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| Framed tribute to Kraków born-and-died painter Jan Matejko |
Leonard Marciniak (1775) - Spanton (1861)
U2200
Chigorin
1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.Nbd2!?
A rare choice, to say the least, but it has been played by grandmasters.
4...dxc4
Slightly more popular in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database, albeit from a small sample, is 4...e6, which is also slightly preferred by Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.
5.Qa4
Slightly less popular, but again slightly preferred by the engines, is 5.e3.
5...Qd7 6.Qxc4 0-0-0 7.e3 e5!?
This may be a novelty. Stockfish15 likes it but Komodo13.02 marginally prefers the known move 7...Bxf3.
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| How should White respond? |
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8.dxe5?!
The engines give 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.dxe5 Ne7!?, claiming dead-eye equality.
8...Bxf3 9.gxf3 Bb4?!
Over-elaboration - the simple 9...Nxe5 is probably better.
10.Qc2?!
Probably better is the engines' 10.Qg4!?, when they reckon 10...Qxg4 11.fxg4 Nxe5 gives Black a slight edge.
10...Nxe5 11.Be2
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| How should Black proceed? |
*****
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11...Nf6?!
A general developing move, but the position seems to call for a more dynamic approach, eg 11...Qd5 12.e4 Qa5, when White still has major problems.
12.a3 Bxd2+ 13.Bxd2 Nd3+ 14.Bxd3 Qxd3 15.Qxd3 Rxd3 16.Rc1
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| Exchanges have brought about a completely different position - White has structural problems but has the only central pawn and the only bishop on a fairly open board |
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16...Rhd8 17.Rc2 Nd7 18.Ke2 Ne5?!
The knight is vulnerable here to activation of the bishop.
19.Bc3 f6 20.Rhc1?!
Probably better is 20.Bxf6, or the engines' 20.f4.
20...Nc6 21.b4 R8d7 22.b5 Nd8 23.f4 R3d5 24.a4 Rh5 25.Rh1 Nf7 26.Bd4 Kb8 27.Kf3 Nd6 28.Kg4 Rd5 29.Rhc1 h5+ 30.Kf3 Nf5 31.Bc3 Rc5 32.Bb4 Rxc2 33.Rxc2
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| The position has clarified into a late middlegame - what is Black's best plan? |
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The combination of rook and bishop is nearly always superior to rook and knight, but White will face difficulties creating a passed pawn from his kingside majority. On the other hand Black's queenside majority has not yet stirred. The engines prefer White, one suggested line running 33...b6 34.Ke4 Nh4!?, after which Black's pieces are uncoordinated. Stockfish15 gives White the upper hand; Komodo13.02 reckons the position is almost even, or at best slightly better for White.
The game saw:
33...Rd1!? 34.Rd2 Rxd2 35.Bxd2
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| How would you assess this ending? |
*****
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Black has much the better pawn structure, but bishop-v-knight in an ending with rival pawn majorities usually gives White a large advantage, and the engines agree this is no exception.
35...Kc8 36.Bc3 Kd7 37.e4 Ne7 38.f5 c6 39.bxc6+ Kxc6 40.Bb4 Kd7
Not 40...Nc8? 41.Bf8.
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| How should White convert his advantage? |
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41.Bxe7?!
White will be able to create a protected passed pawn in a pawn ending after this, but it seems this may not be enough to win. Probably better is 41.Kg3, going after the h5 pawn, but the position is not completely clear.
41...Kxe7 42.Ke3 b6
Creating a rival, albeit unprotected passed pawn, will give Black sufficient counterplay.
43.f4 Kd6
Losing trivially is 43...Kf7? 44.Kd4 etc.
44.Kd4 a6 45.h4 b5 46.axb5 axb5 47.e5+
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| Black to play and draw |
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47...fxe5+
Not 47...Ke7? 48.e6 g6 49.fxg6 f5 (or 49...Kxe6 50.f5+ etc) 50.g7.
48.fxe5+ Kc6 49.Ke4 b4
Not 49...Kc5 50.f6 gxf6 51.exf6 Kd6 52.Kf5 b4 53.Kg6 b3 54.f7 b2 55.f8=Q+ etc.
50.Kd4 b3 51.Kc3 Kd5 52.e6 Kd6 53.Kxb3 g6
The key move in Black's defence.
54.fxg6 Kxe6 55.Kc3 Kf6 56.Kd4 Kg6 ½–½
The key move in Black's defence.
54.fxg6 Kxe6 55.Kc3 Kf6 56.Kd4 Kg6 ½–½
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