Central London League

PLAYED on board four (of five) for Battersea against Kings Head in division one last night.

Steven Coles (2014) - Spanton (1916)

New London

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.Nf3 Bd6 4.e3!? Nf6 5.Bd3 b6 6.Qe2 Bb7 7.Ne5 0-0 8.0-0

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

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The pawn-structure is virtually symmetrical and there has been no exchange of pieces. Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon the game is equal.

8...c5 9.c3 Qc7 10.Bg3!? Nbd7 11.Nxd7!?

This is the engines' top choice.

11...Qxd7 12.Nd2 Ne4!? 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Bb5 Bc6!?

White gets a slight initiative after this, so perhaps better is 14...Qc7.

15.Bxc6 Qxc6 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Rfd1 Rfd8 18.Rd2 f5?!

Protecting the e4 pawn, but weakening the e6 one. The engines prefer 18...Rac8, and if 19.Rad1 then 19...c4!?

19.Rad1 cxd4 20.Rxd4 Qc7 21.Qd2 Rxd4 22.Qxd4 Rc8 23.Qd7

How should Black proceed?

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23...Qc6?

The engines give 23...Qxd7 24.Rxd7 a5, claiming that after 25.Rd6 White has only a slight edge.
24.Qxa7 Rc7 25.Qb8+ Kf7 26.Qd8 b5 27.h4 Rb7 28.a3 Rc7 29.Rd6 Qb7 30.Kh2 Qa7 31.Kg3 Re7 32.Kf4 Rc7 33.g4 fxg4

There seems to be nothing better.

34.Kxg4 Qc5?!

This does not help, but Black is losing anyway.

35.Rd7 Rxd7 36.Qxd7+ Kf8

36...Kf6? 37.Qd4+ results in a pawn-ending that is hopeless for Black. However, after ...

37.Qxe6 g6 28.Qxe4

... White is the equivalent of more than a rook up, according to the engines (1-0, 78 moves).

Kings Head won the match 4-1.

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

14/12/23 Central London League  B      1882         2152                    0            2023

10/1/24   London League               B      1884         2130                    0           1964

11/1/24   Central London League   B      1884        2278                    1            2083

25/1/24   Central London League  W      1884        2205                    =            2100

30/1/24   Club Championship         B      1884        1809                    1            2114

1/2/24     Central London League  W      1916        2072                    0            2065

7/2/24     London League               B       1916        2298                    0            2048

8/2/24     Central London League  B       1916        1960                    0            2004

15/2/24   Central London League  B       1916        1951                    =            1999

29/2/24   Central London League  B       1916        2014                    0            1970