Cup Chess

PLAYED for Battersea on board six (of eight) against Hammersmith in the Eastman Cup last night.

Spanton (1882) - James Stevenson (2118)

Caro-Kann Tartakower

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6

This is height of fashion in the Caro-Kann, at least in those lines with 3.Nc3.

6.Nf3 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 Re8 9.Re1 Bg4 10.Rxe8+ Qxe8 11.Qe2 Nd7 12.Bd2 Nf8 13.Re1 Qb8!?

Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 do not like this, claiming 13...Qxe2 14.Bxe2 Ne6 is equal.

14.h3 Bh5 15.Qe4

The engines reckon White is slightly better after 15.Bf5!?

15...Qc7 16.c4

And here they recommend 16.Nh4!?

16...Bg6 17.Qe3 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 Rd8 19.Qe4 Ne6 20.b3 Qd7 21.Be3 Bb4 22.Rc1 a6 23.Rc2 Bd6 24.Rd2 Nc7 25.Qc2 Re8 26.Re2 Rd8 27.Re1 Bb4 28.Bd2 Bxd2 29.Qxd2 Qd6 30.g3 Ne6

Black's pressure against d4 compensates for having an inferior pawn-structure

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31.Rd1 Nc7 32.Re1 Ne6 33.Rd1 Nc7 34.Re1 Ne6 ½–½

Hammersmith won the match 7.5-0.5.

MY BATTERSEA SEASON 2023-4

DATE.....EVENT..........................COL..RATING..OPP'S RATING..SCORE..SEASON PERF

24/10/23 London League              B      1870         2102                   =            2102

26/10/23 Central London League W     1870         2118                    =            2110

21/11/23 Eastman Cup                 W     1882         2118                    =            2113