36.Rb1 Qe8
36...Qa3!? 37.Rxb4 Qxc3 forces Black on to the back foot after 38.Rb8+ Kg7 39.Qf4, although 39...Rc8 is enough for equality.
37.a3 Qc6 38.Rc1 Qc8 39.Qd2 Qc7 40.Qb2 Qa5 41.Qd2 Qc7 ½–½
Dieter Bauer up next. Have played him twice, two draws but very beatable if solid. Played a Torre/ Stonewall structure against me and plays Caro Kann I think. Nice result v K-AG
ReplyDeleteCheers! I'm two out of two against him - both games in Gibraltar - so am hoping it won't be third time unlucky. In the database he plays lots of different stuff - e4, d4, c4, Nf3, and different things against each reply. Suggests he's not overly happy with his repertoire, but makes it hard to prepare against.
ReplyDeleteHi Tim , great result against GM Keti ! are you playing Dresden in the Oct team event ? I am putting together a team . (Colin C & me so far ) bobkane66@aol.com
ReplyDeleteMany thanks, for the kind words and the invitation! I would love to play at Dresden - I'll email you direct.
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