Spanish Cozio
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nge7 4.Nc3
This is third in popularity in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, behind 4.c3 and especially 4.0-0.
4...Ng6 5.d4 exd4 6.Nxd4 Bc5
Stockfish17 and Dragon1 prefer the more popular 6...Nxd4!? 7.Qxd4 c6 with ...Qb6 to come.
7.Be3 Nxd4 8.Bxd4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 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's large lead in development, and central space, give the upper hand, according to the engines.
10...d6 11.h4!?
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| How should Black react to this pawn thrust? |
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11...Ne5!?
Romuald Mainka (2515) - Sergey Arkhipov (2515), Lippstadt (Germany) 1993, went 11...Nxh4 12.Qe3 Ng6 13.Qg3 c6!? 14.Rxd6 Qe7, and now 15.Bd3 would have left White with a winning advantage, according to the engines.
The text, which may be a novelty, is not liked by the engines. They suggest 11...a6 12.Be2 Nf4, but give White the upper hand.
12.f4 Ng4!? 13.h5 h6 14.Be2 a5 15.e5 a4!? 16.exd6 cxd6 17.Qxd6 Qa5!?
The engines prefer 17...Qxd6, but after 18.Rxd6 Black has no compensation for being a pawn down.
18.Rd5 Qa7 19.Qc5?!
The engines like 19.a3 or 19.Rd4.
19...Ne3?!
The engines much prefer 19...a3, albeit giving White a winning advantage.
20.Qxa7 Rxa7 21.Rd4 a3 22.Re4?!
White's advantage is a lot smaller after this. Probably best is 22.b3.
22...axb2+ 23.Kxb2 Nf5 24.Rd1?
Losing most of the rest of White's advantage. The engines give 24.Re1 Ng3 25.Re7 Nxe2 26.R1xe2, and if 26...Bg4 then 27.R2e5.
24...Ng3 25.Re5 Nxe2 26.Nxe2 Bg4 27.R1d5 Be6?!
The rook endgame after 27...Bxe2!? 28.Rxe2 Rfa8 sees Black win the pawn back and gain complete equality.
28.Ra5 Rxa5 29.Rxa5 Rd8 30.f5 Bd5 31.Nf4 Bc6 32.Ra3?!
White has a large advantage after 32.c4!, the point of which will soon become clear.
32...Rd2?
Black should be getting the king into play with ...Kf8.
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| How should White proceed? |
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33.Rd3
White is better after this, but it misses a spectacular win with 33.Ra8+ Kh7 34.Ng6!!
33...Rf2? 34.Nd5?
Again missing the spectacular mate, this time starting with 33.Rd8+.
34...Kf8 35.Ne3 Ke7 36.g4 Rf4 37.Kc3 Ra5 38.Kb3 Re4
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| White remains a pawn up, but the vulnerability of the white pawns, and the superior combination of rook-and-bishop against rook-and-knight, mean Black has full compensation, according to the engines |
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39.c4 Re5?!
But this is problematic. Instead Black should continue activating the king with 39...Kf6.
40.Kc3?!
Almost certainly better is 40.Nd5+, eg 40...Bxd5 41.Rxd5 Re4 42.Rb5, when White's queenside pawns will decide the game. The engines suggest 40...Kd6!?, not fearing a discovered check, but give White the upper hand.
40...Ra5 41.Kb3 Be4?
The engines reckon 41...Kf6 maintains equality.
42.Nd5+?!
Moving the attacked rook is probably better.
42...Kd6!
There is nothing immediate to fear from a discovered check.
43.Rd4?
White keeps some advantage with 43.Rd2, and if, as in the game, 43...Bxd5, then 44.Kb4! Better is 43...Bf3, but 44.g5! is strong as 44...hxg5 runs into 45.f6!, and 44...Bxh5 can be met by 45.Kb4 (the immediate 45.Nf6+ also wins). The engines suggest meeting 44.g5! with 44...Ke5, but 45.f6 gxf6 46.gxh6 Ra8 47.Nxf6! gives at least a slight edge.
43...Bxd5 44.Rxd5+ Rxd5 45.cxd5 Kxd5 46.Kb4 Kb6 47.a4 Kb6 48.a5+ Ka6
TW offered a draw.
49.Ka4 b6 50.axb6 Kxb6 51.Kb4 f6 52.Kc4 ½–½
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