Lessons From Munich: Long Live The King!

IN round two my opponent offered a draw in the following position.

White has just played 20.Be2-f3 in Andreas Moser (1768) - Spanton (1954)

The game is completely equal, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

But I suspect grandmaster Nigel Davies would be among those who would prefer to have the black pieces.

Why? Because Davies stresses in his publications that the No1 factor in chess is king safety, and there can be little doubt that in the diagram the black king, being behind unmoved pawns, is safer than its white counterpart, whose pawn-protection has been compromised.

All of which helps explain, if not excuse, why, in the game just three moves later, White was completely lost - the equivalent of almost a rook down, according to the engines.

LESSON: positions that engines rate as level may well be equal if played by computers, but it is often a different matter when humans are at the board, especially if one king is safer than the other.

Lessons From Munich: First Things First

MY round-one game in the Munich 60+ seniors featured a fashionable line in the Caro-Kann.

It starts 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6.

This position occurs 17,028 times in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database

There was a time when Black's fifth move was regarded as a positional mistake, eg Iakov Neishtadt in Catastrophe In The Opening claimed that ...exf6 led to a "clear advantage" for White.

If all the pieces (except the kings, naturally) were removed from the board, the argument went, Black would have a lost pawn-ending.

A desperate position for Black?

As a matter of fact, it is not clear the ending is lost - Stockfish17 reckons it is, but Dragon1 gives White only a slight edge.

Nevertheless, if such a position, or something like it, were to arise on the board, Black realistically could hope for no more than a draw, while White would have serious winning chances.

However, this did not stop Savielly Tartakower, after whom the variation was named, using it to good effect, including once persuading José Capablanca to adopt it in a consultation game.

Viktor Korchnoi surprised Anatoly Karpov with it in their 1978 world championship match, drawing the game, and used the variation a few more times, which is why it is sometimes named after him.

What Tartakower, Korchnoi and others realised is that it is not particularly easy for White to reach an ending, because first White has to negotiate a tricky middlegame.

Black usually castles kingside early, leaving White with the choice of following suit or castling long.

If White does go for opposite-side castling, Black's four kingside pawns provide more protection for the black king than the white king gets from three pawns queenside pawns on the second rank.

If, however, White goes short, Black can advance the f and/or h pawn to assist in an attack on White's king, while still having three pawns, or at worst two, protecting the black king.

It is hard to say exactly when 5...exf6 started becoming popular again, but in the last five years in Mega25 the move has scored 51%.

Over the same period, the alternative recapture, 5...gxf6, which used to be praised in opening books as the more dynamic choice, scored 46%.

LESSON: just as with the Exchange Variation of the Spanish, so with the Tartakower Variation of the Caro-Kann, it is a mistake for White to regard the game as half-won out of the opening - indeed, in both variations, the middlegame, if not better for Black, is probably easier for Black to play.

Puzzle

A POSITION from one of my games features in the "intermediate" section of this month's Find The Winning Moves in Chess magazine.

Summing Up Munich

MY score in the 60+ seniors of +3=2-2 lost exactly nine Fide elo.

Biergarten near the venue in Munich's Moosach district

Munich 60+ Round Seven

RECEIVED a double-upfloat against an Indian born in 1973 (the tournament is supposedly for players born before 1966, but having a 'junior' means there is an even number of players, and he is not eligible for a prize).

Kumar Suresh (2100) - Spanton (1954)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4 Géza Maróczy

One of the main points of Black's Accelerated Dragon move-order is to try to get in the move ...d5 without, as in normal Dragons, spending a tempo on ...d6. The text, which prevents that, is the top choice of Stockfish17 and Dragon1, and scores 57% in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, eight percentage points more than the commonest continuation 5.Nc3.

5...Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 Bd7

This position seems to have first been reached in Rudolf Swiderski - Géza Maróczy, Monte Carlo 1904 

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Maróczy won that game, but was impressed enough by White's structure to write in praise of it, although, according to Wikipedia, he never played the Bind as White (a cursory search of Mega25 alone shows this to be untrue - he used it just two years after Monte Carlo to beat the German-American master Hermann Voigt).

10.Rc1

Swiderski - Maróczy went 10.h3 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6 12.Qd3 Nd7!? 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.b4!? b6, with the upper hand for White, according to the engines (but 0-1, 48 moves).

The text is second in popularity in Mega25 to 10.Qd2.

10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6 12.f3 a5!?

This gives up the b5 square, in that a white piece can no longer be prevented from landing on it, but of more importance, Black hopes, is securing of the c5 square for the black king's knight.

13.b3 Nd7!?

Mega25 has 346 examples of this position - how should White proceed?

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14.Kh1

According to Russian-Dutch grandmaster Sergei Tiviakov, an exchange of dark-square bishops nearly always favours Black in the Maróczy Bind, despite weakening the position of black's king. The commonest move in Mega25 is 14.Be3, but 14.Bxg7 has been played by grandmasters, and is easily the second-most popular move.

14...Bxd4 15.Qxd4 Qb6!? 16.Qxb6!?

White's extra space, and the dark-square weaknesses around Black's king, might make avoiding a trade of queens seem attractive, but after 16.Qd2 the engines reckon 16...a4 is good for Black.

On making his move, KS pressed the clock and offered a draw.

How would you assess the position?

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After ...

16...Nxb6
... Black's knight has been diverted from the c5 outpost, but with queens gone the weaknesses around Black's king are largely irrelevant, and Black has the better bishop, albeit one that does not have much scope on a board crowded with pawns. However, White still has a space advantage - Black does not seem near to breaking the Bind - and the engines reckon White has the better part of equality.

17.Nd5!? Bxd5 18.cxd5 Rfc8

The trade on d5 has left Black with a good knight against a bad bishop, but the bishop has a little more freedom than it had previously, and a bishop often cooperates with rooks better than a knight manages

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19.Kg1 Rxc1!?

Bearing in mind the last note, it might seem desirable to force rooks off, but this case may be an exception as in the resulting position White's king will be more active, and White will find it relatively easy to get white pawns off light squares, freeing the bishop and gaining space.

20.Rxc1 Rc8 21.Rxc8+ Nxc8 22.Kf2 g5!?

This is Stockfish17's top choice; Dragon1 prefers pushing the e pawn (one square or two).

23.Ke3 Kg7 24.g3 e5?!

This encourages an opening of the position, favouring the bishop.

25.dxe6 fxe6 26.f4

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 26.Kd4 (as will become apparent).

26...gxf4+ 27.gxf4 Kf6?!

Allowing White to reach a position that could have arisen after 26.Kd4. Instead 27...e5!? equalises (Stockfish17) or leaves White with only a slight edge (Dragon1), one point being 28.f5 can be met by 28...d5!? 29.exd5 Nd6.

28.Kd4 b6 29.Kc4 Na7 30.a3 Nc6 ½–½

Naturally not 31.Kb6?? Nd4+ etc, but the engines reckon White is winning, one line running 31.a4 Na7 32.Bg4 h6 33.h3!? Ke7 34.f5 exf5 35.exf5 Nc6 36.Kb5 Nd4+ 37.Kxb5 Nxb3 38.Bd1 Nd4 39.Kxa5 Nxf5 40.Kb6, after which Black seems helpless to stop White's passed pawn.

Munich 60+ Round Six

FACED an Indian.

Spanton (1954) - RR Vasudevan* (1932)

Petrov/French Exchange

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d3!? Nf6 6.d4 d5

This position is normally reached two moves quicker via a French Defence move-order, ie 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6

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7.Bd3 Be7

More popular is prolonging symmetry with 7...Bd6.

8.0-0 0-0

With both sides castling early, how would you assess the position?

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White has the more-active king's bishop, and is to move in an otherwise symmetrical position. That is enough for a slight edge, according to Dragon1, but Stockfish17 is less sure.

9.Bh5 h6 10.Bh4 Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.Re1 Re8 13.Nbd2 Nc6

Breaking the near-symmetry with a move not liked by the engines, which prefer 13...Nbd7.

14.c3 Nh7!?

The engines like this.

15.Bxe7 Rxe7 16.Qc2 Nf8 17.Rxe7 Nxe7 18.Ne5 Bg6!? 19.Nxg6 Nexg6 20.g3!? c6

The queenside pawn-structure remains symmetrical, and the kingside is not far from it, but White has the only long-range minor piece, which is probably at least part of the reason why the engines give White a slight edge

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21.Re1 Qf6 22.Kg8 Rc8!?

A 'mysterious' rook move, at least so it seemed to me during the game, but I suppose the rook might prove useful shadowing the white queen.

23.Nf3 Qd6 24.h4 Nd7 25.Re3

The engines like 25.Bxg6!? fxg6, and then 26.Re3.

25...Kf8 26.Qe2 Ne7 27.Ne5 Nxe5 28.dxe5 Qe6 29.Qh5 Rd8

How should White proceed?

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30.b3?!

This throws away all of White's advantage, according to the engines. They reckon White has the upper hand after 30.Re2, but agree 30.f4? d4 31.cxd4 and either 31...Qxa2 or 31...Rxd4 gives Black at least the upper hand. If 30.Re2 is met by 30...d4, they reckon 31.c4 is good for White.

30...d4 31.Bc4 Qg6

The engines prefer 31...Nd5 or 31...Qf5.

RV offered a draw in my time.

32,Qxg6 Nxg6 33.cxd4 Rxd4 34.h5 Ne7 35.Rd3

RV offered a draw.

35...Rxd3

Not 35...Re4?? 36.Rd8#.

36.Bxd3 Nd5

How would you assess this bishop-v-knight ending?

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White has the better minor piece for dealing with rival pawn-majorities, but Black's majority is 3-2 rather than 4-3 and is on the farside from the kings. Dragon1 gives White a slight edge, but Stockfish17 disagrees.

37.Kf3 Ke7 38.a3 f6?!

Letting White quickly get a 3-2 majority is probably unwise.

39.Ke4 fxe5?!

Conceding space is also strange.

40.Kxe5 Nf6

Dragon1 reckons White has a positionally won game; Stockfish17 is not so sure, but gives White the upper hand

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41.Be2 Nd7+ 42.Kf5 Ne8 43.Bc4 Kd6?

Striving for counterplay is understandable, but it is better to push the queenside pawns, starting with, for example, 43...b5!?, while keeping the king blocking its white counterpart.

44.g4 b5 45.Bg8!?

The engines agree this is best.

45...a5 46.b4?

This makes it easy for Black to gain a passed pawn, and so claim equality. Winning is 46.f4.

46...axb4 47.axb4 c5 48.f4!? cxb4

Also equal is 48...c4.

49.g5

How should Black respond?

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49...hxg5?

Drawing is 49...Ke7 as, after 50.gxh6 gxh6, White cannot make progress.

50.fxg5 Ke7

White to play and win

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51.Ke5

Winning is 51.g6!, the point being that after 51...Nd7 52.h6 gxh6 53.g7 Nf6 54.Bb3 h5 55.Kg5 h4 56.Kxh4 Kd6 57.Kg5 Ke5 58.Kg6 Black is in zugzwang. Alternatively 51...Kd6 52.Bb3 Ke7 53.h6 wins easily for White.
51...Nd7+ 52.Kd5

Returning to f5 is no better - Black draws comfortably with, among other moves, 52...Kf8 and 52...Nc5.

52...b3 53.Kd4 b2 54.Ba2 Nb6 55.Kc3 Nc4 56.Kb3 Ke6 57.h6 gxh6 58.gxh6 Kf6 59.Kb4 Kg6 60.Kxb5 ½–½

This ended my drawless streak of 30 games.

*Uses a single name and initials rather than a given name and family name.

Munich 60+ Round Five

I WAS downfloated.

Spanton (1954) - Alfred Schattmann (1798)

Sicilian Scheveningen

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Nf3!?

Partly to keep Black guessing whether a Morra or a normal Open Sicilian is intended.

How should Black respond?

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3...d6

Howard Staunton seems to have been the first to face this position with black, against John Cochrane in an 1842 'casual' game. He played 3...e5!?, which is Stockfish17's top choice, one point being 4.Nxe5?? (there are 20 games with this continuation in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database) loses to 4...Qa5+ and ...Qxe5. Cochrane preferred 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Ng5!?, only to be hit by 5...d5! 6.exd5 h6 7.Nf3 Bg4, giving Black a slight edge, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1 (0-1, 24 moves).

4.Bc4 !?

Keeping the game in independent lines, while still retaining the option of switching to a Morra Gambit.

4...e6

This is second in popularity to 4...Nf6.

5.0-0 Be7 6.Nxd4

Finally committing to a non-Morra setup.

6...Nf6 7.Nc3

By an unusual move-order the game has reached a fairly heavyweight theoretical position, occurring 799 times in Mega25

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7...0-0 8.Bb3!?

This is the commonest continuation, but the engines do not see a need for it, preferring 8.a4, 8.Qe2 or 8.Be2!?

8...b6!?

This lets Black put quick pressure on e4, but the engines' suggestions of 8...a6 and 8...Nbd7!? seem more in keeping with what is usually played in such positions. However, easily the commonest move in Mega25 is 8...Na6!?, when the main line continues 9.f4 Nc5 10.Qf3 a6, with an equal position, according to the engines.

9.f4 Bb7 10.Qf3!?

Self-pinning is rarely wise, and this is probably not an exception.

10...Nbd7!?

The knight is headed for c5, from where it will attack both b3 and e4.

What should White play?

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11.Bd2

After 11.Bxe6?! fxe6 12.Nxe6 Qc8 13.Nxf8 Kxf8!? the engines reckon Black is winning.

11...Nc5 12.Rae1 Nxb3

There is no need to hurry this capture as the bishop is not going anywhere, but the engines anyway agree that after ...

13.axb3 Rc8

... Black has at least a slight edge.

14.f5?!

The engines strongly dislike this.

14...e5 15.Nde2 Rc5?

This move is pointless in itself as the rook is easily driven away with tempo, but it also misses the classic response to a flank attack, namely 15...d5, after which the engines reckon Black is positionally winning.

16.Be3 Rc8 17.Rd1 Ba6?

This costs Black the bishop-pair, and moreover means he has to give up what is very much the better of the two bishops.

18.Ra1 Bxe2 19.Qxe2

The position is suddenly critical for Black, who has just one decent move, according to the engines

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19...Qd7?!

The engines reckon Black has to sacrifice the a pawn by 19...d5! 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.exd5 Qxd5 22.Rxa7, claiming that after 22...Bc5 Black's better coordination gives enough compensation (Stockfish17), or at least leaves White only slightly better (Dragon1).

Also superior to the text seems to be saving the pawn with 19...a5, although the engines give White at least the upper hand.

After 19...Qd7?! it is White to play and gain a winning advantage

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20.Bg5!

Placing either rook on the d file is also good, but the text is much stronger.

20...Qb7

Or 20...Ne8 21.Bxe7 Qxe7 22.Nd5, when Black can save the a pawn with 22...Qd7, but 23.f6 wins.

After the engines' suggested 20...a5!? comes 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Nd5, with a great position for White, although there is no immediate win.

21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Nd5 Bd8

Perhaps 22...Kh8!? is better, but after 23.Rf3 (23.b4!?, intending 24.Ra3, may be even stronger) the engines reckon Black's best is 23...Bd8 anyway.

23.f6 g6?!

This makes the win simpler than need be, but Black is lost whatever he plays, eg 23...gxf6 24.Rxf6! (24.Nxf6+ is also winning) Kh8 25.Qf2 Qd7 26.Rf1 with an overwhelming attack, or 23...Kh8 24.fxg7+ Kxg7 25.Qg4+ Kh8 26.Rxa7!? Qxa7 27.Qxc8 b5+ 28.Kh1, when White is a pawn up and has the safer king, more-active pieces and a continuing attack.

24.Qd2 Kh8 25.Qh6 Rg8 26.Rf3 Bxf6 27.Nxf6 Rg7 28.Rh3 1-0

Munich 60+ Round Four

RECEIVED a double-upfloat.

Bernhard Solger (1866) - Spanton (1954)

QGD Exchange

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.cxd5!?

This is generally regarded as being played a move early for entering the Exchange Variation.

3...exd5 4.Nc3 c6 5.Qc2 g6!?

This is the point of the previous note - White can hardly prevent Black playing ...Bf5

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6.e3 Bf5 7.Bd3 Bxd3 8.Qxd3

With light-square bishops off the board, Black is considered to have no theoretical problems in the QGD Exchange, although naturally there is plenty of scope for play by both sides.

8...Nf6

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckon 8...Qg5 9.Kf1!? favours White.

9.Nf3 Nbd7 10.0-0 Bg7 11.b4

The start of a Minority Attack - how should Black respond?

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11...b5!?

Apparently a novelty, but a known idea in similar positions. Black gets a chronically backward c pawn, but this can be easily protected in the short run, and masked in the long run by a black knight occupying c4 - and if this knight should be captured, Black will get a protected passed pawn.

Known moves are 11...a6, delaying the Minority Attack, and 11...0-0, preparing to meet 12.b5 by 12...c5!?

12.a4 a6 13.axb5

White can prevent ...Nb6 with 13.a5, but that makes the white bishop an even sorrier sight, and anyway Black can probably manoeuvre a knight to c4 via d6.

13...axb5 14.Rxa8 Qxa8 15.Bb2 0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?

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Black has much the better bishop, and b4 is probably weaker than c6. The engines give Black a slight edge.

16.Ra1 Qb7 17.Qb1!? Ra8 18.Ra5?!

The engines do not like this.

18...Nb6

I did not want to give White a passed pawn, but the engines reckon that after 18...Rxa5 19.axb5 the passed but isolated a pawn is more of a weakness than a strength, especially as Black gets a protected passer.

19.Nd2 Bf8 20.Bc1 Bd6?!

This looks aggressive - from d6 the bishop eyes both b4 and h2 - but the bishop is hanging, ie unprotected. The engines reckon 20...Rxa5 21.bxa5 Nc4 gives Black a positionally won game.

21.e4!? dxe4 22.Ncxe4 Nxe4 23.Nxe4 Qe7

The engines prefer 23...Be7 or 23...Nc4.

24.Bd2?!

The engines reckon both 24.Rxa8+ and 24.Bg5 give complete equality.

24...Re8 25.Nxd6 Qxd6 26.Ra6!?

Possibly best is 26.Qd3, but the engines give Black the upper hand.

How should Black proceed?

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26...Nd5

This is enough for an edge, but Stockfish17 gives 26...Qxd4! 27.Be3 Qc3! (only now does Dragon1 realise what is going on ) 28.Rxb6 Ra8, with excellent winning chances.

27.g3 Qf6 28.Qd3 h5 29.h4 Qe6 30.Kg2 Kg7 31.Qf3 Rd8 32.Ra7 Rd7 33.Ra8 Qd6 34.Qe2 Re7 35.Qf3 Nxb4?

Winning a pawn, but giving White equality and good practical winning chances. The engines suggest maintaining the pressure with 35...Qe6 or 35...Qd7.

36.Bxb4 Qxb4 37.Qxc6 Qxd4 38.Qc8

The position is completely equal, according to the engines, but White's control of the back rank, and the vulnerability of the black king, make the position extremely difficult for Black

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38...Qe4+

Acquiescing in the draw that comes after 38...Kh7!? 39.Qg8+ Kh6 40.Qf8+ Kh7 41.Qxe7 (White can also take a draw with 41.Qg8+ etc) Qd5+ 42.Kh2 Qxa8 43.Qxf7+ was probably more sensible.

39.Kh2

Black to play and hold the draw

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39...Kf6!

Everything else loses.

40.Qh8+ Kf5

Another only-move, as 40...Ke6?? lets the white rook into the action with 41.Ra6+.

41.Rb8 Qe5 42.Qc8+

Black to play and hold the draw

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42...Re6?

The engines show only 42...Kf6 maintains equality.

White to play and win

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43.Qd8

Winning is 43.Rb7!, eg 43...Kf6 44.Qh8+ Kf5 45.Rxf7+ Rf6 46.Qc8+ Qe6 47.Qc2+ Ke5 48.Qc3+ Kf5 49.Qd3+ Qe4 50.Rxf6+ etc.

Black to play and hold the draw

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43...Ke4!
Another only-move.

44.Qc8

Black to play and hold the draw

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44...Qd5?

The engines show 44...Kd3!? and 44...Kf3!? keep the game completely equal, at least as far as computers are concerned, while 44...Qf5!? may also be good enough.

White to play and win

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45.Qc2+

There is no defence to 45.Qc1!, when 46.Qe3+ and 46.f3+!? are just two of several powerful threats.

Black to play and hold the draw

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45...Qd3?

Black holds with 45...Kf3!, when 46.Qc3+?? loses to 46...Kxf2, with mate to follow, while a move such as 46.Qb2 can be met by, among other moves, 46...Qc5, eg 47.Rxb5 Qxf2+ 48.Qxf2+ Kxf2, when Black is a pawn up but the position is well-known to be easily drawn by the pawn-down side.

White to play and win

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46.Qxd3+?

The vulnerability of the black king is such that the engines show 46.Qc1 and 46.Qb2 win easily, and other moves may also win.

46...Kxd3 47.Rxb5 Re2 48.Kg2

BS made his move, pressed the clock and offered a draw.

48...Re6 49.Rb7 f6!? 50.Kf3 Kd4!?

This does not throw away the draw, but Black is flirting with danger.

51.Kf4 Rc6!?

Ditto here. More sensible is 51...Rf5, which has the bonus of threatening mate in one.

52.Rd7+ Kc5 53.Rg7

Black to play and hold the draw

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53...f5??

Black loses a pawn after 53...Kd6 (or 53...Kd5) 54.Rxg6, but 54...Ke6 leaves a position so drawish that the engines agree White's advantage is not worth even a tenth of a pawn.

The game finished:

54.Kg5 Kd4 55.Rxg6 Rc2 56.f4 Ke4 57.Kxh5 Rg2 58.Rg5 Kf3 59.Kg6 Rxg3 60.Rxg3+ Kxg3 61.Kxf5 1-0

Munich 60+ Round Three

FACED a Pole.

Spanton (1954) - Adam Wilczyński (1617)

Sicilian ...e6

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Be3!?

There are 4,644 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, but much more popular are 5.Nb5!? and especially 5.Nc3. Those moves are also much more successful percentagewise, although Black scores well against all three.

5...Qc7 6.Be2

Black meets 6.Nb5 with 6...Qb8, followed by a quick ...a6.

6...Nf6 7.Nc3 a6 8.0-0

By a somewhat unusual move-order the game has reached a heavyweight position occurring 12,757 times in Mega25

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8...Be7 9.Qd2

The main line in Mega25 runs 9.f4 d6 10.Qe1 0-0 11.Qg3 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13..a3 Bb7, with an equal position, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

9...d6 10.Rad1 0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?

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White has more space in the centre and a lead in development; Black has two pawns against one on the central two files. The engines reckon the position is equal.

11.f4 Bd7 12.g4!?

This rare and clearly double-edged move is Dragon1's top choice, at least for a while.

12...Nxd4 13.Bxd4

This was played in all five games to reach the position in Mega25, but the engines prefer 13.Qxd4!? If then, as in the game, 13...e5, the engines continue 14.Qd3 Bxg4 15.Bxg4 Nxg4 16.Nd5 Qd8 17.Bb6 Qe8, when White has obvious compensation for a pawn.

13...e5 14.fxe5

The engines prefer 15.Be3!? or 15.Bf2!?, eg 15.Be3!? Bxg4 16.Bxg4 Nxg4 17.f5, again with decent compensation for White. The engines' 15...Bc6 may be an improvement, eg 16.Bf3 exf4 17.Bxf4 Nd7!? 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.Qxd5!?, when they give Black the better part of equality.

14...dxe5 15.Bf2 Bc5??

Apparently completely missing the strength of White's reply. Instead 15...Bxg4 16.Bxg4 Nxg4 17.Qd7!? Qxd7 18.Rxd7 Bg5!? is at least slightly better for Black, according to the engines.

16.g5

Black must lose material.

16...Ng4 17.Qxd7 Bxf2+?!

Better, according to the engines, but still losing, is 17...Qxd7 18.Rxd7 Nxf2 19.Rxf2 f6!?

18.Rxf2

The engines give 18.Kh1!? as even stronger.

18...Qxd7 19.Rxd7 Nxf2 20.Kxf2 b5

White has emerged up bishop and knight for rook, but also with the more-active pieces

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21.Nd5 Kh8!?

This is Stockfish17's top choice, and comes to be Dragon1's, although in both cases only marginally ahead of several other moves.

22.Bh5 f6 23.gxf6 gxf6 24.Bg4 Rad8 25.Rc7!?

The engines do not like this at first, reckoning it is better to acquiesce to an exchange of rooks, but the text comes to be both engines' top choice, at least for a while.

How should Black proceed?

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25...f5!

Forcing a rook-and-pawn ending.

26.Bxf5

There is no sensible alternative.

26...Rxf5+ 27.exf5 Rxd5

The engines reckon White's advantage is much larger than a 'mere' pawn up would suggest, but rook-and-pawn endings are not only notoriously drawish, they can also be very tricky to play

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28.f6

Threatening mate.

28...Kg8 29.Rg7+ Kh8 30.Ra7!?

Possibly even better is 30.Ke3 or 30.Rg3.

30...Kg8 31.Ke3 Rd6

What should White play?

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32.Re7?

Throwing away almost all of White's advantage. Correct is 32.Rg7+, meeting the repetition 32...Kh8 with 33.Rg2 Rxf6 34.Ke4, or 33.Ke4 Rxf6 34.Rg2, and if 34...Re6 then White keeps the black king bottled up for the time being, while creating threats on the queenside. One line given by the engines runs 35.c3 Re8 36.a4 h6 37.a5!? Kh7, and now 38.Rd2 with an advantage worth in the neighbourhood of a rook, according to the engines.

32...Rxf6 33.Rxe5 Rh6 34.Rg5+ Kf7 35.Rg2 Ke6

White remains a pawn up but both black pieces are more active than their white counterparts, which usually indicates excellent drawing chances in such endings, and this is no exception

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36.Rd2 Ke5 37.Rg2 Rh3+ 38.Kd2 Kf4

The engines prefer moving the king to the d file.

39.Rf2+

Dragon1 reckons White has the upper hand after 39.Re2, cutting the black king off from the queenside. Stockfish17 at first also gives White an edge, but comes to call the position equal, at about the same time as Dragon1's enthusiasm for White's chances declines.

39...Ke4 40.Re2+ Kf4

Arriving at the position that would have been reached with 39.Re2 - slightly better for White, according to Dragon1, but equal, according to Stockfish17

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41.c3 a5 42.Kc2 Kf3?

This makes it possible for the white king to escape confinement. Better is a move such as 42...h5.

43.Rd2?

Missing the chance to play 43.Kd3, eg 43...Kf4? 44.Kd4. Better is 43...Rh5, but White can make progress, eg 44.Rd2!? Rd5+ 45.Kc2 Rh5 46.Rd3+ Kg2 47.h3!?, when the try 47...Rxh3?! fails to 48.Rxh3 Kxh3 49.b4! axb4 50.cxb4 h5 51.a4 etc. Another try is 43...Rh4?!, but 44.Re5 Rxh2 45.Rxb5 is winning, according to the engines.

43...Ke4 44.b3

Dragon1 for quite some time insists 44.a4!? wins after 44...bxa4 45.Rd4+ Kf5 46.Rxa4 Rxh2+ 47.Kb3, but Stockfish17 reckons 47...h5 48.Rxa5+ Kg4 is fine for Black, which the Syzygy endgame tablebase confirms.

44...h5 45.c4 b4!?

Dragon1 reckons this is quite a bit better than 45...bxc4, although Stockfish17 comes to see both moves as giving complete equality.

46.Kb2

Black to play and draw ... or lose

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46...Ke3?

One of the few plausible moves that loses. Perhaps the easiest way to draw is 46...Rf3, eg 47.Rc2 Rf6, but even the awkward-looking 46...Re3!? seems to draw, eg 47.Rc2 Kd4 48.c5 Kd5 49.c6 Re8 50.c7 Rc8, when White appears unable to make progress.

47.Rc2 Kd4

No better is 47...Rf3, when 48.c5 (the engines reckon 48.a3!? and 48.h4!? also win) Rf8 49.c6 h4 50.c7 Rc8 wins, eg 51.Rc4 h3 52.Kc2 Kf3 53.Kd3 Kg2 54.Rc2+ etc. If in this line Black tries 52...Ke2, then 53.Ke4+ Kf3 54.Re7 Kg2 55.Kd3 Kxh2 56.Rg7!? wins.

48.c5 Rc3?!

More challenging is 48...Rf3, albeit transposing into lines similar to the previous note.

49.c6 Kd5 50.c7 1-0

Munich 60+ Round Two

I WAS upfloated.

Andreas Moser (1768) - Spanton (1954)

King's Pawn Irregular

1.e4 e5 2.d3!?

There are 3,353 examples of this position in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database

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2...Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 do not like this, much preferring 3...d6!?

How should White proceed?

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4.Be2

The engines reckon 4.Nxe5!? leaves White at least slightly better, eg 4...Nxe5 5.d4 Bd6 6.dxe5 Bxe5 7.f4, or 4...Bxf2+!? 5.Kxf2 Nxe5 6.d4, with White in both cases gaining a central space advantage.

4...Nf6 5.c3 0-0 6.0-0

After 6.b4 Bb6!? 7.b5 Ne7 8.Nxe5 d5 Black has full compensation for a pawn, according to the engines.

6...d5 7.exd5!?

The engines prefer this over the more popular 7.Nbd2.

7...Qxd5!? 8.Qc2!?

Apparently a novelty, which is not easy in this position! Known moves are 8.b4, 8.Be3, 8.Nbd2, 8.a4, 8.h3 and 8.Bg5.

8...Bf5!? 9.c4?

This not only makes d3 backward, but is flawed tactically.

How should Black respond?

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9...Qd7

This is good enough for an advantage, but even stronger seem to be 9...Nb4!?, 9...Qd6 and possibly 9...Qe6.

10.a3?

White does not have time for this. The engines give 10.Nc3, meeting 10...Nb4 with 11.Qb3, when the unprotected state of e5 gives White counterplay. However the engines reckon 10...Rae8!? leaves Black with the upper hand.

10...a5?!

Almost certainly stronger is 10...e4 11.dxe4 Nxe4!?

11.Nc3 Rfe8 12.Ne4 Be7

The engines like 12...Nxe4!? 13.dxe4 Bg4.

13.Nxf6+?!

This is not an equal exchange as the white knight is better than Black's, and the exchange makes Black's dark-square bishop more active.

13...Bxf6 14.Rd1 Rad8 15.Be3 Nd4 16.Nxd4 exd4 17.Bf4 Be5

The engines suggest 17...g5!?, one point being 18.Bd2?? is a blunder thanks to 18...Rxe2.

18.Bg3!?

Dragon1 marginally prefers this over 18.Bxe5, but Stockfish17 fluctuates between the two moves.

18...Bxg3 19.hxg3 Re6

The engines reckon 19...Re5!? keeps a slight edge.

20.Bf3

AM offered a draw.

How would you assess the position?

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Black has more space in the centre, the better development and the more flexible kingside pawns, but White is well-placed for play on the queenside. The engines reckon the position is completely equal.

20...Rde8!?

20...c5 21.b4!? probably favours White.

21.Kf1!?

Not 21.Bxb7?? c6 (21...Re2 is also very strong).

21...Rh6

The engines prefer 21...g5!? (Stockfish17) or 21...b6 (Dragon1).

22.Kg1 Bg4

White only has one good move, according to the engines

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23.Re1??
White is fine after 23.Bxg4 Qxg4 and 24.Re1 or 24.Qa4.

23...Bxf3 24.Rxe8+

This is best, according to the engines, but a better practical try is 24.gxf3!? as then Black has only one winning move.

Black to play and win after 24.gxf3!?

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After 24.gxf3!? the engines reckon Black has to find 24...Rf8!, when there is no defence to the threat of 25...Qh3 etc, eg 25.g4 Qd6, when there is no defence to the threat of 26...Qh2+ etc.

24...Qxe8 25.gxf3 f5!?

This is best, but 25...Qe6 also wins easily.

26.g4

Otherwise 26...Qh5 is fatal.

26...fxg4 27.fxg4 Qc6 28.f3 Qxf3 29.Qg2 Qe3+ 0-1

If 30.Qf2, then 30...Rh1+! wins.