4NCL Easter Round Five

FACED an Iranian in the second of today's double-round games.

Spanton (1944 ECF/1908 Fide) - Hooman Honarvarmahalati (1865 ECF/1837 Fide)

Spanish Exchange

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3!?

This is third in popularity in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 5.d4 and especially 5.0-0.

5...f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Qxd4 Qxd4 8.Nxd4 Bd7 9.Be3 0-0-0 10.f3 h5 11.0-0-0

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

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As usual in the Exchange Variation of the Spanish, it is a battle between White's superior pawn-structure and Black's bishop-pair. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 give Black the better part of equality.

11...Nh6 12.a3!? Nf7 13.Nce2 c5 14.Nb3 b6 15.Nf4 Ne5 16.Nd2 Bd6 17.h3 Kb7 18.Nd5 c6

How should White proceed?

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19.Nxb6??

The knight had to retreat, and Stockfish17.1 reckons the better square is c3, although Dragon1 fluctuates between that and f4.

19...Kxb6 20.f4 Kc7??

20...Nf7 wins.

21.fxe5 Bxe5 22.Nc4!?

The engines agree this is better than taking the pawn immediately with 22.Bxc5, but it results in a position with opposite-colour bishops, which engines can have difficulty assessing, at least in an ending.

22...Be6

The engines prefer 22...Be8!?, the point being to get in a quick ...Bg6, attacking d4.

23.Nxe5 fxe5 24.Bxc5 Bc4

The engines suggest 24...Rd7 or 24...h4!?

25.b3 Bf7 26.Bb4

The engines reckon White is winning after 26.Rde1!? or 26.Rdf1 Bg6 27.Re1.

26...Rxd1+ 27.Rxd1 Bg6 28.Bd6+ Kc8 29.Bxe5

Again the engines prefer 29.Re1.

29...Bxe4 30.g3 Rg8

Possibly better is giving up the g pawn for active play, eg 30...Re8!? 31.Bxg7 Bf5 32.Rd4!? Bxh3, when White has a slight edge (Stockfish17.1) or at best the upper hand (Dragon1).

31.Rd4 Rg2 32.h4 g6 33.Ra4 Re8!?

This is almost certainly better than 33...Kb7, when 34.Rb4+ forces the black king to the a file as 34...Kc8?? loses to 35.Rb8+.

34.Bf4 Kb7 35.Rb4+ Ka7

Black's king has been forced to the a file anyway, but at least the black rook is active

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36.Kd2

The engines reckon 36.Bd6!? (threatening 37.Bc5+ and 38.Rb6) is even stronger, eg 36...Re2 37.Kd1 Bf3!? 38.Rf4 Re6+ 39.Rxf3 Rxd6+ 40.Ke2, when White is a pawn up in a rook-and-pawn ending, and has fewer pawn islands.

36...c5!?

The engines like this, along with 36...a5.

37.Rc4 Rd8+?!

Probably better is 37...Kb6, and if 38.Be3, then 38...Re5.

38.Ke2?

Definitely better is 38.Kc3, after which White will win the c5 pawn without allowing rooks to come off.

38...Rd5 39.Be3 Kb6 40.b4 Kb5 41.Rxc5+ Rxc5 42.Bxc5

White is two pawns up, but the ending is drawn

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42...a5 43.Ke3 axb4 44.Bxb4!?

The reason for capturing this way will soon become apparent.

44...Bh3 45.Kd4 Be6

HH offered a draw.

46.Bf8 Ba2 47.c4+!?

This is the point of capturing with the bishop at move 44 - at least White's queenside pawns can be mobile.

47...Kc6

Not 47...Bxc4?? 48.a4+ etc.

48.a4 Bb1 49.a5 Bf5 50.Bc5 Bc8 51.Bb6 Be6 52.c5 Bc8 53.Ke5 Ba6 54.Kf6 Bd3 55.a6 Bxa6 56.Kxg6 Be2 ½–½

4NCL Easter Round Four

FACED a Chinese woman.

Ran Li (1701 ECF/1699 Fide) - Spanton (1944 ECF/1908 Fide)

Vienna Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d4!?

A relatively unusual continuation, but there are 1,152 examples in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, where it scores a very good 59%. RL explained afterwards that although it has little or no coverage in books, there is quite a lot of information about it online.

3...exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qc4!?

After 5.Qe3 the game would have transposed to the fashionable Centre Game, the normal move-order being 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qe3 Nf6 5.Nc3, a position occurring 3,464 times in Mega26.

After 5.Qc4!?, how should Black respond?

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5...Be7

Most games have continued with the active 5...Bb4, a move also common in the Centre Game, but the text has been played by Rubinstein and Shirov.

6.Bd2

RL suggested the bishop might be better off on f4 or g5, and Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 agree.

6...0-0 7.0-0-0

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

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White has more central space, and is ahead on development, but the white queen will likely be harassed by a black minor piece, and the white king may have to spend a tempo going to b1. As usual, positions with opposite-side castling are difficult to assess, but, for what it is worth, the engines reckon chances are equal.

7...d6

The engines prefer 7...Re8 or 7...a6.

8.f3!?

They strongly dislike this, reckoning White has a slight edge after the more-energetic 8.f4.

8...Ne5

And here they like 8...Be6, claiming 9.Nd5 Bxd5!? 10.exd5 Ne5 gives Black at least a slight edge.

9.Qe2

RL explained that this is part of White's general strategy, with the queen later going to f2 and coming out on the kingside.

9...Be6 10.Qf2 c6!?

The engines like this, despite the weakening of d6.

11.Nh3 b5 12.Nf4

But probably not 12.Ng5?! Nfg4!

12...Qd7 13.Nxe6 Qxe6

The engines prefer 13...fxe6!?

14.Kb1 a5

The problem with ...b4 in such positions is usually that White can partially blockade Black's pawn-storm with Na4, but in this particular case the engines reckon 14...b4?! is best met by 15.Ne2!, eg 15...d5 16.Nd4 Qc8 17.Nf5 Qe6!? 18.Qg3 Ng6!? 19.Nd4!? Qc8 20.e5, with a strong initiative.

Perhaps best is 14...Rfd8!?

15.g4 a4 16.g5 Nfd7 17.f4 Nc4

How should White proceed?

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18.f5?!

RL rejected 18.Bxc4 because of 18...bxc4? (the engines much prefer 18...Qxc4), but 19.f5 is strong, whether 19...Qe5 is met by 20.Bf4 or 20.a3!? The engines reckon preserving the bishop-pair with 18.Bc1!?, while also adding to the defence of the queenside, leaves White with a positionally won game.

18...Nxd2+ 19.Qxd2 Qe5

Black is at least slightly better, according to the engines, but the position remains sharp.

20.f6!?

The engines fluctuate between this and 20.a3!?, which is a typical dilemma of not knowing whether attack or defence should take priority in games with opposite-side castling.

20...gxf6

More-or-less forced, as 20...Bd8?! 21.Bh3! Nc5 22.Qxd6 is good for White.

21.gxf6 Nxf6

21...Bxf6!? is safer, but after 22.Qxd6 the game is equal, according to the engines.

22.Rg1+ Kh8 23.Rg5!?

The engines are unsure whether to prefer the text or 23.a3!?, but agree Black is better.

What should Black play?

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23...Ne4

The engines prefer 23...Qe6, reckoning it forces 24.a3, after which both 24...b4 and 24...Rfb8 seem to give an edge.

24.Nxe4 Qxe4

How can White best prosecute the attack?

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25.Bd3??

Completely missing Black's reply. Instead 25.Rh5 is unclear, but promising (Dragon1 reckons White is winning; Stockfish17.1 gives White a slight edge). Play might proceed 25...Qg6 (not, as we thought in the postmortem, 25...f5??, as White wins with 26.Re1) 26.Qc3+! f6! (not 26...Bf6 27.Qh3 and 28.Bd3) 27.Qh3 Rf7 28.Bd3 Qg8 29.Bf5 Rg7 30.Be6 Qb8!? 31.a3, when Stockfish17.1 still gives White only a slight edge, but Dragon1 has downgraded White's advantage to having the upper hand.

25...Bxg5 26.Qxg5 Qe5 27.Qxg5 Qe5 28.Qh6 f5 0-1

Not everyone would resign here, especially at club level, but Black is up the exchange and two pawns, and the black king is safer than it has been for quite some time. Meanwhile, Black has a queenside attack.

4NCL Easter Round Three

AFTER taking a halfpoint bye in round two, I faced a junior (born 2016).

Spanton (1944 ECF/1908 Fide) - Tara Tamilselvan (1879 ECF/1820 Fide)

King's Indian Defence

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Qc2!?

White can get away with moves like this early in the opening, but it can hardly be the best continuation.

3...Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.d4 e5 7.d5

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer 7.dxe5, albeit giving Black at least equality after the reply 7...dxe5.

How should Black proceed?

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7...Nd4!

A typical idea in the King's Indian, and here almost a necessity, according to the engines, as they reckon White is doing well after 7...Ne7.

8.Nxd4!?

Dragon1 is quite happy with this, but Stockfish17.1 prefers playing around the knight.

8...exd4 9.Ne2 0-0 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 c5 12.dxc6?

The engines suggest 12.f3 or 12.Bxf6!?, but reckon Black has at least the upper hand.

12...Qa5+!

This zwischenzug gives White a major headache.

13.Kd1

Also deeply unpleasant is 13.Qd2 Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2 Nxe4.

13...bxc6 14.f3 Qb6 15.Qd2 c5

The engines prefer 15...Rb8, and if 16.Bf2!?, then 16...c5.

16.Rb1 Ba6

Stockfish17.1 likes 16...d5!?, the idea being to meet 17.exd5 with 17...Bf5 18.Rc1 Rae8. giving pressure, and 17.cxd5 with 17...Ba6, again enjoying a strong initiative for a pawn.

17.Nc1

The engines much prefer 17.Bxf6!? Bxf6 18.Nf4, but certainly not 17.b3? g5!? 18.Bg3 Bxc4!

17...Nd7 18.Bd3 Ne5 19.b3 Rfe8 20.Bg3 Nxd3!?

An odd decision, at first sight, giving up a well-placed knight for a hemmed-in bishop, but the engines agree it is clearly the best move.

21.Qxd3 Rad8

Almost certainly even stronger is the positional pawn sacrifice 21...d5!? 22.exd5 Re3.

22.Re1 d5 23.exd5 Rxe1+ 24.Kxe1 Rd8 25.Qc2

Probably not 25.Qe4?! Rd8.

25...Rd8 26.Nd3 Qa5+ 27.Kf1 Kh7?!

The engines reckon this gives away almost all of Black's advantage, whereas 27...Bc8 maintains the upper hand.

28.Re1

But they agree the best response is 28.Bh4, and if 28...Re8, then 29.Re1 with what they reckon is complete equality.

28...Bc8 29.Bh4 Rd6

29...g5!? looks very risky, but White has nothing better than retreating the bishop, according to the engines, after which 30...Bf5 is good.

30.Be7 Rc6 31.Re2 Qc7 32.Kg1

The position of the white king at last looks normal

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32...Bf5 33.Bh4!? Re6 34.Rxe6 fxe6!? 35.Bg3?

This drives the black queen to a good square, whereas after 35.Be1!?, or 35.g4 Bxd3 36.Qxd3, the engines agree the game is equal.

35...Qa5 36.a4?

After 36.Kf1!? Bxd3 (36...Qc3? 37.Qxc3 bxc3 38.Ke2=) 37.Qxd3 Qxa2 38.Bd6 Black is a pawn up but, at best, only slightly better, according to the engines.

36...Qc3 37.Qxc3

Forced.

37...bxc3 38.Nc1 Bd4+ 39.Bf2

39.Kf1? Be3.

39...Bc2 40.Kf1 Kg7 41.a5 Kf7?

This almost certainly should not win, whereas certainly winning is 41...e5,  the idea being to meet 42.Bxd4 with 42...exd4.

42.b4??

Also losing, according to Dragon1 for quite some time, is 42.Bxd4 cxd4 43.Ke2, but Stockfish17.1 reckons Black is only slightly better. At first 43...Ke7 is Dragon1's top choice, but eventually it comes to see 44.b4 as more-or-less equalising, so it switches to 43...e5 44.b4 e4!? 45.fxe4 Bxe4, but after 46.Nd3 Ke6 47.Nc5+ Ke5 48.b5 it agrees with Stockfish17.1 that White holds.

42...Bxf2 43.b5

The point behind 42.b4??, but it is easily parried.

Black has three winning moves

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43...Bd4

Also winning are 43...Be3 and 43...Bh4.

44.f4 Be4 45.Ke2 Ke7 46.Nb3 Kd7 47.g3 Kc7 48.h3 c2 49.Kd2 Bb2 50.Ke3 Bf5 0-1

4NCL Easter Round One

Phil Watkinson (1682 ECF/1717 Fide) - Spanton (1944 ECF/1908 Fide)

QGD Semi-Tarrasch

1.d4 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 cxd4!?

Much more popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 5...exd5 and especially 5...Nxd5, but the text is, by a small margin, the top choice of Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1

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6.Qa4+!?

The main line in Mega26 runs 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.Bg5 Be7 8.e3 0-0 9.Be2 Nc6 10.Qd3 h6 11.Bh4 Qb6 12.0-0!?, with equal chances, according to the engines.

6...Bd7 7.Qxd4

The point of White's queen manoeuvre is that the bishop at d7 interferes with Black's fight for the d5 square

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7...exd5 8.Nxd5

More common, but scoring 11 percentage points less in Mega26, is declining the pawn with 8.Bg5!?

8...Qa5+ 9.Nc3 Nc6 10.Qd1

This is most popular, but the engines also like a move not in Mega26, 10.Qd3!?, eg 10...0-0-0 11.Bd2 Bg4 12.Qb5!? Qxb5 13.Nxb5 Ne4!?, when they reckon Black has enough for a pawn, but no more. However, note that 10.Qd2?!, also apparently a novelty, is problematic for White after both 10...0-0-0 and 10...Bb4.

10...Ne4 11.Bd2

If 11.Qd5, Black has 11...Qxd5!? 12.Nxd5, and then the engines suggest an apparent-novelty in 12...Nb4!?, after which 13.Nxb4 Bxb4+ 14.Bd2 (not 14.Nd2? Rc8!) Nxd2 15.Nxd2 0-0 gives Black good compensation for a pawn, according to the engines.

11...Nxd2 12.Qxd2 Bb4!?

This may be a novelty. Harry Golombek - Stuart Milner-Barry, British Championship (Brighton) 1938, went 12...0-0-0 13.Nd5? Qxd5?? (13...Nb4! wins) 14.Qxd5 Bb4 15.Nd2 Be6 16.Qxd8+?! (16.Qg5!? is preferred by the engines) Rxd8 17.0-0-0 (1-0, 31 moves). Best after 12...0-0-0 may be the surprising retreat 13.Qc1!?, when Cliff Wichman (2319) - Konstantin Cebulla (2054), Staufer Open (Schwäbisch Gmünd) 2017, continued 13...Bf5 14.a3, with what the engines reckon may be a slight edge for White.

13.e4?!

The engines prefer 13.Rc1 or 13.e3, claiming a slight edge for White.

13...0-0-0 14.Bd3?!

It is hard to come up with an acceptable suggestion, the engines fluctuating between several moves, but possibly best is 14.Qc2, although 14...Bg4 15.Be2 Bxf3!? 16.Bxf3 Nd4 gives Black the upper hand, according to the engines.

14...Bg4 15.0-0?

The engines give 15.Rd1 or 15.0-0-0, but agree Black is well on top.

15...Bxf3 16.gxf3 Ne5

White is losing a piece

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17.Qc2 Bxc3 18.Rfd1 Rxd3 19.Rxd3 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Qg5+ 21.Kf1 Be5 22.Qd5 Rd8 23.Qc5+ Kb8 24.Rc1 Qf4 25.Kg2?

White is lost anyway, but this makes matters much worse.

25...Qxh2+ 26.Kf1 Bd4 27.Qc2 Bb6 28.b4 Qh1+ 29.Ke2 Qg2 30.Rf1 Qg5 31.a4 a5!? 32.b5 Qc5 33.Qb2 Qd4 34.Qc2 Rc8 35.Qa2 Qc4+ 36.Qxc4 Rxc4 37.Ra1 Rc2+ 38.Ke1 Rxf2 39.Ra3 h5 0-1

Easter Egg-stras

AS well as the three swisses run by the Four Nations Chess League at Daventry, Northants, over Easter, there is a Saturday evening blitz and two 10-player round-robins, featuring five grandmasters and six international masters.

Main playing-hall

Easter Treat

AM traveling to the Northamptonshire market town of Daventry today for the Four Nations Chess League's Easter congress, which has three seven-round tournaments over four days: open, U2000 and U1700.

I have entered the U2000, which, with 65 entries, is easily the biggest of the tournaments.

All three have what can be thought of as the modern standard time-control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment.

Two halfpoint byes are allowed, and I am taking mine in the morning rounds on Saturday and Monday.

Players in the open include two grandmasters - full details at the 4NCL.

League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of four) for Battersea against Lewisham last night in Croydon & District League's Dave Luckin division, where teams are allowed a rating total of 6,600 elo, ie a player-average of 1650.

Anthony Agu (2091) - Spanton (1921)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5!?

Much more common is 5...0-0, but the pawn-thrust is growing in popularity

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6.exd5

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 like the text and 6.Nbd2. Naturally, 6.Nxe5 is possible, but after 6...0-0! note that 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bxc6 runs into 8...Bxf2+!, with a sharp position that the engines reckon favours Black.

6...Qxd5

The engines prefer this over 6...Nxd5.

7.Bc4 Qd6

This is the commonest queen-retreat in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

8.0-0 0-0

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

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Black has more space in the centre, but White can take the initiative on the queenside, and the engines reckon this is the slightly more important factor.

9.b4 Bb6 10.a4 a6

This may be a novelty. The engines prefer 10...e4!?, when 11.dxe4 Qxd1 12.Rxd1 Nxe4 gives equal chances, according to Stockfish17.1, although Dragon1 gives White an edge.

11.Ba3 Ne7 12.Nbd2 Bf5 13.Qb3 Rad8!?

The engines fluctuate a lot, but come to more-or-less agree Black should play 13...c6 or 13...Ng6.

14.Ng5

Perhaps best is 14.a5 Ba7 15.b5 Bc5 16.Nxe5!? Qxe5 17.d4 Qf4 18.Bxc5, when White is a pawn up, has the bishop-pair and is better coordinated.

14...Bg6 15.a5 Ba7 16.Nde4 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 Qd7 18.b5 axb5 19.Qxb5 c6!?

The engines give this as best.

20.Qxe5!?

Withdrawing the queen to b2 or b3 maintains a bigger advantage, according to the engines.

20...Rfe8 21.Nc5 Qc8!? 22.Qg5 Nd5 23.a6?

The engines reckon White is slightly better after 23.Qd2.

23...b5 24.Bb3 Nxc3 25.h4?

Too slow. The engines suggest 25.Kh1!? or 25.Bb2, but prefer Black.

25...Rd4

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 25...Ne2+, and then 26...Rd4 or 26...Nd4.

26.Rfe1 Ne2+ 27.Kf1

How should Black proceed?

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27...h6??

27...Rg4 can be met by 28.Be6!, so best may be 27...Bxc5 28.Bxc5 Rg4 29.Qd2 Rxh4!? 30.f3 Qd8!, with equal chances, according to the engines.

28.Qxg6

The engines reckon White's advantage is worth more than a rook.

The game finished:

28...Rxh4!? 29.Bxf7+ Kh8 30.Ne6 Rxe6 31.Qxe6 Qxe6 32.Bxe6 Nd4 33.Bh3 b4 34.Bb2 Rf4 35.Re8+ Kh7 36.Re7 Rxf2+? 37.Kxf2 Nf5+ 38.Rxa7 1-0

The match ended 2-2.

My Battersea Season 2025-6

Date       Event  Colour  Rating  Opp's Rating  Score  Season's Perf

16/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1952             0           1552

18/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1797             =           1675

16/10/25 CLL       W       1889         2047             0           1665

23/10/25 CLL       B        1889         1823             1           1805

18/11/25  LL         W       1891         1980             =           1840

20/11/25  CLL      W       1891         1866             1            1911

25/11/25  BCC     B        1891         1817             1            1955

9/12/25    LL         W       1904         1982             1            2008

16/12/25  LL         B        1904         2046             0            1968

18/12/25  CLL      B        1904         2066             1            2018

6/1/26      CLL      W       1929         2150             =            2066

7/1/26      LL         W       1929         1971             =            2058

8/1/26      CLL      B        1929         1800?           =            2038

13/1/26    LL         B        1929         2035             1            2067

27/1/26    LL         B        1929         2089             0            2041

29/1/26    CLL      B        1929         1882             =            2031

3/2/26      BCC     W       1928         1836             1            2043     

12/2/26    CDL      B        1928        1890              1            2057

25/2/26    LL         B        1928        1863              =            2047

26/2/26    CLL      B         1928        2015             0            2025

3/3/26      CDL      B        1914        1976              1            2043

24/3/26    BCC     W        1921        1780             1            2049

26/3/26    CLL      B         1921        1942             =            2045

31/3/26    CDL      B        1921         2091             0            2030           

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC: Battersea club championship

CDL: Croydon & District League

I also have a win-by-default in the Central London League

Miniatures 32

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

R White (?) - Spanton (147 BCF)

Highbury (London) Rapidplay 1990

King's Indian Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d3!?

White, going first, can afford liberties like this, which may be why the position after 3.d3!? occurs 4,216 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, with players on the white side including Nimzowitsch, Capablanca, Barcza, Benko, Shirov, Ehlvest, Topalov and Gukesh. Perhaps the idea is to take the opponent out of book, but it is also possible, as happens in this game, to transpose into lines of the King's Indian Attack with a quick g3.

3...Nf6 4.Nbd2 Be7 5.g3 d6

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon 5...d5 gives Black a slight edge.

6.Bg2 Bg4 7.0-0 Qd7!?

Raising the spectre of opposite-side castling

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8.Re1 0-0!?

Cold feet? I cannot recall, but, for what it is worth, the engines are not keen on castling on either side at this point, suggesting instead 8...h5!?

9.c3 Ne8!?

Probably a novelty - the move is not in Mega26.

10.Nf1 Bh3 11.d4 Bxg2 12.Bxg2 exd4

How should White recapture?

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13.Nxd4!? 

Dragon1 prefers 13.cxd4, but Stockfish17.1 fluctuates between the two moves.

13...Nf6 14.h3 Rfe8 15.Nf5!?

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 15.Bf4 or 15.f3!?

15...Bf8

Preserving the bishop-pair and unmasking pressure against e4. The engines now suggest 16.c4, albeit awarding Black a slight edge.

16.Qg4?? 0-1

RW resigned without waiting for 16...Nxg4.

LESSON: blunders do not come much bigger than putting the queen en prise, but there is always an underlying cause for such moves, and here I suggest it was a case of concentrating so much on one's own threats that the opponent's possibilities were overlooked.

Miniatures 31

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

P Orn (150 BCF) - Spanton (147 BCF)

Highbury (London) Rapidplay 1990

QGD

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0-0 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Be2!?

This has been played by grandmasters, but trails 7.cxd5, 7.Qc2, 7.Bd3 and especially 7.Rc1 in popularity.

7...dxc4!?

Offering a transposition, which is accepted, to 7.Bd3 lines.

8.Bxc4

This position occurs 2,244 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

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8...Nd5!? 9.Bxe7 Nxe7 10.0-0

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

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White's extra central space and lead in development give a slight edge, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

10...c5 11.Qc2 cxd4 12.Nxd4 b6?

Better is 12...Nf6.

How can White exploit Black's last move?

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13.Qe4

White has the upper hand after this, according to the engines, but they prefer 13.R(either)-d1 and 13.Bxe6!? fxe6 14.Nxe6  Qe8 15.Nc7 etc.

13...Rb8 14.Bd3

Again the engines like R(either)-d1, but not 14.Bxe6?? as Black has 14...Nc5.

14...Nf6 15.Qf4 Bb7 16.Bc2 Ned5 17.Nxd5 Qxd5 18.f3??

Spotting one threat (18...Qxg2#), but missing:

18...e5

The game finished:

19.Be4 exf4 0-1

LESSON: don't stop thinking when you have spotted an opponent's threat - the most dangerous moves have more than one idea.

Miniatures 30

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

D Muroko (174 BCF) - Spanton (147 BCF)

London League 1990

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Be7!?

This is very much second in  popularity to 5...Nd6, but has been played by Carlsen, Kramnik and Morozevich.

How should White respond?

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6.Re1

More popular, and preferred by Stockfish17 and Dragon1, are 6.dxe5 and 6.Qe2.

6...d5?!

The main continuation 6...Nd6 is probably better.

7...Bd7 8.Bxc6
Luke Harmon-Vellotti (2409) - Ognjen Matko (2307), Chess.com Blitz 2015, saw 8.Nxd7 Qxd7 9.c3 0-0 10.Nd2, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines (1-0, 37 moves).

8...Bxc6 9.Qg4?!

The engines reckon this makes the queen more of a target than an attacking weapon. They suggest Qe2, either immediately or after first exchanging on c6.

How should Black respond?

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9...0-0!

Coolly done, but everything else loses, according to the engines, eg 9...Bf6? 10.f3!? (10.Nxc6 is also strong), or 9...g6? 10.Bh6.

10.Nxc6

If 10.Bh6, then 10...Bf6.
10...bxc6 11.c4

The engines prefer 11.Nd2 or 11.Qd1!?

11...Bb4!? 12.Rd1 Qf6?

Black is better after 12...f5!?, according to the engines.

13.f3!

Simple, but effective.

What should Black play?

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13...Rae8!

This seems best. The problem with 13...Nd6? is that it loses a piece to 14.a3 Ba5 15.b4 etc.

14.a3!?

Possibly better is grabbing the knight with 14.fxe4, although after 14...Rxe4 15.Qf3 Rxd4 Black has compensation. Nevertheless 16.Bd2!? Qxf3 17.gxf3 Rb8!? 19.Nc3!? Rxc4 20.Rab1 leaves White with a knight for three pawns, and at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

14...Bd6 15.c5?

This is a mistake, although the engines' top choice 15.fxe4 is unclear after 15...Rxe4 16.Qf3, when both 16...Rxd4 and 16...Qh4!? give interesting compensation.

15...Bxh2+! 16.Kxh2

Even worse is 16.Kf1? as after 16...Ng3+ White has to give up the queen to avoid mate in one.

16...Nf2 17.Qg3

Objectively probably better is 17.Qf4, but 17...Qxf4+ 18.Bxf4 Nxd1 leaves White with few hopes.

17...Nxd1 18.Bf4 Nxb2 19.Be5 Qh6+ 20.Kg1 Nd3 0-1

LESSON: check those checks - both your own, and your opponent's.