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?

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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

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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

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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?

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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?

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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

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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

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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?

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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

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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 

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63.Rh2 Rg8 64.Kd1

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

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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

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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?

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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?

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19.Rxd5!

A temporary exchange sacrifice that gives White a clear edge.

19...exd5 20.Be7

How should Black respond?

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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

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21.Bxf8?

Black has no answer to 21.e6!

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

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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.
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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.

Miniatures 44

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

Robert Willmoth (194 BCF) - Spanton (156 BCF)

Hastings Challengers 1991-2

Vienna Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Bc5!?

Very much third in popularity behind 2...Nc6 and especially 2...Nf6.

3.g3 f5?!

An extravagant choice, especially when straightforward and good moves such as 3...Nf6 are available.

4.exf5 Nf6 5.Bg2 d5 6.g4!? h5!?

This seems to a novelty, and is preferred by Stockfish18 and Dragon1 over the known 6...d4?! and 6...0-0.

How should White respond?

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7.h3!?

The engines agree this is best.

7...hxg4?!

Probably better is 7...Nc6.

8.hxg4 Rxh1 9.Bxh1 g6 10.g5 Nh5?!

The engines suggest 10...Ne4!? 11.Nxe4 dxe4, but reckon White is better after 12.f6!?

11.f6 Nxf6?

The engines give 11...e4 or 11...Be6, but much prefer White.

12.gxf6 Qxf6 13.Qf3 Qh4 14.Nxd5 Bg4?? 15.Nf6+ 1-0

LESSON: it is difficult to recover from early and frequent tactical mistakes.

Miniatures 43

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

H Chan (135 BCF) - Spanton (156 BCF)

Middlesex League 1991

King's Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d5!? 4.exd5

This is slightly more popular than 4.Nxe5 in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, and scores 10 percentage points better.

4...e4

How should White proceed?

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5.Qe2!?

Most popular in Mega26 is 5.Ne5, while the engines suggest 5.d4.

5...Nf6

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 like an apparent-novelty in 5...Ne7!?, followed by a quick ...0-0.

6.d4?

6.d3 gives a slight edge, according to the engines.

6...0-0!

Not in Mega26, and better than 6...Bb4+, which was seen in a game in 2008.

7.Qc4?

Possibly best is 7.dxc5, although 7...exf3 8.Qxf3 Bg4 gives Black more than enough compensation, according to the engines.

7...exf3 8.dxc5 Re8+ 9.Kf2 Ne4+ 10.Kxf3 Qh4 11.g3

This is best, according to the engines, but Black has an obvious and strong reply.

11...Nxg3! 12.hxg3 Qxh1 13.Kf2 Bg4 14.Qd3 Nd7 15.b4 Nf6 16.Bd2 0-1

White resigned without waiting for 16...Ne4+.

LESSON: an uncastled king is often a liability when tactics start.

Miniatures 42

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

Anthony D Brown (143 BCF) - Spanton (156 BCF)

Highbury (London) Rapid 1991

Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.b4!?

A rare continuation, although it was played by Morphy, Staunton, Marshall and Tartakower, and is closely related to the Evans Gambit.

How should Black respond?

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5...d5?!

Black has the upper hand after 5...Bxb4, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

6.exd5 Nb4 7.Nxe5 Nbxd5 8.d4 Bb6?

This lets White trap the black king in the centre. The engines suggest 8...Be7 or 8...Bb4.

9.Ba3 Be6 10.Re1 Nf4?

Better is the engines' 10...c6.

11.Bb5+?

White has a big advantage after several moves, especially 11.Qf3.

11...c6 12.Nxc6?

Black is only slightly better (Dragon1) or has the upper hand (Stockfish18) after 12.Bxc6!? bxc6 13.Qf3.

Black to play and gain a winning advantage

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12...bxc6?

Correct is 12...Qd5!, one point being 13.Nxa7+ fails to the simple 13...Kd8 as Black threatens the a7 knight as well as mate in one.

13.Bxc6+ Nd7 14.Qf3!? Rc8 15.Qxf4 Rxc6 16.d5 Rxc2?!

Probably better is 16...Qc7.

17.dxe6 Nf6? 18.Qa4+ Nd7 19.exd7#

LESSON: tactics are easier when you have the safer king.