Bischofsgrün Round Seven

Spanton (1942) - Matthias Schmidt (1914)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.a4!?

There are three more-popular moves in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database: c3, d4 and especially 0-0. All four moves have been played by Magnus Carlsen.

4...a6 5.Bc4 Ngf6 6.Nc3 g6 7.0-0 Bg7 8.d3 0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White has a greater presence on the fourth rank, and the black queen's knight is awkwardly placed. However, Stockfish16 reckons the position is equal, and Komodo14.1 gives White at best a tiny pull.

9.a5!?

This appears to be a novelty, and is the top choice of Komodo14.1. Stockfish16 also likes it, along with 9.Bf4. The text transposes the game into a position occurring 32 times in Mega24.

Instead Kaiqi Yang (2481) - Sergey Drigalov (2490), Chess.com Blitz 2021, went 9.h3 Ne5?! 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.a5, after which White had the upper hand, according to the engines (but 0-1, 51 moves).

9...Nb8!? 10.Bd2

The engines reckon 10.e5!? gives a slight edge.

10...Nc6 11.Ne2!?
Tamás Fodor Jr (2506) - Gábor Papp (2557), Hungarian Championship (Budapest) 2022, saw 11.Nd5 Nd7!? 12.Qc1 e6, with a completely equal game, according to the engines (½–½, 56 moves).

11...Nd7!?

The engines reckon Black is at least slightly better after 11...Bg4.

12.Ra2 Nde5 13.Nxe5 Nxe5 14.Bc3!? Nxc4 15.dxc4 Be6 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Qd2

How would you assess this middlegame?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White's pawn-structure is a little compromised, and the white queen's rook is misplaced. But White has more space, a half-open d file and the slightly safer king. The engines reckon White has at least a slight edge.

17...f5!?

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

18.Nf4?!

This has a tactical flaw.

The engines like 18.exf5!?, even though it opens lines for Black's bishop and queen's rook, one continuation being 18...Rxf5 19.Re1 Kg8!? 20.b3 Bd7 21.Ng3 Rf7 22.Raa1, with the engines claiming White has the upper hand.

18...Qd7

The engines point out 18...Bxc4! 19.Qc3+ e5 20.Nh5+ gxh5 21.Qxc4, after which Komodo14.1 gives Black a slight edge, but Stockfish16 reckons White has full compensation for a pawn.

19.Qc3+ Kg8 20.Nd5 Rae8

Not 20...fxe4? 21.Nb6 etc, but the engines prefer 20...Bxd5 21.exd5 and then 21...Rae8.

21.e5 Qc6 22.Rd1 Kf7?!

Activating the king in the middlegame is rarely a good idea, and this seems no exception. The engines suggest taking on e5 or d5, in each case claiming a slight edge for White.

23.exd6 Qxd6 24.Raa1 Rd8 25.Rd3 Bxd5 26.cxd5 Qf6 27.Qxf6+?

This lets Black off the hook. Instead 27.Qb3 protects b2, pressures b7 and threatens a discovered check - enough for a winning advantage, according to the engines.

27...Kxf6 28.Re1!?

Best may be 28.c4, one point being 28...e5?! is met by 29.Rb3, eg 29...Rf7 30.Rb6+ Kg5!? 31.Re1 e4 32.f3 exf3 33.gxf3 Kf4 34.Kf2, after which White has a protected passed pawn and the more-active rooks. Instead the engines reckon Black is fine after 28...e6 or 28...Rd6.

28...Rd6

The engines like 28...c4, eg 29.Rd4 e5 (this now works) 30.Rxc4 Rxd5, claiming Black has an edge. Perhaps a better try is 29.Re6+ Kf7 30.Rde3, but again the engines prefer Black after 30...Rd7.

29.Rb3!? Rxd5 30.Rxb7 Rd2 31.c3

Komodo14.1 gives White at least a slight edge after 31.Ra7!? Rxc2 32.Rxa6+ Kf7 33.Ra7, but Stockfish16 calls the position equal.

31...Rfd8 32.h4 R8d7 33.Rb6+ R7d6 34.Rb7 Rd7 35.Rb6+ ½–½