World Senior Team Championship 65+ Round Two

ENGLAND 3 faced Netherlands today.

Ed Baarslag (2005) - Spanton (1896)
Réti

1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 d4 3.b4 c5!?

This and 3...f6 are equally popular. The latter scores two percentage points better in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, but Stockfish17 and Dragion1 prefer the text.

4.e3

After 4.bxc5 the main line in Mega25 runs 4...Nc6 5.g3 e5 6.d3 Bxc5, when Black is at least equal, according to the engines.

4...dxe3

This is overwhelmingly the commonest continuation in Mega25, but the engines reckon 4...Nf6 is equally good.

5.fxe3 e6?!

This lets White take control of the centre. Normal is 5...cxb4, when 6.d4 also grabs the centre, but after 6..Nf6 7.Bd3 Bg4 the engines reckon Black's extra pawn and pressure give enough compensation. The position after 5...e5?! 6.Nxe5 Qh4+? 7.g3 Qe4 occurs 13 times in Mega25, blacks apparently missing that White has 8.Nf3.

6.bxc5 Bxc5 7.d4 Qa5+?!

Almost certainly better is 7...Bb4+, albeit the engines give White the upper hand after 8.Nbd2!?

8.Bd2 Bb4 9.Bd3 Nf6 10.0-0 0-0

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

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White has the centre and more development - a winning advantage, according to the engines.

11.e4 Bxd2 12.Nbxd2 Qh5 13.e5 Ng4!? 14.Qe2 Nc6 15.h3 Nh6 16.Qf2!? f5 17.Rab1 Nf7 18.Rfe1 Re8 19.c5!? g5 20.Rb3 Kh8 21.Nh2?!

White keeps a winning advantage with 21.Nc4, and other moves.

How can Black exploit White's last move?

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21...Qh6?

The engines reckon White has 'only' the upper hand after 21...Rd8. True, 22.Ndf3 g4?! 23.hxg4 fxg4 24.Nh4 Nxd4 can be met by, among other continuations, 25.Re4!?, when 25...Nxb3 26.Qf6+ Kg8 27.Rxg4+ Kf8 28.Rf4!? Rxd3 29.g4 wins the black queen. However 22...Nh6 keeps Black in the game.

22.Nc4 Ne7 23.Ng4!

How should Black respond?

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23...fxg4?!

This probably speeds the end, but moving the queen allows Nf6, after which White's advantage is worth more than a piece, according to the engines.

The game finished:

24.Qxf7 Rf8!? 25.Qe7 gxh3 26.Rf1 Rxf1+ 27.Bxf1 h2+ 28.Kh1 g4 29.Qf6+ 1-0
TEAM RESULT

Gerard Welling (IM 2195) 1-0 Brian Hewson (2039)
Gerrit Prakken (FM 2155) 1-0 Anthony Ashby (2049)
Ed Baarslag (2005) 1-0 Tim Spanton (1896)
Jos Ten Hacken (2020) 0-1 Charles Higgie (1945)

NETHERLANDS 3-1 ENGLAND 3