Spanton (1941) - Tord Albrigtsen (1717)
Spanish Exchange
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Nc3 0-0-0 9.Be3 Bb4
This is the commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, and dates back to at least 1912.
10.Ne2 Re8!?
A little more popular is 10...Ne7, but Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 fluctuate between the two moves.
11.a3 Bxc3+!?
The engines prefer 11...Bd6, but the text was Svetozar Gligorić's choice when he reached the position.
12.Nxc3 f5!?
This may be a novelty. Gojko Laketić (2425) - Gligorić (2585), Yugoslav Championship (Kladovo) 1990, went 12...Nf6 13.f3 Nd5!? 14.Bd2 f5 15.0-0 Nxc3 16.Bxc3 fxe4 17.fxe4 Rxe4 18.Rae1!? Rxe1 19.Rxe1 Bf5!? 20.Bxg7 Rd8 21.Bf6 Rf8 22.Be7, when a draw was agreed.
13.exf5 Bxf5 14.0-0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Stockfish17.1 calls the game completely equal, but Dragon1 reckons White has at least the better part of equality.
14...Nf6 15.h3 h5 16.Rhe1 h4?!
The engines dislike this, suggesting 16...Ne4 or 16...b6.
17.Bd4
The engines reckon 17.Bg5 gives White at least the upper hand, the point being the black h pawn is weak.
17...b6 18.Bxf6!?
White is slightly better after 18.f3 or 18.Be3, according to the engines.
18...gxf6 19.Ne2 Re4
The engines prefer 19...Rhg8.
20.Nd4 Rxe1 21.Rxe1 Bd7
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| How would you assess this rook-and-minor-piece ending? |
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Black has the better piece for working with a rook, especially with rival pawn-majorities, but that is outweighed by White's better pawn-structure, according to the engines.
22.Ne2?!
Better is 22.Nf3, targeting the weak h pawn.
22...Rh5?!
The pinning 22...Re8 equalises, according to the engines.
23.f4?!
Almost certainly the wrong idea. The engines reckon White has an edge after 23.Nf4.
23...c5!?
Not just taking away the d4 square from the knight, but preparing to target the backward g pawn.
24.Rf1 Bc6 25.Rf2 Rh7 26.f5 Rg7 27.Nf4 Rg5 28.Ng6?!
Probably better is 28.Ne6 Rxg2 29.Rxg2 Bxg2 30.Nf4 Be4 31.Ng6 Kd7 (not 31...Bxf5?? 32.Ne7+ and 33.Nxf5) 32.Nxh4, although Dragon1, but not Stockfish17.1, for quite some time reckons the line wins for Black.
28...Bxg2 29.Nxh4 Bxh3
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| Black has won a pawn and is winning the game, according to the engines |
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30.Kd2 Rg4?!
The engines reckon 30...a5, or advancing the king with 30...Kb7 or 30...Kd7, is stronger.
31.Ng6 Kd7 32.Nf4 Rg3
Black is still at least slightly better after 32...Rh4, according to the engines.
Black is still at least slightly better after 32...Rh4, according to the engines.
33.Nd5 Rg5 34.Nxf6+ Kc6
Not 34...Kd6?? 35.Ne4+ and 36.Nxg5.
35.Ne4 Rxf5 36.Rxf5 Bxf5
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| How would you assess this bishop-v-knight ending? |
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With pawns all on one side of the board, Black's extra pawn should not prevail, but Black can play on with little risk.
37.Ng3 Bg6 38.c3 Kb5 39.Ne2 a5 40.Nf4 Be4 41.Ne6 Kc6 42.c4!?
Putting a pawn on the same colour complex as the bishop, making it a possible target, but the engines are fine with the move, which gains space.
42...Kd6 43.Ng5 Bg2
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| White to play and hold the draw |
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44.Ke3?
The engines show 44.a4!? or 44.b3!? is necessary.
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| Black to play and gain a winning advantage |
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44...Bf1
It seems the only winning move is 44...a4!, a possible continuation being 45.Kf4 (this is White's best try, according to the engines) Ke7! (if 45...Bf1, then 46.Ne4+ and 47.Nd2) 46.Ke5 c6, after which the c4 pawn falls. If 45.Kd3, then 45...Ke5 46.Nf7+ Ke6!? 47.Ng5+ Kf5 48.Nf7 Bf1+ 49.Kc3 Kf6! 50.Nd8 Bg2 traps the knight.
45.Ne4+ Kc6 46.Nd2 Bg2 47.a4!?
Not the only drawing move.
47...Kb7!? 48.Kf4 Bc6 49.b3
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| All white pawns are on the same colour complex as the bishop, but the position is drawn |
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49...Be8 50.Kc5 Bh5
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| White to play and hold the draw |
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51.Kd5?
Three king moves draw (51.Ke6, 51.Ke4 and 51.Kf6!?), but the text is not one of them, and 51.Ne4? also loses, according to the engines.
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| Black to play and win |
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51...Bd1
The winning move is 51...Kc8!, when play might run 52.Ke6 Kd8 53.Ne4 Bd1 54.Nd2 Bc2 55.Kf6 Kd7 56.Ke5 c6!? 57.Kf4 (57.Kf6 Kd6) Ke6 58.Ke3 Ke5 59.Nf3+ Kf5 60.Nd2 Bd1 61.Kd3 Kf4 62.Kc3 Bg4! (if 62...Ke3 then 63.Nb1!? seems to hold) 63.Kd3 Bf5+ 64.Ke2 Bc2! 65.Kf2 Bd3 66.Nf3 Ke4 67.Nd2+ Kd4 with ...Kc3 etc to come.
However, if White had played, for example, 51.Ke6, the plan with 51...Kc8 does not work, as Black has 52.Ke7. Similarly, 51.Ke4 Kc8 is also fine for White, eg 52.Kd3 Kd7 53.Kc3 Kd6 54.Nf1 Ke5 55.Ne3 c6 56.Nc2 Kf4 57.Kd3!? Bg6+ 58.Kd2 Bxc2 59.Kxc2 Ke3 60.Kc3, and the pawn ending is drawn.
[I do not suppose it needs stating, but, just in case, this is all engine analysis.]
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| After 51...Bd1, White has one drawing move |
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52.Ke5
Only 52.Ke6! draws, as after the text the ...Kc8 plan again works. 52.Ke4 also loses to 52...Bc2+, followed by the ...Kc8 plan.
52...c6 53.Kd6 Bc2 54.Kd7 Bh7 55.Nf3 Bf5+ 56.Kd6 Be4 57.Nd2 Bg2 58.Kd7 Bh3+ 59.Kd6 Bf5 60.Ke5 Bg4 61.Kd6 Bd1 62.Kd7 Be2 63.Kd6 Bg4 64.Ne4 Be2 65.Nd2 Bd3 66.Nf3 Be2 67.Nd2 Bd1 68.Kd7 b5
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| The final try |
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69.axb5
The engines show 69.Kd6!? bxa4 70.bxa4 Bxa4 71.Kxc5 also draws, while 69.cxb5 transposes to the game.
69...cxb5 70.cxb5 Kb6 71.Nc4+ Kxb5 72.Kd6
An only-move, but there was little real choice.
72...Bxb3
Or 72...a4 73.Na3+ Kb4 74.bxa4 Bxa4 with similar play as in the game.
73.Nxa5! Bf7 74.Nc6
Not 74.Nb7? c4 75.Nc5 c3 76.Ne4 c2 77.Nc3+ Kc4 78.Ne2 Kd3 79.Nc1+ Kc2 80.Nc3+ Bxc3.
74...c4 75.Nd4+ Kb4 76.Nc2+ Kb3 77.Nd4+ Kc3 78.Kc5 Kd3 79.Nc6 c3 80.Nb4+ Ke3 81.Nc2+ Ke4!?
Nothing wins - it is a tablebase draw.
82.Ne1 Bg8 83.Kb4 Kd4 84.Nf3+ Kd3 85.Ne1+ Kd2 86.Nf3+ Kc2 87.Ne1+ Kb2 88.Nd3+ Kc2 89.Ne1+ Kd2 90.Nf3+ Ke3 91.Kxc3 Kxf3 ½–½
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