Central London League

PLAYED on board four (of five) for Battersea 2 against Pimlico 3 in division two last night.

Spanton (1913) - Kabir Pandit (2074)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7 4.d4

The three most popular moves in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database are the text, 4.c3 and 4.0-0, all of which score under 50%. Of those moves occurring more than 1,000 times, the most successful percentagewise is 4.Ba4!? at 53%. The mainline in Mega24 then runs 4...Nf6 5.0-0!? e6 6.Re1 a6 7.c4 Be7 with a completely equal position, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1. If 5...Nxe4 the engines reckon 6.Re1 Nf6 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 gives White more than enough for a pawn.

4...cxd4 5.Qxd4 a6 6.Bxd7+!?

White surrenders up the bishop-pair but enjoys a lead in development.

6...Bxd7 7.Nc3 Bc6 8.0-0 e5!?

Black contracts a backward d pawn and a hole at e5, relying on the bishop-pair and coming pressure down the f file.

9.Qd3 h6!?

Frederik Svane (2421) - Marco Dobrikov (2290), German Blitz Championship (Magdeburg) 2022, went 9...Be7 10.Rd1 Ngf6 11.Bg5 0-0, when the engines reckon 12.Bxf6!?, as played in three games involving lower-rated players, would have given White a slight edge (White won anyway).

10.Be3 Nf6 11.Rfd1!? Be7 12.a4 0-0

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

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Black has the bishop-pair, although the dark-square bishop is performing a purely defensive role. Black also has weaknesses at d5 and d6, although these may not be easy to exploit. White still has a lead in development, but Black will hope to catch up over the next few moves. The engines rate the game as equal.

13.a5 Rc8 14.Bb6 Qe8 15.h3 Bd7 16.Rac1 Be6 17.b3

The engines suggest 17.Nd2!?

17...Bd7 18.Nd5?!

This helps Black activate the f7 pawn, and therefore the black king's rook. The engines again prefer 18.Nd2!?

18...Nxd5 19.Qxd5 Rc6?!

Probably better is 19...Bc6, with the upper hand, according to the engines.

How should White proceed?

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20.c4

The engines like 20.Nxe5!? Be6 21.Nxc6 Bxd5 22.Nxe7+ Qxe7 23.exd5, claiming at least a slight edge for White.

20...Be6 21.Qd3 f5 22.exf5 Bxf5 23.Qd5+ Kh8 24.c5 Qg6

How should White respond to Black's threats?

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25.Rc4?

Necessary is 25.cxd6!? with a sharp position, eg 25...Rxd6 26.Qxb7 Bxh3!? 27.Nxe5 Qg5 28.Re1, when the game is unclear but may slightly favour White, according to the engines. Note that 25...Bxh3?? loses to 26.Nxe5.

25...Bxh3 26.Nh4 Bxh4 27.Rxh4 Be6 28.Qd3?

Better is 28.Qe4.

28...Qf6 29.Qg3 d5!

This is better than grabbing a pawn with 29...dxc5, after which 30.Re1 gives counterplay.

30.Re1 e4 31.b4 Bf5

Black is 'only' a pawn up in material terms, but the white bishop is largely out of play and the white pieces generally are uncoordinated

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32.Rh5 Qf7 33.Rh4 Kh7 34.Rd1 Rg6 35.Qe3 Bg4 36.Rd2 Bf3 37.g3?!

Objectively better, but still horrible, is 37.Rh2.

37...Qf6 38.Kf1

Black to play and finish in style

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38...Rxg3! 39.fxg3 Be2+ 40.Kg1 Qf1+ 41.Kh2 Rf2+ 42.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 43.Kh3 Bf1+ 0-1

Pimlico 3 won the match 4.5-0.5.

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

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

5/3/24     Club Championship        W      1910        1990                    1            2000

2/4/24     Club Championship        B       1924        1927                    0            1968

4/4/24     Central London League  B       1924        2123                    =            1978

16/4/24   London League               B       1924        2393                    0            1979

18/4/24   Central London League  B       1924        2329                    0            1976

23/4/24   London League               B       1924        2118                    =            1984

25/4/24   Central London League  W      1924        1997                    0            1964

30/4/24   Club Championship        W      1924        1731                    1            1972

2/5/24     Central London League  W      1913        2074                    0            1956