Réti
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.b3 d4!?
 |
| 3...d4!? is fourth in popularity in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 3..Be7, 3...c5 and especially 3...Nf6, but is the top choice of Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 |
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
4.e3 c5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 Nf6 7.0-0 d3?
This turns a slightly advantageous position into a losing one (Stockfish17.1), or at least one in which White has the upper hand (Dragon1).
8.Bb2 Bd6 9.Nc3 e5 10.e4?!
But this apparent-novelty throws away a lot of White's advantage. The engines prefer the known 10.Qb1.
10...Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.Re1 Bxf3?
Better is 12...Nd4, although the engines agree White has at least a slight edge.
13.Qxf3 Nb4 14.Red1 Bc7 15.a3 Nc2 16.Rab1 Nd4 17.Qxd3 Nxb3 18.Nd5 Nxd5?
Better is 18...Na5.
19.exd5 Na5 20.Bc3 Bb6?!
Almost certainly better is 20...Bd6.
21.Re1
21.Bxe5 is perfectly safe, but there is no rush to grab material.
21...0-0!?
This is the engines' top choice, ahead of 21...f6 22.Bxa5 Bxa5 23.Rxb7.
 |
| How big is White's advantage? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
White is the equivalent of almost a rook ahead, according to the engines.
22.Rxe5 Nc6 23.Rh5 g6 24.Qe3!?
Stockfish17.1 fluctuates between the text and 24.Rh4; Dragon1 prefers the latter.
24...gxh5?!
Objectively bad, but Black is lost anyway.
25.dxc6 bxc6 26.Bxc6 Ba5!? 27.Qh6 Bxc3 28.Be4!? f5 29.Bd5+ Qxd5!?
Forced.
30.cxd5 Bg7
 |
| How would you assess this imbalanced middlegame? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
Materially, White is 'only' up queen and pawn for rook and bishop, but Black's weak pawns and exposed king mean White's advantage is almost the equivalent of being a queen up for nothing, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish17.1 is less effusive.
31.Qe6+ Kh8 32.Rb7 Rae8 33.Qd7 Rg8 34.Qxf5 Re5 35.Qf7 h4 36.g4 h5?! 37.f4 Re2 38.Qxh5+ 1-0
No comments:
Post a Comment