PLAYED today.
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| This is my 10th visit to Olomouc, but I cannot recall the rivers being as low as they are this year |
Antonín Kubíček (2084) - Spanton (1852)
London System
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Qb6!?
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| How should White meet this aggressive development of the queen? |
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5.Qc1
This is the commonest response in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database. Stockfish15 suggests 5.c4!?, which is not in Mega22. After 5...Qxb2 it gives 6.Nbd2 Nf6 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Rb1!? Qxa2 9.dxc5, claiming White has more than enough compensation for a pawn. Komodo13.02 reckons the cautious 5.b3 is enough for a slight edge.
5...Nc6 6.c3 Bd7 7.Nbd2 Nf6 8.Bd3!?
This may not be best. The engines like 8.h3, and if 8...Rc8 then 9.Qb1 or 9.a4.
8...Rc8 9.0-0 cxd4 10.exd4 Nb4 11.Be2 Bb5 12.Qd1
Probably not 12.c4?! dxc4 13.Nxc4 Bxc4 14.Bxc4 as 14...Nd3 is strong, but the engines' 14.Ne5! is less clear. However 12.Bxb5+ Qxb5 13.a4 Qb6 14.Ne5 is a serious alternative to the text.
12...Nd3!? 13.Qb3
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| How should Black proceed? |
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13...Be7?!
Almost certainly better is 13...Bc4, when 14.Nxc4? Qxb3 15.axb3 Nf4 is strong for Black, while 14.Qxb6 axb6 15.Bxd3 Bxd3 is at least equal, and may favour Black, according to the engines.
14.Bg3 0-0 15.a4 Bc4?
Correct is 15...Ba6, when 16.Qxb6 axb6 17.b4? runs into 17...Nxb4, so the engines reckon White should play 17.Rfb1, when 17...Nb4!? equalises.
16.Qxb6 axb6 17.Nxc4
Not 17.b3? Ba6 18.b4? Nxb4.
17...dxc4 18.Bxd3 cxd3 19.Rfd1 Ra8 20.Ne5
The engines' 20.c4!? seems even stronger.
20...Ra6?!
This leads to nothing. Instead the engines give 20...Rfc8 21.Bh4 h6 22.f4!? Nd5 23.Bxe7 Nxe7 24.Kf2 with advantage to White, but not as much as in the game.
21.c4 Rfa8 22.b3 d2 23.Rxd2 Bb4 24.Rd3 Rd8 25.Rad1 Ne4 26.Kf1 Raa8 27.f3 Nxg3+ 28.hxg3 h5?!
The main effect of this is to create another (probably temporary) weakness.
The game finished:
29.f4 f6 30.Nf3 Kf7 31.d5 exd5 32.Rxd5 Rxd5 33.Rxd5 g6 34.Rd7+ Ke6 35.Rxb2 Bc5 36.b4 1-0
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