Board Three
English Symmetrical/English Botvinnik
1.e4 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nge2 Bg7 5.d3
The most popular move in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database is 5.g3!?, which HK faced in a game in 2004. It is playable, as long as the reply 5...Ne5, which HK played, is met by 6.Ng1 or 6.Nf4.
5...d6 6.g3 e6 7.Bg2 Nge7 8.0-0 0-0
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| There are 2,196 games with this position in Mega23 |
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9.f4
Easily most popular is 9.Be3!?, although that allows 9...Nd4, which is almost always effective for Black when White cannot reply Nxd4. A good alternative to the text is queenside play with 9.Rb1 or 9.a3.
9...a6 10.Rb1 Rb8 11.a4 Bd7 12.Kh1 Qc7
This may be a novelty. The known move is 12...Qe8!?
13.b3 Nd4 14.Nxd4 cxd4 15.Ne2 b5 16.axb5 axb5 17.Bb2 e5 18.Qd2 f5!?
Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 prefer queenside play with, for example, 18...Ra8.
19.Ra1?!
Almost certainly better is 19.fxe5 dxe5 20.Ba3 with activity.
19...fxe4 20.dxe4!?
The engines much prefer this pawn sacrifice to 20.Bxe4, when 20...Nf5 is good, but even stronger, according to the engines, is 20...bxc4!? 21.bxc4 Bc6.
20...bxc4 21.bxc4 Qxc4
The engines fluctuate between the text and 21...Be6, eg 22.Ba3 Rfc8 23.Ng1!? exf4 24.Qxf4 Be5 with what the engines reckon is a clear advantage for Black.
22.Ra7 Qe6
Even better, according to the engines, is 22...Rfd8!?
23.Rc1 Nc6 24.Rc7 Rfc8 25.Rxc8+ Rxc8 26.f5?
This was an interesting option on the previous two moves, but is simply a mistake here.
26...gxf5 27.exf5 Qxf5 28.Bd5+ Kh8 29.Ba3 e4 30.Nf4 Be5
Black is on top after this, but even stronger seems to be 30...e3!?
31.Qg2
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| How should Black proceed in this sharp position? |
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31...Bxf4?
31...Bxf4?
Black has a slight edge, according to the engines, after 31...Ne7 32.Bxe4 Qg4, but they reckon winning is 31...e3!, the point being 32.Bxc6? Bxc6 33.Rxc6 loses to 33...Qb1+ etc as the black passed pawns are very strong, eg 34.Rc1 Rxc1+ 35.Bxc1 Qxc1+ 36.Qg1 Qxg1+ 37.Kxg1 Bxf4 38.gxf4 d3. Better after 31...e3! is 32.Be4, but 32...Qg4 33.Bf3 Qg5 leaves Black two pawns up as 34.Bxc6 is met by 34...e2!, eg 35.Nxe2 Qxc1+! and 36...Bxc6.
32.Bxe4 Qa5 33.gxf4 Rg8 34.Qb2?!
White is at least equal after 34.Qa2, according to the engines.
34...d5
Black may be better after the engines' 34...Be6!?, eg 35.Bxd6? loses to 35...Bd5. However less clear are 35.Qb7 and 35.Bc5!? dxc5 36.Qb7.
35.Bf3 Rb8
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| White to play and draw |
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36.Qa1!
The only move, eg 36.Qa2 loses to 36...Ra8.
36...Rb3?
Black holds the draw with several moves, according to the engines, including 36...Bf5, 36...Re8 and 36...Qd2, but 36...Ra8? loses to the same move as the text.
37.Rxc6! Bxc6 38.Qxd4+ Kg8 39.Qg1+
An easy move to miss when playing 36...Rb3?
39...Kh8
Black is quickly mated after 39...Kf7 40.Bh5+.
40.Bd6 h6?
Objectively best is 40...d4!? 41.Qxd4+ Kg8 42.Bxc6, after which White is winning as there is no perpetual, but there is always a chance of a blunder.
41.Be5+ 1-0
FULL TEAM RESULT (England 2 had white on odd boards)
FULL TEAM RESULT (England 2 had white on odd boards)
John M Quinn (2077) ½–½ Fred Wegerer (FM 2101)
Brian Valentine (1907) 0-1 Alexander Dohr (2104)
Tim Spanton (1850) 1-0 Heinz Kratschemer (2049)
Stewart Reuben (1912) 0-1 Konstantinos Pitzl (1957)
Austria Steiermark won 2.5-1.5.
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