That Was The Year That Was

A PERSONAL review of 2022.

Most-enjoyable tournament:  Bregenz, Austria. What makes this event special is its setting on the shore of the Bodensee (Lake Constance), a short way from the Swiss and German borders. It is held in May, when scenery is being built for a summer festival on what is said to be the world's biggest floating opera stage.

Early days in building the stage for Madame Butterfly

Fun new format: European Team Seniors 65+. I have played team chess before, but a team event over nine days was a first for me. It was held in October-November at a spacious conference centre attached to a hotel about a 10-minute walk from Dresden old town in what was East Germany. It was played in a friendly atmosphere, with many players gathering in the venue hotel's bar in the evenings. Unfortunately the bar was closed, if memory serves correctly, from Monday to Wednesday, which certainly put a damper on the event for me.

Dresden is on the Elbe

Most-interesting new tournament: Colonia de Sant Jordi, Mallorca. This was held in June in an upmarket hotel in a quiet part of the Balearic island. The hotel is near the coast - it could hardly be otherwise in Mallorca - which made it a good base for walking and exploring when not playing chess.

Mallorcan sunbathers

Furthest travelled: Poiana Brașov, Romania (c 1,500 miles). This July tournament was held in a ski resort in the Transylvanian mountains, which meant I was able to include a trip to 'Castle Dracula' as well as enjoy the genuine local history and scenery.

Transylvania's wooden Orthodox churches are a legacy from when the ruling Habsburgs only allowed stone to be used for Roman Catholic churches 

Best performance: European Team Seniors 65+, Dresden. My score of +5=4-0 gained me 65.8 Fide elo. Honourable mention: Brno, Czechia, where my score of +3=5-1 netted 58 Fide elo.

Worst performance: Kraków, Poland. My score of +1=2-5 in the U2200 tournament cost me 50 Fide elo. Dishonourable mention: Poiana Brașov, where my score of +1=2-5 lost 49.6 Fide elo.

Best game: I was pleased with my draws against grandmaster Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant in Malllorca and international master Paul Littlewoood at the English Seniors 65+ in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. My win earlier this month with black against Simon Spivack (2141) in the Central London League was also pleasing, but I have plumped for a flawed but exciting game, also from the Central London League.

Spanton (2041) - Dimitar Mogilarov (2161)

Division One, Battersea 2 v Athenaeum, Board One (of five)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7!?

This has been recommended as a way to avoid the 'drawish' tendencies of 3...Bd7. There are35,384 examples of the latter in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, compared with 20,694 examples of the text.

4.c4!?

This has been played by grandmasters, but is only sixth-most popular in Mega23 (commonest is castling).

4...e5!?

Most popular is 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 g6, but preventing White setting up a Maróczy Bind is certainly logical.

5.Nc3 Nf6 6.d3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0

How would you assess the position now both sides have castled?

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Both players have an awkward-looking piece - the white light-square bishop and the black queen's knight. The nature of the symmetrical pawn-structure means the position is likely to remain closed for some time, and the respective pawn breaks on the f file are likely to be important. Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon the game is even but that White, if anyone, may have a slight pull.

8.Ne1 Ne8!?

This may be a novelty. Known moves are 8...Nb6 and 8...a6.

9.f4 exf4 10.Bxd7!?

I could not see the bishop playing much of a role in my planned kingside attack.

10...Bxd7 11.Bxf4 Bg5!?

Black offers up the bishop-pair to try to weaken White's initiative. The engines prefer 11...f5 or 11...Nc7.

12.Qd2 Bxf4 13.Qxf4 Be6 14.Nc2!?

Heading for the e3 square.

14...a6 15.Ne3 Nf6 16.Nf5!?

The engines reckon White's advantage is larger after 16.Ncd5.

16...Bxf5 17.Qxf5 Nd7!? 18.Nd5 Ne5 19.Rf4!?

Offering a pawn to maintain the initiative.

19...Nxd3 20.Rg4

What should Black play?

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20...Kh8

Completely equal, according to the engines, is 20...g6 21.Nf6+ Kg7 (not 21...Kh8? 22.Rh4!)  22.Rf1.

21.Rf1 Ne5 22.Rg3 Qd7

Best, according to the engines, is the counter-intuitive 22...Re8!?

23.Qh5 g6?!

The engines prefer 23...f6 or 23...Qe6, one point being that after 23...f6 the fork 24.Nb6?! can be met by 24...Qe8. However 24.Rh3 makes the fork a real threat, although the engines reckon 24...h6 25.Nb6 gives White at best a slight edge.

24.Qh6 f5?

Better, but still good for White, is 24...f6, eg 25.Nb6 Qg7 26.Qxg7+ Kxg7 27.Nxa8 Rxa8 28.Rb3, when Stockfish15 has White winning but Komodo13.02 reckons the strong knight means White only has a slight edge.

25.exf5??

This turns a winning position into a losing one (Stockfish15), or least one in which Black has the upper hand (Komodo13.02). After 25.Nb6 Qg7 26.Qxg7+ Kxg7 27.Nxa8 Rxa8 28.exf5 White has a much improved version of the previous note.

25...Rxf5 26.Re1 Raf8 27.h3 Qg7

Even stronger, according to the engines, is tripling on the f file with 27...Qf7.

28.Qh4!?

Objectively White should probably exchange queens and try to save the late-middlegame in which Black's extra pawn is backward on a half-open file.

28...Rf2 29.Rb3 Qf7 30.a3?!

I cannot recall why I thought this had any relevance to the position.

How should Black proceed?

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30...Nxc4!

Also strong is 30...b5!?

31.Rxb7!?

Not 31.Qxc4? Rxg2+! 32.Kh1 Rh2+! 33.Kxh2 Qf2+ 34.Kh1 Qxe1+ 35.Kh2 Rf2+ 36.Kg3 Rf1+ 37.Kg4 Rg1+ 38.Kf4 g5+ 39.Kf5 Qe5#.

31...Qxb7 32.Re7 Rxg2+! 33.Kh1

Not 33.Kxg2? Qxd5+ etc.

33...Qxe7 34.Qxe7 Rgf2 35.b3 Nd2 36.Ne3 1-0

Black's flag fell as DM played 36...R8f7. After 37.Qxe6 the engines reckon Black needs to find 37...Nf3!, eg 38.Ng4 Rf1+ 39.Kg2 Ne1+ 40.Kh2 h5, to maintain a large winning advantage.

Definitely a flawed game!

Summing Up Alicante

MY score in the third Dama Negra international open of +5=1-3 cost me 26.6 Fide elo.

Dama Negra Round Nine

WON in 71 moves with white this evening against a junior (born 2011), David Nechifor (1613).

Dama Negra Round Eight

LOST in 42 moves with black this morning against Ricardo Pérez Pardo (1705).

Dama Negra Round Seven

WON in 49 moves with white this evening after being upfloated against a junior (born 2011), Dani Odriozola Coscolín (1639).

Dama Negra Round Six

WON in 52 moves with black this morning against a Ukrainian junior (born 2011), Oleksii Sukhodolskyi (1538).

Dama Negra Round Five

LOST in 47 moves with white this evening against a junior, Pablo Garrido Silos (1674).

Dama Negra Round Four

WON in 41 moves with black this morning against a junior (born 2007), Antón Vilariño Lorenzo (1406).

How Much Is 150 Euros Worth?

JUST £96.99, apparently; at least that is how much arrived in my bank account this morning.

I won 150 euros at Benidorm earlier this month, but I knew there is a Spanish "withholding" tax deducted from such prizes, and anyway my play did not deserve any monetary award, so I should not complain.

Dama Negra Round Three

LOST in 44 moves with white this evening against Miguel Fernández Pérez (no Fide, but a Spanish rating of 1186).

Dama Negra Game Two

Carlos Freire Boudon (1366) - Spanton (1895)

Scotch

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qf6!? 5.Be3 Bc5 6.c3 Nge7

By a slightly unusual move-order the game has reached a mainline tabiya of the Scotch

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7.Be2!?

Most popular are 7.Bc4 and 7.g3, but there are 1,562 examples of the text in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database.

7...0-0 8.0-0 b6?!

Rather as in many lines of the Sicilian, if Black can get in ...d5 in the Scotch without suffering immediate punishment then Black has probably at least equalised, and that is the case here (and on the previous move). After 8...d5 my main analysis engines, Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02, give 9.Nxc6 Qxc6 10.Bxc5 Qxc5 11.Nd2 Be6 with what they reckon is equality.

9.Qd2 Bb7 10.Nb5?!

This lets Black off the hook. Almost certainly better is 10.b4, which is not in Mega23 but causes Black huge problems as 10...Bd6 runs into 11.f4 with a strong initiative.

10...Bxe3 11.Qxe3 Rac8 12.Nd2 a6 13.Nd4 d5

At last. Now the tension in the centre makes each move more critical.

What should White play?

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14.Bf3?!

The game is equal, according to the engines, after both 14.Rfe1 and 14.Nxc6 Qxc6 15.Bf3.

14...Rfe8 15.g3?!

The white bishop will look good on g2 but the procedure probably takes too much time. One line given by the engines runs 15.exd5!? Ne5!? 16.Be4 Nxd5 with what they reckon is a slight edge for Black.

15...Ne5?!

Black is much better, according to the engines, after 15...Nxd4!? 16.Qxd4 Qxd4 17.cxd4 Nc6!?

16.Bg2 c5 17.Ne2

The knight is placed more actively with 17.N4f3, but the engines prefer Black after 17...Rcd8.

17...Rcd8

Black is fully developed and generally more active

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18.f4?

Trying for counter-activity, but White's position is not ready for this. The engines suggest 18.Nf4, but give Black at least a slight edge.

18...Ng4 19.Qf3 dxe4 20.Nxe4 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 Nf5 22.Qf3 Nge3 23.Rf2 Nxg2 24.Kxg2!?

This is best, according to the engines, although they reckon all three recaptures lose.

24...Qg6 25.Qb7?!

Best may be 25.Kh1, but 25...h5 adds to the pressure, as does 25...Re3.

25...Rd2 26.Ng1?

This speeds the end, but White's game cannot be saved, eg 26.Qxa6 Ne3+ 27.Kg1 Qe4 28.Re1 Rd1 29.Rxd1 Nxd1 30.Rg2 Ne3 31.Rf2 Qb1+ etc.

26...Ne3+ 0-1

Dama Negra Round Two

WON with black in 26 moves this morning against Carlos Freire Boudon (1366).

Dama Negra Game One

Spanton (1895) - Pablo Serrano Vásquez (1291)

French Rubinstein

1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.e4 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Ng3!?

Keeping pieces on the board. The mainline in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database runs 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.Bd3 c5 8.0-0 (8.dxc5 is also very popular) cxd4 9.Nxd4 Bc5 10.Nb3 Bd6, which Stockfish15 calls equals, but is a little better for White, according to Komodo13.02.

6...Be7 7.Bd3 b6 8.0-0 Bb7 9.Re1 0-0

Both players have castled - how would you assess the position?

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White has more space in the centre; Black has a powerful light-square bishop. The engines reckon the position is equal.

10.Ne5?!

This has been played by grandmaster Mikhail Al Antipov (2592), albeit at blitz, but may be a mistake. The engines prefer 10.c3 or 10.Bf4.

How should Black reply?

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10...Nxe5!?

This obvious-looking move seems to be a novelty, or at least it does not occur in any of the 18 games to reach the last diagram in Mega23.

11.dxe5 Qxd5

Can you find a defence for White?

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12.Bf1

Probably not 12.f3?! Bc5+ 13.Kh1 Ng4!, but the engines suggest 12.Qf3!? Qxf3 13.gxf3, although giving Black a slight edge.

12...Qxd1 13.Rxd1 Ng4 14.Rd7!?

This seems better than 14.Bf4 g5.

14...Bc5 15.Nh1

The engines slightly prefer 15.Be2!? Bxf2+ (not 15...Nxf2? 16.b4) 16.Kf1 Bxg3 (16...Nxe5!?) 17.hxg3 Nxe5 18.Rxc7, when having the bishop-pair gives White some compensation for being a pawn down and for having doubled isolanis.

15...Nxe5 16.Rxc7 Be4 17.Ng3?!

Probably stronger is 17.Bf4.

17...Bxc2 18.Bf4!?

Stockfish15 reckons 18.Be3 Bxe3 19.Rxc2 is much less worse for White, but Komodo13.02 narrowly prefers the text.

18...Ng4

Possibly stronger - the engines again disagree - is 18...Nd3.

19.h3?

But they agree this is a mistake, preferring 19.Be2 Bxf2+ 20.Kh1 Bf5 21.Nxf5 exf5, after which Black is two pawns up, but has doubled f pawns, while White has the bishop-pair and a rook on the seventh, which give some compensation.

19...Nf6?!

This is good enough for a large advantage, but better is 19...Bxf2+ 20.Kh1 Be3.

20.Rc1 Nd5?

The simple 20...Bg6 maintains a large advantage.

21.Rxc2 Nxf4 22.Ne4

White is a pawn down, but for practically the first time in the game has an initiative.

22...Nd5 23.Rd7 Bd4 24.a3

Possibly better is 24.Rd2 Be5 25.g3.

24...Rfd8 25.Rb7 Rdb8 26.Rd7 Rf8 27.Rb7

Black should probably play on with 27...h6, preventing Ng5, but instead the game saw:

27...Rdb8 ½–½

Dama Negra Round One

DREW with white in 27 moves against a junior (born 2006), Pablo Serrano Vásquez.

Más Alicante

WALKED into Alicante city again this morning, partly for the exercise but also to capture more views.

Long view of Santa Bárbara castle

Closer view of the castle, which was originally built in the 700s but was frequently modernised

Alicante seafront

It's that castle again

Colourful cross, presumably depicting Christ being arraigned by a Roman soldier before Pontius Pilate

Bon Nadal

WALKED into the city of Alicante this morning, stopping for a coffee at about the halfway point. 

Quite a few shops and cafes along the route were open, especially small supermercados. 

However, open places were very much the minority until reaching the seafront, where it seemed every restaurant was determined to do business.

Alicante seafront

It did not take me long to find my favourite haunts from last year, although the place I hoped to have lunch turned out to be closed.

The city used to be well-known for bullfights

Afterwards I walked back to my accommodation, noting it took 70 minutes, despite trying to keep a reasonably fast pace, and had 'Christmas dinner' soaking up the sun outside Bubbles Laundry Bar.

My not-quite-what-I-hoped-for Christmas dinner

Meanwhile, entries to the Dama Negra tournament, which starts at 17:00 tomorrow, have risen to 95.

The Bells Ring Out For Christmas

ARRIVED at my hotel, which doubles as student accommodation for Alicante University, late in the afternoon, but early enough to stock up at the nearest supermarket.

Since I am staying on a room-only basis, it made sense to buy fruit and yogurt for breakfast tomorrow, although if last year is anything to go by there will be quite a few cafes and bars open on Christmas Day.

My room has a fridge, so nothing should go to waste.

The university, or at least the main campus and accommodation, is in San Vicente del Raspeig (Sant Vicent del Raspeig in Valencian), which is in the conurbation of the city of Alicante but just outside the city borders, about an hour's walk from the city centre.

The town's motto, Sequet però sanet, has an inspiring ring to it, although it roughly translates as Dry but healthy.

Flying left me feeling a little dry, so after dumping my shopping in my room I went to the nearby Bubbles Laundry Bar.

As the name implies, Bubbles is a place where you can have a drink (and food) while getting your laundry done 

I had no washing needs so settled for a bottle of 8.7% Blackbell Baltic Coffee Porter, brewed by Valencian-based Zeta Beer

I spent much of the evening walking around town, although many places closed early because it is Christmas Eve.

Christmas decorations are fewer than in Britain, and often more religiously themed

There was no doubting the religious intent behind these noisily ringing bells, calling the faithful to prayer

Feliz Navidad

AM flying to Alicante today for the third Dama Negra international open, which starts on Monday.

It is being held at Alicante University, which is at the end of a tram line, a good hour's walk from the city seafront.

The time limit is 90 minutes with a 30-second increment, and there are nine rounds, starting at 17:00 on Monday, followed by double-rounds on the next four days.

The weather is looking excellent - even better than last year - and there are 93 entries.

Practical Secrets

TWICE while writing up my games from Benidorm I referred to Secrets Of Practical Chess by John Nunn (Gambit, 1998).

This prompted me to read through the book again - something I have not done for several years.

I was pleasantly surprised to find advice I had forgotten, or perhaps had absorbed subconsciously without realising where it came from.

Memory jerker

Nunn may have written more-important books - he certainly has written more-advanced ones - but I doubt he has written anything as entertaining.

What I had definitely forgotten is a new, enlarged edition of Secrets Of Practical Chess came out last December.

I regard re-reading the edition I have as an early Christmas present to myself. I only wish I were not too mean to splash out on the updated version.

Benidorm: Typical Mistakes & How To Avoid Them (Part Nine)

MY last-round game in the Benidorm (Meliá) U2000 tournament, which be seen here, is a classic example of what happens when a player drinks excessively the evening before a morning game.

Benidorm: Typical Mistakes & How To Avoid Them (Part Eight)

BOTH players were happy to head for the following endgame in my round-eight game at the Benidorm (Meliá) U2000 tournament.

Guillaume Mallevaey (1761) has just captured a pawn on b7

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Black is a pawn down and White has a mobile pawn-majority, but I thought the presence of opposite-coloured bishops gave very good drawing chances.

In fact, even if the black b pawn could be put back on the board, at b6, White may well be winning.

Firstly, Black cannot prevent the white king penetrating the black position, and secondly the f5 pawn is a chronic weakness that will tie down the black king.

White won with a minimum of trouble:
32...Bd8 33.Kf2 Kf6 34.Ke2 Kg6 35.Bc8 Kf6 36.Kd2 Bc7 37.Kc2 Bd8 38.Kb3 Bc7 39.Ka4 Bd8 40.Kb5 Kg6 41.Kc6 Be7 42.Kd7 Kf6 43.Bb7 Bf8 44.Bd5 Be7 45.Ke8 1-0

My mistake in heading for this ending was a mix of over-optimism and a failure to properly assess the weakness of Black's position. Instead I relied on a general principle, that endings with opposite-coloured bishops, and no other pieces (apart from kings), are drawish.

Benidorm: Typical Mistakes & How To Avoid Them (Part Seven)

I MAY have missed a win with white against Daniel Martínez Dourado (1837) in round seven at the Benidorm (Meliá) U2000 tournament. 

Black has just played 41...h5

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White has an extra pawn, but the white kingside pawns are targets for the bishop. My main analysis  engines reckon White is winning after 42.Ke2 or 42.Nc7. However they reckon both moves are of exactly equal value (+6.50, according to Stockfish15; +2.66, according to Komodo13.02), which in an ending is often a sign that such an advantage is not real.

I played 42.h3?, after which the engines reckon White has at best just a slight edge.

It is fairly easy to see why White's advantage might be negligible, so let's take a look at how the engines reckon the game could have been won.

The first point after 42.Ke2 is that 42...Bg1 can be met by 43.Nb4, when 43...Bxh2 44.Kf3 means the black a pawn will fall, giving white a passed pawn.

So instead the engines suggest 42...Bd6 43.Kd3 Bc5 44.Nc7 Bg1 45.Ke2 a5 46.Kf3 Bc5, when it is not completely clear how White makes progress.

One line runs 47.Nd5 Ke6 48.Ne3 Bb6 49.Ke2 Bd8 50.Kd3 Bb6 51.Nc4!? Bg1 52.Ke2 Bxh2 53.Kf3 Bg1 54.Nxa5 Kd5, when White has a passed pawn but the black king is very active.

A possible continuation is 55.Nb7 Kc6 56.Nd8+ Kd7 57.Nf7 Ke6 58.Ne5 Bb6 59.Nc4 Ba7 60.a5 Kd5 61.Ne3+ Ke6 62.a6 Bc5 63.Ke2 Bb6 64.Kd3 Ba7 65.Ng2 Bb6 66.Nh4 Bg1 67.Kc4 Bf2 68.Kb5 Kd5 69.Nxf5 Ke4 70.Nd6+ Kd5 71.Nc8 Ke4 72.Nb6 and wins.

Is this convincing? Perhaps, but there were many alternatives along the way for both sides.

Now let's look at the game continuation.

Black played 42...Bd6, and I created a passed pawn on the kingside by 43.g4?! fxg4+ 44.hxg4 hxg4+ 45.Kxg4, but after 45...Ke6 the position is almost certainly drawn.

A better try may be 43,Ke3 Bc5+ 44.Kd3, but 44...Bf2 shows why my 42nd move was mistaken, ie 43.Nb4 Bxg3 44.Nxa6 Bxf4 gives Black a rival passed pawn and a fairly smooth path to a draw.

I am far from convinced by much of my (engine-assisted) analysis here, and any win after 42.Ke2 or 42.Nc7 is not easy, but 42.h3? followed by 43.g4?! was part of a faulty plan that left too few pawns on the board.

However 42.h3? with following up by pushing the g pawn was wrong anyway, as concrete analysis shows getting the pawn off a dark square weakens the remaining white kingside pawns.

Benidorm: Typical Mistakes & How To Avoid Them (Part Six)

MY round-six game in the Benidorm (Meliá) U2000 reached an instructive rook-and-pawn ending.

I have just played 26...h6 against Casimiro Ballina Amandi (1748)

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Black is a (protected passed) pawn up, but has a passive rook. Both players have a pawn-majority on a flank. Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon the position is equal, but their evaluation depends on White finding the right plan.

The game saw 27.b4?, after which Black is winning (Stockfish15) or at least has the upper hand (Komodo13.02).

The move may look natural in that White is trying to activate his pawn-majority to give counterplay, but Black can easily stop that.

However the main problem with the move is it allows the black rook to be activated by ...Rb7, either immediately or in the near future.

One line given by the engines runs 27...Rb7 28.Kc3 Kf6 29.a4 a6 30.Rg4 g5, followed by activating the kingside pawn-majority.

If CBA had asked himself what was the main imbalance favouring White over Black, he would surely have concluded it is the relative activity of the rooks.

Therefore a move that unnecessarily lets the black rook be activated must be a mistake, which makes 27.Rb4 or possibly 27.Ra4 the move to play.

Benidorm: Typical Mistakes & How To Avoid Them (Part Five)

ARTEM Gukasove (1788) reached a dominating position with black against me in round five of the Benidorm (Meliá) U2000.

Position after White's 24.c3-c4

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Both players still have all their heavy pieces together with six pawns and a minor piece.

White has more space in the centre, but the key to the position is the relative strength of the minor pieces.

The bishop is bad - every white pawn is on a light square - while the knight can only be removed from its outpost by an exchange sacrifice that must be bad for White.

Stockfish15 gives best play as 24...Qd8 25.Bd1 f5, awarding Black the upper hand; Komodo13.02 suggests 24...f5 25.Qg5 Kg7, again with the upper hand for Black.

But the game saw 24...Nxf3?, after which the position is equal.

It may be AG thought he saw a tactical justification, or even a positional one, for what was an anti-positional capture.

He met 25.Rxf3 with 25...Re2, gaining the seventh rank and perhaps hoping for threats against the white king.

But White has several satisfactory replies, including the game's 26.Qf4, when the further moves 26...Re1+ 27.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 28.Rf1 give a position the engines reckon is completely equal.

A move like 24...Nxf3? gives up a large positional plus (good knight versus bad bishop). It can only be justified if there is an equally large positional gain or a tactical coup.

New Mega

HAVE installed the 2023 Mega database from ChessBase.

There are said to be 9.75million games in Mega23, although the numbering suggests the true figure is 9,796,248, of which 1,060 are mine.

According to ChessBase I score "badly" with white and "below average" with black.

My most successful opening with white is 1.e4 c5 2.c4, and my least successful is 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3.

My most successful opening with black is 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bf4 Bg4 4.e3 e6, and my least successful is 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4.

Benidorm: Typical Mistakes & How To Avoid Them (Part Four)

I FAILED to hold a drawn rook-and-pawn ending in round four of the Benidorm (Meliá) U2000 against Rajesh Aaadith (1714).

White has just played 73.f6+

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I played the losing 73...Kg8?, and there followed 74.Re5 Rf1 75.Rg5+ Kh7 76.Kf7 Kh6 77.Rg8 Kh7 78.Rg2 (threatening mate in one) Kh6 79.Rh2+ Kg5 80.Kg7 Kf5 81.f7 1-0.

Correct is 73...Kg6, after which 74.Re1 can be met by 74...Ra2. Then 75.Rg1+ Kh7 76.f7 does not win, thanks to 76...Ra7+ with continuous checks from the flank.

This is all fairly basic. My one consolation is that John Nunn in Secrets of Practical Chess (Gambit 1998) calls rook-and-pawn endings "genuinely complicated," and states: "The ability to play rook-and-pawn endings well is a great distinguishing feature between a master player and a club player."

Clearly if I had known the right technique in the diagram position I should have drawn the ending quite routinely. But some clear thinking, and a little calculation, would also have found the correct continuation.

For starters it can be seen both 73...Kg8? and 73...Kg6 prevent 74.f7+? The former prevents it since Black replies 74...Rxf7+; the latter because the forced 74...Kg7 enables Black to capture the pawn next move.

It is also easily comprehensible that after either 73rd move by Black, White's only real winning try is to move the rook along the e file with intent to check on the g file, thus driving the black king away from the pawn.

One point is after 73...Kg6 74.Re1 Black cannot capture the pawn with 74...Rxf6?? as that loses to 75.Rg1+ etc. In that respect there is little difference between 73...Kg6 and 73...Kg8? as Black cannot capture the pawn after either move.

So far the moves seem similar, but here comes the big difference. The move 73...Kg8? gives White an extra resource in that, if the black rook leaves the f file, pushing the f pawn will come with check if the black king is still on g8.

So 73...Kg8? 74.Re1 Ra2 (planning to check from the flank) is hopeless in the face of 75.f7+ and 76.f8=Q(+).

However after 73...Kg6 74.Re1 Ra2 75.f7 Ra7+ 76.Ke6 Ra6+ (Black must keep checking as 76...Rxf7?? loses to 77.Rg1+ etc) White cannot both escape the checks and hold on to the pawn.

So Black's drawing plan in the diagram position is to threaten to capture the pawn, and, when that is no longer feasible, to perpetually check the white king.

The latter part of the plan only works if the pawn cannot advance with tempo, hence why 73...Kg8? is a mistake but 73...Kg6 draws.

Central London League

PLAYED for Battersea against Rangers in division one on board four (of five) last night.

Simon Spivack (2141) - Spanton (1947)

Queen's Pawn Game

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nc6 3.d4 Bf5 4.c3

This not only prevents ...Nb4 but prepares queenside expansion, partly in anticipation of Black castling long.

4...Qd7 5.b4 a6 6.a4

Jan Votava (2538) - Richard Biolek (2464), Czech Team Championship 2012, the only game in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database to reach the position after 5...a6, went 6.Nbd2 f6 7.Nh4 Bh3 8.Nb3!? e5!? 9.Bxh3 Qxh3 10.dxe5 0-0-0 11.exf6!? with a hard-to-assess position that ended prematurely with a draw agreement on move 26.

6...f6!? 7.Na3

How should Black proceed?

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7...e6!?

I cannot recall why I shied away from 7...e5, the obvious follow-up to my previous move, and indeed that is the choice of Komodo13.02. However Stockfish15 prefers the text.

8.Bg2 Bd6 9.0-0 Nge7 10.Qb3

The engines give 10.Nd2!? Bg4!? 11.Qe1 e5!? 12.e4, claiming a slight edge for White.

10...Ng6?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring the aggressive 10...h5.

11.Bd2

The point of the text is not just to develop a piece, but to prepare the pawn push c4. However White has a positionally won game after 11.Nd2!?, according to Stockfish15, eg 11...0-0 12.e4 dxe4 13.Nxe4, when White has more space and open lines for his pieces. Komodo13.02 is less enthusiastic, but agrees White is much better.

11...Be4

What should White play?

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12.Qb2

Supporting d4 and ensuring the queen cannot by hit by ...Na5 after a later b5. However it seems 12.c4!? is possible, eg 12...Bxe4 13.exf3!? (much better than 13.Bxf3, according to the engines) Nxd4 14.Qd3 with an unclear position but one which the engines reckon favours White. They prefer 12...0-0, eg 13.c5 Be7, when Stockfish15 gives White a slight edge but Komodo13.02 calls the position equal.

12...Qe7

Pressurising b4.

13.Rfc1 0-0

How would you assess the position now both sides have connected rooks?

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White has more space on the queenside, where White's pieces are well-placed for action, although the dark-square bishop is rather passive. Black is better placed for play in the centre. The engines reckon the position is equal.

14.Nc2 e5 15.b5 Na5 16.Ne3 f5 17.c4 Nxc4 18.Nxc4 dxc4

How should White proceed?

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19.dxe5!?

The engines suggest 19.Qc3 or 19.bxa6 with equality.

19...Nxe5 20.Qc3?!

Stockfish15 gives 20.Nxe5 Bxe5 21.Bc3 Bxg2 22.Kxg2 Bxc3 23.Rxc3 Qe4+ 24.Kg1 f4 25.Rac1, claiming equality. Komodo13.02 also claims equality after 20.Qd4!? Bxf3 21.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 22.exf3.

20...Nxf3+ 21.Bxf3 axb5 22.axb5 Qe6 23.Rxa8 Rxa8 24.Qxc4?!

Probably better is 24.Bxe4 Qxe4 25.Qxc4+ Qxc4 26.Rxc4, and if 26...Ra1+ 27.Kg2 Rb1 the engines give 28.Bf4, eg 28...Rxb5 29.Bxd6 cxd6 30.Rc7 with what the engines reckon is a completely equal position.

24...Qxc4 25.Rxc4 Bxf3 26.exf3 Ra1+ 27.Rc1?

This loses, whereas 27.Kg2 Rb1 28.Bf4 gives drawing chances, albeit Black is on top thanks to White's compromised pawn-structure.

The game finished:

27...Rxc1+ 28.Bxc1 Kf7 29.g4 Ke6 30.h4 g6 31.Kg2 h5 32.Be3 Kd5 33.b6 c5 34.Bg5 Kc6 35.Bd8 Kd7 36.Bg5 Be7 37.gxh5 gxh5 38.Kf1 Bxg5 39.hxg5 Ke6 0-1

White can protect the passed g pawn with 40.f4, but the white king cannot cope with Black's two passers.

Rangers won the match 3-2.

Benidorm: Typical Mistakes & How To Avoid Them (Part Three)

THE following position was reached in my round-three game at the Benidorm (Meliá) U2000.

I have just retreated my dark-square bishop to g3 against Joan Fuster Aguiló (1772)

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White has the bishop-pair, but two sets of doubled pawns and three isolated pawns. Black's bishop is very bad, thanks to the f7-c4 pawn-chain. 

Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon Black should play 14...Nc5, when they give best-play as 15.f3 b6 16.a4!? with possibly a slight edge for White.

The game saw 14...h5?, after which Komodo13.02 gives White the upper hand and Stockfish15 reckons White is winning.

The game continued 15.f4 g4 16.f5, when best may be 16...Nb8!?, whereas 16...Qb6? 17.fxe6 Qxe6 18.e4!? left White the equivalent of at least a minor piece ahead, according to the engines.

The move 14...h5? is a positional mistake, rather than a tactical one.

If JFA had asked himself which side of the board he should be playing on, the answer is very unlikely to have been the kingside.

Black has at best two pieces operating there, the king's rook and, arguably, the knight, whereas White has two bishops, the queen and the king's rook well-placed for kingside play.

So unless there is an immediate tactical point to playing on the kingside, Black should be looking elsewhere.

Benidorm: Typical Mistakes & How To Avoid Them (Part Two)

ARTURO López Heras (1715), my round-two opponent in the Benidorm (Meliá) U2000, played the King's Gambit, but was clearly caught by surprise on move three: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d5!?

He spent about 24 minutes thinking before coming up with 4.d4?, and Black was already better after 4...dxe4?!, although almost certainly stronger is 4...exd4.

Either way, ALH's choice was a mistake, confirming a rule expounded by grandmaster John Nunn in Secrets Of Practical Chess (Gambit 1998).

Nunn wrote (emphasis added): "When analysing a given position, it is fair to say that one almost always sees more in the first five minutes than in the next five minutes.

"The five minutes after that is even less productive, and so on. I have observed that if a player spends more than 20 minutes over a move, the result is almost always a mistake.

"The normal decision-making process should not take longer than this, even in fairly complex situations."

Nunn points out there will be exceptions to his rule, and it is reasonable to suppose the chances of coming up with a bad move increase dramatically in a position requiring a lot of thinking time.

Nevertheless I believe Nunn's 20-minute rule is well worth remembering. Indeed I am always a little surprised when an opponent breaks the rule and does not come up with an error.

So what can be done about this thinking mistake?

Nunn stated: "If you have thought about a position for some time and are still unsure what to play, it is essential to be ruthlessly pragmatic.

"Suppose your lengthy cogitation is the result of indecision; for example, say there are two moves, both of which have roughly equal merit.

"If you have not been able to decide between them up to now, it is reasonable to suppose that there is in fact little to choose between them.

"Considerable further thought might eventually reveal some difference, but it is rare that this expenditure of time is worthwhile.

"First of all, it is easy to be wrong when dealing with such fine distinctions and secondly, gaining an infinitesimal advantage is of little value if the result is that you run into time-trouble and blunder away a piece."

He added: "My advice is to obey your instinctive feeling as to which of the two moves is better or, if you don't have any preference, just choose at random.

"I have occasionally been tempted to toss a coin at the board, but despite the undoubted psychological impact on the opponent, this does seem rather unsporting."

Benidorm: Typical Mistakes & How To Avoid Them

IN round one with white against Raymond Kearsley (1548) I won a pawn in the opening and kept it through to a queen-and-pawn ending.

Black has just captured a knight on e4

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The game continued 32.b3 Kg7 33.Qf4 Qc6, reaching the following position.

How should White proceed?

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White is a pawn up and has a 4-2 farside pawn-majority. But White has a backward d pawn, and the line-up of black queen and e pawn on the long light diagonal is annoying.

Accordingly I played 34.f3?, which badly weakens the position of the white king as, after an exchange on f3, it has fewer pawns to shelter behind and in particular becomes vulnerable to checks along the second rank.

Since I was winning comfortably, I should have asked myself: "How can Black possibly save the game?"

That would have prompted a reply along the lines of: "Black's only realistic hope is to conjure up a perpetual check."

If I had thought like that, I would surely have strained to avoid playing f3, and indeed White has good alternatives, including 34.Qe5+, eg 34...Kg8 35.b4 with d5 to come, or 34...f6 35.Qe7+ Kh6 36.Qf8+ Kg5 37.Qd6.

Summing Up Benidorm

MY score in the Benidorm (Meliá) U2000 of +3=3-3 should have seen me lose exactly 36 Fide elo.

However I was told by an official at a rival congress, being held at the same time in another part of the resort, that the tournament I was playing in had not been registered with the world chess federation and so will not be internationally rated.

There was further good news for me in that my final placing of 48th was enough to win one of 25 prizes of 150 euros for players staying at the venue hotel.

Christmas decorations tend to be restrained in Spain, at least compared with Britain

Benidorm (Meliá) U2000: Game Nine

Spanton (1895) - Juan Pablo García Bueno (1778)

Veresov

1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.Bg5 h6!? 4.Bh4!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 4.Bxf6 exf6 5.e3 c6 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.Qf3!? 0-0 8.Nge2 with an equal position, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02. Mikhail Tal - Efim Geller, Candidates (Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean) 1962, continued 8...Re8 9.0-0-0!? b5 10.g4 with an unclear position (0-1, 42 moves).

4...c5!?

This sharp and little-played move is liked by the engines.

5.Bxf6!? gxf6!?

All three games in Mega22 to reach the position after 5.Bxf6!? saw 5...exf6, but the engines prefer the text.

6.e4 dxe4 7.dxc5 f5!?

The engines prefer this over exchanging queens on d1 and over avoiding an exchange with 7...Qa5, which was played against me last month at Brno.

8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.0-0-0+ Bd7 10.g4!?

This looks illogical but is liked by the engines, along with 10.f3.

10...fxg4 11.Nxe4?!

But the correct follow-up, according to the engines, is 11.h3!?, and if 11...gxh3 then 12.Nxh3 with good compensation for a pawn.

11...Kc7

How should White meet the coming threat on the long light diagonal?

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12.f3?

Probably best is 12.Bc4, although Black is at least slightly better.

12...h5!?

Black is on top after this, but probably stronger is 12...Bc6.

13.Bd3?!

White should probably play 13.h3, but Black has a large advantage, eg 13...f5 14.Nc3 g3.

13...Nc6 14.fxg4?!

Opening the long light diagonal for the Black light-square bishop and enabling Black to half-open the h file is very unlikely to be good, but White is in trouble anyway.

14...hxg4 15.Ne2 f5 16.N4c3 Rd8 17.Nd5+ Kc8 18.b4 e6 19.b5!?

White is lost whatever is played.

19...Ne5 20.Ndc3 Bxc5 21.Kb2 a6 22.bxa6 Nxd3+ 23.Rxd3 bxa6 24.h3?!

Probably better, but still losing, is 24.Nf4.

24...Bc6 25.Rxd8+ Rxd8 0-1

Benidorm (Meliá) U2000: Round Nine

LOST with white in 25 moves against Juan Pablo García Bueno (1778).

Tournament playing hall

Benidorm (Meliá) U2000: Game Eight

Guillaume Mallevaey (1761) - Spanton (1895)

English Botvinnik

1.c4 e5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.e4 Nge7 7.Nge2 0-0 8.0-0 Be6 9.Nd5 Qd7 10.Rb1 a5 11.a3

How should Black proceed?

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11...Bg4!?

This is probably a novelty. The idea is to induce White to play f3, blunting the action of the white light-square bishop. Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 like 11...a4, albeit giving White a slight edge.

12.f3

The engines reckon this is best, although White could ignore Black's last move and carry on developing with 12.Be3. However then 12...Nd4 seems fine for Black.

12...Be6 13.Be3 f5

The engines still like ...a4.

14.Qd2 Nd4?!

This is probably just weakening.

15.Bxd4?!

White has at least a slight edge, according to the engines, after the natural 15.Nxd4 cxd4 16.Bg5.

15...exd4 16.Nef4 Bf7 17.Nxe7+ Qxe7 18.exf5 gxf5 19.Qf2?!

This does not seem to achieve anything. Probably better is immediately seizing the open file with 19.Rbe1 or 19.Rfe1.

19...c5 20.Rfe1 Qf6 21.Nh3 Rae8 22.f4 Re7?

Now White gets an initiative. Best, according to the engines, is preserving the bishop-pair with 22...h6!?, and if 27.Bxb7 then 27...Re3!? 28.Rxe3 dxe3 29.Qxe3 Re8, eg 30.Qf3 Qd4+ with strong play.

23.Rxe7 Qxe7 24.Re1 Qd7 25.Ng5 Kh8?

Better is 25...Bg6, but White is on top.

26.Nxf7+ Rxf7 27.Re2

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 27.Qe2.

27...Re7 28.Qe1!?

And here the engines prefer 28.Rxe7 Qxe7 29.Kf1.

28...Bf6

Black may have some drawing chances after the engines' 28...Re3!? 29.Rxe3 dxe3 30.Qxa5 Bxb2, although the engines much prefer White.

29.Bd5 Kg7

Again ...Re3!? may be better, but still good for White.

How should White proceed?

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30.Rxe7+! Qxe7 31.Qxe7! Bxe7 32.Bxb7

How would you assess this opposite-coloured bishops ending?

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Black is 'only' a pawn down, but f5 needs defending and the white king cannot be prevented from entering the black position. White is completely winning, as will become evident.

The game finished:

32...Bd8 33.Kf2 Kf6 34.Ke2 Kg6 35.Bc8 Kf6 36.Kd2 Bc7 37.Kc2 Bd8 38.Kb3 Bc7 39.Ka4 Bd8 40.Kb5 Kg6 41.Kc6 Be7 42.Kd7 Kf6 43.Bb7 Bf8 44.Bd5 Be7 45.Ke8 1-0

Benidorm (Meliá) U2000: Round Eight

LOST with black in 45 moves after being upfloated against France's Guillaume Mallevaey (1761).

All tastes catered for

Benidorm (Meliá) U2000: Game Seven

Spanton (1895) - Daniel Martínez Dourado (1837)

Scandinavian

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4 4.Bb5+ Nbd7 5.Be2 Bxe2

This is probably better than 5...Bf5!?, which was played against me in round one.

6.Qxe2 Nxd5 7.Nf3 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.c4 N5f6 10.Re1!?

Hoping to get in a quick d5.

How should Black respond?

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10...c6

There seems nothing wrong with 10...0-0!?, although Michel Meszaros (2414) - Milan Bednář (2240), Slovakian Team Championship 2013, finished abruptly after the further moves 11.d5 Bb4?! 12.dxe6 Bxe1? 13.e7 1-0. Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon best is 11...Nc5, and if 12.b4 then 12...Nce4.

11.Nc3 0-0!?

The safety-first 11...Nb6 is much more popular in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database, but the engines reckon 12.Bf4 leaves White with the upper hand.

12.d5 cxd5 13.cxd5 Nc5?

Better is 13...e5!? 14.Nxe5 Re8 with counterplay, although White has at least a slight advantage, according to the engines.

14.b4!?

This is better than the 14.dxe6 played in Ewen M Green (2213) - Nigel Cooper (1670), Asia Seniors 65+ Championship (Auckland, New Zealand) 2017, although White had an advantage after 14...Nxe6 15.Ng5 (1-0, 27 moves).

14...Na6 15.dxe6 Kh8!?

Black cannot avoid losing material, but the engines prefer doing it by 15...Nd5 16.Nxd5 Qxd5 17.exf7+ Rxf7 18.a3. If 15...Nxb4?! then 16.exf7+ Rxf7 17.Ng5, while 15...Bxb4? is met by 16.e7.

16.b5

Possibly even stronger is 16.Ng5!?

16...Nc5 17.exf7 Bd6

If 17...Rxf7? then 18.Ng5.

18.Bg5 Rxf7 19.Rad1

Not 19.Nd5? Bxh2+ etc.

19...Rd7 20.Bxf6?!

The immediate 20.g3 is probably better.

20...gxf6?!

Stockfish15 much prefers 20...Qxf6, but Komodo13.02 does not see much difference between the two moves.

21.g3 Qf8 22.Ne4!? Re8 23.Qc2 Nxe4 24.Rxe4 Rxe4 25.Qxe4

Now the smoke has cleared, as it were, how would you assess the position?

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White is a pawn up and has much the safer king. The black bishop is probably better than the white knight, but Black has two isolanis. The engines reckon White is comfortably winning.

25...Rc7 26.Qe6 Bc5 27.Rd7?!

This is fine, but the weakness of the black king means White is probably better off keeping pieces on the board, eg with 27.Nh4.

27...Rxd7 28.Qxd7 Bb6!? 29.Nh4

Not 29.Qxb7?, after which 29...Qc5 draws, according to the engines.

29...Qc5 30.Qf5 Kg7 31.Kg2

Probably not 31.Qxc5?! as the more-active black king after 31...Bxc5 gives drawing chances.

31...Qd4

The engines reckon best is 31...Qxf5!?, although they reckon White is winning.

32.Qf3 Qd7 33.Nf5+ Kf8 34.a4 a6 35.Ne3?!

Probably better is 35.a5!? followed by b6, the point being 35...Bxa5?? loses to 36.Qa3+, eg 36...Kf7 38.bxa6 etc.

35...Bd4

The engines prefer 35...Bxe3!? 36.Qxe3 axb5 37.Qc5+ Qe7, when they reckon 38.Qxe7+? Kxe7 is completely equal, while 38.Qxb5 Qe4+ gives drawing chances.

36.bxa6 bxa6 37.Qa8+ Kf7 38.Qd5+?!

Not 38.Qxa6? Bxe3 39.fxe3 Qd2+ with good drawing chances, but probably better is 38.Qe4, keeping the queen-and-knight combo as 38...Bxe3?? loses to 39.Qxh7+.

38...Qxd5 39.Nxd5 Bc5

DMD offered a draw.

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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White is a pawn up but the white kingside pawns are targets for the bishop, and Black has the more-active king. The engines reckon White is winning, but the win is far from simple.

40.f4?!

The engines prefer 40.Kf3, eg 40...f5 (40...Ke6?! 41.Nc7+ Ke5 42.Nxa6 Bd6 traps the knight, but Black does not seem to have time to capture it) 41.Ke2 Bd6 42.Kd3 Bc5 43.f3.

40...f5 41.Kf3 h5 42.h3?

The engines reckon 42.Ke2 and 42.Nc7 win, eg 42.Ke2 Bg1 43.Nb4 Bxh2 44.Kf3 followed by capturing the black a pawn.

42...Bd6 43.g4?!

The win has probably already gone, but this ensures it.

43...fxg4+ 44.hxg4 hxg4+ 45.Kxg4 Ke6 46.Nc3 Bb4 47.f5+ Ke5 48.Ne2 Kd5!?

Komodo13.02 claims this loses, but Stockfish15's verdict of drawn is confirmed by the Syzygy endgame tablebase.

49.Nc1

Komodo13.02's idea is 49.Nf4+ Kc4 50.f6 Kb3 51.Nd5, but both 51...Bf8 and 51...Bc5 draw.

49...Kc4 50.Kf3 Ba3 51.Ne2

The only drawing move!

51...Kb4 52.Ke4 Kxa4 53.Kd5 Bf8 54.Nd4 Kb4 55.f6 a5 56.Nd4+ Kb4 57.Nc6+ Kb5 ½–½

Benidorm (Meliá) U2000: Round Seven

DREW in 58 moves with white against Daniel Martínez Dourado (1837).

A home from home?

Benidorm (Meliá) U2000: Game Six

Casimiro Ballina Amandi (1748) - Spanton (1895)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5!?

A sharp line that became possible once it was realised 6.Nxe5 0-0 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bxc6, which at first glance looks very good for White, runs into 8...Bxf2+! 9.Kxf2 Ng4+, as seems to have been first played in 2017 in Dadi Ómarsson (2266) - Einar Hjalti Jensson (2323), Icelandic Team Championship (Reykjavik) 2018. The game continued 10.Kf1? (10.Kg1 is probably best, although 10...Qf6 wins the white light-square bishop) Qf6+ 11.Qf3 Qxc6 12.exd5 Qg6 13.h3 Ne5 14.Qe4 Nxd3 15.Nd2 Qg3 16.Qe2 Bg4!? 0-1.

6.0-0!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Bc4 Qd6 8.b4 Bb6 9.a4, when White is slightly better, according to Stockfish15, although Komodo13.02 reckons the position is completely equal.

6...0-0

David Navara (2726) - Alexander Grischuk (2785), European Club Cup (Antalya, Turkey) 2017, went 6...dxe4 7.Nxe5 0-0 8.Bxc6 bxc6, transposing to a position known since at least 1862. The engines reckon it is equal, and the game was drawn in 30 moves.

7.d4?!

Lots of moves have been tried here by grandmasters, including the text, but the engines prefer 7.Nbd2 or 7.exd5.

7...exd4?!

Better, according to the engines, is 7...dxe4, as played by Adolf Anderssen in a friendly game in Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland) in 1877.

8.cxd4?!

Aleksandr Galkin (2590) - Luc Winants (2016), Playchess.com Blitz, saw 8.e5 Ne4 9.cxd4 Bb6, transposing to a position known since at least the 1846 Staunton-Horwitz match, but which more commonly arises from the Giuoco Piano or the Scotch Gambit. The engines reckon the position is equal, although Winants won in 27 moves.

8...dxe4 9.Bxc6!? bxc6

The engines prefer 9...Bd6!?, eg 10.Bxe4 Nxe4 11.Re1 Re8, when they reckon Black is at least slightly better.

10.dxc5 Qxd1 11.Rxd1 exf3 12.Nc3!?

The engines slightly prefer 12.gxf3, but like Black after 12...Nd5.

12...fxg2 13.Kxg2 Be6 14.Bf4

The opening is over (both players have connected rooks) - how would you assess the coming middlegame?

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Black is, at least temporarily a pawn up, but opposite-coloured bishops give middlegame attacking chances, while also boosting the odds of an ending being drawn. The engines reckon Black has the upper hand.

14...Rab8

Stockfish15 gives the passive-looking 14...Rfc8!?, while Komodo13.02 prefers 14...Rfb8!?

15.b3 Bd5+!?

The engines dislike this, preferring 15.Nd5, 15.Rfc8!? or 15.Rb7
16.f3!?

Self-pinning, but the engines reckon this is best.

16...Rbc8 17.Rd4 Nh5 18.Nxd5!? cxd5 19.Re1 Nxf4+ 20.Rxf4 Rfe8!?

This is Stockfish15's top choice for a short while, but the engines come to agree 20...c6 is best, albeit they reckon the position is completely equal after 21.Re7.

21.Kf2?!

The engines are OK with this, but probably better is 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.Ra4, when the passive 22...Ra8?! gives White strong queenside play despite being a pawn down. Almost certainly better is 22...a5!? 23.Rxa5 d4 with an unclear position that Stockfish15 reckons is completely equal, but that Komodo13.02 reckons slightly favours White.

21...Rxe1 22.Kxe1

How would you assess this rook-and-pawn ending?

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Black is a pawn up and will have a protected passer after ...c6, but the black c and a pawns are weak. The position is completely equal, according to the engines.
22...c6 23.Ra4 Rc7

The black rook is passive but not as bad as in the line given at move 21, where it ends up on a8.

24.Kd2 Kf8 25.Kd3 Ke7 26.Rh4 h6

White to play and draw

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27.b4?

This arguably natural-looking move loses, whereas 27.Rb4, taking what for White is effectively an open file, and 27.Ra4, pressuring a7, seem to draw. The point seems to be that the text lets the Black rook become active, which, combined with Black's extra (passed) pawn, gives a decisive advantage.

27...Kf6?!

Almost certainly better is immediately activating the rook with 27...Rb7.

28.a4?!

Probably better is 28.b5!? cxb5 29.Kd4 Ke6 30.f4, when Black is two pawns up but White has active play, although the engines reckon Black is at least slightly better.

28...Ke5 29.Rd4?!

The rook is not very active here. The engines suggest 29.f4+!?, when Stockfish15 reckons Black is winning but Komodo13.02 calls the game completely equal! I have not got time to look into this properly now but plan to return to it later.

29...a6 30.Kc3 f5?

Black is only slightly better after this, according to the engines, which reckon 30...Rb7 and 30...g5, among other moves, leave Black well on top.

31.Rh4?

Missing a chance to block the kingside with 31.f4+ and 32.h4, after which it seems Black cannot win.

31...Re7 32.b5!?

This does not work, although, once shown the move, it becomes Komodo13.02's top choice.

32...axb5 33.axb5 cxb5 34.Kb4 d4

The d pawn cannot be stopped.

The game finished:

35.Kxb5 d3 36.Kc4 Rd7 37.c6 d2 0-1