Hull 4NCL U2000 Round Two

FACED a junior (born 2014)

Spanton (1953 ECF/1997 Fide) - Dominik Pitel (1818 ECF/1762 Fide)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0-0 g6 6.c3 Bg7 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 e6!?

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 like this alternative to the mainline 8...Nf6, reckoning the two moves are of roughly equal value.

How should White proceed?

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9.Nc3

There is nothing dramatic to be done, although 9.d5!? has some interesting points, as the engines reckon the reply 9...e5!? leaves White with the upper hand. They prefer 9...exd5!?, meeting 10.exd5 with 10...Ne7, and 10.Qxd5 with 10...Nf6.

9...Ne7 10.Qe2 Nbc6!?

This apparent-novelty is the engines' top choice. Known moves are 10...0-0 and 10...d5, although the engines dislike the latter because White has 11.Ne5.

11.d5!? exd5 12.exd5 Nb4?

Going after the d5 pawn is too greedy. The engines give 12...Ne5 13.Bf4!? Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 0-0, when they agree White is slightly better.

13.Re1 Bxc3?

Consistent, but bad. Best, according to the engines, is 13...Kf8!?, but White has much the better game.

14.bxc3 Nxd5 15.c4 Nc7

This was DP's idea. The queen's knight can hop into e6, unpinning the king's knight. But Black is horribly weak on the dark squares, and after ...

16.Bb2 Rg8

... loses kingside castling rights, and has too many weaknesses to defend.

17.Ng5 Ne6

There is nothing better.

18.Nxh7 0-0-0!?

Again, there is nothing better, but now Black loses the exchange.

19.Nf6 Qc6 20.Nxg8 Rxg8

How would you assess this middlegame?

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White is up the exchange, has the only bishop on an open board, and has the safer king, advantages worth close to +4.00, according to the engines.

21.Rad1 Nf5 22.Qe4 Qb6 23.Rb1 Qa5 24.Bf6!?

The engines like this post for the bishop, where it is relatively free from harassment, covers d8, prevents black knights using g5 or h4, and continues to stop ...Rh8.

24...Qa6 25.Qd5

Threatens 26.Rxe6!

25...Re8 26.Red1 Kc7?

The engines suggest 26...Nf4 or 26...Ne7!?, but agree White is winning.

27.c5! Rf8

Not 27...dxc5? 28.Qd7+, nor 27...Nxc5? 28.Qxf7+.

28.cxd6+Nxd6 29.Be5

Technically even stronger is 29.Rxb7+!, provided White sees 29...Nxb7 can be met by 30.Be5+.
29...Rd8 30.Bxd6+ Rxd6 31.Qxd6+ 1-0

The ending after 31...Qxd6 32.Rxd6 Kxd7 33.Rxb7 is hopeless for Black.