Lessons From Bischofsgrün II

THE following position was reached after six moves of my round-two game, in which I was White against Peter Babrikowski (2155).

Black has just played 6...d6!?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

The position is reached 1,429 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, with most games (1,240) continuing with 7.Be2 or 7.Be3, both of which score an excellent 65%

I preferred 7.Bg5, which occurs just 40 times, and scores a miserable 35%.

One of the problems with my move in such positions is that after the reply 7...Be7, White has to be constantly on the alert for tricks based on the move ...Nxe4.

Indeed, if White were to meet 7...Be7 with 8.b3, Black can already play 8...Nxe4!?, eg 9.Nxe4 Bxg5 10.Nxc6! (an only-move, according to the engines) bxc6 11.Nxg5 Qa5+! 12.b4! (12.Qd2? Qe5+) Qxg5 13.Qxd6 Bb7, with what the engines reckon is an equal position.

I was aware of the danger, and I am sure my opponent was too, but that did not stop me reaching the following position, having just played 13.f3?!

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

This is a case where ...Nxe4 does not just equalise, but gives Black at least a slight edge, eg 13...Nxe4! 14.Bxe7 Nxc3!? 15.bxc3 Qxe7 16.Qxd6 Qg5 leaves Black with much the better pawn-structure, as well as the better bishop, and Black has the upper hand (Stockfish18) or is even winning (Dragon1).

White can improve with 14.Nxe4 Bxg5 15.Nxg5 Qxg5 16.Qxd6, but 16...Rfd8 leaves Black with the better bishop, and what the engines reckon is a slight plus.

LESSON: when White has a pawn on e4, and Black has a knight on f6, the move Bg5 can open White to surprise tactical shots if Black has a bishop-queen battery on e7 and d8.

League Chess

GOT home yesterday afternoon in time to play last night on board five (of eight) for Battersea against Kings Head in London League Division Two.

Spanton (1954) - Andrew Gilfillan (2080)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Qe2!?

The commonest moves in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 4.e5, 4.Bxc6 and especially 4.Nc3.

4...g6 5.c3 Bg7 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 0-0 8.Nc3 d6 9.0-0

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

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White has more space in the centre, and that is enough for a slight edge, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish18 is less sure.

9...Bg4 10.Be3 Nd7!?

The engines like this.

11.Rfd1

11.Rad1!? is marginally preferred by the engines.

11...e5!?

Grandmasters have played 11...a6 or 11...Rc8, but the text is the engines' choice.

12.Bxc6!? bxc6 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 f5!

This looks bad at first glance, but after ...

15.exf5

... Black has a zwischenzug that grabs space in the centre.

15...d5 16.dxe5 Rxf5 17.Qe2 Nxe5

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

18.f4?

The position is equal after 18.Qa6!? or 18.Rac1, according to the engines.

18...Nc4 19.Bd4

Perhaps the engines' 19.Bc5!? is best, but 19...Qe8!? seems a strong reply, eg 20.Qf2 can be met by 20...g5 or 20...Qb8.

19...Bxd4+ 20.Rxd4 Qb6 21.Qf2 Qxb2 22.Qxb2 Nxb2

How would you assess this queenless late-middlegame?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black has more pawn islands, but Black's extra pawn and connected passers add up to a winning advantage, according to the engines.

23.Re1 Nc4 24.Re6 Rc8 25.g4!? Rf7

The engines reckon 25...Rff8 is better.

26.Kg2 Rb7?!

The engines like 26...Kf8, intending ...Re7.

27.f5 Rb2+ 28.Kg3 Rc2 29.Ne2!?

Perhaps 29.Rd3 is better.

29...Kf7?!

The engines reckon Black has at least a slight edge after 29...Nd2!?

30.Rf4?

30.Rd3!? equalises, according to the engines, eg 30...Rxa2 31.Nd4 gxf5 32.gxf5 Re8!? 39.Rxe8 Kxe8 40.Nxc6 Ra6 41.Nb4 Ra3 42.Rxa3 Nxa3 43.Nxd5.

30...g5!? 31.Rf3 Nd2

Even stronger may be 31...c5!?

32.Ra3 Ne4+ 33.Kf3 Rc7 34.Ra6??

Black is only slightly better after 34.Nd4 or 34.Ke3, according to the engines.

34...Nc5

White is lost. The game finished:

35.Raxc6 Nxe6 36.fxe6+ Ke7 0-1

Kings Head won the match 6.5-1.5.

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

7/4/26      BCC     B         1938        1505*            1            2030

9/4/26      CLL      W        1938        2012              =           2029

30/4/26    CLL      W        1938        2285              0           2023

7/5/26      CLL      W        1939        2007              1           2037

9/6/26      LL         B         1954        2059              0           2024

23/6/26    LL         W        1954        2080              0           2012  

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

*A win against a 1505 counts as a 1905 performance, so I have excluded this game from calculating my season's performance as it would lower my average despite me winning.

Chess Tip Of The Day 443

If I repeat an opening variation that my opponent has lost badly against, I'll gain an immediate psychological advantage. He will have to confront not only my moves, but also his painful memories.

Ján Markoš, The Secret Ingredient To Winning Chess

Lessons From Bischofsgrün

IN round one of the senior (55+) championship of Upper Franconia, my opponent, Hartmut Kumeth (1784), laid down his marker as early as move two when he followed 1.Nf3 c5 with 2.c3!?

As I pointed out in my notes to the game, 2.c3!? is not extremely rare (the position occurs 1,577 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database) and the move has been played by many top grandmasters.

It is also true that White can afford more leeway in the opening than Black before falling into serious trouble.

But by move seven, the following position had been reached.

White has just played 7.Be2, and is yet to advance anything to the fourth rank

Indeed, by playing 7...e4, I was first to occupy White's fourth rank.

It was not until move 12 that White finally, if briefly, reached his fourth rank by playing 12.dxe4.

I recaptured with the d pawn, so again White had nothing beyond the third rank

It was not until move 18 that White actually established something on the fourth.

White has just played 18.c3-c4

I do not think many players will be surprised to learn that Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon Black has a won game.

Indeed White only lasted another four moves.

LESSON: space in chess is important. If you are cramped, and have no compensation, such as pressure against the opponent's centre, you may well be lost.

Correspondence Chess

I PLAY correspondence chess, mainly for various England teams, at the Fide-recognised International Correspondence Chess Federation.

Thanks to the strength of modern engines, most games end in a draw, but occasionally one escapes that fate, or is interesting for other reasons.

Jonathan Tymms (1813) - Spanton (2330)

British Correspondence Chess Reserves 2025

Danish Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3!?

How should Black respond to this throwback to a more romantic era?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

3...Qe7!?

This is sixth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but may be best, scoring 62% (3...dxc3, the commonest continuation, only scores 43%).
4.cxd4!?

This is best, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1, increasing White's score to 48%.

4...Qxe4+ 5.Be2?!

After 5.Be3 Bb4+ 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.Nf3 Nf5!? 8.Qd2 Nxe3 9.fxe3 Qe7!? 10.Bd3 d5 11.0-0, a line suggested by the engines, White is close to having full compensation for a pawn, according to the engines, and would certainly have interesting practical chances over the board.

5...Qxg2 6.Bf3 Qg6 7.Ne2 Qf5!?

Alexander Alekhine - André Chéron, Exhibition Game (Vevey, Switzerland) 1925, went 7...Ne7 8.Nbc3 c6? 9.Nf4 Qd6?! 10.0-0, with a large advantage to White, according to the engines (1-0, 16 moves). The text is not in Mega26.

8.Ng3 Qe6+ 9.Be3 d5 10.Nc3 c6

10...Bb4?! 11.Nh5!

11.Qd2 Qe7!?

Freeing the e6 square for the light-square bishop.

12.0-0-0

Now White has connected rooks, how would you assess the position?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Six of Black's 11 moves have been with the queen, which is the only black piece not on the back rank, and it blocks Black's dark-square bishop. But Black is two pawns up, and has no structural weaknesses, and that is enough to be winning, according to the engines (but I would not advise playing this way over the board).

12...Be6 13.Rde1 Na6 14.Bg5 Qd7!? 15.Rhg1 Ne7!? 16.Nh5!? 0-0-0!? 17.Nxg7 Bxg7 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Rxg7

Black has given back one of the pawns, but has almost caught up in development

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

19...Qh4!? 20.Re5!? h5!?

20...Qxh2 21.Rh5.

21.Rgg5 Qxh2 22.Rxh5 Qg1+ 23.Bd1 Rxh5 24.Rxh5 Rg8 25.Qf4 Kd7!? 26.Ne2 Qg4 27.Rh4 Qxf4 28.Nxf4 Nc7 29.Rh7 Nb5 30.Kd2!?

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

30...Rg1!?

This more-or-less obliges White to swop off Black's bad bishop. However, 30...Nxd4 is also good, eg 31.Bh5 Rf8 32.Ng6 Re8 33.Ne5+ Kc7 34.Nxf7 Re7 35.Ng5 Rxh7 36.Nxh7 Kd6, when Black is a pawn up in a minor-piece ending.

31.Nxe6

Otherwise Black captures on d4, and probably remains two pawns up.

31...Kxe6 32.Rh6+ Ke7 33.Rh4

White is a pawn down, and the pawn on d4 is weak, more than compensating Black for having rook and knight against rook and bishop

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

33...Nd6 34.Bc2 Nc4+ 35.Kc3 Rf1 36.Rh2 Rc1!? 37.a3 b5 38.Rh8 a5 39.Rc8 Kd6 40.Rd8+ Kc7 41.Rf8 b4+ 42.axb4 axb4+ 43.Kd3 Nxb2+ 44.Kd2 Ra1 45.Rxf7+ Kb6 46.Rf3

White has created a passed pawn, but Black's passer is the more advanced, and therefore the more dangerous

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

46...Nc4+ 47.Ke2 Na3 48.Bb3 Nb5 49.Rd3 Nc3+ 50.Kf3 Ra3 51.Bc2 Ra2 52.Bb3 Rb2 53.Bd1 Kb5 0-1

There are two games ongoing, but as the table below shows, I have won the tournament.

Actually, I was not supposed to be playing at all, but was asked to step in after another entrant withdrew at short notice.

I believe my victory means I qualify for the candidates' section - the level below the championship proper - of a future British Correspondence Chess Championship.

BCCC/RES/25-27 D, British Correspondence Chess Reserves 25-27 Section D

							TD Komar, Miroslav
Rated							1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Score	Wins	SB	RG	Place
1		212116	CCM	Spanton, Tim	2330	(75)		½	½	½	½	½	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	9.5	7	45.5	0	1
2		210719		Beer, Doug	2050	(83)	½		½	½	½	½	1	½	1	1	1	1	1	9	6	42.5	0	2
3		213221	CCM	Baxter, Harold	2352	(77)	½	½		½	½	½	1	½	1	½	1	1	1	8.5	5	40.75	0	3
4		212273	CCE	Bruce, Robert	1997	(44)	½	½	½		½	½	½	1	½	1	1	1	1	8.5	5	40.5	0	4
5		211672	IM	Lockwood, Austin	2383	(88)	½	½	½	½		½	½	1	.	1	1	1	1	8	5	38.5	1	5
6		211824	CCM	Graham, Oliver	2379	(54)	½	½	½	½	½		.	½	1	1	1	1	1	8	5	36.5	1	6
7		211163		Tymms, J. D. M.	1813	(73)	0	0	0	½	½	.		½	1	1	1	1	1	6.5	5	23	1	7
8		213224		Hardingham, David	1895	(83)	0	½	½	0	0	½	½		1	½	1	1	1	6.5	4	25.5	0	8
9		211804		Tupper, Alex	1662	(102)	0	0	0	½	.	0	0	0		1	1	1	1	4.5	4	11.25	1	9
10		212069		Kirk, Matthew	1852	(70)	0	0	½	0	0	0	0	½	0		1	1	1	4	3	10.5	0	10
11		211815		Picken, R. David	1684	(92)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	½	1.5	1	1.25	0	11
12		212191		Ruffle, Alan	1371	(59)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	1	1	0.5	0	12
13		620635		Burridge, Raymond John	1543	(65)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	½	0		0.5	0	0.75	0	13