Veresov
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bg5 c5!?
Most popular in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database are 3...Bf5, 3...e6, which allows a transposition to the French Defence, and especially 3...Nbd7.
4.e3
The mainline in Mega22 runs 4.Bxf6!? gxf6 5.e3 Nc6 6.Qh5!? e6 7.0-0-0!? with an equal position, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.
4...cxd4 5.Qxd4!?
Trying to capitalise on White's lead in development. The engines prefer 5.Bxf6 or 5.exd4.
5...Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Bxc6
This seems better than 7.Qh4, as played in Vinh Bui (2488) - Péter Prohászka (2495), Budapest GM Tournament 2009, which continued 7...e6 8.Nf3 Be7 9.0-0 h6 with a slight edge for Black, according to the engines (0-1, 24 moves).
7...Bxc6 8.Nf3 Qa5?!
This may be a mistake. The engines prefer 8...Ne4 or 8...e6.
9.b4!? Qd8 10.0-0?!
This is probably too slow. The engines give 10.Bxf6!? gxf6 11.b5 Bd7, and now 12.0-0 or 12.Nxd5 Bxb5 13.c4, but not 12.Qxd5?! as 12...Rc8!? is difficult to meet.
10...e6
The engines' 10...Ne4!? seems stronger.
11.Ne5 h6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Rfd1 Bd6 15.Rab1 Rg8!?
The engines prefer 15...Be5 or 15...Qc7.
16.Qh4!?
The engines prefer 16.Ne2.
16...Rg6
The engines give 16...f5!?, the point being 17.Qxh6? Be5 with ...Rh8 to come is terrible for White, while 17.Qxd8+ gets the queens off, which must favour Black as the white king is much the safer of the two monarchs.
17.e4 Be7 18.exd5 cxd5 19.Qd4 h5 20.h3!?
Preventing ...Rg4 and more-or-less eliminating the danger of a back-rank mate.
20...Qb8 21.Ne2 Bd6?
The engines reckon Black is better after 21...Qe5, again pursuing the policy of getting queens off, whereas the text lets White advance the backward c pawn.
22.c4
 |
| How should Black respond? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
22...Rg5?
I expected 22...Be5, when one line given by the engines runs 23.Qc5 dxc4 24.Qc6+ Kf8 25.Rbc1, claiming at least the upper hand for White.
23.Qxf6 Rf5 24.Qh8+ Bf8!?
Keeping queens on probably gives the best practical chance, although the engines prefer 24...Ke7 or 24...Kd7.
25.Nd4
Probably even stronger is 25.Ng3 Qe5 26.Qh7.
25...Rg5
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
26.c5?!
Almost certainly stronger are 26.cxd5 and 26.Nf3 followed by cxd5.
26...Qf4 27.Nb5?
Best, according to the engines, is 27.Rb3, intending Re3 or Rf3.
 |
| Black to play and draw |
*****
*****
*****
*****
27...Kd7?
Black could have bailed out with 27...Qf3 28.g3 Rxg3+ 29.fxg3 Qxg3+, after which the white king cannot escape checks.
28.Qc3 Bg7 29.c6+ Ke8 30.Qe3
Not 30.Qc5? Be5.
30...Qxe3 31.fxe3 Be5 32.Rdc1 a6?!
The engines prefer 32...Rg3, but give White at least a slight edge.
33.Nd4 Bc7
The bishop is a good blockader, but White's 3-1 queenside pawn-majority is potent.
34.a4 Ke7 35.Rb2?!
Defending g2 from a doubling of the black rooks on the g file and from the black queen's rook coming to a2, but it seems there was no need, the engines giving 35.b5 axb5 36.Nxb5!, eg 36...Kd8 37.Nxc7 Kxc7 38.Rb7+ Kc8 39.Rxf7 Rxa4 40.Rb1 with a large advantage.
35...e5 36.Nf3 Rg3 37.Kh1 Kd6 38.b5 axb5 39.axb5 Bb6
 |
| What should White play? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
40.Nh4
This is strong, but even stronger is 40.c7! Bxc7 41.b6 Bd8 42.b7 Rb8 43.Rc8 Bc7 (I saw this far, but missed the winning continuation) 44.Rxb8 Bxb8 45.Rc2.Bc7 46.Kh2 Rg6 (other moves are no better) 47.Nxe5! Kxe5 48.Rxc7 Rb6 49.Rxf7, leaving White two pawns up in a rook-and-pawn ending.
40...Rgg8
Both 40...Rxe3?? and 40...Bxg3?? are met by 41.Nf5+
41.Rd1
Almost certainly better is 41.e4!?, eg 41...dxe4 42.c7! Kd7 43.Rd2+ Kc8 44.Nf5, or 41....d4 42.Rf2! Rgf8 43.Rf6+ Kc7 44.Rf5.
41...Ke6 42.Rb3?!
Probably better are the engines' 42.Rbd2 and 42.Rf1.
42...Ra4
 |
| The engines reckon Black has equalised |
*****
*****
*****
*****
43.Nf3 Ra2 44.Rd2 Ra1+?!
Exchanging a pair of rooks seems to simplify Black's task.
45.Kh2 f6 46.Rc2 Rc8 47.Kg3 Ra4 48.Ne1?!
Probably better is 48.h4!?
48...f5
Starting to roll Black's central pawn-majority, but the engines prefer 48...h4+!? followed by ...e4.
49.Nd3 Kd6
Black can probably restore material equality with 49...Bxe3!?
50.Nb4 Rg8+?!
The rook should probably be left opposite the c pawn.
51.Kf3?
White has at least a slight edge after 51.Kh2, according to the engines.
51...Ra5?
Winning, according to the engines, is 51...e4+, eg 52.Kf4 Ra1 53.Rbb2 Bc7, or 52.Kf2 d4! 53.Rd2 f4.
52.Na6
The engines give 52.c7!? Bxc7 53.Rbc3 e4+ 54.Kf2 Bd8 55.Rc6+ Kd7 56.Nxd5 with at least a slight edge for White.
52...Rc8?
The game is completely equal after 52...Ra1. according to the engines.
 |
| White to play and win |
*****
*****
*****
*****
53.c7! Bxc7
Black's best chance seems to be 53...Kd7!?, but 54.Nb8 Ke8 55.Rc6 e4+ 56.Kf4! Bxc7+ 57.Kf5 Rxb8 58.Rxc7 Rxab5 59.Rxb5 Rxb5 60.Ke6 is a winning rook-and-pawn ending, according to the engines.
54.Rc6+ Kd7 55.Nc5+ Ke8?
This makes it easier than it need be, although after 55...Ke7 56.Na6 e4+ 57.Ke2 White is also winning.
56.b6 e4+ 57.Ke2 Ra2+ 58.Kd1 Rca8?! 59.bxc7 1-0
No comments:
Post a Comment