Travelbodge

I THOUGHT today might be difficult, especially as I wanted to catch one of the few direct trains from Paddington to Torquay.

At the London station I hooked up with Ray Kearsley, who on my advice was also traveling two days early to beat the rail strikes.

Somewhat surprisingly, we were able to get a four-seat table to ourselves in the 09:27's unreserved carriage, which meant a comfortable journey to Devon.

Ray is staying at a hotel that is part of the complex where the tournament is being held, but I booked into the Travelodge, which turns out to be much nearer Torre station than Torquay.

That is fine, but I am far from pleased to discover the hotel charges an extra £3 a day for using its wifi.

The Holiday Inn, among other chains, used to impose this type of 'hidden charge', but stopped long ago.

Not only that, but to add insult to injury, the Travelodge wifi is feeble in the extreme.

Coming across this fondly remembered Torquay curiosity cheered me up a bit

Early Bird

AM making final arrangements for traveling to Torquay tomorrow for the Riviera congress, which begins on Sunday.

I originally planned going down on Saturday, but train strikes put paid to that.

The good news is my Saturday ticket can be used as early as Thursday, and Trainline, with whom I booked the journey, have arranged a seat reservation on a direct train.

That is effectively an upgrade as my original booking involved changing trains at Castle Cary.

Of course it means I have to pay for two extra nights in a hotel, but you can't win them all.

The congress is split into six five-round sections - three in the morning, three in the afternoon.

I have entered the afternoon open tournament, which is the largest section with 24 entries.

The time limit is all moves in 90 minutes, with a 30-second increment throughout.

Summing Up Northumbria

MY score in the Challengers (U2000 Fide) of +2=3-4, including a full-point bye, lost 51.8 Fide elo and 56.4 ECF elo.

Northumbria Round Nine

FACED a Scottish junior (born 2009).

Tushar Roul (1494 Fide/1597 ECF) - Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5

Magnus Carlsen has played seven different moves in this position - can you guess them all?

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Carlsen has played 5.c3, 5.Bxc6!?, 5.Nbd2, 5.Nc3, 5.Bg5, 5.Ba4!? and:

5.0-0

Most popular in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database is 5.c3.

5...Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.Re1?!

This may be a novelty. Carlsen seems to have only played the mainline 7.c3.

7...c6 8.Ba4 d6

This may be enough for a tiny pull, but probably better is 8...Qb6!? with a double-attack on f2 and b2. Best-play, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1, continues 9.Qd2!? and either 9...Bxb2 10.Bxb2 Qxb2 11.Bb3!?, with a sharp position that seems to favour Black, or 9...Ng4!? 10.Rf1 Bxb2 11.Bxb2 Qxb2 and 12.Bb3!? or 12.Nc3, again with a sharp position that seems to favour Black.

9.h3!?

The engines give 9.c3 Bb6 10.Be3.

9...Be6

Stockfish16 suggests 9...g5!?, while Komodo14.1 again likes ...Qb6!?

10.c3 Bb6 11.d4 0-0 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 Qe7 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Nd2 Rad8 16.Qe2 Rd7 17.Bb3 Rfd8 18.Red1 Rd3 19.Bc2 R3d7 20.Bg3 Bc7 21.Nf3 Qc5 22.Rxd7 Rxd7 23.Bb3 Bxb3 24.axb3 a6 25.b4 Qe7

How would you assess this late-middlegame position?

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White has pressure against e5, while Black occupies the open file. The engines reckon the position is completely equal.

26.Qe3 Nh5 27.Kf1?!

Bishops are not particularly powerful in this position as there are so many pawns on the board and the centre is fixed, but White probably should not allow his kingside pawn-formation to be damaged, although he does end up with knight against bad-ish bishop.

27...Nxg3 28.fxg3 Qd8 29.Ke2?

Better is 29.Qe2.

29...Bb6 30.Qc1 Qf6?

Strong is 30...Rd3, eg 31.Qc2 Re3+ 32.Kf1 Qf6 33.Rd1 (the engines reckon either this or 33.Ra3!? is best) 33...Rxf3+! 34.gxf3 Qxf3+ 35.Ke1 Qxg3+ with Black getting much more than enough for the exchange.

31.Qc2 Qe6 32.b3 Qe7 33.Rd1 Rxd1 34.Qxd1 c5 35.c4!? cxb4 36.Qd5 Qc5 37.Qxc5 Bxc5 38.Nxe5

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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Black has fewer pawn-islands and has hopes of creating a queenside passer, but White's knight will be able to use d5 as a strong outpost. The engines reckon Black has the better side of equality.

38...f6 39.Nd3 b6 40.Kf3 Bd6 41.g4!?

The engines prefer 41.Nf4 or 41.Ke3.

41...Kf7 42.Ke3 Ke6 43.Ne1

TR offered a draw.

43...Be5 44.Kd3 a5 45.Nc2 Bd6 46.Nd4 Ke5 47.g3

TR offered a draw.

47...g6 48.Nc6+ Ke6 49.Nd4+ Kd7 50.Ne2 Be5 51.Nf4 Bg5 52.Nd5

TR offered a draw in my time (just).

52...Kc6 53.Ne7+

Possibly better is the engines' 53.h4!? Kc5 54.h5.

53...Kc5 54.Nd5?!

Probably better is 54.h4, and if, as in the game, 54...b5, then 55.cxb5 Kxb5 56.Ng8 gives sufficient counterplay. However Black has 54...a4! 55.bxa4 b3 with promising play (Stockfish16 reckons White may be holding; Komodo14.1 gives Black the upper hand).

54...b5 55.cxb5 Kxb5 56.Kc2 a4 57.bxa4+ Kxa4 58.Nb6+ Kb5

The engines reckon 58...Ka3 wins, but I do not think it does.

Position after 58...Ka3

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The engines' mainline after 58...Ka3 runs 59.Nc4+ Ka2 60.Na5 Bc7 61.Nb3 Bxg3 62.Nc1+ Ka3 63.Nb3 Be5 64.Nd2 Ka2 65.Nb3, after which Komodo14.1 reckons Black's advantage is worth +2.04, while Stockfish16 reckons Black is about +6.00, but there seems no way for Black to make progress. But see Comments below.

Back to the game:

59.Nd5 Kc4 60.Ne3+ Kd4 61.Nf5+

TR offered a draw.

61...Kxe4 62.Kb3 Kf3

Or 62...h5 63.Kxb4 (63.gxh5?? Kxf5) hxg4 64.hxg4 Kf3 65.Nh6 Kxg3, reaching a position similar to what is reached in the game. Komodo14.1 suggests instead 65...Bd6+!?, but 66.Kc4 Bf8 67.Ng8 Bg7 68.Ne7 Kxg4, but 69.Kd5 is a tablebase draw, although this may have given better practical chances.

63.Kxb4 Bxg3 64.Kc4

TR offered a draw in my time (just).

64...Kg2 65.Nxh6 Kxh3 66.Kd5 Be5 67.Ke4 Kg3 68.Kf5 Kf3 69.Ng8 Bd4 70.Nh6 Ke3 71.Ng8 Be5 72.Nh6 Kf3 ½–½

Northumbria Round Eight

Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF) - Nicholas Fallowfield (1875 Fide/1930 ECF)

Alekhine

1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.exd6 cxd6 6.Nc3 g6 7.Be3 Bg7 8.Rc1 0-0 9.b3

Some of White's moves will probably have looked odd to those unfamiliar with Alekhine's Defence, but there are 2,660 examples of this position in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database

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One of the points of White's play is Black at some point may want to grab a bigger share of the centre by playing ...d5. If that happens it is often desirable to reply c5, and White wants to do this without allowing Black in turn to reply ...Nc4. Whether White's somewhat artificial-looking manoeuvres are worth it is another matter, but Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon the diagrammed position is slightly better for White.

9...Bf5!?

More popular are 9...e5 and especially 9...Nc6, but the text is easily the most successful percentagewise, scoring 53% in Mega23 against 9...e5's 41% and 9...Nc6's  34%.

10.Bd3!?

This is something of a sideline, the most popular moves being 10.Be2 and 10.Nf3.

10...Bxd3 11.Qxd3 d5!?

As advertised, although after ...

12.c5 Nc8

... White is ahead on development and has more queenside space. On the other hand Black has the better bishop and perhaps has hopes of forcing through the lever ...e5. The engines slightly prefer White.

13.Nf3 Nc6 14.Bf4!?

This may be a novelty. The known move is 14.0-0, when Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2608) - Javokhir Sindarov (2513), Central Asia U20 Championship (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) 2019, continued 14...e6 15.a3 N8e7 16.b4 a6 17.Na4, after which Komodo14.1 at first gives White the upper hand, while Stockfish16 gives White a slight edge. However, the more time the engines are given to look at the position, the more they  like Black's chances, albeit preferring White, who went on to win in 49 moves. Note that meeting 14.0-0 with 14...e5?! runs into 15.dxe5, uncovering the weakness of d5.

How should Black respond to the apparent novelty?

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14...Nxd4!?

The engines suggest 14...e6.

15.Nxd4 e5 16.0-0!?

Best, according to the engines, is 16.Bxe5 Bxe5 17.0-0, after which Black's IQP is passed but well-blockaded, and meanwhile White has a fairly mobile queenside pawn-majority.

16...exf4 17.Rfd1 Re8

Black equalises with 17...Ne7, according to the engines.

How should White proceed?

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18.c6!?

This leads to interesting play, but the engines prefer 18.Qf3.

18...Bxd4?

Better are 18...Rb8 and 18...Ne7.

19.cxb7 Bxf2+ 20.Kf1?!

This is good enough for an advantage, but there was no need to be so cute. After 20.Kxf2 Qb6+ 21.Qd4 Qxb7 White has 22.Nxd5, threatening two deadly forks (at f6 and c7), and Black cannot prevent both.

20...Rb8 21.bxc8=Q Rxc8 22.Kxf2

White is up a knight for two pawns, but Black has practical chances based on the passed d pawn, the weakness of the white king, and the outpost at e3

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22...Re3 23.Qd2!

This is best as 23.Qxd5? loses to  23...Qh4+ 24.Kg1 Rcxc3, the point being 25.Rxc3?? fails to 25...Re1+ 26.Rxe1 Qxe1#. If White tries 24.Kf1!?, hoping for 24...Qxh2 25.Ne2, after which White is at least equal, Black wins with 24...Rce8.

23...d4! 24.Nb5?

Also incorrect is 24.Qxd4? as 24...Qxd4 25.Rxd4 R(either)xc3 26.Rxc3 Rxc3 draws. But note that 24...Qh4+ can be met by 25.Kf1!, when 25...Rce8? fails to 26.Nd5, while 25...Qxh2 26.Ne2 is at least slightly better for White.

24...Qh4+?

The engines reckon 24...d3 25.Rxc8 Qxc8 26.Kf1 Qc5 27.Nc3 f3 is completely equal, and also 24...Rxc1 25.Rxc1 d3, albeit both lines involve sharp play.

25.Kg1 Rxc1 26.Rxc1

Not 26.Qxc1? Re2 27.Rf1 f3!

26...d3 27.Nd4 Qd8 28.Qc3 Qd5 29.Qb4 Kg7 30.Rd1?

Both 30.Rc8 and 30.Nf3 are winning.

30...Qe4 31.Qc3 Kh6?

The engines reckon Black is worse, but not losing, after 31...f6.

32.Nf3?

Strong is 32...Rf1.

Black to play and win

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32...Rxf3!

The rook cannot be taken, eg 33.gxf3? Qe3+ results in a very easily won queen-and pawn-ending.

I struggled on with 33.Qd2 Qd4+ 34.Kh1 Rf2 35.Qe1 Qe3. 36.Qb4, but eventually lost on time as I was about to be mated (0-1, 51 moves).

Northumbria Round Seven

FACED a junior (born 2013) in today's single-round.

Sujan Nargund (1480 Fide/1580 ECF) - Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF)

French Tarrasch

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6!?

There are five much-more popular moves in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database. The text first appears in a 1948 game, but was later tried by, among others, Mikhail Botvinnik.

4.Ngf3 c5

One of the ideas behind 3...a6!? is to play ...c5 without allowing the reply Bb5+.

5.exd5 exd5 6.Be2

A little-more popular in Mega23, but less successful percentage-wise, is 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Nb3 Bb6 8.Bd3 Qe7+ 9.Qe2, with White maybe having a slight edge, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1.

6...Nc6

The main move in Mega23 is 6...c4!?, but 6...Nf6 and the text are also popular.

7.c3!?

7.c3!? may be a novelty, but has a drawback, as will become clear, although the position after it has been reached 14 times in Mega23 via other move-orders

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7...Nf6 8.0-0 cxd4 9.cxd4 Bd6

The pawn-structure is more-or-less equal, but the black queen's knight and king's bishop are better placed for it than their white counterparts

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10.Re1 0-0 11.Nb3!?

Ukrainian grandmaster Yuriy Kryvoruchko played 11.Nf1 in a 2008 rapid game, but the engines prefer the text.

11...Ne4 12.Bd3 Re8 13.a3!?

Presumably played so Qc2 cannot be met by ...Nb4.

13...Bg4

How should White proceed?

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14.Be2?!

Although this is the third time the white king's bishop has moved, breaking the pin on the king's knight seems a natural thing to do. The engines suggest 14.Be3.

14...Qf6

The other obvious queen move, 14...Qc7, can be met by 15.g3. Black is better after both moves, but the engines point out the strength of 14...Bxf3! 15.Bxf3 Bxh2+ 16.Kxh2 (less damaging, according to the engines, is 16.Kf1!?, but that leaves Black up a pawn and with a continuing attack) Qh4+ 17.Kg1 Qxf2+ 18.Kh2 Qg3++ 19.Kg1 Nf2 with very strong play.

15.h3?!

Another natural-looking move, but again it allows a strong sacrificial combination, and this time I find it.

Black to play and win

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15...Bxh3!

The start of a double-piece sacrifice.

16.gxh3 Qg6+ 17.Kh1??

This allows mate-in-one. Critical is 17.Kf1.

Position that would arise after 17.Kf1

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I had planned 17...Nxf2! (the engines reckon 17...Qf5 is also good) 18.Kxf2 Qg3+ 19.Kf1 Qxh3+, after which, materially, Black only has three pawns for bishop and knight, but the attack is winning, eg 20.Kg1 Qg3+ 21.Kf1 Re6 22.Qd3 Qh3+ 23.Kf2 Bg3+ 24.Kg1 Bxe1 25.Nxe1 Rg6+ 26.Kf2 Qh4+ 27.Ke3 Qg5+ 28.Kf2 Qg1+ 29.Kf3 Qg3#.

The game finished with a much quicker mate:

17...Nf2#

Northumbria Round Six

RECEIVED a full-point bye.

Northumbria Round Five

BOTTOM-board clash.

Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF) - Richard Porter (1800 Fide/1885 ECF)

QGD Exchange

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 h6 7.Bf4!?

The main move is 7.Bh4, but the text and 7.Bxf6!? are also tried from time-to-time.

7...Bd6 8.Bxd6 Qxd6

How would you judge the exchange of Black's good bishop for White's technically bad, but active, bishop?

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It is hard to say whom the exchange favours. Stockfish16 reckons White now has a slight edge, while Komodo14.1 calls the position equal.

9.Bd3 0-0 10.Qc2 Re8 11.Nf3 Nbd7 12.0-0 Nf8 13.a3 a5 14.Ne5 Ng4 15.Nxg4 Bxg4 16.Na4!?

The Minority Attack is not White's only queenside plan in this type of position.

16...Bh5 17.Nc5 b6 18.Na4 Nd7 19.Rac1 b5 20.Nc5 Nxc5 21.Qxc5 Re6!

This is Black's only defence, eg 21...Qxc5? 22.Rxc5 Re6 23.Rfc1 Ra6 loses to White capturing on d5 or b5.

22.Rc3

If 22.Bf5, then 22...Rf6 holds, but not 22...Qxc5 23.Rxc5 Rf6 24.Bd7 etc, nor 23...Rd6 24.Rfc1 etc.

How should Black proceed?

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22...Qd8!
Black avoids an exchange of queens, which would largely nullify Black's kingside counterplay, and at the same time highlights the awkwardness of White having a queen as a lead attacker along a file that can be defended by a lesser piece.

23.Rc1!? Bg6 24.Qc2 Qg5 25.Qd2

If 25.f4, hoping for 26.f5, then simply 25...Bxd3.

25...Bxd3 26.Qxd3 Rg6 27.g3 h5 28.h4!?

Possible, as 28...Qxh4?? loses to 29.Qxg6 etc.

28...Qf6 29.Rc5 Re8 30.Rfc1?!

Probably safer is 30.Kg2.

30...Qf3

During the game I was more worried about 30...Rf6, thinking it facilitated ...Qxh4, but the engines give 31.Kg2, and if 31...Qxh4 then 32.Rxc6.

31.Rxc6

The engines reckon 31.Qf1!? may be slightly better.

Black to play and gain a maybe winning advantage

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31...Rxg3+

This is enough for a draw, but the engines point out the strength of 31...Rxe3!, eg 32.Qxe3 Rxg3+ 33.Kf1 Qg2+ 34.Ke1 Rxe3+ 35.fxe3 Qxb2, after which Black has queen and two pawns for a pair of rooks, and White has numerous weak pawns. Best seems to be the engines' 32.Qf1!?, but after 32...Rxc6 33.Rxc6 Re2 the engines reckon Black has at least a slight edge.

32.fxg3 Qxg3+ 33.Kf1 Qf3+ 34.Kg1

Now 34...Rxe3?? loses to 35.Rc8+ Re8 36.Rxe8#, but also disastrous is 34...Re4?? 35.Rc8+ Kh7 36.Re8.

34...Qg3+ ½–½

Northumbria Round Four

FACED a Scot.

Chris Sykes (1766 Fide/1990 ECF) - Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF)

New London

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Bd6 4.Bg3 Nf6 5.Nd2 b6 6.Bd3 Bb7 7.Ngf3 Ne4!?

Swedish grandmaster Nils Grandelius has three games in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database that reach the position after 7.Ngf3. In the first two he played 7...Nbd7, but then switched to the text.

How should White respond?

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8.Bxe4!?

Commonest in Mega23 is 8.c3. Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 suggest the apparent novelty 8.c4!?, but they are also OK with other moves, eg 8.Rc1.

8...dxe4 9.Ne5 Nd7!?

This may be new. Known moves are 9...0-0 and 9...Bxe5!?

10.Qg4!? Nxe5

The engines reckon Black may have an edge after 10...0-0.

11.dxe5 Bf8 12.0-0-0 h5!? 13.Qe2 h4 14.Bf4 g5??

Correct is 14...Qe7, when 15.Qb5+ Qd7!? (not 15...c6? 16.Qe2 as 16...c5 can be met by 17.Nxe4! with Nd6+ to come) 16.Qxd7+ Kxd7 17.Nxe4 Ke8 leaves Black a pawn down but with the bishop-pair and good play, eg 18.f3 Bxe4 19.fxe4 Be7 should be fine for Black. If instead 18.Nc3 then both 18...Bxg2 and 18...h3!? are available.

15.Nxe4 Qc8

Objectively better is giving up the queen.

16.Nf6+ Ke7 17.Bxg5 Bh6 1-0

Northumbria Round Three

Faced a Spanish junior (born 2010)

Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF) - Nicholas Kowalski Rubiales (1694 Fide/1708 ECF)

Philidor

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.f4 e5 5.Nf3

Considered harmless is 5.fxe5 dxe5 6.dxe5 Nxe5 7.Qxd8+, as after 7...Kxd8 the black king is not in danger.

5...exd4 6.Qxd4

The queen is not easily harassed here, so the text is much more popular than 6.Nxd4.

6...c6 7.Be2

Normal is 7.Be3, one point being 7...Ng4 can be met by 8.Bg1.

How should Black proceed?

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7...Qb6

Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon Black equalises with 7...d5!?, eg 8.exd5 Bc5 9.Qd3 Nd5 10.Nxd5 cxd5, when 11.Qxd5!? is risky in view of 11...Qa5+, eg 12.Qd2 Qb6! with obvious compensation.

8.Qxb6 Nxb6?!

Probably better is 8...axb6, the half-open a file, and the fact the a pawn now covers two squares instead of one, being more than enough compensation for doubled pawns.

9.a4 Bg4 10.a5 Nbd7 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Bxf3

White's bishop-pair and extra space are positionally winning (Stockfish16), or at least give the upper hand (Komodo14.1)

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12...g6?!

Since the dark-square bishop needs to defend the weak d pawn, the text is almost certainly a waste of time and weakening.

13.Be3 Be7?!

Black probably needs to play 13...a6.
14.0-0?!

Much stronger is 14.a6, eg 14...b6 runs into 15.e5.

14...0-0?!

Again ...a6 is probably necessary.

15.Rad1

Still good is a6, but the text is also positionally winning, according to the engines.

15...a6 16.g4 Ne8 17.Na4 Bd8 18.b4 Bc7 19.c4 Rd8 20.Rd3

Even stronger is 20.c5, eg 20...dxc5 21.Nxc5 Nxc5 22.Rxd8 Bxd8 23.Bxc5, winning the exchange. One suggestion of the engines is 20...g5!? 21.fxg5 Ne5, but they agree White is winning.

20...Nef6 21.Rfd1!? Rfd8 22.c5

This is strong, but best seems to be the engines' 22.Bb6!?, eg 22...Bxb6+ 23.axb6 Nxe4 24.Bxe4 Rxe4 25.Rxd6, or 22...Nxb6 23.axb6 Bb8 24.Nc5 Re7 25.e5 Ne8 26.Ne4.

22...Nxe4 23.cxd6 Nxd6 24.Kf2?

Black cannot avoid losing significant material after the engines' 24.Bf2.

24...Nf8?

The engines reckon 24...Nc4 and 24...Nf6 equalise.

25.Nc5?

Easily winning is 25.Bb6.

25...Ne6?!

The engines reckon 25...Nc4 and 25...h6 keep Black's disadvantage to a minimum.

26.Nxb7??

White is much better after 26.Nxe6 Rxe6 27.f5.

26...Nxc7 27.Bxc6 Rxd3 28.Rxd3 Rb8

Even stronger is 28...Rd8!

29.Rd7

What should Black play?

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29...Nbd8

Probably better is the engines' 29...Nd6!?

30.f5 Nxc6?!

Probably better are 30...Bf4 and 30...Rxb4!?

31.fxe6 Be5?!

Not 31...Be8?? as 32.exf7+ mates, but Black should probably have given the piece back by 31...fxe6 32.Rxc7, when 32...Nxb4 leaves Black a pawn up, but White has the better pieces.

32.exf7+ Kh8 33.Bc5

The engines prefer putting the king on a light square, for example 33.Ke2!?

33...Bg7 34.Rc7?

Better is 34.Rd6 Ne5 35.Rxa6. After 35...Nxf7? 36.Rb6 the white queenside pawns are too strong, so Black has to play 35...Nd3+ and 35...Nxc5, when the engines reckon White has just a slight edge.

34...Bd4+ 35.Bxd4 Nxd4 36.Re7?!

White is equal after 36.Ke3 or 36.Rb7!?, according to the engines.

36...Rf8 37.Ra7 Nc6 38.Rxa6 Rxf7+ 39.Ke2 Nxb4 40.Rb6 Nd5 41.Rd6?!

There are more drawing chances, according to the engines, with 41.Rb8+ Kg7 42.a6.

41...Nf4+ 42.Kd2 Nxh3 43.a6 Kg7 44.Rb6 Kh6 45.Rb7 Rf2+ 46.Ke3 Ra2 47.a7 Rc3+ 48.Kd4 Nf2 49.g5+ Kxg5 50.Rxh7

Black to play and win

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50...Kg4

The engines give the only winning move as 50...Ra5!

51.Kc5 Ne4+ 52.Kb6 g5

White to play and draw

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53.Kb7??

The obvious 53.Rh8 is one of several moves that draw.

53...Nd6+ 54.Kb8

Or 54.Kc6 Nb8 etc, while 54.Ka8, hoping for stalemate, loses to 54...Rc3.

54...Rb3+ 55.Kc7 Nb5+ 56.Kc6 Nxa7 57.Rxa7 Rd3 58.Rg7 Kh4 59.Kc5 g4 60.Kc4 Rd8 0-1

Northumbria Round Two

Faced  a junior (born 2008).

Olga Latypova (1542 Fide/1819 ECF) - Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF)

Sicilian Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0 Bd7

There are 13,456 games with this position in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database

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10.f3

Géza Maróczy played 10.h3 in a 1906 game, the same move as had been played against him two years earlier by Rudolf Swiderski in the first known example of the Bind (it was named after Maróczy because of his advocation of c4 in Sicilian-like structures).

10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6

This is fine - indeed it is the main move in Mega23 - but one of the points of ...Bc6 is to oblige White to reply f3, slowing down any White kingside attack. Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 suggest, among other moves, 11...Nh5!?, the point being White should normally be reluctant to give up the dark-square bishop in Maróczy Bind structures even if in doing so the black fianchettoed bishop is exchanged. If White avoids the exchange with 12.Be3, then 12...Bxc3!? is interesting. However, ...Bc6 is not played just to put pressure on e4, but also to clear a square for the black king's knight to reroute to c5.

12.Be3 Nd7 13.Qd2 Nc5 14.Rfd1

Possible is 14.b4!? as 14...Na4 can be met by 15.Nxa4, when Black has to reply 15...Bxa4, allowing, for example, 16.Rac1, as 15...Bxa1? is hit by 16.b5, as in Dana Reizniece-Ozola (2312) - Margeir Pétursson (2487), Pühajärve (Estonia) Rapid 2018 (1-0, 51 moves).

14...a5 15.Qc2 Qb6 16.Rab1 a4 17.Kf2?!

There are probably too many pieces on the board to bring the king forward like this, especially as it is now on the same file as a black rook.

17...f5 18.exf5 Rxf5 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.Rxd5 Rxd5 21.cxd5 Rc8 22.b4!?

Black is forced to capture, and so the white rook comes into play.

22..axb3 23.Rxb3 Qc7 24.Rb5 Qd7 25.Qb1 Rc7 26.Ra5 Be5 27.Bb5 Qd8 28.Ra7 e6!?

It is risky opening lines when the opponent has the bishop-pair.

29.g3 exd5 30.Qd1 d4 31.Bxd4 Qf6?

Better is 31...Bxd4+ 32.Qxd4 and either 32...Ne6 or 32...d5. Stockfish16 reckons that is equal, but Komodo14.1 prefers White.

32.Bc4+?

Missing the win of a pawn by 32.Bxc5 dxc5 33.Qd5+ and Rxb7. The engines reckon it is better to give up the b pawn by 32...Rxc5, but White is on top.

32...Kg7?

The game is completely equal after 32...Ne6, according to the engines.

33.Bxc5

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 33.Be3!?, when the threat of Qd5 is hard to meet. Best play may be 33...Ne4+ 34.Kg2 Nc3 35.Qd3, after which the black knight is awkwardly placed, and Black has the less-safe king.

33...dxc5 34.Qd5 Bd4+ 35.Kg2 Qb6 36.Ra8 Qb2+ 37.Kh3 Qg1 38.Qg8+ Kh6 39.Qf8+ Qg7?!

Completely equal is 39...Rg7, according to the engines.

40.Qf4+ g5 41.Qd6+ Qg6 42.Qxg6+?!

White has the upper hand, according to the engines, after 42.Rd8 Qxd6 (forced) 43.Rxd6+ Kg7 44.a4.

42...Kxg6 43.Rg8+ Kf6 44.Kg2 Bd4 45.Rf8+ Ke5 46.Re8+

OL offered a draw in my time (just).

Most of the rest of the game is the story of me overpressing in an equal - at best - position while my opponent is more-or-less on the increment

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46...Kd6 47.Re6+ Kd7 48.Rh6 Ke8 49.Be6+

White is at least slightly better after 49.h4, according to the engines.

49...Kb8 50.Bf5 Re7 51.Bd3 Re3 52.Bc4 Rc3 53.Bd5 Rc2+ 54.Kf1!?

Arguably more ambitious is 54.Kh3, although Stockfish16 reckons both moves give complete equality. However Komodo14.1 at first reckons Black has a slight edge after the text, but eventually switches to equality.

54...b5 55.Rxh7 b4 56.Re7!?

The natural 56.h4 is rated only marginally better by the engines.

56...Rxh2 57.Re8+ Kc7 58.Rg8 Ke6 59.Rxg5 Rh1+ 60.Ke2 Be5?!

The engines reckon 60...Rh2+ and 60...Bf6 give equality.

How should White proceed?

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61.f4?!

Preserving the bishop gives White at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

61...Rh2+ 62.Kd3 Bc3?

Continuing to look for traps, but now the engines reckon White is winning. Correct is 62...Kxd5.

63.Bb3 Rd2+ 64.Kc4 Bd4 65.Rg6+ Ke7 66.g4 Be3 67.f5 Bd4 68.g5 Rg2 69.Re6+?!

White seems to be still winning after this, but much stronger is 69.f6+.

69...Kf8 70.g6?

Black has a draw after this, while 70.Rg6 looks good, eg 70...Be3 71.Rc6! Rxg5 72.Kd3 Bd4 73.f6 (threatening 74.Rc8#) Re5 74.Be6, after which Black has to give up the exchange.

Black to play and draw

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70...Rg4?

I offered a draw, but I should have played 70...Rf2, which does draw as White cannot save the f pawn.

71.Kb5 Rf4

White to play and win

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72.f6?

Winning is 72.Bc2, eg 72...Rf2 73.Be4 Rxa2 74.f6 Ra7 75.Bd5 etc.

72...Bxf6!? 73.Kxc5 Kg7 74.Re2

OL offered a draw in my time.

74...Kxg6 75.Bc2+ Kg7 76.Re4 ½–½

Northumbria Round One

FACED a teen (born 2004).

Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF) - Owen Crawford (no Fide/1740 ECF)

Veresov

1.Nc3 Nf6 2.d4 d5 3.Bg5 g6!?

This is only the seventh commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, which is slightly surprising when one considers how popular kingside fianchetto systems are against 1.d4.

4.Qd2 Bg7 5.Bh6 Bxh6 6.Qxh6 c5 7.dxc5!? Qa5 8.0-0-0!? Qxc5 9.e3

How should Black proceed?

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9...a6!?

This apparent novelty - known moves are 9...Nc6 and 9...Bg4 - is the top choice of Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1.

10.Nf3 Bg4 11.Be2 Nbd7 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Rc8?

Over optimistic. The obvious 13...e6 is better, as is 13...Nb6,

How should White continue?

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14.Rd2?

Naturally not 14.Nxd5?? Qxc2#, but 14.Bxd5 safely wins a pawn. I rejected it because of 14...b5, missing that 15.Rd2, among other moves, is fine as 15...b4?! can be met by either 16.Ne4 or 16.Na4.

14...Qa5 15.Kb1 Ne5

What should White play?

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16.Rhd1?

This would have been the best reply to 15...Nc5?, but here it is disastrous. The engines reckon the game is equal after both 16.Rd4 and 16.Rxd5!?

How can Black punish White's error?

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16...Rxc3!

This is winning, according to the engines.

17.Rxd5!

The best try. After 17.Bxd5 Rc8 Black is piece-for-pawn up.

17...Nxd5?

The simple 17...Rc5 is much better. White can keep the game going with either 18.Rd8+!? Qxd8 19.Rxd8+ Kxd8 20.Bxb7, or 18.Rxc5 Qxc5 19.Bxb7, but in both cases Black's material advantage should tell.

18.Bxd5?

After 18.Qg7 Rf8 19.Qxe5 Rc8 20.Rxd5 White is the exchange down, but has a pawn and superior coordination.

18...Rd3!?

This may be better - the engines disagree - than the simple 18...Rc5.

19.cxd3 Qxd5

Black has emerged from the complications up a knight for a pawn, and White is doomed once the black rook gets into play

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20.Qg7 Rf8 21.e4

No improvement is 21.Qxh7 Qxg2.

21...Qb5 22.f4 Nc6 23.Qc3 Qa4 24.Rc1 Kd7 25.Qg7 Rc8!

White has found a way to quickly get the rook into play.

26.Qxf7

This sets up a beautiful finish, but White was lost anyway.

Black to play and finish in style

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26...Nb4! 27.Rxc8 Qd1+ 28.Rc1 Qd3+ 29.Ka1 Nc2+ 0-1

Challenging Schedule

THERE are now 49 entries in the Challengers, which makes it the largest of the seven sections at the Northumbria congress.

The time control for the Fide-rated tournaments is all moves in 90 minutes, with a 30-second increment throughout.

The playing schedule has minor quirks, which hopefully will not catch out participants.

Thursday - 10:00 & 15:00

Friday - 12:00 & 17:00

Saturday - 10:00 & 15:00

Sunday - 15:00

Monday - 12:00 & 17:00

Players must register their attendance by email by 20:00 this evening.

Northern Challenge

AM making final preparations for traveling to Newcastle tomorrow for Tim Wall's annual Northumbria congress.

There are, it seems, seven sections: four Fide-rated nine-round tournaments, a five-round ECF tournament, a GM-norm tournament and a tournament variously labelled WGM and IM.

I have entered the Challengers, which is for players with a Fide rating U2000, or with no Fide rating (one entrant does not have Fide standard rating and has a blitz one over 2000, but his ECF standard rating is well under 1800).

I have played in four previous editions of this congress (covid scuppered 2020), without much success.

YEAR  RATING  SCORE  RATING PERFORMANCE 

2018        1901     +1=3-5                   1772

2019        1836     +4=3-2                   1874

2021        1736     +5=1-3                   1737

2022        1822     +2=0-7                   1555

Are You Striving To Win Or To Not Lose?

I KNOW fairly well two players, who for the purposes of this post I will call Alan and Ray.

Both compete in congresses in Britain and abroad, and are roughly equally strong.

Alan currently has the higher Fide rating, but Ray has the better English Chess Federation rating.

Despite their approximate parity in playing strength, their tournament performances are very different.

Alan, as far as I am aware, virtually never wins a tournament, and rarely gets a rating prize, but then again he almost never has a stinker of a tournament.

Ray quite often wins prizes, either by topping a tournament or winning a rating category in an open event, but he also sometimes has a dreadful performance hundreds of points below his rating.

Alan usually opens 1.d4, and used to primarily play the London System, but also plays exchange variations of the QGD and the Slav.

As Black his main defence to 1.e4 and 1.d4, according to ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, has been 1...d6, which tends to avoid early tactical clashes of the pieces.

Alan seems happy to take a draw, especially against higher-rated opponents, even when there is lots of play left in a position.

The same database shows Ray exclusively opens 1.e4, generally preferring aggressive continuations, including the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit against the Scandinavian (1.e4 d5 2.d4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3), the Ponziani and 3.Nc3 or 3.e5 against the French.

Against 1.d4 he plays the Albin Countergambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5)  if allowed, or the Liberated Bishop if not (1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Bf5).

Against 1.e4 Ray has often played the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon, but has also played other Sicilian variations and the Scandinavian.

In my experience he almost never takes an early draw, insisting on playing out a game until the outcome is definitely decided.

I was reminded of these two approaches after friends at two recent tournaments, where I gained quite a few rating points, came up to me and said words to the effect: "I don't want to demean your results, but I wish my opponents made the sort of mistakes yours do, especially in the opening."

When this was first said to me, I did not know how to reply, but thinking about it afterwards I realised there are good reasons why I sometimes get 'lucky'.*

I generally play aggressively, and I try a wide variety of opening systems, which means both players are often on their own resources and under pressure from an early stage.

I also virtually never agree an early draw, even against higher rated players (not that many of them offer early draws), playing on until a position has been exhausted.

This can rebound on me, my round-eight game at Olomouc last week being a good example.

I suppose in an ideal world we would all combine the best of Alan with the best of Ray, and be solidly aggressive, or perhaps that should be aggressively solid.

Arguably, that describes Magnus's style.

The world No1 is known for being both solid and aggressive, and for playing out games to the bitter end.

He also has a wide opening repertoire, and I like to think in that respect I am a third of the way to becoming a new Magnus.

Then again I like to think a lot of things.

*You can learn more about improving your luck by reading David LeMoir's How To Be Lucky In Chess (Gambit 2001).

Summing Up Olomouc

MY score in the Czech seniors' open championship of +5=2-2, which included a round-one unrated win, gained 23.8 Fide elo.

Entrance to the venue hotel

Olomouc 65+ Round Nine

FACED a Czech in today's final round.

Václav Lexa (1767) - Spanton (1858)

QGD 4...c5

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c5!? 5.cxd5 cxd4

The move 4...c5!? is often called the Dutch-Peruvian Gambit, with 5...cxd4 starting the Dutch branch and 5...Qb6 the Peruvian one.

6.Qxd4 Be7 7.e3!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database runs 7.e4 Nc6 8.Qd2 and either 8...Nxe4!? or 8...Nxd5!?, in each case with sharp play.

7...exd5 8.Nf3

Not 8.Bxf6 Bxf6 9.Qxd5?? Bxc3+ etc.

8...0-0!?

Holding back on ...Nc6 in order to leave White in a quandary over where to develop the light-square bishop.

How should White proceed?

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9.Ne5?!

Usual is 9.Be2.

9...Nc6

Ferenc Vándor (2004) - István Horváth (2202), Hungarian Team Championship 2006, featured the strange 9...Bf5?! 10.Bd3?! (10.Bxf6 is more to the point), after which 10...Bxd3 11.Qxd3 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.0-0 h6 14.Bh4 resulted in a premature draw.

10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bd3 c5 12.Qf4?!

Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 prefer 12.Qh4 or 12.Qa4.

While I pondered my next move, VL offered a draw.

12...h6

Black's advantage is even bigger, according to the engines, after 12...Nh5, when 13.Bxe7 Nxf4 14.Bxd8 Nxd3+ leaves White in big trouble (15.Ke2 Ba6). Less worse for Black seems to be 13.Qh4 (or 13.Qf3) Bxg5 14.Qxh5, but 14...g6 followed by 15...d4 leaves Black well on top.

13.Bxf6

Not 15.Bxh6? Ng4!

13...Bxf6

What should White play?

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14.Nxd5?

Imaginative but incorrect. The engines give 14.0-0 or 14.Qf3, but with at least a slight edge for Black.

14...Qxd5 15.Be4 Qd8 16.Bxa8 Qa5+ 17.b4

Or 17.Ke2 Ba6+ 18.Kf3 Rxa8, when the bishop-pair and Black's attacking chances against the exposed white king are much more than enough for rook and pawn. Even worse is 17.Kd1? Rd8+ 18.Kc1?? (18.Ke2 is better, but then comes 18...Ba6+ and 19...Rxa8) Qd2+ 19.Kb1 Qxb2#. The engines marginally prefer 17.Kf1, but 17...Ba6+ 18.Kg1 Rxa8 is again very good for Black.

17...Bc3+ 18.Ke2 Ba6+ 19.Kf3 cxb4 20.Be4?!

Both 20.Bc6!? and 20.Qe4 are slightly better, according to the engines.

20...f5!

This is better than simply winning back the exchange.

21.Bc6

Or 21.Bc2 Qd5+ 22.Kg3 g5 etc.

21...Be5 22.Qh4 g5 0-1

Rubbish No Longer

OLOMOUC botanical garden, which includes a rosarium and insect 'hotels', is sited on an old municipal rubbish dump, and flows over part of the city's former defences.

Olomouc 65+ Round Eight

FACED a Czech today.

Spanton (1858) - Alois Bartoš (1884)

Veresov

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 c5 5.e4!?

This aggressive continuation is nowhere near as popular as 5.e3 and especially 5.Bxf6, but dates back to at least a 1934 game of Kurt Richter, after whom the opening is sometimes named.

4...Nxe4 5.Nxe4 dxe4 6.dxc5!?

Strong players have tended to prefer 6.d5, in Albin Countergambit-style, but Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 like the text.

6...Qa5+ 7.Qd2 Qxd2+!?

The engines slightly prefer this to grabbing a pawn with 7...Qxc5, when they reckon White has sufficient compensation.

8.Bxd2 e5 9.b4  10.c3 Bf5

The engines prefer 10...Nc6 or 10...Be6, apparently wanting to leave the f5 square for the black f pawn.

11.Ne2

And they dislike this because Black can reply 11...Be6, meeting 12.Ng3 with 12...f5, so instead they suggest 11.Bc4.

11...Be7 12.Ng3 Bg6 13.Bb5+ Nc6 14.0-0 0-0

With both sides castled, how would you assess the position?

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Material is level, both sides have doubled pawns and both sides have a pawn-majority with two extra pawns (4-2 on the queenside for White; 5-3 on the kingside for Black). The engines reckon the position is equal.

15.Rfd1 Rfd8 16.Bc4?!

Probably better is 16.a4.

16...Rd7

The engines point out Black can get rid of his doubled pawns with 16...e3!, one point being 17.fxe3? runs into 17...Bc2 or, possibly even better, 17...axb4 18.cxb4 Bc2. White can play 17.Bxe3, but 17...axb4 18.cxb4 Nxb4 favours Black, or 17.Be1, but then 17...exf2+ 18.Kxf2 axb4 19.cxb4 Nd4 gives Black at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

17.Be1 Rad8 18.Rxd7 Rxd7 19.Bb5 Kf8 20.Ba4 Rd8 21.Rd1 Raxd1 22.Bxd1 Ke8

How should White proceed?

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23.b5?!

A little combination to undouble White's c pawns, but it frees Black's game, and at the end of the combination Black gets rid of his doubled pawns. Almost certainly better is 23.Bg4.

23...Nb8 24.c4 Bxc5 25.Bxa5 e3 26.fxe3 Bxe3 27.Kf1 Kd7?!

Black should probably bring the knight back into play with 27...Nd7.

28.Bg4+ Kd6

The engines prefer retreating with 28...Ke7!?

What should White play?

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29.Nf5+

This wins the bishop-pair, but the engines much prefer 29.Bf5!?, when 29...Bxf5?? loses a piece to 30.Nxf5+, and 29...Kc5?? loses a piece to 30.Bc7. Best, according to Stockfish16, is 29...b6 30.Bb4+ Bc5. Komodo14.1 also likes that line, and 30.Ne4+. In both cases White has an initiative, while after ...

29...Bxf5 30.Bxf5 g6 31.Bd3 Nd7

... Black's strong king seems to compensate for the bishop-pair.

32.Ke2 Bg1 33.h3 Kc5 34.a3 f5 35.Kd2 e5 36.Be2 b6 37.Bb4+ Kd4 38.a4 f4 39.a5 bxa5 40.Bxa5 Kc5 41.Kc3 Bf2 42.Bb4+ Kb6 43.Be7 Be3 44.Bg5 Kc5 45.Bg4 Ne5 46.Be7+ Kb6 47.Bd8+ Kc5 48.Be6 Bd4+

How should White continue?

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49.Kd2?

Drawing is 49.Kb3, and possibly 49.Kc2!?, as I will explain later.

49...Nxc4+ 50.Bxc4 Kxc4 51.b6 Kb5

If the white king were on c2 instead of d2, White could play 52.Bc7, winning the f pawn with good drawing chances (Stockfish16 reckons the position is equal, although Komodo14.1's evaluation of the upper hand for Black may be nearer the mark, at least in practical play).

52.b7

If 52.Bc7? then 52...Be3+ followed by 53...Kc6 wins.

52...Be5 53.Bf6 Bb8 54.Kc3 Kc6

The engines' 54...Kc5!? is probably even stronger, eg 55.Bg5 Be5+ 56.Kd2 Kc6 etc.

55.Kd4 e3 56.Kd3 Kxb7 57.g3 fxg3 58.Kxe3 Kc6 59.Kf3 Kd5 60.Bh4 Ke6 61.Bxg3?

The pawn-ending is trivially lost. Komodo14.1 reckons Black is also winning if the bishops stay on, but Stockfish16 reckons in that case Black only has a slight edge. What suggests it may indeed be drawn is that the engines' evaluations are exactly the same after most White moves, eg 61.Kg2, 61.Bd8 and 61.Bg5 (+2.2 for Black, according to Komodo14.1; +0.75, according to Stockfish16), which is often the sign of a position where a material advantage cannot be converted into a win with best play.

61...Bxg3 62.Kxg3 Kf5

Also winning is 62...Ke5, but pushing either pawn would only draw (Syzygy endgame tablebase).

63.h4 h6 64.Kf3 h5 65.Kg3 Ke4 0-1

Doubling Up

OLOMOUC has many churches and, unusually for a non-capital city, two cathedrals.

The well-known one is the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Saint Wenceslas, but Olomouc also has the Eastern Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Gorazd.

The Church of Saint Gorazd was consecrated in 1939 and became a cathedral in 1950

Gorazd was a prominent follower of the Byzantine brothers Cyril* and Methodius, who preached to and converted many Slavs in the 800s.

In 1921, when the Roman Catholic priest Matěj Pavlík converted to Eastern Orthodoxy, he was made Bishop of Moravia and Silesia with the new name of Gorazd.

Bishop Gorazd was executed in 1942 after a group of British-trained Czechs and Slovaks, who had assassinated leading Nazi Reinhard Heydrich, were found hiding in the crypt of Prague Cathedral.

The bishop, although he had only learnt of the resistance fighters' presence days after they arrived, accepted full responsibility, and was tortured for his pains before being shot.

In 1961 the Serbian Orthodox Church declared Bishop Gorazd a New Martyr, a title mainly given to those killed since Pagan Roman times by non-Orthodox Christians, Muslims and Communists.

In 1987, at St Gorazd's Cathedral in Olomouc, Bishop Gorazd was declared a saint.

*Cyrillic script is named after him.

Olomouc 65+ Round Seven

UPFLOATED against a Czech Fide master today.

Vlastimil Sejkora (2139) - Spanton (1858)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Qe2!?

This is much less popular than the recently fashionable 5.Re1 and than the main move 5.d4, but has been played by leading grandmasters.

5...Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Qxe5+

ChessBase's 2023 Mega database has 291 games with this position - how should Black proceed?

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7...Qe7

This is easily the commonest reply, and is the choice of Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1, but 7...Be6 and 7...Be7!? have also been played.

8.Qa5 Qd8!? 9.Re1+ Be7 10.d3 0-0

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

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The engines reckon White's lead in development is balanced by Black's bishop-pair.

11.Bf4

This may be a novelty. Zoltán Varga (2518) - József Pintér (2581), Hungarian Championship (Lillafüred) 1999, went 11.Bg5!? Bxg5 12.Qxg5 Qxg5 13.Nxg5 Nf5 14.Nf3 Be6, after which Black no longer had the bishop-pair but had caught up in development. The position is equal (but 1-0, 60 moves).

11...b6 12.Qd2 Bb7 13.Nc3 c5 14.Ne5!?

The engines prefer 14.Ne4, although they accept the position is equal after, say, 14...Nxe4 15.dxe4 Qxd2 16.Nxd2 Rad8 17.Nc4 Rd4.

14...g5!?

The engines reckon Black is at least slightly better after 14...Nf5.

15.Bg3 f6 16.Ng4 f5

How should White respond to Black's pawn-storm?

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17.Qe2!

Black is better after 17.Bxd6.

17...fxg4 18.Qxe7 Re8

White is better after 18...Qxe7?! 19.Rxe7.

19.Qxd8 Rxd8 20.Bxd6!?

The engines like this, either immediately or preceded by an exchange of rooks.

20...cxd6 21.Nb5 Rxe1+

The engines point out also possible is 21...Bc6!? as 22.Nxa7 runs into 22...Bd7, when they reckon best play goes 23.a4 Bxa4!? with a slight edge for Black.

22.Rxe1 a6 23.Re7

How should Black meet White's invasion of the seventh?

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23...Bc6?

The engines give two lines as maintaining equality: 23...axb5 24.Rxb7 Ra7 25.a3 b4 and 23...Bxg2 24.Nxd6 Rxd6 25.Kxg2 a5.

24.Nc7

Stronger, according to the engines, is 24.Nc3!?, a sample line running 24...h5 25.Rc7 Ba8 26.Ra7 a5 27.Nd1!? d5 28.Ne3, when they claim White has the upper hand.

24...Rd7?

The engines reckon Black holds with quiet pawn moves, eg 24...g6 and 24...a5.

White to play and gain a winning advantage

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25.Rxd7

This is good, but even stronger, as I saw just as VS moved, is 25.Nd5!, when Black has nothing better than 25...Kf8 (25...Rxe7?? 26.Nxe7+ wins the bishop) 26.Rxd7 Bxd7, after which 27.Nxb6 wins a sound pawn, and Black has the better remaining pawn-structure.

25...Bxd7 26.Nd5?

It was much better to take the a6 pawn as the knight cannot be trapped.

26...Be6 27.Nxb6 Bxa2 28.c3 Bb1 29.d4 cxd4 30.cxd4 Kf7 31.Nc4 Ke6 32.Ne3 h5 33.Kf1 Bd3+ 34.Ke1 Kd7 35.Kd2 Be4

What gives White the best chance of an advantage?

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36.d5!?

This looks counterintuitive in that the pawn becomes a target for the bishop, but the gain of space seems more important. Even so the engines reckon White has only a tiny edge.

36...Kc7 37.Kc3 Kd7 38.Kd4 Bg6 39.Nc4 Kc7 40.Nd2 Kb6 41.f3!?

Another slightly counterintuitive move in that it lets Black get rid of doubled pawns, but it gives White more space to operate in, and again is liked by the engines.

41...gxf3 42.Nxf3

Stockfish16 now gives White a slight edge, although Komodo14.1 disagrees.

42...g4 43.Nd2 Bh7 44.g3 Bg6 45.Nc4+ Kc7 46.Ke3 Be8 47.Kd4

Not 47.Kf4 Bf7 48.Ne3? Kb6 etc.

47...Bg6 48.Ne3 Kb6 49.Kc4 Be4 50.Kb4 Bd3 51.Kc3 Bg6 52.Kd4 Kc7 53.Ng2 Bf7 54.Nf4 Kb6 55.Kc4 Kc7 56.Nd3 Be8 57.Nb4 Kb6 58.Kd4 Bd7 59.Na2 Be8 60.Nc1 Bg6 61.Nb3 Kb5 62.Nd2 Kb6

Not 62...Kb4? 63.Nc4 Kb3 64.Nxd6 Kxb2, after which the white passed pawn is too strong, despite Black having what is normally the better minor piece for dealing with rival passers.

63.Nc4+ Kc7 64.b4 Be8 65.Ne3 Bg6 66.Kc4 Kb6 67.Kd4 Kc7 68.Ng2 Kb6 ½–½