FACED a 49-year-old.
Přibyl
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6
This is the Přibyl, or Czech, Defence, which is sometimes classified as an offshoot of the Pirc, but is really a system in its own right, although lines can transpose.
4.f4 Qa5 5.Bd2!?
Offering a pawn. The main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 5.Bd3 e5 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Be3 Nbd7 8.0-0, with the upper hand for White, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.
 |
| How should Black respond? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
5...e5
This is the main move in Mega26. Grabbing a pawn with 5...Qb6 6.Nf3 Qxb2?! is very risky, although it has been played by grandmaster Michał Krasenkow (2531). After 7.Rb1 (Krasenkow's opponent played 7.Bd3!?, which is marginally preferred by Dragon1, but not by Stockfish17.1) Qa3 8.Bd3, White has much more than enough for a pawn, according to the engines.
6.Nf3
The engines suggest 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.fxe5 Ng4!?, claiming at least a slight edge for White after 8.Nf3 or 8.Qf3!?
6...exd4 7.Nxd4
Also possible is 7.Nd5!? Qd8 8.Nxf6+ Qxf6 and 9.Bc4 (Stockfish17.1) or 9.Bd3 (Dragon1).
7...Qb6
Black is lost after 7...Qb4? 8.Ncb5!
8.Nb3
The engines like 8.Nf3!?, when capturing on b2 is again very risky.
8...Bg4?!
The engines reckon 8...a5!? equalises (Stockfish17.1) or leaves White with no more than a slight edge (Dragon1). The text seems to help White more than Black.
9.Be2 Bxe2?!
The engines much prefer 9...Be6!?, which is probably a novelty.
10.Qxe2 Qa6!? 11.Qf3!? Nbd7 12.0-0-0
Stockfish17.1 reckons this is an improvement over the aggressive known-move, 12.g4!?, but Dragon1 is less sure. John Leake - Paul de Rooi, Guernsey 1991, went 12.g4!? Nb6 13.0-0-0 0-0-0 14.Kb1 d5 15.e5, with a positionally won game for White, according to the engines (1-0, 32 moves, although in the final position in Mega26 Black is winning, but the last few moves for both sides look very strange).
12...0-0-0
 |
| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
White has more space, a lead in development and the slightly safer king, which add up to a winning advantage, according to the engines.
13.Kb1 Nb6 14.Rhe1 h5?!
This seems rather irrelevant to the coming battle in the centre.
15.e5 Nfd5 16.Ne4 Nc4?!
Black should probably be mobilising with 16...Be7. The engines also suggest 16...Kb8.
17.exd6?!
This is almost certainly not the strongest. The engines like 17.Ng5 and 17.Qh3+.
17...Bxd6 18.Nxd6?!
White still has at least the upper hand after 18.Bc1 or 18.Bc3, according to the engines.
18...Rxd6 19.Re4?!
And now the game is equal, whereas 19.Qh3+ or 19.g4 give at least a slight edge, according to the engines.
19...Rhd8 20.Qe2?
Not 20.Qxh5? Nf6 21.Qf5+ Kb8 22.Re2 (22.Ree1 Nxd2+ 23.Nxd2 Rxd2) Nxd2+ 23.Rexd2 Rxd2 24.Nxd2 Rxd2!, but White should probably play 20.Rd4, or 20.Qh3+ and then Rd4.
 |
| Black to play and gain what the engines reckon is a winning advantage |
*****
*****
*****
*****
20...Ndb6?!
Almost certainly better is 20...Nxd2+ 21.Rxd2 Qxe2, when 22.Rexe2 allows 22...Nxf4. That leaves 22.Rdxe2, but 22...Nf6 is very strong, eg 23.Re7 Rd1+ 24.Nc1 Rh1 25.c4 Rdd1 26.Rc2 Rd7!? 27.Rxd7 Kxd7, when all of Black's pieces are more active.
21.a3?
Relatively best seems to be 21.Re8, but 21...Qb5!, pinning the white knight is good, eg 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8 23.Kc1 Na4 24.Be1 (there appears to be nothing better) Rxd1+ 25.Qxd1 Ncxb2, when Black is a pawn up and has the safer king.
 |
| Black to play and win |
*****
*****
*****
*****
21...Nxd2+?
This allows complete equality. Several moves preserve the upper hand for Black, but the engines' 21...Qb5! wins by threatening to double-capture on d2 with the rooks, at a moment when the white knight is pinned, thanks to the new threat of ...Qxb2#. The engines reckon White has nothing better than the distracting 22.a4!?, but after 22...Qxa4 Black is a pawn up and still attacking, eg 23.Re8 Nxd2+ 24.Rxd2 Rxd2 25.Nxd2 Qxf4, winning a second pawn.
22.Rxd2 Rxd2 23.Nxd2 Qxe2 24.Rxe2 Nd5 25.g3 h4!? ½–½
No comments:
Post a Comment