Irina Donachenko (1990) - Spanton (2013)
Pseudo-Chigorin
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3 Bf5 4.Bg2 Nb4!?
This is the most-popular continuation in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database.
5.Na3 e6 6.c3
This is a common continuation, but the mainline in Mega24 runs 6.0-0 Be7 7.c3 Nc6 8.Qb3 Rb8, with a position Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckon is equal.
6...Nc6 7.b4!?
Much more popular are 7.Qb3 and especially 7.Nc2.
 |
| How should Black respond? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
7...Bd6
This seems reasonable, as do several other moves, including Swedish grandmaster Jonny Hector's 7...a5!?, but not 7...Nxb4?? 8.cxb4 Bxb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxa3 as White has 10.Qa4+ etc.
8.0-0 Nf6 9.b5 Ne7 10.c4 c5!?
The engines prefer 10...c6 or 10...Ng6.
11.bxc6 Nxc6 12.Nb5 Bb8
The engines prefer 12...0-0 or 12...Be7.
13.cxd5 Nxd5
13.cxd5 Nxd5
White is positionally winning after 13...exd5?! 14.Bg5, according to the engines.
14.a4 a6 15.Na3
 |
| Black to play and win material - but is the manoeuvre sound? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
15...Nc3!?
The engines suggest 15...0-0 or 15...Be4!?, albeit giving White a slight edge.
16.Qe1
If 16.Qd2 then 16...Nxd4!
16...Nxa4?!
More prudent is 16...Ne4.
 |
| White is a pawn down, but has excellent compensation |
*****
*****
*****
*****
17.e4?!
Almost certainly much stronger is 17.Nc4, eg 17...Nb6 18.Nxb6 Qxb6 19.Ba3, after which Black's king will be stuck in the centre a long time, and White can choose between pressurising the queenside and opening central lines (or both).
17...Bg4 18.d5 Bxf3 19.dxc6 Bxg2 20.cxb7 Ra8 21.Kxg2 Rxb7 22.Nc4 Nc5 23.Na5
The engines give 23.Ba3! Qd4 24.Rc1, eg 24...Qxe4+ 25.Qxe4 Nxe4 26.Na5 Rd7!? (apparently even worse is 26...Rc7 27.Nc6 Kd7 28.Rfd1+ Kc8 29.Rd4 Nf6 30.Rb4, and 27...Rc8 28.Nxb8 Rxb8 29.Rc7 is no improvement) 27.Rc8+ Rd8 28.Rfc1 Kd7 29.R8c4 Nf6 30.Nc6.
23...Rb5 24.Nc6 Qc7 25.Nxb8 Qxb8 26.Bf4?
Trying to take advantage of developing with tempo, but Black has two good replies.
26...e5
26...e5
Even stronger seems to be the engines' 26...Qb7, eg 27.f3?! runs into 27...Nd3.
27.Be3!? Nxe4 28.Rxa6?!
 |
| How can Black exploit White's last move? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
28...0-0
This is the engines' second choice, but they point out the strength of 28...Nd2!, and if 29.Qa1 then 29...Nxf1! 30.Ra8 Nxe3+ 31.fxe3, when, after castling, Black will emerge with two rooks and a pawn for a queen in a position in which the queen will have no easy targets. Note 28...Nxg3? 29.Kxg3 e4+ seems well met by 30.f4!, and the try 28...Qb7 29.Ra7 Qd5 30.Kg1 is nothing special for Black either.
29.Ra2 Qb7 30.f3 Nd6 31.Qe2 Nf5 32.Rd1 e4 33.Bf4!? exf3+ 34.Qxf3 Qxf3+ 35.Kxf3 Re8 36.Re2 Rb3+
Not 36...Rxe2?? 37.Rd8+ Re8 38.Rxe8#.
37.Kf2
Not 37.Kg4?? h5+ etc.
37...Rxe2+ 38.Kxe2
 |
| How would you assess this rook-and-minor piece ending? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
Black remains a pawn up, but all the pawns are on one side of the board. White has the better minor piece for cooperating with a rook, although this is nullified to an extent by all pawns being on the same side. Dragon1 gives Black a slight edge, but Stockfish17 reckons the position is equal.
38...h5 39.Rd5 g6 40.Be5 Kh7 41.Kf2?!
This sets up a strong forking opportunity. White is fine after, say, 41.Ra5.
 |
| Black to play and gain a winning advantage |
*****
*****
*****
*****
41...g5?!
Only after moving did I see the possibility of 41...Ne3 42.Ra5 Ng4+, and, after 43.Kg2, strongest is the engines 43...Re3!, eg 44.Bd4 Re2+, after which the h2 pawn will drop, giving Black a two-pawn advantage.
42.Rd8 Ng7 43.Rd7 Rb5 44.Bxg7 Kxg7
 |
| The engines reckon the position is equal |
No comments:
Post a Comment