Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0-0 Nc6 6.c3 Nf6 7.Qe2
The main moves in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database are 7.Re1 and 7.d4!?
7...e6 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 Be7
The mainline in Mega23 runs 9...d5 10.e5 Ne4 11.Be3 Be7 12.Ne1!? f6!? 13.f3 Ng5 14.Nd3 with an equal position, according to Stockfish15.1 and Komodo14.1.
10.Nc3 0-0
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| Now both players have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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The main difference between the two sides is White has more central space, and that is enough for a slight edge, according to the engines.
11.Rd1 d5 12.e5 Ne8
In contrast to the note given at move nine, the black king's knight is a lot less active, but the white king's rook will almost certainly have to move again to occupy a useful file.
13.Bf4 f6!?
This seems to be a novelty, but is the top choice of the engines.
14.exf6 Rxf6!?
14...Bxf6 would have transposed to a known position.
15.Be5 Rg6 16.Re1 Nd6 17.Bxd6!?
The engines do not like this, preferring 17.Rad1, 17.a3 or 17.Bg3!?
17...Bxd6 18.Nb5 Be7 19.Rad1 Rf8
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| How should White proceed? |
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20.Nxa7!?
This is Komodo14.1's top choice; Stockfish15.1 prefers 20.Rd3.
20...Rgf6?
This is Komodo14.1's second choice, but it is a mistake. Black should capture the knight, and after 20...Nxa7 21.Ne5 Qe8 22.Nxg6 Qxg6 23.Qxe6+ Qxe6 24.Rxe6 Nc6 Stockfish15.1 reckons Black has the upper hand, although Komodo14.1 at first calls the position balanced but, given enough time, slightly prefers Black.
21.Nxc6 Qxc6 22.Rc1 Qb6 23.Rc2 Bb4 24.Rec1 Qd6?
Better is a move such as 24...Qd8.
25.Qe5?
Black seems to be without a good move after 25.Qb5.
25...Qa6 26.a3 Bd6 27.Qe2 Qa8 28.Ne5
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| What should Black play? |
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28...h6?
Also bad is 28...Rxf2? 29.Qxf2 Rxf2 30.Kxf2 as Black has fatal back-rank problems. Best is probably 28...Qe8, when White remains on top, but Black can hope to create kingside threats.
29.Qe3?
29.Nd7 wins as 29...Rxf2 fails to 30.Qxe6+.
29...Qe8 30.g3 Bxe5!?
This is the engines' top choice.
31.Qxe5 Qg6 32.Re2 Qd3
The engines suggest 32...h5, albeit giving White the upper hand.
33.Qe3 Qf5
Objectively best, according to the engines, is 33...Qxe3, but they agree that after 34.fxe3 White is a good pawn up and should win.
34.f4
The engines like 34.Rc7.
34...h5 35.Qf3 h4 36.Re5 Qg6 37.Kf2
Not 37.Rg5?? Qxg5.
37...hxg3+ 38.hxg3 Qh7 39.Rh5 Rh6 40.Rxh6 Qxh6 41.Rh1 Qg6 42.Qh5?
The engines give 42.Rc1, and if Black repeats with 42...Qh6, then 43.Kg2.
42...Qc2
This is good, but Black equalises completely, according to the engines, with 42...Qe4, eg 43.Rd1 Rc8 44.Qe2 Qf5, when it seems White is too passive to make progress.
43.Qe2 Qf5
Probably best is 43...Rc8!?, although the engines reckon White has a slight edge after 44.Re1.
44.Rh5 Qg6 45.Re5
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| How should Black defend the e pawn? |
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45...Rf6
The engines cannot agree whether the text or 45...Kf7 is best, but they agree both moves are better than 45...Re8?, when 46.Kg2 threatens 47.f5, but not 46.f5? as 46...Rf8 keeps the game going.
46.a4!?
Black has major difficulties preventing a prosaic white win on the queenside.
46...Qh7? 47.Rh5?
I rejected 47.Rxe6 because of 47...Qh2+ 48.Kf3 Qh1+ 49.Kg4 g6, when Black threatens mate in one, but I missed that 50.Re8+ Kg7 51.Qe7+ Rf7 52.Qe5+ Rf6 53.Re7+ Kg8 wins, as long as White avoids 54.Qxf6?? Qh5#.
47...Qb1 48.Kg2 Kf7 49.Rh1 Qa2?
The queen gets shut out of play here, so better is 49...Qf5.
50.Qc2 Rf5
The engines suggest 50...Qc4, but 51.Qxc4 dxc4 52.Rh8 will win a second pawn.
51.Rc1 Rh5 52.g4 Rh4
Maybe marginally better is 52...Rh6, but Black is lost either way.
53.Kg3 Rh6 54.g5 Rh8 55.f5 Re8 56.Qc7+ Kg8 57.f6 1-0
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