FACED a Norwegian Fide master.
Spanish Exchange
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 Bd6!?
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| 7...Bd6!? is fifth-most popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, a long way behind 7...Bd7 |
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8.Be3 Ne7 9.Nc3 0-0 10.0-0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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White has the better pawn-structure and a lead in development; Black has the bishop-pair. Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckon the game is completely equal.
10...f6 11.h3!?
This seems to be a novelty. Known moves are 11.f3, 11.Nb3 and 11.f4.
11...c5 12.Nde2 b6 13.Bf4 Be5!?
The engines agree this is Black's best move.
14.Bxe5 fxe5 15.f3 Be6 16.Nd5 Bxd5!?
White has the upper hand after 16...Nxd5?! 17.exd5, according to the engines.
17.exd5 Rad8 18.c4?!
White has a slight edge after 18.Nc3, according to the engines.
18...Nf5 19.b3 Ne3 20.Rdg1 b5 21.Kd2 Nf5 22.Kc3 b4+ 23.Kc2 Rf6 24.Kc1?!
The engines reckon 24.Kb1!? is equal.
24...c6
Black is at least slightly better after 24...a5!?, according to the engines, one line running 25.Re1 a4 26.Kb1 c6 27.dxc6 Rxc6 28.bxa4!? Ne3 29.Ng3 Nxc4 30.Rd1 Ra8 31.Ne4 Ne3 32.Rd3!? (32.Rd2? c4) Nxg2, when Black's objective advantage may be small, but White's position looks much harder to play.
25.dxc6 Rxc6 26.Rd1 Rcd6 27.Rxd6 Rxd6
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| How would you assess this rook-and-knight ending? |
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Black has an isolated pawn, but has pressure thanks to being more active and having more space. The engines reckon the position is completely equal.
28.Re1 Nh4 29.Ng1!? Nxg2 30.Rxe5 Nf4!? 31.Kc2
Not 31.Rxc5?? Nd3+.
31...Rg6 32.Ne2 Rg2 33.Kd2
Possibly slightly better is 33.Kd1!?
33...Nxh3
The engines suggest 33...g6 or 33...Rh2, in each case claiming a slight edge.
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| How should White proceed? |
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34.Ke3
Not 34.Rxc5? Ng1 35.Re5? Nxf3+.
34...Rg5 35.Rxg5 Nxg5
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| How would you assess this knight-and-pawn ending? |
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The best piece on the board is the white king, and its activity gives White sufficient compensation for a pawn.
36.Kf4 Ne6+ 37.Ke5 Kf7 38.Ng3 g6 39.f4 a5 40.f5 gxf5 41.Nxf5 h5 42.Nd6+ Ke7 43.Nf5+ Kd7!?
Black could take a simple draw with 43...Kf7.
44.Kd5
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| Can Black save the game? |
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Incredibly, at least it seems so to me, the engines reckon Black as at least five drawing lines, including 44...Nd4!? 45.Nxd4 cxd4 46.Kxd4 Kd6! 47.Ke4 Ke6 48.Kf4 Kf6 49.Kg3 Kg5, and 44...a4!? 45.bxa4 Nd8 46.Kxc5 Kc7 47.Kxb4 Kb6. Also apparently drawing are 44...Nd8!? and 44...Ng5!?, and the game continuation.
44...Nf4+ 45.Kxc5 Nd3+
The engines reckon 45...Kc7, 45...Ke6 and 45...a4!? also hold the balance.
46.Kb5 Nc1 47.Kxa5 Nxa2 48.Kb5 Kc7 49.Kc5 Kb7 50.Kd6 Nc3
Not 50...Nc1?? 52.c5 Nxb3 53.c6+ as, after 53...Kc8, White has time for 54.Ne7+ etc.
51.c5 Ne4+ 52.Kd5 Nd2 53.Nd6+ Kb8 54.c6 Nxb3 55.Kc4 Kc7 56.Nf5 Kxc6 ½–½
TEAM RESULT
Brian Hewson (2039) 1-0 Leif Øgaard (GM 2358)
Anthony Ashby (2049) 0-1 Sverre Heim (FM 2312)
Tim Spanton (1896) = Ole Christian Moen (FM 2201)
Charles Higgie (1945) = Richard Bjerke (FM 2037)
ENGLAND 3 2-2 NORWAY
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| Playing hall |
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