British 65+ Round Six

Paul Kenning (1831 ECF/1778 Fide) - Spanton (1940 ECF/2003 Fide)

Vienna Game

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

This early central advance, reminiscent of the Centre Game (1.e4 e5 2.d4) scores 59% in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, the same as the main move 3.f4, and up to 11 percentage points better than the other popular continuations, 3.Bc4, 3.Nf3 and 3.g3.

3...exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qd3!?

This is the main continuation, upping White's score in Mega26 to 62%.

How should Black respond?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

5...Bb4

This is the commonest continuation in the Centre Game, after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qe3 Nf6 5.Nc3, and it is also the commonest continuation in this line of the Vienna, but after it White's score in Mega26 climbs to 67%. Stockfish18 and Dragon1 suggest 5...Bc5 or 5...d5!?, one point being 5...d5!? 6.exd5 can be met by 6...Nb4.

6.Bd2 0-0 7.Nge2!?

Stockfish18 marginally prefers the much more common 7.0-0-0, but Dragon1 fluctuates between the two moves.

7...Re8 8.0-0-0

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

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White has the only pawn on the fourth rank, but, as is often the case with opposite-side castling, the position is both tricky to assess and to play. The engines reckon chances are equal.

8...Qe7?!

But not anymore! The engines suggest 8...Ne5 or 8...d6.

9.Bg5!

Moving the bishop for the second time, but it is worth it as the pin is hard to meet.

9...Ne5?!

Apparently a novelty, and probably not a good one, although it does come to be the engines' second choice, at least for a while, behind getting out of the pin immediately with 9...Qe6, after which the engines suggest another apparent-novelty in 9...f3!?, claiming White has at least the upper hand, a sample line running 10.Bh4 Ne5 11.Qd4!? Ba5 12.Qa4!? Qb6, reaching a position where the engines disagree as to how White should proceed, but agree White is winning.

10.Qg3

White's main threats are 10.f4 and 10.Nd5

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

10...Bxc3!?

The engines suggest 10...c6, but reckon 11.a3!? (as well as 11.f4) is very strong, one line running 11...Bxa3!? 12.Bxf6!? Bxb2+ 13.Kxb2 Qxf6 14.Nd4, when Black does not seem to have enough for a knight. Alternatively, 11...Bc5 12.f4 Neg4!? 13.e5 d5!? 14.Bxf6!? Nxf6 15.exf6 Qxf6 also leaves Black significantly down on material.

11.Nxc3 Qe6 12.f4!?

This seems even stronger than 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.f4.

12...Nc6 13.e5 Nh5 14.Qf3 h6!?

Giving up a pawn to keep the game going, as 14...g6?! 15.g4 Ng7 16.Nd5 is horrendous.

15.Qxh5 gxh5 16.Qxg5

How big is White's advantage?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White is roughly the equivalent of being up a piece and a pawn, according to the engines.

16...Nb4!?

If 16...d6, then 17.Nd5.

17.Kb1 d6 18.a3 a5!?

Desperation, but the game is lost anyway.

19.axb4 axb4 20.Nd5 dxe5 21.Qxe5 Qd7

White to play and win

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

22.Nf6+?

White has several strong moves, the most convincing being 22.Qg5 and 22.Bb5!?, eg 22.Qg5 Qa4!? 23.Nf6+ Kf8 24.Qc5+ Re7 25.Rd8+ Qe8 26.Rxe8#, or 22.Bb5!? c6 23.Nb6 Rxe5 24.Rxd7 Bxd7 25.fxe5.

22...gxf6 23.Rxd7 fxe5 24.Rxc7

PK offered a draw.

Objectively, should Black accept?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Stockfish18 reckons the game is completely equal after 24.Ra5 or 24.exf4. Dragon1 is less convinced, but reckons White has no more than the better part of equality.

½–½

British 65+ Round Five

Spanton (1940 ECF/2003 Fide) - Francis Best (1893 ECF/1813 Fide)

Scandinavian

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.g3!?

There are 1,052 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but the main continuation remains 6.Ne5.

How should Black respond to the text?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

6...Bf5

This has been played by many grandmasters, but the main line in Mega26 runs 6...Bg4 7.Bg2 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Bf4, when Black usually chooses between the aggressive 9...Qb4 and the passive 9...Qd8 (3...Qd6 guru Tiviakov has played both moves), with Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckoning White is clearly better in either case.

7.Bg2 e6 8.0-0 Qc7!?

Prophylaxis, the idea being to meet 9.Bf4 with 9...Bd6, but Tiviakov has preferred the more-common moves 8...h6 and 8...Be7.

9.Re1!? Be7!?

The problem with 9...Bd6, after 9.Re1, is White has 10.d5!?, when 10...Nxd5 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.Nd4 obliges Black to allow 12...0-0 13.Nxf5, as 12...Bg6? can be met by 13.Nb5 Qe7 14.Bxd5!, or 13.Nxe6!? fxe6 14.Rxe6+, with the engines reckoning White is winning comfortably in both lines. Probably even worse is 10...cxd5?! 11.Nd4.

10.Bf4 Qd8

This position occurs 22 times in Mega26, but in all but one game it is Black to move

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

11.Ne5 0-0?!

The engines suggest 11...Nbd7.

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

12.g4!

This type of move is often double-edged, but here it definitely works.

12...Bg6 13.h4 h5?!

The engines prefer 13...Nd5!?, but after 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.h5 Be4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Rxe4 White has won a sound pawn.

14.g5

There are other good continuations, including 14.Nxg6 fxg6 15.Qe2!?

14...Nd5 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Bf3

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 16.Nxg6 fxg6 17.Bg3.

16...Nd7 17.Bxh5

Stockfish18 again likes Nxg6, but Dragon1 prefers the text, at first, albeit eventually evaluating the two moves as roughly equally good.

17...Nxe5 18.dxe5

And here the engines are unsure whether the text or 18.Bxe5 is better. Note that 18.Bxe5 cannot be met by 18...Bxg5? as White has 19.Bxg6!, before capturing on g5.

18...Bf5 19.Bg4 Qd7 20.Bxf5 Qxf5 21.Bg3

With the tactics having settled down, how big is White's advantage?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black has the better bishop and the safer king, but White has an extra pawn, and chances of using the white majority for an attack on Black's king. The engines agree White is winning.

21...Bc5

21...Qh3 is not dangerous for White after 22.Qf3.

22.Kg2 Rae8

The engines suggest plunging in with 22...f6!? 23.exf6 gxf6, but it is far from clear whose king is more vulnerable.

23.Qf3!?

The engines like 23.Qd3, not being worried about the nuisance-value of 23...Qxd3 24.cxd3 Bd4.

After 23.Qf3!?, can Black get his pawn back?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Yes! The point being 23...Qxc2!? 24.Rac1 Qd2!? saves the black bishop. However, after 25.Red1 Qa5 26.a3 Bb6, White has gained valuable time, and the engines reckon 27.h5 leads to a winning kingside attack.

23...Qxf3+?!

Nevertheless, the engines agree Black should keep queens on, one way or another, eg by 23...Qe6 or 23...Qg6.

24.Kxf3 g6!? 25.Kg4 Kg6 26.Rad1 Re6 27.f4 Rh8 28.Rh1 Ree8 29.Rde1 Bb6 30.Re2 d4!?

Going for counterplay. It seems unlikely that passively defending on the kingside would work in the long run.

31.Rd1 c5 32.b3 Ba5 33.a4 a6 34.f5!?

This lets Black split White's majority, but in return the white king advances, and the h pawn becomes passed.

34...gxf5+

This is best, according to the engines.

35.Kxf5 Re6 36.Rf2 Bc7 37.Re1 Rhe8

Not 37...Rh5? 38.Kg4 Rh8 39.Rhf1.

38.Re2 b5 39.axb5 axb5 40.h5 c4 41.bxc4 bxc4 42.Rd1 Bb6 43.Re4

Not 43.Bf2? d3!

43...Rh8 44.h6+ Kh7 45.Bf2 d3 46.Bxb6 dxc2 47.Rc1 Rxb6 48.Rxc2

Black is losing a second pawn

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

48...Re8 49.Rcxc4 Rbe6 50.Rc7 Kg8 51.Rd7 Rg6 52.Rd6 Rge6 53.Rxe6 Rxe6 54.Rd4 1-0

Outdoor Chess

 

The British Chess Championships attract players at all levels

British 65+ Round Four

Chris Bellers (1916 ECF/1919 Fide) - Spanton (1940 ECF/2003 Fide)

English

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e4!?

Aiming for a Botvinnik setup, as recommended in Tony Kosten's The Dynamic English.

5...d6 6.Nge2

Nimzowitsch pioneered the V formation (e4-d3-c4) in the English, but developed the king's knight to f3. Botvinnik played the same V formation as Black against the Closed Variation of the Sicilian, but refined it by developing the king's knight to e7 rather than f6.

6...Nge7 7.0-0 0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position, which occurs 779 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White's grip on d5 is generally regarded as at least making up for the hole at d4, and Stockfish18 and Dragon1 give White a slight edge. Note that if the white c pawn were on c2, and White had instead played d3, the position would be symmetrical. 

8.d3

Now we have reached a position occurring 2,035 times in Mega26, with White scoring 53%.

8...f5!?

The main line in Mega26 runs 8...Be6 9.Nd5 (Kosten recommends holding back on this move until Black has played ...Be6, after which Black can no longer reply ...Nxd5 - at least not while there is a knight on c6 as well as a bishop on e6) Qd7 10.Be3 f5 11.Qd2, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines.

9.Rb1 Be6

This is a little-more common in Mega26 than the restraining 9...a5.

10.Nd5 Qd7 11.b4 Nd8!?

Preparing to evict the d5 knight.

12.Bg5 Nc8!?

Spanton (2018) - Russell Finch (1650), Guernsey 2005, saw 12...Bxd5!? 13.cxd5 c6 14.d4!? cxd5 15.exd5 h6 16.Be3, after which the engines reckon 16...e4 would have kept Black's disadvantage to a minimum (1-0, 31 moves). The somewhat higher-level encounter, Normunds Miezis (2515) - Alberto Escobedo Tinajero (2370), Olympiad (Elista, Russia) 1998, went 12...Nxd5 13.cxd5 Bf7 14.d4!? fxe4 15.dxe5 Bxe5 16.Bxe4, with the upper hand for White, according to the engines (1-0, 40 moves).

13.Qd2?!

Probably better is 13.exf5!?, when the engines reckon White has at least a slight edge.

13...c6

Even stronger is first capturing on e4, and then evicting the knight, according to the engines.

14.Ndc3 Nf7 15.Be3 Ne7

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

16.a4!?

This apparent-novelty seems an improvement over Mária Machalová (2184) - Radomír Háčik (2158), Slovak Team Championship 2011, when 16.f4 could have been answered by 16...fxe4, with an edge for Black, according to the engines, although Black came out on top anyway in the complications following 16...d5 (0-1, 60 moves). However, possibly best is another apparent-novelty, suggested by engines, 16.b5!?

16...d5 17.cxd5

The engines give 17.exd5 cxd5 18.d4!?, claiming a slight edge for White.

17...exd5 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.Nxd5 Bxd5 20.Bxd5 Qxd5

Following a flurry of exchanges, how would you assess the middlegame?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black's position looks better, and indeed Stockfish18 gives Black a slight edge, but Dragon1 for a long time calls the game equal, before also settling on a slight edge for Black.

21.Nc3

The engines reckon White should take the open file with 21.Rbc1!?, or push on with 21.a5!?

21...Qd7

21...Qf3 22.Qd1 Qxd1 23.Rfxd1 helps White, as does 22...Qc6 23.Rc1.

After the text, Black threatens to win with 22...f4! 23.gxf4 Qg4+ 24.Kh1 exf4 25.Bxf4 (25.Bc5 Qf3+ 26.Kg1 Ng5 27.Rfe1 Qh3) Bxc3, so what should White play?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

22.f3!?

This is Stockfish18's second choice, behind 22.Qa2!?, when 22...Qxd3? loses to 23.Nd5!, after which the threat of 24.Rbd1 cannot be successfully met. Instead, Black should play 22...b6 or 22...Rfd8, with at least a slight edge, according to the engines. Dragon1 suggests 22.Rbc1, but 22...f4!? is still interesting, eg 23.gxf4 exf4!? 24.Bxf4 g5! 25.Bg3 h5.

22...Rfd8 23.Rfd1?

The wrong rook.

23...Qc6

The f3 pawn cannot be reasonably saved, eg 24.Kf2?! runs into 24...e4

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

24.Rbc1

Perhaps 24.b5 is a slightly better way to give up the f3 pawn, although after 24...Qxf3 the engines reckon that, as in the game, White's best is to play for a swop of queens (with 25.Qe2).

24...Qxf3 25.Qf2

The engines marginally prefer 25.Qe2, or 25.Rf1 Qc6 26.Nb5 Qd7 27.Rc7, but in that case agree 27...Qd5 is winning.

25...Qxf2+ 26.Kxf2 Rd7 27.Ne2

Perhaps hoping to eliminate the d3 weakness, but the engines prefer active play with 27.Nb5 or 27.a5.

27...b6 28.a5

Not 28.d4? exd4 as both 28.Nxd4 and 28.Bxd4 are met by 28...Rad8.

28...bxa5 29.bxa5 Rad8 30.a6 e4 31.d4 h6?

Preparing ...Ne5, but 31...Ne5!? can be played immediately as 32.Bg5? Nd3+ 33.Rxd3 exd3 34.Bxd8 can be simply met by 34...Rxd8!, eg 35.Nf4 Bxd4+ 36.Kf3 d2 37.Rd1 Bc3, after which White is helpless. The more-prosaic 31...Rd6 is also strong.

32.Rc6?

The engines give 32.Rd2, reckoning White is no more than slightly worse.

32...Ne5!

The only winning move, but, bearing the preamble, not difficult to find.

33.Rc2??

Better is 33.Rc3, but 33...Ng4+ 34.Kg2 Nxe3+ 35.Rxe3 Bxd4 gives Black an overwhelming position.

33...Ng4+ 0-1

Star Watch

GATA Kamsky has apparently entered Benidorm's Bali congress at the end of November.

British 65+ Round Three

Spanton (1940 ECF/2003 Fide) - Hassan Erdogan (1889 ECF/1839 Fide)

Přibyl

1.Nc3 d6 2.d4 Nd7!? 3.e4 Ngf6 4.f4 e5 5.Nf3 exd4 6.Qxd4 c6

Via an unusual move-order, the game has reached a position that occurs 1,338 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, and is probably best classified as the Přibyl System within the Pirc

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****
7.a4!?

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 much prefer the mainline 7.Be3. Note that the tempting 7.e5!? can be met by 7...dxe5 8.fxe5 Bc5, although the engines reckon White has a slight edge.

7...a5

The engines do not like this either, preferring the thematic 7...d5!?, when 8.exd5?! Bc5, followed by 9...0-0, gives Black good compensation for a pawn. White should probably play 8.e5, although again ...Bc5, either immediately, or after 8...Ng4!?, seems fine for Black.

8.Be3!?

Apparently a novelty. The engines agree it is better than the known 8.Bc4?!, when, again, ...d5 gives Black good play, eg 8...d5!? 9.exd5 Bc5 10.Qd3 0-0.

8...d5!? 9.exd5

The engines more-or-less agree this is best, but Stockfish18 also likes 9.0-0-0!?

9...Bc5 10.Qd3!?

And here they agree this is better than 10.Qd2.

10...Qe7 11.Kd2

The engines suggest 11.Nd4!?, the idea being to meet 11...Ng4 with 12.Nf5!? But not 11.dxc6? Bxe3 13.cxd7+ Bxd7 14.Be2 Rd8, when Black has much more than enough for a pawn.

11...Bxe3+

Here they like 11...0-0!? or 11...Bb4!?

12.Qxe3 Qxe3+ 13.Kxe3 Nxd5+

Stockfish18 likes the text; Dragon1 prefers 13...cxd5.

14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Kd4!?

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

15...0-0!

The engines agree this is better than trying to hang on to the d pawn with 15...Nf6.

16.Bb5

Probably not 16.Kxd5?!, eg 16...Nf6+ 17.Kd4, after which both 17...Bf5 and 17...Rd8+ seem to give Black good play for a pawn.

16...Nf6 17.Rhe1 Bf5 18.c3

Probably even better is 18.Re7!?

18...Be4 19.Re2 Nh5 20.Ke3 Nf6 21.Ne5 Rfd8 22.Rd1 Bf5!? 23.h3 h5 24.Red2 Rdc8?!

Almost certainly the wrong rook.

25.Be2 h4 26.Bg4!? Nxg4+ 27.hxg4 Be4

How would you assess this late-middlegame?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black's bishop is technically bad in that the black central pawn is fixed on a light square, but the bishop is active, and is doing a good job preserving d5, while the d pawn in turn is preforming a useful task in giving the bishop a protected outpost. The bishop is also a better piece than the knight for cooperating with rooks. However, h4 is very weak, and that may be the major reason why the engines reckon White has at least a slight edge.
28.g5

The engines suggest 28.c4!?, eg 28...f6!? 29.cxd5 Bc2!? 30.Rc1 Bxa4 31.Rxc8+ Rxc8 32.Ng6 Rc1 33.Nxh4, awarding White at least a slight edge.

28...f6 29.gxf6 gxf6 30.Nf3 Re8 31.Kf2 h3!?

Stockfish18 likes this pawn sac; Dragon1 is less sure.

32.gxh3

Black is a pawn down, but White's extra pawn (h3) is weak, and the black bishop is much the better minor piece

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

32...Kf7 33.Rg1 Rh8 34.Rg3 Rh7 35.Ke3 Re8 36.Kd4 Ke6?!

Black seems to be fine after 36...Rh5.

37.Rf2

Probably better is 37.Re2!?, when both 38.c4 and 38...Nd2 are threats.

37...Rc8 38.Nd2 Bf5 39.Re2+ Kf7!?

The engines marginally prefer this over 39...Kd6.

40.Kxd5 Bxh3 41.Rge3?!

White should perhaps have played 41.c4, 41.Kd4 or 41.Nc4.

41...Rh5+ 42.Kd4 Rc7?!

Black is at least equal after 42...Bg4, according to the engines.

43.Ke4

The engines reckon White is at least slightly better after 43.c4!?

43...Bg4 44.Rf2

The engines prefer 44.Rg2.

44...Re7+ 45.Kd4 Rd7+ 46.Ke4??

White is equal (Stockfish18), or only slightly worse (Dragon1), after 46.Kc4!? Be6+ 47.Rxe6 Kxe6 48.Nf3.

Black to play and win

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

46...Bf5+?
Black mates with 46...f5+ 47.Ke5 Rh6 (or 47...Rh8) and 48...Re6# (or 48...Re8#). Also winning comfortably are 46...Rhd5 and 46...Rc5.
47.Kf3 Rh3+ 48.Ke2 Bd3+ 49.Rxd3 Rhxd3

How would you assess this ending?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

A pawn and knight are rarely enough for a rook in an ending, and this position is no exception, but the engines are not sure White is lost.

50.Nc4 R3d5 51.Kf3 Rd3+?!

Probably better is 51...Re7.

52.Ke4 Rd1 53.Nxa5 f5+?

Black is still much better after 53...Re7+ 54.Kf3 Rd3+. according to the engines.

54.Kf3 Ra1 55.Nc4 Rdd1 56.a5 Kf6

The engines reckon the game is completely equal

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

57.Ke3 Ra4 58.b4 Raa1 59.Nb2 Rd8 60.c4??

But now White is lost, whereas 60.Nd3 holds.

60...Ra3+ 61.Ke2 Rb3 62.Ke1 Rxb4

Not only is White back to having only a pawn for the exchange, but all the surviving white pawns are weak 

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

63.Rh2 Rg8 64.Kd1

What is the one critical factor in the position that Black must beware?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

64...Ra8?

Missing that the other rook is in mortal danger. Bearing this in mind, Black should have played something like 64...Rg3.

65.Kc2! b6!?

Or 65...Rxa5 66.Kc3, when Black has to give back the exchange as 66...Rb6?? loses to 67.Rh6+ etc.

66.axb6 Kg6 67.c5 Rb5 68.Kd3 Rxc5 69.Kd4?

69.Nc4 draws, as White's extra pawn is close to queening, and White's pieces are better coordinated than Black's.

69...Rb5

The engines show that 69...Rc1! wins, eg 70.Ke5 (70.Nc4? Ra4) Ra5+ 71.Kd6 Rb5 etc.

70.Nc4 Rd8+ 71.Kc3 Rc8 72.Kd4 Rb4 73.Rc2 Kf6 74.Kd5?

Both 74.Rc3 and 74.Kd3 hold.

74...Rxb6!

Black's advantage is the equivalent of being about a rook up, according to the engines

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

75.Rh2 Rb5+ 76.Kd4 Rb4 77.Rc2 Rb5 78.Ra2 Rb4 79.Rc2 Kg6 80.Kd5 Kh5 81.Rh2+ Kg4 82.Nd6 Rd8 83.Ke5 Rxd6!

Returning the exchange to enter a winning rook-and-pawn ending.

84.Kxd6 Rxf4 85.Rg2+ Kf3 86.Rg5 Ke4

An only-move, but obvious enough.

87.Rg8 Rg4 88.Re8+ Kf3 89.Kd5 Re4 90.Rf8 f4 91.Rh8 Re1 92.Rg8 Kf2 93.Kd4 f3 94.Rf8 Kg2 95.Rg8+ Kf1 96.Rf8 f2 97.Rg8 Re7 98.Ra8 Ke2 99.Ra2+ Kf3 100.Ra3+ Kg2 101.Ra2 Kg1 0-1

British 65+ Round Two

Owen Phillips (1924 ECF/1925 Fide) - Spanton (1940 ECF/2003 Fide)

1.Nc3

1.Nc3 c5 2.g3!?

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 are not keen on this.

2...d5!?

The engines prefer the text over the more-popular 2...Nc6.

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

3.e4!?

By playing 3.d4!? White would transpose into a Chigorin, with colours reversed and White enjoying an extra tempo (2.g3). But the engines are not impressed by the Chigorin at the best of times, and they do not like White's position. The text was played by the highest-rated player to reach the diagram as White, but the engines prefer 3.Bg2 or 3.d3!?

3...d4 4.Nb1!?

This is Stockfish18's top choice. Dragon1 at first marginally prefers 4.Nce2, but later switches to 4.Na4!?, and then to the text.

4...Nc6 5.d3!?

The engines agree this is best, although they give Black a slight edge.

5...Nf6 6.Bg2 Bg4

The engines do not like this, preferring 6...e5, or an apparent-novelty, 6...h6!?

7.f3!?

Another apparent-novelty, and preferred by the engines over the known 7.Ne2.

7...Bh5!? 8.g4!? Bg6 9.f4

Kingside pawn advances like this are often double-edged, but with the centre more-or-less closed, it seems White has little to worry about.

9...h6 10.f5 Bh7

How would you assess this unusual opening position?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black's lead in development probably does not count for much, but meanwhile Black's centre-queenside space advantage squares off against White's extra space on the kingside. The engines give Black a slight edge.

11.Bf4 e5 12.Bg3

Black has the upper hand after 12.fxe6 fxe6, according to the engines.

12...Be7

One move liked by the engines is 12...c4!?, when they reckon 13.dxc4?! Qb6 gives Black a large advantage.

13.h3!?

Protecting g4 to make Nf3 possible.

13...Nd7 14.Nf3 Bg5!? 15.Nxg5 hxg5

White is equal after 15...Qxg5 16.0-0!?, according to the engines.

16.Nd2

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

16...Nb6?!

The engines strongly dislike this, claiming Black has at least the better part of equality after 16...Bg8!?

17.Nf3 f6?!

The engines reckon Black should give up a pawn with 17...Bg8!?, when 18.Bxe5 (18.Nxe5?? Qd6) Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Qc7 20.Nf3 f6 is good for White, but not, according to the engines, winning.

After 17...f6?!, what should White play?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

18.b3?!

Too slow. White has at least the upper hand after 18.h4, eg 18...Bg8 19.hxg5!? Rxh1+ 20.Bxh1, when Black cannot regain the lost pawn, or 18...gxh4?! 19.Rxh4, when material is level for the moment, but the engines reckon White's pressure gives a winning advantage, a sample line running 19...Kd7 20.g5 fxg5!? (apparently best, but not a pleasant move to have to make) 21.Rh5 g6!? 22.Rxg5 gxf5 23.Rg7+ Kc8 24.Nxe5 Nxe5 25.Bxe5, with the position opening nicely for White's bishop-pair.

18...Bg8 19.Kf2

Playing h4 still gives an advantage, according to the engines, but is not decisive.

19...Nd7 20.Qd2 Qa5 21.Ke2

OP offered a draw.

Objectively, should Black accept?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****
½–½

I correctly saw that probably Black's best move is 21...Qa3!?, but failed to correctly assess the resulting position, fearing White would still have good chances on the kingside. The engines, however, reckon White should further-offer an exchange of queens with 22.Qc1!?, although reckoning 22...Qxc1 23.Rhxc1 leaves Black with at least the better part of equality after 23...Bf7 or 23...Ke7.

British 65+ Round One

Spanton (1940 ECF/2003 Fide) - Michael Binks (1933 ECF/1811 Fide)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0-0 g6

This has been played by many grandmasters, but more popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 5...Nf6 and especially 5...Nc6.

6.c3 Bg7 7.d4 Nf6!?

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 prefer this over the 'automatic' Sicilian capture ...cxd4.

8.Qe2

The engines reckon Black equalises after 8.e5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Qd5, and after 8.e5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Nd5. However, as well as the text, they like 8.Re1.

8...cxd4 9.cxd4 0-0

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

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

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

10.Nc3 e6 11.Rd1 a6!?

The engines reckon this apparent-novelty is an improvement over one known move, 11...d5?!, but not as good as the also-known 11...Nc6. One point about the latter is that 12.d5 (11.d5 would have been a good answer to 10...Nc6) can be met by 12...exd5 13.exd5 Ne7. The problem with 11...d5?!, according to the engines, is that 12.e5 is strong, although all three games that saw the move in Mega26 ended in draws, and Black was slightly the weaker player in at least two of them.

12.h3!? Re8 13.e5!?

The engines suggest 13.Bg5 or 13.Bf4.

 Nd5 14.Ne4 dxe5 15.dxe5 Qc7 16.Nd6 Rf8

16...Rd8?! 17.Ng5.

After 16.Rf8, how should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

17.Bg5?!

The engines suggest 17.b3!? Nc6 (17...Nc3 18.Qc2) 18.Bb2, claiming a slight edge for White, or 17.Be3!?, when they reckon 17...Nxe3 18.Qxe3 may also give White a slight edge, but they are less sure.

17...Nd7?

Black is at least equal after 17...Nc6 18.Rac1 Qb8 19.Nc4 h6, according to the engines.

18.Rac1 Qb8

What should White play?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

19.Rxd5!

A temporary exchange sacrifice that gives White a clear edge.

19...exd5 20.Be7

How should Black respond?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

20...b5?

Best, according to the engines, is 20...Re8 21.Nxe8 Qxe8 22.Bd6, although they give White the upper hand.

White to play and win

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

21.Bxf8?

Black has no answer to 21.e6!

After 21.Bxf8?, it is Black to play and equalise

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

21...Nxf8??

Also bad are 21...Bxf8?? 22.Rc8 Qa7 23.e6, and 21...Kxf8?? 22.Rc8, but 21...Qxf8 gives complete equality, according to the engines, although White has to find 22.Rc6 to avoid being at least a little worse (if, as in the game, 22.Ng5??, then 22...Nxe5).

22.Ng5 Ra7 23.Rc8!

The engines reckon this is significantly better than immediately capturing on f7.

23...Qb6 24.Ngxf7

Possibly even stronger is 24.Qf3!?

24...Rxf7 25.Nxf7 Qe6

Not much better is 25...Kxf7 26.Qf3+ Ke7 (26...Kg8 27.Qxd5+ Kh8 28.e6) 27.Qxd5 Qe6 28.Rc7+ Nd7 29.Qxe6+ Kxe6 30.f4, when the engines calculate White's advantage as the equivalent of being roughly a rook up.
26.Rc7 Nd7 27.Ng5 Qxe5 28.Qxe5 1-0

The exchange-down ending is hopeless for Black.

Tricky Tube Puzzle

SPOTTED the following serial number on a Northern Line carriage: 51618
As usual with these tube puzzles, each number should be used once, and once only, and must be added, subtracted, multiplied or divided to make a balanced equation.
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
My solution: 8 - 5 = 6 ÷ (1 + 1)

Championship Chess

AM making final preparations for traveling to Warwick University at Coventry tomorrow for the British chess championships.

I have entered the 65+ tournament, which has 66 entries, part of an overall field of 1,941 players, meaning the final total may well pass 2,000.

There appear to be 11 grandmasters - 10 in the main championship, and one - Keith Arkell - in the 65+, with both tournaments having a time control of 40 moves in 90 minutes, plus 30 minutes to finish, and a 30-second increment throughout.