Friday 30 April 2021

Tournament Calendar Updated

THE 4NCL have added a second OTB event, in September, with details promised later.

Jul 1 - Aug 5 Pimlico Summer Tournament. To be held over six consecutive Thursday evenings at the Lalgra community hall in Pimlico, Westminster. Details may appear online later but so far organiser Nick Faulks has said the event which, despite its name, is usually divided into three tournaments, will be restricted to 54 entrants

Jul 9-11 25th 4NCL Congress, Woodland Grange, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. https://www.4ncl.co.uk/

Sep 10-12  26th 4NCL Congress, Woodland Grange, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

Sep 24-26 57th Northumberland Congress, North Shields, Tyne & Wear. https://northumberlandchess.wixsite.com/congress

Oct 1-3 Castle Chess are holding a twice-postponed congress at the Lysses House Hotel, Fareham, Hants. I can find no information at http://www.castlechess.co.uk/ but the likely format is an open, an U155 and an U115. Organiser Tony Corfe has announced: "Each player will be required to bring their own chess set and each player will make moves on their own board, just as you would if you are playing against a blind player."

Nov 20-21 Return of 4NCL divisional fixtures, starting with Division 3 South at Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, Division 3 Central at Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, and Division 3 North at Doncaster, South Yorkshire. https://www.4ncl.co.uk/

Thursday 29 April 2021

Beat The ... King's Indian Sämisch

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 Sämisch Variation against the King's Indian: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 has been regarded as a major threat to the defence since it was first played at international level in 1925.
Black usually continues with 5...0-0, scoring 44%, but of those moves in Mega21 that appear more than 100 times, the best move statistically, scoring 51%, is 5...a6!?, which also happens to be, at least for quite some time, the top choice of the analysis engine Stockfish13 (Komodo12.1.1 prefers castling).
Position after 5...a6!?
Both of White's popular replies involve developing the queen's bishop.

A) 6.Be3 (603 games)
After 6...c6 the line splits.
A1 7.Qd2 b5, after which the line splits again.
A1.1 8.0-0-0 Qa5 9.Kb1 Nbd7 scores 55% for Black.
A1.2 8.Bd3 0-0 (this and 8...bxc4 score equally well - I have gone for the move preferred by the engines) 9.Nge2 Nbd7 10.0-0 Bb7 11.Rac1 e5 scores 53% for Black.
A2 7.Bd3 0-0, after which the line splits again.
A2.1 8.Nge2 b5 9.0-0 bxc4 10.Bxc4 Nbd7 scores 75% for Black, albeit from a small sample.
A2.2 8.a4 a5 9.Nge2 Na6, when A2.2a 10.0-0 Nb4 scores 75% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A2.2b 10.Rc1 e5 11.0-0 Nb4 scores 67% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.
A3 7.a4 a5 8.Bd3 0-0 transposes to A2.2.
A4 7.c5!? Nbd7 scores 50% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B) 6.Bg5 (91 games)
After 6...c6 the line splits.
B1 7.Qd2 h6!? 8.Be3 b5 scores 57% for Black, albeit from a small sample.
B2 7.a4 a5 8.Qd2 Na6, after which the line splits again.
B2.1 9.Nge2 0-0 10.Nc1 e5 scores 75% for Black, albeit from a small sample.
B2.2 9.Rd1 Nb4 scores 50% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

Wednesday 28 April 2021

Beat The ... Dutch

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 Dutch Defence: 1.d4 f5 is currently not popular at elite levels but remains a club weapon.
White's traditionally most-popular continuation of 2.c4 scores only 50%, while the commonest move today, 2.g3, scores a much-better 58%.
But even the latter is edged out by the 59% scored by both 2.Nc3 and 2.Bg5!?
I have gone for the bishop move because it is less well-known.
Position after 2.Bg5!?
Black has seven reasonably frequent replies - the high number being a sign that theory is still coming to terms with a move that, although it has been known since at least 1870, only became popular fairly recently.

A) 2...g6 (3,159 games)
After 3.Nd2 (this and 3.Nc3 score equally well - I have gone with Nd2 because, despite having been played by Garry Kasparov, it is much less popular) Bg7 4.e4 fxe4 5.Nxe4 the line splits.
A1 5...d5 6.Nc5 b6 7.Nb3, after which the line splits again.
A1.1 7...Nh6 8.Nf3 Nf7 9.Bh4 0-0 10.Be2 scores 62% for White.
A1.2 7...Nf6 8.Nf3 0-0 9.Be2 scores 66% for White..
A2 5...Nf6 6.Ng3!? scores 67% for White.

B) 2...h6 (1,643 games)
After 3.Bh4 the line splits.
B1 3...g5 4.e3!? Nf6 5.Bg3, after which the line splits again.
B1.1 5...d6 6.Nc3, when B1.1a 6...e6 7.h4 Rg8 8.hxg6 hxg6 9.Qd2 scores 69% for White and B1.1b 6...Bg7 7.h4 g4 8.Bc4 also scores 69% for White.
B1.2 5...Bg7 6.Nc3 d6 is a transposition to B1.1b.
B2 3...c5!? 4.e4! Qb6 5.exf5 Qxb2 6.Nd2 scores 94% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C) 2...Nf6 (1,518 games)
After 3.Bxf6 exf6 4.c4!? the line splits.
C1 4...Bb4+ 5.Nc3 scores 66% for White.
C2 4...d5 5.Nc3 scores 90% for White, albeit from a small sample.

D) 2...c6 (589 games)
After 3.Nd2!? the line splits.
D1 3...Qb6 4.Ngf3 scores 83% for White, albeit from a very small sample.
D2 3...d5 4.e3, after which the line splits again.
D2.1 4...Qb6 Rb1 scores 69% for White, albeit from a small sample.
D2.2 4...Nd7 5.Bd3 scores 58% for White, albeit from a small sample.
D2.3 4...Nf6 5.Bxf6 exf6 6.Bd3 scores 86% for White.
D2.4 4...g6 5.Ngf3 scores 75% for White, albeit from a very small sample.

E) 2...d5 (387 games)
After 3.c4!? the line splits.
E1 3...c6 4.Nc3 scores 91% for White, albeit from a small sample.
E2 3...h6 4.Bf4 scores 69% for White, albeit from a small sample.

F) 2...d6 (203 games)
After 3.e4!? fxe4 4.Nc3 the line splits.
F1 4...Bf5 5.f3!? scores 92% for White, albeit from a small sample.
F2 4...Nf6 5.f3!?, after which the line splits again.
F2.1 5...exf3 6.Nxf3 Bg4 7.h3 scores 75% for White, albeit from a small sample.
F2.2 5...e3 6.Bd3 scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample.
F3 4...d5 5.f3!? scores 100% for White, albeit from a very small sample.

G) 2...c5 (164 games)
After 3.e3!? Qb6 4.Nf3 White scores 90%, albeit from a small sample.

Tuesday 27 April 2021

Beat The ... Scotch

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 Scotch: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 has always been fairly popular with club players, and thanks to Garry Kasparov it received a major boost at the elite level in the 1990s.
Black's most-popular reply, 4...Bc5, scores 46%, while the second-most popular, 4...Nf6, scores 48%, but best is the lesser-known 4...Bb4+ with 50%
Position after 4...Bb4+
White has tried three moves.

A) 5.c3 (2,425 games)
After 5...Bc5 (this and the little-played 5...Ba5 score equally well but ...Bc5 is much preferred by the analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1), the line splits.
A1 6.Be3 Bb6, after which the line splits again.
A1.1 7.Nf5 Bxe3 8.Nxe3 Nge7!?, when A1.1a 9.g3 0-0 10.Bg2 d6 scores 62% for Black, albeit from a small sample, A1.1b 9.Bc4 0-0 10.0-0 d6 scores 50% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A1.1c 9.c4!? 0-0 10.Nc3 d6 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.
A1.2 7.Bc4 d6 8.0-0 Nge7 scores 83% for Black, albeit from a small sample.
A1.3 7.Qg4!? Qf6 8.Qg3 d6 9.Nb5 Bxe3!?, when A1.3a 10.Qxe3 Qe7 scores 50% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A1.3b 10.Nxc7+ Kd8 11.Nxa8 Bc1!? 12.Nd2 Bxb2 scores 50% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.
A1.4 7.Nd2 Nge7, when A1.4a 8.Nc4 Bxd4!? 0-0 scores 80% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A1.4b 8.Bd3 0-0 9.0-0 d5 scores 67% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.
A2 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d6 8.0-0 Nf6 scores 62% for Black.
A3 6.Bc4 Qf6!? 7.Be3 Ne5 scores 80% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B) 5.Nc3 (161 games)
After 5...Nf6 the line splits.
B1 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 0-0!? 9.0-0 cxd5 (this and 9...Bg4 score equally well but the capture is preferred by the engines), after which the line splits again.
B1.1 10.Bg5 c6, when B1.1a 11.Qf3 Rb8!? scores 58% for Black, B1.1b 11.Na4 h6 12.Bh4 Bd6 scores 61% for Black and B1.1c 11.Ne2 h6 12.Bh4 Bd6 scores 58% for Black.
B1.2 10.h3 Rb8 11.Qf3 Bd6 scores 60% for Black.
B2 6.Bg5 Qe7 7.f3 Qc5!? scores 82% for Black.
B3 6.f3 d5, after which the line splits again.
B3.1 7.Nxc6 bxc6 scores 71% for Black.
B3.2 7.Bb5 Bd7 scores 77% for Black.

C) 5.Bd2 (43 games)
After 5...Qe7 the line splits.
C1 6.Nxc6!? dxc6 scores 100%  for Black, albeit from a very small sample.
C2 6.Nb5 d5!? scores 100% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

Monday 26 April 2021

Beat The ... King's Indian

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 King's Indian Defence starts 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7, at which point White scores a decent 56% with the most-popular move 4.e4.
Position after 4.e4
Black has two major replies.

A) 4...d6 (166,091 games)
After 5.h3 (this modern-looking move, which raises White's score to an excellent 60%, dates back to at least 1855) the line splits.
A1 5...0-0 6.Bg5, after which the line splits again.
A1.1 6...c5 7.d5 when A1.1a 7...e6 8.Bd3 exd5 9.cxd5 Re8 10.Nf3 c4 11.Bc2 b5 12.0-0!? scores 83% for White, albeit from a very small sample, A1.1b 7...b5!? 8.cxb5 a6 9.a4 Qa5 10.Bd2 scores 75% for White, A1.1c 7...h6 8.Be3 e6 9.Qd2!? exd5 10.exd5 scores 81% for White, A1.1d 7...a6 8.a4 e6 9.Bd3 exd5 10.cxd5 scores 71% for White, and A1.1e 7...Qa5 8.Bd2 e6 9.Bd3 exd5 10.cxd5!? scores 69% for White, albeit from a small sample.
A2 5...Nbd7 6.Bg5!?, after which the line splits again.
A2.1 6...e5 7.d5, when A2.1a 7...h6 8.Be3 Nc5 9.Qc2 a5 reaches a position in Mega21 in which White scores 100% with both 10.0-0-0 and 10.Be2, albeit from very small samples, and A2.1b 7...a5 8.Bd3 Nc5 9.Bc2 scores 54% for White.
A2.2 6...h6 7.Be3 e5 8.d5 is a transposition to A2.1a.
A2.3 6...0-0 7.Bd3, when A2.3a 7...e5 8.d5 Nc5 9.Bc2 a5 10.Nge2 scores 76% for White and A2.3b 7...c5 8.d5 Ne5 9.Be2 scores 76% for White.
A3 5...c5 6.d5 0-0 7.Bd3, after which the line splits again.
A3.1 7...e6 8.Bg5!? is a transposition to A1.1a.
A3.2 7...Na6 8.Nf3 Nc7 9.Bg5, when A3.2a 9...a6 10.a4 Rb8 11.a5 scores 94% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A3.2b 9...h6 10.Be3 scores 64% for White.
A3.3 7...a6 8.a4, when A3.3a 8...e6 9.Nf3 exd5 10.cxd5 Nbd7 11.0-0 (this and 11.Bf4 score equally well, but castling is much preferred by Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1) Re8 12.Bf4 (this and 12.Re1 score equally well, but the bishop move is much preferred by the analysis engines) Qc7 13.Qd2 scores 71% for White and A3.3b 8...e5 9.Bg5 h6 10.Be3 scores 90% for White, albeit from a small sample.
A4 5...c6 6.Bg5!?, after which the line splits again.
A4.1 6...Qa5 7.Qd2 scores 78% for White, albeit from a small sample.
A4.2 6...0-0 7.Bd3 e5 8.d5 Na6 9.Nge2, when A4.2a 9...cxd5 10.Nxd5 scores 79% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A4.2b 9...Nc5 10.Bc2 a5 11.0-0 h6 12.Be3 cxd5 13.exd5!? scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample.
A5 5...e5 6.d5, after which the line splits again.
A5.1 6...0-0 7.Bd3 when A5.1a 7...a5 8.Nge2 Na6 9.g4!? scores 88% for White, albeit from a small sample, A5.1b 7...Nbd7 8.Be3 Nc5 9.Bc2 a5 10.Nge2 scores 72% for White and A5.1c 7...Na6 8.Nge2 Nc5 9.Bc2 a5 10.g4!? scores 86% for White, albeit from a small sample.
A5.2 6...a5 7.Bd3 Na6 8.Nge2 scores 70% for White, albeit from a small sample.
A5.3 6...Nbd7 7.Be3, when A5.3a 7...Nc5 8.Qc2 a5 9.Nf3 scores 63% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A5.3b 7...0-0 8.Nf3 Nc5 9.Nd2!? a5 10.Be2 Ne8 11.g4!? f5 12.gxf5 gxf5 13.Rg1!? scores 64% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B) 4...0-0 (15,462 games)
After 5.Bg5!? the line splits.
B1 5...d6 6.h3!? is a transposition to A1.
B2 5...c5 6.d5 , after which the line splits again.
B2.1 6...d6 7.h3!? is a transposition to A1.1
B2.2 6...h6 7.Be3 d6 8.h3!? is a transposition to A1.1c.
B3 5...h6 6.Be3 d6 7.h3!? (7.f3 scores equally well, but it seems sensible to choose the repertoire-consistent move) e5 8.d5, after which the line splits again.
B3.1 8...a5 9.Qd2 Kh7 10.Bd3 Na6 11.Nge2 Nc5 12.Bc2 scores 72% for White, albeit from a small sample.
B3.2 8...Na6 9.Bd3, when B3.2a 9...Nc5 10.Bc2 a5 11.Nge2 scores 82% for White and B3.2b 9...Nh5!? 10.g3 scores 68% for White, albeit from a small sample.
B3.3 8...Nbd7 9.Nf3 Nc5 10.Nd2!? a5 11.Be2 Bd7 12.b3!? scores 71% for White.

Sunday 25 April 2021

Beat The ... Scandinavian Tiviakov

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 Tiviakov Variation of the Scandinavian: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 has been known since at least 1968, but received a huge boost when Sergei Tiviakov started playing it on the international stage in 2005.
The move 3...Qd6 scores 47% in Mega21, which is respectable, especially when compared with the 45% of 3...Qa5 and the 40% of 3...Qd8.
White usually replies to 3...Qd6 with 4.d4, which scores 55%, but that is edged by the 56% of 4.g3!?
Black nearly always replies 4...Nf6, but after 5.Bg2 there are five reasonably popular continuations.
Position after 5.Bg2
A) 5...c6 (260 games)
After 6.d4 (the marginally more popular 6.Nge2 scores equally well, but the analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 prefer d4), the line splits.
A1 6...Bg4 7.Nf3 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.h3, when the line splits again.
A1.1 9...Bxf3 10.Bxf3 0-0 11.Ne2!? scores 68% for White.
A1.2 9...Bh5 10.Ne2!? scores 75% for White.
A2 6...Bf5 7.Nge2 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Bf4 scores 65% for White.

B) 5...Bg4 (85 games)
After 6.Nf3 the line splits.
B1 6...Nc6 7.h3 Bh5 8.0-0 scores 69% for White, rising to 94% if Black plays the most-popular response 8...0-0-0, albeit there are only eight games with this move in Mega21.
B2 6...c6 7.0-0 e6 8.d4 is a transposition to A1.

C) 5...a6!? (78 games)
Black's fifth move is strongly disliked by the engines. After 6.d4 the line splits.
C1 6...Bg4 7.Nge2 Nc6 8.Bf4 scores 78% for White.
C2 6...Nc6 7.Bf4 scores 93% for White.

D) 5...Nc6 (76 games)
6.Nf3 Bg4 is a transposition to B1.

E) 5...g6 (30 games)
6.d4 Bg7 7.Nge2 0-0 8.Bf4 scores 71% for White, albeit from a small sample.

Saturday 24 April 2021

Beat The ... Blackmar-Diemer Gambit

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 Blackmar-Diemer Gambit arises from two move-orders: 1.d4 d5 2.e4 and 1.e4 d5 2.d4.
Black can immediately decline the gambit with 2...e6, which scores 42%, and with 2...c6, which scores 46%, but 2...dxe4 easily beats these moves by scoring 50%.
After 3.Nc3, Black's usual response is 3...Nf6, which scores 50%, but 3...e5!? boosts Black's score to an excellent 55%.
Position after 3...e5!?
White has five replies that occur with any degree of frequency.

A) 4.Nxe4 (76 games)
We are already dealing with small numbers of games, but Black's commonest move, 4...dxe4 scores 47%, while 4...Nf6 and 4...Nc6 score 50%. Both knight moves are uncommon, but I have gone with ...Nc6 as it is the rarer of the two and is much preferred by the analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1.
Just four games have reached the position after 4...Nc6 in Mega21, so below is what the engines view as best play from the three moves that have been played by White.
A1 5.Nf3 exd4 6.Bb5 Bf5 6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.Ng3 Qe7+ 8.Ne2, when the engines reckon the position is dead-equal after 8...0-0-0 and after 8...Be4.
A2 5.Bb5?! Qxd4 6.Qxd4 exd4 7.Nf3 Bf5 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.Ng3 Bxc2 10.Nxd4 Bb4+ 11.Bd2 Bxd2+ 12.Kxd2 0-0-0, when both engines give Black a slight edge.
A3 5.d5 Nb4 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6!? 8.Ba4!? Bf5 9.Ng3 Qa5!? 10.Bxc6+ Nxc6 11.Bd2 Bxc2 12.Qxc2 Qa6, when Komodo12.1.1 gives Black a slight edge but Stockfish13 reckons Black's advantage is minimal (+.18).

B) 4.dxe5 (74 games)
After 4...Qxd1+, the line splits.
B1 5.Kxd1 Nc6, when B1.1 6.Nxe4 Bf5!? 7.Ng3 0-0-0+ scores 75% for Black, albeit from a very small sample, and B1.2 6.Bb5 Bd7 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.
B2 5.Nxd1 Nc6, when B2.1 6.Bb5 Bd7 scores 69% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and B2.2 6.Bf4 Nge7 7.Bb5 Bd7 8.Nc3 Ng6 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

C) 4.Qh5 (62 games)
After 4...exd4!? 5.Bc4!? Qe7 Black scores 69%, albeit from a small sample.

D) 4.Be3 (43 games)
After 4...exd4 the line splits.
D1 5.Bxd4 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd7 scores 73% for Black, albeit from a small sample.
D2 5.Qxd4 Qxd4 6.Bxd4 Nc6 scores 50% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

E) 4.d5 (32 games)
The move 4...f5!?, which has been played by Swedish grandmaster Jonny Hector, features just twice in Mega21, but both games were won by Black and the move is liked by the engines.

Friday 23 April 2021

New Correspondence Tournament

HAVE been selected to play for England Knights on board five in the final of the George D. Pyrich Memorial Team Tournament, which is being run by the Fide-approved International Correspondence Chess Federation.
The event is being played over six boards with 13 teams.

12345678910111213Score%+/-Team resultsFGRGPlaceTeam Captain
1PAN Panama229200000000000000000721Rösch M., Hermann V.
2SLO Slovenia229100000000000000000721Korže, Danilo
3SVK Slovakia220700000000000000000721Manduch, Milan
4LTU Lithuania 1225500000000000000000721Prigodin, Ruslan
5LAT Latvia230300000000000000000721Gaujens, Artis
6POL Poland228300000000000000000721Wojnar, Mariusz
7GER Germany 1226300000000000000000721Böhnke, Hartmut
8POR Portugal221500000000000000000721Gonzaga Grego, Luís
9UKR Ukraine228100000000000000000721Koshmak, Iurii
10SUI Switzerland 1225000000000000000000721Rüfenacht, Matthias
11ENG England Knigths232400000000000000000721Beckett, Phillip J.
12ITA Italy 1225200000000000000000721Sampieri, Maurizio
13LTU Lithuania 2218100000000000000000721Chocenka, Dmitrijus


As can be seen, England Knights (I assume Knigths is a typo) are the top seeds, at least on rating.
And I am the third-highest rated player on board five.


1GER85767CCEVoigt, Detlev2216GER Germany 1............7000121
2SUI100110 Welti, Manfred2175SUI Switzerland 1............7000121
3ENG212116 Spanton, Tim2277ENG England Knigths............7000121
4ITA241175CCEMilani, Oscar2209ITA Italy 1............7000121
5POR390420 Soares, Francisco Antonio de Freitas2132POR Portugal............7000121
6POL429131CCETurczyński, Marian2282POL Poland............7000121
7SLO480289CCMKavc, Andrej2269SLO Slovenia............000121
8PAN790101CCEJiménez Melguizo, Francisco2265PAN Panama............7000121
9LAT910125CCEDzenis, Janis (Tukmus)2157LAT Latvia............7000121
10LTU920059 Paleckis, Eugenijus2231LTU Lithuania 1............7000121
11LTU920434CCEŠileika, Arvydas2155LTU Lithuania 2............7000121
12UKR941207 Grynyuk, Vasyl2298UKR Ukraine............7000121
13SVK950286CCEHusák, Ján2184SVK Slovakia............7000121