Kraków Round Five

TOP board.

Andrzej Kawula (1922) - Spanton (2011)

QGD Tarrasch

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 Bf6 6.Bg5!?

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 fluctuate between the text and the Schlechter-Rubinstein 6.g3.

6...Be6 7.e3 Nc6

This is a popular continuation, but the engines much prefer 7...c4!? or 7...a6!?

8.Bb5 Be7 9.dxc5 0-0 10.0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?

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Clearly the most significant factor is the isolated queen's pawn, and the engines reckon that means White has the upper hand.

10...h6 11.Bh4 Bxc5 12.Rc1

Even better, according to the engines, is 12.Bxf6!? Bxf6 13.Nxd5 Qxb2 14.Nc7 Rad8 15.Qc1!? Ba3 16.Qxb2 Bxb2 17.Nxe6, when they claim at least the upper hand for White.

12...Be7 13.Nd4 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 a6 15.Ba4 Rc8 16.Bb3

Black threatened 16...Rc4.

16...Qa5 17.Rfd1 Rfd8 18.Qd3!?

How should Black proceed?

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18...d4!

The engines agree this pawn sacrifice equalises.

19.exd4 Bxb3 20.axb3 Qb4?

But this is the wrong follow-up. The engines like 20...Rc7, intending ...Rcd7.

21.Na2

Even stronger is 21.Bxf6! Bxf6 22.Nd5, when 22...Qd6 23.Rxc8 Rxc8 24.Nxf6 Qxf6 gives White excellent winning chances, thanks to the passed d pawn.

21...Qa5?!

Almost certainly better is 21...Qb6, keeping pressure on both b3 and d4.

22.Rxc8 Rxc8 23.Nc3 Rd8 24.Ne4!?

There seems nothing wrong with immediately pushing the d pawn.

24...g5 25.Bg3 Nxe4 26.Qxe4 Qb4 27.Qd3 Rd5 28.Qc4 Rb5?

The engines reckon 28...Qb5 more-or-less equalises, and if 29.Qxb5 Rxb5 30.d5 then 30...Kf8 holds - White does not seem able to make progress.

29.Qxb4?

White returns the favour. Instead 29.d5 is promising, but the engines agree that definitely winning is 29.Bc7!, the point being to support the d pawn on its journey to d8, and if 29...Qxb3 then 30.Qxb3 Rxb3 31.d5 wins a piece.

29...Rxb4

Possibly better is 29...Bxb4!?, meeting 30.d5 with 30...Ba5 or 30...Kf8.

30.Rd3

White can afford to sac the b3 pawn with 30.Bc7!, and the engines reckon 30.d5!? is also better than the text.

30...Kf8 31.Kf1 Ke8 32.Ke2 Kd7 33.f3 Bf6 34.Ke3 Bg7 35.Be1 Rb5 36.g4!?

The engines like this.

How should Black respond?

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36...f5

This is the engines' second choice, but they prefer keeping lines closed with 36...Rb6!?, and if 37.d4 then 37...Re6+.

37.gxf5 Rxf5 38.Bg3 Rd5?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 38...Bf6, and if, as in the game, 39.Ke4 then 39...Rb5.

39.Ke4 Ke6 40.Bf2

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 40.h4!?, and if 40...Bf6 then 41.h5.

40...Rb5?!

Another move much disliked by the engines. They suggest 40...Bf6, claiming White has no more than a slight edge.

41.Rc3

The engines like this, but again prefer pushing the h pawn.

41...Bf6 42.Be3 Rb4 43.Bf2 h5?!

This is probably weakening.

44.Be3 h4?

It was better to keep the pawns flexible.

45.h3 Rb5 46.Rd3 Rd5 47.b4!? Be7 48.Bd2 Bf6 49.Bc3 Be7 50.Rd1 Bf6 51.Ra1 Bd8 52.Rg1 Bc7 53.Bd2

What should Black play?

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53...Rxd4+?

'Clever', but bad. It is not clear if White can make progress after, for example, 53...Bb6.

54.Kxd4 Bb6+ 55.Kc4?

White is winning easily after 55.Ke4 or 55.Kd3, according to the engines, eg 55.Ke4 Bxg1 56.Bxg5 Bf2 57.f4, and the passed pawn decides matters.

55...Bxg1 56.Bxg5 Bf2

How big is White's advantage in this this bishop-and-pawn ending?

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Dragon1 awards White the upper hand, but Stockfish17 reckons White only has a slight edge.

57.b5!? axb5+ 58.Kxb5 Kf5 59.Bd2 Ke5?!

59.Bg3 gives complete equality, according to the engines.

60.Kc4 Bd4?

This definitely loses, according to the engines, whereas 60...Kf5 and 60...Kf6 may hold.

61.b4

I cannot work out why, but the engines reckon much stronger is 61.b3.

61...Bf2

And here Stockfish17, but not Dragon1, reckons 61...Bb6!? is much better.

62.b5 Bb6?!

But now this is apparently much weaker than 62...Kf5.

63.Bg5 Bf2 64.Kd3 Kf5 65.Bd2 Ke5 66.Ke2 Bg3 67.Be3 Kf5 68.Kd3 Ke5 69.Ba7 Bf4 70.Bb6

White only draws after 70.Bb8+ Kf5 71.Bxf4?

70...Kd5 71.Bf2 Bg5 72.Be3 Be7 73.f4

The advance of the passer is decisive.

73...Bf6 74.Bf2 Be7 75.Bd4 Bd6 76.f5 Bg3 77.f6 Ke6 78.Ke4 Be1 79.Kf4 Bd2+ 80.Kg4 Be1 81.Kg5 Kf7 82.Kf5 Bg3 83.Be5 Be1 84.Bf4 Bf2 85.Bg4 Be1 86.Kg4 Kg6 87.Bxh4 (1-0, 92 moves)