IN the final round yesterday I faced a Malaysian teenager (born 2004) - the same person who failed to show when we were paired in round one.
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| Church of St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist |
Jiu Weir Brien Foo (1676) - Spanton (1861)
U2200
Chigorin
1d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6
This is a popular alternative to the mainline 3...dxc4.
4.Nf3 dxc4!?
More popular in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database are 4...e6 and 4...Bg4, but the text is also common.
5.e4 Bg4 6.d5!?
The mainline in Mega22 runs 6.Be3 e6 7.Bxc4 Bb4, when White has a slight edge, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.
6...Ne5 7.Bf4 Bxf3?!
This has been tried by players rated over 2500, but probably helps White more than Black. The engines suggest 7...Nfd7!?, claiming equality.
8.gxf3+ Nd3?!
This gets rid of the white bishop-pair but leaves White well-ahead on development. Again ...Nfd7 is probably better.
9.Bxd3 cxd3 10.Qxd3 c6
11.Qb5+ was a big threat.
11.Rd1 Qd7 12.dxc6!?
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| How should Black respond? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
12...Qxd3?!
Probably better, but still miserable, is 12...bxc6, when 13.Qc4 leaves White well on top.
13.cxb7! Qxd1+
Forced, as 13...Rb8 is simply answered by 14.Bxb8.
14.Nxd1 Rd8 15.b8=Q Rxb8 16.Bxb8 a6 17.Ne3 Nd7 18.Bg3 e6 19.Ke2 Bc5 20.Rc1 Ke7 21.a3
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| Black is 'only' a pawn down, but has difficulties getting the black rook into meaningful play, and meanwhile White has a simple winning plan. |
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
21...Bd4?!
Trying for counterplay, but probably making matters worse. The engines suggest 21...a5 22.Nc4 Ra8.
22.b4 Bb2!?
22...Ra8 was possibly best, albeit losing.
23.Rc6 Ra8 24.Nc4 Bd4 25.Rd6 e5 26.Rc6 f6 27.f4 exf4 28.Bxf4 Ne5 29.Rc7+ Ke6 30.Bxe5 Bxe5 31.Nxe5 Kxe5 32.Ke3 Rb8 33.Rc6 1-0
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