FACED a Kuwaiti yesterday.
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| St Florian's Gate, built to protect against Tatar attacks following the old town's destruction in 1241 |
Khalaf Al Azmi (1731) - Spanton (1861)
U2200
French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.c4 Nc6!?
By no means the most popular move - it lags behind 4...dxc4, 4...Bb4+, 4...c6 and especially 4...Nf6 - but it has been played by grandmasters.
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| How should White respond? |
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5.Nf3
This is the commonest move in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database, but also popular are 5.Nc3 and 5.Be3.
5...Bg4 6.Be3!?
This looks rather passive, but it is the most popular move in Mega22.
6...Nf6 7.Nbd2!?
Another passive-looking move. Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 like 7.c5!?, while the strongest players to reach the position after 6...Nf6 in Mega22 have preferred 7.Nc3.
7...Be7
The engines prefer 7...Bb4!?, eg 8.a3 Bxd2+ 9.Qxd2 Qe7!? 10.Be2 dxc4 11.0-0 0-0, when the IQP position is unclear but may favour Black.
8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 Re8 10.a3 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Nd5
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| How would you assess this IQP position? |
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Black has the IQP firmly blockaded and has an edge in development. But the IQP gives White central space, and Black would, as a general rule, rather have the queen's knight on d5 than the king's knight, the latter often being needed for kingside defensive duties. The engines reckon the position is equal.
12.Rc1 Bf6 13.Qc2?
White needs to protect the e3 square with 13.Re1, according to the engines, one point being 13...Nxd4?? loses to 14.Bxd4 Bxd4 15.Rxe8+ Qxe8 16.Bxd5.
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| How can Black take advantage of White's mistake? |
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13...a6?
I rejected 13...Nxe3 14.fxe3 Rxe3 because of 15.Bxf7+!? Kxf7 16.Ng5+, when 16...Kg8?? loses, but the engines point out Black is winning after 16...Ke8 or 16...Ke7.
14.Ne4?
Judging by body language, I suspect KAA failed to properly consider my reply.
14...Bxf3 15.gxf3
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| Black to play and lose |
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15...g6??
Both 15...Bxd4 and 15...Nad4 give Black an edge, according to the engines, and in any case are much better than the text.
16.Bxd5 Nxd4 17.Nxf6+ Qxf6 18.Bxd4 Qg5+ 19.Kh1 Qxd5 20.Qc3
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| White is bishop-for-pawn up and is completely winning, according to the engines, but some care is required as the the white king's position is smashed |
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20...Re6 21.Bh8?
21.Rcd1 is simpler and much stronger.
21...f6 22.Bxf6?
White still has an edge after 22.Rfd1, according to the engines.
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| How should Black continue? |
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22...Rf8?
22...Rf8?
Black forces a draw with 22...Rc6, eg 23.Qd4 Qxf3+ 24.Kh1 Qxf6 25.Qxf6 Rxf6 26.Rxc7 Rf7, or 23.Rcd1 Qf7 24.Qb4 Rxf6.
23.Rfd1 Qf5 24.Bh4 (1-0, 31 moves).
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