Coulsdon Round Five

DOUBLE-upfloated against a junior (born 2005).

Henry Adams (2119 ECF/1991 Fide) - Spanton (1965 ECF/2012 Fide)

Catalan

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.0-0 Nf6 6.c4 dxc4

This position occurs 7,246 times in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database

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7.Qa4

This is the commonest continuation in Mega25, but Stockfish17 and Dragon1 prefer 7.Ne5!? or 7.dxc5!?

7...Bd7 8.dxc5!? Bxc5 9.Qxc4

How should Black proceed?

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9...Qe7!?

The engines prefer 9...Be7 or 9...Bb6, which brings to mind advice from chess writer and first world correspondence champion, Cecil Purdy: if a piece is attacked, don't defend it - move it.

10.Nc3

The engines reckon 10.Bg5!? gives a slight edge.

10...Rc8?!

Black maintains equality with 10...h6!?, according to the engines.

11.Bg5 Bb6?

Much better, according to the engines, are 11...0-0 and 11...h6!?, even though both moves can be met by 12.Bxf6, when 12...gxf6 is forced.

12.Qh4

Black is losing

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12...Qc5?!

Best may be 12...Bd8!?

13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Ne4!

This is even stronger than 14.Qxf6.

14...Qe7 15.Nxf6+ Kf8??

Better, but still horrible, is 15...Kd8 16.Rfd1 Rc7.

16.Qh6#