British 65+ Round Two

FACED a Scottish Fide master.

Philip Giulian (2057 ECF/2070 Fide) - Spanton (1919 ECF/1928 Fide)

Réti

1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3 d4!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database runs 4...Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.b3 c5 7.Bb2 Nc6 8.e3 b6, reaching a position occurring 2,315 times in Mega24 - one that Stockfish16.1 and Dragon1 reckon is equal.

5.0-0 Nc6 6.e3 Bc5

How should White proceed?

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This is another of those lines in the Réti Opening in which the pawn-sacrifice b4 seems strong. After 7.b4!? Bxb4 8.exd4 Black probably has nothing better than 8...0-0 as 8...Nxd4? loses to 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Qa4+ Bd7 11.Qxb4 Qxa1 12.Ba3 Nd5 13.cxd5 Qf6 14.Qxb7 etc.

7.exd4 Nxd4 8.Nc3 0-0 9.d3 Nxf3+!?

This capture is Stockfish16.1's top choice, but Dragon1 suggests an interesting novelty, 9...e5!?, eg 10.Nxe5 Re8 11.Re1 h6 12.Bf4 Bf5, although the engines agree White has at least a tiny edge.

10.Qxf3 c6 11.Be3!?

The engines like this apparent-novelty. Known moves are 11.Bg5 and 11.Re1.

11...Bd4 12.Bxd4 Qxd4 13.Qe3 Rd8 14.Qxd4 Rxd4 15.Rad1

What should Black play?

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15...e5!?

This looks risky, but the engines agree it is correct.

16.Rfe1 Bf5?!

But this is probably the wrong continuation. Perhaps best is 16...Be6, or 16...Bg4 followed, after 17.f3, by 17...Be6, eg 16...Be6 17.Rxe5 Rad8 18.Bf1 Bxc4 19.dxc4 Rxd1 20.Nxd1 Rxd1, with complete equality, according to the engines.

17.Rxe5 Bxd3?

The engines reckon 17...g6 18.Bf1 Rad8 19.Re3 b5 is only slightly better for White.

18.Re7 Rdd8

The engines give 18...c5 as a marginal improvement.

19.Rxb7 Bxc4 20.Bxc6?

PG said after the game he simply forgot to first exchange rooks. Indeed, after 20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 both 21.Bxc6 and Rxa7 are winning.

20...Rxd1+ 21.Nxd1 Bxa2

How should White continue?

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22.Rc7

The engines reckon White is at least slightly better after 22.Nc3 Be6 23.Bg2.

22...Nd5 23.Rd7

Or 23.Rxf7 Rc8 24.Bxd5 Bxd5 25.Rf5 Be6 26.Re5 Rc1 27.Rxe6 Rxd1+ 28.Kg2 a5 with almost complete equality, according to the engines.

23...Nb6 24. Rc7 Rc8 25.Rxc8+ ½–½

Note that 25.Rxa7?? would have lost to 25...Rxc6 26.Rxa2 Rc1 etc.