Spanton (1896) - Miloš Možný (2232)
Sicilian ...e6
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5!?
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Anthony Ashby (2049) 0-1 Jaroslav Polášek (IM 2344)
Tim Spanton (1896) 0-1 Miloš Možný (IM 2232)
Charles Higgie (1945) 0-1 Eduard Meduna (GM 2305)
ENGLAND 3 0-4 CZECH REPUBLIC
This is fifth-most popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, behind 3...b6, 3...d6, 3..a6 and especially 3...Nc6.
4.exd5 exd5 5.d4
Stockfish17 and Dragon1 like 5.cxd5, and if 5...Nf6, which is the commonest continuation in Mega25, then 6.Bc4!?
5...Nf6 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.Bg5 cxd4
MM offered a draw in my time.
8.Nxd4 Be7 9.cxd5
The engines prefer developing with 9.Be2.
9...Nxd5 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bxe7 Qxe7+ 12.Qe2 Nxc3 13.Qxe7+?
Correct is 13.bxc3, although after 13...Be6 Black's lead in development gives a slight edge, according to the engines.
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| The pawn-structure is symmetrical, but Black has developed a bishop, advanced the king and connected the rooks, which add up to enjoying the upper hand, according to the engines |
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15.Be2?!
White's queenside needs help, which is why the engines suggest 15.Kd2, a sample line running 15...Rhd8+ 16.Bd3 c5 17.Ke3 Rab8 18.a4, but Black remains better.
15...Rab8 16.Bf3 c5 17.0-0
The engines prefer offering the a pawn with 17.0-0-0!? After 17...Bxa2 18.Bd5 c4!? 19.Rhe1 Kf6 they reckon Black is 'only' slightly better. However they give 17...Rb5!? as an improvement, eg 18.Be4!? Rhb8 19.Rd2 Ra5 20.Re1 Kf6 21.Ree2 Ra3 22.Rd3!? g6 23.Rf3+ Kg7 24.c4!? Rxf3 25.Bxf3 Kf6, after which Black is better, but White has avoided material loss.
17...Rb2 18.Rfb1?!
The engines' 18.Rfe1 is probably better
18...Rhb8 19.Be4 Bxa2 20.Re1 Kf6 21.f4 g6 22.h3 Re8 23.Kh2 a5 24.Kg3 a4 25.Kf3 Bb3
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| Black has consolidated the extra pawn, and is more active, advantages that are worth more than a piece, according to the engines |
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26.Re3 Rd8 27.Re2 Rdd2 28.Rxd2 Rxd2 29.Bc6 Rd3+ 30.Kf2 Rxc3 31.Bxa4 Rdc2+ 32.Kg3 Ra2!? 33.Rxa2 Bxa2
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| How would you assess this bishop-and-pawn ending? |
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Black's advantage is worth more than a rook, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish17 is less fulsome.
34.Kf3?!
Chucking a tempo like this does not help.
The game finished:
34...Bd5+ 35.Kf2 Kf5 36.g3 Ke4 37.Bc2+ Kd4 38.f5 gxf5 39.Bxf5 Be4 40.Bd7 c4 41.Ke2 Bd3+ 42.Kd2 c3+ 43.Kc1 Ke3 44.g4 Kf4 45.h4 Kg3 46.h5 f6 47.Be6 h6 48.Bf7!? Kxg4 49.Bg6 f5 50.Bf7 Kf4 0-1
TEAM RESULT
Brian Hewson (2039) 0-1 Vlastimil Jansa (GM 2267)TEAM RESULT
Anthony Ashby (2049) 0-1 Jaroslav Polášek (IM 2344)
Tim Spanton (1896) 0-1 Miloš Možný (IM 2232)
Charles Higgie (1945) 0-1 Eduard Meduna (GM 2305)
ENGLAND 3 0-4 CZECH REPUBLIC
Kudos for turning down a draw against an IM. Any criticism from your team captain?
ReplyDeleteNot so far - but there can be little to say when everyone on a team loses
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