French Winawer
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Ne2!?
This seems to have been first played by Géza Maróczy in 1924. Alexander Alekhine used the move to beat Aron Nimzowitsch in 1931, and Emanuel Lasker similarly scored over José Capablanca four years later, the same year Alekhine won with it against Max Euwe in their first world championship match. The move scores a decent 56% in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database.
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| How should Black respond? |
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4...dxe4
This is easily the commonest reply in Mega23, but 4...Nf6!? and 4...Nc6!?, which have also been played hundreds of times, score much higher percentagewise.
5.a3 Bxc3+
This is popular, but the main move in Mega23 is 5...Be7.
6.Nxc3 Nc6
Nimzowitsch played 6...f5!? against Alekhine at Bled (Yugoslavia) 1931. The game continued 7.f3 exf3 8.Qxf3 Qxd4!? 9.Qg3 Nf6!? 10.Qxg7 Qe5+ 11.Be2 Rg8 12.Qh6 Rg6 13.Qh4, when Stockfish16 awards White the upper hand, but Komodo14.1 is at first less keen on White's position, albeit coming to give White a slight edge (1-0, 19 moves).
7.Bb5 Ne7 8.Be3
The mainline in Mega23 runs 8.Bg5 f6, and then 9.Be3, with an equal game, according to the engines.
8...0-0 9.Nxe4?!
Stockfish16 prefers the most popular move, 9.Qd2, continuing 9...f5!? 10.0-0-0 with an unclear position. Komodo14.1 suggests 9.Bxc6!? Nxc6 10.Qd2 Qe7!? 11.Nxe4, rating the position as equal.
9...f5 10.Ng5 f4 11.Bd2
Not 11.Nxh7? Kxh7 12.Qh5+ Kg8 13.Bd3 as Black has 13...Nf5, while 11.Qh5?? h6 leaves two white pieces en prise.
11...Qd5!
Forcing White to give up the bishop-pair.
12.Bxc6 Nxc6 13.Nf3
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| How should Black proceed? |
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13...Qe4+?!
Komodo14.1 likes the simple 13...Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Qxd4 15.Bc3 Qe4+ 16.Qe2 Qxe2+ 17.Kxe2, reckoning 17...e5! gives Black the upper hand.
Stockfish16 gives 13...e5!? 14.dxe5 Bh3!, the idea being 15.gxh3? fails to 15...Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Qxh1+ 17.Ke2 Qe4+ 18.Kf1 Qxe5. Better is 15.c4!, but 15...Qe4+ 16.Qe2 Qxe2+ 17.Kxe2 Bxg2 is good for Black.
14.Qe2 Qxc2 15.0-0!?
This seems a slight improvement over the known move 15.Rc1, after which 15...Qxb2 favours Black, according to the engines.
15...Bd7
Grabbing a second pawn with 15...Qxb2?! can be met by the forcing 16.Qc4 Qb6 17.Rab1 Qa6 18.Qxa6 bxa6 19.Rfc1, with what the engines reckon is at least enough compensation for two pawns.
16.Rfc1 Qg6 17.Rc5 Rae8 18.Bc3
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| What should Black play? |
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18...e5!?
The engines approve of this returning the pawn for an attack, although they reckon 18...h6 is also equal.
19.dxe5 Bg4
Interesting is 19...Bh3, but White is fine replying 20.Qf1 (but not 20.Ne1? as both 20...Bxg2 and 20...f3 are strong).
20.Qc4+ Kh8 21.Ne1 f3 22.g3 Rf5?!
Black is slightly better after 22...Be6!?, according to the engines.
23.Qe4
23.Qe4
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 23.Nd3, with Nf4 to come.
23...Re7?!
Preparing to gang up on the e pawn, but it is almost certainly too slow. The engines suggest 23...Rf7!?, although after 24.Qxg6 hxg6 the white king is no longer in danger, and White's pieces are a little more active.
24.Rd1 h5?
The engines recommend covering the back rank with 24...Re8!?, but much prefer White.
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| White to play and win |
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25.h4
White is better after this, but the engines point out the forcing 25.h3! Bxh3 26.Rxc6! bxc6 (or 26...Qxc6) 27.Qh4, forking bishop and rook. White emerges with bishop and knight for rook and pawn, and has a large advantage, according to the engines.
25...Qe8 26.Nd3 Rf8
Black has no adequate answer to the threat of Nf4-d5, eg the engines reckon best is 26...Nd8!?, but 27.Nf4, followed by doubling rooks on the d file wins, and if 27...c6, to stop this, then 28.Nxh5! is strong and 28.e6!! is even stronger.
27.Nf4 Bf5 28.Qxf3 Kg8
The engines prefer 28...Bg4, but 29.Ng6+ Kg8 30.Qd5+ (30.Qxf8+!? is also good) Be6! 31.Qe4! wins the exchange.
29.Qd5+ Kh7 30.e6! Bg4
Or 30...Bxe6, when 31.Qd3+ Kg8 32.Rxh5 wins as 32...g6 loses to 33.Rh8+ Kf7 34.Qxg6#.
31.Qe4+ g6
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| White to play and lose |
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32.Rd7??
White is roughly the equivalent of a queen up after 32.Rdd5, according to the engines, but other moves also win, including the simple 32.Re1.
The game finished:
32...Rxd7 33.Nxh5? Rd1+ 34.Be1 Qxe6 0-1
AM: "Sorry."
AM: "Sorry."
a pitty Tim,you got a very nice position.but tactical chess remain difficult.its also a matter of form.sometimes you see the right way or you don,t.next time better!
ReplyDeleteOne of my big problems is playing too quickly, especially when excited. I was, as usual, well ahead on the clock. One day I may learn better ...
ReplyDelete