Most games are drawn, thanks to the strength of modern engines, but occasionally a game escapes that fate, or is interesting for some other reason.
Héctor Pupo Pérez (2317) - Spanton (2330)
Philippine 5th Year Anniversary Invitational Section 3
Spanish Berlin
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6!?
This modern-looking continuation dates back to at least 1851, but has been taken up by Carlsen, Caruana, Ding, Nakamura and other of today's greats.
5...dxc6 6.0-0 Qe7 7.Nbd2 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.a3 Nd7 10.b4 Bd6 11.Nc4 f6!? 12.Na5 0-0-0!?
This seems to be a novelty. The known move 12...Rb8 may be more prudent, but I like to play adventurously at correspondence, within reason, as a learning exercise.
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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The consequences of opposite-side castling are often hard to judge because there are so many variables. However, Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 give White a slight edge.
13.Rb1 g5!?
Stockfish17.1 dislikes this, but I felt Black has to try something on the kingside, and Dragon1 is less unfavourable.
14.c4 Qe8 15.c5 Be7 16.Be3 g4 17.Nh4 gxh3 18.Qa4!? Nb8
18...gxh2? gives the white king shelter.
19.b5!? cxb5 20.Rxb5 Be2 21.Rc1 Bxd3 22.c6 b6 23.Rb2
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| Black is two pawns up, but White has at least sufficient compensation, according to the engines |
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23...Ba6 24.Nf5 Bf8!?
Stockfish17.1 dislikes this, but Dragon1 is fine with it.
25.g3 h5 26.Nc4 Rd4!
A necessary exchange sacrifice to prevent White blasting through to Black's king by sacrificing on b6.
27.Bxd4 exd4 28.f3
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| Black has two bishops and two pawns for rook and knight |
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The engines give White the upper hand, but the position is imbalanced and unclear.
28...h4!? 29.gxh4 Bc5 30.Na5!?
This is Stockfish17.1's top choice, but Drgaon1 much prefers 20.Kh1!?
30...Qe5 31.Qb3
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| Black is lost, according to Stockfish17.1, but Dragon1 for quite some time reckons the game is completely equal, although eventually comes to give White a slight edge |
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31...d3+ 32.Kh1 Re8 33.h5!?
Suddenly the game is not about mutual attacks on the enemy's king, but a matter of a passed pawn rushing to queen.
33...Bf8 34.Nc4!?
This is best, according to Dragon1, but Stockfish17.1 much prefers 34.Qf7!?
34...Bxc4 35.Rxc4 Bc5
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| The game has, to a certain extent, stabilised to a more-easily understandable one of Black having a pawn for the exchange |
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36.Rb1 d2!? 37.Rc2 Nxc6 38.Rxd2 Qf4 39.Rbd1 Kb7 40.h6
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| After a brief flurry of intermediate moves, it's back to White's dangerous passer |
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40...Ne5 41.Re2 Qxf3+ 42.Qxf3 Nxf3 43.a4!?
The engines agree this pawn needs to be saved, but reckon it is better to push the a pawn after 43.Rd3 Ng5.
43...Ne5 44.Rf1 Rh8 45.Rf4 Ka6 46.Ra2 Nf7
Bizarrely, Stockfish17.1 now gives White only a slight edge, while Dragon1 reckons White is winning.
47.Rh4 Bf8 48.Rxh3 c5 49.Rg2
Dragon1 has lost some of its enthusiasm for White's position, but for quite a while prefers 49.Rah2, before settling on the text, albeit while at first not believing White is winning. Given time, however, it again comes to rate White's position as winning.
49...c4!?
This dampens Dragon1's enthusiasm.
50.Rg6
Dragon1 suggests 50.h7, but the distracting 50...c3!? seems to hold, eg 51.Rh5 (51.Rxc3 Rxh7+ 52.Rh2 Rxh2 53.Kxh2 Bc5 may even marginally favour Black) Bh6 52.Nd4 Rxh7 53.Nb5 Ne5 54.Rc2 Ng4 55.Nxc3 Rg7 56.Nd5 Be3, after which Black does not appear to be in trouble.
50...Ne5 51.Rg2
If 51.Rxf6, then 51...Ng4 forces 52.Rxf8 Rxf8, with equality.
51...Nf7 52.Rg6 Ne5 ½–½
Dragon1 reckons White has an edge in the final position, but Stockfish17.1 calls the position completely equal.
The game is an interesting example of how strong engines can radically differ in their assessments of imbalanced middlegames.
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