Bischofsgrün Round Four

I WAS upfloated.

Spanton (1942) - Michael Reinkoester (1925)

Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Be6!?

This makes a strange impression, but has been played by Alexander Alekhine, Viswanathan Anand and other grandmasters.

How should White respond?

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7.c5

This seems logical in that Black's ability to counterattack in the centre with ...e5 has been compromised by the placing of the black light-square bishop.

7...g6 8.Bb5 Bg7 9.Ne5 Bd7

Arthur Dake - Alekhine, Pasadena (California) 1932, went 9...Qc8!? 10.Qa4 Bd7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Bf4 a6 13.Bxc6 bxc6!? 14.Rfe1, with at least a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 (1-0, 38 moves).

10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.0-0 0-0 12.b4 Qc8!?

This may be a novelty. Both games to reach the position in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database saw 12...a5, when 13.Na4!? axb4 14.Nb6 Ra6 gave White plenty of compensation for a pawn, according to the engines, in Sushant Bannerjee (2171) - Vikramaditya Kulkarni (2455), Mumbai 2012 (but 0-1, 40 moves).

13.Nxd7 Qxd7

Interesting is 13...Nxd7!? to support ...e5.

14.a4 Rfe8 15.Re1 Rab8 16.b5

Black to play and equalise

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16...Ne4!

The engines agree White's best reply is ...

17.Nxe4

... but after ...

17...dxe4

... Black has major pressure against d4 and b5.

18.Bf4

If 18.bxc6, Black gets an edge with both 18...Qxc6 and 18...Qxd4, according to the engines.

18...Rb7?

Better is 18...Rbd8.

White to play and win

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19.Rxe4

White has an advantage after this, but the engines give 19.d5!, when, after the forced 19...Qxd5 20.Qxd5 cxd5 21.c6 Rb6, White has 22.Rac1, eg 22...e5 23.Bd2 Bf8 24.Rb1 Ba3 25.a5 Rbb8 26.c7, followed by b6 etc.

19...cxb5?!

The engines prefer 19...Rc8, but reckon White has the upper hand.

20.axb5

The engines point out the strength of 20.Rc1!

20...Qxb5 21.Rc1 Rc8 22.h3 Rd7 23.Rb1 Qc6 24.Qe1?

The game is completely equal after 24.Qd3, according to the engines.

24...Rxd4 ½–½

Black has won a pawn, and should carry on.