Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0-0 Nc6 6.c3 Nf6 7.Qe2 e5
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| How should White proceed? |
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8.d4!?
The mainline in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database runs 8.Rd1 Be7 9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 exd4 11.Nxd4, with at least a slight edge, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo 14.1.
8...Be7!?
The engines give 8...cxd4 9.cxd4 exd4 10.Nxd4 Qg4!? with an unclear position.
9.dxc5
The engines reckon 9.d5!?, which does not occur in Mega24, is even stronger.
9...dxc5 10.Rd1
White has a slight edge after 10.Bg5, according to the engines.
10...Qg4!? 11.Nbd2 Rd8 12.h3 Qd7 13.Re1 h6 14.Nc4 Qe6 15.b3 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Black has a bad bishop, but more space on the queenside. White has problems finding a good square for the queen's bishop, but may be able to exploit the hole at d5. The engines reckon the position is completely equal.
16.Qc2 b5 17.Ne3 Rd7 18.Bb2 Rfd8 19.Rad1 Rxd1 20.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 21.Nxd1 Nh5 22.Qd3 Nf4!? 23.Qxb5 Qg6 24.g3?
24.Ne3 maintains equality, according to the engines.
24...Qxe4 25.gxf4 Qxf3 26.Ne3 Bh4 27.Qf1 exf4 28.Qg2
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| How should Black proceed? |
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28...Bxf2+?!
Almost certainly stronger is 28...Ne5.
29.Qxf2 Qxe3 30.Qxe3 exf3 31.Bc1 Ne5 32.Bxe3 Nd7
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| How would you assess this ending? |
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Black is a pawn up and has a three-one kingside majority. But the black queenside pawns are weak, and the bishop is the better minor piece in endings with rival pawn-majorities. The engines give Black a slight edge.
33.b4
The engines prefer 33.h4 or 33.Kg2.
33...Kf8
White has easier queenside play after 33...cxb4?! 34.cxb4.
34.bxc5!? Nb8 35.Kf2 Ke7 36.Bd4
The engines prefer advancing the king or the h pawn.
36...f6 37.Ke3 Ke6 38.c4?!
The pawn proves a weakness on a light square, and anyway White does not need to keep the black king out of d5, eg 38.h4 Kd5? is met by 39.Kf4.
38...Nc6 39.Bc3 g5 40.Kf3 h5 41.Ke3 g4?
Impatient. 41...Ne5, among other moves, wins.
42.hxg4 hxg4 43.Kf4 f5 44.a4 Ne7 45.Bd4 Ng6+ 46.Kg3 Ne5 47.a5 Nxc4 48.c6 a6
Or 48...Nxa5 49.c7 Kd7 50.Bxa7.
49.Kf4 Nd6
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| White to play and draw |
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50.Be5?
Several moves draw, eg 50.c7 Kd7 (50...Nc8 51.Bc5) 51.Bc5 Kxc7 52.Ke5 etc.
50...Nc8 51.c7
There is nothing better.
51...Ne7 52.c8=Q+
If 52.Bc3 then 52...Nd5+ wins.
52...Nxc8 53.Bc3 Ne7 54.Kg5 Nd5 55.Bd4 Nb4 56.Bc3 Nd3 57.Kh4 Kd5 58.Kg5 Ke4 0-1
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