Caro-Kann Bronstein-Larsen
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6!?
This recapture has very much played second fiddle to 5...exf6 in recent years, and the latter is much preferred by Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.
6.c3
This consolidating move is the main continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database. The engines suggest 6.Nf3.
6...Bf5 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Bf4 Bg7 9.Qe2!?
Stockfish17.1 prefers 9.Be3!? or 9.a4; Dragon1 gives 9.Bd3 or 9.Be2.
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| How should Black respond? |
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9...Qa5
The engines like 9...e5!?, the very move 9.Qe2 was supposedly stopping. A possible continuation runs 10.dxe5 fxe5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5!? 12.Bxe5 0-0 13.0-0-0 Qa5, with an unclear position in which the engines reckon White should play 14.g4!?, or offer the exchange with 14.Rxd7!? After the latter, Black has to decline the offer as 14...Bxd7?? loses to 15.Qh5. However, Black has 14...Qxa2, when 15.Rd3!? Qa1+ 16.Kc2 f6 17.Bd4 Rad8 is still not clear. After 14.g4!?, Black is obliged to play 14...Bg6!?, when 15.Rxd7 Qxa2 is again sharp and unclear.
10.Nd2!? Qd5 11.Qe3
White is slightly better after 11.Nc4, according to the engines.
White is slightly better after 11.Nc4, according to the engines.
11...Qe6 12.Bc4 Qxe3+ 13.fxe3 e5 14.e4!? Bg6 15.Be3 f5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.0-0 Bg6 18.Rae1 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled (kingside - unusual in the Bronstein-Larsen), how would you assess the position? |
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White is ahead on development, and has two pawn islands against Black's three, but Black has pressure against d4. The engines call the game equal, although for quite some time Dragon1 prefers White.
19.Nb3
The engines suggest 19.d5!?
The engines suggest 19.d5!?
19...Rfe8 20.Be2
The engines prefer 20.Na5 or 20.Nc5!?
20...a5 21.Bg4?!
The bishop hits the knight, but in return the knight hits the bishop ...
21...Nf6
... gaining time to relocate to d5.
22.Be2?
It was necessary to play 22.Bd1 or 22.Bf3, but in each case with the upper hand for Black, according to the engines.
22...Nd5 23.Bf2 Nf4
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 23...a4 24.Nc1 exd4 25.Bxd4 Ne3! 26.Bxe3 Rxe3, eg 27.Bf3 Bh6! 28.a3 (28.Rxe3 Bxe3+ 29.Kh1 Rd8) Ra5!? 29.Kf2 Rxe1 30.Rxe1 Rb5.
24.Nc1 exd4 25.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 26.exd4 Ne6
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| White cannot save the d pawn |
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27.Rd1 Rad8 28.d5!? cxd5 29.Rd2 Re7 30.Rfd1 Be4 31.Nb3 b6 32.Nd4!? Nxd4 33.Rxd4 f5 34.Bc4!? Kg7 35.Kf2?!
The engines much prefer 35.Bd3!?, but agree Black is winning.
35...Kf6 36.g3 Ke5 37.Bb3 Rc7 38.Ke3 b5 39.a3 Rc5 40.R4d2 Rd6!?
Preparing to open a second front.
41.h4!? Rg6 42.Rg1 Rxg3+!? 43.Rxg3 f4+ 44.Kf2 fxg3+ 45.Kxg3 Rc1 46.Bd1 d4 47.Kf2 Rc6!? 48.Be2 b4 49.axb4 axb4 50.Bd3?!
This loses a pawn, but White was already down the equivalent of about a rook, according to the engines.
50...Bxd3 51.Rxd3 Rc2+ 52.Kg3 Rxb2
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| Not all rook-and-pawn endings are drawn |
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53.Rf3 Rc2 54.Kg4 Rc6 55.Rf5+ Ke4 56.Rb5 d3!? 57.Rxb4+ Ke3 58.Rb7 Rd6 59.Re7+ Kf2 60.Rxh7 d2 61.Rf7+ Kg2 0-1
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| Easter determines when the Bad Wörishofen congress is held, and, with Easter being a week earlier next year, the chess starts on Friday March 5 |
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