Brno Game Six

Stefan Arndt (2176) - Spanton (1771)

QGD

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.e3

Magnus Carlsen has played this, and 4.Bg5 and 4.g3 and 4.Nc3.

4...c5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ Qxd7 8.0-0

If 8.Ne5 the analysis engines Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon the simplest way to equalise is 8...Qe6, eg 9.Qb3 b6 10.Nc3 Bd6 11.Qb5+ Nbd7, and if 12.f4!? they give Black at least a slight edge after 12...0-0.

8...Nc6 9.b3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Be7 11.Bb2 0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?

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Black has a lead in development and has more space in the centre, but the latter is thanks to having an IQP, although it is an isolani that is not under pressure. The engines give White a slight edge.

12.Nd2 Rac8 13.N2f3 Rfd8 14.a3 Ne4 15.Rc1 Nxd4!?

White has two knights that would both like to occupy the d4 square, so it might seem strange to make an exchange that removes the redundancy, but the specifics of the position allow Black to get a comfortable game this way.

16.Nxd4 Rxc1 17.Qxc1 Rc8 18.Qd1 Bf6 19.f3?!

Komodo13.02 has this move as its top choice, at least for a while, but Stockfish15 disagrees for reasons that will become obvious.

19...Nc3 20.Qd2 Bxd4 21.exd4

Not 21.Qxd4?? Ne2+.

21...Nb5 22.Re1 h6 23.a4 Nc7 24.Ba3 ½–½

Stockfish15 gives Black the upper hand, while Komodo13.02 concedes Black has a slight edge

Would I have played on against someone rated 400 points lower than me instead of 400 points higher? Almost certainly.

Would I have played on had this been a single-round day instead of a double-rounder? I hope so.

Instead I made the 'pragmatic' decision to take the half-point (and 8.4 Fide elo) and save my energy for the afternoon's game.