Graz Game Seven

Yedil Kabylbek (1702) - Spanton (1883)

Catalan

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Bxd2+!?

The main move is 5...Be7, the idea being that the white queen's bishop is arguably misplaced on d2 (White often likes to fianchetto both bishops in the Catalan). ChessBase, for what it is worth, classifies the opening as "E11: Bogo-Indian."

6.Nbxd2 0-0 7.Bg2 Nbd7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.0-0 Re8 10.e3 Ne4 11.Qc2 Ndf6 12.Rac1!?

If White plans a Minority Attack, 12.Rfc1 seems more appropriate.

12...Nxd2 13.Nxd2 c6 14.b4 Bd7 15.Nb3 Rc8 16.a4 Qe7 17.Qc5 a6 18.Qxe7 Rxe7

Now queens are off the board, how would you assess the position?

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White has a classic Minority Attack on the queenside, and has the better bishop, albeit one that is not particularly active. Black's chances of whipping up kingside counterplay are limited by the absence of queens. Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 give White a slight edge.

19.Rc3 Ne8 20.Rfc1 Nd6

This halts, or at least seriously delays, the Minority Attack, so there was a lot to be said for 19.b5 or 20.b5.

21.Nd2 h6 22.Bf1 Rce8 23.Bd3 g6 24.Rb1 Kg7 25.Rb2 f6 26.Nb1 Ra8 27.Na3 b5!? 28.a5!? Rb8 29.Rbc2 Nc4 30.Nb1 Bg4 31.Be2 Bxe2 32.Rxe2 f5

YK offered a draw.

33.Rec2 Kf6 34.Nd2 g5 35.Nf3 Rc8 36.Kg2 g4!? 37.Ne1 h5 38.Nd3 Rcc7 39.Nc5 Ra7 40.Nd3 Rac7 41.Nc5 ½–½
The engines reckon White has a slight edge in the final position, but it is hard to see how anything can be made of it.