Spanton (1976 ECF/1937 Fide) - Alex Bentley (1763 ECF/1784 Fide)
Sicilian ...e6/Maróczy Bind
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nxd4!?
This makes an odd impression, at least to me, but it has been played by Vladimir Epishin (2667), Bogdan Lalić (2507) and other grandmasters.
6.Qxd4 d6
The main line in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database runs 6...Ne7 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Qd1 Bc5, with an equal position, according to Stockfish17, although Dragon1 favours White.
7.Nc3 Nf6
If 7...Ne7, then 8.Be3, when 8...Nc6 can be met by 9.Qd2 with a more harmonious development than in the previous note.
8.Be2 Be7 9.0-0 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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White has achieved a Maróczy Bind, while also being slightly ahead on development. The engines reckon White has the upper hand.
10.Rd1!?
Of the 29 games to reach the position in Mega25, 10.Be3 was played in 21 of them, but the engines prefer the text.
10....Qd7
This seems to be a novelty. Known moves are 10...e5 and 10..a6, while the engines suggest 10...Bd7 or 10...b6.
11.Bg5 Rd8?!
Probably better is 11...h6!?, when the engines reckon 12.Bxf6 Bxf6!? 13.Qxd6 Qxd6 14.Rxd6 g5!? leaves Black with enough compensation for a pawn (Stockfish17), or at least only slightly worse (Dragon1).
12.Rd3
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 12.e5!?
12...Ne8 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.e5 Bd7?
Better is 14...b6.
15.exd6 Qf8!? 16.Bf3 Bc6 17.Bxc6?!
The engines prefer 17.c5.
17...Rxd6!
This is much better than 17...bxc6 18.c5.
18.Bd5 exd5 19.cxd5?
The knight recapture is significantly stronger.
19...Nf6 20.Rad1 Qe7 21.Qc4 Rad8
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| How would you assess this pawn-up middlegame? |
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White is obviously better - winning, according to the engines - but the extra pawn is firmly blockaded, and, as will be shown, making progress proves difficult.
22.h3
If 22.Nb5 Black has 22...Rxd5! 23.Rxd5 Nxd5, when 24.Rxd5?? loses to 24...Qe1+ 25.Qf1 Qxf1+ 26.Kxf1 Rxd5. White instead remains a pawn up after 24.Nxa7, but no longer has a passer, and is no longer winning, according to the engines.
22...a6 23.a4 h6 24.b4 Qd7 25.b5
The engines suggest 25.Rd4, one line running 25...Re8 26.Qd3 Kf8!? 27.Kf1!? Qc7 28.Rc4 Qd7 29.Rd4 Qc7 30.Qf3 Re5, but it is unclear how White makes progress.
25...a5 26.Ne4 Nxe4 27.Qxe4 Re8 28.Qd4 b6
The engines prefer 28...Rd8.
29.Rg3 f6 30.Rdg3 Re5 31.Qc4 Qf5
Active, but not liked by the engines, which suggest holding tight with, for example, 31...Kh7.
32.g4?!
Probably stronger is 32.Re3, when 32...Rxe3 33.fxe3 will allow the d pawn to be supported by a fellow pawn, while 32...Qh5 33.Qc8+ Kh7 34.g4!? Qg5 35.Rxe5 Qxe5 36.Qf5+!? gives White a winning rook-and-pawn ending, according to the engines. In the latter line, if Black instead plays 35...fxe5, then 36.Qc4 consolidates, after which there is much less pressure on d5, and both sides have an isolani, but White's is the only passed one, and White remains a pawn up.
32...Qd7 33.f4?!
The engines much prefer 33.Re3, one point being 33...Rexd5?? loses to 34.Red3.
33...Re8 34.Qd4 f5!
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| White's king is much less safe than Black's - a key factor in heavy-piece middlegames |
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35.gxf5 Qxf5 36.Rg3 Rg6
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| How should White proceed? |
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37.Qf2?
Both 37.Qd3 (37...Re1+ 38.Kg2) and 37.Rxg6 Qxg6 38.Kf2 keep the position equal.
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| Black to play and win |
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37...Rd6
AB offered a draw.
Instead 37...Re2! wins as 38.Qf3 can be met by 38...Qxh3!
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| Should I have accepted the draw offer? |
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Black has full compensation for a pawn, according to the engines, and the Black position is easier to play, thanks to White's three isolated pawns and exposed king, so objectively, ratings aside, it is hard to make out a case for playing on.
38.Qg2 Re7 39.Qf3 Red7 40.Qe3 Rxd5 41.Rxd5 Qxd5 42.Qxb6?
White has nothing better than taking a draw by perpetual.
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| Black to play and win |
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42...Qd1+
The engines show that the clever move 42...Qe4! wins as Black has no good answer to 43...Rd1+.
43.Kh2 Qd2+ 44.Kh1
43.Kh2 Qd2+ 44.Kh1
Not 44.Rg2?? Qxf4+ etc.
44...Qd5+ 45.Rg2 Re7 46.Qc6
Not 46.Qxh6?? Qxg2+ etc.
46...Qd1+ 47.Kh2 Qxa4 48.Qd5+ Kh7 49.Qf5+ Kg8 50.b6 Qb4 51.Rc2
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| Black to play and draw |
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51...Qe1??
Black had to guard the back rank with 51...Re8, and if 52.Rc8 White cannot escape perpetual check after, for example, 52...Qd2+ (exchanging rooks also draws).
52.Rc8 Re8 53.Rxe8+ Qxe8
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| White to play and win |
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54.Qe5?
The simplest win is 54.Qd5+ Kh8 55.b7, meeting 55...Qe2+ with 56.Kg3, after which the checks eventually run out, but not 56.Qg2? as 56...Qb5, followed by pushing the a pawn, draws.
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| Black to play and draw |
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54...Qf7?
The engines reckon 54...Qc6 definitely draws, eg 55.Qxa5 Qc2+ 56.Kg3 Qd3+, when the white king cannot escape the checks, and 54...Qd7!? may draw, although Dragon1 is a lot less convinced than Stockfish17.
55.Qc7 Qa2+ 56.Kg3 Qb3+
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| White to play and win |
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57.Kh4
The engines show only 57.Kf2! wins - not an easy move to find.
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| Black to play and draw |
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57...g5+?
The engines show both 57...Qf3 and 57...Qe3!? draw as the white king cannot escape perpetual check.
58.fxg5 hxg5+ 59.Kxg5
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| The white king has no cover on the kingside, but it does not need it as the black queen has no support and cannot stop the white king reaching cover on the queenside |
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59...Qd5+ 60.Kf6 Qf3+ 61.Ke7 Qf7+ 62.Kd8 Qf8+ 63.Kd7 Qf7+ 64.Kc8 Qe6+ 65.Kb8 1-0
Wessex B won the match 4-2.
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