FACED a Luxembourg-registered player.
Jobava-Prié
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 e6 4.Nb5!?
This looks rather crude, but is the main continuation in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database.
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| How should Black respond? |
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4...Bb4+
This and 4...Bd6!? are roughly equally popular, but much more common is 4...Na6.
5.c3 Ba5 6.e3
GS offered a draw.
The mainline in Mega24 runs 6.a4 a6 7.b4 and either 7...Bxb4 or 7...axb5.
6...a6
Almost certainly not 6...c6?! 7.Nd6+.
7.Na3 0-0 8.Bd3 Qe7!?
This may be a novelty.
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| What should White play? |
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9.Qc2
Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 suggest 9.Nb1!? or 9.Nf3!?, even though the latter allows 9...Bxc3+!? 10.bxc3 Qxa3. They reckon White gets full compensation for a pawn with 11.Qb3!?, and is even better after 11...Qxb3 12.axb3 c6.
9...c5 10.dxc5!? e5
Also possible is 10...Qxc5 as 11.b4? fails to 11...Bxb4.
11.Bg5 e4 12.Bf1!?
Leaving the e2 square for the king's knight.
12...Nc6 13.Ne2 Qe5?
The engines reckon Black has at least enough for a pawn after, for example, 13...h6.
14.Bf4
The bishop turns out to be very well-placed here thanks to covering b8.
14...Qf5 15.0-0-0!? b6!? 16.cxb6
Probably not 16.b4?! Bxb4 17.axb4 Nxb4 with an unclear position, eg 18.Qb2 bxc5! gives promising compensation, according to the engines, but not 18...Nd3+? 19.Rxd3! exd3 20.Nd4.
16...Bxb6 17.Nd4
The engines reckon 17.Qd2!? leaves White with the upper hand.
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| Black more-or-less has to capture on d4, but with which piece? |
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17...Nxd4
Stockfish16 slightly prefers the bishop capture, but Komodo14.1 fluctuates between the two moves, coming to see them as equal
18.cxd4 Bd7 19.Kb1 Rfc8 20.Qd2 Ba4 21.b3 Be8
18.cxd4 Bd7 19.Kb1 Rfc8 20.Qd2 Ba4 21.b3 Be8
Black has promising play after 21...Qd7? 22.bxa4?! Qxa4, but 22.Qb4! puts an end to Black's fun.
22.Be2 a5?!
It was almost certainly better to swop off White's annoying dark-square bishop with 22...Bc7.
23.Rc1 a4 24.b4 Qd7?!
Trying to get the queen into play on the queenside, but the engines strongly dislike this, preferring 24...Bd8!?, 24...h5, 24...Qg6 or 24...Bd7!?
25.Rxc8 Qxc8 26.Rc1 Qb7 27.Nb5 a3 28.Nd6 Qe7 29.Nc8!? Qb7 30.Nxb6 Qxb6 31.Bc7
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 31.Rc5.
31...Qb7 32.Bd6?!
Again the engines much prefer Rc5.
32...Bb5 33.Bxb5 Qxb5 34.Rc2?
Weakening the back rank. White is still better after 34.Bc5, or even 34.Rc5, one point about the latter being 34...Qf1+ 35.Qc1 Qxg2?? allows White to mate.
34...Ne8
Probably better is 34...Nd7!?, and if 35.Bc5, to prevent the knight arriving at c4 via b6, then 35...Qf1+ 36.Qc1 Qxg2 is completely equal, according to the engines.
35.Bc5 Qf1+ 36.Qc1 Qxg2!?
This is Komodo14.1's choice, but Stockfish16 prefers 36...Qa6 or 36...Qb5 to restrain the b pawn.
37.f4 Qh3?
Keeping pressure on the white kingside, but the queen becomes out of play. Best, according to the engines, is 37...Qg6 38.b5 and either 38...h6 or 38...h5 to avoid back-rank problems. However the engines reckon White is at least slightly better.
38.b5 Nc7?
The passed pawn is too dangerous to play like this. Possibly best is 38...Qc7, and if 39.b6 then 39...Qc6.
39.b6 Nb5 40.b7 Rb8 41.Bb4 Na7 42.Rc7 g6?!
Pushing the h pawn is slightly better.
43.Bxa3 Kg7 44.Bxd6
Even stronger seems to be 44.Rxf7+!?
44...Qe6
Also hopeless is 44...Nb5 45.Be5+ and either 46.Rxf7 or 46.Qg1!?
45.Qc5 Nc8 46.Be5+ Kh6 47.Qf8+ Kh5 48.Qxf7 Qb6+ 49.Ka1 Qa6 50.Qxh7+ Kg4 51.bxc8=Q+ Rxc8 52.Qd7+
The only winning move, but plenty good enough.
The game finished:
52...Kf3 53.Qxc8 Qf1+ 54.Rc1 Qg2 55.Qc2 Qxc2 56.Rxc2 Kxe3 57.a4 1-0
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