Certified

MY certificate from the Fide-recognised ICCF for gaining the title of Correspondence Chess Expert.

Endgame Lessons From Crete

ONLY two of my eight games at the Amateur Chess Organization's world senior championship in Crete (I had a compulsory bye in round two) reached an ending.

I am using the 13pt rule to define what is an endgame, ie an ending starts when the value of each side's pieces has fallen below 13 points, using the traditional 9-5-3 scale (pawns are excluded).

Here is the first such ending from Crete.

Black has just captured on d6 in Suresh Jhunjhnuwala (1870 Fide) - Spanton (1814 Fide/1998 ECF) in round seven 

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White will soon capture the isolani, and so is winning, according to Stockfish13, although Komodo12.1.1 only gives White the upper hand.

24.Rd3 Rc6 25.Nb5 Nc5 26.Rxd6 Rxd6

Black can keep rooks on with 26...Rc8!?, but White's rook will be more active than Black's.

27.Nxd6 Kf8

It makes sense to activate the king to drive away the white knight before trying to create weaknesses among the white queenside pawns.

28.Kf2 Ke7 29.Nb5 a4 30.Nd4 Ne4+ 31.Ke3 Nc3

Black wins after 31...axb3!? 32.Kxe4?? b2, but I rejected it because 32.axb3 leaves White with a pair of connected queenside pawns.

32.bxa4

The engines reckon even stronger is 32.Ne2!? Nxa3 33.bxa4.

32...Nxa4 33.Nb3 Kd6 34.Kd4 b6 35.a3!?

Before pushing this pawn, according to the engines, White should reposition the knight with 35.Nd2, intending Ne4+, when the white king is threatening to advance.

35...h5?!

Missing a chance to make White's task considerably more difficult.

The engines point out 35...f5, which takes away the e4 square from the white king. White will soon be obliged to move his knight, at which point Black can play ...Nc5, intending to drive the white king off the fourth rank with ....Ne6+.

36.g4!?

It is a well-known rule in such endings that the player ahead on material should in general seek to exchange pieces while keeping on pawns. However SJ may have been worried about the g2 pawn becoming fixed after ...h4, although the black h pawn would then be weak.

36...hxg4 37.hxg4 Nb2?

Much better is 37...f5, which I rejected because I feared the weakness of the g6 pawn after 38.g5, although at least then I could set a not-completely obvious trap with 38...Nc5!?, hoping for 39.Nxc5? bxc5, when the position is a dead draw.

38.c5+ bxc5 39.Nxc5

White has created a passed a pawn, which is almost as effective in a knight-and-pawn ending as in a pawn-ending.

The rest is simple, and I quickly manage to make it even simpler.

39...Nd1 40.a4 Nf2? 41.Ne4+ 1-0

Opening Lessons From Crete VIII

IN the ninth and final round I played Michael Schaefer, a German with a Fide rating of 1929, against whom I won in round five.

Our round-nine game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/crete-round-nine.html but here I want to concentrate on the opening.

Schaefer - Spanton

Catalan

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3

Edmar Mednis in Strategic Chess - Mastering The Closed Game (Summit 1993) writes that White in the Catalan uses "a completely different approach than in the typical Queen's Gambit Declined variations."

He explains that in those other variations White "first mobilises his queenside pieces so as to put immediate pressure on d5, as well as on Black's queenside," but in the Catalan White "first completes the relatively modest development of his kingside forces."

Mednis adds: "The key minor piece is White's king's bishop. From its fianchettoed location it bears down on the important e4-b7 squares.

"Depending on the variation that Black chooses, the king's bishop will support the e4 advance, pressure d5 or aim at Black's queenside.

"Unless Black fully understands the positions that result, he will quickly find himself in a most uncomfortable situation."

Black has two major Catalan-specific responses: the Open Catalan, which involves an early capture on c4, and the Closed Catalan, which usually involves playing ...c6 and fianchettoing the queen's bishop.

An important alternative is to immediately attack White's centre with 4...c5, which often transposes to lines that more commonly arise from the Tarrasch Variation of the QGD: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5.

4...Bb4+

This is usually part of a Closed Catalan approach, as is the more-popular 4...Be7.

5.Bd2

This is overwhelmingly White's commonest reply, but 5.Nbd2 and 5.Nc3 have been played by grandmasters and score a better percentage than the text in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database.

5...Be7

Black has lost a tempo compared with the absolute mainline 4...Be7, but the argument is that the white dark-square bishop is much better-placed on b2 than d2.

6.Bf4!?

The usual continuation is 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Qc2 b6 9.Bf4 Bb7 with a position that the analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon is roughly equal..

The text is very rare, but we soon transpose to a much more-popular line.

6...0-0 7.Bg2 c6 8.0-0 Nbd7 9.Qc2 b6

We have reached the same position as given in the previous note except for Black having played ...Nbd7 instead of ...Bb7.

10.cxd5 cxd5

The bizarre-looking 10...Nxd5 has been played by a 2573, and, at least for a while, is marginally preferred over the text by Komodo12.1.1. After 11.Qxc6 Nxf4!? 12.Qxa8 Nxe2+ 13.Kh1 Qc7 14.Qe4 Ba6 it is hard to believe Black has enough for the exchange. However 11...Ba6 throws another wrinkle into the mix, eg 12.Re1 Nxf4 13.gxf4 Rc8 14.Qa4 Bb7.

11.Bc7!?

Grandmasters have played this, but 11.Rc1 and 11.Nc3 are slightly more popular in Mega21.

11...Qe8 12.Rc1 Ba6N

Artur Yusupov, Emmanuel Bricard and Marcin Dziuba have played 12...Bb7.

13.Nc3

White has connected his rooks and it is a good time to assess the results of the opening

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The pawn-structure, if not exactly symmetrical, is fairly even, with neither side having gained space.

White is ahead in development, but the dark-square bishop is awkwardly placed and the queen could be harassed on the open file.

Black has to unravel, and the bishop at a6 is loose, but all-in-all the position looks to me roughly balanced, which is also the verdict of the engines.

Crete Aftermath Day 8

NHS test & trace rang this morning at 11.23, but rang off just as I was answering my mobile.

Opening Lessons From Crete VII

THE first seven rounds of  group C of the Amateur Chess Organization's world senior championship were run as an all-play-all among the seven contestants, one player getting a bye each round.

The last two rounds were played as a swiss, and going into round eight I was second on tiebreak, 1.5pts behind Tomasz Sielicki, the Pole I lost to in round four.

Our complete round-eight game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/justice-in-chess.html but here I want to look in some depth at the opening.

Spanton - Sielicki

Caro-Kann Fantasy

1.e4 c6!?

TS has 490 games in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, but there is no evidence of him having played the Caro-Kann - presumably a case of someone using the covid pause to learn a new opening.

2.d4 d5 3.f3 e6

One of the points of the Caro-Kann is that it often lets Black develop the light-square bishop to f5 or g4. But this is somewhat unlikely in the Fantasy Variation, at least early on. The text is Black's commonest third move in Mega21, one point being it introduces the threat of exchanging on e4, followed by ...Qh4+.

Joe Gallagher in Starting Out: The Caro-Kann (Everyman 2002) calls 3...e6 Black's "most reliable and solid move."

4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Be3!?

The main move is 5.Bf4, although Gallagher calls it "slightly awkward." The commonest continuation in Mega21 runs 5...Ne7 (5...Nf6 is very nearly as popular) 6.Qd3 b6 7.Ne2 Ba6 8.Qe3 with what the analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon is an equal position.

The text  was played by Gallagher at least twice in 1987, although he labels it dubious.

5...dxe4 6.Qd2

Gallagher preferred 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3, when 7...Qa5 8.fxe4?! Qxc3+ 9.Bd2 Qxd4 was better for Black in Gallagher (2405) - Stuart Conquest (2395), British Championship (Swansea) 1987 (0-1, 43 moves). Instead the engines give 8.Bd2, as originally played by Saviely Tartakower, albeit preferring Black.

Another interesting move is 6.fxe4!?, when 6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qxe4 gives White good compensation after 8.Qd2 or 8.Qe2, according to Komodo12.1.1, although Stockfish13 prefers Black.

6...Nf6 7.a3 Qa5N 8.Bc4?!

Better seems to be 8.Nge2 exf3 9.gxf3, although Stockfish13 (but not Komodo12.1.1) likes Black after 9...Nd5.

8...exf3!?

Even better for Black, according to the engines, is 8...Bxc3 9.bxc3 c5!?, although the engines reckon Black's advantage is not so great after 9.Qxc3!? Qxc3 10.bxc3. Also better than the text, according to the engines, is 8...b5 followed by 9...Bxc3.

9.gxf3

If 9.Nxf3?! then 9...Ne4.

9...Bxc3 10.bxc3

Again the engines marginally prefer capturing with the queen.

10...Nd5 11.Ne2 Nxe3 12.Qxe3 Nd7 13.Rg1 g6 14.Qh6!?

The engines prefer 14.Bd3 as they reckon the text is well-answered by 14...b5 with ...Bb7 to come.

14...Nb6

This also looks good for Black.

15.Bb3 Bd7 16.Rg5 Nd5 17.Kf2

Black has emerged from the opening with an extra pawn

Black also has the better pawn-structure and safer king, for which White's better bishop, half-open files and slight initiative do not fully compensate.

Crete Aftermath Day 7

NO phone call from NHS test & trace today or yesterday, but this morning at 9.19 I received a text reminding me to take a day-eight test and to continue quarantining.

Opening Lessons From Crete IV

Whoops! This should have been posted earlier.

IN round five I faced Martin Schaefer, a German rated 1929.

The full game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/crete-round-five.html but here I will look in some depth at the opening.

Spanton - Schaefer

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6

ChessBase's 2021 Mega database has three entries for players named Martin Schaefer, but judging by the tournaments they played in they may be the same person. Whatever the case, MS seems to have preferred 2...d6, and scored best with it, albeit from a small sample size.

3.Bb5

None of his games in Mega21 featured this move.

3...g6

This is easily Black's most-popular reply in Mega21, occurring more than half of the time.

4.c3!?

There is a general rule in the Sicilian that when Black develops the dark-square bishop at e7, White's best plan involves setting up a Maróczy Bind, but when the bishop goes to g7 White should play to blunt the bishop with c3 and d4. There are numerous exceptions, but I believe the rule is a useful one to bear in mind. Having stated all that, the moves 4.0-0 and 4.Bxc6 are much more popular.

4...Nf6!?

More frequently seen is 4...Bg7, but immediately challenging the white centre is also popular and has been played by Magnus Carlsen.
5.Qe2

Very slightly more popular is 5.e5, when the main line runs 5...Nd5 6.0-0 Bg7 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 0-0 9.Nc3, which the analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon is roughly equal.

5...e5!?

A sharp pawn-sacrifice that has been played by Ukrainian grandmaster Pavel Eljanov and, at least for a while, is the top choice of Stockfish13, but there are just two examples in Mega21. The normal move is 5...Bg7, when the main line runs 6.0-0 0-0, with White usually choosing between 7.d4 and 7.Rd1.

How should White proceed?

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6.Bxc6N

Ilya Smirin (2594) - Eljanov (2655), Netanya Masters (Israel) 2019, continued 6.0-0 Bg7 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.Nxe5 0-0 9.Nf3!? Re8 10.d3 d5, when Black has more than enough compensation for a pawn, according to the engines.

Best, according to the engines, is 6.d3!? Bg7 7.Bg5 with equal chances.

The text is an attempt to refute Black's idea, but it seems Black has sufficient compensation.

6...bxc6

The engines reckon White is slightly better after 6...dxc6 7.Nxe5. Note that both pawn-captures open a diagonal for the black light-square bishop.

7.Nxe5 Bg7!

I was expecting Black to try to regain the pawn immediately with 7...Qe7 8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 c5, when I was probably going to play 10.Be3, allowing 10...Nxe4. The engines reckon White is better after 11.0-0 or 11.Bf4.

8.d3

Keeping the centre relatively closed as a defence against the black bishop-pair, but the engines slightly prefer 8.d4 or 8.0-0.

8....0-0 9.Be3?!

My originally intended 9.Bg5 is much better, according to the engines, although they reckon Black has full compensation for a pawn.

9...Ba6

Also good for Black, according to the engines, is 9...Re8 10.Nf3 d5.

10.Nd2?!

Developing a piece while protecting e4 seems natural, but the engines prefer offering the pawn back immediately with 10.0-0 or 10.Nf3, or holding on to it a bit longer with 10.Bg5. In each case they give a small edge to Black.

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10...Re8

This is strong, but even better, according to the engines, is 10...Qb8!?, when they reckon best-play runs 11.f4 d6 (11...Qxb2?! 12.Rb1 Qxc3 13.0-0 gives White an initiative) 12.Nec4 d5 13.e5 dxc4 14.exf6 cxd3 15.Qf3 Bxf6, after which Black's bishop-pair and extra (passed) pawn on d3 outweigh his pawn-weaknesses.

11.Nef3 Nxe4

Keeping the initiative with 11...d5!? seems better.

12.Nxe4 Rxe4 13.0-0

With White having connected his rooks, the middlegame can be considered to have arrived

Black's bishops are powerful but White has the better pawn-structure. To me the position looks dynamically balanced. Komodo12.1.1 agrees, but Stockfish13 gives White a slight edge.

Opening Lessons From Crete VI

IN round seven I faced Suresh Jhunjhnuwala, an American (ex-Hong Kong) with a Fide rating of 1870.

The full game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/crete-round-seven.html, but here I want to look in some depth at the opening.

Jhunjhnuwala - Spanton

Sicilian Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4

Setting up a Maróczy Bind is less popular than playing 5.Nc3 in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database but scores 57%, which is much better than Nc3's 50%.

5...Bg7

A fairly popular alternative is 5...Nf6, which usually leads to the Gurgenidze System in which Black plays an early knight swop on d4.

6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6

More popular are 7...0-0 and 7...Ng4!?, but all three moves score a disappointing 41% in Mega21.

8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 Bd7

The swop 9....Nxd4 has been recommended in repertoire publications to avoid White meeting the text with 10.Nc2!?, but the text is much more popular.

10.h3!?

More common are 10.Qd2, 10.Rc1, 10.f3 and 10.Nc2!?, but the text has been played by grandmasters. One point is to cover g4 while retaining the option of pushing the f pawn to f4 in one move.

10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6

How should White proceed?

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12.Qd3

The more popular 12.Qxc2!? scores a remarkable 72% in Mega21. The queen is more-centrally placed on d3, but is liable to being hit by the remaining black knight manoeuvring to c5 or e5. On the other hand, a queen on c2 can be awkwardly placed if Black manages to create pressure down the half-open c file.

Either way, White has connected rooks and so the opening can be thought of as over. White has more space, but Black has no weaknesses. I believe the theoretical verdict is a slight edge to White, and that is what the analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon.

Crete Aftermath Day 5

NHS test & trace rang at 13.10, asking the same questions and giving the same lectures as on previous calls.

The main difference this time was I confirmed I had not taken, and did not intend to take, a day-five test-to-release.

Opening Lessons From Crete V

IN round six I had white against Curt Zimmermann, an Austrian with a Fide rating of 1891.

The whole game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/crete-round-six.html but here I want to look in some depth at the opening.

Spanton - Zimmermann

Caro-Kann Fantasy

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3

Joe Gallagher in Starting Out: The Caro Kann (Everyman 2002) says the theoretical verdict on the Fantasy Variation of the Caro-Kann is "a positionally suspect line but one full of dangerous traps for Black to avoid."

3...Nf6

The most-popular reply is 3...e6, for which see my game in round eight. The text first appears in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database in a 1930 Alexander Alekhine simul in which the world champion had white.

4.e5 Nfd7

Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 waver between this and 4...Ng8!?

5.f4

The Alekhine game saw 5.Bd3!? e6 6.Ne2 c5 7.c3 with a French-style position.

5...e6 6.Nf3 c5

Now 7.Nc3 would take the game into a main line of the Steinitz Variation of the French Defence.

7.c3

One line in the French Steinitz involves White moving the queen's knight from c3 to e2 so it is possible to put the c pawn on c3. Here White gets the pawn move in more economically, so perhaps it is not surprising Stockfish13 gives White the upper hand (Komodo12.1.1 agrees White is better, but only slightly).

7...Nc6 8.Be2 Qb6

This position is normally reached in Mega21 with Black to move

9.0-0 f5?!

The engines are not overly critical of this move, but it means White's central space advantage is unlikely to disappear. A more-normal plan in this type of position would run something like 9...Be7 10.Kh1 0-0 with ...f6 to come.

10.Kh1

The king is clearly safer on h1, and the white centre is safer too as without Kh1 there were lines in which Black could capture on d4 followed by sacrificing a knight on e5. The king move also frees g1 for a rook in the event of White attacking on the kingside with g4.

10...cxd4!?

Black might have tried to hold back on this capture until the white queen's knight had moved as now the knight can develop to its 'natural' c3 square.

11.cxd4 Be7 12.Nc3 0-0 13.Be3!?

The engines reckon a stronger plan is 13.Rg1 with g4 to come.

Should Black accept White's pawn offer and, if not, what should he play?

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13...Nd8?!
After 13...Qxb2, one line given by the engines runs 14.Nb5 Nb6 15.a3!? a6 16.Rb1 Qa2 17.Nc7 Ra7 18.Rxb6 Qxa3 19.Bc1!? Qa2 20.Nxa6 Qa5 21.Qb3 Bd8 22.Rxc6 bxc6 23.Nc5, reaching a position in which White has two knights, including one well-posted at c5, for rook and pawn. This is not all forced but the engines reckon this line and others like it are very good for White.

On the other hand the text, which seems part of a plan to generate kingside play, is rather slow.

Komodo12.1.1 suggests 13...Qd8!?, which is also a retrograde move but at least frees the b6 square for the king's knight. However after 14.Rg1 Nb6, Stockfish13's 15.g4 looks strong, although Komodo12.1.1 at first gives White only a slight edge after 15...Nc4, but later comes to agree with  Stockfish13 that Black is in trouble.

14.Qd2

White has connected his rooks, while Black is at least four moves away from connecting his. Add in White's central space advantage, and it is to an extent academic whether White is positionally winning (Stockfish13) or 'merely' has the upper hand (Komodo12.1.1).

Crete Aftermath Day 4

WAS phoned at 13.21 on my mobile by NHS test & trace (no contact yesterday) and was basically given the same information and asked the same questions as on day two.

I was also asked if I had received the result of my day-two PCR covid test, and I said I had and that it was negative.

I was told that, according to the NHS database, I was down to have a test-to-release on day five, but I explained this was a mistake.

I had been told on day two such a test was possible - I'd thought it had to be booked before returning to the UK - but I told the NHS test & trace person on day two I would almost certainly not take such a test as I did not want the expense.

Today's caller told me it was too late to update the NHS test & trace database on this matter, but I should not worry about it.

Opening Lessons From Crete III

IN round four I faced Tomasz Sielicki, a Pole listed in the tournament as having a Fide of 1938, although his rating had slipped in the June list to 1905.

The full game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/crete-round-four.html, but here I will look in some depth at the opening.

Sielicki - Spanton

QGD Bf4

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7

This is Black's most-popular reply, with more than 46,000 examples in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database. Other popular moves include 4...c6 (27,000+), 4...Bb4 (16,000+) and 4...Nbd7 (14,000+).

5.Bf4

This scores a very good 63% in Mega21, whereas the more-popular 5.Bg5 scores 58%. The analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 prefer the text, although it is often unwise to place much reliance on engine choices early in an opening unless there is a major tactical point.

5...0-0 6.e3

6.Nb5?! has been played in a handful of games in Mega21. The engines give the interesting, and apparently unplayed, 6...dxc4!?, the point being that 7.Nxc7? runs into 7...Bb4+, when 8.Nd2 e5! 9.Bxe5 Ne4 10.Bf4 Qxd4 wins for Black. In this line, 9.dxe5 is simply met by 9...Qxc7, when the e5 pawn is pinned. Also bad for White is 7.Bxc7? Bb4+ 8.Nd2 Qd7.

Also strong after 6.Nb5?! is 6...c6!?, which has similar ideas to 6...dxc4 and also does not appear in Mega21.

6...Nbd7

This is second in popularity to the more-aggressive 6...c5. The engines' top choice, but by a small margin over other moves, is 6...b6, which has been played by Magnus Carlsen.

7.a3

The main line in Mega21 runs 7.c5!? c6 8.Bd3 b6 9.b4 a5 10.a3 Ba6 11.0-0 Qc8, when the engines give White an edge.

7...a6!?

Easily most popular is 7...c5, when the commonest continuation is 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.dxc5 Nxc5 with an IQP position that looks very reasonable for Black.

Anatoly Karpov has played 7...Nh5, which I rejected because after 8.Bg3 (Karpov's opponent preferred 8.Be5) I felt it would be dangerous for Black to follow up with 8...Nxg3 as 9.hxg3 half-opens the h file.

The text has been played by grandmasters, but may be too slow.

How should White proceed?

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8.Qc2?!

White is set up to play 8.c5, and probably should.

8...c5

Thematic in this type of position is 8...dxc4 9.Bxc4 b5, although Black would ideally wait for White to spend a tempo on Bd3 or Be2 before capturing on c4.

9.dxc5 Bxc5?!

Probably better is 9...Nxc5, when 10.Rd1 Qe8!? 11.cxd5 Nxd5 12.Nxd5 exd5 is only slightly better for White, according to the engines, the point being that 13.Rxd5 is met by 13...Be6!?, eg 14.Rxc5 Bxc5 15.Ng5 g6 16.Qxc5 Rc8 with an initiative for Black.

10.0-0-0!?

Stronger, according to the engines, is 10.cxd5 with probably short-castling to follow. However the position after the text is far from clear.

10...Nb6!?

This may be too defensive. The engines prefer 10...b5 or 10...dxc4.

Here the engines come up with a very aggressive continuation for White

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11.cxd5

The engines like 11.g4!?, when 11...Nxg4 12.Rg1 Nf6 13.Bh6 seems strong for White. Instead the engines reckon Black should probably play 11...Bd7, when they agree 12.g5 Nh5 13.Be5 is better for White.

11...exd5 12.Kb1

If 12.e4!? the engines like Black after 12...Bd7, the point being that 13.exd5?! Rc8 seems very good for Black.

12...Qe7

Getting out of a pin, but the engines prefer 12...Be6 or 12...Bd7.

13.Ng5?!

It was probably better to get on with development and connect the rooks with 13.Bd3.

The text threatens 14.Nxd5! Nbxd5 15.Rxd5, but that is easily parried.

13...h6 14.Nxd5?

TS suggested 14.h4!?, which is much better than the text, although the engines prefer Black after 14...Rd8.

14...Nbxd5 15.Rxd5 hxg5 16.Bxg5 Bd6!?

The bishop is not as safe here as it would be on b6 or a7.

17.Bd3

White has two pawns and an initiative, but that is not enough for a knight.

I Am An Expert Chess Player - Official!

AFTER my latest draw at correspondence chess, I today received the following message from the Fide-recognised International Correspondence Chess Federation:

Congratulations! - You have earned the title of ICCF Correspondence Chess Expert. This will be formally confirmed by the ICCF Qualifications Commissioner and awarded within the next two weeks.
If you would like to collect your award in person, please contact your ICCF National Delegate for details of the next Congress.If you are not able to travel to the award ceremony, you will be able to download your certificate from the server once validated.

Opening Lessons From Crete II

AFTER a bye in round two, I faced Peter Menzinger, a German with a Fide rating of 1938, in round three.

The full game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/morphing-french-xx.html but here I will concentrate in some depth on the opening.

Spanton - Menzinger

French Exchange

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5

The Exchange Variation of the French Defence is routinely disparaged in opening books, although occasionally an author will say the lines are only drawish if both players have peaceful intentions.

I started playing it regularly after posting a series two years ago, starting with https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/07/morphy-v-french.html,  on how Paul Morphy took on the French.

Since then I have played the French Exchange 20 times, including twice at correspondence chess, scoring +10=6-4, ie 65%. My average rating in those games was 1950, while my opponents averaged 1925. Overall I can say the French Exchange has been a successful addition to my repertoire.

3...exd5 4.Nf3

There are more than 23,000 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, but it is pipped by 4.Bd3, which has almost 26,000 games.

4...Nf6

And here 4...Bd6, which is slightly more popular than the text, leaves more room for creating asymmetry.

It may be PM started in the mood of being fully satisfied with a draw. After all, he had played in the morning, when I had a bye on what was a double-round day, and I was listed in the tournament as having a rating of 1998, which is my ECF, and he may well not have known my Fide is 1814 (the Amateur Chess Organization was using the higher of a player's national and international ratings).

5.Bd3 Bg4!?

But if PM had really been fully satisfied with a draw then he would probably have played 5...Bd6, which Morphy faced three times in 1858, winning all three games (he does not seem to have faced the text).

6.0-0

Garry Kasparov's choice when he reached this position. It isconsiderably more popular than immediately putting the question to the bishop with 6.h3.

6...Be7

Black's dark-square bishop is less active than White's; on the other hand the white king's knight is pinned, a fate unlikely to occur to its black counterpart.

7.Re1 0-0 8.h3

An alternative plan, as pointed out by someone in the postmortem, is to save this until the queen's knight has reached g3, eg 8.Nbd2 Nbd7 9.Nf1 Re8 10.Ng3. But then 10...Bd6!? throws a spanner in the works as 11.h3?! Rxe1+ 12.Qxe1 Bxf3 almost certainly favours Black, and if 11.Rxe8+ Qxe8 12.h3, the analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon Black is at least equal after 12...Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Qe1+.

8...Bh5 9.Bg5

Mark Hebden has played this move, which is the choice of the engines.

9...Nbd7 10.Nc3!?

Hebden played 10.Nbd2 in a game that was agreed drawn one move later.

The engines do not like the text, although it has been played by a 2483.

10...c6

The white queen's knight now has few prospects for improvement. Indeed, Komodo12.1.1 reckons White should play 11.Nb1!?

11.g4!?

This was my plan in playing Nc3. There are seven examples of the move in Mega21 - White lost them all. However, once the move is inputted on the board, it becomes Komodo12.1.1's top choice, at least for a short while. Both engines come to prefer 11.Bf5, albeit giving a slight nod to Black.

11...Bg6 12.Ne5!?

The engines strongly dislike this logical-looking move, which has been played by a 2449. They suggest what appears to be a novelty in 12.Qd2!?, when one line runs 12...Re8 13.Re3 Qb6 14.Rae1 Bd6 15.Rxe8+ Nxe8!? 16.b3, when they reckon Black is slightly better.

12...Re8 13.f4 Bxd3 14.Qxd3

14.cxd3?! covers important central squares, but the white position looks very loose.

White has connected rooks, which is a good point to call the opening over

In the coming middlegame, White will have more space on the kingside and a well-placed knight at e5. But Black has no weaknesses and has hopes of exploiting the airy position of the white king.

I would rate the position as dynamically equal, but the engines reckon Black is slightly better.

Crete Aftermath Day 2

RECEIVED a call at 10.35am from NHS test & trace, and today I was able to answer my mobile in time.

After confirming my identity, I was basically told what I already knew about staying home, testing on days two and eight, etc.

I was also told I could still test-to-release on day five, and that I would receive similar calls every day of my 10-day isolation period.

Opening Lessons From Crete

CRETE was my first over-the-board chess since I played at Belgrade from November 24 to December 2.

I suspect the gap since playing OTB was even longer for many participants at Crete - certainly none of us could complain about a lack of time to prepare new openings or to fine-tune old ones.

In round one I had black against a Belgian, Rudy Van de Wynkele, who has a Fide rating of 1908.

He has 27 games with the white pieces in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, and each time played 1.e4.

I decided to play the Sicilian 1...c5, for which there were seven games: four with 2.Nf3, two with 2.g3 and one with 2.a3.

The complete game can be seen at https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/crete-round-one.html but here I want to look in some depth at the opening.

Van de Wynkele - Spanton

Sicilian b3

1.e4 c5 2.b3!?

What I failed to take into account is that Mega21, as well as having Rudy Van de Wynkele, also has Rudy Van de Wynkele1. The latter entry has just two games, one of which as White, from 1980, began 1.e4 c5 2.b3.

The text is White's eighth-most popular move in ChessBase's Mega21, but even so there are more than 11,000 games. White's idea is to pressurise the black kingside, and it may be RW was aware I like to play ...g6 on move two in the Sicilian. However, 2.b3 does not prevent 2...g6 - Magnus Carlen is just one strong grandmaster who has played it.

2...Nc6

Easily the most-popular reply, and fairly non-committal in that Black will almost certainly want to play the queen's knight to c6 at a fairly early point.

3.Bb2 e5

This could be seen as providing the fianchettoed bishop with a target, but is aimed at blunting the bishop's power. In the Nimzowitsch-Larsen 1.b3, which this game partly resembles, Black's most-popular response is 1...e5. A big difference is that here Black has created a hole at d5.

Position after 3...e5

I think White has three major plans:

1. Attack the e5 square with f4 and Nf3, keeping in mind the possibility of pushing on with f5.

2. Blast open the centre with c3 and d4.

3. Play on the light squares in the centre.

4.Nc3

RW opts for the third plan.

Van de Wynkele - Jan Delabie, Belgian Championship (Sint-Niklaas) 1980, saw 4.Nf3 d6 5.Nc3 g6 6.g3, which does not follow any of the three plans I have outlined, The game was drawn in 21 moves.

4...Nf6

Grandmasters have also played 4...d6 and 4...g6.

5.Bc4 Na5N

This is not liked by the analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1.

Mega21 has 58 games with 5...Be7 and 57 with 5...d6.

The sequence 5...Nxe4 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Bd3 dxe4 8.Bxe4 has been seen in four games of Evgeny Romanov. He scored +3=1-0, albeit his average rating in those games was 2478 against his opponents' average of 2298. The engines reckon the position after 8.Bxe4 is equal.

6.Be2

White preserves the bishop-pair. If Black were now to play 6...Nc6, which is Stockfish13's choice, it would be as if White had been given the move Be2 for free. On the other hand, Black could point to the fact that e2 is a lot-less active square for the bishop than c4.

However, the engines reckon White should leave the bishop on c4. Stockfish13 rates 6.f4 Nxc4 7.bxc4 d6 8.Nge2 as being much better for White; Komodo12.1.1 similarly likes for White 6.d3 Nxc4 7.dxc4!?

6...Be7

6...d5?! seems premature, the engines giving White the upper hand after 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Bb5+ Nc6 9.Qe2.

7.Nf3

The engines reckon White should switch to plan one above with 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 8.Nf3, slightly preferring White.

7...d6 8.h3

This obviously prevents ...Bg4, but also might be part of a plan to castle long (after Black castles short) and launch a pawn-and-piece attack on the kingside.

8...0-0

Castling early in an open position is usually good because it reduces the opponent's tactical opportunities, while castling early in a closed one is often bad because it gives away the king's address too soon. Here the position is neither closed nor yet open, but I felt queenside castling was an unlikely option for Black and so decided to commit to the kingside.

9.d3 Nc6

Reaching a position that occurs five times in Mega21, all with Black to move. So Black has lost a tempo with the manoeuvre ...Nc6-a5-c6. But despite this, the engines slightly prefer Black.

10.g3?!

True, there have been no pawn-exchanges, but the position is not closed enough to allow for this time-consuming redeployment of White's light-square bishop.

10...Nd4

This was probably a good time for ...d5.

11.Bf1 b5

Playable because 12.Nxd4 cxd4 13.Nxb5?? loses to 13...Qa5+.

12.Bg2 b4 13.Ne2 a5

Expanding on the queenside is often a good plan for Black in the Sicilian, especially in Closed Sicilians, which the position much resembles.

14.a4 Ra7!?

Taking the rook off the diagonal of White's light-square bishop, and hoping to eventually double rooks on the f file. 14...bxa3?! leaves the a5 pawn weak.

15.Nd2

The knight heads for the c4 outpost.

15...Be6

The engines are not keen on this, reckoning Black is better after 15...h5 (Komodo12.1.1) or 15...d5 (Stockfish13).

16.Nc4 Qc7

I usually regard the opening as ending when one player has cleared the back rank sufficiently to connect rooks. Here Black has so cleared the back rank, although the rooks are not actually connected. However I feel it is fair to say the middlegame is underway.

How to assess the results of the opening? White has a strong knight at c4 and his position is without weaknesses. Black has an even stronger knight at d4 and can claim his light-square bishop is the only one with any real activity in that it pressurises h3. Black also has more queenside space, but has to keep a constant watch on the a5 pawn.

To me, Black is very slightly better. The engines' evaluations change the more time they are given, but they generally consider the position equal, although with a slight tendency to inch towards favouring White.

I think it is fair to say this is a game in which the outcome has by no means been decided in the opening, but it can be regarded as a success for Black in that Black has nullified White's advantage of moving first.

Crete Aftermath

TODAY is the first day of the 10 days I am required to isolate.

Received a text at 09.14 telling me I must quarantine and take "2 further coronavirus tests."

At 12.40 my mobile rang but, by the time I got to it, the caller either rang off or I somehow managed to press the reject-call button - almost certainly the former.

Crete - Final Thoughts On The Holiday Experience

AS far as I can recall, I have only once before stayed in all-inclusive accommodation.

That was in Barbados and was for work (I had to escort there the first winner of The Sun's Page 3 Idol contest) and I have to admit that at the time I was very pleasantly surprised ... by the quality of the food, I mean.

The food at the Fodele Beach Resort in Crete, which is where the Amateur Chess Organization held its postponed 2020 world senior and amateur championships, was even better.

And the choice at every meal was fantastic - you would have to be very finicky indeed not to find something to your taste (there was even vegan cheese).

The staff were, with very few exceptions, friendly and helpful - they seemed genuinely pleased to serve you (and even if they weren't, I would rather have insincere politeness than sincere rudeness).

There were some quirks.

At breakfast, only teaspoons were available, which is ridiculous, at least for someone like me wanting to eat yogurt and fruit, and even worse for cereal fans.

Every day I had to badger a member of staff to go and find a larger spoon; only one refused to do so.

Also at breakfast, the only orange juice and coffee available were out of machines, so I had to make do with a freshly-made smoothie and wait until almost 10am for the separate "all-day" restaurant to open and provide a decent espresso (I survived these thorns in my side).

I was not drinking alcohol until the last three days, which is why my weight, as measured by the electronic scales in my room, suddenly ballooned from 80.4kg at the start of the holiday to 81.7kg at the end (for those not used to 'new money', that is a rise of almost 3lb).

But when I did start drinking I was amazed to find the only red wine available in the main restaurant was so cold it almost had ice forming in it - indeed it was colder than a glass of rosé wine I had.

Now I know it is normal practice in Greece to serve cheap red wine chilled. But I had enjoyed a glass of red wine from the resort's Starlight bar that was served at a proper temperature and tasted absolutely fine.

There were other little things that grated, for example staff mainly choose the music at the bars, so there was more than I would have wished of the racist N-word and of references to MxxxxxFxxxxxs.

But I do not want to give the wrong impression - the faults were minor and there was so much to admire,

My room had a large and very comfortable double-bed, a great shower and a fridge.

It also had airconditioning and screens over the windows, which together form a great defence against mosquitos.

Crete is plagued by mosquitos, so the fact you can sleep at night in your room without fear of them should not  be underestimated.

I did get one bite, on the back of my left leg, but that was when I lingered outside at dusk without having applied any repellent.

As for the seniors' tournament, entries were few, as was the case with the postponed 2020 world amateur championship, which was held by the Amateur Chess Organization at the same time.

What I can say is that the playing conditions seemed to me to be excellent.

Each game was played at an individual and spacious table. There was social distancing between the tables to the sides, although players were sat closely back-to-back.

The rule at the hotel is that facemasks must be worn in all internal and external areas.

However the only people wearing facemasks outdoors were staff - but not all of them all of the time - and newly arrived guests.

In the tournament room masks had to be worn when walking around, but not at the board.

Players were pretty scrupulous in donning a mask once on their feet, and sometimes would forget for a few minutes to remove it when sitting down again.

Only one player wore a mask consistently while seated at the board, and that was a junior in the amateur championship.

The tournaments were advertised as running from Friday June 11 to Sunday June 20, but this is misleading.

All that happened on day one were welcoming drinks, while the final day was purely for departure.

So the tournaments really ran from Saturday June 12 to Saturday June 19.

That is eight days, but since the Wednesday was a compulsory free day, it meant there were two double-round days - Sunday and Tuesday.

Fodele Beach Resort is in an isolated part of Crete - about 50km from Heraklion and the same distance from Rethymno, another popular tourist site.

Most of the players I spoke to were regulars at ACO events.

I did not see any of them using the swimming pools or the waterpark - they were there to enjoy the luxury of "five-star" food and accommodation while playing chess.

My 10 nights' stay - I arrived two days before the tournaments got underway - cost, including tourism tax, 1,705.55 euros.

According to my credit-card statement, that works out at £147 a night.

Yes, it is a lot, but remember this is all-inclusive - once you are at the hotel, there is no need to spend a penny if you have no wish to go elsewhere.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself, which is not surprising in that it was my first over-the-board chess since Belgrade in late-November/early-December.

Would I go again?

Well, before going I was fairly sure I would not unless, like this time, there was nowhere else easily available to play over-the-board chess.

However, if a group of friends decided to go I might well tag along.

Home Alone

Weight
Friday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Saturday: 80.7kg (178lb)
Sunday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Monday: 80.2kg (177lb)
Tuesday: 80.8kg (178lb)
Wednesday: 80.2kg (177lb)
Thursday: 80.7kg (178lb)
Friday: 81.4kg (179lb)
Saturday: 81.7kg (180lb)

Today: 81.7kg (180lb)

FILLING in the UK passenger locator form, which is necessary before flying back to London, is fairly straightforward.

At least it is until you reach the part where you have to book PCR covid tests for day two and eight after your return from an amber-list country.

The first few sites I tried were at full capacity, with one not taking new bookings until late September.

I wanted to book tests where I could go to a clinic to have swabs taken, but in the end settled for being sent kits with which I will have to self-swab at home and post.

Trying to check-in for my flight with Tui online was a nightmare, and I did not manage to resolve it (a family at the head of the airport check-in queue told me they had similar problems).

Indeed the Tui website consistently failed me, refusing to accept a seat upgrade I booked and failing to even send me confirmation of my original booking (luckily I wrote down my booking reference number as emails to Tui have gone unanswered).

Accordingly I got to Heraklion airport early, which was a double-edged sword as it is grotty pre-security with no airconditioning, numerous flies and poorly maintained toilets.

Checking-in at the airport was fine, if rather time-consuming, but it was not possible to pay for the seat upgrade I had booked.

Things brightened up at security, which was fast, and once through that the airport is airconditioned and considerably smarter, although the wifi actually manages to go from feeble to almost non-existent.

The flight was fairly busy, but two sets of emergency exit seats were unoccupied, so I volunteered to sit in one (airlines are obliged to have someone sitting there to open the exits in an emergency).

Arriving at Gatwick was an interesting experience.

The airport has closed the south terminal and closed all the e-gates at the north terminal.

This would not be so bad if all the booths at passport control were staffed.

Having said, from arriving at the back of the queue to reaching the front took little more than 30 minutes. Worse things happen at Heathrow.

At passport control, as well as producing my passport, I had to show my passenger locator form and proof of a covid-test negative result taken in the three days before flying home.

This went surprisingly quickly, but then I was pulled over at customs and quizzed about where I had been, what I had been doing, had I got any duty-free, was I bringing back anything I bought while abroad, etc.

Again, to be fair, this took five minutes at most, and was conducted in a friendly manner.

Now I have reached home I am required to isolate for 10 days, during which I take the covid tests for which I have paid £155.

Crete Final Standings

HERE is how group C of the Amateur Chess Organization's world senior championship finished:

1. Tomasz Sielicki 1938 (POL)................7pts
2. Timothy Spanton 1998* (ENG)............6.5pts
3. Rudy Van de Wynkele 1908 (BEL)......5.5pts
4. Martin Schaefer 1929 (GER)...............5.5pts
5. Curt Zimmermann 1890 (AUT)...........4pts

6. Peter Menzinger 1938 (GER)..............4pts
7. Suresh Jhunjhnuwala 1870 (USA)......3.5pts
*ECF rating - all other ratings are Fide

Tiebreaks applied  (but not published online, perhaps because tiebreaks published yesterday wee wrong) to separate players on the same number of points

My final score of +5=1-2 was a Fide elo performance of 2048, which is very satisfactory when compared to my Fide rating of 1814, but not so impressive when compared to my English Chess Federation rating of 1998. To an extent it is academic in that the games will not be rated by Fide or the ECF.

But my bank account should be swelling by 100 euros, and I won a trophy.

One of the spoils of victory

Crete Round Nine

Weight
Friday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Saturday: 80.7kg (178lb)
Sunday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Monday: 80.2kg (177lb)
Tuesday: 80.8kg (178lb)
Wednesday: 80.2kg (177lb)
Thursday: 80.7kg (178lb)

Yesterday: 81.4kg (179lb)

Today: 81.7kg (180lb)

Martin Schaefer (1929 Fide) - Spanton (1998 ECF)
Amateur Chess Organization World Senior Championship Group C (Fodele Beach Resort, Crete) Round 9
Catalan
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7

The point of Black's well-known manoeuvre is to induce the white dark-square bishop to go to d2, the argument being that in the Closed Catalan it is often much better placed on b2.

6.Bf4!?

A very rare move. Usually White gets on with kingside development with 6.Bg2 followed by 0-0.

6...0-0 7.Bg2 c6 8.0-0

The game has transposed to a mainline position popular at the elite level.

8...Nbd7 9.Qc2 b6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Bc7!?

This strange-looking move has been played by grandmasters, although 11.Rc1 and 11.Nc3 are slightly more popular in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database.

11...Qe8 12.Rc1

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

12...Ba6!?

This may be new. Artur Yusupov, Emmanuel Bricard and Marcin Dziuba have played 12...Bb7. The analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 very slightly prefer the text.

13.Nc3

The game immediately transposes to a known position, albeit there is only one example in Mega21.

13...Rc8 14.Bf4

Viktor Moskalenko (2505) - Pablo San Segundo Carrillo (2415), Aviles (Spain) 1992, saw 14.Qa4 Rxc7 15.Qxa6 Qc8 16.Qd3 Ne4 17.Nd2 Nxc3 ½–½.

14...Ne4 15.Qa4 Nb8

Bad is 15...Nxc3? because after 16.Qxa6 the white queen covers e2.

16.Bxb8!?

Stockfish13's choice, at least for a while, but Komodo12.1.1 prefers keeping the bishop-pair with 16,Qb3, and Stockfish13 comes to agree.

16...Qxa4 17.Nxa4 Rxb8 18.Rc7

White has a little initiative, but it is soon extinguished, after which the bishops will have their say.

18...Rb7 19.Rac1 Bd6 20.Rxb7 Bxb7 21.Ne5 Rc8 22.Rxc8+ Bxc8 23.f3 Nd2 24.b3

Not 24.Nc6?? Bd7.

24... Bb7 25.Kf2 Nb1 26.Ke3 Kf8 27.f4 Ke7

I came to regret not kicking the white knight with 27...f6!?, but I was concerned about making e6 a target for the white bishop.

28.h4 h5 29.Bf3 g6 30.g4!?

Now ...f6 will be hard to arrange.

30...hxg4 31.Bxg4

Black remains better but the prospects are for a long game of manoeuvre.

31...Na3

The engines prefer 31...Bb4, which I rejected because after 32.h5 Bd2+ 36.Kf3 gxh5 37.Bxh5 f6 38.Ng6+ the d6 square, in my mind's eye, was still occupied, and so White would have a draw by repetition with 38...Kd7 39.Nf8+ Ke7 40.Ng6+ etc.

32.Kd2 Bb4+ 33.Kc1 Nb5 34.e3 Nd6 35.h5?!

I was expecting this, but the engines much prefer 35.Nd3 Ba3+ 36.Kc2, when they reckon Black has at best a slight edge.

35...gxh5 36.Bxh5 Ne4 37.Kd1

37.Bxf7?! quickly loses a pawn to 37...Bd2+ 38.Kc2 Bxe3 etc.

37...Bd2 38.Ke2 f6 39.Nd3

This is best, according to the engines.

39...Bc6

The engines give best as 39...Ba6 40.Nab2 f5!?, when they reckon Black has a positionally won game, although there is, to say the least, a lot of play left.

40.Bf3 Ba5

How should White meet the threats to his queenside?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

41.b4?

Black wins a pawn, but is only slightly better, after 41.a3!? Bxa4 42.bxa4 Nc3+, according to the engines, Similarly they reckon Black's edge is small after 41.Kd1!? Bxa4 42.bxa4 Nc3+ etc.

41...Bxa4 42.a3

Hardly an improvement is 42.bxa5 Bb5.

42...Nc3+

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 42...Bb5!?

43.Kf2 Bb5 44.Nb2 Bxb4 45.axb4 Na2

White loses a second pawn.

The game finished:

46.f5 Nxb4 47.Nd1 exf5 48.Kg3 Ke6 49.Nc3 Bc4 50.Na4+ Nd3 51.Be2 b5 52.Nc3 a5 0-1

Climaxing

HERE are the standings after eight rounds in group C of the Amateur Chess Organization's world senior championship.

1. Tomasz Sielicki 1938 (POL)................6pts (21.5 tiebreak)
2. Timothy Spanton 1998* (ENG)............5.5pts (21.75)
3. Martin Schaefer 1929 (GER)...............5.5pts (16.5)
4. Rudy Van de Wynkele 1908 (BEL)......5.5pts (15.5)
5. Peter Menzinger 1938 (GER)..............3.5pts (7.25)
6. Suresh Jhunjhnuwala 1870 (USA)......3pts (10)
7. Curt Zimmermann 1890 (AUT)............3pts (6.5)
*ECF rating - all other ratings are Fide

Tomorrow's pairings for the ninth and final round:
Sielicki - Van de Wynkele
Schaefer - Spanton
Menzinger - Jhunjhnuwala
Zimmermann Bye

Justice In Chess

Weight
Friday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Saturday: 80.7kg (178lb)
Sunday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Monday: 80.2kg (177lb)
Tuesday: 80.8kg (178lb)
Wednesday: 80.2kg (177lb)
Yesterday: 80.7kg (178lb)

Today: 81.4kg (179lb)

FACED the runaway leader, against whom I lost horrendously in round four (https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2021/06/crete-round-four.html), in this morning's round eight.

Spanton (1998 ECF) - Tomasz Sielicki (1938 Fide)

Amateur Chess Organization World Senior Championship (Fodele Beach Resort, Crete) Group C

Caro-Kann Fantasy

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 e6

This is Black's most-popular choice in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database. The move looks passive at first sight but it introduces the threat of capturing on e4 followed by ....Qh4+.

4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Be3!?

This has been played by grandmasters but there are six more-popular moves in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, including the commonest move 5.Bf4.

5...dxe4 6.Qd2!?

The most popular line in Mega21, albeit the position is quite rare, runs 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3, as played in the stem game, Savielly Tartakower - Salo Flohr, Kemeri (Latvia) 1937. The engines reckon Black is better, although the game was drawn in 37 moves. 

Surprising, but apparently playable, is 6.fxe4!? Qh4+ 7.g3 Qxe4, when Komodo12.1.1 reckons White has good compensation for a pawn after 8.Qd2 or 8.Qe2, although Stockfish13 slightly favours Black.

6...Nf6 7.a3 Qa5!?

This apparent novelty is much liked by Stockfish13, although Komodo12.1.1 prefers 7...Bxc3, which was played in a 2002 Czech women's championship game in which a 1697 won with the black pieces against a 1581.

8.Bc4?!

Almost certainly better is 8.Nge2 exf3 9.gxf3 Nd5, when Stockfish13 gives Black the upper hand, although Komodo12.1.1 reckons White has decent compensation for being a pawn down.

8...exf3!?

Even better, according to the engines, is 8...Bxc3 9.bxc3 c5!?, or first 8...b5, eg 9.Bb3 Bxc3 10.bxc3 0-0.

9.gxf3

9.Nxf3?! runs into 9...Ne4.

9...Bxc3 10.bxc3 Nd5 11.Ne2 Nxe3 12.Qxe3

Position after 12.Qxe3

Black has won a pawn and deprived White of the bishop-pair. White also has multiple weak pawns. In compensation White has a lead in development and half-open files for the rooks, and Black will not find it easy to complete his development.

12...Nd7

This is best, according to the engines, who prefer Black, but not to a huge extent.

13.Rg1 g6 14.Qh6

The engines prefer the prophylactic 14.Bd3!?, which avoids the bishop being hit by ...b5 or ...Nb6.

14...Nb6 15.Bb3 Bd7 16.Rg5 Nd5 17.Kf2 Qc7 18.c4 Ne7 19.Ng3 0-0-0

In addition to his other advantages, Black now has the safer king. Stockfish13 reckons Black is winning, although Komodo12.1.1 'only' gives Black the upper hand.

20.Qg7?!

The engines' 20.Re5 seems much better.

20...Rhf8?!

Black has a huge advantage, according to the engines, after 20...Qf4 21.Rg4 Qd2+ 22.Ne2 Nf5 23.Qe5 f6!

21.Kg2!?

Freeing the knight from being pinned against the h pawn. The engines do not like this, but their suggested 21.Qe5 is unlikely to bring White any joy.

21...Qf4 22.Rg4 Qd2+ 23.Kh1 Nf5 24.Qf6!?

Offering the exchange.

24...Ne3

The engines prefer winning a pawn with 24...Qf2!?, when they give best-play as 25.Nxf5 Qxf3+ 26.Rg2 exf5.

25.Ne4 Nxg4 26.fxg4!?

Objectively better may be 26.Qxd8+ Rxd8 27.Nxd2, but after 27...Nf6 Black is a good pawn up, White has numerous weaknesses and there is no prospect of a white attack.

26...Qe3 27.Nd6+ Kc7 28.c5 e5!

This is best, according to the engines.

29.dxe5 Bxg4 30.Rf1

Position after 30.Rf1

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

30...Qxc5?

Black is still winning, according to the engines, after 30...Kb8. There are also other good moves.

31.Qe7+ Bd7?

The engines point out a draw by repetition: 31...Rd7! 32.Qxf8 Qxe5 33.Ne8+ Kc8 34.Nd6+ etc.

32.Ne8+ Rfxe8 33.Qxc5

TS could have resigned here with a clear conscience, but he played on, no doubt recalling how I threw away a simple win in our previous game.

33...Bf5 34.Bxf7 b6 35.Qe3 Re7 36.e6 Rd5 37.Qf4+ Kb7 38.Qh4 Rxe6 39.Bxe6 Bxe6 40.Qxh7+ Rd7 41.Qxg6 Bd5+ 42.Kg1 Rd8 43.Qg7+ Ka6 44.Rf8 Rd6 45.Ra8 Kb5 46.Rxa7 c5 47.a4+ Kb4 48.Qb2+ Kc4 49.Qb3+ Kd4 50.Qd3+ Ke5 51.Qe3+ Kf5 52.Rg7 Re6 53.Rg5+ Kf6 54.Qf4+ Ke7 55.Rg7+ 1-0

TS rather sportingly quipped: "There is justice in chess after all."

Mountain Man

MY covid test result came while I was having lunch, and proved negative.

After lunch I decided to stretch my legs a little by heading inland again to Fodele village and the Byzantine church I visited yesterday.

But on the way I changed my mind and instead followed a track up into the mountains, passing numerous goats on the way.

This goat rather sensibly stayed out of the midday - well, early afternoon - sun

You do not have to gain a great deal of height to be rewarded with extensive views.

Looking down on the non-private part of Fodele beach

We have now finished the seven-round all-play-all section of group C of the Amateur Chess Organization's world senior championship (each round included a one-point bye).

Here are the standings:

1. Tomasz Sielicki  1938 (POL) 6pts (18.5 tiebreak)

2. Timothy Spanton 1998* (ENG) 4.5pts (13.25)

3= Martin Schaefer 1929 (GER) 4.5pts (11.5)

3= Rudy Van de Wynkele 1908 (BEL) 4.5pts (11.5)

5. Suresh Jhunjhnuwala 1870 (USA) 3pts (8)

6. Curt Zimmermann 1890 (AUT) 3pts (5.5)

7. Peter Menzinger 1938 (GER) 2.5pts (6.75)

*ECF rating - all other ratings are Fide

The final two rounds, tomorrow and Saturday, will be played as a swiss, which presumably means I will meet Sielicki in round eight.

Crete Round Seven

Weight
Friday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Saturday: 80.7kg (178lb)
Sunday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Monday: 80.2kg (177lb)
Tuesday: 80.8kg (178lb)
Yesterday: 80.2kg (177lb)
Today: 80.7kg (178lb)

A PRIVATE medical team comes to the Fodele Beach Resort each morning to conduct covid tests.

You can easily book one online, which I did for 9am today.

There was a short queue when I arrived at the testing centre a couple of minutes before my appointed time, and the queue grew longer as staff did not turn up until very nearly 9.15.

I paid 35 euros for a rapid antigen test (the PCR tests required on day two and eight after returning to England will cost considerably more) and the doctor stuck a swab up my nose.

This stung momentarily, but otherwise the procedure was very simple.

I was told I would receive the result by email within an hour.

As I type, that was more than three hours ago, but it is a bit early to start panicking.

My opponent today was from the United States (ex-Hong Kong).

Suresh Jhunjhnuwala (1870 Fide) - Spanton (1998 ECF)

Amateur Chess Organization World Senior Championship (Fodele Beach Resort, Crete) Round 7

Sicilian Maroczy Bind

1,e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6

SJ asked after the game if this is a normal move. It is.

8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 Bd7 10.h3!?

This has been played by grandmasters, but more popular are 10.Qd2, 10.Rc1, 10.f3 and 10.Nc2.

10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6 12.Qd3 Nd7 13.Bxg7!?

Generally speaking, an exchange of dark-square bishops favours Black in the Maroczy Bind as White is left with a bad bishop. However, here Bxg7 is liked by the analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1.

13...Kxg7 14.Qd4+ Kg8 15.f4!?

Aggressive, but it lets Black exchange queens, which usually favours Black in the Maroczy because Black has less space and is more likely than White to be overrun.

15...Qb6 16.Qxb6 Nxb6 17.b3!?

Possibly a novelty. 17.Nd5 is a known move, but the engines prefer the text.

17...Nd7 18.Bf3 a5 19.Rad1 Rfc8?

I failed to notice the threat behind White's last move. Black is fine after 19...Nc5 or 19...f6!?

White to play and win material

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

20.e5!

This wins a pawn.

20...Ra6 21.exd6 Bxf3 22.Rxf3 Rxd6 23.Rxd6 exd6 24.Rd3 Rc6 25.Nb5 Nc5 26.Rxd6 Rxd6 27.Nxd6

More-or-less by force the game has reached an ending that should be won by White with reasonable care.

27...Kf8 28.Kf2 Ke7 29.Nb5 a4 30.Nd4 Ne4+ 31.Ke3

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

31...Nc3

31...axb3!? 32.Nxe4?? b2 wins for Black, but  White should instead play 32.axb3, when Black has failed to inflict queenside isolanis.

32.bxa4 Nxa4 33.Nb3 Kd6 34.Kd4 b6 35.a3!?

White should probably prefer improving his knight with 35.Nd2, intending 36.Ne4+, but the text does not seem to ruin anything.

35...h5?!

The engines much prefer 35...f5, intending, once the white knight moves, ...Nc5 and ...Ne6+ to drive the white king off the fourth rank.

36.g4!?

White should not be exchanging pawns if he can avoid it, but White has to be careful here that the g2 pawn does not become a fixed target.

36...hxg4 37.hxg4 Nb2?!

I rejected 37...f5 because of 38.g5, when the g6 pawn is weak, but at least then 38...Nc5!? sets a trap, ie 39.Nxc5?? bxc5+, when the pawn-ending is drawn. White is not forced to capture on c5, but 37...f5 is a better try than the text, which eases White's task (not that it really needed easing).

38.c5+ bxc5 39.Nxc5 Nd1 40.a4 Nf2?

Black is lost anyway, but this removes all hope.

40...Ne4+ 1-0

You WILL Be free

Weight
Friday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Saturday: 80.7kg (178lb)
Sunday: 80.4kg (177lb)
Monday: 80.2kg (177lb)
Yesterday: 80.8kg (178lb)

Today: 80.2kg (177lb)

TODAY is the compulsory free day (Boo!) in the Amateur Chess Organization's world senior championship, which is being held at Crete's Fodele Beach Resort.

This morning I again walked up to the village of Fodele, intending to head on further into the hills.

But at the far end of the village I saw a sign for a Nature Path which ran through that rarity on a Greek island, a wood.

The path turned out to be quite short but also quite interesting.

Disused fountain with penned goats in the background

The path follows a shallow river - little more than a stream in places - that has to be forded, but this poses little difficulty

Even a footpath gets a shrine, this one commemorating someone who died in 2011

The path ends at a road, which can be followed back into Fodele, but on the way I saw a sign pointing to the Byzantine church of Panagia (also spelt Panayia), ie the Virgin Mary.

This turned out to be an 11th century church built on sixth century foundations.

View walking up to the church

Front view

View with mountains behind

Attractive bloom in the churchyard

Unfortunately the church is only open at weekends, but perhaps I will be able to return on Saturday.