Spanton (1824) - Sebastian Leidorf (2045)
French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 c5!?
An interesting way to create an imbalance. It dates back to at least 1858, when it was played by Wilfried Paulsen, elder brother of the more-famous Louis.
6.0-0!?
6.dxc5 Bxc5 is considered fine for Black as a tempo has not been 'wasted' on playing ...Be7 or ...Bd6.
6...c4 7.Re1+ Be7 8.Bf1 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position, and what should White play? |
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Black has more space on the queenside, but White can quickly attack that space with b3, after which Black probably has nothing better than giving up the space with ...cxb3, as will be played in the game. Certainly 9.b3 is the most popular continuation in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database. However Garry Kasparov (2770) - Viktor Korchnoi (2610), Tilburg (Netherlands) 1991, went 9.Bg5!? Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3!? 11.Qxf3 Nc6 12.c3 with a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish15.1 and Komodo14.1 (1-0, 45 moves). The engines suggest 10...Be6!? as an improvement.
9.b3 cxb3
Probably not 9...b5?! 10.a4.
10.axb3 Nc6
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| How should White continue? |
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11.Ba3!?
Most popular in Mega23 is 11.Ne5, although the engines evaluate the position as equal. Komodo14.1 reckons 11.Bd3 and 11.c3 gives White an edge. Stockfish15.1 fluctuates between several moves, including 11.c3, 11.Bb2!?, 11.Bf4 and 11.h3, but is less confident White has much of an advantage.
11...Re8
This is not in Mega23 but is liked by the engines, which also like 11...Bxa3!? with probably ...Bg4 to follow.
12.h3 Bf5 13.Bd3 Be4 14.c3 Rc8 15.Ng5!? Bxa3!?
SL took about 27 minutes on this move, which is the top choice of the engines.
16.Nxa3 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 h6 18.Rxe8+ Qxe8 19.Nf3 a6 20.Re1 Qf8 21.Nb1 Na5 22.Nfd2 b5 23.b4 Nc4 24.Nxc4 Rxc4?!
The engines reckon Black is at least equal after 24...bxc4.
25.Nd2 Rc7 26.Nb3 Re7
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| What should White play (give yourself a big pat on the back if you find the engines' top choice)? |
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27.Re3
The engines reckon White is slightly better after 27.Rf1!?, a move that did not cross my mind.
27...Rxe3 28.Qxe3 Qd6 29.Nc5 Kf8!?
The engines do not like this, much preferring 29...Qb6.
30.g3 Nd7 31.Qe2 g6 32.Qg4 Nf6 33.Qc8+ Kg7
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| How should White proceed? |
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34.Nxa6
If 34.Qxa6 then 34...Qxa6 35.Na6 Ne4 is probably OK for Black. However the engines reckon 34.Qb7 gives at least a slight edge. A plausible, albeit long and non-forcing, continuation runs 34...g5!? 35.Kg2 h5 36.Qc8!? Kg6 37.Nd3 Kg7 38.Qf5 Ne4 39.Nc5 Qf6 40.Qxf6+ Nxf6 41.h4 Kg6 42.hxg5 Kxg5 43.Kf3, after which Komodo14.1 gives White the upper hand, but Stockfish15.1 reckons Black is only slightly worse.
34...Ne4 35.Nc7 Kh7 36.Ne8 Qe7 37.Qc6 Nxc3!?
Black has an easy draw with 37...Nxg3 etc. The text is an attempt to play for more.
38.Nf6+ Kg7 39.Nh5+ gxh5 40.Qxc3 Qe2 41.Qe3!?
An easy draw is to be had with 41.Qc5, obliging Black to take a draw by repetition. I played the text under the assumption the coming pawn-ending was probably better for White, or at least equal.
41...Qxe3!? 42.fxe3 Kf6
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| Black has the more-active king, and that seems to fully compensates for the black pawn-weaknesses |
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43.Kf2 Kg5 44.Kf3 Kf5!?
Komodo14.1 strongly dislikes this, but Stockfish15.1 only partly agrees. They do, however, agree 44...f5 is completely equal.
45.g4+ hxg4+ 46.hxg4+ Kg5 47.e4 dxe4+ 48.Kxe4 Kxg4 49.d5 f5+ 50.Ke5?
White keeps an edge, according to the engines, with 50.Kd4, although the Syzygy endgame tablebase shows the position is drawn after both moves. After 50.Kd4 the engines' continue 50...f4 51.d6 f3 52.Ke3 Kg3 53.d7 f2 54.d8=Q f1=Q 55.Qd6+, claiming at least a slight edge for White. However all four possible king moves draw, according to Syzygy, eg 55...Kg2 56.Qg6+ Kh2 57.Qxh6+ Kg3, and White cannot make progress. The problem with the text is that after it only Black can play for a win.
50...f4 51.d6 f3 52.d7 f2 53.d8=Q f1=Q 54.Qg8+ Kh4 55.Qd8+ Kg3 56.Qg8+ Kh2 57.Qb8!? Qc4 58.Kf5+ Kg2 59.Qb7+ Kf2 60.Qa7+ Ke2 61.Qe7+ Kd2
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| White to play and draw |
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62.Qg7
The only drawing move, Syzygy shows, is 62.Qc5!
62...h5 63.Kg5?
This allows an immediate win, but the ending is lost anyway.
63...Qg4+ 0-1
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