English
1.e4 d6 2.c4!? Nf6 3.Nc3 e5!?
Most popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database is 3...g6, which is arguably more in keeping with Black's apparent original intent of playing a Pirc. But it is possible Black was aiming for a variation of the Philidor, and anyway after 3...g6 4.d4 Black has to be happy with playing a King's Indian. Also, 3...g6 is not liked by Stockfish 17 and Dragon1, for what that is worth at such an early stage of the opening. By choosing the text, Black has switched into lines of the English in which White, by following up with g3, Bg2 and Nge2 - not necessarily in that order - has a Botvinnik setup in what are generally considered favourable circumstances, ie with a black pawn on e5.
4.g3 Nbd7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.Nge2 c6 7.0-0 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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White has more queenside space, and the better king's bishop. Dragon1 gives White the upper hand, but Stockfish17 awards just a slight edge.
8.d4
ChessBase classifies the opening as "A53: Old Indian Defence without Nf3." There are 239 examples of the position in Mega25.
8...Qc7 9.f4!?
Is there a Four Pawns Attack against the Old Indian? Korchnoi in a 1961 game preferred the more-restrained 9.Be3.
9...Re8 10.h3
Tartakower in a 1924 game played 10.Kh1.
10...Bf8 11.g4!?
And now it is a Five Pawns Attack, which the engines are OK with.
11...exd4
This is best, according to the engines, but after ...
12.Nxd4
... White can be happy at the improved position of the white king's knight.
12...Nc5 13.Qc2 Ne6
An apparently more logical follow-up is 13...a5, but the engines reckon White has a good game anyway.
14.Be3 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Be6!?
The bishop becomes a target here for White's pawn-advance.
16.b3
This seems better than 16.Bxf6?! gxf6, after which White is not well-placed to attack Black's smashed kingside.
16...Qe7
The engines suggest 16...h6, even though it gives White a kingside target.
17.Rae1 c5?!
This weakens the d5 square, as well as making the d pawn backward.
18.Bf2 a6?
There is no time for this. The engines suggest 18...h6!? or 18...Kh8!?, but have White well on top.
19.Bh4 Qc7 20.f5 Bc8
Forced, as 20...Bd7? 21.g5 Nh5 21.Nd5 is horrendous for Black, eg 21...Qd8 22.Bf3 g6 23.Bxh5 gxh5 24.Nf6+ Kh8 25.Qd1 leaves Black hopelessly busted.
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| After 20...Bc8, how should White continue? |
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21.Bxf6!?
This may make Black's defence easier. The engines like 21.e5!? dxe5 22.g5.
21...gxf6 22.Nd5 Qd8 23.Qc3 Bg7 24.Kh1!?
The engines reckon this is slow, preferring 24.Qg3.
24...b5?!
24...b5?!
Loosening. White 'only' has the upper hand after 24...Bd7 or 24...Re5, according to the engines.
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| How should White exploit Black's last move? |
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25.Nf4
25.Nf4
This is not bad, but the engines' 25.e5! lands Black in all sorts of trouble, despite there being three ways to capture the white pawn.
A) 25...fxe5? is worst as 26.f6 Bf8 27.Ne7+ wins the black queen's rook.
B) 25...Rxe5?! allows 26.Rxe5 dxe5 (26...fxe5? 27.f6) 27.Nxf6+ Bxf6 28.Bxa8, winning the exchange. Black can get a pawn for it with 28...bxc4 29.bxc4 Bxf5 30.gxf5 Qxa8+, but 31.Qf3 is strong.
C) 25...dxe5 is relatively best, but White has several good replies, including 26.Rd1 and 26.g5!?, eg 26.g5!? Ra7 27.Rd1 Rd7 28.gxf6 Bxf6 29.Be4!?, when White is a pawn down but winning, according to the engines.
25...Bb7 26.Nh5 Re5 27.Qd2 Qf8?!
Probably better is 27...Rb8, albeit White's pressure continues, eg 28.h4 h6 29.Re3 bxc4 30.bxc4 Bc6 31.Qe2 Bf8 32.Rg3 Qe7 33.Re1, with White retaining the upper hand, according to the engines.
28.Rg1 Rae8?!
The engines give 28...Qe7 or 28...h6.
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| How should White meet the threat to e4? |
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29.Qf4?
The threat to e4 is illusory. Even if it were Black to move in the diagram, capturing on e4 would be bad, ie 29...Bxe4? 30.Bxe4 Rxe4 31.Rxe4 Rxe4 32.g5 Kh8 (there is nothing better) 33.gxf6 Bh6 34.Qg2 Re5 35.Qg7+! Bxg7 36.fxg7+ etc.
Therefore, rather than the text, the engines give 29.g5 as winning, one line running 29...fxg5 30.Qxg5 f6 31.Qh4 with a strong attack. Probably better is 29...Kh8!?, but 30.gxf6 Bh6 31.Qf2 is also winning, according to the engines.
29...Bh6??
A horrible blunder, especially when 29...h6 and 29...Qe7 give equality, according to the engines.
A horrible blunder, especially when 29...h6 and 29...Qe7 give equality, according to the engines.
30.Nxf6+ Kh8 31.g5 Bxg5?!
31...Bg7 is not a great deal better.
32.Qxg5 Qe7 33.Qh6 1-0
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