Scandinavian Day One

MY flight from Stansted to Oslo with Ryanair was largely uneventful, but I managed to make a hash of finding the hotel I am overnighting in before catching a shuttle to Fagernes tomorrow.

I thought I was booked into the Radisson Blu, but after presenting my passport at check-in I found I was booked into the Radisson Red, of whose existence I was not previously aware.

This entailed a walk the length of the airport, followed by a proper but protracted check-in.

Having skipped lunch because of catching an early-afternoon flight, I was keen to head back to the terminal to find somewhere to eat.

But the choice in arrivals was not great, so I returned to the hotel - the correct one this time - and dined on elk sausage in the restaurant.

Tasty treat - both deer and dear

The chess appears well organised, at least on paper, as the following schedule testifies.

Saturday April 1:                  Dinner at the hotel                  21.00–23.00

Bus for early arriving players is planned to leave Oslo Airport around 14.30 (reaching Scandic Valdres at Fagernes around 17.15–17.30), while maxitaxi for late arriving players is planned to leave the airport around 19.30 (reaching the hotel around 22.15–22.30).

 

Sunday April 2:                     Breakfast                                            07.00–10.00

                                                Lunch                                                  12.30–14.00   

Tournament registration                     13.00–16.00

                                                Round 1                                              17.30–23.30

                                                Dinner                                                 21.00–23.00

 

Monday April 3:                   Breakfast                                            07.00–10.00

                                                Lunch                                                  12.30–14.00

                                                Round 2                                              14.00–20.00

                                                Dinner                                                 19.00–21.00

 

Tuesday April 4:                   Breakfast                                            07.00–10.00

                                                Lunch                                                  12.30–14.00

                                                Round 3                                              14.00–20.00

                                                Dinner                                                 19.00–21.00

 

Wednesday April 5:             Breakfast                                            07.00–10.00

                                                Round 4                                              10.00–16.00

                                                Lunch                                                  13.30–15.30

                                                Round 5                                              17.30–23.30

                                                Dinner                                                 21.00–23.00

 

Thursday April 6:                 Breakfast                                            07.00–10.00

                                                Lunch                                                  12.30–14.00   

Round 6                                               14.00–20.00   

Dinner                                      19.00–21.00

Teamtalkingchess                               20.30–22.30

 

 

Friday April 7:                      Breakfast                                            07.00–10.00

Lunch                                                   12.30–14.00

Round 7                                               14.00–20.00

Dinner                                      19.00–21.00

Fagernes Slow Blitz                            20.30–23.00

 

Saturday April 8:                  Breakfast                                            07.00–10.00

Lunch                                                   12.00–13.30

Round 8                                               13.00–19.00

Dinner                                                 19.00–21.00

Fagernes Blitz II                                  19.30–22.00

 

Sunday April 9:                     Breakfast                                            07.00–10.00

                                                Round 9                                              09.00–15.00

Lunch                                                   13.00–15.00

Hotel check out                                   Before 15.00

Prizegiving      As soon as possible after 14.30

Maxitaxi to Oslo Airport (for players and accompanying persons with early evening flights) is planned to leave from Fagernes as soon as possible after 13.30, while bus with others will leave as soon as possible after 15.20.

Central London League

PLAYED last night on board two (of five) for Battersea 2 against HMC 3.

Spanton (1976) - Martin G Baker (1862)

French Exchange

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.c4

I suspect Paul Morphy would not play such a move (he twice played 5.Bd3), so I cannot include this game in my series Morphing The French.

5...c6 6.Nc3 Ne7!?

This is easily the main continuation in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, presumably with two main ideas: a) make it easier to break the pin in the event of Bf5, b) support ...Bf5 to swop light-square bishops if White plays a quick Bd3.

7.c5 Bc7 8.b4

How should Black proceed?

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8...Bf5

Probably not 8...a5?!, seeking to undermine White's queenside, as the reply 9.b5 seems strong.

9.Bd3!?

This gives Black the opportunity to exchange his technically bad bishop - it is on the same-coloured squares as Black's central pawn - for White's good bishop, but such a swop will develop the white queen with tempo, and anyway the black light-square bishop is Black's most-actively developed piece.

9...Nd7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Bg5 f6!?

This leaves a hole at e6, but perhaps that is a small price to pay for breaking the pin.

12.Bh4 Re8 13.Re1

Threatening Rxe7 followed by Bxf5.

13...Bxd3

An obvious alternative is 13...Bg6. Either way, Stockfish15.1 and Komodo14.1 reckon White has a slight edge.

14.Qxd3 Nf8 15.Ne2!?

Hoping to exploit the hole at e6.

15...Qd7 16.Bg3 Neg6 17.Bxc7 Qxc7 18,g3!? Re6 19.h4 Rae8 20.h5 Nh8 21.Nf4 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 23.Nxf1 Qe7 24.Nf3 Nf7 25.Kg2

What should Black play?

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25...Qe4?

This allows White to favourably unbalance the pawn-structures. The engines reckon 25...Ng5!? gives equality.

26.Qxe4 dxe4 27.Nd2 Ng5!?

Maybe 27...f5 is better.

28.d5 cxd5 29.Nxd5

White has the more-mobile pawn-majority, and it is on the opposite flank to the kings, all-in-all giving White the upper hand, according to the engines

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29...Nfe6 30.Nc4 Nd8 31.Nd6 Kf8 32.Kf1 a6

The engines marginally prefer giving up the doomed e pawn immediately with 32...Ngf7!? 33.Nxe4.

33.Ke2 Nge6 34.Ke3!?

There is no rush to grab the pawn as Black's position can hardly be improved.

34...a5 35.a3 axb4 36.axb4 Ng5 37.Nxe4 Nxe4 38.Kxe4 Kf7 39.b5 Ke6 40.f4 f5+ 41.Kd4 g6 42.hxg6 hxg6 43.Nb6 Nf7 44.Nc4 g5 45.Ne5!? gxf4

The engines reckon 45...Nxe5!? is worse, but perhaps it was worth a try as after 46.fxe5 f4!? 47.gxf4 gxf4 White must avoid 48.Ke3? f3 49.Kxf3 Kxe5 with a draw. However 48.c6 bxc6 49.bxc6 f3 50.Ke3 wins.

46.Nxf7 fxg3

There is no hope in 46...Kxf7 47.gxf4.

The game finished:

47.Ng5+ Kf6 48.Nf3 Ke6 49.Kc4 g2 50.Kd4 Kd7 51.Ke5 f4 52.Kxf4 Ke6 53.Ke4 Kd7 54.Kd5 Kc7 55.Ke6 Kc8 56.Kd6 Kd8 57.c6 Kc8 58.Ng1 Kb8 59.Kd7 1-0

Battersea 2 won the match 4-1.

Scandinavian

AM making final preparations for flying to Oslo tomorrow, where I will be overnighting at the airport (in a hotel), before catching a shuttle to Fagernes on Saturday.

I played there 11 years ago, but all I can really remember is that Fagernes is a small town (population under 2,000) set in pretty countryside.

There are 93 entries in the "GM Swiss," which is open to males rated over 2,000 and females over 1900.

I have entered the "Open Swiss," which has 46 entries with no limits on ratings, although the highest-rated player is a modest 1872.

There are are nine rounds over eight days with a time limit of 40 moves in 100 minutes, followed by a further 40 minutes, with a 30-second increment from the start.

The full list of entries is here.

How Drawish Are Opposite-Coloured Bishops?

EVERYONE past the beginners' stage knows endings with opposite-coloured bishops and no other pieces (apart from kings) have strong drawing tendencies.

But I have never seen an attempt to quantify exactly how drawish they are, so I thought I would have a go using a database of my games.

Fortunately ChessBase has a tool that makes searching for such endings easy, and using it I found 72 of my games with such an ending.

Most of the games (42, or 58.3%) were drawn, but that leaves 30 that ended decisively - a higher percentage (41.7%) than I had instinctively thought.

Many of them I have already posted on this blog in a series entitled Opposite Exceptions, but here is an interesting one I omitted.

Black has just captured on c7 in L Demmel (163 BCF) - Spanton (140 BCF), Doncaster & District League 1981

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White's extra two pawns on the queenside are, at least for the moment, firmly restrained by the black bishop. However the white king is much the better-placed monarch for operations on the other flank.

39.h4?!

But this is probably not how to go about kingside play. Stockfish15.1 and Komodo14.1 give best-play as 39.g4 Kc6 40.f4 Kd5 41.fxg5 hxg5 42.Bxg5 Kxe5, after which Black has a winning advantage thanks to having passed pawns on both flanks.

39...Kc6?

Correct is 39...gxh4 40.Bxh6 Kc6 41.Bg5 Kd5 42.Bf6 Kc4 43.Bxh4 Kxc3 44.Be7, after which White is still two pawns up but, crucially, only has one passed pawn. This significantly cuts White's winning chances. The engines reckon White has the upper hand, but that the advantage is worth less than a pawn, Indeed they reckon Black's two best continuations, 44...Bd3 and 44...Kb3, are exactly equal evaluation-wise, often a sign an ending is drawn.

40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Bxg5 Kd5

Black's active king means this is still a tricky ending despite White being three pawns up

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42.Be3?

Best seems to be 42.Bf4, eg 42...Kc4 43.Bd2 Kd5 44.f4, but also better than the text, according to the engines, is 42.f4?!, although then the c pawn will probably fall.

42...Kxe5 43.g4 Kd5 44.Bg5 Ke5 45.Be7 Kf4?!

It is not clear how White makes progress after 45...Kd5.

46.Bf8?

Winning is 46.Bd6+, eg 46...Kg5 47.Kg3 Kg6 48.f4 f6 49.Kf3 Bb7+ 50.Kf2 Ba6 51.Ke3 Kf7 52.Kd4, and White continues to make progress.

The engines reckon a better try is 46...e5!?, but then 47.Bc5 Kg5 48.Be7+ f6 (48...Kf4 49.Bh4) 49.Ke3 looks strong, eg 49...Kg6 50.Bd6 Kg5 51.Bc7 Bb5 52.f4+!? exf4+ 53.Bxf4+ Kxg4 is a win after 54.Bh2!, as the Syzygy endgame tablebase shows.

46...f5?

The black king should return to e5, with a probable draw.

47.Bh6+ Ke5 48.g5

White has passers on both flanks, which almost always is a winning advantage.

48...f4

White to play and win

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49.Bf8

The winning plan runs 49.g6! Kf6 50.g7 Kf7 51.Bxf4! Kxg7 52.Be5+ Kg6 53.Ke3, eg 53...Kf5 54.f4 Bf1 55.Kd4, after which White wins on the queenside. Black can try 49...Bd3, but 50.g7 Bh7 51.c4 also wins on the queenside.

49...Kf5 50.Be7 Bc4 51.Ke1 e5!?

The engines prefer marking time with the bishop, eg 51...Bb5 52.Kd2 Bf1 53.Kc2 Bc4 54.Kb2 Be2 55.Ka3 Bxf3 with complete equality, according to the engines.

52.Kf2 e4?

This lets White swop off his weak pawn (weak because it is fixed on the same colour complex as the black bishop) and bring the black king out of position. Instead, marking time with the bishop still seems to give good drawing chances.

53.fxe4+ Kxe4 54.g6 f3

There is no defence, eg 54...Kd5 55.g7 Kc6 56.Kf3 etc.

55.g7 Kd3 56.b5 1-0

Summing Up My 4NCL Weekend

MY score of +0=0-2 cost me 25.2 ECF elo and 22.6 Fide elo.

4NCL Weekend Four: Game Two

PLAYED on board one (of six) for Wessex Some Stars B against Crowthorne B in division four today.

Spanton (1976 ECF/1835 Fide) - Peter Tart (1951 ECF/1863 Fide)

Petrov

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nxe4!?

This well-known "beginners' mistake" is the second-most popular continuation in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database.

There are 2,331 examples of this position in Mega23 - how should White respond?

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4.Qe2

This seems best, although Stockfish15.1 and Komodo14.1 also like 4.d4. At first glance 4.Nxf7?? might look good in view of 4...Kxf7? 5.Qh5+ g6 6.Qd5+ Kg7 7.Qxe4, but the engines reckon Black has good compensation for a pawn, and anyway has a winning improvement in the shape of 4...Qe7.

4...Qe7 5.Qxe4 d6 6.d4 dxe5 7.Qxe5!?

Possibly better is 7.dxe5. The problem with the text is it lets Black free a diagonal with tempo for Black's dark-square bishop.

7...Qxe5+ 8.dxe5 Nc6 9.Bf4 Bf5 10.Bb5!?

Black was fine after 10.c3 0-0-0 11.Nd2 Nxe5!? 12.Bxe5 Re8 in Aleks Bancarewicz (1920) - Marek Chomczyk (2327), Polish Blitz Championship (Suwałki) 2022 (0-1, 29 moves).

10...Bxc2 11.Nc3 0-0-0 12.0-0 Nd4 13.Rac1 Bb4 14.Bg5!? a6!? 15.Bxd8 axb5

How should White proceed?

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16.Bg5?

Black is better after this. The engines give 16.Bxc7 Bxc3 17.bxc3 Ne2+ 18.Kh1 Nxc1 19.Rxc1 Kxc7 20.Rxc2, when White is a pawn up but cannot hold on to it after 20...Re8, eg 21.f4 f6 22.Re2 (22.exf6?? Re1#) fxe5 23.fxe5 Kc6 etc.

16...Bxc3 17.Rxc2

Or 17.bxc3 Ne2+ 18.Kh1 Nxc1 19.Rxc1 Bf5, after which Black has the upper hand, according to the engines.

17...Nxc2 18.bxc3 Na3 19.f4

19.Rd1 stops quick activation of the black king, but the engines reckon Black has the upper hand.

19...Kd7 20.Kf2 Nc4 21.Rd1+ Ke6!?

The engines give Black at least a slight edge after 21...Kc6.

22.Rd8?

Preventing the black rook from harassing the a2 pawn, but the right way to do this is 22.Bd8!?.

22...Rxd8 23.Bxd8 c6 24.Ke2?

This loses material. Instead 24.Kf3 keeps the game going, eg 24...Nd2+ 25.Ke2 Ne4 26.Kd3 Nc5+ 27.Kd4.

24...Kf5 25.Kf3

Almost certainly worse is 25.Ke2?! Ke4.

25...Nd2+ 26.Ke3 Nf1+ 27.Kf3 Nxh2+ 28.Kg3 Nf1+ 29.Kf2 Nd2 30.Ke3 Nc4+!?

The engines agree this is best.

31.Kf3 h5 32.Be7 Nb6 33.Bh4 Nd5 0-1

4NCL Weekend Four: Game One

PLAYED on board one (of six) for Wessex Some Stars B against Oxford 4 in division four this afternoon.

Cyril Foster (1798 ECF/1710 Fide) - Spanton (1976 ECF/1835 Fide)

Scotch

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qf6!?

This is only fifth-most popular in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, but even so there are 3,800 examples of the move.

How should White respond?

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5.Nf3!?

Given enough time, this becomes the top choice of Komodo14.1, although Stockfish15.1 prefers the mainline 5.Be3.

5...Qg6!?

Applying immediate pressure against e4 (and g2), while vacating f6 for the king's knight. The engines prefer 5...Bb4+!? or 5....Bc5.

6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Bd2!?

An interesting pawn sacrifice, but perhaps 7.Bd3!? is even stronger, one point being 7...Qxg2?! can be met by 8.Rg1 Qh3 9.Rxg7, so Black should probably decide between 7...d6 and 7...Bxc3+.

7...Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Qxe4+

The engines reckon 8...Nf6!?, which does not appear in Mega23, gives equality.

9.Be2 Nf6 10.0-0 0-0

Nina Mediankova - Svetlana Struchkova, Moscow Women's Championship 1981, saw 10...Qe7? 11.Re1 0-0 12.Bd3 Qd8 13.Ng5 with a large advantage for White (1-0, 17moves).

11.Bd3 Qg4 12.Bxf6!?

Giving up the bishop-pair, but wrecking Black's kingside.

12...gxf6 13.Re1 d5!?

The pawn is loose on d5 but prevents the white king's rook using the e4 square.

How should White proceed?

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14.Qd2

I was more concerned about 14.c4!? dxc4 15.Re4, but the engines prefer the text.

14...Bd7 15.h3 Qg7

White has a mating sequence after 15...Qb4? 16.Qh6, while 15...Qh5?! 16.Qf4 is also good for White, according to the engines.

16.Re3!? Rfe8

Not 16...Bxh3? 17.Nh4 with Rg3 to come.

17.Rae1 Rxe3 18.Qxe3

What should Black play?

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18...Nb4?

Not 18...Re8? 19.Qxe8+! etc, nor 18...Bxh3? 19.Qe8+! etc, but best may be 18...Kh8!?, eg 19.Kh2 Rg8 20.g3 Qf8, although the engines reckon White has more than enough for a pawn.

19.Qe7 Nxd3 20.cxd3 Bc6?!

Probably better is 20...Be6, or counterplay with 20...Bf5!?

21.Nd4 Qg5 22.Nxc6 bxc6 23.Re3

The weakness of Black's king, together with the numerous black pawn-weaknesses, mean White is winning despite being a pawn down

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23...Qh6 24.Rg3+ Kh8 25.Qxf7 Rc8 26.b3!?

Hardly necessary, but it is a sign of how much better White stands that spending a tempo like this does not alter the fundamental assessment that White is winning.

26...Qf8 27.Qe6 Rd8?! 28.Qxc6

Even stronger is 28.Rg8+! Qxg8 29.Qxf6+ Qg7 30.Qxd8+.

28...Qd6 29.Qc1 Rg8?!

The engines are happy enough with this, but better practical chances were probably to be had in keeping the rooks on.
30.Rxg8+ Kxg8 31.Qe3 c5

Queens stay on the board after 31...Kf7!?, but then 32.Qxa7 gives White a second extra pawn, which also happens to be passed.

32.Qg3+ Qxg3 33.fxg3 Kf7 34.g4 Ke6 35.Kf2 Ke5 36.Ke3 a5 37.a4 h6 38.g3 Kd6 39.Kf4 c4!?

A desperate last try.

40.bxc4 dxc4 41.dxc4 Kc5 42.Kf5 Kb4 43.c5!

Best, although 43.Kxf6 should also win.

43...Kxc5 44.Kxf6 Kb4 45.g5 hxg5 46.Kxg5 a4 47.h4 1-0

A Curate's Egg Of A Walk

ARRIVED at my Watford Gap hotel too early to check in, and the place does not have a restaurant. 

However, as might be expected from a location on the M1, it is bang next-door to some of the usual suspects, including a Costa, a McDonald's and a Leon.

After lunch, and dumping most of my luggage in my room, I asked reception about getting to the Mercure at Daventry, where the chess starts tomorrow. 

I was told it was not really practical to walk, and anyway was five or six miles.

But the sun was shining, at least in spells, and Google Maps reckoned the distance, by foot, was four miles.

Crossing the M1 was easy enough, and the route soon took me along a charming 'river' that turned out to be part of the Grand Union Canal.

I recognised its true nature when I reached Watford Locks, a group of seven locks I remembered from passing them when walking from London to Edinburgh for the G8 summit in 2005. 

Unfortunately the Google Maps route then took me along the A5, which, to say the least, is not pedestrian-friendly. 

It was a relief to turn off onto a B road, and even more of a relief when I reached the village of Welton.

It began to rain, but I did not really mind as from this point Northamptonshire County Council, or whoever else is responsible, has caught up with the 19th century and installed pavements.

I am now enjoying a glass of merlot in the foyer of the Mercure - glad I made the walk, but doubtful if I will do it again ... unless the weather becomes particularly splendid. 

North

AM heading north to Northamptonshire today in preparation for weekend four of division four of the Four Nations Chess League.

It is being held at the Mercure hotel in Daventry, but I am unable to stay at the venue as there were no vacancies when I tried to book.

(Rooms usually become free nearer the date as bookings can be cancelled without any fee, which leads to overbooking and the turning away of would-be guests).

Instead of risking having to make a late booking, I have opted to stay at the Watford Gap Days Inn on the M1.

Sunny days, I hope

According to Google Maps, the two hotels are exactly four miles apart by foot, so I should be able to walk it if the weather is OK, although the route includes A and B roads.

However, even if I have to get taxis both ways on the Saturday and Sunday, my stay should work out cheaper than being at the Mercure ... but not so convenient.

Updating

I HAVE downloaded updated versions of my main free engines: Stockfish15.1 from here, and Komodo14.1 from here.

They Don't Play Them Like That Anymore

HERE is a classic of British chess from 500 Master Games Of Chess by Savielly Tartakower and Julius du Mont.

I have algebraicised the notation; notes in italics are from the book.

Stuart Milner-Barry - Hugh Alexander

Cambridge 1932

Vienna Gambit

A feast for the eye and mind.

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6

More popular today is 2...Nf6. Both moves can be met by the gambit 3.f4, but in the line with 2...Nf6 it is generally regarded as largely disarmed by the reply 3...d5.

3.f4

Garry Kasparov preferred the more-common 3.Bc4 in a 2016 win over Fabiano Caruana, but the text was Magnus Carlsen's choice in a 2017 loss to Yangyi Yu (both games were at blitz time controls).

3...exf4 4.Nf3 g5

There is nothing better than this 'classic defence'.

5.d4!?

The Pierce Gambit offering the KN, as in the famous Muzio Gambit, is not to be taken lightly.

Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 prefer 5.g3!?, and if 5...g4 then 6.Nh4, although they reckon Black is better.

5...g4

Accepting the challenge, for after 5...Bg7 6.d5 Ne5 7.d6 etc White has the advantage. 5...d6 6.d5 is also in White's favour.

6.Bc4 gxf3 7.0-0

How should Black proceed?

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7...d5?!

Necessary emancipation. If 7...Bg7 8.Bxf4 Bxd4+ 9.Kh1, White has enduring chances.

This was tested in a 1993 game between two unrateds. White won, but the engines reckon 9...fxg2+ 10.Kxg2 Nf6 gives Black a winning advantage. The text is a mistake, according to the engines. Komodo13.02 gives 7...Nxd4!?, eg 8.Qxd4 Qg5 9.Rf2 Bc5 etc, while Stockfish15 prefers 7...Bg7 8.Qxf3 Bxd4+ 9.Kh1 Ne5 10.Qxf4 Qf6!?, claiming a large advantage for Black.

8.exd5 Bg4!? 9.Re1+

But 9.Qe1+ is better and affords equal opportunities. A bold but insufficient idea is the queen sacrifice: 9.dxc6 f2+ 10.Rxf2 Bxd1 11.cxb7 Bg4 12.Bb5+ Bd7 etc.

In this line the engines reckon 12.bxa8=Q!? Qxa8 13.Bxf4 equalises, even though White only has rook and two pawns for a queen.

9...Nge7!? 10.gxf3?!

More astute would be, first, 10.Ne4 Bg7 11.gxf3.

The engines strongly disagree with this analysis, preferring Milner-Barry's choice and, even more so, 10.Qd2!?

10...Bh3 11.Bxf4 Rg8+

The counter-pressure begins.

12.Bg3 Na5

At last the knight goes off prise.

White has little material compensation for being a piece down, but it is anyone's guess as to which king is safer

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13.Bn5+ c6 14.Ne4?!

Better, according to the engines, is 14.dxc6, although they prefer White after both 14...bxc6 and 14...Naxc6.

14...Bg7  15.Kh1?

If 15.dxc6 [then] 15...Qxd4+, and White, in view of the piece which has has given up, could not think of agreeing to an exchange of queens.

The engines continue this line with 16.Kh1, one point being 16...Qxd1?? loses to 17.cxb7+. Instead they give 16...0-0-0 17.cxb7+ Nxb7, albeit preferring Black. Nevertheless the text is a mistake, the engines reckoning 15.Bf1 or 15.d6 keeps White well in the game.

15...Qxd5

Now White has just a pawn for a knight, and has a bishop en prise

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16.c4 Qd7 17.d5!?

Seeking to obtain fresh resources.

White's only realistic hope is to get at the black king before Black's material preponderance determines matters.

17...Kf8!?

Also possible, but hair-raising, seems to be 17...cxb5!?, eg 18.d6 Bxb2!? (this appears stronger than 18...0-0-0?!) 19.Nc5 Qf5! 20.Rxe7+ Kf8!? 21.Nd7+ Kg7 22.Ne5 Bxe5 23.Rxe5 Qg6!, after which the engines reckon White's attack has run out of steam.

18.d6!?

Probably objectively better is 18.dxc6, but 18...Naxc6 leaves Black well on top.

18...Nf5 19.Nc5 Nxg3+ 20.hxg3 Qf5 21.d7

This looks very alarming.

21...Bd4!

An ingenious reply, fulfilling many functions: (i) masking the d file, (ii) unmasking the g file, (iii) deflecting the adverse queen eventually (22.Qxd4 Qxf3+), (iv) attacking the knight, (v) cutting off the king's flight as long as this bishop remains safe.

22.Nxb7!?

This allows a mating sequence, but White was lost anyway.

22...Qh5! 23.Re8+ Rxe8 24.dxe8=Q+ Kxe8 25.Qe2+ Kf8 26.Nxa5 Bg4+ 0-1

The young opponents have dared, in our scientific era, to play one of the most dangerous gambits in a masters' tournament, and it may well be said that the game does credit to winner and loser alike.

Championship Chess

PLAYED last night in the Battersea club championship.

Samuel Riggs (1602) - Spanton (1976)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6!?

Most popular are 3...d6, 3...e6 and especially 3...g6. Magnus Carlsen has played all four moves.

4.e5 Nd5 5.0-0 g6 6.Re1 Bg7 7.Nc3

How should Black proceed?

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7...Nxc3?!

Overwhelmingly more popular in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database is 7...Nc7. SR in the postmortem said he planned to reply 8.Bxc6, when 8...dxc6 9.Ne4 Ne6 equalises, according to Komodo13.02, although Stockfish15 gives White a slight edge.

8.dxc3!?

The engines much prefer this over building a centre with 8.bxc3.
8...0-0 9.Qd5!? Qb6 10.a4!? a6 11.Bf1!?

This retreat is Stockfish15's top choice; Komodo13.02 likes 11.Bd3. White also seems better after 11.Bc4 Na5 12.Ba2.

11...d6!?

A pawn sacrifice to free Black's game. The engines prefer 11...Qc7 or 11...Nd8!?, in each case giving White at least the upper hand.

12.exd6 Rd8?!

The engines suggest 12...exd6 13.Qxd6 Bf5, but 14.a5 leaves White well on top.

13.a5 e6!?

This is best, according to the engines, but should lose.

White to play and win

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14.axb6?!

Much stronger is 14.d7. SR said he considered it, but thought 14...Qc7 was a good reply. However then 15.dxc8=Q wins a piece, as does 14...Bxd7 15.Qxd7.

14...exd5 15.Bg5 f6 16.Be3 d4?!

Another positional pawn sacrifice, but almost certainly better is 16...c4 or 16...Bf8.

17.cxd4 cxd4 18.Nxd4 Rxd6 19.Nb5!? Rd8 20.Bc4+ Kh8 21.Nc7 Rb8 22.Bc5 Ne5 23.Bb3 Bf5

Black has at last connected rooks, but White has a winning advantage, according to the engines

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24.Rad1 Bh6?

This loses a pawn, at least temporarily, so better is 24...Bf8.

25.Be7 Rxd1 26.Bxf6+ Bg7 27.Bxg7+ Kxg7 28.Rxd1 Nd7 29.Rd6?!

Probably better is 29.f3, and if 29...Nxb6 then 30.g4 Bd7 31.Rd6 Bc6 32.Nxa6!?

29...Nc5 30.Ne6+?

The engines give 30.Bc4!? Bxc2 31.b4, claiming White's initiative means he is winning, eg 31...Ne4 32.Rd7+ Kh6 33.f3 Ba4!? 34.Rd4 Nf6 35.Ne6 with pressure on both flanks.

What should Back play?

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30...Bxe6?

The correct capture is 30...Nxe6, after which 31.Bxe6 Re8 32.Bc4 (32.Rd7+? loses the white bishop to 32...Kf6) Re1+ 33.Bf1 Rb1 gets Black back into the game, although White remains better.

31.Bxe6 Re8 32.Bc4 Re1+ 33.Bf1 Ne4 34.Re6

Even stronger is 34.Rd7+ Kf6 35.f3 etc.

34...Kf7 35.Re5 Kf6 36.Re8 Kf7 37.Re5 Kf6 ½–½

What did both players miss in this final sequence?

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White wins with 36.f4 or 38.f4.

Spot The Wins

THE following position arose in a recent London League game*.

White to play and win

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1.g6??

No fewer than four moves win, but this is not one of them.

a) 1.f6 g6 (or 1...gxf6+ 2.Kxf6 Kg4 3.h6 Kh5 4.Kxf7 Kxg5 5.Kg7 etc) 2.hxg6 hxg6 3.Kd6 Kg4 4.Ke7 Kxg5 5.Kxf7 etc.

b) 1.h6 gxh6 2.gxh6 Kg4 3.Kf6 Kf4 4.Kg7 etc.

c) 1.Kd6 Kg4 2.g6! hxg6 (or 3...fxg6 4.h6 etc) 3.f6 etc.

d) 1.Kd5!? Kg4 2.g6 etc.

Black to play and draw

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1...fxg6??

Black draws with 1...hxg6.

2.h6 1-0

*I have not included the players' names as I am not 100% sure I have got the position exactly correct. However the relevant themes apply anyway.

Preparation

THE March issue of Chess has a three-page article by Ben Graff on how to prepare for opponents.

It has the rather strange title of "Fighting Back!", and a further objection to it might concern how much can be learned from a player whose ECF and Fide ratings are both below 1800.

(Then again, I am sure there are many players rated 2200 or so who wonder what they can get out of a blog written by someone with over-the-board ratings below 2000).

However, instead of filling the article with his own views, Graff sought opinions from people who might be expected to know rather more than most of us.

First up is grandmaster Keith Arkell, who makes many interesting points, not all of them directly related to preparation, including:

1. "I do not strive for much objectively with white, but instead strive for a position I like to play. With black I just want to get the ball back over the net, again with my kind of position. If that entails enduring, say, -0.7 early on, then so be it." [emphasis added]

2. "Weaker players are massively better than they used to be. We talk about grade inflation (but) the reality is what we are seeing is grade deflation."

3. "Some years back a friend paid me to help him prep for two hours before each round. I was also playing in the event (and) I played horribly - one of my worst performances of the last three decades."

By contrast, at Bad Wörishofen earlier this month, I was chatting in a bar one evening to a player seeking his third international-master norm.

He said he prepared each morning for four hours, and did not feel this tired him for the game that followed.

Having said that, he spent much of the evening drinking beer, while joining in rounds of schnapps, and claimed his worst games of the tournament came the days after the bar was shut (it opens Tuesday-Saturday), which spoilt his usual drinking routine.

March Chess ... no doubt there are many forms of Dutch courage

Graff also interviewed Jonathan Arnott, author of last year's Prepare To Win - A Club Player's Guide To Winning At Chess Before Move One.

Arnott seems to agree with Arkell that 'weak' players are stronger than they used to be.

"There are a few factors here," he states. "First, the abundance of openings knowledge means that even weak players are now getting past the opening pretty much unscathed.

"Second, engines give instant and brutal feedback on your mistakes. In the past players would have repeated and reinforced the same mistake; today engines put a stop to it."

Finally Graf interviewed Coventry junior Elis Dicen, a 12-year-old whose ECF rating has reached 1997, and shows no sign of slowing.

I am not sure all of her advice will be relevant to older readers, for example: "To improve my chess ... I meditate, colour in colouring books and play the Nintendo Switch as part of relaxation."

Several players I know like to use a 'lucky' pen to record their moves, and Elis also has her superstitions.

She reveals: "When I was starting to play chess my mum would accentuate my hair with a big bright JoJo Siwa* bow.

"I have always considered the bow as my lucky charm, but actually I heard my dad say that it was to spot me easily in a large crowd of children."

Perhaps this helps explain why many adults at chess tournaments walk around clutching a Tesco bag.

At the end of the article, readers are invited to send in their views and tips on preparation. I thought of letting Chess know about the lucky pen that used to pick my openings, but that is probably better left for another time. 

*JoJo Siwa is a popular YouTuber who is, according to Wikipedia, "known for appearing for two seasons on Dance Moms."

Beat The ... Delayed Dutch (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.

Here I will cover 1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 f5.

Of those moves appearing at least 600 times in Mega21, the most successful, and also the most popular, is 3.g3, which scores 57%.

Position after 3.g3

Black has two popular replies.

A) 3...Nf6 (4,303 games) 

After 4.Bg2 the line splits.

A1 4...Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.b3, after which the line splits again.

A1.1 6...d6 7.Bb2 Qe8 8.Nbd2, when A1.1a 8...Nc6 9.Ne1!? scores 88% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A1.1b 8...Qh5 9.Ne1!? scores 85% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A1.2 6...d5 7.c4 (7.Ba3 scores equally well in Mega21, but the pawn move is much preferred by Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1), when A1.2a 7...c6 is a transposition to A3.2 of part one, A1.2b 7...Nc6 8.Bb2 Bd7 9.Nc3 scores 86% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A1.2c 7...Ne4 8.Ne5!? Nd7 9.f3 scores 63% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A2 4...d5 5.c4 (5.0-0 scores equally well in Mega21, but the pawn move is much less common and was Kasparov's choice in the position), after which the line splits again.

A2.1 5...c6 6.Bf4!?, when A2.1a 6...Be7 7.Nbd2 0-0 8.0-0 scores 83% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A2.1b 6...Bd6 7.Bxd6 Qxd6 8.0-0 0-0 9.Nc3 Nbd7 10.Qc2 scores 90% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A2.2 5...Bd6!? 6.Bf4 scores 70% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A2.3 5...Be7 is a transposition to A3 of part one.

B) 3...b6 (397 games)

After 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.0-0 Nf6 6.c4 Be7 7.d5!? the line splits.

B1 7...0-0 8.Nd4!?, after which the line splits again.

B1.1 8...c5 9.Nb5 scores 92% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B1.2 8...Qc8!? 9.Nc3, when B1.2a 9...c5 10.Nf3 scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample, and B1.2b 9...Na6 10.e4!? fxe4 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Bxe4 scores 83% for White, albeit from a very small sample.

B2 7...exd5 8.Nd4 g6 9.cxd5 scores 93% for White.

B3 7...Qc8!? 8.Nd4 scores 90% for White, albeit from a small sample.

Beat The ... Delayed Dutch

HERE is the first of a two-part series written, but not published, during the covid panic.

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.

When Black meets 1.d4 with 1...e6, many whites prefer to steer clear of the French Defence, which would arise after 2.e4, and instead continue with a move more akin to d-pawn openings.

Here I will cover 2.c4 f5, when White has three continuations that each appear more than 5,000 times in Mega21.

3.Nc3 scores 52%, and 3.Nf3 scores 53%, but most popular, and most successful statistically, is 3.g3 with 59%.

Games nearly always continue 3...Nf6 4.Bg2, at which point Black has five common continuations.

Position after 4.Bg2

A) 4...Be7 (3,790 games)

After 5.Nf3, which increases White's score to 61%, the line splits.

A1 5...0-0 6.d5!?, after which the line splits again.

A1.1 6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Qe7 8.Nc3 e5 9.a3 Bxc3 10.Bxc3 scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A1.2 6...Ne4 7.Nbd2 Nxd2 8.Bxd2 Bf6 9.Qc2 scores 69% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A2 5...d6 6.0-0 0-0 7.b3, after which the line splits again.

A2.1 7...Qe8 8.Nc3, when A2.1a 8...a5 9.Bb2 Na6 10.Re1 Qg6 11.e4!? scores 86% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A2.1b 8...Qh5 9.Ba3 a5 10.d5!? scores 85% for White.

A2.2 7...Ne4 8.Bb2, when A2.2a 8...Bf6 9.Nbd2 Nc6 10.Ne1!? scores 77% for White, and A2.2b 8...Nd7 9.Nc3 Ndf6 10.Nfd2 scores 68% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A2.3 7...a5 8.Nc3, when A2.3a 8...Qe8 is a transposition to A2.1a, and A2.3b 8...Ne4 9.Bb2 Nxc3 10.Bxc3 Qe8 11.Qd3 scores 57% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A3 5...d5 6.0-0, after which the line splits again.

A3.1 6...0-0 7.Qc2!? c6 8.Nbd2, when A3.1a 8...Ne4 9.Ne5 Nd7 10.Nd3!? Bf6 11.e3 scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A3.1b 8...Qe8 9.Ne5 Nbd7 10.Nd3!? Ne4 11.Nf3 g5!? 12.Rb1!? scores 88% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A3.2 6...c6 7.b3 0-0 8.Qc2!?, when A3.2a 8...Ne4 9.Ba3 scores 70% for White, and A3.2b 8...Qe8 9.Nbd2 scores 90% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A4 5...c6!? 6.0-0, after which the line splits again.

A4.1 6...0-0 7.Nbd2 d5 8.Qc2 is a transposition to A3.1.

A4.2 6...d5 is a transposition to A3.2.

B) 4...d5 (3,433 games)

White's most-popular move 5.Nf3 scores 59%, but 5.Qc2!? scores a tremendous 70%. After 5...c6 6.Nh3 the line splits.

B1 6...Bd6 7.0-0 0-0 8.Bf4, after which the line splits again.

B1.1 8...Be7!? 9.Nc3, when B1.1a 9...Nh5 10.Rad1 Nxf4 11.Nxh4 Bd6 12.e3 scores 75% for White, albeit from a very small sample, and B1.1b 9...dxc4 reaches a position in Mega21 in which White scores 75% with both 10.Rad1 and 10.e4, albeit from small samples.

B1.2 8...b6 9.Nd2 Bb7 10.Rac1 Na6 11.cxd5 scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B2 6...Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Nf4 scores 78% for White.

C) 4...c6 (2,474 games)

After 5.Nd2!? d5 6.Qc2!? Bd6 7.Nh3 0-0 8.Nf3!? the line splits.

C1 8...Ne4 9.0-0 Nd7 10.Nf4 Qe7 11.Nd3 b6 12.b4!? scores 75% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C2 8...b6 9.0-0, after which the line splits again.

C2.1 9...Ne4 10.Nf4 Qe7 11.Nd3, when C2.1a 11...Bb7 12.Bf4 Bxf4 13.Nxf4 scores 81% for White, albeit from a small sample, and C2.1b 11...Ba6 12.cxd5 scores 67% for White, albeit from a very small sample.

C2.2 9...Bb7 10.Bf4 scores 61% for White.

C2.3 9...Ba6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Bf4 scores 57% for White, albeit from a small sample.

D) 4...Bb4+ (1,333 games)

After 5.Nd2!? 0-0 6.Nf3 the line splits.

D1 6...d6 7.0-0 Bxd2 8.Qxd2!?, after which the line splits again.

D1.1 8...Qe7 9.b4!? scores 81% for White, albeit from a small sample.

D1.2 8...a5 9.b3 Qe8 10.Ba3!? scores 100% for White, albeit from a very small sample.

D2 6...d5 7.Qc2!? scores 88% for White, albeit from a small sample.

D3 6...a5!? 7.0-0 b6!? 8.Ne5 Ra7 9.Nb1!? scores 83% for White, albeit from a small sample.

D4 6...b6!? 7.a3, after which the line splits again.

D4.1 7...Bxd2 8.Nxd2!? scores 92% for White, albeit from a small sample.

D4.2 7...Be7 8.Ne5 scores 63% for White, albeit from a small sample.

E) 4...d6 (204 games)

After 5.Nf3 Be7 the line has transposed to A2.

Central London League

PLAYED on board one (of five) for Battersea 2 against Pimlico 3 in division two of the Central London League last night.

Nick Faulks (1909) - Spanton (1976)

English/QGD Tarrasch

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e3!? Nf6 4.Nf3 c5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.d4

The opening began as an English but has reached a position more familiar from an old-fashioned response to the Tarrasch Defence to the Queen's Gambit, a typical move-order being 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.e3

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6...Nc6

This was a mainline position long before Siegbert Tarrasch was born - there are 4,556 examples of the position in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database.

7.Be2 Be6

This has been played by grandmasters, but is very much a sideline compared with the likes of 7...Be7, 7...cxd4, 7...Bd6 and 7...a6.

8.0-0 Ne4!?

The aim of this move is to make it awkward for White to complete his natural plan of development with b3 and Bb2 (or Ba3).

How should White respond?

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9.Nxe4?!

The text removes any advantage White has and may even leave Black a tad better. Possibly best is 9.Qc2, when Vincent McCambridge (2517) - Michael A Brooks (-), US Open (Chicago) 1979, continued 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bd6 11.Rb1 Rb8 12.Ba3 with a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 (1-0, 26 moves).

9...dxe4 10.Nd2 Bd5

Arguably more ambitious is 10...f5, while the engines give 10...cxd4 11.Nxe4 Be7 12.exd4 Qxd4 13.Ng5 Bf5!? with what they reckon is an equal position.

11.Nb3 cxd4

Not 11...Bxb3?! 12.Qxb3 cxd4? 13.Qxb7 Rc8 14.exd4 Rc7 15.Qa6, when White is winning, according to the engines.

12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Bc6 14.Rd1

White has more chance of an edge after 14.Qc3.

14...Qxd4 15.Rxd4 Rd8!? 16.Rxd8+ Kxd8 17.b3 Bd6 18.Bb2 f6 19.Rd1 ½–½

Pimlico 3 won the match 3-2.

New Tube Puzzle

HERE is a serial number from a Northern Line carriage: 52627.
As usual, each number should be used once, and once only, and must be added, subtracted, multiplied or divided to make a balanced equation.
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My solution: 5 + 6 - 2 = 2 + 7

Gambit Chess

PLAYED last night on board two (of eight) for Battersea 2 against Wimbledon in division two of the London League.

Neil Cannon (1986) - Spanton (1976)

Evans Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bd6!?

The Stone-Ware Defence - probably better than its reputation.

6.0-0

Much more common in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database is 6.d4, after which the mainline runs 6...Nf6 7.0-0, transposing to the game.

6...Nf6 7.d4 0-0

Not 7...Nxe4? 8.dxe5 Nxe5 9.Nxe5 Bxe5 10.Qd5 Qe7 11.Re1 etc (but not 11.Qxe4?? Bxh2+ and 12...Qxe4).

8.Bg5

The main move in Mega23 is 8.Re1, which Stockfish15 reckons gives White a slight edge, but Komodo13.02 calls equal.

8...h6 9.Bh4 Be7!? 10.Qe2 d6

How should White proceed?

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11.dxe5

Victor Nithander (2465) - Emil Hermansson (2469), Swedish Team Championship 2008-9, saw 11.Rd1 Bg4 12.h3 Bh5 13.d5 Na5 14.g4 Nxc4 with a large advantage for Black, according to the engines (0-1, 37 moves).

11...Nxe5 12.Nxe5 dxe5 13.Rd1 Qe8 14.h3 Bd7 15.Nd2 Bc6

White leads in development but Black is a pawn to the good and with no weaknesses

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16.Bg3 Bd6 17.Bd3 Rd8 18.Bh4 Be7 19.Bg3 Bd6 20.Bh4 Be7 21.Bg3 Nd7

Declining threefold repetition - Black is better.

22.Nf3

I was more concerned about 22.Nc4 with Na5 to come, but the engines reckon 22...Bg5 23.Na5 Nc5 24.Nxc6 Qxc6 is good for Black.

22...Bf6 23.Nh4 g6!? 24.Qe3 Kg7

Can White equalise material by grabbing the a7 pawn?

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No, or, rather, yes, but he would regret it, eg 25.Qxa7? Qe7 26.Nf3 Nc5, after which White cannot save both the light-square bishop and the queen.

25.Nf3 b6 26.Bh4 Qe7 27.Bxf6+ Qxf6 28.Bc2 Nc5 29.a3 Ne6 30.Kh2 Rxd1 31.Rxd1 Rd8 32.Rxd8 Nxd8 33.Kg1

The king moves are to little effect, but it is difficult to suggest a constructive plan for White, who has the inferior bishop and pawn-structure as well as being a pawn down.

33...Qd6 34.c4 Ne6 35.Qc3 Nd4 36.Nxd4 Qxd4 37.Qd3 Qxd3

The engines prefer keeping queens on the board, but getting them off simplifies matters (at least for a human).

38.Bxd3 Kf6 39.Kf1 Ke6 40.Ke2 Kd6 41.Kd2

41.Ke3 Kc5 is no improvement.

41...Kc5 42.Kc3 b5 43.h4 f6 44.g3?!

Hoping to set up a blockade, but 44.cxb5 is almost certainly better, although losing.

44...bxc4 45.Bc2 a5 46.Bb1 Ba4 47.Ba2 Bb3! 48.Bxb3

White will end up in zugzwang after 48.Bb1.

48...cxb3 49.Kxb3 Kd4

The game finished:

50.Ka4 c5 51.Kxa5 c4 52.Kb6 c3 53.a4 c2 54.a5 c1=Q 0-1

Battersea 2 won the match 5.5-2.5.