FACED a Chinese woman.
Vienna Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d4!?
A relatively unusual continuation, but there are 1,152 examples in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, where it scores a very good 59%. RL explained afterwards that although it has little or no coverage in books, there is quite a lot of information about it online.
3...exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qc4!?
After 5.Qe3 the game would have transposed to the fashionable Centre Game, the normal move-order being 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qe3 Nf6 5.Nc3, a position occurring 3,464 times in Mega26.
 |
| After 5.Qc4!?, how should Black respond? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
5...Be7
Most games have continued with the active 5...Bb4, a move also common in the Centre Game, but the text has been played by Rubinstein and Shirov.
6.Bd2
RL suggested the bishop might be better off on f4 or g5, and Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 agree.
6...0-0 7.0-0-0
 |
| With both sides castling quickly, how would you assess the position? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
White has more central space, and is ahead on development, but the white queen will likely be harassed by a black minor piece, and the white king may have to spend a tempo going to b1. As usual, positions with opposite-side castling are difficult to assess, but, for what it is worth, the engines reckon chances are equal.
7...d6
The engines prefer 7...Re8 or 7...a6.
8.f3!?
They strongly dislike this, reckoning White has a slight edge after the more-energetic 8.f4.
8...Ne5
And here they like 8...Be6, claiming 9.Nd5 Bxd5!? 10.exd5 Ne5 gives Black at least a slight edge.
9.Qe2
RL explained that this is part of White's general strategy, with the queen later going to f2 and coming out on the kingside.
9...Be6 10.Qf2 c6!?
The engines like this, despite the weakening of d6.
11.Nh3 b5 12.Nf4
But probably not 12.Ng5?! Nfg4!
12...Qd7 13.Nxe6 Qxe6
The engines prefer 13...fxe6!?
14.Kb1 a5
The problem with ...b4 in such positions is usually that White can partially blockade Black's pawn-storm with Na4, but in this particular case the engines reckon 14...b4?! is best met by 15.Ne2!, eg 15...d5 16.Nd4 Qc8 17.Nf5 Qe6!? 18.Qg3 Ng6!? 19.Nd4!? Qc8 20.e5, with a strong initiative.
Perhaps best is 14...Rfd8!?
15.g4 a4 16.g5 Nfd7 17.f4 Nc4
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
18.f5?!
RL rejected 18.Bxc4 because of 18...bxc4? (the engines much prefer 18...Qxc4), but 19.f5 is strong, whether 19...Qe5 is met by 20.Bf4 or 20.a3!? The engines reckon preserving the bishop-pair with 18.Bc1!?, while also adding to the defence of the queenside, leaves White with a positionally won game.
18...Nxd2+ 19.Qxd2 Qe5
Black is at least slightly better, according to the engines, but the position remains sharp.
20.f6!?
The engines fluctuate between this and 20.a3!?, which is a typical dilemma of not knowing whether attack or defence should take priority in games with opposite-side castling.
20...gxf6
More-or-less forced, as 20...Bd8?! 21.Bh3! Nc5 22.Qxd6 is good for White.
21.gxf6 Nxf6
21...Bxf6!? is safer, but after 22.Qxd6 the game is equal, according to the engines.
22.Rg1+ Kh8 23.Rg5!?
The engines are unsure whether to prefer the text or 23.a3!?, but agree Black is better.
 |
| What should Black play? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
23...Ne4
The engines prefer 23...Qe6, reckoning it forces 24.a3, after which both 24...b4 and 24...Rfb8 seem to give an edge.
24.Nxe4 Qxe4
 |
| How can White best prosecute the attack? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
25.Bd3??
Completely missing Black's reply. Instead 25.Rh5 is unclear, but promising (Dragon1 reckons White is winning; Stockfish17.1 gives White a slight edge). Play might proceed 25...Qg6 (not, as we thought in the postmortem, 25...f5??, as White wins with 26.Re1) 26.Qc3+! f6! (not 26...Bf6 27.Qh3 and 28.Bd3) 27.Qh3 Rf7 28.Bd3 Qg8 29.Bf5 Rg7 30.Be6 Qb8!? 31.a3, when Stockfish17.1 still gives White only a slight edge, but Dragon1 has downgraded White's advantage to having the upper hand.
25...Bxg5 26.Qxg5 Qe5 27.Qxg5 Qe5 28.Qh6 f5 0-1
Not everyone would resign here, especially at club level, but Black is up the exchange and two pawns, and the black king is safer than it has been for quite some time. Meanwhile, Black has a queenside attack.
No comments:
Post a Comment