Graz Game Eight

Spanton (1883) - Michał Dysko (1675)

English Symmetrical

1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 e6!?

Quite an unusual continuation, but it has the merit of enabling Black to fight with pawns for the centre at an early stage.

3.g3?!

The mainline in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database runs 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 b6 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.0-0 Be7 7.d4 cxd4 8.Qxd4 d6 9.Rd1, which Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon may give White a slight edge. The text is probably too slow.

3...d5

If Black plays this in response to 3.Nf3, then 4.cxd5 exd5 5.d4 has transposed to a Tarrasch Defence to the Queen's Gambit. However, after 3.g3?! d5 the continuation ...

4.cxd5 exd5 5.d4

... seems less promising for White, although it has been played by former Soviet grandmaster Oleg Romanishin.

5...cxd4 6.Qxd4 Nf6 7.Bg5 Nc6

Romanishin's opponent at the 1985 Interzonal in Taxco, Mexico, Norwegian grandmaster Simen Agdestein, played 7...Be6, but the engines prefer the text.

How should White proceed?

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8.Bxf6!?

The engines agree this exchange sacrifice is White's best try.

8...Nxd4 9.Bxd8 Nc2+ 10.Kd2 Nxa1 11.Bg5 h6?

This may be a novelty. Black has the upper hand, according to the engines, after 11...d4 or 11...f6.

12.Be3?

White is at least equal after 12.Bf4, according to the engines. One point being that if Black, as in the game, replies 12...Bf5, White has 13.e3, introducing the possibility of developing the white light-square bishop with check.

12...Bf5 13.Bh3 Bh7 14.Nb5?

Best, according to the engines, is 14.Bf4!? or 14.Nf3, although they reckon Black is winning.

14...Bb4+ 15.Nc3 Nc2

The knight escapes, meaning Black is the exchange up without White having any compensation.

16.Nf3 Nxe3 17.Kxe3 Bxc3 18.bxc3 0-0 19.Nd4

The knight is unassailable on d4, but Black will have no difficulty opening files for the rooks

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19...Rfe8+ 20.Kd2 Re7 21.Bf5!? Bxf5 22.Nxf5 Rc7 23.Rb1 b6 24.Ne3 Rd8 25.Kd3 Rc5 26.Rb3 Ra5 27.a3 Rd6 28.Kd4 Ra4+ 29.Ke5? Rf6 30.f3? 0-1

Graz Game Seven

Yedil Kabylbek (1702) - Spanton (1883)

Catalan

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Bxd2+!?

The main move is 5...Be7, the idea being that the white queen's bishop is arguably misplaced on d2 (White often likes to fianchetto both bishops in the Catalan). ChessBase, for what it is worth, classifies the opening as "E11: Bogo-Indian."

6.Nbxd2 0-0 7.Bg2 Nbd7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.0-0 Re8 10.e3 Ne4 11.Qc2 Ndf6 12.Rac1!?

If White plans a Minority Attack, 12.Rfc1 seems more appropriate.

12...Nxd2 13.Nxd2 c6 14.b4 Bd7 15.Nb3 Rc8 16.a4 Qe7 17.Qc5 a6 18.Qxe7 Rxe7

Now queens are off the board, how would you assess the position?

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White has a classic Minority Attack on the queenside, and has the better bishop, albeit one that is not particularly active. Black's chances of whipping up kingside counterplay are limited by the absence of queens. Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 give White a slight edge.

19.Rc3 Ne8 20.Rfc1 Nd6

This halts, or at least seriously delays, the Minority Attack, so there was a lot to be said for 19.b5 or 20.b5.

21.Nd2 h6 22.Bf1 Rce8 23.Bd3 g6 24.Rb1 Kg7 25.Rb2 f6 26.Nb1 Ra8 27.Na3 b5!? 28.a5!? Rb8 29.Rbc2 Nc4 30.Nb1 Bg4 31.Be2 Bxe2 32.Rxe2 f5

YK offered a draw.

33.Rec2 Kf6 34.Nd2 g5 35.Nf3 Rc8 36.Kg2 g4!? 37.Ne1 h5 38.Nd3 Rcc7 39.Nc5 Ra7 40.Nd3 Rac7 41.Nc5 ½–½
The engines reckon White has a slight edge in the final position, but it is hard to see how anything can be made of it.

Graz Game Six

Spanton (1883) - Varvara Pakina (1780)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Nxd7 5.d4!?

One idea behind this, rather the more-normal castling, is to smoothly set up a Maróczy Bind with c4. True, after 5.0-0 Ngf6, White is not obliged to block the c2 pawn with 6.Nc3, but neither is it certain the king's rook belongs on e1 or the queen on e2.

5...cxd4 6.Qxd4 Ngf6 7.0-0 g6 8.e5!?

Most popular is 8.Nc3, while 8.c4 completes the Bind, but the text is almost as popular in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database.

8...dxe5 9.Nxe5 Bg7

White to play and lose

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10.Rd1?? Nxe5 0-1

Graz Game Five

Charalampos Lampos (1388) - Spanton (1883)

English/QGD Exchange/Catalan

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5!? exd5 4.d4

ChessBase classifies this as "A17: English Opening: 1...Nf6 with ...Bb4."

4...c6

4...Nf6 transposes to the mainline of the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined, normally reached by the move-order 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5. White's early capture on d5 in the game gives Black other options.

5.g3

The point about 4...c6 is Black is ready to play ...Bf5, which is usually regarded as an equalising move in the Exchange QGD if it can be played without suffering a positional disadvantage. White can prevent an immediate ...Bf5 with 5.Qc2, but then Black can get it in anyway with the help of ...g6. Instead of trying to prevent ...Bf5, CL goes for a Catalan setup, albeit one in which White has exchanged early on d5.

5...Bf5 6.Bg2 Nf6 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.Bg5!?

Normal is castling. The dark-square bishop does not seem to have much of a future on g5.

8...h6 9.Bxf6 Nxf6

Black has the bishop-pair, albeit in a position with a fixed central pawn-centre

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10.0-0 Bd6 11.Rc1 0-0 12.Qb3 Qb6

Hungarian international master Miklós Galyas (2464) preferred 12...Qe7!? in a game in 2009, but his opponent was rated 369 points lower, so Galyas may have been avoiding simplification.

13.Nd2?

13.Qxb6 axb6 improves the black a pawn into a b pawn and gives Black a half-open a file - generally regarded as more than enough to compensate for contracting doubled pawns. Nevertheless that is better than the text,

13...Rfe8? 14.Rfe1?

Rather a comical case of mutual blindness in chess - the d4 pawn is hanging.

14...Qxd4 15.Rcd1Qb6 16.e4!?

Presumably hoping to initiate complications - otherwise White is simply a pawn down.

16...Bg4 17.Qxb6 axb6 18.f3 Be6 19.Nb3 Bb4 20.e5 Nd7 21.Re2 Ra7 22.Rc1 Rea8 23.a3 Be7 24.Nd4 b5 25.Nxe6 fxe6 26.Bh3 Kf7 27.f4

Black no longer has the bishop-pair but remains a pawn up, although White has hopes of a kingside initiative and has brought about a middlegame with opposite-coloured bishops, which generally increases attacking chances

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27...g6 28.g4 b4 29.f5!? g5

Keeping lines closed as much as possible, which is definitely better than 29...bxc3? 20.fxe6+ Kxe6?! (20...Ke8 is probably preferable) 21.g5+ etc.

30.axb4 Bxb4 31.Rcc2 d4 32.Ne4?!

Probably better, but still horrible for White, is 32.Re4.

32...d3 33.Nd6+ Bxd6 34.fxe6+ Kxe6 35.exd6+ Kxd6?

Clearly 35...dxe2 is correct.

36.Rcd2 Ne5 37.Bf1?

But 37.Rf2, for example, leaves White two pawns down and with what may be the inferior minor piece.

37...Nf3+ 38.Kg2 Nxd2 (0-1, 75 moves)

Summing Up Graz

MY score in the U2000 tournament of +4=2-3 cost me 48.4 Fide elo, but as the top-scoring senior I won 50 euros.

A cellist performed pieces by chess-playing composers at the closing ceremony

Graz Round Nine

WON with black in 84 moves against Netherlands' Theo Seip (1705).

The local Puntigamer beer is one of Austria's biggest sellers

Graz Round Eight

LOST with white in 30 moves against Polish junior (born 2006) Michał Dysko (1675).

Graz used to be dominated by its hill-top fortifications, but these were largely dismantled by Napoleon in 1809

Graz Game Four

Spanton (1883) - Chicheng Leon Chen (1271)

Sicilian ...e6

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3!?

This is a relatively obscure continuation, but there 7,492 examples of the move in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, including games by Garry Kasparov, Vishy Anand and Magnus Carlsen on the white side.

3....Nc6 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.Qe2 d6 6.0-0 Be7 7.Rd1 0-0 8.d4

This is more popular, but less successful percentage-wise, than trying to build a classical centre with 8.c3!?

8...cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nxd4!?

My main analysis engines, Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02, like this. One point is that after ...

10.Rxd4

... the black queen can be developed with tempo.

10...Qb6 11.Rd3!?

Probably a novelty. All eight games to reach the position after 10...Qb6 in Mega23 saw 11.Rd1.

11...Bd7 12.Rb3!?

This was my point in playing 11.Rd3!?, but it is double-edged as rooks are often not well-placed ahead of pawns in the late-opening/early-middlegame as the board is usually teeming with enemy minor pieces and pawns.

12...Qc7 13.Be3 Bc6 14.Nc3 b6 15.Rd1 Rac8 16.Bf4 Rfd8 17.Nb1!? Qb7 18.Nd2 Ba4!?

After a quiet opening, the game suddenly springs into tactical life 

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19.e5 Nd5 20.exd6 Bxd6 21.Bxd6 Rxd6

How should White continue?

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22.Qe5?

The engines reckon 22.c4!? and 22.Ne4 are equal, eg 22.c4!? Bxb3 23.axb3 Nf4 24.gxf4 Qd7 25.Kf1 (an only-move, according to the engines) Rd8 26.Ke1 Rd4, or 22.Ne4 Rdc6 23.c4! Qa6 24.Nd2, but both lines are very sharp and it is easy for either player to go wrong.

22...Qd7?!

Probably stronger are the engines' 22...Qc7!? and 22...Rdd8.

23.Ne4

What should Black play?

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23...Bxb3?

Black is slightly better after 23...Rdc6, according to the engines.

24.axb3?

White is winning after 24.Qxd6, eg 24...Qxd6 25.Nxd6 Bxc2 26.Rxd5, or 24...Ba4 25.b3 Bc6 26.Qxd7 Bxd7 27.c4 etc.

24...Rdc6 25.c4 Qc7 26.Qxc7 Nxc7?!

Probably better is 26...R6xc7 27.cxd5 Rc1 28.Rf1! Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 Rc1+ 30.Ke2 exd5 31.Nd2 Rc2 with equality (Stockfish15) or at least no more than a slight disadvantage (Komodo13.02).

27.Nd6?!

Almost certainly better is 27.Nf6+ gxf6 28.Bxc6.

27...Rxd6 28.Rxd6

Black to play and draw

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28...Kf8?

Correct is 28...Ne8, and if 29.Rd7 then 29...Rc7 as 30.Rxc7 Nxc7 is at best equal for White (normally rival pawn-majorities would favour a bishop over a knight, but here the significant thing is White's compromised queenside majority).

29.Rd7 Ke8?!

Probably better, but losing a pawn, is 29...Na6!?

30.Bc6 a6?

Definitely better is 29...Na6.

31.Rxc7+ (1-0, 57 moves)

Graz Round Seven

DREW with black in 41 moves against Kazakhstani junior (born 2010) Yedil Kabylbek (1702).

I do not suppose anyone will be surprised to learn Graz has a goodly number of churches

Graz Round Six

LOST with white in 10moves against Ukrainian junior (born 2005) Varvara Pakina (1780) in the second of yesterday's double-round games.

Graz is sited on the River Mur, historically famous for powering mills, but today better known for producing hydroelectricity

Graz Round Five

DELIVERED checkmate with black in 75 moves against Greek junior (born 2014) Charalampos Lampos (1388) in the first of today's double-round games.

Graz has a traditional square, complete with the modern tradition of a fluttering BLT flag

Graz Game Three

Stefanos Loukopoulos (1130) - Spanton (1883)

Chigorin

1.Nf3 Nc6 2.d4 d5 3.c4

Via a slightly unusual move-order we have reached the starting point of what is arguably the mainline of the Chigorn Defence to the Queen's Gambit. There are 11,191 games with this position in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database.

3...Bg4 4.cxd5 Bxf3 5.gxf3 Qxe5 6.e3 e5 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.bxc3

This is probably the first point at which either player had to think

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9...Nf6!?

Mikhail Chigorin in his games never seems to have never reached the diagram position, which first occurs in Mega23 in Siegbert Tarrasch - Emanuel Schiffers, Nürnberg 1896. That continued 9...exd4, which remained the main reply for the best part of a century. However,  it came to be felt, by some masters at least, that exchanging helps White's bishop-pair. Nevertheless it is not until 1971 that another move, 9...Qd6, appears in Mega23 in the game Oscar Panno - Albin Planinc, Mar del Plata (Argentina). The idea of the queen retreat is, at the cost of a tempo, it prevents White immediately expanding in the centre. The queen move quickly overtook capturing in popularity, and there are now almost twice as many games in Mega23 with 9...Qd6 as there are with 9...exd4. But a new twist was added in 2007 when Alexander Morozevich, in The Chigorin Defence According To Morozevich (New In Chess) recommended the text. I have played all three moves, with my record, prior to this game, being +1=0-2 with the capture, +4=1-4 with the queen retreat and +0=1-1 with the knight development. Rating-wise, my best performance has undoubtedly been with the queen retreat, which seems marginally preferred by Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 over capturing, albeit their evaluations do fluctuate.

10.c4

The time control at Graz is 90 minutes with a 30-second increment. SL's clock was down to 86 minutes before he arrived at the board, but after the text it was back up to 89 minutes, suggesting he had seriously prepared for me.

10...Qd6 11.d5 Ne7

A major alternative is 11...Nb8!?, intending redeployment at c5.

12.Rb1 b6

White is winning after 12...0-0-0? 13.Qb3 b6 14.Bb4, according to the engines.

13.e4?!

This may be a novelty. The mainline in Mega23 runs 13.Bb4 c5 14.dxc6 Qxd1+ 15.Rxd1 Nxc6, as in Anish Giri (2642) - Nigel Short (2685), Euwe Memorial Match 2010. That continued 16.Ba3 Rd8 17.Bd6?! (17.Rc1 and 17.Bd3 give White at least the upper hand, according to the engines) Nd4! 18.c5 bxc5 19.Rxd4!? cxd4 20.Bb5+ Nd7 21.Rg1 a6 22.Ba4 g6 23.Ke2 f6, after which the engines reckon White has full compensation for his material deficit (1-0, 41 moves). The text gains space in the centre but leaves White's pawn-structure less flexible, which makes it harder for White to open the position for the bishops.

13...0-0 14.a4?!

Now another pawn becomes fixed. Probably better is 14.Bb4.

14...a5

Even stronger, according to the engines, is to start using the knight-pair, eg by aiming to occupy the f4 outpost created by White's 13th move.

15.Qc1 Nd7

One of the points of playing 11...Ne7, rather than 11...Nb8!?, is to redeploy the king's knight to c5, so making possible ...f5 to develop the king's rook. This is particularly attractive now ...f5 would create a lever against e4.

16.Rg1 Nc5 17.Ra1?

Correct is 17.Qc2, but Black is on top, according to the engines. Note 17.Bh6? is easily met by 17...Ng6, with ...Nxa4 to follow.

17...Nb3 18.Qb2 Nxa1 19.Qxa1

Slovak grandmaster Ján Markoš, in a recent ChessBase article, states that an active bishop-pair can "often" match rook and knight, so the position is not a trivial win

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19...Rae8 20.h4 f5 21.Bc3?!

Consistent is 21.h5. The text is easily met in such a way that the white king is in the not-so-distant sights of Black's heavy pieces.

21...Ng6 22.h5 Nf4

This knight covers all the possible development squares of the king's bishop, so White has little hope of playing with an active bishop-pair.

23.Bb2 Rf7 24.Rh1 fxe4 25.fxe4 Qf6 26.Rh2 Nxh5! 27.Qd1 Nf4 28.Bc1 Rd8 29.Be3 Qd6 30.Qb3 Qb4 (0-1, 41 moves)

It is easy to critique the moves of a player rated 700+ elo lower. But I think this game is an example of preparation leading a player into a position he did not understand, For better or worse, SL probably should have stuck to an opening with which he was more familiar.

Graz Round Four

DELIVERED checkmate with white in 57 moves against Austrian-registered junior (born 2014) Chicheng Leon Chen (1271).

Graz's Landhaus, which literally translates as country house, is where the regional parliament meets

Graz Game Two

Spanton (1883) - Bjarne Schmidt (1555)

U2000

Sicilian Closed

1.e4 d6 2.Bc4!?

There is nothing special about this move, except it probably puts both players on their own resources at a very early stage.

2...Nf6 3.d3 c5!?

We now have a Closed Variation of the Sicilian, but with the white light-square bishop developed outside of the pawn-chain

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4.Nf3

There are 12 games of Serbian grandmaster Miodrag Savić with this position as white in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database. His score of +6=5-1, outperforming his average rating by 53 elo - 35 is roughly normal - suggests he may be on to something. The 'something', however, may simply be an example of familiarity breeding contentment.

4...Nc6 5.0-0 Bg4 6.h3

How should Black meet the attack on the queen's bishop?

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6...Bxf3!?

Strong grandmasters have played the text, but 6...Bh5 is almost three times more popular in Mega23.

7.Qxf3 Nd4 8.Qd1 b5!? 9.Bb3

Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 much prefer 9.Bd5!? After 9...Nxd5 10.exd5 they reckon White is at least slightly better.

9...Nxb3 10.axb3

How would you assess the position now White no longer has the bishop-pair?

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White has pressure down the half-open a file and has the better bishop (based on the pawn-structure). The engines reckon White has a slight edge.

10...g6 11.Re1!?

This may throw away much of the white advantage. The point is White's pawn-structure suggests kingside play is White's best option, and that would normally include playing f4, in which case the king's rook is already well-placed. I was concerned about holes the move f4 would leave on the white kingside, and I felt I had promising play in the centre.

11...Bg7 12.e5 dxe5 13.Rxe5 Qd6

The engines point out 13...Nd5!?, which blocks the white attack on c5 and reveals a black attack on the e5 rook.

14.Qe2?!

The game is equal after 14.Qf3 (hitting a8) and after the retreat 14.Re1. according to the engines.

How can Black exploit White's last move?

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14...Ng4!

Also good, according to the engines, is 14...Nd5, but the text makes it easy for White to go wrong.

What should White play?

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15.Rxe7+?

Even worse is 15.Re4?? Qh2+ 16.Kf1 Qh1#, but counterattacking with 15.Qf3 gives White time to save the rook and avoid mate, eg 15...0-0 (15...Qxe5?? 16.Qxa8+ Kd7 17.Rxa7+) 16.Re1 Qh2+ 17.Kf1 Ne5 18.Qg3 Qxg3 19.fxg3 Nc6, although the engines give Black a slight edge.

15...Qxe7 16.Qxe7+ Kxe7 17.hxg4

White has a pawn for the exchange, but Black is winning, according to the engines

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17...Rhe8 18.Nc3 a6 19.Be3 Bd4 20.Nd5+

The engines prefer 20.Kf1 or 20.g5!?

20...Kd6 21.Nc3 Kc6 22.Bxd4 cxd4 23.Ne4 f5!?

Evicting the knight, but creating kingside weaknesses. I thought this was a mistake, but the engines are OK with it.

24.gxf5 gxf5 25.Ng3

How should Black proceed?

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25...Kd5!?

The engines at first much-prefer 25...f4!?, even though that allows 26.Ne4, giving White a strongly centralised knight. However Stockfish15, at least, comes to like the dynamic text, albeit fluctuating between it and 25...f4!?

26.Nxf5 Re2 27. c4+ Ke5

This is Komodo13.02's top choice for a while, but both engines come to plump for 27...dxc3 28.bxc3 Rd2 29.c4+ Ke5.

28.Ng3?!

Probably better is 28.Nh4!?, threatening Nf3 followed by Nxd4.

28...Rxb2 29.Re1+ Kf6 30.Ne4+ Kf7!?

Withdrawing while staying relatively centralised, but the engines prefer 30...Kg6 or 30...Kg7.

31.Nd6+ Kf8!?

This is best, according to the engines, but Black's king is no longer much-more active than its white counterpart.

32.cxb5 Rxb3 33.bxa6 Rxd3 34.Ra1

How would you assess the position after the recent flurry of exchanges?

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Black remains up the exchange for a pawn. White's passed a pawn is threatening, but seems well-contained, and Black also has a threatening passer. Stockfish15 reckons the position is completely equal; Komodo13.02 gives Black the upper hand.
34...Rb3 35.Kf1 d3 36.Ke1 Rb2 37.Nc4 Re2+ 38.Kf1 Re6 39.Rd1 Raxa6 40.Nb2

Not 40.Rxd3?? Ra1+ and mate.

40...Ra2 41.Nxd3 Rh6 42.Kg1 Rd6 43.Kf1 Rh6 44.Kg1 ½–½

Graz Round Three

WON with black in 41 moves after being upfloated against Greece's Stefanos Loukopoulos (1130) in the second of today's double-round games.

Many of the Graz old-town buildings are interesting without being spectacular

Graz Round Two

DREW with white in 44 moves against Germany's Bjarne Schmidt (1555) in the first of today's double-round games.

The view after entering Graz old town through St Paul's Gate

Graz Game One

Maja Ziobrowska (1633) - Spanton (1883)

U2000

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1!?

Stockfish15 prefers this to the traditional main move 5.d4. Komodo13.02 disagrees, although in both cases there is not much in it.

5...Nd6 6.Bxc6!?

This popular continuation. albeit a distant second to 6.Nxe5 in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, is for quite some time called a mistake by the engines (their evaluation button turns red). That is probably going too far, but it is food for thought.

6...dxc6 7.Nxe5 Be7 8.d4 Nf5 9.c3 0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the opening?

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White has more space in the centre, the marginally better pawn-structure and a strongly posted king's knight; Black has the bishop-pair. The engines reckon the position is equal.

10.Nd2 Be6 11.Ne4 Qd5!?

This has been played by a 2117 and a 1957, but is disliked by the engines. I believe their point is the queen looks active, but Black cannot exploit this and White has time to target the queen. The engines prefer 11...Re8, which has been played by a 2363 and a 2079.

12.b3 f6!? 13.Nd3

Black to play and lose

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13...Qd7??

Avoiding the annoying fork at f4, but walking into a fatal one at c5.

14.Nec5 Qc8 15.Nxe6 Re8 16.Qg4 g6 17.Ndf4 Nh6 18.Qh3 Bf8 19.Bd2

Not 19.Nxf8?? Rxe1#

19...Nf5 20.Nxf8 Kxf8??

Not my day.

21.Qxh7 1-0

Graz Round One

LOST with black in 21 moves against Polish junior (born 2008) Maja Ziobrowska (1633). 

My hotel is roughly equidistant, in walking time, from the venue, the main castle, and the old town, which can be entered via St Paul's Gate (pictured)

Street Wise

MOST readers of this blog, I suspect, can remember a time before the internet.

When I was working, the first thing a photographer and I would usually do on reaching a town unknown to us was to buy a street map.

Today drivers have integrated GPS systems, and pedestrians have Google Maps.

I used the latter last night to walk to the Graz congress venue, hoping to find the Friday evening blitz in progress.

All went well, until the app directed me down a dark alley and past a large building site whose security lights flashed on and off as I walked by.

I scrambled up a muddy bank, but had to admit I had reached a dead-end, and so I retraced my steps before any alsatians could find me.

Taking a wide detour, I still found the venue, and was pleased at the playing conditions.

Friday-night blitz

Going Dutch

I REARRANGED my journey to Austria today with KLM.

That meant a late-morning flight from Heathrow to Amsterdam, followed by a three-hour stopover before flying on to Graz. 

Three hours ensured there was little danger of missing the connection, and plenty of time for coffee and a late lunch (although 4.65 euros for a single espresso was a bit of a shock).

My hold luggage arrived uneventfully - KLM unloaded it at Schiphol airport, when I flew with them to Ecuador - and, as a bonus, my hotel booking with Booking.com included a free taxi transfer from Graz airport.

I am now sat in the bar of my hotel, drinking a half-litre of Austrian dunkles beer.

Does life get any sweeter?

London League

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

Ilya Iyengar (2125) - Spanton (1987)

QGD Exchange

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nc3 0-0 6.cxd5!?

The Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit is especially popular at club level, but usually via the move-order 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5.

6...exd5

This is the main move in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, but there is a lot to be said for the simplifying 6...Nxd5!?, when the mainline in Mega23 continues 7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.e3 Nxc3!? 9.bxc3 c5, which is equal, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.

7.Qc2 c6 8.e3 Nbd7 9.Bd3 Re8

We are well into the opening but there are more than 12,200 examples of this position in Mega23

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10.0-0 Nf8 11.Rab1

Preparing the well-known Minority Attack. White scores 58% with this move in Mega23.

11...Ne4 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.b4 a6 14.a4 Ng6 15.Rfc1!?

This somewhat obscure move - just 10 examples in Mega23 - is the top choice of the engines. The mainline in Mega23 runs 15.b5 axb5 16.axb5 Bg4 17.Bxe4 dxe4 18.Nd2, with White having the upper hand, according to the engines.

15...Bg4 16.Ne1!?

Not 16.Nd2? Nxf2!, after which 17.Kxf2 Qxe3+ 18.Kf1 Re6 gives Black a winning attack, but the engines prefer 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Nd2, claiming the upper hand for White.

16...Rad8 17.Nd1 Bxd1!?

This is Komodo13.02's top choice, while Stockfish15 narrowly prefers 17...Bd7!?

18.Rxd1 Rd6

The engines suggest 18...Rc8!?, albeit giving White a slight edge.

19.b5 axb5 20.axb5 Rf6 21.Bxe4!?

Piece-exchanges reduce Black's kingside attacking chances, while preserving White's pressure against Black's coming queenside weak pawn.

21...dxe4 22.bxc6 bxc6 23.Rb6 Rc8 24.Rdb1 Qe6 25.Rb8 Re8 26.Qa4

How should Black defend?

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26...Rf5?

Black should create luft for the king with 26...h6, after which White keeps a slight edge, but no more.

27.Qa8

Black to play and avoid immediate defeat

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27...Rf8!?

Not an easy move to find, at least for me.

28.g3 Qd6

The engines give 28...Rb5!?, but after 29.Rxb5 cxb5 30.Qb7 White is clearly on top.

29.Ng2 h5 30.Nh4?!

This seems to throw away White's advantage, which is winning, according to the engines, after 30.Rxf8+ Nxf8 31.Nf4, eg 31...g6 32.Qe8.

30...Rb5 31.R1xb5 cxb5 32.Rxf8+ Qxf8 33.Qxe4

White has won a pawn, but Black seems to have enough counterplay thanks to having an outside passed pawn.

33...Nxh4 34.Qxh4 g6?!

Almost certainly better is 34...b4!? or 34...Qb8!?, when grabbing the h5 pawn would be very risky for White.

35.Qe4 b4?

It is too late to push this pawn, which now becomes weak, whereas 35...Qb8 leaves White only slightly better, according to the engines.

36.Qb7

Now the black queen is tied to the defence of the b pawn, which cannot advance and will eventually be rounded up by the white king.

The game finished:

36...Qd6 37.h4 Kg7 38.Kf1 Kf6 39.Ke2 Kg7 40.Qb5 f6 41.Kd3 Qe6 42.Qxb4 Qf5+ 43.Ke2 Qg4+ 44.Kf1 Qd1+ 45.Kg2 Kh6?! 46.Qf8+ Kh7 47.Qf7+ Kh8 1-0
Mushrooms won the match 5.5-2.5.

Castling

AM making final preparations for flying to Austria to take part in a congress in Graz, the country's second-biggest city.

Image by Chris Zwettler at Pixabay

Graz, which has a population of almost 350,000, most likely gets its name from the Slavic word gradec, meaning small castle.

The congress starts tomorrow and is the 29th edition, although it will be the first time I have played.

First up is a blitz tournament with 50 entries from eight countries, although it will not include me, not least because that is the day I will be traveling.

A five-round weekend tournament with 40 entries from six countries runs from Saturday through Monday.

But the three main tournaments, each of nine rounds, run from Saturday through the following Friday, including double-round days on Sunday and Tuesday.

The time control is a relatively fast one, for Fide-rated tournaments, of 90 minutes with a 30-second increment.

The A tournament, which has 195 entries from 34 countries, is for players rated over 2000.

The B tournament, which has 90 entries, including myself, from 16 countries, is for players rated under 2000 (I cannot find information about players rated exactly 2000).

The C tournament, which has 51 entries from seven countries, is for players rated under 1700 and is not Fide-rated, but otherwise seems to be organised on the same lines as tournaments A and B.

There will be a social programme, and anyone thinking of pencilling Graz in for next year can find out more about the city at what seems a fairly comprehensive Wikipedia write-up.

PS Eurowings have messed me up by cancelling, with less than 48 hours' notice, my flights from Heathrow to Stuttgart and on to Graz.

Beat The ... Benko Gambit

HERE is another piece I wrote in the covid panic but but did not publish.

In this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

The Benko Gambit: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5!? is especially popular at club level.

White scores a disappointing 52% by accepting with 4.cxb5, but an impressive 60% by declining with 4.Nf3.

Position after 4.Nf3

Black has six popular replies.

A) 4...g6 (2,378 games)

After 5.Qc2 the line splits.

A1 5...bxc4 6.e4, after which the line splits again.

A1.1 6...d6 7.Bxc4 Bg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Re1!?, when A1.1a 9...Nbd7 10.h3 Nb6 11.Na3!? scores 79% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A1.1b 9...Ba6 10.Na3 Nfd7!? 11.Rb1 scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A1.2 6...Bg7 7.Bxc4, when A1.2a 7...d6 is a transposition to A1.1, and A1.2b 7...0-0 8.0-0 d6 is also a transposition to A1.1.

A2 5...d6 6.e4 Bg7 (6...bxc4 is a transposition to A1.1) 7.cxb5!?, after which the line splits again.

A2.1 7...a6 8.Nc3 0-0 9.a4, when A2.1a 9...axb5 10.Bxb5 Na6 11.h3 scores 88% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A2.1b 9...e6 10.dxe6 scores 75% for White.

A2.2 7...0-0 8.Nc3 a6 is a transposition to A2.1.

A3 5...Bg7 6.e4, after which the line splits again.

A3.1 6...d6 is a transposition to A2.

A3.1 6...0-0 7.cxb5 a6 8.a4 scores 58% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B) 4...Bb7 (1,350 games)

After 5.Nbd2 the line splits.

B1 5...bxc4 6.e4 e6 7.dxe6,  after which the line splits again.

B1.1 7...dxe6 8.Bxc4 scores 75% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B1.2 7...fxe6 8.e5 Nd5 9.Nxc4 scores 57% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B2 5...e6 6.dxe6!? fxe6 (there are no games with 6...dxe6!? in Mega21) 7.e4!? scores 75% for White, but from just two games. Those games continued 7...Nxe4 8.Nxe4 Bxe4, when Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 like the 9.Ng5 of Dorian Rogozencko (2490).

C) 4...bxc4 (770 games)

After 5.Nc3 the line splits.

C1 5...d6 6.e4, after which the line splits again.

C1.1 6...g6 7.e5!? dxe5 8.Nxe5 Bg7 9.Bxc4 0-0 10.0-0, when C1.1a 10...Nfd7!? 11.Nxf7! Rxf7 12.d6 scores 76% for White, and C1.1b 10...Bb7 11.Re1 scores 80% for White.

C1.2 6...Nbd7 7.Bxc4 g6 8.0-0 Bg7 9.a4!? 0-0 10.h3 Rb8 11.Re1 scores 57% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C2 5...g6 6.e4 d6 is a transposition to C1.1.

D) 4...d6 (604 games)

After 5.Qc2!? the line splits.

D1 5...g6 is a transposition to A2.

D2 5...bxc4 6.e4 g6 is a transposition to A1.1.

E) 4...e6 (435 games)

After 5.Bg5 the line splits.

E1 5...exd5 6.cxd5, after which the line splits again.

E1.1 6...d6 7.e4 a6 8.a4, when E1.1a 8...Be7 9.Bxf6!? Bxf6 10.Qc2 scores 71% for White, and E1.1b 8...b4 9.Nbd2 Be7 10.Be2 scores 83% for White, albeit from a very small sample.

E1.2 6...h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.Qc2, when E1.2a 8...d6 9.e4 a6 10.a4 b4 11.Bd3!? scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample, and E1.2b 8...Be7 9.e4 Qb6!? 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0 scores 67% for White, albeit from a very small sample.

E1.3 6...Qa5?! 7.Nc3!? Ne4 8.Bd2 Nxd2 9.Nxd2 scores 82% for White.

E2 5...Qa5+ 6.Nbd2!?, after which the line splits again.

E2.1 6...bxc4 7.Bxf6 gxf6 8.e4 Rg8 9.g3 scores 79% for White, albeit from a small sample.

E2.2 6...Ne4?! 7.b4! Qxb4 8.Rb1 Qc3 9.Rb3 Qa5 10.Rxb5 Qc3 11.Rb3 Qa5 12.Bf4 scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample.

E3 5...h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.Nc3 b4 8.Nb5, after which the line splits again.

E3.1 8...Kd8 9.a3!? scores 83% for White, albeit from a small sample.

E3.2 8...Na6 9.e4 e5 10.a3 scores 79% for White, albeit from a small sample.

E4 5...b4 6.e4 d6 7.a3!? scores 65% for White, albeit from a small sample.

E5 5...bxc4 6.Nc3, after which the line splits again.

E5.1 6...d6 7.e4, when E5.1a 7...e5 reaches a position where both 8.Bxc4 and 8.Nd2!? score 56%, albeit from small samples, and E1.5b 7...Be7 8.Bxc4 scores 68% for White.

E5.2 6...Qb6 7.e4!? scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample.

F) 4...b4 (380 games)

After 5.b3!? the line splits.

F1 5...g6 6.Bb2 Bg7 7.e4 scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample.

F2 5...d6 6.Bb2 g6 7.Nbd2 Bg7 8.g3 0-0 9.Bg2 a5 10.0-0 scores 75% for White, albeit from a very small sample.

Kid's Stuff

HOW often do we see Black defend the King's Gambit by grabbing the f4 pawn and hanging on to it, at least temporarily, by ...g5?

I cannot recall when I last witnessed someone playing that way over the board.

Much rarer still is when such a strategy is used against the King's Gambit's cousin, the Vienna Gambit.

But here is an example that helped 12-year-old José Capablanca win a match for the championship of his native Cuba.

Notes in italics are algebraicised from 500 Master Games Of Chess by Savielly Tartakower and Julius du Mont.

Juan Corzo - Capablanca

Match Game Eight (Havana), 1901

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4!? exf4

Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon the text, which is easily the main move in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database, gives Black an edge, but it is certainly not to everyone's taste, especially as one can be sure White will have studied the consequences of the capture.

4.Nf3 g5

The 'classical defence'.

5.h4 g4 6.Ng5

The chances of this, the Hampe-Allgaier Gambit, are, in practical play, considerable.

The only alternative, 6.Ng1, casts doubt on White's entire opening plan.

6...h6 7.Nxf7 Kxf7 8.d4

More sustained is 8.Bc4+. An interesting attempt, in place of the text, is 8.Qxg4.

The engines reckon Corzo's move is best, and, despite Black being a whole knight up, give Black only the upper hand, rather than a winning advantage.

8...d5

Most incisive. A playable defence is also 8...f3. A less stubborn defence is 8...d6.

The engines strongly dislike Capablanca's choice, preferring 8...d6 and especially 8...f3.

9.exd5?!

Or, eg 9.Bxf4 Bb4 10.e5 (10.Bb5 Nge7) Be6 11.Be2 Qd7 12.0-0 Kg7, and Black succeeds in consolidating his position. Black's refutation of the text move is very effective.

The engines disagree with quite a lot of this analysis, especially the dismissal of 10.Bb5!?, which does not appear in Mega22 but which the engines reckon gives White the upper hand.

9...Qe7+ 10.Kf2

Not 10.Kd2 Qe3#. And if 10.Be2, [then] 10...f3 etc, or 10.Qe2 Nxd4.

10.Be2 f3 was played in match game six. It gives Black a winning advantage, although Capablanca later went wrong and only drew.

10...g3+ 11.Kg1

White's king is in a trap. Black's problem is how to take advantage of the fact.

What should Black play?

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11...Nxd4!

A far-seeing manoeuvre.

Other moves leave White at least equal, according to the engines.

12.Qxd4

If 12.Bxf4 [then] 12...Nf5.

12...Qc5 13.Ne2

He can neither play 13.Qxc5 Bxc5+, with mate to follow, nor 13.Be3 fxe3 14.Qxh8 e2+ etc.

13...Qb6

A beautiful point with tangible results: an immediate threat, 14...Bc5, and a distant threat of the QR obtaining control of a file after the exchange of queens.

14.Qxb6

The engines give 14.b4!? Bxb4 15.Be3!? fxe3 16.Qxh8 Qf6 17.Qxf6+ Nxf6 18.Nxg3, when Black is the exchange down but, according to the engines, has more than enough compensation, albeit Black is not as much ahead as in the game.

14...axb6 15.Nd4 Bc5 16.c3 Ra4

The final point of the combination.

17.Be2 Bxd4+ 18.cxd4 Rxd4

And, on balance, a valuable extra pawn for Black.

19.b3 Nf6

Neither now, nor on the next move, 19...Rxd5 20.Bc4.

20.Bb2

Combinative, but 20.Bf3 is better.

20...Rd2 21.Bh5+ Nxh5!? 22.Bxh8 f3

A 'vacating advance'.

23.gxf3 Nf4 24.Be5 Rg2+ 25.Kf1 Rf2+ 26.Ke1 Nd3+ 0-1

Single-Sign Tube Puzzle

TRAVELING on the District Line, I spotted the following serial number on a carriage: 21485.
As usual, each number should be used once, and once only, and must be added, subtracted, multiplied or divided to make a balanced equation.

There is a single-sign solution, ie one that uses only one type of the four possible signs: + - x ÷.
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My solution: 2 + 8 = 1 + 4 + 5

Beat The ... Grand Prix Attack (part five)

IN this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

Here I will cover lines of the Grand Prix Attack against the Sicilian Defence starting with 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.f4.

After the further moves 3...Bg7 4.Nf3 Nc6 the position has transposed to lines already covered in Beat The ... Grand Prix Attack (part two).

Summing up: Black has little to fear, statistically, from the Grand Prix Attack, which is perhaps why it is rarely sighted at elite tournaments. Club level is another matter, and the Grand Prix Attack can be particularly expected there when, as not infrequently happens, it is recommended in a new repertoire book.

Beat The ... Grand Prix Attack (part four)

IN this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

Here I will cover those Grand Prix Attack lines against the Sicilian Defence that start with 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.f4.

After 3...d5 there are five continuations in Mega21 that each features more than 300 games.

Position after 3...d5

A) 4.Nf3 (1,562 games)

After 4...dxe4 5.Nxe4 Nc6 the line splits.

A1 6.Bb5 Bd7, after which the line splits again.

A1.1 7.0-0 Nh6!?, when A1.1a 8.d3 Be7 scores 62% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A1.1b 8.b3 Be7 9.Bb2 Nf5 scores 87% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A1.2 7.Qe2 Nh6!? 8.b3 Nf5 9.Bb2 reaches a position in Mega21 in which Black scores 100% with both 9...Nd4 and 9...a6, albeit from  very small samples.

A2 6.g3 Nh6!? 7.Bg2 Nf5 8.0-0 Be7 scores 62% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B) 4.Bb5+ (934 games)

After 4...Bd7 the line splits.

B1 5.Bxd7+ Qxd7, after which the line splits again.

B1.1 6.d3 dxe4, when B1.1a 7.Nxe4 Be7 scores 83% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and B1.1b 7.dxe4 Qxd1+ 8.Nxd1 Nc6 9.c3 Nf6 scores 60% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B1.2 6.Nf3 dxe4 7.Nxe4 Nc6, when B1.2a 8.d3 Nh6!? scores 85% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and B1.2b 8.0-0 Be7 (8...Nh6!? won the only time it was played) 9.d3 Nh6!? scores 83% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B2 5.Qe2 dxe4, after which the line splits again.

B2.1 6.Nxe4 Bxb5 7.Qxb5+ Qd7 scores 50% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B2.2 6.Bxd7+ Qxd7 7.Nxe4 Nc6 8.Nf3 Be7 scores 64% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C) 4.exd5 (350 games)

After 4...exd5 5.Bb5+ Nc6 the line splits.

C1 6.Nf3 Nf6, after which the line splits again.

C1.1 7.0-0 Be7, when C1.1a 8.Ne5 Bd7 9.Bxc6 bxc6!? scores 75% for Black, albeit from a very small sample, C1.1b 8.d3 0-0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Ne5 Qc7 scores 57% for Black, and C1.1c 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.d3 0-0 is a transposition to C1.1b.

C1.2 7.Ne5 Qc7 8.Qf3 Be6 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

C1.3 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.0-0 Be7 is a transposition to C1.1c.

C1.4 7.Qe2 Be7, when C1.4a 8.Ne5 Qc7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.d3 Re8 scores 87% for Black, albeit from a small sample, C1.4b 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Ne5 Qc7 is a transposition to C1.4a, and C1.4c 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.0-0 0-0 is a transposition to C1.4b.

C2 6.Qe2 Be7 7.Nf3 Nf6 is a transposition to C1.4.

D) 4.d3 (335 games)

After 4...Nc6 5.Nf3 Be7!? 6.g3 h5!? Black scores 67%, albeit from a small sample.

E) 4.e5 (323 games)

After 4...Nc6 5.Nf3 Nh6!? the line splits.

E1 6.Bb5 Be7 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

E2 6.g3 Nf5 7.Bg2 Be7, after which the line splits again.

E2.1 8.0-0 h5 scores 72% for Black.

E2.2 8.d3 h5 scores 96% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

Beat The ... Grand Prix Attack (part three)

IN this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

Here I will cover the lines of the Grand Prix Attack against the Sicilian Defence that start with 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 d6 3.f4.

Black's commonest response is 3...Nc6, but that only scores 43%, while the second-most popular move, 3...g6, scores 50%.

Position after 3...g6

After 4.Nf3 Bg7 White has two popular continuations.

A) 5.Bc4 (1,990 games)

After 5...Nc6 the line splits.

A1 6.0-0 Nf6 7.d3 0-0 (7...Bg4 scores equally well, but Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 prefer castling), after which the line splits again.

A1.1 8.Qe1 e6, when A1.1a 9.f5 d5 10.Bb3 c4!? 11.dxc4 dxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Qxe4 exf5 scores 78% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A1.1b 9.Qh4 d5 10.Bb3 c4!? scores 75% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A1.2 8.a3 Bd7 scores 55% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A1.3 8.f5!? gxf5 9.Qe1 fxe4 10.dxe4 Be6 scores 75% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A2 6.d3 e6, after which the line splits again.

A2.1 7.0-0 Nge7 8.Qe1 h6!? 9.Bb3 a6 10.a4 Rb8 scores 73% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A2.2 7.f5!? exf5 8.0-0 h6!? 9.Qe1 Nge7, when A2.2a 10.Qg3 g5 scores 90% for Black, albeit from a small sample, A2.2b 10.exf5 Bxf5 scores 74% for Black, and A2.2c 10.Qh4 Be6 scores 79% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B) 5.Bb5+ (1,385 games)

After 5...Bd7 the line splits.

B1 6.Bc4 Nc6, after which the line splits again.

B1.1 7.0-0 Na5 8.Be2 Nf6, when B1.1a 9.d3 0-0 10.Qe1 Nc6 11.Qh4 Nd4 12.Bd1 Bg4 scores 56% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and B1.1.b 9.Qe1 Nc6 scores 70% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B1.2 7.d3 Na5, when B1.2a 8.Bd2 a6!? scores 62% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and B1.2b 8.Bb3 b5 9.Bd5 Rb8 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

B2 6.Bxd7+ Qxd7, after which the line splits again.

B2.1 7.0-0 Nc6 8.0-0 Nh6!?, when B2.1a 9.Qe1 f5 scores 79% for Black, albeit from a small sample. B2.1b 9.h3 f5 scores 89% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and B2.1c 9.Kh1 f5 scores 60% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B2.2 7.d3 e6!? 8.0-0 Ne7 9.Qe1 0-0 scores 50% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B3 6.a4!? e6!? 7.0-0 Ne7 scores 85% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

Beat The ... Grand Prix Attack (part two)

IN this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

The modern way to play the Grand Prix Attack against the Sicilian Defence is to precede f4 with Nc3, in other words 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3, and here I want to look at the GPA after ...Nc6, ie 2...Nc6 3.f4.

Black's most-popular reply is 3...g6, scoring an excellent 55%. 

Position after 3...g6

After 4.Nf3 Bg7 White has three common continuations.

A) 5.Bb5 (8,578 games)

After 5...Nd4 the line splits.

A1 6.0-0 a6!?, after which the line splits again.

A1.1 7.Bd3 d6 8.Nxd4 cxd4 9.Ne2 Nf6, when A1.1a 10.c3 dxc3 11.bxc3 0-0 12.Bc2 b5 scores 82% for Black and A1.1b 10.Kh1 e5 11.c3 0-0!? scores 83% for Black.

A1.2 7.Bc4 b5 8.Bd5 Ra7!? scores 83% for Black.

A1.3 7.Be2 e6, when A1.3a 8.d3 Ne7 9.Be3 Nec6 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A1.3b 8.e5 d5 9.exd6 Qxd6 scores 77% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A2 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.Ne2 Nf6!?, after which the line splits again.

A2.1 8.Bd3 (not 8.d3?? Qa5+) d6!?, when A2.1a 9.0-0 0-0 10.c3 dxc3 11.dxc3 b5!? scores 81% for Black, A2.1b 9.c3 dxc3 10.dxc3 0-0 11.0-0 is a transposition to A2.1a, and A2.1c 9.Nxd4 Nxe4 10.Bxe4 Bxd4 11.c3 Bg7 12.Qf3!? Qb6 13.d4 0-0 scores 50% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

A2.2 8.e5 Nd5, when A2.2a 9.c4 Nc7!? scores 92% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A2.2b 9.c3 0-0!? scores 64% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A3 6.Bd3 d6 7.Nxd4 cxd4 8.Ne2 Nf6 is a transposition to A2.1.

A4 6.Bc4 e6, after which the line splits again.

A4.1 7.0-0 Ne7, when A4.1a 8.Nxd4 cxd4 9.Ne2 0-0 10.d3 d5 11.Bb3 dxe4 12.dxe4 b6 scores 77% for Black, A4.1b 8.d3 d5 scores 76% for Black, and A4.1c 8.e5 d5 9.exd6 Qxd6 scores 72% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A4.2 7.e5 Nxf3+ 8.Qxf3 d5 9.exd6 Qxd6 scores 60% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A4.3 7.d3 Ne7, when A4.3a 8.Nxd4 cxd4 9.Ne2 0-0 10.0-0 is a transposition to A4.1a, and A4.3b 8.0-0 is a transposition to A4.1b.

A5 6.a4 e6, after which the line splits again.

A5.1 7.0-0 Ne7, when A5.1a 8.e5 a6 9.Bc4 d5 10.exd6 Nef5!? 11.Ne4 Nxd6 12.Nxd6 Qxd6 scores 71% for Black, A5.1b 8.Nxd4 cxd4 9.Ne2 0-0 10.c3 a6 11.Bd3 Nc6 scores 64% for Black, and A5.1c 8.d3 a6 9.Bc4 d5 10.Ba2 0-0 scores 70% for Black.

B) 5.Bc4 (7,264 games)

After 5...e6 the line splits.

B1 6.0-0 Nge7, after which the line splits again.

B1.1 7.d3 d5!?, when B1.1a 8.Bb3 0-0 9.Qe1 Na5!? 10.Bd2 b6 scores 80% for Black, and B1.1b 8.Bb5 0-0 9.Bxc6!? Nxc6 10.Qe1 a6!? scores 80% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B1.2 7.Qe1 0-0 8.d3 Nd4 9.Nxd4 Bxd4+!? scores 68% for Black.

B1.3 7.e5 d6 8.exd6 Qxd6, when B1.3a 9.Ne4 Qc7 10.d3 0-0 scores 92% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and B1.3b 9.d3 0-0 10.Ne4 Qc7 is a transposition to B1.3a.

B1.4 7.f5!? d5, when B1.4a 8.exd5?! exd5 9.Bb5 Bxf5 scores 92% for Black, albeit from a small sample, B1.4b 8.Bb5 dxe4 9.f6!? Bxf6 10.Nxe4 Bg7 scores 72% for Black, albeit from a small sample, B1.4c 8.fxe6?! dxc4 9.exf7+ reaches a position in Mega21 in which Black scores 75% with both 9...Kxf7 and 9...Kf8, albeit from small samples, and B1.4d 8.fxg6 hxg6 scores 69% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B2 6.f5!? gxf5!?, after which the line splits again.

B2.1 7.d3 Nge7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qe1 fxe4 10.dxe4 d5 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

B2.2 7.exf5 d5 8.Bb5 e5 scores 81% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B3 6.d3 Nge7, after which the line splits again.

B3.1 7.0-0 is a transposition to B1.1.

B3.2 7.e5 0-0 scores 86% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C) 5.g3 (1,065 games)

After 5...d6 6.Bg2 Rb8!? the line splits.

C1 7.0-0 e6 8.d3 Nge7 9.Be3 Nd4, after which the line splits again.

C1.1 10.Qd2 0-0, when C1.1a 11.Nd1 b5 12.c3 Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 b4 14.d4 bxc3 15.bxc3 Ba6 scores 79% for Black, C1.1b 11.Rae1 b6 scores 68% for Black, C1.1c 11.Rab1 b6 12.Ne2 Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 d5 scores 67% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and C1.1d 11.Nh4 b6 scores 62% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C1.2 10.e5 Nef5 11.Bf2 h5!? scores 75% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C2 7.a4 a6 8.0-0 b5 9.axb5 axb5 scores 83% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

Beat The ... Grand Prix Attack

HERE is a series I wrote in the covid panic but did not publish.

In this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

The Grand Prix Attack is a system against the Sicilian Defence: 1.e4 c5 in which White plays an early f4, usually preceded by Nc3.

Here I am looking at what happens statistically if White launches the GPA immediately by playing 2.f4.

Black's most-popular reply is 2...Nc6, which scores an excellent 54%, but even this is beaten by the 59% of 2...d5!?

Position after 2...d5!?

White has four main responses.

A) 3.exd5 (2,710 games)

After 3...Nf6 the line splits.

A1 4.Bb5+ Nbd7 5.c4 g6!? 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 scores 83% for Black.

A2 4.c4 e6 5.dxe6 Bxe6 6.Nf3 Nc6, after which the line splits again.

A2.1 7.Be2 Qc7 scores 79% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A2.2 7.Nc3 Bd6 scores 72% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A3 4.Nc3 Nxd5, after which the line splits again.

A3.1 5.Nxd5 Qxd5, when A3.1a 6.Qf3 Qd6!? scores 64% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A3.1b 6.Nf3 g6 scores 87% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A3.2 5.Nf3 Nxc3 6.bxc3 g6 scores 69% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A3.3 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Bxd7+ Qxd7 7.Nxd5 Qxd5 8.Qf3 Qd7 scores 86% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A4 4.Nf3 Nxd5, after which the line splits again.

A4.1 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Bxd7+ Nxd7!? scores 65% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A4.2 5.d3?! Nc6 scores 92% for Black.

A4.3 5.d4 e6!? scores 87% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A4.4 5.Bc4 Nb6 scores 69% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A4.5 5.Nc3 is a transposition to A3.2.

B) 3.e5 (882 games)

After 3...Nc6 the line splits.

B1 4.Nf3 Nh6, after which the line splits again.

B1.1 5.Be2 Nf5 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B1.2 5.c3 Bg4 6.Be2 e6, when B1.2a 7.0-0 Nf5 8.Na3 Be7 scores 60% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and B1.2b 7.d3 Nf5 8.0-0 Be7 9.Na3 h5!? 10.Nc2 d4!? scores 83% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B2 4.c3 Nh6!? 5.Nf3 is a transposition to B1.2.

B3 4.Bb5 Nh6!? 5.Nf3 Bg4 scores 87% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C) 3.Nc3 (525 games)

After 3...d4 4.Nce2 Nf6!? 5.d3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Ng3 h5 Black scores 90%, albeit from a small sample.

D) 3.Bb5+ (178 games)

After 3...Nc6!? 4.exd5 Qxd5 Black scores 65%, albeit from a small sample.

(to be continued)