Spanton (1947 ECF/1982 Fide) - Ed Goodwin (1804 ECF/1827 Fide)
French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.c4 c6 6.Nc3 Ne7!?
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| The idea of 6...Ne7!? is to prepare a swop of Black's 'bad' bishop for White's 'good' bishop, the terms 'bad' and 'good' being related to the squares the d pawns occupy |
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7.c5!?
As usual, pushing on like this is controversial. It seems that whenever I do it, analysis engines are not impressed, and when I fail to do it, they reckon pushing on is the best option.
7... Bc7 8.Bd3
Bearing in mind Black intends playing a quick ...Bf5 to exchange light-square bishops, there is something to be said for 8.Be2!?, but that is somewhat passive, and the text has been the choice of grandmasters.
8...Bf5 9.0-0 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Both sides have developed three minor pieces. Light-square bishops are likely to be exchanged, but White has no light-square weaknesses, and any ending, when White's 'bad' dark-square bishop might be a liability, is a long way off. Meanwhile the main difference in the position is surely that White has more space on the queenside, and that may be a large part of the reason Stockfish17 and Dragon1 give White a slight edge.
10.Bg5 f6!? 11.Bh4 Qd7!? 12.Re1 Bxd3 13.Qxd3 Ng6
This may be a novelty. The known move is 13...Na6!?
14.Re3
The engines prefer queenside play with 14.b4.
14...Na6 15.a3 Rae8 16.Rae1 Bf4 17.R3e2 Kf7!? 18.b4 Rxe2 19.Rxe2 Re8 20.Bg3 Rxe2 21.Nxe2!? Bxg3 22.Nxg3 Nc7
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| Material is identical, and White's queenside space advantage seems no longer relevant as White can hardly push pawns there, so the position is completely equal, according to the engines |
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23.h4 Kg8!? 24.h5 Ne7
The engines reckon 24...Nf4 is also completely equal.
25.Qe3 Nf5??
This lets White's queen into Black's position, which is decisive as Black does not have a perpetual. The engines reckon several moves maintain equality, including 25...a6, 25...Ne6 and 25...Kf7!?
Even if it were White to move after 25.Qe3, the engines agree there would be no need to fear 26.h6 as it could be safely met by 26...g6 or 26...g5!?
26.Nxf5 Qxf5 27.Qe7 Qf4
Possibly better is 27...Qc8!?, but then 28.h6 is a problem, with 28...gxh6 29.Qf6 clearly very good for White.
28.Qd8+ Kf7 29.Qd7+ Kg8 30.Qc8+ Kf7 31.Qxb7 Qc1+ 32.Kh2 Qf4+ 33.Kh1 g5!?
This may be Black's best try, but it is easily met.
34.Qxc6 g4 35.Ne5+!?
Not the only winning move.
35...fxe5?!
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| Objectively there may be little between 35...fxe5?! and 35...Kg8!?, but the latter is the better practical try as after it White seems to have only one winning move |
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After 35...Kg8!? White should play 36.Nd3!
Back to the game:
36.Qxc7+ Kf8 37.Qxe5 Qxf2 38.Qd6+ Kg7 39.Qd7+ 1-0
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