French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bg4 6.0-0 Be7 7.Re1 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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As might be expected in an early-game position with a symmetrical pawn-structure and nothing tactically-sharp occurring, Stockfish16.1 and Dragon1 give White the better side of equality, presumably based on it being White to move.
8.h3 Bh5 9.Bf4!?
This is the most-popular continuation in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, but grandmasters have preferred 9.Bg5 or 9.Nbd2.
9...Nc6
The commonest move in Mega24 is 9...Nbd7?, which loses a pawn to 10.Bxc7.
10.c3 Bg6!? 11.Bxg6 hxg6 12.Nbd2 Bd6 13.Bg5!?
This may be a novelty. Tatiana Shumiakina (2375) - Tatiana Stepovaia (2350), Svetlogorsk (Russia) Women's Open 1997, went 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14.Ne5, at which point a draw was agreed.
13...Qd7 14.Ne5 Qf5 15.Ndf3 Ne4 16.g4!? Qc8
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| How should White proceed? |
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17.Nxc6?!
The engines strongly dislike this, reckoning 17.Bh4 or 17.Bf4 maintains equality. I guess the point is that Black's weakened pawn-structure is unlikely to prove significant before an endgame, but meanwhile White's king is somewhat exposed.
17...bxc6 18.Bh4
This is best, according to the engines, but they reckon Black has the upper hand.
18...Rb8 19.Rb1
The engines prefer 19.Nd2!? (Stockfish16.1) or 19.Qc2 (Dragon1).
19...f6?!
Black should probably try to immediately open lines with 19...f5.
20.Nd2 f5 21.f3 Nf6 22.Kg2 Re8 23.b4 fxg4 24.hxg4 Qa6!?
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| Black has found an interesting route to get at White's king |
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25.a4 Rxe1 26.Bxe1 Re8 27.b5 cxb5 28.axb5 Qa2 29.Kf1?
The engines reckon 29.Ra1!? Qb2 30.Rb1!? Qxc3 31.Ne4!? Qc4 32.Nxd6 cxd6 33.Rb2 is completely equal.
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| Black to play and win |
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29...Rf8
The engines' 29...Bf4! is strong. The threat is 30...Rxe1+ 31.Kxe1 Bxd2+, winning a piece. White seems to have nothing better than 30.Rc1!? (30.Nb3?? allows mate starting with 30...Qh2) Qb2 31.Kf2, after which Black wins a pawn and has a continuing attack. The text threatens 30...Nxg4, but that is easily parried.
30.Kg1 Bf4 31.Qb3 Qxb3 32.Nxb3 Rb8
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| How would you assess this ending? |
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White's pawn-structure is generally better, but the engines reckon this is offset by the weakness of b5 and by Black's more-active pieces.
33.Nc5 Rb6 34.Nd3 Bd6 35.Ne5 a6
Not 35...Bxe5?, after which 36.dxe5 followed by 37.Bf2 is very good for White.
36.Nxg6 axb5 37.Ra1 Rb8 38.Ne5 Ne8?!
VM offered a draw.
Probably better than the text, according to the engines, is 38...Nh7!? or 38...Re8.
Probably better than the text, according to the engines, is 38...Nh7!? or 38...Re8.
39.Ra5
The engines reckon both 39.Nd3 and 39.Bg3 give at least a slight edge.
39...Kh7?!
This was a good time for 39...Bxe5, according to the engines, meeting 40.dxe5 with 40...c5, giving what they reckon is an equal position.
40.Bh4?!
White has the upper hand after 40.Nd3, according to the engines, which also like 40.Bf2.
40...b4?
Again the engines reckon equality is to be had with ...Bxe5 followed by ...c5.
41.Nc6 bxc3??
Losing a rook, but the engines reckon Black is also lost after 41...Rb6 42.Nxb4, although there would be a lot of play left.
42.Nxb8 c2 43.Bg5 1-0
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