Spanton (1955) - Steven Rix (2035)
Veresov
1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bg5 Nbd7
This is easily the most popular continuation in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.
4.e3
The mainline runs 4.Nf3 g6 5.e3 Bg7 6.Bd3 0-0 7.0-0 c5 with what Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon is an equal position. Arguably the most thematic continuation is 4.f3, when play commonly proceeds 4...c6 5.e4 dxe4 6.fxe4 e5!? 7.dxe5 Qa5 with a slight edge to Black, according to the engines. All three moves - 4.e3, 4.Nf3 and 4.f3 - score under 50% in Mega22.
4...e6 5.Bd3 Be7 6.Nf3 0-0 7.0-0 c5
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| How should White meet this pawn thrust? |
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8.dxc5?!
The main move in Mega22 is 8.Re1, and if 8...c4 then 9.Bf1. The engines suggest 8.Ne5!? Nxe5 9.dxe5 Nd7 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.f4, but reckon White is at best equal. The text helps Black develop and gives Black a central pawn-majority.
8...Nxc5 9.Qe2 Bd7!?
This may be a novelty. Arjun Erigaisi (2559) - Haik Martirosayan (2662), Lichess Blitz 2020, went 9...b6 10.Rfd1 Bb7, when Black was probably better even without White playing 11.e4? (0-1, 40 moves).
10.Ne5 Bc6 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Rac1!?
Preparing pressure down the c file in the event of ...Nxd3.
12...Nfd7 13.Bxe7
Trying to preserve the bishop-pair, at least temporarily, with 13.Bf4?? fails to 13...e5 14.Bg3 e4, when 15.Ba6 can be met by 15...Qb6.
13...Qxe7 14.Qh5?!
Probably better is 14.Rfd1 (Stockfish15) or 14.e4!? (Komodo13.02).
14...Nxd3?!
Black has at least a slight edge after 14...f5!?, according to the engines. They also like 14...g6. The text justifies White's 12th move.
15.cxd3 Rab8 16.Rc2 c5 17.e4!?
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| How should Black meet this pawn thrust? |
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17....d4!?
This gains space but makes the c pawn backward. Komodo13.02 quite likes the move but both engines settle on 17...dxe4!? as their top choice, continuing 18.Nxe4!? f5!? 19.Ng5 h6 20.Nf3, evaluating the position as completely equal.
18.Nb1!?
The engines prefer 18.Na4.
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| Can Black take advantage of White's knight retreat? |
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18...e5
The engines give the remarkable 18...c4!, with two main lines: A) 19.Rxc4 Rxb2 20.Rxd4 Nb6!? 21.a3 Rc8, when they claim Black's piece-activity at least compensates for being a pawn down; B) 19.dxc4 e5!? 20.Nd2 Nc5 21.Rb1 a5, when they reckon Black's piece-activity and protected passer give Black a slight edge, despite being a pawn down.
19.Nd2 f6 20.Rfc1 Rfc8 21.Nb3 Rc7 22.Qe2 Rbc8 23.Na5 Qe6 24.Nc4 Rb8 25.h3 Rc6 26.Nd2?!
I was oblivious to the fact that I was unprotecting a2.
26...Rbc8?!
SR explained afterwards he rejected 26...Qxa2 because of 27.b4?!, but Black simply replies 27...Qe6 and White cannot hold the pawn after 27.bxc5. Better, therefore, is 27.b3 or 27.Nc4, when the engines reckon Black has at best a slight edge.
27.Nf3?
Still oblivious. White is better after 27.b3, according to the engines.
27...Qxa2 28.Nh4?!
Hoping to drum up something on the kingside to justify my 'sacrifice', but this makes a bad situation worse.
28...Qe6 29.Nf5?!
Preparing to defend on the queenside with 29.Nf3 is probably better.
29...g6 30.Ng3 Nb6 31.Qd2 c4
This forces winning liquidation.
32.Nf1 cxd3 33.Qxd3 Rxc2 34.Rxc2 Rxc2 35.Qxc2 Qc4 36.Qxc4+?!
Keeping queens on is better, according to the engines, but still horrible.
36...Nxc4 37.b3 Nd6 38.Nd2
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| How would you assess this knight-and-pawn ending? |
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Black's extra pawn is a protected passer, and he has more space. Stockfish15 reckons Black is the equivalent of more than a rook ahead; Komodo13.02 is more conservative at +2.7.
38...Kf7 39.Kf1 Ke6 40.Ke2 Kd7 41.Kd3 Kc6 42.f4
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| What should Black play? |
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42...Kc5?!
The engines much prefer 42...exf4!? 43.Kxd4 Nb5+. The problem with the text is that after ...
43.fxe5 fxe5 44.Nf3 Nf7
... the black knight is passive, albeit the engines reckon Black is still winning.
45.Kc2 Kb4 46.Kb2 Nd6!? 47.Nxe5 Nxe4 48.Nc6+ Kc5 49.Nxa7
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| Black to play and win |
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49...Nd6?
This traps the white knight but almost certainly throws away the win. Simplest is 49...d3, eg 50.Nc8 Kd4 51.Nb6 Ke3 52.Nc4+ Ke2 etc, or 50.Kc1 Kb4 51.Nc6+ Kc3 and again the d pawn decides the game.
50.Kc2 Kb6
Consistent, and it gives practical chances as White can easily go wrong, but objectively slightly better, according to the engines, is 50...Kd5!?, although the white b pawn could become dangerous.
51.Kd3 Kxa7 52.Kxd4 Nf5+ 53.Ke5
I actually first played 53.g4, only for SR to point out I was in check.
53...Nh4 54.g3
Not 54.g4? as 54...g5 wins, eg 55.Kf6 Nf3 56.Kg7 Nb6 57.Kxh7 Ng1 58.Kg6 Nxh3 59.Kf5 Kb5 60.Ke4 Kb4 61.Ke3 Kxb3 62.Kf3 Kc3 63.Kg3 Nf4 64.Kf3 Kd4 etc.
54...Nf5 55.g4?
The simplest way to a draw is 55.Kf6, eg 55...Nxg3 56.Kg7 h5 57.Kxg6 Kb6 58.Kg5 with Kh4 to come.
55...Nh4 56.Kf6 Kb6?
Both 56...Nf3 and 56...h6!? win, according to the engines, eg 56...Nf3 57.g5 (57.Kg7 g5) Kb6 58.Kg7 Kb5 (58...Nxg5? 59.h4 draws) 59.Kxh7 Nh4, or 56...h6!? 57.Kg7 g5 58.Nxh6 Nf3.
57.Kg5 Nf3+ 58.Kf4
58.Kh6? g5.
58...Ng1 59.h4 Kb5 60.h5 Kb4 61.hxg6 hxg6 62.Kg5
I offered a draw.
62...Kxb3 63.Kxg6 Nh3 64.g5 Nxg5 ½–½
The match result has yet to be published at the London League website but I think Wanstead & Woodford won 5.5-2.5.
Addendum 22/10/22: match result confirmed.
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