Darlington Round Nine

I WAS upfloated.

Jack Erskine-Pereira (2005 ECF/1962 Fide) - Spanton (1931 ECF/1980 Fide)

New London

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Bd6 4.Bg3 b6!? 5.Nf3

How should Black proceed?

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5...Nd7

Stockfish16.1 and Dragon1 suggest 5...Nf6 or 5...Bb7, but reckon 5...Ba6?! 6.Bxa6 Nxa6 7.c4 gives White at least a slight edge.

6.c4 Bb7 7.cxd5 Bb4+!?

Possibly better is 7...Bxg3 8.hxg3 exd5, although the half-open h file makes short-castling problematic for Black.

8.Nc3 exd5 9.Bd3 Ngf6 10.0-0 0-0

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

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The big difference between the two sides is the respective pawn-structures, with Black's on the queenside being somewhat awkward to play with. The engines give White at least a slight edge.

11.Nb5 c5?

Better is 11...c6, but the position favours White.
12.Nd6 Bc6?!

The bishop proves loose here, so probably better is 12...Bc8.

13.a3 Ba5 14.Rc1 Nb8!?

This seems best, as 14...c4 is well-met by 15.b4.

15.dxc5 bxc5 16.Rxc5 Bb6 17.Rc1

White is a pawn up, is ahead on development and probably has the better pawn-structure

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17...Ne4?

Better is 17...Bc7.

18.Bxe4 dxe4 19.Ne5 Bd7

There is no defence.

The game finished:

20.Qd5 Be6!? 21.Qxa8 Qxd6 22.Ng6 Qd8 23.Nxf8 Bd5 24.Qxb8 1-0