Bad Wörishofen Game Two

Spanton (1835) - Dieter Hilbig (1914)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.c3 Bg7 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 a6!?

The main move in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database is 6...Qb6, which wins a pawn, but the engines prefer the text. After 6...Qb6 7.Nc3 Bxd4 (7...Nxd4?! 8.Nd5! Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 leaves Black in big trouble) 8.Nxd4 Qxd4 9.0-0!? Qxd1 10.Rxd1 the engines reckon White has more than enough compensation.

7.Bc4!? e6

The engines prefer 7...b5 or 7...Nf6!?

8.Nc3

This position is normally reached with White to move, but even here the engines slightly prefer White

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8...Nge7 9.d5!? exd5

The engines suggest 9...b5!?

10.exd5 Na5 11.Be2 d6 12.Bd2

By protecting the c3 knight White threatens to trap the black queen's knight, but the engines prefer 12.Be3 or 12.Bg5.

12...b6

The engines much prefer 12...b5, the idea being to meet 13.b4 with 13...Nc4!?

13.b4 Nb7 14.Rc1 0-0 15.0-0 Bg4 16.Re1 b5

Protecting against Bxa6!?

17.Bg5

What should Black play?

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17...Re8?!

Best, according to the engines, is 17...h6, when one line runs 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Bxb5 Bxf3 20.Rxe7 Bxd1 21.Bc6 Bg4 22.Ne4!?, after which they reckon White has at least the upper hand.

18.Ne4 h6 19.Bf6 Bf5!?

This is best, according to the engines.
20.Bxg7 Bxe4

Not 20...Kxg7? 21.Qd4+.

21.Bxh6 f6

The engines give 21...Nf5 22.Bg5 f6 but agree White is winning.

How should White proceed?

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22.Bd3!

This is the engines' top choice, but they also like 22.Nd4 and 22.Nh4.

22...Bxd5 23.Bxg6 Bxf3
Perhaps 23...Nxg6 is an improvement, but 24.Qxd5+ Kh7 25.Rxe8 Qxe8 26.Rc7+! wins, eg 26...Kxh6 27.Qd2+ Kh5 28.Rh7+ Kg4 29.h3+ Kf5 30.Qd5+ Ne5 31.g4+ Kg6 32.Qe4+ f5 33.Qxf5#.

24.Qxf3 Nxg6 25.Qxb7 Ne7 26.Qe4 Qd7 27.Rc3 Kf7?

This loses instantly, but 27...Nf5 28.Qg4+ Ng7 (best) 29.Rxe8+!? Rxe8 30.Qd1 Qg4! 31.Qb3+ Qe6 31.Qxe6+ Nxe6 32.Kf1 should also win for White.

28.Qh7#