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| Olomouc rosarium |
Spanton (2003) - Antonín Kubíček (2069)
English Symmetrical
1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 e6 6.Bxc6!?
There are just 64 examples of this continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but it has been played by grandmasters, and scores an excellent 62%. The move has similarities with a line in the Rossolimo System against the Sicilian, ie 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6!? In both cases, whichever way Black recaptures, White's idea is not just to manoeuvre against Black's doubled pawns, but to try to keep the black light-square bishop out of play.
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| How should Black recapture? |
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6...bxc6
This is slightly more common than 6...dxc6, but Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon both recaptures are equally valid.
7.f4!?
To discourage ...e5.
7...d5 8.Nf3!?
This is the engines' top choice.
8...dxc4 9.dxc4 Bxc3+!? 10.bxc3 Qxd1+ 11.Kxd1
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| How would you assess this queenless middlegame? |
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The pawn-structure is almost symmetrical, but the engines reckon White has at least the better part of equality, perhaps because they believe it is easier for White to develop with effect.
11...Ba6
This may be a novelty. Vladislav Artemiev (2698) - Abtin Atakhan (2414), Abu Dhabi 2023, went 11...Nf6 12.Be3 Ne4 13.Kc2 Ba6 14.Kd3 Nd6 15.Bxc5 Nxc4 16.Kc2, when the engines reckon 16...0-0-0 would have equalised. Instead, the game saw 16...Nb6, when 17.e4 gave White at least a slight edge, according to the engines (1-0, 51 moves).
12.Nd2
The engines prefer 12.Be3 Nf6, and now 13.Nd2, but reckon Black should avoid 12...Bxc4?!, claiming 13.Nd2 Ba6 14.Ne4 gives White at least the upper hand.
12...0-0-0 13.Kc2 Nf6 14.Ba3 e5!?
The engines prefer this over the defensive 14...Nd7.
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| How should White respond? |
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15.fxe5
Not 15.Bxc5? Rxd2+! 16.Kxd2 Ne4+ and 17...Nxc5.
15...Ng4 16.Bxc5 Rhe8 17.Bxa7 Rxe5
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| Has Black enough compensation for two pawns? |
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Yes, according to Stockfish18, but Dragon1 is less sure.
18.Rae1 Ra5 19.Ra1 Re5
Not 19...Bxc4? 20.Bb6.
20.Rae1
I offered a draw in what the engines agree is a completely equal position (it seems Rhe1, both here and at move 18, was a tad better, one point being ...Nxh2?! can be met by Bd4, with what the engines reckon is at least the upper hand for White).
20...c5!?
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| How should White proceed? |
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21.Nb3?
Both 21.Rb1 and 21.e4!? maintain equal chances, according to the engines, eg 21.e4!? Kb7 22.h3 Nh6 23.Nf3 Rde8! (an only-move) 24.Nxe5 Rxe5 25.Rd1!? Kxa7 26.Rd7+ Ka8 27.Rd5 Rxe4 28.Rxc5 Bxc4 29.Rb1, with what the engines reckon is complete equality.
21...Bxc4 22.Nxc5
Even worse is 22.Bxc5? Bxb3+ 23.axb3 Rxc5.
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| Black to play and win |
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22...Ne3+?
The simple 22...Re7 23.Bb6 Rd6 24.Na4 Bb5 is very strong, eg 25.Bb5 Bxa4+ 26.Kc1 Rde6 27.Bxe7 Rxe7, after which White has rook and two pawns for bishop and knight, but Black's greater activity, combined with White's pawn weaknesses, add up to a winning advantage, according to the engines.
23.Kc1
Not 23.Kb1? Re7 24.Bb6 Rd6 25.Na4 Rb7 (25...Bb5?? fails to 26.Bc5, as 26...Bxa4 no longer comes with check) 26.Kc1 R(either)xb6 27.Nxb6+ Rxb6, when again White has rook and two pawns for bishop and knight, but the engines again reckon Black is winning.
23...Re7 24.Bb6 Rde8!?
This seems to give Black better winning chances than 24...Rd6 27.Na4, when Black has to avoid the Bc5 skewer.
25.Nb3 Bd5 26.Rhg1 Nc4 27.Bd4?!
Almost certainly better is 27.Bf2!?, the idea being to meet 27...Rxe2 with 28.Nd4, when Black has recovered one pawn and has enough compensation for the other, but no more, according to the engines.
27...Rxe2 28.Rxe2 Rxe2 29.Rf1?!
Perhaps 29.Rd1 is best, but the engines are unsure.
29...Rxh2 30.Rd1?!
But this is now probably a move too late, although 30.a4 Ra2 31.Rf2 (31.a5? Ra3) Rxa4 is also very pleasant for Black.
30...Rxa2
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| Black is a pawn up, with a continuing attack |
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31.Nc5?
The engines give 31.Bf6 Be6 32.Rd4, but reckon Black is winning after 32...Ne3 or 32...Rf2.
31...Bf3 32.Rg1?!
This allows mate-in-four, but the engines' 32.Rd3 Be2 33.Re3 is not much better after 33...Nxe3.
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| Can you find the checkmate? |
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32...f5?!
Black is still winning after this, but 32...Na3 mates on the move, unless White delays it with 33.Rg2!? Rxg2 34.Bf2!?.
33.Kb1 Re2 34.Kc1?
This again sets up a mate-in-four, so perhaps best is 34.Ka1 Na3 35.Rc1 Bd5 36.c4!? Nxc4 37.Rc3, when the threat of imminent checkmate is gone, but Black is two pawns up.
34...Na3 35.Kd1 Nc2?
Black delivers checkmate with 35...Rh2+ 36.Ke1 (36.Kc1 Rc2#) Nc2+ 37.Kf1 Be2#.
36.Kc1?
36.Kc1?
Once again setting up a mate-in-four for Black, although the engines' 36.Rf1!? Rf2+ 37.Rxf1+ Kxc2 leaves White down the exchange and a pawn.
36...Kc7?
The ...Na3 idea is still the correct mating route.
37.Rf1 Nxd4 38.cxd4 Bd5
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| The white king is relatively safe, and Black is 'only' a pawn up, but both White's remaining pawns are weak, and the bishop is better than the knight |
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39.g4? fxg4
Now White is two pawns down, and Black's advantage is worth a rook (Stockfish18) or even a rook and a minor piece (Dragon1).
40.Na6+ Kb7 41.Nb4 Bf3 42.d5 Re4 43.Nc2 Rc4 44.Kd2 h5 45.Ne3 Ra4 46.Rb1+ Kc7 47.Rc1+ Kd7 48.Rc6
48.Nc4 threatens a deadly fork on b6, but is easily countered by 48...Ra2+.
48...Be4 49.Nc4
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| Black has numerous winning moves, but a little care is still required |
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49...Ra2+?
Winning moves include 49...Bxd5, 49...Kd8!?, 49...g3 and 49...Rxc4!?
50.Ke3 Bxd5!?
Or 50.Bf5 Ne5+ and 51...Nxg6.
51.Rd6+ Ke7 52.Rxd5 Kf6 53.Rd6+ Kf5 54.Rd5+ Kf6 55.Re6+ Kg5 56.Ne5 Ra3+ 57.Kf2 Ra2+ 58.Ke3 ½–½
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