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