Winning Chess

IAN Snape of Beckenham & Bromley, 'Kent', is the new English 65+ champion after winning all seven of his games at Peterborough.

He finished two points clear of second-placed Roy Hughes (Broadland, Norfolk), in part thanks to the following game.

Ian Snape (2161 ECF/2090 Fide) - Roy Hughes (2112 ECF/2020 Fide)

Semi-Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 e6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bd6 6.Qc2 Nbd7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0

Now both sides have castled, reaching a position occurring 6,087 times in Mega26, who stands better?

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Stockfish19 and Dragon1 reckon the game is equal.

8...Qe7!?

But the engines are not keen on this, preferring 8...dxc4 or 8...e5!?

9.e4

The engines reckon 9.c5!? Bc7, and now 10.e4, gives White a slight edge.

9...dxc4 10.Bxc4 e5 11.Be3 dxe4 12.Bxd4 Ne5 13.Bxe5!? Bxe5 14.Bd3!?

This may be a novelty. The known move is 14.Nxe5.

14...h6!? 15.Rae1 Bd7?!

The engines do not like this, reckoning 15...Nd7!? and 15...Rd8 keep the balance.

16.h3?!

White has the upper hand after 16.Nxe5 Qxe5 17.f4, according to the engines.

16...Rad8 17.Ne2!? Bc8

The engines prefer keeping the bishop-pair with 17...Bc7 or 17...Bb8.

18.Nxe5 Qxe5 19.f4 Qa5

The attacking chances White gets with his kingside pawn-majority give at least a slight edge, according to the engines

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20.Kh2!

The engines agree this is best.

20...Rfe8

If 20...Qxa2!?, then 21.e5 Nd7 22.Ng3 gives a promising attack.

21.Ng3 Rd4?!

Possibly best is Stockfish19's 21...h5!?, intending to follow up with 22...h4.

22.e5 Nd5 23.Bh7+

This is Dragon1's top choice, at least for a while, but Stockfish19 prefers 23.Be4, and if 23...Rd2, then 24.Qc1, eg 24...Qb4 25.b3 Kh8!? 26.Bxd5 Rxd5 27.Ne4, claiming White has the upper hand.

23...Kh8 24.Bf5?

White is slightly better after 24.Be4, according to the engines.

How should Black proceed?

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24...Qd2??

This allows White a winning combination, whereas 24...Rxf4 picks up a pawn for nothing.

25.Qxd2 Rxd2 26.Bxc8?

Missing 26.Ne4! Rxb2 27.Nd6 Bxf5 28.Nxe8, when White is up the exchange for a pawn, and if 28...Rxa2, then 29.Ne7 is strong, eg 29...g6 30.Nxf7+ Kg7 31.Nd6, with an advantage worth a rook (Stockfish19), or at least more than a minor piece (Dragon1).
26...Rxc8 27.Re2 Rxe2 28.Nxe2 Kg8 29.Nd4 Ne3

The engines suggest 29...g6 or 29...Re8, in both cases impeding White's majority.

30.Rf3 Nd5 31.Nf5 Rc7 32.Kg3 Ne7 33.Nd6 Nc8

How should White proceed?

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34.Nxc8!?

The engines prefer keeping knights on the board, but they agree White is better in the coming rook-and-pawn ending.

34...Rxc8 35.Rd3

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 35.Ra3 a6 36.Kf3!?, and if 36...Rd8, then 37.Rb3.
35...Rc7?

Instead of abandoning the back rank, Black should start pushing the queenside pawns to gain counterplay.

36.Rd8+ Kh7 37.f5 c5

Everything loses.

38.Kf4 c4 39.e6 g6 40.Rd7 1-0

Summing Up Peterborough

MY score in the English 65+ championship of +3=1-3 lost 9.0 ECF elo and 31.6 Fide elo.

Six Of The Best

AT some point today, Beau Chess passed six million hits, the count standing (as I write) at 6,095,646, contrasting with 766,612 views for my other main blog, 10mm and all that!, and 31,334 for Chess Tip Of The Day, albeit the last-named has been running for a much shorter time, and is primarily intended as a feeder for Beau Chess.

English 65+ Round Seven

Morning mist

I was upfloated against the tournament leader, who won his first six games, and so was on 2.5pts more (the type of 'mismatch' that occurs in a seven-round swiss that has only 16 players, the low number being probably in large part due to a clash with Guernsey's 50th anniversary festival, which starts tomorrow with a return to the popular Peninsula Hotel).

Ian Snape (2161 ECF/2090 Fide) - Spanton (1944 ECF/2035 Fide)

Réti Opening

1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 d4!? 4.Nf3 c5 5.d3 Nc6 6.0-0 Nf6 7.e3 Bd6!? 8.exd4 cxd4 9.a3 a5 10.Bg5!? h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6

Giving up the bishop-pair is a standard manoeuvre in this line - White in return gets the e4 square for the queen's knight

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12.Nbd2 Bc7 13.Ne4 Qe7 14.b4

How should Black proceed?

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14...e5?

Seemingly a novelty, and not a good one. Stockfish19 and Dragon1 give 14...axb4 15.axb4 Rxa1 16.Qxa1, when best may be 16...f5!? 17.Nc5 0-0, with equal chances, according to the engines.

15.b5 Nb8?

Better is 15...Nd8. After the text, Black's pieces on the queenside get in each other's way.

16.Re1

Possibly even stronger is 16.c5 or 16.Rc1, in each case with immediate queenside play.

16...Nd7?!

Black should probably castle.

How should White proceed?

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17.Nxd4! exd4

After 17...0-0 18.Nf5, Black is a pawn down and with a bad position.

18.Nf6+

Also strong are 18.Nc3!? and 18.Nd2, but 18.Nd6+? Bxd6 19.Rxe7 Bxe7 gives White at best only a slight edge, according to the engines.

18...Nxf6 19.Rxe7+ Kxe7

How would you assess this middlegame?

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White has queen and pawn for rook, bishop and knight, which, materially, favours Black, who also has the bishop-pair. But Black's king is exposed, and the black pieces are uncoordinated. The engines reckon White's advantage is worth about a rook (Stockfish19), or at least more than a minor piece (Dragon1).

20.c5!

The engines agree this is easily the best continuation.

20...Re8 21.b6 Be5?!

Probably better, or, at least, slightly less worse, is 21...Bd8.

22.f4 Bb8 23.c6 Bg4 24.Qc2 bxc6?

24...Bd6 is an improvement, but 25.cxb7 Rb8 26.Re1+ Kf8 27.Rxe8+ Nxe8 28.Qa4 leaves White well on top.

25.Bxc6 Rec8?

Again ...Bd6 is an improvement.

26.b7 Rxc6 27.bxa8=Q Rxc2 28.Qxb8

The tactics are over, and White is left with queen for bishop and knight

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28...Bf3 29.Re1+ Kd7 30.Qa7+ Kc6 1-0

English 65+ Round Six

Carving at Ferry Meadows

Spanton (1944 ECF/2035 Fide) - Alan Hall (1689 ECF/1765 Fide)

Petrov Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.c4!?

This is less popular than d3, Qe2, Nc3 and especially d4, but scores a better percentage than all of them in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

5...Be7 6.d4 0-0 7.Bd3

How should Black proceed?

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7...Nf6

This is most common in Mega26, but 7...d5, supporting the knight in traditional Petrov-style, has also been played. However, after 8.0-0, reaching a position occurring 996 times in the database, the best continuation is 8...Nf6!?, according to Stockfish19 and Dragon1.

8.0-0

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

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

8...Nc6 9.Nc3 Bg4 10.Be3 Re8 11.h3 Bh5 12.g4!?

This apparent-novelty is liked by the engines, but they also like the known 12.Re1.

12...Bg6 13.Bxg6 hxg6 14.Qd3

The engines prefer 14.Bg5 or 14.Re1.

14...Qd7

How should White meet Black's threat to capture on g4?

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15.Nh2?!

Probably too passive, especially when there are simple remedies such as 15.Bf4 and 15.d5.

15...d5!?

The thematic ...d5 thrust in the Petrov, and here it gives Black the upper hand, according to the engines.

16.c5 Bf8?!

Almost certainly too slow, whereas the immediate 16...b6, a typical reaction when White pushes on with c5, seems strong. Note, however, that 16...Bxc5!? 17.dxc5 d4 can be met by 18.R(either)d1, after which Black has at best a slight edge, according to the engines.

17.Bf4 b6 18.cxb6 axb6 19.Rfe1?

White should probably play 19.a3, to take control of the b4 square.

19...Bd6?!

Black has an edge after this, but much stronger is 19...Nb4, when the engines reckon best-play runs 20.Qf1!? Ne4 (20...Nc2 21.Rxe8 Qxe8!? 22.Rd1 c5 is also good), with a lot of pressure for Black, eg 21.Red1 c5 22.dxc5 Bxc5 23.Nxe4 Rxe4, after which storm clouds are gathering around White's king.

20.Bg3?

White should probably play 20.Bxd6 Qxd6 21.Nf3, with what the engines reckon is a slight edge for Black.

20...Bxg3 21.fxg3 Rxe1+

Both 21...Nb4 and 21...Qd6 are even stronger, according to the engines.

22.Rxe1 Re8?!

But this throws away most of the rest of Black's advantage, whereas both ...Qd6 and ...Nb4 are still very good for Black, according to the engines.

23.Rxe8+ Qxe8!? 24.Nf3

Probably not 24.g5?! Ne4 25.Nxd5?! Nxg5.

24...Qd7

AH offered a draw.

How would you assess the position?

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The white king is less safe than its black counterpart, but I thought this should not prove critical with somewhat reduced material, and I hoped to pose problems for Black by creating a queenside passed pawn. However, the engines agree the game is completely equal.

25.Kg2 Kf8 26.Ne5 Qe6 27.Nxc6 Qxc6 28.Qb5 Qxb5

The engines prefer keeping queens on the board with 28...Qe6 or 28...Qd6.

29.Nxb5

How would you assess this knight-and-pawn ending?

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It is equal, according to the engines, but not simple.

[Indeed, after inputting more moves, and then returning to the diagram position, the engines change their evaluation to White being slightly better.]

29...c6

The engines agree this is best, although Stockfish19 evaluates 29...c5!? as only slightly worse for Black. Dragon1, however, reckons ...c5 loses, or at least gives White the upper hand. Black could also play 29...Ne8?!, but that is probably too passive.

30.Na7 c5 31.Nc8 Nd7

Not 31...cxd4? 32.Kf3!, eg 32...Nd7 33.Ke2 Ke8 34.Kd3 Kd8 35.Nd6 Ke7 36.Nb5, with a winning advantage for White, according to the engines.

32.dxc5

The engines prefer centralising the king with 32.Kf3!?

32...bxc5 33.Kf2 Kf8 34.Ke3 Kd8 35.Nd6 Ke7 36.Nb7 Ke6 37.a4

How should Black proceed?

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37...Ke5?

The engines reckon the diagram-position is one where centralising the king is not correct. They give 37...d4+ and 37...f6 as equal.

38.a5 d4+ 39.Kd3

39.Kd2! is much preferred by the engines.

39...Kd5 40.b3 Nb8 41.g5 Nc6!?

This may be a mistake, although the engines' evaluations fluctuate, with Dragon1 at one point reckoning the move loses, while at the same time Stockfish19 calls the game equal. The former settles on awarding White the upper hand, while Stockfish19 changes to giving White a slight edge, but finally calls the position completely equal. Nevertheless, the engines agree 41...Kc6 and 41...f6 give complete equality.

42.h4 Nb4+!?

This is an only-move, according to the engines.

43.Kd2

Black to play and be only slightly worse (Stockfish19), or at any rate to cede no more than the upper hand (Dragon1)

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43...f6

It seems Black had to play 43...Kc6!, when 44.Nd8+ Kb5 45.Nxf7 Nc6!? 46.g4 Kxa5 47.h5 gxh5 48.gxh5 Ne7! holds, according to the engines. Everything else loses fairly trivially, eg 43...Na6 44.Nd8 f6 45.gxf6 gxf6 46.g4, which is similar to the game.

44.gxh6 gxh6 45.g4 Na6 46.h5 gxh5 47.gxh5 Ke6

White to play and win

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48.Nxc5+?

Sacrificing the knight is the right idea, but this is the wrong way to go about it. Instead, 48.Nd6!? leaves Black helpless, eg 48...f5 49.h6 Kf6 50.Nxf5!, or 48...Ke7 49.h6 Kf8 50.Ne8! Kg8 51,Nxf6+. But other moves also win, including 48.Kd3 and 48.h6.

48...Nxc5 49.b4

Black to play and draw

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49...Ne4+?

Black holds with 49...Na6 50.b5 Nc7 51.b6 Na6.

50.Kd3 Nd6 51.Kxd4 f5 52.h6 Nf7?

There is more resistance in 52...Kf6 53.Kd5 f4 54.a6! Kg6 55.Kxd6 f3 56.a7 f2 57a8=Q f1=Q, when the queen-and-pawn ending is won for White, but practice does not always follow theory.
53.a6 1-0

English 65+ Round Five

Orton Mere

Philip Bonafont (2122 ECF/1956 Fide) - Spanton (1944 ECF/2035 Fide)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Be7!?

A relatively rare continuation, lagging in popularity behind ...Ne7, ...Bd7, ...h6 and especially ...Ke8.

How should White respond?

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10.g4!?

The main move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database is 10.h3, which is liked by both Stockfish19 and Dragon1, along with 10.Rd1+ (Stockfish19) and 10.a4 (Dragon1).

10...Nh4 11.Nxh4 Bxh4 12.h3 h5 13.f3 Bg3?

Apparently a novelty, and not a good one as the e5 pawn cannot be safely won. The engines suggest 13...Ke7, 13...Be6 or 13...b6!?

14.Bg5+ Ke8 15.Rad1?

Correct is 15.Kg2 Bxe5 (15...h4?! is even worse, according to the engines, eg 16.f4 Be6 17.Rad1, when Black's pieces have very little play) 16.Rae1 f6 17.Bf4, one line running 17...Kf7 18.Bxe5 fxe5 19.Rxe5 Be6 20.Rfe1 Rae8 21.Kg3, with an advantage for White that the engines reckon is worth more than two pawns.

15...Be6 16.f4 hxg4 17.hxg4 Bxg4

How should White proceed?

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18.Rd3?

White has enough compensation for a pawn after several moves, according to the engines, but not the text. Perhaps best is 18.Rd2, when the game's 18...Bh4?? is a blunder, thanks to 19.Rh2, so Black should perhaps play 18...Bf5, when 19.Rg2 f6!? 20.exf6 gxf6 21.Bxf6 Rh3 seems equal.

18...Bh4 19.Bxh4 Rxh4 20.f5 Rd8??

This turns a winning position into a losing one. After 20...Rh5, White has nothing better than 21.f6, when 21...g6 solidifies the black kingside, leaving Black with an advantage worth about a piece, according to the engines.

21.Rf4 Rxd3 22.cxd3 g5 23.fxg6 fxg6 24.Ne4

The bishop cannot be saved.

24...Ke7 25.Nf2 g5 26.Rxg4 Rxg4+ 27.Nxg4 Ke6 28.Kf2 Kf5 29.d4!? Ke6 30.Ke3 b6 1-0

English 65+ Round Four

Rolling stock at Overton station on the Nene Valley Railway

Spanton (1944 ECF/2035 Fide) - Roy Hughes (2112 ECF/2020 Fide)

Scandinavian

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6!?

Stockfish19 and Dragon1 prefer this over the slightly more popular, at least in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, 5...a6. The engines also like 5...g6!?

6.g3!?

The main move is 6.Ne5!?

6...Bg4 7.Bg2 e6 8.Bf4

Where should Black's queen go?

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8...Qd8

This is the engines' top choice, but 8...Qb4!? is also playable, although the engines reckon White gets more than enough compensation if Black grabs the b pawn, eg 9.0-0!? Qxb2 10.Qb1!? Ba3!? (10...Qxb1?! 11.Rfxb1 b6 12.Ne5) 11.Ne5 0-0 12.Qe1!? Bb4 13.Rb1 Qxc3 14.Rxb4 Qxe1 15.Rxe1, when, for a pawn, White has a lead in development and the bishop-pair. The engines reckon Black, instead of grabbing the pawn, should instead carry on developing with 9...Nbd7 or 9...Be7.

9.h3 Bxf3!?

This is Stockfish19's top choice; Dragon1 rates the text and 9...Bh5 as of similar value.

10.Qxf3!?

How should Black proceed?

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10...Be7

This seems to be a novelty. Eduardas Rozentalis (2588) - Vladislav Nevednichy (2570), Greek Team Championship 2009, went 10...Qxd4 11.0-0 Nbd7 12.Nb5!? cxb5 (forced) 13.Qxb7 Rd8 14.Bc7 Be7 15.Rad1!?, at which point a draw was agreed. The engines reckon best-play runs 15...Qxb2 16.Bxd8 Bxd8 17.Bc6 0-0 18.Bxd7 Bb6, with equal chances.

11.0-0-0 Nbd7 12.g4!? Qa5 13.Kb1 Nb6

How should White proceed?

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14.Bf1

The engines reckon 14.Bc1!? gives White a positionally won game.
14...Nbd5 15.Bd2 Nxc3+ 16.Bxc3 Bb4

The engines prefer 16...Qd5.

17.Bxb4 Qxb4

White no longer has the bishop-pair, but Black has fallen behind in development

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18.c4!? Qe7 19.g5 Nd7 20.d5 exd5

Not 20...Ne5? 21.Qe3.

21.cxd5 0-0!

The engines strongly approve of what is effectively a pawn sacrifice.

22.dxc6 bxc6

If 22...Ne5 23.Qe4 bxc6, holding on to the pawn, White has 24.Bd3 Ng6 25.h4, with the upper hand, according to the engines.

Should White grab the c pawn?

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23.Bg2

If 23.Qxc6, then 23...Nc5 gives decent compensation, according to the engines, although they are not sure if it is enough.

23...Nb6 24.h4 Nd5 25.Qf5 Rab8!? 26.Bxd5 cxd5 27.Rxd5

The engines prefer 27.Qxd5.

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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White is a pawn up, but the relative exposure of the white king, and the vulnerability of White's kingside pawns, give full compensation, according to the engines.

27...Qb4 28.b3!? g6 29.Qd3 a5 30.Ra4 Qa3 31.Qc3 Rfc8 32.Qb2 Qc5 33.Rhd1

There are constant tricks for White to avoid, eg here 33.Rc4?? loses to 33...Qf5+! (33...Qxc4 is also strong) 34.Rc2 a4, eg 35.Re1 axb3 36.axb3 Rxc2! 37.Qxc2 Rxb3+.

33...Qf5+ 34.Ka1 Qf3?

This is Dragon19's top choice, for a short while, but it comes to agree with Stockfish19 that Black needs to play 34...a4!, meeting 35.Rxa4 with 35...Rc2.

White to play and gain what the engines reckon is a winning advantage

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35.Qd2

The engines point out the strength of 35.a4!, giving the white king breathing room, and stopping Black attacking White's queenside pawns with ...a4. One point is that Black cannot capture on b3 as White wins with 36.Rd8+, thanks to the weakness of Black's back rank.

35...a4?

Too late. Better is 35...Ra8, but White has the upper hand after 36.Rf4 or 36.Qe3, according to the engines.

36.Rxa4 Re8 37.Rf4 Qc6 38.Rf6 Qe4 39.Qd5!? Qe7

Dragon1 suggests going into a rook-and-pawn ending with 39...Qxd5, but Stockfish19 is unimpressed.

40.Rd6 Qe2 41.Rf6 Rf8!? 42.Qd3 Qe5+ 43.Qd4 Qe2 44.Rd6?

White is winning comfortably after, for example, 44.Qd2 Qe5+ 45.Kb1 Qe4+ 46.Kb2 Qxh4, when Black has won a pawn back, but White's queenside passers should eventually decide matters.

Black to play and equalise

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44...Rxb3! 45.Rd8

Or 45.axb3 Ra8+ 46.Qa4 (not 46.Kb1? Qa2+ 47.Kc1 Rc8+ 48.Qc4 Rxc4+ 49.bxc4 Qxc4+ and 50...Qxh4) Rxa4+ 47.bxa4, when the engines reckon the position is completely equal.

45...Rb8 46.Rxf8+ Rxf8

White is a pawn up, but seemingly can make nothing of it while queens remain on the board

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47.a4!?

A double-edged try.

47...Qc2 48.Rb1 Ra8 49.Rb4

An only-move, which shows how precarious White's position is.

49...Re8 50.Qb2 Qd1+ 51.Qb1 Qd2 52.Qb2 Qd1+ 53.Ka2!? Qd5+

Not 53...Re2?? 54.Rb8+

54.Ka3 Qd3+ 55.Rb3 Qd6+ 56.Ka2 Qd5 57.Qc3 Ra8 58.Ka3 Qd7 59.Rb4 Rc8 60.Qb3 Qd2 61.Rb8 Qd6+ 62.Rb4 ½–½

English 65+ Round Three

River Nene

Kevin Winter (1691 ECF/1718 Fide) - Spanton (1944 ECF/2035 Fide)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.Nc3!?

There are 1,279 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but more popular are 5.Bxc6!? and especially both 5.Re1 and 5.c3.

How should Black respond?

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5...Nd4

Stockfish19 and Dragon1 marginally prefer the slightly more commong 5...e5!?

6.Bc4!?

This repositioning of White's light-square bishop after the black queen's knight hops into d4 is a common idea in lines of the Grand Prix Attack.

6...d6

Slightly more common in Mega26 is 6...e6!?, although that allows 7.Nxd4 cxd4 8.Nb5, which the engines reckon gives White an edge.

7.Nxd4 cxd4 8.Qf3 e6 9.Nb5?!

The engines are not too critical of this, but almost certainly better is Ne2, either immediately or after 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7.

9...a6 10.Qa3?

White should play 10.Na3. albeit with a slight edge for Black, according to the engines.

10...axb5 11.Qxa8

Even worse is 11.Bxb5+? Bd7 12.Bxd7+ Kxd7.

11...bxc4 12.Qa4+

This apparent-novelty is a slight improvement on the known move 12.d3.

12...Bd7 13.Qxc4

After the flurry of tactics, how would you assess the position?

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White has pawn and rook for bishop and knight, which is rarely enough, except in some endings. In addition, Black has the bishop-pair, and it will not be particularly easy for White to open files for the rooks. The engines reckon Black's advantage is worth about a minor piece.

13...Ne7 14.d3 0-0 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bd2!? d5 17.exd5 Nxd5 18.Rae1 Bc6 19.g3!?

The engines are not especially critical of this move, although it weakens the light squares around White's king.

19...Qb6 20.Qb3 Qc5 21.a3 Ra8!? 22.Rc1!? Nf6 23.c4 Bf3 24.Qb5

This saves White from mating threats, but after ...

24...Qxb5 25.cxb5 Be2 26.Rfe1 Bxd3

... the number of pawns aside is level, although White's rooks do at last have files to work on.

27.Rc7 Rb8 28.a4 Nd5 29.Rcc1

Or 29.Rd7 Nb6 30.Re7, after which the a pawn hangs, and, perhaps even better for Black than taking the pawn, is 30...g5!? 31.b3 Bf8 32.Rc7 Bd6, when 33.Rcc1 is forced.

29...Ra8 30.b3 Bf8 31.Red1 Bf5 32.Kg2 Kg7 33.h3 e5 34.h4 Ba3!?

How should White proceed?

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35.Ra1

Possible is 35.Rc4!?, as 35...Bd3!? lets White win a pawn with 36.Bxh6+ Kxh6 37.Rxd3, but Black still has a large advantage.

35...Bb2 36.Ra2 Nc3!? 37.Bxc3 dxc3 38.Re1 b6 39.b4?!

This does not help, but there is no good move for White.

39...Be6 40.Rxb2 cxb2 41.Rb1 Bd5+ 42.Kh3 Rxa4 43.Rxb2

Black is up a bishop, and has the better pawn-structure

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43...h5 44.Re2 Ra1 45.g4 Ra3+

The engines point out mate in eight, starting with 45...hxg4+.

46.Kh2 Kf6 47.gxh5 gxh5 48.Rd2 Be6 49.Rd6 Rh3+ 50.Kg2 Rxh4 51.Rxb6 Rxb4 52.Rb8 h4 53.b6 Kf5 54.Kh2 Kf4 55.b7!? Bd5 56.Rh8 Rxb7 57.Rxh4+ Kf3 58.Rh3 Kxf2 59.Rb3!?

Hoping for 59...Rxb3?? (stalemate).

59...Bxb3 0-1

English 65+ Round Two

I WAS upfloated.

Spanton (1944 ECF/2035 Fide) - Sean Gallagher (1559 ECF/no Fide)

Maróczy Bind

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 e6!?

This is liked by Stockfish19 and Dragon1, along with the much more popular 4...Nf6.

5.e4 d6!?

The engines are not keen on this Scheveningen-approach, preferring 5...Nf6, or developing the queen to either b6 or a5.

6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Be2 Be7 8.0-0 0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position, which occurs 890 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database?

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White's Maróczy Bind is an effective weapon in practical play, scoring 62% from the diagram, although the engines give White only a slight edge.

9.Be3 Qc7

This has been played by grandmasters, but is not liked by the engines. The reason they give White only a slight edge in the diagram seems to be because they reckon Black can break the bind immediately with 9...d5!?, eg 10.exd5 exd5 11.cxd5 Nb4 12.Ndb5!? Nfxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Bxa7 Be6 15.a4!? Bf6, although they agree White has an edge, and there are several promising alternatives along the way.

10.Rc1 Rd8

Perhaps 10...a6 or 10...Bd7 is best, but the engines agree White has the upper hand.

How should White proceed?

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11.Nd5!

This pseudo knight sacrifice is strong.
11...exd5?!

The engines prefer declining with 11...Qd7!?, but agree 12.Nxe7+ Qxe7 13.f3 leaves White with the upper hand.

12.cxd5 Bd7 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.Nxc6! Bxc6 15.Bb5 Rac8 16.Bxc6 Qa5 17.a3

The engines prefer 17.a4!? or 17.Qd4!?

17...Qa6 18.Bd5 Nxd5!? 19.Qxd5 Bf6 20.Bd4 Bxd4 21.Qxd4

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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White is a pawn up, and Black has two isolated pawns, one on a half-open file. White is winning, according to the engines, but 'only' has an advantage worth about 1.85, although the engines' evaluations fluctuate.

21...f6?!

This prevents back-rank mate problems, but is probably more weakening than helpful.

22.Rfd1 Rxc1!? 23.Rxc1 Qb7 24.f3?!

See previous note.

24...Kf7 25.Qc4+ Ke7 26.Rc3? Qxb2

White's advantage has largely disappeared, at least theoretically, but White's position seems much easier to play

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27.Rb3 Qa1+

Also fine is 27...Qd2, eg 28.h3 Qa5!? 29.Rb7+ Rd7 30.Rxd7+ Kxd7 31.Qf7+ Kc6 32.Qxg7 Qxa3, with complete equality, according to the engines, although the position remains sharp.

28.Kf2

How should Black proceed?

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28...Rd7?

Black should probably play 28...g5!?, although 28...Qe5!? may hold (Stockfish19 reckons so; Dragon1 disagrees). After 28...g5!?, White can try 29.Rb7+ (the move that 28...Rd7?? prevents) Rd7 30.Rxd7+ Kxd7 31.Qf7+, but play is similar to the previous note - 'equal', but sharp.

29.Qg8

Taking the eighth rank against an exposed king nearly always gives a big advantage.

29...Qa2+

If 29...Qd4+, then 30.Ke2!

30.Kg3 h5

There is no defence.

31.Qxg7+ Ke6 32.Qg8+ Ke7 33.Qh7+ Ke6 34.Qf5+ Ke7 35.Rb8 Qxa3

Relatively best may be 35...Qf7, but White has several ways of winning, including 36.Qxd7+!?

36.Qh7+ 1-0

English 65+ Round One

Tournament room

Robert Kane (1836 ECF/1762 Fide) - Spanton (1944 ECF/2035 Fide)

Veresov

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 h6!?

It might seem strange to provoke White to make a capture that White might have wanted to play anyway, but the text is the top choice of Stockfish19, although 3...c5 is at first preferred by Dragon1, with 3...Nbd7 supplanting it if the engine is given more time.

4.Bxf6 exf6

As usual after such an exchange of minor pieces, the game becomes a battle of Black's bishop-pair against White's superior pawn-structure, with the engines reckoning the position is equal

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5.e3 c6 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.Nge2!?

This is second in popularity in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database to 7.Qf3!?

7...f5!? 8.Ng3

The engines prefer 8.0-0, 8.f3!?, 8.a4 or 8.Nb1!?

8...Qg5?!

Both 8...Qf6 and 8...g6 give Black at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

9.h4 Qg6 10.Nce2!?

The engines like this, along with 10.Qf3 Bxg3 (forced) 11.fxg3.

10...0-0 11.c3

Threatening to further target f5 with 12.Qc2.

11...Qf6 12.Qc2 Bxg3?!

Probably better is the immediate 12...g6.

13.Nxg3 g6 14.0-0-0?!

The engines agree this lets Black equalise, whereas they reckon 14.h5 gives White at least the upper hand.

How should Black proceed?

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14...f4?

White is winning after this, according to the engines, which reckon only 14...h5! equalises.

15.exf4 Qxf4+ 16.Kb1 Kg7?

There is no time for this. Black should probably play 16...Nd7, when 17.Bxg6?? is a blunder as, after 17...fxg6 18.Qxg6+ Kh8, Black has h6 covered. However, 17.Ne2!? is one of several strong moves.

17.Rde1 Qf6

It seems there is no defence.

18.h5 Nd7?

Better is 18...g5, but White is well on top after moves such as 19.Re3 and 19.Rhf1.

19.hxg6 fxg6 20.Bxg6! Qxf2

If 20...Qxg6, then 21.Nh5+ Kf7 22.Re7+!

21.Nh5+ Kh8 22.Qc1!? Kg8 23.Qxh6 Rf7 24.Re8+ Nf8 25.Rxf8+! 1-0