Friday, 25 April 2025

English 65+ Round Three

TOOK a halfpoint bye in round two.

Spanton (1985 ECF/1922 Fide) - Chris Leeson (1750 ECF)
Petrov
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d3!? N6 6.d4 c6!? 7.Bd3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0
Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
White, at least for now, has more space and a more-active king's bishop - enough for a slight edge, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.
9.h3!?
The engines like this, the idea being to restrict Black's light-square bishop.
9...h6!? 10.Nh4!?
The engines prefer developing with 10.Bf4 or 10.Re1.
10...d5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.Bxf5
White has won the bishop-pair, but it has cost tempi.
12...Nbd7 13.Nd2 Qc7 14.Nf3 Bd6 15.Be3 Bf4!? 16.Re1 Rae8 17.Qd2 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Rxe3 19.Qxe3 Re8 20.Qd2 Ne4 21.Bxe4 Rxe4 22.Re1 Rxe1+ 23.Qxe1 Kf8
The bishop-pair is long gone, the pawn-structure is symmetrical, and occupation of the open file brings no advantage
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
24.Qb4+ Ke8 25.Qa3 a6 26.Qd3 Qf4!? 27.Qe2+ Kf8 28.c3 Qf5 29.a3 Qe6!? 30.Qxe6 fxe6 31.Kf1 Ke7 32.Ke2 Kf6
CL offered a draw.
How would you assess the knight-and-pawn ending?
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
Completely equal, according to the engines.
33.Ke3 g5 34.h4 g4 35.Nh2 Kf5 36.Nf1 e5 37.Ng3+ Ke6 38.dxe5 Nxe5
Recapturing with the king also maintains equality.
39.Kf4 c5
39...Nd3+?! 40.Kxg4 probably favours White, or at best (for Black) is equal.
40.b3 b5 41.Nf5 Nd3+ 42.Kxg4 Nf2+ 43.Kf4 Nd3+ 44.Kg4 Nf2+ ½–½

No comments:

Post a Comment