Chess Tip Of The Day 439

If we are considering sacrificing a bishop in an attack on the king, we must be sure that our knight(s) can cooperate effectively with our queen.

David LeMoir, Essential Chess Sacrifices

Bischofsgrün Round Eight

Spanton (1951) - Udo Waltenberger (2033)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Bg7 5.c4 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Be2 d6 9.0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess this position, which occurs 20,723 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database?

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White's space advantage gives a slight edge, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

9...Nd7!?

This is fourth in popularity in Mega26, behind 9...a6, 9...Nxd4 and especially 9...Bd7.

10.Rc1

The main line in Mega26 runs 10.Qd2 Nc5 11.Rfd1 Bd7 12.f3, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines.

10...Nc5 11.f3 a5 12.b3

Yordan Ivanov (2395) - Keith Arkell (2480), Balaguer (Spain) 1997, went 12.Ndb5!? f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Nd4 Bd7 15.Qd2, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines (1-0, 53 moves).

12...Bd7

A short while after pressing the clock, UW offered a draw.

Objectively, should White accept?

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Black has not broken the bind, by getting in one of the three traditional anti-Maróczy pawn-breaks, ...b5, ...d5, ...f5, so the engines reckon White still has a slight edge.

13.Ndb5!?

Apparently a novelty, at least in this exact position, and preferred by the engines over the known 13.Qd2.

13...Na7 14.Qd2 Nxb5 15.Nxb5

The engines suggest 15.cxb5!?, making White's light-square bishop slightly less bad.

15...Ne6!? 16.Rfd1 Bc6 17.Nc3!? Rb8 18.Nd5 b6 19.Qe1!? Nc5 20.Qh4 Bxd5

How should White recapture?

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21.exd5?!

The worst of the three choices, according to the engines. They suggest 21.cxd5, and if, as in the game, 21...e5!?, then they reckon 22.Qxd8 Rbxd8 23.g4!? gives White the upper hand, a sample line continuing 23...f5!? 24.g5 Rf7 25.exf5!? gxf5, after which the position has opened a little for White's bishop-pair, but Black still has a strong knight, despite the engines' continuing evaluation of White having the upper hand.

21...e5!

The engines reckon this completely equalises.

22.Qxd8 Rbxd8 ½–½

Different Walk

I HAVE been walking to the top of the Ochsenkopf (Oxhead) mountain by following the Weismain river as far as Karches lake, and then heading to the top via the source of the river.

But for a change I took a more-direct route, that early on passes the Maria Alm, a cafe and beer garden near the foot of the Ochsenkopf

The walk was steep in places, and with temperatures well into the mid-20s, I rewarded myself at the top with an alcohol-free wesizenbier

I took a less-direct route down, choosing to follow a route I enjoyed two years ago, which meant following the waymark second from the bottom

The path is mainly easy-going underfoot

But there are dramatic rock formations to enjoy

Tree with unusual growths

Shade was welcome

A final unusual rock outcrop

Bischofsgrün Round Seven

Manfred Herbold (2075) - Spanton (1951)

Sicilian Grand Prix Attack

1.Nc3 c5 2.e4 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4 6.d3?!

This fairly common continuation - there are 100 examples of the position after 6.d3?! in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database - may be a mistake.

How should Black proceed?

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6...Nxb5

Winning the bishop-pair. However, after the little-played 6...Qa5!? 7.Bc4 (forced) Nxf3+ 8.gxf3 (8.Qxf3?? Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qxc3+ sees Black winning rook and pawn) b5!? 9.Bd5 Rb8, Stockfish18 and Dragon1 give Black the upper hand.

7.Nxb5 a6

The commonest continuation in Mega26 runs 7...Qa5 8.Nc3 Bxc3+!? 9.bxc3 Qxc3+, but after 10.Bd2 White has a slight edge, according to the engines.

8.Nc3 d6

The engines suggest 8...b5!? or 8...b6.

9.a4 b6 10.0-0 e6!?

The engines suggest getting on with development with 10...Bb7 or 10...Nf6.

11.Qe1 Ne7

How should White proceed?

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12.g4?!

The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting two apparent-novelties in 12.e5 and 12.a5, but they also prefer, over the text, the known moves 12.Ne2 and 12.Bd2.

12...h5!?

Even stronger may be 12...f5.

13.g5 d5 14.Bd2 0-0

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

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White is more developed, and has more space on the kingside, but it is not easy for White to open lines there. Meanwhile, Black has the bishop-pair and the safer-looking king, although the former factor is hardly a big issue in the present position. The engines award Black the upper hand.

15.Ne2?!

A positional pawn sacrifice that the engines do not like.

15...Nc6?!

After 15...Bxb2 the engines reckon both 16.Rb1 and 16.Bc3!? leave Black with at least the upper hand.

16.Bc3 d4 17.Bd2 f5?

Black has a slight edge after 17...Bb7, according to the engines.

18.gxf6 Rxf6!?

How should White continue?

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19.Qg3!

White can win the exchange with 19.f5 exf5 20.Bg5, but 20...fxe4 gives decent compensation, eg 21.Bxf6?! Qxf6 22.dxe4 Bh3. Better is 21.dxe4, but Black is fine, according to the engines, after, for example, 21...Qd6 22.Bxf6 Bxf6.

19...Qe8 20.Rf2 Bh6?!

The engines suggest 20...e5!? or 20...Ra7, one point being 20...e5!? should probably not be met by 21.fxe5?! as 21...Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Rxf2 23.Kxf2 Bxe5 gives Black decent counterplay, although the position is unclear (equal - Stockfish18; White has the upper hand - Dragon1).

21.Rg2 Ra7!?

This loses a pawn, but may be Black's best continuation.

22.e5

Possibly even stronger is 22.Qh4!?, but the text is good enough for a winning advantage.

22...Rf8 23.Qxg6+ Qxg6 24.Rxg6+ Rg7 25.Rxg7+ Kxg7 26.Kf2 Ne7?!

The engines much prefer 26...Bd7 or 26...Kh8!?

27.Rg1+ Kh7 28.Ng5+ Bxg5 29.Rxg5 Rf5

What should White play?

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30.Rxf5

30.h4?! lets Black equalise with 30...Rxg5 and 31...a5!, according to the engines;

30.Rg3?! can be met by 30...Ng6; and 30...Rg2?! loses a tempo to 30...Bb7.

But best may be 30.Rg1!? MH rejected it because of the line 30...Ng6? 31.Ng3 Nxf4? 32.Nxf5 Nh3+, missing that after 33.Kg2 Nxg1 White wins a piece with 34.Nd6. I intended 30...h4, but 31.Rg4 Ng6 32.a5!? is winning, according to the engines.

30...Nxf5

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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Black has a strong knight, but a pawn is a pawn, and the engines reckon 31.a5! wins, eg 32...b5 33.Nc1!, or 32...bxa5 33.Bxa5 Ne3 34.Ng3 Nxc2 35.Ne4, although the play is tricky.

31.b4?! cxb4 32.Bxb4 Bd7 33.a5 ½–½

Chess Tip Of The Day 437

...d5 is an ideal freeing move in almost all double e-pawn openings.

John Watson, Mastering The Chess Openings - Volume 1

Bischofsgrün Round Six

Spanton (1951) - Dieter Bauer (1787)

English

1.c4 d6 2.Nc3 e5 3.g3 f5 4.Bg2 c6!?

This is second-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but a very long way behind 4...Nf6.

How should White respond?

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5.d4

This and 5.d3 are almost equally popular, but the text scores 15 percentage points better.

5...Nd7

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 suggest 5...Nf6!? or 5...Be7, eg 5...Nf6!? 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.Nf3 Nbd7, with equality (Stockfish18) or a small edge for White (Dragon1). But they dislike 5...e4, reckoning 6.f3 d5 7.Nh3!? gives White the upper hand, eg 7...Be7 8.0-0 Nf6 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.Bg5 Nc6 11.e3 0-0 12.Nf4, with tremendous pressure against Black's extended centre.

6.e4!? exd4

The engines prefer 6...fxe4.

7.Qxd4 Qb6!?

This apparent-novelty is quite liked by Stockfish18. The known move is 7...Ne5.

8.Nf3 Qxd4 9.Nxd4 Ne5 10.exf5 Nxc4?

Perhaps the engines' 10...Ne7 is best, albeit they give White the upper hand.

How should White proceed?

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11.0-0

Even stronger is 11.Nxc6! I rejected it because of the reply 11...Bxf5, but the engines continue 12.0-0 Nf6 13.Re1+, when material is level, but they reckon White's advantage is about the equivalent of being a piece up.
11...Nf6?

Possibly best is 11...Kf7!?, as the text allows 12.Nxc6! Bxf5 13.Re1+ with a large advantage.

12.Re1+? Kf7!?

Not 12...Be7? 13.Nxc6!

13.Ne6?!

This loses much of White's remaining advantage, according to the engines, whereas they reckon 13.b3!? Ne5 14.Ba3! is very strong, eg 14...Be7 15.f4 Ned7 16.g4!? Nxg4 17.Rxe7!? Kxe7 18.Re1+ Kf7 19.Ncb5! cxb5?! 20.Bd5+ Rf6 21.Re6+ Kf7 22.Bxd6 leads to unstoppable mate. That is a very sharp line, and Black probably does better to play 13...Nb6, when 14.a4 d5 15.a5 Nbd7 16.a6!? gives White at least the upper hand, according to the engines, but the game goes on.

13...Be7?

After 13...d5 White has only a slight edge, according to the engines.

14.Nxg7! Ne5 15.Ne6 Nd3!?

Winning the bishop-pair is apparently Black's best chance, although the engines reckon White nevertheless has a winning advantage.

16.Re3 Nxc1 17.Rxc1 Bxe6

The engines suggest 17...d5.

18.fxe6+ Kg7

Black is 'only' a pawn down, and even has hopes of getting down to opposite-colour bishops, but the engines reckon White's advantage is worth about 2.5 pawns

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19.Ne2!?

This is best, according to the engines.

19...Rhf8 20.Bh3 c5!? 21.Nf4 Rfd8 22.Bg2!

Now the d pawn will be blockaded, as 22...d5 runs into 23.Re5 d4 24.Nd3.

22...Rab8 23.Rd3 b6 24.Bd5 Rdc8 25.b3 a6 26.a4 Kf8!? 27.Ng2!?

The knight is headed for e3 and either f5 or c4.

27...Rc7 28.Ne3 Ra7 29.Nf5 b5 30.axb5 axb5 31.Bf3!? Rb6 32.Rcd1 Raa6 33.Bd5!? Ra5 34.Rf3!?

With the black queenside pawns blockaded or restrained, it is time to switch to the kingside.

34...Rba6 35.Kg2 Rb6!?

Black does not really have a useful move.

36.g4!? Ke8 37.g5 Nxd5 38.Rxd5 Ra7 39.h4 c4!?

This is Black's best, according to the engines, but that only shows how bad Black's position is.

40.bxc4 bxc4 41.Rc3 Rc6 42.Ne3 Ra4 43.f4 Bd8 44.Rd4 Bb6 45.Rdxc4 Raxc4 46.Rxc4 Rxc4 47.Nxc4 Bc7 48.Kf3 d5 49.Ne3 d4 50.Nd5 1-0

Chess Tip Of The Day 436

A good knowledge of the standard attacking and defensive ideas is required to play sharp openings successfully.

James Rizzitano, Understanding Your Chess

Bischofsgrün Round Five

Rolf Zens (1884) - Spanton (1951)

English/Réti

1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 d4!?

Much more popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database is 3...Nf6, followed by 3...c6, 3...dxc4, 3...c5, and then the text.

4.Nf3 c5 5.d3 Nf6

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 like the rarely played 5...Ne7!?, intending to meet both 6.e3 and 6.0-0 with 6...Nec6!?, eg 6.e3 Nec6!? 7.exd4 cxd4 8.0-0 Be7 9.Na3 0-0, when they reckon the game is completely equal.

6.0-0 Nc6 7.a3!?

This may be a little slow, but it has been played by grandmasters. The engines suggest 7.e3 or 7.Na3.

7...e5!?

The engines prefer 7...a5.

The position after 7...e5!? occurs 125 times in Mega26, but usually with Black to move

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Black has a slight edge when the position is reached with Black to move, according to the engines, but with White to move, they reckon White has a slight edge.

8.Re1

This seems to be a novelty. The engines like 8.b4!?, when Daniel Barría Zuñiga (2341) - Miran Oganian (2437), Chess.com Blitz 2022, went 8...cxb4?! 9.axb4 Bxb4 10.Nxe5! Nxe5?! 11.Qa4+ Nc6 12.Bxc6+ bxc6 13.Qxb4, after which material is equal, but White is winning, according to the engines (but 0-1, 22 moves). Instead of 8...cxb4?!, Black should probably play 8...Bd6, albeit with what the engines reckon is a slight edge for White.

8...Bd6 9.e3 0-0

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

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For quite some time Dragon1 reckons Black's extra space confers a slight edge, but it eventually comes to agree with Stockfish18 that chances are equal.

10.h3

The engines do not like this, advocating exchanging on d4, or getting on with development with 10.Nbd2.

10...a5

Belated, but good, although the engines also like 10...h6 (despite not liking 10.h3).

11.exd4

How should Black recapture?

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11...cxd4

Best, according to the engines, is 11...exd4.

12.Nbd2 Bf5!? 13.Qe2

Probably not 13.Ne4?!, as the engines reckon 13...Nxe4 14.dxe4 Be6 gives Black a positionally won game.

13...Re8 14.Nh4 Be6 15.Ne4 Nxe4 16.Qxe4 Qd7 17.Kh2

The engines suggest 17.g4 or 17.Bd2!?, eg 17.Bd2!? Bxh3 18.Bxh3 Qxh3 19.b4!? axb4 20.axb4 Rxa1 21.Rxa1 Bxb4 22.Bxb4 Nxb4 23.Qxb7, reckoning White has full compensation for a pawn.

17...a4!?

Correctly assessing Black has time for this as White is not in position to take advantage of the tempo spent to cause mischief on the kingside.

18.Bd2 f5!? 19.Qe2 Qf7 20.Nf3?!

The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting 20.Kg1!?, 20.Qd1 or 20.Rac1.

20...h6

The engines reckon Black has a positionally won game

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21.Ng1

The engines more-or-less come to agree 21.Rac1 is best, but also that 21...Rad8 leaves Black on top.

21...e4!

This is the very move 21.Ng1 was presumably meant to prevent.

22.Rac1

The engines reckon this is better than 22.exd4 Bxc4 23.Qf3, when, according to them, three moves with the king's rook, 23...Re5!?, 23...Re6 and 23...Rf8, are among continuations leaving Black with a winning advantage. But possibly better than the text is 22.c5!? Bxc5 23.Rac1 Ba7 24.dxe4 fxe4 25.Qxe4, even though 25...Bxh3 is clearly good for Black, and the engines reckon 25...d3!? is even better.

22...exd3

Even stronger appear to be the engines' 22...Ne5 and 22...Rad8.

23.Qxd3 Ne5?!

Best may be 23...f4 24.Rxe6!? fxg3+ 25.fxg3 Rxe6 26.Bd5 Rf8 27.Re1 Nd8, with a tricky position, but one that at least slightly favours Black, according to the engines.

24.Qxd4 Rad8

How should White proceed?

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25.Bd5

Not 25.Rxe5?? Bxe5 26.Qxe5 Rxd2, but possibly best is 25.Bf4!? Bb4 26.Qc3 Nd3 27.Rxe6! (an only-move, according to the engines) Qxe6 28.Bxb8 Nxc1 29.Qxc1 Qb6, when Black has two rooks for two bishops, a knight and a pawn. That is an unusual imbalance, but after best play, which the engines reckon runs something like 30.c5! (preventing both 30...Qxf2 and 30...Rxb8) Rc8 31.Qf4 Qxc5 32.Bd6 Qb5, the game, according to them, is completely equal.

25...Nc6 26.Bxe6?

White remains a pawn up after the engines' 26.Rxe6! Nxd4 27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Bxf7+ Kxf7 29.Rd1.

26...Rxe6 27.Qd5

Best may be 27.Qd3!?, but 27...Be5 (27...Bxg3+!? 28.Qxg3 Rxd2 is also good for Black) 28.Qc2 Nd4 leaves Black with an advantage worth more than a minor piece, despite being a pawn down, according to the engines.

27...Bxg3+ 0-1

Premature resignation? After 27.fxg3 Rxd5 28.cxd5 Rxe1 29.Rxe1 Qxd5 Black has queen and pawn for rook and bishop, enjoying an advantage equivalent to being almost a rook ahead, according to the engines.

Chess Tip Of The Day 435

Don't unnecessarily give up the possession of the two bishops.

Cecil Purdy, How Fischer Won

Bischofsgrün Round Four

FACED a Dutchman.

Spanton (1951) - Stef van Kesteren (1861)

Philidor

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be6 6.Be2 0-0 7.Be3 Nc6

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 suggest 7...Re8 or 7...c5!?

8.0-0

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

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White's space advantage gives a slight edge, according to the engines.

8...Bd7 9.f4 Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Bc6 11.Bf3 a6 12.Qd2 Nd7!? 13.Rae1 Bf6 14.e5?

Dropping a pawn. White has a slight edge after any reasonable move, according to the engines.

14...dxe5 15.fxe5?!

The engines reckon this makes matters worse.

15...Nxe5 16.Bxc6

Not 16.Bxe5?? Qxd2.

16...Nxc6 17.Be3 Qxd2 18.Bxd2

Black is 'only' a pawn up, but Black's advantage is worth nearer a minor piece, according to the engines

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18...Nb4?!

But this throws away much of the advantage. Instead, the black rooks should be brought into play, starting with 18...Rad8 or 18...Rfd8.

19.Ne4

Best seems to be the engines' 19.Re4!?, one point being 19...Nxc2 can be met by 20.Rxf6! gxf6 21.Nd5, when the engines reckon Black no longer has an advantage. However, calmer moves, such as 19...c5, 19...Nc6 and 19...Bxc3, give Black the upper hand, according to the engines.

19...Bd4+ 20.Kh1 Nxc2 21.Rc1 Ne3

The engines suggest 21...f5 or 21...Rae8.

22.Bxe3 Bxe3 23.Rxc7

White's pieces are more active, but Black remains a pawn up, and has the generally-better minor piece for working with rooks

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Black is winning, according to the engines.

23...b5 24.Nd6 Bd4!?

The engines agree this is best.

25.b3 Be5 26.Rc6 Bxd6?

This greatly reduces Black's winning chances, which would remain after, for example, 26...f6.

27.Rxd6 Rfd8 28.Rfd1 Rxd6 29.Rxd6

Dragon1 gives Black a slight edge, but Stockfish18's verdict of equal is probably nearer the mark

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29...Kf8 30.Kg1 Ke7 31.Rb6 Ra7 32.a4 bxa4 33.bxa4 a5 34.Kf2 Rc7 35.Rb5 Rc2+ 36.Kf3 Rc3+ 37.Kf2 Rc2+ ½–½