Spanton (1924) - Hugo Bassa (1731)
French Exchange
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.0-0 0-0 7.Bg5 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nbd2 Nbd7
This is the most popular continuation in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, but Black can also restore the symmetry with 9...h6 10.Bh4 Nbd7, when Komodo14.1 reckons 11.c4 gives White a slight edge, but Stockfish16 disagrees.
10.c3 c6 11.Re1 Qc7 12.Qc2
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| How should Black proceed? |
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12...h6?!
The commonest moves in Mega24 are 12...Bg6 and especially 12...Rfe8.
13.Be3!?
This is good enough for a slight edge, and indeed is Komodo14.1's top choice for a while, but 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.g4 wins a pawn. Trying to avoid this with 13...Bxf3? runs into 14.Bh7+ Kh8 15.Bxg7+.
13...Rfe8?! 14.g4 Nxg4!?
Objectively, at least according to the engines, 14...Bg6 is better. Indeed Stockfish16 reckons Black almost has enough compensation for a pawn, but the text gives practical chances at club level.
15.hxg4 Bxg4
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| How should White meet Black's coming attack? |
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16.Kg2!?
The engines prefer going immediately for exchanges with 16.Bh7+!? Kh8 17.Bf5 or the straightforward 16.Bf5.
16...Nf6 17.Rh1 Bf4 18.Bxf4?!
16...Nf6 17.Rh1 Bf4 18.Bxf4?!
Swoping off a pair of pieces, including White's bad bishop, but it brings the black queen into the vicinity of the white king. Almost certainly better is getting White's final piece into play with 18.Rae1.
18...Qxf4 19.Ne5 c5
The engines quite like this, but also give 19...Nh5, and the exchange-sacrifice 19...Rxe5!?, continuing 20.dxe5 Nh5.
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| What should White play? |
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20.Rae1?
It is too late for this. Even worse is 20.Ndf3?? Bxf3+ 21.Nxf3 Qg4+ etc. But 20.Nxg4 Qxg4+ 21.Kf1 is completely equal, according to the engines, and they reckon 20.Nf1! gives a slight edge.
20...cxd4 21.cxd4?
Necessary is 21.Nxg4 Qxg4+ 22.Kh2 (22.Kf1? Rxe1+ 23.Kxe1 Re8+ 24.Kf1 dxc3 25.bxc3 Re5 gives Black a winning attack), but Black seems to have good chances, although the engines cannot agree on the best continuation.
21...Rac8
White loses a piece.
22.Qb1 Qxd2 23.Rh4!?
Setting up a swindle.
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| How should Black respond? |
*****
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23...Qg5?
Black had many winning moves, including 23...Re6. Note that White is not then threatening to double-capture on g4 as the white queen's rook would be lost.
24.Rxg4! Nxg4?
The engines give 24...Qd2, when they reckon White is winning, but the game goes on as the situation has returned to Black having two pawns for a minor piece.
25.Bh7+ 1-0
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
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