French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Be7 6.0-0 0-0
 |
| Both sides have castled as quickly as is reasonably possible in a game that starts 1.e4 |
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
7.Bg5 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nbd2 Bg6!?
This has been played by a 2420.
10.Bxg6 fxg6?!
But this seems to be a novelty, and probably not a good one, as, although it half-opens the f file for the black king's rook, it weakens e6.
11.Qe2!? c6?
There is no time for this. Stockfish17 and Dragon1 suggest 11...Nc6, 11...Qd6 or 11...h6.
12.Rfe1!?
White has the upper hand after this, according to the engines, but even stronger is 12.Qe6+ Kh8 13.Ne5 Qe8 14.Rfe1 with pressure.
12...Bd6 13.Ne5?!
Almost certainly better is 13.Qe6+ Kh8 14.Ne5 Qc7 15.Bf4!?
13...Na6?
Black should play 13...Qc7 or 13...Re8.
14.Nxc6!
This wins a pawn, without risk.
14...bxc6 15.Qxa6 Qb6!? 16.Qxb6 axb6 17.Re6 Ne8!?
The engines slightly prefer 17...Rad8.
18.Rae1 h6 19.Be7!? Bxe7 20.Rxe7 Nf6 21.a3 Rfe8!? 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Rxe8+ Nxe8
 |
| Is White winning, or merely better? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
Winning, according to the engines - the equivalent of more than a piece ahead.
24.f3 Kf7 25.Kf2 Nd6 26.c3 b5 27.b3 Ke6 28.g4!? g5 29.Ke3 Nb7 30.a4 bxa4 31.bxa4 Na5 32.Kd3 Kd6 33.c4 c5!? 34.Kc3 Nc6 35.dxc5+ Kxc5 36.Nb3+ Kd6 37.Nd4 Ne5
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
38.cxd5?
Suddenly the win is gone, whereas 38.Nf5+ Kc5 39.cxd5 Kxd5 reaches the same position as in the game, but with White rather than Black to play, and that makes all the difference. Also winning, according to the engines, is 38.Nb5+!? Kc5 39.cxd5 Kxd5 40.Nc7+ Kc6 (40...Kc5 41.Ne6+ and 42.Nxg7) 41.Ne6, when Black cannot play 41...Nxf3+ as White has 42.Nd4+ etc.
38...Kxd5 39.Nf5
Or 39.a5 Kc5 40.a6 Kb6 41.Kd2 Kxa6 42.Ke3 Kb6 43.Ne6 Kc6 44.Nxg7 Kd5 45.Nf5 Nf7, after which the black knight will eventually be sacrificed for the last white pawn.
39...Nxf3 40.Nxg7 Ng1 41.Nf5 Nxg3 42.Kb4!? Kc6
The only move that draws, but obvious enough.
43.a5 Nf4 44.Kc4 h5!? 45.Nd4+ Kb7 46.gxh5 Nxh5 47.Kb5
 |
| The position is so drawn that the Syzygy endgame tablebase shows only one possible Black move loses |
*****
*****
*****
*****
47...Nf6
The losing move is 47...Ng3?, when 48.a6+ Ka7 49.Ka5! (only winning move) Ne4 50.Nb5+ Ka8 51.Kb6 g4 52.Nc7+ Kb8 53.a7+ wins.
48.a6+ Ka8
RW offered a draw in my time.
49.Ne6 g4 50.Kb6 Nd5+ 51.Kc5 Ka7 52.Kxc5 ½–½
No comments:
Post a Comment