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| Beaver (I think) preening itself - three days after a wild boar rushed past within 20 yards of where I was walking on a forest track (but I did not even come close to snapping a pic of that animal) |
I was downfloated.
Spanton (1997) - Horst Prüsse (2006)
Maróczy Bind
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6 3.c4!?
This is the third-most popular response to the O'Kelly Variation of the Sicilian, behind 3.c3 and especially 3.d4 in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but it is the top choice of Stockfish18 and Dragon1.
3...e6 4.Nc3 Qc7!?
This committal move with the queen is easily the commonest continuation in Mega26, and was the choice of Albéric O'Kelly de Galway when he reached the position in 1948, although 15 years later he preferred 4...Nc6 (both games were drawn).
5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 b6!?
This was O'Kelly's choice is the 1948 game, his opponent replying 7.Bd3.
7.Be3 Nc6 8.Rc1!? Nf6
Branko Damljanović (2504) - Igor Miladinović (2536), Serbian Team Championship 2021, went 8...Bb7 9.a3!? Nf6 10.Be2 Bc5 11.b4 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Bd6!? 13.Qd3 Rc8!? 14.g3 h5!? 15.h4, with at least a slight edge for White, according to the engines (½–½, 37 moves).9.Be2 Bb4 10.f3 0-0 11.Qd2!? Kh8!? 12.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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The opening has been a success for White. Black has not challenged the Maróczy Bind with any of the three classic pawn-breaks, ...b5, ...d5 and ...f5, and White is ahead on development. The engines give White the upper hand.
12...Nxd4 13.Bxd4 Bc5 14.Rfd1 Bb7 15.Na4 Bd6 16.g3?
White has at least the upper hand after both 16.h3 and 16.e5!?, according to the engines, eg 16.e5!? Bxe5 17.Bxe5 Qxe5 18.Nxb6.
16...Bxg3! 17.hxg3 Qxg3+ 18.Kf1
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| Black to play and (at least) draw |
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18...Bxe4?
Correct is 18...Nxe4 19.fxe4 f5 20.Bxg7+! (everything else loses) Kg8! (White wins after 20...Kxg7? 21.Qc3, and is on top after 20...Qxg7?! 21.Qe3!) 21.Bxf8 Qh3+ 22.Kf2 Qh4+ 23.Kf1 (not 23.Ke3? Qxe4+ 24.Kf2 Qg2+ 25.Ke3 Qg3+ 26.Bf3 Qxf3+ 27.Kd4 e5+ 28.Kxe5 Qe4+, when mate follows in short-order) Qh3+ etc.
19.fxe4 Qh3+ 20.Ke1 Nxe4 21.Qf4
Not the only winning move.
21...Qh1+ 22.Qf1 Qh4 23.Bf2
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| White's king has no pawn cover, but Black's attack is over, and White has emerged with two bishops for four pawns |
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23...Qe7 24.Nc3 f5 25.Qg2 d5!?
Seeking to open lines to the white king, or create a big pawn-roller, but only a major blunder can change the outcome.
26.cxd5 exd5 27.Nxd5 Qd6 28.Bd4 Rg8 29.Nc3 Qh6 30.Nxe4 fxe4 31.Rc3 e3!? 32.Bxe3 Qh4+ 33.Bf2 Qb4 34.Rd2 Rad8!? 35.Rxd8 Rxd8 36.Qg5 Re8 37.Qd2 Qe4 38.Re3 Qb1+ 39.Qd1 Qg6 40.Rxe8+ Qxe8 41.Bxb6 1-0
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