THE move 3.Bf4, after 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6, lags well behind 3.Bg5 in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database - 4,153 examples of the former compared to 18,144 of the latter.
But the figures for last year alone show a complete reversal - 556 for 3.Bf4 and 294 for 3.Bg5.
Clearly the Jobava-Prié is the Queen's Pawn Game of the future (or at least the present).
But as yet the literature is limited, and even more so from Black's view.
Here are what I believe this series has shown the main ideas of the Jobava-Prié to be.
1) White has a crude threat in Nb5, targeting the c7 square regardless of whether there is a Black pawn there. Even very strong players have occasionally forgotten that the move ...c5 does not stop the c7 square being vulnerable.
2) Black usually needs to take prophylaxis against Nb5. A favourite at the highest levels is an early ...a6 to allow a quick ...c5. The main alternatives are ...c6 and the pinning ...Bb4.
3) White's dark-square bishop on f4 can easily be challenged by Black's dark-square bishop from d6. White's three main responses - Bxd6, Bg3 and ignoring the threat (assuming the f4 bishop is not just hanging) - are quite different and have long-term consequences, but may often be a matter of taste. It is best to decide how you will (normally) react before you sit down at the board.
4) Black has a major decision to make on whether to develop his light-square bishop early and actively outside the pawn-chain on f5, or leave it 'trapped' behind the lines by playing ...e6. Expressed like this, it might be thought the former option is obviously better, but things are not so clear. The bishop is certainly more active on f5, but it can be hit by white expansion, eg f3, g4 and h4 etc, or sometimes f3 and e4. It can also be easily challenged by Bd3, when Black has similar choices to White under 3). When the bishop is left passively on c8, it need not be 'trapped' for long - swopping it for White's light-square bishop via ...b6 and ...Ba6 may be possible.
5) Black usually pressurises White's centre with ...c5 (except in lines where ...c6 is played). In general, Black's chances lie on the queenside, as indicated by the fact that Black usually forms the queenside-pointing pawn-chain f7-e6-d5.
6) White usually hopes to play in the centre and on the kingside. Often this comes via a slow build-up after castling short, but sometimes White can castle long, especially if Black has played ...Bf5 and allowed White to push kingside pawns with tempo.
7) White has a very good chance of getting the basic starting position of the Jobava-Prié, either by 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 or 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4.
After 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3, a French Defence player might try 2...e6, while a Caro-Kann player could choose 2...c6. In each case, White can transpose into these e-pawn openings, or stay in Jobava-Prié territory with 3.Bf4.
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3, Black can head for a Pirc with 2...d6. Grandmasters have played 3.Bf4!? even here but, theoretically at least, it is better to be ready for the consequences of 3.e4.
Similarly, strong players have been happy to play Bf4 after 1.d4 e6 2.Nc3 f5, and even after 1.d4 f5.
8) The Jobava-Prié is not some sensational wunderkind guaranteed to blow blacks off the board. True, there will be games where an inexperienced Black, at least inexperienced in terms of the Jobava-Prié, will go fundamentally wrong at an early stage. But generally White should get on with development and look forward to a middlegame where White's chances lie in the centre and against Black's king, while Black's chances, although not to be underestimated, lie on the less-critical queenside. It is comforting to know that even if White loses the plot at some stage and gets into trouble on the queenside, there is always the possibility Black will allow a coup against the black king.
Showing posts with label Barry Attack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barry Attack. Show all posts
Friday, 27 March 2020
Thursday, 26 March 2020
Ideas Behind The Jobava-Prié (part 11)
AFTER 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 c6, White usually gets on with development, starting with the flexible 4.e3.
Much less popular is 4.Nf3, which rules out f3 as a response to ...Bf5.
Black does now normally play 4...Bf5, one point being that 5.f3, intending a later e4, will be less effective when White has already spent a tempo on e3.
Christophe Philippe (IM 2380) - Frederik Fries (2297)
Oberliga South West 2017-18
5.Bd3
First essayed, it seems, by Alekhine in a 1933 simul.
As when Black plays ...Bd6 to confront White's dark-square bishop, so here Black has three main choices, which are, in increasing popularity in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database: 5...e6, 5...Bg6 and the game's …
5...Bxd3
Now White has a choice. 6.Qxd3, which gives White a lead in development, is most popular, but Black is very solid after 6...e6.
6.cxd3!?
This scores much better than 6.Qxd3.
6...e6 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.0-0 Be7
8...Nh5!? was seen in Yusup Atabayef (IM 2473) - Alexey Dreef (GM 2652), World Rapid Championship (Doha, Qatar) 2016, which continued 9.Bg3 Nxg3 10.hxg3 Bb4 11.Qb3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Rb8 13.c4 with a slight edge for White (½–½, 37 moves).
Philippe - Fries reached the position after 8...Be7 by the move-order 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c6 3.Bf4 Bf5 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.cxd3 Nf6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Nc3 Nbd7.
9.Ne5 0-0
*****
*****
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*****
This position has been reached 10 times in Mega20, with nine different moves being tried.
White has a central pawn-majority, and may hope to advance there to create prospects of a kingside attack. Alternatively he can think about a Minority Attack on the queenside.
Black is very solid, but must create counterplay - he cannot just sit tight and give White time to optimally organise his forces.
This game features the strongest players to reach this position in Mega20, and Philippe's continuation is particularly interesting.
10.Bg5!?
Perhaps thinking of gaining kingside space with f4, which would also open a way for the white rooks to join a kingside attack.
10...Ne8 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Qb3
The exchange of bishops has lessened the chances of a successful outcome on the kingside, so White switches to the queenside.
12...Nd6 13.a4 a5 14.f4?!
White plays f4 after all, but it is doubtful if his position can stand such expansion. The analysis
engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer a more prosaic approach, such as 14.Nxd7 Qxd7, followed by manoeuvring, for example 15.Nb1!? Rb8 16.Nd2 with equal chances.
14...f6
The engines reckon White is overstretched after 14...Nxe5!?, eg 15.fxe5 Nf5 or 15.dxe5 Nf5, in both cases with annoying pressure against e3, and the prospect of the knight jumping into d4 if the e3 pawn moves.
15.Nxd7 Qxd7 16.e4
This is the difference - White is able to mobilise his central pawns.
16...dxe4 17.dxe4 f5 18.d5!? exd5 19.exd5
19.e5? is comfortably met by 19...Ne4.
19...c5?
Better is a move such as 19...Kh8, rather than allowing the d pawn to become a base for actions on the e file.
20.Rae1
Black's weak squares on the e file afford White a way into his position.
20...Rae8 21.Re5 Nf7
The knight was on a good blockading square, but it is difficult to come up with a better suggestion for Black.
22.Rfe1!?
Simple and good is 22.Re6, but the text grows on the engines the longer they are given to consider it..
22...Nxe5 23.fxe5 f4
The only good move, according to the engines.
24.e6 Qd8
24...Qd6? 25.Nb5 helps White.
25.Ne4 Qh4
Equal, according to Komdo10, but Stockfish10 reckons White has a won game. Give them long enough, and Stockfish10 sticks to its guns, but Komodo10 comes to favour White.
26.Rf1 Qg4
Komodo10 suggests sacrificing the f pawn by 26...f3!? 27.gxf3 Qh3 with a position hard to assess. The engines come up with various lines - Stockfish10 much preferring White, but Komodo10 giving Black excellent equalising chances.
27.Qf3 Qg6 28.h3 b6 29.Kh1
White calmly consolidates, apparently confident his central passed pawns at least fully compensate for the exchange, so there is no need to rush.
29...h6 30.b3 Kh7 31.Re1 Re7 32.Nd2 Rf5 33.Qe4 Rf6 34.Nc4 Qxe4 35.Rxe4 Kg6 36.Kg1
Black has been unable to organise restraining pressure on the black passers, let alone blockade them, and White has a choice of ways to win, eg 36.d6 Rexe6 37.d7 Rd6 38.Nxd6 Rxd6 39.Re6+! Rxe6 40.d8=Q, but the text is even more sure.
36...Kf5 37.Re5+ Kg6 38.Kf2 Rb7
Black at last succumbs to the urge to protect the b6 pawn, but the game ends immediately.
39.e7 1-0
Much less popular is 4.Nf3, which rules out f3 as a response to ...Bf5.
Black does now normally play 4...Bf5, one point being that 5.f3, intending a later e4, will be less effective when White has already spent a tempo on e3.
Christophe Philippe (IM 2380) - Frederik Fries (2297)
Oberliga South West 2017-18
5.Bd3
First essayed, it seems, by Alekhine in a 1933 simul.
As when Black plays ...Bd6 to confront White's dark-square bishop, so here Black has three main choices, which are, in increasing popularity in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database: 5...e6, 5...Bg6 and the game's …
5...Bxd3
Now White has a choice. 6.Qxd3, which gives White a lead in development, is most popular, but Black is very solid after 6...e6.
6.cxd3!?
This scores much better than 6.Qxd3.
6...e6 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.0-0 Be7
8...Nh5!? was seen in Yusup Atabayef (IM 2473) - Alexey Dreef (GM 2652), World Rapid Championship (Doha, Qatar) 2016, which continued 9.Bg3 Nxg3 10.hxg3 Bb4 11.Qb3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Rb8 13.c4 with a slight edge for White (½–½, 37 moves).
Philippe - Fries reached the position after 8...Be7 by the move-order 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c6 3.Bf4 Bf5 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.cxd3 Nf6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Nc3 Nbd7.
9.Ne5 0-0
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
This position has been reached 10 times in Mega20, with nine different moves being tried.
White has a central pawn-majority, and may hope to advance there to create prospects of a kingside attack. Alternatively he can think about a Minority Attack on the queenside.
Black is very solid, but must create counterplay - he cannot just sit tight and give White time to optimally organise his forces.
This game features the strongest players to reach this position in Mega20, and Philippe's continuation is particularly interesting.
10.Bg5!?
Perhaps thinking of gaining kingside space with f4, which would also open a way for the white rooks to join a kingside attack.
10...Ne8 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Qb3
The exchange of bishops has lessened the chances of a successful outcome on the kingside, so White switches to the queenside.
12...Nd6 13.a4 a5 14.f4?!
White plays f4 after all, but it is doubtful if his position can stand such expansion. The analysis
engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer a more prosaic approach, such as 14.Nxd7 Qxd7, followed by manoeuvring, for example 15.Nb1!? Rb8 16.Nd2 with equal chances.
14...f6
The engines reckon White is overstretched after 14...Nxe5!?, eg 15.fxe5 Nf5 or 15.dxe5 Nf5, in both cases with annoying pressure against e3, and the prospect of the knight jumping into d4 if the e3 pawn moves.
15.Nxd7 Qxd7 16.e4
This is the difference - White is able to mobilise his central pawns.
16...dxe4 17.dxe4 f5 18.d5!? exd5 19.exd5
19.e5? is comfortably met by 19...Ne4.
19...c5?
Better is a move such as 19...Kh8, rather than allowing the d pawn to become a base for actions on the e file.
20.Rae1
Black's weak squares on the e file afford White a way into his position.
20...Rae8 21.Re5 Nf7
The knight was on a good blockading square, but it is difficult to come up with a better suggestion for Black.
22.Rfe1!?
Simple and good is 22.Re6, but the text grows on the engines the longer they are given to consider it..
22...Nxe5 23.fxe5 f4
The only good move, according to the engines.
24.e6 Qd8
24...Qd6? 25.Nb5 helps White.
25.Ne4 Qh4
Equal, according to Komdo10, but Stockfish10 reckons White has a won game. Give them long enough, and Stockfish10 sticks to its guns, but Komodo10 comes to favour White.
26.Rf1 Qg4
Komodo10 suggests sacrificing the f pawn by 26...f3!? 27.gxf3 Qh3 with a position hard to assess. The engines come up with various lines - Stockfish10 much preferring White, but Komodo10 giving Black excellent equalising chances.
27.Qf3 Qg6 28.h3 b6 29.Kh1
White calmly consolidates, apparently confident his central passed pawns at least fully compensate for the exchange, so there is no need to rush.
29...h6 30.b3 Kh7 31.Re1 Re7 32.Nd2 Rf5 33.Qe4 Rf6 34.Nc4 Qxe4 35.Rxe4 Kg6 36.Kg1
Black has been unable to organise restraining pressure on the black passers, let alone blockade them, and White has a choice of ways to win, eg 36.d6 Rexe6 37.d7 Rd6 38.Nxd6 Rxd6 39.Re6+! Rxe6 40.d8=Q, but the text is even more sure.
36...Kf5 37.Re5+ Kg6 38.Kf2 Rb7
Black at last succumbs to the urge to protect the b6 pawn, but the game ends immediately.
39.e7 1-0
Saturday, 21 March 2020
Ideas Behind The Jobava-Prié (part six)
ONE of Black's most-popular responses to 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 is to, somewhat provocatively, ignore what White is up to.
Instead Black gets on with his own development with 3...Bf5.
As in the Veresov, ...Bf5 cries out for the response 4.f3, and that has been the choice of Baadur Jobava, Hikaru Nakamura, Arkadij Naiditsch and many other grandmasters.
This move scores a much-higher percentage in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database than the marginally more-popular 4.e3.
The main line after 4.f3 continues 4...e6 5.g4 Bg6 6.h4, when opinion sharply divides.
Baadur Jobava (GM 2716) - Robert Hovhannisyan (GM 2611)
EU Championship (Yerevan, Armenia) 2014
6...h6
Almost as popular is 6...h5 - grandmasters have played both moves. For what it is worth, the analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer the text.
7.e3 a6
Sooner or later, in many lines of the Jobava-Prié, Black feels the need to spend a tempo on ...a6.
8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 c5!?
The capture 9...Bxd3 is more-or-less automatic in a somewhat similar position in the Caro-Kann Classical, and was played by Ian Nepomniachtchi in a 2014 World Rapid Championship loss to Baadur Jobava. The text is preferred by Stockfish10, but Komodo10 rates the two moves equally.
10.Nge2
*****
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*****
10...Bxd3
The engines prefer 10...Nc6. Spanton (1908) - Koby Kalavannan (2100), Southend 2016, continued 11.Qd2 b5 12.a3 Qa5 13.Kf2!? Qb6 14.Bxh7 Nxh7 15.Kg2 cxd4 16.exd4 Be7, when the engines slightly prefer Black (½–½, 38 moves).
11.cxd3!?
We have seen this idea before (part three of the series).
11...cxd4 12.Nxd4 Nbd7
12...Nc6!? 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.d4 is probably nothing for Black to worry about.
13.Nde2 e5 14.Bg3 Bd6 15.d4 0-0 16.Qb3!?
Jobava ups the stakes. More solid was 16.0-0.
16...Qe7 17.Bh4 exd4?
Better is 17...Bb4. The text loses a pawn
18.Nxd5 Qe5 19.Nxf6+ Nxf6 20.Nxd4
White is a pawn up. Black tries to win it back with …
20...Nd5 21.Nf5 Nxe3
… but 22.Nxe3 Rfe8 23.0-0-0 is winning for White.
Instead the game saw ...
22.Qxe3?? Qxb2
… when Black is slightly better, although the game was drawn.
Instead Black gets on with his own development with 3...Bf5.
As in the Veresov, ...Bf5 cries out for the response 4.f3, and that has been the choice of Baadur Jobava, Hikaru Nakamura, Arkadij Naiditsch and many other grandmasters.
This move scores a much-higher percentage in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database than the marginally more-popular 4.e3.
The main line after 4.f3 continues 4...e6 5.g4 Bg6 6.h4, when opinion sharply divides.
Baadur Jobava (GM 2716) - Robert Hovhannisyan (GM 2611)
EU Championship (Yerevan, Armenia) 2014
6...h6
Almost as popular is 6...h5 - grandmasters have played both moves. For what it is worth, the analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer the text.
7.e3 a6
Sooner or later, in many lines of the Jobava-Prié, Black feels the need to spend a tempo on ...a6.
8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 c5!?
The capture 9...Bxd3 is more-or-less automatic in a somewhat similar position in the Caro-Kann Classical, and was played by Ian Nepomniachtchi in a 2014 World Rapid Championship loss to Baadur Jobava. The text is preferred by Stockfish10, but Komodo10 rates the two moves equally.
10.Nge2
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
10...Bxd3
The engines prefer 10...Nc6. Spanton (1908) - Koby Kalavannan (2100), Southend 2016, continued 11.Qd2 b5 12.a3 Qa5 13.Kf2!? Qb6 14.Bxh7 Nxh7 15.Kg2 cxd4 16.exd4 Be7, when the engines slightly prefer Black (½–½, 38 moves).
11.cxd3!?
We have seen this idea before (part three of the series).
11...cxd4 12.Nxd4 Nbd7
12...Nc6!? 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.d4 is probably nothing for Black to worry about.
13.Nde2 e5 14.Bg3 Bd6 15.d4 0-0 16.Qb3!?
Jobava ups the stakes. More solid was 16.0-0.
16...Qe7 17.Bh4 exd4?
Better is 17...Bb4. The text loses a pawn
18.Nxd5 Qe5 19.Nxf6+ Nxf6 20.Nxd4
White is a pawn up. Black tries to win it back with …
20...Nd5 21.Nf5 Nxe3
… but 22.Nxe3 Rfe8 23.0-0-0 is winning for White.
Instead the game saw ...
22.Qxe3?? Qxb2
… when Black is slightly better, although the game was drawn.
Friday, 20 March 2020
Ideas Behind The Jobava-Prié (part five)
WHITE has a radically sharper, but little-known way, of meeting 3...c5 (after 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4) that is reminiscent of the Albin Countergambit, but with colours reversed.
There are just 11 examples of 4.e4!? in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, compared with 368 for 4.e3, but five of the 11 outings are by players rated well over 2500, and the move could easily pack a surprise punch at club level.
Kirill Alekseenko (GM 2563) - Sergei Rublevsky (GM 2683)
Russian Rapid Championship (Sochi) 2017
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
4...Nxe4
This variation is in its infancy and there is no consensus as to how Black should react.
Nils Grandelius (GM 2643) - Pia Cramling (GM 2453), EU Blitz Championship (Tallinn, Estonia) 2016, saw 4...dxe4 5.dxc5 Qa5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Qe2 a6 8.Bc4 Nc6 9.0-0-0 Qxc5 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Qxe4 with an unclear position (1-0, 41 moves).
Black went wrong immediately in Boris Grachev (GM 2626) - Dmity Kryakvin (GM 2595), Russian Blitz Championship (Sochi) 2018, with 4...Nc6?, when the thematic 5.Nb5 would have been embarrassing. White whiffed with 5.Bb5+?, and the game was eventually drawn.
The only other known move, apart from the text, is 4...cxd4, which was played by an 1871 in 2019. After 5.Qxd4 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.e5 Ne4!? 9.e6!? the position was unclear.
Clearly there is a lot to be discovered in these lines.
5.Nxe4 dxe4 6.dxc5 Qa5+ 7.c3 Qxc5 8.Qa4+ Nc6 9.Qxe4 g6
Olexandr Bortnyk (GM 2579) - Alexander Grischuk (GM 2747), ICC Blitz Final 2016, continued 9...Bf5 10.Qe3?! (Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer 10.Qa4, so 10...e5 can be met by 11.Be3) e5 11.Qxc5 Bxc5 12.Bg3 0-0-0, when Black had a large lead in development (0-1, 44 moves).
10.Qc4 Qa5 11.Qb5 Bg7 12.Qxa5 Nxa5 13.Bb5+ Nc6 14.0-0-0 Be6 15.Kb1 a6 16.Bxc6?!
Giving up the bishop-pair on a fairly open board with rival pawn-majorities and the possibility of opposite-side castling must be questionable. The engines reckon White should retreat the bishop to a4, d3 or even e2.
16...bxc6 17.Nf3 0-0 18.Be5 Bh6 19.Nd4 Bd5 20.f3 f6 21.Bg3 e5 22.Nc2 a5 23.Rhe1 Rfd8 24.b3 a4 25.Kb2 c5?!
Black is much better after 25...Be6, or 25...axb3 26.axb3 Be6, according to the engines.
26.c4 axb3 27.axb3 Be6 28.Kc3?
Black's advantage is smaller after 28.Rxd8+ Rxd8 29.Re2, according to the engines.
28...Bf5 29.Bh4
Or 29.Rxd8+ Rxd8 30.Re2 Bc1 (threatens 31...Rd3#) 31.Ne1 Ba3 32.Bf2 g5 (creating a retreat square for the f5 bishop) 33.g4 Bg6 34.h4 gxh4 35.Bxh4 Rd1 36.Re3 (White is almost in zugzwang) Bb4+ 37.Kb2 Kf7, and Black improves his position at his leisure (the engines have Black the equivalent of well over a rook ahead).
Perhaps best is the engines' 29.b4 Rxd1 30.Rxd1, but Black invades and wins a pawn with 30...Ra2 31.Ne1 Ra3+ 32.Kb2 cxb4 33.Nc2 Rc3 34.Nxb4 Rxc4.
29...Rxd1 30.Rxd1 Ra2 31.Ne1 Be3 32.b4
Best, according to the engines, but Black can now wrap matters up with 32...Bd4+. Rublevsky played 32...g5 33.Kb3 Re2 34.Bg3 cxb4 35.Kxb4 Bd4 and won anyway in 56 moves - the bishops were just too strong.
There are just 11 examples of 4.e4!? in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, compared with 368 for 4.e3, but five of the 11 outings are by players rated well over 2500, and the move could easily pack a surprise punch at club level.
Kirill Alekseenko (GM 2563) - Sergei Rublevsky (GM 2683)
Russian Rapid Championship (Sochi) 2017
 |
| Position after 4.e4!? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
4...Nxe4
This variation is in its infancy and there is no consensus as to how Black should react.
Nils Grandelius (GM 2643) - Pia Cramling (GM 2453), EU Blitz Championship (Tallinn, Estonia) 2016, saw 4...dxe4 5.dxc5 Qa5 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Qe2 a6 8.Bc4 Nc6 9.0-0-0 Qxc5 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Qxe4 with an unclear position (1-0, 41 moves).
Black went wrong immediately in Boris Grachev (GM 2626) - Dmity Kryakvin (GM 2595), Russian Blitz Championship (Sochi) 2018, with 4...Nc6?, when the thematic 5.Nb5 would have been embarrassing. White whiffed with 5.Bb5+?, and the game was eventually drawn.
The only other known move, apart from the text, is 4...cxd4, which was played by an 1871 in 2019. After 5.Qxd4 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.e5 Ne4!? 9.e6!? the position was unclear.
Clearly there is a lot to be discovered in these lines.
5.Nxe4 dxe4 6.dxc5 Qa5+ 7.c3 Qxc5 8.Qa4+ Nc6 9.Qxe4 g6
Olexandr Bortnyk (GM 2579) - Alexander Grischuk (GM 2747), ICC Blitz Final 2016, continued 9...Bf5 10.Qe3?! (Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer 10.Qa4, so 10...e5 can be met by 11.Be3) e5 11.Qxc5 Bxc5 12.Bg3 0-0-0, when Black had a large lead in development (0-1, 44 moves).
10.Qc4 Qa5 11.Qb5 Bg7 12.Qxa5 Nxa5 13.Bb5+ Nc6 14.0-0-0 Be6 15.Kb1 a6 16.Bxc6?!
Giving up the bishop-pair on a fairly open board with rival pawn-majorities and the possibility of opposite-side castling must be questionable. The engines reckon White should retreat the bishop to a4, d3 or even e2.
16...bxc6 17.Nf3 0-0 18.Be5 Bh6 19.Nd4 Bd5 20.f3 f6 21.Bg3 e5 22.Nc2 a5 23.Rhe1 Rfd8 24.b3 a4 25.Kb2 c5?!
Black is much better after 25...Be6, or 25...axb3 26.axb3 Be6, according to the engines.
26.c4 axb3 27.axb3 Be6 28.Kc3?
Black's advantage is smaller after 28.Rxd8+ Rxd8 29.Re2, according to the engines.
28...Bf5 29.Bh4
Or 29.Rxd8+ Rxd8 30.Re2 Bc1 (threatens 31...Rd3#) 31.Ne1 Ba3 32.Bf2 g5 (creating a retreat square for the f5 bishop) 33.g4 Bg6 34.h4 gxh4 35.Bxh4 Rd1 36.Re3 (White is almost in zugzwang) Bb4+ 37.Kb2 Kf7, and Black improves his position at his leisure (the engines have Black the equivalent of well over a rook ahead).
Perhaps best is the engines' 29.b4 Rxd1 30.Rxd1, but Black invades and wins a pawn with 30...Ra2 31.Ne1 Ra3+ 32.Kb2 cxb4 33.Nc2 Rc3 34.Nxb4 Rxc4.
29...Rxd1 30.Rxd1 Ra2 31.Ne1 Be3 32.b4
Best, according to the engines, but Black can now wrap matters up with 32...Bd4+. Rublevsky played 32...g5 33.Kb3 Re2 34.Bg3 cxb4 35.Kxb4 Bd4 and won anyway in 56 moves - the bishops were just too strong.
Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Ideas Behind The Jobava-Prié (part three)
AFTER 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 a6!? 4.e3 Bf5, White's main alternative to 5.f3 is 5.Bd3, which has been played by Magnus Carlsen and Baadur Jobava, the Georgian grandmaster after whom the opening is partly named.
The idea is firstly to swop off Black's well-placed light-square bishop, but at the same time, at least as played by Carlsen and Jobava, to strengthen White's centre.
Magnus Carlsen (GM 2832) - Hikaru Nakamura (GM 2785)
Norway Masters Blitz (Stavanger) 2017
5...Bxd3
5...Bg6 and 5...e6!? are playable alternatives.
6.cxd3
Quick development with 6.Qxd3 has been played by a 2557, but presumably Carlsen and Jobava feel it is a position in which strengthening the centre is more important.
6...e6 7.Nf3 Bd6 8.Bg5!?
Stockfish10's choice.
Jobava last year chose 8.0-0 against a player rated more than 400 points below him, but could only draw.
8...Nbd7 9.0-0
Stockfish10 much prefers 9.e4!?, but Komodo10 is unsure.
9...h6 10.Bh4 0-0 11.e4
White starts to mobilise his central pawn-majority, which seems his main trump in the position.
11.Be7 12.Qb3 Nb6 13.Rac1 c6 14.Rfe1 Rc8 15.h3 Nfd7
Seeking an exchange of bishops to relieve the cramp in Black's position.
16.Bg3 Re8 17.a3 Bf8 18.Qa2 Nf6 19.b4
Starting a Minority Attack with the aim of giving Black a queenside pawn weakness.
19...Ra8
Black cannot really prevent a4 followed by b5, but if they come he will meet the latter with ...axb5, opening the a file for his repositioned queen's rook.
20.Qb2 Nh5 21.Bh2 Nf6 22.Red1 Qe7
The engines reckon 22...a5 gives Black a good game.
23.Nd2 Rec8 24.Nb3 Nfd7 25.Re1 Qd8 26.Nc5 Ra7 27.a4
After some cat-and-mouse manoeuvring, Carlsen proceeds with his Minority Attack.
27...Nxc5 28.dxc5!?
The engines prefer leaving Black with a backward b pawn on a half-open file after 28.bxc5.
28...Nd7 29.exd5 exd5 30.d4 b6!?
Nakamura immediately seeks to undermine White's queenside space advantage.
31.b5!?
The engines prefer a less-sharp move, such as 31.a5.
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
31...axb5
Black is slightly better after 31...cxb5!?, according to the engines, eg 32.axb5 (32.c6!?) bxc5 33.bxa6 Nf6 34.Qb5 cxd4 35.Ne2 Qe8 36.Nxd4 Qxb5 37.Nxb5 Rxc1 38.Rxc1 Rxa6, when Black is a pawn up but his pieces are a little uncoordinated.
32.axb5 bxc5 33.bxc6 Rxc6 34.Nxd5 (½–½, 67 moves)
The idea is firstly to swop off Black's well-placed light-square bishop, but at the same time, at least as played by Carlsen and Jobava, to strengthen White's centre.
Magnus Carlsen (GM 2832) - Hikaru Nakamura (GM 2785)
Norway Masters Blitz (Stavanger) 2017
5...Bxd3
5...Bg6 and 5...e6!? are playable alternatives.
6.cxd3
Quick development with 6.Qxd3 has been played by a 2557, but presumably Carlsen and Jobava feel it is a position in which strengthening the centre is more important.
6...e6 7.Nf3 Bd6 8.Bg5!?
Stockfish10's choice.
Jobava last year chose 8.0-0 against a player rated more than 400 points below him, but could only draw.
8...Nbd7 9.0-0
Stockfish10 much prefers 9.e4!?, but Komodo10 is unsure.
9...h6 10.Bh4 0-0 11.e4
White starts to mobilise his central pawn-majority, which seems his main trump in the position.
11.Be7 12.Qb3 Nb6 13.Rac1 c6 14.Rfe1 Rc8 15.h3 Nfd7
Seeking an exchange of bishops to relieve the cramp in Black's position.
16.Bg3 Re8 17.a3 Bf8 18.Qa2 Nf6 19.b4
Starting a Minority Attack with the aim of giving Black a queenside pawn weakness.
19...Ra8
Black cannot really prevent a4 followed by b5, but if they come he will meet the latter with ...axb5, opening the a file for his repositioned queen's rook.
20.Qb2 Nh5 21.Bh2 Nf6 22.Red1 Qe7
The engines reckon 22...a5 gives Black a good game.
23.Nd2 Rec8 24.Nb3 Nfd7 25.Re1 Qd8 26.Nc5 Ra7 27.a4
After some cat-and-mouse manoeuvring, Carlsen proceeds with his Minority Attack.
27...Nxc5 28.dxc5!?
The engines prefer leaving Black with a backward b pawn on a half-open file after 28.bxc5.
28...Nd7 29.exd5 exd5 30.d4 b6!?
Nakamura immediately seeks to undermine White's queenside space advantage.
31.b5!?
The engines prefer a less-sharp move, such as 31.a5.
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
31...axb5
Black is slightly better after 31...cxb5!?, according to the engines, eg 32.axb5 (32.c6!?) bxc5 33.bxa6 Nf6 34.Qb5 cxd4 35.Ne2 Qe8 36.Nxd4 Qxb5 37.Nxb5 Rxc1 38.Rxc1 Rxa6, when Black is a pawn up but his pieces are a little uncoordinated.
32.axb5 bxc5 33.bxc6 Rxc6 34.Nxd5 (½–½, 67 moves)
Tuesday, 17 March 2020
Ideas Behind The Jobava-Prié (part two)
HISTORICALLY, Black's first response to 1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 was 3...a6!?
The move occurred in James Mason - Max Weiss, Vienna 1882, and might cause a few sniggers.
But, as I mentioned in part one of this series, it has since been played by Carlsen, Caruana, Svidler and Nakamura, so should be taken seriously.
Black's obvious point is to prevent a white piece landing on b5. Black argues that a tempo spent on a passive move in this position is not important as White is not in a position to open/put-pressure-on the black centre with c4 or e4.
White usually replies 4.e3 rather than 4.Nf3. Both moves are useful and absolutely normal, but the former gives White the option of meeting 4...Bf5 with 5.f3!?.
This plan occurred in the following game from the 2018 Korchnoi Memorial in St Petersburg.
Denis Pershin (2403) - Hannes Stefánsson (GM 2511)
5...h6!?
More popular is 5...e6, but the text is the choice of the analysis engine Komodo10, and the game soon transposes to better-known lines.
6.g4 Bh7 7.h4 e6 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3
The play is reminiscent of the main line in the Classical Caro-Kann, but with a less-open centre.
9...c5 10.Nge2 Nc6 11.Kf2?!
Most players have preferred 11.0-0-0.
11...Bd6 12.Na4?!
This decentralisation does not help White's cause.
Stockfish10 gives 12.Kg2 Rc8 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14. Ng3, but prefers Black.
Komodo10 gives 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Nd4 0-0 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Bg3, again with an edge to Black.
12...cxd4 13.exd4 Bxf4 14.Nxf4 Qd6 15.Ne2 e5!?
Provoking an immediate crisis. The calmer 15...0-0 is not necessarily better after White replies 16.g5.
16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Qd4
The engines reckon White had to find 17.Qa3!?, although Black must be better after 17...Qxa3 18.bxa3 Rc8.
17...Rc8
This simple move proves very difficult to meet.
18.Nec3
The engines reckon best is 18.g5 Nfg4+! 19.fxg4 Rc4 20.Qb6 Nxg4+ 21.Ke1 Qe5 22.Nac3 0-0 23.Rd1 Ne3, but with a winning attack for Black.
18...Nfxg4+! 19.Kg2
Or 19.fxg4 Qf6+ 20.Kg2 Qf3+ 21.Kg1 Qg3+ 22.Kf1 Rc4 23.Qg1 Qf3+ 24.Ke1 0-0, when White will not survive long.
19...Rc4 20.Qb6 Rc6 21.Qd4 0-0 22.Rae1
Or 22.fxg4 Rc4 23.Qf2 Rxg4+ with a winning attack.
22...Rc4 23.Qb6 Qd7 24.b3 Rf4 25.Rh3 d4 26.Nd1 Rc8 27.Re2 Nxf3!? 28.Rxf3 Qd5 0-1
In the final position, White is getting mated. Note how the black knight at g4 was able to stay at its precarious-looking post for more than a third of the game.
White has a major alternative, after 4...Bf5, in 5.Bd3, seeking to swop off the well-placed black bishop. I will look at this plan in part three.
The move occurred in James Mason - Max Weiss, Vienna 1882, and might cause a few sniggers.
But, as I mentioned in part one of this series, it has since been played by Carlsen, Caruana, Svidler and Nakamura, so should be taken seriously.
Black's obvious point is to prevent a white piece landing on b5. Black argues that a tempo spent on a passive move in this position is not important as White is not in a position to open/put-pressure-on the black centre with c4 or e4.
White usually replies 4.e3 rather than 4.Nf3. Both moves are useful and absolutely normal, but the former gives White the option of meeting 4...Bf5 with 5.f3!?.
 |
| Position after 5.f3 |
Denis Pershin (2403) - Hannes Stefánsson (GM 2511)
5...h6!?
More popular is 5...e6, but the text is the choice of the analysis engine Komodo10, and the game soon transposes to better-known lines.
6.g4 Bh7 7.h4 e6 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3
The play is reminiscent of the main line in the Classical Caro-Kann, but with a less-open centre.
9...c5 10.Nge2 Nc6 11.Kf2?!
Most players have preferred 11.0-0-0.
11...Bd6 12.Na4?!
This decentralisation does not help White's cause.
Stockfish10 gives 12.Kg2 Rc8 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14. Ng3, but prefers Black.
Komodo10 gives 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Nd4 0-0 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Bg3, again with an edge to Black.
12...cxd4 13.exd4 Bxf4 14.Nxf4 Qd6 15.Ne2 e5!?
Provoking an immediate crisis. The calmer 15...0-0 is not necessarily better after White replies 16.g5.
16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Qd4
The engines reckon White had to find 17.Qa3!?, although Black must be better after 17...Qxa3 18.bxa3 Rc8.
17...Rc8
This simple move proves very difficult to meet.
18.Nec3
The engines reckon best is 18.g5 Nfg4+! 19.fxg4 Rc4 20.Qb6 Nxg4+ 21.Ke1 Qe5 22.Nac3 0-0 23.Rd1 Ne3, but with a winning attack for Black.
18...Nfxg4+! 19.Kg2
Or 19.fxg4 Qf6+ 20.Kg2 Qf3+ 21.Kg1 Qg3+ 22.Kf1 Rc4 23.Qg1 Qf3+ 24.Ke1 0-0, when White will not survive long.
19...Rc4 20.Qb6 Rc6 21.Qd4 0-0 22.Rae1
Or 22.fxg4 Rc4 23.Qf2 Rxg4+ with a winning attack.
22...Rc4 23.Qb6 Qd7 24.b3 Rf4 25.Rh3 d4 26.Nd1 Rc8 27.Re2 Nxf3!? 28.Rxf3 Qd5 0-1
In the final position, White is getting mated. Note how the black knight at g4 was able to stay at its precarious-looking post for more than a third of the game.
White has a major alternative, after 4...Bf5, in 5.Bd3, seeking to swop off the well-placed black bishop. I will look at this plan in part three.
Monday, 16 March 2020
Ideas Behind The Jobava-Prié
THE most popular move at the highest levels after 1.d4 d5 or 1.d4 Nf6 is 2.c4.
This is far from being the case in club chess.
In my last 100 games with the black pieces that opened 1.d4 d5, a list that stretches back to late 2017, 2.c4 was played just 41% of the time.
It used to be that the most serious alternative to 2.c4 was a Colle with 2.Nf3, 3.e3 and 4.Bd3.
The Trompowsky (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5) and Pseudo-Trompowsky (1.d4 d5 2.Bg5!?) became popular in the 1990s, until it was largely replaced by the London (1.d4, 2.Nf3 and 3.Bf4) and more recently the New London (1.d4 and 2.Bf4).
At the same time the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.e4!?) had its dedicated followers, and the Veresov , aka the Richter-Veresov, (1.d4, 2.Nc3 and 3.Bg5) enjoyed a burst of popularity in the early years of this century.
Today there is a (relatively) new kid on the block: 1.d4, 2.Nc3 and 3.Bf4.
I have been calling it the Barry Attack, and in some quarters it is known as the New Veresov, but I think it is fair to say that the name Jobava-Prié is becoming generally accepted.
This honours Georgian grandmaster Baadur Jobava and his French counterpart Éric Prié.
Note that White can be sure of getting this position in the vast majority of games, whether Black meets 1.d4 with 1...d5 or 1...Nf6, as in each case White's follow-up of 2.Nc3 threatens to establish a classical centre with 3.e4.
The oldest game in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database featuring the basic Jobava-Prié tabiya after 3.Bf4, is James Mason - Max Weiss, Vienna 1882.
The Austrian Weiss, presumably caught by surprise, replied 3...a6, which looks like a duffers' move, except it has subsequently been played by those well-known non-duffers Carlsen, Caruana, Svidler and Nakamura.
Mason - Weiss continued 4.e3 e6 (Svidler and Nakamura preferred 4...Bf5) 5.Bd3!? c5 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Nge2?! Nc6 with a position that was at least equal for Black (but 1-0, 35 moves).
More than 20 years pass before a second 'Jobava-Prié' appears in Mega20, and a further 25 years before the third game.
Alexander Alekhine seems to have been the first superstar to use the opening, but today's adherents include Carlsen, Nakamura, So and Rapport.
In some ways the Jobava-Prié can be thought of as a queenside Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4).
One of the main ideas of the Italian Game is to attack the square f7 if Black gets careless. Similarly, one of the main ideas of the Jobava-Prié is to attack c7 if given the chance.
Naturally there are major differences. A white capture on f7 usually involves either a check or a fork of rook and queen, whereas a capture on c7 will often involve a check and a fork, but this time of rook and king.
A white attack in the Italian Game can often be countered by a well-timed ...d5, with the d pawn being supported by the queen and king's knight.
The counter ...e5 in the Jobava-Prié is less likely to be successful, not least because it will probably be supported by a lone knight at best.
In this series I plan to look at ideas in the Jobava-Prié for White and Black.
This is far from being the case in club chess.
In my last 100 games with the black pieces that opened 1.d4 d5, a list that stretches back to late 2017, 2.c4 was played just 41% of the time.
It used to be that the most serious alternative to 2.c4 was a Colle with 2.Nf3, 3.e3 and 4.Bd3.
The Trompowsky (1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5) and Pseudo-Trompowsky (1.d4 d5 2.Bg5!?) became popular in the 1990s, until it was largely replaced by the London (1.d4, 2.Nf3 and 3.Bf4) and more recently the New London (1.d4 and 2.Bf4).
At the same time the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.e4!?) had its dedicated followers, and the Veresov , aka the Richter-Veresov, (1.d4, 2.Nc3 and 3.Bg5) enjoyed a burst of popularity in the early years of this century.
Today there is a (relatively) new kid on the block: 1.d4, 2.Nc3 and 3.Bf4.
I have been calling it the Barry Attack, and in some quarters it is known as the New Veresov, but I think it is fair to say that the name Jobava-Prié is becoming generally accepted.
This honours Georgian grandmaster Baadur Jobava and his French counterpart Éric Prié.
 |
| The main starting position of the Jobava-Prié |
The oldest game in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database featuring the basic Jobava-Prié tabiya after 3.Bf4, is James Mason - Max Weiss, Vienna 1882.
The Austrian Weiss, presumably caught by surprise, replied 3...a6, which looks like a duffers' move, except it has subsequently been played by those well-known non-duffers Carlsen, Caruana, Svidler and Nakamura.
Mason - Weiss continued 4.e3 e6 (Svidler and Nakamura preferred 4...Bf5) 5.Bd3!? c5 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Nge2?! Nc6 with a position that was at least equal for Black (but 1-0, 35 moves).
More than 20 years pass before a second 'Jobava-Prié' appears in Mega20, and a further 25 years before the third game.
Alexander Alekhine seems to have been the first superstar to use the opening, but today's adherents include Carlsen, Nakamura, So and Rapport.
In some ways the Jobava-Prié can be thought of as a queenside Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4).
One of the main ideas of the Italian Game is to attack the square f7 if Black gets careless. Similarly, one of the main ideas of the Jobava-Prié is to attack c7 if given the chance.
Naturally there are major differences. A white capture on f7 usually involves either a check or a fork of rook and queen, whereas a capture on c7 will often involve a check and a fork, but this time of rook and king.
A white attack in the Italian Game can often be countered by a well-timed ...d5, with the d pawn being supported by the queen and king's knight.
The counter ...e5 in the Jobava-Prié is less likely to be successful, not least because it will probably be supported by a lone knight at best.
In this series I plan to look at ideas in the Jobava-Prié for White and Black.
Tuesday, 3 March 2020
Sharp Tussle
MY round-five game from the Fareham open.
Spanton (170) - Tashika Arora (145)
Barry Attack (aka Jobava-Prié)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 g6
Not a popular choice, but it has been played by Shirov, Karjakin, Svidler and many other strong grandmasters.
4.f3
Also not a popular choice, and it has not been played by strong GMs, at least as far as I can discover. The main line runs 4.e3 Bg7 5.h4!?
4...Bg7 5.e4
This is consistent but 5.Qd2 is almost twice as popular in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, albeit from a small sample size.
5...dxe4 6.fxe4 0-0 7.Nf3 c5!?
Probably a novelty. Known is 7...Bg4, but the analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer the text.
8.d5 e6 9.Bc4 exd5 10.exd5?
I somehow talked myself out of the correct 10.Nxd5. I made the decision based on general fears of opening the position, but what is required is concrete analysis, which clearly shows the threat of Nc7xa8 prevents ...Nxe4. In any event, the text is a mistake.
10...Re8+ 11.Be2
If nothing else, White has lost a tempo over the line 9.Be2 exd5 10.exd5 Re8.
11...Ne4?!
The engines prefer 11...b5!? 12.Nxb5 Nxd5, giving White a large advantage.
12.0-0?
Missing Black's reply, which I saw almost immediately after playing the text.
I thought 12.Nxe4 Rxe4 was just horrible, but again concrete analysis shows White is holding on after 13.Qd2, eg 13...Bxb2 14.Rb1 Bf6 15.0-0, when White has a lot of development for a pawn.
12...Bxc3!
I expected 12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bxc3 14.Rb1, when White has reasonable compensation for a pawn. Rishi Patel (169) said afterwards Black should just play 12...Nxc3 and get on with development, leaving White with queenside weaknesses. This is certainly better for Black, but AT's choice is best.
13.Bb5
Much worse is 13.bxc3? Nxc3 and 14...Nxe2+.
13...Bd7?
Best, according to the engines, is 13...Bxb2 14.Bxe8 Qxe8 15.Re1 f5 16.Rb1 Bc3, when Black has bishop, knight and pawn for a rook.
14.Bxd7 Qxd7!?
Better, it seems, is 14...Nxd7 15.bxc3 Ndf6, when Black is not material up but has a powerful knight on e4 and the better pawn-structure (although the holes around the black king would worry many players, especially considering White has a dark-square bishop).
15.bxc3 Nxc3 16.Qd2 Ne2+ 17.Kh1 Nxf4 18.Qxf4 Qxd5
Black is two pawns up but White has an initiative that gives full compensation, according to the engines.
19.Ng5
The engines give 19.Rad1 Qf5 20.Qh4 Qh5 21.Qf4 Qf5 22.Qh4 etc, which I presume would not have pleased either player.
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
19...Re7?
The passive 19...Rf8 runs into 20.Rad1, when best, according to the engines, is 20...Qxa2 21.Qh4 h5 22.Ne4 with a winning attack.
Too weakening is 19...f5?, eg 20.Rad1 Qe5 21.Qc4+ Kg7 22.g4 with a huge attack.
Second-best in the position, according to the engines, is 19...Re2!? 20.Qg4 Nc6!? (if 20...Rd2, then 21.Ne4 ) 21.Qxe2 Qxg5 22.Rad1, when White is better but the game goes on.
Also playable is 19...Nc6!?, when the engines continue 20.Rad1 Nd4!? 21.c3 h6 22.Nh3 Re4 23.Qc1 Kg7 24.cxd4. White is again better, but the position is hardly resignable.
Correct, according to the engines, is 19...f6!! with the idea of giving back both Black's extra pawns to reach a better ending. After 20.Qxf6, Black gets a tempo to develop his knight, viz 20...Nd7, then comes 21.Qf7+ Qxf7 22.Rxf7 Rad8, and now the engines reckon White should take back the second pawn by 23.Rxh7. But then 23...Re5 24.Rf1! Nf6! (24...Rxg5?! 25.Rff7 is a draw) 25.Nf3 Kxh7 26.Nxe5 Kg7 gives Black a slightly-better ending.
20.Rad1
This is much stronger than 20.Nxh7? Nd7.
20...Qe5 21.Qxe5 Rxe5 22.Rd8+ Kg7 23.Rxf7+ Kh6 24.h4 Kh5 25.Nf3 Re2 26.Rxh7+
This wins easily enough, but there is a forced mate by 26.Rd5+ Kh6 27.Ng5 Kh5 28.Rxh7+ Kg4 29.Nh3 Re1+ 30.Kh2 etc.
26...Kg4 27.Nh2+ Kg3
Now a forced mate is back on, but the engines' best-play line, 27...Kf5 28.g4+ Kf6, is hopeless after, for example, 29.Rf8+ Ke6 30.Re8+ Kd5 31.Rxe2.
28.Rd3+ Kf2
All other moves also lead to a quick mate.
29.Rf7+ Ke1 30.Rf1#
Spanton (170) - Tashika Arora (145)
Barry Attack (aka Jobava-Prié)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 g6
Not a popular choice, but it has been played by Shirov, Karjakin, Svidler and many other strong grandmasters.
4.f3
Also not a popular choice, and it has not been played by strong GMs, at least as far as I can discover. The main line runs 4.e3 Bg7 5.h4!?
4...Bg7 5.e4
This is consistent but 5.Qd2 is almost twice as popular in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, albeit from a small sample size.
5...dxe4 6.fxe4 0-0 7.Nf3 c5!?
Probably a novelty. Known is 7...Bg4, but the analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer the text.
8.d5 e6 9.Bc4 exd5 10.exd5?
I somehow talked myself out of the correct 10.Nxd5. I made the decision based on general fears of opening the position, but what is required is concrete analysis, which clearly shows the threat of Nc7xa8 prevents ...Nxe4. In any event, the text is a mistake.
10...Re8+ 11.Be2
If nothing else, White has lost a tempo over the line 9.Be2 exd5 10.exd5 Re8.
11...Ne4?!
The engines prefer 11...b5!? 12.Nxb5 Nxd5, giving White a large advantage.
12.0-0?
Missing Black's reply, which I saw almost immediately after playing the text.
I thought 12.Nxe4 Rxe4 was just horrible, but again concrete analysis shows White is holding on after 13.Qd2, eg 13...Bxb2 14.Rb1 Bf6 15.0-0, when White has a lot of development for a pawn.
12...Bxc3!
I expected 12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bxc3 14.Rb1, when White has reasonable compensation for a pawn. Rishi Patel (169) said afterwards Black should just play 12...Nxc3 and get on with development, leaving White with queenside weaknesses. This is certainly better for Black, but AT's choice is best.
13.Bb5
Much worse is 13.bxc3? Nxc3 and 14...Nxe2+.
13...Bd7?
Best, according to the engines, is 13...Bxb2 14.Bxe8 Qxe8 15.Re1 f5 16.Rb1 Bc3, when Black has bishop, knight and pawn for a rook.
14.Bxd7 Qxd7!?
Better, it seems, is 14...Nxd7 15.bxc3 Ndf6, when Black is not material up but has a powerful knight on e4 and the better pawn-structure (although the holes around the black king would worry many players, especially considering White has a dark-square bishop).
15.bxc3 Nxc3 16.Qd2 Ne2+ 17.Kh1 Nxf4 18.Qxf4 Qxd5
Black is two pawns up but White has an initiative that gives full compensation, according to the engines.
19.Ng5
The engines give 19.Rad1 Qf5 20.Qh4 Qh5 21.Qf4 Qf5 22.Qh4 etc, which I presume would not have pleased either player.
 |
| Can Black save her game? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
19...Re7?
The passive 19...Rf8 runs into 20.Rad1, when best, according to the engines, is 20...Qxa2 21.Qh4 h5 22.Ne4 with a winning attack.
Too weakening is 19...f5?, eg 20.Rad1 Qe5 21.Qc4+ Kg7 22.g4 with a huge attack.
Second-best in the position, according to the engines, is 19...Re2!? 20.Qg4 Nc6!? (if 20...Rd2, then 21.Ne4 ) 21.Qxe2 Qxg5 22.Rad1, when White is better but the game goes on.
Also playable is 19...Nc6!?, when the engines continue 20.Rad1 Nd4!? 21.c3 h6 22.Nh3 Re4 23.Qc1 Kg7 24.cxd4. White is again better, but the position is hardly resignable.
Correct, according to the engines, is 19...f6!! with the idea of giving back both Black's extra pawns to reach a better ending. After 20.Qxf6, Black gets a tempo to develop his knight, viz 20...Nd7, then comes 21.Qf7+ Qxf7 22.Rxf7 Rad8, and now the engines reckon White should take back the second pawn by 23.Rxh7. But then 23...Re5 24.Rf1! Nf6! (24...Rxg5?! 25.Rff7 is a draw) 25.Nf3 Kxh7 26.Nxe5 Kg7 gives Black a slightly-better ending.
20.Rad1
This is much stronger than 20.Nxh7? Nd7.
20...Qe5 21.Qxe5 Rxe5 22.Rd8+ Kg7 23.Rxf7+ Kh6 24.h4 Kh5 25.Nf3 Re2 26.Rxh7+
This wins easily enough, but there is a forced mate by 26.Rd5+ Kh6 27.Ng5 Kh5 28.Rxh7+ Kg4 29.Nh3 Re1+ 30.Kh2 etc.
26...Kg4 27.Nh2+ Kg3
Now a forced mate is back on, but the engines' best-play line, 27...Kf5 28.g4+ Kf6, is hopeless after, for example, 29.Rf8+ Ke6 30.Re8+ Kd5 31.Rxe2.
28.Rd3+ Kf2
All other moves also lead to a quick mate.
29.Rf7+ Ke1 30.Rf1#
Tuesday, 18 February 2020
Hampstead Concluded
MY Sunday-afternoon round-five game from Hampstead U2200.
Spanton (1840/170) - Niall Clarke (1646/154)
Jobava-Prié (aka Barry Attack)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 c6 4.e3 Bf5 5.f3
Alekhine preferred 5.Bd3 in a 1933 simul.
5...e6 6.g4 Bg6 7.h4 h6
NC in the postmortem said he had previously played 7...h5, which is marginally more popular in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3
The analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer a move such as 9...Nbd7, and if 10.Bxh7, then 10...Nxh7, intending a later ...Ng5.
10.Qxd3 Bd6 11.Nge2
*****
*****
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*****
*****
11...Qc7
Baadur Jobava (2716) - Iván Salgado López (2605), EU Championship (Yerevan) 2014, saw 11...Bxf4 12.exf4!? Nbd7 13.Qe3!? (1-0, 62 moves).
12.0-0-0 Nbd7 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14.e4 dxe4 15.Nxe4N Nxe4 16.fxe4 0-0-0 17.Rhf1 Rhf8
The engines prefer 17...f6!?, which I am fairly sure NC suggested in the postmortem.
18.Kb1 Kb8 19.e5 Qb4?!
Probably better is 19...Qe7 as then 20.Qh7 can be met by 20...Qg5 or 20...f6.
20.Qh7 Nb6
Possible is 20...Rg8!? as 21.Rxf7?! is met by 21...Nxe5!
21.c3
The engines prefer 21.a3, the point being that the black queen cannot stay on the b file as 21...Qb5 is simply answered by 22.Nc3.
21...Qb5 22.Qd3 Nc4?!
Probably better is 22...Qxd3+ 23.Rxd3 c5, although the engines like White.
23.b3 Na3+?
Unpleasant, but less bad than the text, is 23...Nb6 24.Qxb5 (24.c4!?) cxb5.
24.Kb2 Qa5
Black offered a draw.
The engines prefer the text, even though the knight will be imprisoned, over 24...Qxd3 25.Rxd3 Nb5 26.Rdf3, which indeed looks grim for Black.
25.c4 b5 26.Qc3 b4 27.Qf3 Qc7 28.Qe4 Rfe8 29.Nc1 c5
29...a5 30.Nd3 with Nc5 to come is also very good for White.
30.dxc5 Rxd1 31.Rxd1 Rd8
Black may have planned 31...Qxc5, but both 32.Nd3 and 32.Rd7 win.
32.Rd6 Rxd6 33.cxd6 Qd8
If 33...Qc5, then 34.Nd3.
34.Nd3 Qa5 35.Qc6
The game finished:
35...Nc2!? 36.Kxc2 Qxa2+ 37.Nb2 Qa5 38.c5 Qd8 39.Nd3 a5 40.Qb6+ Qxb6 41.cxb6 Kc8 42.Nc5 1-0
Spanton (1840/170) - Niall Clarke (1646/154)
Jobava-Prié (aka Barry Attack)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 c6 4.e3 Bf5 5.f3
Alekhine preferred 5.Bd3 in a 1933 simul.
5...e6 6.g4 Bg6 7.h4 h6
NC in the postmortem said he had previously played 7...h5, which is marginally more popular in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3
The analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer a move such as 9...Nbd7, and if 10.Bxh7, then 10...Nxh7, intending a later ...Ng5.
10.Qxd3 Bd6 11.Nge2
 |
| Position after 11.Nge2 |
*****
*****
*****
*****
11...Qc7
Baadur Jobava (2716) - Iván Salgado López (2605), EU Championship (Yerevan) 2014, saw 11...Bxf4 12.exf4!? Nbd7 13.Qe3!? (1-0, 62 moves).
12.0-0-0 Nbd7 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14.e4 dxe4 15.Nxe4N Nxe4 16.fxe4 0-0-0 17.Rhf1 Rhf8
The engines prefer 17...f6!?, which I am fairly sure NC suggested in the postmortem.
18.Kb1 Kb8 19.e5 Qb4?!
Probably better is 19...Qe7 as then 20.Qh7 can be met by 20...Qg5 or 20...f6.
20.Qh7 Nb6
Possible is 20...Rg8!? as 21.Rxf7?! is met by 21...Nxe5!
21.c3
The engines prefer 21.a3, the point being that the black queen cannot stay on the b file as 21...Qb5 is simply answered by 22.Nc3.
21...Qb5 22.Qd3 Nc4?!
Probably better is 22...Qxd3+ 23.Rxd3 c5, although the engines like White.
23.b3 Na3+?
Unpleasant, but less bad than the text, is 23...Nb6 24.Qxb5 (24.c4!?) cxb5.
24.Kb2 Qa5
Black offered a draw.
The engines prefer the text, even though the knight will be imprisoned, over 24...Qxd3 25.Rxd3 Nb5 26.Rdf3, which indeed looks grim for Black.
25.c4 b5 26.Qc3 b4 27.Qf3 Qc7 28.Qe4 Rfe8 29.Nc1 c5
29...a5 30.Nd3 with Nc5 to come is also very good for White.
30.dxc5 Rxd1 31.Rxd1 Rd8
Black may have planned 31...Qxc5, but both 32.Nd3 and 32.Rd7 win.
32.Rd6 Rxd6 33.cxd6 Qd8
If 33...Qc5, then 34.Nd3.
34.Nd3 Qa5 35.Qc6
The game finished:
35...Nc2!? 36.Kxc2 Qxa2+ 37.Nb2 Qa5 38.c5 Qd8 39.Nd3 a5 40.Qb6+ Qxb6 41.cxb6 Kc8 42.Nc5 1-0
Monday, 17 February 2020
?? Or !! Or Something In-Between?
MY round-three game from the weekend's Hampstead U2200.
Spanton (1840/170) - Julia Volovich (1662/164)
Jobava-Prié (aka Barry Attack)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 e6 4.e3
The most-popular alternative is the thematic 4.Nb5!?
4...c6!?
This has been played by Russian grandmaster Valentina Gunina, but seems slow.
5.Bd3 Bd6 6.Nf3 0-0
A critical test of White's set-up is surely 6...Bxf4, but that does not mean the text is necessarily inferior.
7.Ne5
All three games in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database saw 7.0-0.
7...Qc7 8.Qf3 h6?!
This gives White a target for a quick kingside attack.
9.g4 Nfd7!?
The choice of the analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10, but it leaves Black's kingside looking awfully bare.
10.Qg3
The engines reckon 10.g5!? is even stronger, their mainline running 10...hxg5 11.Rg1 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Bxe5 13.Bxe5 Qxe5 14.Qh5 f5 15.0-0-0 with a huge attack for two pawns.
10...Bxe5
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
11.dxe5!
I played the text without seeing Black's bishop-trapping reply, so in a way the move, or at least my playing it, deserves double-question marks. But the engines reckon it is White's best move in the position, which is why I have given it an exclamation mark.
11...g5 12.0-0-0?!
The best follow-up seems to be 12.Qh3, when 12...gxf4? loses to 13.Qxh6 f5 14.Qg6+ Kh8 15.Qh5+ Kg8 16.gxf5 etc. So Black has to try 12...Nxe5, but the engines continue 13.Bxe5 Qxe5 14.Qxh6 (14.Qh5!? also has its points) Qg7 15.Qh5 Nd7 16.h4 Nf6 17.Qxg5 Qxg5 18.hxg5 Nxg4 19.Ke2 with advantage for White.
12...gxf4 13.Qxf4?
White had to play 13.exf4, when the engines give 13...Kg7 14.Rhg1 with a position hard to assess - Stockfish10 has White winning, but Komodo10 reckons the position is equal if Black finds 14...Rh8!? (Stockfish10 strongly disagrees).
13...Qxe5 14.Qxh6 Qg7 15.Qh4 b5 16.Ne2 Nc5 17.Ng3 Nbd7 18.Nh5 Nxd3+ 19.Rxd3 Qg6 20.f4 Nc5?
This loses control of the f6 square, and so allows White to draw. Black is winning after, for example, 20...f6.
21.f5 Nxd3+ 22.cxd3 exf5 23.Nf6+ Kg7 24.gxf5 Bxf5 25.Nh5+ Kg8
Black offered a draw.
26.Nf6+ Kg7 27.Nh5+ Kg8 ½–½
Spanton (1840/170) - Julia Volovich (1662/164)
Jobava-Prié (aka Barry Attack)
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Bf4 e6 4.e3
The most-popular alternative is the thematic 4.Nb5!?
4...c6!?
This has been played by Russian grandmaster Valentina Gunina, but seems slow.
5.Bd3 Bd6 6.Nf3 0-0
A critical test of White's set-up is surely 6...Bxf4, but that does not mean the text is necessarily inferior.
7.Ne5
All three games in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database saw 7.0-0.
7...Qc7 8.Qf3 h6?!
This gives White a target for a quick kingside attack.
9.g4 Nfd7!?
The choice of the analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10, but it leaves Black's kingside looking awfully bare.
10.Qg3
The engines reckon 10.g5!? is even stronger, their mainline running 10...hxg5 11.Rg1 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Bxe5 13.Bxe5 Qxe5 14.Qh5 f5 15.0-0-0 with a huge attack for two pawns.
10...Bxe5
 |
| I recaptured on e5 with the d pawn. How would you annotate the move? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
11.dxe5!
I played the text without seeing Black's bishop-trapping reply, so in a way the move, or at least my playing it, deserves double-question marks. But the engines reckon it is White's best move in the position, which is why I have given it an exclamation mark.
11...g5 12.0-0-0?!
The best follow-up seems to be 12.Qh3, when 12...gxf4? loses to 13.Qxh6 f5 14.Qg6+ Kh8 15.Qh5+ Kg8 16.gxf5 etc. So Black has to try 12...Nxe5, but the engines continue 13.Bxe5 Qxe5 14.Qxh6 (14.Qh5!? also has its points) Qg7 15.Qh5 Nd7 16.h4 Nf6 17.Qxg5 Qxg5 18.hxg5 Nxg4 19.Ke2 with advantage for White.
12...gxf4 13.Qxf4?
White had to play 13.exf4, when the engines give 13...Kg7 14.Rhg1 with a position hard to assess - Stockfish10 has White winning, but Komodo10 reckons the position is equal if Black finds 14...Rh8!? (Stockfish10 strongly disagrees).
13...Qxe5 14.Qxh6 Qg7 15.Qh4 b5 16.Ne2 Nc5 17.Ng3 Nbd7 18.Nh5 Nxd3+ 19.Rxd3 Qg6 20.f4 Nc5?
This loses control of the f6 square, and so allows White to draw. Black is winning after, for example, 20...f6.
21.f5 Nxd3+ 22.cxd3 exf5 23.Nf6+ Kg7 24.gxf5 Bxf5 25.Nh5+ Kg8
Black offered a draw.
26.Nf6+ Kg7 27.Nh5+ Kg8 ½–½
Thursday, 30 January 2020
New Opening That's All The Rage
PLAYED on board five last night for Battersea 2 against British Bangla in division two of the London League.
Nasir Rizvi (182) - Spanton (170)
'Barry Attack'
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Bf4
3.e4 transposes to the French Defence. The text - first played in 1856 in Calcutta - introduces a cross between the Veresov (1.d4, 2.Nc3 and 3.Bg5) and the New London (1.d4 and 2.Bf4). One of its names is the New Veresov. I call it the Barry Attack, but this name is usually restricted for 1.d4, 2.Nc3 and 3.Bf4 against a black set-up involving an early kingside fianchetto. Another name is the Jobava-Prié Attack.
After the game, five Battersea players went to a nearby Wetherspoon. It turned out all of us, or perhaps it was just four of us, had faced 1.d4, 2.Nc3 and 3.Bf4 either that night or the night before. Clearly something is going on.
3...Bd6
The main move is 3...Nf6, as played in Moheschunder Bannerjee - John Cochrane, Calcutta 1856 (0-1, 37 moves), but the text has a better percentage score in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
4.e3!?
White's score leaps to an impressive 61% after this, and it can easily be seen that the text saves a tempo over 4.Bg3 and 4.Bxd6 Qxd6.
4...Bxf4
Trying to punish White's play. Black cannot necessarily delay this decision as 4...Nf6 has been met with 5.Qf3!? by Romanian international master George-Catalin Ardelean.
5.exf4 Nf6
Logical-looking is 5...Qd6!? but it is not liked, at least at first, by Stockfish10 and Komodo10, who continue 6.Qg4 Kf8 7.Qg3 with an unclear position that Stockfish10 reckons may slightly favour Black, but Komodo10 reckons favours White. As the saying has it, tests are needed.
6.Nf3 Qe7?!
Now 6...Qd6 can be met by 7.Ne5, which occurred in Richárd Rapport (2698) - Miklos Nemeth (2451), Zalakaros (Hungary) 2017 (1/2–1/2, 36 moves).
The problem with the text is that the e pawn will be pinned against the queen when a white rook lands on e1.
7.Bd3 Bd7?!
7...c5 8.dxc5 Qxc5 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Nb5 seemed slightly better for White in Igor Miladinović (2555) - Robert Markus (2625), Serbian Championship 2012, but was agreed drawn just eight moves later.
The text is what I suspect Garry Kasparov would call a half-move, ie one that is vaguely useful but does not get to the heart of the position. I was reluctant to play 7...0-0 as I feared White would castle long and launch a kingside pawn-storm.
8.0-0 0-0 9.Re1 c5 10.dxc5
10.f5 cxd4 11.fxe6 dxc3 12.exd7 Qxd7 looks fine for Black.
10...Qxc5 11.Ne5 Nc6
11...Qb4?! looks very greedy, but is maybe playable.
12.Re3!?
The engines prefer a slower build-up with, for example 12.Qd2.
12.g4!? is sharp. The engines continue 12...Qb4!? 13.Nxd7 Nxd7 14.Qf3 with a menacing-looking position for White, but the engines like Black.
12...d4!?
Forcing, but the engines prefer 12...Qb4 13.Rh3 g6 14.Qc1!? with an unclear position.
13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Nxd7 Qd5
Not 14...Nxf2? 15.Nxc5 Nxd1 16.Rh3.
15.Bxe4 Qxd7
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
16.Bxh7+?
Unsound.
White has a slight edge after 16.Rd3, according to the engines.
16...Kxh7 17.Rh3+ Kg8 18.Qh5 f6 19.g4 Qe8 20.Qh7+ Kf7 21.g5 fxg5 22.fxg5 Ke7!?
A good practical choice, although the engines narrowly prefer 22...e5.
23.Re1
Objectively best is 23.Qxg7+!?, but 23...Qf7 forces queens off as Black threatens f2.
23...Qf7 24.f4 Rh8 25.Qd3 Rxh3 26.Qxh3 Rf8 27.Qa3+ Kd7 28.Qb3 Kc7!?
Another practical choice.
The game finished:
29.Qxe6 Qxf4 30.g6 Rf6 31.Qe8 Qg4+ 32.Kh1 Rf2 33.Re7+ Kb6 34.Rxb7+ Kxb7 0-1
My updated Battersea statistics for 2019-20
Event*..Colour...Grade...Opponent's Grade...Result
CLL..…...B....…..168...………169...……….....W
CLL...…..B...…...168...………196...…………..D
CLL...…..W...…..168...………176...…………..L
LL....……W...…..168...…....…175...………….D
CLL...…..B...…...168...………192...…………..D
CLL...…..W...…..168...………181...…………..L
LL...…….W...…..168...………168...…………..L
EC...…….B...…..168...………175...……….….L
CLL...…...B.........170...………172...…………..L
LL...…….W...…..170...………183...…………..D
LL............W........170...…........180......……......L
LL....…….B...…..170....……...182...………….W
Overall this season for Battersea I have scored +2=4-6 for a grading performance of 162.
In season 2018-19 I scored +12=12-13 for a grading performance of 169.
In season 2017-18 I scored +10=8-9 for a grading performance of 175.
*CLL: Central London League; LL: London League; EC: Eastman Cup.
Nasir Rizvi (182) - Spanton (170)
'Barry Attack'
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Bf4
3.e4 transposes to the French Defence. The text - first played in 1856 in Calcutta - introduces a cross between the Veresov (1.d4, 2.Nc3 and 3.Bg5) and the New London (1.d4 and 2.Bf4). One of its names is the New Veresov. I call it the Barry Attack, but this name is usually restricted for 1.d4, 2.Nc3 and 3.Bf4 against a black set-up involving an early kingside fianchetto. Another name is the Jobava-Prié Attack.
After the game, five Battersea players went to a nearby Wetherspoon. It turned out all of us, or perhaps it was just four of us, had faced 1.d4, 2.Nc3 and 3.Bf4 either that night or the night before. Clearly something is going on.
3...Bd6
The main move is 3...Nf6, as played in Moheschunder Bannerjee - John Cochrane, Calcutta 1856 (0-1, 37 moves), but the text has a better percentage score in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
4.e3!?
White's score leaps to an impressive 61% after this, and it can easily be seen that the text saves a tempo over 4.Bg3 and 4.Bxd6 Qxd6.
4...Bxf4
Trying to punish White's play. Black cannot necessarily delay this decision as 4...Nf6 has been met with 5.Qf3!? by Romanian international master George-Catalin Ardelean.
5.exf4 Nf6
Logical-looking is 5...Qd6!? but it is not liked, at least at first, by Stockfish10 and Komodo10, who continue 6.Qg4 Kf8 7.Qg3 with an unclear position that Stockfish10 reckons may slightly favour Black, but Komodo10 reckons favours White. As the saying has it, tests are needed.
6.Nf3 Qe7?!
Now 6...Qd6 can be met by 7.Ne5, which occurred in Richárd Rapport (2698) - Miklos Nemeth (2451), Zalakaros (Hungary) 2017 (1/2–1/2, 36 moves).
The problem with the text is that the e pawn will be pinned against the queen when a white rook lands on e1.
7.Bd3 Bd7?!
7...c5 8.dxc5 Qxc5 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Nb5 seemed slightly better for White in Igor Miladinović (2555) - Robert Markus (2625), Serbian Championship 2012, but was agreed drawn just eight moves later.
The text is what I suspect Garry Kasparov would call a half-move, ie one that is vaguely useful but does not get to the heart of the position. I was reluctant to play 7...0-0 as I feared White would castle long and launch a kingside pawn-storm.
8.0-0 0-0 9.Re1 c5 10.dxc5
10.f5 cxd4 11.fxe6 dxc3 12.exd7 Qxd7 looks fine for Black.
10...Qxc5 11.Ne5 Nc6
11...Qb4?! looks very greedy, but is maybe playable.
12.Re3!?
The engines prefer a slower build-up with, for example 12.Qd2.
12.g4!? is sharp. The engines continue 12...Qb4!? 13.Nxd7 Nxd7 14.Qf3 with a menacing-looking position for White, but the engines like Black.
12...d4!?
Forcing, but the engines prefer 12...Qb4 13.Rh3 g6 14.Qc1!? with an unclear position.
13.Ne4 Nxe4 14.Nxd7 Qd5
Not 14...Nxf2? 15.Nxc5 Nxd1 16.Rh3.
15.Bxe4 Qxd7
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
16.Bxh7+?
Unsound.
White has a slight edge after 16.Rd3, according to the engines.
16...Kxh7 17.Rh3+ Kg8 18.Qh5 f6 19.g4 Qe8 20.Qh7+ Kf7 21.g5 fxg5 22.fxg5 Ke7!?
A good practical choice, although the engines narrowly prefer 22...e5.
23.Re1
Objectively best is 23.Qxg7+!?, but 23...Qf7 forces queens off as Black threatens f2.
23...Qf7 24.f4 Rh8 25.Qd3 Rxh3 26.Qxh3 Rf8 27.Qa3+ Kd7 28.Qb3 Kc7!?
Another practical choice.
The game finished:
29.Qxe6 Qxf4 30.g6 Rf6 31.Qe8 Qg4+ 32.Kh1 Rf2 33.Re7+ Kb6 34.Rxb7+ Kxb7 0-1
My updated Battersea statistics for 2019-20
Event*..Colour...Grade...Opponent's Grade...Result
CLL..…...B....…..168...………169...……….....W
CLL...…..B...…...168...………196...…………..D
CLL...…..W...…..168...………176...…………..L
LL....……W...…..168...…....…175...………….D
CLL...…..B...…...168...………192...…………..D
CLL...…..W...…..168...………181...…………..L
LL...…….W...…..168...………168...…………..L
EC...…….B...…..168...………175...……….….L
CLL...…...B.........170...………172...…………..L
LL...…….W...…..170...………183...…………..D
LL............W........170...…........180......……......L
LL....…….B...…..170....……...182...………….W
Overall this season for Battersea I have scored +2=4-6 for a grading performance of 162.
In season 2018-19 I scored +12=12-13 for a grading performance of 169.
In season 2017-18 I scored +10=8-9 for a grading performance of 175.
*CLL: Central London League; LL: London League; EC: Eastman Cup.
Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Your Practical Results Will Improve
… once you are more willing to sacrifice material for defensive and psychological reasons, states Jonathan Rowson in Chess For Zebras.
It is one thing knowing this, by which I mean nodding with enthusiasm when you read such an insight, but it is another matter applying such knowledge over the board.
Last night I played on board four (of five) for Hastings & St Leonards' second team away to table-topping Horsham in division one of the Mid-Sussex League.
Anthony Higgs (180) - Spanton (168)
'Barry Attack'
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Bf4 Bd6 4.e3!?
If White can get away with this, then, from a purely theoretical view, it surely must be better than losing a tempo with 4.Bg3 or 4.Bxd6 Qxd6.
4...Nf6
Critical is 4...Bxf4, but you can understand why Blacks are reluctant to play this way - it is what White wants, isn't it?
5.Nf3 b6
This was the last chance for 5...Bxf4.
6.Ne5!? Bb7
Black can play for an exchange of bad bishop for good bishop, but after 6...Ba6?! 7.Bxa6 Nxa6 8.Qe2 Nb8 is seriously behind in development.
7.Bd3
7.Bb5+ was played in René Letelier Martner - Carlos Enrique Guimard, Eighth Olympiad (Buenos Aires 1939), but after 7...c6 8.Bd3 the game reached the same position as in last night's game, except with the black c pawn on c6 instead of c7. It is hard to say whom this favours.
7...Qe7?!
Stockfish10 and Komodo10 like, among other moves, ...a6 ,which is what Guimard played at the Olympiad. The problem with the text will soon become apparent.
8.0-0 0-0?!
Played automatically. I soon regretted not interpolating 8...h6.
9.Bg5! h6 10.Bh4 g5?
AH in the postmortem pointed out 10...Qd8!? with the idea of ...Be7, preventing doubling of the black f pawns, but this never crossed my mind. He said it is not clear if 11.f4 is good, but the engines are sure 11.f4 is good. Nevertheless, ...Qd8!? is better than ...g5?
11.Bg3
Material is level, but Black has a positionally won game, according to Stockfish10.
11...Kg7 12.f4 Nbd7 13.Qf3 Rac8 14.h4
Desperate positions call for desperate measures.
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
14...Ne4!?
The engines slightly prefer 14...g4, but I rejected it because after 15.Nxg4 Nxg4 16.Qxg4+, Black is a clear pawn down and with a weakened king's position.
Trying to hold the g5 square with 14...Nh7 is doomed to failure, eg 15.fxg5 hxg5 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.hxg5, and if 17...Nxg5??, White mates with 18.Qf6+ Kg8 19.Qxg5+ Kh8 20.Qh6+ Kg8 21.Qh7#.
15.Nxd7
The engines agree this is best.
15...Qxd7
Not 15...Nd2?? 16.Qh5 Nxf1 17.fxg5.
16.Nxe4?!
AH rejected 16.fxg5 because of 16...f5, when he thought Black has some compensation for the pawn as he did not like 17.gxf6+ Rxf6, but the engines sac the queen with 18.Bxd6!? Rxf3 19.Be5+ Kg8 20.Rxf3, when they reckon White is winning despite the approximate material balance.
16...dxe4 17.Bxe4 Bxe4 18.Qxe4 f5 19.Qd3
AH originally intended 19.Qb7, but changed his mind when he saw his queen has no retreat square after 19...g4 20.Qxa7?? Ra8.
19...c5!?
19...g4 emphasises the badness of White's bishop, but gives White time to consolidate, when his extra pawn should tell in the long run.
The text is aimed at maximising piece-activity, but is not liked by the engines. They give 19...Qc6, but White is clearly better and under little pressure.
20.Rad1
The engines for a while prefer 20.dxc5 Rxc5 21.fxg5 Rd5 22.Qc3+ with a substantial advantage for White, but, given enough time, Stockfish10 opts for the text, at least temporarily.
20...c4 21.Qc3 Kg6 22.Kh2?
White defends his bishop, but a much better way to do this was 22.e4! as 22...fxe4 23.fxg5 hxg5 24.Qe3 is strong for White.
22...Qc7?!
AH suggested 22...Qe7, pressurising h4 and threatening to trap the queen with ...Bb4. I thought 23.d5 might be a good answer, but AH's 23.Qe1 seems better.
The engines much prefer 22...Qc6, which is logical in that Black tries to create problems on White's weakened light squares.
23.Qe1
Now 23.d5, trying to open lines to the draughty black king, may be better.
23...Rh8?!
Preventing 24.fxg5??, which can be met with 24...hxg5. The engines prefer centralisation with 23...Rce8, reckoning 24.fxg5 hxg5 25.Bxd6 Qxd6+ 26.Qg3 Qxg3+ 27.Kxg3 gxh4+ 28.Kxh4 is better for White, but not winning.
24.d5 e5 25.fxe5 Bxe5 26.Bxe5?
Much stronger is 26.d6.
26...Qxe5+ 27.Qg3 Rhe8
AH pointed out that 27...Qxb2?? is strongly met by 28.h5+!, when the f pawn falls one way or another and White's heavy pieces swarm around the black king.
28.Rfe1
The engines' 28.Qxe5 Rxe5 29.d6 Rd8 30.d7 may give White more chances of converting his material advantage.
28...Rcd8 29.d6 Qxg3+ 30.Kxg3 Re6 31.d7 Kf6
The engines, once shown it, come to like 31...Re7!?, but 32.Rd6+ looks promising for White.
32.hxg5+ hxg5 33.Kf2?!
Too passive, according to the engines. They give 33.Kf3, and if 33...g4+, now 34.Kf2 (but not 34.Kf4? Re4+ 35.Kg3 Ke6), when Black's kingside set-up is devalued (the move ...f4, for instance, is less of a threat).
33...Ke5
AH thought better was 33...Ke7? 34.Rh1 Rf6, but the d pawn remains immune, eg 35.Rd4 Rf7 36.Rhd1!
34.Rh1?!
AH's postmortem suggestion of 34.Rd4 is better, but 34...Rd6 35.Rxc4 Rd2+ 36.Re2 R8xd7 leaves Black active and with decent drawing chances.
34...Re7 35.Rh6 Rexd7 36.Rxd7 Rxd7 37.Ke2 Rd6 38.Rh7
Black is better in the pawn-ending after 38.Rxd6? Kxd6.
38...a6 39.Re7+ Kf6 40.Ra7 ½–½
Despite Horsham having an average grading-advantage of 191-172, all five games were drawn.
It is one thing knowing this, by which I mean nodding with enthusiasm when you read such an insight, but it is another matter applying such knowledge over the board.
Last night I played on board four (of five) for Hastings & St Leonards' second team away to table-topping Horsham in division one of the Mid-Sussex League.
Anthony Higgs (180) - Spanton (168)
'Barry Attack'
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Bf4 Bd6 4.e3!?
If White can get away with this, then, from a purely theoretical view, it surely must be better than losing a tempo with 4.Bg3 or 4.Bxd6 Qxd6.
4...Nf6
Critical is 4...Bxf4, but you can understand why Blacks are reluctant to play this way - it is what White wants, isn't it?
5.Nf3 b6
This was the last chance for 5...Bxf4.
6.Ne5!? Bb7
Black can play for an exchange of bad bishop for good bishop, but after 6...Ba6?! 7.Bxa6 Nxa6 8.Qe2 Nb8 is seriously behind in development.
7.Bd3
7.Bb5+ was played in René Letelier Martner - Carlos Enrique Guimard, Eighth Olympiad (Buenos Aires 1939), but after 7...c6 8.Bd3 the game reached the same position as in last night's game, except with the black c pawn on c6 instead of c7. It is hard to say whom this favours.
7...Qe7?!
Stockfish10 and Komodo10 like, among other moves, ...a6 ,which is what Guimard played at the Olympiad. The problem with the text will soon become apparent.
8.0-0 0-0?!
Played automatically. I soon regretted not interpolating 8...h6.
9.Bg5! h6 10.Bh4 g5?
AH in the postmortem pointed out 10...Qd8!? with the idea of ...Be7, preventing doubling of the black f pawns, but this never crossed my mind. He said it is not clear if 11.f4 is good, but the engines are sure 11.f4 is good. Nevertheless, ...Qd8!? is better than ...g5?
11.Bg3
Material is level, but Black has a positionally won game, according to Stockfish10.
11...Kg7 12.f4 Nbd7 13.Qf3 Rac8 14.h4
Desperate positions call for desperate measures.
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| Black to make his 14th move |
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14...Ne4!?
The engines slightly prefer 14...g4, but I rejected it because after 15.Nxg4 Nxg4 16.Qxg4+, Black is a clear pawn down and with a weakened king's position.
Trying to hold the g5 square with 14...Nh7 is doomed to failure, eg 15.fxg5 hxg5 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.hxg5, and if 17...Nxg5??, White mates with 18.Qf6+ Kg8 19.Qxg5+ Kh8 20.Qh6+ Kg8 21.Qh7#.
15.Nxd7
The engines agree this is best.
15...Qxd7
Not 15...Nd2?? 16.Qh5 Nxf1 17.fxg5.
16.Nxe4?!
AH rejected 16.fxg5 because of 16...f5, when he thought Black has some compensation for the pawn as he did not like 17.gxf6+ Rxf6, but the engines sac the queen with 18.Bxd6!? Rxf3 19.Be5+ Kg8 20.Rxf3, when they reckon White is winning despite the approximate material balance.
16...dxe4 17.Bxe4 Bxe4 18.Qxe4 f5 19.Qd3
AH originally intended 19.Qb7, but changed his mind when he saw his queen has no retreat square after 19...g4 20.Qxa7?? Ra8.
19...c5!?
19...g4 emphasises the badness of White's bishop, but gives White time to consolidate, when his extra pawn should tell in the long run.
The text is aimed at maximising piece-activity, but is not liked by the engines. They give 19...Qc6, but White is clearly better and under little pressure.
20.Rad1
The engines for a while prefer 20.dxc5 Rxc5 21.fxg5 Rd5 22.Qc3+ with a substantial advantage for White, but, given enough time, Stockfish10 opts for the text, at least temporarily.
20...c4 21.Qc3 Kg6 22.Kh2?
White defends his bishop, but a much better way to do this was 22.e4! as 22...fxe4 23.fxg5 hxg5 24.Qe3 is strong for White.
22...Qc7?!
AH suggested 22...Qe7, pressurising h4 and threatening to trap the queen with ...Bb4. I thought 23.d5 might be a good answer, but AH's 23.Qe1 seems better.
The engines much prefer 22...Qc6, which is logical in that Black tries to create problems on White's weakened light squares.
23.Qe1
Now 23.d5, trying to open lines to the draughty black king, may be better.
23...Rh8?!
Preventing 24.fxg5??, which can be met with 24...hxg5. The engines prefer centralisation with 23...Rce8, reckoning 24.fxg5 hxg5 25.Bxd6 Qxd6+ 26.Qg3 Qxg3+ 27.Kxg3 gxh4+ 28.Kxh4 is better for White, but not winning.
24.d5 e5 25.fxe5 Bxe5 26.Bxe5?
Much stronger is 26.d6.
26...Qxe5+ 27.Qg3 Rhe8
AH pointed out that 27...Qxb2?? is strongly met by 28.h5+!, when the f pawn falls one way or another and White's heavy pieces swarm around the black king.
28.Rfe1
The engines' 28.Qxe5 Rxe5 29.d6 Rd8 30.d7 may give White more chances of converting his material advantage.
28...Rcd8 29.d6 Qxg3+ 30.Kxg3 Re6 31.d7 Kf6
The engines, once shown it, come to like 31...Re7!?, but 32.Rd6+ looks promising for White.
32.hxg5+ hxg5 33.Kf2?!
Too passive, according to the engines. They give 33.Kf3, and if 33...g4+, now 34.Kf2 (but not 34.Kf4? Re4+ 35.Kg3 Ke6), when Black's kingside set-up is devalued (the move ...f4, for instance, is less of a threat).
33...Ke5
AH thought better was 33...Ke7? 34.Rh1 Rf6, but the d pawn remains immune, eg 35.Rd4 Rf7 36.Rhd1!
34.Rh1?!
AH's postmortem suggestion of 34.Rd4 is better, but 34...Rd6 35.Rxc4 Rd2+ 36.Re2 R8xd7 leaves Black active and with decent drawing chances.
34...Re7 35.Rh6 Rexd7 36.Rxd7 Rxd7 37.Ke2 Rd6 38.Rh7
Black is better in the pawn-ending after 38.Rxd6? Kxd6.
38...a6 39.Re7+ Kf6 40.Ra7 ½–½
Despite Horsham having an average grading-advantage of 191-172, all five games were drawn.
Wednesday, 18 December 2019
Northwick Park Round 3
Devan Patel (1867/162) - Spanton (1951/168)
'Barry Attack'
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6
Offering a French Defence - an offer that is taken up less than half of the time, at least in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
3.Bf4 Bd6 4.e3 Nc6!?
This more-or-less commits Black to playing for an ...e5 pawn-break, which is usually more effective, but much harder to achieve, than ...c5.
Stockfish10 reckons 4...Bxf4 slightly favours Black, but Komodo10 rates the position as equal.
5.Nf3 Qe7N 6.a3!?
This does not seem to have much point to it. Even so, the engines reckon White has a small edge.
6...Nf6 7.Bd3 h6?!
Missing a chance to get in ...e5, and creating a target in the event of kingside castling.
8.Bb5 Bd7 9.Qd2 a6 10.Bxc6 Bxc6 11.0-0-0?!
The engines are not keen on this enterprising move, but the position is unclear.
11...b5
The engines prefer 11...a5!, one point being that 12.Ne5 runs into 12...Bxa3!, when 13.bxa3? Qxa3+ 14.Kb1 Ra6 wins for Black, so White has to accept the loss of a pawn. Perhaps best for White is 12.Kb1, but then 12...b5 is very threatening.
12.Ne5 Bb7 13.Nd3 0-0
The engines give 13...Ne4 14.Nxe4 dxe4 15.Nc5 Bxc5 16.dxc5 Bc6 with a small edge for Black. 14.h4 Bxf4 15.exf4 Nd7 16.Qe3 Rac8 17.f5 c5 18.Nf4 cxd4 19.Rxd4 e5?
The simple 19...Rfe8 equalises.
20.Nfxd5 Qc5 21.Rg4 Qxe3+?
Straightening White's pawn-formation is much too accommodating, although White has the upper hand after the sensible 21...Kh7.
22.fxe3 Kh7 23.Rh3 Rc5 24.e4 Bxd5 25.Nxd5 f6!?
I rejected 25...Nf6 26.Nxf6+ gxf6 as making the position too easy for White, but the engines reckon it is objectively best.
26.Ne7?
26.h5 is very strong.
26...Rf7?
Better was 26...h5, which defends g7 indirectly by preventing White doubling rooks on the g file. 27.Ng6 Nb6 28.Rd3 Rc8
The back rank has to be covered to prevent Rd8-h8#. Certainly not 28...Rd7?? 29.Nf8+.
29.Rgg3 Rfc7 30.c3 a5 31.Rd6?
It was better to break the pin by 31.Kb1.
31...Nc4?
Missing the strength of 31...Na4, eg 32.Rd5 Nc5 33.Re3 b4 34.axb4 axb4 with threats, although the engines prefer White after 35.cxb4 Nd3+ 36.Kd1 Nxb4 37.Rd2.
32.Rd5 b4 33.axb4?!
33.a4 takes the sting out of Black's play.
33...axb4 34.Rgd3?
The engines' 34.b3 Nb6 35.Rb5 bxc3! 36.Kc2! looks strong. But not 36.Rxb6 as 36...Ra7 seems to give Black a draw.
34...bxc3
I rejected 34...b3! because of 35.Rb5, failing to find that after 35...Ra7 36.Rxb3 Ra1+ 37.Kc2, Black has 37...Rg1 with lots of counterplay.
35.Rxc3 Ne3 36.Rdd3 Nxg2 37.Kd2 Rxc3 38.bxc3 Ra8 39.Ke2?!
The engines prefer 39.h5, and if 39...Ra2+, then 40.Kc1!, which threatens forcing rooks off with 41.Rc2. The engines continue 40...Ra8 41.c4 with a very strong game for White.
39...Ra2+?
Better is 39...Ra4 40.Kf2 Nf4 41.Nxf4 exf4 with a position very similar to one reached in the game at move 42.
40.Rd2 Ra4
Better is 40...Ra3, although White is still close to winning.
41.Kf2 Nf4 42.Nxf4?
Correct is 42.h5, forcing 42...Ra8, and only then Nxf4 etc.
42...exf4 43.Kf3 Rc4 44.Rd3 g5 45.fxg6+ Kxg6 46.Kxf4 Kh5 47.Kf5 Kxh4 48.Kxf6
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Yes.
Black had a draw with 48...Rxe4!, the point being that 49.Rd4 is met by 49...Kh5! The game finished:
48...Kg4? 49.e5 Rc6+ 50.e6 h5 57mins less 51.Kf7 Kf5 52.Rd5+ Ke4 53.Rxh5 Rxc3 54.e7 Rc7 55.Kf8 1-0
'Barry Attack'
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6
Offering a French Defence - an offer that is taken up less than half of the time, at least in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
3.Bf4 Bd6 4.e3 Nc6!?
This more-or-less commits Black to playing for an ...e5 pawn-break, which is usually more effective, but much harder to achieve, than ...c5.
Stockfish10 reckons 4...Bxf4 slightly favours Black, but Komodo10 rates the position as equal.
5.Nf3 Qe7N 6.a3!?
This does not seem to have much point to it. Even so, the engines reckon White has a small edge.
6...Nf6 7.Bd3 h6?!
Missing a chance to get in ...e5, and creating a target in the event of kingside castling.
8.Bb5 Bd7 9.Qd2 a6 10.Bxc6 Bxc6 11.0-0-0?!
The engines are not keen on this enterprising move, but the position is unclear.
11...b5
The engines prefer 11...a5!, one point being that 12.Ne5 runs into 12...Bxa3!, when 13.bxa3? Qxa3+ 14.Kb1 Ra6 wins for Black, so White has to accept the loss of a pawn. Perhaps best for White is 12.Kb1, but then 12...b5 is very threatening.
12.Ne5 Bb7 13.Nd3 0-0
The engines give 13...Ne4 14.Nxe4 dxe4 15.Nc5 Bxc5 16.dxc5 Bc6 with a small edge for Black. 14.h4 Bxf4 15.exf4 Nd7 16.Qe3 Rac8 17.f5 c5 18.Nf4 cxd4 19.Rxd4 e5?
The simple 19...Rfe8 equalises.
20.Nfxd5 Qc5 21.Rg4 Qxe3+?
Straightening White's pawn-formation is much too accommodating, although White has the upper hand after the sensible 21...Kh7.
22.fxe3 Kh7 23.Rh3 Rc5 24.e4 Bxd5 25.Nxd5 f6!?
I rejected 25...Nf6 26.Nxf6+ gxf6 as making the position too easy for White, but the engines reckon it is objectively best.
26.Ne7?
26.h5 is very strong.
26...Rf7?
Better was 26...h5, which defends g7 indirectly by preventing White doubling rooks on the g file. 27.Ng6 Nb6 28.Rd3 Rc8
The back rank has to be covered to prevent Rd8-h8#. Certainly not 28...Rd7?? 29.Nf8+.
29.Rgg3 Rfc7 30.c3 a5 31.Rd6?
It was better to break the pin by 31.Kb1.
31...Nc4?
Missing the strength of 31...Na4, eg 32.Rd5 Nc5 33.Re3 b4 34.axb4 axb4 with threats, although the engines prefer White after 35.cxb4 Nd3+ 36.Kd1 Nxb4 37.Rd2.
32.Rd5 b4 33.axb4?!
33.a4 takes the sting out of Black's play.
33...axb4 34.Rgd3?
The engines' 34.b3 Nb6 35.Rb5 bxc3! 36.Kc2! looks strong. But not 36.Rxb6 as 36...Ra7 seems to give Black a draw.
34...bxc3
I rejected 34...b3! because of 35.Rb5, failing to find that after 35...Ra7 36.Rxb3 Ra1+ 37.Kc2, Black has 37...Rg1 with lots of counterplay.
35.Rxc3 Ne3 36.Rdd3 Nxg2 37.Kd2 Rxc3 38.bxc3 Ra8 39.Ke2?!
The engines prefer 39.h5, and if 39...Ra2+, then 40.Kc1!, which threatens forcing rooks off with 41.Rc2. The engines continue 40...Ra8 41.c4 with a very strong game for White.
39...Ra2+?
Better is 39...Ra4 40.Kf2 Nf4 41.Nxf4 exf4 with a position very similar to one reached in the game at move 42.
40.Rd2 Ra4
Better is 40...Ra3, although White is still close to winning.
41.Kf2 Nf4 42.Nxf4?
Correct is 42.h5, forcing 42...Ra8, and only then Nxf4 etc.
42...exf4 43.Kf3 Rc4 44.Rd3 g5 45.fxg6+ Kxg6 46.Kxf4 Kh5 47.Kf5 Kxh4 48.Kxf6
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| Does Black still have a draw at this late stage? |
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Yes.
Black had a draw with 48...Rxe4!, the point being that 49.Rd4 is met by 49...Kh5! The game finished:
48...Kg4? 49.e5 Rc6+ 50.e6 h5 57mins less 51.Kf7 Kf5 52.Rd5+ Ke4 53.Rxh5 Rxc3 54.e7 Rc7 55.Kf8 1-0
Sunday, 20 October 2019
Guernsey Round One
Spanton (1927/168) - Kevin Thurlow (2021/172)
Barry Attack
1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bf4
The Veresov-London hybrid that I call the Barry Attack, although it has other names.
3...e6 4.Nb5!? Na6
The main move. For 4...Bb4+!? see https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/10/veresov-london-hybrid.html
5.e3 c6 6.Nc3 Bd6!?
Not a popular choice.
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Black's offer to exchange his good bishop is slightly strange, but I rejected 7.Bxd6, which would have been a novelty, or at least is not in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database, because 7...Qxd6 leaves Black with a handy lead in development. One continuation is 8.Bxa6!? bxa6 9.Na4, but I thought Black would be fine after 9...Nd7. However, Stockfish10 and Komodo10 reckon White is slightly better.
A 2445 three years ago played 7.Bxa6!? bxa6 8.Nge2, beating a 2110, but the engines are unimpressed.
Kirill Alekseenko (2575) - Normunds Miezis (2430), Riga 2017, went 7.Nf3!? Bxf4 8.exf4 9.Bd3 c5 10.0-0 with what the engines reckon is a slight edge for White.
7.Bg5?!
Black has a simple but good reply that I missed.
7...e5 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.Nf3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Nc5 11.Bxf6!?
The engines' choice. The idea will soon become clear.
11...Qxf6 12.Qd4 Ne4 13.Qxf6 Nxf6 14.c4
Dissolving White's doubled pawns - the point behind 11.Bxf6!?
14...0-0 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bc4 Nb4?!
I was more concerned about 16...Nb6 and 16...Nc3!?, although White seems to be OK. The text causes Black unnecessary difficulties.
17.0-0-0 c5?!
This leads directly to later problems. The engines suggest 17...a5 18.a3 Na6 19.Bxa6 Rxa6, but give White a slight edge after 20.Ne5.
18.a3 Nc6 19.Rdx5 b6 20.Rd6 Na5 21.Bd5
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21...Nb7?!
The worst of three choices, it seems
Best, according to the engines, is 21...Bb7 22.Bxb7 Nxb7 23.Rd7, when Komodo10 gives 23...Na5 24.Rhd1 Nc4 25.a4 with a slight edge for White thanks to having more-active rooks, while Stockfish10 gives 23...Nd8!? 24.Rhd1 Re8 25.Ne5!? Kf8 26.R1d5 f6 27.Nc4, when it reckons White has the upper hand, but there is no immediate win of material.
After the third choice, 21...Rb8, the engines give 22.Rd1 Bb7 23.Rd7 Bxd5 24.R1xd5 Ra8 with White being much better, but again not immediately winning material.
22.Bxb7?!
KT's postmortem suggestion of 23.Rc6! is strong. White seems to win a pawn whatever Black plays, eg 23...Rb8 24.Rc7 Nd6 25.Ne5 Bb7 26.Rd1 Bxd5 27.Nxd5 f6 28.Rxd6 fxe5 29.Rdd7 Rxf2 30.Rxg7+ Kf8 31.Rxh7 Rxg2 32.Rxa7, although whether this is winning for White (Stockfish10) or merely much better (Komodo10) is hard to judge.
22...Bxb7 23.Rd7?!
Almost certainly another inaccuracy. White seems to be fine after 23.Rhd1 as it is very difficult for Black to dispute White's control of the only open file. The text, however, allows exactly such a challenge.
23...Bc6 24.Rd6 Rac8 25.Rhd1 f6 26.Ne1 Kf7 27.Kb2 Ke7 28.Kc3 Rfd8 29.Rxd8 Rxd8 30.Rxd8 Kxd8
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Black is better because a bishop outperforms a knight in endings where there are rival mobile pawn-majorities. The engines reckon Black's advantage is worth just under half a pawn.
31.f3!?
Putting pawns on the same-coloured squares as the bishop might seen strange in an ending where they will be targets, but I thought it was best to restrict the bishop's freedom of movement where possible while using the knight and/or king to prevent Black's king penetrating on dark squares.
31...Ke7 32.Nd3 g5 33.Nf2 h5 34.h3?!
This may have been taking the light-square policy too far, although the engines' suggestion of 34.e4 is similarly motivated.
34...Ke6 35.Kd2 b5 36.c3 a5 37.e4 Kd6
This comes to be Komodo10's choice, at least for a while, but Stockfish10 much prefers to fix the kingside with 37...h4.
38.Nd3?!
It seems I should have taken the chance to play 38.g3.
38...c4?!
Fixing a pawn on the same-coloured square as the bishop is unlikely to be the way to proceed unless, perhaps, there is an immediate tactical point to the move. The engines again suggest ...h4, and reckon White is winning (Stockfish10) or at least much better (Komodo10). However, get them to play on in the position and their evaluations hardly ever change, and nothing much happens as they make aimless moves with the bishop.
39.Ne1 h4 40.Nc2 Bd7 41.Ke3 Ke5 42.Nd4 Be8 43.Ne2 Bc6 44.Nd4 Bd7 45.Ne2 f5 46.exf5 Bxf5 47.Nd4
White is in zugzwang after 47.f4+?! gxf4 48.Nxf4 Be4. Even so, White still seems to be drawing, eg 49.Ne2 Bxg2 50.Nd4 Bxh3 51.Nf3+ Kd5 52.Nxh4, when Black is a pawn up, but all the pawns are on one side of the board and the bishop is the wrong colour for promoting a pawn on the a file.
47...Bd7 48.Ne2 Bc6 49.Nd4 Bd7 50.Ne2 Bc6 ½–½
Barry Attack
1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bf4
The Veresov-London hybrid that I call the Barry Attack, although it has other names.
3...e6 4.Nb5!? Na6
The main move. For 4...Bb4+!? see https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/10/veresov-london-hybrid.html
5.e3 c6 6.Nc3 Bd6!?
Not a popular choice.
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| How should White react? |
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Black's offer to exchange his good bishop is slightly strange, but I rejected 7.Bxd6, which would have been a novelty, or at least is not in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database, because 7...Qxd6 leaves Black with a handy lead in development. One continuation is 8.Bxa6!? bxa6 9.Na4, but I thought Black would be fine after 9...Nd7. However, Stockfish10 and Komodo10 reckon White is slightly better.
A 2445 three years ago played 7.Bxa6!? bxa6 8.Nge2, beating a 2110, but the engines are unimpressed.
Kirill Alekseenko (2575) - Normunds Miezis (2430), Riga 2017, went 7.Nf3!? Bxf4 8.exf4 9.Bd3 c5 10.0-0 with what the engines reckon is a slight edge for White.
7.Bg5?!
Black has a simple but good reply that I missed.
7...e5 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.Nf3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Nc5 11.Bxf6!?
The engines' choice. The idea will soon become clear.
11...Qxf6 12.Qd4 Ne4 13.Qxf6 Nxf6 14.c4
Dissolving White's doubled pawns - the point behind 11.Bxf6!?
14...0-0 15.cxd5 Nxd5 16.Bc4 Nb4?!
I was more concerned about 16...Nb6 and 16...Nc3!?, although White seems to be OK. The text causes Black unnecessary difficulties.
17.0-0-0 c5?!
This leads directly to later problems. The engines suggest 17...a5 18.a3 Na6 19.Bxa6 Rxa6, but give White a slight edge after 20.Ne5.
18.a3 Nc6 19.Rdx5 b6 20.Rd6 Na5 21.Bd5
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| How should Black meet the threat to his queen's rook? |
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21...Nb7?!
The worst of three choices, it seems
Best, according to the engines, is 21...Bb7 22.Bxb7 Nxb7 23.Rd7, when Komodo10 gives 23...Na5 24.Rhd1 Nc4 25.a4 with a slight edge for White thanks to having more-active rooks, while Stockfish10 gives 23...Nd8!? 24.Rhd1 Re8 25.Ne5!? Kf8 26.R1d5 f6 27.Nc4, when it reckons White has the upper hand, but there is no immediate win of material.
After the third choice, 21...Rb8, the engines give 22.Rd1 Bb7 23.Rd7 Bxd5 24.R1xd5 Ra8 with White being much better, but again not immediately winning material.
22.Bxb7?!
KT's postmortem suggestion of 23.Rc6! is strong. White seems to win a pawn whatever Black plays, eg 23...Rb8 24.Rc7 Nd6 25.Ne5 Bb7 26.Rd1 Bxd5 27.Nxd5 f6 28.Rxd6 fxe5 29.Rdd7 Rxf2 30.Rxg7+ Kf8 31.Rxh7 Rxg2 32.Rxa7, although whether this is winning for White (Stockfish10) or merely much better (Komodo10) is hard to judge.
22...Bxb7 23.Rd7?!
Almost certainly another inaccuracy. White seems to be fine after 23.Rhd1 as it is very difficult for Black to dispute White's control of the only open file. The text, however, allows exactly such a challenge.
23...Bc6 24.Rd6 Rac8 25.Rhd1 f6 26.Ne1 Kf7 27.Kb2 Ke7 28.Kc3 Rfd8 29.Rxd8 Rxd8 30.Rxd8 Kxd8
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| The start of a classic bishop-v-knight battle |
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Black is better because a bishop outperforms a knight in endings where there are rival mobile pawn-majorities. The engines reckon Black's advantage is worth just under half a pawn.
31.f3!?
Putting pawns on the same-coloured squares as the bishop might seen strange in an ending where they will be targets, but I thought it was best to restrict the bishop's freedom of movement where possible while using the knight and/or king to prevent Black's king penetrating on dark squares.
31...Ke7 32.Nd3 g5 33.Nf2 h5 34.h3?!
This may have been taking the light-square policy too far, although the engines' suggestion of 34.e4 is similarly motivated.
34...Ke6 35.Kd2 b5 36.c3 a5 37.e4 Kd6
This comes to be Komodo10's choice, at least for a while, but Stockfish10 much prefers to fix the kingside with 37...h4.
38.Nd3?!
It seems I should have taken the chance to play 38.g3.
38...c4?!
Fixing a pawn on the same-coloured square as the bishop is unlikely to be the way to proceed unless, perhaps, there is an immediate tactical point to the move. The engines again suggest ...h4, and reckon White is winning (Stockfish10) or at least much better (Komodo10). However, get them to play on in the position and their evaluations hardly ever change, and nothing much happens as they make aimless moves with the bishop.
39.Ne1 h4 40.Nc2 Bd7 41.Ke3 Ke5 42.Nd4 Be8 43.Ne2 Bc6 44.Nd4 Bd7 45.Ne2 f5 46.exf5 Bxf5 47.Nd4
White is in zugzwang after 47.f4+?! gxf4 48.Nxf4 Be4. Even so, White still seems to be drawing, eg 49.Ne2 Bxg2 50.Nd4 Bxh3 51.Nf3+ Kd5 52.Nxh4, when Black is a pawn up, but all the pawns are on one side of the board and the bishop is the wrong colour for promoting a pawn on the a file.
47...Bd7 48.Ne2 Bc6 49.Nd4 Bd7 50.Ne2 Bc6 ½–½
Friday, 11 October 2019
Veresov-London Hybrid
AM playing in the open section of the five-round 54th Dorset congress, which began this evening at the Elstead Hotel, Bournemouth. The time control is all moves in 90 minutes, with a 30-second increment.
Michael Duggan (186) - Spanton (168)
'Barry Attack'
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4
White is playing a cross between the Veresov (Nc3 and Bg5) and the London (Nf3 and Bf4). I find it convenient to call it the Barry Attack, although this is usually reserved for when the system is deployed against a kingside fianchetto.
3...e6 4.Nb5!? Bb4+!?
Normal is 4...Na6, but then White argues Black has misplaced the knight.
5.c3 Ba5 6.a4 a6 7.Bb4
MD revealed in the postmortem that this has been recommended as good for White by GM Simon Williams.
7...axb5 8.axb5
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8...Bd7!?
This may be a novelty - it is not in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database. 8...b6!? was played in Baadur Jobava (2669) - Boris Gelfand (2734), Eurasian Blitz Cup 2016. That game continued 9.bxa5 bxa5 10.e3 Nbd7 11.Nf3, when White's bishop-pair and pressure against a5 gave him the advantage (1-0, 48 moves).
9.bxa5?!
In the postmortem we decided a better try for White is 9.Rxa5 Rxa5 10.bxa5 Bxb5 11.Qb3, although Stockfish10 and Komodo10 give Black a small edge in what seems a rather unclear position.
A critical alternative is 9.e3!? Bxb4!? 10.Rxa8 Bxc3 11.Ke2 Bxb5+ 12.Kf3 Bxf1 13.Qxf1 0-0. During the game I believe we both thought this was probably better for Black, but the engines prefer White.
9...Bxb5 10.Qb3 c6 11.Nf3 0-0
Now Black threatens to capture the a pawn.
12.Bxb8 Qxb8 13.e3 Bxf1 14.Rxf1
Perhaps 14.Kxf1 is better, planning g3 and Kg2, but White will still lose a pawn without compensation.
14...Qc7 15.Qa2 Ra6 16.Ke2 Rfa8
16...b6, intending 17.Qc2 bxa5, gives Black a passed pawn, but it is weak, which is why the engines prefer the text.
17.Ne5 Rxa5 18.Qb2 R8a6 19.Rxa5 Rxa5 20.Ra1 Rxa1 21.Qxa1 g6 22.Qa8+ Kg7 23.f4?
Weakening the e4 square. The engines prefer 23.f3, with a long way to go before Black can convert his extra pawn.
23...h5 24.h3?!
Preventing a forced exchange of knights, but now Black invades. The engines give 24.Kf3, which also keeps the knights on, but Black still has a winning advantage.
24...Ne4 25.Qa3 Qb6 26.c4 Qb1 0-1
Michael Duggan (186) - Spanton (168)
'Barry Attack'
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4
White is playing a cross between the Veresov (Nc3 and Bg5) and the London (Nf3 and Bf4). I find it convenient to call it the Barry Attack, although this is usually reserved for when the system is deployed against a kingside fianchetto.
3...e6 4.Nb5!? Bb4+!?
Normal is 4...Na6, but then White argues Black has misplaced the knight.
5.c3 Ba5 6.a4 a6 7.Bb4
MD revealed in the postmortem that this has been recommended as good for White by GM Simon Williams.
7...axb5 8.axb5
 |
| Black to make his eighth move |
*****
*****
*****
*****
8...Bd7!?
This may be a novelty - it is not in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database. 8...b6!? was played in Baadur Jobava (2669) - Boris Gelfand (2734), Eurasian Blitz Cup 2016. That game continued 9.bxa5 bxa5 10.e3 Nbd7 11.Nf3, when White's bishop-pair and pressure against a5 gave him the advantage (1-0, 48 moves).
9.bxa5?!
In the postmortem we decided a better try for White is 9.Rxa5 Rxa5 10.bxa5 Bxb5 11.Qb3, although Stockfish10 and Komodo10 give Black a small edge in what seems a rather unclear position.
A critical alternative is 9.e3!? Bxb4!? 10.Rxa8 Bxc3 11.Ke2 Bxb5+ 12.Kf3 Bxf1 13.Qxf1 0-0. During the game I believe we both thought this was probably better for Black, but the engines prefer White.
9...Bxb5 10.Qb3 c6 11.Nf3 0-0
Now Black threatens to capture the a pawn.
12.Bxb8 Qxb8 13.e3 Bxf1 14.Rxf1
Perhaps 14.Kxf1 is better, planning g3 and Kg2, but White will still lose a pawn without compensation.
14...Qc7 15.Qa2 Ra6 16.Ke2 Rfa8
16...b6, intending 17.Qc2 bxa5, gives Black a passed pawn, but it is weak, which is why the engines prefer the text.
17.Ne5 Rxa5 18.Qb2 R8a6 19.Rxa5 Rxa5 20.Ra1 Rxa1 21.Qxa1 g6 22.Qa8+ Kg7 23.f4?
Weakening the e4 square. The engines prefer 23.f3, with a long way to go before Black can convert his extra pawn.
23...h5 24.h3?!
Preventing a forced exchange of knights, but now Black invades. The engines give 24.Kf3, which also keeps the knights on, but Black still has a winning advantage.
24...Ne4 25.Qa3 Qb6 26.c4 Qb1 0-1
Thursday, 22 August 2019
Wild One
TURNED out on top board for The Dogs Of Battersea against East London Knights in the 150-average division of London's Summer League. Barring unforeseen circumstances, this will be my last club match of the 2018-19 season.
Oliver Finnegan (160) - Spanton (168)
Barry Attack
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Bf4
White's opening looks like a cross between the Veresov (1.d4, 2.Nf3, 3.Bg5) and the New London (1.d4, 2.Bf4). I call it the Barry Attack, although that name is usually reserved for when White plays d4, Nc3 and Bf4 against a Black set-up involving an early kingside fianchetto.
3...Bd6 4.e3 Nc6!?
This may be a new move in this position, although it transposes to a known continuation.
5.Nf3 Nge7
5...Nf6 was played in Guillermo Buxade Roca (2201) - Iosif Grinberg (2279), EU Seniors 2007 (½–½, 43 moves).
6.Bg3 Nf5 7.Nb5!?
This somewhat surprised me, but, at least for a while, it is the analysis engine Komodo10's top choice.
7...Nxg3 8.hxg3 Be7
Black has gained the bishop-pair, but the manoeuvre has cost time, and means kingside castling will always be double-edged while White has a rook on the half-open h file.
9.a3 a6 10.Nc3 b6 11.Bd3 Bb7 12.Qe2
On 12.Rxh7?! Rxh7 13.Bxh7 g6 14.Qd3, I planned 14...Kd7!
12...h6
Not immediately necessary, but likely to become so.
13.g4
Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer 13.e4, giving White a slight edge.
13...b5 14.Rh5 g6
The threat of White's thrust g5 has been reduced, but the h pawn has been weakened.
15.Rh3 b4 16.Nb1
The engines slightly prefer 16.axb4 Nxb4 17.Na4, but OF was presumably reluctant to give up his light-square bishop.
16...Bf6 17.c3 bxc3 18.Nxc3 e5
It makes sense to open the position for Black's bishops, even though this means danger for both kings.
19.dxe5 Nxe5 20.Nxe5 Bxe5 21.Rc1
Committing the white king to finding shelter on f1, where it does seem as if it will be relatively safe. The black king still has flexibility, which is another way of saying it is hard to work out where it might be safe.
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
21...0-0! 22.Kf1
22.Rxh6 d4 is dangerous for White. The engines' main line runs 23.Ne4 dxe3 24.fxe3 Rb8, with lots of play for the pawn.
22...Re8 23.Qc2 d4?!
Defending the h pawn by 23...Bg7 or 23...Kg7 was more prudent.
24.Nd1?!
White probably should have preferred one of two sharper tries, both of which lead to approximately equal positions:
A) 24.exd4 Bxd4 25.Bxg6 Qf6 26.Bd3 Rad8, when Black has very active play for the pawn. This line is not forced, eg Black could sac a second pawn with 25...fxg6 26.Qb3+ (26.Qxg6? Bg7) Kg7 27.Qxb7 Rb8 28.Qxa6, when the engines again reckon Black has full compensation for his material deficit.
b) 24.Bc4!? (this is the engines' suggestion - it did not occur to me) dxc3 25.Qxg6+ Bg7 26.Bxf7+ Kf8 27.Bxe8 Qxe8 28.Qxe8+ Rxe8 29.bxc3, with a better-for-White position similar to one we get in the game. But capturing the knight straightaway may not be Black's best - instead the engines give 24...Qg5!? 25.f4 Bxf4 26.exf4 Qxf4+ 27.Kg1 dxc3, when it is Black rather than White who is temporarily two pawns up. Again the engines reckon the position is roughly even.
24...Qd5?!
Other queen moves were possible, and it seems that best was 24...Qd7, although 24...Qg5!?, 24...Qd6 and 24...Qf6 all at one point become the top choice of Stockfish10 and/or Komodo10.
25.f3?
This safeguards g2, but a better way of doing this was to gain a tempo with 25.f4, when 25...Bd6 26.Bxg6!? fxg6 27.Qxg6+ Kf8 28.Qf6+ Qf7 29.Qh8+ Ke7 30.Qxd4 is better for Black, according to the engines, but they differ as to how much.
25...Rad8?
Black is much better after the simple 25...dxe3.
26.Bc4 Qc6 27.Rxh6?
The en prise h pawn is at last captured, but it was still poisoned.
I expected 27.Bxf7+?! Kxf7 28.Qxc6 Bxc6 29.Rxc6 dxe3, when Black is much better because White's pieces are uncoordinated, eg 30.Nxe3 Bf4 31.Nc4 Rd1+ 32.Kf2 Rde1, winning.
However, the engines find a major improvement in 27.g5! h5 28.Bxf7+ Kxf7 29.Qxc6 Bxc6 30.Rxc6 dxe3 31.Rxe3, with maybe just a small edge for Black, as now …Bf4? is met by Rf6+.
27...Kg7 28.Rh3 dxe3 29.Nxe3 Bf4?
Missing White's reply. Winning was 29...Bd4, when Black has a very strong attack for the pawn.
30.Nf5+! gxf5 31.Qxf5
*****
*****
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*****
31...Rd1+!
31...Qxc4+!? 32.Rxc4 Rd1+ 33.Kf2 Rd2+ is a draw by repetition.
32.Rxd1 Qxc4+ 33.Kg1 Be3+?
I played this almost automatically, but stronger are the engines' 33...Be5 and 33...Bc8.
34.Kh1 Qf4 35.Rh7+?
The game is equal, according to the engines, after 35.Qh7+ Kf8 36.Rh5 Ke7 37.Rf5 Qh6+ 38.Qxh6 Bxh6.
35...Kg8 36.Qh5 Bd4 37.g5?!
This counters the threat of ...Bxf3!, but the engines reckon a better way of doing that was 37...Qxf7+ (37...Rxf7+ transposes) 38.Qf7 Rxf7+ 39.Kxf7 Rxd4, when Black is better, but there is a lot of play left.
37...Qf5 38.Rh6?!
Again it was probably better to give back the exchange.
38...Bg7
Good enough for a large advantage, but the calm 38...Bxb2! was even better.
39.g6 Qxh5+ 40.Rxh5 fxg6
41.Rc5 Re7 42.b3 Be5 43.Kg1
Not 43.Re1?? Rh7+ 44.Kg1 Bd4+.
43...Bd6 44.Rg5 Kf7 45.b4 Re3 46.Ra5 Ke6 47.Kf2 Re5?!
When the opponent has two rooks and you have one, it is usually not a good idea to exchange rooks as there is a certain redundancy in having two pieces of the same type (note that the normal bishop-pair is not redundant as the bishops cover different squares, but two dark-square bishops certainly would be).
I forced an exchange here for two reasons: a) two bishops v rook is a larger material advantage, ratio-wise, than two bishops & rook v two rooks, b) we were both short of time, and getting a pair of rooks off reduces the chance of mishaps.
48.Rxe5+ Kxe5 49.g3 Bc6 50.f4+ Kf5 51.Rc1 Bb5 52.Kf3 Kf6 53.g4 c6 54.Rd1 Ke7 55.f5!?
The engines like this move. Early on it is Stockfish10's top choice, before slipping to second place, and becomes Komodo10's top choice after being demonstrated on the board. I guess the point is that if White stands pat, Black will eventually organise his pieces and threaten to win a pawn or pawns, so it makes sense to exchange as many as possible.
55...gxf5!?
Presumably it is for the same reason that Stockfish10 prefers 55...g5, even though White gets a protected passed pawn. Komodo10 rates the two moves almost identically, but with a slight preference for the text.
56.gxf5 Be5 57.Re1 Kf6 58.Kg4?
This loses a pawn. Correct was 58.Ke4, when 58...Bb2 can be met by 59.Rb1!, the point being that 59...Ba3 60.Kd4! Kxf5 61.Kc3 etc is a draw. Black would therefore have to try other manoeuvres with the bishops, but I have not been able to find a win.
58...Bd3 59.Re3 Bxf5+ 60.Kf3 Ke6 61.a4?
Presumably hoping to exchange more pawns, but that is unrealistic, and the main effect of the move is to weaken White's queenside.
61...Bc2 62.a5 Kd5 63.Ke2 Ba4?
Black wins with 63...Bd6 as White cannot save the b pawn.
64.Kd3 Bb5+ 65.Kc2 Bd6 66.Kb3 Kd4 67.Rh3 Bc4+ 68.Ka3 Be5 69.Rf3 Bd5 70.Rh3 Kc4 71.Ka4 Be4 72.Rh4 Kd4 73.Ka3 Kd5 74.Rh5 Bd3 75.Kb3 Be2 76.Rh7 Bd1+ 77.Ka3 Bd4
I have been playing rather aimlessly, hoping to somehow win the b pawn, but maybe there is no way to do it. The engines are convinced Black is winning, but they too seem unable to come up with a winning plan as long as the white rook keeps harassing from the side.
78.Rd7+?
The only playable check, since 78.Rh5?? is a gross blunder, but I believe White is fine if he plays 78.Rh4!?, even though both engines flash red.
78...Kc4 79.Rd8 Bc2 80.Ra8 Bc3 81.Rb8
Objectively better is 81.Rxa6, but Black still wins both white pawns, and therefore the game, eg 81...Bxb4+ 82.Kb2 Ba4 83.Ra8 Kb5 84.a6 c5 85.a7 Kb6 etc.
81...Bd2 82.Kb2 Ba4 83.Ka3 Bb5 (0-1, 105 moves).
East London Knights won the match 3-1.
My updated Battersea statistics for 2018-19
Event...Colour...Grade...Opponent's Grade...Result
CLL........B..........167...….........196...............…D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..159...………….D
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..161...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..190...………….D
LL...…….W...…..167...………..161...….………W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..148...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..165...………….W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..160...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..159...………….D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..168...………….D
LL...…….W...…..171...………..159...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..198...……….….L
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..169...…………..L
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..196...…………..L
LL...…….B...…...171...………..182...…………..D
CLL...…..W...…..171...………..189...…………..L
LL...…….B...…...171...………..178...…………..L
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..164...…………..D
LL...…….B...…...171...………..188...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..200...…………..L
LL...…….B...…...171...………..169...…………..L
CLL...…..W...…..171...………..186...…………..D
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..153...…………..D
LL...……W...…...171...………..188...…………..L
LL...……W...…...171...………..159...…………..L
LL...……W...…...171...………..153...…………..L
CLL...…..B...…...171...…….….172...……….....D
LL............B.........171................139..................W
LL...….….B...…..171...…….….214...……....….L
LL...……..B...…..171...………..173...……….….L
LL...…….W...…..171...………..166...…………..L
SL...……..B...…..171...………..167...………….W
LL...…….W...…..171...………..122...………….W
SL...……..B...…..171...………..159...………….W
SL...…….W...…..168...………..140(est)………W
SL...…….W...…..168...………..183...………….W
SL...……..B...…..168...………..160...………….W
Overall this season for Battersea I have scored +12=12-13 for a grading performance of 169.
In season 2017-18 I scored +10=8-9 for a grading performance of 175.
CLL - Central London League; LL - London League; SL - Summer League
Oliver Finnegan (160) - Spanton (168)
Barry Attack
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Bf4
White's opening looks like a cross between the Veresov (1.d4, 2.Nf3, 3.Bg5) and the New London (1.d4, 2.Bf4). I call it the Barry Attack, although that name is usually reserved for when White plays d4, Nc3 and Bf4 against a Black set-up involving an early kingside fianchetto.
3...Bd6 4.e3 Nc6!?
This may be a new move in this position, although it transposes to a known continuation.
5.Nf3 Nge7
5...Nf6 was played in Guillermo Buxade Roca (2201) - Iosif Grinberg (2279), EU Seniors 2007 (½–½, 43 moves).
6.Bg3 Nf5 7.Nb5!?
This somewhat surprised me, but, at least for a while, it is the analysis engine Komodo10's top choice.
7...Nxg3 8.hxg3 Be7
Black has gained the bishop-pair, but the manoeuvre has cost time, and means kingside castling will always be double-edged while White has a rook on the half-open h file.
9.a3 a6 10.Nc3 b6 11.Bd3 Bb7 12.Qe2
On 12.Rxh7?! Rxh7 13.Bxh7 g6 14.Qd3, I planned 14...Kd7!
12...h6
Not immediately necessary, but likely to become so.
13.g4
Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer 13.e4, giving White a slight edge.
13...b5 14.Rh5 g6
The threat of White's thrust g5 has been reduced, but the h pawn has been weakened.
15.Rh3 b4 16.Nb1
The engines slightly prefer 16.axb4 Nxb4 17.Na4, but OF was presumably reluctant to give up his light-square bishop.
16...Bf6 17.c3 bxc3 18.Nxc3 e5
It makes sense to open the position for Black's bishops, even though this means danger for both kings.
19.dxe5 Nxe5 20.Nxe5 Bxe5 21.Rc1
Committing the white king to finding shelter on f1, where it does seem as if it will be relatively safe. The black king still has flexibility, which is another way of saying it is hard to work out where it might be safe.
 |
| Black to make his 21st move |
*****
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*****
21...0-0! 22.Kf1
22.Rxh6 d4 is dangerous for White. The engines' main line runs 23.Ne4 dxe3 24.fxe3 Rb8, with lots of play for the pawn.
22...Re8 23.Qc2 d4?!
Defending the h pawn by 23...Bg7 or 23...Kg7 was more prudent.
24.Nd1?!
White probably should have preferred one of two sharper tries, both of which lead to approximately equal positions:
A) 24.exd4 Bxd4 25.Bxg6 Qf6 26.Bd3 Rad8, when Black has very active play for the pawn. This line is not forced, eg Black could sac a second pawn with 25...fxg6 26.Qb3+ (26.Qxg6? Bg7) Kg7 27.Qxb7 Rb8 28.Qxa6, when the engines again reckon Black has full compensation for his material deficit.
b) 24.Bc4!? (this is the engines' suggestion - it did not occur to me) dxc3 25.Qxg6+ Bg7 26.Bxf7+ Kf8 27.Bxe8 Qxe8 28.Qxe8+ Rxe8 29.bxc3, with a better-for-White position similar to one we get in the game. But capturing the knight straightaway may not be Black's best - instead the engines give 24...Qg5!? 25.f4 Bxf4 26.exf4 Qxf4+ 27.Kg1 dxc3, when it is Black rather than White who is temporarily two pawns up. Again the engines reckon the position is roughly even.
24...Qd5?!
Other queen moves were possible, and it seems that best was 24...Qd7, although 24...Qg5!?, 24...Qd6 and 24...Qf6 all at one point become the top choice of Stockfish10 and/or Komodo10.
25.f3?
This safeguards g2, but a better way of doing this was to gain a tempo with 25.f4, when 25...Bd6 26.Bxg6!? fxg6 27.Qxg6+ Kf8 28.Qf6+ Qf7 29.Qh8+ Ke7 30.Qxd4 is better for Black, according to the engines, but they differ as to how much.
25...Rad8?
Black is much better after the simple 25...dxe3.
26.Bc4 Qc6 27.Rxh6?
The en prise h pawn is at last captured, but it was still poisoned.
I expected 27.Bxf7+?! Kxf7 28.Qxc6 Bxc6 29.Rxc6 dxe3, when Black is much better because White's pieces are uncoordinated, eg 30.Nxe3 Bf4 31.Nc4 Rd1+ 32.Kf2 Rde1, winning.
However, the engines find a major improvement in 27.g5! h5 28.Bxf7+ Kxf7 29.Qxc6 Bxc6 30.Rxc6 dxe3 31.Rxe3, with maybe just a small edge for Black, as now …Bf4? is met by Rf6+.
27...Kg7 28.Rh3 dxe3 29.Nxe3 Bf4?
Missing White's reply. Winning was 29...Bd4, when Black has a very strong attack for the pawn.
30.Nf5+! gxf5 31.Qxf5
 |
| Black to make his 31st move |
*****
*****
*****
*****
31...Rd1+!
31...Qxc4+!? 32.Rxc4 Rd1+ 33.Kf2 Rd2+ is a draw by repetition.
32.Rxd1 Qxc4+ 33.Kg1 Be3+?
I played this almost automatically, but stronger are the engines' 33...Be5 and 33...Bc8.
34.Kh1 Qf4 35.Rh7+?
The game is equal, according to the engines, after 35.Qh7+ Kf8 36.Rh5 Ke7 37.Rf5 Qh6+ 38.Qxh6 Bxh6.
35...Kg8 36.Qh5 Bd4 37.g5?!
This counters the threat of ...Bxf3!, but the engines reckon a better way of doing that was 37...Qxf7+ (37...Rxf7+ transposes) 38.Qf7 Rxf7+ 39.Kxf7 Rxd4, when Black is better, but there is a lot of play left.
37...Qf5 38.Rh6?!
Again it was probably better to give back the exchange.
38...Bg7
Good enough for a large advantage, but the calm 38...Bxb2! was even better.
39.g6 Qxh5+ 40.Rxh5 fxg6
 |
| After the fireworks, the game has reached an ending which the engines reckon Black is winning (Stockfish10) or at least has the upper hand (Komodo10) |
Not 43.Re1?? Rh7+ 44.Kg1 Bd4+.
43...Bd6 44.Rg5 Kf7 45.b4 Re3 46.Ra5 Ke6 47.Kf2 Re5?!
When the opponent has two rooks and you have one, it is usually not a good idea to exchange rooks as there is a certain redundancy in having two pieces of the same type (note that the normal bishop-pair is not redundant as the bishops cover different squares, but two dark-square bishops certainly would be).
I forced an exchange here for two reasons: a) two bishops v rook is a larger material advantage, ratio-wise, than two bishops & rook v two rooks, b) we were both short of time, and getting a pair of rooks off reduces the chance of mishaps.
48.Rxe5+ Kxe5 49.g3 Bc6 50.f4+ Kf5 51.Rc1 Bb5 52.Kf3 Kf6 53.g4 c6 54.Rd1 Ke7 55.f5!?
The engines like this move. Early on it is Stockfish10's top choice, before slipping to second place, and becomes Komodo10's top choice after being demonstrated on the board. I guess the point is that if White stands pat, Black will eventually organise his pieces and threaten to win a pawn or pawns, so it makes sense to exchange as many as possible.
55...gxf5!?
Presumably it is for the same reason that Stockfish10 prefers 55...g5, even though White gets a protected passed pawn. Komodo10 rates the two moves almost identically, but with a slight preference for the text.
56.gxf5 Be5 57.Re1 Kf6 58.Kg4?
This loses a pawn. Correct was 58.Ke4, when 58...Bb2 can be met by 59.Rb1!, the point being that 59...Ba3 60.Kd4! Kxf5 61.Kc3 etc is a draw. Black would therefore have to try other manoeuvres with the bishops, but I have not been able to find a win.
58...Bd3 59.Re3 Bxf5+ 60.Kf3 Ke6 61.a4?
Presumably hoping to exchange more pawns, but that is unrealistic, and the main effect of the move is to weaken White's queenside.
61...Bc2 62.a5 Kd5 63.Ke2 Ba4?
Black wins with 63...Bd6 as White cannot save the b pawn.
64.Kd3 Bb5+ 65.Kc2 Bd6 66.Kb3 Kd4 67.Rh3 Bc4+ 68.Ka3 Be5 69.Rf3 Bd5 70.Rh3 Kc4 71.Ka4 Be4 72.Rh4 Kd4 73.Ka3 Kd5 74.Rh5 Bd3 75.Kb3 Be2 76.Rh7 Bd1+ 77.Ka3 Bd4
I have been playing rather aimlessly, hoping to somehow win the b pawn, but maybe there is no way to do it. The engines are convinced Black is winning, but they too seem unable to come up with a winning plan as long as the white rook keeps harassing from the side.
78.Rd7+?
The only playable check, since 78.Rh5?? is a gross blunder, but I believe White is fine if he plays 78.Rh4!?, even though both engines flash red.
78...Kc4 79.Rd8 Bc2 80.Ra8 Bc3 81.Rb8
Objectively better is 81.Rxa6, but Black still wins both white pawns, and therefore the game, eg 81...Bxb4+ 82.Kb2 Ba4 83.Ra8 Kb5 84.a6 c5 85.a7 Kb6 etc.
81...Bd2 82.Kb2 Ba4 83.Ka3 Bb5 (0-1, 105 moves).
East London Knights won the match 3-1.
My updated Battersea statistics for 2018-19
Event...Colour...Grade...Opponent's Grade...Result
CLL........B..........167...….........196...............…D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..159...………….D
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..161...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..190...………….D
LL...…….W...…..167...………..161...….………W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..148...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..165...………….W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..160...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..159...………….D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..168...………….D
LL...…….W...…..171...………..159...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..198...……….….L
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..169...…………..L
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..196...…………..L
LL...…….B...…...171...………..182...…………..D
CLL...…..W...…..171...………..189...…………..L
LL...…….B...…...171...………..178...…………..L
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..164...…………..D
LL...…….B...…...171...………..188...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..200...…………..L
LL...…….B...…...171...………..169...…………..L
CLL...…..W...…..171...………..186...…………..D
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..153...…………..D
LL...……W...…...171...………..188...…………..L
LL...……W...…...171...………..159...…………..L
LL...……W...…...171...………..153...…………..L
CLL...…..B...…...171...…….….172...……….....D
LL............B.........171................139..................W
LL...….….B...…..171...…….….214...……....….L
LL...……..B...…..171...………..173...……….….L
LL...…….W...…..171...………..166...…………..L
SL...……..B...…..171...………..167...………….W
LL...…….W...…..171...………..122...………….W
SL...……..B...…..171...………..159...………….W
SL...…….W...…..168...………..140(est)………W
SL...…….W...…..168...………..183...………….W
SL...……..B...…..168...………..160...………….W
Overall this season for Battersea I have scored +12=12-13 for a grading performance of 169.
In season 2017-18 I scored +10=8-9 for a grading performance of 175.
CLL - Central London League; LL - London League; SL - Summer League
Wednesday, 1 August 2018
Quick Win
GOT back to winning ways today with a short but sweet win in round four of the 50+ Seniors at the British Chess Championships in Hull.
The game was effectively over in well under 20 moves, although my opponent played on to the bitter end.
Spanton (1927) - David W Stephenson (1817)
1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 f5
The first time this position has been on the board in one of my games.
3.Bf4
This London System approach has been played by Topalov, Tal, Petrosian and Nimzowitsch.
3...Nf6 4.Nc3?!
Overwhelmingly most popular is 4.e3.
The text switches the game into what is sometimes called a Barry Attack, at least when played against the King's Indian Defence. The combination of Nc3 with Bf4 is a sort of cross between a London (Bf4 with the queen's knight usually going to d2) and a Veresov (Nc3 and Bg5).
4...d6?!
It looks tempting to play this as ...e5 would (eventually) come with tempo. But I felt it was too early to decide whether Black's d pawn belonged on d6 or d5.
Best in the postmortem seemed to be 4...Bb4 with ...Ne4 to come. White can hardly claim an advantage after this.
5.Qd3!?
Seeking to enforce e4, which Black can only prevent with 5...d5. If that is the best move, and my analysis engines quite like it, then Black's fourth was a mistake.
5...b6?
After this, Black is close to being positionally lost.
6.e4 fxe4
On 6...Ba6 I intended 7.Qe3, and if 7...Ng4, then 8.Qd2 with a good game.
7.Nxe4 Nd5
Black is well behind in development, but this move does not make the situation worse as White is obliged to move his dark-square bishop. Nevertheless it is hard to believe Black should have done anything other than got on with bringing out his minor pieces.
8.Bg3 Be7 9.c3 0-0 10.0-0-0 a5 11.h4 c5?
Stockfish9 gives 11...h6, but reckons Black has the upper hand. Komodo9 gives the same move, and has Black as almost equal (at first - it later gives White a small edge). I am pretty sure Stockfish9 is closer to the truth.
After the text, Black is lost.
12.Neg5 g6 13.Re1
I spent some time looking at 13.Nxh7!? with the idea of 13...Kxh7 14.h5. It does seem to be sound, but in the end I could not be sure, and anyway my position was so overwhelming I did not need to sac.
13...Rf6 14.h5 Nc6 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Qe4 Rf5
The analysis engines' choice, but there is a devastating reply.
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17.Rh8+!
Black played on with 17...Kg7, but his optimism was not rewarded.
The game was effectively over in well under 20 moves, although my opponent played on to the bitter end.
Spanton (1927) - David W Stephenson (1817)
1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 f5
The first time this position has been on the board in one of my games.
3.Bf4
This London System approach has been played by Topalov, Tal, Petrosian and Nimzowitsch.
3...Nf6 4.Nc3?!
Overwhelmingly most popular is 4.e3.
The text switches the game into what is sometimes called a Barry Attack, at least when played against the King's Indian Defence. The combination of Nc3 with Bf4 is a sort of cross between a London (Bf4 with the queen's knight usually going to d2) and a Veresov (Nc3 and Bg5).
4...d6?!
It looks tempting to play this as ...e5 would (eventually) come with tempo. But I felt it was too early to decide whether Black's d pawn belonged on d6 or d5.
Best in the postmortem seemed to be 4...Bb4 with ...Ne4 to come. White can hardly claim an advantage after this.
5.Qd3!?
Seeking to enforce e4, which Black can only prevent with 5...d5. If that is the best move, and my analysis engines quite like it, then Black's fourth was a mistake.
5...b6?
After this, Black is close to being positionally lost.
6.e4 fxe4
On 6...Ba6 I intended 7.Qe3, and if 7...Ng4, then 8.Qd2 with a good game.
7.Nxe4 Nd5
Black is well behind in development, but this move does not make the situation worse as White is obliged to move his dark-square bishop. Nevertheless it is hard to believe Black should have done anything other than got on with bringing out his minor pieces.
8.Bg3 Be7 9.c3 0-0 10.0-0-0 a5 11.h4 c5?
Stockfish9 gives 11...h6, but reckons Black has the upper hand. Komodo9 gives the same move, and has Black as almost equal (at first - it later gives White a small edge). I am pretty sure Stockfish9 is closer to the truth.
After the text, Black is lost.
12.Neg5 g6 13.Re1
I spent some time looking at 13.Nxh7!? with the idea of 13...Kxh7 14.h5. It does seem to be sound, but in the end I could not be sure, and anyway my position was so overwhelming I did not need to sac.
13...Rf6 14.h5 Nc6 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Qe4 Rf5
The analysis engines' choice, but there is a devastating reply.
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| Position after 16...Rf6-f5 |
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17.Rh8+!
Black played on with 17...Kg7, but his optimism was not rewarded.
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