King's Indian Attack
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d3 d5 4.Qe2!?
There are 731 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, where it scores 60%, which is 10 percentage points more than the 3,229 games with 4.Nbd2.
4...d4!?
This is sixth-most popular in Mega23.
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| How should White respond? |
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5.g3
This is much more common than 5.e5!?, although Stockfsh16 and Komodo14.1 reckon the two moves are of roughly equal value.
5...Nc6 6.Bg2
Here the engines much prefer 6.e5!?, which scores 71% in Mega23 - 18 percentage points more than the text.
6...e5 7.Nbd2 be7 8.Nc4 Bf6!?
A peculiar square for a bishop, but the engines are not too unhappy with it.
9.a4 Be6 10.b3 h6 11.Ba3 b6 12.h4 Qd7 13.Qd2 Nge7 14.Ng1!? g6 15.Bh3 Nc8 16.Qe2!?
Admitting 13.Qd2 got White nowhere, but such loss of time is not significant in this closed position.
16...Nd6 17.Nxd6+ Qxd6 18.Bxe6 Qxe6
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| Now two pairs of minor pieces have come off the board, how would you assess the position? |
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Black has a bad bishop, but White's bishop, although technically good in that most white pawns are on light squares, has little scope. Black has more space in the centre, and Komodo14.1 reckons Black has a tiny pull, although Stockfish16 calls the game completely equal.
19.f4 h5 20.0-0-0!?
Stockfish16 strongly dislikes this, preferring 20.Bc1, but Komdo14.1 reckons the two moves are of approximately equal value.
20...Qg4
Sotckfish16 gives something like (its evaluations of various moves change frequently) 20..a6!? 21.Rf1 Be7 22.f5 Qd7 23.g4 c4!? 24.Bxe7 Qxe7 25.bxc4 gxf5 26.exf5 Qa3+ 27.Kd1 Qxa4, after which both engines agree Black has at least a slight edge. However there were many alternatives for both sides along the way.
21.Qf2 Bg7
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| White to play and lose |
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22.Kb1?? Qxd1+ 0-1
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