Taking a Stab at Stokyo, Part 2
It is better to follow out a plan consistently even if it isn't the best one than to play without a plan at all. The worst thing is to wander about aimlessly. - Alexander Kotov
Here continues my first attempt at a Stokyo Position: (part 1)
Some options for white in this position:
A. Qxe5
B. Nxd5
C. O-O
D. b3
E. Be2
A. 13. Qxe5 fxe4, followed by Bxe4 or Nxe4.
14. Nxe4. Material is equal and I estimate the position is =. [ -+ ]
14… Bc5 15. O-O and white holds the position. = [ -+ ]
.... 15. Nxc5 Re8 -/+ [ -+ black will be up a pawn … better mobility? ]
14. … Bf5 15. O-O = [ -+ ]
15. Ng3 Bd6 16. Qd4 [ 16. Qxf5 Rxf5 17. Nxf5 best ] Re8+ 17. Kf1
… 17. Ne2 Be5 [ 17. … Bxd3 18. cxd3 Nf4 ] 18. Qa4
… 18. Qc5 Bxd3 19. cxd3 Nf4 20. O-O [ 20. Kf1 best, 20. … Nxe2 ] Nxe2+ -+
18… Bxd3 19. cxd3 Nf4 [ Bd6 or Bc7 better ] 20. Nxf4 Bxb2+ 21. Ne2
21. Kf1 [ 21. Kd1 best ] Bxa1)
21… Bxa1 -+
21 … Qe7 might be better, threatening the mate first [ 21. … Bxa1 best, 21. … Qxd3 better than Qe7 ]
15. Nc3 Bd6 16. Qd4 Re8+ [ forgot to evaluate at this point; -+ ]
[ 15. b3 about the same as O-O -+ ]
14. … Nb4 15. Qc3 Nxd3 = [ -+ ]
… 15. Be2 Nxc2+ -+
… 15. O-O [ best ] Nxd3 16. cxd3 Ba6 17.Re1 Bxd3 -/+ [ -+ ]
14. … Rf5 [ best ] 15. Qd4 +/= [ -+, best 15. Qg3 Bh4 16. Qd6 Bxf2+ 17. Kd1 Qe8 ]
14. … Bb7 = [ -+ ]
14. … Nb7 15. Bc4 += [ -+ ]
14. Bxe4 Bc5 [ 14. … Nf4 best. Bd6 and Nf6 also good. -+ ] 15. O-O = [ -+ ]
15. d4 (as in the referenced game above) Re8 16. Qg3 Nxc3 17. Qxc3 Rxe4+ 18. Kf1 Ba6 19. Kg1 Bxd4 -+
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13. Nxd5, this was the move played and the one I was actually expecting. 13. … cxd5, but not exd5 due to the in-between move, Nxe7+ 14. Nc3 e4 15. Bb5
15. Be2 f4 16. Qg6 Rf6 17. Qh5 Rf5 18. Qg4
18. Qh3 [ best ] Rg5 19. Qh4 [ 19. g4 followed by either fxg3 or f3 good. -+ ] Rxg2 [ 19. … f3 best and Nc6 also good ] 20. Qxf4 Bc5 -/+ [ -+ 20… Rxf2 best ]
18… h5 19. Qh3 Rg5 [ 19… f3 better ] 20. g4
20. Qh4 Rxg2 [ 20… f3 best ] 21. Qxf4/h5 =/+ [ 21. Qxf4 best in this line, -+. 21. Qxh5 bad due to Rg5 ]
20… fxg3 [ 20… f3 still best ] 21. Qf1 [ ??, best 21. Qg2 gxf2+ -+ ] gxf2+ =/+ [ ?, -+ but better is 21… g2 ]
15. … f4 (here white resigned) 16. Qg6 [ -+ ]. Now if 16. … Rf6, white has the option of Qe8+, offering the queen trade or a potential repetition of position in case of Rf8, Qg6. Another option is to follow the Qh5 lines in the above variations, probably maintaining equality. Overall I still think black only has a slight advantage, mostly in space, though the white squares around the king are also weak. =/+ [ -/+ in the 17. Qe8+ line ]
I believe this is the best line for black.
Another line here, would be 14. … f4 immediately. I debated this move for a little while but thought white would trade out in the center and then castle. For example: 15. Qf3 e4 [ 15… Be6 best -/+ ] 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. Qxe4 [ ?? -+ ] with an attack on h7. Though, after 17. Qxe4, Bf5 looks pretty good for black [ best, with 18. Qf3 or Qe3 followed by 18… Bxd3 -+ ]. Qxf4 and Bxe3 attacking the queen wins a piece for black -+.
So, 18. Bxe4 looks better leaving black with Rb8 as the only move =+.
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14. O-O [ best ] fxe4 [ Nf4 or Nb4 better ? ] 15. Bxe4. Now black has a weakness on e5 and the black pieces need to have better coordination. At this point I evaluate the position as = and maybe +/= [ -+ ]. Maybe 15. … Bf6 would be good but after d3 or Re1 I think white is fine. [ -/+, a lot of slightly better moves ]
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14 b3.This gets white’s black squared bishop a chance at some activity. 14. … fxe4 15. Bxe4 [ 15. Nxe4 best -+ ] and black has some of the same problems as in C. Maybe 15. … Bc5 16. O-O +/= or = [ -+, 16. f3 better ].
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14. Be2 fxe4 and now either Nxe4 or even Qxe5 as the e4 pawn is just hanging +/= or = [ -+ ].
Blog: https://www.chess.com/blog/TheoreticalPraxis
Test 2/1/24