Lesa Lessons

CHESS can be thought of as a series of trade-offs in which almost every action has a downside as well as an up.

The opening move 1.e4, for example, gains space, fights for the squares d5 and f5, and opens lines for the king's bishop, queen and probably, at some point, a rook.

But 1.e4 also exposes the e pawn to attack and slightly weakens White's control of the d3 and f3 squares.

Another trade-off comes in the shape of the ideal pawn-formation in front of a king that has castled short.

In Black's case, this is pawns on f7, g7 and h7, which defend the king and have maximum flexibility to react to White's threats.

Black's ideal kingside defensive formation

The downside here is that Black can become vulnerable to back-rank mate.

That is why players, when they get past the beginners' stage, like to flick in an early ...h6 (h3 as White) to give the king luft.

Later we are taught not to do this as a matter of routine as ...h6 can be a waste of time (if it does not hit an enemy piece), provides a target for a pawn-push, and weakens the g6 square.

My round-one game at Lesa featured a variant on the back-rank theme.

Black to make his 32nd move in Spanton (1937) - Diego Olivieri (1715)

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Black is better after 32...Ba5! 33.c3 Qe4, but my opponent played 32...h6??, realising his mistake almost as soon as he let go of the pawn (but he did not resign until I actually played 33.Qxg8+).

LESSON: since no sacrifice is too great to achieve checkmate, it is essential to stay alert when the threat of a back-ranker is in the air.

Summer Club: Round Three

AM playing in a summer daytime tournament organised by Surrey's Coulsdon Chess Fellowship.
It takes place on 10 Wednesday afternoons, the time control being 90 minutes with a 30-second increment.

David Lilwall (1343 ECF/1510 Fide) - Spanton (1960 ECF/1937 Fide)

Sicilian Alapin

1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 cxd4 7.cxd4 e6

Holding back on the development of Black's kingside pieces for so long is slightly unusual; nevertheless the position occurs 4,444 times in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database

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8.0-0 Nf6 9.Nc3

Where should Black's queen go?

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9...Qd7

Most popular in Mega25 is 9...Qa5, when the main line runs 10.h3 Bh5 11.Be3 Be7, with Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckoning White is at least slightly better.

10.h3!? Bh5

The engines prefer 10...Bxf3!? 11.Bxf3 Nxd4 12.Bxb7, claiming equality after both 12...Qxb7 and 12...Rd8.

11.Be3 Be7

Black should play more actively, according to the engines, with a move such as 11...Bd6.

How should White proceed?

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12.Ne5
The engines reckon 12.g4!? Bg6 13.Ne5 gives White the upper hand.

12...Nxe5?

This transforms White's isolani into a space-gaining spearhead at e5. Correct is 12...Bxe2, eg 13.Nxd7 Bxd1 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.Rfxd1, when the engines reckon the game is completely equal, although Black's position is probably easier to play. Better for White is 13.Qxe2, with what the engines reckon is a slight edge.

13.dxe5 Bxe2

The commonest move in Mega25 is the blunder 13...Qxd1??, when 14.Bxd1 Bxd1 15.exf6 wins a piece.

14.Qxe2 Nd5 15.Nxd5?!

This is the commonest move in Mega25, but it largely lets Black off the hook. Instead 15.Qg4!? leaves Black without a good answer, eg 15...Nxc3 16.Qxg7! Ne2+ 17.Kh1 0-0-0 18.Qg4 Nd4 19.Rfd1 etc.

15...Qxd5 16.f4

The engines reckon 16.Bf4, and possibly 16.Bd2!?, give a slight edge.

16...0-0 17.Rfd1 Qa5!?

Apparently a novelty, and seemingly better than the known 17...Qe4 and 17...Qc6?

18.b3

Freeing the white queen's rook from defending a2. More promising, at first glance, is 18.Rd7 Bc5 19.Rxb7, but 19...Rfb8 gives Black full compensation for being, at least temporarily, a pawn down.

18...Rfd8 19.Rd2 Bb4 20.Rad1??

A hard-to-explain oversight.

20...Bxd2 21.Rxd2 Rxd2 22.Qxd2 Qxd2 23.Bxd2 Rd8 24.Be3 b6 0-1

Croydon & District League

PLAYED on board one (of four) for Battersea against West Wickham C in the Dave Luckin division, where teams are allowed a rating total of 6600, ie an average of 1650.

Spanton (1960) - Rudy Padovan (1844)

Spanish Exchange

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Be3 0-0-0 9.Nc3 Bb4

This is the main move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, scoring an excellent 55%.

10.Ne2 f5!?

The main move in Mega25 is 10...Ne7, but the text has also been played by grandmasters, the idea presumably being that trying to open lines makes sense when possessing the bishop-pair.

How should White respond?

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11.e5!?

More common is 11.0-0-0, but Stockfsh17 and Dragon1 marginally prefer the text.

11...Ne7?!

Judging by his speed of play, RP had prepared this variation, but I suspect he got his lines crossed here, playing what seems a novelty (the known move is 11...Re8). However, while I have labelled the text dubious, for a reason that will son become clear, I should point out the engines are perfectly happy with it.

12.a3

This is my point - Black must lose the bishop-pair, which is the compensation for having an inferior pawn-structure. However, as I stated above, the engines are unconcerned, which suggests they are simply unimpressed by White's whole setup.

12...Bxc3!?

The engines much prefer this over 12...Ba5 13.b4 Bb6 16.Bxb6 cxb6, when they give White a slight edge.

13.Nxc3 Ng6 14.f4 Be6 15.Kf2 Ne7!?

The engines like this retrograde manoeuvre, along with moves such as 15...b6, 15...Rd7 and 15...Rhe8. The text is logical in that, with the white king guarding g2, the black knight has little future on the queenside, but may find a berth at d5 or, after ...c5, at c6, eyeing the d4 square.

16.Rad1 Rxd1 17.Rd1 Rd8 18.Rxd8+ Kxd8

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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White has the better pawn-structure, but opposite-coloured bishops, and the fact that White's is bad, make progress difficult. The engines call the position equal.

19.Ne2 b6 20.Nd4 Bd5 21.h3 c5 22.Nf3 h5 23.Nh2!?

This allows 23...h4.
23...Be4

The engines very marginally prefer this over 23...h4.

24.c3 Ke8 25.g4 g6!? 26.Kg3 Kf7 27.gxh5 gxh5 28.Nf3 Bxf3!?

The engines agree with this, although they quickly become just as happy with 28...Ng6.

29.Kxf3 Ng6

RP offered a draw.

Should I have accepted the draw?

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The engines reckon the position is completely equal. The point is White's protected passed pawn is easily blockaded, and the bishop has little scope. Nevertheless, White should not lose, barring something catastrophic happening (watch this space!).

30.Ke2 Ke6 31.c4 Ne7 32.Kd3 Kd7 33.Bd2 Ng6 34.Ke3 Ke6 35.b4!?

This lets Black get rid of the doubled pawn, but to make progress White has to open lines.

35...cxb4 36.axb4 Ne7 37.Be1 Ng6 38.Bg3 Ne7 39.Kd4 Nc6+ 40.Kc3 b5!? 41.Bh4

The bishop at last gets access to Black's half of the board, but Black can stop it from doing anything useful there.

41...Kd7 42.Bg5 Ke6 43.Bh6 Ke7 44.Bg7 Kf7 45.Bf6 Ke6 46.Bh4 Kd7 47.Bf2 Ne7!? 48.Kd4 Nc6+!?

How should White proceed?

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49.Kc5?!

This leads to a quick win, but should lose.

Black to play and win ... or lose

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49...bxc4?? 50.e6+ 1-0

Black apparently had a draw with 49...Ne7!? 50.cxb5 axb5 51.Kxb5 and 51...Nd5 or 51...Ng6, after which it seems White cannot make progress despite the extra pawn.

However the engines point out an extraordinary winning move: 49...Nd8!! The immediate threat is 50...Ne6+ 51.Kd5 c6#. White can play the obvious 50.cxb5, but then comes 50...Ne6+ 51.Kc4 axb5+ 52.Kxb5 Nxf4 53.h4 Nd3 54.Bd4 Ke6, when Black will be a strong pawn up in a relatively simple ending. The engines slightly prefer 50.Kd4, but then 50...Ne6+ 51.Ke3 bxc4 also loses.

Battersea won the match 3-1.

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

15/10/24.Club Championship.........W......1968..........1578................1............2259*

31/10/24.Central London League...B.......1968..........1867................0...........2061*

19/11/24.London League...............W.......1957..........1991................1............2127*

21/11/24.Central London League...B.......1957..........2035................=............2112*

27/11/24.London League...............W.......1957..........1723................=............2056*

12/12/24.Central London League...B.......1965..........2153................0............2018*

7/1/25.....Club Championship.........B.......1958..........1785................1............2037*

9/1/25.....Central London League...B.......1958..........1851................0............1978

14/1/25....Eastman Cup.................B........1958..........2052................1............2021*

28/1/25....London League..............B........1958..........1766................1............2033*

4/2/25......London League..............B........1980..........1757................1............2043*

6/2/25......Central London League..W.......1980..........1932................0............2006*

11/2/25....Central London League..B........1986..........2178................=............2018*

13/2/25....Central London League.W........1986..........1998................1............2042*

27/2/25....Central London League..B........1986..........1996................0............2015*

13/3/25....Central London League..B........1984..........2286................0............2008*

17/3/25....London League..............W........1984..........1870................0............1980*

3/4/25......Central London League..W.......1985...........2127...............0............1967

8/4/25......London League..............W........1985..........1992................=............1968

9/4/25......London League...............B........1985..........2004................0............1952

22/4/25....Croydon League.............B....... 1985..........1735................0............1925

13/5/25....Croydon League.............W.......1960..........1844................1............1939

*My season's performance is slightly better than this as my win against a 1578 was a 1978 performance, lowering my average despite me winning.

I also scored a default win in a Croydon League match.

Summing Up Lesa

MY score of +3=0-2 gained 16.6 Fide elo, and I won the 60+ prize of 50 euros.

Lake Maggiore after the final round

Lesa Round Five

FACED a junior (born 2012)

Leonardo Vincente (2120) - Spanton (1937)

Sicilian Hyper-Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Qa4 d6 7.e5!? dxe5 8.Nxe5 Bd7 9.Nxd7 Qxd7

How would you assess this position?

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White has won the bishop-pair, at a slight cost in time, and also has the probable endgame asset of a queenside pawn-majority, while Black has the only pawn on the central two files. Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckon White is slightly better.

10.Be3 Bg7 11.Be2!? 0-0 12.Rd1

This is more-often played at move 11.
12...Qc8

Possibly better is 12...Qc7!?, the idea being 13.Nb5 can be met by 13...Qe5, when 14.Bf4?! Qxb2 is probably just good for Black. But note that 13...Qa5+? loses a pawn to 14.Qxa5 Nxa5 15.Nxa7.

13.0-0 a6 14.Qb3!? b5 15.a4 b4?!

The engines prefer 15...Na5.

16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.Rxd5 Rd8??

It seems White had to play 17...e6, allowing 18.Rc5 to be met by 18...Qe8, although the engines reckon 19.Rd1 gives White at least the upper hand.

18.Bf3

The black knight cannot be sensibly saved

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18...Rb8 19.Rc5 Rd6 20.Qc4 Bxb2 21.Rxc6 Rxc6 22.Qxc6 Qxc6 23.Bxc6 Rc8 24.Be4 f5 25.Bd3 e5 26.Rb1 e4 27.Rxb2 exd3 28.cxd3 a5 29.Kf1 Rc3 30.Bb6 1-0

Lesa Round Four

FACED the third seed on board one.

Giulio Beretta (2143) - Spanton (1937)

Sicilian Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Bc4

This is easily the most popular move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database. One of the points is to discourage ...d5, which Black in the Accelerated Dragon hopes to get in without, as in other Dragon variations, first playing ...d6.

7...0-0 8.Bb3

Otherwise ...Nxe4 is a threat.

8...d5!?

The commonest move in Mega25 is 8...d6, transposing to normal Dragon lines, while next-most common is 8...a5, which is the main Accelerated continuation.

The fact that the text, which goes back to 1960, but has become popular only recently, may be Black's best move should give heart to all Accelerated players

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9.exd5 Na5 10.Qf3!?

As far as I am aware, no consensus has been reached as to White's best continuation, but 10.Qf3!? is the top choice of Stockfish17, while Dragon1 prefers 10.Qd2!? Both engines also like castling.

10...Nxb3 11.axb3 Bg4 12.Qg3 Bh5!? 13.d6!?

Offering to return the pawn, but at a price.

How should Black proceed?

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13...Re8!?

This may be a novelty. The engines reckon White has at least a slight edge after 13...exd6, while 13...Qxd6? 14.Qxd6 exd6 runs into 15.h3, and 13...e5?! can be met by 14.Ndb5. So the main move is 13...Ng4!?, when the engines come to like 14.h3!?, which scores 79% in Mega25, albeit from a small sample. After 14...Nxe3 15.fxe3!? (best, according to the engines), Jordan van Foreest (2680) - Boris Gelfand (2678), Sigeman & Co (Malmö, Sweden) 2023, went 15...a6!? 16.Qh4 e5 17.Qxd8 Raxd8 18.Ne6!? fxe6 19.g4 Rf3 20.Ke2 Rxh3! 21.gxh5 Rxh1 22.Rxh1 Rxd6 23.h6 Bf8 24.Ne4 Rc6 25.c3, when the engines reckon White has plenty of compensation for a pawn (1-0, 47 moves).

14.Ndb5!?

Black has a slight edge after 14.dxe7 Qxe7!?, according to the engines. They suggest 14.0-0 or 14.h3.

14...exd6 15.Qxd6?

The engines reckon 15.0-0 is completely equal.

Black to play and gain a winning advantage

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15...Ng4

This gives the upper hand, according to the engines, but they reckon winning is 15...a6! 16.Qxd8 Raxd8 17.Na3 (17.Nc7 Re7) b5, eg 18.Nd1 Nd5 19.c3 Nxe3 20.Nxe3 b4! 21.cxb4 Bxb2 22.0-0 (22.Ra2?? Rd1#) Bxa1 23.Rxa1 Rd1+!?

16.0-0

Or 16.Qxd8 Raxd8 17.0-0 Nxe3 18.fxe3 a6 etc.

16...Bxc3?

Correct is 16...Nxe3 17.Qxd8 Raxd8 18.fxe3 a6 etc.

17.Qxd8 Raxd8 18.Nxc3 Nxe3 19.fxe3 a6

Possibly slightly better is 19...Rxe3!? 20.Rxa7 Rd2.

20.e4 Rd2?

This natural-looking move is a mistake. Instead the engines reckon 20...Kg7 (Stockfish17) or 20...Kf8 (Dragon1) gives almost enough compensation for a pawn.

21.Rf2 Red8 22.Nd5!

This more-or-less forces ...

22...Rxf2 23.Kxf2

... after which White has no difficulties supporting the isolani.

23...Kg7 24.c4 g5 25.e5 Bg6 26.Ke3 Bc2 27.Ra3 Kg6 28.Kd4 Kf5 29.b4 g4

Preventing Rf3+.

30.g3 Be4 31.Ra5 Bf3 32.b5

White is only a pawn up, but his advantage is roughly the equivalent of a rook, according to the engines

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32...Bxd5!? 33.cxd5 Re8 34.bxa6 bxa6 35.d6 Ke6 36.Rxa6 f6 37.d7+!? Kxd7 38.Rxf6 (1-0, 55 moves)

Lesa Round Three

FACED the top seed, a junior (born 2007), on board one*.

Spanton (1937) - Francesco Liloni (2165)

Spanish Exchange

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Bg4!?

This is the chief alternative to exchanging queens.

7.Be3!?

The main line in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database runs 7.Qxd8+ Rxd8 8.Nbd2 (two games in Mega25 saw 8.Ne5??, but only one featured the reply 8...Rd1#) Nf6 9.Ne5, with an equal position, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

7...Nf6

More popular is 7...Bxf3!?, damaging White's pawn-structure but giving up the bishop-pair.

8.Nbd2 Qxd4!? 9.Nxd4 0-0-0 10.f3 Bd7

How would you assess this position, which occurs 85 times in Mega25, but always with Black to move?

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With Black to move, the engines reckon the position is completely equal; with White to move, they also reckon the game is equal, but marginally prefer White.

11.Kf2!?

Emanuel Lasker was fond of developing his king like this in the Exchange Variation of the Spanish.

11...c5 12.Ne2 Be7 13.Rhd1!? h5 14.Bg5? Ng4+!

I had seen that 14...Nxe4+?? was a blunder as White recaptures with the queen's knight, but I missed that Black has this other check.

15.fxg4 Bxg5 16.Nf3 Bf6

It may be 16...Be7 is slightly better, so White does not have the move e5 with tempo.

17.gxh5?

Correct is 17.e5. True, 17...hxg4 18.exf6 gxf3 19.fxg7 fxe2?! 20.gxh8=Q? loses to 20...exd1=N+!, but White improves with 20.Rxd7! Kxd7 21.gxh8=Q Rxh8 22.Rh1!?, after which White will regain the lost pawn and have the better of the rook-and-pawn ending. Black in turn can improve with 19...Rh6, gaining a slight  edge (Dragon1) or at least the better part of equality (Stockfish17).

17...Bxb2 18.Rab1 Bf6 19.Ng3 Bg4 20.h3!?

Encouraging Black to take the doubled pawn, but at the cost of giving up the bishop-pair. The engines reckon Black gets at least the upper hand after 20...Bxh5 21.Nxh5 Rxh5, but agree it is better to withdraw the bishop.

20...Bd4+?? 21.Rxd4 cxd4 22.hxg4

Black's blunder has not only lost two pieces for a rook, but the two pieces were powerful bishops, and the resulting position is not favourable for getting rooks into action

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22...c5 23.Nf5 Kc7!? 24.a4

There is no point in helping Black activate with 24.Nxg7?! Rdg8 25.Nf5 Rxg5.

24...g6!?

This is the engines' top choice.

25.hxg6 fxg6 26.Ne7 Rhe8 27.Nd5+ Kb8 28.Nf6 Re6 29.e5 Kc7 30.a5 c4!?

This comes to be the engines' top choice.

31.Rd1 b5

The engines suggest 31...g5 and 31...Kc8!? The latter sets a trap in that 32.Rxd4? Rxd4 33.Nxd4 Rxe5 gives Black the open lines the remaining rook wants.

32.axb6+ Rxb6

Not 32...Kxb6 33.Rxd4 Rxd4 34.Nxd4 Rxe5? as White has 35.Nd7+.

33.Rxd4 Rxd4 34.Nxd4

The passed a pawn apparently gives Black hope, but White's passed d pawn is also dangerous

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34...Kd8 35.Ke3 a5 36.Nd5 Rb1!?

The engines agree this is best, even though it costs the a pawn. The point is 36...Ra6 can be met by 37.e6, when the threat is 38.e7+ Ke8 39.Nc7+, forking king and rook.

37.Nc6+Kd7 38.Nxa5 Rc1 39.Kd2 Rg1 40.Ne3 Ke6 41.Naxc4 (1-0, 63 moves)

*At one point there were 51 entries, including two international masters, but only 35 people turned up.

Lesa Round Two

Maurizio Platino (1805) - Spanton (1907)

QGD Exchange

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.Qc2 Bd6!?

This is fifth-most popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, scoring 41%, two percentage points more than the normal move 6...Be7.

7.e3 0-0 8.Bd3 h6 9.Bh4 Re8 10.Nge2 Nbd7 11.0-0!?

Can Black play the famous Greek Gift sacrifice here?

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Maybe! After 11...Bxh2+!? 12.Kxh2 Ng4+, Stockfish17 and Dragon1 are unsure where the white king should go.

If 13.Kg3 the line 13...g5? 14.Kxg4 Ne5+ (the engines marginally prefer this over 14...Nf6+) 15.Kg3 Ng4 is well-met by 16.Bf5. However, not so clear is 13...Ndf6!? 14.Bxf6 Qxf6, eg 15.e4!? h5 16.f4!? h4+ 17.Kf3 dxe4+ 18.Bxe4 (18.Nxe4? Qg6) g6!? 19.Rh1 Qf8!?, when Black is knight-for-pawn down, but is slightly better, according to the engines.

If 13.Kh3 there seems no doubt 13...Ndf6 is best, when 14.Bf5 g5 15.Bg3 Re4! is again unclear.

11...Nf8

Now sacrificing on h2 would definitely work.

12.Bg3 Ne6 13.a3 Ng5 14.Bxd6!?

This is the engines' top choice.

14...Qxd6 15.Ng3 h5!?

Apparently a novelty. It is Stockfish17's top choice, but Dragon1 prefers the known move 15...Bd7.

16.h4!?

The engines like this, and also 16.f4.

16...Ne6 17.Rae1 Ng4 18.Bf5 Qe7?!

Probably better is 18...Nf8 19.Bxg4 (the engines strongly dislike 19.Bxc8?! Raxc8) Bxg4 with equal chances, or 18...Qd8.

19.Bxg4 Nxg4 20.Nf5

This is enough for at least equality, but the engines like 20.e4!?, when 20...Qxh4 21.exd5 cxd5 22.Nxd5 is promising (22.Re5!? may also be good). If instead 20...Nxd4, then 21.Qa4 seems strong.

20...Qf6

How should White proceed?

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21.Nd6?!

The engines do not like this, preferring 21.f3 gxf3 22.Rxf3.

21...Rd8

But not 21...Re7? 22.Nxc8 22...Rxc8? (22...Rd7!? is better) 23.Nxd5!

22.Nxc8 Raxc8

Missing the strength of 22...Qxh4!, eg 23.g3 Qh3 24.Ne7+ Kf8 25.Ng6+ (forced, as 25.Nf5? loses to 25...Ng5 etc) fxg6 26.Qxg6 Rd6! 27.e4 (if 27.Re2, then 27...Ke7 with the threat of 28...Rh8 etc) Rad8 (27...Nxd4!? also wins, despite 28.Qxd6+, ie 28...Kg8 29.f3 Nxf3+ 30.Rxf3 gxf3 31.Kf2 Qg2+ 32.Ke3 f2 etc) 28.Qf5+ Kg8 29.Ne2 (there seems nothing better) Rf8 30.Qe5 Rf6! 31.Qxd6 Ng5 etc.

23.g3

MP offered a draw.

How would you assess the position?

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The engines reckon Black may have a slight edge after 23...Rc7!?, one line running 24.Qd1 Qf5 25.e4!? dxe4 26.Rxe4 Rcd7!? 27.Qxg4 Qxg4 28.Rxg4 f5!? 29.Rg6 Kh7 30.h5 Rh8 31.Ne2! Nf8 32.Rg5 Kf6 33.f4 Nh7 34.Rg6+ Kf7, but there are many alternatives along the way, although it does seem Black gets at least enough for a pawn.

23...g5 24.Qe2 Qf3 25.Qxf3?!

This leaves White in danger of falling into a mating net. The engines reckon 25.Kh2!? is equal.

25...gxf3 26.hxg5?

Best may be 26.Kh2!?, but 26...g4 gives Black at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

26...Nxg5

Even stronger is 26...Kg7!, eg 27.e4 Nxg5 28.exd5 Rh8!, transposing to a position reached in the game.

27.e4?!

Probably better is 27.g4 Kg7 28.Kh2 Rh8+ 29.Kg3 Rh3+ 30.Kf4, although after 30...Ne6+ Black has at least the upper hand, according to the engines.

27...Kg7 28.exd5

There seems nothing better.

28...Rh8! 29.Re3?

Better, but still losing, is 29.Re5, eg 29...Nh3+ 30.Kh2 Nxf2+ 31.Kg1 Nh3+ 32.Kh2 cxd5.

29...Rh5 0-1

The Lake

THERE was rain and cloud on Thursday and Friday, but the weather has improved, as these shots of Lake Maggiore from near the tournament hall in Lesa show.

Lesa Round One

Spanton (1937) - Diego Olivieri (1715)

Caro-Kann

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Bc4!?

This is third-most popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, behind 4.f3!? and especially 4.Nxe4.

4...Nf6 5.f3 Bf5!?

The main line in Mega25 runs 5...exf3 6.Nxf3, reaching a position perhaps more likely to arise from a Blackmar-Diemer Gambit, ie 1.d4 d5 2.e4!? dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 c6? 6.Bc4, with Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckoning 6...Bf5 gives Black the upper hand. However, in the BDG move-order Black usually prefers 5...Bg4, or some other alternative to 5...c6!?

With Black having defended the e4 pawn, how should White proceed?

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6.g4!? Bg6 7.g5!? Nd5 8.Nxe4 e6

How would you assess this position, which occurs 16 times in Mega25?

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Material is level and both players have developed two pieces. White has more space, but the most significant aspect of the position is White's hole-ridden kingside. Dragon1 reckons the game is completely equal, but Stockfish17 gives a slight edge to Black.

9.Ne2 Be7 10.N2g3!?

This may be a novelty, and is not liked by the engines, which suggest 10.0-0!?

10...Nd7 11.Bb3!? Qc7 12.h4 c5 13.dxc5?

Opening lines when your king is unlikely to find safety anytime soon is a recipe for disaster.

13...Nxc5 14.Bxd5 exd5 15.Qxd5 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 0-0!?

Black is a pawn down, but winning (Dragon1) or has at least the upper hand (Stockfish17)

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17.Be3?

Better is 17.Bd2.

17...Rad8 18.Qb3 Bxe4 19.fxe4 Qg3+

If White's light-square bishop were on d2, this check would not be possible, and White would have equalised. However, after 17.Bd2 Black has better lines, eg 17...Rac8 18.Qb3 Qxc2 19.Qxc2 Rxc2 20.Bc3 Re8 with a big lead in development and no longer a pawn down.

20.Bf2 Qg2 21.Rh3?!

Probably better, but still losing, is 21.Rg1 Qxe4+ 22.Kf1.

21...Qxe4+

Even stronger is the engines' 21...Bb4+!, winning the exchange as 22.Kd2? allows mate in two.

22.Kf1

Not 22.Re3?? Qh1+ 23.Ke2 Qxa1 24.Rxe7 Qd1+ 25.Ke3 Rd2 26.Qc4 (forced) Rxc2 27.Qd3 (forced) Qxd3+ 28.Kxd3 Rxf2.

22...Qg4?

Only 22...Bb4 keeps a winning advantage, according to the engines. Their chief continuation runs 23.a3 Ba5 24.Kg1 Rd2 25.Re1 Qc6 with multiple threats, eg 26.c3? loses to 26...Bb6 27.Rf1 (27.Bxb6? Qg2#) Re8 28.Rh2 Qf3 etc.

23.Re1 Rd1

DO offered a draw in my time.

How would you assess this middlegame?

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Material is level, but with all the heavy pieces on the board, king safety is paramount. Dragon1 gives Black the upper hand, while Stockfish17 reckons Black only has a slight edge. In any event, Black's position is easier to play.

24.Qf3 Qc4+ 25.Qe2 Rxe1+ 26.Kxe1 Qc6!?

Indirectly defending e7.

27.Kd1 Bd8!?

This retreat is the engines' top choice.

28.Rd3 Qh1+ 29.Be1 f6!?

This is playable, but makes the position very sharp again.

30.Qe6+ Kh8 31.Qf7!?

How should Black proceed?

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31...Rg8

Clearly 31...Rxf7?? 32.Rxd8+ Rf8 33.Rxf8# is out of the question, but Black has two other ways to hold: a) 31...Qf3+ 32.Rxf3 Rxf7, although Dragon1 (but not Stockfish17) reckons White has a slight edge after both 33.Rd3 and 33.h5; b) 31...Qxe1+!? 32.Kxf1 Ba5+ 33.b4! Bxb4+ 34.c3 Rxf7 35.cxb4 g6.

32.g6?!

The game should probably have finished something like 32.Re3 Bb6 33.Re8 Qf4+ 34.Kd2 Qf4+, when the white king cannot escape perpetual check.

Black to play and gain at least a slight edge

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32...h6??

Also losing is 32...hxg6? 33.Qxg6 Rf8 (forced - White threatened 34.Qh5#) 34.Rd7. But the engines reckon 32...Bb6 keeps the position equal, while 32...Ba5! 33.c3 Qe4 gives Black the upper hand (Dragon1) or at least a slight edge (Stockfish17).

33.Qxg8+ 1-0