Ben Graff (1732 ECF/1775 Fide) - Spanton (1884 ECF/1736 Fide)
French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Bd3 c5!?
This aggressive thrust is less popular than 4...Nf6, 4...Nc6 and especially 4...Bd6, but scores a much better percentage in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database (38%, while the 43% of 4...Nc6 is the best of the more-popular moves).
5.c3 Nc6 6.Qe2+ Qe7 7.Qxe7+ Bxe7 8.Nf3 Nf6 9.0-0 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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As is often the case in the early stages of the Exchange Variation of the French Defence, there is probably very little in it.
10.Bg5 c4!?
Timing is everything with this move. It is easy for Black to get over-extended and end up with an isolated d pawn if the later reply b3 has to be answered with ...cxb3, but equally it is is easy for White to simply end up with a space disadvantage on the queenside. In this particular instance Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 like the move, but are unsure if it gives Black a significant advantage (if any advantage at all).
11.Bc2 h6 12.Bh4 Be6!? 13.Ne5 g5!? 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Bg3
BG offered a draw.
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| Should I have accepted? |
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Black has a damaged pawn-structure, but has more queenside space and seems set to win the bishop-pair. The engines give Black a slight edge.
15...Nh5 16.Nd2
White can save the bishop-pair with 16.Bc7!?, but after 16...Rfc8 17.Ba5 White's dark-square bishop is probably out of play.
16...Nxg3
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| How should White recapture? |
*****
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17.hxg3
I thought 17.fxg3!? was a promising attempt to give White more activity, but the engines disagree, giving 17...c5 as leaving Black with the upper hand.
17...Rab8 18.b3 c5 19.Nf3 Bf6 20.Rad1?!
The engines prefer 20.Ne5.
20...Rfd8
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 20...cxb3!? 21.axb3 Rfc8, after which the pressure on the white queenside is, the engines reckon, more than White can bear.
21.Ne5!?
If the engines are given long enough, this becomes their top choice.
21...Bxe5
Giving up the bishop-pair, but getting a mobile pawn-majority and bringing Black's light-square bishop to life.
22.dxe5 d4 23.cxd4 cxd4 24.bxc4 Bxc4 25.Bd3 Bxa2 26.Rd2
Almost certainly much better than 26.Ra1?! Rb2.
26...Bd5 27.Ra1 Rb7 28.Ra4 Bc6 29.Ra6 Bb5
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| How should White respond? |
*****
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30.Rxh6?!
30.Rxh6?!
Tempting, at least at first glance, but dubious. The engines give 30.Bxb5 Rxb5 31.f4, claiming complete equality.
30...Bxd3 31.Rxd3
BG offered a draw in my time, just, but quickly apologised.
31...Kg7
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| White to play and lose |
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32.Ra6??
White keeps the game going with, say, 32.Rh5 Kg6 33.g4, although White's pieces are badly uncoordinated.
White keeps the game going with, say, 32.Rh5 Kg6 33.g4, although White's pieces are badly uncoordinated.
32...Rb1+ 33.Kh2 Rh8+ 0-1
Coventry won the match 3.5.-2.5.
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