Hastings Continued

Faced a Slovak in round four of Hastings Masters this afternoon.
Spanton (1951/168) - Svetlana Sucikova (2160/196)
Caro-Kann Classical
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3
There are more than 19,000 games with this position in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
10...e6 11.Bd2
Joe Gallagher in Starting Out: The Caro Kann argues that 11.Bf4 is more precise as it is more active if Black castles short, and he says some players of the black pieces will only castle short if White has played Bd2.
11...Ngf6 12.0-0-0 Be7 13.Ne4
More popular is 13.Kb1, but both moves have been played by lots of strong players.
13...Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Nf6 15.Qe2 Qd5 16.c4 Qe4 17.Qxe4 Nxe4 18.Be3 0-0 19.Ne5 Rfd8 20.g4 Rac8 21.Kb1?!
Decentralising. The main move - we are still in theory - is 21.f3, with the black knight usually retreating to d6. Komodo10 reckons the position is equal, but Stockfish10 gives White a slight edge.
21...Bd6
At last a new move, or at least one not in Mega20. It is Komodo10's choice, but Stockfish10 prefers 21...Bf6.
22.f3 Ng5 23.Bxg5!?
This leaves Black with bishop versus knight with rooks on the board, which usually favours the side with the bishop. However, here the knight is well-placed on the fifth rank, and can only be kicked by weakening the e pawn.
23...hxg5 24.Rhe1 Rc7 25.Kc2 f6 26.Nd3 Kf7 27.c5?!
The engines prefer a move I seriously considered, namely 27.Nc5!? I rejected it because 27...Bxc5 28.dxc5 Rcd7 29.Rxd7+ Rxd7 gives Black the more promising pawn-majority for creating a passed pawn. Komodo10 comes to give Black a slight edge, but Stockfish10 reckons 30.Kc3 equalises.
27...Bg3 28.Re4
Almost certainly better than 28.Rg1?!, which makes it impossible, as far as I can tell, for White to defend the weak d pawn.
28...Rcd7 29.Kc3 Rd5 30.Rd2
Black is clearly better; the only question is whether it is enough for a win.
30...Bc7 31.b4

Can Black get an advantage here?

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31...f5?!
The engines give 31...a5 32.a3 b5, when Stockfish10 continues 33.Ne1 e5 34.Rd1 f5 35.gxf5 exd4+ 36.Kc2 Be5 37.Nd3 Bf6 38.bxa5 Ra8 39.Re6 Ra6 40.Rd6 Rxf5 41.Kb3 Rxa5 42.Rxc6 Rxf3 43.Rb6 with advantage to Black. Komodo10 gives 33.f4 f5 34.Ne5+ Bxe5 35.Rxe5 gxf4 36.Rxd5 axb4+ 37.axb4 Rxd5 38.g5 e5 39.dxe5 Rxe5 40.Rd7+ with counterplay for White, but much prefers Black.
32.Ne5+
Now White seems fine.
32...Kf6 33.Ree2 Bb8 34.Kc4 Bc7 35.Kc3 Bb8 36.Kc4 a6 37.Kc3
The engines reckon White is better after 37.Ng6, but I fear I was concentrating so much on avoiding defeat that I rarely looked for ways to get an advantage.
37...Bc7 38.Kc4 Ra8 39.a4 Rad8
39...Bxe5 40.dxe5+ Rxe5 41.Rxe5 Kxe5 temporarily wins a pawn, but White gets strong counterplay with 42.Rd7.
40.a5 Bb8 41.Kc3 Bc7 42.Kc4 Bxe5 43.Rxe5 Kf7 44.Kc3 Ke7!? 45.Rde2 Rxe5 46.Rxe5 Rf8 47.Kd3 fxg4 48.fxg4 Rf3+ 49.Re3 Rf1
49...Rf4 50.Re4 Rxe4 51.Kxe4 Kf6 52.Ke3 e5 53.Ke4 is a draw, but not 53.dxe5+?? Kxe5 etc.
50.Rh3
Active defence.
50...Rb1 51.Kc4 Rc1+ 52.Kd3 Ra1 53.Kc4 Rg1 54.h6 gxh6 55.Rxh6 Kd7
55...Rxg4 56.Rh7+ Kf6 57.Rxb7 is also a draw, according to the engines.
56.Rh7+ Kc8 57.Rh8+ Kc7 58.Rh7+ Kb8 59.Rh8+ Ka7 60.Re8 Rxg4 61.Rxe6 Rg1 62.Re8 g4 63.Rg8 g3 64.Kb3
Not 64.Kd3? g2 65.Ke2 Rb1 66.Rxg2 Rxb4, when only Black can win.
The game finished:
64...Rb1+ 65.Kc3 Rc1+ 66.Kb3 Rg1 67.Kc3 Rc1+ 68.Kb3 Rg1 69.Kc3 g2 70.Kb2 Rd1 ½–½

Match Of The Round

BRENDAN O'Gorman came up to the board early in my game today against Raymond Kearsley and dubbed it "the match of the round."
RK and I have played nine times before, with me having the white pieces in eight of the games.
I have six wins to RK's three - we may not play good chess, but it is fighting chess.
Kearsley (1624/128) - Spanton (1951/168)
Hastings Round 3
Sicilian Hyper-Accelerated Dragon
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bh6!?
There are just four examples of this move in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database. The idea is that with White committing central pawns to light squares, it should benefit Black to engineer an exchange of dark-square bishops in order to leave White with a bad light-square bishop. However, the move is not liked by Stockfish10 or Komodo10, and American IM John Watson has written - I cannot recall where - that the earlier a player contracts a 'weakness', the more manageable it becomes, and it may not prove a weakness at all (his specific example, I believe, was Black's bad light-square bishop in the French).
4.Bd3!?
When players leave book early, unusual moves often quickly follow. The engines like 4.Nc3 followed by d4, or the immediate 4.d4.
4...Nc6 5.a3 d6 6.0-0 Ne5!?
Strongly disliked by the engines.
7.Nxe5 dxe5 8.Be2 Nf6 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Qc2 b6 11.d3 Bxc1 12.Raxc1 Bb7 13.Qd2 Kg7
I rejected 13...Nxe4!? 14.Nxe4 Bxe4 because of 15.Qe3, but the engines reckon Black has an edge.
14.Qe3 e6 15.Kh1 Qe7 16.f4 exf4 17.Qxf4 e5 18.Qg3 Rad8 19.Rf2 Ne8 20.Rcf1 f6 21.Qh4
The engines reckon White has an edge after 21.h4 Nc7 22.Bg4.
21...Nc7 22.Rf3 Ne6 23.g3?
This keeps the black knight out of f4, but there is a tactical flaw. Best, according to the engines, was 23.R3f2 with a small edge for Black.
23...Nd4 24.Re3
White loses a pawn after 24.R3f2 Nxe2 25.Rxe2 Rxd3.
24...g5?
Missing the forking 24...Nf5.
25.Qh3 Nxe2?!
Played as the result of faulty calculation. Black has a very good game after 25...f5.
26.Nxe2

How should Black proceed?

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26...Bc8
My original intent was 26...Rxd3!? 27.Rxd3, but I gave it up when I saw 27...Bxe4+ 28.Rff3 Qb7?? 29.Rd7+. However the engines give 28...f5 29.g4 (the only move) 29...Qb7 30.Kg1 (another only move) 30...fxg4 31.Qxg4 Bxf3 32.Qxg5+ Kh8 33.Qxe5+ Qg7+ 34.Qxg7+ Kxg7 with an equal position.
In the diagram position, the immediate 26...f5 is also good.
27.g4?
Missing Black's reply, but Black is also better after 27.Qh5 or 27.Qg2.
27...h5 28.Nc3
This seems best as 28.Ng3?! hxg4 29.Nh5+?? loses to 29...Kg6.
28...Bxg4
The engines prefer 28...hxg4.
29.Qg2 Be6 30.Nd5 Bxd5 31.cxd5 Kg6
Black is a pawn up, but White has good compensation in having a protected passed pawn, a hole at f5 for a rook, and play against Black's backward f pawn.
32.Ref3 Rf7 33.Rf5 Rdf8?

White to play and win

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34.R1f3?
It seems I should have taken the chance on the previous move to push my h pawn to prevent White playing the winning 34.h4 g4 35.Rxh5!, eg 35...Kxh5 36.Rf5+ Kh6 37.Qxg4 and 38.Rh5#.
If 34...Kh6, then 35.d6! Qxd6 37.hxg5+ etc, and if 34...Kh7, then 35.hxg5 fxg5 (or 35...Rg8 36.gxf6 Rxg2 37.fxe7) 36.d6! Qd7 37.Qxg5 etc.
34...b5?
Again ...h4 is better.
35.Qc2?
Still winning is h4.
35...a5 36.Rh3 Qc7 37.Qe2 Rh8 38.Rhf3 a4 39.Qf2 Rhf8 40.Rh3
Still playable is h4, but it is not lethal without the white queen on g2.
40...b4 41.Qe2 Rh8 42.Rhf3 bxa3 43.bxa3 Qb6 44.Qf2 Rhf8
44...Qb1+ 45.Kg2 Rhf8 gives Black an edge, according to Stockfish10, but Komodo10 rates the position as dead equal.
45.Rh3? Rb8?
Black has a winning advantage after 45...Qb1+ 46.Kg2 h4 eg 47.Qxc5 Qd1 48.Qe3 Rb8.
46.Qe2 Rh8 47.Rhf3 Qb1+ 48.Rf1 Qb3?
The queen should go back to b6 or b7.
49.R5f3?
49.Qf3 Rhf8 50.Rg1 threatens h4 with a winning attack similar to earlier in the game, so Black has to play 50...h4, when 51.Qg4 wins Black's h pawn, as breaking the pin on the g pawn, eg by 51...Kh6??, loses to 52.Rxg5 fxg5 53.Qxg5+ Kh7 54.Qh5#
49...g4 50.Rg3 f5?
I should have retreated the queen by 50...Qb7 as 51.Rxg4+ only draws after 51...hxg4 52.Qxg4+ Kh7 eg 53.Rg1 Rg7 54.Qh5+ Kg8 55.Qe8+.
51.exf5+?
Winning is 51.d4 eg 51...Qb8 52.exf5+ Rxf5 53.Rxf5 Kxf5 54.Rg1! with a huge attack.
51...Rxf5?
Correct is 51...Kf6 as 52.d4? loses to 52...Qxd5+.
52.Qe4!?
White has 52.Rxf5 Kxf5 53.Qe4+ Kf6 54.Rg1! with a very strong attack, but the text may be even better.
52...Rhf8 53.Rfg1?
Stockfish10's 53.Rg2 wins as 53...Qb8 54.Rgf2 Qc8 loses to 55.Rxf5 Rxf5 56.d6 Qd7 57.Qxf5+ Qxf5 58.Rxf5 Kxf5 59.d7.
Komodo10's 53.Rgg1 also wins eg 53...Kg5 54.h4+ Kg6 55.Rxf5 Rxf5 56.Rf1. The best try in this line seems to be 53...c4, but White has 54.Rf3! Qb7 55.dxc4 Qd7 56.c5 etc.
53...Kf6 54.d4
Best, according to the engines, but now Black gets a promising double-rook-and-pawn-ending. 54...Qb2! 55.dxc5 Qd4 56.Qxd4 exd4 57.Rd3 Rxd5 58.c6?
Better was 58.Rf1+ Kg7 (58...Ke7 59.Re1+ Kd7 60.Re4 gives good drawing chances) 59.Rc1 with an improved version of the game as the black king is a long way from White's passer. The engines continue 59...Rb8 60.Rcd1 Rxc5 61.Rxd4, when Black is better, but may not be winning.
After the text, the rest is fairly simple technique:
58...Rc8 59.Rc1 Ke5 60.Rc4 Ke4 61.Rd1 Ke3 62.c7 Rd7 63.Rxa4 Rcxc7 64.Rb4 d3 65.Kg2 Rc2+ 66.Kg3 d2 67.Rbb1 Rdc7 0-1

Teenage Crush - The Details

HERE is my round-two game from Hastings yesterday.
Spanton (1951/168) - Sacha Brozel (2188/206)
English Symmetrical
1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.e4!?
Going for a Botvinnik set-up (or a Nimzowitsch set-up if the king's knight is played to f3) is the most-popular option in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, but is not liked by the analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10.
6...e6 7.Nge2 Nge7
Mikhail Botvinnik once had this position in a 1952 game ... as Black.
8.0-0 0-0 9.Rb1 b6 10.a3 Bb7 11.b4 Qd7 12.b5 Nd4 13.Nxd4 cxd4 14.Ne2 f5

White to make his 15th move

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15.exf5
Normunds Miezis (2518) - Vladimir Malakhov (2605), Porto San Giorgo 2000, saw 15.f3 e5 16.Bh3, when the engines reckon Black has an edge, but the game was drawn in 133 moves.
15...Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Nxf5N 17.Nf4 Ne7!?
This is Komodo10's top or second choice, depending on how much time the engine is given, but Stockfish10 prefers 17...Rae8.
18.Qg4 Rf5 19.Re1?!
Weakening f2 is unwise. The engines give 19.Qe2, but slightly prefer Black.
19...e5 20.Qe2?!
Probably slightly better is 20.Nh3.
20...Raf8
20...exf4?! 21.Qxe7 is fine for White.
21.Rb2 Qc8?!
The engines give 21...d5, and if 22.cxd5 Nxd5 23.Nh3, then 23...Nc3 is strong.
22.Qe4?
White had to play 22.Nh3, although Black is for choice after 22...d5.
22...exf4 23.Qxe7 f3+ 24.Kh1 Re5 25.Rxe5 dxe5 26.Qh4 e4
Black's position is overwhelming. The remaining moves were:
27.Bh6 Bxh6 28.Qxh6 e3 29.Kg1 e2 30.Rb1 Qf5 0-1

Teenage Crush

THE bad news is that in round two of Hastings today I was completely outplayed by a junior (born 2003) with a Fide rating of 2188 and an ECF grade of 206.
The good news is that the weather forecast is for a dry mix of sun and cloud for just about the whole congress, which is more-or-less how the last Hastings was, making a change from a series of mild but wet-and-windy years.

A red sky tonight outside the Horntye Park venue is promising for tomorrow

Hastings Underway

FACED a Dutchman in round one of the Caplin-sponsored Hastings Masters.
Willem Brouwer (1662) - Spanton (1951)
Réti
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.b3
This is the main move in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, but a popular alternative is to transpose into a Catalan with 6.d4.
6...c5 7.e3
At Trencianske Teplice (Czechoslovakia) 1928, Richard Réti played 7.cxd5 in a win over Ernst Grünfeld, and 7.Bb2 four rounds later in a loss to Baldur Hönlinger.
7...Nc6 8.d4 b6 9.Bb2 Bb7 10.Nbd2 Rc8 11.a3!?
This looks strange to me, but scores a good percentage in Mega20.
11...Re8 12.Ne5 cxd4N 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Bxd4 Bf8!?
Hoping to play ...e5.
15.f4?!
Stopping ...e5, but weakening the e3 pawn.
15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.cxd5 Bxd5 17.Bxd5 exd5 18.Nf3 is equal, according to Stockfish10 and Komodo10.
15...dxc4 16.Bxc6 Rxc6 17.Nxc4 Bc5 18.Bxc5 Rxc5 19.Qxd8 Rxd8 20.Rad1 Rcd5 21.Rxd5 Rxd5
The engines prefer 21...exd5!?, one point presumably being that White's backward e pawn would be weaker than Black's isolated d pawn.
22.h3?
Keeping the black knight out of g4, but weakening g3.
The active 22.Rc1 was possible as Black has back-rank problems.
22...h5 23.a4
Komodo10's choice. Stockfish10 narrowly prefers the passive 23.Rb1, which becomes necessary anyway.
23...Rd3 24.Rb1 Ne4 25.g4 hxg4 26.hxg4 Nc5 27.a5 b5
Komodo10 is OK with this, but Stockfish10 much prefers 27...bxa5.

How should White meet the threat to his knight?

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28.b4?
The engines prefer 28.Ne5 Rxe3 29.Rc1 Nd3 30.Rc8+ Kh7 31.Nxd3 Rxd3 32.Rc7 Kg6 33.Rxa7 Rxb3, which they reckon is only slightly better for Black.
28...Ne4?
This allows counterplay. Much stronger is 28...Nd7.
29.Ne5 Rxe3 30.Rb2?
I felt White had to go for 30.Nc6 eg 30...Rg3+ 31.Kh2 a6 32.Nb8 Rxg4 33.Nxa6 Rxf4 34.Nc7, when Black is two pawns up but White has a fast-moving passer. The engines give 34...Nc3 35.Rc1 Na2 36.Ra1 Rc4 with an unclear position that they reckon favours Black.
30...Rc3
Killing counterplay.
31.Kg2
On 31.Re2, I intended 31...Nf6, and if 32.Rd2, then 32...Nd5.
31...Nf6 32.f5 Nd5 33.fxe6 Nf4+ 34.Kf2 Nxe6?
Not 34...f6??, hoping to win White's knight or, via a fork at d3, White's rook, because White wins with 35.e7 Rc8 36.Rd2. But better is 34...fxe6, and if 35.Rd2, then 35...Nd5.
35.Ke2?
The engines give 35.Rd2 f6 36.Rd6 Nf4 37.Nc6 a6 38.Ke1! with drawing chances, albeit preferring Black after 38...Nd5 39.Kd2 Rc4.
35...f6 36.Nf3?
Better is 36.Kd2, but White it still losing after 36...Rc7.
36...Nf4+ 0-1

Hastings Warm-Up

TO get in the right mood for Hastings, here is a cracker of a game, full of the fighting spirit we can hope for from this year's Masters with its 18 GMs.
Notes in italics are algebraicised from 500 Games Of Master Chess by Tartakower and du Mont.
Underlined notes are from My Fifty Years Of Chess (republished by Dover as Frank J. Marshall's Best Games of Chess).
Dawid Janowski - Frank Marshall
Match 1912
Petrov's Defence
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3
The U.S. chess champion was famed for his sacrificial, attacking play, but even he drew the line at 4.Nxf7!?, a favourite move of the Scottish player John Cochrane. The knight sac has subsequently been played by Ivanchuk, Topalov, Short and Carlsen, so is certainly something a Petrov player needs to prepare for.
4...Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bd6
An ancient idea, which the American champion took up with the addition of several bold innovations.
7.c4
More impatient than, first, 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4 Bg4 with complications.
A premature move, evidently played to avoid the variation [7.0-0 Bg4].
7...Bb4+
So that if 8.Nbd2 0-0 9.0-0 Bxd2! 10.Bxd2 Bg4 with a fine game for Black.
8.Kf1
But this has even less to recommend it.
8...0-0 9.cxd5
The move-order given in 500 Master Games Of Chess and by ChessBase is 7...0-0 8.cxd5 Bb4+ 9.Kf1, but Marshall presumably knew better, and it is clear from the notes in 500 Master Games of Chess that Tartakower/du Mont did not use Marshall's book as a source.
9...Qxd5 10.Qc2 Re8 11.Nc3

Black to play and win

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[Janowski] appears to expect only 11...Bxc3 12.bxc3, when his centre would be rounded off nicely, and compensate him for the loss of castling.
This harmless-looking move proves fatal. But also after 11.Bxe4 Rxe4 12.Nxc3 Bxc3, followed by ...Bg4, Black has the initiative.
Stockfish10 and Komodo10 give 11.Be3 or 11.a3, in each case with a tiny edge for Black.
11...Nxc3! 12.bxc3
He rejoices in view of the threats 13.bxc3 and 13.Bxh7+, but the position holds some magnificent resources.
12...Qxf3!
A bolt from the blue. This queen's sacrifice had to be calculated far beyond its main variation, 13.gxf3 Bh3+ 14.Kg1 Re1+ 15.Bf1 Rxf1#, for the position holds many and varied possibilities for White.
Before my opponent answered this surprise move, I heard him whisper, "Swindle!"
13.cxb4
Hoping to win a pawn after all, although it would have been better for him yt lose one by 13.h3, threatening 13...Qd5 14.cxb4 Qxd4 [the annotation reads 14...QxP, but the d4 pawn must be meant] 15.Bb2 Qxb4 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Bd3 with even chances.
After 13.h3, the game Aleksa Strikovic (2490) - Jesus Baron Rodriguez (2384), Mancha Real (Spain) 2000, continued 13...Qh5 14.cxb4 Nc6 15.Be3 Nxb4 16.Qa4 Nc6, when Black has a pawn and the better coordination, but White has the bishop-pair (0-1, 41 moves).
13...Nc6
A splendid continuation, which, so to speak, changes his original idea (a disorganising sacrifice) to a new plan (an irruptive sacrifice).
14.Bb2?
Here again, 14.h3 is better, or at least 14.Bd2.
There is nothing better: 14.Be3 Bh3 15.Rg1 Rxe3 and wins.
Naturally, gxf3?? still loses: 14...Bh3+ 15.Kg1 Re1+ 16.Bf1 Rxf1#
14...Nxb4
Cards on the table! Of no value, evidently, would be 14...Qh5 15.a3 etc.
And now a second combination, which leads to some interesting play.
The text is given an exclamation mark by an anonymous annotator in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database (perhaps following Marshall's lead), but even stronger seems to be the engines' 14...Bh3!? 15.Rg1 Nxb4, eg 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Qd1 Qxd1+ 18.Rxd1 Bd7, threatening 19...Bb5+.
15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.gxf3
The engines point out White gets mated after 16.Qc4 Bh3 17.Rg1 Nd5, eg 18.Qd3 Ne3+ 19.Ke1 Nc4+ etc.
16...Bh3+ 17.Kg1 Nxc2 18.Bxc2 Re2
After this irruption, the attack is in full swing.
19.Rc1 Rae8
Threatening ...Re1+ and also ...Rxc2. White isn't given a moment's rest.
Also winning is an immediate ...Rxc2!? 20.Rxc2 Re8 21.Rc1 Re6 and mates next move.
20.Bc3 R8e3
Another inspired move, but the simpler 20...Rxc2! 21.Rxc2 Re6 finishes off the game at once.
21.Bb4
If 21.Be4, 21...Rxc3, and if 21.fxe3, 21...Rg2+ 22.Kf1 Rxc2+ followed by ...Rxc1+ and ...Rxh1.
21...Rxf3 22.Bd1 Rf6 0-1

Blast From The Past

I have spent every New Year since 1989 in Hastings - that is 30 New Years and counting.
Here is the first game I played there.
J Holland* (173) - Spanton (151)
Hastings Main A 1989-90, Round 1
Spanish Cozio
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nge7
I was going to credit Andrew Soltis' Chess Digest book Beating The Ruy Lopez With The Fianchetto Variation for inspiring me to play Cozio's variation of the Spanish, but I see it was published in 1994.
4.0-0 g6 5.d4 exd4 6.Nxd4 Bg7 7.Be3 d5??
A novelty, and not a good one. The move still does not appear in ChessBase's Mega database. Normal is 7...0-0, as played by Steinitz, when Black has a good game.
8.exd5 Qxd5

White to play and win

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9.Nxc3?
White is winning after 9.Nxc6, eg 9...Qxd1 10.Nxe7+ Qd7 11.Bxd7+, or 9...bxc6 10.Qxd5 Nxd5 11.Bxc6+.
9...Qd6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bc4 0-0
Despite missing a win at move nine, White has an edge thanks to his better pawn-structure.
12.Qf3 Qf6 13.Qxf6 Bxf6 14.Bxf4 Bxc3!?
Equalising the pawn-structure, but conceding the two bishops - White still has a small advantage.
15.bxc3 Nd5 16.Be5 Re8 17.Rfe1 Be6 18.Bb3 Re7 19.Bd4 a5 20.g3!?
Ensuring White cannot be back-rank mated, and taking the f4 square away from the knight, but it is slow. Stockfish10 and Komodo10 want White to gain space with 20.c4!? Nb6 21.c5.
20...Ree8
It seems I could not come up with a plan. However, the engines' suggested 20...a4 21.Bc4 Ree8 is nothing special either.
21.f3 Bd7 22.Bc4 Rab8 23.Rxe8+ Bxe8 24.Kf2 Bd7
Not 24...Rb2?? 25.Bb3.
25.Bd3 Kf8
I offered a draw. I guess I thought my control of the b file counted for something; otherwise it is hard to see why the higher-graded player would be tempted to cease hostilities in such a position as White.
26.a3 Be6 27.h4 Rb2?? 28.c4 1-0
*I have no idea who this is. The only J Holland with an ECF grade today was not born when this game was played.

'Somewhat Risky' Chameleon

HERE is my previously unposted Saturday-evening game from Coulsdon Christmas U2000/170.
Spanton (1951/168) - Theo Khoury (1415/110)
Sicilian Closed
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 Nf6 4.g3!?
Grandmaster Andrew Soltis wrote the Chess Digest books The Chameleon Sicilian (1982) and Beating The Sicilian Defence: Chameleon Variation (1990), so he had a vested interest in making this move work.
(The idea of the Chameleon Sicilian is that White hedges his bets over whether to play an Open or Closed Sicilian. The hope is that White can choose an Open Sicilian if Black starts playing moves more suitable for a Closed Sicilian, and a Closed Sicilian if Black starts playing moves more suitable for an Open Sicilian.)
After 3...Nf6, Soltis writes (1990 edition): "Black would get his transpositional wish [of an Open Sicilian] after 4.d4. White can, if he wishes, avoid [this] with 4.g3 but it is somewhat risky and the only player of international stature who has taken the risk in recent years is Vlastimil Hort of Czechoslovakia."
In ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, 4.d4 is the most-popular and best-percentage-scoring move, but 4.g3 has been tried by modern strong players including Francisco Vallejo Pons and Baadur Jobava.
4...d6
The most-popular reply is 4...d5, which Soltis calls "by far the most ambitious and most aggressive of the moves available to Black." After 5.exd5 (5.d3 dxe4 "is not fun to play," according to Soltis), the main line runs 5...Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nxc3 7.bxc3! (Soltis's punctuation). However, Soltis concentrates on 5...Nc7, with the idea of setting up a Maroczy Bind, although the analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo10 reckon this is too slow.
5.Bg2 e6 6.0-0 Be7 7.d3 0-0

Position after 7...0-0

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By several transpositions, we have reached a position discussed by Soltis on page 42 of his 1990 book, where he suggests White is likely to achieve "the kind of kingside attacking position that White usually got in the last century [ie the 19th century] when Black answered 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 with something other than 3...g6."
8.f4 Qc7!?
This has been played by a 2415. However, developing the queen to c7 is often thought of as being an Open Sicilian move rather than one that is useful in a Closed Sicilian. Having said that, the move comes to be Komodo10's top choice.
9.h3 a6 10.g4 Nd7 11.Be3 b5 12.g5 Nb6!?
This seems to be new. 12...b4 was played in Jacek Gdanski (2569) - Christer Niklasson (2413), Swedish team championship 2004, which continued 13.Na4 Rfe8 14.c4!? bxc3!? 15.Naxc3 with an unclear position (1-0, 39 moves).
13.f5 exf5?!
This is not liked by the engines. They suggest 13...Qd8!?, but Stockfish10 reckons 14.Qd2 gives White an edge. There is also the tempting combination 14.f6!? gxf6 15.gxf6 Bxf6 16.e5 Nxe5 17.Bxa8 with a sharp position that is hard to assess.
14.exf5 Rd8?!
14...Re8, which also allows the defensive ...Bf8, looks more natural.
15.f6 Bf8 16.Nf4 Bb7
The engines suggest 16...g6, but White is clearly better.
17.fxg7 Bxg7 18.Nh5 d5 19.Nf6+ Bxf6 20.gxf6 Kh8 21.Bh6 Ne5 22.Bf4?
Overthinking. The simple 22.Qh5 Rg8 23.Bg7+ leaves White well on top.
22...Re8?
Better is 22...Rg8, which defends and attacks along the mutually dangerous g file. If White continues, as in the game, with 23.Qh5, Black has the strong 23...d4.
23.Qh5 b4
Now 23...d4? is powerfully met by 24.Ne4 since 24...Bxe4 can be met by 25.Bxe4, which would not be possible in the line in the previous note as the g2 bishop would be pinned by a rook on g8.
24.Ne2 Nbd7 25.Bh2?
Good are 25.Bh6 (Stockfish10) and 25.Rae1 (Komodo10).
25...Qd6?
Strong is 25...d4, not least because an exchange of light-square bishops can only favour Black.
26.Rf5 Nxf6
There is no defence, eg 26...Re6 27.Raf1 Rg8 28.Qxh7+! Kxh7 29.Rh5+ Kg6 30.Rff5, and the threat of Nf4# cannot be stopped without ruinous loss of material.
27.Qh6 Re6 28.Bxe5 Rxe5 29.Rxf6 (1-0, 39 moves)

Tube Puzzle - 'Perfect Solution' Required

SAW the following serial number on a District Line train: 21353.
As usual, each number should be used once, and once only, and must be added, subtracted, multiplied or divided to make a balanced equation. For a 'perfect solution', each number must be used in the order printed.
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My solution:  2 x (1 + 3)  = 5 + 3

Money Game

I WENT into the fifth and last round of Coulsdon Christmas U2000/170 as one of four players on 2.5, a clear point behind leader Brendan O'Gorman.
Spanton (1951/168) - O'Gorman (1675/154)
Sicilian Closed
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nge2 Nc6 4.g3 d5
The main move in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, and clearly critical. From now on each move by both sides has the potential to be highly significant.
5.exd5 exd5 6.Bg2 Nf6!?
A popular alternative to the main line, but not liked by Stockfish10 or Komodo10. The main line goes 6...d4 7.Nd5!? Nf6 8.Nef4 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 Bd6 10.0-0 0-0 11.d3 Be6, reaching a position Andrew Solits discusses in his Chess Digest book Beating The Sicilian Defence: Chamelon Variation (I have the 1990 revised and expanded edition).

Position after 11...Be6

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Soltis writes: "Black has more space but White has that great diagonal leading from g2, and the better squares for his other pieces. His queen can become quite active on the kingside at h5 or f3 and his knight is magnificent on d5. Unlike Black, he really doesn't have a bad bishop. Black, however, ha[s] good power lines for his rooks and the prospect of a queenside push (...b5/...c4) and no kingside weaknesses. Both players will want to mine the e file with rooks and both have an interest in advancing their f pawns. Two examples indicate that the position is not quite balanced and that White is always a little better."
Times have moved on - there are more than 50 examples of this position in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, including Fischer winning with the white pieces against Spassky in their 1992 match. However, it is fair to says results overall have not been good for White, and the engines reckon the position is equal.
7.d4 cxd4
Always tempting in this type of position, at least for club players, is 7...c4?, but Soltis calls it "a positional blunder which allows White a free hand in a semi-closed centre." The engines reckon White is winning (Stockfish10) or at least has the upper hand (Komodo10) after 8.Bg5 and the other known move 8.0-0.
8.Nxd4 Bc5!?
This aggressive bishop-move is not very popular, but has been played by Andrei Sokolov (2556).
9.Qe2+ Qe7 10.Qxe7+ Nxe7 11.Nb3 Bb4
Black seems to be in difficulties whatever he plays, eg 11...Bb6 12.Bg5 Be6 13.0-0-0 0-0-0 (13...Bxf2 14.Rhf1) 14.Na4 Bc7 (14...Bxf2 15.Rd2) 15.Nd4 with much the better position for White.
12.Bd2 0-0 13.0-0
I rejected the engines' choice 13.0-0-0 because of 13...Ng4?, missing the strength of 14.Nxd5, eg 14...Nxd5 15.Bxd5 Bxd2+ 16.Rxd2, when White has won a good pawn.
13...Bf5 14.Nd4 Bxc3?!
I expected 14...Bg6, when White has a pleasant edge.
15.Nxf5 Nxf5 16.Bxc3 Ne4
The engines suggest 16...d4, but after 17.Bb4 Rfe8 18.Rfe1 they reckon White is better.
17.Bb4 Rfe8 18.Rad1 Rad8
The engines give 18...Ne7 19.Bxe7 Rxe7, but White has the upper hand after 20.Rfe1 (or the simple 20.Rxd5).
19.Rfe1 h6 20.c4
Black is losing a pawn, and White will have a passed pawn that is already on the fifth rank (and so considerably stronger than Black's isolani on his fourth rank).
20...Nf6 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.cxd5 b6 23.Kf1
I was not certain 23.d6 or 23.Bh3 definitely won, but felt that centralising the king, while covering the e2 square, must be good.
23...a5 24.Bc3 Ne4?
This loses trivially, but the engines reckon Black is lost anyway.
25.Bxe4 Rxe4 26.d6 Re8 27.d7 Rd8 28.Be5 1-0
My final score of +3=1-1 saw me lose 16.4 Fide elo. It was an ECF grading performance of 159.6. I came equal-first with two others, winning £67.
Addendum 23/12/19: one of the juniors I beat does not have the rating he was credited with (the organisers used a converted ECF), which means my Fide elo loss rises to 18.

Swindle!

LOST a pawn early in my round-four game at Coulsdon U2000/170 today.
The situation was even worse, both materially and positionally, later on, as can be seen in the diagram below.

Black to make his 54th move in Paul G Jackson (1778/160) - Spanton (1951/168)

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54...e4!?
Stockfish10 and Komodo10 are not keen on this at first, but give them enough time and it comes to be Stockfish10's top choice, at least for a while. Clearly Black is lost whatever is played - Stockfish10 reckons White is almost +8, while Komodo10 reckons almost +6. The point of the text, at least from a human perspective, is to try to create some semblance of counterplay - this is not a position where Black can sit tight and hope for the best.
55.Rb3 c4
Clearly not 55...Rdxf5?? 56.Rxf5 Rxf5 57.Rb8+.
56.Rb4 e3 57.Rxc4??
There are many ways to win, but this is definitely not one of them. As a general rule, it can be stated that allowing an enemy pawn to reach the seventh rank is a huge no-no unless you are certain it can be contained and quickly eliminated.
57...e2 58.Re1 Rd1+ 59.Rc1 Rd2
Black has a simple draw, once you have seen the idea of stalemate, with 59...Rc8!, eg 60.R(either)xd1 exd1=Q 61.Rxd1 Rc1+.
60.b4
This effectively concedes an immediate draw. Stockfish10 suggests 60.f6! gxf6 61.Rc7!, but it seems Black holds with 61...Rfd8! (not 61...Rd1+ 62.Ka2, eg 62...Re8 63.Rxe2!) 62.Ka2 Rb8.60...Rb8 61.Ka1 Ra8 62.Kb1 Rb8
And the game was quickly agreed drawn by repetition.

Young Ones

MET my third junior of the tournament this evening in round three of Coulsdon U2000/170, mating in 39 moves against a 1415/110. The combined ages of my opponents is 29.

Morphing The French XI

Spanton (1951/168) - Seyon Rajeev-Lazar (1300/80)
Coulsdon Christmas U2000/170 Round 2
French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5
My 11th attempt at playing against The French Defence in the style of Paul Morphy.
3...exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3 c6 8.Bg5 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5
For 9...Be6, see my game against Alan M Brown (1991/186): https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/09/morphing-french.html
For 9...Bxf3, see Morphy - Sicre: https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/07/morphy-v-french-part-six.html
10.g4 Bg6 11.Ne5 Nbd7
For 11...Re8, see my game earlier this month against Shlok Verma: https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/12/morphing-french-x.html
12.Nxd7 Qxd7 13.Bxf6 gxf6

How should White proceed?

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14.f4
This was James Mason's choice in a draw with Adolf Schwarz at Vienna 1882.
Stockfish10 and Komodo10 prefer 14.Qf3!?, which was played by Mikhail Chigorin in a loss to Max Weiss in a later round of the same tournament.
14...f5 15.g5?!
15.gxf5 Bxf5 16.Bxf5 Qxf5 17.Qg4+ Qg6 is also a little better for Black, according to the engines.
15...Qc7
Mason - Schwarz saw 15...f6 16.h4 fxg5 17.hxg5, which the engines reckon is good for Black, especially after their continuation of 17...Qg7 (Schwarz played 17...Rae8), eg 18.Ne2 (or 18.Qf3 Qxd4+ 19.Kg2 Rae8) Bh5 19.Qd2 h6.
16.Qf3 Qb6 17.Ne2 Rab8?!
Played so b7 is not hanging after ...Qxb2, Rfb1, but it is slow. Black now gets a kingside initiative.
The engines prefer 17...f6 18.h4 fxg5 19.hxg5 Rae8.
18.h4 f6?!
18...h5 looks better.
19.h5 Be8 20.Qg3?
The simple 20.Bxf5 is strong, as is 20.g6, eg 20...hxg6 21.Qg2 Kg7 22.hxg6, when 22...Bxg6 loses to 23.Bxf5.
20...Kh8?
Much better is 20...Bxh5 21.gxf6+ Bg6.
21.g6
Black is lost.
21...Rg8
Or 21...hxg6 22.hxg6 Bxg6 23.Kf2 etc.
22.Bxf5 Qxb2
This does not help, but the engines cannot find a decent move for Black.
23.Kh1 Qa3 24.Qh4 Be7 25.gxh7 Rf8
Or 25...Rg7 26.h6 Rxh7 27.Rae1 with a huge attack.
26.Qg4 c5 27.Rg1
The game finished:
27...Qh3+ 28.Qxh3 Bd7 29.Qg4 Rf7 30.Qg8+ Rxg8 31.Rxg8#
Addendum 24/12/19: My opponent's 1300 rating turns out to be a converted ECF.

Accelerating Defeat

FACED a junior (b2010) in the first round of Coulsdon Christmas U2000/170 today.
Soham Kumar (1512/121) - Spanton (1951/168
Sicilian Accelerated Dragon
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Be3 Bg7 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 d5
The possibility of playing ...d5 in one move, instead of first playing ...d6 as in a regular Dragon, is one of the main points of the Accelerated move-order.
9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxd5 Qxd5 11.Bf3 Qa5!?
A theoretically well-regarded gambit line. The main alternative is 11...Qc4.
12.Bxc6!?
Much more popular is 12.Nxc6, but the text may be better.
12...bxc6 13.Nxc6 Qc7 14.Nb4
14.Nxa7?! Rxa7 15.Bxa7 Qxa7 is very good for Black, according to Stockfish10 and Komodo10.
14...Bxb2
The engines prefer Black to get on with development by playing 14...Bb7.
15.Nd5 Qd6!?
This move, which is the choice of the engines, may be new, or at least is not in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
16.Bf4 e5?!
The engines give 16...Qc5 17.Rb1 Bg7 18.Be3 Qd6 19.c4 with what they reckon is a level position, although there is plenty of play left.
17.Bg5 f6?
The engines give 17...Bg4 18.Qd2 f6 19.Bxf6!? Bd4 (19...Rxf6?? 20.Nxf6+ Qxf6 21.Qd5+ wins for White) 20.Ne7+ Kf7 21.Bh4 with what looks like a very good game for White, eg 21...Rae8 22.h3 Bd7 23.Rfd1 Rxe7 24.c3 Re6 25.cxd4 exd4 26.Bg3 (but not 26.Qxd4?? Re1+) Qd5 27.Qf4+ Kg8 28.Rxd4.

White to play and win

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18.Nxf6+!
Much better than 18.Bxf6, which Black can meet with 18...Qe6, or even 18...Bd4, and still be very much in the game.
18...Rxf6 19.Bxf6 Bxa1??
19...Qxd1 20.Raxd1 Kf7 at least keeps the game going, but White is winning.
20.Qxd6 1-0

Hastings Numbers Well Up

HASTINGS Masters, which starts on Saturday December 28, has 122 entries … and counting.
This compares with 87 in 2018-9, 86 in 2017-8, 99 in 2016-7, 90 in 2015-6 and 108 in 2014-5.
All figures are from chess-results.com, which does not go back further for Hastings. The congress website archives go back three more years, but none comes close to matching this year's total.
Quick link to all entrants at this year's congress: http://www.hastingschess.com/entries-pairings-and-results/

Petrov Revival?

SPOTTING trends in chess is, as in other fields, much easier after the event than during (or before!).
But it would not surprise me if the Petrov started a comeback, and regained at least part of the eminence it had before the rise of the Berlin.
All of which is an excuse for sharing the following cracker of a game from Tartakower and du Mont's 500 Master Games Of Chess.
White is the Hungarian-born, and future British citizen, Isidor Gunsberg. He is probably best known for narrowly losing a world championship match against Wilhelm Steinitz (+4=9-6) in 1891.
Another claim to fame is that he was the secret operator of Mephisto, a chess-playing automaton that, unlike The Turk, was operated by remote-control - quite a feat for the 1870s.
Black is Max Weiss. He is little-known today but his achievements included a +5=1-1 match-win over fellow Austrian Georg Marco in 1895.
This Petrov game was played in 1889 at the 6th USA congress, a 20-man double-round robin.
Notes in italics are algebraicised from 500 Master Games Of Chess.
Gunsberg - Weiss
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5
Disclosing his intention to maintain, as far as possible, his knight on its exposed outpost station; any other move, such as 5...Be7 or 5...Bg4, would necessitate its early retreat.
Carlsen and Karpov are among those who have tried 5...Be7!?
6.Bd3 Nc6
Reserving the development of the king's bishop at e7 or d6, and of the queen's bishop at g4 or e6.
6...Nc6 is the most-popular move today, but 6...Bd6 was commoner in the early days of the Petrov.
7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1
Nothing is gained by 8.c4.
Modern theory prefers 8.c4, although Kasparov and Anand are among very strong players who have tried both moves. For what it is worth, Komodo10 prefers the text, while Stockfish10 likes 8.Nbd2.
8...Bg4 9.c3
With the double mission of supporting the threatened d pawn and of increasing the range of White's queen.
9...f5
Weakening but compulsory.
10.Nbd2
A solid continuation. An ingenious idea, due to the Danish analyst Dr  [Orla] Krause, is 10.c4, this 'advance by stages' being now more rational because of the more exposed formation of Black's kingside.
Geza Maroczy beat Harry Pillsbury with 10.c4!? at Monte Carlo 1902, the game continuing 10...0-0 11.cxd5 Qxd5 12.Nc3 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Qxf3 15.gxf3, when White's bishop-pair proved more important than Black's better pawn-structure.
10...0-0 11.Qb3
Relieving the pin and attacking at the same time. It would be more laborious to effect the unpinning of the knight by 11.Nf1 followed by Ng3 and h3.
11...Kh8
Parrying at least the most serious threat [Nxe4].
12.Qxb7
Hazardous! 12.Nf1 is required here.
José Capablanca played 12.Nf1 in a 1919 match-win against Boris Kostić, but most players, including Ivanchuk, have grabbed the pawn.
12...Rf6
Defending the queen's knight with a powerful threat: 13...Rb8 14.Qa6 Nb4 etc.
13.Qb3 Rb8 14.Qc2 Rg6
At express speed Black obtains a concentric kingside attack.
15.b3!?
This looks rather irrelevant when Black is building obvious pressure against the kingside. The engines suggest the surprising 15.g3!?, which would transpose to Sergei Movsesian (2661) - Frank Kroeze (2374), 2001 Dutch team championship play-off, which continued 15...Bd6 16.b4 Qf6 17.b5 Ne7 18.Ne5!? Bxe5 19.dxe5 Qxe5 20.Ba3 (1-0, 44 moves).
15...Bd6 16.Be2
In preparation for 17.Nf1.
16...Bh3 17.Bf1
If 17.g3, ….h5 with fresh resources.

Position if White had played 17.g3

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If 17.g3, Stockfish10 gives the fantastic line 17...Bxg3!! 18.hxg3 Nxg3!, eg 19.fxg3 Rxg3+ 20.Kh2 Qd6 21.Nc4 (there seems nothing better) Rg2+ 22.Kh1 Qg3 23.Ne3 Rb6! and wins. If in this line White tries 19.Kh2, Stockfish10 gives 19...Qd6! 20.Kxh3 Nxe2, eg 21.Nf1 (21.Rxe2 Qf4 leads to mate) Ng1+ 22.Nxg1 Rxg1 23.Qxf5 Rf8 and wins.
17...Qf6 18.g3 Bxf1 19.Kxf1?!
A strange-looking choice, although the engines reckon Black has good compensation for the pawn whichever way White recaptures.
19...Rf8
Threat of 20...f4, for if then 21.Nxe4 dxe4 22.Qxe4, ...fxg3 etc, and White is swamped.
20.Nxe4?!
An optimistic decision.
The engines give 20.Nh4 Rg4 21.Nxe4 fxe4 22.Ng2, when Stockfish10 prefers Black, but Komodo10 gives a tiny edge to White.
20...fxe4
At a stroke, the pressure passes from the king's knight to the f file.
21.Nh4
The engines reckon White had to play 21.Ng1, but after 21...h5 Black is winning (Stockfish10) or at least has the upper hand (Komodo10).
21...Rxg3!
A superb sacrifice, shattering White's lines of defence.
22.hxg3 Bxg3 23.Kg2
There is nothing better. If 23.Ng2, ...Bxf2 etc.
23...Bxh4 24.Be3 Qf3+ 25.Kh2 Be7 26.Kg1 Rf6 27.Kf1 Qg4
In an instructive manner he keeps the opposing king in a trap.
28.Qd1
Trying to force a passage for his king.
28...Rf3 29.Rc1 Qh3+ 0-1
For if 30.Ke2, 30...Rxe3+ 31.fxe3 Qg2#, and if 30.Kg1, 30...Rf6, to be followed by 31...Rg6+.

Northwick Park Round 5

Spanton (1951/168) - Robert Akeya-Price (1880/175)
Nimzo-Indian
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2
White scores very poorly with this move in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database. But breaking a pin is logical, and the move has served me well in limited duty over 17 years, having scored +9=1-3 with it. In those games my average elo (Fide or converted ECF) was 1976, and I performed to a rating of 2046. That is a rating-plus of 70pts - exactly double White's normal rating-plus (based on database computer analysis by IM - now GM - Larry Kaufman).
4...0-0
The main reply. There is no need for Black to immediately commit to a plan of action.
5.Nf3 b6
Nimzowitsch preferred 5...d6 in a 1923 game, but switched to the text four years later. He won both games, but they were against lesser opposition.
6.e3 Bb7 7.Bd3 d6
Black is prepared to give up his dark-square bishop as long as he is ready to fight for the central dark squares with his pawns.
8.0-0 Nbd7 9.a3 Bxc3 10.Bxc3 Ne4 11.Rc1
Tony Miles played Stockfish10's choice, 11.Bxe4!?, in a 1996 win over Ivan Morovic Fernandez (2575) at the Capablanca Memorial in Cuba.
11...f5 12.b4 Qf6?!
I expected 12...Nxc3 13.Rxc3, when Stockfish10 and Komodo10 reckon Black is at least equal.
13.Ba1 Qg6 14.Ne1
Planning f3. The engines prefer 14.d5!? e5 (14...exd5?! 15.cxd5 Bxd5? 16.Rxc7 is good for White),when Stockfish10 gives 15.Nh4 Qg5 16.g3!? g6 17.f4 with a large edge for White, although Komodo10 is much-less impressed.
14...c5?
This loses a pawn. The engines quite like the prophylactic retreat 14...Nef6!?, albeit preferring White.
15.Bxe4 fxe4 16.dxc5 bxc5 17.Qxd6 Rfd8?
Black gets into more trouble after this, but the engines' 17...Qe8 leaves White well on top.
18.Qc7 Rab8 19.Rd1 Qe8?
Better was 19...Qf7, but it is easy to come up with bad moves in a bad position.
20.Nc2 e5 21.b5 Nb6?
The engines suggest 21...Ba8 or 21...Bc8, but in each case with a winning advantage for White.
22.Bxe5 Nd7 23.Bc3?!
Even stronger is 23.Rxd7 Rxd7 24.Qxb8 Qxb8 25.Bxb8, and if 25...Rd2, then 26.Na1 leaves White a piece up and winning on the queenside.
23...Ba8 24.Qxa7 Rb7 25.Qa4 Nb6 26.Qb3 Rd3 27.Rxd3?
White is still much better after this, but the move gives Black unnecessary counterplay.
27...exd3 28.Ne1?
Better is the engines' 28.Nd4! cxd4 29.Bxd4, when White has four pawns for a knight, and is about to win the d3 pawn.
28...Rd7 29.Bd2 Qe4 30.Nf3?
30.Qc3 keeps an edge as 30...Qxc4? loses to 31.Qe5, when Black has too many loose pieces, while 30...Nxc4? runs into 31.f3 Qd5 32.Rf2, when White has more-or-less consolidated a two-pawn advantage.
30...Nxc4
It was only after moving that I saw the strength of 30...Rf7!? White's best seems to be 31.Ne1 Nxc4 32.Qc3 Nxd2 33.Qxd2, but after 33...Rd7 Black has lots of pressure, despite being two pawns down. The engines reckon 30...Rd6!? is also strong.
31.Rc1?!
31.Rd1 looks stronger.
31...Bd5 32.Qc3 Qg4?!
Stockfish10's 32...Ra7 and Komodo10's 32...Qg6 seem to give Black good counterplay.
33.h3 Qg6
Black offered a draw.
34.Ne1 Ra7 35.Ra1 Qf6?
White is only a little better after 35...Nxd2 36.Qxd2 c4 37.Qb4, according to Komodo10, although Stockfish10 has White winning.

White to make his 36th move

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36.Qxd3! Qxa1?
Better is 36...Nb6, but White is three pawns up and out of danger after 37.Bc3.
37.Qxd5+ Kf8 38.Qxc4 Qxa3 39.Nf3 (1-0, 90 moves)

Northwick Park Round 4

Christopher Tombolis (1875/187) - Spanton (1951/168)
Queen's Gambit Declined
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c5 5.e3 Nc6
The old-fashioned Normal Position of the Queen's Gambit Declined.
6.cxd5 exd5

White to make an interesting seventh move

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7.Bb5!?
7.Be2 is more popular, but the text has been played by Carlsen, Kasparov and Kramnik.
7...a6
The text and 7...Bd6 are Black's two most-popular replies.
8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.Ne5 Bd7 10.0-0 Bd6 11.f4
White's position would be very strong if he had a light-square bishop.
11...0-0 12.h3 Qc7N 13.Qf3 Rab8 14.g4 Ne8 15.Rd1 a5 16.b3 Bc8!?
Planning to relocate the bishop on the a6-f1 diagonal.
17.Ba3 cxd4 18.Bxd6 Nxd6 19.exd4 Re8?
Black has a slight edge, according to Stockfish10 and Komodo10, after the natural 19...f6 20.Nd3 Qa7. I mistakenly thought I could develop the king's rook before evicting the e5 knight
20.Rac1
Threatens 21.Nxd5.
20...Qb7 21.Na4 f6? 1-0
The engines give 21...Ne4 22.Nc5!? Nxc5 23.Rxc5 Bd7 24.Rdc1 with the better game for White. After the text, Black's position is hopeless.

Northwick Park Round 3

Devan Patel (1867/162) - Spanton (1951/168)
 'Barry Attack'
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 e6
Offering a French Defence - an offer that is taken up less than half of the time, at least in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
3.Bf4 Bd6 4.e3 Nc6!?
This more-or-less commits Black to playing for an ...e5 pawn-break, which is usually more effective, but much harder to achieve, than ...c5.
Stockfish10 reckons 4...Bxf4 slightly favours Black, but Komodo10 rates the position as equal.
5.Nf3 Qe7N 6.a3!?
This does not seem to have much point to it. Even so, the engines reckon White has a small edge.
6...Nf6 7.Bd3 h6?!
Missing a chance to get in ...e5, and creating a target in the event of kingside castling.
8.Bb5 Bd7 9.Qd2 a6 10.Bxc6 Bxc6 11.0-0-0?!
The engines are not keen on this enterprising move, but the position is unclear.
11...b5
The engines prefer 11...a5!, one point being that 12.Ne5 runs into 12...Bxa3!, when 13.bxa3? Qxa3+ 14.Kb1 Ra6 wins for Black, so White has to accept the loss of a pawn. Perhaps best for White is 12.Kb1, but then 12...b5 is very threatening.
12.Ne5 Bb7 13.Nd3 0-0
The engines give 13...Ne4 14.Nxe4 dxe4 15.Nc5 Bxc5 16.dxc5 Bc6 with a small edge for Black. 14.h4 Bxf4 15.exf4 Nd7 16.Qe3 Rac8 17.f5 c5 18.Nf4 cxd4 19.Rxd4 e5?
The simple 19...Rfe8 equalises.
20.Nfxd5 Qc5 21.Rg4 Qxe3+?
Straightening White's pawn-formation is much too accommodating, although White has the upper hand after the sensible 21...Kh7.
22.fxe3 Kh7 23.Rh3 Rc5 24.e4 Bxd5 25.Nxd5 f6!?
I rejected 25...Nf6 26.Nxf6+ gxf6 as making the position too easy for White, but the engines reckon it is objectively best.
26.Ne7?
26.h5 is very strong.
26...Rf7?
Better was 26...h5, which defends g7 indirectly by preventing White doubling rooks on the g file. 27.Ng6 Nb6 28.Rd3 Rc8
The back rank has to be covered to prevent Rd8-h8#. Certainly not 28...Rd7?? 29.Nf8+.
29.Rgg3 Rfc7 30.c3 a5 31.Rd6?
It was better to break the pin by 31.Kb1.
31...Nc4?
Missing the strength of 31...Na4, eg 32.Rd5 Nc5 33.Re3 b4 34.axb4 axb4 with threats, although the engines prefer White after 35.cxb4 Nd3+ 36.Kd1 Nxb4 37.Rd2.
32.Rd5 b4 33.axb4?!
33.a4 takes the sting out of Black's play.
33...axb4 34.Rgd3?
The engines' 34.b3 Nb6 35.Rb5 bxc3! 36.Kc2! looks strong. But not 36.Rxb6 as 36...Ra7 seems to give Black a draw.
34...bxc3
I rejected 34...b3! because of 35.Rb5, failing to find that after 35...Ra7 36.Rxb3 Ra1+ 37.Kc2, Black has 37...Rg1 with lots of counterplay.
35.Rxc3 Ne3 36.Rdd3 Nxg2 37.Kd2 Rxc3 38.bxc3 Ra8 39.Ke2?!
The engines prefer 39.h5, and if 39...Ra2+, then 40.Kc1!, which threatens forcing rooks off with 41.Rc2. The engines continue 40...Ra8 41.c4 with a very strong game for White.
39...Ra2+?
Better is 39...Ra4 40.Kf2 Nf4 41.Nxf4 exf4 with a position very similar to one reached in the game at move 42.
40.Rd2 Ra4 
Better is 40...Ra3, although White is still close to winning.
41.Kf2 Nf4 42.Nxf4?
Correct is 42.h5, forcing 42...Ra8, and only then Nxf4 etc.
42...exf4 43.Kf3 Rc4 44.Rd3 g5 45.fxg6+ Kxg6 46.Kxf4 Kh5 47.Kf5 Kxh4 48.Kxf6

Does Black still have a draw at this late stage?

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Yes.
Black had a draw with 48...Rxe4!, the point being that 49.Rd4 is met by 49...Kh5! The game finished:
48...Kg4? 49.e5 Rc6+ 50.e6 h5 57mins less 51.Kf7 Kf5 52.Rd5+ Ke4 53.Rxh5 Rxc3 54.e7 Rc7 55.Kf8 1-0

Drawing The Wrong Conclusion

HERE is my game against the top seed in round two of Northwick Park.
Spanton (1951/168) - Thomas Bonn (2199/201)
Sicilian Closed
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 a6
This may have been first played by Frank Marshall in two wins at Scheveningen 1905. Black continues to score very well with it.
3.g3 b5 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.d3
The non-committal main move.
5...e6 6.a3!?
Not a popular choice, to say the least, but it has been played by Leonid Kritz (2571). The main move is 6.f4, and if 6...b4, Stockfish10 and Komodo10 like 7.Na4!?, when they consider 7...Bc6 8.b3 Bxa4 9.bxa4 as good for White.
6...d5 7.exd5 Nf6!? 8.Nge2 Nxd5 9.0-0 Nxc3 10.Nxc3 Bxg2 11.Kxg2 Nc6 12.Be3 Nd4 13.Bxd4!?
This has been played by a 2305, but is not liked by the engines.
13...cxd4 14.Ne4
An easy improvement on 14.Qf3?? dxc3 15.Qc6+ Ke7, Klaus Neumeier (2305) - Ralf Lau (2495), Austrian Championship 2001 (0-1, 47 moves).
14...Be7 15.a4!?
Trying to induce Black to put another pawn on a dark square (his only minor piece is a dark-squared bishop).
15...0-0 16.f4 f5!?
Very double-edged. Black seizes the initiative, but creates weaknesses on the e file.
17.Nd2 g5 18.Qe2 Qd5+ 19.Qf3 Rac8 20.Qxd5 exd5 21.Rfc1?!
Passive. The engines give 21.axb5 Rxc2 22.Rf2 axb5 23.Nf3 Rxf2+ 24.Kxf2 with what they reckon is a dead-equal position.
21...gxf4 22.gxf4 Bd6
The engines give Black a slight edge after 22...b4.
23.Kf3 Rfe8 24.Nf1
I rejected 24.axb5 because of 24...Re3+, but the engines reckon 25.Kf2 axb5 26.Nb3 Bxf4 27.Nxd4 is equal.
24...b4 25.c3?
The engines give 25.Re1 Rxe1 26.Rxe1 Rxc2 27.Re6 Bc5 28.Rxa6 Rxb2 as only slightly better for Black.
25...bxc3?!
Even stronger is 25...dxc3 26.bxc3 b3.
26.bxc3 dxc3 27.Ne3 Kf7?
Better is 27...d4 28.Nxf5 Bc5.
28.Nxd5 Red8

Black offered a draw here - should White accept? 

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I always have conflicting emotions when a much higher-rated opponent offers a draw. On the one hand I assume he must dislike his position; on the other hand a draw against, in this case, a player rated 248 elo higher is not to be sniffed at. On this occasion there was the added factor that Black was getting short of time, and I now suspect this was the main (only?) reason for his draw offer.
29.Rxc3?!
Not a practical decision. White's win of a pawn is only temporary, and meanwhile Black has the better minor piece.
29...Rxc3 30.Nxc3 Bb4 31.Na2??
Black is only a little better after 31.Ne2 Rxd3+ 32.Kg2.
31...Rxd3+ 32.Ke2 Ra3 0-1

Morphing The French X

MY round-one game at the weekend's Northwick Park congress gave me my 10th chance to try to play against the French Defence in the style of Paul Morphy.
Spanton (1951/1680 - Shlok Verma (1691/156)
French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.0-0 0-0 7.Nc3 c6 8.Bg5 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5
The main move.
For 9...Be6, see my game against Alan M Brown (1991/186): https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/09/morphing-french.html
For 9...Bxf3, see Morphy - Sicre: https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/07/morphy-v-french-part-six.html
10.g4!? Bg6 11.Ne5 Re8
Critical is 11...Qb6!? when Stockfish10 and Komodo10 give a move that is not in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, namely 12.Bf4!?
Most successful of those moves played more than once, albeit from a small sample size, is 12.Bxf6. Géza Maróczy - Richard Réti, 1927 Olympiad (London), continued 12...gxf6 13.Nf3 Qxb2 14.Ne2 Qb6 15.Nh4 Re8 16.Nf5 Bf8 17.Neg3, when the engines reckon White has at least full compensation for the pawn (1-0, 43 moves).
12.f4 Bxd3 13.Qxd3
Black is lagging in development, and his next move exacerbates this, although it seems playable.
13...Be7!?
The engines suggest 13...Nbd7 or 13...Qc7!?, in each case with approximate equality.
14.Rae1 Ne4?
Seeking relief through exchanges, but the move is tactically flawed. The engines reckon White has at best a slight edge after 14...Nbd7.

White to make his 15th move

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15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bxe7 Qxe7
16...exd3 17.Bxd8 is good for White, eg 17...Rxd8 18.Nxd3 when White is a pawn up as 18...Rxd4?? loses instantly to 19.Re8#
17.Rxe4 Na6
If 17...f6, which Black may have been relying on, then 18.Qb3+ Kf8 (or 18...Qe6 19.Nd7! Qxb3 20.Rxe8+ Kf7 21.Rf8+ etc.) 19.Ng6+ wins for White.
18.Rfe1 Qc7 19.Nf3 Rxe4 20.Qxe4
White is a good pawn up (1-0, 66 moves).
**************************************************
Morphing The French - Taking Stock
Since posting my series on Paul Morphy's play against the French Defence (the first part is here: https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/07/morphy-v-french.html), I have had 10 chances to try to emulate him, so this a good time to sum up how the experiment is going.
In those 10 games, I scored +6=2-2. My average elo (Fide or converted ECF) was 1928, and I preformed to a rating of 2026.
White is expected to perform at 35pts above rating, according to database computer analysis by IM - now GM - Larry Kaufman. Allowing for that, my performance is 63pts above expectation.
Ten games is a small sample size, but it is fair to say the results have been encouraging.

Northwick Park Day Two

PLAYED two juniors, both born in 2005. This morning I lost to an 1875/187; this afternoon I beat an 1880/175. My final score of +2=0-3 saw me lose 16.6 Fide elo. It was an ECF performance of 166.2.

Harrowing Time

AM playing in the five-round open section of the Northwick Park congress, which is being held alongside the London junior chess championships at Westminster University's Harrow campus, North London.
This morning in round one I beat a 1691/156 junior (born 2009); this afternoon in round two I turned down a draw against the 2199/201 top seed and lost just a few moves later; this evening in round three I lost a pawn and eventually the game to an 1867/162 junior (born 2003).

Senior Moments

THE ECF is listing a few tournaments taking place next year aimed at seniors: https://www.englishchess.org.uk/Seniors/senior-opportunities-2020/
They are high-profile events, but from personal experience I can recommend the following overseas seniors' tournaments as being good value for money, well-run, easy to get to from the UK and in attractive surroundings:
Marienbad Chess Festival
Jan 18-25
Marienbad, now known by its Czech name of Mariánské Lázně, is a spa town in the Czech Sudetenland popular with German and Russian tourists (as well as Czechs). It will be cold and there will be snow, but the town is attractive in itself and there is easy hiking. The festival includes a nine-round seniors (50+) tournament held over eight days with mostly 4pm starts.

http://www.czechtour.net/marienbad-open/regulations/
Bad Wörishofen Chess Festival
Mar 6-14
This Bavarian event, organised by chessorg.de, is set in an upmarket spa town owing its fame to a Roman Catholic priest, Sebastian Kneipp, who invented a form of hydrotherapy. The small town - it was a tiny village before Father Kneipp turned up - is surrounded by scores of kneippenlagen, which are a sort of metal cattle trough sunk into the ground and filled with water for hypochondriacs patients to wade through. Kneipp therapy is big business in southern Germany - fans can even buy Kneipp-logoed watering cans - but grinds to a halt in the winter, which is why Bad Wörishofen's normally-expensive hotels are great bargains when the chess is on. Nine rounds over nine days, most with a 2pm start. The seniors tournament is for men aged 60+ and women 50+.

http://chessorg.de/bad_woerishofen.php
Senioren Cup, Bad Wiessee
Mar 21-29
Bad Wiessee is a spa town beside the Tegernsee, a lake in the Bavarian Alps. It has a stunningly beautiful setting with excellent hiking paths varying from the easy (around the lake) to the strenuous (the 5,131ft Fockenstein can be ascended directly from the town). The first round is at 3pm, with subsequent rounds at 10am (not to everyone's taste, I realise, but it allows for going on long walks without fear of being tired for the chess). The tournament is for those born in 1970(!) or earlier.

https://www.schach-senioren-cup.de/
Summer Chess Festival, Olomouc
Dates not announced yet, but probably Aug 9-16
Olomouc is a city in the east of the Czech Republic. At one point it was the chief town of the Greater Moravian Empire, but today is better known as a university city. The festival, part of the CzechTour, is held during the summer holidays and includes a nine-round seniors (50+) tournament held over eight days with mostly 4pm starts.

http://www.czechtour.net/

Knocked Out

PLAYED on board seven for Battersea against Athenaeum in the Eastman Cup, London's premier knockout event for teams.
Andreas Iliopoulos (175) - Spanton (168)
New London
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nd2 Bd6 5.Bg3 0-0 6.Bd3 c5 7.c3 Nc6 8.Ngf3 b6 9.Ne5 Bb7 10.f4 Ne7 11.Qf3
With a few minor transpositions, the game has followed the main line of the London, albeit starting with a New London move-order, ie 2.Bf4 rather than 2.Nf3.
11...Rb8?!
A novelty designed to make ...c4 possible without the d5 pawn being pinned. I rejected the most-popular move, 11...Nf5, because of 12.Bf2 with g4 to follow. I missed that Black has 12...Be7! when 13.g4 Nd6 14.g5 Nfe4 slightly favours Black, according to Stockfish10 and Komodo10, but the position seems unclear.
12.Bf2 c4!?
Gaining space but taking pressure off the centre - always a double-edged decision. It comes to be Komodo10's top choice.
13.Bc2 b5 14.a3 a5 15.g4
The engines prefer 15.0-0 or 15.Bh4.
15...Nd7 16.Qh3

How should Black meet the threat of mate on h7?

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16...f5?
The engines prefer returning the knight, as 16...Nf6 17.g5 Ne4 seems fine for Black.
Stockfish10 gives 17.a4 b4 18.Bh4 Ne4 19.0-0 f6!? 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.Nexc4 Ba6 22.Nxd6!? Bxf1 23.Rxf1 Qxd6 24.Nxe4, when White has two pawns for the exchange, but his kingside attack no longer looks menacing, and Black has strong queenside pressure. However, this line is by no means forced. Komodo10 suggests repetition with 17.Qf3 ...
17.Ndf3 Bxe5??
A blunder, but White is also much better after 17...Nf6 18.gxf5 Nxf5 19.Ng5 Bc8 20.Nc6.
18.fxe5?
Stronger is 18.Ng5 h6 19.Nxe6 Qc8 20.Nxf8.
18...Ng6!?
A pawn-sac that the engines are not keen on, but which I felt would much-diminish White's attack, while leaving Black with drawing chances.
19.gxf5 exf5 20.Bxf5
Natural, but the engines prefer 20.Rg1 Qe8 21.Ng5 h6, reckoning White has a winning advantage after 22.Nf3 or 22.e6.
20...Bc8 21.Bxg6 hxg6 22.Qg3 Rb6 23.Rg1 Re8
Stockfish10 gives 23...Nf6! 24.exf6 Rbxf6 25.Ng5 Rxf2 26.Qh4 R8f6 with equality.
24.h4 Nf8 25.h5 Qe7 26.Qh2 gxh5 27.Qxh5 Qf7 28.Qxf7+ Kxf7
Getting queens off seemed to me to be Black's best chance, especially considering the opposite-coloured bishops.
29.Ng5+
The engines prefer 29.e4, eg 29...Bb7 30.Nh4! g6 31.Kd2 with a large advantage for White.
29...Kg8 30.e4 Bb7 31.exd5 Bxd5 32.Kd2 Ne6 33.Nh3?!
Retreating the knight gives Black time to organise counterplay. Stockfish10 gives 33.Nxe6 Rexe6 34.Be3 with a slight edge for White. Komodo10 gives 33.Be3 Nc7 34.Nh3 b4 35.axb4 axb4 36.Ke2, again with a slight edge for White.
33...Rf8 34.Be3 Rb7?!
Probably better is 34...b4 with serious counterplay.
35.Rg6 Rbf7?
Definitely better was 35...b4.
36.Rag1 Kh7??
This allows a knockout blow.  The engines suggest 36...Rb7 37.Ng5 Nxg5 38.Bxg5 b4 39.axb4 axb4 40.cxb4 Rf2+ 41.Ke3 with a position that favours White, but is tricky to play.
37.Rxe6! (1-0, 46 moves).
The result of the match has not been published at the site of the London League, which administers the Eastman Cup, but I will be surprised if Athenaeum have not won.
My updated Battersea statistics for 2019-20
Event*..Colour...Grade...Opponent's Grade...Result
CLL..…...B....…..168...………169...……….....W
CLL...…..B...…...168...………196...…………..D
CLL...…..W...…..168...………176...…………..L
LL....……W...…..168...…....…175...………….D
CLL...…..B...…...168...………192...…………..D
CLL...…..W...…..168...………181...…………..L
LL...…….W...…..168...………168...…………..L
EC...…….B...…..168...………175...……….….L
Overall this season for Battersea I have scored +1=3-4 for a grading performance of 160.
In season 2018-19 I scored +12=12-13 for a grading performance of 169.
In season 2017-18 I scored +10=8-9 for a grading performance of 175.
*CLL: Central London League; LL: London League; EC: Eastman Cup.
Addendum 17/12/19: Athenaeum won the match 8.5-1.5.

Horntye Park 'Saved'

RUMOURS have been circulating the chess world, or at least the English corner of it, that the annual Hastings congress could lose its excellent venue, namely the town's Horntye Centre.
This would be a shame as the centre has superb lighting (it is used for indoor cricket), 'soundless' flooring and plenty of space, along with a bar and canteen.
But people have been telling me the centre's future is in jeopardy from plans to knock it down and replace the centre with housing.
However, as an article from Friday's Hastings & St Leonards Observer shows, redevelopment plans are part of a scheme to raise money to save the centre: https://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/109-flats-approved-for-horntye-park-1-1454355
This must be good news for chess players, at least.

Strongest Hastings Ever?

THERE are now 104 entries to the Hastings Masters, which runs from December 28 to January 5 at the East Sussex town's Horntye Centre.
The full list is below, but a key statistic is that 43 of the players (chess-results.com says 40, but it is wrong!) have some form of Fide title. Of these, nine are FMs, five are IMs and 18 are GMs.
If you rank a tournament by the number of grandmasters playing, I suspect this may be the strongest ever Hastings. Naturally I accept there are other ways to rank tournaments ...

1	GM	Howell David W L	410608	ENG	2676
2	GM	Edouard Romain	633429	FRA	2653
3	GM	Van Den Doel Erik	1003720	NED	2589
4	GM	Sengupta Deep	5008352	IND	2564
5	GM	Stany G.A.	5029104	IND	2526
6	GM	Korneev Oleg	4156803	ESP	2524
7	GM	Kiriakov Petr	4119231	RUS	2502
8	GM	Gormally Daniel W	406465	ENG	2497
9	IM	Petrov Martin	2911086	BUL	2497
10	GM	Panchanathan Magesh Chandran	5007429	IND	2479
11	GM	Swayams Mishra	5028183	IND	2479
12	GM	Williams Simon K	404454	ENG	2461
13	GM	Arkell Keith C	400270	ENG	2453
14	GM	Flear Glenn C	400165	ENG	2440
15	GM	Fishbein Alexander	2000377	USA	2435
16	GM	Hebden Mark L	400084	ENG	2433
17	GM	Cherniaev Alexander	4117301	RUS	2419
18	GM	Lalic Bogdan	409081	CRO	2414
19	FM	Murphy Conor E	421669	IRL	2407
20	IM	Wadsworth Matthew J	415804	ENG	2401
21	GM	Abbasifar Hasan	12501000	IRI	2392
22	IM	Petrov Vladimir Sergeev	2902940	BUL	2355
23	FM	Willow Jonah B	438804	ENG	2355
24	IM	Bates Richard A	403555	ENG	2342
25	IM	Rudd Jack	405736	ENG	2331
26	FM	Grieve Harry	426520	ENG	2299
27		Terentiev Sergei	11600152	LAT	2292
28	WIM	Yao Lan	8610835	CHN	2281
29		Stoyanov Viktor	450308	ENG	2272
30	FM	Ratsma Midas	1032283	NED	2270
31	FM	Lyell Mark	402354	ENG	2265
32	FM	Wall Tim P	401641	ENG	2218
33	WFM	Lehaci Miruna-Daria	1234765	ROU	2214
34		Ratnesan Ranesh	439339	ENG	2213
35		Keetman Maaike	1033697	NED	2203
36		Brouwer Dennis	1018060	NED	2202
37		Brozel Sacha	429317	ENG	2188
38		Gallagher Daniel Gh	436550	ENG	2171
39		Anderson John	405353	ENG	2163
40	WFM	Sucikova Svetlana	14923653	SVK	2160
41		Graham David B	408131	ENG	2152
42		Fishbein Mitch	30922917	USA	2151
43	FM	Eames Robert S	408743	ENG	2150
44	FM	Gutierrez Carmona Juan Alejandr	5106770	MEX	2146
45		Boino Claudio	1901133	POR	2146
46	FM	Thompson Ian D	405205	ENG	2141
47		De Boer Bas	1050729	NED	2138
48		Unnikrishnan Midhun P	5074940	IND	2135
49		Ryzhkov Vjacheslav	4198484	RUS	2134
50		Patrick Chaski	1728849	SWE	2131
51		Brown Thomas	1801430	WLS	2116
52	CM	Persson Andreas	1707957	SWE	2112
53		Hutchinson Paul A	411558	ENG	2112
54		Price Gwilym	443980	ENG	2110
55		White Stuart A	407747	SCO	2106
56		Okhai Shabir	445134	ENG	2103
57		Willson Ollie	424714	ENG	2082
58	AIM	Pekin Tolgay	6305440	TUR	2080
59		Sugden John N	402001	ENG	2065
60		Comellas Blanchart Jordi	2291096	ESP	2064
61		Balaji Aaravamudhan	436224	ENG	2050
62	WIM	Flear Christine	602604	FRA	2035
63	AIM	Rice Chris B	404446	ENG	2027
64	WFM	Anuprita Patil	5012635	IND	2025
65	WFM	Norinkeviciute Rasa	12801925	LTU	2018
66		De Coverly Roger D	405213	ENG	1986
67		Mcnally Richard J E	422738	ENG	1967
68		Pavlov Mikhail	44126573	RUS	1955
69		Burrows Nick	432105	ENG	1952
70		Spanton Tim R	404802	ENG	1951
71		Ortiz Sanchez Luis	24581160	ESP	1947
72		Howell Oliver W	435929	ENG	1928
73		Thorpe Thomas	1802437	WLS	1924
74		Byrn Carsten	1406345	DEN	1919
75	AIM	Fryer David W	406384	ENG	1913
76		Jukes Sam	1803182	WLS	1906
77		Jennings Richard	2404435	SCO	1903
78		Ruane Brendan J	430218	ENG	1882
79		Metcalfe Charlie P	443883	ENG	1867
80		Garnett John S	410829	ENG	1865
81		Flynn David	410594	ENG	1853
82		Siddharth Gopakumar	5053463	IND	1848
83		Miller George	343114090	ENG	1845
84		Wilson Matthew R	423459	ENG	1837
85		Gisbert Mir Alejandro	22253653	ESP	1835
86		Drastik Penelope	3214850	AUS	1821
87		Shivika Rohilla	45015414	IND	1744
88		Zheng Harry Z	460982	ENG	1704
89		Khoo-Thwe Louis	1538756	NOR	1690
90		Sandhu Manvith	458872	ENG	1673
91		Brouwer Willem	1067958	NED	1662
92		Cresswell Mike J	470139	ENG	1662
93		Kearsley Raymond J	470562	ENG	1624
94		Mineev Sergey I.	34200720	RUS	1588
95		Zheng Jerry Z	460990	ENG	1565
96		Abbasifar Baran	22518223	IRI	1531
97		Stoyanov Boris	456462	ENG	1504
98		Kumar Sanjit S	468142	ENG	1501
99		Ratnesan Radha	442828	ENG	1477
100		Krovvidi Raja	488275	ENG	1465
101		Liu Tianyi	8627894	CHN	1307
102		Boudjelaba Mohamed	7939787	ALG	0
103		Snape Ian L	404489	ENG	2196
104	CM	Faulks Nick	8800103	BER	1900