PLAYED on board one (of eight) for Battersea 2 against Hammersmith 4 in London League Division Four last night.
Spanton (1985) - Luke Barron (1992)
Caro-Kann Tartakower
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6
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| A position that illustrates how chess fashion - and knowledge - continues to change |
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Not long ago capturing with the g pawn was normal, and deemed to give Black dynamic chances, while the e-pawn recapture was regarded as tantamount to ceding White a major advantage. Now the tables are reversed - 5...gxf6 is a rare visitor to the tournament scene, while the text is all the rage.
6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Ne2 Re8 9.0-0
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| With both sides having castled, how would you assess the position? |
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White has more space in the centre, and the better pawn-structure for an ending. But Black's kingside pawn-mass has a double function - it gives the black king extra protection, but can also be used for attacking the white king in conjunction with Back's easy development. Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckon equal chances.
9...Bg4 10.Qc2 g6 11.h3 Bd7
The engines prefer 11...Bxe2!?
12.Be3 Na6!? 13.Rae1
Capturing on a6 was a serious option.
13...Nc7 14.Nf4 Ne6 15.Nxe6
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| How should Black recapture? |
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15...Bxe6
Not 15...fxe6? 16.Bxg6! hxg6 17.Qxg6+ Kh8 18.Qh5+! Kg8 19.Bh6 with a winning rook-lift to come.
16.c4 Bc7 17.b3 Qd6 18.f4 f5!? 19.Qf2
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| The position is more critical for Black than it at first appears |
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19...a5?!
The engines reckon Black holds the balance with immediately active moves such as 19...Rad8 and the pawn-sacrifice 19...b5!? After the latter, play might continue 20.cxb5 Bb6 21.bxc6 Qxc6, when the engines reckon Black has full compensation for a pawn.
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| How can White take advantage of Black's last move? |
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20.c5?
The engines give 20.d5! cxd5 21.c5!? Qf8!? 22.Bb5 Re7 23.Bd4 Bd7 24.Rxe7 Qxe7 25.Re1 Qd8 26.a4!?, claiming a slight edge for White.
20...Qd7 21.Rd1?
The engines still like sacing a pawn with d5, although they give Black the upper hand.
21...Bd5
Possibly even stronger is 21...a4.
22.Rfe1 Re7 23.Bd2 Rae8 24.Rxe7 Rxe7 25.Re1 Qe8?!
The engines prefer staying in a more-complex middlegame with 25...Be4.
26.Rxe7 Qxe7 27.Qe2 Be4 28.Bc4 Kf8 29.Qe1 Bd5!? 30.Qxe7+ Kxe7 31.Bxd5 cxd5
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| How would you assess this bishops-of-the-same-colour ending? |
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Black has the better bishop, so although White has chances of creating a queenside passer, Black will have counterplay against white pawns fixed on dark squares. The engines reckon the position is completely level.
32.Kf2 h6 33.a3 Ke6 34.b4 b6?
Equal is 34...axb4 35.axb4 b5!?
35.cxb6!? Bxb6 36.bxa5! Ba7
Forced, as 36...Bxd4+? loses to 37.Be3 etc.
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| How should White proceed? |
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37.Ke3
It seems this natural-looking move is too slow. Best may be 37.Bb4!? Bxd4+ 38.Ke2 Kd7 39.Kd3 Bb2!? 40.Bc5 Kc6 41.a6! Bc1 42.g3, when Stockfish17 reckons White is winning, although Dragon1 awards 'only' the upper hand. Black could try 39...Bf2, but 40.Bc3 Kc6 41.a6 Bc5 (41...Kb6? 42.Bd4+) 42.a4 looks strong, eg 42...Bf2 43.Bd4 Bh4 44.Be3 Bf6 45.a5, when, although the engines agree White is much better, it is not clear the position is winning.
37...Kd7 38.Bb4 Kc8?!
Probably better are 38...Kc6 and 38...Bb8.
39.Bc5
Possibly better is 39.a6, when the engines continue 39...Bb8 40.Be7!? h5 41.Kf3!? Bc7 42.Bf6 Bd6 43.Kg3!? Bc7 (43...Bxa3? 44.Kh4) 44.Be5, claiming White is winning, although again that is not completely clear.
39...Bb8 40.a6 Bc7 41.Bf8
The engines give 41.Kd2!? Bxf4+ 42.Kc3 Kc7!? 43.Kb4 Kc6 44.a7 Bd2+ 45.Ka4 Kb7 46.Kb5, claiming a slight edge for White.
41...Kb8 42.Bc5 h5 43.h4 Bd8 44.g3 Ba5 45.Bb4 Bd8 46.Kd3 Ka7 47.Kc3 Kxa6 48.Kb3 Bb6 49.Bc3 Kb5 50.a4+ Ka6 51.Kc2 Bd8 52.Bb4 Bb6 53.Kc3 Bd8 54.Kb3 Bb6 55.Bc5 Ba5 56.Bb4 ½–½
Battersea 2 won the match 6-2.
MY BATTERSEA SEASON 2024-5
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
*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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