Philidor
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5!?
Not only is this playable, it is the best move in the position, according to Stockfish15.1 and Komodo14.1.
4.Nf3
After 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 the mainline in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database runs 6.Bg5 Be6 7.0-0-0+ Nd7 8.Nf3 Kc8 9.a3, after which White scores a feeble 29%.
4...Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7
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| How should White continue? |
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6.0-0
This is very much the main move in Mega23, but fascinating is 6.Ng5 0-0 7.Bxf7+!? Rxf7 8.Ne6 Qe8 9.Nxc7 Qd8 10.Nxa8 (not 10.Ne6? Qb6), after which White has a rook and two pawns for a bishop (and a knight to come). Stockfish15.1 reckons the position is equal, but Komodo14.1 gives a slight edge to Black.
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| Analysis position after 10.Nxa8 - I suspect the player who has studied this imbalanced position the most would have a big advantage in practical play |
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6...0-0 7.a4 c6 8.Re1 h6!?
This may seem a non-move, or a half-move as Garry Kasparov is fond to say, but it has been played by grandmasters and is the top choice of Stockfish15.1 (Komodo14.1 prefers 8...exd4).
9.a5 Rb8 10.h3 b5 11.axb6 axb6
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| What should White play? |
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12.d5?!
This seems to be a novelty, and probably not a good one. The engines like 12.Bd3 and 12.b4!?, in each case giving White a slight edge.
12...b5 13.Bf1
The engines slightly prefer 13.dxc6 bxc4 14.cxd7 Bxd7 15.Nd2, claiming equality.
13...b4 14.Nb1?!
And here they prefer 14.dxc6 bxc3 15.cxd7 cxb2 16.Bxb2 Qxd7, giving Black at best a slight edge.
14...cxd5 15.exd5
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| The d5 pawn cannot be held, but White can make Black pay a high price for winning it |
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15...Nb6 16.c4 bxc3 17.Nxc3 Bb7 18.Ra5 Ra8 19.Rb5?!
I underestimated how much compensation White gets after 19.b4 Rxa5 20.bxa5 Nbxd5 21.Nxd5 Nxd5. Indeed the engines reckon Black should play 19...Nbd7 or 19...Qc7.
19...Ba6 20.Rb4 Bxf1!? 21.Kxf1!? Ra5 22.Qb3 Nbxd5 23.Nxd5 Rxd5?!
Probably better is 23...Nxd5.
24.Rb7 Re8 25.Be3 Qa5 26.Rc1 Qa6+ 27.Kg1 Rd3 28.Qb4?
This loses a second pawn, after which there is no way back. Correct is 28.Qb5 Qxb5 29.Rxb5, when Black is better but White's outside passed pawn and better bishop give counterplay.
28....Nd5 29.Qb5 Qxb5 30.Rxb5 Nxe3 31.fxe3 Rxe3 32.Kf2 Re4 33.Rb7 Rf4 34.g3 Rf6 35.Ke2 d5 36.Rcc7 Bd6 37.Rd7 Rc8 38.Ne1?!
Less passive are 38.Rb6 and 38.Nd2, but Black is still winning, according to the engines.
38...e4 39.Rb6 Be5 40.Rxf6 Bxf6 41.Rxd5 Bxb2 42.Rd2 Be5 43.g4 g6 44.Rd5 Bg3 45.Rd4 f5 46.gxf5 gxf5 47.Ng2 Rc2+ 48.Rd2?! Rxd2+ 49.Kxd2 Kf7 (0-1, 58 moves).
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