Bad Wörishofen Senioren Round Six

Frank Krumland (1744) - Spanton (1919)

Sicilian Hyper-Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c3 Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4 d5 6.e5 Bg4 7.Qa4+!?

A rare try. Many other moves are more common in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, including 7.h3, 7.Nbd2, 7.Be2, 7.Nc3 and especially 7.Bb5+.

How should Black respond?

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7...Nd7?!

This is probably the worst of the plausible continuations, behind 7...Bd7, 7...Qd7 and 7...Nc6, the last-named being the top choice of Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

8.Nc3!?

Apparently a novelty, and, according to the engines, an improvement on the known 8.Qb3, when 8...Bxf3!? 9.gxf3!? e6 10.Qxb7 is a risky pawn-grab, eg 10...Rb8 11.Qxa7? loses material to 11...Qc8! 12.Nc3 Ra8. Better is 11.Qa6, but the engines reckon Black has more than enough for a pawn.

8...Nh6!

This pawn sacrifice is the top choice of the engines, although Dragon1 does for quite some time fluctuate between the text and 8...Bxf3 9.gxf3 e6, when 10.Nb5 Bf8 11.Bg5 Be7 12.Nd6+ Kf8 keeps Black in the game. The problem with an immediate 8...e6?! is 9.Nb5 Bf8 10.Bg5 Be7, when 11.Bxe7 Nxe7 12.Nd6+ Kf8 13.Ng5 is winning.

9.Bxh6?!

The engines reckon White has a slight edge after 9.h3!?, 9.h4!? or 9.Ng5!?

9...Bxh6 10.Nxd5 0-0

Who stands better?

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White's extra pawn is backward and on a half-open file, and White is yet to castle, but has more central space. Black has the bishop-pair and a slight initiative. Equal chances, according to the engines.
11.Be2 Be6!? 12.Ne3 Nb6 13.Qb5 Rc8 14.b3?

Too slow. Probably best is 14.0-0

14...Bxe3!? 15.fxe3 Nd5 16.e4 Ne3?!

This loses much of Black's advantage, whereas 16...Nf4 is difficult to meet satisfactorily, eg if, as in the game, 17.Kf2, then 17...Rc2 18.Rhe1 Qc7 ratchets up the pressure, one line running 19.Rad1 Bd7 20.Qb4 a5!? 21.Qa3 (21.Qxe7 Nxe2, when 22.Rxe2 Rxe2+ 23.Kxe2 loses to 23...Bb5+) Qc3 22.d5 Bb5 23.Nd4 Bxe2 24.Nxe2 f5! If 17.g3, then 17...Bd7 18.Qxb7 Nxe2 19.Kxe2 Bg4 20.Rhd1 Rc3 wins.

17.Kf2 Ng4+ 18.Kg3!? f5 19.exf6 Rxf6?

Black is well on top after the engines' 19...Rc3!, eg 20.h3 Qc7+ 21.e5!? a6!? 22.Qa4 Ne3!? (better than 22...Nxf6, according to the engines) 23.Qa3!? (it is hard to come up with a better suggestion) Nf5+ 24.Kh2 Nxd4 25.fxe7 Nxf3+ 26.Bxf3 Qxe5+ 27.Kg1 Re8 28.Qb2 (28.Bxb7? Qd4+ 29.Kh2 Qf2 and mates) Rxe7, after which Black has restored material equality, but has much the better piece-coordination.

20.h3 Nh6 21.Rhc1

Black has no compensation for a pawn

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21...Rxc1 22.Rxc1 Qb8+?!

The engines suggest 22...Nf7 or 22...g5, but agree White is winning.

23.Qe5 Qd6?! 24.Qxd6 exd6 25.d5

Black is losing a second pawn.

25...Bd7 26.Rc7 Be8 27.Rxb7 Rf7 28.Rb8 Re7

28....Rf8 29.Ra8 is hardly an improvement.

29.Bb5 Kf7 30.Bxe8+ Rxe8 31.Nf7 Ke7 32.Rxe8+ Kxe8 33.Nxh7 Nf7 34.Nf6+ Ke7 35.Ng4 Kd7 36.Kf4 Kc7 37.e5 a5 38.e6 Nh8 39.Kg5 1-0

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