Catalan
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Nc3!?
The mainline in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Qc2 b6 9.Bf4 Bb7 10.Rd1 Nbd7 11.Nc3 dxc4 12.Nd2, reaching a position occurring 249 times in Mega22. Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon chances are equal.
6...0-0 7.Bg2 dxc4!?
A Closed Catalan with 7...c6 is more popular, but the engines marginally prefer the text.
8.0-0 c5!?
This seems to be a novelty. The engines like 8...Nc6 or 8...a6.
9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Ne5 Nbd7 11.Nxc4 Nb6 12.Nxb6 Bxb6 13.Qc2 Qe7
The engines prefer 13...h6, but reckon White has at least a slight edge.
14.Rac1 Rd8 15.Na4 Nd5?
The engines give 15...Bd7!?, when 16.Bxb7?? loses to 16...Bxa4 17.Qxa4 Qxb7. However they reckon 16...Nxb6 17.axb6 Rfd1 is slightly better for White.
16.a3?!
White still has an advantage after this but the engines reckon better is 16.Nxb6.
16...Bd4 17.e3 Bb6 18.Rfd1 Bd7 19.Rb1?
The simple 19.Nc3 is best, according to the engines.
 |
| How can Black exploit White's last move? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
19...Rac8 20.Qb3??
Black is slightly better after 20.Nc3 Nxc3 21.Bxc3 Bxc3 22.bxc3 b6, according to the engines, but the text is much worse for White.
20...Qe8!? 21.Nc3 Bxc3
Not 21...Nxc3? 22.Bxc3 Ba4? (22...Bxc3 is better) as White has 23.Rxd8.
22.bxc3 Ba4 23.Qb2 Bxd1 24.Rxd1 Nxc3 25.Re1 Na4
Black has won the exchange and a pawn.
26.Qa2 Qd7 27.Bb4 b6 28.Ra1
Black threatened 28...a5.
The game finished:
28...Qd3 29.Bf3 Rc2 30.Qb1 Nc3 31.Qe1 a5 32.Be7 Rd7 33.Bh4 f6 34.g4 Qd2 35.Qf1 e5 36.Qc4+ Kf8 37.g5!? fxg5 38.Bg3 e4 39.Qc8+ Ke7 0-1
No comments:
Post a Comment