Razvan-Alexandru Panait (1411) - Spanton (1889)
French Rubinstein
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6!?
The main moves are 4...Nd7 and 4...Bd7 but there are 5,043 examples of the text in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.
5.Nxf6+ Qxf6 6.Nf3 h6 7.Be3!?
The mainline runs 7.Bd3 Bd6 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qe2, when White has the upper hand, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.
7...Bd6 8.Qd2!?
Hinting at quick queenside castling.
8...0-0 9.Bd3 Nc6 10.c3 Re8!?
Possibly new. 10...e5 is known from three games in Mega22.
11.0-0-0 e5 12.Qc2?!
Capturing on e5 or playing 12.d5 are probably better.
12...exd4 13.Nxd4 Nxd4?!
Almost certainly better is 13...Ne5.
14.Bxd4 Bf4+?!
Grabbing a pawn by 14...Qg5+ 15.Kb1 Qxg2?? loses on the spot to 15...Rdg1 etc but the engines reckon 15...Be6 gives Black at least an even game. The text spends a tempo helping the white king to safety.
15.Kb1 Be5 16.Rhe1 Re7??
It was necessary to play 16...Re6 or 16...Bg4 17.f3 Bxd4, although in both lines Black is struggling for equality.
17.Bh7+?
This is good enough for a large advantage, but winning is 17.Qe2.
17...Kf8
Not 17...Kh8?? 18.Rxe5!? (18.Bxe5 also wins) Rxe5 19.Bxe5, and if 19...Qxe5? then 20.Rd8+ Qe8 21.Rxe8#.
18.Bc5 Bd6 19.Rxe7 Qxe7
Not 19...Bxe7?? 20.Rd8#.
20.Bxd6 cxd6
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| How large is White's advantage? |
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The engines reckon White is the equivalent of about three-quarters of a pawn ahead.
21.Be4 Be6 22.Bf3 Kg8 23.Qe4
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| How should Black proceed? |
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23...Rb8
The engines give 23...Re8!?, and if 24.Qxb7 then 24...Bf5+ 25.Ka1 (25.Kc1? Qg5+ 26.Rd2 Bg6) Qe1!, when the game is dead-equal, according to Komodo13.02 although Stockfish15 gives White a slight edge.
24.Qb4
Also strong is the simple 24.Qd4.
24...Bf5+ 25.Ka1 Bc2!? 26.Qxd6 Qxd6!?
Heading for a rook-and-pawn ending. The engines prefer 26...Qe8.
27.Rxd6 Re8 28.b3 Be4 29.Bxe4 Rxe4
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| How would you assess the ending? |
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White is a pawn up and it is White to move, but the black king is slightly better placed than its opposite number. Stockfish15 reckons White is winning; the more-conservative Komodo13.02 gives White 'only' the upper hand.
30.Rd8+ Kh7 31.Rd7!?
Slower, but possibly better, is 31.Rd2.
31...Re1+ 32.Kb2 Re2+ 33.Ka3 Rxf2 34.Rxb7 f5?
Best is 34...a6, according to the engines, and they also prefer 34...Rxg2?!
35.g3?
White should get on with it, eg 35.Rxa7 Rxg2 36.b4 etc.
35...Rxh2 36.Rxa7 Rh3 37.Kb4
Stockfish15 reckons 37.b4!? is best but Komodo13.02 much prefers the text and 37.c4.
37...Rxg3 38.c4 f4?
Stockfish15 reckons 38...h5 and 38...Rg6 more-or-less equalise; Komodo13.02 disagrees, but both engines reckon the text is wrong.
39.c5!?
39.c5!?
Stockfish15 reckons this and 39.Rf7 win, but Komodo13.02 much prefers the latter.
39...f3?!
39...Re3 was the best chance, according to the engines, although 40.Rf7 seems strong.
40.Rf7 Kg8 41.Rf4 g5
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| White to play and win |
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42.c6!
Also probably good enough is 42.Rf5 Rg4+ 43.Kc3, but 43.Ka5? only draws and 43.Kb4?? loses.
42...gxf4 43.c7 f2 44.c8=Q+ Kg7 45.Qc7+ Kg6 1-0
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