Giuoco Piano
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 a6!?
The main moves in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database are 5...0-0 and especially 5...d6. The text is usually part of a plan, also quite popular, to remove the black dark-square bishop from where it can be hit by advancing white pawns. It may appear slow but practice has shown it is perfectly playable.
6.Bb3!?
This is White's commonest response, giving the king's bishop a retreat square (c2) in case of a later ...Na5 and also stopping ...b5 coming with tempo. Another point is the c4 square is cleared for possible occupation by the white queen's knight.
6...Ba7 7.0-0 d6 8.Re1
More common is 8.Nbd2, but the text is also popular.
8...Bg4!?
A rare move that is not much liked by Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02. Normal are castling and 8...h6.
9.Nbd2 0-0 10.Nf1 Qd7
The engines suggest 10...h6.
11.h3 Be6
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| This position is normally reached with Black to move |
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12.Bc2 d5!?
This is Komodo13.02's top choice, at least for a while, before becoming second to 12...h6. It is also Stockfish15's second choice for a while, behind 12...Rae8. I tend to think of ...d5 in the Giuoco Piano in a similar way to how ...d5 is often looked at in the Open Sicilian. If it can be safely played, Black usually has at least a good game and may well be better. But it has to be well-timed, as otherwise Black can get into major difficulties.
13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Bb3 Qd6 15.Bxe6 Qxe6?!
13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Bb3 Qd6 15.Bxe6 Qxe6?!
The queen is dragged onto the same file as the white king's rook. I rejected 15...fxe6 for obvious structural reasons, but the engines reckon it is the better continuation, albeit giving White a slight edge.
16.d4 Rad8
The engines prefer 16...Rae8 or 16...e4, but with a large advantage for White.
17.Qc2?!
Almost certainly better is 17.Bf4 as 17...Nd7?? allows 18.d5.
17...Nd7 18.Be3!?
This slightly counter-intuitive move - it obstructs the action of the king's rook - is Stockfish15's top choice. Komodo13.02 suggests 18.Ng3.
18...Rfe8?!
Komodo13.02 gives 18...exd4, but Stockfish15's reply 19.Bg5!? is hard to meet, eg 19...d3 20.Qa4 Nce5 21.Nxe5 Nxe5 22.Bxd8 Rxd8 23.Rad1 seems to leave Black with inadequate compensation for the exchange. Stockfish15 suggests 18...Bb6!?, and if, as in the game, 19.Rad1, then 19...Qxa2 is possible, which, as will be seen, is not possible after the text. Even so the continuation 20.dxe5 gives White's better coordinated pieces a slight edge, according to the engines. Note that 18...e4? loses the pawn to 19.Ng5.
19.Rad1!?
This is Komodo13.02's top choice for quite some time, but capturing on e5 (either way) may be stronger.
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| What should Black play? |
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19...Nf8!
The only move to keep realistic hopes of equalising, eg 19...Qxa2? loses to 20.d5, while 19...exd4? 20.Bg5 is much worse for Black than in the note to Black's 18th move, and 19...Qg6? fails to 20.Qxg6 hxg6 21.d5.
20.Qb1
Giving extra support to the back rank, although the immediate 20.Bf4!? may be slightly stronger, and the engines also like getting the a pawn off prise, as grandmaster Nigel Davies likes to say, with 20.a4!?
20...h6
Possibly a better way to cover the g5 square is 20...f6, as it also bolsters e5. The engines also suggest 20...Ng6 and 20...Qg6, but in each case preferring White. If instead 20...e4?! then 21.Bf4 pins the pawn and hits c7.
21.Bf4 f6 22.dxe5 Rxd1 23.Qxd1 Qf5?
This is definitely bad, as is 23...Qxa2? 24.exf6. Probably best is 23...fxe5, after which the engines reckon White should save the a pawn, eg with 24.a3, when they reckon White has the upper hand, but material is level.
24.Be3 fxe5
There is no defence, eg 24...Bxe3 25.Nxe3 Qe6 26.exf6 Qxf6 27.Qb3+ and Qxb7, or 24...Bb6 25.Bxb6 cxb6 26.Ne3 Qe6 27.exf6 etc.
25.Bxa7 Nxa7 26.Qd5+ Qf7 27.Qxb7 e4 28.N3d2 Nb5 29.Qxa6 Nd6 30.Qa4 Nd7 31.Qb3
Not 31.Nxe4?? Nc5.
31...Nc5 32.Qxf7+ Kxf7 33.Ne3 Nd3 34.Rb1
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| How would you assess this ending? |
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Black has a strong knight on d3, but White is two pawns up and is winning, according to the engines.
34...Ke6 35.b3 Rf8 36.Rf1 c5 37.f3 exf3 38.Nxf3 Ra8 39.Ra1 Ne4 40.Nd1?
This passive move gives up quite a chunk of White's advantage. Better is 40.c4, and if 40...Nc3 41.a4 Rb8, then 42.a5!? seems strong as Black does not have time for 42...Rxb3 as 43.a6 Rb8 47.a7 Ra8 48.Ra6+ is very strong.
40...Nf4?
Better is keeping White restricted with 40...Ra3, and if, as in the game 41.c4, then 41...Nb4.
41.c4 g5 42.Kh2?
The king is no better here than on g1. The engines like 42.a4 and 42.Ne3.
42...h5
Black has equalised, according to the engines, despite still being two pawns down.
43.g3
This loses a pawn, but the engines agree that is better than allowing 43...g4.
43...Ne2
Possibly even stronger is 43...Nxh3!, eg 44.Kxh3 g4+ 45.Kg2 gxf3+ 46.Kxf3 Nd2+ and 46...Nxb3.
44.h4 g4 45.Ng5+ Nxg5 46.hxg5 Kf5 47.Kg2 Kxg5 48.Kf2 Nd4 49.Nc3 Nxb3 50.Re1 Rf8+ 51.Kg2 Nd2 52.Re5+ Rf5 53.Ne4+ Nxe4 54.Rxe4
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| Is this rook-and-pawn ending completely equal? |
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Yes, according to the engines, but I believe it is easier for Black to play.
54...h4 55.gxh4 Kxh4 56.Re3 Rf4
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| White to play and draw |
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57.Rc3
Passivity in rook-and-pawn endings is often fatal. White should play 57.a4! Rxc4 58.Ra3, the passed a pawn giving sufficient counterplay to hold the draw,.
57...Rd4 58.Rc2 Rd3 59.Kh2 Ra3 60.Kg2
NR offered a draw in my time.
60...Ra4 61.Kh2 g3+ 62.Kg2 Kg4 63.Kg1 Kf3 64.Rc3+
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| Black to play and win |
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64...Kf4?
The engines reckon 64...Ke2 65.Rxg3 Rxc4 is a clear win, eg 66.Rg2+ Kd1 67.Rg5 Rc2 68.a4 c4 69.a5 c3 70.Rc5 Kd2 71.Rd5+ Ke3 72.Rc5 Kd3 73.Kf1 Ra2 etc.
65.a3
The position is completely equal again.
The game finished:
65...Ke4 66.Rxg3 Rxc4 67.Kf2 Rc2+ 68.Ke1 Ra2 69.Kd1 Kd4 70.Kc1 c4 71.Rg4+ Kc5 72.Rg5+ Kb6 73.Rg3 Ka5 74.Rf3 Ka4 75.Rc3 Kb5 76.Rg3 Rh2 77.Kb1 Ka4 78.Rc3 ½–½
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