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1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.Nf3 d6 6.0-0 Nge7 7.d3 0-0
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| There are 1,181 games with this position in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database |
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8.a3
Expanding on the queenside is the standard plan, but beginning it with 8.Rb1 is more normal.
8...f5 9.Bg5?!
The problem with this move is that after ...
9...h6
... White has to either give up the bishop-pair or retreat the dark-square bishop, the latter meaning Black would have got in the useful move ...h6 for free.
10.Bxe7 Nxe7 11.Qc2 c6 12.Rab1 Be6 13.e4!?
Presumably hoping to stop, or at least disrupt, Black's central expansion. However Black can switch to kingside expansion.
13...f4 14.b4
Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 prefer 14.d4!? exd4 15.Ne2, albeit giving Black the upper hand.
14...Qd7 15.a4?!
Probably too slow.
15...Bg4?!
Almost certainly better is 15...g5.
16.b5 fxg3?
This greatly eases White's kingside defence. The engines give 16...Rf7.
17.fxg3 Bh3?
More time-wasting with the light-square bishop. Again ...Rf7 is better.
18.bxc6 bxc6 19.Bxh3!
Apparently pulling the black queen into a dangerous (for White) kingside attack, but in reality pulling the black queen out of position and so leaving the black queenside vulnerable.
19...Qxh3 20.Rb7 Rf7 21.Qb1?
White has a slight edge after 21.Qe2, according to the engines.
21...Raf8 22.Rb8
Seeking relief from kingside pressure by exchanging a pair of rooks, but ...
22...Nc8!
... negates that.
23.Qd1
The engines prefer 23.Nd2, but reckon 23...h5 gives Black the upper hand.
23...Bf6?!
Even stronger seems to be the engines' 23...h5.
24.Qe2
The engines give 24.Nb1!?, and if, as in the game, 24...Bd8 then 25.c5!?
24...Bd8 25.Rbb1?
Saving the queen's rook from getting trapped behind enemy lines, but not doing enough about the crisis on the kingside. The engines give 25.c5!? dxc5 26.Nd1.
25...Bb6+ 26.Kh1 g5 27.Qg2
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| How should Black proceed? |
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27...Qh5?
This lets White equalise, whereas as 27...g4 28.Qxh3 gxh3 29.Nd2 Ba5 wins, according to the engines.
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| How does White equalise? |
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28.Ng1?
The engines give 28.g4 Qg6 29.Ne2 with Ng3 and Nf5 or Nh5 to come.
28...Rf2 29.Rxf2 Rxf2 30.Qh3?!
30.g4 Rxg2 31.gxh5 keeps the game going, albeit with a large advantage for Black.
30...Qxh3 31.Nxh3 Rc2 32.Nd1 Rd2 33.Nb2 Ba5?
Black is winning after 33...g4 (Stockfish15) or 33...Bd4 (Komodo13.032).
34.Ng1?
White saves the day with 34.c5!? thanks to the fork-threat 35.Nc4. Black has to reply 34...d5, when the engines reckon both 35.Nd1 and 35.exd5 cxd5 36.Nd1 equalise.
34...g4?!
Better, according to the engines, are 34...Bb6 and 34...c5, in both cases stopping 35.c5!?
35.h3?
35.c5!?
35...h5?
Black still had to deal with the threat of c5!?, although now the engines reckon best is 35...Bc3.
36.hxg4 hxg4 37.c5!? d5 38.exd5 cxd5 39.Nd1
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| Black still has an edge, according to the engines, but White has counterplay |
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39...Rxd3
Obvious, but possibly not best. Stockfish15 suggests 39...Kf7 while Komodo13.02 prefers 39...e4.
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| White to play and equalise |
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40.Rb8?
Tempting, but bad. The engines point out 40.Nf2, eg 40...Rxg3!? 41.Rb8 Kf7 42.Rxc8 Be1 43.c6!? Bxf2 44.Ne2 Rh3+ 45.Kg2 Ke7!? 46.Kxf2 Ra3, when Stockfish15 reckons the game is equal although Komodo13.02 gives White a slight edge. Another, less complicated, line runs 40...Rc3 41.Nxg4 Rxc5 42.Nxe5, the engines this time agreeing the position is equal.
40...Rxd1 41.Rxc8+ Kf7 42.Ra8 bb4 43.Rxa7+ Ke6 44.Ra6+
Not 44.c6? Rxg1+! 45.Kxg1 Bc5+ and 46...Bxa7.
44...Kf5
Also winning is 44...Kd7.
45.c6 Rc1 46.Kg2 Rc1+ 47.Kf1 Ke4 48.Rb6 Bc5 49.Ra6
This becomes, at least for a while, Stockfish15's top choice, but the position is hopeless for Black.
48...Bc5 49.Ra6?!
49.Rb1 keeps the game going longer.
49...Rc1+ 50.Kg2 Rxg1+ 51.Kh2 Rc1
51...Ke3 leads to a quicker mate.
52.Kg2 Rc2+ 53.Kf1 Kf3 0-1
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