King's Indian Attack
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c5 4.0-0 Nc6 5.d3
Staying in KIA territory, but Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon 5.d4!? gives White a slight edge.
5...e5 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.e4 d4 8.Nc4 Qc7 9.a4 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position, which occurs 205 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database? |
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Black has more space in the centre, which is something the engines normally seem to rate highly, but here they give White at least the better part of equality, perhaps thanks to the well-placed queen's knight, and the possibility of a kingside attack in King's Indian style with the push f4.
10.h3 Be6 11.b3 h6 12.Nh2!? Qd7 13.g4?!
The engines strongly dislike this, claiming White is slightly better after 13.f4.
13...Nh7!? 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 Bxc4 16.bxc4 Bd6 17.Bxd6
Preserving the bishop-pair does not make much sense in this closed position, especially as White's dark-square bishop would have to take up a passive position on d2 or c1.
17...Qxd6 18.Nf3 g6!? 19.Qd2 Kg7 20.Rae1
The engines are happy with this, but also like 20.e5!? Nxe5 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Bxb7 Rab8 23.Rae1!? Qd6 24.Bd5, claiming equality.
20...Ne5 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Qf4 Rae8 23.Qxe5+ Rxe5
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| How would you assess this late-middlegame? |
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Black's knight is better than White's bad bishop, but White's rooks will be more active, thanks to having two half-open files to work on, especially the b file. The engines reckon chances are equal.
24.Rb1 b6 25.a5! Re6
25...bxa5?! 26.Rb7 is what White wants.
26.axb6 axb6 27.Rb2 Nf6 28.Rfb1 Nd7 29.Ra1 Rb8 30.Ra7 Ne5 31.Ra6?!
The engines suggest 31.Kf2 or 31.Rb1!?
31...g5?!
The engines like 31...h5, eg 32.gxh5 gxh5, when the white king is looking a little exposed. Dragon1 at first reckons Black is winning, but it soon comes closer to Stockfish18's assessment of a slight edge for Black.
32.Bh1 Kg6 33.Bg2?!
White should be activating the king with 33.Kf2 or 33.Kh2, according to the engines.
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| Black to play and gain what the engines reckon is a large advantage |
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33...Kg7?!
The engines give 33...h5!? 34.gxh5+ Kxh5, with ...Kh4 to come, when again White's king looks vulnerable.
34.Bf1 Kf8 35.Be2 Ke8 36.Rb3 Kd8 37.Kg2 Kc7 38.Kg3 Ng6 39.Bf3 Nh4 40.Bh1 Rf6?
Black should mark time with 40...Ng6 or 40...Kd8.
41.e5 Rf1
Even worse is 41...Re6? 42.Ra7+ Kd8 43.Rxf7, when 43...Rxe5 44.Be4 is winning, eg 44...Re6 45.Ra3 Re7 (White was threatening to double on the seventh) 46.Rf6 etc.
42.Ra7+ Kd8 43.Bd5?!
Probably stronger is 43.Be4, eg 43...Ke8 44.e6! fxe6 45.Rh7, reaching a position similar to one that will be arrived at in the game.
43...Ke8 44.Rba3
Again the engines reckon 44.Be4!? is winning.
44...Re1??
Inexplicably unprotecting f7.
45.Be4?
Inexplicably not capturing on f6. White's advantage after 45.Rxf7 is worth much more than a queen, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish18 is slightly less effusive. Nevertheless, even after the text, White is winning, according to the engines.
45...Re3+?!
Black can probably put up more of a fight after 45...Ke8, but 46.Kf2 Rc1 47.Rd7 Rxc2+ 48.Kg3 Rc1 49.Raa7 Rf1 50.Bd5 is convincing enough for White.
46.Kh2?
Correct is 46.Kf2 Rxh3 47.Bc6+!? Kf8 48.Bd5 etc.
46...Re2+?
Black should play 46...Nf3+, as comes later.
47.Kg3 Re3+ 48.Kh2? Nf3+
This cuts White's advantage to a minimum.
49.Bxf3 Rxf3 50.e6!? fxe6?
50...Rf6 holds.
51.Rh7 Rf7
There is nothing better.
52.Rh8+
This does not spoil anything, but 52.Rxh6 is strong, eg 52...Ke7 53.Ra7+ Kf8!? 54.Rh8+ Kg7 55.Rxf7+ Kxh8 56.Kg3, after which Black has too many weak pawns.
52...Rf8 53.Rh7
Not 53.Rxh6? Ke7, after which Black should hold.
53...Rf7 54.Rh8+? ½–½
It was not too late to play 54.Rxh6, transposing to the note at move 52.
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