English Symmetrical
1.e4 d6 2.c4!? g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.g3 c5 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.Nge2
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| By an unusual order of moves we have reached a position from the Symmetrical Variation of the English in which White has a Botvinnik setup |
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6...Bd7 7.0-0 Qc8!?
This is the most popular move in Chessbase's 2024 Mega database.
8.Nd5!?
Preventing 8...Bh3? as White continues 9.Bxh3 Qxh3 10.Nc7+ etc. However after ...
8...e6 9.Ndc3
... Black has got in the move ...e6 for free.
9...Nd4 10.d3 Ne7 11.Bf4 Qc7!? 12.Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Qd2 Bxc3?!
Giving up the bishop-pair, while intending to lock the centre to make the position bishop-unfriendly. Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 strongly dislike the idea.
14.bxc3!? e5 15.Bg5 Be6?!
Perhaps hoping to follow up with ...Qd7 and ...Bh3, but the bishop becomes a target on e6. The engines suggest 15...Ng8!? or the pawn sacrifice 15...h6!?, but much prefer White.
16.f4 h6!?
This is Komodo14.1's second choice, but the engines again suggest ...Ng8.
17.Bxh6!? Ng8 18.f5
Also strong-looking is the engines' piece sacrifice: 18.Bg5 f6 19.fxe5!? fxg5 20.exd6 Qxd6 21.e5!? with an attack.
18...Bxc4?
Capturing on h6 is better.
19.Be3?!
Probably even stronger is 19.Bg5, and if 19...f6 then simply 20.dxc4.
19...Ba6 20.fxg6 fxg6 21.Bg5 Qh7
The engines prefer 21...Ne7.
22.h4 Nh6 23.c4 Nf7 24.Bh3 b6 25.Be6 Nd8
The engines reckon 25...0-0!? may be a tad better - Stockfish16 fluctuates between the two moves - but in either case Black's position is horrific.
26.Bxd8 Rxd8
26...Kd8 fails to 27.Rf7.
27.Qg5 Qh6
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| Has White a quick finish? |
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Not immediately, eg the black king escapes after 28.Qf6 Rf8 29.Bf7+ Kd7. However White has a winning advantage after the simple 28.Bf7+ Kd7 29.Qxg6 as 29...Qe3+ is nothing to be feared. Stockfish16 gives as best 28.Rf8+!? Qxf8 29.Qxg6+ Ke7 30.Rf1, while Komodo14.1 likes 28.Qg4!?, which threatens mate-in-seven, starting with 29.Bf7+.
28.Qxg6+?? Qxg6 0-1
Playing moves like 28.Rf8+ would get you accused of consulting a computer during the game!
ReplyDeleteI did vaguely look at the move, but failed to see what Stockfish sees!
DeleteIt was the mother of all blunders, but you are right about going on - I just hope my hangover has improved before today's round starts
ReplyDelete