offramp: Black takes the c-pawn, just like as in A A R Afifi vs Beliavsky, 1985. A few moves later White decides to get that pawn back, and he plays 6. Na3.
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Black played 6...Bxa3. Is that going too far to keep the pawn? Could be. I have never seen a B(B1)xN(R6) capture turn out well. *****
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Here White decided to give up taking the black c-pawn, and opted to make a real gambit out of it.
9. d3!?
Let's see how that pans out.
Here we are 6 moves later.
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White has somehow managed to <UN>develop after gambiting a pawn, while Black has made big strides. This is why I always reckon that Black should take that c-pawn (3...dxc4) if it can't be immediately recaptured. Things have changed later...
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26. Bxb6. White now has the serious threat of Ne4. 26...Bd7 looks like the best. Flear played 26...Bxb3, straightening out White's pawns and leaving a ♗♗ v ♘♘ ending. Both players played this ending very well until Flear annoyingly dropped a knight. Well played by both players, though. |