Central London League

PLAYED on board two (of five) for Battersea 2 against top-of-the-table Rangers in division one of the Central London League last night.

Robert Eames (2214) - Spanton (1979)

Sicilian Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Nf3

This is a popular alternative to the mainline 4.Bc4.

4...Nxb5 5.Nxb5 a6 6.Nc3 d6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 Bg4!?

The main move is 8...e5, when Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon 9.Qb4!? is slightly better for White.

9.Bg5

Again the engines prefer Qb4!?

9...h6 10.Bh4 Nf6 11.0-0-0

White's large lead in development means Black must be very careful.

11...e6?

Nor careful enough. The engines prefer 11...g5 or 11...e5.

White to play and win

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12.e5!

There is no satisfactory answer to this thrust. The main point is 12...dxe5?? loses the black queen to 13.Qa4+ etc.

12...Bxf3 13.gxf3 g5 14.Bg3 dxe5 15.Qa4+ Nd7 16.Bxe5 b5?

Better is 16...Rg, but White is still winning, according to the engines, eg 17.Ne4 b5 18.Qd4 Rg6 19.Rd3 with an overwhelming position.

17.Qe4 f5 18.Qc6 Rh7 19.Bf6!? Qc8 20.Qxe6+ Be7 21.Nd5 Nc5 22.Qg8+ 1-0

Rangers won the match 4.5-0.5.