Spanton (1858) - Jakob Greive (1441)
Spanish Classical
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5
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| How should White respond? |
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4.c3!?
This is second in popularity to castling, but is slightly preferred by Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1.
4...d6?
The main move is 4...Nf6. There are 591 examples of the text in Chessbase's 2023 Mega database, but it is a mistake.
5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3
Even stronger is 7.Kf1!, when the mainline in runs 7...Bd7 8.Qa4 Nge7 9.d5 with a winning advantage for White.
7...a6 8.Ba4 b5 9.Bc2 Bg4 10.Be3 Nf6 11.0-0 0-0
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| How would you assess the coming middlegame? |
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The most significant factor is that White has more central space. Admittedly Black has pressure against the white centre, but the engines reckon White has the upper hand.
12.h3
This natural-enough move may be a novelty. Known moves are 12.Ne2!? and 12.Bg5!?
12...Bh5 13.a4 Bxc3!? 14.bxc3 Re8
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| How should White proceed? |
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15.d5?
White is at least slightly better after both 15.axb5 and 15.Bg5!?, according to the engines.
15...Ne5 16.g4?
16.Kg2 keeps White's disadvantage to a minimum.
16...Nfxg4! 17.Nxe5?
Better, but still losing, is 17.hxg4.
17...Nxe3 18.Qxh5 Rxe5 19.Qxe5
Even worse is 19.Qe2? Qg5+ etc.
19...dxe5 20.fxe3 Qg5+ 21.Kf2 Qh4+ 22.Ke2 Qxh3 23.axb5 Qg4+ 24.Kd2 Qg2+ 25.Kd3 h6?!
Stronger is 25...Qg6.
26.Rg1?
I rejected 26.bxa6 because of 26...Rxa6?, missing that 27.Rg1 etc draws.
26...Qf2?
Better is 26...Qf3, and if 27.bxa6? then 27...f5 is strong.
27.Rgf1 Qg2 28.Bb3?
Again bxa6 was possible and desirable.
28...Qg6 29.c4 Qb6 30.Rfb1 a5 31.Bd1 g6 32.Bg4 Qd6 33.Ra4 h5 34.Bf3 f6 35.Rc1 Qc5 36.Rh1 Kf7 37.Bg2 Kg7 38.Bh3 Kh6 39.Bd7 Ra7 40.Be8 Qe7 41.Bc6 g5 42.Ra2 h4 43.Rc2?! Qa3+ 44.Rc3 Qc5 45.Bd7 a4
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| White faces too many passed pawns |
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46.Rf1 Kg7 47.Ra1 a3 48.Ra2 Qb4 49.c5!?
Desperately trying for counterplay.
49...Qb1+ 50.Rcc2 Qd1+ 51.Kc3 Qe1+ 52.Kd3 Qb1 53.Bc6 Qb3+ 54.Ke2 Qb4
Also probably winning is 54...Qxc2+!?, but there is no need for such 'heroics'.
55.d6!? cxd6 56.b6 Ra6 57.Bb7 Qb5+ 58.Kf2
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| Black to play and win |
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58...dxc5!
All other moves at best draw, according to the engines.
59.Bxa6 Qxa6 60.Rxc5 Qxb6 61.Rc3 Qb4 62.Rcxa3 Qxe4 63.Ra4 Qf5+ 64.Kg2 e4 65.Rf2 Qg4+ 66.Kf1?
A better try is 66.Kh2, hoping for 66...Qg3+ 67.Kh1 Qxf2?? 68.Ra7+, after which White draws by stalemate.
66...Qd1+ 0-1
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