FACED a player from Bexhill, East Sussex.
Spanish Classical
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5 4.c3 Nge7!?
This has been played by Magnus Carlsen, but the mainline in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database runs 4...Nf6 5.0-0 0-0 6.d4 Bb6 7.Bg5, with a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.
5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3
This is the most popular continuation in Mega24, but many very strong players, including Lasker, Alekhine, Tal and Anand, have played 7.Bd2!?
7...d5 8.e5 h6!?
More common are 8...Bg4 and especially 8...0-0.
9.0-0 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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The main imbalance is White's central/kingside space advantage, and that is enough for at least a slight edge, according to the engines.
10.Be3!?
This may be a novelty. Known moves are 10.Ne1!?, 10.a3 and 10.h3.
10...Nf5
The engines suggest 10...f6, albeit preferring White.
11.Rc1 Nce7!? 12.Qa4!? Nxe3 13.fxe3 Bxc3 14.Rxc3 c6 15.Bd3 Be6!?
This seems a little passive. The engines again suggest ...f6.
16.Qc2 a5 17.Nh4 Qd7 18.Qe2!? Rac8!?
Black can activate the bishop with tempo by 18...Bg4, when I intended 19.Qe1, hoping to later win back the tempo by attacking the bishop.
19.Bb1!
The engines agree this is best, the idea being to set up a bishop-queen battery on the b1-h7 diagonal.
19...g6 20.Rf6 Kg7?!
This is the engines' second choice, but they much prefer 20...c5.
21.Rc1 Ng8 22.Rcf1!?
A positional exchange sacrifice, but even stronger, according to the engines, is 22.Rf4!?, and if 22...g5?, then 23.Qd3. The engines reckon Black should instead play something like 22...c5, but agree 23.Rcf1 leaves White well on top.
22...Nxf6 23.Rxf6?
This throws away all of White's advantage, according to the engines, which reckon 23.exf6+ wins.
23...Rg8?
Black may even have a slight edge after 23...c5, according to the engines.
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| White to play and gain a winning advantage |
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24.Qf2
The engines give 24.Nxg6! fxg6 25.Rxg6+ Kf8 (25.Kf7 comes to the same thing) 26.Qf3+ Ke8 27.Qf6, when Black has no defence as 27...Bf7? loses to 28.Rxg8+ Bxg8 29.Bg6+ Bf7 30.e6.
24...Kh7 25.Qf4 Rg7
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| The engines reckon White has full compensation for the exchange, but no more |
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26.Nf3?!
26.Nf3?!
Several moves seem to keep the balance, including 26.h3, 26.Bd3 and 26.Nf5!?, eg 26.Nf5!? gxf5 27.Rxh6+ Kg8 28.Qh4 Kf8 29.Rh8+ Rg8 30.Qh6+ Ke7 31.Qf6+ Kg8 etc.
26...Rh8?!
With the pressure abated, Black definitely had time for 26...c5, with a large advantage, according to the engines.
27.Nh4?!
Clearly I had lost the thread of the game. The engines reckon 27.h4 gives at least a slight edge.
27...Qe8
The engines still like ...c5.
28.g4?!
The engines suggest 28.Nf3!?
28...Kg8 29.Qf3 b6
Both 29...c5 and 29...Qc8 give the upper hand, according to the engines.
30.h3 Qe7 31.Ng2 g5!?
The engines agree this was important to stop Nf4.
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| How should White proceed? |
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32.e4?
Opening a second front, but the move gives Black time to free his game with 32...Rg6, after which the engines reckon White's compensation for the exchange has vanished.
32...Qd7?
Missing the chance. Now the position is completely equal again, according to the engines.
33.exd5 Bxd5?
The other two recaptures are much better.
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| White to play and gain a winning advantage |
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34.Be4?
The engines give 34.Rd6! Bxf3 35.Rxd7, when Black has no answer to the threat of Rd8+, and if 34...Qe7, then, as in the game, 35.Qc3, with Ne3 to follow. Also better than the text is the immediate 34.Qc3.
34...Be6?
Correct, thanks to the pin on White's bishop, is 34...Rg6.
35.Qc3 Bd5?
Black is in big trouble anyway, but this makes matters worse. Perhaps Black should have gone for counterplay with 35...h5!?, but 36.Bxc8, with d5 and/or Ne3 to come, is very good for White.
36.Rd6 Qe7 37.Bxd5 cxd5 38.Ne3!
This is much better than immediately grabbing the loose d pawn.
38...Rg6 39.Nxd5 Qf8 40.Nf6+ Kg7 41.Rxb6!?
Other moves also win - Black's rooks are helpless to intervene.
41...Qc8 42.Rc6 Qa8 43.Nh5+ Kh7 44.Rxg6!?
This forces checkmate.
44...Rc8!?
Or 44...fxg6 45.Qc7+ Kg8 46.Qg7#, or 44...Kxg6 45.Qd3+ f5 46.Qxf5#.
45.Rg7+ Kh8 46.Qd3 1-0
Good win.carefull with the coming rain,could be tricky!
ReplyDeleteHad a few drops this morning, but nothing to get excited about. It's now sunny again, although showers are promised tomorrow.
DeleteAt move 34, white also has to notice that after 34. Rd6, the reply 34. .. Qxd6 doesn't work because of 35 exd6 Bxf3 36 d7 queening the pawn.
ReplyDeleteRdC
Good point - Black has a pair of rooks, but they are about as immobile as two rooks can be.
Delete