Pirc
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.e5
This is popular, but the main line in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database runs 7.0-0 Bg4 8.Be3 e5 9.fxe5 dxe5 10.d5 Nd4!? 11.Be2 Nxe2+ 12.Qxe2, with an equal game, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.
7...dxe5
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| How should White recapture? |
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8.dxe5
More usual is 8.fxe5, when the most popular line in Mega25 runs 8...Nh5 9.Be3 Bg4 10.Be2 f6 11.exf6 exf6 12.0-0, again with an equal game, according to the engines.
8...Nd5 9.Nxd5 Qxd5 10.Qe2 Bg4 11.Be4
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| Where should the black queen go? |
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11...Qd7!?
This is Stockfish17's top choice, but Dragon1 fluctuates between the text and the more popular 11...Qa5+.
12.Be3 Rad8 13.Rd1!? Qe6!?
The engines give 13...Qxd1+ 14.Qxd1 Rxd1+ 15.Kxd1, claiming 15...f6 equalises.
14.h3?!
Daniel Sadzikowski (2470) - Alexey Kislinsky (2500), Góra Świętej Anny (Poland) 2014, went 14.0-0 f6!? 15.c4 Kh8 16.Bd5, with the upper hand for White, according to the engines (but ½–½, 49 moves).14...Bf5
Possibly better is 14...Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Rxd1+ 16.Qxd1 Qxa2, when Black has won a pawn but White's bishop-pair and queenside pressure give enough compensation, according to the engines.
15.Bxf5 Qxf5
The engines slightly prefer 15...gxf5.
16.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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White's extra space gives a slight edge, according to Dragon1, but Stockfish17 is less sure.
16...Bh6 17.Qc4!
A multi-purpose move that defends f4, prevents ...Qe4, reduces the prospect of a quick ...f6, and puts latent pressure on c7.
17...a6!?
Dragon1 fluctuates between this and 17...Qc8!?, while it comes to be Stockfish17's second choice behind 17...Rxd1+.
18.g4 Qc8
Not 18...Qe6?? as 19.Qxe6 fxe6 20.g5 entombs Black's bishop.
19.Qe4
The engines suggest 19.Kf2, 19.Kg2, 19.Rde1 or 19.Rb1!?
e6?!
But now 19...Qe6 is possible, and gives equality, according to the engines.
20.Nd2!?
This lets the white king's rook support the pawn-push f5, and creates the possibility of the knight hopping into f6 vie e4.
20...Rd5 21.c4 Rd7 22.f5!?
This may be too early.
22...Bxe3+ 23.Qxe3 exf5 24.gxf5 gxf5?
Probably best is 24...Kh8, allowing the g7 square to be covered by the black king's rook in the event of White playing f6, followed by Qh6 with the idea of Qg7#.
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| White to play and win |
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25.Qg5+ 1-0
Black resigned but, as I shall show, resignation is premature.
However White is winning after the engines' 25.Ne4!!, eg 25...fxe4 26.Qg5+ Kh8 27.Qf6+ Kg8 28.e6! fxe6 (28...Re7? allows 29.Rf5 with a quick mate) 29.Qxf8+ Qxf8 30.Rxf8+ Kxf8 31.Rxd7.
After the text, play should continue 25...Kh8 26.Qf6+ Kg8, and now best, according to the engines, is 27.Kf2!? Ne7, when 28.Rg1+ Ng6 29.h4? loses to 29...Qd8 etc. Instead the engines recommend 28.Nf3!?, when 28...Ng6 29.h4 Rxd1 30.Rxd1 Qe6 31.Qxe6!? fxe6 32.h5 Ne7 33.h6 gives more than enough compensation for a pawn, according to the engines, but the game continues.
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