English Symmetrical
1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e3 Bxc3!?
This radical imbalancing of the position has been played by grandmasters, but is not liked by Stockfish16.1 and Dragon1. Whichever way White recaptures, the battle usually revolves around whether the white dark-square bishop can get usefully into play.
6.bxc3 f5 7.Ne2 Nf6 8.0-0 b6!?
This is not in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, but ...b6 is typically played in this variation. Known moves are 8...0-0, 8...Qc7 and 8...d6.
9.a4
The engines like 9.Nf4, eg 9...0-0 10.d3 Bb7 11.e4!? fxe4 12.dxe4 Ne5 13.Re1 with what they reckon is a slight edge for White.
9...Bb7 10.d3 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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The engines give White a slight edge, perhaps because they reckon White's bishop-pair is worth more than Black's better pawn-structure.
11.f3!?
White wants to get in e4, to free the dark-square bishop, without the doubled c pawns becoming isolated.
11...Qc7 12.e4 fxe4
The engines much prefer 12...e5 or 12...Rf7.
13.fxe4 Nh5 14.Bh6
The engines give White the upper hand after 14.Nf4!? Nxf4 15.gxf4.
14...Rxf1+ 15.Qxf1 Ne5 16.Nf4 Ng4 17.Nxh5 Nxh6 18.Nf4 e5 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.cxd5!?
The engines marginally prefer this over 20.exd5.
20...Rf8 21.Qe2 d6
The engines suggest 21...c4!?, the point being Black is decidedly better after 22.dxc4? Qc5+ 23.Kh1 Rf2. However they reckon 22.d4! maintains equality.
22.Bh3 Kg7 23.Be6
KB offered a draw.
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| How would you assess the position? |
*****
*****
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The engines reckon the position is completely equal.
23...Qe7 24.Kg2 Nf7 25.Bxf7 Rxf7
I played on for another 23 moves, before conceding the draw, but the engines' evaluation never varied from 0.00.
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