FACED an Austrian.
Robert Hafner (2031) - Spanton (1919)
Colle-Zukertort
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 Nf6 4.b3 Bd6
Throwing in the moves 4...Bb4+ 5.c3, and then 5...Bd6, probably does not make much difference as White will likely want to play c4 at some point anyway.
5.Bb2 0-0 6.Be2 b6 7.Nbd2 Bb7 8.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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The pawn-structure is symmetrical, and the piece-setup is not far off it. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon the game is equal.
8...Nbd7 9.c4 Rc8 10.Rc1 Qe7 11.Qc2 c5 12.Rfd1 Rfd8 13.Qb1 h6!?
Possibly a novelty. The engines suggest 13...dxc4, 13...cxd4 or 13...Bb8.
14.h3 Ne4!? 15.cxd5!?
This is the engines' top choice. They reckon 15.Nxe4 dxe4 gives Black at least a slight edge.
15...exd5 16.dxc5!?
Again the pawn capture gets engine approval.
16...Bxc5
The engines are not keen on this, reckoning 16...Ndxc5 keeps White's advantage to a slight edge.
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| What is Black's threat, and how should White respond? |
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17.Nd4!?
This is the engines' top choice, although they also quite like 17.Nxe4. White had to be careful, though, as Black threatened 17...Nxf2!
17...Qh4?
Best seems to be the engines' 17...Ne5, but also better than the text are 17...Nd6 and 17...Bxd4!?
18.Nxe4 Qxe4
Worse is 18...dxe4? 19.Nf5.
19.Bd3
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 19.Qxe4!? dxe4 20.Nf5, eg 20...Bf8 21.Rxc8 Bxc8 22.Bb5 a6 23.Bc6 h5 24.g4 hxg4 25.hxg4 g6 26.Bf6 Re8 27.Bxd7 Bxd7 28.Rxd7 gxf5 29.gxf5, when White is a pawn up and with much the better pieces. If 20...f6, then 21.Bc4+ Kf8 22.Be6 Bc6 23.Nd4 Ke7 24.Bg4 is very good for White.
19...Qe8 20.Nf5 Ne5
Not 20...Bf8? 21.Nxh6+!
21.Be2!?
The engines fluctuate between the two bishop retreats.
21...Bf8 22.Qa1!?
The engines like this. It induces a weakening of the black king's position.
22...f6 23.Qb1!? Rxc1!?
Played on the principle that a weak IQP is easier to defend with fewer heavy pieces on the board.
24.Rxc1 Rc8 25.Nd4!? Rxc1+ 26.Qxc1 Qc8 27.Qxc8 Bxc8
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| How would you assess this minor-piece ending? |
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The isolated queen's pawn constitutes a major weakness, giving White the upper hand, according to the engines.
28.f4!? Ng6 29.Bf3 Bb7 30.Kf2
In the postmortem RH suggested 30.Nb5, when the engines continue 30...a6 31.Nc7 Bc5 32.Kf1!?, the point being 32...Bxe3 33.Nxd5 Bxd5 34.Bxd5+ Kf8 35.g3 leaves White with the bishop-pair on a relatively open board. The engines reckon Black should prefer 32...Ne7, but agree 33.Bd4!? Bxd4 34.exd4 gives White at least a slight edge.
30...Bc5 31.Ne6 Bd6 32.g3 Ne7 33.Nd4!?
This is better than 33.Nc7 Bc8!?
33...Kf7 34.Nb5 Bb8 35.Ba3
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| How should Black proceed? |
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35...Ke6?
Several moves seem to hold, including 35...Bc6 and 35...Bc8.
36.Bg4+
There is no satisfactory reply to this.
36...Kf7
Certainly not 36...Nf5?? 37.Nd4+, while after 36...f5?! 37.Nd4+ Kf6 38.Bxe7+ Kxe7 39.Nxf5+ the bishop-pair is nowhere near enough compensation for being a pawn down and with a continuing weakness at d5.
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| White to play and gain what is probably a winning advantage |
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37.Nd6+?
RH rejected 37.Bd6!? because of 37...a6 38.Bxb8 axb5 39.Bc7 Nc8, when 40.Bxc8? Bxc8 41.h4 and 42.Bxb6 wins a pawn, but opposite-colour bishops should save Black. However, White has several improvements at move 40, including 40.Bd7!?, when 40...Bc8 41.Bxb5 Bxh3 leaves the number of pawns equal, but 42.a4!? sets in motion White's newly acquired farside majority, and that wins, according to the engines. Note that 37...Ba6? 38.Bxb8 Bxb5 39.Bxa7 gives White a huge advantage.
37...Bxd6 38.Bxd6
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| Black to play and draw |
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38...f5?!
The simple 38...Bc8 gets the bishop-pair off the board, and so draws easily. Other moves also probably hold, according to the engines, including 38...g6, 38...Nc6 and 38...Ke8.
39.Bf3 Ke6 40.Be5
This is a good outpost for the bishop, and meanwhile Black's remaining bishop looks a sorry piece.
40...g6 41.Bg7
White has the upper hand after 41.g4!?, according to the engines. They reckon the reply 41...fxg4!? is almost mandatory, but after 42.hxg4 they are unsure how Black can put up the best resistance, one line running 42...Ba6 43.Ke1 Bb5 44.Bg7 Ng8 45.Kd2 Bd7 46.Kd3, with continuing white pressure.
41...h5!?
This puts another black pawn on the same colour complex as Black's bishop, but now White will find creating a breakthrough on the kingside difficult.
42.Be2 Nc8 43.Be5 Nd6!?
Correctly judging that the good-v-bad bishop ending is drawn.
44.Bxd6
White can hardly hope for winning prospects if the knight is allowed to settle on e4.
44...Kxd6 45.b4 Bc6 46.Ke1 a5 47.a3 axb4 48.axb4 b5!?
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| Blockading the queenside, but Black's task is made trickier by putting yet another black pawn on a light square |
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49.Kd2 Bd7 50.Kc3 Kc6 51.Kd4 Kd6
Clearly White's king cannot be allowed access to e5 or c5.
Clearly White's king cannot be allowed access to e5 or c5.
52.Bf3 Be6
52...Bc6!? allows 53.g4, when Black may still be OK, but the defence gets more complicated.
53.Bg2 Bf7 54.Bf1 Be8 55.Be2 Bd7 56.Bd1 Be6 57.Bb3 Bf7 58.Kd3 Be6 59.Bc2 Kc6 60.Kd4 Kd6 61.Bd3 Bd7 62.Kc3 Kc6 63.Kd2 Kd6 64.Ke2 Kc6 65.Kf2 Kd6 ½–½
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