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Interesting games ... en passant

  T. Oral (2531) - M. Kantorik (2289)  
 [C45] 
  TCh-SVK; (R4) / 26,11,2000.  

[A.J.G.]  

I saw this little encounter on another server, and I decided {for various reasons} to try and quickly analyze it. (Many opening reference works are at complete odds as to what is the best line of play; at least in many of the variations that I examined. I also could not be sure of the soundness of White's sacrifice on his 11th move, and therefore decided to subject that position to a fairly decent review.)   

 1.e4 e5;  2.Nf3 Nc6;  3.d4,  
This old opening ... used to be a complete dinosaur. When I was coming up in chess, (the 1970's); many years could go by without a single decent game (in this opening) being published in the Informant. 

... "The Scotch, 3.d4. Once a theoretical backwater, it has been revitalized by Kasparov's success with it."  - GM John Nunn  (NCO, page # 285)  

I have about a dozen books and pamphlets on this opening system. (Two, off the top of my head, are by P. Wells and IM Gary Lane's, "Winning With The Scotch.") 

     [ Of course 3.Bb5,  leads to a Ruy Lopez. ]  

 3...exd4;  4.Nxd4 Qh4!?;  (Why?)   {See the diagram given ... just below.}  
This weird-looking sortie ... which appears to be the product of a rank beginner, is actually the deeply thought out concept of W. Steinitz. (I have several books on this one branch of this opening system.) 

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  r1b1kbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/8/3NP2q/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w  

See the volume:  < "4...Qh4 in The Scotch,"  by IGM Lev Gutman. >  Copyright (c) 2001.   
Published by B.T. Batsford, Ltd.  ISBN: # 0-7134-8607-4  

Black actually gets a lot of pressure against White's e-Pawn, playing either side {today}  requires a lot of deep preparation and homework.  

     [ The continuation of:    
       (>/=)  4...Bc5;  5.Be3 Qf6;  6.c3 Nge7;  7.Bc4 Ne5;   
       8.Be2 Qg6;  9.0-0 d6;  10.f3,  "+/="  {Diagram?}   
       probably yields White a tiny edge. [MCO-14, col. # 13; pg. # 107.]   

       The highest-rated encounter, (that I could find in any database); was:   
       GM Sergei Rublevsky (2645) - GM Kiril Georgiev (2666);   
       21st EU-Cup / Saint Vincent (R4), / 18,09,2005.   
       {This game was eventually drawn.}   

       Another respected reference work has 10-15 pages of analysis on   
       this opening. [See MCO-14, beginning on page # 101.]  ]   

 5.Nc3,   (hmmm)   Probably - "+/="   
Simple development. (Normally, this is never wrong, however in tricky gambit lines a lot of the normal rules ... "go out the window," as IM Gary Lane states in his book.)  

     [ Also popular for White is:  5.Nb5!?, ('!')   5...Bb4+!?;   
        According to MCO-14,  (page # 110, note (k.)): 
        "Steinitz's 5...QxP/e4+!? isn't played much nowadays as White gains   
         definite compensation for the Pawn." (He goes on to quote a line 
         and a game, and says that pawn-grabbers could still experiment with it.)   

    *** *** *** *** ***   *** *** *** *** ***   *** *** *** *** ***   *** *** *** *** ***   *** *** *** *** ***   

            ( Black has also tried the tricky:  5...Qxe4+!?;  ('?!')   6.Be3!? Qe5!;   
              7.Qe2!? Kd8!?;  8.N1c3 a6;  9.Nxc7 Qxc7;  10.Nd5 Qa5+;  11.c3,  "~"  
               with rather unclear play.   

               S. Arkell - Hugue / ENG, 1989.   
               [ See MCO-14, page # 109; column # 21, & also note # (o.). ]  

  *** *** ***  

              For the continuation of:  (</=)  5...Bc5;  6.Qe2! Bb6!?;  7.Be3, "+/="   
              see MCO-14, pg. # 109, & col. 22. )   

    *** *** *** *** ***   *** *** *** *** ***   *** *** *** *** ***   *** *** *** *** ***   *** *** *** *** ***   

       6.Bd2 Qxe4+;  7.Be2 Kd8!?;  8.0-0 Bxd2;  9.Nxd2 Qf4;  
       10.g3 Qh6;  11.Nc4, "~"   11...Nge7; "~"   
       The author of MCO, who is a {former} U.S. Champ, considers this  
        position as (being) equal.  {Maybe a slight edge for White?}  

       IM G.S. Botterill - M. Staples; /  Manchester, ENG; 1974.   

       (See also the encounter: J. Johannes - J. Ryska  /  [C45]   
        E-4-031 corr CiF corr / 27,02,2001. 
        White won this - second quoted - game in just thirty-three total moves.)   

       [ See MCO-14, page # 109; column # 21 & all applicable notes. ] ]   

 5...Bb4;  6.Be2 Qxe4!?;  ('?!')   
While this capture appears to be rather risky ... an old (Chess Digest?) pamphlet actually awards this move an exclamation mark. (Personally, I don't like it. Black loses a lot of time, place his Queen in peril and also aids White by opening lines.)   

     [ Probably more prudent was:   
       >/=  6...Nge7; ('!')   7.0-0 Bxc3;  8.bxc3 a6;  "~"    {Diag?}  
       with a fair position for Black.   

       Wim H. Pommerel (2362) - John D. Rhodes (2331) / [C45]   
       EM/CL/Q06-3 email  /  ICCF Correspondence  /  06,2002.   
       {Black won a convincing victory in just 45 overall moves.} ]   

Now White gains the upper hand, in a quick and demonstrative manner.   
 7.Ndb5! Bxc3+;   (Forced?)   
This is probably best, the alternatives look to be much worse for Black.   
 (See the variation given just below.)   

     [ Decidedly inferior was:   </= 7...Kd8?!;  8.0-0! Bxc3;   
        Probably best.   

        ( </=  8...Qe6?;  9.Bg4 Qg6;  10.Bh5 Qf5;  11.Nd5 Ba5!?;   
          12.Bf4 d6!?;  13.Bxd6!,  "+/-" )    

       9.Nxc3 Qd4;  10.Bd3,  "/\"   '±'    
       and White continues to develop while gaining tempi on 
       the Black Queen. ]   

 8.bxc3 Kd8[];   
This appears to be forced.   

     [ But not   </= 8...Qe5??;  as  9.f4,   {Diagram?}    
       wins for White  ("+/-") ...  as Black cannot continue    
       to protect the c7-square, (without dropping the Q). ]  

 9.0-0 a6?!;   (Maybe just - '?')    
Fritz prefers  >/= 9...d6  here.   

 10.Bf3,   
Good enough for a substantial plus.   

     [ Maybe slightly better was: 
       (>/=) 10.Nd4! Nge7;  11.Re1,  "--->"   ('±')   
        with a great game for White. ]    

 10...Qc4;  11.Nd6!?,  (speculative?)   {See the diagram given ... just below.}  
I could not make up my mind if this was a great move ('!!') or just an unsound sacrifice. ('?!')   
[Therefore this piece of work and web page.]   

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  r1bk2nr/1ppp1ppp/p1nN4/8/2q5/2P2B2/P1P2PPP/R1BQ1RK1 b  

Now White has a surprising way to win.   
 15.Bxd5 Nxd5;   {See the diagram given ... just below.}