League Chess

PLAYED on board five (of eight) for Battersea against Albany in London League Division Two last night.

Vince Sagues (2042) - Spanton (1942)

Réti

1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 d4!?

This may look strange, as Black has spent a tempo on ...e6, but I discussed the issues here, and the text, although unusual, has been played by Carlsen, and is the top choice, albeit marginally, of Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

4.Nf3 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7

But the engines are not keen on this, preferring 5...Nc6 or 5...c5, eg 5...c5 6.e3 Nc6 7.exd4 cxd4 8.d3 Bd6 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bxf6!? Qxf6, with equality, according to Stockfish18, although Dragon1 fluctuates between equality and giving White a slight edge.

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

6.e3

This is easily the commonest move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but possible is 6.b4!?, when 6...Bxb4?! runs into 7.Qa4 Nc6 8.Ne5.

6...c5 7.exd4 cxd4 8.Re1 Nc6 9.d3 0-0

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

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

The diagram is fairly typical of the type of position that can arise when Black pushes ...d4 in the Réti Opening. White has more space on the queenside and the endgame asset of a farside pawn-majority, while Black has more space in the centre and an extra pawn on the two central files. The engines come to agree White has a slight edge, but only if  continuing 10.Na3!?, when play might run 10...Re8 (the engines are not keen on the popular 10...Nd7) 11.Bf4 Nh5 12.Bd2 Bxa3!? 13.bxa3, with an imbalanced position that the engines assess as giving White the better part of equality.

10.Bg5 h6 11.Bxf6!? Bxf6 12.Nbd2 e5

The engines dislike this, preferring 12...a5, 12...Bd7 or 12...Qb6!?

13.b4!?

Getting this move in, often as a sacrifice, or a pseudo-sac, is a thematic manoeuvre for White when Black has played ...d4, but here the engines prefer 13.a3 (Stockfish18) or 13.c5!? (Dragon1).

How should Black respond?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

13...Nxb4

This is almost certainly best.

14.Nxe5 Re8?

This unprotects f7, which proves significant. I rejected 14...Bxe5 15.Rxe5 Nxd3 because of 16.Rd5 Qf6?? 17.Ne4, but the engines reckon Black is fine after 16...Qc7 17.Rxd4 Ne5.

15.a3 Na6

The engines prefer 15...Nc2!? 16.Qxc2 Bxe5, but give White the upper hand after 17.Bd5 or 17.Rab1.

16.Nef3?

Missing 16.Qh5, when 16...Bxe5 (16...Re7? 17.Nxf7!) 17.Rxe5 gives White at least the upper hand, according to the engines, eg 17...Rb8 18.Rxe8+!? Qxe8 19.Nf3 Qe8 20.Re1, when White's four active pieces contrast strongly with Black's four huddled on the queenside.

16...Rxe1+ 17.Nxe1!?

The engines agree this is best, but the knight has made a sad journey from the fifth rank to the first.

17...Nc5 18.Ne4 Nxe4 19.Bxe4 Qc7

Possibly better is 19...Rb8.

20.Rb1

Can you predict what the engines recommend for Black (well done if you get it in three guesses)?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

20...Qa5

The engines suggest 20...g6!?, partly, perhaps, to prevent a later Qh5 and partly to give the king an escape square at g7 (h7 being covered by the white bishop). The problem with 20...Rb8 is White has 21.Qa4, threatening mate in one as well as the a7 pawn.

21.Qb3

White has at least the upper hand after 21.Bxb7 Bxb7 22.Rxb7 Qxa3 23.Qh5, according to the engines.

21...Rb8 22.Qb4!?

The engines agree this is best.

22...Qxb4 23.axb4 a6

Black has the bishop-pair, but White's bishop is the most active piece on the board, and d4 is probably more of a liability than an asset

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

24.Nf3 b6 25.Nd2 Be7 26.Nf3 Bf6 27.Nd2 Be7 28.Nf3 Bf6 ½–½

The engines reckon Black should have played on with, for example, Kg2, enjoying the upper hand (Dragon1) or at least a slight edge (Stockfish18).

Battersea won the match 5.5-2.5

My Battersea Season 2026-7

DATE.....EVENT...........................COL..RATING..OPP'S RATING..SCORE..SEASON PERF

29/9/26  Club Championship         W     1953              1411                1                  *

1/10/26  Central London League   W     1942              2094                =              2094

5/10/26  London League                 B      1942              2042                =              2068

*I am ignoring my win against a 1411 as it counts as an 1811 performance,,which, unless I have a very bad season, will lower my rating performance, despite my win.

Miniatures 47

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

Spanton (164 BCF) - Paul Stimpson (154 BCF)

Hastings Challengers 1992-3

Scotch Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4

This scores two percentage points higher than 4.Nxd4 in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

4...Be7

This position also arises from the Hungarian Defence: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.d4 exd4

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.0-0 a6!? 8.a4 Bd7 9.Bg5 Qc8?

This appears to be a novelty - the move still does not appear in Mega26 - and not a good one. Known moves are 9...h6 and 9...0-0.

10.f4

Even stronger, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1, is 10.Nd5!?

10...Bg4?

The bishop becomes a target here. The engines suggest 10...0-0, but agree White is better.

11.Qd2 h6?! 12.Nxc6

The engines prefer 12.e5 or 12.Bxf6, and if the latter is met by 12...Bxf6, then 13.e5.

12...bxc6 13.Bxf6!? gxf6?! 14.f5!? d5!? 15.exd5 Bxf5 16.dxc6 Rg8

The engines suggest 16...Be6, but Black's position cannot be saved, eg 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.Qxd5 Qe6!? 19.Rad1!? Qxd5 20.Rxd5 Rd8 21.Rfd1 Rxd5 22.Rxd5 Bd6 23.Bxa6, when opposite-coloured bishops are not enough to rescue Black's game.

17.Kh1 Rg5 18.Rae1 Kf8?! 19.Nd5 Bd6 20.Nxf6 1-0

Black is 'only' two pawns down, but the engines reckon White's advantage is worth at least +7.50.

LESSON: in sharp, open games, it is dangerous to fall behind in development.

County Chess

FACED a junior (born 2016) on board 13 (of 14*) for Kent at Middlesex in the opening weekend of the Southern Counties championship.

Spanton (1942) - Aviraj Bhaduri (1937)

Sicilian ...e6

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5!?

This is fifth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind ...b6, ...d6, ...a6 and especially ...Nc6, but has been played by grandmasters.

4.cxd5 exd5 5.exd5 Nf6

How should White continue?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

6.Nc3

This is second in popularity behind 6.Bb5+, but best, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1, is 6.Bc4!?, when play might continue 6...Qe7+ 7.Qe2 Bg4!? (7...Qxe2+ 8.Kxe2!?) 8.Qxe7+ Bxe7 9.Ne5, with the upper hand for White, according to the engines.

6...Nxd5 7.Bb5+ Nc6

At least two players rated over 2400 have played 7...Bd7?, but 8.Qe2+ Ne7 (forced) leaves Black in trouble, eg 9.d4 Bxb5 10.Qxb5+ Qd7 11.dxc5, resulted in White being up a pawn, and ahead on development, in Leonid Starozhilov (2318) - Christopher Woojin Yoo (2455), Chess.com Blitz 2021 (1-0, 42 moves).

8.Qe2+

The engines prefer 8.0-0 or 8.d4, claiming a slight edge for White.

8...Be6!?

Apparently a novelty - the engines like it as much as the known 8...Be7.

9.d4 a6 10.Bc4!? Be7 11.Be3?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 11.dxc5 or 11.Bxd5 Bxd5 12.dxc5.

What should Black play?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

11...Nxc3

This is Dragon1's second choice, but it prefers 11...Nxe3, claiming a slight edge for Black, while Stockfish18 reckons 11...cxd4 gives Black the upper hand. Play can be very sharp, eg 11...cxd4 12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.Nxd4 Bxg2 14.0-0-0!? Bxh1 15.Nf5 0-0!? 16.Rxd8 Raxd8, which seems to favour Black, but there are plenty of plausible alternatives along the way.

12.bxc3 Bxc4 13.Qxc4 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Nxd4

The engines at first reckon 14...Ne5!? 15.Qa4+ b5 16.Qc2 0-0 gives Black a slight edge, but come to downplay Black's advantage if given more time.

15.Qxd4 0-0 16.0-0 Qxd4 17.Bxd4 Rac8 18.Rfe1 Bc5 19.Rab1 Bxd4 20.cxd4 b5 21.a4!? Rc4

If 21...bxa4, then 22.Rb4.

22.axb5 axb5 23.Rxb5 Rxd4 24.Kf1 ½–½
*Apparently Middlesex were unable to raise a full team of 16, so the captains agreed to make it a 14-board match.

Kent won the match 8-6.

Up And Running

Popped along to the new Chess & Bridge Shop

The only signage so far is inside, but the premises are easy to find, at the Oxford Street end of Great Portland Street 

The shop is not as big as the one in Baker Street, but still feels spacious

Lots of glass ...

... lots of choice

League Chess

PLAYED on board three (of five) for Battersea Galacticos against Pimlico 3 in Central London League Division Two last night.

Spanton (1942) - Richard Black (FM 2094)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e5!?

This is sixth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but has been played by Carlsen, Caruana, Nakamura and other strong grandmasters.

How should White respond?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

4.0-0

This is the main continuation, but 4.Bxc6 is also quite popular, and there are 11 examples in Mega26 of White meeting 4...dxc6 with 5.Nxe5, including three games in which White was rated over 2300, although 5...Qd4 gives Black a slight edge, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

4...Bd6!?

This is the engines' top choice.

5.c4!?

Apparently a novelty, an not liked by the engines. Normal is 4.c3.

5...Nf6 6.d3 h6!? 7.Nc3 0-0

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

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black's dark-square bishop looks oddly placed, but the position is closed, so Black should have time to relocate it, and the engines reckon the game is equal.
8.Qe2!?

This is what I believe Kasparov would call a half-move - it looks vaguely useful, but does not get to the heart of the position. Indeed, the queen becomes a target on e2 for the c6 knight. The engines suggest 8.Rb1, 8.a3 or 8.Ba4!?

8...a6 9.Ba4 Bc7 10.a3 Rb8 11.Rb1 d6 12.h3 Nd4 13.Qd1!?

The engines agree this is best.

13...Bd7!?

Offering to exchange Black's passive, but technically 'good' bishop, for White's active, but technically 'bad', one. The engines suggest 13...b5!? or 13...Qe7.

14.Bxd7 Qxd7 15.Nxd4

The engines reckon White has an edge after 15.a4.

15...cxd4 16.Ne2

Equal, as is 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.cxd5 f5, according to the engines.

16...b5 17.cxb5 axb5 18.Bd2 d5 19.f3!? Bd6

How would you assess this middlegame?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black has more space and is ahead on development, but White has the long-term plusses of a farside pawn-majority and the technically better bishop, even if, for now, Black's bishop is more active. Stockfish18 reckons the position is equal, but Dragon1 prefers Black.

20.Qb3 Rfc8

The engines suggest 20...b4!?, eg 21.axb4 Qb5 22.Ng3 Bxb4 23.Qxb4 Qxb4 24.Bxb4 Rxb4, when White's passed, but isolated and unmoved, b pawn is probably more of a weakness than an asset.

21.Rfc1

21.exd5?! b4!? is good for Black, according to the engines.

21...dxe4 22.fxe4 Qe6?

Heading for an ending is the wrong idea when White's plusses (better majority, better bishop) are much more realisable in an endgame.

23.Rxc8+?

Better is 23.Qxe6 fxe6 24.Rxc8+ Rxc8 25.Rc1, transposing to a position that is also reached in the game, but could have been avoided by Black.
23...Rxc8?

Black should avoid the ending by playing 23...Qxc8.

24.Qxe6 fxe6 25.Rc1 Rxc1+ 26.Bxc1 Nd7

How big is White's advantage in this minor-piece ending?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

It may be that Black's space advantage is the reason the engines evaluate the position as giving White 'only' the upper hand, rather than being winning.

27.Bd2 Kf7 28.Kf2 Be7

Active play by 28...Nc5!? cuts White's advantage to a slight edge, according to the engines.

29.Ng1!?

The engines reckon this is the only move to maintain the upper hand.

29...Nc5 30.Ke2 Na4

RB offered a draw.

31.Bc1

The engines prefer 31.b3!?

31...Nc5

Black should force an exchange of bishops with 31...Bg5!?, according to the engines.

32.Nf3 Kf6 33.Kd2 Bd6 34.Kc2 Ke7 35.Bd2 Kd7 36.Bb4 Kc6

The engines prefer to preserve the knight.

37.Bxc5 Kxc5 38.b4+ Kb6 39.Nh4 Kc6 40.Ng6 Kb6 41.Nh8 Kc6 42.Kb3 Kb6 43.Nf7 Bc7 44.a4 bxa4+ 45.Kxa4 Kxa6 46.Nh8

The knight starts a long journey to the queenside, having achieved nothing by its kingside excursion, but White's advantage has not lessened as there is no counterplay for Black.

46...Kb6 47.Ng6 Bd6 48.Nh4 Be7 49.Nf3 Bd6 50.Nd2 Bc7 51.Nc4+ Kc6 52.Na3 Kb6 53.Kb3 Bb8 54.Kc4 Bd6 55.Nb1 Kc6 56.Nd2 Kb6 57.Nb3 Be7

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

58.Nc5?

This throws away the win. The correct plan is to slowly advance the pawn, as this is one of those positions where the piece-and-pawn ending is won, but the pawn ending is drawn.

58...Bxc5 59.bxc5+ Ka5!

The game is now completely equal. White will lose the c pawn, and so be a pawn down, but without danger of losing the game.

60.c6!? Kb6 61.c7 Kxc7 62.Kc5 Kd7 63.h4 h5 64.Kb5 Kd6 65.Kb6 Kd7 66.Kb7 Kd6 67.Kb6

67.Kc8!? also draws.

67...Kd7 68.g3 ½–½

Pimlico3 won the match 4.5-0.5.

My Battersea Season 2026-7

DATE.....EVENT...........................COL..RATING..OPP'S RATING..SCORE..SEASON PERF

29/9/26  Club Championship         W     1953              1411                1                  *

1/10/26  Central London League   W     1942              2094                =              2094

*I am ignoring my win against a 1411 as it counts as an 1811 performance,,which, unless I have a very bad season, will lower my rating performance, despite my win.

English Update

ENTRIES for the English championships in Peterborough at the end of the month have been updated, albeit with September's ratings, and now stand at 146 across eight events.

Winning Chess

THE U2000 tournament at Hull 4NCL was won by the top seed, Wales' John Fletcher, who notched up four wins, before securing the draw he needed, as Black, in the last round to secure first outright.

Here is his win in round one, which starts with interesting opening play, after which a faulty combination by White gives Black a winning middlegame.

JF nurses it into a winning rook-and-pawn ending, which is where the fun starts, as the endgame becomes a fiendishly difficult series of positions in which first one player, then the other, has to find only-moves to save a half-point (for White) or to bring home the win (for Black).

Even Dragon1 does not understand what is going on, although, to its credit, Stockfish18 does much better.

Robert Kane (1828 ECF/1792 Fide) - John Fletcher (1999 ECF/1955 Fide)

QGD Ragozin

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4

The Ragozin, characterised by the move 4...Bb4, is Black's third-most popular continuation at move four, behind 4...c6 and especially 4...Be7, but is the top choice of Stockfish18, and is Dragon1's equal-first choice, along with 4...c5. But the evaluation-differences between the moves are tiny, and, given more time, 4...dxc4 takes over as Dragon1's top choice, while 4...c6 becomes Stockfish18's second favourite.

5.Qa4+ Nc6 6.Ne5

The engines prefer 6.e3 or 6.cxd5.

6...Bd7 7.Nxc6

Somewhat more popular, at least in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, is 7.Nxd7 - either way, White wins the bishop-pair.

7...Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Bxc6 9.Qb3 0-0

With the immediate tactics having died down, how would you assess the position?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White has the bishop-pair, and can get rid of his doubled pawns at any time, but Black is well ahead on development. The engines reckon the game gives equal chances.

10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 g5!? 12.Bg3 Ne4 13.e3 Kg7!?

The engines are OK with this apparent-novelty, and prefer it over the known 13...h5, which was played by a 2193 in the 2003 Marseille Open.

14.c5!?

The engines much prefer 14.cxd5 or 14.f3.

14...b6 15.Be5+?

The engines reckon 15.cxb6 axb6 16.Bd3 Nxg3!? 17.hxg3 leaves Black slightly better (Stockfish18) or at best with the upper hand (Dragon1).

15...f6 16.Bxc7?

'Clever', but bad, although Black is also on top after the engines' 16.Bg3 bxc5.

16...Qxc7 17.f3

This is the point of White's combination, but after ...

17...Nxc5 18.dxc5 bxc5

... White has lost a pawn, as well as the bishop-pair.

19.Be2 Qa5 20.0-0 Rab8 21.Qc2 Ba4 22.Qc1 Bb5 23.c4 Ba6 24.f4?!

The engines suggest 24.Re1 or 24.h4!?

24...Qb4 25.fxg5 hxg5 26.Bd3 Bxc4 27.a3 Qa4 28.Bxc4 Qxc4 29.Qxc4 dxc4

How big is Black's advantage in this rook-and-pawn ending?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black's two extra pawns are doubled and isolated, but White also has weaknesses, and the engines reckon Black's advantage is roughly the equivalent of being up a minor piece.

30.Rfc1 Rb2!

The engines prefer grabbing the seventh rank over attacking the white isolanis with 30...Rb3.

31.Rxc4 Rd8 32.Rac1 Rdd2 33.Rg4 Kg6 34.Rh4 Kh5 35.Rg3?

White had to play 35.Rcc4, according to the engines.

35...Kxh4 36.Kh2 Rbc2 37.Rb1 Rd7 38.Rb8

Threatening mate in two!

38...Kh5 39.Rg8 Rc4 40.Rf3 Rf7 41.Re8 g4?!

This seriously lessens Black's advantage, whereas, after 41...Re4 or 41...Rh4+, Black is in the region of being the equivalent of a rook up, according to the engines.

42.Rf4?

The engines reckon that after 42.Rf1!? Black's advantage is 'only' about +2.50.

42...Rc3??
Black wins easily after 42...Rxf4 43.exf4 Rc7, eg 44.Rxe6 c4 45.Re1 c3 46.Rc1 c2 47.Kg3 Rc3+ 48.Kf2 Kg6, with an overwhelming position.

White to play and equalise

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

43.Rh8+?

After 43.Rxe6, Black's material advantage is reduced to one pawn, and that, as is well-known, is often insufficient in rook-and-pawn endings, this one included, eg 43...Rxa3 can be met by 44.Rf5+ Kg6 45.Rxc5, with complete equality, according to the engines, one line running 45...a5 46.Kg3 Rg7 (defending g4 indirectly) 47.Rc4 Kf5 48.Re8, when it seems Black cannot make progress. The engines prefer 43...f5, but agree White is fine after 44.a4.

43...Kg6 44.Rg8+ Kh7 45.Rfxg4 Rxe3

White's rooks may look menacing, but Black's king is not in serious danger, and meanwhile Black is still two pawns up

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****
46.Rc8 Re5

There is nothing wrong with 46...Rxa3.

47.Rc4 Kg6 48.R8xc5 Rxc5 49.Rxc5

Now a pair of rooks has been exchanged, how big is Black's advantage?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black is not only a pawn up, but has a passed pawn that can easily be made a protected passer; the a7 pawn is easily protected (and cannot be got at by the white king); and Black's king is well-placed to support the black pawn-duo. Black's advantage is almost the equivalent of being a piece and a pawn up, according to the engines.

49...Rb7 50.Ra5 e5 51.Kg3 Kg5 52.Kf3 f5??

Impatient. Correct is 52...Re7, getting behind the passed pawn, while still protecting a7.

53.Rxe5 Rb3+

All three legal moves draw

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

54.Kf2 Rxa3

The Syzygy endgame tablebase shows 10 of White's 18 legal moves draw

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

55.Re8 Kf4 56.Re2?

There were still eight drawing moves - all seven rook moves along the back rank, and 56.Kg1!?

Black has one winning move

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

56...a5!

Stockfish18 works out that this is winning, but Dragon1 does not.

57.Rc2

Again there is only one winning move

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

57...Rd3

Syzygy, and Stockfish18, show 57...Ra4! wins. Play might continue 58.Rc5 (Dragon1 erroneously believes this draws) Ra2+ 59.Kg1 (Dragon1's idea) a4 60.Rc4+ Ke3 61.Kh2 (equal, according to Dragon1) f4! 62.Kg1, and only now does Dragon1 realise Black is winning, after 62...a3. Actually, Syzygy shows 62...Ra1+ and 62...Ra3 also win, but the most direct path to victory runs (with White putting up the most dogged resistance) 62...a3 63.Rc3+ Kd4 64.Rc3 Kc5! 65.Kh2 Kb5 66.Kg1 Kb6!? (other moves also win, but Syzygy shows this is the fastest) 67.Rb3+ Ka5 68.Rf3 Ra1+ 69.Kh2 Kb5! 70.Rb3+ Ka4 (70...Ka4 is also a good answer to, for example, 70.Rc3) 71.Rb7 (71.Rf3 Rb1 72.Rxf4+ Rb4 73.Rf2 Rc4 74.Re2 Rb3 etc) Rc172.Ra7+ Kb3 73.Rb7+ Ka2, and the rest is relatively simple, eg 74.Ra7 Rc3 75.Ra8 Ka1 76.Ra7 Rb3 etc.

58.Ra2 Rd5 59.Ra4+ Ke5 60.g3 Kd6

White has one drawing move

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

61.Ke3

White had to play 61.g4!, forcing an ending of rook and rook's pawn versus rook - the most drawish of all rook-and-pawn endings.

Black has one winning move

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

61...Kc6

An only-move, but is fairly easy to see other moves get Black nowhere.

62.Kf4 Kb5
Six other moves also win.

63.Ra1 a4 64.g4

Too late.

64...fxg4 65.Kxg4 Rd3 66.Kf4 a3 67.Rb1+ Kc4 68.Ke4 a2 0-1

Championship Chess

PLAYED last night in the first qualifying round of the Battersea club championship, which has a new format this season.

There are six dates for games before Christmas, after which players will be divided into three or four divisions for an additional seven possible games.

Last night's game turned out to be replete with sharp and somewhat unusual tactics.

Spanton (1953) - Stephen Welch (1411)

Caro-Kann Tartakower

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.Be3!?

Fourth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 6.Bc4, 6.Nf3 and especially 6.c3.

6...Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Ne2!?

Avoiding the pin that is available to Black after 8.Nf3.

8...Bg4!?

Pinning anyway! Normal is 8...Re8.

9.h3 Bh5

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

10.Qd2

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 like castling and 10.c4!? After the latter, they reckon 10...Bb4+ 11.Kf1!? leaves White with at least a slight edge, a possible continuation being 11...Bd6!? 12.g4!? Bg6 13.h4 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 Re8 15.h5, reaching a an imbalanced position that the engines agree favours White.

10...Re8 11.0-0 Nd7 12.c4

One of the points of 6.Be3!? is to get in c4 without spending a a tempo on c3.

12...b6 13.b4!? Qc7?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 13...Bg6, albeit giving White a slight edge.

14.c5!?

Gaining space, but making the d pawn backward.

14...bxc5 15.dxc5?!

Almost certainly stronger is 14...bxc5!?, keeping Black's minor pieces out of the key e5 square, and prioritising dynamism over structure.

15...Be5

The engines give 15...Bh2+ 16.Kh1 Ne5, reckoning White has a slight edge at best.

16.Rab1 Rad8

SW offered a draw in my time.

How would you assess the position?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White has the endgame advantage of a farside pawn-majority, but for now that is somewhat overshadowed by the activity of Black's pieces. Nevertheless the engines give White at least a slight edge.

17.f4?!

Premature.

How should Black respond?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

17...Bxe2

This is fine, but the engines highlight the strength of 17...Nxc5!, when 18.bxc5 (not 18.Bxc5?? Bxe2 19.Qxe2 Bd4+ etc) Bxe2 19.Qxe2 Bd4 leaves Black slightly better, the main line running 20.Bxh7+ (forced - 20.Rf3? loses to 20...Rxe3! 21.Rxe3 Qxf4 22.Re1 Re8) Kf8 21.Qh5 Rxe3.

18.Qe2?

Correct is 18.Bxe2, with a slight edge, according to the engines.

18...Bd4 19.Bxh7+?!

This works out well, but is objectively bad. The engines reckon White should sac the queen with 19.Bxd4!? Rxe2 20.Bxe2, when White has rook and two bishops for queen and knight, but may not be losing (the engines disagree).

Black to play and win

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

19...Kxh7?

Both other king moves win, eg 19...Kf8 20.Rb3 Rxe3! 21.Rxe3 Re8 22.Rf3 Rxe3! 23.Rxe3 Qxf4.

20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Bxd4

White is a pawn up, but Black has full compensation, according to the engines

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

21...Re4 22.Rbd1

Black to play and fully equalise

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

22...Rde8

The engines reckon Black had to find 22...Nf8!, when both the bishop and white f pawn are en prise, so the latter falls. The problem with immediately playing 22...Rxf4 is that, after 23.Rxf4 Qxf4 24.Bf2!, the knight is pinned. Play might continue 24...Qb8 25.b5!, when 24...Qxb5 25.Qf5 Qb7 26.Qd3 leaves White up about +4.00, while 24...Ne5 25.b6! axb6 26.cxb6 is also fatal for Black in the long run, according to the engines. However, it is probably fair to say finding quite a few of these moves would tax even masters, never mind club players.

23.g3?!

Probably the wrong way to hold on to the f pawn. Correct, according to the engines, is 23.Qf3 or 23.Qg4.

23...Re2?

The engines reckon Black is equal after moves such as 23...Nf8, 23...a5 and 23...Qb7.

White to play and win

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****
24.Rf2

24.Be5! wins the exchange.

24...g6?

White is a pawn up, but only slightly better, after 24...Re1+ or a retreat such as 24...R2e4, according to the engines.

25.Rxe2!

This is one of most clearly advantageous cases of giving up a queen for two rooks, but even so I was unsure about playing it - perhaps an example of how conditioned chessplayers are to venerate the queen.

25...gxh5 26.Rxe8+

White's advantage is roughly the equivalent of being up a rook (Stockfish18) or up almost a rook and a minor piece (Dragon1).

26...Kg7

This is apparently best, while if 26...Kh7, then 27.Bf2!? is strongest, according to the engines.

27.Re7

Now the knight falls.

27...Qc8 28.Rxd7! Kg6 29.Ba1 1-0

Burnout

BACK in June someone - the person did not leave a name - commented on my plans for the summer, asking if I worried about burning out. I replied that I did worry, but that burnout had not happened yet.

Well, judging by my games over the weekend at Hull, where I faced five lower-rated opponents, tiredness may have finally caught up with me.

I say that because, after winning on Friday evening and Saturday morning, I played three consecutive games in which I blundered, and, by blundered, I mean played moves that were fully deserving of "??," rather than just "?"

It began in round three, where I was Black against Kristian Usifoh (1910 ECF/1953 Fide), reaching the following position after White's 41st move.

White has just played 41.Bb4-e7+, which Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon is the only continuation to give an advantage

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Instead of replying 41...Kxe7, after which 42.Rxe5+ Kd6 43.Re6+ Kd6 44.a4 leaves White two pawns up, but maybe not winning (the engines disagree), I played 41...Kxf5??, when 42.Bd7+ won a piece.

Worse was to come in round four, where I was White against Roger Greatorex (1758 ECF/1754 Fide), reaching the following position after Black's 22nd move.

Black has just played 22...Kg8-h8, leaving White with an advantage worth about a rook, according to the engines

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Instead of continuing with something solid and strong, such as 23.Rf7 or 23.Bd5, I played the 'clever' 23.Bxa6??, the point being 23...Rxa6?? allows checkmate, starting with 24.Rb8+, but my opponent played 23...Bc8.

At least that blunder involved missing a backward bishop move, which everyone does at some point, but worse - far worse - came in round five, where I was Black against Andy Corbyn (1713 ECF/1652 Fide).

White has just played 44.Rb3-a3

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

I replied 44...Re1??, unprotecting f7, at which point Dragon1's evaluation shoots up, eventually passing +14.00 for White, while even the more staid Stockfish18 comes to rate White's advantage at about +8.80. Give the engines more time, and their evaluations increase further.

Everyone errs at chess, and everyone below elite level is used to the horrible feeling that comes with a ?? blunder.

But, to blunder in three consecutive games must, I feel, be a sign of tiredness - burnout, if you will.

Clearly I need to slow down, so, for the foreseeable future, I intend avoiding tournaments with back-to-back double-round days.

Naturally, that still leaves plenty of other tournaments ...

Summing Up Hull

MY score of +2=2-1 in the U2000 lost 10.6 ECF elo and 16.6 Fide Elo.