I WAS upfloated.
Petrov
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d3!? Nf6 6.d4 Be7!?
More popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database is 6...d5, transposing into the Exchange Variation of the French.
7.Bd3 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.0-0 0-0
 |
| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
White has more space in the centre, giving a slight edge, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.
10.c4 Nc6 11.Be3 Nb4!? 12.Be2 d5!?
After 12...Bg6 13.Na3, Black may be for choice, but better is the engines' 13.Ne1!?, and also better, as RS pointed out in the postmortem, is 13.Nh4. My planned 13.Nc3!? Nc2 14.Rc1 Nxe3 15.fxe3 loses the bishop-pair but strengthens White's centre, and also seems playable.
13.a3 Nc6 14.Nc3 dxc4!?
 |
| How should White respond? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
15.d5!?
The engines dislike this, preferring 15.g4!? Bg6 16.Bxc4, claiming a slight edge for White. Also reasonable is 15.Bxc4 as 15...Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Nxd4 17.Qxb7 gives White at least a slight edge, according to the engines. However they reckon Black should meet 15.Bxc4 by getting on with development with 15...Qd7, giving what they reckon are equal chances.
15...Na5
The engines narrowly prefer this over 15...Bxf3 16.Qxf3 Ne5.
16.g4!?
The engines fluctuate between the text and 16.Qa4.
16...Bg6 17.Ne5?!
This is strongly disliked by the engines. They suggest 17.Qa4 b6 18.Bxc4, claiming equality.
17...Bd6 18.Nxc4?
Winning back the pawn, but allowing Black to exchange his offside knight. The engines give 18.Nxg6, but much prefer Black.
18...Nxc4
Even stronger seems to be the engines' 18...Nxg4!?, eg 19.hxg4 Nxc4 20.Bxc4 Qh4. Both 19.Nxa5 and 19.Nxd6 are probably better tries, but in both cases 19...Nxe3 looks to be winning.
19.Bxc4 Ne4 20.Nxe4 Bxe4 21.Qd4?!
Probably better is 21.f3, intending 22.Qd2, or immediately 21.Qd2, with the possibility of f3 to come.
21...f5!?
Protecting the light-square bishop and preparing to bring the king's rook into the attack against an increasingly vulnerable-looking white king.
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
22.g5
This seems best. Definitely bad is 22.f3? as Black has 22...Qh4!, while 22.gxf5? can also be met by 22...Qh4.
22...f4
The engines' 22...Qe8 may be even stronger.
23.Qxe4
 |
| Black to play and win |
*****
*****
*****
*****
23...Qxg5+?!
This looks promising, but Black has a defence, whereas the simple 23...fxe3 leaves White in insurmountable difficulties, according to the engines, eg 24.Qxe3? Rf4! puts White's bishop and g pawn en prise, and after, say, 25.Rac1 Qxg5+ 26.Qg3 Qf6 27.Qe3 Kh8! (keeping queens on the board) White's position collapses. A better try is 24.f4, but the engines' 24...Qe8! is strong, eg 25.Qe6+ Kh8 26.Qxe8 Raxe8 27.Be2 Bxf4 gives Black a pawn advantage, and with more White weaknesses to target.
24.Qg2 Qxg2+
I was worried about 24...Qe5 25.Bd2 f3? 26.Qg3 Qd4?, missing 27.Bc3!, when White remains a piece up.
25.Kxg2 fxe3 26.fxe3 Rae8 ½–½
ADDENDUM (7/7/25): my original analysis around moves 18-19 was seriously flawed, but has now been improved.
No comments:
Post a Comment