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| Awaiting a new arrival in the family? |
Spanton (2003) - Stephen Williams (1870)
Scandinavian
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 Bg4
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| How should White proceed? |
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6.h3
The main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 6.c5!? N6d7 7.Bc4 e6 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nc3, with the upper hand for White, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1, but they reckon 8...Bxf3!? is a major improvement for Black.
6...Bh5?!
The engines also prefer ...Bxf3 here.
7.Be3
After 7.g4!? Bg6 8.Qb3!? the engines reckon White has a positionally won game (Stockfish18) or at least the upper hand (Dragon1).
7...e6 8.g4!? Bg6 9.Ne5
The engines suggest 9.Nc3 or 9.a3!?
9...Be4!?
This apparent-novelty is the engines' top choice, ahead of the known moves 9...N8d7 and 9...Be7. However, my opponent was playing quickly here, so although the text is not in Mega26, it is probably a published idea, and the game does soon transpose into known lines.
10.f3!?
Dragon1, but not Stockfish18, marginally prefers 10.Rg1.
10...Bxb1
9...Be4!? turns out to have been a zwischenzug that led to White weakening the h4-e1 diagonal.
11.Rxb1 Bb4+
This looks very natural, but the engines prefer 11...N8d7 or 11...Be7. The reason is probably that the bishop proves vulnerable on b4, despite forcing White to move the king, as 12.Bd2? runs into 12...Qh4+!? (the engines reckon this is even stronger than 12...Qxd4) 13.Ke2 Bxd2 14.Kxd2 f6 15.Nd3 Nc6, with good attacking chances for Black.
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| After 11...Bb4+, where should White's king go? |
*****
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12.Ke2
The engines slightly prefer 12.Kf2, when Sergio Duran Vega (2304) - Edison Ruge (2205), Latin Cup (Cali, Colombia) 2012, continued 12...Be7!? 13.Qb3 Bh4+ 14.Kg2 0-0 15. f4, with the upper hand for White, according to the engines, although the game was eventually drawn.
12...N8d7 13.Qb3
The engines suggest 13.Nd3 or 13.f4.
13...Nxe5 14.dxe5
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| Black to play and obtain seemingly equal chances |
*****
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14...c5?
Better than the text, but probably still good for White, is 14...Be7?! 15.Rd1, but Black is fine after 14...Qe7, according to the engines.
15.a3 Ba5 16.Rd1 Nd7 17.Bxc5
The engines prefer slow build-up with 17.Bg2!?, or consolidation with 17.f4!?
17...Bc7?
After 17...Rc8 18.Bd6 Bc7, White has at least the upper hand, but that is much better than the text, according to the engines.
18.f4
The engines reckon the pin down the d file, combined with Black's inability to castle, makes for an advantage worth more than a minor piece.
18...b6 19.Bb4 a5 20.Bd6 Bxd6 21.Rxd6 0-0
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| The black king has found safety, and indeed looks safer than White's king, but Black is losing material |
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22.Bg2 Qc7!?
Giving up the exchange, but after 22...Ra7 23.Rhd1 Qe7 (23...Nc5 24.Qxb6) 24.Qb5 Nb8 (24...Rd8 25.Qxb6!) 25.Rxb6, White is two pawns up and with a continuing initiative.
23.Bxa8 Rxa8 24.Rhd1 Nf8
There is nothing better, but ...
25.Rxb6
... leaves White up two pawns as well as the exchange.
25...Ng6 26.Kf3 Nxe5!?
This is objectively bad, but at least exposes the white king to harassment.
27.fxe5 Qxe5 28.Kg2 Rf8
If 28...Qe2+, then 29.Kg1 ends the checks immediately.
29.Qd3 f5!? 30.Rb5 Qc7 31.gxf5 Qc6+ 32.Kh2 Qc7+ 33.Qd6
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| The checks are effectively over, with White up a rook and a pawn |
*****
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33...Qa7 34.Qxe6+ Kh8 35.c5 Qc7+ 36.Qd6 Qc8 37.Qd7 Qa8 38.Rb7 Rg8 39.f6 k6 40.fxg7+ Kh7 41.Qf5#
TEAM RESULT
| Bo. | 13 | England 3 | Rtg | - | 17 | England 4 | Rtg | 3 : 1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.1 |
| 2003 | - |
| 1870 | 1 - 0 | ||||||
| 8.2 |
| 1950 | - |
| 1791 | ½ - ½ | ||||||
| 8.3 |
| 1921 | - | AFM |
| 1722 | ½ - ½ | |||||
| 8.4 |
| 1903 | - |
| 1637 | 1 - 0 |
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