Haran Rasalingam (2011) - Spanton (1960)
Réti/Caro-Kann Exchange
1.Nf3 c5 2.e3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.exd4 d5
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| This position occurs 6,046 times in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database - the Caro-Kann move-order would be 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 Nc6 |
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5.Bd3
Stockfish17 and Dragon1 suggest 5.c4!?, when we are in the territory of the Panov-Botvinnik Attack.
5...Nb4!? 6.Be2 Bf5 7.0-0!?
Apparently a novelty.
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| How should Black respond? |
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7...Qb6?
Both 7...Nc2?? and 7...Bxc2?? lose a piece to 8.Bb5+ etc, but the text is also bad. I should have remembered Chess Tip Of The Day 37:
I find it a fairly reliable rule never to play Qb3 (or ...Qb6) early in any opening unless the queen goes there with a threat.
Cecil Purdy, Fine Art Of Chess Annotation And Other Thoughts - Volume Two
The engines suggest 7...e6, 7...Nf6 or 7...a6!?
8.Nc3
White is better after this, according to the engines, but they reckon White is winning after 8.c4!?, eg 8...e6 9.Nc3 Nf6 (9...Ne7 may be a slight improvement) 10.c5!? with an initiative.
8...Nf6
Grabbing a pawn with 8...Nxc2?? is still a blunder, thanks to 9.Bb5+, and 8...Bxc2?! looks incredibly risky, eg 9.Qd2 Be4 10.Ne5, with Black behind on development and unlikely to castle anytime soon.
9.Bf4 Rc8?
Better is the natural 9...e6.
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| How should White proceed? |
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10.Qd2?
This throws away all (Dragon1) or most (Stockfish17) of White's advantage. White had several strong moves, including 10.Ne5 and 10.Bb5+, but probably best is 10.Na4!?, when the engines continue 10...Qa5 11.Nc5 e6 12.c3!? Bxc5 13.dxc5 Nc6 14.b4 with what they reckon is a positionally won game.
10...e6
At last!
11.Rfe1?
This is asking too much of the position. The engines still like Na4, but with the black queen's knight protected, Black can reply 11...Qc6 with equality (Dragon1) or at least only a slight disadvantage (Stockfish17).
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| What should Black play? |
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11...Nxc2
Also promising is 11...Ne4!?, but greed is good, at least on this occasion.
12.Nh4?
Better is 12.Bb5+ with complicated play, albeit favouring Black. The engines' main line runs 12...Kd8 13.Ne5 Bb4! (13...Rc7 also favours Black) 14.Nxf7+ Ke7 15.Nxh8 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Qxb5 17.Rab1 Qc6 (17...Qa6!? may be even stronger) 18.Be5 Rxh8, when Black is winning on material.
12...Nxd4??
Several moves win relatively comfortably, including 12...Nxe1 and 12...Qxb2.
13.Nxf5?
Winning is 13.Be3, eg 13...Nxe2+ 14.Rxe2 Qc6 15.Nxf5 exf5 16.Bd4+, when 16...Kd8 17.Bxf6+ gxf6 18.Nxd5; 16...Be7 17.Bxf6+ Qxf6 18.Nxd5; and 16...Ne4 17.f3 are all deeply unpleasant for Black.
13...Nxf5 14.Nxd5?
A faulty combination, whereas after both 14.Rac1 and 14.Bb5+ White has a fair bit of compensation for two pawns, and practical chances.
14...Nxd5 15.Qxd5 exd5??
Black is a sound pawn up, and winning, according to the engines, after 15...Bc5 16.Qf3 (forced) 0-0.
16.Bb5+ 1-0
I do not think Haran will be able to call this his Immortal Game, but it would have had a pretty-looking final position if I had been sporting enough to allow it.
Dulwich won the match 5-3.
MY BATTERSEA SEASON 2024-5
DATE.....EVENT...........................COL..RATING..OPP'S RATING..SCORE..SEASON PERF
12/9/24..Central London League....W......1933..........1886................1............2286
26/9/24..Central London League....B.......1933..........2112................1............2399
15/10/24.Club Championship.........W......1968..........1578................1............2259*
31/10/24.Central London League...B.......1968..........1867................0...........2061*
19/11/24.London League...............W.......1957..........1991................1............2127*
21/11/24.Central London League...B.......1957..........2035................=............2112*
27/11/24.London League...............W.......1957..........1723................=............2056*
12/12/24.Central London League...B.......1965..........2153................0............2018*
7/1/25.....Club Championship.........B.......1958..........1785................1............2037*
9/1/25.....Central London League...B.......1958..........1851................0............1978
14/1/25....Eastman Cup.................B........1958..........2052................1............2021*
28/1/25....London League..............B........1958..........1766................1............2033*
4/2/25......London League..............B........1980..........1757................1............2043*
6/2/25......Central London League..W.......1980..........1932................0............2006*
11/2/25....Central London League..B........1986..........2178................=............2018*
13/2/25....Central London League.W........1986..........1998................1............2042*
27/2/25....Central London League..B........1986..........1996................0............2015*
13/3/25....Central London League..B........1984..........2286................0............2008*
17/3/25....London League..............W........1984..........1870................0............1980*
3/4/25......Central London League..W.......1985...........2127...............0............1967
8/4/25......London League..............W........1985..........1992................=............1968
9/4/25......London League...............B........1985..........2004................0............1952
22/4/25....Croydon League.............B....... 1985..........1735................0............1925
13/5/25....Croydon League.............W.......1960..........1844................1............1939
20/5/25....London League...............B........1960..........2011................0............1926
*My season's performance is slightly better than this as my win against a 1578 was a 1978 performance, lowering my average despite me winning.
I also scored a default win in a Croydon League match.
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