Fagernes Round Four

Amund Strand (1860) - Spanton (1876)

English Symmetrical

1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.a3 d6 6.Rb1 a5 7.d3 e5 8.Nf3 Nge7 9.0-0 0-0

There are 2,933 examples of this position in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database - how would you assess it?

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As is fairly well-known these days, Black's Botvinnik setup leaves a hole at d5 but takes a grip of the d4 square. Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon the position is equal.

10.Ne1!?

Heading for d5 via c2 and e3.

10...f5

The mainline in Mega24 runs 10...Be6!? 11.Nc2 d5 12.cxd5 Nxd5 13.Ne3 Nde7!? 14.Nc4 Rb8, after which Black is at least equal, according to the engines. However White has alternatives, including 11.Nd5, which is a common idea is such setups once Black has played ...Be6 (or White has played Be3 in similar positions with colours reversed). Then the mainline in Mega24 goes 11...Rb8 12.Nc2 b5 13.Nce3, with the engines claiming a slight edge for Black.

11.Bg5 Rb8 12.Nc2 h6 13.Bxe7!?

Giving up the bishop-pair to cement control over the d5 outpost.

13...Nxe7 14.Ne3 Be6 15.Ned5 Nxd5

How should White recapture?

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16.Nxd5

The engines strongly dislike 16.cxd5?!, which takes away the outpost square as well as restricting White's light-square bishop, but they reckon best is 16.Bxd5!?, the idea being that after light-square bishops are exchanged, the white knight will be unchallengeable on d5.

16...b5 17.b4 cxb4 18.axb4 Kh7!?

There may not be time for this. Possibly best is 18...bxc4, when 19.bxa5 Rxb1 20.Qxb1 cxd3 21.Qxd3 Qxa5 may give Black a slight edge, according to Komodo14.1. However Stockfish16 disagrees, reckoning the position is completely equal. The latter engine also likes 19.b5!?, eg 19...cxd3 20.exd3 Kh7 21.Qa4, claiming equality, although Komodo14.1 reckons Black is slightly better.

19.bxa5 Bxd5!? 20.Bxd5 Qxa5 21.Qb3 bxc4 22.Qxc4 Rfc8 23.Rxb8!? Rxb8

Not 23...Rxc4?? 24.Bg8+ Kh8 25.Bxc4+ Kh7 26.Bg8+ Kh8 27.Rfb1, eg 27...h5 28.R1b7, after which there is no defence to the threat of ...Be6+, Kh7 Rg8.

24.Qc6 h5!? 25.e4

Not 25.Qxd6?? Rd8 etc.

25...Qd8

The engines suggest giving up a pawn, eg 25...f4!? 26.Qxd6 Qb6 27.Qxb6 Rxb6, relying on opposite-coloured bishops to hold the draw.

26.Ra1

The engines give White the upper hand after 26.exf5 gxf5 27.h4.

26...f4 27.Ra7 Rb1+ 28.Kg2

How should Black proceed?

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28...f3+?

The engines reckon the position is completely equal after 28...Rb2 or 28...Kh6.

29.Kxf3 Qf6+ 30.Kg2 Rb2 31.Rf7

The move I missed.

31...Rxf2+ 32.Kg1 Rf1+ 33.Kg2 Rf2+ 34.Kh3 g5??

This is hopeless, but there are fortress drawing chances after 34...Qxf7 35.Bxf7 Rxf7 36.Qxd6, when Stockfish16 gives White 'only' the upper hand, although Komodo14.1 reckons White is winning.

The game finished:

35.Rxf6 g4+ 36.Kh4 Bxf6+ 37.Kxh5 Rxh2+ 38.Kxg4 Kg6 39.Qe8+ Kh6 40.Qe6 Rf2 41.Qf7 Rf1 42.Be6 1-0