Winning Chess

THE English 65+ championship was won by second-seed Paul Townsend, of York, on tiebreaks from international masters Chris Baker and Paul Littlewood.

Townsend's score of +4=3-0 saw him occupy top board for the last five rounds, and included this win from round five.

Paul Townsend (2229 ECF/2149 Fide) - Stephen Dilleigh (2044 ECF/2024 Fide)

Réti

1.c4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 dxc4!?

This scores an excellent 52% in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, 11 percentage points better than the much more popular 3...Nf6.

4.Bg2

Richard Réti preferred 4.Qa4+.

4...Nf6

The main line in Mega25 runs 4...a6!? 5.0-0 Nf6 6.a4 Nc6 7.Qc2 (also popular is 7.Na3) Na5!? 8.Na3 Qd5!? 9.Rd1 Bd7, with a slight edge for Black, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 c5 7.Qb3!?

This relatively modern continuation - the first example in Mega25 is from a game of Arshak Petrosian's in 1977 - scores a very good 61% in the database.

How should Black respond?

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7...Rb8

This is the commonest move.

8.a4 Bd6!?

Possibly a novelty. Known moves are 8...b6 and 8...Be7.

9.Na3 a6 10.Nc4 Bc7 11.a5 0-0 12.0-0

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

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Black will have trouble developing his queenside without allowing weaknesses. The engines reckon White is slightly better.

12...b5 13.axb6 Nxb6 14.Nxb6 Rxb6 15.Qc2 Rb5

White's b pawn is weak, but so are Black's a and c pawns.

16.d3 Bb7 17.Nd2!? Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Qd5 19.e4!? Qb7 20.Nc4 Nd7 21.Bd2 Ne5 22.Bc3 Nxc4 23.dxc4 Rb6 24.Rfd1 Rd6 25.Rxd6 Bxd6 26.f3 Be7 27.Qa4 Rd8?

Hoping to create counterplay, but it should never materialise. The engines suggest 27...Ra8 or 27...Qc7!? The idea of the latter is to meet 28.Qxa6 with 28...Bf6!?, when 29.Bxf6 gxf6 allows the black rook the opportunity to occupy the d file much more effectively, or to pressurise down the b file, eg 30.Qa3 (30.Rd1 Rb8) Rb8 31.Qc3 Qe5 32.Qxe5 fxe5, when the engines reckon Black, despite being  a pawn down, is completely equal.

28.Qxa6 Qd7 29.Rf1?

As is often the case, passive rook play is a mistake. The engines reckon White is winning after 29.Qa7.

29...h5

The engines also like 29...Qd3.

30.Rf2 Qd1 31.Qa7 Rd7 32.Qb8+ Rd8 33.Qe5 Bf6 34.Qxc5 Bxc3 35.bxc3 Qe1 36.Qxh5 Rd1!? 37.Qc5 Qg1+?

This spends a tempo driving the white king to safety, whereas 37...Rc1 prepares to win back one pawn (c3) and put pressure on what will be the remaining passer (c4), with good drawing chances.

38.Kh3 g6 39.Qe3 Re1 40.Qd4 e5 41.Qd8+?

Both 41.Qd2 and 41.Qb6 are winning, according to the engines.

41...Kg7 42.Rg2 Qf1 43.Qd2 Qxf3

Black is still two pawns down for the moment, but White cannot save e4 

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44.Rf2 Qxe4 45.c5 f5!? 46.Qg5

Black to play and draw

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46...Rg1?

The queen-and-pawn ending, forced after 46...Re2, is completely equal, according to the engines.

47.Rd2 Qg4+!?

This is the engines' top choice, but the rook-and-pawn ending is hopeless for Black.

48.Qxg4 fxg4+ 49.Kxg4 Rc1 50.Rd3 Ra1 51.c6 Ra5 52.Rd7+ Kf6 53.Rd6+ Kf7 54.Kf3 Rc5 55.Ke4 g5 56.Rh6 Rxc3 57.Kxe5 Kg7 58.Rd6 Kf7 59.Kd5 Rc2 60.Rd7+ Ke8 61.Rh7 Kd8 62.Kd6 Rd2+ 63.Ke6 Rc2 64.c7+ Kc8 65.Kf6 g4 66.Kf5 Rc4 67.Rg7 Kb7 68.Rxg4 Rxc7 69.h4 1-0

Summing Up Kenilworth

MY score in the English 65+ championship of +2=2-1 (I also took two halfpoint byes) gained eight ECF elo and 14.2 Fide elo.

English 65+ Round Seven

Ian Snape (2223 ECF/2098 Fide) - Spanton (1985 ECF/1922 Fide)

Réti

1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 d4!?

This is the top choice of Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

4.Nf3 c5 5.d3 Nc6 6.0-0 Nf6 7.e3 Be7 8.exd4 cxd4 9.Re1 0-0

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

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Black has more space in the centre, but White has a queenside pawn-majority that could be useful in an ending. Stockfish17 gives White a slight edge, but Dragon1 is less sure.

10.b3 Bb4!? 11.Re2

Black is at least equal after 11.Nbd2 Bc3 12.Rb1 Nb4 13.Ba3 a5, while 11.Bd2 can be met by withdrawing the black dark-square bishop, leaving the white dark-square bishop misplaced.

11...a5 12.Bb2 Re8 13.a3 Bc5 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Rxe5 Bd6 16.Re1

The engines like 16.Rb5!?

16...e5 17.Nd2 Bg4 18.Bf3 Qd7 19.Bxg4 Qxg4 20.Qxg4 Nxg4 21.Ne4 Bc7 22.h3 Nh6 23.c5!?

How should Black respond?

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23...Nf5

The engines suggest 23...f6 or 23...Reb8, in each case claiming equality. But given more time, Dragon1 comes to reckon the text also equalises, and Stockfish17 is happy with it.

24.b4 axb4 25.axb4 Ne7?!

But the engines dislike this, preferring 25...b5 or 25...f6.

26.b5

Also strong is 26.Nd6.

26...b6 27.cxb6 Bxb6 28.Nd6 Rxa1 29.Rxa1 Rb8 30.Nc4 Nd5??

This blunders the e pawn and makes the black d pawn weak. Instead 30...f6 leaves Black only slightly worse, according to the engines.

31.Nxe5 f6 32.Nc6 Rb7 33.Bxd4 Bxd4?

Hastening the end.

34.Ra8+ 1-0

English 65+ Round Six

TOOK a halfpoint bye in round five.

Spanton (1985 ECF/1922 Fide) - Geoffrey Moore (2051 ECF/1983 Fide)

Spanish Cozio

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nge7 4.Nc3!?

More popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database are 4.c3 and especially 4.0-0.

4...a6!?

The main line in Mega25 runs 4...g6 5.d4 exd4 6.Nc3!? Bg7 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bf6 Bxf6 9.Nxf6+ Kf8 10.0-0, with at least a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

5.Bc4!? Ng6 6.d4 Be7!?

The engines prefer 6...exd4 or 6...Bb4.

7.d5 Nb8?!

The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting 7...Na5 or 7...b5!?

How should White proceed?

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8.Be3

The engines like 8.d6!?, meeting 8...cxd6 with 9.h4, and 8...Bxd6 with 9.Ng5, in both cases claiming White is winning.

8...d6 9.h3 Nd7 10.Qd2 0-0 11.Ne2?!

This gives up what remains of White's advantage, according to the engines, which suggest 11.a4.

11...c5

The engines like 11...b5 12.Bb3 Nc5!?

12.dxc6

The engines suggest fighting for the f5 square with 12.Ng3 or 12.Bd3.

12...bxc6 13.Bb3?!

This is strongly disliked by the engines, which suggest 13.h4 (not a sacrifice as Black cannot both capture h4 and defend d6).

13...Nf6 14.Nc3 Qc7 15.Rd1 Bb7 16.0-0

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

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Black's central pawn-majority more than offsets having an extra pawn-island. The engines give Black a slight edge.

16...Rad8 17.Bg5!

The only move that stops the black pawns rolling.

17...Nh5 18.g3?!

After 18.Bxe7 Nxe7 19.Qe3 White seems to have enough pressure to restrain Black's central pawns.

18...Nf6?!

Black has the upper hand after 18...Bxg5 19.Qxg5 Nf6, according to the engines.

19.Qe2 h6 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Rd2 Rfe8 22.Rfd1 Nf8!? 23.Bc4

How should Black proceed?

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23...Ne6!?

The engines agree Black has no need to defend a6, which is why they equally like 23...Bc8!? But they are also fine with 23...a5.

24.Bxe6

After 24.Bxa6 Nd4 25.Nxd4 exd4 Black has more than enough compensation for a pawn.

24...Rxe6 25.Qc4

Threatening 26.Nd5.

25...Qc8 26.Kh2?!

The engines reckon 26.Qb3 gives complete equality.

26...Be7 27.Kg2!? Rf8 28.Kh2!?

The text sets a little trap, but basically I was unable to come up with an active plan.

28...Kh8

Not 28...f5? 29.Rxd6!

29.Qd3?!

Best, according to the engines, is 29.Na4!?, even though this allows 29...d5.

29...Rg6

This gives a winning advantage, according to the engines, but even stronger seems to be 29...d5!?, the point being 30.exd5? cxd5 31.Nxd5 loses to 31...e4 32.Nxe7 exd3 33.Nxc8 Bxf3 34.Rc1 Rxc8.

30.Re1 f5 31.exf5 Qxf5 32.Qxf5 Rxf5 33.Re3 Rgf6 34.Kg2 Rf8 35.g4?!

Best, according to the engines, is 35.Nh4!?, but 35...Bxh4 36.gxh4 c5+ is clearly good for Black.

35...R5f7 36.Kg3 Rd8?

Going passive throws away much of Black's advantage. The engines reckon Black is winning after 36...Kh7, eg 37.a3 a5 38.b3 Rf4 39.Rdd3 Ba6 40.Rd2 d5 41.Nd1 Bxa3.

37.Red3 Rff8 38.Nh4 Bxh4+?!

This allows equality, whereas 38...Kh7 is better for Black, although Stockfish17 is much more enthusiastic than Dragon1 about Black's position.

39.Kxh4 d5

The d pawn at last advances, but piece exchanges mean the pressure exerted by Black's central pawns is no longer critical

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40.Ne4 Rf4 41.Nc5 Bc8 42.f3 Rc4 43.Ne4 Kg8?!

Best seems to be 43...Bd7!?
44.a3?!

Black's position comes under intense pressure after 44.b3!? Rb4 45.Nc5 Rf4 46.Re2, eg 46...Re8 47.Kg3 Rf7 48.c4.

44...Rf8 45.Nd6 Rcf4 46.Nxc8!? Rxc8 47.Rc3 e4?

A mistake. Other moves hold, including 47...d4 and 47...Kf7.

48.fxe4 dxe4 49.Re2 g5+ 50.Kg3 Kf7?

GM offered a draw.

Superior to the text is 50...c5!? 51.Rc4 Re8!? 52.Rxc5 Re6, although White is much better.

51.h4?

After 51.Rf2 Rxf2 52.Kxf2 Black's pawn weaknesses should tell.

51...Ke6 52.hxg5 hxg5 53.Rh2 Kd5 54.Rh6 Rcf8!? 55.Rg6 Rf3+ 56.Rxf3 Rxf3+ 57.Kg2 Rf8 58.Rxg5+ Kd4

White has won a pawn, but the advanced d pawn gives enough counterplay

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59.Rg6 Ke3 60.Re6!? Rf2+ 61.Kg1 Rxc2 62.g5 Rxb2 63.Rxc6 Rb5 64.Rxa6 Rxg5+ 65.Kf1 Rf5+ 66.Ke1 Rf2 67.Rb6 Re2+ 68.Kf1 Ra2 69.Rb3+ Kf4 70.Ke1 ½–½

English 65+ Round Four

Philip Bonafont (2118 ECF/1976 Fide) - Spanton (1985 ECF/1922 Fide)

Sicilian Hyper-Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c3 d5!?

Much more popular, and slightly more successful percentage-wise in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, is 3...Bg7, but Stockfish17 and Dragon1 much prefer the text.

4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 Bg7

How should White proceed?

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6.Nbd2!?

This is only fifth-most popular in Mega25, but is the top choice of the engines, along with the commonest move 6.Na3. After the latter, the main line in Mega25 runs 6...cxd4 7.Bc4 Qe4+ 8.Be3!? Nh6 (8...dxe3? 9.Bxf7+! etc) 9.cxd4, with a completely equal position, according to the engines.

6...cxd4 7.Bc4 Qh5!?

This is Dragon1's top choice, while Stockfish17 prefers 7...Qc5!?, but both engines also like 7...Qd8, which is the chief move in Mega25, where the main line continues 8.Nxd4 Nf6 9.0-0 0-0, with a slight edge for White, according to Dragon1; equality, according to Stockfish17.

8.Qb3 Nh6 9.Nxd4 0-0 10.N2f3 Nc6!?

The engines are OK with this, but prefer 10...e5, 10...Nf5 or 10...Nd7!?

11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.0-0

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

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Black's isolanis and White's better coordination add up to a slight edge, according to the engines.

12...Qa5?!

The engines do not like this, preferring 12...Ng4, the idea being to meet 13.Re1 with 13...Ne5.

13.Re1 e6 14.Bf4 Ba6 15.Bxa6 Qxa6 16.Rad1 Rfd8 17.Bc7!?

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 17.h3!?, and if 17...Nf5, then 18.g4!?

17...Rd5 18.c4 Rc5?

Better is 18...Rxd1 19.Rxd1 Re8, albeit with the upper hand for White, according to the engines.

19.Re4 Rc8 20.Rd7 Rf5!?

The engines suggest 20...Re8, but agree White has a positionally won game.

21.g4!? Rc5

Giving up the exchange with 21...Rxf3!? brings no relief after 22.Qxf3.

22.Qd3?

As PB pointed out afterwards, 22.h3 leaves White with a winning position, as do other moves.

Black to play and win

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22...Rd5!

This completely turns the tables. There is no defence.

23.Rd4

Or 23.Rxd5 cxd5, when White has two pieces en prise and the c pawn remains pinned.

23...Bxd4 24.Rxd5 cxd5 25.Qxd4 Rxc7 26.Qf4 Qxc4 0-1

English 65+ Round Three

TOOK a halfpoint bye in round two.

Spanton (1985 ECF/1922 Fide) - Chris Leeson (1750 ECF)

Petrov

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d3!? N6 6.d4 c6!? 7.Bd3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0

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

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White, at least for now, has more space and a more-active king's bishop - enough for a slight edge, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

9.h3!?

The engines like this, the idea being to restrict Black's light-square bishop.

9...h6!? 10.Nh4!?

The engines prefer developing with 10.Bf4 or 10.Re1.

10...d5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.Bxf5

White has won the bishop-pair, but it has cost tempi.

12...Nbd7 13.Nd2 Qc7 14.Nf3 Bd6 15.Be3 Bf4!? 16.Re1 Rae8 17.Qd2 Bxe3 18.Rxe3 Rxe3 19.Qxe3 Re8 20.Qd2 Ne4 21.Bxe4 Rxe4 22.Re1 Rxe1+ 23.Qxe1 Kf8

The bishop-pair is long gone, the pawn-structure is symmetrical, and occupation of the open file brings no advantage

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24.Qb4+ Ke8 25.Qa3 a6 26.Qd3 Qf4!? 27.Qe2+ Kf8 28.c3 Qf5 29.a3 Qe6!? 30.Qxe6 fxe6 31.Kf1 Ke7 32.Ke2 Kf6

CL offered a draw.

How would you assess the knight-and-pawn ending?

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Completely equal, according to the engines.

33.Ke3 g5 34.h4 g4 35.Nh2 Kf5 36.Nf1 e5 37.Ng3+ Ke6 38.dxe5 Nxe5

Recapturing with the king also maintains equality.

39.Kf4 c5

39...Nd3+?! 40.Kxg4 probably favours White, or at best (for Black) is equal.

40.b3 b5 41.Nf5 Nd3+ 42.Kxg4 Nf2+ 43.Kf4 Nd3+ 44.Kg4 Nf2+ ½–½

Upsetting Chess

IN the first round of the English 65+ championship there were a few minor upsets when heavily outrated players drew with their betters, but no major upsets, ie no one managed to beat a stronger opponent.

By contrast, the first round of the English 50+ championship saw no minor upsets, but there was a major one when the top-seeded grandmaster lost.

Mark Hebden (2451 ECF/2383 Fide) - Natasha Regan (2072 ECF/2056 Fide)

Queen's Gambit Accepted

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 a6

This is second in popularity in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, albeit a long way behind 5...c5.

6.0-0 Nbd7!?

In Mega25 the text scores three percentage points better than the more popular 6...b5 and 6...c5, which nevertheless are preferred by Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

How should White respond?

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7.a3!?

The engines prefer the much more popular 7.a4, which seeks to prevent Black's normal queenside expansion in the QGA.

7...b5 8.Ba2 c5 9.Nc3 Bb7

The game has transposed to a fairly well-known position, with 256 examples in Mega25

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10.Qe2 Qb6 11.Rd1 Be7!?

Deviating from Hebden (2485) - Matthew Sadler (2480), Hastings Challengers 1991-2, which saw 11...Rd8 12.e4 cxd4 13.Nxd4 Ne5 14.Bf4 Ng6 15.Be3 Bc5 16.Nc2 0-0 17.Bxc5 Qxc5, with a slight edge for Black, according to the engines (0-1, 34 moves).

12.e4 cxd4?!

The same response to e4 as in Hebden-Sadler, but this time the engines reckon it is dubious, preferring 12...b4 or 12...c4.

13.Nxd4 Ne5 14.Bf4 Ng6!?

This is an improvement on the known move 14...Nc6?, when the engines point out the strength of 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 (15...Qc6 is even worse, they reckon) 16.Nd5!, eg 16...exd5 17.exd5 Bb7 18.d6 etc, or 16...Bxd5 17.exd5 exd5 18.Bxd5 Nxd5 19.Rxd5 Rd8 20.Re5 Rd7 21.Re1 Qd8 22.Re4!? Rb7!? (22...f6 23.Bd6) 23.h4!? f6 24.b4!? Kf7 25.Qa2+ Kf8 26.Qe6 Rd7 27.Qa6 etc.

15.Be3 Qc7 16.Rac1 Qe5!?

The black queen is well-placed in the centre of the board, if it can escape harassment from White's pieces and pawns

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17.f3 h5!?

Going for it, but the engines prefer 17...0-0.

18.a4?

Hebden apparently underestimates the danger he is in on the kingside. However, while the engines agree the text is bad, and agree White should be slightly better, they struggle to decide exactly how the slight edge should be realised, but perhaps best is 18.Qf2, allowing for the possibility of Qg3 in some lines.

18...b4 19.Nb1 Bd6 20.g3

This is Dragon1's top choice, at least for a while, whereas Stockfish17 suggests 20.Kf1!?, which is obviously not what White wants to be playing.

20...h4 21.g4!?

Perhaps 21.Qg2 is a little better, but Black is on top.

21...Nxg4!?

By no means the only good move.

22.fxg4 Qxe4 23.Qf3

How should Black proceed?

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23...Bxh2+!
After 23...Qe5 24.Qxb7! Black has nothing better than 24...Qxe3+, when 25.Kf1 gives a completely equal position, according to the engines.

24.Kg2??

White had to try 24.Kxh2 Qe5+ 25.Bf4 Nxf4 26.Qxb7, when an immediate discovered check is only good enough for a draw However the engines continue 26...0-0!, which Dragon1 reckons is winning, although for quite some time Stockfish17 gives Black only a slight edge after 27.Qc7!? The position is very murky, but best may be 27...Qe3 28.Qb7 Qh3+ 29.Kg1 Qxg4+ 30.Kf1 Qh3+ 31.Kg1 Qg3+ 32.Kh1 Rad8, when the position is still unclear, but probably favours Black, although it is hard to say by how much.

The text overlooks, among other things, that it puts the g4 pawn en prise.

24...Qxg4+ 0-1

English 65+ Round One

John Morrish (1644 ECF/1786 Fide) - Spanton (1985 ECF/1922 Fide)

Evans Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.b4

The Evans Gambit is a rare bird in the modern tournament scene.

4...Bxb4 5.c3 Bd6!?

The Stone-Ware Defence is an even rarer riposte - there are just 541 examples of 5...Bd6!? in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database.

How should White respond?

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6.d4

This is easily the most popular move, and is liked by Stockfish17 and Dragon1 along with 6.0-0

6...Nf6 7.dxe5!?

The main line in Mega25 runs 7.0-0 0-0 8.Re1 h6!? 9.Nbd2 Re8 10.Bd3!? (10.Qb3 is also popular, and is preferred by the engines) Bf8 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Rxe5, with White having full compensation for a pawn, according to the engines.

7...Bxe5

Not 7...Nxe5? 8.Nxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 Bd6 10.e5, and if 10...Qe7 then simply 11.Qe2.

8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.Bb3

White has the bishop-pair and easy development, but that is not enough for a pawn, according to the engines

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9...0-0 10.Bg5

The engines prefer castling, as after the text ...

10...h6

... puts White in a predicament.

11.Bh4

This looks natural, but the engines much prefer giving up the bishop-pair by capturing on f6, or keeping the bishop-pair while maintaining a pin on the black king's knight by 11.f4!? Ng6 12.f5!? Ne5 13.Bh4.

11...Ng6 12.Bg3!?

Offering a second pawn, presumably on the basis that 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 leaves White with no compensation for a single pawn.

12...Nxe4 13.0-0 Nxg3 14.fxg3 d6 15.Nd2 Ne5 16.Qc2 Bd7 17.Rf4 a5!? 18.a3

On 18.Raf1 Black has 18...a4!?, when 19.Bxa4 Bxa4 20.Rxa4 Rxa4 21.Qxa4 Qg5 leaves Black 'only' a pawn up materially, but in a simplified position in which White has queenside pawn-weaknesses.
18...Qe7 19.Raf1 Bb5 20.c4

There appears to be nothing better.

20...Bc6 21.Ne4?

This loses further material

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21...Ng6 22.Rg4

Or 22.Nf6+ gxf6 23.Rxf6 Qe3+ 24.Kh1 Be4.

22...h5 23.Rxg6

If 23.Nf6+ gxf6 24.Rxg6+ fxg6 25.Qxg6+, Black has 25...Qg7.

23...Bxe4 24.Qe2 fxg6 25.Re1 Qf6!? 0-1

Croydon & District League

PLAYED on board one (of four) for Battersea against HMRC Croydon in the Dave Luckin division, where teams are allowed a rating total of 6600, ie an average of 1650.

Antony Long (1735) - Spanton (1985)

Sicilian Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Bc4 e6 5.Nge2 a6 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 Bb7!?

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 prefer winning the bishop-pair, or dropping the queen's knight back to c6.

8.Nxd4 cxd4 9.Ne2 Bc5 10.0-0 Nf6!?

More popular is 10...Ne7.

11.Bg5!? h6 12.Bh4 g5!? 13.Bg3 d6

White threatened 14.Be5.

How should White proceed?

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14.f4?!

The engines strongly dislike this as it creates a weakness at e3. They reckon White is at least slightly better after 14.a4 or 14.h3.

14...Ng4 15.Qd2

The engines suggest an apparent-novelty in 15.Bf2!?

15...Ne3 16.Rf2 g4?

Cutting off the retreat of the knight.

17.c3 Qb6?!

Black must lose material, but the engines prefer the sharp 17...Nc4!? 18.dxc4 d3!? 19.Nd4 h5 20.Rff1 h4 21.Bf2 g3, when White is winning but the position is somewhat murky.
18.cxd4 Bxd4 19.Nxd4 Qxd4 20.Re1 h5 21.Qxe3

This is better than allowing the knight to escape after 21.Bh4?! g3.

21...Qxe3 22.Rxe3 h4 23.Rc2 hxg3 24.Rg3 Rh4 25.Rc7 Rb8 26.h3 a5 27.Rxg4 Rxg4 28.hxg4 a4 29.Bd1 d5 30.e5 d4 31.Bf3 Bxf3 32.gxf3

A rook-and-pawn ending, but one that is easily winning for White

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32...b4!?

This is the engines' top choice, which only shows how desperate Black's situation is.

33.Rc4 a3 34.b3 Ke7 35.Rxd4 (1-0, 55 moves)

HMRC Croydon won the match 3.5-0.5

MY BATTERSEA SEASON 2024-5

DATE.....EVENT...........................COL..RATING..OPP'S RATING..SCORE..SEASON PERF

12/9/24..Central London League....W......1933..........1886................1............2286

26/9/24..Central London League....B.......1933..........2112................1............2399

15/10/24.Club Championship.........W......1968..........1578................1............2259*

31/10/24.Central London League...B.......1968..........1867................0...........2061*

19/11/24.London League...............W.......1957..........1991................1............2127*

21/11/24.Central London League...B.......1957..........2035................=............2112*

27/11/24.London League...............W.......1957..........1723................=............2056*

12/12/24.Central London League...B.......1965..........2153................0............2018*

7/1/25.....Club Championship.........B.......1958..........1785................1............2037*

9/1/25.....Central London League...B.......1958..........1851................0............1978

14/1/25....Eastman Cup.................B........1958..........2052................1............2021*

28/1/25....London League..............B........1958..........1766................1............2033*

4/2/25......London League..............B........1980..........1757................1............2043*

6/2/25......Central London League..W.......1980..........1932................0............2006*

11/2/25....Central London League..B........1986..........2178................=............2018*

13/2/25....Central London League.W........1986..........1998................1............2042*

27/2/25....Central London League..B........1986..........1996................0............2015*

13/3/25....Central London League..B........1984..........2286................0............2008*

17/3/25....London League..............W........1984..........1870................0............1980*

3/4/25......Central London League..W.......1985...........2127...............0............1967

8/4/25......London League..............W........1985..........1992................=............1968

9/4/25......London League...............B........1985..........2004................0............1952

22/4/25....Croydon League.............B....... 1985..........1735................0............1925

*My season's performance is slightly better than this as my win against a 1578 was a 1978 performance, lowering my average despite me winning.

I also scored a default win in a Croydon League match.

Championship Chess

AM making final preparations for traveling to Kenilworth, Warwickshire, tomorrow for the English 65+ championship.

It starts on Thursday, with seven rounds over five days, but I am taking halfpoint byes on the double-round days.

The time control is 90 minutes with a 30-second increment, and there is also a 50+ championship.

Across the two tournaments there are 71 entries.

Winning Chess

TOP seed, Fide master Ulrich Nehmert (2233), won the Bad Soden-Salmünster tournament, which was for seniors 65+, with a perfect score of nine wins, putting him three points clear of the field.

Here is his round-three game against second seed Klaus Mertens (2267).

Nehmert - Mertens

Slav Exchange

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c6!? 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 e6 6.e3 a6 7.Bd3 Bd6 8.Bxd6 Qxd6 9.f4!?

Both players have a light-square bishop, but White's is 'good' in that White's central pawns are on dark squares, while Black's is 'bad' in that six of Black's seven pawns are on light squares.

It will be very difficult for Black to free his bishop by getting in the move ...e5

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9...Nc6 10.Nf3 Bd7 11.Ne5 Nb4!? 12.Bb1 Qb6?!

This may be a novelty. Known moves are 12...0-0 and 12...Bb5!?, the latter played by a 1714. Of the three, Stockfish17 and Dragon1 marginally prefer the bishop move.

13.0-0 g6!? 14.a3 Nc6 15.Na4 Qa7 16.Nc5 Ne7 17.Bd3!?

This lets Black get light-square bishops off the board. However after ...

17...Bb5!? 18.Bxb5+ axb5

... Black is in big trouble if White finds the right move.

White to play and gain what the engines reckon is probably a winning advantage

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19.Qe2
This is enough for a slight edge, but 19.a4! seems to win material, eg 19...bxa4?! 20.Rxa4 Qb8 21.Qa1 0-0 22.Ned7 Nxd7 23.Nxd7, or 19...b4 20.a5, when the b4 pawn will fall sooner or later, or 19...Qb6 20.Qb3 b4 21.Rfc1, and Black cannot even castle thanks to N(either)d7.

19...Qb6

The engines recommend giving up the b5 pawn, eg 19...0-0!? 20.Qxb5 Nf5 21.Rfe1 b6, claiming Black has good compensation, eg 22.Ncd7 Nxd7 23.Qxd7 Qa6 24.a4 h5 25.Kf2 Ra7 26.Qb5 Qxb5 27.axb5 Rfa8.

20.g4 Nc6 21.g5 Nxe5 22.fxe5 Nh5 23.Rf3 Qc6?!

23...Rc8 keeps Black's disadvantage to a minimum, according to the engines.

24.Nd3 Qd7?!

Another queen move disliked by the engines. They suggest 24...Ng7 (intending ...Nf5) or 24...0-0.

25.Nf2 Rc8 26.Ng4 Qc6 27.Raf1 Rf8

Not 27...0-0? 28.Nh6+ etc.

28.e4 Qc4 29.Qf2 Qc2 30.exd5 Qe4

If 30...Qxf2, achieving Black's aim of getting queens off, there follows 31.R3xf2 exd5 32.e6 etc. And if 30...exd5, then 31.Qxc2 Rxc2 32.e6 etc.

Without making any out-and-out blunders, Black has slipped into a dreadful position that now collapses

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31.Ne3 f5 32.exf6 exd5 33.Qe1 Kf7 34.Qb4 Rfe8 35.Qxb5 Qxd4 36.Rd1!? Qc5 37.Qxb7+ Kf8 38.Qxd5 1-0

Summing Up Bad Soden-Salmünster

MY score of +5=1-3 gained exactly 15 Fide elo. I finished sixth, wining a bottle of German dry red wine, but since I became teetotal seven months ago - apart from one accidental lapse - I gave it to a woman player.

Salmünster shrine

Bad Soden-Salmünster Round Nine

I WAS upfloated.

Karl-Heinrich Scherf (1971) - Spanton (1922)

Sicilian Hyper-Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c3!?

This is second in popularity in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, a long way behind 3.d4, but scoring four percentage points better.

How should Black respond?

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3...Bg7

The obvious and most popular move, but Stockfish17 and Dragon1 much prefer 3...d5!?, when the main line in Mega25 runs 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.d4 Bg7 6.Na3 cxd4 7.Bc4 Qe4+ 8.Be3!? Nh6 (8...dxe3? 9.Bxf7+ etc) 9.cxd4 0-0, with an equal position, according to the engines.

4.Bc4!?

Much more common is 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4 d5, when White usually chooses between 6.exd5 and the more popular 6.e5.

4...e6 5.0-0 Ne7 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4!?

The engines prefer the text over the more usual 7.cxd4, which scores nine percentage points less in Mega25.

7...0-0

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

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White has more space in the centre, and Black has a potentially weak d pawn on a half-open file. The engines give White a slight edge.

8.Bg5

This is the most popular move in Mega25, scoring an excellent 72%, but the engines prefer 8.Re1!?

8...h6 9.Bh4 a6 10.Nd2 Nbc6 11.N2f3!?

The engines agree this is a small improvement on the 11.Nxc6!? of Arystanbek Urazayev (2429) - Dmitry Andreikin (2728), Chess.com Blitz 2023, which continued 11...bxc6 12.Bd3 d5 13.Re1 g5!? 14.Bxg3 dxe4 15.Nxe4 f5 16.Nc5 f4 17.Bxf4, when 17...gxf4 18.Nxe6 Bxe6 19.Rxe6 would have left Black up knight for two pawns, but with at best a slight edge, according to the engines (instead Black blundered his queen with 17...Rxf4?? 18.Bh7+! etc).

11...b5!?

This allows White an interesting combination liked by the engines.

Can you see the idea?

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12.Nxc6!? dxc6 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 14.Bxe7 Rd7

How should White proceed?

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15.Bc5!?

This is enough for a slight edge, according to the engines, but as K-HS pointed out after the game, probably a little better is 15.Ba3!? However 15.Bxb5 cxb5 leaves Black with good compensation for a pawn, thanks to the bishop-pair and pressure against e4 and the white queenside.

15...bxc4 16.Rfd1 Rb8 17.Rxd7

The engines slightly prefer 17.Ba3!?

17...Bxd7 18.Rb1?

The position is completely equal after 18.Ba3!? or 18.Rd1!?, according to the engines.

18...Bxc3! 19.Bd4?

K-HS offered a draw.

Not 19.Rd1? Bxb2! (this is even stronger than 19...Rxb2), and if 20.Rxd7, then 20...Bd4 (threatening back-rank mate) followed by ...Bxc5. However the engines reckon 19.h4 and 19.Bd6!? keep White in the game.

19...Bxd4 20.Nxd4 c5 21.Nc2 Bc6 22.f3 c3 23.b3 Rd8?

This lets White off the hook. Instead 23...c4 piles on the pressure.

How does White equalise?

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24.Ne3?

Both 24.Rc1 and 24.Ne1 hold, according to the engines.

24...Rd3 25.Kf2?!

This probably makes matters worse, although 25.Nc2 f5!? 26.exf5 gxf5 is winning, according to the engines.

25...Rd2+ 26.Ke1?!

Perhaps best is 26.Kg3, but 26...Re2 27.Nc4 Bb5 28.Rc1 Bxc4 29.bxc4 c2 leaves Black roughly the equivalent of a rook ahead, according to the engines.

26...Bb5 0-1

Massive loss of material is inevitable, eg 27.Ng4 Rxg2 28.Kd1 c2+ etc.

Neat & Tidy

Bad Soden's well-ordered main park connects the municipal thermal baths and conference centre with the old town

Even the moles seem to try to preform their activities in a regimented line

Bad Soden-Salmünster Round Eight

Spanton (1922) - Siegfried Schmieder (1893)

Pirc

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.e5

This is popular, but the main line in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database runs 7.0-0 Bg4 8.Be3 e5 9.fxe5 dxe5 10.d5 Nd4!? 11.Be2 Nxe2+ 12.Qxe2, with an equal game, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

7...dxe5

How should White recapture?

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8.dxe5

More usual is 8.fxe5, when the most popular line in Mega25 runs 8...Nh5 9.Be3 Bg4 10.Be2 f6 11.exf6 exf6 12.0-0, again with an equal game, according to the engines.

8...Nd5 9.Nxd5 Qxd5 10.Qe2 Bg4 11.Be4

Where should the black queen go?

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11...Qd7!?

This is Stockfish17's top choice, but Dragon1 fluctuates between the text and the more popular 11...Qa5+.

12.Be3 Rad8 13.Rd1!? Qe6!?

The engines give 13...Qxd1+ 14.Qxd1 Rxd1+ 15.Kxd1, claiming 15...f6 equalises.

14.h3?!

Daniel Sadzikowski (2470) - Alexey Kislinsky (2500), Góra Świętej Anny (Poland) 2014, went 14.0-0 f6!? 15.c4 Kh8 16.Bd5, with the upper hand for White, according to the engines (but ½–½, 49 moves).

14...Bf5

Possibly better is 14...Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Rxd1+ 16.Qxd1 Qxa2, when Black has won a pawn but White's bishop-pair and queenside pressure give enough compensation, according to the engines.

15.Bxf5 Qxf5

The engines slightly prefer 15...gxf5.

16.0-0

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

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White's extra space gives a slight edge, according to Dragon1, but Stockfish17 is less sure.

16...Bh6 17.Qc4!

A multi-purpose move that defends f4, prevents ...Qe4, reduces the prospect of a quick ...f6, and puts latent pressure on c7.

17...a6!?

Dragon1 fluctuates between this and 17...Qc8!?, while it comes to be Stockfish17's second choice behind 17...Rxd1+.

18.g4 Qc8

Not 18...Qe6?? as 19.Qxe6 fxe6 20.g5 entombs Black's bishop.

19.Qe4

The engines suggest 19.Kf2, 19.Kg2, 19.Rde1 or 19.Rb1!?

 e6?!

But now 19...Qe6 is possible, and gives equality, according to the engines.

20.Nd2!?

This lets the white king's rook support the pawn-push f5, and creates the possibility of the knight hopping into f6 vie e4.

20...Rd5 21.c4 Rd7 22.f5!?

This may be too early.

22...Bxe3+ 23.Qxe3 exf5 24.gxf5 gxf5?

Probably best is 24...Kh8, allowing the g7 square to be covered by the black king's rook in the event of White playing f6, followed by Qh6 with the idea of Qg7#.

White to play and win

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25.Qg5+ 1-0

Black resigned but, as I shall show, resignation is premature.

However White is winning after the engines' 25.Ne4!!, eg 25...fxe4 26.Qg5+ Kh8 27.Qf6+ Kg8 28.e6! fxe6 (28...Re7? allows 29.Rf5 with a quick mate) 29.Qxf8+ Qxf8 30.Rxf8+ Kxf8 31.Rxd7.

After the text, play should continue 25...Kh8 26.Qf6+ Kg8, and now best, according to the engines, is 27.Kf2!? Ne7, when 28.Rg1+ Ng6 29.h4? loses to 29...Qd8 etc. Instead the engines recommend 28.Nf3!?, when 28...Ng6 29.h4 Rxd1 30.Rxd1 Qe6 31.Qxe6!? fxe6 32.h5 Ne7 33.h6 gives more than enough compensation for a pawn, according to the engines, but the game continues.

Timber!

GERMANY has a Timber-Framed Road, running almost 3,000 kilometres from the River Elbe in the north to Bodensee (Lake Constance) in the south.

It links towns known for their timber-framed houses, a style of building particularly common in German-speaking countries.

While not on the official route, Salmünster has several fine examples.

Salmünster also has several houses with wooden shingles as an extra protection from weathering, including the extensively covered house below.

Bad Soden-Salmünster Round Seven

Helmut Huber (1759) - Spanton (1922)

London System

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.Bf4 Bd6 4.Bg3 Nf6 5.Nbd2 c5 6.c3 0-0 7.Qc2 Nc6 8.e3 b6 9.Bb5!?

This may be a novelty. Known moves are 9.Be2, 9.b3 and 9.Bd3!?

9...Bb7 10.Ne5 Rc8 11.Ndf3 Ne4 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Bxc6 Rxc6 14.Qa4 Rc7

Stockfish17 suggests 14...b5!?, one line running 15.Qxb5 Rb6 16.Qe2 Bxg3!? 17.hxg3 Qb8 18.b3!? c4!? (18...Nxc3 19.Qd3 Ne4 20.dxc5) 19.Ne5 Qb7, when Dragon1 agrees with Stockfish17 that Black has more than enough compensation for a pawn.

15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.0-0

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

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Black has a lead in development and a little more space on the queenside. Dragon1 gives Black a slight edge, but Stockfish17 is less sure.
16...Rb8 17.Qd1 c4 18.Ne5!? f6

The engines suggest getting on with it on the queenside by playing 18...b5.

19.Nf3

The engines suggest 19.Ng4!?, the idea being to meet 19...h5 with 19.f3, when they reckon 19...Ng3!? 20.hxg3 hxg4 21.Kf2 is equal.

19...b5 20.Nd2 Nxd2 21.Qxd2

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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Black's lead in development and extra queenside space add up to a slight edge, according to Dragon1, but again Stockfish17 is less sure..

21...b4 22.Qc2
This is Dragon1's top choice for a while, but the move then drops a little behind 22.Rae1 in the evaluations. Stockfish17 also likes 22.Rae1, along with 22.e4!?

22...Rcb7

The engines suggest 22...f5!?

23.Rab1

White is completely fine after 23.cxb4 or 23.b3!?, according to the engines.

23...Qa6

How should White proceed?

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24.b3?!

Probably better is capturing on b4, or creating luft for the king with 24.h3 or 24.g3.

24...bxc3 25.bxc4?

Much better is 25.Ra1, although 25...cxb3 26.axb3 Qc6 27.Ra5!? Rxb3 28.Rc5 Qb6 29.Rxc3 leaves Black with the upper hand (Dragon1) or at least a slight edge (Stockfish17).

25...Qxc4?!

Immediately swopping rooks is much stronger, but the text also wins.

26.h3?!

Best is 26.Rbc1 Rc8 27.Rb1!, although 27...Rxb1 28.Rxb1 e5 29.Rd1 Rb8 is just one of several winning lines.

26...Rxb1 27.Rxb1 Rxb1+ 28.Qxb1 c2 29.Qb8+

If 29.Qc1 then 29...Qxa2 followed by ...Qb1.

29...Kf7 30.Qxa7+ Kg6 31.Qa8 c1=Q+ 32.Kh2 Qc7+ 33.g3 Qf1 34.Qe8+ Kh6 0-1