Veresov
1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bg5 Nbd7 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3!?
A provocative move, bearing in mind ...c5 is probably coming.
5...c5 6.Nf3 h6
Jonathan Speelman - Simon Webb, British Championship (Morecambe) 1975, went 6...c4 7.Be2 Bb4 8.0-0 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Qa5 10.Nd2 Qxc3 with a win for Black in 42 moves, although Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon 11.e4 (Speelman played 11.Rb1) gives White almost enough for a pawn.
7.Bh4 c4 8.Be2 Bb4 9.0-0 Bxc3 10.bxc3 Qa5
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| How would you assess this position? |
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As in the Speelman - Webb game, Black will win the c3 pawn (with the help of ...Ne4 if necessary), but White has the bishop-pair and a lead in development. The engines give Black a slight edge.
11.Ne5?!
Probably better, à la Speelman, is 11.Nd2, eg 11...Qxc3 12.a4 0-0 13.Qc1 Qa5 14.e4, as in Ole Jacob Johnsen - Richard Bjerke, Bærum (Norway) 1980, with a slight edge for Black, according to the engines (0-1, 31 moves).
11...Nxe5!?
This is stronger than immediately capturing on c3, according to Komodo13.02, although Stockfish15 disagrees.
12.dxe5 Nd7?!
Almost certainly better is 12...Ne4, eg 13.f3 Nxc3 14.Qd2 Nxe2+.
13.Qd4 g5!? 14.Bg3 h5?
The engines give 14...Nc5 with a slight edge for White.
15.f4 g4
Trying to keep lines closed. The engines prefer this to 15...h4, but reckon White is positionally winning.
16.f5 Qb6?
The engines suggest 16...Nb8!? so fxe6 can be met by ...Bxe6.
17.fxe6 Qxe6
Maybe slightly better is 17...fxe6, but 18.Qf4 is strong, and if 18...Rf8 then 19.Qg5.
18.e4!?
This quiet move is very difficult to meet.
18...0-0
Best, according to the engines, is 18...Qb6 19.exd5 Qxd4+, but White is winning.
19.exd5 Qb6 20.Bxc4 Qxd4+ 21.cxd4 Nb6 22.Bb3 Rd8 23.Bh4 Rxd5!
Sacrificing the exchange is Black's best chance, according to the engines.
24.Bxd5 Nxd5 25.c4 Ne3 26.Rfc1 Bf5 27.Rc3 Nc2 28.Rd1 Rc8 29.d5 Nb4 30.Rd2 Na6 31.Bf2 b6 32.Rb2 Nc7 33.Ra3!? Nxd5! 34.Rxa7?!
Better, according to the engines, is 34.cxd5 Rc1+ 35.Be1 Rxe1+ 36.Kf2 Rxe5 37.Rd2, which at any rate is simpler than the game.
34...Rxc4 35.Bxb6 Rc1+ 36.Kf2 Nf4 37.Rd2
Stockfish15, but not Komodo13.02, slightly prefers 37.Be3.
37...Nd3+ 38.Kg3
Not 38.Ke2?? Re1#.
38...Nxe5 39.Bd4 Ng6 40.Bf6 h4+ 41.Kf2
Not 41.Bxh4?? Rc3+ 42.Kf2 Nxh4.
41...Rc6!?
Possibly better is 41...Be6, but 42.Ra5 is a strong reply.
42.Rd8+ Kh7 43.Rxf7+ Kh6 44.Bg7+ Kg5 45.Rd5 Rc2+ 46.Ke3
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| How does Black save the bishop? |
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46...Re2+! 47.Kxe2 Nf4+ 48.Kf2 Nxd5
The bishop is saved but the game is still lost.
49.Be5 Be6 50.Rh7 Nb4 51.Bc3 Nd3+
This is almost certainly better than 51...Nxa2?!, after which 52.Bd2+ traps the knight and is followed by Rxh4.
52.Ke3 Nc5 53.a3 Nd7 54.a4 Nb6 55.a5 Na8?!
This is hopeless, but Black is lost anyway.
56.Be5 Bd5 57.Bf4+ Kf5 58.Rh5+ Ke6 59.Re5+ Kd6 60.Kd4 1-0
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