Spanton (1902) - Michael Schuh (1748*)
Pirc(?)
1.Nc3 Nf6 2.e4 d6 3.d4 Nbd7 4.Nf3 Nb6!?
4...e5 would make the opening a Philidor, although ChessBase, after 4.Nf3, already classifies the opening as "B07: Pirc Defence: Miscellaneous Systems."
5.a4!?
This may be a novelty. Known moves are 5.Bf4, 5.Be3 and 5.h3.
5...a5 6.h3 g6 7.Bg5 Bg7
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| The position now certainly looks like a Pirc |
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8.Qd2 Bd7 9.Be2 0-0 10.Bh6 Re8 11.Bxg7
The engines much prefer 11.e5!?
11...Kxg7 12.e5
Played not least to forestall ...e5 by Black.
12...Nd5 13.Ne4!?
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| Can Black safely capture the a4 pawn? |
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Probably not, at least according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1. After 13...Nxa4?! 14.c4 Nb4 (14...Ndb6? 15.b3 etc) the engines give 15.e6!?, meeting 15...fxe6 with 16.h4, after which the black king looks very lonely. If 13...Bxa4?!, the engines like the immediate 14.h4!?, again with a promising attack.
13...f6 14.0-0
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| With both sides castled, how would you assess the position? |
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A mantra often repeated by grandmaster Nigel Davies is that the most important factor in chess is king safety, and here there can be no doubt the white king is less vulnerable than its black counterpart. White also has a little more space in the centre. Stockfish16 gives White the upper hand, but Komodo14.1 reckons White only has a slight edge.
14...f5
Not 14...Nxa4? 15.c4 Nb4 16.e6! But 14...Bxa4 is possible, when 15.Rfe1!? Bd7 16.Ng3 gives more than enough for a pawn, according to the engines.
15.Ng3
Possibly even stronger is 15.Neg5, when 15...h6 16.Nf7! Kxf7 17.Qxh6 wins, but even 15...e6 16.h4 gives White the upper hand, according to the engines.
15...e6 16.c4?!
The engines strongly dislike this, claiming it lets Black equalise. They suggest slower play with 16.b3, eg 16...Bc6 17.Bb5 Nd7 18.Bxc6 bxc6 19.Rfd1, awarding White the upper hand.
16...Nb4
After 16...Ne7?! 17.b4!? axb4 18.a5 Nbc8 19.Qxb4 White has at least the upper hand, according to the engines.
17.b3 d5?!
Almost certainly the wrong idea. whereas 17...Bc6 activates the bishop.
18.c5 Nc8
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| Black is cramped, not well-coordinated and has worries about king safety |
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19.Rac1!?
Partly hoping the rook may find work down the c file, but mainly hoping to perform a rook-lift along the third rank to the kingside.
19...Ne7 20.Bb5!? Nec6
Black could have swopped off his bad bishop with 20...Bxb5, but 21.axb5 looks very pleasant for White.
21.Bxc6!?
The engines are OK with this, although they prefer 21.Ne2, intending Nf4.
21...Bxc6
Perhaps it was better to recapture with the knight, bringing the knight into contact with the kingside. It might seem a pity to give up the b4 outpost, but the knight is rather lonely there, at least in the short and medium term.
22.h4 h6 23.Rc3 Rf8 24.Ne2 Qe7 25.Qf4 b5 26.axb6 axb6 27.Qg3 Kh7 28.Nf4 Rg8 29.Rfc1 Rac8
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| How should White proceed? |
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30.h5?!
The engines suggest 30.Ne1!?, eg 30...Qe8 (threatening ...Na2) 31.Rd1!? Bd7 32.Rxc8 Qxc8 33.Ned3, awarding White at least a slight edge.
30...gxh5?
White is winning after this, whereas 30...g5 gives at least equality, according to the engines, one point being 31.Ng6 puts the knight on an aggressive square, but it is by itself and has no way out.
31.Qh3 h4 32.Nh5 Qgf8 33.Nf6+ Kh8 34.Nxh4 Rxf6
31.Qh3 h4 32.Nh5 Qgf8 33.Nf6+ Kh8 34.Nxh4 Rxf6
More or less forced, but after ...
35.exf6 Qxf6 36.Rg3
... Black is much worse than just being the exchange down for a pawn.
The game finished:
36...Rg8 37.Rxg8+ Kxg7 38.Qg3+ Kf7 39.Nf3 f4 40.Qg4 Ke7 41.Ne5 Kd6 42.Qg7 Qe7 43.Qb8+ 1-0
*National rating - does not have a Fide.
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