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| Russian Orthodox church |
FACED a Latvian woman.
Spanton (1736) - Polina Ni (1881)
Maróczy Bind
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3
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| There are 1,502 games with this position in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database |
*****
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8...e5
This was played in 1,002 of the games.
9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5 Be7
The mainline in Mega24 runs 10...h6 11.Bh4 Bc5!? (11...Be7 is also popular), when Komodo14.1 calls the position equal, but Stockfish16 gives Black a slight edge.
11.Qe2 d6 12.Rfd1 Rb8 13.Rac1 Qb6!?
This threatens to win with 14...Bg4, but the engines do not like it, suggesting 13...Nd7!?, claiming equality.
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| How can White exploit Black's last move? |
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14.Na4
This is fine, but the engines point out the strength of 14.c5!, eg 14...dxc5 and then 15.Na4.
14...Qb4?!
The queen becomes a target here. Probably better is retreating immediately with 14...Qc7, or 14...Bg4 15.Nxb6 Bxe2 16.Bxe2 Rxb6.
15.b3 Bg4!? 16.f3 Be6 17.Bd2 Qb7 18.c5
This is still good.
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| How should Black reply? |
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18...Rfd8?
The engines reckon Black has to play 18...d5!?, the main variation continuing 19.exd5 Nxd5!? 20.Qxe5 (or 20.Qe4 g6 21.Qxe5) Bf6 21.Qe4 g6, when Black has some activity, but not enough for a pawn.
19.Ba5 Rf8?!
Best may be 19...Rd7 20.cxd6 Rxd6 21.Nc5, or 19...d5!? 20.Bxd8 Rxd8 21.exd5 Nxd5 22.Qxe5, but in both cases White is winning, according to the engines.
20.Ba6 Qd7 21.cxd6 Bxd6 22.Nc5 Bxc5+ 23.Rxc5 Qe7 24.Rxc6
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| White is a pawn up and has an ongoing initiative |
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24...Nh5 25.g3
Even stronger seems to be 25.Bc7.
25...Qg5 26.Bd2 Qg6 27.Be3 Nf4
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| How should White proceed? |
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28.Bxf4?!
This throws away most of White's advantage, according to the engines. They give 28.Qd2 Nh3+ 29.Kg2 Nf4+ 30.Kh1 Qh5, and either 30.Rf1 or 30.Qf2.
28...exf4 29.g4 h5 30.h3 hxg4 31.hxg4 Rfd8 32.Rcd6 Rxd6 33.Rxd6 Qg5
Not 33...Bc4?? as White sidesteps with 34.Qd2.
34.Rd1 Qc5+ 35.Qf2 Qc7 36.Kg2 Rb6 37.Bd3 Rc6 38.Qd2 g5 39.Bb1 Kf8 40.Qd4 Ke7 41.Qb4+ Ke8 42.Rh1
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| What should Black play? |
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42...Rc2+!
This guarantees at least a draw, but also gives White chances to go wrong.
This guarantees at least a draw, but also gives White chances to go wrong.
43.Bxc2 Qxc2+ 44.Kh3 Qf2
Not 44...Bxg4+? 45.Kxg4 Qg2+ 46.Kf5 Qxh1, as 47.Qa8+ Ke7 48.Qxa7+ Kf8 49.Qc5+ is very good for White.
45.Qc3??
Missing White's chief threat. Drawing is 45.Qb8+ Ke7 46.Qc7+ etc.
45...Qg3#
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