World Team 65+ Round Two

Bo.	46	England - 5	Rtg	-	33	Ireland - 1	Rtg	0 : 0
19.1		Freeman, Richard C P	1897	-	FM	Smith, Andrew Philip	2118
19.2	CM	Stokes, Michael	1861	-		Noone, Joe	1946
19.3		Spanton, Tim R	1908	-	CM	MacElligott, Gerard	1979
19.4		Marshall, Michael	1859	-		Gaffney, Michael	1919

Spanton (1908) - Gerald MacElligott (1979)

French Alekhine-Chatard

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.h4!?

The starting position of the famous Attack, apparently first played by Adolf Albin in 1890

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6...h6

This is the second-most popular continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database. Stockfish17.1 prefers accepting the gambit with 6...Bxg5 7.hxg5 Qxg5 8.Nh3 Qh4!?, while Dragon1 likes the text, and 6...0-0!?

7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.Qg4

This is the commonest continuation, but the engines prefer 8.f4.

8...0-0 9.f4

Alekhine played 9.0-0-0 in a 1930 simul.

9...f5!?

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring the more popular 9...c5.

10.Qg6!?

White need not fear an exchange of queens. After 10...Qf7 11.Qxf7+ Rxf7 12.Nf3 the engines give White at least the upper hand.

10...Rd8!?

Seemingly a novelty. The engines at first suggest 10...c5, 10...Nc6 or 10...a6, albeit with advantage to White, but Dragon1 comes to prefer 10...Qf7, at least for a while.

11.Nf3

The engines reckon 11.g4!? Nf8 12.Qh5 leaves White with a positionally won game.

11...Nf8 12.Qg3 a6

The engines recommend 12...c5!?, not fearing Nb5-d6.

13.Qf2 c5!? 14.dxc5 Nbd7 15.Na4!?

White should play 15.Nd4 or 15.0-0-0, according to the engines.

15...b5

How should White proceed?

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16.Nd4?

Initiating a faulty combination. Instead 16.Nb6 Nxb6 17.cxb6 Qb4+ 18.c3! Qf4 19.h5 gives White a slight edge (Stockfish17.1) or at least equality (Dragon1).

16...bxa4 17.Nc6 Qe8

Also good is 17...Qxc5!? 18.Qxc5 Nxc5 19.Nxd8 Bd7.

18.Bd3 Bb7 19.Na5!?

How should Black proceed?

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19...Rdb8!

Black is winning after this, according to the engines, whereas they reckon 19...Rab8 20.c6 Ba8 (20...Bxc6?! 21.Nxc6 forks the black rooks) 21.c7 Rxb2 22.cxd8=Q Qxd8 23.Nb3! axb3 24.axb3 gives White at least equal chances. A little better is 19...Bc8 20.c6 Qe7 (20...Nb8? 21.c7 Rd7 22.Qb6) 21.cxd7 Bxd7, but the text is best.

20.Nxb7 Rxb7 21.c6 Rxb2 22.cxd7 Qxd7

Even stronger, according to the engines, is taking with the knight.

23.0-0

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

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Black's extra pawn is doubled, but the black king's rook is well-placed. The engines reckon Black is winning, or at least has the upper hand, but do not agree on how to go about maintaining Black's advantage.

23...Qa7

But they do agree exchanging queens is the wrong plan. Perhaps best is 23...Qf7!?, eg 24.a3!? Rab8!? 25.g4!? (25.Bxa6 Qe7 26.Bd3 Nd7 27.h5 Kh7) R8b3!? 26.Rad1!? Qg6!? 27.Qg2!? Qf7!? 28.gxf5 exf5, but I am far from understanding the ideas behind the vast majority of these engine moves.

24.Rfb1

The engines give 24.Qxa7 Rxa7 25.c4, but their evaluations of the resulting position differ markedly, and fluctuate.

24...Qxf2+ 25.Kxf2 Rab8

25...a3!? may be better, but the evaluations fluctuate wildly, with at one point Dragon1 claiming Black is winning while at the exact same moment Stockfish17.1 calls the game equal. Given plenty of time, their evaluations merge somewhat, eventually stabilising at the upper hand for Black (Dragon1) or equality (Stockfish17.1)

26.Rxb2 Rxb2 27.a3!

An important move that seems to give White equality, whereas allowing 27...a3 appears to leave Black with at least a slight edge.

27...Nd7 28.Ke3 Kf7 29.Kd4 Ke7?!

This allows White the upper hand, according to the engines.

What should White play?

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30.h5!

Fixing Black's h and g pawns, and preparing to open the kingside with g4. Black should have played 29...h5 or 29...g6, according to the engines.

30...Rb6

30...Nb8!? is suggested by the engines, but with the upper hand for White.

31.g4! fxg4 32.Rg1 Kf7 33.Rxg4 Rc6 34.Rg6 Nf8 35.Rg1 Nd7

35...Rb6 occupies the open file, but the engines agree White is winning, eg 36.f5 exf5 37.Bxf5 Rb5 38.Rg3!? a5 39.Rc3 Ne6+ 40.Bxe6+ Kxe6 41.Rc6+ Kf7 42.Rc7+ Kf8 43.e6 Rb8 44.Rf7+ Kg8 45.Ke5 Rc8 46.Rf2 etc.

36.Rb1 Nb6

Even worse is 36...Rb6? 37.Rxb6 Nxb6 38.Kc5!

37.Bxa6

With the number of pawns aside now equal, White's rook-and-bishop combo gives a large advantage

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37...Nc4 38.Rb7+ Kf8 39.Rb8+

More precise is 39.Bb5 Rc8 40.Bc7.

39...Ke7

If 39...Kf7, White needs to play 40.Rb7+ Kf8, and now 41.Bb5, as in the previous note, but with two extra moves thrown in.

40.Bb5 Rc7 41.Re8+ Kf7

White to play and win

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42.f5!

The only winning move, but plenty good enough.

42...exf5

The pawn ending after 42...Re7 43.Rxe7+ Kxe7 44.Bxc4 dxc4 45.fxe6 Kxe6 46.Ke4 is an easy win for White, eg 46...c3 47.Kd4 g5!? (47...Kf5 48.Kd5) 48.hxg6 h5 49.Ke4 h4 50.Kf4 h3 51.Kg3 etc (Black cannot capture on e5 without allowing the g pawn to queen).

43.Kxd5 Nb6+

Or 43...Nxa3 44.e6+ Kf6 45.Rf8+ Kg5 46.Bxa4 Nxc2 47.Rf7 Ne3+ 48.Kd6 Rc8 49.e7 etc.

44.Kd6 Rxc2 45.e6+ Kf6 46.Rf8+ Kg5 47.e7

Not 47.Rxf5+?? Kxf5 48.Bd3+ Kf6 49.Bxc2 as Black has 49...Nc4+, after which White cannot get out of check without losing the e pawn, eg 50.Kd5!? Ne3+ 51.Kd6 Nc4+ (51...Nxc2?? 52.e7) 52.Kd7 Ne5+.

47...Nc8+

Only one move maintains the win

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48.Rxc8!

After, say. 48.Ke6 Nxe7! 49.Kxe7 Rc3, the game is drawn, according to the engines.

48...Rxc8 49.e8=Q Rxe8 50.Bxe8

Black's kingside pawns are too far from queening to save the game

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50...f4 51.Bxa4 Kxh5 52.Bd1+ Kh4 53.Ke5 Kg3 54.Ke4 g5 55.a4 h5!? 56.Bxh5 g4 57.Kf5 f3 58.Bxg4 f2 59.Be2 1-0

Team Result
Freeman (1897) = Smith (2118)
Stokes (1861) 1-0 Noone (1946)
Spanton (1908) 1-0 MacElligott (1979)
Marshall (1859) = Gaffney (1919)
England 5 3-1 Ireland

World Team 65+ Round One

Bo.	19	France - 2	Rtg	-	46	England - 5	Rtg	0 : 0
19.1		Boulard, Eric	2228	-		Freeman, Richard C P	1897
19.2	FM	Fayard, Alain	2181	-	CM	Stokes, Michael	1861
19.3		Theon, Pierre	2046	-		Spanton, Tim R	1908
19.4		Lebret, Jean-Michel	2016	-		Marshall, Michael	1859

Pierre Theon (2046) - Spanton (1908)

QGD Tarrasch

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.dxc5!?

This is very much a sideline, compared with 5.Nf3, but there are 668 examples of the move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, and it has been played by Carlsen and Kramnik.

5...d4 6.Ne4

How should Black proceed?

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6...Nf6!?

The stem game, Amos Burn - Siegbert Tarrasch, German Chess Congress (Breslau*) 1889, went 6...Bxc5?! 7.Nxc5 Qa5+ 8.Bd2 Qxc5 9.Rc1 Qf5 10.Qa4+ Nc6 11.Nf3, with the upper hand for White, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1, although the game was eventually drawn. The engines prefer the text.

7.Nd6+

Winning the bishop-pair, but falling behind in development. The engines reckon 7.Nxf6+ Qxf6 8.b4 Nc6 9.Bb2!? gives equal chances. They also like 7.Bg5, when they agree Black's best reply is 7...Bf5!? (7...Be7 8.Bxf6!), eg 8.Nxf6+ gxf6 9.e4!? Bxe4 10.Qe2!? Qd5!? 11.Bxf6 d3 12.Qg4! Nc6 13.Bxh8 d2+ 14.Kd1 h5! 15.Qe2 0-0-0, when they give Black complete equality, despite Black being rook and pawn down.

7...Bxd6 8.cxd6 Qxd6 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.e3 Bg4

Also very interesting is 10...Qb4+!? 11.Qd2 Qxb2 12.Qc1!? Qxc1+ 13.Rxc1 dxe3 14.Bxde3 0-0, when the engines reckon Black's extra pawn is worth more than White's bishops.

11.exd4!?

Possibly 11.Be2 is better.

11...0-0-0

The engines agree 11...Bxf3 gives Black the upper hand, eg 12.gxf3 0-0!? 13.Be3 Nd5!? 14.Qb3 Rfe8 15.0-0-0!? a5, when Black's king looks decidedly safer.

12.Be3 Rhe8 13.Be2 Bxf3?!

Black has at least a slight edge after 13...Nd5, according to the engines.

14.Bxf3 Qb4+!

White will have no problems if allowed to castle.

15.Qd2

Also seemingly playable is 15.Kf1!? Nxd4 16.g3.

15...Qxd2+ 16.Kxd2 Nxd4 17.Rac1+ Kb8

This is almost certainly better than 17...Nc6+ 18.Kc2.

18.Bxd4 Rxd4+ 19.Kc3 Red8

How would you assess this late-middlegame?

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White has the better minor piece for working with rooks, especially on such an open board, but Black's coordinated rooks and already-tucked-away king give full compensation, according to the engines.

20.Rhe1!?

Not 20.Rhd1? as Black has 20...Ne4+, eg 21.Kc2 (21.Bxe4?! Rxd1) Rc8+ 22.Kb1 Nd2+ 23.Ka1 Rxc1+ 24.Rxc1 Nxf3 25.gxf3 Rd3, with much the better of a rook-and-pawn ending.

20...Rd3+ 21.Kc2 Rd2+ 22.Kb1 Rxf2

Black's initiative has netted a pawn, but now White gets to apply pressure

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23.Re7 Rd7 24.Bg4!?

How should Black respond?

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24...Rd8

The only move, as both 24...Nxg4?? and 24...Rdd2?? allow a quick mate.

25.Bf3 Rd7

Again forced.

26.Rxd7!? Nxd7

How would you assess this rook-and-minor-piece ending?

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White's rook-and-bishop combination give full compensation for being a pawn down, according to the engines.

27.Re1 Nc5 28.Re7 b6 29.Rxf7 Nd3 30.Rb7+!? Kc8 31.Rxg7 Rxb2+ 32.Ka1 Rc2 33.a3 a5!?

This may be too slow. Perhaps best is 33...Ne1!?, when 34.Kb1 Rf2 35.Be4 Re2 36.Bd5 Kd8 is completely equal, according to Stockfish17.1, although Dragon1 gives White a slight edge.

34.Be4 Rc1+?!

Almost certainly better is 34...Rc3.

35.Ka2 Nc5 36.Bxh7

White is a pawn up in a position that favours White anyway, thanks to a bishop being almost always much better than a knight when there are rival pawn-majorities

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36...Rf1 37.Kb2 Rf2+ 38.Kc3 Ra2 39.Kc4?!

Probably stronger is starting to push the passed h pawn, either immediately, or after first playing Bf5+.

39...Rxa3

The extra pawn has gone, White's king is more active than Black's, and bishop-v-knight still greatly favours White

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The only thing in Black's favour is that the black pawns are more advanced.

40.Kd5 Rc3?

40...a4 almost certainly provides better drawing chances, eg 41.h4 Ra1 42.h5 a3 43.Bf5+ Kb8!, when the engines give White only the tiniest of edges. However, there are many alternatives, and the lines are very tricky.

41.Bf5+ Kb8 42.h4 Nb7

Black queens first in the pawn-race, ie 42...a4 43.h5 a3 44.h6 a2 47.h7 a1=Q, but then White queens with mate.

43.h5 Rc5+ 44.Ke6 Nd8+?

Better, but still losing, is 44...a4, eg 45.Rg3 b5 46.Rh3 Rc6+ 47.Ke7 Rc7+ 48.Kf8 Nd6 49.Bg6 Nc4 50.h6 Rc8+ 51.Kg7 Rc7+ 52.Kf6 Rc6+ 53.Kg5 Rc5+ 54.Bf5 Nd6 55.g4, when the only way to stop the h pawn queening is to give up the knight.

45.Kf6 a4 46.h6 a3 47.Bb1

White wins the pawn-race after 47.h7? a2 48.h8=Q, but this time Black queens with check, and so draws.

47...Rc6+ 48.Ke7 Rxh6

Forced.

49.Kxd8 Rh1 50.Ba2

Not 50.Be4?? Rh8+ 51.Kd7 a2 etc.

50...Rd1+ 51.Rd7 Rh1 52.Bd5 Rh8+ 53.Ke7 Kc8 54.Rd6 Rh7+ 55.Ke6 Rg7 56.Rc6+ Kd8 57.Kf6 Ra7 58.Ba2 Rd7!?

This speeds the end, but Black is lost anyway.

59.Be6 a2!? 60.Bxa2 Rd2 61.Be6 Rf2+ 62.Bf5 1-0

Team Result

Boulard (2228) = Freeman (1897)

Fayard (2181) 1-0 Stokes (1861)

Theon (2046) 1-0 Spanton (1908)

Lebret (2016) = Marshall (1859)

France 2 3-1 England 5

*Now Wrocław in the Lower Silesian region of Poland.

Getting There (Durrës)

CAUGHT British Airways' 13.50 from Heathrow to the Albanian capital Tirana, where three coaches were waiting to ferry players to the seaside resort of Durrës, which is where the world senior team championships are being held.

I was checked in and down to dinner before 20:00 central European time, later enjoying a poolside drink with some of the other England players.

View from my balcony

Play starts tomorrow at 15:00, with 54 teams in the 65+, where I am on board three (of four) for England 5.

Our team's average rating of 1881 means, barring late changes, we should face France 2 (average rating 2118) in round one.

There is also a 36-team 50+.

Tricky Brain Exercise

SAW this serial number on a Central Line carriage: 92136.

As usual, each number should be used once, and once only, and must be added, subtracted, multiplied or divided to make a balanced equation.
There is a perfect solution, ie one that uses the numbers in the order they appear, but it is far from obvious.
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My solution: 9 ÷ (2 + 1) + 3 = 6

Balkans Bound

AM making final preparations for flying to Albania tomorrow for the world 65+ senior team championships, where I am on board three (of four) for England 5.

There are nine afternoon rounds over 10 days, including a free day after round five, with a time limit of 40 moves in 90 minutes, a further 30 minutes to finish, and a 30-second increment throughout.

The 54 teams are headed by German club side Lasker Schachstiftung GK, England, Iceland, Montenegro, France and Russia.

There is also a 50+ tournament with 36 teams, where the top three seeds are USA, England and Kazakhstan.

Venue hotel - Grand Blue FAFA, Durrës

Minatures 34

IN this occasional series I am going through my decisive games of 20 moves or fewer.

Bertrand Barlow (173 BCF) - Spanton (147 BCF)

Hastings 3rd Week A 1991

King's Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d5!?

How should White respond to Black's unusual third move?

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4.exd5

This is the commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but Dragon1 prefers 4.Nxe5, while Stockfish17.1 suggests 4.Nc3!?

4...e4 5.d4!?

More popular are 5.Qe2 and especially 5.Ne5, but the engines like the text, which goes back to at least 1839.

5...exd3 6.Qxd3!? Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Bd2 Ng4?

The obvious 8...Re8+ is better.

9.0-0-0?

White has a large advantage after 9.Ng5, eg 9...Re8+ 10.Be2 g6 11.Nce4 Bf5 12.Bxg4 Bxe4 13.Nxe4 Qh4+ 14.Kf1! Rxe4 15.g3 Qe7 16.c3!?

9...Nf2 10.Qc4

What should Black play?

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10...Nxd1?

Best is 10...b6, protecting the loose bishop while maintaining a fork of the white rooks.

11.Qxc5 Nd7 12.Qd4 Nxc3 13.Bxc3 Nf6

White's bishop-pair and extra pawn give full compensation for the exchange, according to the engines

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14.Bc4 Qd6 15.Re1 Bd7 16.Ne5 a5?!

Black probably needs to disrupt White's build-up, perhaps by 16...b5, and if 17.Bb3, then 17...a5 18.a3 Rfb8, with equal chances, according to the engines, which reckon 17.Be2!? is a promising alternative.

17.Re3 b5?

Too late. 17...R(either)d8 keeps the game going by allowing the black queen to keep defending f6.

18.Nxd7 Qxd7 19.Qxf6! 1-0

If 19...gxf6?, then 20.Rg3+ leads to mate, while 19...Qg4 20.Qd4 f6 21.Bxb5 leaves White with an advantage worth more than a rook, according to the engines.

LESSON: when enemy pieces are lining up against your king's position, precise calculation is usually required.

Miniatures 33

IN this occasional series I am going through my decisive games of 20 moves or fewer.

Spanton (147 BCF) - N Foster (200 BCF)

Barbican (London) Rapid1990

Nimzowitsch Defence

1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.g3!?

The main continuations in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 5.c3 and especially 5.Bd3.

5...f6!?

This immediate attack on the white centre is a rare continuation but is liked by Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

6.exf6 Qxf6!?

How should White proceed?

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7.Bg5?

The engines suggest 7.c3 or 7.Bg2, with what they reckon is equality.

7...Bxc2! 8.Qe2

Or 8.Bxf6 Bxd1 9.Kxd1 (forced) gxf6, when Black is a sound pawn up.

8...Qf5 9.Nc3?

Better is 9,Nbd2, developing and protecting the king's knight.

9...Bb4?

Missing the strength of 9...Be4.

10.h4?

The bishop should be moved, probably to e3.

10...Be4 11.Bg2 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Qxf3 13.Bxf3 Nxd4

Winning a second healthy pawn.

14.Bd1 Nf6 15.0-0 0-0 16.Rc1 c6 17.a3 Bd6 18.Be3 Nf5 19.Re1?! 0-1

LESSON: success against a much higher-rated opponent is made infinitely harder if basic tactical mistakes are committed while still in the opening.

Thoughts On Daventry V

IN round seven, after taking a halfpoint bye in the morning, I was Black against David Flynn (1867 ECF/1816 Fide).

The game featured a sharp line from the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon in the Sicilian, and I think the line is worth a closer look.

It began 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3.

This usually means a Closed Sicilian, but as has been pointed out by many chess instructors, White is not committed to keeping the position closed (although White has ruled out a Maróczy Bind).

I played 2...g6, partly because I had seen in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database that after 2...Nc6 DF 'always' (seven games out of seven) plays 3.Bb5.

Now 3.Bb5 is not something Black should fear, although my record against it is a disappointing +1=0-3, including two losses to much lower-rated opposition.

But it seemed to make sense to deprive my opponent of the ability to play his 'favourite' variation.

He could have stayed in another type of Closed Sicilian with 3.g3, but instead opened the game with 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4.

After the further moves 4...Nf6 5.Nf3 we reached a position occurring 2,722 times in Mega26.

The usual Hyper-Accelerated move-order is 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3

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Following 5...Nc6 6.Qa4 the threat of 7.e5, forcing the black king's knight to move, more-or-less obliges Black to play 6...d6.

But 7.e5 comes anyway, and after 7...dxe5 8.Nxe5 the game remains sharp.

The position after 8.Nxe5 occurs 1,784 times in Mega26

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On three occasions reaching this position I have continued 8...Bd7, which is easily the main move in Mega26.

The drawback is White can immediately win the bishop-pair with 9.Nxd7, and, although I have drawn this position in correspondence play, I lost with it both times over-the-board, albeit against much stronger opposition.

This time I played the gambit move 8...Bg7!?, expecting 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Qxc6+ Bd7, which occurred in Hanna Kyrjebo (1831) - Spanton (2002), Hastings 2014-5.

That game continued 11.Qf3 0-0 12.Bd3 Qb6 13.0-0 Bc6 14.Qe3 Qb7 15.f3 Rad8, with Black enjoying full compensation for a pawn, according to the engines (0-1, 44 moves).

However DF surprised me with 9.Bb5.

Of course this should not have been a surprise, especially as it is the most popular continuation in Mega26.

One of its points is that unless Black reverts to giving up the bishop-pair with 9...Bd7, Black will either have to give up a second pawn or allow some simplification.

The game continued 9...0-0 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bxc6

How should Black proceed?

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I chose 11...Rb8!?, offering a second pawn, and the continuation can be seen here.

It is the main move in Mega26, but the engines marginally prefer the alternative, 11...Bd7.

After 12.Bxd7 they reckon Black should avoid further simplification, which would occur with 12...Qxd7?! 13.Qxd7, and instead play 12...Nxd7, which looks a little retrograde, but the knight will gain a tempo on the white queen with ...Nb6 or ...Nc5, and Black's dark-square bishop has been unmasked.

The engines continue 13.0-0 Bxc3!? 14.bxc3 Nb6, claiming Black has full compensation (Stockfish17.1) or is no more than slightly worse (Dragon1).

Indeed the engines reckon White should meet 11...Bd7 with 12.0-0, when, to avoid serious disadvantage, the engines agree Black has to play 12...Rc8.

Now 13.Bxd7 should be met, they reckon, with 13...Qxd7!?, not fearing the simplification that occurs with 14.Qxd7 Nxd7.

How should White proceed?

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15.Bd2 might seem natural, but is perhaps too passive. After 15...Nb6 (threatening ...Nc4) 16.Rfd1 Rfe8 17.Be1!? Nc4, the engines give Black full equality.

Instead they suggest 15.Nd5!?, when 15...Rfe8?! 16.c3 is good for White.

However 15...Rxc2 16.Nxe7+ Kh8 leaves Black with great activity. A plausible continuation runs 17.Rd1 Ne5!? 18.Nd5!? Rd8 19.Rb1 h6!? 20.h3!? Nc4 21.Ne3 Rxd1+ 22.Nxd1, after which Black remains a pawn down, but has enough compensation (Stockfish17.1) or is only slightly worse (Dragon1).

The conclusion seems to be that the pawn-sacrifice 8...Bg7!? is a dynamic and fully viable alternative to giving up the bishop-pair with 8...Bd7, even though White retains a slight edge in many lines.

There is certainly much left to explore in the resulting positions.

Thoughts On Daventry IV

THE following position was reached after 27 moves in round five, in which I was White against Iranian Hooman Honarvarmahalati (1865 ECF/1837 Fide).

Black has just played 27...Bf7-g6

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The game continued 28.Bd6+ Kc8 29.Bxe5 Bxg3 and was eventually drawn.

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 suggest 28.Re1!?, which, naturally, I considered, but rejected for being too passive.

Here I want to try to to discover what is behind the engines' surprising - to me - recommendation, by seeing how the game could develop after their suggestion.

Their main line runs something like 28...h4 29.Kb2 Kd7 30.Re2 Ke6 31.Be1 Bh5 32.Re3 g5 33.g3!? Bg6 34.g4 Rd8.

Position after 34...Rd8

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As far as I can see, White has not made progress, and the engines seem to agree. Their previous evaluation of White either winning or having the upper hand has deteriorated to White having the upper hand or just a slight edge.

Their main line continues more-or-less (they do not always completely agree on the best move): 35.Ba5 Rf8 36.Bc7 Rc8 37.Bb6 Rf8 38.a4 Kd7 39.Rd3+ Ke8 40.Rd6+!? Bxe4 41.Re6+ Kd7 42.Rxe5 Bg2 43.Rxg5 Bxh3 44.Rg7+ Ke6 45.Rh7 Bxg4 46.Rxh4 Bf5.

Position after 46...Bf5

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Stockfish17.1 gives White a slight edge, although Dragon1 reckons White has the upper hand.

With pawns on only one side of the board, and opposite-colour bishops, I suspect most games between strong players would have been agreed drawn by now, and even club players as White would only play on more in hope than expectation.
The pleasing thing from my point of view is that while 28.Re1!? may, objectively, be a little stronger than my 28.Bd6+, I was probably right in regarding it as too passive to give much hope of victory.

Thoughts On Daventry III

MY round-four game, in which I was Black against China's Ran Li, featured a new-to-me move in the Vienna.

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 I had previously faced and/or played what I thought was every reasonable move: f4, g3, Bc4, a3!? and Nf3.

However my opponent surprised me when she played 3.d4!?, explaining afterwards that, although the move might not be found in books, there has been quite a lot posted about it online.

ChessBase's 2026 Mega database shows the move goes back to at least a simul given by Isidor Gunsberg in Leeds in 1887.

Not only that, but the move's score in Mega26 of 59% is very good, although in games between rated players White only performs seven elo above White's average rating for those games.

Part of the move's success must be due to its surprise value.

The day after our game I was having breakfast in the same cafe as another U2000 competitor, Matthew Wilson.

Naturally we got to talking about our upcoming pairings and, when he learnt I had already faced his opponent, and that I had written the game up at my blog, he spent the next 30 minutes feverishly preparing.

Here is the result.

Ran Li (1701 ECF/1699 Fide) - Matthew Wilson (1858 ECF/1810 Fide)

Vienna Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d4!? exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qc4!?

This keeps play in independent Vienna lines, whereas 5.Qe3 transposes to the Centre Game.

5...Bb4

I played 5...Be7, which was also Alexei Shirov's choice in the position in a blitz game, but the text is most popular, and is recommended by Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

6.Bd2 d6 7.0-0-0 0-0

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

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White has more space in the centre, but the queen will likely be harassed by the black light-square bishop. Stockfish17.1 gives Black a slight edge, although Dragon1 reckons the game is equal.

The same position was reached in my game, except that the black dark-square bishop was on e7 rather than b4. In that case both engines call chances equal.

8.f3 Be6 9.Qe2 a5 10.g4?!

The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting the paradoxical 10.a3!?

Can you see how Black takes advantage of White's last move?

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10...Ne5

The engines give 10...Bxc3! 11.Bxc3 Nb4, reckoning White has nothing better than giving up the a2 pawn as 12.a3 Na2+ 13.Kd2 Nxc3 is deeply unpleasant whichever way White captures on c3, eg 14.Kxc3 d5!? 15.g5 Nh5!? 16.Qe3 c5 17.exd5 Bxd5 18.Bc4 Re8! 19.Qxc5 Nf4 20.Rxd5!? Nxd5+ 21.Qxd5 Qc7 22.Nh3 Rac8 23..Rd1 Re5 24.Qd4 b5, or 14.bxc3 Nd7 15.Qe3 d5 16.e5 f6!? 17.exf6 Qxf6!? with a very strong attack.

11.g5 Nfd7 12.f4?!

This looks like an oversight, but the engines are not too unhappy with it.

12...Bg4 13.Qg2 Bxd1 14.Nxd1 Bxd2+ 15.Qxd2 Nc6

White has lost/sacrificed the exchange, but White's kingside attack is probably ahead of Black's on the queenside

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16.h4 Nc5 17.Nc3 Qd7

The engines prefer 17...Re8.

18.h5 f5?

Opening a diagonal to the black king can hardly be right. However, the engines agree Black needs to do something about White's attack, suggesting 18...Rae8!?

19.Bh3?

White is winning, according to the engines, after 19.Bc4+ Kh8 20.Nf3.

19...Ne7 20.Nge2 Qc6?

The queen is a target on c6. Perhaps ...Rae8 is still best, although the engines prefer White.

21.Nd4 Nxe4?

The queen should be moved, albeit White is winning, according to the engines.

22.Nxc6 Nxd2 23.Nxe7+ Kf7 24.Nxf5 Nc4

Instead of having bishop for rook, White has emerged with bishop and knight for rook

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25.Nd5 c6 26.g6+! hxg6 27.hxg6+ Kxg6 28.Kg5?

Black has to play 28.Kh7, but would be the equivalent of more than a rook down, according to the engines.

28...Rg5#