White to move. How should White proceed?
2r1r1k1/pp3p1p/3p2p1/1NnPb1B1/2R5/6PP/P3PPK1/2R5 w – – 0 24
Sargissian, Gabriel – Stellwagen, Daniel (Chess Olypiad 2008)
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1f5
1.f4 Rb8 2.fe Rxe5 3.Bf4 Rxe2+ 4.Kf1 Re8 5.R4e2
I meant 5.R4c2
1. f4 a6 (the best defense for black)
2. fxe5 axb5
3. Rxc5 dxc5
4. d6 Rxe5
5. d7 Ra8
6. d8=Q+ Rxd8
7. Bxd8 Rxe2+
An interesting problem that was kind of unresolved the first time it was posted here in November 2008. For 1.f4, I think Alena has outlined the best play afterwards- there is probably no better defense for black than 1. …a6, however, white wins a piece for the price of three pawns, though he does have some initiative and pressure after 7. ….Rxe2+ 8.Kf3 Rd2! 9.Bf6!? b6 10.Re1 Kf8, and in my opinion, the position is a bit unclear, though white does stand better, and will likely regain at least one of the traded pawns, and maybe all of them, but the analysis required is a bit too deep to be certain.
Interestingly, the actual game progressed as Alena outlined up until black’s move at move 4 above where Stellwagen played Rf8 rather than Rxe5. The rest of the game, Stellwagen mostly played very inaccurately and didn’t get anything for the piece in the end.
At the time this was first posted, my thoughts were that 1. Na7 was a better plan. At the time, I had only analyzed the following:
1. Na7 Ra8
2. Nb5 Ra2
3. R1c2 Ra5
4. Rb4 f6
5. Bd2 f5
6. f3
Looking at it now 8 years later, I am not so sure of the 1.Na7 line- I don’t quite like the counterplay this allows black. So, probably 1. f4 is the best- white gains a clear edge, with not much danger of losing the game, but not an easy finish.