Here We Go Again

THE new season of the Central London League began last night, with me playing on board one (of five) in division three.

Spanton (Battersea 3 - 1933) - Emyr Jones (Hackney - 1886)

French Exchange

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Be7!?

This is second in popularity to 5...Bd6.

6.0-0 0-0

With both sides castling early, how would you assess the position?

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The white king's bishop is more actively placed than its black counterpart, and White is to move in an otherwise symmetrical position. Those factors are enough to give White a slight edge, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish17 is not so sure.

7.Bg5 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nbd2 Nbd7 10.Re1 c6 11.c3 Bg6!?

This may be a novelty. All 13 games in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database saw 11...Re8 (plus another game in which the players agreed a draw without further moves).

After ...

12.Bxg6 hxg6

... White is a little sensitive on the light squares, and Black has promoted an edge pawn to a more-central position. But Black's kingside pawn-formation is less flexible, eg the g5 square has practically become a white outpost as taking control of it with ...f6 would leave a hole at e6.

13.Qe2

The engines reckon White is slightly better after switching to queenside play with 13.Qb3!?

13...Re8 14.Qd3 Qc7

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

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The engines reckon the game is equal.

15.Re3 Bd6 16.Rae1 Rxe3 17.Rxe3

How should Black continue?

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17...Bf4!?

The engines prefer 17...Re8, 17...a5, 17...Qb6 or 17...Nf8.

18.Bxf4 Qxf4 19.Qe2 Nh7!?

The engines suggest 19...Rd8, with Dragon1 giving White a slight edge, but Stockfish17 reckoning White only has the better side of equality.

20.Re7 Nhf8 21.g3

Where should the black queen go?

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21...Qf6!?

Perhaps 21...Qd6 is an improvement, one point being 22.Ng5? runs into 22...Ne6, when White is obliged to give up the exchange.

22.h4 b6?

Missing the point of White's last move. Correct is 22...Qd6, after which the engines give White at least a slight edge as long as White avoids 23.Ng5? Ne6 etc.

23.Ng5 a5

This is the engines' top choice, along with 23...c5, but Black is lost.

24.Rxf7 Qxf7!? 25.Nxf7 Kxf7 26.Nf3 Ne6

Not 26...Re8?? 27.Ng5+ etc.

27.Kg2 Re8 28.Ne5+ Nxe5 29.Qxe5 Kg8 30.Qd6 (1-0, 43 moves)

Battersea 3 won the match 3.5-1.5.