Winning Chess

BOARD one for England 3 - the team I played for at the world senior 65+ championship in Prague - was Brian Hewson, who scored +3=3-3, gaining 26.8 Fide elo.

Here is his game from round one against Norwegian grandmaster Leif Øgaard.

Hewson (2039) - Øgaard (2358)

Réti/Nimzowitsch-Larsen

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.b3 c5 4.Bb2 Nc6 5.d4!?

The main move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database is 5.Bg2.

5...Bg4 6.Nbd2 Qa5!? 7.Bg2!?

This may be a novelty. Borislav Kostić - János Balogh, Bardejov (Czechoslovakia) 1926, went 7.dxc5 Qxc5 8.Bg2, with an equal game, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1 (1-0, 35 moves).

7...Bxf3!? 8.exf3!?

The engines prefer this to recapturing with the bishop, presumably because the bishop could become a target for black expansion after, for example, 8.Bxf3 cxd4 9.0-0 e5.

8...cxd4 9.0-0 e5

Black has won a pawn, but White has the bishop-pair and can hope to undermine the black centre

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10.a3 Bd6 11.f4!? exf4!?

After 11...0-0 12.fxe5 Bxe5 13.Nf3 the engines reckon White has at least full compensation for a pawn.

12.Re1+ Kf8 13.Nf3 fxg3 14.hxg3 h5 15.Nxd4 h4

Black is still up a pawn, but the position is opening for the bishops

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16.Nxc6?!

The engines prefer 16.g4 or 16.gxh4!?

16...bxc6 17.Qf3?

Again the engines prefer g4, but give Black the upper hand.

17...Ne4?!

Winning, according to the engines, is 17...hxg3, eg 18.Bxf6 gxf2+ 19.Qxf2 gxf6 20.Qxf6 Qc5+, but neither king is safe.

18.Qg4 Nf6

If 18...Rh7? then the simple 19.Bxe4 dxe4 20.Qxe4 is good for White.

19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.gxh4

Now White has regained the pawn, but given up the bishop-pair, how would you assess the position?

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Clearly it is messy, especially with opposite-coloured bishops, but the engines reckon equal chances.

20...Be5 21.Rad1 Qxa3 22.h5?!

The engines agree White maintains the balance with 22.c4!?

22...Qc5 23.Re2?!

The engines still prefer c4.

23...Rd8 24.Qf5?!

The engines suggest 24.Qh4 or 24.Kf1!?

24...Qd6?!

Black has at least a slight edge after 24...Rg8, according to the engines.

25.Rd3 Rb8 26.Rh3 Qa3 27.Rhe3!? Qd6 28.Rh3!?

An implicit draw offer?

28...a5

Black is right to play on, according to the engines.

29.Rh4 Qe6 30.Qxe6 fxe6 31.f4?

The engines reckon 31.Bh3 leaves Black at best slightly better.

31...Rb4?

Correct is 31...Bd4+, eg 32.Kf1 Kf7.

32.c3 Bxc3 33.Rxe6 Rxb3 34.Rxc6

Black to play and lose

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34...d4??

Saving the d pawn, but losing the game. Perhaps I should have titled this post Losing Chess.
35.Rc8+ Kg7 36.Rg4+ 1-0