Spanton (1876) - Hans Leutz (1941)
Caro-Kann Two Knights
1.e4 c6 2.Nf3!? d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bc4
5.d4 transposes to a mainline of the Modern Variation.
5...Ngf6 6.Neg5 e6 7.Qe2 Nb6!?
This is the most popular move in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, but Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 prefer 7...Nd5 or 7...Qe7.
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| How can White exploit Black's possible inaccuracy? |
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8.Nxf7?
This combination does not work. However 8.Ne5 is very promising, eg 8...Nxc4 9.Qxc4 Qd5 (what else?) 10.Qxd5 exd5 11.Ngxf7 Rg8 12.Ng5, after which Black surely does not have enough for a pawn.
8...Kxf7 9.Ng5+
If 9.Bxe6+ Bxe6 10.Ng5+ Kg6 11.Nxe6, the engines suggest the apparent-novelty 11...Qd6!?, claiming Black is winning.
9...Ke8
The only (winning) move, but good enough.
10.Bxe6
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| How should Black proceed? |
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10....Bxe6?
Winning is 10...Qe7.
11.Nxe6 Qe7 12.Nc7+ Kd7 13.Qxe7+ Bxe7 14.Nxa8 Rxa8
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| How would you assess this late-middlegame? |
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White has two pawns and a rook for a pair of knights, which would be advantageous in an ending, but here it will not be easy to create a passed pawn, and meanwhile Black has a large lead in development. The engines reckon chances are equal.
15.d3 Re8 16.0-0!?
The engines prefer this - marginally in the case of Komodo14.1 - over 16.Be3.
16...h6 17.Bd2 c5 18.Rfe1 Nbd5 19.a3 a6 20.Rad1
The engines suggest 20.c4!?, claiming a slight edge for White.
20...Bd6!? 21.Rxe8 Nxe8 22.Re1 Nef6 23.g3 g5!? 24.Kg2 Ne7 25.h4!?
The engines prefer 25.Bc3 or 25.c4!?
25...gxh4 26.Bxh6 hxg3 27.Bg5!?
This loses a pawn, but allows the rook to be fully activated. The engines slightly prefer 27.fxg3.
27...gxf2 28.Kxf2 Ng4 29.Kf3 Ne5+ 30.Ke4 N5c6 31.Rh1 Nd4 32.c3 Ndf5 33.Rh7
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| How would you assess this ending? |
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White has rook and pawn for two knights, and is generally more active. But Black is solid and it will be hard for White to create a passed pawn without it being isolated. The engines reckon the position is completely equal.
33...a5 34.a4 Kc6 35.Rf7 Ng3+ 36.Kf3 Ngf5?!
36...Nd5 maintains complete equality, according to the engines.
37.Ke4
White is better after 37.Kg4, the engines giving best-play as 37...b5! 38.Rxf5 Nxf5 39.axb5+ Kxb5 40.Kxf5, after which White is a pawn up but Black has decent-looking drawing chances.
37...Ng3+
After making the move and pressing the clock, HL offered a draw.
38.Kf3 Ngf5?! 39.Bf4?!
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| The position is again completely equal, according to the engines |
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39...Nh4+?!
Both 39...Kd5 and 39...Kd7 seem to hold the draw comfortably.
40.Kg4
This time the white king should go the other way - the engines reckoning 40.Ke4 gives a slight edge.
40...Nhg6 41.Bxd6 Kxd6 42.Rf6+ Kc7 43.Kg5!?
Perhaps 43.d4, or centralisation with 43.Kf3, is better.
43...Ne5 44.d4
Black is at least slightly better after 44.Re6?! N7c6.
44...cxd4 45.cxd4 N5c6 46.Rf7 Kd6 47.Kf6
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| What should Black play? |
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47...Kd5!?
If 47...Nd5+, then 48.Kf5 Nxd4+ 49.Ke4 is equal. Komodo14.1, but not Stockfish16, reckons 47...b6 gives a slight edge.
48.Rxe7 Nxe7 49.Kxe7 Kxd4 50.Kd6 Kc4 51.Kc7 b5
Also drawing are 51...Kb3, 51...Kb4 and 51...Kc5.
52.Kb6 bxa4 53.Kxa5 Kb3 54.Kb5
I offered a draw.
54...Kxb2 55.Kxa4 ½–½
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