Benidorm Round Five

Juan Carlos García Santiago (1721) - Spanton (1941)

French Tarrasch

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6!?

The main idea, as I understand it, of this move, which is sixth-most popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, is to happily play with an IQP, but without allowing White the move Bb5(+). For what it is worth, the text, for a long time, is the second choice of Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1, behind the immediate 3...c5. However, the engines do fluctuate, given lots of time, eg at one stage Stockfish17.1 comes to marginally prefer the text, while Dragon1 replaces the text with 3...dxe4 as second choice.

4.Ngf3 c5 5.exd5 exd5 6.c4!?

A rare continuation, but quite liked by the engines. I guess the point is to open the centre while White enjoys a slight lead in development. The move, despite its rarity, has a fine pedigree, having apparently been first played by a teenage Viktor Korchnoi in 1948.

How should Black respond?

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6...Nf6

This was Korchnoi's choice when he reached the position as Black in 1968.

7.Bd3

The main line in Mega25 runs 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bc4, with a sharp position that the engines reckon gives equal chances.

7...cxd4!?

The normal advice in such situations is to keep developing, rather than taking time to capture a pawn, but in this case the text seems reasonable.

How should White proceed?

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8.0-0!?

The engines like this, and 8.cxd5.

Contrary to first appearances, 8.Nxd4?! is possible, since 8...dxc4 can be met by 9.Bf5!, eg 9...Qxd4 10.Bxc8 Qe5+ 11.Qe2 Qxe2+ 12.Kxe2 b5, although the engines reckon White does not have enough for a pawn.

8...Be7 9.Re1 0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?

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Black is a pawn up, but White has a slight lead in development, and should not experience difficulties levelling material. The engines agree the game is equal.

10.Nb3

This is probably a novelty. Vladislav Federov (2455) - Moris Saruhanjan (2305), Alekhine Open (Moscow) 1996, continued 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Nb3 Nc6 12.Nbxd4 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Bf6 14.Be4 h6, with what the engines reckon is an equal game (but 1-0, 46 moves).

10...Bg4

Perhaps more logical, but not necessarily better, is 10...dxc4 11.Bxc4 b5, making use of the move 3...a6!?

11.cxd5 Nxd5

The engines like my other main thought of 11...Bb4!?

12.Bc4

Simpler is 12.Nbxd4.

12...Nb6 13.Be2 Nc6 14.Nfxd4 Bxe2 15.Rxe2

The engines prefer 15.Qxe2.

15...Bf6

Black perhaps has an edge after 15...Nxd4 16.Qxd4 Bf6.

16.Be3 Nc4

The engines suggest moving the other knight, either to e5 or b4.

17.Nxc6 bxc6

A tad better may be 17...Qxd1+, but it is not clear.

18.Bd4 Rb8?!

Probably better is 18...Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Qxd4 20.Nxd4 Rfe8, but White has at least a slight edge.

19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Qc2 Ne5

This is Dragon1's top choice; Stcokfish17.1 prefers 20...Nb6.

21.Qc3 Nd7

The engines suggest 21...Rb5 22.Rae1, and possibly then ...Nd7.

22.Qxf6 Nxf6 23.Rc2 Rb6 24.Rac1 Rd8?!

The engines give 24...Nd5!? 25.Rxc6 Rxc6 26.Rxc6 Nb4 27.Rb6 Nxa2, but only White has winning chances after 28.Rxa6 or 28.Nc5.

25.Kf1

And not 25.Rxc6?? Rxc6 26.Rxc6 Rd1#.

25...Rd6?

A waste of time as ...

26.Na5

... threatens to fork rooks with 27.Nc4, as well as thretening the c pawn.

26...Re6 27.Nxc6

Now White has won a pawn, how would you assess the position?

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White is winning, according to the engines, but naturally the game is hardly resignable.

27...g6 28.Nd4 Re4 29.Nf3 Reb4 30.b3 Nd5!?

Possibly better is 30...a5, seeking to give White an isolated, albeit passed, queenside pawn.

31.Rc6 Kg7 32.g3 h5 33.Kg2 a5?

It is too late for this as now the move is only weakening.

34.Rxb6 Nxb6

If 34...Rxb6?!, then 35.Rc5.

35.Rc7 a4 36.bxa4?!

This seems to throw away much of White's advantage. The engines give 36.Ne5, eg 36...Kf6 37.f4 Ke6 38.Rxf7 axb3 39.axb3 Rxb3 40.Rb7, when, despite there being pawns on only one side of the board, the engines reckon White is the equivalent of roughly a piece and a pawn ahead.

36...Rxa4?!

But now White is apparently clearly winning again. The engines give 36...Nd5!? 37.Rd7 Nf6 38.Ra7 Ne4, claiming White has 'only' the upper hand.

After 36...Ra4?! it is White to play and win

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37.Ne5

Right piece, wrong square. Winning is 37.Ng5!, and if, as in the game, 37...Kf6, then 38.f4! Rxa2+ 39.Kh3 Kg7 (forced) 40.Rxf7+ and 41.Rf6.

37...Kf6!

This saves the game.

38.Nxf7

38.f4!? is no longer anything special as after 38...Rxa2+ 39.Kh3 Black has 39...g5!, with mating threats.

38...Rxa2 39.Rc6+

Keeping knights on makes the draw a little less simple.

39...Kxf7 40.Rxb6 Kg7 41.h4 Kf7 42.Rbe Kf6 43.Rf3+ Ke5 ½–½

Stockfish17.1 reckons the game is completely equal (Dragon1 gives White an edge of 0.08), but I suspect most people, at least at club level, would play on to see if Black knew what he was doing.

League Chess

ARRIVED back in England yesterday afternoon in time to face a junior (born 2011) on board three (of five) in division two of the Central London League last night.

Cian Ward (Hammersmith - 2112) - Spanton (Battersea - 1933)

French Tarrasch

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6!?

A modern-style 'waiting move', although it goes back to at least 1948.

4.Bd3!?

This is Stockfish17's top choice, at least for a while, although Dragon1 prefers the more popular 4.Ngf3.

4...c5 5.exd5!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database runs 5.dxc5!? Bxc5 6.Ngf3 Nc6 7.0-0, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines.

5...exd5

On 5...Qxd5 the engines give 6.dxc5!?, awarding White at least the better side of equality.

6.dxc5!?

This is the commonest continuation in Mega24.

6...Bxc5 7.Ngf3 Nf6 8.0-0 0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?

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As usual with Isolated Queen's Pawn positions, it all depends on whether the IQP is mostly a strength (it is the only pawn on the two central files) or a weakness (it cannot be supported by a friendly pawn). The engines reckon the game is completely equal, so perhaps a better way of answering the question is that it all depends who better handles the pluses and minuses of the position.
9.Nb3 Ba7

More popular is 9...Bb6.

10.Bf4!?

Normal are 10.h3 and 10.Bg5, although the latter is disliked by the engines.

10...Nc6 11.c3 Bg4 12.Re1 h6 13.h3 Bh5 14.Rc1 Re8 15.Rxe8+ Qxe8 16.g4!?

This thrust is nearly always double-edged, although here it is played with a specific continuation in mind.

16...Bg6

The engines suggest 16...Ne4!? White cannot allow ...Nxf2, so perhaps best is 17.Nbd4, after which Black can play ...Bg6 without worrying about Bxg6.

17.Bxg6 fxg6 18.g5!?

Trying to exploit the weakness of d5.

How should Black respond?

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18...Qe4!

An unusual pawn sacrifice in that White will be able to capture on d5 with check, but the engines reckon the text is a tad better than 18...hxg5.

19.gxf6 Qxf4 20.Qxd5+ Kh7 21.fxg7?

Apparently missing Black's reply. White had to break the pin on the f2 pawn, probably by 21.Kg2, although then Black gets back the sacrificed pawn.

21...Qg3+! 22.Kh1 Qxh3+ 23.Nh2

Not 23.Kg1?, hoping for a draw by repetition, as Black has 23...Qg3+ 24.Kh1 Bxf2.

23...Kxg7 24.Qg2

The engines give 24.Nc5 bxc5 25.Qxc5, but reckon 25...Rf8 is winning (Dragon1) or at least gives the upper hand (Stockfish17).

24...Qh4 25.Rd1 Rd8 26.Rxd8 Qxd8 27.Qf3 Qf6 28.Qxf6+?!

Probably better is 28.Kg2, albeit the engines give Black the upper hand.

28...Kxf6

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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Black has the only long-range piece on a board with an open centre and rival pawn-majorities. Black's king is more centralised, and the black knight is better than either White knight. White's only plus is having a farside pawn-majority. The engines reckon Black is winning.

29.Kg2 Ne5 30.Nc1 Kf5 31.Nf1 Ke4 32.Nd2+ Kd5 33.b3 b5!?

The engines at first strongly dislike this, preferring 33...h5, but come to regard it as OK.

34.a4?!

The engines suggest 24.Ne2, although agreeing 24...Nd3 is winning, or at least gives the upper hand.

34...bxa4 35.Bxa4 Nc4 36.Nf3 Nb2 37.a5 Nd1?

This throws away much of Black's advantage. Better is 37...Bb8, intending 38...Bc7 etc, or immediately starting to advance the kingside pawns.

38.Nd3 Nxc3 39.Nf4+?!

Planning to create a rival passed pawn, but it was almost certainly better to eliminate Black's queenside pawn by 39.Nb4+ etc, which Stockfish17 reckons equalises, although Dragon1 gives Black the upper hand.

39...Kc5 40.Nxg6 Kb5 41.Nd2 Kxa5 42.f4 Nd5?!

The engines strongly prefer 42...Kb4 or 42...Kb5.

43.Kf3 Nf6?!

Again either king move is preferred.

44.Ne5?

After 44.Ne4 Black is only slightly better, according to the engines.

44...Kb5 45.Nb3 Bc5!? 46.Nd3

White's remaining pieces will find it very difficult to cope with two passed pawns after 46.Nxc5?! Kxc5.

46...Bf8 47.Ne5 Kb4 48.Nd4 h5 49.Ndc6+ Kc5 50.Na5 Kd5 51.Nb7 Bd6 52.Nxd6?!

This is probably wrong, although it does eliminate Black's long-range piece.

52...Kxd6 53.Nc4+ Kc5 54.Na5 Kb5 55.Nb7 a5?

Impatient. Black should manoeuvre, only advancing the a pawn when it cannot be captured.

56.Nxa5! Kxa5

White to play and draw

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57.Kg3?

Losing a crucial tempo. Drawing is 57.f5 Kb5 58.Kf4 Kc5 59.Kg5 Kd5 60.Kxf6 h4 61.Kg6, and both pawns queen.

57...Kb5 58.f5 Kc5 59.Kh3

Or 59.Kf4 Kd5, and if 60.Kg5 then 60...Ke5 etc.

59...Kd5 60.Kh4 Ke4 61.Kh3 Kxf5 (0-1, 85 moves)

Hammersmith defaulted on board four, the match ending 2.5-2.5.

MY BATTERSEA SEASON 2024-5

DATE.....EVENT...........................COL..RATING..OPP'S RATING..SCORE..SEASON PERF

12/9/24  Central London League   W     1933         1886                   1            2286

26/9/24  Central London League   B      1933         2112                   1            2399

Northumbria Round Seven

FACED a junior (born 2013) in today's single-round.

Sujan Nargund (1480 Fide/1580 ECF) - Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF)

French Tarrasch

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6!?

There are five much-more popular moves in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database. The text first appears in a 1948 game, but was later tried by, among others, Mikhail Botvinnik.

4.Ngf3 c5

One of the ideas behind 3...a6!? is to play ...c5 without allowing the reply Bb5+.

5.exd5 exd5 6.Be2

A little-more popular in Mega23, but less successful percentage-wise, is 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Nb3 Bb6 8.Bd3 Qe7+ 9.Qe2, with White maybe having a slight edge, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1.

6...Nc6

The main move in Mega23 is 6...c4!?, but 6...Nf6 and the text are also popular.

7.c3!?

7.c3!? may be a novelty, but has a drawback, as will become clear, although the position after it has been reached 14 times in Mega23 via other move-orders

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7...Nf6 8.0-0 cxd4 9.cxd4 Bd6

The pawn-structure is more-or-less equal, but the black queen's knight and king's bishop are better placed for it than their white counterparts

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10.Re1 0-0 11.Nb3!?

Ukrainian grandmaster Yuriy Kryvoruchko played 11.Nf1 in a 2008 rapid game, but the engines prefer the text.

11...Ne4 12.Bd3 Re8 13.a3!?

Presumably played so Qc2 cannot be met by ...Nb4.

13...Bg4

How should White proceed?

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14.Be2?!

Although this is the third time the white king's bishop has moved, breaking the pin on the king's knight seems a natural thing to do. The engines suggest 14.Be3.

14...Qf6

The other obvious queen move, 14...Qc7, can be met by 15.g3. Black is better after both moves, but the engines point out the strength of 14...Bxf3! 15.Bxf3 Bxh2+ 16.Kxh2 (less damaging, according to the engines, is 16.Kf1!?, but that leaves Black up a pawn and with a continuing attack) Qh4+ 17.Kg1 Qxf2+ 18.Kh2 Qg3++ 19.Kg1 Nf2 with very strong play.

15.h3?!

Another natural-looking move, but again it allows a strong sacrificial combination, and this time I find it.

Black to play and win

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15...Bxh3!

The start of a double-piece sacrifice.

16.gxh3 Qg6+ 17.Kh1??

This allows mate-in-one. Critical is 17.Kf1.

Position that would arise after 17.Kf1

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I had planned 17...Nxf2! (the engines reckon 17...Qf5 is also good) 18.Kxf2 Qg3+ 19.Kf1 Qxh3+, after which, materially, Black only has three pawns for bishop and knight, but the attack is winning, eg 20.Kg1 Qg3+ 21.Kf1 Re6 22.Qd3 Qh3+ 23.Kf2 Bg3+ 24.Kg1 Bxe1 25.Nxe1 Rg6+ 26.Kf2 Qh4+ 27.Ke3 Qg5+ 28.Kf2 Qg1+ 29.Kf3 Qg3#.

The game finished with a much quicker mate:

17...Nf2#

Beat The ... French Tarrasch

IN this occasional series I look at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

Many French Defence players find White's most-annoying line to be the Tarrasch Variation: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2.

Of those responses that appear more than 1,000 times in Mega21, the most successful, scoring 50%, is 3...h6!?, which is a favourite of Nigel Short's and has also been played by Magnus Carlsen.

Position after 3...h6!?

White has three popular replies.

A) 4.Ngf3 (551 games)

After 4...Nf6 the line splits.

A1 5.e5 Nfd7, after which the line splits again.

A1.1 6.Bd3 c5 7.c3 Nc6 8.0-0 g5!?, when A1.1a 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Nb3 Bb6 11.Re1 g4 12.Nfd4 Ncxe5 scores 56% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A1.1b 9.h3 h5 10.g4 hxg4 11.hxg4 Qb6 scores 60% for Black.

A1.2 6.c4!? dxc4 (6...Be7 scores equally well, but the capture is preferred by the analysis engine Stockfish13), when A1.2a 7.Nc4 Nb6 8.Nxb6 axb6 scores 67% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A1.2b 7.Bxc4 Nb6 8.Bb3 Nc6 scores 75% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

A2 5.Bd3 c5, after which the line splits again.

A2.1 6.exd5 Nxd5!? 7.0-0 Nc6 scores 75% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A2.2 6.c3 cxd4 7.cxd4 dxe4 8.Nxe4 Nxe4 9.Bxe4 Bb4+ 10.Bd2 Bxd2+ 11.Qxd2 Nd7!? scores 71% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A2.3 6.e5 Nfd7 is a transposition to A1.1.

A2.4 6.dxc5 dxe4 7.Nxe4 Nxe4 8.Bxe4 Qxd1+ 9.Kxd1 Bxc5 10.Ke2 Nd7 scores 58% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B) 4.Bd3 (238 games)

After 4...c5 (4...Nf6 scores equally well, but the pawn thrust is preferred by Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1) the line splits.

B1 5.dxc5 Bxc5 6.Ngf3 Nc6 7.0-0 Nge7 scores 75% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B2 5.c3 Nc6, after which the line splits again.

B2.1 6.Ngf3 Nf6 7.0-0 cxd4 8.cxd4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Be7 scores 59% for Black.

B2.2  6.Ne2 cxd4 7.cxd4 dxe4 8.Nxe4 Bb4+ scores 75% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B3 5.exd5 exd5, after which the line splits again.

B3.1 6.Ngf3 c4 7.Be2 Nc6 scores 50% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

B3.2 6.Qe2+ Be7!? scores 75% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

B3.3 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Nb3 Be7 scores 83% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

C) 4.c3 (188 games)

After 4...c5 the line splits.

C1 5.exd5 exd5 (5...Qxd5 scores equally well, but the engines prefer the pawn recapture), after which the line splits again.

C1.1 6.Ngf3 Nf6 7.Bb5+ Bd7, when C1.1a 8.Qe2+ Be7 9.dxc5 0-0 10.Nb3 Re8 11.Be3 Qc7 scores 75% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and C1.1b 8.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 9.0-0 Be7 10.dxc5 Nxc5 11.Nb3 Nce4!? scores 50% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

C1.2 6.Bb5+ Nc6 scores 62% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C2 5.Ngf3 Nf6, after which the line splits again.

C2.1 6.exd5 exd5 is a transposition to C1.1.

C2.2 6.e5 Nfd7 7.Bd3 is a transposition to A1.1.

C2.3 6.Bd3 is a transposition to A2.2.

Bad Wörishofen Round Nine

FACED a Dutchman in the last round this morning.

Arjan Plug (1850) - Spanton (1912)

U2000

French Tarrasch

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6!?

There are over 4,800 examples of this semi-waiting move in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.

4.Ngf3

This is easily White's commonest response, although many other moves have been tried by grandmasters - not surprising when Black's last is so non-forcing.

4...c5 5.exd5 exd5

One of the points of 3...a6!? becomes clear in that in the mainline sequence 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 White often likes to play 5.Bb5+.

Black's first five moves in this game have been with pawns - an unusual occurrence when White opens 1.e4. However during those five moves White has effectively only developed one piece, as the queen's knight will probably have to move again to let the white dark-square bishop into the game.

How should White proceed?

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6.dxc5!?

This is the main move in Mega22, even though Black gets to recapture with the king's bishop without having spent a tempo on developing it at e7 or d6. Second-most popular is 6.Be2, which is not exactly an inspiring square for the bishop.

6...Bxc5 7.Bd3

The main line in this variation continues 7.Nb3 Bb6 8.Bd3, when Stockfish14.1 gives White a slight edge, but Komodo12.1.1 reckons Black has equalised.

7...Nf6 8.Qe2+

How should Black meet the check?

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8...Be7!

Intervening with a developed piece may seem strange, but the bishop will have to move soon anyway when White plays Nb3. The alternatives are not exactly palatable: allowing an exchange of queens after 8...Qe7 reduces Black's isolani attacking chances, while 8...Be6 is a not-very active square for the queen's bishop. Meanwhile, in the game, the white queen will likely prove somewhat awkwardly placed on the open file. The engines agree the text is best.

9.0-0 0-0 10.h3 Nc6 11.c3

10.h3 prevented the pinning ...Bg4, and 10.c3, as well as being a typical move in similar IQP lines, prevents the light-square bishop being harassed with ...Nb4. But the whole concept seems slow to me. The engines reckon the position is equal.

11...Re8 12.Nb3 Bd6 13.Qc2 Ne4 14.Nbd4

On 14.Re1 I planned 14...Qf6!?, when 15.Bxe4 dxe4 16.Rxe4 runs into 16...Bxh3! (16...Bf5 also seems fine for Black), and if 17.Bg5 Black has 17...Qf5.

14...Qf6 15.Be3 Bd7

Not a great square for the bishop, but now ...Rc8 can come with tempo as Black will threaten ...Nb4.

16.Nxc6!?

Transforming an isolani structure into one with a pawn-island pair is nearly always a major, and frequently a controversial, commitment. The engines prefer development with 16.Rad1.

16...bxc6 17.Bxe4?!

Komodo12.1.1 is happy enough with this, but Stockfish14.1 is probably right in labelling it a mistake.

17...dxe4 18.Nd2

Even worse is 18.Nh2? Qe5.

18...Qe5 19.g3?

White has to play 19.f4 exf3 20.Rxf3, although 20...Qh2+ 21.Kf2 leaves White with a very-suspect position, eg one line given by the engines continues 21...Be6 22.Nf1 Qe5 23.Bd4 Qg5, when Black has the bishop-pair on an open board and much-the-safer king.

19...Bxh3 20.Nc4?

Better is 20.Rfe1.

20...Qf6 21.Nd2

Not 21.Nxd6?? Qf3 with unstoppable mate, while 21.Qd1 can be met by 21...Rad8.

21...Bxf1 22.Rxf1 Qg6 23.Kg2 f5 24.Nc4 Bc7 0-1

Chess Evolution: The French Defence (part nine)

AFTER 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5, the moves 3.exd5, 3.e5 and the relatively new-fangled 3.Nc3 all had their plus and minus points.
From a historical basis, using ChessBase's 2020 Mega database as the source, the next move to be tried, in 1859, was 3.Bd3.
It never really caught on, not least because after 3...dxe4 4.Bxe4 Nf6, White had to either cede the bishop-pair or spend a tempo moving the light-square bishop for a third time.
The move 3.Nc3 continued to grow in importance, even though it blocks the white c pawn from supporting d4 and allows Black to increase pressure on e4 by playing the Winawer: 3...Bb4 or the McCutcheon: 3...Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4.
Then in 1890, at the British Chess Association Congress in Manchester, Tarrasch unveiled a way of side-stepping both those variations without committing to moving the e pawn, namely 3.Nd2 (he had played the move previously in casual games, but Manchester seems to have been its competitive debut).
Steinitz was an early convert, and soon the Tarrasch Variation appeared in the repertoires of many of the leading masters of the late-19th century including Pillsbury, Schlechter and Albin.
Ironically Tarrasch gave up his variation in 1894, largely due to games like the following.
Siegbert Tarrasch - Karl Eckart
Nürnberg (Friendly) 1891

French Defence

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5

The most-popular move in Mega20 is 3...Nf6, but the text is a logical way of taking advantage of the fact that a knight on d2 does not pressurise Black's centre in the way a knight on c3 does. For Tarrasch, 3...c5 was a virtual refutation of his system as Black is almost assured of obtaining an isolated queen's pawn - something Tarrasch believed greatly benefits Black.

4.exd5 exd5 5.dxc5!?

This move is still occasionally played by grandmasters, although it has been overtaken in popularity by 5.Ngf3 and 5.Bb5+.

5...Bxc5 6.Nb3

White regains the tempo that was arguably lost in capturing on c5 before Black had moved his dark-square bishop.

6...Bb6 7.Nf3 Nf6 8.Be2 Nc6 9.c3 0-0 10.0-0 Ne4!?

An interesting and aggressive choice. Instead of developing another piece (for example ...Bf5, ...Bg4 or ...Re8), Eckart occupies a central outpost in his opponent's half of the board, probably hoping for a kingside attack.

11.Bf4 Re8 12.Nfd4!?

Wrong knight?

12...Qf6 13.Be3 Qg6 14.Re1 Bh3 15.Bf1 Ne5

Black's pieces are gathering ominously in the region of White's king. The position is roughly equal, according to the analysis engines Stockfish11 and Komodo11.01, but such positions are usually easier for the attacker to play.

16.f3 Nd6 17.Kh1?!

Seeking to drive away the Black light-square bishop, but White's position turns out to be looser than it may seem. White needs to play a consolidating move such as 17.Bf2.

17...Nec4

Even stronger is the engines' 17...Bxg2+! 18.Bxg2 Nd3, the point being that 19.Re2? loses to 19...Rxe3! since 20.Rxe3? runs into 20...Nf2+.

18.Bf2 Rxe1 19.Qxe1 Re8 20.Qc1 Bd7 21.Nd2 Bc7?!

Black keeps a pleasant edge with 21...Ne3, according to the engines.

22.b3?

More-or-less forcing Black to make the knight entry he missed last time. The engines reckon White equalises with 22.Nxc4.

22...Ne3 23.Bxe3 Rxe3 24.Be2 Nf5 25.Nf1 bf4 26.Nxf5?!

White is holding on after 26.Qb2.

How should Black proceed?

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26...Qxg2+! 27.Kxg2 Rxe2+ 28.Kg1 Bxc1 29.Rxc1 Bxf5

Black has won a pawn, got his rook to the seventh rank and has the more-active minor piece.

30.Ng3 Rc2 31.Rd1!?

Objectively better may be 31.Rxc2, but White should eventually be ground down.

The game finished:

31...Be6 32.c4 Rxa2 33.cxd5 Bd7 34.Ne4 Rc2 35.b4 b6 36.Ra1 Rc7 37.Kf2 f5 38.Ng5 h6 39.Nh3 g5 40.f4 g4 41.Ng1 Bb5 0-1

The knight cannot move (42.Ne2? Rc2 43.Re1 Rxe2+ 44.Rxe2 Bxe2 45.Kxe2 Kf7) and meanwhile White has too many weak pawns.

Champion Of Champions (part 13)

HERE is the updated tournament bracket ahead of the semi-finals.

Round of 16               Quarter-Finals          Semi-Finals               Final
1. Steinitz
v----------------------------Carlsen
16. Carlsen (+102.5)
                                    v................................Tal
8.Tal (+8.5)
v----------------------------Tal (+79.5)
9.Petrosian
                                                                      v...............................
6. Botvinnik (+66)
v----------------------------Botvinnik (+18.5)
11. Fischer
                                    v.................................Botvinnik
13. Kasparov
v----------------------------Alekhine
4. Alekhine (+21.5)

3. Capablanca
v----------------------------Kramnik (+118)
14. Kramnik (+12)
                                     v................................Kramnik
5. Euwe
v----------------------------Karpov
12. Karpov (+11.5)
                                                                       v...............................
7. Smyslov (+18)
v----------------------------Smyslov (+11.5)
10. Spassky
                                     v................................Smyslov
15. Anand
v----------------------------Lasker
2. Lasker (+50.5)

Semi-Finals
Match One: Tal v Botvinnik
Game One
Mikhail Tal - Mikhail Botvinnik
French Tarrasch
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2
As noted in part two of this series. when Tal 'played' Petrosian, there are 49 examples of Tal choosing 3.Nd2 in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, compared with 46 examples of the arguably more Tal-like 3.Nc3.
3...c5 4.Ngf3 Nc6
Botvinnik played this once and 4...a6 once, but lost with the latter and won with the former, so 4...Nc6 is chosen on tiebreak.
5.exd5
Tal played this and 7.Bb5 seven times each, in both cases scoring 79%, but his rating performance was much better with the text.
5...exd5 6.Bb5 cxd4
Botvinnik played this and 6...Bd6 twice each, scoring 50% with the latter but a win and a draw with the text.

Tal did not face 6...cxd4, so this is as far as we can go

The analysis engines Stockfish11 and Komodo11.01 give Tal an averaged advantage of +52.5 - a large score for Botvinnik to overcome.

Game Two
Mikhail Botvinnik - Mikhail Tal
Nimzo-Indian
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4
There are 81 games in Mega20 in which Tal played the text, compared with 10 for 3...c5. He scored much better with the latter, but moves are chosen for 'games' in Champion Of Champions by popularity, not success.
4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 d5 6.a3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 Bd6 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.b4 e5 10.Bb2 Bg4 11.d5
Botvinnik played the text and 11.dxe5 once each, drawing with the latter but winning with 11.d5.
11...Ne7 12.h3 Bd7 13.Ng5 Ng6 14.Ne6 fxe6 15.dxe6 Kh8 16.exd7 Qxd7 17.0-0 Qf5 18.Nd5 Ng8 19.Qg4 Qc2 20.Qe2 Qf5 21.Qg4 Qc2 22.Qe2 Qf5 23.e4 Qd7 24.Rad1 Rad8 25.Qg4 Qe8 26.g3 Nh6 27.Qh5 Ng8 28.Qe2 N6e7 29.Ne3 Nh6 30.Ng4 Nxg4 31.hxg4 Nc6 32.Kg2 Be7 33.Bd5 Nd4 34.Bxd4 exd4 35.Bc4 c5 36.b5 Bf6 37.f4 d3 38.Rxd3 Rxd3 39.Bxd3 Bd4 40.e5 g6 41.Rh1 Kg7 42.Qe4 b6 43.Bc4

We have reached the final position - Tal resigned here - of  the third game from the Botvinnik-Tal world championship match of 1961

The engines give White an averaged advantage of +459, meaning Botvinnik has well and truly overcome his 52.5 deficit from game one.
Here is the updated tournament bracket.

Round of 16               Quarter-Finals          Semi-Finals                      Final
1. Steinitz
v----------------------------Carlsen
16. Carlsen (+102.5)
                                    v................................Tal
8.Tal (+8.5)
v----------------------------Tal (+79.5)
9.Petrosian
                                                                      v.....................................Botvinnik
6. Botvinnik (+66)
v----------------------------Botvinnik (+18.5)
11. Fischer
                                    v.................................Botvinnik (+406.5)
13. Kasparov
v----------------------------Alekhine
4. Alekhine (+21.5)

3. Capablanca
v----------------------------Kramnik (+118)
14. Kramnik (+12)
                                     v................................Kramnik
5. Euwe
v----------------------------Karpov
12. Karpov (+11.5)
                                                                       v...............................
7. Smyslov (+18)
v----------------------------Smyslov (+11.5)
10. Spassky
                                     v................................Smyslov
15. Anand
v----------------------------Lasker
2. Lasker (+50.5)

Champion Of Champions (part two)

HERE is how the tournament bracket looks after one match.

Round of 16               Quarter-Finals
1. Steinitz
v----------------------------Carlsen
16. Carlsen (+102.5)

8.Tal
v--------------------------
9.Petrosian

6. Botvinnik
v--------------------------
11. Fischer

13. Kasparov
v--------------------------
4. Alekhine

3. Capablanca
v--------------------------
14. Kramnik

5. Euwe
v--------------------------
12. Karpov

7. Smyslov
v--------------------------
10. Spassky

15. Anand
v--------------------------
2. Lasker

Round of 16
Match Two: Tal v Petrosian
Game One
Mikhail Tal - Tigran V Petrosian
French Tarrasch
1.e4 e6
This narrowly beats 1...c5 by 164 appearances to 160 in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database as Petrosian's favourite reply to 1.e4.
2.d4 d5 3.Nd2!?
Another narrow decision - Tal preferred this over 3.Nc3 by 49 games to 46.
3...c5 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.exd5 exd5
Petrosian has four games with the text and four with 5...Nxd5. He scored 50% with both moves, but the former wins on tiebreak as none of the 5...Nxd5 games were when he had a Fide rating.
6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8.0-0 Be7 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Nb3 Nce4

Finally we have reached a position that does not occur in Tal's games

Stockfish11 and Komodo11.01 agree this position is better for White, their evaluations averaging as a score for Tal of +44.5

Game Two
Tigran V Petrosian - Mikhail Tal
QGD Semi-Tarrasch
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3
Petrosian narrowly preferred the text to 3.Nc3 by 118 games to 106.
3...d5 4.Nc3 c5!?
An aggressive response, much in Tal's style.
5.e3!?
The main move is 5.cxd5, which Petrosian played less often but with which he scored much better.
5...Nc6 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Bc4 cxd4 8.exd4 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1 Nxc3

This position does not appear in Petrosian's games

The engines prefer White, but their averaged evaluations give Petrosian a score of +36, which is not enough to overcome Tal's +44.5 from game one.
Here is the updated bracket after two matches.

Round of 16               Quarter-Finals
1. Steinitz
v----------------------------Carlsen
16. Carlsen (+102.5)

8.Tal (+8.5)
v----------------------------Tal
9.Petrosian

6. Botvinnik
v--------------------------
11. Fischer

13. Kasparov
v--------------------------
4. Alekhine

3. Capablanca
v--------------------------
14. Kramnik

5. Euwe
v--------------------------
12. Karpov

7. Smyslov
v--------------------------
10. Spassky

15. Anand
v--------------------------
2. Lasker

Carlsen against Tal should make for an interesting first quarter-final.