Spanish Exchange
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4
The old mainline, which has been largely surpassed by 5.0-0.
5...exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 c5 8.Ne2 b6!?
Normal is 8...Bd7 9.Nbc3 0-0-0 with an equal position, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.
9.Bf4 Bb7
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| How should White proceed? |
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10.Nbc3
The engines reckon 10.Bxc7!? Bxe4 favours White, eg 11.Nbc3 Bxg2 12.Rg1 Bc6 13.0-0-0 gives White a large lead in development.
10...0-0-0 11.Rd1 Rxd1+ 12.Kxd1 Ne7 13.Kc1 Ng6 14.Bg3 h5 15.Nf4 Nxf4 16.Bxf4 f6 17.h4 Be7 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.exd5 Bd6 20.Bxd6 cxd6
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| How would you assess this rook-and-pawn ending? |
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White has more space in the centre but that seems to have little significance here. The position is equal, according to the engines.
21.Re1 Kd7 22.Kd2 Rh6!? 23.Kc3 b5?!
Almost certainly better is 23.Rg6.
24.b3
White has at least a slight edge after 24.Ke4, according to the engines, eg 24...Rg6 25.g3 Rg4+ 26.Kf5!
24...Rg6 25.g3 f5 26.Re3 Rf6 27.f4 Rf7 28.Re6 Rf6 29.Rxf6!?
Komodo13.02 at first reckons White has an edge after this, but comes to agree with Stockfish15's assessment of completely equal.
29...gxf6 30.c4 Kc7
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| White to play and draw |
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31.a4?
This loses whereas 31.Kc3, among other moves, draws comfortably.
31...Kb6 32.cxb5
Or 32.Kc3 Ka5 33.axb5 axb5 34.Kd3 Kb4 etc.
32...axb5 33.axb5 Kxb5 34.Kc3 Ka6
Black wins by triangulation. White is also in zugzwang in that the game would be drawn if the white king could remain on c3.
The game finished:
35.Kd3 Kb5 36.Kc3 Kb6 37.Kd3 Ka6 38.Kc4 Ka5 39.Kc3 Kb5 40.Kd3 Kb4 41.Kc2 c4 42.bxc4 Kxc4 43.Kd2 Kxd5 44.Kd3 Kc5 45.Kc3 d5 0-1
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