Fagernes Round Nine

UPFLOATED against a junior (born 2009).

Christine Nordahl (1673) - Spanton (1876)

London System

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6!? 3.Bf4 e6 4.e3 Bd6 5.Bg3 Nf6 6.c4 Ne4!?

How should White react to this knight sortie?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

7.Bxd6!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, albeit in a position that is quite obscure, so there are few examples, runs 7.Nc3!? Nxg3 8.hxg3 dxc4 9.Bxc4, with White having the upper hand, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1. Note that 7.Bh4? can be met by 7...Bb4+, when 8.Nbd2?? loses to 8...Bxd2+.

7...Qxd6 8.Nc3!? Nxc3 9.bxc3 0-0 10.Rb1 b6 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Qc2 Bg4 13.Ng5!? Qg6 14.Qxg6 hxg6

How would you assess this queenless middlegame?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White's superior pawn-structure gives a slight edge, according to the engines.

15.Bd3 f6 16.h3!? Bd7 17.Nf3 Ne7 18.c4 Be6 19.Nd2 dxc4 20.Bxc4 Bxc4 21.Nxc4 Rac8 22.Ke2 c5 23.Nd6!? Rc6 24.dxc5 Rxc5 25.Rhc1 Rd5

Exchanging rooks probably helps White as the queen's rook is more active on c1 than on b1.

26.Nb5 Rfd8!?

The passive 26...Nc8?! lets White occupy the seventh rank with the king's rook.

27.Nd4

After 27.Nxa7 Rd2+ 28.Ke1 Rxa2 Black threatens to double on the seventh.

27...Nf5 28.Rc7!? Nxd4 29.exd4 R8d7 30.Rxd7 Rxd7 31.Kd3 Kf7 32.Re1 Re7?

Komodo14.1 does not realise it until shown further along the continuation, but this is a losing move.

33.Rxe7+! Kxe7

I went for this pawn-ending without seriously considering the position, thinking my queenside pawn-majority would be decisive, but White is winning thanks to having much the better king

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

34.Kc4 a6?!

Black can make it trickier for White with 34...Kd6, but 35.Kb5 Kd5 36.Ka6 Kxd4 37.Kxa7 b5 38.Kb6 Kc4 39.f4! (the key move, it seems) wins, eg 39...g5 40.f5 b4 41.g4 b3 42.axb3+ Kxb3 43.Kc6 etc.

35.Kd5 Kd7 36.a4?

This throws away the win by making it much easier for Black to create a queenside passer. Instead, White should wait for Black to run out of pawn moves on the kingside, after which the black king will have to give way without serious hope of queening either queenside pawn.

36...g5 37.g3 f5 38.f4 gxf4 39.gxf4 g6 40.h4

The black king finally has to give way, but Black holds the draw thanks to the advanced position of the white a pawn

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

40...Kc7 41.Ke6 b5 42.axb5 axb5 43.Kd5 Kb6 44.Ke6 Kc7 45.Ke7 Kc6 46.Ke6 Kc7 ½–½

Better Late Than Never

SUNSHINE broke through this afternoon, the last day of the congress.

Today's blue skies and warm sunshine are very reminiscent of last year, when Easter fell a week later

Fagernes Round Eight

Bjørn Dybvik (1656) - Spanton (1876)

Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.h3 Na5!? 7.Bb3 Nxb3 8.axb3 a6

After a little flurry of action, how would you assess the position?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black has the bishop-pair, at least temporarily, but White has a half-open a file and a slight lead in development. Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon the game is equal.

9.Bg5!?

White could get rid of the bishop-pair with the apparent-novelty 9.Be3, but the text is perhaps more ambitious.
9....h6 10.Bh4 Be6

The engines reckon 10...g5!? gives Black a slight edge.

11.d4!? exd4 12.Nxd4

12.Qd3!? gives White just about enough compensation for a pawn, according to the engines.

12...g5 13.Nxe6

The engines prefer 13.Bg3 Nxe4 and either 14.Nc3 or 14.b4!?, the point about the latter being 14...Bxb4?? loses to 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Qd4.

13...fxe6 14.Bg3 Nxe4 15.Qh5+?!

White should move the king, either to h1 or h2, according to the engines, but Black would have the upper hand.

15...Kf8?

Black has a large advantage after 15...Kd7 as 16.Qf7+ is simply met by 16...Qe7.

16.Qf3+ Nf6 17.Qxb7 Kg7!?

The engines fluctuate between the text and 17...a5.

18.Rxa6 Rxa6 19.Qxa6

How would you assess this imbalanced middlegame?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black has pressure against the white king's position, and the white bishop is restricted, but it is the black king that is more exposed. Meanwhile White is a (doubled) pawn up. The engines for quite some time give White a slight edge, but come to call the position more-or-less equal.

19...Rf8 20.Qe2 e5 21.Nc3 Bd4 22.Nd1 Qe8 23.c3 Bb6 24.Ne3 Qf7?!

Probably better is 24...Ne4.

25.c4?!

Much harder to meet is 25.Nc4, eg 25...Ba7 can be answered by 26.Ra1, and after 25...Nh5 26.Bh2 the black bishop virtually has to withdraw at a7 anyway. True, the white rook cannot then take the a file, but the engines reckon 27.b4 gives at least a slight edge.

25...Ne4 26.Bh2 h5!?

This looks risky, but it keeps white pieces off the g4 and h5 squares.

27.Nd1 Nc5?

White gets an initiative after this. Instead 27...Qf5 or 27...Qg6 leaves Black with  full compensation for a pawn, according to the engines.

28.b4 Ne6 29.c5 Ba7 30.Qa6 Bb8

In three moves Black has gone from having an active bishop pressing on the white king's position to having a bishop so passive it is worse than its opposite number

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

31.Nc3 Nd4 32.Ne4 Qf5 33.Ng3 Qg6 34.Ne2 Nf5 35.Qd3 Qf6

The engines prefer 35...g4, but give White at least the upper hand.

36.Ng3 Nxg3 37.fxg3?

A major misreading of the coming bishop-and-pawn ending.

37...Qxf1+ 38.Qxf1 Rxf1 39.Kxf1 c6!?

One of several moves that give complete equality, according to the engines.

40.g4!? hxg4 41.hxg4

The engines reckon 41.cxd6 and 41.b5!? maintain complete equality, eg 41.cxd6 Bxd6 42.b5!? cxb5 43.hxg4. Their point is that after the text Black can play 41...d5, which at first they believe gives a slight edge. But Stockfish16 comes to evaluate the position as still equal, while Komodo14.1, although preferring Black, cannot seem to make progress.

41...Kf6 42.Kd2 Kd6 43.Kd3 Kd5 44.cxd6 Bxd6 45.Bg1 Bxb4

Black has restored material equality, and has a passed pawn, but cannot make progress, according to the engines, who again call the game completely equal

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

46.Be3 Be7 47.b3 e4+ 48.Kd2 Bf6 49.Kc2 Ke5 50.Kd2 Bd8 51.Kc2 Kf6 52.Kc3 Ke5 53.Kc4 Be7 54.Kc3 Kd5 55.Kd2 c5!?

Putting another pawn on a dark square, but I do not believe there is any other way to try to make something happen.

56.Kc3 Bf6+ 57.Kd2 Kc6 58.Kc2 Kb5 59.Bd2 Be7 60.Kb2 c4

What should White play?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

61.b4?!

Many moves hold the draw easily, including Kc2, Bc1, Be3 and g3. The text may also draw, but makes the position tricky for White.

61...Bf6+

Perhaps 61...Ka4 is a better try, but 62.Kc2 Bxb4 63.Bxg5 is equal, and it is not clear Black can improve. Komodo14.1 likes 62...Bf6, but Stockfish16 reckons 63.b5!? Kxb5 64.Be3 holds, and Komodo14.1 more-or-less agrees that it gives Black only a slight edge.

62.Kc2 Ka4

White to play and draw

*****

*****

*****
*****

*****

63.Be1?

White has to be prepared to give up the b pawn, eg 63.b5!? Kxb5 64.Be3, the key to the draw being to maintain the blockade of the e pawn by the bishop and the c pawn by the king. Therefore 63.Be3!? and 63.Bc1 also draw.

63...e3 64.Kd1

This loses, but there is no defence as giving up the b pawn no longer works, eg 64.b5 Kxb5 65.Bg3 Kb4 66.Be1+ c3 67.Bg3 Kc4 transposes to a lost position that arises in the game.

64...c3 65.Kc2 Kxb4 66.Bg3 Kc4 67.Be1

Or 67.Bc7 e2 68.Bg3 Kd4 69.Bf2+ Ke4 70.Bg3 Ke3 71.Be1 Be5, when White is in zugzwang.

67...Be5 68.Kd1 Kd3 69.Kc2 Ke2 0-1

Silver Lining

LIGHT rain was the theme yesterday, but today is dry, albeit cloudy, and we are promised snow from around midnight until about 10:00 on Sunday.

Low cloud and snow among woodland make for striking patterns

Fagernes Round Seven

Spanton (1876) - Steinar Skogholt (1611)

1.Nc3/Caro-Kann Tartakower

1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 h6!?

A rare continuation - the position occurs 21 times in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database - but the same move has been played early in other openings, eg there are 812 games in Mega24 with the position after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 h6!?

3.e4 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.Nf3 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.c3 c6!?

This position could easily have arisen from the Tartakower Variation of the Caro-Kann, which starts: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+exf6, and is currently fashionable

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

11.g4 Bg6 12.Bxg6 fxg6 13.Qb3+ Rf7 14.Nh4 f5?!

This is probably wrong. Black should play 14...g5, after which 15.Nf5 gives White a slight edge, according to Komodo14.1, although Stockfish16 is less sure at first, albeit coming  to agree with its fellow engine.

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

15.gxf5?!

Almost certainly the wrong way to win a pawn. After 15.Nxg6 the attempt to open the white kingside with 15...fxg4!? runs into 16.Nh8!, winning the exchange. True, the continuation 16...Kxh8 17.Qxf7 gxh3 leaves the white king looking precarious, but that is also the case after the text.

15...gxf5

Not 15...Qxh4?? 16.fxg6 etc.

16.Nxf5 Qf6 17.Nxd6 Qxd6

How would you assess the position?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

For a pawn, Black has obvious pressure against the white king and the weak white kingside pawns. However, a pawn is a pawn, and the engines reckon Black does not have full compensation.

18.Re1 Qg6+ 19.Kh2 Kh7 20.Be3 Qd6+ 21.Kg2

The engines reckon 21.f4!? maintains an advantage, there apparently being no perpetual after 21...Rxf4 22.Bxf4 Qxf4+ 23.Kg2.

21...Qg6+ 22.Kf1?!

The engines strongly dislike this evacuation attempt, preferring 22.Kh2, at which point, rather than 22...Qd6+, which allows 23.f4!?, the engines suggest 22...Nd7!?, reckoning White is lost after 23.Qxb7? Raf8.

22...Na6

Black has the upper hand after 22...Nd7!?, according to the engines.

23.Qd1 Re8 24.Ke2 Qg2!?

Black can win back the pawn with 24...Qh5+ 25.Kd2 Qxh3, but both engines prefer other ideas, eg 24...Nc7.

25.Qd3+ Kh8 26.Kd2 Nc7 27.Qf1 Qf3 28.Qh1!? Qf5 29.Re2

The engines prefer 29.Rad1.

29...Nd5 30.Rae1 Rfe7 31.Qg2 Nf4!?

Allowing liquidation seems to let White equalise. The engines suggest keeping the tension with 31...Re4 or 31...Qf7.

32.Bxf4

Not 32.Qf3?? Qd4+ etc.

32...Qxf4+?!

Probably better is 32...Rxe2+ 33.Rxe2 Qxf4+ 34.Re3 Rf8, with what the engines reckon is complete equality.

33.Re3 Rf8 34.R1e2 Ref7 35.Qg3 Qf5 36.Kc1 Qd5 37.b3 Rf3?!

The engines suggest adding to the pressure on White's position with 37...a5, planning to open lines on the queenside.

What should White play?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

38.Rxf3!

The engines agree this is best.

38...Rxf3

Probably worse is 38...Qxf3?! 39.Re7.

39.Qb8+?!

Probably stronger is the engines' 39.Qg6.

39...Kh7 40.Kb2

Not 40.Re8? as 40...Qg5+! wins.

40...Qb5 41.Qe5+

The engines suggest the passive 41.Rc2!?, but call the position equal.

41...Qd3 42.Qe4+?!

The rook-and-pawn ending is probably better for Black, who has the smaller pawn-majority, so the engines suggest 42.Rc2!? or 42.c4.

42...Qxe4 43.Rxe4 Rxf2+ 44.Ka3

Black has the upper hand, according to the engines

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

44...Rf7?!

Probably too defensive. The engines recommend 44...Rf3.

45.Kb4 Kg6 46.c4 Rd7?!

Black should probably keep out the white king with 46...b6, or centralise his king.

47.Kc5 Kf5 48.Rg4?!

White would enjoy at least the upper hand, according to the engines, by keeping the rook on the e file.

48...g5 49.Rg1

Not 49.d5? cxd5 50.cxd5 as, thanks to the white rook going to the g file, Black has 50...Ke5.

49...b6+!? 50.Kxc6 Rxd4 51.Kb7 Rd7+ 52.Kc6 Rd2 53.b4!? Rxa2 54.c5 bxc5 55.bxc5 Rc2

How would you assess this ending?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White's advanced passed pawn compensates for being a pawn down, and the position is completely equal, according to the engines.

56.Kd6 Rd2+ 57.Kc7 h5 58.c6 Rc2 59.Kb7 Rb2+!?

A strange move, but it does not affect the engines' evaluation, which shows how big the drawing margin is.

60.Kxa7 Rc2 61.Kb7 Rb2+ 62.Kc8 Rc2 63.c7 g4 64.h4!?

Trying to create winning chances, but to no avail.

64...Kf4 65.Kd7 Rd2+ 66.Ke6 Rc2 67.Kd7 Rd2+ 68.Kc8 Rc2 69.Kd7 ½–½

Water Power

THE town of Fagernes, as well as being on the banks of Strondafjorden (called Strandefjorden in the local dialect), also straddles the Kvitvella river.

Hydroelectric plant on the Kvitvella

Where the Kvitvella enters Strondafjorden

Looking from the wooden bridge in the previous photo

Fagernes Round Six

Morten Rolstad (1879) - Spanton (1876)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6!?

This somewhat surprising continuation, which has become popular at the elite level, is the top choice of Komodo14.1, while Stockfish16 prefers 5.Ba4!?

5...dxc6 6.Nbd2

The e5 pawn is poisoned, for now, but White intends targeting it anyway.

6...Qe7!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database runs 6...Be6 7.0-0 Nd7 8.Nb3 Bb6 9.Ng5 Bxb3 10.axb3 f6!? 11.Nf3, with equal chances, according to the engines.

7.Nc4 Nd7 8.Bd2 f6 9.Qe2 Nf8 10.Ne3 Ne6 11.Nf5 Qf7

Who has the advantage?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Stockfish16 instantly gives Black a slight edge. Komodo14.1 starts by giving White a slight edge, but comes to agree with its fellow engine.

12.a4 a5 13.0-0 b6 14.c3 Ba6 15.Rfd1 Rad8

The engines reckon Black gains the upper hand by castling long.

16.Be3 0-0 17.Qc2 Bxe3 18.fxe3 c5 19.d4 cxd4 20.cxd4 exd4 21.exd4 Nf4!?

The engines prefer 21...Rfe8, or reposting the bishop to b7 or c8.

22.Qd2?!

This allows an interesting combination, whereas 22.d5 gives at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

22...Ne2+ 23.Kf2!? Nxd4!?

The engines suggest 23...Rfe8 or 23...Qe6.

24.N3xd4 c5 25.Qf4 cxd4 26.Rac1!?

If White recaptures on d4, either way, Black has the upper hand, according to the engines.

26...Qb3?

Better is 26...Rd7.

27.Rc7!?

Clever, but stronger is the engines' 27.Qc7, after which 27...Qf7 (forced) 28.Qxb6 gives White at least a slight edge.

What should Black play?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

27...g5??

Not 27...Qxd1?? 28.Rxg7+ Kh8 29.Rxh7+! Kxh7 30.Qh6+ Kg8 31.Qg7#, but 27...Rf7 defends.

28.Rg7+ Kh8 29.Qc7! 1-0

Cloudy, Becoming Cloudier

SNOW started falling after lunch on Tuesday, and continued for the rest of the afternoon, despite a forecast of cloudy but dry.

However the flakes were mostly small, and not much settled.

The forecast for yesterday was snow in the afternoon, but instead we got a mix of sleet and light rain.

It was enough to clear the previous day's fall, but made little inroads into the long-term impacted snow.

Today we are expecting more cloud, followed by precipitation, of one sort or another, in the late-afternoon.

Some of today's cloud is on the low side

Fagernes Round Five

FACED a junior (born 2011) in the second of today's double-round games.

Spanton (1876) - August Brattgjerd (1689)

French Exchange

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.c4 c6 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.0-0

The Greek Gift Sacrifice does not work here as after 8.Bxh7+?? Kxh7 9.Ng5+ Kg8 10.Qh5 Black has 10...Bf5. But note that 9...Kg6? 10.h4 seems to win for White, eg 10...f5 (this is best, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1) 11.h5+ Kf6 12.Qf3 Re8 13.Kf1!? Ng8 14.Nh7+ Kf7 15.h6 with what appears to be a winning attack.

8...dxc4 9.Bxc4 Bg4 10.Re1 Qc7 11.h3 Bh5 12.Qe2

The engines like 12.Bg5, and 12.g4!? Bg6 13.h4!?, eg 13...h6 14.h5 Bh7 15.g5!?

12...Nd7 13.Ne4 Bb4 14.Rd1 Rae8 15.Bd2 Bxd2 16.Rxd2??

Much better is 16.Nexd2, although the engines give Black at least the better side of equality.

16...Nd5 17.Qd3 Nf4 18.Qe3

Or 18.Qc2 Bg6 19.Ne5 (19.Re1?! Rxe4! 20.Rxe4 Nf6) Nxe5 20.dxe5 Qxe5. But not 18...Nxh3+?! 19.gxh3 Bxf3?? as White wins a piece with 20.Ng5. Similarly 18...Bxf3?! 19.Ng5 is only slightly better for Black, according to the engines.

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

18...Bg6?

There are much stronger moves, including 18...Nb6, eg 19.Bb3 Nbd5 20.Bxd5 Nxd5! 21.Qd3 Nf4 22.Qc2 f5 23.Ng3 (23.Neg5 h6 24.Qb3+ Kh8) Bxf3 24.gxf3 Qe7!?, with a winning attack, according to the engines.

19.Ne5 Nxe5 20.Qxf4 Nf3+ 21.Qxf3 Bxe4

Now the smoke has cleared, who stands better?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White has an IQP, but Stockfish16 calls the position completely equal, and Komodo14.1 is close to agreeing.

22.Qb3 Red8 23.Rad1 Bd5 24.Re2 Rfe8?

This loses a pawn and is clearly a mistake but ...

25.Rxe8+ Rxe8 26.Bxd5 cxd5 27.Qxd5

How big is White's advantage?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Komodo14.1 gives White a slight edge, but Stockfish16 reckons Black's activity gives complete equality.

27...Qc2 28.Qb3 Qxb3 29.axb3 Rd8?!

As usual in rook-and-pawn endings, passivity is probably wrong. After 29...Re2 30.Rc1 (threatening back-rank mate) g6 31.Rc7 b6 32.Rxa7 Rxa2 the game is completely equal, according to the engines.

After the text the engines reckon White has at best a slight edge, but there is a lot of play left.

30.Kf1 Kf8 31.Ke2 Rd5 32.Ke3?!

Probably better is 32.Kd3, so the king can easily defend b3.

32...Ke7?!

32...Rb5 gives the rook more activity.

33.Rc1 Kd7 34.f4 Rb5

AB offered a draw.

35.Rc3 f5 36.Kd3 Rb6 37.g4 g6?!

Almost certainly better is 37...Rh6.

38.Kd2?!

White has an edge after 38.gxf5 gxf5 39.Kc4.

38...Rb4 39.Rd3

The white rook is behind the passed pawn, but the pawn is not going anywhere, so the rook is essentially passive

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

39...Rb6 40.gxf5 gxf5 41.Rg3 Rh6 42.Kd3 Kd6 43.Kx4 a6 44.d5 Rh4 45.Rf3 b6?

Black is completely equal after 45...b5+ or 45...a5, according to the engines.

46.b4 b5+!?

White is winning after this, but there does not seem to be a defence.

47.Kd4 h6

AB pressed the clock and offered a draw.

48.b3 h5

Or 48...Rh5 49.Rc3 Rh4 50.Rc6+ Ke7 51.Ke5 etc.

49.Ke3 Kxd5 50.Kd3 Kc6

After 50...Kd6 51.Kd4 the black king must give way, but the text also loses.

51.Kc3 Kd5 52.Kd3 ½–½

Can you see the win I missed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

After 52...Kc6 (or 52...Ke6 for that matter) White wins with 53.Ke2 Kd5 54.Ke3! Ke6 55.Kf2 Kd5 56.Kg3 Ke4 57.Rf1, picking up the black rook.

Fagernes Round Four

Amund Strand (1860) - Spanton (1876)

English Symmetrical

1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.a3 d6 6.Rb1 a5 7.d3 e5 8.Nf3 Nge7 9.0-0 0-0

There are 2,933 examples of this position in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database - how would you assess it?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

As is fairly well-known these days, Black's Botvinnik setup leaves a hole at d5 but takes a grip of the d4 square. Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon the position is equal.

10.Ne1!?

Heading for d5 via c2 and e3.

10...f5

The mainline in Mega24 runs 10...Be6!? 11.Nc2 d5 12.cxd5 Nxd5 13.Ne3 Nde7!? 14.Nc4 Rb8, after which Black is at least equal, according to the engines. However White has alternatives, including 11.Nd5, which is a common idea is such setups once Black has played ...Be6 (or White has played Be3 in similar positions with colours reversed). Then the mainline in Mega24 goes 11...Rb8 12.Nc2 b5 13.Nce3, with the engines claiming a slight edge for Black.

11.Bg5 Rb8 12.Nc2 h6 13.Bxe7!?

Giving up the bishop-pair to cement control over the d5 outpost.

13...Nxe7 14.Ne3 Be6 15.Ned5 Nxd5

How should White recapture?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

16.Nxd5

The engines strongly dislike 16.cxd5?!, which takes away the outpost square as well as restricting White's light-square bishop, but they reckon best is 16.Bxd5!?, the idea being that after light-square bishops are exchanged, the white knight will be unchallengeable on d5.

16...b5 17.b4 cxb4 18.axb4 Kh7!?

There may not be time for this. Possibly best is 18...bxc4, when 19.bxa5 Rxb1 20.Qxb1 cxd3 21.Qxd3 Qxa5 may give Black a slight edge, according to Komodo14.1. However Stockfish16 disagrees, reckoning the position is completely equal. The latter engine also likes 19.b5!?, eg 19...cxd3 20.exd3 Kh7 21.Qa4, claiming equality, although Komodo14.1 reckons Black is slightly better.

19.bxa5 Bxd5!? 20.Bxd5 Qxa5 21.Qb3 bxc4 22.Qxc4 Rfc8 23.Rxb8!? Rxb8

Not 23...Rxc4?? 24.Bg8+ Kh8 25.Bxc4+ Kh7 26.Bg8+ Kh8 27.Rfb1, eg 27...h5 28.R1b7, after which there is no defence to the threat of ...Be6+, Kh7 Rg8.

24.Qc6 h5!? 25.e4

Not 25.Qxd6?? Rd8 etc.

25...Qd8

The engines suggest giving up a pawn, eg 25...f4!? 26.Qxd6 Qb6 27.Qxb6 Rxb6, relying on opposite-coloured bishops to hold the draw.

26.Ra1

The engines give White the upper hand after 26.exf5 gxf5 27.h4.

26...f4 27.Ra7 Rb1+ 28.Kg2

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

28...f3+?

The engines reckon the position is completely equal after 28...Rb2 or 28...Kh6.

29.Kxf3 Qf6+ 30.Kg2 Rb2 31.Rf7

The move I missed.

31...Rxf2+ 32.Kg1 Rf1+ 33.Kg2 Rf2+ 34.Kh3 g5??

This is hopeless, but there are fortress drawing chances after 34...Qxf7 35.Bxf7 Rxf7 36.Qxd6, when Stockfish16 gives White 'only' the upper hand, although Komodo14.1 reckons White is winning.

The game finished:

35.Rxf6 g4+ 36.Kh4 Bxf6+ 37.Kxh5 Rxh2+ 38.Kxg4 Kg6 39.Qe8+ Kh6 40.Qe6 Rf2 41.Qf7 Rf1 42.Be6 1-0

The Venue

THE Fagernes international is being held at the Scandic Valdres, a 139-room hotel with a prime site overlooking the Strondafjorden lake.

View from the main road

The playing hall easily accommodates the 146 entries

The bar is also quite spacious

Free water and coffee are provided during rounds, and a nice added touch is that players are allowed to keep the top copies of scoresheets, rather than the carbons.

Fagernes Round Three

FACED the younger sister of tournament organiser Hans Olav Lahlum.

Spanton (1876) - Ida Lahlum (1755)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7!?

The modern popularity of this move may have something to do with it scoring an excellent 52% in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, while the commoner 3...Bd7 scores a 'normal' 46%.

4.d4 cxd4!?

Black is often advised to throw in 4...Ngf6 before capturing on d4, the idea being to induce White to play 5.Nc3 and so rule out a Maróczy Bind. However Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 prefer the text.

5.Qxd4 Nf6 6.Bg5 h6!?

Komodo14.1 quite likes this, but the mainline in Mega24 runs 6...a6 7.Bxd7+ Bxd7 8.Nc3 e6 9.0-0-0 Be7 10.e5 dxe5 11.Nxe5 Bc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6, with the engines awarding White at least a slight edge.

7.Bxf6 gxf6

Black has won the bishop-pair, but is well behind in development and has a damaged pawn-structure

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black's unopposed bishop is the dark-square one. It is worth paying attention to this bishop for the rest of the game.

8.Nc3 a6 9.Ba4!?

This may be a novelty. The engines prefer the known 9.Bxd7+, claiming 9...Bxd7 10.Nd5 gives White at least a slight edge.

9...b5 10.Bb3 Bb7

The engines like keeping the bishop-pair with 10...e6!?

11.Bd5 Bxd5 12.exd5 Rg8!? 13.0-0 Qb6 14.Re1 0-0-0!?

The engines strongly dislike this, wanting to keep the king in the centre of the board.

15.a4 b4 16.Ne2 Kb7

The engines suggest 16...Qxd4 or 16...e5, but give White at least the upper hand.

17.a5 Qc5

And here they want Black to swop queens, albeit agreeing White is positionally winning.

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

18.Ra4!?

This wins a pawn as 18...Qxc2?! is as suicidal as it looks, eg 19.Rxb4+ Ka8 20.Rb6! Nxb6 21.Qxb6 Qc8 22.Rc1 Qb8 23.Rc7! Qxb6 24.axb6 Bg7 25.Nfd4 Rc8 26.Ra7+ Kb8 27.Nc6+ etc. More prosaic, but also winning, is 19.Qxb4+ Ka8 20.Ned4 Qc5 21.Qb3 Rc8 22.g3, after which, with the possibility of bank-rank mate averted, White's much better coordinated pieces should prevail.

18...Qxd4 19.Nexd4 Rc8 20.Rxb4+ Ka8

Black is not 'only' a pawn down, but has major problems getting the kingside pieces into play, and has the less-safe king

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

21.Re3 Nc5 22.Rb6 Rb8

Losing a second pawn, but there is nothing better.

23.Rxb8+ Kxb8 24.Nc6+ Kc7 25.b4 Nd7 26.Nxe7 Rg4 27.c3 Ne5 28.Nf5 h5 29.h3 Nxf3+ 30.Rxf3 Re4

Again the engines reckon there is nothing better.

31.Re3 Re5

Or 31...Rxe3 32.fxe3, and the bishop is completely dominated.

32.Rxe5 fxe5 33.f3 Kd7 34.Kf2 Be7 35.Nxe7 Kxe7 36.b5 1-0

Farmerville

DESPITE the importance of tourism, especially in the summer, to the Valdres region in general, and to Fagernes in particular, the historical main basis of the economy has been agriculture.

Valdres open-air folk museum, with 105 buildings and some 20,000 items in its collection, runs a summer farm with free-range cattle, pigs, sheep and chickens roaming along the banks of the Strondafjorden.

The farm is closed now - reopening after Easter - but sounds impressive.

This statue is about the only sign of agricultural activity at this time of the year

Fagernes Round Two

FACED a junior (born 2008).

Daniel Vollheim (1713) - Spanton (1876)

QGD Exchange

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5!?

This is often frowned on as making it too easy for Black to equalise. However there are 4,788 examples of the move in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, and it has been played by many grandmasters.

3...exd5 4.d4 c6

More popular is 4...Nf6, but that is a transposition to the mainline of the Exchange Variation. The text scores 10 percentage points better in Mega24.

5.Nf3 Bf5

This is the point of the 'equalising' method, it being generally considered harder for White to get an edge in the Exchange Variation if light-square bishops come off early.

6.e3!?

The commonest continuation in Mega24 is 6.Bf4 Nf6, and now 7.e3.

6...Bd6!?

Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 agree this is better than the usual 6...Nf6, after which White has 7.Nh4.

7.Bd3!?

This is easily the most popular move in Mega24.

7...Bxd3 8.Qxd3

How would you assess the position?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White has a lead in development, but Black has much the better bishop, and it is far from clear if White's normal Minority Attack plan has much chance of succeeding. The engines give Black a slight edge.

8...Nf6 9.Bd2 0-0 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Rfe1!?

Presumably hoping to get in e4 to free the bishop, but this is easily stopped. The engines suggest an immediate 11.e4, but prefer Black.

11...Re8

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

12.Rad1

Six out of nine whites to play this position in Mega24 chose 12.e4?, but it is too late for that move, although no black found the engines' refutation.

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

After 12.e4? dxe4 13.Nxe4 Rxe4! (everyone in Mega24 chose the inferior 13...Nxe4) 14.Rxe4 Black has the winning 14...Nc5!, when the engines give as best 15.dxc5 Bxh2+ 16.Kxh2 Qxd3, awarding Black the equivalent of being at least a minor piece ahead.

The text avoids such a disaster, but after ...

12...Ne4

... Black's advantage is obvious.

13.h3 Re6 14.Qc2 Ndf6 15.Nxe4 Nxe4 16.Bc3 Rf6 17.Qe2 Qd7 18.Rf1 Re8

What should White play?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

19.Nd2?!

Withdrawing White's one well-placed piece is unlikely to be the answer. The engines suggest 19.Ne5!?, even though Black can win a pawn by 19...Nxc3 20.bxc3 (20.Nxd7? Nxe2+ 21.Kh1 Ng3+!? 22.fxg3 Rxf1+ 23.Rxf1 Rxe3) Bxe5 21.dxe5 Rxe5. Even stronger may be a queen move, eg  19...Qc7, followed by continuing to build up against the white king's position.

19...Qf5

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 19...Rg6!?

20.Nxe4

White drops a pawn after 20.Qg4 Qxg4 21.hxg4 Rg6.

20...Rxe4 21.f4?

Best, according to the engines, is 21.f3, when 21...Qf4!? 22.exf4 Rxe2 looks good, eg 23.Rfe1 Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Kf8 25.g3 g5! Also very promising is Stockfish16's 21...Qh5!?, eg the plausible 22.g4 loses to 22...Qxh3 23.fxe4 Rg6.

21...Bxf4! 22.Rf3 Qe6 23.Re1 Bc7 24.Rxf6 Qxf6 25.Rf1 Qg5 26.Bd2 Qe7 27.Qf3 h6 28.a3 Re6 29.Qg4

If 29.Bb4, then 29...Qe8 is fine.

29...Rg6 30.Qc8+ Kh7 31.Qf5 Kg8 32.Qc8+ Bd8 33.Kh1

So that, if the white bishop moves, a black capture on e3 does not come with check.

33...Qc7 34.Qxc7

If 34.Qa8, then 34...Kh7 is possible (34...a6 is also good) as 35.Qxa7?? loses to 35...Qg3 36.Rg1 Bc7 and 37...Qh2#.

34...Bxc7 35.Kg1 Re6 36.Rf3 Bd8!? 37.Kf2!?

The engines are OK with this, but from a practical view it is probably easier, at least for humans, to win this type of position with rooks off the board.

37...Rf6

The engines suggest 37...h5 or 37...Bh4+ (but see the previous note).

38.Ke2 Rxf3 39.Kxf3

The engines prefer this over recapturing with the g pawn.

39...Bg5 40.Kg4 g6 41.h4!?

Putting another pawn on a dark square may be unwise, but at least the move gains space.

41...f5+ 42.Kh3 Bf6 43.b4!? Kf7 44.g4?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring, for example, 44.g3!?, which puts yet another pawn on a dark square but makes it more difficult for Black to penetrate on the kingside.

44...Ke6 45.Be1 Be7 46.Bg3 a5!? 47.Be1 Bd6 48.Bd2 b6!? 49.bxa5 bxa5 50.Bxa5

If 50.a4, then 50...Bb4.

50...Bxa3 51.Bc7

How should Black continue?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

51...Be7

Most moves are winning. The key is to avoid 51...Bd6?, when 52.gxf5+ gxf5 53.Bxd6 Kxd6 54.Kg3 is a drawn pawn-ending. But note that 52.Bxd6?, with the same idea in mind, loses to 52...fxg4+ etc.

52.Bb6!?

Preventing ...c5, but that was arguably a lesser evil. The engines give 52.Bg3. However 52...c5 53.dxc5 Bxc5 54.Bf4 h5 55.gxh5 gxh5 wins, eg 56.Kg2 Bd6 57.Bg5 Be7 etc.

52...g5 53.h5

Even worse is 53.hxg5? Bxg5 etc.

53...Bb4

White loses a second pawn.

54.Kg3 Bd2 55.Kf3 fxg4+ 56.Kxg4 Bxe3 57.Bc5 Bg1!? 58.Bb6 Bh2 59.Bc5 Bd6 60.Bb6 Kd7 61.Kf5 Kc8 62.Kg6

Other moves also lose.

62...g4 63.Ba5 g3 64.Be1 g2 65.Bf2 Bh2 66.Kxh6 g1=Q 0-1

The Lake

FAGERNES is about 150 miles from the sea, sited at the southeast of Strondafjorden, which, despite its name, is a lake (fjord in Norwegian can refer to any long, narrow body of water, not just to an inlet of the sea).

The lake has a circumference of almost 30 miles and lies more than 1,150 feet above sea level.

Most of it is frozen at this time of year and can be walked on in complete safety.

Last year I saw light planes landing on the lake near my hotel, although there is no sign of any this year.

Looking towards Fagernes

View from my bedroom

Looking from Fagernes

Fagernes Round One

Spanton (1876) - Leif Wærstad (1638)

Caro-Kann Two Knights

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 e6!?

This has been played by grandmasters, but after ...

4.d4

... Black has a position that exhibits downsides of both the Caro-Kann and French Defences.

Just as in the French, Black has shut in the light-square bishop, and just as in the Caro-Kann, Black will require a second tempo to attack White's centre with ...c5

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

4...Ne7?!

Probably too slow.

5.Bd3 Nd7!?

This is Stockfish16's top choice; Komodo14.1 suggests 5...Na6!?

6.0-0

Possibly even stronger is 6.Qe2!?, as was illustrated in Luciana Morales Mendoza (2147) - Liz Alejandro (-), Peruvian Women's Championship 2002, which continued 6...Ng6? 7.exd5, winning a pawn (1-0, 25 moves).

6...Ng6 7.Re1

Stockfish16 suggests a fascinating novelty, viz 7.h4!?, and if 7...Nxh4 then 8.exd5 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 cxd5 10.Bf4, claiming White has much more than enough for a pawn.

7...Be7 8.Be3

This may be a novelty in what is anyway a fairly obscure position.

8...0-0 9.e5 c5 10.g3!?

Intending to meet 10...c4 with 11.Bf1, but also preparing the thrust h4.

10...cxd4 11.Bxd4 a6 12.h4 f6?!

Probably not good. The engines suggest 12...Bc5 or 12...Re8.

13.h5?

White is positionally winning, according to the engines, after 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Bxg6 hxg6 15.Ne5.

13...Ngxe5 14.Nxe5?!

Better, according to the engines, is 14.h6 or 14.Bf1.

14...fxe5 15.Bxe5

The engines suggest giving up the exchange with 15.Rxe5 Nxe5 16.Bxe5, but I thought, correctly, Black is simply better after 16...Bf6.

15...Nxe5 16.Rxe5 Qb6

Even stronger is 16...Bc5, and if 17.Re2 then 17...Qg5.

17.Qd2 Bf6 18.Ree1

White loses a piece after 18.Re2?? Qxb2.

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

18...Bd7

Black is better after this, but the engines reckon Black should grab the b pawn with 18...Qxb2. However after 19.Ne2 Black should retreat the queen as 19...Qxa1?? loses to 20.Rxa1 Bxa1 21.c3 etc.

19.Rab1?

Better is 19.Nd1, which I play next move anyway.

19...Rae8?!

It is hard to believe White can survive after the engines' 19...Bd4 20.Nd1 Rf3 with ...Raf8 to come.

20.Nd1 h6?

This throws away all of Black's advantage, according to the engines, which like 20...Bc6.
21.Bg6 Bg5 22.Qe2 Re7 23.Ne3 Bb5 24.Bd3 Bc6

The game now becomes very sharp

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

25.Ng4?

The engines give 25.Bg6 or 25.b4!?

25...Be8?

The engines reckon 25...e5 26.Bg6 e4 is winning, eg 27.Ne3 Rf3 28.Nf5!? Rf7! 29.Bxf7+ Kxf7 30.Ne3 Bxe3 31.fxe3 Rxg3+ with a strong attack against the exposed white king.

26.Ne3?

I picked up the knight, moving it to e5, but not letting go of the piece as I saw Black could capture on h5. I therefore played the text, missing that 26.Ne5! gives an edge as 26...Bxh5? 27.Qxh5 is good for White whichever way Black captures on f2, eg 27...Qxf2+ 28.Kh1 Qxg3 29.Ng6, or 27...Rxf2 28.Kh1 Rd2 29.Qg6.

26...Ref7 27.f4?!

Probably better is 27.Ng4.

27...Bf6?

Probably good is 27...Bxf4!? 28.gxf4 e5!? 29.fxe5 Rf3, but best seems to be the engines' 27...e5!? 28.fxg5 e4 with strong play against the white king.

28.Kh2 Bd7

The engines give 28...Re7 as equal.

29.Qg4!?

White is better, according to the engines, after 29.c3 or 29.c4.

29...e5

The game continues very sharply

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

30.Nf5?

If 30.Qg6?!, then 30...e4, but 30.Bf5 seems to hold.

30...Bxf5?

I was, rightly, much more worried about 30...Kh8, eg 31.fxe5 Bxe5 32.Rxe5 Qf2+ 33.Kh1 Bxf5 34.Bxf5 Rxf5 35.Re2 Qc5, after which material is level but Black's heavy pieces are better coordinated, and White has the weaker king. The engines reckon 30...Bh4!? is also strong.

How should White recapture?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

31.Bxf5

White is probably winning after this, but definitely losing after 31.Qxf5?? as Black has 31...e4, eg 32.Be2 Bc3, or 32.Rxe4 dxe4 33.Bxe4 Rd8.

31...Re7

The engines prefer giving up the exchange with 31...exf4!? 32.Be6 fxg3+.

32.Qg6 e4!?

Perhaps moving the queen, to c5 or c7, is better, but 32...Qf2+ 33.Kh3 does not help Black.

33.c4!

Black does not seem to have a satisfactory response

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

33...dxc4

For quite some time this is Komodo14.1's top choice, while Stockfish16 gives 33...Rd8. Gradually both engines come to prefer 33...d4, but 34.Bxe4 is very strong.

34.Qh7+ Kf7 35.Bg6+

The engines reckon 35.Bxe4 is even more convincing.

35...Ke6 36.Rxe4+

White should probably keep the black king on the kingside with 36.Rbd1!, eg 36...e3 37.Bc2! Kf7 38.Qg6+ Kg8 39.Kh3 Rc7 40.b3 with continuing strong pressure.

36...Kd6 37.Rd1+ 1-0

Resignation is premature. Admittedly after 37...Kc5 White has 38.Rxc4+! (38.b4+ also wins) Kxc4 39.Bf7+!, eg 39...Rfxf7 40.Qc2+ Kb4 41.Qb3+ Ka5 42.Qa3+ Kb5 43.Rd5+ Kc4 44.Qd3+ Kb4 45.Qb3#. but 37...Kc7 38.Rxe7+ Bxe7 39.Qxg7 Qe3 is by no means game-over.