That Was The Year That Was

A personal review of 2020.

Most-enjoyable tournament: Bad Wörishofen (Bavaria) March 6-14. It is not just the playing conditions, which vary from excellent to good, depending on where you are sat (unless you are on a low board in the seniors near the entrance). The town, which is small but has a good range of cafes, bars and restaurants, is an upmarket spa venue that gets a huge influx of visitors in the summer but is near-deserted for the rest of the year. Everything is quite compact and easy to get around, and there is plenty of interesting countryside to explore.

Most-interesting new tournament: Calvià (Mallorca) October 10-18. This was my first visit to the Balearic Islands, which I have long thought of visiting for a walking holiday. I have put off playing in Mallorca because the dates more-or-less clash with Guernsey, and because the rounds (apart from the last one) start at 8.30pm. This meant most of my games finished at about midnight or later, which at least had the advantage of keeping me out of mischief (there was a 1am curfew for those few bars - ones that did not have a music licence - allowed to open). Facemasks had to be worn, outdoors as well as indoors, which took a little getting used to, especially as the glasses I wear at the board frequently steamed up. My hotel, apparently the only one in the area open, was about 15 minutes' walk away in Magaluf, which took on the appearance of a ghost town as virtually all shops and restaurants were closed.

Most-missed tournament: a tie between Guernsey, which is usually held in the third week of October and features dozens of players I know well, and Benidorm, which features lots of sunshine and temperatures in the high teens or low 20s despite starting at the very end of November and running well into December.

Best performance: Calvià U2350.  I scored +4=2-3 for a Fide rating gain of 37.6pts.

Worst performance: Biel Corona (Switzerland) July 20-29. I scored +4=1-4 for a Fide rating loss of 23.6pts.

Most-welcome return in 2021: league chess. It is not just that playing once or twice a week breaks up the week, but I also miss the after-game socialising.

Best game:

Spanton (170) - Daniel Wright (187)

London League Division 2

Sicilian Accelerated Dragon (by transposition)

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Nxc6!?

More popular are 6.Be3, 6.Nb3 and 6.Nde2.

6...bxc6 7.Bc4 d6 8.0-0 Nf6 9.e5!?

Sacrificing a pawn for the initiative.

9...dxe5 10.Qxd8+ Kxd8 11.Re1

Not 11.Bxf7? as the bishop is trapped after 11...e6.

11...e6 12.Bg5 Kc7 13.Rad1 h6

Spanton (1914) - Jem Gurner (1751), Jersey 2019, saw 13...Nd5 14.Ne4(14.Na4!? may be better) h6 15.Bd2 a5 with a position the analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 reckon is better for Black (0-1, 32 moves).

14.Bh4 Nd5 15.Na4

Not 15.Ne4? as it loses a piece to 15...f5 etc.

15...Nb6 16.Bb3 Nxa4 17.Bxa4 f6 18.Re3 Bb7!?

My original notes show this was Stockfish10's choice, while Komodo10 gave 18...g5 19.Bxc6!? Rb8 (White has a perpetual after 19...Kxc6 20.Rc3+) 20.Rc3 Rxb2 21.f3!? Kb8 22.Bf2, when it reckoned White has full compensation for a pawn. My newer versions of these engines prefer 18...Rb8, when Komodo11.01 again reckons White has good compensation for a pawn, but Stockfish12 evaluates the position as slightly better for Black.

19.f4

Position after 19.f4. Black remains a pawn up, but it is doubled and White's pieces are more active.

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19...g5?!

Apparently missing a point of my last move. Stockfish12 gives 19...Rad8 20.Rxd8 Rxd8 21.fxe5 Rxd1+ 22.Re1 Rxe1+ 23.Bxe1, and either 23...fxe5 or 23...f5, in each case with an equal game. Komodo11.01 prefers 19...exf4 20.Rxe6 Rhe8 21.Rde1 Rxe6 22.Rxe6 Kd7 23.Bb3 Re8 24.Bxf6! Rxe6 25.Bxe6+ Kxe6 26.Bxg7 with a drawn opposite-coloured bishops ending.

20.fxg5

This is good enough for equal play, but better seems to be the engines' 20.Be1!?, when Black is more-or-less forced to reply 20...a5, after which White has several good continuations, eg 21.fxe5 fxe5 22.Red3 Bc8 (not 22...Rhd8?? 23.Rxd8 Bxa5+) 23.Rc3 with continuing pressure.

20...hxg5 21.Be1 a5 22.Red3 Bc8 23.Rc3

This is similar to the previous note except here Black has a better kingside pawn-structure.

28...Bb7 29.Rc5 Kb6 30.Bf2 Kc7 31.Be1 Kb6

With the benefit of seeing White's next move, Black should give back his extra pawn with 31...Bf8! 32.Rxa5.

White to play and win

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27.Rd7!! Bf8

This is best, according to the engines, but Black is lost.

If 27...Kxc5 then 28.Bf2+ Kb4 (or 28...Kc4 29.Bb3+ Kb5 30.a4+ Ka6 31.Bc4#) 29.Rxb7+ Kxa4 30.Bc5 and 31.b3#.

If 27...Rhd8 then 28.Bf2! Ka6 (not 28...Rxd7? 29.Rxc6#) 29.Bxc6 Bxc6 (or 29...Rxd7 30.Bxd7 Bf8 31.Bb5+ Kb6 32.Rxe5+ Kc7 33.Rxe6) 30.Rxc6+ Kb5 31.Rb6+ Kc4 32.Rc7+ Kd5 33.Rxg7.

28.Rc3 Bc5+

Or 28...Bb4 29.Bf2+ Ka6 (if 29...c5 then 30.Rcd3) 30.Bxc6 Bxc3 31.Bxb7+ Kb5 32.Bxa8.

29.Rxc5+! Kxc5 30.Bf2+ Kb4 31.Rxb7+ Kxa4 32.Bc5 1-0

Garry Kasparov's Forgotten Weapon Against The Queen's Gambit (part three)

KASPAROV'S use of the Tarrasch Defence in his first Candidates quarter-final game with the black pieces against Alexander Beliavsky was both surprising - it was the first time in his career he answered 1.d4 with 1...d5 - and successful.

Beliavsky no doubt came to the board armed with an improvement the next time he had the white pieces, but Kasparov switched to the Nimzo-Indian Defence ... and lost, levelling the match score at one win each with two draws.

Kasparov restored his lead in game five by winning on the white side of the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined.

In the next game it was Beliavsky's turn to play the Queen's Gambit.

Beliavsky (2570) - Kasparov (2690)

Candidates Quarter-Final (Moscow) Game 6 1983

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5

This is not compulsory. Black scores four percentage points better in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database by playing 4...cxd4!?, the Von Hennig-Schara Gambit. The main line runs 5.Qxd4 Nc6 6.Qd1 exd5 7.Qxd5 Bd7 8.Nf3 Nf6 9.Qd1 Bc5 10.e3 Qe7 11.Be2 0-0-0 12.0-0 g5!? 13.b4!? Bxb4 14.Bb2 g4 15.Nd4. Mega21 has 40 games with this position, the most-recent high-level encounter being Simon Kim Williams (2442) - Spyridon Kapnisis (2464), Dundee 2017, which continued 15...Kb8 16.Ncb5 Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Bxb5 18.Bxb5 Bc3 19.Rb1 Bxd4 20.exd4 Rd6 with a position that Stockfish12 reckons is much better for White, but Komodo11.01 rates as equal (but 0-1, 50 moves). There are lots of alternatives along the way for both sides, starting right at the beginning when White often plays 5.Qa4+. The main line then runs 5...Bd7 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.Qxd5 Nc6, which is a transposition to the main line after 5.Qxd4.

5.Nf3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6

Black has a major alternative with the Swedish Variation, 6...c4!?, which scores five percentage points better in Mega21.

The starting position of the Swedish Variation

Shamkovich & Schiller in Play The Tarrasch (Pergamon 1984) call this "one of the most-dynamic plans at Black's disposal." They add: "The line has constantly been 'refuted' and resurrected, and both White and Black must be well-versed in theory in order to survive the opening. Although the variation is considered suspect it still has great surprise value and in many cases Black can emerge relatively unscathed, provided that he chooses his lines wisely."

That is far from being a ringing endorsement, but 6...c4!? is quite liked by the engines, especially Stockfish12.

The main line runs 7.Bg2 (the thematic counter 7.e4?! is probably premature, eg 7...dxe4 8.Ng5 Qxd4 9.Be3 Qxd1+ 10.Rxd1 Bxg4 with a sharp but equal position, according to the engines) Bb4 8.0-0 Nge7 9.e4 (White is now much more ready for this break) dxe4 (9...0-0 is also popular) 10.Nxe4 0-0, and here the engines reckon 11.Be3 is just one move that gives White a large edge.

7.Bg2 Be7

The engines prefer trying to save a tempo with 7...cxd4!? 8.Nxd4 Bc5. The main line continues 9.Nb3, when the engines reckon 9...Bb6!? is an improvement on the more-popular 9...Bb4. Hikaru Nakamura (2761) - Daniil Dubov (2690), Fide Grand Prix (Moscow) 2019, went 9...Bb6!? 10.0-0 (10.Nxd5 can be met, according to Stockfish12, by 10...Be6 11.Nxb6 Qxd1+ 12.Kxd1 axb6, when Stockfish12 prefers White but Komodo11.01 reckons the position is equal. Komdo11.01 varies early with 11.e4, continuing 11...Bg4 12.Qd3 Nxd5 13.exd5 Ne5 14.Qb5+ Bd7 15.Qe2 0-0, when the engines agree Black has enough compensation for a pawn) d4 11.Na4 0-0!? 12.Bg5 Re8 13.Nxb6 axb6 14.e3 d3!? with an unclear but probably balanced position (½–½, 28 moves).

8.0-0 0-0 9.Bg5 cxd4 10.Nxd4 h6 11.Be3

The bishop goes here, rather than, say, f4, because on e3 it helps restrain the d pawn, possibly freeing the d4 knight to move at a crucial moment.

11...Re8 12.Qc2!?

So this is what Beliavsky prepared. The move is given an exclamation mark by Shamkovich & Schiller.

12...Bg4 13.Rfd1

The main line today is 13.h3 Bd7 14.Rad1 Qc8 15.Kh2 Bf8 (a common retreat in the Tarrasch, unmasking the king's rook), which first occurred in Beliavsky (2640) - Miguel Illescas Córdoba (2530), Linares (Spain) 1990. The engines reckon White has an edge (but 0-1, 42 moves).

13...Bf8 14.Rac1 Rc8 15.Nxc6!?

Transforming the pawn-structure is often available and has to be taken into account by Black. The engines prefer 15.Qa4.

15...bxc6

Clearly the d pawn is no longer a target for White, who should change his attention to the new, backward c pawn and, to a lesser extent, to the newly isolated a7 pawn. Black's chances, as is the case when he has an IQP, lie mainly on the kingside and down the e file.

16.Bd4

If Beliavsky entertained hopes of immediately capturing the black a pawn, he would have changed his mind on seeing 16.Bxa7?! c5! as 17.Bxd5? Qa5 18.Qa4 Qxa4 19.Nxa4 Nxd5 20.Rxd5 Ra8 21.Bxc5 Ra8, when the black bishop is worth more than White's three pawns. Less clear is the engines' 17.h3 Be6 18.a4! Qa5 19.Nb5, when White is a pawn up but badly discoordinated, and the engines prefer Black.

16...Bb4 17.Rd2

17.Bxa7!? Bxc3 18.Qxc3 Bxe2 19.Re1 is slightly better for White, according to the engines.

17...Qe7 18.a3 Ba5 19.b4 Bb6 20.e3 Qe6 21.Qb2 Bxd4 22.Rxd4 c5!?

Kasparov dissolves the backward pawn, confident the re-established IQP will not be a decisive liability.

23.bxc5

23.Rd2 Red8 24.Na4!? cxb4 25.axb4 Rxc1+ 26.Qxc1 Rc8 seems at least equal for Black.

23...Rxc5 24.Ne2 Rec8 25.Rxc5 Rxc5 26.Nf4 Qc8 27.h3

White's back-rank weakness means he cannot capture the d pawn, eg 27.Nxd5?? Nxd5 28.Rxd5 Rc1+ 29.Bf1 Bh3 etc.

27...Rc1+ 28.Kh2 Rc2 29.Qb3 Bf5 30.Kg1 Rc1+ 31.Rd1 Be4 ½–½

Kasparov gives a likely continuation as 32.Nxd5 Nxd5 33.Bxd5 Rxd1+ 34.Qxd1 Nxd5 35.Qxd5 Qc1+ 36.Kg2 Qxa3, which he regards as equal.

Garry Kasparov's Forgotten Weapon Against The Queen's Gambit (part two)

GARRY Kasparov is well-known for playing asymmetrical defences against 1.d4, ie starting with 1...Nf6 and often continuing with the King's Indian or Grünfeld.

At the September 1982 Interzonal in Moscow, which he won with a score of 10pts out of 13 (1.5pts clear of the field), putting him on the road to the world championship, Kasparov faced 1.d4 three times, always replying 1...Nf6.

At the Olympiad the following month in Luzern, he again faced 1.d4 three times and again always replied 1...Nf6.

Then came game two of his Candidates' quarter-final match against Alexander Beliavsky.

Beliavsky (2570) - Kasparov (2690)

Candidates Quarter-Final (Moscow) Game 2 1983

1.d4 d5!?

The first time, at least in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, that Kasparov met 1.d4 with 1...d5. If nothing else, it must have rendered Beliavsky's preparation for the white pieces null and void.

2.c4 e6 3.Nc3

So we reach the starting point of what this series is about - what to do if you are a 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 player as Black but do not want to face the QGD Exchange when White is not committed to playing Nf3.

Kasparov's style with the black pieces, as several commentators have noted, is one in which he would rather have an unbalanced position with counterplay than a theoretically more-or-less equal position, but one in which White has the initiative.

So continuing 3...Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 would be alien to Kasparov's style. Indeed, throughout his career he never met 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 with 3...Nf6.

Instead, in this, his first ever 1.d4 d5 game as Black, Kasparov revived the Tarrasch Defence.

3...c5!?

Statistically, this is an improvement on 3...Nf6. The latter scores a miserable 39% in Mega21, while 3...c5 scores 45%, which is about average for Black in large databases.

4.cxd5

This is played 72% of the time in Mega21.

4...exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6

Shamkovich & Schiller in Play The Tarrasch (Pergamon 1984) state: "When heading for the Tarrasch it is important to remember the dictum that knights should be developed in alphabetical order!" Actually, there seems nothing wrong with 5...Nf6, but the text is a lot more popular.

6.g3

This move was introduced by Carl Schlecter at Prague 1908 and quickly became White's main weapon against the Tarrasch.

6...Nf6 7.Bg2 Be7

Other moves are possible, eg 7...Be6, but according to Shamkovich & Schiller "it is much too early to commit the (queen's) bishop to a particular post."

8.0-0

Black can be said to have lost a tempo after 8.dxc5 Bxc5, which is indeed the continuation favoured by the analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 In practice, games usually transpose to one of the main lines after the further moves 9.0-0 0-0 (more on this later).

8...0-0 9.Bg5

9.dxc5 Bxc5 would transpose to the previous note, although Black has the added option of 9...d4!? The text is the absolute main line in Mega21.

Shamkovich & Schiller comment: "White eschews subtlety in favour of a direct attack on the black centre. He threatens Bxf6 followed by Nxd5."

9...cxd4

The main alternative, 9...c4!?, is preferred by the engines.

A solid alternative, liked by Komodo11.01 but not by Stockfish12, is 9...Be6!?, when 10.Rc1 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Rc8? 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.Bh3 gave White a large advantage in Burak Akguc (unrated) - Spanton (2065), Hastings Challengers 1997-98 (but ½–½, 53 moves). Black can improve with 11...Nxd4, but White can probably improve before that with 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Rc1.

10.Nxd4 h6

We are still very much in theory - there are almost 4,000 games with this move in Mega21.

11.Be3

I will cover the important alternative 11.Bxf6 in part four.

11...Re8

Decision time for White

This is possibly the first point at which either player needed a serious think.

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12.Qa4

White's important alternatives will be covered later.

12...Bd7!? 13.Rad1

White can win a pawn with 13.Nxd5!? Nxd5 14.Bxd5, but then comes the forcing 14...Nb4 15.Qb3 Nxd5 16.Qxd5 Bh3 17.Qxd8 Raxd8, when Black is considered by theory (and the engines) to have enough compensation for a pawn.

13...Nb4 14.Qb3 a5

"Black must play aggressively on the queenside to offset White's central pressure," according to Shamkovich & Schiller.

15.Rd2!?

This move has been widely criticised, but it is the choice of the engines.

The main line runs 15.a4 Rc8 16.Ndb5 Be6 17.Bd4 Bc5 with what the engines reckon is an even position (White can hardly play 18.Bxf6?! Qxf6 19.Bxd5 Bxd5 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.Qxd5 because Black equalises the material and gains an initiative with 21...Rxe2).

Note that the d pawn was shown to be immune in Rafael Vaganian - Borislav Ivkov, USSR-Yugoslavia Match (Odessa) 1975, which saw 15.Nxd5? Nbxd5 16.Bxd5 Nxd5 17.Qxd5 Bh3, when 18.Qxd8 fails to 18...Raxd8 19.Rfe1 Bb4.

15...a4 16.Qd1 a3 17.Qb1

The engines like 17.Qb3!? Qa5 18.bxa3 Qxa3 19.Nxd5 Nfxd5 20.Bxd5 Nxd5 21.Qxd5, when White is a pawn up but Black's bishop-pair and White's kingside light-square weaknesses give obvious compensation.

17...Bf8 18.bxa3

This is Komodo11.1's choice.

Stockfish12 prefers 18.Nb3, which was played in Vitaly Kunin (2494) - Ernst Weinzetti (2327), Oberwart (Austria) 2006, which continued 18...Qc8 19.Rc1 Bf5 20.Qa1 axb2 21.Qxb2 Rxe3!? 22.fxe3 Qe6, when Black had full compensation for the exchange, according to the engines (but 1-0, 34 moves).

18...Rxa3 19.Qb2 Qa8 20.Nb3!?

Unblockading an IQP is not a decision to be taken lightly, although the move is Stockfish12's choice. Kasparov called the move dubious, suggesting 20.Ndb5 (Komodo11.01's choice) Bxb5 21.Nxb5 Rxa2 22.Qb3, which he and the engines call equal. One possible continuation runs 22...Rxd2 23.Bxd2 Qa5 24.Nd4, re-establishing the blockade, when Black is a pawn up but has two weak pawns, and White has a pair of bishops on an open board - still equal, according to the engines.

20...Bc6 21.Bd4

This is Beliavsky's idea - the dark-square bishop becomes the blockader, indirectly adding pressure against d5.

21...Ne4 22.Nxe4

The engines prefer 22.Bxe4!? dxe4 23.Be3, claiming equality.

22...dxe4 23.Ra1

Kasparov in Mega21 gives as better 23.Nc5!? e3!? 24.Bxc6 exf2+ 25.Bxf2 Nxc6 with a slight edge for Black.

23...Bd5 24.Qb1?

The engines reckon White needs to block the e4 pawn with 24.e3, the point being Black cannot reply, as in the game, by occupying the newly created outpost at d3 as 24...Nd3? loses to 25.Rxd3! If Black tries to set up ...Nd3 with 24...b6, similar to what happens in the game, White has 25.Nc1 and is only a little worse.

24...b6

Now Black is threatening to play ...e3.

25.e3 Nd3 26.Rd1

The engines prefer 26.Nc1, which Kasparov said can be met by 26...Ne1, when one line given by the engines runs 27.Qxb6 Nf3+ 28.Bxf3 exf3 - White is a pawn up but Black is better, according to the engines.

As Kasparov points out, 26.Bxb6? loses to 26...Bb4 27.Rc2 (stopping ...Bc3) Bxb3.

26...b5 27.Bf1 b4 28.Bxd3!?

This gets rid of the strong knight but opens the h1-a8 diagonal, which may be a greater evil.

28...exd3 29.Qxd3 Rxa2 30.Rxa2 Qxa2 31.Nc5

Not 31.Rb1? Be4.

After the text, material is level but White is positionally lost - it is just a question of whether Black will win by pushing the b pawn or by exploiting the weak light squares around the white king.

The game finished:

31...Bf3 32.Ra1 Qd5 33.Qb3 Qh5 34.Nd3 Bd6 35.Ne1 Bb7 36.Rc1 Qf5 37.Rd1 Bf8 38.Qb1 0-1

White lost on time as he made his 38th move. Kasparov gives a likely continuation as 38...Be4 39.Qb3 h5, when Black has a large advantage.

Garry Kasparov's Forgotten Weapon Against The Queen's Gambit

ANYONE who is happy, when having the black pieces, to play 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 faces something of a dilemma if White continues with the main move 3.Nc3.

Black then usually plays 3...Nf6, at which point the commonest move in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database is 4.Bg5, which scores 59%, ie about four percentage points above White's usual score in large databases.

But there is worse to come - White can play 4.cxd5, the Exchange Variation, which scores a phenomenal 65%, the usual continuation being 4...exd5 5.Bg5.

It is instructive to compare this with White's second-most popular continuation at move three, namely 3.Nf3.

After the further moves 3...Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5, White's score plummets to 50%.

In other words, statistically speaking, White has lost the advantage of having the first move.

In practice White more often follows up 3.Nf3 Nf6 with 4.Nc3.

Black then has a large choice of respectable replies, including 4...Be7, 4...c6, 4...Bb4, 4...Nbd7, 4...c5 and 4...dxc4, each of which occurs at least 5,000 times in Mega21.

Most popular is 4...Be7, when White can again enter the Exchange Variation, but by now 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 scores only 56%, falling to 52% if Black responds with 6...c6.

True, 56% is marginally higher than White's usual average across all openings, but it is a significant drop from the 65% of 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5.

One of the main reasons the Exchange Variation with 3.Nc3 scores so much better than with an early Nf3 is that the former allows White to play the king's knight to e2.

This opens new possibilities for White, including a central advance with f3 and e4, which can be particularly effective as White in the Exchange Variation has a 2-1 central pawn-majority.

Another reason is that Nf3 played too early lets Black render the Exchange Variation largely harmless by more-or-less forcing off light-square bishops, as the following ICCF correspondence game illustrates.

James Cairney (1983) - Spanton (unrated)

2nd British Webserver Team Tournament 2013

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3!?

It would be over-the top to call this a mistake, but it scores just 45% in Mega21.

Black can now plan on playing ...Bf5, occupying the diagonal usually taken by the white light-square bishop.

5...c6

An immediate 5...Bf5!? may even be possible, the idea being that 6.Qb3 can be met by 6...Nc6 with sharp play.

6.Qc2

More popular is 6.Bg5, but Black can reply 6...Bf5, when 7.Qb3 Qb6 8.Bxf6 gxf6 is not considered particularly promising for White.

6...g6

My modern analysis engines, Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01, prefer a bishop move, eg 6...Be7, 6...Bd6 or 6...Bg4, but are fine with the text once shown it.

7.Bg5

Black is at least equal, and maybe even a tad better, after 7.e3 Bf5.

The text also sets a mini-positional trap that has snared grandmasters.

7...Bg7

The problem with 7...Bf5?! is that 8.Qb3 is awkward to meet since 8...Qb6?? is a gross blunder due to 9.Bxf6. Black's most-popular reply in Mega21 is 8...b6?, but 9.e4! dxe4 10.Ne5 Be6 11.Bc4 Qe7 12.d5 was catastrophic for Black in Péter Lukács (2460) - Jakab Attila (2396), Budapest GM-B 2002 (1-0, 15 moves). Black probably has nothing better than 8...Bc8, when 9.e4 is again strong.

Massively more popular than the text is 7...Be7, but 7...Bg7, which has been played by Euwe, Ragozin, Dreev and Negi, seems fine.

8.e3 Bf5 9.Bd3

Black is posed no problems by 9.Qb3 Qb6 10.Be2.

9...Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Nbd7 11.0-0

I see from my notes that two of my engines at the time, Stockfish3 and Houdini1.5a, reckoned White is slightly better, but Junior10 called the position equal. Today's engines, Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01, agree with Junior10.

11...0-0 12.Rfc1

White is preparing the dreaded Minority Attack, but, theoretically speaking, Black has nothing to fear here.

12...a5 13.Na4 Qe7 14.Bh4 Rfe8 15.a3 Qe6 16.Bxf6!?

This is Stockfish12's choice.

16...Bxf6 17.Qb3!?

The choice of both Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01, but it looks strange to me. Certainly, obstructing the b2 pawn does not help White's Minority Attack.

17...Ra7!?

This appears slightly awkward, but is a reasonably economical way of defending b7 and a5.

18.Nc3 Qf5 19.Rc2 g5!?

The classic black answer to a Minority Attack is to stabilise the queenside and counterattack on the other flank.

20.Re2 g4 21.Nd2 a4! 22.Qd1

22.Nxa4?! Bxd4.

22...Qg6 23.e4!

This central counterattack is also the choice of Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01.

23...Nb6

23...Bxd4 24.exd5 Rxe2 25.Qxe2 Bxc3 26.dxc6 bxc6 27.bxc3 was given by Houdini1.5a as equal, although Komodo11.01 - but not Stockfish12 - reckons White has a small edge.

24.exd5

Black seems fine after 24.e5 Bg5.

24...Rxe2 25.Qxe2 Nxd5

Not an easy position to assess

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White has an IQP, which is blockaded by a black knight, but otherwise the white position is sound, and the black kingside attack has been stopped in its tracks. Black's pawns are a little loose and the black rook is passive and not coordinated with the other black pieces, but the bishop bears down on the d4 target. My modern engines reckon the position is equal, and I believe that was also the verdict of my engines seven years ago.

26.Rd1 Nxc3!?

This unisolates d4 but gives White another isolani at a3. It also lets Black play ...b5 to protect a4 without worrying about the c pawn being backward on a half-open file, simultaneously solving the difficulty of the out-of-play black rook. However, White gets an initiative.

27.bxc3 b5 28.Qe8+ Kg7 29.Re1

Not 29.Qxc6?? Qc2, but after the text the c6 pawn is threatened.

29...Bg5 30.Nf1 f5 31.Qc8 Re7

Forced, otherwise White has 32.Re6.

32.Rxe7 Bxe7

Queen and knight can make a better team than queen and bishop, but here the bishop has targets and the white queen and knight are widely separated. However, the black king is much the more exposed, and the engines agree the position is still level.

33.Qd7 Qf6 34.Ne3 Kf8

After the natural-looking 34...Kg6!?, White can cause problems with 35.d5, although it is not clear that White gets a substantial advantage.

35.Nxf5

But not 35.Qxf5?? Qxf5 36.Nxf5 Bxa3, and the a4 pawn is too strong.

35...Bxa3 36.Qc8+ Kf7 37.Qd7+ Kg6!?

37...Kf8 repeats the position. The text keeps the game going, with both players walking a tightrope.

38.Ng3 Bf8 39.Qxg4+ Kf7 40.Qd7+ Kg8 41.d5 a3 42.dxc6

White has won two pawns, but the a pawn is a monster that can promote with check. The game is still level, according to the engines.

42...Qd6 43.Qg4+?!

White can force a draw by 43.Nf1 Qxd7 (other moves lose) 44.cxd7 Be7 45.Nd2. The text may also draw, but is less clear, and is dodgy from a practical view as Black keeps his passed pawn while White will lose his, meaning White cannot realistically win.

43...Kh8 44.Qe2 Qxc6 45.Qe5+ Kg8 46.Qg5+ Qg6!?

Black can force a repetition with 46...Kh8, or try for more in another way with 46...Kf7 47.Qh5+ Qg6 48.Qf3+ Qf6. But after the latter it seems both 49.Qh5+ and 49.Qb7+ draw, eg 49.Qb7+ (during the game I thought this was the surer draw for White, but now I am not so certain) Be7 50.Qxb5 a2 51.Qa4 Qe6 52.Ne4! Qxe4 53.Qxa2+, when White has queen and four pawns versus queen, bishop and one pawn. My engines at the time reckoned Black has the upper hand, but I could see no way to create winning chances, and my modern engines agree.

47.Qxb5 a2

White has engineered a new passed pawn (two actually, including the f pawn) and restored his two-pawn advantage, but the black passer has reached seventh heaven. Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 reckon the game is level.

48.Qc4+ Qf7 49.Qg4+ Kh8 50.Qd4+ Bg7 51.Qd8+ Qg8 52.Qa5 h6 53.h4

It is interesting that both players have time to make quiet pawn moves. 52...h6 creates a square for the black king at h7, while 53.h4 removes the possibility of a back-rank mate and lets the white king move up to h2 if Black threatens a back-rank check to support the a pawn promoting.

53...Qe6

For a long time Stockfish12 shows 53...Qb3 as winning, but after I play through the moves 54.Qa8+ Kh7 55.Qe4+ Kg8 56.Qa8+ it agrees with Komodo11.01 that the game is drawn, eg 56...Bf8 57.Kh2 Qa3 58.Qd5+ Kh8 59.Nf5 a1=Q 60.Qd4+ Kh7 61.Qd7+ Be7 62.Nxe7 Q1xc3 63.Nf5+ and White has a perpetual.

54.Kh2?!

Komodo11.01 reckons this draws, but that is far from clear, as will be seen. However, 54.Ne4!? probably does draw, assuming 54...Qxe4 55.Qxa2 does not give Black winning chances after 55...Qxh4 or 55...Bxc3, which does seem to the case (I presume White's drawing chances are enhanced by the black h pawn's queening square being the opposite colour to the black bishop).

54...Be5 55.Qa3 Kg7 56.Qa5 h5 57.Qa3?

This loses.

Komodo11.01 gives 57.Kg1, and if 57...Kg6, which I have in my notes, it continues 58.Qa4 (I only had 58.Kh2, which it seems is definitely winning for Black), after which Stockfish12 switches between various moves, all of which at one time or another it reckons win for Black, but Komodo11.01 always manages to defend valiantly, sometimes with an assist from Stockfish12. There are several lines in which White can allow Black a second queen but still draw with perpetual check.

57...Bc7 0-1

Best-play seems to be something like 58.Qa8 (58.Qa4 Qd5 transposes) Qg8 59.Qa4 Qd5 60.f4 Kf8 (the king heads to the queenside for shelter!) 61.Qa3+ Ke8 62.Qa4+ Kd8 63.Qa3 Bxf4 (or 63.Ne2 Qa5 64.Qd1+ Kc8 65.Qa1 Qa4 66.c4 Qc2 67.Qh8+ Kb7 etc) 64.Qf8+ Kd7 65.Qg7+ Kc6 66.Qg6+ Kc5 67.Qa6 Bxg3+ 68.Kg3 Qd6+ etc.

White can make it an Exchange Variation as early as move three, but this approach is innocuous too.

Wolfgang Vullhorst (1820) - Spanton (2034)

Bad Wörishofen 2007

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.cxd5 exd5 4.Nc3 c6

The immediate 4...Bf5!? may be playable, intending to meet 5.Qb3 with 5...Nc6.

5.Qc2 g6 6.Bf4

This is the normal move in the position, but maybe White should try 6.e4!?, although it involves accepting an IQP that is already under restraint.

6...Bd6

I rejected 6...Bf5 because I wanted to oppose the active white bishop, and 6...Bf5 7.Qb3 more-or-less obliges Black to play ...Qb6, ruling out a quick ...Bd6. Nevertheless, 6...Bf5 is the main line.

7.Bxd6 Qxd6 8.e3

8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Qe7 is at least equal and may be a tad better for Black, according to Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01.

8...Bf5 9.Bd3 Ne7 10.Bxf5 Nxf5 11.Nf3 Nd7 12.b4

WV offered a draw.

12...0-0 13.Qb3

13.b5 cxb5 14.Nxb5?! Qb4 15.Nc3 Rfc8 is good for Black, although the engines reckon 14.Qb3 keeps the game equal.

13...b5!

This is a common positional ploy in the Exchange Variation when White no longer has a light-square bishop. White's Minority Attack is halted, and Black creates an outpost at c4 that, if needed, can be occupied by a knight, thus covering the newly backward c pawn.

14.0-0 a5 15.a3 Qe7 16.bxa5!? Rxa5 17.Qb4?

17.a4 keeps White's disadvantage to a minimum.

17...Rfa8 18.Rac1!?

The engines reckon 18.Qxe7 Nxe7 19.Nb1 is objectively better, but it is horribly passive.

18...Rxa3

Black is a protected passed pawn up and has the more-active rooks. I went on to win (although only after blundering my advantage away and having to, in effect, win the game a second time).

So what has all this to do with Garry Kasparov? That is what I will come to in part two of this series.

Seagulls But No Hastings

SEAGULLS are not an everyday sight or sound in London, but when I hear them cawing overhead in December it reminds me of Hastings.

Today should have seen the start of the 100th Hastings international chess congress (the 96th to have been held over the New Year).

That has been cancelled, so the question now is: will it be held over the 2021-22 New Year?

A few weeks ago I would have had few doubts about that. Indeed I suspect many people expect things to get back to normal by the spring, or at least by the summer, even if it is a 'new normal'.

But on December 23, health secretary Matt Hancock was reported on the BBC as throwing a massive dampener on such hopes:

The last question comes from Arj Singh from HuffPost. He asks if, given the highly-transmissible new variant, the government is guilty of overpromising by suggesting the UK can return to normality by Easter. Hancock replies that he is "highly confident we will get things back to normal before 2022"

So it is far from certain Hastings will be held next year, and I fear even the British championships, scheduled for Torquay from July 23 - August 1, are far from a shoo-in.

I expect tournaments in Europe will have resumed in many countries before then, but the only certainty these days is uncertainty.

Hastings 1895: (l-r rear) Albin, Schlechter, Janowski, Marco, Blackburne, Maróczy, Schiffers, Gunsberg, Burn, Tinsley, (l-r front) Vergani, Steinitz, Chigorin, Lasker, Pillsbury, Tarrasch, Mieses, Teichmann (absent: Bird, Mason, von Bardeleben, Walbrodt). Source: Wikipedia

Opposite Exceptions (conclusion)

I THINK this series has shown just how many resources can be available for both sides in endings with opposite-coloured bishops.

It has also shown how easy it is to go wrong, especially when playing natural-looking moves.

The moral, when a pawn up, is never to concede a draw until you have tried everything - the position will almost certainly be more complicated than it appears.

After all, if, as I have pointed out many times in the series, very strong analysis engines misjudge such endings, you can be fairly sure humans will.

Opposite Exceptions (part 16)

White has just captured on f3 in Charlie B Nettleton (190) - Spanton (170), Fareham 2020. How big is White's advantage?

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White is winning, according to the analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01, but this is almost certainly wrong.

39...Kf8 40.Ke4 Ke7 41.Kd5 Bb7+ 42.Kc5 Kd7 43.Kb6 Kc8 44.b5 axb5 45.Kxb5!?

Or, for example, 45.axb5 Bf3 46.Ka7!? Bb7 47.b6 g6 48.Bd2 Bf3 (the bishop cannot stay on b7 for ever, but it does not have to) 49.Ka6 Bb7+ 50.Kb5 Bf3 51.Kc5 Kb7 52.Be3 Bg4 53.Kd6 h5 54.Ke7 Be6, and White cannot make progress, although Komodo11.01 reckons White is winning.

45...Bf3 46.Bb6 Kb7?!

46...Kd7 draws, eg 47.a5 (47.Ba5 Kc8) Be2+ 48.Kc5 Ba6.

The text may also draw, but is not clear.

47.a5 Be2+ 48.Kc5 Bg4?!

Black seems to hold after 48...Kc8, eg 49.Kd6 Ba6 50.Ke7 Bc4 51.Kf8 g6 52.Kg7 h5 53.Kf8 Kd7, when both engines reckon White is winning, but again progress does not seem possible.

49.Kd6 h5

It seems to be too late for 49...Kc8, eg 50.a6 h5 51.Ke7 Be6 52.a7 Bd5 53.Ba5 g6 54.Bb6, when Black is in zugzwang as 54...Kb7 loses to 55.a8=Q+.

50.Ke7 Be6 51.Kd8 1-0

Opposite Exceptions (part 15)

White has just captured on f2 in Yasser Tello (159) - Spanton (168), Bradford U171 2019. Who, if anyone, stands better, and by how much?

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Black is winning, according to the analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01.

77...Ke4 78.Be3

The engines' 78.f5!? makes the win much less clear, eg 78...Kxf5 79.Bh6 Ke4 80.Bg7 f5 81.Ke2 g5 82.Bf6 Bf3+ 83.Kd2 f4 84.g4! Bxg4 85.Bxg5 Bh5 86.Bh6, when White seems to be holding, although Komodo11.01 disagrees. If White is holding, then it seems the diagrammed position is drawn.

78...Kd3?!

Almost certainly better is 78...f5, and if 79.Ke2 then 79...Bf1+!

79.g4

79.f5!? seems to draw, although after 79...gxf5 both engines reckon Black is winning. However after the further 80.Bh6 Kxd4 81.Bg7 Kc4 (81...Ke5 82.Ke3) 82.Bxf6 Kxb4 83.Ke2 there seems no way for Black to make progress, eg 83...Ka3 84.Kd2 b4 85.Bd4 b3 86.Kc1.

79...Kc3 80.f5 g5??

This turns a winning position into a losing one.

81.Ke2??

Returning the compliment; 81.Bxg5 wins.

81...Be4 82.Kf2 Kxb4 83.Kg3 Kc4 84.Kxh3 b4 85.Kg3 b3 86.Bc1 Kxd4 87.Bb2+ Kc4!?

This probably wins, but 87...Ke3 is clearer.

88.Bxf6

White had to try 88.h4, when 88...d4 (Komodo11.01 for quite some time prefers 88...gxh4, but the text seems better) 89.hxg5 fxg5 90.f6 Bd5 91.Kf2 Kd3 92.Ke1 Bc4 93.Kf2 Ke4 94.Ke1 Ke3 95.Bc1+ Kf3 96.Bb2 d3 97.Kd2 Kxg4 98.Kc3 Be6 99.Kxd3 Kf3 is a tablebase win, but this is a long line so there may be hope in it somewhere for White.

88...d4 0-1

Opposite Exceptions (part 14)

White has just captured on f2 in Spanton (1881) - Raj Bhopal (1931), Northumbria Challengers (Newcastle) 2019. Who stands better, and by how much?

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Black has the upper hand, according to Stockfish12; a slight edge, according to Komodo11.01.

61...Bxh2 62.Ke3 Bd6?!

Activating the king with 62...Kf6 seems better.

63.a5?!

The engines prefer 63.Kd4.

63...h5?

Much better is 63...Bc5+ (winning, according to Stockfish12, although Komodo11.01 gives Black just a slight edge).

64.Bf1?

64.Kd4 wins, eg 64...g5 65.a6 Bb8 66.Kc5 g4 67.Kc6! etc.

64...Kf6?

64...Bc5+ draws.

65.Ke4?

Again Kd4 wins.

65...Ke7 66.a6 Bb8 67.b4?

67.f4 seems to  hold.

67...Ba7?

There is no need for this. Black wins with 67...f5+ followed by ...g5 etc.

68.b5?

Again f4 seems to hold.

68...Kd6!?

68...g5 wins. The text probably does too, but is less clear.

69.Kf4

Or 69.f4 f5+ 70.Kf3, when 70...e5 seems strong.

The game finished:

69...f6 70.Ke4 g5 71.Bc4 f5+ 72.Kd3 h4 73.Ke2 e5 74.Bd3 Ke6 75.Bc4+ Kf6 76.Bd5 g4 77.Kf1 h3 78.fxg4 fxg4 79.Bb7 Kg5 80.Bc8 Kf4 81.Bd7 e4 82.Be6 Kf3 0-1

Opposite Exceptions (part 13)

Black has just captured on d8 in Walter Cools (1766) - Spanton (1940), Malta (Buġibba) 2018. Who stands better?

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The position is dead-equal, according to the analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01.

31.Kf1 f5 32.h3 Kf7 33.Kf2 Kf6 34.f3 exf3+ 35.Kxf3 Ke5 36.Bc2 h4 37.Bb1 g5 38.Bc2 Bc7 39.Bb1 Kf6 40.e4?!

This may be objectively OK but, assuming WC was happy with a draw, it makes White's task unnecessarily complicated as now the black king has a route via d4 to enter the queenside.

40...f4 41.Kg4 Bd8 42.Kf3 Ke5 43.Ke2!?

The engines slightly prefer 43.Kg4!? or 43.Bc2.

43...Kd4 44.Kd2

White was in zugzwang. The engines give best-play as 44.e5!? Kxe5 45.Kd2 Bf6 46.Bc2 g4!? 47.hxg4 f3 48.gxf3 Kf4! (48...h3 49.Ke3=) 49.Ke2 h3 50.Kf1 (50.Kf2 Bd4+) Kxf3 51.Bd1+, when White seems to be holding.

44...Bc7

44...g4! is winning, eg 45.hxg4 f3 46.gxf3 h3 etc.

45.Bc2

Again e5!? seems to hold.

45...Be5

45...g4!

46.Bb1

This time 46.Bd1! holds.

46...f3

46...g4!

47.gxf3 Bf4+ 48.Ke2 Kc3 49.e5! Kb2 50.e6 Bd6 51.Be4 Kxa2 52.Bc2 Kb2

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53.Kd3?

Any reasonable move draws, but Black's next puts White in terminal zugzwang.

53...Kc1 0-1

Opposite Exceptions (part 12)

White has just captured on f2 in Spanton (1923) - Jan Divis (1526), Highlands Open (Třebíč, Czechia), 2018. How big is White's advantage?

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Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 reckon White has a slight edge.

33...Kf6?

A horrible oversight, perhaps caused by relaxing after reaching a drawn ending. Even after the text, however, the engines reckon White 'only' has the upper hand (about +1.03) rather than a winning advantage.

34.Bxb7

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34...Ke5?

Correct is 34...Bc1 to force b3, after which the position may well be drawn.

The game finished:

35.Be4 h6 36.a4 bxa3 37.bxa3 Kd4 38.a4 Bd8 39.Kf3 Ke5 40.Kg4 Kf6 41.h4 Ba5 42.Kf3 Be1 43.h5 Kg5 44.g4 Bc3 45.Bf5 Kf6 46.Ke4 Ke7 47.Kd5 Be5 48.Kc6 Kd8 49.a5 Bc3 50.a6 d5 51.a7 1-0

Opposite Exceptions (part 11)

White has just captured on d1 in Terry PD Chapman (2200) - Spanton (1927), British Chess Championships 50+ (Hull) 2018. How big is White's advantage, if there is one?

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White is winning, according to Stockfish12; has the upper hand (+1.17), according to Komodo11.01.

28...Bd4 29.f4 Bxb2 30.a4

Black has levelled material, but now both engines give White's position as winning.

30...Kf7 31.Kf3 Kd7

The engines give 31...h5!? 32.Ke4 h4 33.gxh4 gxh4, but reckon White's connected passed pawns and more-central king add up to a winning advantage.

32.Ke4 gxf4

32...h6 33.f5.

33.gxf4 a6 34.Be2 Ke7 35.f5 Ba3 36.f6+ Kf8 37.a5 Bb2

Or 37...Bb4 38.e6 Bxa5 39.e7+ Ke8 40.Bh5+ etc.

38.Kf5 Bc3 39.e6 bb4 40.Bf3 1-0

Opposite Exceptions (part 10)

Black has just captured on e5 in Spanton (1923) - Nasarullah Sheikh (1788), St Albans U181 2018. How big is Black's advantage?

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Black is winning, according to Stockfish12, but Komodo11.01 only gives Black the upper hand (+1.01 pawns).

31.f6+?!

The engines prefer 31.Ke2 Kf6 32.Kf3, but still with a large advantage for Black.

31...Kxf6 32.Bxh7 g6 33.Bg8 Kf5 34.Bf7?

It is better to slow Black's central advance with 34.f3.

34...e4+ 35.Kd2 g5 36.Be8 Kf4 37.Bg6 Bd6 38.h3 Kf3 39.Bf5 c5 40.b3 b6 41.Ke1 Bf4?

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42.Kf1?

After 42.Bg4+ Kg2 43.Bf5 Black can try 43...g4!? 44.Bxe4+ Kxh3 to free the king, but White seems to have decent drawing chances.

The game finished:

42...Bc1 43.a4 Bd2 44.Bg4+ Kf4 45.Ke2 Bc3 46.Bh5 d3+ 47.Kd1 Ke5 48.Bg4 Kd4 49.Bf5 Ke5 50.Bg4 Kf4 51.Bh5 e3 52.fxe3+ Kxe3 53.Bg6 Kd4 54.Bh5 Bb4 55.Kc1 Kc3 56.Bd1 Ba3+ 57.Kb1 Kd2 58.Bg4 Kc3 59.Bd1 bb2 60.Ka2 Kd2 61.Bg4 Kc1 62.Bf3 Bc3 0-1

Opposite Exceptions (part nine)

White has just captured on d1 in Spanton (1851) - Glenn L House (2188), Jersey 2018. Who stands better, and by how much?

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Black is winning, according to the analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01.

39...Bxb2

So natural, but the engines prefer 39...f6!? 40.gxf6+ Kxf6, and if 41.b3 then 41...Bc7, after which the black king invades the queenside.

40.f4

If 40.Kg2 then 40...Be5 followed by ...Bf4.

After the text, Black only has one winning move, it seems.

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40...e2!

40...Bc1 41.Be2 is equal, according to Stockfish12, or only slightly better for Black, according to Komodo11.01.

41.Bxe2 Bc1 42.f5 Bxg5 43.fxg6 fxg6 44.Kg2 Kf6 45.Kf3 Ke5 46.Bd3 Bc1 47.h3 g5

Black's ability to create a passed pawn on each flank means he is winning.

48.a4 Ba3 49.Ke3 Bc5+ 50.Kd2 Kf4 51.Be2 g4 52.hxg4 hxg4 53.Ke1 g3 54.Kf1 Kxe4 55.Kg2 Bd6 56.Bf1 Ke3 57.Kh3 Kd2 58.c5!? Bc7 59.Kg2 Kc3 60.Be2 Kb4 0-1

Opposite Exceptions (part eight)

White has just captured on f2 in Spanton (1963) - Patrick Scharrer (2231), Gibraltar 2015. How big is Black's advantage?

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Black is winning, according to Stockfish12; Komodo11.01 gives Black a slight edge at first, but eventually changes to giving Black the upper hand.

33...Bxg2 34.Kb4 Kc6 35.Kc4 a6 36.a3!?

The engines do not like this, preferring 36.Be1, but I cannot work out what is wrong with the text.

36...e5 37.Bg3

The engines prefer retreating with 37.Kd3!? but it is hard to see what that achieves.

37...Bf1+ 38.Kc3 Kd5 39.Kd2 Ke4 40.Ke1 Bh3 41.Ke2 Bg4+ 42.Kf2 f5

The problem for White is Black will get a pair of connected passers while White cannot successfully activate his queenside pawn-majority.

43.h4 f4 44.exf4

If 44.Bh2 then 44...Be6 45.b4 g4.

The game finished:

44...gxf4 45.Bh2 Bd1 46.b4 Ba4 47.Bg1 Kf5 48.Kg2 Bc6+ 49.Kf1 e4 50.Bf2 e3 51.Be1 f3 52.Bc3 f2 0-1

Opposite Exceptions (part seven)

Black has just captured on f7 in David JR Barnes (154) - Spanton (172), Kent League 170 Average Final 2011. How big is Black's advantage?

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The position is dead-equal, according to Stockfish12, but Komodo11.01 gives Black a slight edge.

41.dxe4

DB said afterwards he thought there was no way Black could win from here.

41...a4 42.h4 Bxc4 43.Kf3 Ke6 44.Kf4 Bd3 45.Bd2 Kd6 46.Bc3 h6

Both engines now rate the position as equal. I see from my original notes that Rybka3 reckoned 46...c4 gives Black a slight edge, but Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 disagree.

47.Bd2!?

I expected 47.Bg7, which is marginally preferred by Komodo11.01 (Stockfish12 reckons the position is dead-equal after either move). Since 47...h5 offers nothing, I think I was planning 47...g5+ 48.hxg5 hxg5 49.Kxg5 Bxe4, but it is a tablebase draw.

47...g5+!? 48.hxg5 hxg5+ 49.Kf5

49.Kxg5 Ke5 wins for Black, according to Komodo11.01, but Stockfish12 still rates the position as drawn. A likely continuation is 50.Kg4 Be2+ 51.Kg3 Bxe4, which is a tablebase draw.

49...g4 50.Bf4+ Kc6 51.Ke5 Kb5 52.Kd5 Bc4+ 53.Kd6 Bf7 54.Be3!?

54.Ke5 looks a simpler way to play it.

54...c4 55.Bd2?

This loses trivially. 55.Ke5 seems to draw, although now it is Stockfish12 that reckons Black is winning, while Komodo11.01 'only' gives Black the upper hand. The problem with the engines' evaluations seems to be that they do not understand Black has the wrong bishop for promoting the a4 pawn. After 55...c3 56.Kd4 c2 57.Kd3 Bb3 they reckon best-play continues 58.Kd2 g3 59.e5 Kc4 60.e6 c1=Q+!? 61.Kxc1 Kd3. By now both engines have had Black winning for quite some time, but with never-changing evaluations (+2.45 for Stockfish1; +2.5 for Komodo11.01). This is often a sign that a position is not in fact winning. Indeed after 62.e7 Bf7 63.Bg1 Ke2 (+3.07 for Stockfish12; still +2.5 for Komodo11.01) 64.Bb6 g2 65.Bc5 Kf1 66.Bb6 g1=Q 67.Bxg1 Kxg1 the game is a tablebase draw, although Stockfish12 gives Black's advantage as +2.29 (Komodo11.01 takes a little time, but comes to recognise the draw).

55...g3 56.Be3 g2 57.Ke5 c3 58.Kd4 c2 0-1

Opposite Exceptions (part six)

Black has just captured on f4 in S Rychkov (1979) - Spanton (2083), 2009 IECG Cup Quarter-Finals (correspondence chess) 2011. How big is White's advantage?

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Both Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 reckon White has the upper hand - an advantage of about nine-tenths of a pawn.

31.h3 Bc7 32.Kf3 Kf8 33.Ke4 Ke7 34.Kd5 Kd8

I see from my original notes Fritz11 rated the position as drawn. However my modern analysis engines give White a large, but not winning, advantage.

35.Ba6 Bb6 36.f4!?

Stockfish12 does not like this but Komodo11.01 is happy enough. The former suggests 36.Kd6 Ba5 37.a3 Bc7+ 38.Kc5 Ba5 39.Bd3 h5!? 40.a4 Kc7, but it is not clear how White makes progress.

36...f5?

This is very weakening. The engines prefer 36...g6!? 37.f5 Ba5, when Black looks reasonably solid.

37.Ke6 g6 38.Kf7 Bc7 39.Kg7 Ke7 40.Kxh7 Kf6 41.Kg8 Bxf4

I cannot recall but I guess this must have been the position I was aiming for when I made my 36th move; however, Black is lost.

42.Bc8 Ke7

Worse is 42...g5 43.Kf8 Ke5 when 44.Bxf5!? is pretty (but the engines prefer 44.Ke7). Black is winning in either case.

The game finished:

43.Kg7 Bg3 44.Kxg6 Kd6 45.Bb7 f4 46.Kf5 f3 47.Kg4 f2 48.Ba6 Be5 49.Bb5 Bc3 50.h4 Ba5 51.Kf5 1-0

Opposite Exceptions (part five)

THIS example is slightly different in that it starts with the superior side swopping off into an ending of opposite-coloured bishops because that is, probably, the quickest way to win.

White to play in Spanton (2004) - Richard Almond (2158), Isle Of Man 2004

52.Bxe7!? Bxe7 53.Kf5

The black king is too far from the main action to save the game.

53...Kc7 54.Kg6 Kd6

Not 54...Bf6 55.h6.

55.Ba2 a5 56.Kxg7 Bg5 57.Kf7 b4 58.axb4 axb4 59.h6 Bxh6 60.e7 1-0

Opposite Exceptions (part four)

Black has just captured on d5 in Vitali Braun (2224) - Spanton (2039), Hastings Challengers' 2001-2. How big is White's advantage?

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White has a slight edge, according to Stockfish12; the upper hand, according to Komodo 11.01.

35.a3 Ke6 36.Ke3 f6

From my original notes I see Fritz5 preferred 36...f5?!, but giving White an entry square at g5 is almost certainly wrong.

37.Bf8 Bc6 38.Kf4 d5 39.g4

The engines agree White has the upper hand, but Black seems to have a defence.

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39...Kf7?

Correct is 39...Be8, when I do not see how White makes progress.

40.Bd6?

This gives Black time to set up the best defence, so White needs to play 40.Bc5, the difference being the bishop is protected on c5. Then 40...Be8 41.g5 (this seems stronger than 41.gxh5?!, although Komodo11.01 disagrees) Ke6 42.gxf6 Kxf6 43.Bb6 Bg6 44.Bd8+ Ke6 45.Kg5 Bd3 46.Kg5 appears to be winning. The engines give best-play as something like (there are a lot of alternatives along the way) 45...Bc2!? 46.Kxh5 Kf5 47.Kh6 Bd1 48.f4 Kxf4 49.Kg6 Bc2+ 50.Kg7 Bd1 51.Kf6 Ke3 52.Ke5 Bf3 53.Bb6 (53.h5?! Bxh5 54.Kxd5 Kf4 is a dead-draw, according to Stockfish12, although Komodo11.01 gives White the upper hand) Kd3 54.Kd6 Kc3 55.Bc5 Kb3 56.Kc7 Kxa3 57.Kb7 Kb3 58.Kxa6 Be2 59.Kb6 Kc3 60.Kc6 Kc4 61.Kd6 Bf3 62.Ke5 etc. This is a very long line but I think it illustrates the winning method.

40...hxg4?

Ensuring defeat. After 40...Ke6 41.Bc5 Black has 41...Be8, getting back to the correct defence, eg 42.Bb6 Bg6 43.Bd8 Be8 44.g5 f5 45.g6!? Bxg6 46.Kg5 Be8, when White cannot make progress. White can try 41.gxh5!? but 41...Be8 42.h6 Bg6 43.Bc7 Bh7 seems to hold.

41.fxg4 Bd7 42.h5 Kg7 43.Be7 Bc8 44.Be8 Kh6?!

This cannot be right, but Black is lost anyway, eg 44...Bd7 45.g5 fxg5+ 46.Kxg5 Bh3 47.h6+ Kh7 48.Bf6 Bd7 49.Be5 Bh3 50.Bf4 Bc8 51.Kf6 Bh3 52.Ke7 etc.

45.Bxf6 Be6 46.Kg3 1-0

Opposite Exceptions (part three)

Black has just captured on e4 in Spanton (163) - T Bean (173), Sutton (Surrey) 1995. How big is White's advantage?

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Stockfish12 gives White a tiny edge (it actually shows the = sign, but with White up .25 of a pawn), while Komodo11.01 reckons White has the upper hand (+.75 of a pawn).

40.Bd2!?

This is the move I relied on when I exchanged queens on move 39. How should Black respond?

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40...f3

Very natural, but the engines want Black to play 40...e3!? After 41.fxe3 fxe3 42.Bxe3 White is two pawns up. Moreover the extra pawns are passers and are in different sectors of the board. Nevertheless it is far from clear White is winning. Komodo11.01 still gives White 'just' the upper hand, while Stockfish12 only concedes White a slight edge. A sample continuation runs: 42...Ke6 43.Kf2 Kf5 44.Bh6 Ke4 45.Bg7 b5 46.Ke2 a5 47.g3 Bd7 48.Kd2 Be6 49.Kc2 Bf7 50.a3 Bd5 51.Kc3 Be6 52.Bf6 Kg3 53.Be5 Ke4 54.Bc7 a4 55.bxa4 bxa4 56.Be5 Kd5 57.Kd3 Bf5+ 58.Ke3 Bd7 59.Kf4 Ke6 60.g4 Bb5 61.g5 Bd3 62.Ke3 Bf5 63.Kd2 Bg6 64.Kc3 Be8 65.Kc4 Bf7 66.Kb4 Bb8+ 67.Kc5 Bg6 68.Bf6 Be4. Both engines have long had White winning, and by quite a margin (Komodo11.01 reckons White's advantage is worth almost seven pawns). But as far as I can see there is no way for White to make progress. This line is far from conclusive as there are many alternatives for both sides at almost every move, but I do think it is indicative of the problems White faces.

41.g4

Black has a much harder task now. True, Black is only one pawn down, but as well as having two passers to cope with, Black has a weak e4 pawn and, by extension, a weak f3 one.

41...Ke6 42.Kh2 b6?!

Black wants to restrict the white bishop by putting queenside pawns on dark squares, but this is probably the wrong plan. Another way to restrict the white bishop is to play 42...Kd5, obliging White to reply 43.Be3 (43.Bc3? e3! 44.fxe3 Ke3 is fine for Black). The drawback with 42...Kd5 is it takes the king away from the passed g pawn, but it is not clear White is well-placed to take advantage of this.

43.Kg3 a5 44.Kf4 Bd5 45.g5 Bb7

Not 45...a4? 46.bxa4 Bxa2 47.Kxe4.

46.a3!?

This is Komodo11.01's choice, but Stockfish12 is not keen. The idea is to open lines on the queenside with b4.

46...Bd5 47.b4 axb4!?

The engines prefer this to 47...a4 48.Kg4.

48.Bxb4 Bb7

When I first analysed this game, I thought 48...e3!? draws. The engines disagree, but after, say, 49.Kxe3 Kf5 50.Be7 b5 51.Bf6 Be4 52.Kd2 Ke6 53.Kc3 Kd5 54.Kb4 Kc6 it is hard to see how White makes progress.

49.Bd2 Ba8 50.Kg4 Bc6 51.Kh5 Kf7 52.Kh6 Bd5 53.Kh7 Kf8 54.Kg6 Bg8 55.Kf5 Bd5 56.Ke5 Bb7 57.d5

Black's position is hopeless.

The game finished:

57...Ke7 58.Bb4+ Kf7 59.Kxe4 Kg6 60.Bd2 Kf7 61.Ke5 Bc8 62.Kd6 bb7 63.Be3 b5 64.Kc5 Ke7 65.Bf4 1-0

Opposite Exceptions (part two)

Black has just captured on d4 in Eduardo Bauza Mercere (1932) - Spanton (unrated), World Open (Philadelphia) 1993. What should the result be?

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The position is drawn, although engines disagree as to whether Black has a theoretical advantage. Stockfish12 reckons the position is dead equal, but Komodo11.01 gives Black a slight edge, which surely must be right, considering Black is a pawn up.

35.Be4 Bd6+ 36.Kg4!

There is no need to protect the h2 pawn if White can win the g pawn in exchange.

36...h6 37.h3 Kg7 38.Kf5 Bf4 39.Bd3 Kf8 40.Kf6 Bd6

The only move not to lose.

41.Kg6 Bf4 42.Kf6

Not 42.Kxh6? g4+.

42...Bd6 43.Kg6 Ke7 44.Bc4 Bf4 45.Kf5 h5 46.Be2

46.h4 Be3 47.hxg5 h4 48.g6 Bh6 49.Kg4 Kf6 is also drawn.

46...h4 47.Bc4 Be3 48.Ke5?

Shuffling the bishop, eg 48.Be2, draws, as does 48.a4.

48...g4!

Black gives back his extra pawn to create a second passed pawn. Two passed pawns in different sectors of the board - here the kingside and the centre - are often enough to win in opposite-coloured-bishop endings.

49.hxg4

Other moves, eg 49.Ke4 and 49.Bf1, also lose fairly trivially, as a little investigation shows, eg 49.Ke4 g3 (49...gxh3 also wins) 50.Kf3 Bg5 51.Ke2 Kd6 52.Kf3 Kc5 53.Bd3 Kd5 54.Bf5 Kc4 55.Ke2 Kc3 56.Be4 d3+ 57.Kd1 Kd4 58.Bc6 Ke3 59.Ke1 d2+ 60.Kd1 Kf2 etc.

49...h3 50.g5 h2 51.Bd5 d3 52.g6 Bh6 0-1

Opposite Exceptions

BOOKS aimed at the great mass of chess players, especially those books with a high endgame content, tend to emphasise how drawish endings of opposite-coloured bishops can be.

Examples usually include ones where a two-pawn advantage, let alone one pawn, is not enough for a win.

Novices and "improving" players, quite naturally, tend to be impressed by this - so much so that they often get offended if an opponent a pawn up in such an ending refuses a draw offer.

But experience in the hurly-burly of practical chess reveals there are many exceptions, and anyway care is required by the defender.

In this series I will look at examples, in chronological order from my own praxis, where the draw was not achieved despite the loser being only one pawn down (and in some cases with level material).

Spanton (147) - C Wright (179)

Barbican Rapid 1991

Black has just captured on d6 - what should the result be?

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Black's extra pawn, his well-placed king and the difficulty of White effecting a blockade mean Black is winning, according to the analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 (but see below).

40.Kg1

White's first move is uncontroversial, but how should Black reply?

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40...f4?!

The engines do no like this natural-looking advance. I believe the point is Black should get his pieces into as good positions as possible before advancing pawns. That calls for something like 40...Bc5+ 41.Kf1 Ke5, although the engines' assessment has changed from Black is winning to Black has the upper hand. One continuation runs 42.Ke2 g5 43.Bf7 f4 44.b4 Bb6 45.Be8, when it is far from clear how Black makes progress, so it may well be that the diagrammed position is drawn (from past experience I suspect it will become clear in this series that engines have trouble evaluating this type of ending, tending to put too much emphasis on material).

41.Bd5 Ke5 42.Bb7 Bc5+ 43.Kf1 a5 44.Bc6 b4 45.axb4 axb4 46.Ke2 g5 47.cxb4 Bxb4 48.b3 h5

Black has a two-pawn advantage on the kingside, but is it enough?

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Komodo11.01 still gives Black the upper hand, but Stockfish12 is probably right in reckoning Black only has a slight edge. In other words, the game should be drawn.

But what should White play now?

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49.Be8?

This natural-looking move (oh how often "natural-looking" moves are mistakes!) loses. Correct is 49.Bd7 to stop ...g4.

49...h4?

Another natural-looking move, and giving it a question mark might seem harsh, but Black has a win by returning the extra pawn with 49...g4!, eg 50.Bxh5 gxh3 51.gxh3, giving a position (see diagram below) where the connected black passers win as long as Black avoids 51...e3?, which allows White to blockade with the bishop. No better for White is 50.hxg4 hxg4 51.Bh5 f3+ 52.gxf3 exf3+ (52...gxf3+? 53.Bxf3) 53.Kf1 Kf4 etc.

Analysis position after 51.gxh3

From the analysis diagram, one winning line for Black runs 51...Bc5 52.Bg4 Kf6 53.h4 Bb6 54.b4 Bd4! (the only winning move, according to the engines - Black has to be careful because White's far-apart pawns can become dangerous) 55.Kf1 f3 56.Ke1 Ke5 57.Kf1 Kf4 58.Bd7 e3 59.Bb5 Kg4 60.h5 Kh4 61.Bc4 (61.Bc6? e2+ 62.Ke1 Bc3+ etc) Kxh5 62.b5 Kg4 63.Bd3 Kf4 64.Bc4 Ke4 65.Ke1 Bc3+ 66.Kd1 Ba5 67.Bf1 Kf4 68.Bd3 Kg3 69.Bc4 Kf2 70.Bd3 e2+ etc. This is a long line, with many reasonable alternatives along the way, but it shows the basic winning method. The key for the superior side is patience!

50.Bc6 Kd4 51.Bb7

51.Bd7 is the clearer way to a draw.

51...Bc5

Interesting is 51...g4!? 52.hxg4 h3!? 53.gxh3 f3+ 54.Kf2 Be7 when 55.b4 seems to save White, eg 55...Ke5 56.b5 Kf4 57.Bxe4! Kxe4 58.Kf1 Bc5 59.h4 Kf4 60.g5 Kf5 61.Ke1. Komodo11.01 still gives Black the upper hand, but there is no way to make progress.

52.Bc6 g4!? 53.hxg4 h3!? 54.gxh3 f3+ 55.Kf1 Ke3

Komodo11.01 reckons 55...Be7!? wins, but Stockfish12 disagrees and is almost certainly right. Komodo11.01's main line goes 56.h4 Bxh4 57.b4 Ke3 58.b5 Bd8 59.g5! Bxg5 60.b6 Bd8 61.b7 Bc7, when it still insists Black is winning, but the engine is clearly wrong, eg 62.Bb5 Kd2 63.Kf4 (63.Kd2 Bc6) Bc6 64.e3 Bb5 - Black cannot make progress.

56.g5 Kf4 57.g6 Bd4 58.b4 e3 59.Bb5 Kg5 60.Bd3 Kh4 61.b5 Kxh3?

Any reasonable move, including 61...Kh5 and 61...e2+, ie 62.Bxe2 fxe2+ 63.Kxe2 Kg5, draws.

62.b6 1-0

Know Thyself

PROBABLY the most-popular use for ChessBase's 2021 Mega database is to prepare for upcoming opponents.

But it also makes sense to prepare to play oneself - in other words to work out what Mega21 tells future opponents about you.

In my case opponents will learn my highest elo was 2147 in July 1999, when I was 42 years old.

I score "badly" (43%) as White; "below average" (40%) as Black.

As White I mostly play 1.e4 (262 games), scoring 40% with an elo performance of -7, ie my performance is seven points below my average rating.

But as White I also play 1.c4 (112 games), scoring 45% with an elo performance of +20, 1.d4 (67 games), scoring 48% with an elo performance of +25, and 1.Nf3 (16 games), scoring 53% with an elo performance of +48. It seems the less I play an opening move, the better I do.

There is also a handful of games starting with 1.g3, 1.Nc3, 1.b3, 1.e3 and 1.c3.

As Black I meet 1.e4 with 1...e5 (105 games), scoring 37% with an elo performance of +12, 1...c5 (103) games, scoring 42% with an elo performance of -42, and 1...e6 (17 games), scoring 32% with an elo performance of -172.

I meet 1.d4 with 1...d5 (133 games), scoring 43% with an elo performance of +22, and 1...Nf6 (25 games), scoring 32% with an elo performance of +31. There are also two games with 1...e6.

And so it goes on, but the key point is that to see ourselves as others see us must be advantageous, if not always very pleasant.

Mega21

THE 2021 version of ChessBase's Mega database was waiting for me when I got back from Belgrade.

According to the cover it contains 8.4million games, which is 400,000 up on 2020, an increase of five percent. The number of annotated ones remains at 85,000.

My own contribution, as it were, is 962 games, up 39 from last year, an increase of 4.2 percent.

As in previous years, I score "badly" as White and "below average" as Black.

The most-recent games in the database are from the US seniors championship on October 19.

New & Improved Milner-Barry Gambit (conclusion)

THE position after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? is a rare bird.

Just 59 games reach it in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, but early results are promising, with White scoring +31=6-22, which is a healthy 58%.

In 46 of the games whites had a rating which averaged at 2115, and they performed at 2164, ie +49pts.

Black players had a rating in 48 games, also averaging at 2115, and they performed at 2023, ie -92pts.

As I have detailed, strong players almost invariably play 7...Bd7 rather than immediately capturing on c3.

One point of their choice is that if White replies 8.cxd4, the game transposes into a regular Milner-Barry Gambit.

If White plays Jonny Hector's choice 8.Re1 or Magnus Carlsen's novelty 8.Nbd2!?, Black still has the option of capturing on c3.

Even at club level, players are well capable of finding 7...Bd7 - it occurs in 42 of the 59 games in Mega20.

There is much still to be learned about the New Milner-Barry.

The Cuban international master Osmel Garcia Carey, for example, has his own ideas about how to play the gambit, preferring to meet 7...Bd7 with 8.Kh1!?, while the Australian amateur Adrian Flitney likes 8.Qe2!?

For what it is worth, the analysis engine Stockfish12 does not approve of Garcia Carey's idea, but Komodo11.01 is fine with it.

Both engines reckon Flitney's move is playable, although in this case Komodo11.01 is slightly less keen than Stockfish12.

New & Improved Milner-Barry Gambit (part four)

AT high levels Black usually meets 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? with 7...Bd7.

But what happens if Black makes the white pawn-sac permanent by immediately capturing on c3?

There are seven games in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database that reach the position after 7...dxc3.

The bad news is White scores a pitiful +1=0-6, but the situation is not as bad as that implies - five of the whites were unrated and the other two were 1775 and 1638.

Further, two of the whites replied to 7...dxc3 with 8.Be3??, which loses on the spot to 8...cxb2.

To slightly redress the balance I want to start by looking at the one game in Mega20 that White won.

Veronika Buchkovska - Dariy Koval

Lviv (Ukraine) Winter Cup 2016

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? dxc3 8.Nxc3

The natural move, giving what John Watson at chesspublishing.com calls "obvious compensation."

Position after 8.Nc3

8...Bb4?!
Five games reach the position after 8.Nxc3 in Mega20, and Black has replied with five different moves (I will look at the alternatives below). The text develops the black dark-square bishop so it will not be shut in by ...Nge7, but the bishop invites harassment on b4.

9.Re1 Bc5?

Seeking to take advantage of White unprotecting f2, but the idea is flawed both positionally and tactically.

10.Qe2

Even stronger is 10.Na4! as 10...Bxf2+?? drops a piece to 11.Kf1.

10...Nd4?

The analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 show 10...Bd7! gives Black a reasonable game as 11.Na4 can be met by 11...Nd4 12.Nxd4 Bxa4.

11.Nxd4 Bxd4 12.Nb5 Bd7

Black can hardly defend the d6 square with 12...Bc5 as then 13.b4! Be7 (13...Bxb4 14.Rb1 etc) 14.Be3 Qd8 15.Rac1 is horrific.

13.Nd6+ Ke7 14.Qd2?!

Hardly subtle. The engines much prefer offering a rook with 14.b3!?, one point being that accepting the sacrifice with 14...Bxa1?! runs into 15.Ba3 with what seems a winning attack.

14...Bc5?!

Seeking to evict the troublesome knight, but apparently missing the main point of White's last move. Better is 14...f6, when 15.exf6+ Bxf6 (not 15...Kxd6? 16.Qf4+ e5 17.fxg7! exf4 18.Bxf4+ Kc5 19.Rac1+ Kb4 20.Bd2+ Ka4 21.Bc2+ Kb5 22.a4+ Kc6 23.Bd3+ Qc5 24.Rxc5+ Kxc5 25.b4+ Kc6 26.Bb5+ winning - a long but largely forced line) 16.Nb5 Bxb5 17.Qb4+ Kf7 18.Bxb5 leaves White with sufficient compensation for her pawn deficit.

15.Qg5+ f6??

Black had to play 15...Kf8, although the engines reckon White is better.

16.Qxg7+ (1-0, 23 moves).

That game was full of mistakes, but it does illustrate how play can get very tactical very quickly after 7...dxc3. Now here is the first game in Mega20 to feature 7...dxc3.

Carlos Utman - Luis Rojas Keim (2310)

Chilean Championship (Santiago) 1993

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? dxc3 8.Nxc3 a6?!

This protects the b5 square, which proved a major factor in Black's undoing in the last game, but it does nothing about Black's lag in development.

9.a3!?

White replies with equal slowness. Probably better is 9.Na4. Also possible is 9.Be3!? as 9...Qxb2 10.Na4 Qa3 11.Nb6 Rb8 12.Qc2 gives White great compensation for two pawns, according to the engines. A sample line continues 12...Nh6 (12...Qe7 13.Bxa6!) 13.Rab1 Be7 14.Rb3 Qa5 15.Rc1, when the engines cannot find a decent move for Black.

9...Nge7 10.h4!?

As a rule, h4 in this sort of position is less effective when Black can immediately reply ...Ng6 without fearing h5.

10...Ng6 11.Qe2 Nd4 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 13.h5 Nf4

Black can probably also get away with 13...Nxe5!?

14.Bb5+??

White had to play 14.Bxf4 Qxf4 15.Rac1 or 14.Qg4 Qxd3 13.Qxf4, with just-about enough compensation for a pawn in both cases, according to the engines.

14...axb5 15.Qxb5+ Bd7 (0-1, 33 moves).

Utman-Rojas Keim illustrates that both players need to develop quickly, ideally with threats. Black's probable minor-slip at move eight could have caused big problems. As it was, despite White playing seemingly sub-optimal moves, White still had a lot of compensation for being a pawn down.

In the next game Black gets on with development.

Oswaldo Caminos - Mario Guevara (2260)

San Salvador Championship 1995

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? dxc3 8.Nxc3 Bd7

This looks a sensible move.

9.Qe2

Preparing Be3. But the engines like an immediate 9.Be3!?, when 9...Qxb2?! 10.Nb5 Rc8 11.Re1 a6 (11..Nxe5 12.Rb1 Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 with  a huge lead in development that is worth much more, according to the engines, than Black's extra pawns) 12.Rb1 Qxa2 13.Re2 Qa5 14.Bb6! wins the black queen. If 10...Kd8? then 11.Bc1 (11.Rb1 is also strong) Qb4 (11...Qxa1 12.Bg5+)  12.Rb1 with a huge attack.

Black should probably meet 9.Be3!?, according to the engines, with 9...Qd8, but White's compensation for a pawn is obvious.

9...Bc5?!

Probably better is 9...Nge7 or 9...Rc8.

10.Bf4?!

As in Buchkovska - Koval, White misses the chance to play 10.Na4!?, when 10...Qb4 11.Nxc5 Qxc5 12.Be3 gives White great compensation for a pawn, including the bishop-pair and Black being left with a bad bishop. Perhaps Caminos was put off by 10...Nd4 11.Nxd4 Bxa4, but the engines reckon 12.Qg4! Ne7 13.Nf3 gives White a very good game.

10...Nb4 11.Bb1?!

White probably should have settled for 11.Bb5 Bxb5 12.Nxb5 a6 13.Nd6+ Bxd6 14.exd6, which is a little unclear but probably better for Black.

11...d4!

Caminos must have missed the strength of this move.

12.a3

Or 12.Ne4 bb5.

12...dxc3 13.axb4 cxb2 14.Qxb2 Qxb4 15.Qxb4 Bxb4 16.Be4 Bc6 17.Bxc6+ bxc6 18.Rfb1 c5 19.Nd4?

The engines reckon White should have played 19.Bd2 Bxd2 20.Nxd2 with good chances of getting one pawn back, after which he will have some drawing chances.

19...Ne7 20.Nb5 Nd5 (0-1, 23 moves).

Caminos - Guevara again shows how the game can quickly get tactical after 7...dxc3. It also illustrates, in the notes rather than the game, White's thematic shots Be3!? and Na4.

The next game is another example of missed tactical opportunities in the New Milner-Barry Gambit.

Ole Overmark (1775) - Arun Vijay Cithu (1501)

Xtracon (Helsingør, Denmark) 2016

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? dxc3 8.Nxc3 f6?!

Again a non-developing move by Black, and again it is probably too slow, but White must react energetically.

9.exf6

The engines again like 9.Be3!?, when 9...Qxb2? 10.Nb5 is immediately winning, they reckon, eg 10...Kd8 11.Rb1 Qxa2 12.Ra1 Qb2 13.Bd2!? Nxe5 14.Bc3 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 Qb3 16.Rfb1, trapping the black queen.

So Black should probably retreat the queen with 9...Qd8, when best may be 10.Bb5!? (10.Qc2 also seems good) Bd7 11.Re1 Bb4 12.a3 Bxc3 13.bxc3 with what the engines reckon is more than enough compensation for a pawn. Note that 13...Nxe5? 14.Nxe5 Bxb5 fails to 15.Qh5+ etc.

9...Nxf6 10.Ng5?!

The engines reckon White is at least slightly better after 10.Bf4.

10...Be7?!

Probably better is 10...Bd6.

11.Re1

The engines give 11.Bxh7!, eg 11...Nxh7 12.Qh5+ Kd7 13.Nxe6!, when 13...Kxe6? 14.Qxd5+ is good for White, but even stronger seem to be 14.Re1+ and 14.Nxd5. Black could try 13...Nb4, to cover d5, but 14.Re1 and 14.Nxg7 seem good, eg 14.Re1 Ng5 (14...Nc2 15.Nxd5) 15.Qxh8 Nxe6, when material is approximately equal but White's attack continues.

11...e5?!

Black should return the pawn with 11...0-0 12.Nxe6 Bxe6 13.Rxe6 with a roughly equal game, according to the engines.

12.a3?

Capturing on h7 again works. The text is too slow.

12...0-0!?

This may be best, but it should lead to sharp play.

13.Na4?

The knight has no real follow-up, and in fact the move drives the black queen where it wants to go.

White could still play Bxh7+, eg 13.Bxh7+ Nxh7 14.Qxd5+ Kh8 15.Nf7+ Rxf7 16.Qxf7, when material is again roughly equal, but this time Black's king is much safer and the black pieces are much better coordinated. Stockfish12 gives Black the upper hand although Komodo11.01 reckons the black edge is a lot smaller.

13...Qc7?!

Almost certainly better is 13...Qd8, when Black is a pawn up, controls the centre and has no problems with king safety.

14.h3??

Again Bxh7+ was White's best chance.

14...h6 15.Nf3 e4 (0-1, 52 moves).

Overmark - Cithu once again shows the tactical nature of the New Milner-Barry Gambit. White must be alert for combinations, especially when Black fails to catch up in development.

The next game is a rating mis-match, but the 525-point underdog is not the first to make a dubious move.

Jordi Caixal Piqué (1638) - Sergio Romero Calduch (2163)

Salou (Spain) U2300 2018

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? dxc3 8.Nxc3 f5?!

Again a non-developing move, and again probably wrong.

9.Bxf5?!

9.exf6 would transpose to the previous game, while once again the engines like Be3.

The text is not as ridiculous as it may look at first sight, but it is almost certainly not best.

9...exf5 10.Nxd5 Qd8 11.Bg5?

Stockfish12 gives 11.Ng5 Nb4!? 12.Qa4+ Bd7 13.Qb3 Nxd5 14.Qxd5 Nh6 15.Qxb7 Qc8 16.Qf3 Bc6 17.Qh5+ g6 18.Qh3 f4 19.e6 with an unclear position but one that probably favours Black (Komodo11.01 is less sure).

Komodo11.01 gives 11.Qb3 Be6 12.Nf6+ gxf6 13.Qxe6+ Qe7 14.Qxf5 fxe5, but prefers Black.

After the text, White is busted.

11...Nge7 12.Bxe7

There is nothing better.

12...Nxe7!? 13.Nf4 Qxd1 14.Rfxd1 g6

Black has two bishops for knight and pawn, and no real worries about king safety (0-1, 27moves).

There are no games with 8...Nge7 in Mega20, but it is worth taking a quick look at it as ...Nge7 often features in games between strong players covered earlier in this series.

The engines like 9.Re1 and, once again, 9.Be3.

As usual, 9...Qxb2? fails to 10.Nb5.

So  the engines prefer 9...Qd8 10.Bg5 a6 with a sample line continuing 11.Rc1 h6 12.Be3, when White has more than enough for a pawn, according to Stcokfish12, but Komodo11.01 reckons the chances are equal.

The engines also quite like 9...Qa5!? 10.Rc1 Ng6, when Komodo11.01 reckons 11.Nb5 gives White a slight edge although Stockfish12 calls it even. Note that the e5 pawn is almost certainly poisoned, for example 11.h4 Ngxe5?! 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Nb5 Bc6 14.Bf4 e5 15.Re1 f6 16.Qh5+ with a very strong attack.