QGD Exchange
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.Qc2 Bd6!?
This is fifth-most popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, scoring 41%, two percentage points more than the normal move 6...Be7.
7.e3 0-0 8.Bd3 h6 9.Bh4 Re8 10.Nge2 Nbd7 11.0-0!?
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| Can Black play the famous Greek Gift sacrifice here? |
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Maybe! After 11...Bxh2+!? 12.Kxh2 Ng4+, Stockfish17 and Dragon1 are unsure where the white king should go.
If 13.Kg3 the line 13...g5? 14.Kxg4 Ne5+ (the engines marginally prefer this over 14...Nf6+) 15.Kg3 Ng4 is well-met by 16.Bf5. However, not so clear is 13...Ndf6!? 14.Bxf6 Qxf6, eg 15.e4!? h5 16.f4!? h4+ 17.Kf3 dxe4+ 18.Bxe4 (18.Nxe4? Qg6) g6!? 19.Rh1 Qf8!?, when Black is knight-for-pawn down, but is slightly better, according to the engines.
If 13.Kh3 there seems no doubt 13...Ndf6 is best, when 14.Bf5 g5 15.Bg3 Re4! is again unclear.
11...Nf8
Now sacrificing on h2 would definitely work.
12.Bg3 Ne6 13.a3 Ng5 14.Bxd6!?
This is the engines' top choice.
14...Qxd6 15.Ng3 h5!?
Apparently a novelty. It is Stockfish17's top choice, but Dragon1 prefers the known move 15...Bd7.
16.h4!?
The engines like this, and also 16.f4.
16...Ne6 17.Rae1 Ng4 18.Bf5 Qe7?!
Probably better is 18...Nf8 19.Bxg4 (the engines strongly dislike 19.Bxc8?! Raxc8) Bxg4 with equal chances, or 18...Qd8.
19.Bxg4 Nxg4 20.Nf5
This is enough for at least equality, but the engines like 20.e4!?, when 20...Qxh4 21.exd5 cxd5 22.Nxd5 is promising (22.Re5!? may also be good). If instead 20...Nxd4, then 21.Qa4 seems strong.
20...Qf6
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| How should White proceed? |
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21.Nd6?!
The engines do not like this, preferring 21.f3 gxf3 22.Rxf3.
21...Rd8
But not 21...Re7? 22.Nxc8 22...Rxc8? (22...Rd7!? is better) 23.Nxd5!
22.Nxc8 Raxc8
Missing the strength of 22...Qxh4!, eg 23.g3 Qh3 24.Ne7+ Kf8 25.Ng6+ (forced, as 25.Nf5? loses to 25...Ng5 etc) fxg6 26.Qxg6 Rd6! 27.e4 (if 27.Re2, then 27...Ke7 with the threat of 28...Rh8 etc) Rad8 (27...Nxd4!? also wins, despite 28.Qxd6+, ie 28...Kg8 29.f3 Nxf3+ 30.Rxf3 gxf3 31.Kf2 Qg2+ 32.Ke3 f2 etc) 28.Qf5+ Kg8 29.Ne2 (there seems nothing better) Rf8 30.Qe5 Rf6! 31.Qxd6 Ng5 etc.
23.g3
MP offered a draw.
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| How would you assess the position? |
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The engines reckon Black may have a slight edge after 23...Rc7!?, one line running 24.Qd1 Qf5 25.e4!? dxe4 26.Rxe4 Rcd7!? 27.Qxg4 Qxg4 28.Rxg4 f5!? 29.Rg6 Kh7 30.h5 Rh8 31.Ne2! Nf8 32.Rg5 Kf6 33.f4 Nh7 34.Rg6+ Kf7, but there are many alternatives along the way, although it does seem Black gets at least enough for a pawn.
23...g5 24.Qe2 Qf3 25.Qxf3?!
This leaves White in danger of falling into a mating net. The engines reckon 25.Kh2!? is equal.
25...gxf3 26.hxg5?
Best may be 26.Kh2!?, but 26...g4 gives Black at least a slight edge, according to the engines.
26...Nxg5
Even stronger is 26...Kg7!, eg 27.e4 Nxg5 28.exd5 Rh8!, transposing to a position reached in the game.
27.e4?!
Probably better is 27.g4 Kg7 28.Kh2 Rh8+ 29.Kg3 Rh3+ 30.Kf4, although after 30...Ne6+ Black has at least the upper hand, according to the engines.
27...Kg7 28.exd5
There seems nothing better.
28...Rh8! 29.Re3?
Better, but still losing, is 29.Re5, eg 29...Nh3+ 30.Kh2 Nxf2+ 31.Kg1 Nh3+ 32.Kh2 cxd5.
29...Rh5 0-1
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