Catalan
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.c4 0-0 6.0-0 Nbd7
This is usually the start of a closed treatment of the Catalan. The mainline in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database is an open treatment, ie 6...dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.a4 Bd7 9.Qxc4 Bc6 10.Bg5 Bd5 11.Qc2 Be4 12.Qc1 h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 with maybe a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1.
7.Qc2 c6 8.Nbd2 b6 9.e4 dxe4
This is the most popular move in Mega23 but the engines prefer 9...dxc4!?
10.Nxe4 Bb7 11.Rd1 Nxe4 12.Qxe4 Nf6
A better way to take advantage of the position of the white queen may be 12...Qc8!?
13.Qc2 Qc7 14.Bf4 Bd6 15.Be5
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| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
15...Bxe5
This is most popular in Mega23, albeit from a small sample size, but the engines suggest 15...c5!?, although they accept 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.d5 is at least slightly better for White.
16.dxe5 Nd7
The engines suggest 16...Ng4, which does not appear in Mega23, although they reckon 17.Qe4 puts White well on top.
17.Ng5 g6 18.f4
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| White has a positionally won game, according to the engines |
*****
*****
*****
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18...h6?
This spends a tempo on sending the knight on a route it wants to take anyway.
19.Ne4
This threatens 20.Rxd7! But even stronger may be 19.Nxe6!?
19...Kg7 20.Rd6 c5?
There is not time for this.
21.Rad1 Rad8 22.Qd3 Bc6 23.Nf6
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| Black must lose a piece |
*****
*****
*****
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23...Bxg2 24.Kxg2 Nxe5 25.fxe5 Rxd6 26.Qxd6 Qb7+ 27.Kf2 Qa6? 28.Qd3
Plenty good enough, but 28.Qxf8+! wins instantly.
28...Qxa2 29.Qc3 a5 30.Ne4 a4 31.Nd6 Rd8? 32.Nf5+ 1-0
FULL TEAM RESULT
Wales Cymru v England 3Rudy van Kemenade (1934) = Richard Freeman (1987)
Charles Higgie (1924) = David Tucker (1898)
Lee Davis (1892) 1-0 Tim Spanton (1800)
Anthony Hughes (1850) 0-1 Robert Kane (1723)
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