Bodensee Senioren Round Six

FACED an Austrian Fide master.

Frank Belke (2200) - Spanton (1902)

QGD Semi-Tarrasch

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c5 5.cxd5 cxd4!? 6.Qxd4 Nxd5!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database runs 6...exd5 7.e4!? dxe4!? 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Ng5 Be6 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.Bg5, when Stockfish16 reckons the position is equal, but Komodo14.1 fluctuates between equality and a slight edge for White.

7.Nxd5

This scores an excellent 63% in Mega24, but the more popular 7.e4 scores 67%.

7...Qxd5 8.Qxd5 exd5

How would you assess this IQP position?

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With queens and a pair of knights exchanged, Black is highly unlikely to generate attacking chances, which, as I understand it, means the IQP is more of a weakness than a strength. The engines give White a slight edge.
9.e3!? Nc6 10.Bb5!? a6 11.Ba4 Bb4+!?

The engines are OK with this, but as a general rule the player with an IQP should not be seeking to swop off his better bishop.

12.Bd2 Bxd2+ 13.Kxd2 b5 14.Bb3 Be6 15.Nd4!? Nxd4 16.exd4 Kd7

Now both players have isolated queen's pawns, the major (effectively only) difference between the sides is White has a good bishop and Black a bad one

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17.a4 Kd6 18.Rhc1 Rhc8 19.Rxc8 Rxc8 20.axb5 axb5 21.Ra6+ Kc7!

As will become soon become clear, this is much better than the 'obvious' 21...Rc6?, allowing an exchange of rooks.

22.f4 Kb7 23.Ra1 Kc6?

The game is equal after, for example, 23...g6, according to the engines.

24.Rc1+ Kd6 25.Rxc8 Bxc8 26.Kc3 Bf5 27.Kb4 Kc6

The rook-and-bishop ending was drawn, but this bishop ending is lost, according to Stockfish16, although Komodo14.1 at first gives White 'only' the upper hand

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28.Ka5 Bd3 29.Bd1 g6

It seems there is no defence. Black can hold the b pawn for now, as long as the black bishop stays on the c4-f1 diagonal, but White can force concessions on the kingside, after which it is a matter of time before the black position collapses.

30.g3 Bf1 31.g4 Bd3 32.g5 Bc4 33.h4 Bd3 34.Bg4 Kc7

If 34...Bc4 then 35.f5 is strong.

35.h5 Kc6 36.h6 Kc7 37.Bf3 Kc6 38.Bg2 Be2 39.Bh3 Bd3 40.Bg4 Kc7 41.Kb4 Kc6 42.Bh3 Kd6 43.Kc3 Bc4

If 43...Bb1 then 44.Bf1.

44.f5 Be2 45.fxg6 fxg6 46.Bc8 Bf3 47.Bf5!? Be4

If 47...gxf5 then 48.g6 etc.

48.Bg4 Bg2 49.Kb4 1-0

The position is hopeless: 49...Bf1 loses to 50.Bf5!, and 49...Kc6 loses to 50.Be6 followed by Bg8 etc.