Olomouc 65+ Round Nine

FACED a Czech in today's final round.

Václav Lexa (1767) - Spanton (1858)

QGD 4...c5

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c5!? 5.cxd5 cxd4

The move 4...c5!? is often called the Dutch-Peruvian Gambit, with 5...cxd4 starting the Dutch branch and 5...Qb6 the Peruvian one.

6.Qxd4 Be7 7.e3!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database runs 7.e4 Nc6 8.Qd2 and either 8...Nxe4!? or 8...Nxd5!?, in each case with sharp play.

7...exd5 8.Nf3

Not 8.Bxf6 Bxf6 9.Qxd5?? Bxc3+ etc.

8...0-0!?

Holding back on ...Nc6 in order to leave White in a quandary over where to develop the light-square bishop.

How should White proceed?

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9.Ne5?!

Usual is 9.Be2.

9...Nc6

Ferenc Vándor (2004) - István Horváth (2202), Hungarian Team Championship 2006, featured the strange 9...Bf5?! 10.Bd3?! (10.Bxf6 is more to the point), after which 10...Bxd3 11.Qxd3 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.0-0 h6 14.Bh4 resulted in a premature draw.

10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bd3 c5 12.Qf4?!

Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 prefer 12.Qh4 or 12.Qa4.

While I pondered my next move, VL offered a draw.

12...h6

Black's advantage is even bigger, according to the engines, after 12...Nh5, when 13.Bxe7 Nxf4 14.Bxd8 Nxd3+ leaves White in big trouble (15.Ke2 Ba6). Less worse for Black seems to be 13.Qh4 (or 13.Qf3) Bxg5 14.Qxh5, but 14...g6 followed by 15...d4 leaves Black well on top.

13.Bxf6

Not 15.Bxh6? Ng4!

13...Bxf6

What should White play?

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14.Nxd5?

Imaginative but incorrect. The engines give 14.0-0 or 14.Qf3, but with at least a slight edge for Black.

14...Qxd5 15.Be4 Qd8 16.Bxa8 Qa5+ 17.b4

Or 17.Ke2 Ba6+ 18.Kf3 Rxa8, when the bishop-pair and Black's attacking chances against the exposed white king are much more than enough for rook and pawn. Even worse is 17.Kd1? Rd8+ 18.Kc1?? (18.Ke2 is better, but then comes 18...Ba6+ and 19...Rxa8) Qd2+ 19.Kb1 Qxb2#. The engines marginally prefer 17.Kf1, but 17...Ba6+ 18.Kg1 Rxa8 is again very good for Black.

17...Bc3+ 18.Ke2 Ba6+ 19.Kf3 cxb4 20.Be4?!

Both 20.Bc6!? and 20.Qe4 are slightly better, according to the engines.

20...f5!

This is better than simply winning back the exchange.

21.Bc6

Or 21.Bc2 Qd5+ 22.Kg3 g5 etc.

21...Be5 22.Qh4 g5 0-1