Championship Chess

PLAYED this evening in round one of the Battersea club summer championship.

Spanton (1932) - Ariel Barrett (*)

Spanish Classical

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5 4.c3 a6!?

This delayed putting-the-question-to-the-bishop is not particularly popular but is a speciality of Serbian grandmaster Ivan Ivanišević, at least at fast time-controls.

How should White respond?

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5.Bxc6!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database runs 5.Ba4 b5 6.Bb3 Nf6 7.0-0 d6 8.d4 Bb6 with a slight advantage for White, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1. However the engines prefer the text.

5...dxc6 6.d4

The engines give 6.Nxe5!?, and if 6...Qg5 then 7.0-0!? Qxe5 8.d4, claiming at least a slight edge for White.

6...exd4 7.Nxd4!?

We now have a pawn-structure closely associated with the Exchange Variation of the Spanish.

7...Nf6 8.e5

More in keeping with Exchange Variation ideas is 8.f3.

8...Ng4 9.0-0 0-0 10.f4?!

Almost certainly better is 10.Bf4.

10...f6 11.e6!?

Or 11.exf6 Nxf6, after which Black is positionally winning, according to the engines.

How should Black proceed?

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11...Bxe6?!

Probably best is 11...f5, eg 12.h3 Nf6 13.Be3 Nd5 with strong pressure against White's position.

12.f5 Bxd4+?!

Presumably hoping for 13.Qxd4? Qxd4+ 14.cxd4, after which 14...Bc4 is very good for Black, but almost certainly better is the immediate 12...Bc4, when 13.Qxg4 Bxf1 14.Kxf1 gives White two knights for rook and pawn, but 14...Re8 leaves Black with at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

13.cxd4 h5??

Black has maybe a slight edge after 13...Bc4 etc, according to the engines.

14.fxe6 Qd6!?

The engines reckon this is best.

15.Bxf4 Qxe6!?

They also approve of this, but Black is lost.

16.h3 Ne3 17.Qe2 1-0

*No ECF but 1726 Fide.