Spanton (1949) - George Horan (1869)
Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nc6 4.0-0 Bd7 5.c3 a6 6.Ba4 g6!?
The mainline in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 6...Nf6 7.Re1 b5 8.Bc2 Bg4!? with a slight edge to White, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.
7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4
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| White has a classical centre but Black can hope to pressurise it |
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8...Bg7 9.Nc3 b5 10.Bb3!?
10.Bc2 prevents ...Na5 coming with a hit on the light-square bishop, but 10...Bg4 is awkward to meet.
10...Nf6 11.Re1
The engines prefer 11.e5!? dxe5 12.dxe5 Ng4 13.Bf4, eg 13...Ngxe5 14.Bxe5!? Bxe5 15.Bxf7+! Kxf7 16.Nxe5+ Nxe5 17.Qxd5+ and 18.Qxe5, claiming a large positional advantage for White.
11...0-0 12.h3 Na5 13.Bc2 Bc6!?
This may be a novelty. It is preferred by the engines over the known move 13...Rc8, when Ilze Bērziņa (2192) - Valery Moshkov (2301), Gipslis Memorial Internet Blitz 2021, continued 14.e5 Ne8 15.Bg5 f6?! (15...dxe5!?) 16.Bh4, giving White the upper hand, according to the engines (1-0, 32 moves).
14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 Qc7!?
This is a common square for the black queen in many Sicilians, but usually when the c file is only half-open, ie when White has a pawn on c2.
16.Rc1 Nc4 17.b3 Na3 18.Bd3 Qb7 19.d5 Bb7 20.Qd2
Strong seems to be the engines' 20.e5!?, eg 20...dxe5 21.Nxe5 g5 22.Bg3 Rac8 23.Ne4 with what they reckon is a large positional advantage.
20...e5?
Missing White's threat. Better is 20...b4, according to the engines, although they give White the upper hand.
21.Bxf6
This wins a pawn but even stronger is the engines' 21.dxe6 Bxe6 22.e5! dxe5 23.Bxf6 Bxf6 24.Be4.
21...Bxf6 22.Qxh6 Bg7 23.Qd2 b4 24.Nd1 f6 25.Ne3 Bh6 26.Qe2 Kf7 27.Nd2 Rh8 28.Ndc4 Nb5 29.Na5 Qb6 30.Bxb5 Bxb5?
Better is 30...axb5, although White has a pleasant advantage after 31.Nc6.
31.Nec4 Bxc1
Neither 31...Qd8 32.Nb7 nor 31...Bxc4 32.Nxc4 is an improvement for Black.
32.Qg4??
White has a large advantage after 32.Nxb6 Bxe2 33.Nxa8.
32...Bxc4 33.Qe6+ Kg7 34.Nxc4 Qd8 35.Rxc1
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| White has good compensation for the exchange but little more against accurate defence |
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35...Re8?
Correct is pinning the knight by 35...Rc8, eg 36.Ra1 Rc7! 37.Qxd6 (37.Nxd6?? Re7) Qxd6 38.Nxd6 Rc3 39.Nc4 with what the engines reckon is a completely equal game.
36.Qxd6 Qxd6 37.Nxd6 Re7 38.Nc8 Rf7
Better may be 38...Rb7, but the engines reckon White is on top.
39.d6?!
The more-patient 39.Rc6 is probably stronger.
39...Rb8 40.Rc6 Rfb7 41.Ne7 Rb6?
Better is 41...Rd7, when the engines give best-play as something like 42.Nc8 Rdb7 43.f3 Kf7 44.Ne7 Rd7 45.Nd5 Rbd8 46.Rxa6 Rxd6 47.Ra4 with what they reckon is a slight edge for White.
42,d7 R6b7 43.Rc8 Rxd7
This is best, but after ...
44.Rxb8 Rxe7 45.Rxb4
... White is two pawns up with prospects of creating a passed pawn on both flanks (1-0, 62 moves).
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