Spanton (1858) - Jiří Groh (2004)
Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.c3 Bg7 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
6...d5?
This is the third time this mistake has been played against me. The most-popular moves in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database are 6...Nf6 and especially 6...Qb6.
7.exd5 Qxd5 8.Nc3 Qd6
This may be best, although Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 also suggest 8...Qf5.
9.d5 a6
The tricky-looking 9...Qb4!? was tried in John Curdo (2257) - Anthony Paolercio (-), Stillwater (Oklahoma) 2005, but 10.Qb3 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Qe4+ 12.Be3 a6 13.Be2 Nd8 14.Rd1 gave White the bishop-pair and a large lead in development (1-0, 25 moves).
10.Ba4 Bxc3+
The engines slightly prefer 10...b5.
11.bxc3 b5 12.dxc4 bxa4
 |
| Which is White's strongest continuation? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
13.Qxa4
The engines prefer 13.Qxd6!? exd6 14.Ba3, as played in Noah Fecker (2325) - Jake Sanger (1936), Tornelo Internet Rapid 2021 (1-0, 36 moves).
13...Nf6
The engines suggest 13...Qd3!?, albeit giving White a winning advantage (Stockfish16) or at least the upper hand (Komodo14.1).
14.0-0 0-0 15.Rd1!?
The engines marginally prefer this apparent novelty over the known 15.Ba3.
15...Qc7 16.Bf4 Qa7 17.Be3!? Qc7 18.Rab1 Rd8 19.Bf4 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Qb6
 |
| What should White play? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
21.Qb4!?
This quiet move is best, according to the engines, but there are other strong continuations, including 21.c7 and 21.Be3.
21...Qxb4
Worse is 21...Qxc6? 22.Rd8+ Kg8 23.Qxe7 with mate to follow.
22.Rd8+ Kg8 23.cxb4 Ne4 24.g3!?
Removing the possibility of a bank-rank mate, which was a factor in some lines, eg 24.Be3 Bb7! 25.cxb7?? loses to 25...Rxd8 as there is no time for 26.Ba7?? due to 26...Rd1+ and mate.
24...f6 25.Nd2!?
Possibly strongest is the simple 25.c7, after which the white rook ties down the black rook and bishop (25...Bb7?? 26.Rxa8 Bxa8 27.c8=Q), leaving White effectively a piece up.
25...Nxd2 26.Bxd2?
Correct is 26.Rxd2, when White is a pawn up and has a 3-1 queenside majority, which is winning, according to the engines, despite opposite-coloured bishops.
26...Bb7!
If the bishop were still on f4, this would not work as White could simply take the bishop and meet ...Rxd8 with b8=Q, emerging a piece up.
27.Rd7 Bxc6 28.Rxe7+ Kg8
 |
| White is still a pawn up but no longer has a dangerous passer |
*****
*****
*****
*****
29.Rc7
Staying on the seventh rank, but possibly better is 29.Re6!? After 29...Bd5 30.Rxf6 Bxa2 White no longer has a farside majority, but has the upper hand, according to the engines.
29...Bf3 30.Rc3 Rd8?!
Activating the rook and settling for a rook-and-pawn ending, with all the usual implied drawing tendencies, but it was probably better to keep the opposite-coloured bishops on.
31.Rxf3 Rxd2 32.a3
Possibly 32.Ra3 is slightly better.
32...Kf7 33.Re3 Ra2 34.g4!? g5 35.Kg2 Kg6 36.Kg3 h5 37.gxh5+!?
The engines prefer 37.h3.
37...Kxh5 38.Rf3 Kg6 39.Kg4 Ra1 40.Rc3 f5+ 41.Kg3 Kh5 42.Kg2 Ra2 43.Kg3 Ra1 44.h3 Rh1 45.Kf3
 |
| How should Black continue? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
45...Kh4?
Returning to a1 holds as the white position cannot be improved, according to the engines.
46.Rc6
The threat of mate wins a second pawn.
46...Kh5
Not an improvement is 46...g4+ 47.hxg4 fxg4+ 48.Kf4.
47.Rxa6 Rb1 48.Ra5 Rb3+ 49.Kg2 f4 50.b5 g4 51.hxg4+ Kxg4
 |
| Has White a win? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
52.Ra4!
Not 52.f3+? Rxf3 as that is a tablebase draw. However 52.Kf1, heading for the queenside, may also give winning chances.
52...Rxb5 53.f3+ Kg5 54.Rb4?
Correct is preparing Rb4 with 54.Kh3, one point being 54...Rb3 is met by 55.Ra5+ and 56.Kg4.
54...Rc5 55.a4
 |
| Black to play and draw |
*****
*****
*****
*****
55...Rc2+?
Driving the white king where it wants to go. Both ...Rc3 and ...Rc1 draw, eg 55...Rc1 56.Rb5+ Kf6 57.a5 Ra1 58.Kh3 and now an only-move, 58...Rg1!, after which 59.a6 Ra1 60.Rb6+ allows the black king to resume protecting the f4 pawn, drawing (Syzygy tablebase analysis).
56.Kh3 Ra2 57.Rb5+ Kf6 58.a5 Ra1 59.Kg4 Ra4 60.Rh5 Kg6 61.Rb5 Kf6 62.Rb6+ Ke5 63.a6?
Syzygy shows this only draws. The correct plan consists of switching the rook to the kingside, eg 63.Rh6. Black cannot capture the a pawn, and has nothing better than 63...Rb4, defending the f4 pawn.. But then 64.Rh5+ Ke6 65.Rf5 Ra4 66.Kg5 Ke7 67.Kg6 Kd7 68.Kf7 Ra1 69.Rxf4 Rxa6 reduces to rook-and-pawn versus rook, winning in this case as White can reach the Lucena position.
63...Ra1 64.Kg5 Rg1+ 65.Kh6
 |
| Black to play and draw |
*****
*****
*****
*****
65...Kd4?
Syzygy shows both ...Ra1 and ...Rh1+ draw, eg 65...Rh1+ 66.Kg6 Rg1+ 67.Kf7 Ra1 68.Ke7 Kd4 69.Kd6 Ke3 etc.
66.Rb4+ Ke3 67.Rb3+ Ke2 68.Ra3 Rg8 69.a7 Kf2 70.Kh5
Not 70.a8=Q? Rxa8 71.Rxa8 Kxf3 with a draw, eg 72.Kg5 Kg3 73.Ra3+ f3 74.Kf5 Kg2 etc.
70...Kg3 71.a8=Q Rxa8 72.Rxa8 Kf3 73.Ra3+
Not 73.Kg5? Kg3 etc.
73...Ke2 74.Kg4 1-0
No comments:
Post a Comment