French Advance
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Bd7 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3!?
This is Komodo14.1's top choice. Stockfish15.1 prefers the most-popular continuation, 6.Be2.
6...Bb5!?
This is the point of Black's move-order: to exchange the bad light-square bishop for White's good light-square bishop.
7.Bd3 Bxd3 8.Qxd3 c4 9.Qc2 Nc6 10.Nbd2!? Nge7 11.Rb1 Ng6 12.b3 cxb3 13.Rxb3 Qa6!?
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| How would you assess this position? |
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White has more space in the centre and has pressure down the b file, but will have difficulties castling. Black has the better bishop and targets at c3 and a3. The engines reckon Black is slightly better.
14.c4 Na5?!
The engines agree Black remains better after 14...dxc4!? and 14...Nh4!?
15.Rc3 dxc4 16.Nxc4 Nxc4 17.Rxc4 Be7 18.0-0 0-0 19.Bb2 Nf4 20.Re1?!
Almost certainly better is keeping control of the c file with 20.Rc1.
20...b6
Black has the advantage after this, but best is 20...b5!, the idea being to meet 21.Rc6 with 21...Rfc8!, one point being 22.Rc1? fails to 22...Ne2+.
21.Rc1 Rfd8 22.g3 Nd5 23.h4 h6 24.Nd2 Qb7 25.Nf1 a6 26.Ne3!? Nxe3?!
White is at least equal after this. The engines suggest 26...a5 or 26...Bf8.
27.fxe3 Qf3 28.Qf2 Qxf2+ 29.Kxf2
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| How would you assess this late-middlegame? |
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The engines reckon White's control of the open file and extra space more than compensate for Black having the better bishop and a farside pawn-majority.
29...Rd7 30.h5 Kf8 31.Rc6 Rb8 32.Ke2 Ke8 33.Kd3 Rdb7 34.g4 Kd7 35.Ke4?!
White has the upper hand after 35.e4, according to the engines.
35...a5
The engines reckon 35...Bc5! 36.d5 is equal.
36.d5 exd5+ 37.Kxd5 Bc5
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| How should White proceed? |
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38.e4?!
Strong is 38.e6+ fxe6 39.Rxe6, eg 39...Rd8 40.Rg6 Rxe3 41.Rxg7+ Re7 42.g5!?
38...Ke7 39.e6 Rd8+ 40.Ke5?
The game is completely equal after 40.Kc4, according to the engines.
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| Black to play and win |
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40...f6+?
Black wins the exchange with 40...Bd6+ as 41.Kf5? loses to 41...g6+! 42.hxg6 fxe6#.
41.Kf5 Rd2 42.Bc3 Rf2+ 43.Kg6 Rg2 44.Kf5 Rf2+ 45.Kg6 Rf4?! 46.Kxg7
Very strong is the engines' 46.g5!, eg 46...Rg4 47.Bd2 Bxa3 48.Rf1 with Kxg7 to come.
46...Rxg4+ 47.Kxh6??
White is very much still in the game after 47.Kh8.
47...Be3+ 48.Kh7 Kf8 49.Kh8 Rg8#
6…Bd7 ?
ReplyDeleteDoh! Corrected - thanks
ReplyDelete