I finished in a tie for 7th-13th (13th on tiebreak), narrowly missing out on a prize - but I won a T-shirt in the closing-ceremony raffle.
Friday 31 December 2021
Summing Up Alicante
MY score in the II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama Negra of +4=4-1 saw me gain 30.8 Fide elo.
Alicante Round Nine
PLAYED a Belgian yesterday evening.
Spanton (1829) - Marc Lacrosse (FM 2035)
II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama NegraSpanish Four Knights
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Qe7
This is Black's most-popular move. The main idea is to implement the Metger Unpin, ie ...Nd8-e6-f4-g6.
9.Bxc6!?
This capture goes back to at least 1893, when Curt von Bardeleben played it against Johannes Metger of Unpin fame. The game was drawn, and 9.Bxc6!? has since been massively overtaken in popularity by 9.Re1.
9...bxc6 10.Rb1
Von Bardeleben played 10.Qd2, while modern strong players have tended to prefer 10.Nd2.
10...h6 11.Bh4 g5
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
12.Bg3
12.Bg3
I rejected 12.Nxg5!? hxg5 13.Bxg5 because of the simple 13...Qe6, missing that Black cannot meet 14.f4 with 14...Nh7? as White has 15.f5 Qd7 16.Bh6 f6 17.Qg4+ Kh8 18.Bxf8 Nxf8 19.Rf3, a more-or-less forced line that leaves White with rook, two pawns and an attack for bishop and knight. A likely continuation runs 19...Qf7 20.Rf3+ Nh7 21.Rh4! (to make Qg6 possible) Bd7 22.Qg6 Qe7 23.Rb7, when Black is abominably tied down and completely lost, according to the engines, eg 23...Rg8 24.Rxc7! Rxg6 25.fxg6 and 26.Rxh7+. The engines reckon that instead of 14...Nh7? Black should play 14...exf4 with a position that is unclear but probably favours Black.
12...Nh5 13.Qd2 Be6 14.c4 Bg4!?
This looks strange after first playing ...Be6, but it is Stockfish14.1's top choice. I guess the point is 13...Be6 was not a wasted tempo as it induced White to play 14.c4, thus making the white central pawns less flexible.
15.Qe3
It is important not to let the dark-square bishop be entombed by 15...Bxf3 16.gxf3.
15...c5 16.Rb7 Rfb8 17.Rfb1 Qd8 18.Nd2
Not 18.Rxb8 Rxb8 19.Rxb8 Qxb8 20.Nxg5?? as Black has a back-rank mate.
18...Qc8 19.R7b3 Rb6 20.Nf1 Rab8 21.Qc1 Qa6 22.Ne3 Be6 23.R1b2 Kg7 24.Qd1 Kg6 25.Nf5 Ng7
Not 25...Bxf5?? 26.exf5+ and 27.Qxh5.
26.Nxg7
The engines prefer 26.Ne3!? or 26.Ne7+.
26...Kxg7 27.f3 Bd7 28.Be1 Ba4 29.Rxb6 Rxb6!?
I thought the idea of forcing an exchange on b6 was to recapture with the a pawn. The engines agree Black has an edge after that, but it looks like it would be difficult to make much of it.
30.Qb1 Qb7 31.Rxb6 Qxb6!?
Again ...axb6 is slightly preferred by the engines.
32.Qxb6?!
Played on the assumption the ending with opposite-coloured bishops is an easy draw, but it proves much trickier than I imagined.
32...cxb6 33.Kf2 Bxc2 34.Ke2
 |
| The position after 34.Ke2 - the start of a difficult ending for White |
34....h5 35.Kd2 Ba4 36.Ke3 Kg6 37.g3 Bc2 38.Kd2 Ba4 39.h4?!
This is strongly disliked by the engines, who suggest repeating with 39.Ke3, a possible continuation being 39...f5 40.f4!? exf4+ 41.gxf4 g4 42.Bh4, when they still prefer Black but nowhere near as much as in the game.
39...gxh4 40.gxh4 f5 41.Bf2 f4
 |
| Black's king can never invade the white kingside, but White has fixed weaknesses at d3 and f3 |
42.Kc1 Bd7 43.Kd2 Bh3 44.Ke2 a6 45.Be1 Bd7 46.Bc3 Kf7 47.Kd2 Ke8 48.Ke2 Kd8 49.Kd1 Kc7 50.Ke2 Kb7 51.Kd1
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
51...a5
The engines like 51...Kc6 52.Ke2 b5, meeting 53.cxb5+ with 53...Kxb5. A likely line runs 54.Kd2 Ka4 55.Ke2 Be6, but then White has 56.a3! as 56...Kxa3 57.Ba5 seems to give White sufficient counterplay. So instead the engines give a move such as 56...Bh3 or 56...Kb5, claiming a huge plus for Black - more than five pawns' worth, according to Stockfish14.1 - but the position seems to be drawn.
Note White should avoid the plausible 55.Bb2?, to keep out the black king, as then 55...Be6 threatens to capture the a2 pawn without allowing counterplay from the white bishop. So White has to reply 56.a3, when 56...Bh3 57.Bc3 Bf1 58.Bb2 Bg2 59.Ke2 Kb3 60.Ba1 (60.Bc1 Kc2 61.Bd2 Bxf3+) Kxa3 61.Bc3 Ka4 looks very strong for Black, although even here I am not certain Black is winning.
The game finished:
52.Ke2 Kc6 53.Kd1 Be6 54.Ke2 b5 55.cxb5+ Kxb5 56.a3 Bh3 57.Bd2 a4 58.Bc3 Ka6 59.Bb2 Kb5 60.Bc3 Kc6 61.Bb2 Kd7 62.Bc3 Ke7 63.Bb2 Bd7 64.Bc3 Bb5 65.Kd2 Ke6 66.Bb2 d5 67.exd5+ Kxd5 68.Bc3 c4 69.dxc4+ Bxc4 70.Ke1 e4 ½–½
In the final position Komodo12.1.1 gives Black the upper hand, but Stockfish14.1 correctly identifies the position as dead-equal.
Thursday 30 December 2021
Alicante Round Eight
PLAYED a Swede this morning.
6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.Bf4 Qb6!?
16...Nb6
Spanton (1829) - Matts Unander (2018)
II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama NegraFrench Steinitz
1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5
This is Black's commonest response to White using 2.Nc3 to avoid mainline Alekhine Defence positions.
3.e5 Nfd7 4.d4
4.Nxd5 Nxe5 5.Ne3 is equal, according to Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1, although Nimzowitsch used the line to beat Réti at Baden-Baden 1925. The most-popular alternatives to the text are 4.f4 and 4.e6!? fxe6 5.d4.
4...c5 5.Nf3
The main move in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database is 5.f4, while a popular alternative is 5.dxc5!? Also played are 5.Nxd5?! (but 5...cxd4 seems a strong reply) and 5.e6!?
5...e6
By an unusual move-order the game has reached the starting position of a line Tarrasch recommended in the Steinitz Variation of the French Defence. An independent continuation is 5...cxd4, which is usually followed by 6.Qxd4 e6, whereupon Stockfish14.1 recommends 7.Qf4!?, a move not in Mega22.
 |
| After 5...e6 the game has transposed from an Alekhine to a French Steinitz |
There are 469 examples of this tempting move in Mega22, but the main continuations are 8...f6 and 8...a6.
9.0-0
Not 9.Na4?? Qb4+ 10.c3 Qxf4.
9...Qxb2?!
There are 240 examples of this capture in Mega22, but it is almost certainly a mistake.
10.Nb5 Rb8!?
This is the engines' choice. Most popular in Mega22 is 10...0-0, but that fails to 11.Bxh7+! Kxh7 12.Ng5+ Kg6 13.Qd3+.
11.Bd2
If a draw is all that is needed, it is there for the asking with 11.Rb1 Qxa2 12.Ra1 Qb2 13.Rb1 etc.
11...d4
Not 11...Bb4? 12.Rb1 Qxa2 13.Bxb4 Nxb4 14.Rxb4.
12.Qe2 a6 13.Rfb1 Qxa1
Marginally better, but still losing, is 13...Qxb1+.
14.Nc7+ Kd8 15.Nxe6+ fxe6 16.Rxa1
 |
| Position after 16.Rxa1, when Black has rook and knight for queen but is also behind in development and has the less-safe king |
Black could save the h pawn by playing 16...h6, but that is not an improvement on the text, according to the engines.
17.Ng5 Kc7 18.Nxh7 Bd7 19.Ng5 Rbf8 20.Rb1 Nd5 21.Nf3 Be8 22.Ng5 Bd7 23.h3
Protecting the sensitive h2 square before planning to proceed with Ne4 and, possibly, Nd6, but the engines reckon Ne4 can be played immediately.
23...Ncb4 24.Ne4 Be7 25.Nd6
Cutting off one of the supporters of the b4 knight.
25...Nc6
Even worse is 25...Nxd3 26.Rxb7+, when 26...Kd8 allows a mate-in-two starting with 27.Ba5+, while 26...Kc6 only delays mate a few moves after 27.Qxd3.
26.Rxb7+ Kd8 27.Bxa6 Bxd6 28.cxd6 Nc3 29.Bg5+
Simple and strong is 29.Bxc3 dxc3 30.Bb5, but the text is fine too.
The game finished:
29...Ke8 30.Qd3 Rf5 31.f4 Rhf8 32.g4 Rxg5 33.fxg5 Kd8 34.Bb5 1-0
Wednesday 29 December 2021
Alicante Round Seven
PLAYED a junior (born 2011) this evening.
*****
*****
*****
Pau Marín Ferragut (1995) - Spanton (1829)
II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama NegraScotch
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qf6!?
This usually transposes to 4...Bc5 lines.
5.Nb3!?
But this gives the move-order independent meaning.
5...Qg6 6.f3!?
This is the main move in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database, and is the choice of Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1, ahead of 6.Nc3 (very narrowly ahead in the latter's case).
6...Bd6!?
Preventing the annoying Bf4 and containing a not-so-subtle threat.
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
7.Be3!?
The main move in Mega22 is 7.Nc3!?, when 7...Bxh2?! has been played by a 2560, but after 8.Rxh2 Qg3+ 9.Ke2 Qxh2 10.Nd5 the threat of Bf4 means Black is in trouble. Adam Tukhaev (2552) - Nikita Maiorov (2560), Veronezh (Russia) 2015, continued 10...Qd6 11.Bf4 Ne5 12.Nd4 c6 13.Nf5 Qb8 14.Qd4 f6 15.Nxg7+ Kf7 16.Nxf6! d6 17.Nfe8 Ke7 18.Bg5+ Kd7 19.Qxe5! c5 1-0. Better, according to the engines, is 10...Kf8!? 11.Bf4 Qh4, but White has a strong attack starting with 12.Qd2.
7...Bxh2
This is much more playable than after 7.Nc3 as Black does not come under such an immediate attack.
8.Bf2!?
The engines prefer 8.Nc3, reckoning White has more-or-less sufficient compensation. But the same can almost certainly not be said after 8.Rxh2?! Qg3+ 9.Bf2 Qxh2.
8...Bg3 9.Nc3 Bxf2+ 10.Kxf2
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
10...Qf6?!
Played so as to be able to defend c7 without losing castling rights, but it is almost certainly too slow. The engines give 10...Nge7, meeting 11.Nb5 with 11...Kd8, when they reckon Black maybe has a slight edge.
11.Nd5 Qd8 12.Qd2
This may be enough for a tiny edge, according to the engines, but they reckon 12.Nd4 is even stronger.
12...Nf6 13.Qf4 d6
13...Nxd5?! 14.exd5 Ne7 15.d6!? cxd6 16.Re1 seems very good for White, although not completely clear-cut.
14.Nxf6+ Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.g4!?
This prevents undoubling with ...f5.
16...Be6 17.Bb5 Bxb3
I did not fancy defending against White's unchallengeable knight after 17...Ke7 18.Bxc6 bxc6 19.Nd4, although the knight does not immediately have a great outpost.
18.axb3 Ke7 19.Bxc6 bxc6
 |
| How would you assess this double-rook-and-pawn ending? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
Black is a pawn up but has two isolated pawns on half-open files and two pairs of doubled pawns, one pair of which is made up of two isolanis. White also has a pair of doubled pawns, but has only two pawn-islands against Black's four and can equalise the material at any convenient moment. However the drawing margin in rook-and-pawn endings tends to be quite wide, although having two pairs of rooks almost always favours the side pressing for a win. The engines reckon White has a slight edge.
20.Rh6 a5
Black cannot afford to be passive, which is why the engines reckon the best answer to 20.Ra6 is 20...h5!?, eg 21.gxh5 c5, when Komodo12.1.1 evaluates the position as equal, although Stockfish14.1. gives White a slight edge.
21.Ra4 c5 22.Ke3 Rhb8!? 23.Kf4 Rb4 24.Ra3
Almost certainly not 24.Rxb4 as the white queenside pawns are very vulnerable after 24...axb4.
24...c4 25.Rxh7 cxb3 26.cxb3 d5 27.Kf5?!
This seems a waste of time.
27...d4
The engines give Black a slight edge after 27...dxe4 28.fxe4 Rd8, eg 29.Rxa5 (probably not best - the engines prefer retreating the other rook to h3 or h2) Rd1 (threatens mate-in-one) 30.Kf4 Rxb3 (again mate-in-one is threatened) 31.g5 Rf1+ 32.Kg4 fxg5 33.Rxg5 Rxb2, when Black is a pawn up but White seems to have enough activity to hold.
28.Kf4 Rb5 29.Rh1 Rd8 30.Rh2 c5 31.Re2 Ke6 32.Ra4 Rdb8
Stockfish14.1 reckons 32...Kd6!? gives Black a large edge, but Komodo12.1.1 calls the position equal.
33.Rc4 Rxb3 34.Rxc5 Rxb2 35.Rxb2 Rxb2 36.Rxc5 Rb6 (½–½, 59 moves).
Alicante Round Six
PLAYED a junior (born 2008) this morning.
*****
*****
Spanton (1829) - Francisco Salvador Martínez Rodríguez (1859)
II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama NegraSpanish Exchange
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 Bg4!?
This rare move has been tried by players rated 2400+. Their idea after ...
8.f3
... has been to continue 8...Bd7, presumably arguing that 8.f3 is weakening. But playing f3 is normal in the Exchange Variation of the Spanish, and indeed the position after 8...Bd7 is usually reached with Black to move.
8...Bh5!?
Black's thinking behind this will soon become clear.
9.Be3 0-0-0 10.Nd2 f6?
Black wants to place the light-square bishop on f7, from where it will bear down on the white queenside. But first the white knight on d4 should be kicked by 10...c5.
11.0-0-0?
Missing the chance to get rid of Black's bishop-pair by 11.Ne6.
11...Bf7 12.Kb1?!
There is no question of Black capturing the white a pawn as the bishop would be trapped by White replying b3, so this move could wait as it might prove a loss of two tempi if it turns out the king is better placed on c1.
12...g6 13.N2b3 Bc4!?
Threatening to win a piece by 14...c5, but the threat is easily parried.
14.Na5 Bf7 15.Nab3 Ne7!?
This gives White a second chance to deprive Black of the bishop-pair, but in a less damaging way than could have occurred at move 11.
16.Nc5
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
16...g5
During the game I thought Black should complicate matters with 16...Nd5!?, when 17.exd5 Bxc5 18.dxc6 bxc6 19.Nf5 Bb4 leaves Black with smashed queenside pawns, but Black keeps the bishop-pair and White no longer has a kingside majority. Better, according to Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1, is 17.Nxc6!? bxc6 18.exd5 Bxc5 19.Bxc5 Rxd5 20.Rxd5 cxd5 21.Kc1, when the engines give White a slight edge thanks to Black having an extra pawn-island, but opposite-coloured bishops in the ending virtually assure Black of a draw despite the presence of rooks.
17.Ne6 Rd6 18.Nxf8 Rxf8 19.Ne2 Rfd8 20.Kc1
See note to White's 12th move.
20...b6?!
This lets White exchange a pair of rooks without undoubling Black's c pawns, and follow up with a kingside initiative.
21.Rxd6 Rxd6 22.h4 gxh4!?
22...h6 is no bed of roses either after 23.hxg5 fxg5, when White has a protected passed pawn and pressure down the f file, while 23...hxg5 24.Rh7 is probably worse, although it does not immediately lose material as Black has 24...Bc4.
And 22...g4?! can be pleasantly met by 23.Bf4, or simply 23.fxg4, intending to meet 23...Re6 with 24.Ng3.
23.Rxh4 Bg8
The engines prefer 23...Bg6 or 23...h5.
24.Rh1!?
Hoping to force an exchange of rooks on the d file, but it may be a little slow. The engines like 24.Ng3.
24...c5 25.a3!?
This may become necessary, but it is not needed yet as 25.Rd1 Rxd1+ 26.Kxd1 Bxa2?! 27.b3 still traps the bishop after 27...c5 28.Kc1 cxb3 29.Kb2, although Black emerges, temporarily, with three pawns for it.
25...f5!?
This is the engines' choice, although it seemingly allows White a favourable liquidation.
26.Bg5 Rd7 27.Bxe7!?
But the engines do not like this, much preferring 27.e5 Ng6 28.f4.
27...Rxe7 28.Ng3 fxe4 29.Nxe4 Rg7
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
30.Rh2
Bishop and rook usually work better together than knight and rook, but 30.Nf6 Rxg2 31.Nxg8 Rxg8 32.Rxh7 is dead-equal, according to the engines.
30...Rg6 31.Kd2 Kd8 32.Ke3 Bd5 33.Kf4 Bxe4!? 34.Kxe4
This rook-and-pawn ending is winning for White, according to Stockfish14.1; equal, according to Komodo12.1.1. I do not believe I am sticking my neck out by suggesting the truth lies somewhere in-between. Indeed, having typed this, Stockfish14.1 maintains its verdict of winning for White, while Komodo12.1.1 now gives White a slight edge. Certainly the fact Black has an h pawn to worry about makes the rook-and-pawn ending more favourable for White than the one that would have arisen after 30.Nf6.
34...Rg7 35.g4 Re7+ 36.Kf4 Rf7+ 37.Kg3 Ke7 38.f4 Kf6 39.Re2 Rd7 40.Kh4?!
More promising is 40.g5+, when it is hard to find a decent defence for Black.
40...Rd1 41.Rf2 Rh1+ 42.Kg3 Re1?!
A probable improvement is 42...h5!? 43.Kg2 Rd1 (not 43...Rh4? 44.g5+ as 44...Kf5 45.Rf3! Rxf4? - other moves also lose - fails to 46.Rxf4+ Kxf4 47.g6 etc) 44.gxh5 Rd5 45.f5 Kg5, when it is hard to see how White makes progress, although the engines remain split - White has the upper hand, according to Stockfish14.1.1; only a slight edge, according to Komodo12.1.1.
43.Kf3 Rg1?!
Probably better is 43...h6.
44.Rh2 Kg6 45.f5+ Kg7 46.Kf4 h6 47.Rd2 Kf6 48.Rd7 Rf1+ 49.Kg3 Rg1+ 50.Kf3 Rf1+ 51.Kg3 Rg1+ 52.Kf3 ½–½
 |
| The final position |
I offered a draw as I could see no sensible way of continuing, but after 52...Rf1+ the engines like 53.Kg2. I rejected this (originally at move 51) because of 53...Rb1 54.Rxc7 Rxb2, but the engines give 55.Rh7 Rxc2+ 56.Kg3 as winning for White, despite being a pawn down. What I missed is that 56...Kg5 does not hold up White on the kingside as there follows 57.Rg7+ Kf6 58.Rg6+ and 59.Rxh6, when the connected white passers are surely winners.
Tuesday 28 December 2021
Alicante Round Five
PLAYED this evening.
Spanish Berlin
*****
*****
José Joaquin Amorós Morán (1912) - Spanton (1829)
II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama NegraSpanish Berlin
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.h3!?
This has been played by grandmasters, but is only eighth in popularity in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.
5...Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.c3 Bb6 8.0-0
The point of White's fifth move, at least when essayed by players rated 2600+, is to follow up with 8.Bg5!?, but Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon the resulting position is dead-equal.
8...c6 9.Ba4 d6 10.Nd2 Be6 11.Qe2 0-0 12.Kh1 d5 13.Nf3 dxe4!?
It may have been better - ever so slightly, according to the engines - to maintain tension in the centre with, for example, 13...Bc7.
14.dxe4 Qc7 15.Ng5 Bd7 16.Bb3 h6 17.Nf3 a5 18.Nh4 a4 19.Bc4 Kh7!?
Played against the threat of Ng6, but it may be a little slow. The engines like 19...Ba7, intending ...b5, and if 20.Ng6 Rfe8 21.f4, then 21...Be6!? 22.Nxe5 Bxc4 23.Qxc4 b5!?, when Black's activity at least compensates for being a pawn down, they reckon, eg 24.Qxc6 (possibly retreating the queen is better) Qxc6 25.Nxc6 Nxe4 26.Kh2 Bf2.
20.f4 Bc5!?
The engines prefer centralising the queen's rook with 20...Rae8.
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
21.f5!?
21.f5!?
This looks menacing, but opening lines with 21.fxe5, or maintaining the tension with 21.Bd3, is better, according to the engines.
21...b5 22.Bd3 Rh8!?
Preparing to play ...Kg8 and be ready to play down the h file in the event of White pushing the g2 pawn.
23.a3 Rad8 24.Bc2 Be7 25.b3!?
The engines prefer repositioning the king's knight with 25.Nf3, or developing the queen's bishop with 25.Be3.
25...axb3 26.Bxb3 Be8 27.Bc2 c5 28.Nf3 Nh5 29.Qe1 Bc6 30.Kh2 Bd6 31.g3 Qb7 32.Rb1 Nf6 33.Nd2 Qa8 34.Qe2 Bc7 35.Re1 Rd7 36.c4 bxc4 37.Nxc4 Rhd8 38.a4
 |
| After much mutual manoeuvring, Black has emerged with the much-better coordinated pieces, but how should Black continue? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
38...Rb8
I felt sacrificing the exchange, starting with 38...Rd4!, must be the way to go, but I could not make it work after 39.Bb2. However the engines reckon the continuation 39...Nxe4 40.Bxd4 Rxd4 gives Black a large advantage, the threats including winning the white knight with ...Bd3, capturing the a and f pawns, and all the time menacing the white king's position.
39.Rxb8 Qxb8
Not 39....Bxb8?? 40.Nb6.
40.Ba3 Qa7 41.Bb2 Qb8 42.Bc3 Re7 43.Kg1 Qa8 44.g4 Qe8 45.Ra1 Qa8 46.Re1 Qe8 47.h4!
White's attack seems well worth a pawn.
47...Bxa4 48.g5 Bxc2??
Playing too quickly in my opponent's mild time-trouble. Instead 48...Ng8 leaves Black only slightly worse off, according to the engines.
There now follows the most ridiculous time-scramble I can remember.
49.gxf6 Rd7 50.Qxc2 gxf6 51.Ne3 Bb6 52.Nd5 Rd6 53.Kh1 Qd8 54.Qg2 Qf8 55.Rb1 Ba7 56.h5 c4 57.Qb2 Qg7 58.Qg2 Qf8 59.Bb4 Qb8 60.Qb2
White is still winning after this, but 60.Bxd6 Qxb1+ 61.Kh2 leaves Black without hope.
60...Bd4 61.Bc3 Qd8 62.Bxd4 exd4 63.Qb8??
63.Qxd4 was obvious and good, but now Black is winning.
63...Rxd5 64.exd5 Qxd5+?
But this only draws. Correct is 64...Qxb8 65.Rxb8 d3 etc.
65.Kg1 Qxf5 66.Rb2 Qf3?
Throwing away the draw, which is to be had with, for example, 66...Qg4+ 67.Rg2 Qd1+ 68.Kh2 Qxh5+ etc.
67.Qb7
Also winning is the engines' 67.Qe8, eg 67...Qd1+ 68.Kf2 Qxh5 69.Qe4+ with Qxd4 to come.
67...Qd1+ 68.Kf2!
This ends the checks.
68...c3?
This allows a mate-in-two. A better try is 68...Qxh5, but 69.Qe4+ with Qxd4 to come wins.
69.Qe4+
Missing 69.Qxf7+ Kh8 70.Rb8#, but White is still winning after the text.
69...Kg7 70.Qg2+ Kh7 71.Qe4+ Kg7 72.Qg2+ Kh7 73.Qe4+ ½–½
The engines point out 73.Re2 wins, eg 73...d3 74.Qe4+ Kg7 75.Qg4+ Kh7 76.Qf5+ Kg7 77.Re4 Qd2+ 78.Kg3 c2 79.Rg4+ Qg5 (forced) 80.Rxg5+ fxg5 81.Qc5 etc. The move Re2 also wins in the position after 69...Kg7 (and 71...Kg7).
Alicante Round Four
PLAYED this morning.
14.Rhe1
*****
*****
Spanton (1829) - Ronald Staneke (1336)
II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama NegraCaro-Kann Classical
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 c6 3.e4 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3 Ngf6!?
This somewhat unusual continuation has been tried by Alexander Grischuk, Alexey Dreev, Šarūnas Šulskis and other strong players.
10.Bxh7 Nxh7 11.Qe2
11.Qd3 Nhf6 is a transposition to the mainline position normally reached by the move-order 9...Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Ngf6. I felt the queen would be more usefully employed putting pressure on the e file.
11...e6 12.Bf4
The less-active 12.Bd2!? is preferred by Stockfish14.1, but Komodo12.1.1 prefers the text. Both engines also like castling.
12...Be7 13.0-0-0 Nhf6
 |
| This position is normally reached with Black to move, as White usually spends two tempi (Qd1xd3 and Qd3-e2) to get the queen to e2 |
14.c4, to prevent Black's next move, is possible, but I did not like the look of a quick ...b5.
14...Nd5 15.Bd2
This is the disadvantage of having played the bishop to f4 instead of immediately to d2 at the 12th move. However 12 .Bd2 gives Black options not available after 12.Bf4, eg 12...Qc7, which is Komodo12.1.1's choice. Stockfish14.1 prefers 12...Be7, which is the most-popular move in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.
15...0-0 16.Kb1 Bb4?!
Black is already behind in development, and this does not help. The engines suggest developing the queen with 16...Qb6 or starting to bring the queen's rook into play with 16...a5.
17.c3 Be7
Black can argue his bishop manoeuvre has weakened the white king's position, but almost certainly more significant is that it gives White an initiative.
18.c4 N5f6 19.Bc3 b5?
It is natural to want to open lines on the queenside, but Black's position is not ready for this thrust. The engines like 19...Re8 with maybe a slight edge for White.
20.cxb5?!
Almost certainly better is 20.d5!?, which, after 20...cxd5 21.cxd5, transposes to the game.
20...cxb5
Played automatically, or so it seemed, but Black should have muddied the waters with the engines' 20...Nd5!, when the position is unclear. Komodo12.1.1 gives best-play as 21.bxc6 Nxc3+ 22.bxc3 Qb6+ 23.Ka1 Qxc6, claiming equal chances (Stockfish14.1 reckons Black is better). Stockfish14.1 gives best-play as 21.Ne4 bxc6 22.Qxc6, claiming dead-eye equality, a verdict with which Komodo12.1.1 agrees.
21.d5!
 |
| How should Black reply? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
21...Qb6!
Giving up a pawn is Black's best chance, according to the engines. They reckon the main alternative, 21...Nxd5 22.Rxd5 exd5 23.Qxe7, is much worse, even though materially Black is only down bishop and knight for rook and pawn.
22.dxe6 fxe6 23.Qxe6+ Qxe6 24.Rxe6 Bc5 25.Bd4 Ng4?
Best, according to the engines, is 25...Rad8, although that leaves White a sound pawn up.
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
26.Bxg7!
This seems best, but other moves, eg 26.Rg6 and and 26.Ne5, are also good.
26...Rf7
This is best, according to the engines, eg 26...Kxg7 and 26...Nxf2 are both met by capturing on d7.
27.Rg6
Other moves also win.
27...Rxg7 28.Rxg7+ Kxg7 29.Rxd7+ Kg8 30.Nf5 (1-0, 67 moves).
Monday 27 December 2021
Alicante Round Three
PLAYED this evening.
*****
Lauren González Cáceres (1416) - Spanton (1829)
II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama NegraFrench Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Bd3 c5!?
This is arguably Black's most unbalancing continuation.
5.Qe2+
The main line in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 5.dxc5 Bxc5 6.Nf3 Nf6 7.0-0 0-0 8.Bg5 with what Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon is a position with equal chances.
5...Be6!?
The engines much prefer 5...Be7 6.dxc5 Nf6, when the main line in Mega22 runs 7.Nf3 0-0 8.0-0 Bxc5, again with equal chances. Note that trying to hold on to the extra pawn is asking for trouble, eg 8.b4?! Re8 9.Be3 a5 10.c3 axb4 11.cxb4 Ng4, when the engines reckon Black is winning.
6.dxc5!?
This is not necessary, eg 6.Nf3 c4 is met by 7.Bf5, and the text helps Black's development. On the other hand it ensures Black will have an IQP.
6...Bxc5 7.Be3
Possibly a novelty. Normal is 7.Nf3.
7...Qb6!?
7...d4 may well be better.
8.Bb5+?!
Moving the bishop for a second time in what is an open position. White could have played 8.Bxc5 without fearing 8...Qxb2?, when 9.c3 Qxa1 10.Nf3 leaves White with a large lead in development, while Black will have problems getting the king safely castled.
8...Nc6 9.Bxc5 Qxc5 10.c3!?
The engines do not mind this move - indeed it becomes their second choice, at least for a while, after they are shown it - but White falls further behind in development.
10...Nf6 11.Nd2?!
But this is very questionable. The engines reckon Black has only a slight edge after 11.Nf3.
11...0-0 12.Nb3 Qb6 13.Bxc6
It is too late for Nf3 at this point as Black replies ...Rfe8.
13...bxc6 14.Nf3
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
14...Rfe8
This is good enough for a sizeable advantage, but almost certainly better is the engines' 14...Bc8!?, when 15.0-0? Ba6 is a disaster. That leaves 15.0-0-0, when Black has much the better attacking chances.
15.0-0 Bg4
White is over the worst of it after 15...Bf5!? 16.Qd2 Ne4 17.Qd4, although other 16th moves for Black, eg ...c5 or ...Bg4, keep White under pressure.
16.Qd3 Re7?!
Probably better is 16...c5.
17.Rae1 Rae8 18.Rxe7 Rxe7 19.h3 Bh5 20.Ng5??
An extraordinary blunder as, even if it were White to move again, he may have nothing better than 21.Nf3.
20...Be2 (0-1, 40 moves).
Alicante Round Two
PLAYED this morning.
*****
*****
Spanton (1829) - Luis Maria Campos Gambuti (IM 2306)
II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama NegraEnglish Opening
1.c4 b6 2.Nf3 Bb7 3.g3 Bxf3!?
This is the main move in the position.
4.exf3 e6!?
But here overwhelmingly more popular is 4...c5 to clamp down on the d4 square.
5.d4
Marginally more popular in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database is 5.Bg2. That gives Black another chance to play ...c5, but in practice Black has not, at least in Mega22.
5...c6
Having given up the light-square bishop to damage the white pawn-structure, Black wants to control light squares with pawns.
6.Nc3
Varuzhan Akobian (2625) - Hikaru Nakamura (2775), US Championship (St Louis) 2012, saw 6.d5!? Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Qe7 8.dxe6 Nf6 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Qe2 Re8!?, when the engines reckon White is better but the game was drawn in 30 moves.6...d5!?
This has been the choice of the strongest players to reach this position, but the engines give 6...Nf6 or 6...Bb4, albeit much preferring White.
7.cxd5 cxd5?
This, however, is definitely a mistake. Black had to play 7...exd5, although the engines still much prefer White.
 |
| How should White proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
8.Bb5+?!
This is good enough for a sizeable advantage, but even stronger is 8.Qa4+ Nd7 (8...Qd7?? 9.Bb5) 9.Ba6!, when Black seems to have no answer to Nb5, eg the engines reckon best-play runs 9...Be7 10.Nb5 Nh6 and either 11.Bb7 Rb8 12.Qxa7 or 11.Bf4 0-0 12.Bc7 Qe8 13.Nd6.
8...Nd7 9.Bf4?!
And here probably better is the engines' 9.Ba6!? Bb4 10.Qb3.
9...a6 10.Bc6 Ra7 11.Qa4 Ne7 12.0-0 Qc8?!
The simple 12...Nxc6 is almost certainly best, although the engines give White at least a slight edge.
 |
| What should White play? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
13.Bxd7+?
The start of a fundamental misunderstanding of the position.
I rejected 13.Bb5 because it does not threaten to capture the a6 pawn, but it maintains pressure on the black position. Indeed the engines reckon Black's best chance lies with the reply 13...g5!?, but then 14.Rac1!? seems strong. Best play, they agree, continues 14...axb5 15.Qxa7 Nc6 (15...gxf4? 16.Nxb5) 16.Qc7 Qxc7 17.Bxc7 Nxd4 18.Kg2, when White is the exchange for a pawn up and Black does not have enough compensation, according to the engines. Alternatively Black could try 13...Ra8 to threaten to capture the white light-square bishop, but 14.Bd3 leaves White with a large lead in development.
But possibly even stronger is Stockfish14.1's 13.Bxd5!? exd5 14.Rac1 Qb7 15.Rfe1, when the Black king seems trapped in the centre and facing a powerful attack.
13...Qxd7 14.Qxd7+?
White probably still has a slight edge after 14.Qb3. The problem with the text is that the position switches from a queens-on middlegame in which Black has trouble completing development, to a queens-off late-middlegame in which the key factors are White's inferior pawn-structure and Black's better bishop (once it gets into play).
14...Kxd7
In two moves, according to the engines, the position has gone from White winning (Stockfish14.1), or at least having the upper hand (Komodo12.1.1), to Black having the upper hand (Stockfish14.1.1), or at least being slightly better (Komodo12.1.1).
15.Na4 Rb7 16.Rac1 Nc6 17.Rfd1 Be7 18.Kf1 Rc8 19.h4 h5 20.Be3
Not the plausible 20.Ke2 Bf6 21.Be3 as Black has 21...Nxd4+!
20...Bf6 21.Kg2 g6 22.Kf1 Re8 23.f4?!
The engines do not mind this, but if it is the best move in the position, White is in big trouble.
I wanted to play 23.Rc3 but was afraid of shadows. The engines agree it the best move, continuing 23...Be7 24.Rdc1 Rc8, when they reckon Black is still better, but at least White has some activity.
23...Nb4 24.a3?!
Probably too weakening. The engines' 24.Bd2 more-or-less drives the knight back, and after 24...Nc6 25.Be3 the engines reckon Black should continue with 25...Rc8 or 25...Be7, maintaining an edge.
24...Nc6 25.b4 Na7 26.Nc3?!
The engines prefer 26.Nb2 Nc6, and if repeating with 27.Na4, then 27...Ne7 and ...Nf5 with continued pressure.
26...Rc8 27.Ke2 Be7 28.Kd3 a5 29.Na2
The engines give 29.bxa5 bxa5 30.Rb1 Rxb1 31.Nxb1. One likely line continues 31...Rb8 32.Bd2 Bxa3!? 33.Bxa5 Rb3+ 34.Kc2 Rb2+ 35.Kc1 Ra2+ 36.Nxa3 Rxa3 37.Bb4 Ra1+ 38.Kd2 Rxd1+ 39.Kxd1, when White has an improved version of the minor-piece ending reached in the game, but Black is winning, according to the engines.
29...axb4 30.Rxc8!?
Maybe slightly better is 30.Nxb4.
30...Nxc8 31.Nxb4 Ra7 32.Bc1 Bxb4!?
Removing White's best-placed piece.
33.axb4 Ra2 34.Rd2!?
The engines agree this is best, but the minor-piece ending cannot be saved, as far as I can tell.
The game finished:
34...Rxd2+ 35.Bxd2 Nd6 36.f3 Kc6 37.Kc3 Kb5 38.Kb3 Nf5 0-1
Sunday 26 December 2021
Alicante Round One
PLAYED this evening.
*****
*****
Francisco Alberola Reig (1161) - Spanton (1829)
II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama NegraSpanish Berlin
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5!?
This modern line can quickly become extremely sharp.
6.Nxe5!?
This looks very strong, at least at first glance, but as this game shows there is a reason the text has been overtaken in popularity by 6.Nbd2 and 6.exd5.
6...0-0
The only move, as 6...Qd6? fails to 7.d4.
7.Nxc6
Almost certainly better is 7.Bxc6!? bxc6 8.d4, when Black has sufficient compensation for being a pawn down, according to Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1. But in this line 8.Nxc6?! is problematic after 8...Qe8 or 8...Qd6, eg 8...Qe8 9.Nd4 dxe4 10.0-0 Ba6!, when the engines much prefer Black.
7...bxc6 8.Bxc6
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
8...Bxf2+!
This is the lovely point behind 5...d5!?
9.Kxf2
Worse seems to be 9.Kf1?!, eg 9...dxe4! 10.Bxa8 Bg4 11.Qc2 Bh4, when White is a rook up but apparently lost, one plausible line running 12.Bxe4 Nxe4 13.dxe4 Qf6+ 14.Kg1 Qb6+ 15.Kf1 Qa6+ 16.Kg1 (16.c4 Qf6+ 17.Kg1 Rd8 18.Be3 is even worse, according to the engines, thanks to 18...Qxb2!) Rd8 17.Be3 Rd1+ 18.Qxd1 Bxd1, which leaves White ahead on material but undeveloped and subject to a big attack.
9...Ng4+ 10.Kg1
10.Kf1?! has been played by a 2266, but 10...Qf6+ 11.Qf3 Qxc6 seems to give Black an improved version of the game.
10.Kg3!? Qf6 (probably better than 10...Qd6+?! 11.Bf4, when Black will get the piece back but has helped White develop) 11.Rf1 (not 11.Bf4? g5) Qg6 12.Qe2! (only move, according to the engines) Ne5+ 13.Kf2 Qxc6 is unclear but seems to give Black more than enough compensation for a pawn.
10...Qf6 11.Qf3?!
This was played in the only game in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database to reach the position after 10...Qf6, but the engines prefer 11.Bf4!?, 11.Qe1 or 11.Qe2.
11...Qxc6 12.exd5
The engines suggest 12.Nd2!?, but give Black a large advantage.
12...Qb6+ 13.d4 Re8 14.Qg3!
This is the best move in the position, according to the engines, and certainly an improvement on Guntis Jankovskis (2306) - Oleg Krivonosov (2413), Latvian Championship (Riga) 2018, which saw 14.Qd1? Qf6 15.Qd2 Ba6 0-1.
14...Qd6?!
Black still has an advantage after this, but probably better are 14...Re2 and 14...Ba6.
15.Qh4?
Not 15.Qxd6?? Re1#, but 15.Bf4 is an improvement, although after 15...Qxd5 Black has regained one pawn and seems to have more than enough compensation for the remaining pawn-deficit.
15...Qf6??
Both 15...Qxd5 and 15...Re2 give Black a large advantage.
16.Qg3?
White should be fine after 16.Qxf6.
16...Ba6?
Threatening mate in one, but unprotecting the knight. Better is still ...Re2 and the engines' ...h5.
17.Nd2 Re3??
17...Re2 with ...Nf2 keeps Black on top.
18.Nf3 Re2
Or 18...Re4 19.h3 Nh6 (19...Ne3 loses to 20.Ng5) 20.Bxh6 Qxh6 21.Kh2, when White has broken the attack and emerges two pawns up.
19.Bg5?
19.Qxg4! wins as 19...Re1+ fails to 20.Kf2, eg 20...Rxh1 21.Bg5 Qxg5 22.Nxg5 Rxa1, when White is ahead on material and Black's pieces are uncoordinated. Better in this line, according to the engines, is 20...h5!?, but they reckon 21.Qxh5 Rxh1 22.Bg5 Qxf3+ 23.Qxf3 Rxa1 24.Kg3 also leaves White with a winning position.
19.Qxg4! wins as 19...Re1+ fails to 20.Kf2, eg 20...Rxh1 21.Bg5 Qxg5 22.Nxg5 Rxa1, when White is ahead on material and Black's pieces are uncoordinated. Better in this line, according to the engines, is 20...h5!?, but they reckon 21.Qxh5 Rxh1 22.Bg5 Qxf3+ 23.Qxf3 Rxa1 24.Kg3 also leaves White with a winning position.
19...Qg6??
Giving White a second chance to grab the knight.
20.Qxg4 h6 21.Ne5?
White wins after 21.h4 hxg5 22.hxg5 thanks to opening the h file. Also better than the text is getting the b pawn off-prise with 21.b3.
21...Qxg5
 |
| After the flurry of tactics and blunders, White is two pawns up, but Black has sufficient compensation, according to the engines |
*****
*****
*****
*****
22.h3?!
Exchanging queens is simple and probably best.
22...Rxb2 23.Qf3?!
Preserving queens sits oddly with having the weaker king's position.
23...f6 24.Nd7?
The engines reckon White had to play 24.h4 and accept being slightly worse after 24...Qd2. Note that 24.d6? is no good as Black has 24...Bb7, thanks to the bishop being protected by the king's rook.
24...Bc4 25.h4 Qxd5 26.Qg4 Qe6 27.Qxe6+ Bxe6 28.Nc5 Bd5 29.Rh2 Rxa2
Black is a pawn up and has the more-active pieces.
30.Rd1?
A poor square for the rook. Best is 30.Rxa2 Bxa2 31.g3, when Black is clearly better but White has play against Black's isolanis.
30...Re8 31.Nd3 Ra3 32.Nf4 Bc4 33.Rh3 Re4 34.Nh5 Re7
34...Be2 35.Re1.
35.Rg3 Kf8 36.Rb1 Rb3 37.Ra1 a6 38.Ra5 Rb1+ 39.Kh2 Rb5
Probably also good for Black, but unnecessarily complicating, is 39...Ree1!? 40.Rxg7 Rh1+ 41.Kg3 Rb3.
40.Rxb5 Bxb5 41.Nf4 Be8 42.d5?!
Presumably hoping to clear the way for the rook to get at the black queenside pawns, but the white pawns are not ready to advance.
42...Bf7 43.c4
The engines reckon best is 43.Rd3 Re4 44.g3 (or 44.Kg3), but then comes 44...Ke7 followed by pushing the a pawn.
43...Re4
The game finished:
44.Ne6+ Bxe6 45.dxe6 Rxh4+ 46.Kg1 Rxc4 47.Re3 Ke7 48.Kf2 Rc6 49.g4 Rxe6 0-1
Saturday 25 December 2021
Do They Know It's Christmas?
BENIDORM in December has few signs of Christmas - certainly compared with British towns.
The city of Alicante is very different, as I found when walking from the university to the seafront, the best part of five miles away according to Google Maps, although it seemed much shorter on foot.
Incidentally, the tournament, which starts tomorrow, is being held at Alicante University, where I am staying.
The accommodation is mainly used by students, at least in term-time, but is run like a hotel, with 24-hour reception, daily cleaning (including today) and rooms like those of a four-star establishment.
A nice point is that the rooms have fridges - handy when you do not know which shops are going to be open over a public holiday.
As it turns out, a lot of cafes and bars are open today, along with some grocery and other stores.
The main fly in the ointment, with regards to the accommodation, is that breakfast is not until 9am.
But since I have paid only 1.56euros a day for it, I cannot really complain.
Masking A Facemasking Policy
I ARRIVED in Alicante yesterday morning and spent much of the rest of the day wandering around the city.
Speaking after the meeting yesterday, Pedro Sánchez, of the [ruling] Socialist Party (PSOE), explained that the use of masks would be obligatory outdoors from December 24, with the exception of when citizens are in natural spaces or when in the company of members of their family unit. They will also not be necessary if social distancing is observed.
Most people were wearing facemasks, which I understood to be in line with the Spanish government's new policy, that came into force yesterday, of insisting facemasks be worn outside as well as indoors.
But I noticed a sizeable proportion of people not wearing masks, so I looked for clarification online, and I asked at my accommodation's reception.
The receptionists did not seem to be sure, and I cannot blame them after I later found the newspaper El Pais' report of the new law:
In other words, the law has not really changed as masks were already supposed to be worn outdoors when social distancing could not be observed.
El Pais writer Jessica Mouzo wrote:
[T]he prime minister announced a series of exceptions to the measure yesterday, which in practice mean the same rules will be in place as they are now. "We are going to include some exceptions, when, for example, one is practicing sports; when we are in natural spaces, such as the mountains or the beach; and obviously, when we are alone, with our family unit or with someone who is not from our family unit, but with a distance of 1.5 meters," he explained.
This is essentially the same situation under which Spanish citizens can take off their masks right now when outdoors.The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Friday 24 December 2021
Having Myself A Spanish Little Christmas
FLEW to Alicante this morning for the II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama Negra, which begins after Christmas.
The tournament is being held at the Villa Universitaria and has nine rounds over five days, starting at 5pm on Sunday.
There are 83 entries from 13 countries, with the majority being either seniors or juniors, arguably the two groups best protected, either by vaccination or age, from covid.
Thursday 23 December 2021
Beat The ... English Botvinnik
IN this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.
The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.
Botvinnik's set-up in the English Opening can arise from various move-orders, but typical is 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.e4.
The formation of pawns on c4, e4 and (to come) d3 was pioneered by Nimzowitsch. He played it with the king's knight on f3.
Botvinnik refined this by developing the king's knight at e2, and it is this set-up that was popularised at club level by Tony Kosten in The Dynamic English (Gambit, 1999).
Black's overwhelmingly most-popular response, 5...d6, is also best statistically, scoring 48%, and White nearly always continues with 6.Nge2.
Of Black replies appearing at least 350 times in Mega21, the best statistically, scoring 54%, is 6...h5!?
 |
| Position after 6...h5!? |
After 7...Nh6 8.d3 Be6 9.Nd5 0-0 the line splits.
A1 10.0-0 f5 11.Bg5 Qd7 12.Qd2 Kh7 scores 79% for Black, albeit from a small sample.
A2 10.f3!? reaches a position in Mega21 in which Black scores 100% with 10...Ne7 and 10...Nd4, albeit from very small samples.
B) 7.h3 (73 games)
After 7...Be6 8.d3 Qd7 the line splits.
B1 9.Nd5 h4 10.g4 f5 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.
B2 9.Be3 Nd4!? scores 67% for Black, albeit from a small sample.
C) 7.d3 (19 games)
After 8...h4 9.h3 hxg3 10.fxg3 Be6 Black scores 50%, albeit from a small sample.
Wednesday 22 December 2021
Cancel? No; Postpone? Yes
THE London League today postponed its January fixtures to June and warned its February fixtures may be postponed to July.
Remembering The Elephant Gambit
ONE of the joys of going through old chess magazines is coming across interesting articles that have faded from the memory.
Tadej Sakelšek (Slovenia, IM 2425) - Corbin (Barbados, FM 2242)
One such I recently spotted is My Dream Game by Philip Corbin in the January 2005 issue of Chess.
It concerns his win with the Elephant Gambit at the 2004 Olympiad against an international master.
The gambit starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5, which apparently has served PC well, at least judging by his statistics in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database.
In 20 games he has amassed a score of +12=1-7, which is 62%. His average rating in those games was 2226, and his performance rating is given as 2242, albeit only 11 of his opponents had a rating.
However, if you take out the unrated opponents, and a game from a simul, PC's score becomes +3=0-7. His average rating in those 10 games was 2208, and his performance rating is given as 2162.
Nevertheless I thought it would be fun to go through the game published in Chess, using modern engines to cast a critical eye on the key moments.
Olympiad (Mallorca) Round 1
Comments in italics are by PC
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5
At this olympiad I played (the Elephant Gambit) four times, scoring three wins and a draw.
3.exd5
I deem 3,Nxe5 Bd6 4.d4 dxe4 OK for Black.
3...Bd6
3...e4?! is well met by 4.Qe2.
4.d4!?
More popular in Mega21 is 4.Nc3, which has been played by Karpov, but the text scores 15 percentage points higher and is much preferred by Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1.
4...e4 5.Ne5 Nf6 6.Bb5+ c6!?
The safer, but more-placid, alternative is 6...Bd7 with an unclear position. I was playing for maximum complications.
7.dxc6 bxc6 8.Nxc6 Qb6!
The only move that makes the line playable. This game is the first time the line appears in Mega21, but the implication of PC's notes is that it was known to Elephant aficionados.
 |
| Position after 8...Qb6! |
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
9.c4
Later games saw 9.Nc3, which is slightly preferred by Komodo12.1.1. The text is preferred by Stockfish14.
Note that, as PC points out, 9.Nxb8?? loses a piece to 9...Qxb5. Less clear, but probably also good for Black, is 9.Nxa7+?! Bd7 10.c4 Qxa7 11.Nc3, when White has three pawns for a knight, but the engines prefer Black. Another possibility in the latter variation is 10.Nc8, when PC's 10...Bb4+! seems strong, eg 11.c3 Qxb5, although after 12.a4!?, Komodo12.1.1 reckons Black is only slightly better (Black is winning, according to Stockfish14).
9...Nc6 10.d5
The engines prefer 10.Nc3!?, although Komodo12.1.1 gives the nod for a while to the text. After 10.Nc3!? best play, according to the engines, runs 10...0-0 11.c5 Qc7 12.cxd6 Qxd6 13.Bxc6 Qxc6 14.0-0, when White is a pawn up.
10...0-0 11.Bxc6 Ng4!
PC also gives this an exclamation mark, and rightly it would seem; certainly the text is the engines' choice. The crude threat is checkmate on f2, but there is much more to the move than that.
12.Qe2
This is the only way to keep a slight edge, according to the engines.
12...f5!?
Offering a whole rook to gain a tempo in the attack! The idea of the move came to me when preparing for a game in the 2004 Barbados championship. I had not gotten the chance to play it then (so) this game was the first test over the board of my new rook-sac idea!
PC gives the text two exclamation marks, but Komodo12.1.1 prefers 12...Ne5, when it reckons 13.0-0 Nxc6 14.dxc6 Qxc6 15.Nc3 is only slightly better for White. Stockfish14 gives 12...Rb8 13.h3 Ne5 14.0-0 f5, when it reckons Black's initiative at least compensates for his two-pawn deficit. PC rejected this latter line because of 14.Qxe4!?, which wins a third pawn, but Stockfish14 continues 14...f5 15.Qe3 Qc7, claiming Black is winning (Komodo12.1.1 'only' gives Black the upper hand).
13.Bxa8
The engines come to narrowly prefer this over the arguably more-practical 13.Nc3, but in any event the position is very tricky for White and, at least for a while, Komodo12.1.1 prefers 13.Nc3.
13...f4 14.f3
Stockfish14 prefers 14.Nc3, but then 14...f3 15.gxf3 exf3 requires White to find 16.Be3 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 Bc5 18.Na4! Qa5+ 19.Qd2 Qxa4, when White is up the exchange and two pawns but Black still has a strong attack.
14...Ne5!?
This seems even stronger than 14...exf3 14.gxf3 Ne5, when both 15.Kd1 and 15.Bc6 keep White in the game, according to the engines.
15.Nc3
Not 15.Qxe4? Bf5 16.Qe2 Nd3+ 17.Kd1 Rxa8, when Black has a winning attack, according to the engines. Similarly 15.fxe4? Bg4 16.Qc2 f3 is horrific for White.
15...exf3 16.gxf3 Bf5 17.Ne4
Komodo12.1.1 at first suggests 17.c5, but the simple 17...Qxc5 18.Bc6 Nd3+ leads to advantage for Black after 19.Kd1 Nf2+ 20.Ke1 Nxh1. Its second suggestion of 17.Bc6 is dismissed by Stockfish14 with 17...Qd4, the point being Komodo12.1..1's 18.h4 fails to 18...Bc5 19.Qg2 Nd3+ 20.Kf1 Nf2.
17...Bb4+ 18.Kd1?!
White's best chance seems to be 18.Bd2 Bxd2+ 19.Nxd2, although both PC's 19...Nd3+ and the engines' 19...Re8 leave Black well on top.
18...Qd4+ 19.Kc2 Nxf3! 20.Rd1 Bxe4+ 21.Kb3 Rb8!
Black is 'only' the exchange and a pawn down, so he offers his queen.
22.Bc6
This allows a quick mate, but 22.Rxd4 Nxd4+ 23.Ka4 Nxe2 also weaves a mating net, eg PC points out 24.Bc6 Bc2+ 25.b3 Nc3#.
22...Bd2+ 23.Bb5
If 23.Ka4, the engines give a two-bishop mate with 23...Qxb2!? (the prosaic 23...Rb4+ also mates) 24.Bxb2 Bc2+ 25.Ka3 Bb4#.
23...Rxb5+!
Yet another sac.
24.cxb5
Or 24.Ka3 Ra5+ 25.Kb3 Qb6#.
24...Qb4#
An amazing game in which I have been unable to find a move by White that deserves an unadorned question mark. Is the Elephant Gambit really that good?!
Tuesday 21 December 2021
Sign Of The Times
THE following notice has appeared at the website of the Four Nations Chess League:
4NCL Weekend 2
We have, with great reluctance and after much debate, decided not to proceed with weekend 2 of the 4NCL on 15-16 January. Reasons for the decision include the following:
The difficulty that many teams may have in raising full teams given many players’ likely, and entirely understandable, reluctance to play given prevailing conditions and restrictions;
Uncertainty as to future Omicron trends;
Uncertainty as to HM Government’s future intentions as to whether further, more stringent, regulations/guidelines will be put in place;
The opportunity to postpone/cancel the weekend at all venues without financial penalty (if we delay further, that opportunity will almost certainly reduce/disappear);
The risk of severe financial penalties if a significant number of teams and/or players decide not to play (and/or do not stay overnight), resulting in the bedroom allocations at the various venues not being taken up in full.
We’re currently investigating whether we can postpone the January weekend to a weekend/weekends in June. If we can do that, bedroom bookings already made will be transferred to that weekend (but can of course be cancelled in line with the usual T&Cs). If we can’t do that, bedroom bookings already made will be automatically cancelled.
We also have an option to postpone/cancel weekend 3 on 12-13 February. We won’t be making a decision on that until the New Year, by which time things may (or may not) have clarified somewhat.
If there is a (small) silver lining to a (rather dark) cloud, three of the four divisions being played as Swisses means that we should hopefully still be able to complete the season so long as we can get at least three weekends completed (although norm opportunities may be unavoidably affected).
With very best wishes for Xmas and the New Year from all at the 4NCL, and here’s hoping for better times ahead.
Kind regards,
Mike Truran
Beat The ... Sicilian Sveshnikov
IN this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.
The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.
The Sveshnikov Variation of the Sicilian Defence: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5, formerly known as the Lasker-Pelikan, is popular at club and elite levels.
White's most-popular reply, 6.Ndb5, scores 54%, while the next three most-popular moves score 35% or less.
 |
| Position after 6.Ndb5 |
A) 6...d6 (52,450 games)
Meeting this with the commonest response, 7.Bg5, is also the most successful statistically, keeping White's score at 54%, after which the line splits.
A1 7...a6 8.Na3, after which the line splits again.
A1.1 8...b5 9.Bxf6!?, when A1.1a 9...gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 11.g3 fxe4 12.Bg2 Be6 13.Bxe4 Bg7 14.Qh5 Rc8 15.Rd1 Ne7 16.Nxe7 Qxe7 17.0-0 scores 88% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A1.1b 9...Qxf6 10.Nd5 Qd8 11.c4!? scores 84% for White.
A1.2 8...Be6 9.Nc4, when A1.2a 9...Rc8 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Bd3!? Ne7 12.Ne3 Bh6 13.0-0 Bxh3 14.fxe3 Qb6 15.Qf3 scores 85% for White, A1.1b 9...Rb8 10.a4 Nb4 11.Ne3 scores 67% for White, albeit from a very small sample, and A1.1c 9...Nd4 10.Nd5!? Bxd5 11.exd5 scores 88% for White, albeit from a small sample.
A1.3 8...Be7 9.Nc4!?, when A1.3a 9...b5 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Ne3 scores 90% for White, A1.3b 9...Nd4 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Nd5 b5 12.Ncb6 Rb8 13.Nxc8 Rxc8 14.c3 scores 83% for White and A1.3c 9...Be6 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Ne3 scores 87% for White.
A2 7...Be7 8.Bxf6, after which the line splits again.
A2.1 8...gxf6 9.Nd5, when A2.1a 9...0-0 10.Nxe7+ Qxe7 11.Qxd6 scores 87% for White and A2.1b 9...Rb8 10.Nbc7+ Kf8 11.Qh5 scores 78% for White.
A2.2 8...Bxf6!? 9.Qxd6!? Qxd6 10.Nxd6+ scores 92% for White, albeit from a small sample.
A3 7...Be6 8.Nd5!?, after which the line splits again.
A3.1 8...Rc8 9.Bxf6!? gaxf6 10.c3 scores 75% for White.
A3.2 8...Bxd5 9.exd5 Nce7 10.c3!? scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample (note that 10...Nexd5?! runs into 11.Qa4!, when 11...Qd7? loses to 12.Nxd6+ Bxd6 13.Bb5).
B) 6...h6!? (561 games)
After 7.Nd6+ Bxd6 8.Qxd6 Qe7 9.Qxe7+ Kxe7 10.b3 d6 11.Ba3 the line splits.
B1 11...a6 12.0-0-0 Rd8 13.Nd5+ Nxd5 14.exd5, after which the line splits again.
B1.1 14...Nb8 15.Re1!? scores 63% for White, albeit from a small sample.
B1.2 14...Nd4 15.c3 scores 75% for White, albeit from a very small sample.
B2 11...Be6 12.0-0-0 Rhd8 13.f3!? a6 14.Nd5+ Bxd5 15.exd5 scores 75% for White, albeit from a small sample.
C) 6...a6!? (329 games)
After 7.Nd6+ Bxd6 8.Qxd6 Qe7 9.Qd1!? the line splits.
C1 9...d6 10.Be2!? Be6 11.0-0 scores 75% for White, albeit from a small sample.
C2 9...h6 10.Be3, after which the line splits again.
C2.1 10...0-0 11.Qd2!? scores 92% for White, albeit from a small sample.
C2.2 10...Qb4!? 11.a3, when C2.2a 11...Qe7 reaches a position in Mega21 in which White scores 100% with 12.Qd2, 12.Bc4 and 12.Be2, albeit from very small samples, C2.2b 11...Qa5 reaches a position in Mega21 in which White scores 100% with 12.b4 and 12.f4, albeit from very small samples, and C2.2c 11...Qxb2?? 12.Na4 scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample.
C2.3 10...d6 11.Be2, when C2.3a 11...Be6 reaches a position in Mega21 in which White scores 100% with 12.0-0 and 12.Nd5, albeit from small samples, and C2.3b 11...0-0 reaches a position in Mega21 in which White scores 100% with 12.0-0 and 12.Qd2, albeit from small samples.
C2.4 10...b5 11.a4 b4 12.Nd5 Nxd5 reaches a position in Mega21 in which White scores 100% with 13.Qxd5 and 13.exd5, albeit from very small samples.
Monday 20 December 2021
An Anti-Maróczy System
I AM convinced more people would play the Accelerated Dragon: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 and its sister defence, the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6, if it were not for the Maróczy Bind.
Here a Hyper-Accelerated player would normally choose 4...Nc6, transposing to the mainline position from the Accelerated that arises after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6.
Black usually recaptures with 6...bxc6 (1,298 games in Mega22) rather than 6...dxc6!? (318 games), but I am recommending the latter, which has been the choice of Accelerated specialist Sergei Tiviakov, as well as being preferred by the engines.
A better try for Black may be the awkward-looking 7...Nh5!?
The two correspondence games in which I tested this system were played at the Fide-recognised International Correspondence Chess Federation, specifically in the semi-finals of the
Nol Van't Riet Team Tournament.
*****
White is a pawn up, but the extra pawn is doubled and isolated. Both games continued ...
Václav Portych (2253) - Spanton (2277)
This normally arises from the move-order 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4 or 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4, although other move-orders are possible.
I recently tested an anti-Maróczy system in two correspondence games, and will present my findings here.
The first key position arises after the moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4.
 |
| Position after 4.Nxd4 |
I am instead recommending 4...Nf6, to which White almost always (1,242 times out of 1,365 games in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database) replies 5.Nc3.
White does not have an effective alternative to 5.Nc3 as 5.e5? drops a pawn to 5...Qa5+, while 5.f3 is too slow and 5.Bd3 Nc6 may even be a tiny bit better for Black.
Playing 5.Nc3 rules out the Maróczy Bind, but for Accelerated fans there is a problem as the 'natural' 5...d6, preventing 6.e5, is a transposition to normal Dragon lines.
The independent Accelerated try is 5...Nc6, after which easily the most-popular move in Mega22 is 6.Be3.
This is exactly what Black wants as the game has transposed to regular Accelerated lines without allowing a Maróczy Bind.
However White can throw a spanner in the works with 6.Nxc6.
Admittedly there are only 1,618 examples of the move in Mega22, compared with 3,093 for 6.Be3, but it is critical, not least because it is the choice of the analysis engines Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1.
Capturing on c6 brings about the second key position:
 |
| Position after 6.Nxc6 |
Before explaining why I like the move, I will explain what I think is wrong with 6...bxc6.
White nearly always continues 7.e5, when sacrificing a pawn with 7...Nd5? fails to 8.Nxd5 cxd5 9.Qxd5 Rb8 10.e6!, when the threat of forking the black rooks with 11.Qxe5 (as well as the threat of 11.exf7#) cannot be reasonably met.
Black's most-popular move in Mega22 is the retreat 7...Ng8, when the main line runs 8.Bc4 Bg7 9.Qf3 f5 10.Bf4 e6 11.0-0-0, which gives White a huge lead in development, more central space and a juicy weakness at d6 to target.
 |
| Position after 11.0-0-0 |
The mainline here is less well-defined, but a plausible sequence is 8.Bc4 Qa5 9.f4, when the engines agree White is better, but not as convincingly so as after 7...Ng8.
As I stated above, my recommendation is the less-popular 6...dxc6!?, which White should probably meet with 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Bc4 Ke8 9.e5.
 |
| Position after 9.e5 |
Nol Van't Riet Team Tournament.
My opponents were Czech Václav Portych (2253) and Russian Vyacheslav Savon'* (2258). Both games continued:
9...Nd7 10.e6 fxe6 11.Bxe6 Bg7 12.Be3
 |
| How should Black proceed? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
12...Nf8!?
Alexei Shirov (2740) - Ljubomir Ljubojević (2580), Buenos Aires Sicilian Tournament 1994, saw 12...b6 13.0-0-0 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Nx5 15.Bxc8 Rxc8 16.Bxc5 bxc5 17.Rhe1, when White has the better pawn-formation but the game was drawn in 52 moves.
The text is a pawn sacrifice.
13.Bxc8 Bxc3+ 14.bxc3 Rxc8 15.Bxa7
 |
| Position after 15.Bxa7 |
15...Nd7 16.Be3 Ra8
... before splitting.
17.Ke2
For the engines' preference, 17.a4, see the next game.
17...Ra6 18.a4 b6 19.Rhd1 Rf8 20.Rd4 Rf5 21.g4 Rfa5 22.g5 c5
White has gained kingside space, but Black's pressure against a4 holds the balance.
23.Rh4 Nf8 24.Rf4 Ne6 25.Rh4 Nf8 26.Re4 Ra7 27.Kd1
The king moves to protect a4 and so free a rook.
27...Kf7 28.Kc1 Ne6 29.Kb2 Ng7 30.Kb3 Nf5 31.c4 R5a6 32.h3 Ra8 33.Rg4 Rd8 34.Rf4 Rd6 ½–½
Vyacheslav Savon' (2258) - Spanton (2277)
17.a4 b6!?
This provides a target for the bishop, but at the same time restricts the bishop's options.
18.c4 Kf7 19.Ke2 c5 20.Bf4 Ra6 21.Rhd1 Nf6 22.Rd3 Rha8 23.Rd3 R8a7 24.h3 h5 25.Kd3 Rd7+ 26.Kc3 Ne4+ 27.Kb3 g5
The knight is trapped after 27...Nxf2?? 28.Re1.
28.Be3 Kf6 29.g4 e5 30.Re1 Ra8 31.gxh5 Nd2+ 32.Bxd2 Rxd2 33.Kb2 Rxf2
White is still a pawn up, but all five white pawns are isolated and four of them are doubled. The game was agreed drawn 12 moves later.
Conclusion: I believe the system I have outlined here is an effective way of avoiding the Maróczy Bind, especially if Black is happy with a draw.
*Savon' is also sometimes transliterated straightforwardly as Savon.
Sunday 19 December 2021
Will They Or Won't They (Cancel The Season)?
THE following notice has appeared at the website of the London League:
The League now has no fixtures until January, 2022. The LCL committee will be meeting in December to discuss ongoing COVID disruption to the season, and whether any fixtures need to be postponed in light of current events. Any changes made to fixtures will be communicated to all captains by 31/Dec/2021 by email.
Thank you, stay safe, and have a wonderful holiday season! The London Chess League Committee
Saturday 18 December 2021
Winter Jeer
TODAY should have seen the start of the Northwick Park congress and associated events run by the same organisers in North London
My entry fee of £26 was refunded the same day the cancellation notice was sent.
Instead, on Tuesday entrants were sent the following notice:
After a long and difficult meeting, we have decided to cancel all our over-the-board events this year.
Given the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, we are unable to run an event that is both safe and up to the standard you deserve.
We are extremely disappointed, and we apologise to all of you who were looking forward to the event and who have planned around it.
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