French Exchange - Drawing Weapon?

THE Exchange Variation of the French Defence is often regarded as a drawing weapon, and not just at club level.
Numerous are the strong players who have swopped pawns in the hope of getting a draw when Black was considerably higher-rated or when a draw suited the tournament situation.
A famous example of the latter is at the 1990 Interzonal when Mikhail Gurevich needed a draw as White against Nigel Short to qualify for the Candidates'.
Gurevich switched to 1.e4 - an unusual choice for him - played the Exchange and suffered his only career loss against Short as White.
Another famous game in the French Exchange dates back to 1978 when Italian IM Stefano Tatai lost in 14 moves as White against Soviet GM Viktor Korchnoi.
Nigel Davies gives the Tatai-Korchnoi game on his French Strategy ChessBase DVD, where Davies says the French Exchange is only a drawing weapon when both players want a draw.
I think one of the problems of playing the French Exchange to draw as White is the danger of getting into a wrong mindset.
That is why I was quite pleased when my opponent in the last round of the Mariánské Lázně Seniors chose it this morning.
Peter Pekarcik is a Slovak without a Fide rating but had a tournament performance over the first eight rounds of 1720.
Pekarcik - Spanton (1943)
French Defence, Exchange Variation
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Bd3
White's most popular choice in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database, but it is interesting that when Carlsen, Kasparov and Kramnik have played the French Exchange they preferred 4.Nf3.
4...c5!?
Much more popular are 4...Bd6, 4...Nc6 and 4...Nf6 but I remembered the text as being Korchnoi's pick against Tatai.

Black's 4...c5!? to a certain extent unbalances the position

5.dxc5
Tatai played 5.Nf3 and the game continued 5...Nc6 6.Qe2+ Be7 7.dxc5 Nf6 8.h3 0-0 9.0-0 Bxc5 10.c3? (too slow) Re8 11.Qc2? (11.Be3 was better but Black would still have an advantage) Qd6! (Korchnoi has a quick kingside attack in mind) 12.Nbd2 (Tatai is in big trouble after this but my main analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo9 cannot find a good move for White) Qg3 13.Bf5? (it seems that best was giving up a pawn by 13.Nd4 Nxd4 14.cxd4 Bxd4 15.Qb3, which at least prevents 15...Bxh3?? because of the reply 16.Bxh7+) Re2 14.Nd4 (there is nothing better) Nxd4 0-1 Tatai - Korchnoi, Beersheba 1978 (resignation is justified as Black will lose a pawn on d4 with further material loss to come).
The text is the commonest move in Mega19 but with it White scores just 37%.
5...Bxc5 6.Qe2+ Ne7 7.c3?!
The same slow move as played by Tatai, albeit not in exactly the same position. Morphy's games show development tempi are important in the French Exchange, which is why it is sometimes classified as an open game (rather than semi-open) because of the central pawn-exchange.
7...0-0 8.Nf3 Re8
Not 8...Bg4? 9.Bxh7+.
9.0-0 Bf5
The aggressive ...Bg4 is still not possible but it would be after 9...Ng6. Another sensible move for Black is 9...Nbc6.
10.Be3
The engines reckon White equalises(!) with 10.Bxf5 Nxf5 11.Qd3.
10...Bxe3 11.Qxe3 Ng6 12.Qd2 Bg4 13.Nd4 Nc6 14.Nxc6!?
Getting another pair of pieces off the board but strengthening Black's centre.
14...bxc6 15.Na3 Qd6 16.Nc2 Nf4 17.Ne3 Qd7 18.Qc2?!
I do not like this as it spends a tempo to force me to protect against a back-rank mate.
18...h6 19.Rae1 Rab8 20.b3 Re5 21.Nxg4 Qxg4 22.f3?!
Probably better is 22.g3 as the try 22...Qf3!? is only good enough for a draw after 23.gxf4 since the newly arrived pawn at f4 covers the g5 square.
22...Qg5?
More forcing is 22...Qe6 which effectively forces a transposition to the game position after White's next move.
23.Rxe5?
Definitely better is 23.g3, eg 23...Rbe8 24.Rxe5 Rxe5 with, at best, a small edge for Black.
23...Qxe5 24.g3??
But now g3 is a blunder, although the engines reckon Black has the upper hand, meeting 24.Rd1 or 24.Qd2 with 24...Re8.
24...Qe3+ 0-1
My win means I finish the tournament on +4=2-3, losing 23.8 elo.

Let It Snow

IT snowed overnight in Mariánské Lázně and has been steadily snowing for most of the morning.
The most noticeable effect has been in narrowing part of the Úšovický stream in the centre of town that had been flowing fairly freely.

Snow and ice encroach on the Úšovický

But all is cosy inside the venue, the Hotel Polonia, which occupies a prime spot opposite the town's central park.
Built in 1838, it suffers from faded grandeur, but is good value - apart from abysmal wifi - in a town that is expensive by non-Prague standards (too many well-heeled German and Russian tourists).

The playing hall before the start of round eight

My game today was decided by a ridiculous blunder just out of the opening that turned what Stockfish10 reckons was a win into a loss.

White to make his 14th move in Spanton (1943) - Ada van der Giessen (1809)

Simple and sensible is 14.Bb3, when Stockfish10 reckons White's advantage is worth more than two pawns. I have my doubts that White is quite that much better, and certainly Komodo9 views my position less favourably.
Whatever the truth, I came up with 14.Nd5?? The idea is that 14...Qxc4?? fails to 15.Nf6+ Kh8 16.Nxe8, while 14...Qxd2?? loses to 15.Nf6+ Kh8 16.Bxd2! Rd8 17.Ba5. But as soon as I moved I saw the reply 14...Nxd5 (0-1, 42 moves)

Golden Age

THE golden age of Mariánské Lázně was undoubtedly in the second half of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th.
This coincides with what was probably also the high-water mark of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and at that time the town went by its German name of Marienbad.
Most of the town-centre's buildings date from this period, including an impressive cast-iron colonnade.

Detail from the colonnade

It was in 1904 that Britain's Edward VII met the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph in Mariánské Lázně. Their discussions focussed on the balance of power in Europe, with Edward trying to detach the emperor from his alliance with Germany.

Franz Joseph and Edward

Edward did not succeed, and he died in 1910, aged 68, which meant he did not live to see Britain and Austria-Hungary go to war.
Franz Joseph lived on to 1916, dying aged 86 at a point in the Great War when events were going well for his empire (Serbia conquered, Russia in retreat and the Italian front stabilised).
My game today, in round seven of the Seniors, was anything but stable and had more than its fair share of instructive moments.
Jan Lacha (1727) - Spanton (1943)
Sicilian Defence, Grand Prix Attack
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.f4 Bg7 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bc4
The main alternative to 5.Bb5. The text has been favoured by Anand and Aronian.
5...e6
I have a friend who has tendency to play ...d6 in these sort of positions, and it is fair to say 5...d6 has been the choice of many players. But it is certainly logical to blunt White's light-square bishop with the text, when the plan is to get in ...d5 without first spending a tempo on ...d6.
6.0-0
The speculative 6.f5!? is also popular, and considered more effective here than against 5...d6 - an argument in favour of the latter for players unsure of how to meet White's pawn sac.
6...Nge7 7.d3 d5
More popular is 7...0-0, but the text has been chosen by some strong players, and seems fine.
8.Bb3 0-0

The chief tabiya of the 5.Bc4 line

9.a3!?
The mainline goes 9.Qe1 Nd4 10.Nxd4 cxd4 11.Ne2 dxe4 12.dxe4 b6 with a position that Stockfish10 reckons favours White but that Komodo9 declares to be equal.
JL's choice appears in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database in the games of several players rated 2400+. White's main idea is to preserve his light-square bishop against the threat of ...Na5.
9...Nd4 10.Nxd4 cxd4 11.Ne2 dxe4!?
The analysis engines do no like this move. Stockfish10 prefers 11...Qb6 while Komodo9 suggests 11...Bd7. In both cases one possible reply is 12.f5!?
12.dxe4 Qb6 13.Kh1 Bd7 14.Be3?
This move works tactically, but JL failed to properly consider the position after the little combination is over.
14...dxe3 15.Qxd7 Nc6
Threatening to win White's queen by bringing a rook to the d file.
16.Qd1 Rad8
16...Rfd8 might seem more natural, saving the other rook for the c file, but I wanted to keep f7 well protected.
17.Qe1 Na5
Grabbing two pawns with 17...Bxb2 18.Rb1 Bxa3 looks risky but may be playable, while 18...Bg7 19.Bxe6 looks even more dangerous for Black.
18.f5!?
This may well not be the best move but it leads to complications and was probably White's best practical chance.
18...Nxb3 19.cxb3 Bxb2?!
More sensible was 19...exf5 (now Black has two pieces covering the f6 square) 20.exf5 Rd2 with a big advantage.
20.Rb1 Bf6 21.e5!?
Adding fuel to the fire - again a practical choice.
21...Bxe5 22.f6 Rd2 23.Ng1!
The best move in the position. Note that 23.Qh4? is hopeless in the face of 23...Rxe2 24.Qh6 Bxf6.
23...Qd6?
Throwing away nearly all of Black's advantage - I somehow missed that I was leaving the e pawn en prise. The engines give 23...Bc3, and if 24.Qh4, then 24...Rf2.
24.Qxe3 Rc8?
A deliberate piece sac, but there is no need for this. Simplest was 24...Rd8, giving the d2 rook extra protection so 25.Qh6 can be met by 25...Qf8.
25.Qh6 Bxf6 26.Rxf6 Rc2

Black is a piece down and will remain so for the rest of the game, but Black's very active pieces, and White's uncoordinated ones, mean the position is unclear

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27.Qf4?
I thought this was White's best chance as 27.Qh3 (27.Qg5 comes to the same thing) runs into 27...Rxg2 28.Qxg2 Rxg2 29.Kxg2 Qd5+ 30.Rf3 g5, but this position, like the last diagram, is unclear - Stockfish10 reckons Black is winning while Komodo9 calls it equal.
27...Qxf4?
The engines point out a win by 27...Qd5 28.Nf3 Rxg2 when White cannot sensibly defend the h2 square.
28.Rxf4 Rxg2 29.Rh4
29.Nf3 does not seem to be an improvement after the reply 29...Rgf2.
29...g5
Black's initiative continues, giving White no time to get coordinated.
30.Rh5 Kg7 31.Nf3
Not 31.Rh3?? g4 32.Rh4 Kg6 as White will have to give up the knight to let his king's rook escape.
31...Kg6
Better, it seems, was 31...h6! as White is obliged to play the game continuation of 32.Ne1 because 32.Rh3??, which is possible in the game, loses trivially to 32...g4.
32.Ne1
But here White could have played 32.Rh3! as I had missed that 32...g4?! can be met by 33.Nh4+, when 33...Kg5 34.Nxg2 gxh3 gives White a better version of the game continuation, although the position is still not clear.
32...Rb2
The engines at first strongly prefer 32...Kxh5 33.Nxg2 f5, but their evaluation steadily goes down with more thinking time while their evaluation of my move goes up.
33.Rxb2 Rxb2 34.Rh3 Re2 35.Nd3 f5 36.Rg3!?
I thought this was just playing for a trap (White threatens 37.Nf4+), but JL seems to have had in mind going for a draw by repetition. The engines prefer 36.Kg1 but reckon Black is much better after 36...f4.
36...e5 37.Rg2 Re3 38.Rg3 Re2 39.Rg2

What should Black play?

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39...Rxg2!
I felt I was taking a huge risk as the resulting ending of knight-and-three-pawns versus six pawns was by no means clear to me.
40.Kxg2 e4 41.Nc5
The alternative try of 41.Ne5+ is met by 41...Kf6 42.Nd7+ Ke7! (42...Ke6 runs into 43.Nf8+! Ke5 44.Nh7 when the engines reckon neither player can make progress after 44...g4 or 44...Kf4) 43.Nc5 b6 44.Na4 Kf6 and White's knight cannot get at Black's queenside pawns quickly enough nor effectively interfere with the advance of Black's kingside pawns. In this latter line the attempt 43.Ne5 is answered by 43...Ke6 44.Nc4 f4 with similar results.
41...b6 42.Nb7 f4 43.Nd6 e3 44.Nc8 Kf5 45.Nxa7 Ke4 46.Nc6 f3+ 47.Kf1 g4 48.a4 h5 49.b4 h4 0-1

It Really Could Be Christmas Every Day

IF you think Christmas does not last long enough in the UK, head to Mariánské Lázně - the festive decorations are still up all over town.

Sparkling reindeer and a Christmas tree

A waitress at Churchill's Pub & Restaurant explained it is because they get a lot of Russian visitors, and the Russian Orthodox Christmas currently falls on January 7 (the late date compared to Catholic and Protestant Christmases is due to differences between the Gregorian and Julian calendars).
There were no glad tidings of comfort and joy when it came to my chess this afternoon - I lost horribly to an 1898 German, being outplayed positionally and tactically.

New Grades Published

THE English Chess Federation today published its list of grades effective from January 1.
My grade has improved modestly from 167 to 171, the highest it has been since January 2017.
The last three entries in my Battersea 2018-19 statistics below have been updated to reflect the new grades.

Updated statistics
Battersea 2018-19
Event...Colour...Grade...Opponent's Grade...Result
CLL.........B..........167...….........196..............…D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..159...………….D
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..161...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..190...………….D
LL...…….W...…..167...………..161...….………W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..148...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..165...………….W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..160...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..159...………….D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..168...………….D
LL...…….W...…..171...………..159...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..198...……….….L
CLL...…..B...…...171...………..169...…………..L
Overall this season for Battersea I have scored +4=7-2 for a grading performance of 176.
In season 2017-18 I scored +10=8-9 for a grading performance of 175.

Double-Round Day (part two)

CANNOT say I walked very far today but I ventured out for an espresso after breakfast and again between rounds.
The temperature was -6C in the early afternoon, and forecast to fall to -11C overnight.

The Úšovický stream in the centre of town has frozen over but water still flows under the ice

Unfortunately my chess matched the weather in that a draw against a 1742 Russian means, rating-wise, I am also below zero: namely -3.4 elo.

Double-Round Day

PLAYING routinely without considering the specifics of a position is a recipe for disaster.
Fortunately for me, my opponent this morning in what is a double-round day in the Mariánské Lázně Seniors focussed too much on avoiding defeat instead of realising he was much better.
Spanton (1943) - Ian Aird (1830)
Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange Variation
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 Be7 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.Qc2 h6

What should White do with his dark-square bishop?

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9.Bf4?!
This is a popular move that has been the choice of some strong players including Nimzowitsch, Fine and Ponomariov, so it is probably presumptuous of me to call the move dubious, but the more popular 9.Bh4 definitely seems better.
9...Nf8?
Slow.
I intended meeting the stronger 9...Nh5 with 10.Nxd5?? Only after moving did I see that my idea of replying to 10...cxd5 with 11.Bc7 fails to 11...Bb4+.
10.Nf3 Bd6 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.0-0 N8d7 13.Rab1 a5 14.a3 0-0

How should White proceed?

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15.b4?!
The position may look ripe for a routine Minority Attack, but my main analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo9 prefer 15.Rfe1 or 15.Rbc1, and it soon becomes clear why.
15...axb4 16.axb4 b5
Stockfish10 still prefers White although Komodo9 reckons the weakness at b4 more-or-less gives Black equality. Either way, my pawn-thrust at move 15 looks to have been premature.
17.e4?
Fighting for the initiative at all costs, but the main effect of the text is to create a second weakness, at d4.
17...dxe4 18.Bxe4
Or 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.Bxe4, when Black's backward c pawn seems to offset White's two isolated pawns.
18...Nxe4 19.Qxe4?
Again mistakenly thinking I was getting an initiative. 19.Nxe4 looks equal, one possible outcome being 19...Qd5 20.Nc3 Qd6 21.Ne4 etc.
19...Nf6 20.Qe5 Rd8 21.Rfd1?
Black is better anyway, but the text invites a strong pin.
21...Be6
As I saw almost immediately after playing my last move, Black is virtually winning with 21...Bg4.
22.h3 Ra3 ½-½
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 22...Nd5. Luckily for me, IA played the text and offered a draw. White is very much on the back foot, so I was obliged to accept.

Sunshine Over Mariánské Lázně, Depression Over My Chess Board

SUNSHINE returned to Mariánské Lázně today, coinciding with the day Paul Stokes and I decided to walk the Metternich Trail, nearly all of which goes through heavily shaded pine forest.
But again, although the temperature was low - the high today was forecast to be -4C - there was no snow-fall and virtually no wind-chill.
The trail goes through land once owned by the prominent 19th century diplomat Klemens von Metternich, who was awarded the title prince for his services to the Austrian Empire.
Along the trail are springs, including the prosaically named Peat Bog Spring - later changed to Balbín Spring to honour a local spa doctor.


Paul at the Balbín Spring

My chess today could have done with attentions of a chess doctor.
I was under the cosh for most of the game in round three of the Mariánské Lázně Seniors, but was hanging on until we reached the following position.

Black to make his 42nd move and avoid immediate catastrophe in Milos Kozak (FM2203) - Spanton (1943)

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I played 42...Rd8? and almost immediately saw the breakthrough 43.d5! There followed 43...cxd5 44.Bxd5 Rde8 45.c6 Bc8 1-0 (51 moves).
During the game, while waiting for MK to play his winning 43rd move, I wished I had played 42...Rce8? but 43.d5! still works, eg 43...cxd5 44.Bxd5 exd5 45.Rxe7 Rxe7 46.Qh8+ etc.
Best was 42...Ree8, when there is no immediate breakthrough but my analysis engines reckon White's advantage is positionally winning.

On The Trail Of Edward VII

I TRAVELLED to Mariánské Lázně with Paul Stokes, a fellow member of Battersea Chess Club.
This morning we walked the 5.7kilometre Edward Trail, named, in a somewhat impertinent fashion, after Britain's King Edward VII.
The trail quickly ascends into forested hills, with splendid views overlooking the town.

Looking down on Mariánské Lázně through firs

This was supposedly the king's favourite walk in the Marienbad area, which suggests he was rather fitter than images of him would imply (but then I doubt if the trail was snow-covered or blocked in several places by fallen trees when he walked it).
One thing that certainly was on the trail when King Edward walked it was the Lookout Tower on Hamelika hill.

Hamelika Lookout Tower used to overlook the town but the view today is obstructed by pines

But it had not been there long - the tower is a folly constructed on a whim in 1876 by local builder Fridrich Zickler.
The trail continues to the Royal Golf Club Mariánské Lázně, opened by the king in 1905.

The club is variously described as the oldest in Bohemia and the oldest in the Czech Republic

Judging by our walk today, it is definitely a good idea to start, as recommended on a trails map obtainable for free from tourist information offices, at the plush spa hotel Nové Lázně.
There are some parts early on that are quite tricky, at least when the ground is covered in snow and ice, but the trail forms a loop, and doing it this way means a much gentler descent.
The higher ground near the golf club looks quite bleak at this time of the year, but is popular with cross-country skiers who set off from the club's car park.

Believe it or not, this is a colour photograph

The club was closed for the winter, so we had to wait till we got back into town for a much-desired coffee.
Two espressos and a rich slice of chocolate-and-banana cake set me back just under £6.50, including a tip, at the Nové Lázně's Wiener Café.
This evening - it was a 5pm start today as there was a rapidplay in the morning - I beat a 1785 in round two of the Seniors.

Marianske Lazne (aka Marienbad)

GOT into Mariánské Lázně - formerly Marienbad - last night for an event on the CzechTour that I have not previously attended.
The weather forecast during the tournament is for a high of -2C, but with no snow (falling - there is plenty on the ground) and little wind-chill.
The place, which is in west Bohemia, was founded by German settlers, becoming a famous spa with the name of Marienbad in the 1800s, which is also when it officially received its charter as a town.
It was renowned for attracting royalty and was the site of a widely publicised meeting in 1904 between Britain's King Edward VII and Austria-Hungary's Emperor Franz Joseph.
Marienbad became part of the new state of Czechoslovakia after World War One, getting its Czech name of Mariánské Lázně, and German speakers were expelled following World War Two.

Mariánské Lázně's Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary

The communist coup of 1948 led to the town being closed to most foreign tourists, but this policy was reversed with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the coming of democracy.
Today, judging by café menus and signage around the town, most visitors speak - apart from Czech - German or Russian.
I was warned very few people would speak English, but, as I suspected, this has proved false, although it has to be said locals have tended to reflexively say "danke schön" when I hold a door open or do some other little kindness.
It is early days, or rather early hours (as I type this, I have not quite been in town for 24 hours), so impressions may easily change.
But I am enjoying myself so far and the chess - I am playing in the Seniors - got off to a reasonable start today when with Black I beat a 1625, although I can hardly claim to have played particularly well.

Losses Are Like Buses

I WENT 19 games unbeaten for Battersea - 20 if you count the internal club championship - but have now lost on consecutive evenings.

Black to make his 30th move  in Garik Mirzoyan (165) - Spanton (167)

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I am much better, probably winning, in this game for Battersea 3 away to King's College in division two of the Central London League last night (Wed).
30...Ra2?
Playing too quickly, as usual, I took the open file, which gives me a choice of attacking d3 or withdrawing to the back rank. It did not take me long to realise that correct was 30...Rc2. Then if White plays 31.Rh1, as in the game, Black has 31...Ke8 32.Rxh7 b5, and there is nothing to fear from 33.g6 as the c pawn is protected.
After the text, the position is equal.
31.Rh1 Ra8?
But now the position is lost for Black.
I rejected 31...Ra3 because of 32.Rxh7 Rxd3+ 33.Kf4 Ke8 34.g6 fxg6 35.Rxc7, missing that Black may well be OK after 35...Rd7.
Komodo9 and Stockfish10 give 31...Rc2 32.Rxh7+ Ke8 (Black's moves can be played in reverse order), when a draw follows 33.Rh8+ Ke7 34.Rh7 (threatening to play g6) Ke8 etc. Note that it is important for the Black rook to be on c2 to protect c7 in the event of White meeting ...Ke8 with g6.
32.Rxh7 Rf8
All moves lose, but this makes White's task easier.
33.g6 Ke8
And so does this, although 33...Ke7 34.g5 does not save Black, eg 34...b5 35.gxf7 Rxf7 36.g6.
34.g7 1-0
Updated statistics
Battersea 2018-19
Event...Colour...Grade...Opponent's Grade...Result
CLL.........B..........167...….........196..............…D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..159...………….D
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..161...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..190...………….D
LL...…….W...…..167...………..161...….………W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..148...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..165...………….W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..160...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..159...………….D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..168...………….D
LL...…….W...…..167...………..148...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..196...……….….L
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..165...…………..L
Overall this season for Battersea I have scored +4=7-2 for a grading performance of 175.
In season 2017-18 I scored +10=8-9 for a grading performance of 175.

Streak Ends

MY 19-game unbeaten streak for Battersea ended this evening … against Battersea.
Aldo Camilleri (196 - Battersea) - Spanton (167 - Battersea 2)
Central London League
Ruy Lopez, Open Defence (by transposition from the Berlin)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 a6!?
Much more popular are 5...Nd6, usually leading to the Berlin Wall, and 5...Be7, but the world champion Magnus Carlsen has played all three moves.
6.Ba4
One point of Black's move order is to avoid the Exchange Variation (3...a6 4.Bxc6), but a major alternative at this point is for White to play a delayed Exchange with 6.Bxc6.
6...b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6

We have reached the main tabiya of the Open Spanish

9.c3 Be7
Slightly more popular in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database, and scoring a better percentage, is the more aggressive 9...Bc5.
10.Nbd2 0-0 11.Bc2 Nc5!?
Black usually plays 11...f5, although the analysis engine Komodo9 prefers 11...Nxd2!?
12.Re1
Stockfish10 reckons White has a big advantage after 12.Nb3 Qd7 13.Re1, giving a position which seems to have first appeared on the board in a 1925 simul where world champion Capablanca had the white pieces.
12...d4 13.cxd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Qxd4 15.Qe2 Bg4!?
Euwe twice won with 15...Rfd8, while Tal drew with 15...Rad8. The text seems to be a reasonable alternative if followed up correctly.
16.Nf3 Qd5 17.Rd1 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Qe6 19.f4 g6 20.b4 Nd7??
The engines give 20...Na4 with a playable game for Black as they are not impressed with White's position after 21.Bxa4 bxa4.
In fact, 20...Na4 was forced since the text loses fairly trivially (as will soon be seen) and 20...Nb7?? runs into 21.f5, eg 21...gxf5 22.Bb3 with a huge attack against Black's king.
21.Bb3 Qf5 22.e6 Nf6
Or 22...Bf6 23.exf7+, again with a winning attack, eg 23... Kg7 24.Be6 Qh5 25.Bg4 Qh4 26.Rb1.
23.exf7+ Kg7?
It was better to give up the exchange with 23...Rxf7, but White is still winning.
The game finished:
24.Qxe7 Qg4+ 25.Kf1 Qh3+ 26.Ke1 Qxh2 27.Be3 Qg1+ 28.Kd2 Qg2 29.Bd4 1-0
Updated statistics
Battersea 2018-19
Event...Colour...Grade...Opponent's Grade...Result
CLL.........B..........167...….........196..............…D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..159...………….D
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..161...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..190...………….D
LL...…….W...…..167...………..161...….………W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..148...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..165...………….W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..160...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..159...………….D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..168...………….D
LL...…….W...…..167...………..148...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..196...……….….L
Overall this season for Battersea I have scored +4=7-1 for a grading performance of 180.
In season 2017-18 I scored +10=8-9 for a grading performance of 175.

Early Hedgehog

A hedgehog formation in chess comes about when one player, usually Black, arranges his forces along the back three ranks and waits for an opportune moment to counterattack.
The one exception to this is that the c pawn is advanced to the fourth rank and exchanged for the opponent's d pawn.
Without this exchange, the opening is technically not a Hedgehog, although it could still have many hedgehog-like qualities.
I always assumed using the word hedgehog to describe a chess set-up was quite a modern thing.
Indeed, according to grandmaster Lubomir Kavalek, writing online for HuffPost, "(Yugoslav GM) Ljubomir Ljubojević is credited with developing the Hedgehog in the modern era - in the early 1970s."
But Kavalek goes on to point out that the earliest known game to feature a hedgehog formation, although it was not given that name then and was only rediscovered many years later, was a game of the German GM Friedrich Sämisch in 1922.
However, the term hedgehog was already in use by the early 1950s, as I discovered while going through 500 Master Games Of Chess by Tartakower and du Mont.
Here is the opening of the game cited by Tartakower.
His comments are in italics - mine in normal type.
James Aitken - Samuel Reshevsky
Scotland - USA, Stockholm Olympiad 1937
Ruy Lopez
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 Na5 9.Bc2 c5 10.d4 Qc7 11.h3
If 11.Nbd2 is more incisive, 11.a4 bolder and 11.d5 more circumspect, the move in the text is perfectly sound.
All four moves are still played today by strong grandmasters, although most popular is 11.Nbd2.
11...0-0
A non-committal reply, which is the most widely used. Other possible continuations are 11...Bd7, followed by ...Rc8, bearing on the queenside, or 11...Nc6 on the centre, or even 11...g5 on the kingside.
11...g5?! is highly questionable, and I can find no evidence of it having ever been played. I guess Tartakower's idea is 12.Bxg5 Rg8, but then 13.h4 (or 13.a4, as preferred by Stockfish10 and Komodo9) seems to simply leave Black a pawn down with little compensation.
12.Nbd2 Nc6 13.d5
He decides to block the centre in order to concentrate on the kingside. Other playable lines are 13.a4 or 13.Nf1, with the positional sacrifice of a pawn.
Lasker and Tarrasch debated the sacrifice line in their 1908 world championship match, playing 13...cxd4 14.cxd4 Nxd4 15.Nxd4 exd4. In game three Lasker played 16.Ng3 and lost; in game five he chose 16.Bg5 and won. Note that 16.Qxd4?? is a gross blunder because of 16...Qxc2.
13...Nd8
A playable alternative is 13...Nb8.
14.Nf1
Without interpolating the interesting episode 14.a4, White unwaveringly pursues the object he has set himself by the preceding move: a direct kingside attack.
14...Ne8
Black's counterplay aims at effecting the counterthrust ...f5.
15.g4
Preventing, as it does, the enemy threat, this move is more energetic than 15.Ng3.
15...g6 16.Bh6
Or at once 16.Ng3.
16...Ng7 17.Ng3 f6
There is a great deal of resistance in the "hedgehog position" which Black has adopted.

There are 54 games with this position in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database

OK, today this would not be recognised as a Hedgehog, but Black's kingside does have a spindly hedgehog appearance.
The remaining moves were: 18.Kh1 Nf7 19.Be3 Kh8 20.Rg1 Bd7 21.Qe2 c4 22.Nd2 Rg8 23.Rg2 Raf8 24.f3 Qc8 25.Rag1 f5 26.Nxf5 gxf5 27.exf5 Nxf5 28.gxf5 Bxf5 29.Rxg8+ Rxg8 30.Rxg8+ Kxg8 31.Qg2+ Kf8 32.Bxf5 Qxf5 33.Ne4 h5 34.Kh2 Qh7 35.Qd2 Nh8 36.Bg5 Qf5 37.Bxe7+ Kxe7 38.Qf2 Nf7 39.Qa7+ Kf8 40.Qb8+ Kg7 41.Kg2 Qf4 42.Qa7 Qc1 43.Nxd6 Qd2+ 44.Kf1 Qxd5 45.Ne4 h4 46.Qf2 Qd1+ 47.Kg2 Qd8 48.Qa7 Qd3 49.Qf2 Qb1 50.Qxh4 Qxb2+ 51.Kg3 Kf8 52.Qf6 Qc1 53.Qxa6 Qg1+ 54.Kh4 Qe3 55.Qc8+ Kg7 56.Qg4+ Kf8 57.Qc8+ Kg7 ½-½
 

The King Is A Fighting Piece - Or Is It?

I AM slowly going through Tartakower & du Mont's 1952 classic, 500 Master Games Of Chess.
The games are arranged by opening, and within each opening by chronological order, where practical, to bring out the historical development of variations within an opening.
The book has been much-praised, not least because of this instructive method of presntation.

Tartakower's 500 … I got mine secondhand for £12

The following game is between the first winner of the British Chess Championship, the now largely forgotten Cecil de Vere, and Wilhelm Steinitz, who was to become the first officially recognised world chess champion.
It was Steinitz who famously said: "The king is a fighting piece - use it!" At least, he is often quoted on the internet as having stated that, although I have been unable to find a source for the quote. Anyway, I wonder if he recalled this game when giving his advice (assuming the advice came later).
De Vere - Steinitz
Dundee 1867
Ruy Lopez, Open Berlin
Notes in italics are by Tartakower (algebraicised) - other notes are by me
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6
At one time Dr Lasker used to be the great protagonist of this active (if not too active) defence.
4.0-0
White disdains to protect his KP either by 4.Qe2 or more modestly by 4.d3, relying on the superior development which its capture would give him.
4...Nxe4
Challenging thunder and lightning on the K file in preference to adopting a more staid line of defence by 4...d6 (5.d4 Bd7 etc = Steinitz Defence) or 4...Be7 or even 4...Bc5.
5.Re1
Even more vigorous is 5.d4, strengthening the pressure on the centre files. The defence against 5.Qe2 presents no difficulties, eg 5...Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Nxe5 Be7 8.Re1 Be6 9.d4 Nf5 (not yet 9...0-0 10.Nxf7) 10.c3 0-0 with an equal game.
Carlsen and his most-recent world championship challenger Caruana are among strong players who have varied between picking 5.d4 and 5.Re1.
5...Nd6 6.Nxe5
Or 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Nxe5 Be7 followed by ...0-0.
6...Nxe5
Instead of this impulsive reply, which tries to eliminate the terrible threat Nxc6+, the coolheaded 6...Be7 is the coup juste.
Modern opinion tends to agree with Tartakower, eg John Cox in The Berlin Wall (2008) gives 6...Be7 without comment, as do Igor Lysyj & Roman Ovetchkin in The Berlin Defence (2012). However, Nakamura is one famous player who has played both moves.
Looking at my games, for what they are worth, I see I lost both times I played 6...Nxe5, and scored +2=3-4 with 6...Be7.
7.Rxe5+ Be7 8.d4?!
A choice that has not found favour over the following decades. Steinitz twice had this position 21 years later in his world title match against Zukertort. In game four of that match he played 8.Bf1 and lost; in game six he played 8.Nc3 and won. Today 8.Bf1 is most popular.

Steinitz had a penchant for exposing his king, but his next move takes that liking too far

8...f6?
An unsuccessful attempt to confiscate the opposing KB, which badly weakens the black king's battlements. As, on the other hand, 8...0-0 9.Bd3 would leave the white pieces with good attacking positions, simplification by 8...Nxb5 9.Rxb5 is the only resource.
The engines Stockfish10 and Komodo9 reckon Black is better after 8...Nxb5.
9.Re1 Nxb5
Again after 9...0-0 10.Bd3 White's pressure would be intensified.
10.Qh5+ g6
Stockfish10 strongly prefers 10...Kf8!? Komodo9 is unconvinced.
11.Qxb5 c6
After 11...0-0 Black's position would be no less awkward.
12.Qb3 d5 13.c4
This fight for the important diagonal a2-g8 marks an essential stage on the way to success.
13...Kf7
He resorts to artificial castling because after 13...0-0 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.Nc3 Black could not protect his d pawn and dark-square bishop.
14.Nc3
If now 14.cxd5 Qxd5 15.Qxd5 cxd5 16.Nc3 Bb4, and Black achieves equality.
14...dxc4?!
If 14...Be6 15.Qxb7.
The first piece of Tartakower's analysis that the engines strongly disagree with. They reckon that after a line such as 15...Qb6 16.Qxb6 axb6 17.cxd5 Bxd5 18.Nxd5 cxd5, Black's more active pieces give quite good compensation, although both Stockfish10 and Komodo9 prefer White.
Instead they declare 14...Be6?? a blunder thanks to 15.Rxe6! (15.cxd5, followed by later capturing on b7, also seems good) Kxe6 16.cxd5+ with a huge attack, eg 16...cxd5 17.Bh6! Rc8 18.Re1+ Kd7 19.Nxd5 Bd6 20.Qxb7+ Rc7 21.Nxc7, when White is material up and still attacking.
An uncredited annotator in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database gives 14...Qb6 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.cxd5 Bd6 17.dxc6 bxc6 "with compensation," although the engines again prefer White.
15.Qxc4+ Kg2 16.d5 cxd5?
This loses because it brings White's knight into a powerful central attacking position. The engines suggest 16...Re8 17.dxc6 bxc6 18.Be3 Bf5, but with a strong initiative for White after 19.Rad1 (Stockfish10) or 19.g4!? (Komodo9).
17.Nxd5 Bf8
But not 17...Re8 because 18.Nc7, nor 17...Bd6, after which Black's position remains precarious.
The engines reckon both moves cited by Tartakower are better than the game continuation, but that none can save Black.
18.Nxf6!
A far-sighted sacrifice which breaks up the black king's citadel.
Not the only way to win - White's advantages in development and king safety are too big - but one which makes Steinitz's "fighting piece" quote look out-of-place, at least in this game.
18...Qxf6
Or 18...Kxf6 19.Qc3+ followed by Qxh8.
18...Kxf6 19.Qh4+, winning the queen, is also rather good.
19.Bd2 b5 20.Qd5 b4
The terrible threat 21.Bc3 is past, but at the cost of multiple weaknesses.
21.Rac1
Instead of rushing for his prey by 21.Qxa8 Bc5 etc, White in a telling manner increases the pressure still more (threat: 22.Rc7+).
21...Qf7 22.Qxa8 Be6 23.Qe4 Bxa2 24.Qe5+ Kg8 25.Rc7
This irruption on the seventh marks the end of Black's resistance.
25...Qd5 26.Qxd5+Bxd5 27.Re8 1-0
(27...Bf7 28.Ra8 Kg7 29.Raxa7). A beautiful game.
Steinitz rarely lost so comprehensively, but he went on to much better things. And what of de Vere? He contracted tuberculosis, possibly around the time of playing Steinitz, became an alcoholic and died less than eight years later aged 28, according to Wikipedia.

More Sharpening

SPOTTED this tricky - from a Tube Puzzle viewpoint - serial number on a London Overground train today.
38135
As usual, each number should be used once and once only, and must be added, subtracted, multiplied or divided to make a balanced equation.
I would classify this as "difficult."
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
My solution:
8÷ (5 - 3) = 3 + 1

New Championship, New Rules

BATTERSEA Chess Club's annual championships began yesterday, but in a new "Grand Prix" format.
The tournaments are divided into the Championship proper, and the Barrow Trophy for lower-graded players.
Instead of an all-play-all or knockout format, each tournament is being run by controller Stephen Welch as a quasi swiss.
Approximately twice a month there will be a Grand Prix night in which any member can play, the winner at the end of the year being the player with the most points, subject to certain provisos, the main one being you must have more wins than losses.
The full rules are here: http://www.batterseachessclub.org.uk/new-year-new-comps-the-2019-battersea-chess-club-championships/
My bid to win a tournament first competed for in 1885 began with the following game:
Spanton (167) - Tim Wells (158)
Closed Sicilian
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 d6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.d3 e6 7.0-0 Nge7 8.Be3 0-0
More usual is 8...Nd4 to prevent White's next.
9.d4!?
More popular is 9.Qd2 but the text has a better score in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database.
9...cxd4?!
The normal Sicilian move, but during the game, and I have not had reason to change my opinion, I thought its main effect was to make the d6 pawn weak.
Black could instead play 9...b6, and if then 10.d5, the move White often plays if Black does not capture on d4, I see no advantage for White after 10...exd5 11.exd5 Ne5.
White could try 11.Nxd5!? to make the d pawn backward, but Black might be able to get away with snatching the b2 pawn.
10.Nxd4 a6

What would you play here?

*****
*****
*****
*****
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11.Qd2?!
The most popular move, but it has been shunned by strong players. Tal, for instance, preferred 11.h3 in a 1974 game.
11...Qc7
The problem with my move is 11...Ne5! 12.b3 Ng4 when Black can exchange off White's better bishop. Stockfish10 reckons Black has equalised, while Komodo9 believes Black is already better.
12.a4?
Apparently threatening to create a strongpoint at b6, but again missing the threat contained in the last note.
12...Na5

Black has stopped a5, at least for the present, but better was still ...Ne5

13.b3 Bd7 14.Rac1 Rac8 15.Nce2 Nac6
I thought Black needed to play 15...Rfd8 as prophylaxis against White's coming build-up against the d pawn. However, the engines prefer 15...e5!? 16.Nf3 f5 with counterplay.
16.Rfd1
Stockfish10 gives 16.Nxc6 Nxc6 17.c4 with a comfortable advantage for White.
16...Rfd8?
This is now too late. Necessary was 16...d5, when the engines give best play as 17.Nxc6 Bxc6 18.Bf4 e5 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Bxd5!? Nxd5 21.Qxd5 exf4 22.Nxf4, assessing Black as having reasonable compensation for his pawn-minus.
17.Nxc6 Bxc6 18.a5 Rd7 19.Bb6 Qb8 20.c4 d5?
A bid for freedom that just creates weaknesses. The engines give 20...f5, when they much prefer White after 21.Nc3, 21.f3 or 21.Nf4.
21.cxd5 exd5 22.Bh3 f5 23.exf5 Nxf5 
A forced sequence has given White what the engines reckon is a winning positional advantage.
24.Nd4 Rf7 25.Nxf5
Even stronger is the engines' 25.Nxc6 bxc6 26.Qe2.
25...gxf5 26.Qd3 Qe5

White is much better but the game is far from over

27.Bd4?
Simplifying in the expectation of winning by technique, but the coming exchanges give Black serious drawing chances. Better was 27.Re1, which TW in the postmortem said was the move he feared.
27...Qxd4 28.Qxd4 Bxd4 29.Rxd4 Re8!
Seizing the open file, rather than passively trying to hold.
30.Rf4
The engines give 30.Bg2 Rd7 with White better but Black apparently holding.
30...Re5 31.Rd1 Kg7 32.Bg2 Kg6
Black has excellent counterplay after the engines' 32...Rfe7!
33.Rfd4 Rd7 34.b4 Kf6 35.f4 Re3?!
During the game I thought Black should retreat this rook, eg 35...Re8, the point being that after 36.Bxd5?? Red8 it is Black who has the winning chances. The text is active but the next note suggests it leaves White with a winning try.
36.Bxd5 Bxd5 37.Rxd5 Rxd5 38.Rxd5 Ke6

What is White's best move?

*****
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39.Rd4
Defending the b4 pawn seemed obvious but the engines give 39.Rd8! Rb3 40.Rh8 Rxb4 41.Rxh7 with the better chances for White.
39...Re2
Better seems to be 39...Rb3! when 40.Rd8!? Rxb4 leaves Black a tempo up on the previous line, although the engines still slightly prefer White.
40.Rc4
40.Rd8 Rb2 41.Rh8 Rxb4 transposes to the note to White's 39th move, but so does the text after Black's next.
40...Rb2 41.Rd4
41.Rc7! Rxb4 42.Rxh7 is the same as 39.Rd8! etc.
41...Rc2?
Taking pressure off b4, whereas 41...h5 should hold.
42.h3?
42.Rd8 again takes the game back to what seems to be White's best line. Also strong, according to the engines, is 42.h4, and if 42...h5, then 43.Rd8.
42...h5
The game finished:
43.Kf1 Rb2 44.Rc4 Kd6 45.Rc5 Ke6 46.Rc4 Kd5 47.Rc5+ Ke4 48.Rc4+ Kf3 49.Rc3+ Ke4 50.Rc4+  ½-½

Steve Berry RIP

ANYONE who plays chess regularly in the London area will probably have been as shocked as I was to learn of the death of Steve Berry at the age of 67.
The Wimbledon stalwart was taken into hospital shortly before Christmas, I understand, and died of an infection on January 5.
Steve was a Fide master with a peak rating, as far as I can discover, of 2379. In July 1999 he had an ECF grade of 232, and at the time of his death was ranked 88th among active players in England, and just outside the world's top 5,000.
In many years Steve was often the only credible challenger to grandmaster Keith Arkell's dominance of the annual Paignton congress in September.
Keith is among those who have paid tribute to Steve at the English Chess Forum, writing: "Because we shared similar tastes in tournaments, I spent many many evenings simply chatting with Steve over a pint, and on each and every occasion I found his company very agreeable."
My best memories of Steve are when he made an occasional visit to the Bad Wörishofen pre-Easter tournament in Bavaria.
As I recall it, he was not overly fond of the longish morning walks some of us went on, but was always happy to chip in with analysis when we were postmorteming in the evening. His good conversational German came in handy too.
I only played Steve once, at one of George Goodwin's monthly rapidplays in north London.
Berry (222) - Spanton (164)
Highbury Rapidplay 1993
Double e-Pawn Opening (Konstantinopolsky)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.g3!?
In his Forum tribute, GM Arkell notes that "Steve had a very natural positional style," and this slow build-up move, which has been played by Topalov, reflects that.
3...Nf6 4.d3 d5
White's opening sequence is sometimes called the Konstantinopolsky Opening. According to Wikipedia(!), Black gets "an easy game with the natural and strong" moves I played. The online encyclopedia's analysis ends at this point.
5.exd5 Qxd5
More popular is 5...Nxd5, as played by Kramnik.
6.Bg2 e4?!
Black should probably just get on with development.
7.Nfd2?
But this is premature and helps justify Black's last move.
Best, according to Stockfish10, is the natural 7.Nc3 with the continuation 7...Bb4 8.Nd2 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Bg4 10.Nxe4! when the engine reckons White has a slight edge.
7...Bg4
Even better, according to Stockfish10, is 7...Qa5!, the point being that 8.dxe4 is met by 8...Bg4 9.f3 Be6, when Black's lead in development apparently gives more than enough compensation for the pawn.

How should White meet the threat to his queen?

8.Nxe4! Bxd1?
I should have castled long or moved the queen.
9.Nxf6+ gxf6 10.Bxd5 Bxc2 11.Be4?
Best was 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Kd2, when Black's bishop-pair is not sufficient compensation for having six isolated pawns, four of which are doubled!
11...0-0-0
This wins a pawn.
12.Nc3
No improvement is 12.Kd2 Bxd3! 13.Bxd3 Nb4 etc.
12...Bxd3 13.Bxd3 Rxd3 14.Be3 Bb4 15.Ke2 Rhd8 16.Rhc1 Bxc3 17.Rxc3 Rxc3 18.bxc3 Ne5 19.Rb1 Nc4?
Stockfish10 gives 19...a5 to keep White's rook off the fourth rank, from where it can harass Black's weak kingside.
20.Bd4?!
20.Rb4 Nxe3 21.Kxe3 gives excellent drawing chances. The text may have been an objectively misguided attempt to keep winning chances against weaker opposition.
20...Re8+ 21.Kd3 Ne5+ 22.Ke4
Stockfish10 gives White's best as 22.Bxe5 Rxe5, which may look similar to the previous note but here Black's rook is more active and White's less so.
22...Nc6+?
It seems that best was 22...Nd7, so that in the event of the game continuation of 23.Kf5, White cannot capture on f6 with his king and thus threaten f7.
23.Kf5 Nxd4+ 24.cxd4 Re2 25.f4 Rxa2 26.Kxf6 Rxh2 27.Kxf7

White is a pawn down but his active king and dangerous passed pawn make the position difficult for Black

27...a5?
I can no longer remember but I presume I did not appreciate the danger Black was in. Correct is 27...Rf2, significantly slowing down the passer.
28.f5 Rg2 29.Rb3?
The position is tricky, but Stockfish10 and Komodo9 reckon White is close to winning after 29.Ra1 Rxg3 30.Rxa5.
29...a4?
This should have lost, whereas the engines believe Black is hanging on with 29...Rf2.
30.Ra3?
Going passive. 30.Rf3 wins, eg 30...Rd2 31.f6 Rxd4 32.Ke6 Rd6+ 33.Ke5 etc.
30...b5
Now Black should be fine.
31.f6 Kd7?
But not any longer. Correct, as usual, was 31...Rf2.
32.Kg7
Winning was 32.Kg8! The difference between this and the text will become apparent at White's 35th move.
32...Rf2 33.f7 b4 34.Rxa4 Ke7
I offered a draw.
35.Rxb4
If White's king were on g8, White would win here with 35.Ra7 as 35...Rxf7?? would lose trivially to 36.Rxc7+.
35...Rxf7+ 36.Kh6 Kd6 37.Rb5 Ke6 38.Rc5 Rd7 39.Re5+ Kf6 40.Re4 Kf5
My scoresheet ended here, but the game was drawn.

No Peace For The Wicked

GOT home from Hastings this afternoon [Mon Jan 7] in time to turn out for Battersea's first team in division one of the London League away to Drunken Knights' second team.
Drunken Knights play their home matches in an upstairs room at a pub near the British Museum, but nevertheless I found myself playing a 12-year-old boy.
Spanton (167) - Kennan Kesterson (148)
French Winawer
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.Bd2 Ne7 6.a3 Ba5?!
In an earlier post https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2018/12/30-new-years-in-hastings.html I contemptuously dismissed the text as "just about possible." It is one thing to speak of a move with contempt; quite another to demonstrate one's verdict over the board.
In fact 6...Ba5?! has been played by several players rated over 2400, according to ChessBase's 2019 Mega database, and GM Jonny Hector has lost against it as White (and his opponent was rated under 2200).
7.dxc5 Nbc6 8.b4 Bc7 9.f4 Nf5
This may be a novelty. Previous games had seen 9...0-0 and 9...a6.
10.Nf3 f6 11.exf6 Qxf6 12.Bd3 0-0
12...Ne3 comes to nothing after 13.Bxe3 Qxc3 14.Bd2.
13.Nb5 Bb8 14.0-0 Ncd4?
Black does not have compensation for the pawn anyway, but this piece sac is unsound.
15.Nfxd4 Nxd4 16.Bc3 e5 17.fxe5 Qxe5 18.Rxf8+ Kxf8

White to play and win

*****
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*****
19.Nxd4?
Almost any reasonable-looking move wins easily for White here, but this is not one of them. Simplest was 19.Bxd4 Qxh2+ 20.Kf1 and, if 20...Qh1+, then the move I missed: 21.Bh1.
19...Qxh2+ 20.Kf1 Qh1+ 21.Kf2 Qh4+ 22.Ke2 Bg4+ 23.Nf3 Bf4?
Missing a draw by 23...Bxf3+ 24.Kxf3 Qg3+ 25.Ke2 Qxg2+ 26.Ke3 Qg3+ etc.
Note that calamitous for White would be 24.gxf3? Qh2+, when it is Black who wins, eg 25.Kf1 Bg3 26.Qd2 Qh1+ 27.Ke2 Re8+ 28.Be4 Rxe4+! 29.fxe4 Qg2+ 30.Kd1 Qf1+ 31.Qe1 Bxe1 32.Bxe1 dxe4 and Black wins the ending. Or 25.Ke3 Bf4+ 26.Kd4 Qh5 27.Qe2 Re8 28.Re1 Rxe2 29.Rxe2 Qxf3 and Black again should win comfortably (analysis by Stockfish 10 and Komodo9).
24.Kf1 Qh5 25.Bb5
With Black's rook unable to join the attack, the rest is (relatively) easy. The remaining moves were:
25...a6 26.Ba4 Be3 27.Ke2 (not 27.Qe2?? Qh1+ 28.Ng1 Qxh1#) Bf4 28.Qd4 Bh6 29.Qe5 Qg6 30.Qd6+ Kg8 31.Qxg6 hxg6 32.Rd1 1-0
The result means my Battersea unbeaten streak has reached 19 games.
Updated statistics
Battersea 2018-19
Event...Colour...Grade...Opponent's Grade...Result
CLL.........B.........167................196...............…D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..159...………….D
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..161...………….W
CLL...…..B...…...167...………..190...………….D
LL...…….W...…..167...………..161...………….W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..148...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..165...………….W
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..160...………….D
CLL...…..W...…..167...………..159...………….D
LL...…….B...…...167...………..168...………….D
LL...…….W...…..167...………..148...………….W
Overall this season for Battersea I have scored +4=7-0 for a grading performance of 183.
In season 2017-18 I scored +10=8-9 for a grading performance of 175.

Good News, Bad News

DREW my round-10 game at Hastings as White against a 2072, leaving me with a tournament score of +3=2-5.
The bad news is that this cost me 12.8 Fide elo.
Unusually at Hastings, all of my opponents had an ECF grade, even though half of my opponents were non-English.
The good news is that my ECF performance was 175.2, a fair bit above my ECF grade of 167.

Complete Debacle

MY round-nine game in the Hastings Masters was a debacle from the opening onwards.
Spanton (1954) - Stuart A White (2096)
French Classical, Steinitz Variation
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nf3
More popular is 5.f4. The text was recommended by Tarrasch as it gives more chance for piece-play.
5...c5 6.dxc5
This may look strange but it is the main line. White's idea is to blockade Black's central pawns with pieces on d4 and e5.
6...Nc6 7.Bf4 Bxc5 8.Bd3 f6 9.exf6 Nxf6 10.0-0 0-0

This tabiya occurs more than 850 times in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database

11.Re1?
During the game I thought the position after 10...0-0 had occurred in my games several times before, and that I had replied Re1 on at least two of those occasions.
I was wrong, and it is why Black's next move came as big a shock.
11...Bxf2+?!
According to the analysis engines Stockfish10 and Komodo9, much better is 11...e5! Their main line runs 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Rxe5 (13.Bxe5 Ng4 looks even worse for White) Ng4 14.Be3 Bxe3 15.Rxe3 when Black, among other threats, can simply win the exchange with 15...Nxe3.
12.Kxf2 Ng4+?
Again the engines much prefer 12...e5! with Black having a big attack whatever White does with his dark-square bishop, eg 13.Bxe5? (not best, but instructive) Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Ne4+ 15.Kg1 Qb6+ 16.Kh1 Nf2+ 17.Kg1 Nh3+ 18.Kh1 Qg1+ 19.Rg1 Nf2#
13.Kg3 e5?
Ironically, ...e5 is now a mistake.
Best, according to Stockfish10 (Komodo9 agrees with the analysis after being shown the first move), is 13...Rxf4! 14.Kxf4 h5 with a draw by repetition after 15.Qd2 Qd6+ 16.Kg5 Qe7+ 17.Kf4 etc.
14.Bg5
Not 14.Bxe5?? as White's king is much too exposed after 14...Ngxe5 15.Nxe5 Qg5+ (this was something I did manage to see during the game).
14...Qd6
This seems to be Black's best try, as 14...Rxf3 is met by 15.gxf3, but it should not save him.
15.Bxh7+?
After the game SW suggested 15.Nxd5? but I was right during the game to see that 15...e4+ gave Black lots of compensation.
Correct, as pointed out by the engines, is the obvious, once you have seen it, 15.Be4!
15...Kxh7 16.Qxd5 Qg6
This was the move I had missed.
17.Ne4??
Both Stockfish10's 17.h4 and Komodo9's 17.h3 keep the game going with approximately equal chances.
17...Nf6
The tempo gained on White's queen means Black wins a piece.
18.Qc4
18.Nxf6+ is preferred by the engines, but does not save White.
18...Bf5
My next five moves agree with the engines' first choice, but accuracy in a lost position is too little too late.
19.Nxf6+ gxf6 20.Qh4+ Kg7 21.Rad1 e4 22.Qh6+ Qxh6 23.Bxh6+ Kxh6 0-1 (41 moves)

Black To Play And ...?

THIS position occurred today in my round-eight game at the Hastings Masters.

White has just played 22.Bd3-b5 in Claus Pitschka (FM 2241) - Spanton (1954). Can you find a good move for Black?

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The answer to the question is: No, you cannot find a good move for Black.
I played the strongest move, 22...Resigns.
The point is that White's passed pawn cannot be stopped from queening, at least not without horrific material loss, eg 22...f6 23.d7 Ke7 24.Nf7, or 22...a6 23.d7 Ke7 24.Nxf7.

Rook v Pawns

REACHED another tricky ending in today's round seven at the Hastings Masters.

White to make his 41st move in Spanton (1954) - Laurence Butt (1635), but what should the result be: win, lose or draw?

I have just given up a rook on f1 to capture a promoted pawn, and Black has recaptured with his king.
A simple material-count in the resulting position gives Black a big advantage, but Black's king is well away from the centre of the action on the queenside.
One factor to always bear in mind is that two pawns safely abreast on the sixth rank will beat a rook even if the pawns' king cannot help them (and provided the rook's king cannot interfere).
If you do not know this rule, to which there are NO exceptions, try placing white pawns on e6 and d6 on an otherwise empty board (including no kings). It is White to move, but before he can do so Black is allowed to place a rook anywhere on the board. You will quickly find the black rook cannot prevent a white pawn from queening.
The position in the diagram is complicated by Black still having a pawn left, but, with correct play, should White win, lose or draw?
41.b5
This is non-controversial - almost any sensible-looking White move keeps the game moving towards its proper conclusion.
41...axb5
Not 41...a5? as it wastes a tempo that White can use to get a second pawn to the fifth rank with 42.c5.
42.cxb5
It seemed sensible to keep the white pawns as far from the black king as possible, but it 42.axb5 was probably equally good.
42...Re3+!?
This surprised me, but analysis with the engines Komodo9 and Stockfish10 suggests the move is just as legitimate as the perhaps-more obvious 42...Ra2. Both moves clear the e2 square for the black king to take a straight diagonal towards the white pawns.
43.Kb4 Re4+?
But this drives the white king in the direction it wants to go while not giving any benefit to Black.
Correct was 43...Ke2, when Black is a tempo up on the game continuation. As we shall see, White eventually wins the game by a single tempo.
44.Ka5 Ke2 45.b6 Kd3 46.b7 Re8 47.Kb6 Kc4 48.a5 Re6+ 49.Ka7
More precise is 49.Kc7.
Komodo9 reckons the position is drawn after the text, but it is not as Black cannot prevent White returning to the correct plan.
49...Re7 50.Kb6
Not 50.a6? as 50...Kb5 51.Ka8 Re8+ leaves White with nothing better than  a draw after 52.b8=Q Rxb8+ 53.Kxb8 Kxa6.
50...Re5
Setting a little trap.
Equally losing. but requiring accurate play by White, was 50...Re6+ (returning to the position after Black's 48th move) 51.Kc7 Re7+ 52.Kc6! (but not 52.Kc8? Kc5! when White cannot make progress, eg 53.a6 Kc6 54.Kb8 Kb6=) Re6+ 53.Kd7 etc (analysis by the engines).
51.a6
51b8=Q?? Rb5+ is a draw.
51...Re6+ 52.Ka7 1-0
So, to get back to the original question, the diagram position seems to be a draw with correct play, but one wasted tempo (43...Re4+?) tips the balance.