Spanton (1896) - Riku Rantanen (2070)
Spanish Exchange
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Nc3 0-0-0 9.Be3 Ne7 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 a lead in development, the better pawn-structure and the only pawn on the two centre files; Black has the bishop-pair. Dragon1 reckons Black is slightly better, but Stockfish17 is less sure.
10...Ng6 11.f3 h5 12.Nde2!? Bd6 13.h3!? h4 14.Na4
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| How should Black proceed? |
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14...Rh5?!
Missing one of White's threats. The engines suggest 14...Be6, 14...Be8!? or 14...Kb8, eg 14...Be6 15.Nc5 Bc4 16.Rhe1 b6 17.Nd3 f6, and Black has kept the bishop-pair.
15.Nb6!
This would also have been the answer to 14...b6?
15...Kb8
Not 15...cxb6? as 16.Rxd6 Kc7 17.Rhd1 leaves White with strong pressure.
16.Nxd7+ Rxd7
16.Nxd7+ Rxd7
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| With Black's bishop-pair gone, how would you assess the position? |
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Black is still unable to create a passed pawn on the queenside, despite being a pawn up there. But White will have great difficulty making a passer on the other wing, which is why the engines reckon the position is equal.
17.Rd2 Ne5 18.b3 Ba3+?!
The engines dislike this, suggesting 18...Re7 (Stockfish17) or 18...f6 (Dragon1).
19.Kd1 Rxd2+ 20.Kxd2 Be7 21.Rd1 Kc8 22.Kc1
If the king is to be moved, the engines prefer it going in the other direction, ie to e1.
22...Rh8 23.Bd4 Nd7 24.c3
The engines suggest 24.Kd2!?, with a likely transfer of the king to the kingside.
24...c5 25.Bf2 g5!?
Putting another pawn on the same coloured square as Black's bishop, but the idea is to restrain White's pawn-majority.
26.Kc2 Bd6 27.Be3 Rg8 28.Nc1 f6!?
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| The engines agree the game is completely equal |
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29.Nd3 b6 30.Nf2 Ne5 31.Bc1 b5 32.Nd3 c4!?
The black doubled pawns are being dissolved.
33.Nxe5 cxb3+ 34.axb3 Bxe5
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| Now what's the verdict? |
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White can prevent Black properly mobilising on the queenside, and so the engines reckon the position is still completely equal.
35.Be3 Rd8
Not 35...a5? 36.Ra1 etc.
36.Rxd8+ Kxd8 37.b4 Kd7 38.Kd3 Ke6 39.c4 c6 40.cxb5 cxb5
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| How can White seal the draw? |
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41.Bd2
But not 41.Bd4? as 41...Bxd4 42.Kxd4 Kd6 is an instructive pawn-ending win for Black. True 43.Kd3 Ke5 44.Ke3 f5? turns a win into a loss as White has 45.Kd3!, after which White gets a winning passed pawn, whatever Black plays. However Black wins with 44...Kd6 45.Kd4 Kc6 46.Kc3 Kb6 and ...a5, after which the Black passer will decide (43...Kc6, instead of 43...Ke5, is more precise).
41...Kd6 42.Be3 Ke6 43.Bd2 ½–½
TEAM RESULTBrian Hewson (2039) = Dietmar Vinke (FM 2087)
Anthony Ashby (2049) = Eero Salmenkivi (2048)
Tim Spanton (1896) = Riku Rantanen (2070)
Charles Higgie (1945) 1-0 Serhil Nikolaienko (1870)
ENGLAND 3 2.5-1.5 FINLAND 2
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