Magdeburg Round Six

Spanton (2039) - Gerd Niebuhr (1868)

Spanish Exchange

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc4 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 f6!?

A rare move at this point, but playing ...f6 is common in the Exchange Variation of the Spanish, and is a popular response at move five to both 5.0-0 and 5.Nc3.

Is there any way for White to take advantage of Black's unusual timing?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

8.Be3

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 suggest 8.Bf4!?, the idea being to meet 8...Bd6 with 9.Bxd6 cxd6 and, perhaps, 10.Nc3, when the engines reckon White is slightly better.

8...Bd7 9.Nc3 Bb4 10.Ne2 0-0-0 11.a3 Bd6 12.0-0-0

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

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

It is the usual Spanish Exchange battle of pawn-structure versus bishop-pair. The engines call the game equal.

12...Ne7 13.Na4 b6?

Black is fine after 13...Be6 or 13...Be8!?, according to the engines.

14.Nxb6+! cxb6 15.Rxd6 Kc7 16.Rhd1 Nc8 17.Bxb6+??

The engines reckon White has an advantage worth about 4.50 after 17.R6d3.

17...Nxc6

But now Black has an advantage that the engines put at about 2.80

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

18.R6d4 Bg4 19.f3 Rxd4 20.Rxd4 Be6 21.Nf4 Bf7 22.Nd3 Nd7 23.Nb4!?

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

23...Ra8

The engines like this, but 23...c5!? is also possible, meeting 24.Nxa6+!? with 24...Kc6, when White is more-or-less obliged to play 25.Rxd7!? Kxd7 26.Nxc5+, emerging with four pawns for a rook, when Black is winning, but the material balance is unusual, and could be tricky to play.

24.Rd2 a5 25.Nd3 Ne5!? 26.Nxe5 fxe5 27.Rd3 Rd8 28.Rc3

Objectively better, according to the engines, is swopping rooks.

28...Kb6 29.b3 c5 30.h4 Rd4 31.g3 h5 32.Re3 c4 33.b4 axb4 34.axb4 Rd6!? 35.f4 Rg6 36.f5

The engines are not keen on this, but their suggested 36.fxe5 hardly offers White much hope.

36...Rg4 37.Kd2 Be8 38.Rf3!? Bc6 39.f6 gxf6 40.Rxf6 Rxe4 41.Rf5 Rg4 42.Rxe5 Rxg3 43.Rxh5 c3+!?

Where should the white king go?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

44.Ke2

Both 44.Kc1? and 44.Kd1? lose trivially, so the only alternative is 44.Ke1, but there are many winning lines for Black, eg 44...Rh3 45.Rh8 Be4, or 45.Rh6 Rh2 46.Kd1 Kb5.

44...Bf3+ 45.Kf2 Bxh5 46.Kxg3 Kb5 47.Kf4 Kxb4 0-1

Walk On

The weather in Magdeburg was a bit iffy over the first few days of the tournament, but there was glorious sunshine yesterday afternoon, and I decided to go for a walk, following the Elbe upstream

Looking back to the city

Remains of an old bridge on the far bank? That's what I thought at first, but I saw several similar pieces of stonework on my side of the river later, and they cannot all have been parts of bridges

This steam engine (lokomobile in German) was built in 1911 in Buckau, which was then the industrial quarter of Magdeburg - it ended its working life in a lumber mill, but was restored and placed by the Elbe in 2005 as a reminder of the area's heritage

Mini-marina

I was not walking especially fast - the weather was quite hot - but I overtook this pleasure boat, which can just be seen in the distance in the first photo of this post

Tree with interesting burrs

Unfortunately I was feeling rather lethargic, so I quit walking after less than two hours, and refreshed with a (non-alcoholic) wheat beer

Instead of walking back to the city beside the river, I followed tram tracks, which proved a much shorter route, albeit less varied

Magdeburg Round Five

Bernd Wagner (1872) - Spanton (2039)

King's Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.0-0

This is the KIA move, but marginally more popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database is 4.d4, which scores seven percentage points better.

4...e5

This is what puts some people - and engines - off castling at move four. Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon that, after the text, Black is already slightly better.

5.d3 Nf6 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.e4 0-0

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

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black's extra space gives a slight edge, according to the engines, although Dragon1 is less sure than Stockfish18.

8.exd5 Nxd5 9.Re1 f6

There are 102 examples of this position in Mega26 - it is reminiscent of a Maróczy Bind, with colours reversed, except White has used the e pawn, rather than the c pawn, to swop off Black's d pawn  

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

10.Nc4 Bg4

The engines are not keen on evicting the c4 knight with 10...b5, evaluating 11.Ne3 Be6 12.a4 as equal.

11.Ne3 Be6

This position occurs 14 times in Mega26, but with Black to play in all but one of the games - nevertheless, even with White to play, the engines give Black a slight edge

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.c3!?

This may be a novelty. Kapil Chandran (2333) - Bence Pribelszky (2413), Budapest 2023, went 13.Be3 Qd7 14.Nd2!? Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Rae8 16.a4 f5, with at least a slight edge for Black, according to the engines (but 1-0, 81 moves).

13...Qd7 14.Be3 Rad8 15.Bf1?!

Passivity is rarely correct, unless it is forced, and that apparently is not the case here. The engines suggest 15.Qe2!? or 15.a3!? If, after 15.Qe2!?, Black plays 15...Bxf3?! 16.Qxf3 Qxd3, the engines reckon 17.Rad1 Qc4 18.Qd5+ Qxd5 19.Bxd5+ Kh8 20.g4!? gives White more than enough for a pawn. Similarly, 15.a3 Bxf3?! 16.Qxd3 Rad1 gives White an edge, according to the engines.

15...Qf5?!

Black is better after this, but is positionally winning after 15...f5, according to the engines.

16.Nh4 Qe6 17.a3?!

Not 17.c4? Bxc4!, but the engines much prefer 17.Qh5!? or 17.f4!?

17...f5 18.Ng2 Qg6?!

Black is well on top after 18...Qf7 or 18...c4, according to the engines.

19.f4

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

19...e4?!

The engines reckon both 19...Qf7 and 19...Qf6 give at least a slight edge.
20.dxe4 Bxe4

Black gets a passed pawn after 20...fxe4?!, but it is probably too weak to be of much use.

21.Qb3+ Kh8 22.Rad1

White completes development, and has equalised, according to the engines

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

22...Rfe8 23.Bf2 Bd6?

Best may be playing for exchanges with 23...Rxd1 24.Rxd1 Rd8.

24.Nh4 Qf6 25.Bg2

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 25.Qxb7!?, when 25...Rb8? runs into 26.Rxe4!

25...Bxg2 26.Kxg2 b6

Perhaps best is 26...Re7, when the position is sharp, but best-play may go 27.Rxe7 Qxe7 28.Re1 Qd7 29.Qd5 g6 30.Bxc5 Bxc5 31.Qxc5 Qd2+ 32.Qf2 Qxf2+ 33.Kxf2, although the engines agree White is winning.

27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Qd5 Bf8

There is nothing better - Black is losing a pawn.

29.Qxf5 Qxf5 30.Nxf5 Re2 31.b4

BW offered a draw.

Objectively, should Black accept?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

½–½

Black is 'only' one pawn down, and the black rook is more active than its white counterpart, but all the other white pieces are better than their opposite numbers. The engines reckon White's advantage is worth almost three pawns.

More Wackiness In Magdeburg

Leiterstraße - Ladder Street

Devil's Fountain

Statue of 13th-century Christian mystic Mechthild of Magdeburg

Clock sculpture

Magdeburg Round Four

Spanton (2039) - Hartmut Krien (1900)

Alekhine

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3

Wimping out? It's hard to argue with that, but my record with the text is better than with 2.e5.

2...d5 3.e5 Ne4!?

Magnus Carlsen has tried this, but he has also played the mainline 3...Nfd7.

How should White respond?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

4.Qe2!?

A rare continuation. The main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 4.Nce2!? d4!? 5.c3!? Nc6 6.cxd4 Ng5!? (6...Nxd4?? loses to 7.Qa4+), with White enjoying at least a slight edge, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

4...Nxc3 5.dxc3 c6

The engines fluctuate between several moves, including 5...a6!?, 5...c5, 5...e6 and 5...Nc6.

6.Be3 Bf5 7.Nf3

The engines like 7.g4!?, eg 7...Bg6 8.h4 h5 9.e6!? fxe6, and either 10.0-0-0 or 10.Bh3.

7...e6 8.g3

The engines prefer 8.0-0-0 or 8.c4.

8...Nd7

HK offered a draw.

9.Bg2 Bg4!

The vulnerability of e5 justifies this second move with the light-square bishop.

10.Bf4 g5!? 11.Bd2 Bg7

HK offered a draw in my time.

Objectively, should White take the draw?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Yes! White is not getting enough for a pawn.

12.Qe3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Nxe5 14.Bh5

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

14...Nc4?

This turns the upper hand for Black into a winning advantage for White. The engines reckon both 14...h6 and 14...g4 are strong.

15.Qf3?

Not 15.Qxg5? Qxg5 16.Bxg5 Nxb2, but winning is 15.Qxe6+! Qe7 16.Qxe7+ Kxe7 17.Bxg5+, when White emerges a pawn up and with the bishop-pair.

15...0-0 16.h4!?

Stockfish18, but not Dragon1, prefers 16.Bc1!?

16...Nxd2

That's the bishop-pair gone, but opposite-coloured bishops let White hope.

17.Kxd2 Qf6?!

The engines give 17...g4!? 18.Bxg4 f5 19.Bh3, reckoning Black has a winning advantage. Also probably better than the text is 17...d4.

18.Qxf6 Bxf6 19.hxg5 Bxg5+ 20.f4 Be7

Black still has at least a slight edge, according to the engines, but White's pressure down the h file, combined with opposite-colour bishops, gives counterplay

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

21.Be2 Kg7 22.Rh5 h6 23.Rah1 Rh8 24.Bd3

Much better, according to the engines, is 24.c4 or 24.a4.

24....Rae8

The engines like 24...b5!?

25.Re1

Pushing either the c pawn or the a pawn two squares was apparently still the way to go.

25...Bd6 26.c4 f6 27.cxd5 exd5 28.Rhh1 Bb4+!?

This is Stockfish18's top choice, the idea being to meet ...

29.c3

... with:

29...Bc5

However, it is far from clear what Black has gained.

30.Rxe8 Rxe8 31.Re1 Rxe1

Avoiding exchanging off rooks with, say, 31...Rf8 is possible, but it is hard to see how Black can make progress with White having the open file.

32.Kxe1

How would you assess this ending?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

It is drawn, but, as always, at least a modicum of care is required.

32...Kf7 33.Bf5 Ke7 34.Ke2

There is nothing in 34.Bc8, as, after 34...b5 35.Bb7, Black has 35...Kd6.

34...b5 35.Bd3 a5 36.b3 Kd6 37.g4 Bg1 38.Kf3 Bc5

Worth a try is 38...Kc5, when 39.Kg2? loses to 39...Be3 40.Kf3 Bd2, but White seems fine after 39.Bf5 or 39.Bg6, eg 39.Bf5 b4 40.cxb4+ Kxb4 41.Bd7 c5 42.Bc6 d4 43.Ke4, and, if 43...Ka3, then 44.Bd5, when 44...Kxa2 can be met by 45.b4+, drawing.

39.Ke2 ½–½

I May Not Know Much About Architecture ...

... but I like Magdeburg's Green Citadel

Model of the building, which consists of shops, offices, flats and a hotel, and is 'green' in the sense of having a grassed-over roof with trees

Inner courtyard

Not just for the birds

Magdeburg Round Three

Hans Hauke (1838) - Spanton (2039)

Scotch

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nb3 Bb6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Bd3

More popular are 7.Bg5 and especially 7.Qe2. After the latter, the main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 7...0-0 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 a5!? 10.a4 Nd4!? 11.Qd3!? Nxb3 12.cxb3, with a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

After 7.Bd3, how should Black respond?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

7...d6

This is the commonest continuation in Mega26, but it seems Black can play the 'great equaliser' in double e-pawn openings, ie 7...d5!?, and if 8.Bg5, then 8...h6! (not 8...Bxf2+?? 9.Kxf2 Ng4+? 10.Qxg4), as 9.Bxf6 Qxf6 is fine for Black, thanks to the threat to f2. 

8.h3!?

This seems a little slow, to me, but it has been the choice of  the highest-rated players to reach the position, and it scores an excellent 66% in Mega26.

8...Be6 9.Na4!?

This seems to be a novelty. The engines are not keen on going after the bishop-pair in this way, presumably because it costs time.

9...d5!?

The engines agree this classic central counter to flank play is the best continuation.

10.Nxb6 axb6 11.Bg5?

The engines give 11.exd5 Qxd5 12.0-0 0-0-0!?, awarding Black a slight edge.

11...dxe4 12.Be2

Or 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Bxe4 Qxb2.

12...Qxd1+ 13.Bxd1

White has the bishop-pair, but Black's extra pawn and lead in development add up to a winning advantage, according to the engines

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

13...0-0 14.c3!?

This is Stockfish18's top choice for quite some time, while Dragon1 suggests 14.Nd2. However, both engines fluctuate, with 14.a3!?, 14.Nc1!? and 14.0-0 also being favoured at one time or another. If 14.0-0, then best may be 14...Bxb3 15.cxb3 h6!?, with an advantage for Black that the engines reckon is the equivalent of being up two pawns.

14...Bc4 15.a3!? Ne5 16.Nc1!?

This is the engines' top choice, narrowly ahead of 16.Bc2, but if such a retreat really is the best move. it only shows how desperate is White's position.

16...Rfe8 17.Be3 Rad8 18.b3 Bd3 19.Ne2?!

The engines' 19.c4 is probably better, but leaves Black well on top.

19...Nd5 20.Rc1

Again, c4 may be best, whereas 20.Bd2?! is well met by 20...Nf3+!

20...Nxe3!?

Eliminating the bishop-pair is perhaps the most solid way to maintain Black's advantage.
21.fxe3 Bxe2!?

The engines like 21...Ba6!?, and if 22.0-0!?, then 22...Rxd1!?

22.Kxe2!?

This may be marginally better than 22.Bxe2.

22...Nd3 23.Ra1 Re5 24.b4

This is Stockfish18's top choice; Dragon1 prefers 24.Bc2.

24...Rg5 25.g4 h5 26.Rg1 hxg4 27.hxg4 Ne5 28.Kf2 Rd2+ 29.Ke1

As I went to make my next move, HH started to hold out his hand, but withdrew it when he saw me pick up the d2 rook - he said after the game he had been about to resign as Black has a mate

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

29...Rh2

There is no mate, but Black does not need one.

30.Be2?!

This loses in short order. but after the best move, 30.Kf1, Black is well on top.

30...Nf3+ 31.Bxf3 exf3 32.Kf1 f2 33.Rg2 Rh1+ 0-1

Magdeburg - A Potted History

MAGDEBURG is first mentioned in a document from 805 as a "mighty fortress" owned by Charlemagne, the Frankish king crowned Emperor by Pope Leo III.

The city's position on the Elbe river gave it strategic importance, and it was created the centre of an archbishopric by the 10th-century Holy Roman Emperor Otto the Great.

Magdeburg was a leading member of the trading coalition known as the Hanseatic League, and an early adopter of Lutheranism, but never recovered its former glory after more than 20,000 people, mostly civilians, were massacred when the city was sacked by the Catholic League in 1631.

Towards the end of WW2, Magdeburg was captured by the Americans, but handed to the Soviets, staying under communist rule until it became the capital of Saxony-Anhalt on German reunification in 1990.

Main entrance to the cathedral, which is sited on one of the few large rock formations in the area, much of the surrounding land being composed of soft soil

View of the Elbe from the city wall

The 15th-century Peek-In-The-Kitchen fortified tower, so-called because guards could look into the kitchen of the archbishop's palace

Plan of a section of the fortifications

Not much remains, but you can still experience a little of how it must have felt to walk around the defences

Magdeburg Round Two

I WAS upfloated.

Spanton (2039) - Jürgen Gottschalk (1711)

Spanish Steinitz

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6

The Steinitz Defence is generally out of fashion, but is still the third-most popular continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 3...Nf6 and especially 3...a6.

4.d4 exd4

Steinitz almost always played 4...Bd7, but the text is preferred by Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

5.Nxd4 Bd7 6.0-0

More common is 6.Nc3, maintaining the option of castling long.

6...Nf6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.b3!?

The engines do not like this. They suggest 8.Nxc6, when Black usually replies 8...bxc6, after which they reckon 9.Bd3 0-0 10.f4 gives White the upper hand.

8...a6!?

They also dislike this, because of the possibility of White replying 9.Nxc6.

9.Be2!? Ne5!?

Black should probably castle.

10.f4!?

Apparently a novelty, and an improvement, according to the engines, over the known 10...a4.

After 10.f4!?, how should Black respond?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

10...Ng6

This is probably best, as 10...Nc6!? represents the loss of two tempi, while 10...Neg4? 11.h3 Nh6 is very good for White, eg 12.e5!? (this seems even better than 12.g4, when the engines' 12...d5!? just about keeps Black in the game) c5!? 13.Nf3 dxe5 14.fxe5 Nh5 15.Qe1, with an advantage worth about a minor piece, according to the engines.

11.Bb2 c5?!

The engines suggest castling or 11...b5.

After 11...c5?!, how should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

12.Nf5!

White would have enough for a pawn, but no more, after 12.Nf3 Nxf4 13.e5 dxe5 14.Nxe5 Nxe2+ 15.Qxe2 Be6, according to the engines.

How should Black continue?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

12...0-0!?

The engines reckon this is best, as 12...Bxf5 13.exf5 Nh4 can be well-met by 14.Qd3 or 14.g4, but probably not 14.Bd3?!, when Black has 14...d5!, eg 15.g3 c4! but almost certainly not 14...Qd7?!, as then 15.Qe1! Nxf5 16.g4 Nd4 17.g5! is strong, one line running 17...Qg4+ 18.Kh1 Ng8 19.Nd5, with a large advantage for White.

13.Nxd6 Qc7!?

Possibly better is 13...Bc6, although 14.e5 is good for White, and 14.Nf5!? may be even better, eg 14...Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Bxe4 16.Nxg7.

14.e5 Ne8?

Definitely better is 14...Bxd6 15.exd6 Qb6, but White would be a pawn up, and with the better position.

15.Nd5 Qb8

This is Dragon1's top choice; Stockfish18 marginally prefers 15...Qd8.

16.Nb6

It is unusual, to say the least, for a player to get two knights to the sixth rank this early in a game

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

16...Bc6!?

The engines agree this is best, but there is no way for Black to avoid serious material loss.

17.Nxe8 Rxe8 18.Nxa8 Qxa8 19.f5!? Nh4

Retreating the knight seems even worse.

20.f6 gxf6 21.exf6 b5!?

Muddying the waters. Objectively best, according to the engines, is 21...Bd6!?, although they reckon 22.Qxd6 Rxe2 23.Rf2 Rxf2 24.Kxf2 leaves White with an advantage worth more than a rook.

22.fxe7 Nxg2

Perhaps a better try is 22...Bxg2, or 22...Rxe7, but both can be successfully met by, among other moves, 23.Bh5.

The game finished:

23.Bh5 Rxe7 24.Qg4+ Kf8 25.Qg7+ Ke8 26.Bxf7+ Kd7 27.Rad1+ Kc7 28.Qg3+ Kb6 29.Rd6 Ne3 30.Rff6 Nf5 31.Rxc6+ Qxc6 32.Rxc6+ Kxc6 33.Qf3+ 1-0

Personalised Pen

My latest chess pen has my name on it, and came in handy yesterday when the one I was using ran out halfway through the round