PLAYED on board one (of five) for Battersea against Pimlico 3 in Central London League Division Two last night.
Spanton (1985) - Simon Wilks (2127)
French Defence
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3 c5!?
The main move is 5...Bd6, but Stockfish17 and Dragon1 also like the text.
6.0-0!? c4 7.Re1+ Be7 8.Bf1 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Black has more space on the queenside, but that is easily challengeable in a way that is likely to leave Black with an IQP, albeit not on a semi-open file, and White with a half-open a file. The engines reckon the position is equal.
9.b3!?
Kasparov played 9.Bg5 in a win over Korchnoi at Tilburg (Netherlands) 1991, but the engines prefer the text.
9...cxb3 10.axb3 Nc6 11.c4!?
The main line in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database runs 11.Ne5!? Bf5 12.Nxc6 bxc6, when Dragon1 gives White a slight edge, but Stockfish17 is less convinced.
11...Bg4 12.Be3?
Correct is 12.Bb2, and if, as in the game, 12...Bb4!?, then 13.Re3.
12...Bb4! 13.Nbd2
Duško Pavasovič (2546) - Steve Berger (2435), Chess.com Rapid 1991, went 13.Re2 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Re8, with at least a slight edge for Black, according to the engines (0-1, 56 moves).
Duško Pavasovič (2546) - Steve Berger (2435), Chess.com Rapid 1991, went 13.Re2 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Re8, with at least a slight edge for Black, according to the engines (0-1, 56 moves).
The engines suggest 13.Bd2!? Bxf3 14.Qxf3 Nxd4 15.Qd1 Bxd2 16.Nxd2 dxc4, again with at least a slight edge for Black.
13...Bc3
The engines reckon 13...Ne4!? is even stronger.
14.Rc1 Bxd4
The engines prefer maintaining the pressure with 14...Bb4!?
15.Bxd4 Nxd4 16.h3 Nxf3+ 17.Nxf3 Bh5!? 18.g4 Bg6 19.g5 Ne4 20.Qxd5 Qxd5 21.cxd5 Rfd8
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| Equal, according to the engines |
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22.Bd3?
But not anymore.
22...Nxg5 23.Nxg5 Rxd5!
This is much better than 23...Bxd3 24.Rc7.
24.Be4?
After 24.Nxf7 Rxd3 25.Ne5 Rxh3 26.Nxg6 hxg6 White is two pawns down, but Black has 'only' the upper hand, according to the engines.
24...Rxg5+ 25.Bg2 Rb5?!
It was almost certainly better to activate the queen's rook or king.
26.Re3?
Better is the engines' 26.Rc7 Rxb3 27.Ra1!
26...h6 27.Rc7 a5?
26...h6 27.Rc7 a5?
For once a passive rook move, 27...Rb8!?, is best.
28.Rxb7 Rxb7 29.Bbx7 Rb8 30.Bd5
The engines prefer 30.Bg2!?
30...Kf8 31.Rc3 Rb4?
Black still has at least the upper hand after 31...Bf5, according to the engines, eg 32.Kg2?! Rd8 33.Bc4 a4! 34.bxa4 Rc8 etc. Better is 32.Rc7!? Be6 33.Bxe6 fxe6, but the engines reckon the rook-and-pawn ending is winning for Black.
32.Rc5 a4!? 33.bxa4 Rxa4 34.Rc7
The engines prefer immediately activating the king with 34.Kg2.
34...Rd4 35.Bg2 Bf5 36.Kh2 g5 37.Ra7 Be6 38.Bf3 Rf4 39.Ra3 Kg7 40.Kg3 Kg6 41.Re3?!
The rook is probably better kept at a distance.
41...h5 42.Be4+ Kg7 43.Bf3?!
And here the engines prefer removing the bishop from the crowded kingside with 43.Bc6.
43...Kh6 44.Kg2?
After 44.Bc6 White probably holds.
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| Black to play and win |
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44...Bxh3+! 45.Kxh3 Rxf3+! 46.Rxf3 g4+ 47.Kg3 gxf3 48.Kxf3
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| The pawn-ending is a simple win for Black |
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48...Kg5 49.Kg3 h4+ 50.Kh3 f6 51.f3 f5 52.Kg2 Kf4 53.Kh3 Kxf3 54.Kxh4 f4 55.Kh3 Ke2 0-1
Pimlico 3 won the match 3-2.
MY BATTERSEA SEASON 2024-5
Pimlico 3 won the match 3-2.
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
*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 & District League match.
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