John Foley (1996) - Spanton (1955)
London System
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bf4 Bg4 4.e3 e6 5.h3 Nh5 6.c4 Bd6 7.Bxd6 Qxd6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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From the pawn-formation it might be thought the opening was an Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. The engines reckon White has a slight edge (Dragon1) or at least the better side of equality (Stockfish17).
11...Ne4 12.Rc1 a6 13.a3
The engines reckon White has at least a slight edge after 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Nd2 Bze2 15.Qxe2.
13...Nxc3 14.Rxc3 Ne7 15.Ne5 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 c6 17.b4
White starts the famous Minority Attack.
17...Rfe8 18.Rfb1 Nf5 19.Qf3 Qe6 20.a4 Nd6 21.Nd3 Nc4 22.Qe2 Qf5
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| How should White proceed? |
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23.b5?
Premature. The engines suggest 23.Qg4!?, claiming equal chances.
23...axb5 24.axb5
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| What should Black play? |
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24...Re6?
Missing the win of a pawn by 24...Na3 etc.
25.bxc6 bxc6 26.Rcb3 h6 27.Nc5 Rg6?
Aggressive, but now White gets the back rank, which is much more dangerous.
28.Rb8+ Rxb8 29.Rxb8+ Kh7 30.Qd3!
The engines agree this is best.
30...Qg5?
Not 30...Qxh3?? 31.Qxg6+ etc, but better is 30...Qxd3, although the engines reckon White is winning after 31.Nxd3, when the c pawn is very weak, eg 31...Na5 32.Ne5 Rf6 33.Ra8 Nb7 34.Ra7 Nd8 35.Rd7 Ne6 36.Nxc6. The engines suggest 31...Rf6, but agree 32.Nb4 Kg6 33.Rc8 Na5 34.Nd3 Nc4 35.g4 gives White a winning advantage, although no material has yet fallen.
31.g3
White threatens ...Nd7-f8#.
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| How should Black meet the threat? |
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31...Qe7
This is the best Black has, but is still losing.
32.h4 f5?!
Objectively better is 32...h5, despite the simple pawn-winning reply 33.Qf5.
33.Qxf5 Nxe3!?
Desperation.
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| How should White reply? |
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34.Qd3
Other moves also win, eg 34.Qc8 Rxg3+ (34...Rd6 35.h5) 35.fxg3 Qf7 36.Qf8, or 34.fxe3 Qxe3+ 35.Kf1 Qxg3 (35...Qc1+ 36.Kg2 Qd2+ 37.Qf2) 36.Nd7 Qg2+ 37.Ke1 Qg1+ 38.Ke2 Qg2+ 39.Kd1, when the checks eventually run out.
34...Ng4 35.Kf1?!
This may be enough to win, but much stronger are moves such as 35.Kg2, and especially the engines' 35.Nd7!, the point being 35...Qxd7 (35...Qe1+ 36.Qf1) is met by 36.h5.
35...Qf6?
Now White is definitely winning. Correct is 35...Qf7, reserving the f6 square for the knight (to prevent h5), while covering the d7 square.
36.f4 Qf5!?
Imaginative, but still losing.
37.Qxf5 Ne3+ 38.Kf2 Nxf5 39.Nd7 Rd6!
The engines prefer three other moves, but they make the win easy, ie 39...Rxg3 40.Rf8 etc; 39...h5 40.Nf8+ Kh6 41.Nxg6; 39...Rf6!? 40.Nxf6+. The text may be objectively worse, at least as far as engines are concerned, but the winning path is narrower.
40.Nf8+ Kg8
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| White to play and win |
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41.h5?
This lets Black equalise. The engines give White a slight edge after 41.Ng6+ (or 41.Nd7+) Kf7 42.Ne5+, but their 41.g4! wins the knight, eg 41...Nxd4 42.Ne6+ etc, or 41...Nxh4 42.Ng6+ etc, or 41...Ne7 42.Ng6+ Kf7 43.Ne5+ Ke6 44.Re8 g6 (44...c5 45.f5+ Kf6 46.Rf8#) 45.Nxg6 Kf6 46.Nxe7 47.Nf5.
41...Kf7 42.Ng6 Nxd4
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| Black has won a pawn, but White has the draw in hand |
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43.Ne5+ Ke6 44.g4 c5 45.Re8+
Or 45.Rb7 Ra6 46.Rxg7 Ra2+, with complete equality, according to the engines, although both sides have the option to play on.
45...Kf6 46.Rf8+ Ke6
Only White has winning chances after 46...Kf7?! 47.Rf7+ and 48.Rxg7.
47.Re8+ Kf6 48.Rf8+ Ke6 49.Re8+ ½–½
Surrey won the match 10-5-5.5.
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