Venkata Kilambi (1975 ECF/1879 Fide) - Spanton (1965 ECF/2012 Fide)
Colle
1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 c5 3.d4 e6
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| This position occurs 3,392 times in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, a common move-order being 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 c5 |
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4.a3!?
But this continuation occurs just 20 times, although thanks to various move-orders the resulting position appears 68 times in Mega25. The idea will soon become clear.
4...Nc6 5.Be2 Nc6 6.dxc5!?
Stockfish17 and Dragon1 like this, along with 6.0-0. After the latter, the most popular move in Mega25 is 6...Bd6!?, but the engines are not keen on that, claiming White gains a slight edge with 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.b4. Instead they recommend 6...cxd4 or 6...c4!?
6...Bxc5 7.b4 Bd6 8.Bb2 0-0 9.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Black has a 2-1 majority on the two centre files, but may have difficulty getting the black light-square bishop into play. White's light-square bishop is also passive, but the white dark-square bishop is probably the game's best minor piece. The engines reckon the position is equal.
9...Qc7!?
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| How should White continue? |
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10.Nc3?!
VK criticised this afterwards, and it does seem strange to block both White's active bishop and backward c pawn. The known move in the diagrammed position is 10.Nbd2, which looks more natural, but allows Black to reply 10...e5. A critical question is whether White should capture on f6. After 10.Bxf6 gxf6 the black kingside is certainly weakened, but it is not clear White can exploit this in the face of Black's strong centre and bishop-pair. Perhaps White should have attacked the black centre with 10.c4.
10...a6
Preventing Nb5. The engines reckon Black is at least slightly better.
11.h3!?
This may look slow, but it is the engines' top choice along with 11.Bd3!?
11...Rfd8 12.b5 Na5 13.Nd4!?
The engines dislike this, suggesting 13.a4 or 13.Rb1.
13...Nc4 14.Bxc4 dxc4
The engines, particularly Stockfish17, prefer recapturing with the queen.
15.Qe2 e5 16.Nf3 Bd7 17.a4 axb5 18.axb5 Qc5
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| What should White play? |
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19.Rab1?
This indirectly defends b5, but misses the other point of Black's last move. The engines suggest 19.Nd2, or exchanging on a8 and then playing Nd2.
19...e4
Nd2 would have prevented this, but now it has come with tempo.
20.Nd2 Qe5 21.f4 exf3 22.Rxf3?
The other two piece-recaptures are better, eg 22.Nxf3 Qg3 23.Qf2 Qxf2+ 24.Rxf2, although White's isolated e pawn and Black's bishop-pair add up to the upper hand for the latter, according to the engines. I was leaning towards meeting 22.Nxf3 with 22...Qh5, which the engines reckon is also good after, for example, 23.Qxc4 Rac8 24.Qh4 Bc5.
22...Qh2+
Even stronger may be the engines' 22...Bg4!?, eg 23.hxg4 Qh2+ 24.Kf2 (24.Kf1?? Qh1+ 25.Kf2 Nxg4#) Nxg4+ 25.Ke1 Bg3+ 26.Rxg3 (or 26.Kd1 Qg1+ 27.Qf1 Nxe3+) Qxg3+ 27.Kd1 Nxe3+ 28.Kc1 Nxg2, with a large advantage.
23.Kf1
This is marginally better than 23.Kf2, according to the engines, but Black is anyway winning.
23...Nh5 24.Nce4 Ng3+ 25.Nxg3 Bxg3 26.Qxc4
VK offered a draw, shortly after pressing his clock.
26...Bxb5!
This is best, as it forces mate (or wins the white queen), but other moves win easily enough.
27.Qxb5 Qh1+ 28.Ke2 Qxg2+ 29.Kd1 Qxd2#
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