Riviera Round Two

Neil Coward (1779 ECF/1768 Fide) - Spanton (1947 ECF/1982 Fide)

Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.0-0 Bxc3 9.bxc3!?

The main line in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database runs 9.d5 Bf6 10.Re1 Ne7 11.Rxe4 d6 12.Bg5!? Bxg5 13.Nxg5 h6 14.Qe2!? hxg5 15.Re1 Be6!? 16.dxe6 f6 17.Re3 c6, with at least a slight edge for Black, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1, although there are quite a few interesting alternatives along the way that engine evaluations suggest are worth exploring.

Steinitz played the text with his first two whites against Lasker in their 1896 world championship match, losing both games.

How should Black respond?

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9...d5

In Mega25 there are 47 games with the blunder 9...Nxc3??, although only 24 of them featured the piece-winning reply 10.Qe1+, and of those 24, White only managed to win 18.

10.Bd3

Steinitz played 10.Ba3?! in both his games against Lasker, as he had done against Schlechter at Hastings 1895. Schlechter's cautious reply 10...Be6?! allowed Steinitz to equalise, according to the engines, but Lasker's 10...dxc4 gave Black a large advantage.

10...0-0

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

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White has the bishop-pair, but that is not sufficient for a pawn unless there are other factor(s). The engines give Black a slight edge.

11.Bxe4!?

This was played by James Mason in 1904 in what seems to have been the first game to reach the position, but the text has been largely superseded by 11.Qc2.

11...dxe4 12.Nd2

Stockfish17 prefers Mason's 12.Ng5, but Dragon1 rates the two moves the same.

12...Re8 13.Re1 Bf5 14.Nc4 Qf6 15.Ne3 Rad8!?

The engines agree that getting on with development is slightly better than preserving the bishop by 15...Bg6.

16.Qb3 b6 17.Bb2!?

The bishop's position on b2 does not look promising, but it helps facilitate advancing the c pawn by latently covering the d pawn. Obvious alternatives are 17.Ba3, but the bishop is then largely hitting thin air, and 17.Nxf5 Qxf5 18.Be3, but then the knight may tun out to be the better remaining minor piece, especially if it manages to occupy c4.

17...Qg6 18.Qb5 Bd7 19.Qb3 Kh8

The engines much prefer 19...Na5 or 19...Be6!? After the latter, the forking 20.d5 is not much of a threat as Black has 20...Na5.

20.Kh1

The engines reckon this is a good time for 20.c4.

20...Ne7 21.d5 f5 22.c4?!

White should probably take time out to try to prevent 22...f4 by playing 22.g3!?, although 22...f4!? anyway is not bad, and there is no doubt 22.g3!? weakens the white king's position.

22...f4 23.Nc2 Nf5 24.Qc3 Nh4 25.Rg1 Bg4

I was tempted to play 25...Nf5?! in the hope White would reply 26.Rae1?, when 26...e3! wins as 27.fxe3 fails to 27...Ng3+! However, White has a major improvement in 26.g3!, and if 26...f3 the engines give 27.g4!?, claiming Black is only slightly better.

26.Ne1?

Better is 26.Nd4, but Black is well on top.

How should Black proceed?

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26...f3?

This allows complete equality, whereas White is hard-pressed to answer other moves, including 26...Nf5. After 26...Nf5 White can try 27.h3, but a sample line runs 27...Qh5 28.Kh2 Rd6 29.f3 exf3 30.Nxf3 Re2 with an overwhelming Black attack.

27.gxf3 Nxf3 28.Qxg7+!

Not 28.Nxf3?? bxf3+ 29.Qxf3, hoping for 29...Qxg1+?? 30.Rxg1 exf3, and either 31.Rxg7 or 31.Bxg7+, as Black instead has 29...exf3 30.Rxg6 hxg6 with a simple win.

28...Qxg7 29.Bxg7+ Kxg7 30.Rxg4+ Kh8 31.Nxf3 exf3 32.Rf4 Rf8 33.Rxf8+ Rxf8

Material is level and it is a rook-and-pawn ending that the engines agree is completely equal, but there is still play in the position

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34.Re1 Rf4 35.Re8+ Kg7 36.Re7+ Rf7 37.Re3

The pawn ending after 37.Rxf7+? Kxf7 is won for Black, eg 38.h4 Kf6 39.Kh2 Ke5 40.Kg3 Ke4 41.h5 a6 42.h6 (42.a4 Kd4 43.Kxf3 Kxc4 44.Ke4 b5 etc) b5 43.cxb5 axb5 44.Kg4 Kxd5 45.Kxf3 c5 46.Ke3 c4 47.a3 Ke5 48.Kd2 Kf5 49.Kc3 Kg6 50.a4 bxa4 51.Kxc4 Kxh6 etc.

37...Kg6 38.h3 h5 39.Kh2 Rf4 40.Re6+ Kg5 41.Rc6 Rf7 42.Re6 Kf4

White to play and maintain equality

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43.Rh6?

The engines give 43.Kg1! as equal, but other moves may hold, eg 43.Kh1 Rg7 44.a4 Rg2 45.Rf6+ Ke4 46.Rf7 Rxf2 is only slightly better for Black, according to Stockfish17, although Dragon1 reckons Black is winning.

43...Rg7 44.Rxh5 Rg2+ 45.Kh1 Rxf2

Material is still equal, but Black's passed pawn is much more advanced and therefore much more dangerous than White's

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46.Rh7 Kg3

Simply capturing the a pawn is much stronger, according to the engines, but the text, which threatens mate, also wins.

47.Rg7+ Kxh3 48.Rh7+ Kg3 49.Rg7+ Kf4 50.Rxc7 Rxa2 51.Rf7+ Ke3 52.Re7+ Kd4 53.Kg1 Kxc4 54.d6 Rd2 55.Rc7+ Kb5 56.d7 a5

The a pawn cannot be stopped.

57.Kf1 a4 58.Ke1 Rd3 59.Kf2 Kb4 60.Rc6 b5 61.Rc7 a3 62.Ra7 Kb3 63.Ra5 b4 0-1

Autumn Forecast

MY confirmed chess plans for the autumn.

Sep 20-21 York

Five rounds over two days at New Earswick, on the outskirts of York, with a time control of 80 minutes plus a 10-second increment. I have booked a bye for Saturday afternoon.

Sep 26-28 Northumberland

Five rounds over three days at North Shields, with a time control of 110 minutes plus a 10-second increment.

Oct 4-12 Calvià

Nine rounds over nine days at Palmanova, Mallorca, with a time control of 40 moves in 90 minutes, then 15 minutes to finish, and a 30-second increment throughout.

Oct 26-Nov 2 Benidorm U2000

Nine rounds over eight days at Hotel Meliá, with a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment.

Nov 8-16 Cap Negret 65+

Nine rounds over nine days on the outskirts of Altea, Costa Blanca, with a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment.

I also hope to play league chess for Battersea in various London leagues and for Wessex in the 4NCL.

Riviera Round One

Spanton (1947 ECF/1982 Fide) - Russell James (2167 ECF/2090 Fide)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Nxc6

This is easily the most popular move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, and it is the top choice of Stockfish17 and Dragon1, but after ...

7...bxc6

... Black is better placed than usual in the Maróczy to get in the break ...d5.

8.Bd3 e5!?

Nevertheless this is the main continuation, although an annotation in Mega25 shows Paul Keres called the move dubious when Miguel Najdorf played it at Buenos Aires 1964.

9.0-0 0-0

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

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White's light-square bishop is bad, but will not necessarily stay that way, especially if Black gets in ...d5. Black's d pawn is backward, but is not easily attacked. The engines reckon the position is equal.

10.Be3

René Letelier Martner - Najdorf, Buenos Airies 1964, went 10.f4 Bc5+ (Keres gave this a ?, according to Mega25, but the move seems fine) 11.Kh1 d6 12.f5 h6!? 13.g4 d5 14.g5 dxc4? (there is no doubting this is bad - the engines suggest 14...dxe4 or 14...hxg5, albeit preferring White)  15.gxf6 Qxd3 16.fxg7 Kxg7? (the game goes on after 16...Rd8, although 17.Bxh6 is good for White) 17.Qg4+ Kh7 18.Bxh6! 1-0 (Black is getting mated, whether or not the bishop is captured). Keres's annotations here appear to be an example of even a very strong player getting carried away by the result of a game - something that rarely happens when engines are to hand).

10...d6

Just about playable is 10...d5!?, as long as Black does not fall for 11.cxd5 cxd5? (11...Bxc3 is better) 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 Qxd5?? 14.Bxh7+ etc.

11.h3 Be6 12.Rc1 Re8

This may be a novelty. Known moves are 12...Qe7, 12...Qd7, 12...Bxc3 and 12...Nd7!?

13.f4

The engines suggest 13.Na4!?, when one line runs 13...d5 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.a3 Bf8 16.Nc5, with what they reckon is a slight edge for White.

13...exf4 14.Rxf4!?

The engines much prefer 14.Bxf4.

14...Nd7!

This is best, according to the engines.

How should White proceed?

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15.Ne2!?

RJ after the game strongly advocated 15.e5?!, but White seems to have nothing, whichever way Black captures the pawn, eg 15...Nxe5 16.Bxh7+!? Kxh7 17.Qh5+ Kg8 18.Rh4 Ng6. I had seen this in the game, and now 19.Qh7+ Kf8 leaves Black winning, according to Stockfish17. However Dragon1 for quite some time reckons 20.Rh5 leaves Black only slightly better. But 20...Qc7 21.Ne4 Bg4! seems to confirm Black as having at least the upper hand, although the line remains sharp.

15...Ne5

This is not just a good outpost for the knight - Black also threatens 15...Qg5.

16.Rf1?!

Probably better is 16.Rf2.

16...Bc5!?

Also strong is 16...Qh4!?

17.Qd2?

More-or-less forced is the awkward-looking 17.Bxc5 dxc5 18.Rc3, but both 18...Qh4 and 18...Re7!? give Black the upper hand, according to the engines.

17...Qg5 18.Nf4

This seems best, but inadequate.

18...Bxh3! 19.Bxc5 dxc5 20.Qe3?!

Probably better is 20.Qf2.

20...Bxg2!

The blows keep coming. Black wins a second pawn, and swops off into a highly favourable late-middlegame.

21.Nxg2 Qxe3+ 22.Nxe3 Nxd3

Black's advantage is worth almost a rook, according to the engines

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23.Rcd1 Rad8 24.Nf5 Nxb2 25.Ne7+ Kf8 26.Rxd8 Rxd8 27.Nxc6 Rd6 28.Rb1 Rxc6

Not 28...Nxc4?? 29.Rb8+ Rd8 30.Rxd8#.

The game finished:

29.Rxb2 Rb6 30.Rc2 a5 31.Rh2 Rb1+ 0-1

Perfect Simplicity

SAW this serial number on a Northern Line carriage yesterday: 51648.

As usual, each number should be used once, and once only, and must be added, subtracted, multiplied or divided to make a balanced equation.
What makes this Tube Puzzle unusual is that not only is there a perfect solution, ie one that uses the numbers in the order they appear, but the perfect solution is also the simplest solution.
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My solution: 5 + 1 + 6 = 4 + 8

Riviera Chess

AM making final preparations for traveling to Torquay tomorrow for the third Riviera congress on the Devon coast.

There are two morning tournaments and two afternoon ones, all ECF and Fide rated, with pairings

apparently based on players' live ECF ratings.

I have entered the open, which has seven daily rounds at 14:30, ending next Friday.

The time control for all tournaments is 90 minutes, with a 30-second increment, and there are 85 entrants.

Kingly Gift

I BUY a lot of chess books, as testified by the Chess Tip of The Day section I have introduced to my blog, entirely culled from books and magazines I own.

Recently I have cut down on my buying, although I succumbed to temptation at the Chess & Bridge stall at the British championships in Liverpool this month.

I bought Arkell's Endings - after all, if Keith Arkell cannot help my endgame play, who can?

However, one book I would never have bought is The King - Chess Pieces by Dutch grandmaster Jan Donner.

It is a collection of Donner's writings, starting 75 years ago, when he was covering the chess world, both as a participant and an observer, for various Dutch periodicals.

One problem with much journalism is that it is inevitably dated.

But that is not a problem with The King, at least not for me, as it is extremely difficult to play chess at any reasonable level without picking up much of the game's history.

And it is fascinating to read Donner's thoughts - many of them acerbically expressed - as events unfolded.

Here he is after Mikhail Tal in 1959 won the right to play Mikhail Botvinnik for the world championship: "The odds are in Tal's favour. One thing though I will venture to predict: if Tal is to conquer the world title, he will not keep it for long. He is too much of a gambler. Tal may win the world championship but he won't be able to defend it."

Other opinions, especially on women being too "stupid" to play chess, sit less well, even  though it is obvious Donner at times is more interested in being controversially offensive than insightfully truthful.

So how come I am reading, and, more importantly, enjoying, a book I would not have spent a penny on?

Quiet simple - it was a gift from a Dutch friend, and a very well-received one.

The King - a kingly gift

Miniatures 4

IN this occasional series I am going through my decisive games of 20 moves or fewer.

Spanton (ungraded) - Colin Mackenzie (172 BCF)

Sutton Easter 1989

Stonewall Attack*

1.d4 e6 2.e3 b6 3.f4

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 recommend 3.e4!?, with Dragon1 claiming White is slightly better.

3...Nf6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.Nf3 c5 6.Nbd2 Qc7 7.c3?!

The engines are happy with this, but one of the points of the Stonewall Attack is be able to recapture on d4 with the e pawn if Black plays ...cxd4. So probably better is 7.0-0, intending to meet 7...cxd4 with 8.exd4, when 8...Qxf4!? is playable but risky.

7...cxd4 8.cxd4 Nd5 9.Nb3

Black threatened ...Nxe3.

9....Bb4+

Continuing to target e3.

10.Kf2 a5 11.Bd2 a4!? 12.Bxb4?! Nxb4

How should White proceed?

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13.Rc1?

Black is only slightly better after 13.Nc1, according to the engines.

13...N8c6

This is enough for a good advantage, but best may be 13...Bxf3!? 14.gxf3, and now 14...N8c6.
14.Na1?!

Almost certainly better is 14.d5.

14...Nxa2 15.Nc2? 0-1

LESSON: success can hardly be hoped for if simple tactical errors proliferate,
*I was much taken at the time with the book How To Think Ahead In Chess, in which Al Horowitz and Fred Reinfeld recommended this opening for White.

Summing Up Olomouc

MY score of +4=3-2 in the Czech 65+ open championship lost 3.4 Fide elo.

Czech 65+ Open Championship Round Nine

Libor Titěra (1843) - Spanton (1982)

1.b4

1.b4

This is arguably a space-gaining improvement over play in my round-seven game.

1...e5 2.Bb2 f6!?

More popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database are 2...d6 and 2...Bxb4!?

How should White respond?

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3.b5!?

This is the top choice of Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

3...a6

The main line in Mega25 runs 3...d5 4.e3 Be6 5.Nf3 Bd6, with what the engines reckon is an equal position.

4.a4 axb5 5.axb5 Rxa1 6.Bxa1 d5 7.e3 Bd6 8.c4 Ne7!?

This may be a novelty. Known moves are 8...c6 and 8...Be6.

9.Nc3 Be6 10.Qb3 c6 11.d4?

Too loosening. The engines suggest various moves, including 11.cxd5, 11.bxc6, 11.Bb2 and 11.Nf3.

How should Black proceed?

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11...Qa5

Exchanging on d4, and then playing ...Qa5, is also strong.

12.Bb2 Bb4 13.Nf3 dxc4

Getting on with development with 13...Nd7 or 13...Kf7!? may be even stronger.

14.Bxc4 Bxc4 15.Qxc4 e4?

White is at least equal after this. Instead 15...Nd5 16.bxc6! bxc6 17.Kd2 Qa4! 18.Qd3 (forced) 0-0 gives Black the upper hand, according to the engines.

16.Nd2 Nd5?

The game is roughly equal after 16...Bxc3!? 17.Bxc3 cxb5!?, according to the engines.

What should White play?

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17.Nxd4!?

This is good enough for a pleasant advantage, but the engines come up with a piece sacrifice in the shape of 17.Ndxe4!! f5 18.0-0! (18.Ke2!? also seems good), and if 18...fxe4 then 19.Ra1 Bxc3 (there is nothing better) 20.Rxa5 Bxa5 21.Qc2!, when Black has rook and two knights for queen and pawn, but the engines reckon Black's lack of coordination gives White a large advantage, eg 21...0-0 22.Qxe4 Be1!? 23.Qe6+ Kh8 24.f3, with e4 to come.

The engines suggest Black may be better off meeting 17.Nde4!! with 17...Nxc3!? 18.Bxc3 Bxc3+ 19.Nxc3 Qa1+ 20.Nd1 Qa5+ 21.Ke2 Qxb5 22.Qxb5 cxb5, when Black has restored material equality, but the doubled and isolated b pawns are a major weakness, especially as White has a protected passer.

17...Bxd2+

Also possible is 17...cxd5, but with best play it transposes, according to the engines.

18.Ke2 cxd5

How should White continue?

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19.Qc8+?!

White has at least the upper hand after 19.Qxd5!, according to the engines, eg 19...Qb4 20.Qxe4+ Kf7 21.Qxb7+ Kg6 22.Qe4+ Kh6 (22...Kf7? loses to 23.Qd5+) 23.Qc2 Bxe3 24.fxe3 Qxb5+ 25.Kf2 Nc6 26.Rd1, after which White emerges with an extra pawn and the safer king.

Trying to extricate the black bishop with 19...Bb4?! backfires after 20.Rc1!, with Qxe4(+) to come.

Black to play and draw

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19...Qd8?

Correct is 19...Kf7! (or 19...Ke7!), when 20.Qxh8? loses to 20...Qxb5+ 21.Kxd2 Qxb2+ 22.Kd1, and now the move I missed, 22...Nc6, after which White does not have a perpetual and cannot save the rook. However the engines show White has equal chances after 20.Qxb7+, eg 20...Ke6 21.Ra1 Qb4 22.Ra7!?, when Black probably has to take a draw, one way being 22...Qc4+ 23.Kxd2 Qd3+ 24.Kc1 Qf1+ etc.

20.Qe6+?!

LT offered a draw, but winning was 20.Qxb7!, eg 20...Bb4?! 21.Rc1 0-0 22.Rc7 etc, or 20...Qd7!? 21.Qxd7+ (21.Qxb8+? Kf7 22.Qxh8 Qxb5+ 23.Kxd2 Qxb2+ allows Black perpetual check) Nxd7 22.Kxd2, when White's extra pawn is decisive, according to the engines.

20...Qe7

I probably should have taken the draw.

21.Qc8+ Qd8?

This should lose in the same manner as after 19...Qd8?, but 21...Kf7!? 22.Qxh8 Ba5!, although leaving Black the exchange down, gives Black a lot of play, the engines fluctuating between calling the game equal or just slightly better for White.

½–½

Czech 65+ Open Championship Round Eight

Spanton (1982) - František Kulhavý (1886)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6 bxc6 5.d3 Qc7!?

More popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database are 5...d5 and especially 5...Ne7, although the text is the top choice of Stockfish17 and, for a long time Dragon1, although given plenty of time the latter switches to the even more obscure 5...Rb8!?

How should White respond?

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6.e5!?

One of the issues for Black in 4.Bxc6 lines is finding a role for the light-square bishop. The point of the text is to make it less easy for Black to play ...e5, with ...d6 or ...d5 to come, opening the c8-h3 diagonal. However the main move in Mega25 is 6.0-0, and if 6...e5, Dragon1 recommends 7.c3, with d4 to come, while Stockfish17 prefers 7.Nh4!?, with f4 to come.

6...Ne7

The engines fluctuate between the text and the more popular 6...f6!?, with Stockfish17 coming to prefer the latter, after which the main line in Mega25 runs 7.Qe2 fxe5 8.Nxe5 Nf6, with an equal game, according to the engines.

7.Qe2 Ng6 8.h4 d6?!

FK offered a draw, having made a move the engines reckon is much inferior to 8...f6!?

How should White proceed?

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9.b3!?

All three games in Mega25 saw 9.exd6 Bxd6, after which the engines like 9.Na3 or 9.Nc3. However they reckon best is the positional pawn sacrifice 9.h5!?, which is not in Mega25. After 9...Nxe5 10.Nxe5 dxe5 11.h6!? they reckon White has at least the upper hand. The text, which is also a novelty, has similar ideas to 9.h5!?, but is less forcing.

9...Nxe5

The engines suggest 9...f6, but give White at least a slight edge after 10.exd6 or 10.h5!?

10.Nxe5 dxe5

White is a pawn down but has a positionally won game, according to the engines

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11.Bb2 f6

This is the engines' main move.

After 11...Bd6 12.Nd2 Black will probably be obliged to play ...f6 anyway. However White should avoid 12.f4? exf4 13.Bxg7 Rg8 as Black will get in ...e5, freeing the light-square bishop while remaining a pawn up.

12.Nd2 Ba6 13.0-0-0 Qa5?!

The queen was usefully employed on c7, covering c6 and e5 (the latter being important as e6 is unprotected).

Getting on with development looks sensible, perhaps starting with joining White in castling long.

14.Kb1

Even stronger is 14.Qh5+, and if 14...g6 then 15.Qf3, with threats to c6 and f6.

14...Rd8?

Definitely better is 14...0-0-0.

15.Qh5+ g6

The engines suggest giving up castling rights with 15...Ke7 or 15...Kd7.

16.Qf3 Be7

This is the engines' top choice, but White is left with almost an embarrassment of good replies.

17.h5!? Kd7?!

It is almost certainly better to offer back the pawn, but keep lines closed, with 17...g5 18.Qxc6+ Kf7 19.Qf3 Qc7 (or Stockfish17's interesting exchange sacrifice 19...Rd4!?).

18.Qe4

Even stronger is 18.Ne4!, one idea being 18...f5 can be met by 19.Bxe5! (I missed that 19...fxe4+?! runs into 20.dxe4+).

18...Qb4 19.Nc4!?

This lets Black swop off the light-square bishop, but that opens the d file with tempo.

19...Bxc4 20.dxc4+ Kc7 21.hxg6 hxg6

What should White play?

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22.Rxh8??

The simple 22.Qxg6 keeps a large advantage.

22...Rxh8??

Missing 22...Rxd1+ 23.Bc1 Qd2, when White is lost, eg 24.Kb2 Qxc1+ 25.Kc3 Qa1#.

23.Bxe5+ Kb6 24.Bb2

Black cannot avoid going a pawn down, and with an unsafe king

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24...Rd8

There is nothing better.

25.Rxd8 Bxd8 26.Qxe6 Qd2

This is the best try, according to the engines.

27.Bxf6!

Safely grabbing a second pawn.

27...Bc7 28.Qe3 Qd1+ 29.Kb2 Qh5 30.Be7 Qf5 31.b4 Be5+ 32.c3 Qd7!?

Setting a trap.

33.Bxc5+ Kb7 34.Bd4

But not 34.Qxe5?? as Black has perpetual check starting with 34...Qd2+.

The game finished:

34...Bb8 35.Qe4 a6 36.Qxg6 Be5 37.Bxe5 1-0

Czech 65+ Open Championship Round Seven

Jiří Fišer (1860) - Spanton (1982)

1.b3

1.b3 d5 2.bb2 Nf6 3.Nf3 Bf5 4.g3!?

This is Stockfish17's top choice; Dragon1 prefers 4.c4 or 4.Nh4!?, the latter being a favourite of Hungarian grandmaster István Csom.

4...c5 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.d3 Qc7!? 7.Nbd2 e5!?

Is Black's broad pawn-centre strong or an overreach?

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Stockfish17 calls the position equal, but Dragon1 gives Black a slight edge, or at least the better part of equality.

8.Nh4

The engines dislike this apparent-novelty.
Evgeny Romanov (2594) - Matthias Blübaum (2674), European Championship (Reykjavík) 2021, went 8.e4!? dxe4 9.dxe4 Be6 (9...Nxe4?! 10.Nxe5; 9...Bxe4? 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Bxe4) 10.0-0 Rd8 11.Qc1!? Be7, when Black was at least equal, according to the engines (0-1, 59 moves).

8...Be6 9.e4 Be7

The engines much prefer 9...0-0-0!?

10.a3?!

It is hard to see the point of this move, unless it is to discourage Black from long castling.

10...Rd8 11.Qe2?

The engines suggest 11.Nf5 or 11.exd5.

11...Nd4 12.Bxd4

This is better than retreating the queen, according to the engines.

12...cxd4 13.0-0 0-0

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

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Black has the bishop-pair, more space in the centre and pressure down the half-open c file, all of which add up to a positionally won game, according to the engines.

14.Nf5 dxe4

The engines prefer 14...Bxf5, which surrenders the bishop-pair but gives White doubled pawns, while also strengthening Black's centre.

15.dxe4

White should have taken the chance to play 15.Nxe7+, according to the engines, meeting 15...Qxe7 with 16.Ne4!?

15...Rc8 16.Nxe7+ Qxe7

The bishop-pair has gone, but White has the better remaining bishop, and continued pressure down the c file.

17.Nf3 Rc5 18.a4

Probably not 18.b4?! Bc4, but perhaps 18.Ne1!?, which gets played anyway soon, is better.

18...Rfc8 19.Ra2 Qc7 20.Ne1 Rc3 21.h3 h6 22.Kh2 Nh7 23.h4!? Nf6 24.Bh3!? Qd7 25.Bxe6 Qxe6 26.f3!? Re3 27.Qd2

How should Black proceed?

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27...Rcc3

Even stronger seems to be the engines' 27...Nxe4!? 28.fxe4 Qg4, their main line running 29.Qg2!? Re2 30.Rf2 Rxe1, and if White tries the tricky 31.Rxf7!?, then 31...Rc3, and if 32.Rf8+!? then 32...Kxf8 33.Qf2+ Kg8 34.Qxe1 Re3 winning.

28.Nd3 Nh5 29.Qg2 Qe7 30.Rf2 Rc6!? 31.Qh3 Rf6

Almost certainly stronger is 31...Rg6!?, and if 32.g4 then 32...Nf6, when the knight threatens to sac on either e4 or g4.

32.Qg4 g6 33.Ra1 Ng7?!

This relinquishes a lot of Black's advantage. Probably better is giving up on the kingside and returning to pressure the queenside with 33...Rc6 or 33...Qc7.

34.Raf1?!

Probably better is the engines' 34.Qc8+!? Kh7, and now 35.Raf1.

34...Kh7?!

This lets White transpose into the previous note. Instead 34...Rc6 returns to pressurising the queenside, while keeping the white queen out of Black's position.

35.Qc8!? Rc6 36.Qb8

JF offered a draw in my time.

36...f6 37.Rd2?!

White is at least equal after 37.Qxa7, according to the engines.

37...b6 38.Kg2 Ne6 39.Rff2?

The engines suggest 39.a5!?, and if 39...bxa5 then 40.Ra1 with what they reckon is a completely equal position.

39...Qd7
This seems to have been a good time for ...g5.

40.Qa8

Black threatened to trap White's queen with 40..Rc8.

40...Rc8

This is still good, but even better is 40...g5, according to the engines.

41.Qd5 Qxd5 42.exd5 Nc7 43.Nb4?

Correct is 43.d6 Nd5 44.f4 with counterplay, leaving Black only slightly better, according to the engines.

43...a5 44.d6 axb4 45.dxc7 Rxc7

How would you assess this rook-and-pawn ending?

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Black is only one pawn up, and has doubled pawns, but Black's advantage is worth much more than a minor piece, according to the engines.

46.f4 Rcc3?

This allows White unnecessary activity. Correct is 46...Kg7.

47.fxe5 Rxg3+ 48.Kf1 fxe5 49.Rf7+ Kg8 50.Rdf2 Rc8

White is two pawns down, but the activity of the white rooks, the weakness of Black's pawns, and the restricted state of Black's king mean the position is equal, according to the engines

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51.R7f6?

Both 51.Re7, attacking Black's passer, and 51.Rb7, threatening to double on the seventh rank, while also threatening b6, hold the balance, according to the engines.

51...e4 52.R2f4

Black to play and win

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52...d3?

52...h5 is good, but best is 52...e3!?, eg 53.Rxd4 Re8 54.Ke1 e2 etc. Perhaps White's best try is 53.Re6, but 53...g5 (not 53...Rxc2? as 54.Re8+ draws) 54.hxg5 Rxc2 wins, since 55.Rxd4 fails to 55...Rf2+ 56.Ke1 Rg1#, and if 55.gxh6 then 55...Rgg2, when there is no good answer to ...e2+.

53.cxd3 exd3 54.Rd6

Note that the c8 rook cannot invade White's position as White has a draw by repetition with Re8+ etc

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54...g5 55.hxg5

Not 55.Rg6+ Kh7 56.Rff6 as Black has 56...Rc1+ 57.Kf2 gxh4 58.Rxg3 hxg3+ 59.Kxg3 d2, after which the d pawn queens.

55...hxg5 56.Rxb4

Also drawing is 56.Rff6.

56...Rc2 57.Rbd4 Rh3 58.Kg1

Not 58.Rxd3?? Rh1#.

58...Re3 59.Kf1 Rc1+ 60.Kf2 Re2+ 61.Kf3 Rf1+ 62.Kg4 Kf7 63.Rxd3 Rg2+ 64.Kh3 Rgg1?

Having overpressed, 64...Rfg1 was necessary to comfortably hold the draw.

However, JF now offered a draw, although I waited for him to move before making a deicsion.

65.Rd7+

White is better after 65.Rxb6, but the game should probably be drawn (even if Black does not take the draw offer).

65...Ke6 66.R3d6+ Kf5 67.Rd5+ Kg6 68.R5d6+ Kf5 ½–½

And not 68...Kh5?? 69.Rh7#.

Rock 'n' Coffee

A place to hang out before games

The coffee is good, the decor fab and the music even better (or it would be if it weren't played so darn quiet)

Czech 65+ Open Championship Round Six

Spanton (1982) - Vladimír Dvořák (1912)

French 3.Nc3 Be7

1.Nc3 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e4 Be7!?

The position after 3...Be7!? occurs 1,247 times in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database. Among those who have played it are Nigel Short and Fabiano Caruana, while it was a favourite of Oleg Romanishin's in the 1970s.

How should White respond?

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4.e5!?

Most popular is 4.Nf3, but Stockfish17 prefers the text, while Dragon1 suggests 4.Bd3!?

4...c5 5.Qg4 Kf8!?

Dragon1 prefers 5...g6, but Stockfish17 fluctuates between the two moves.

6.Nf3 h5!?

There is only one example of this move in Mega25, but it is Stockfish17's top choice; Dragon1 prefers 6...b6.

7.Qf4 cxd4!?

The engines agree this is an improvement over the known 7...Nh6.

8.Nxd4

This is OK, but better is the engines' 8.Nb5! Nc6 9.Nbxd4.

8...g5!? 9.Qe3

The engines reckon 9.Qd2!? gives White a slight edge.

9...Nc6 10.Bd3 Nh6 11.h3 Kg7?!

The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting 11...Qc7 or 11...Nf5!?

How should White proceed?

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12.Bd2

The engines reckon 12.f4 gives the upper hand, and 12.Nce2 gives at least a slight edge.

12...f5!? 13.exf6+?!

Probably better is 13.f4. After the text Black's central pawns are free to advance.

13...Bxf6 14.Nce2?

Not 14.Nxe6+?? Bxe6 15.Qxe6? Re8 etc, but better is 14.Nxc6, although after 14...bxc6 Black's central dominance provides protection for the black king. Dragon1 reckons the resulting position is completely equal, but Stockfish17 marginally prefers Black.

14...Nxd4 15.Nxd4 e5!?

Black's hanging pawns are mobile and strong.

16.Nb3 e4 17.Be2 Nf5 18.Qc5 Be6

Probably even stronger is 18...Bxb2 19.Rd1 Bf6 20.0-0 Be6.

19.Bc3?

Better is 19.c3.

How should Black continue?

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19...Qc8?!

This largely lets White off the hook, whereas there is no good answer to 19...Rc8!, eg 20.Bxf6+ Qxf6 21.Qxa7 Rxc2! 22.Qxb7+ Bf7, after which Black is temporarily a pawn down, but has a very strong attack. Possibly better is 20.Qb4!?, but 20...Bxc3+ 21.bxc3 Qf6! is good for Black.

20.Bxf6+ Kxf6 21.Qxc8?!

There was no need to help Black develop the queen's rook.

21...Raxc8 22.0-0-0 Ke5 23.c3

Now 23...Rac8 leaves Black at least slightly better, according to the engines, but VD played ...

23...Bf7

... and offered a draw.

24.Nd4 Nxd4 25.Rxd4 h4!? 26.Re1 Bg6 27.f3 Rhf8 28.Bd3 Rf4

White has what looks like immense pressure against the hanging pawns, but it turns out there is no way to exploit this

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29.Bc2 Rc4 30.Rxc4 dxc4 31.a4 a5

White to play and lose

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32.b3?

White should 'do nothing', the position remaining completely equal

32...cxb3 33.Bxb3 Kf6!

There is no defence

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34.Bd5

This (and 34.Bd1, which comes to the same thing) is best, according to the engines.

34...exf3 35.Bxf3 Rxa4 36.Bxb7?

Restoring material equality, but making the win simple. Better is keeping rooks on with 36.Kb2, but 36...b5 leaves Black up the equivalent of a minor piece, or maybe more, according to the engines.

36...Ra1+ 37.Kd2 Rxe1 38.Kxe1 Ke5

Other moves also win, including 38...a4.

39.Kf2

Or 39.Bc6 Be4.

39...a4 40.Ba6 Bf7 41.Bd3 a3 42.Bb1 Kf4 0-1

Retro

Olomouc's cobbled streets have an 18th-century feel about them

Naturally it is mainly the affluent parts that remain largely unaltered

However aspects of modern life do sometimes intrude

Czech 65+ Open Championship Round Five

Václav Lexa (1877) - Spanton (1982)

QGD Tarrasch

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5

Two years ago in the same tournament our game went 3...Nf6 4.Bg5 c5!? 5.cxd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Be7 7.e3!? exd5 8.Nf3 0-0!?, with an equal position, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1. Although I won that game in 22 moves, I did not want to find out if VL had prepared an improvement.

4.cxd5 exd5 5.e3!?

This is the second choice of the engines, and has been played by grandmasters, but is much less successful than the mainline 5.Nf3.

5...Nf6 6.g3!?

This gives a strange impression, but the engines are OK with it, and there are 39 examples of the resulting position in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database.

How should Black respond?

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6...Nc6

The engines also like 6...cxd4 and 6...Bg4.

7.Bg2 Bg4

The engines suggest 7...cxd4 or 7...h5!?

8.Qb3?!

This is strongly disliked by the engines. They reckon White is slightly better after 8.Nge2.

8...cxd4

The only game in Mega25 to reach the position saw 8...c4!?, which is the top choice of the engines.

9.Nxd5

Possible is 9.exd4!?, the point being 9...Nxd4 10.Qa4+ Nc6 11.Bg5 is sharp and may give enough compensation for a pawn, although Dragon1 is less sure than Stockfish17. The engines fluctuate between the two moves, and also 9.h3!?

9...Nxd5 10.Bxd5 Bb4+

How should White proceed?

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11.Kf1!?

Not 11.Bd2? Bxd2+ 12.Kxd2 Qa5+! (this is even stronger than 12...dxe3+), after which the white king has no good square as both 13.Kc2 and Kd3 can be met by 13...Nb4+, eg 13.Kd3 Nb4+ 14.Ke4 f5+ 15.Kxd4 (15.Ke5 Nc6+ 16.Kf4 Qc7+ 17.Kg5 h6+ 18.Kg6 Ne5#) Nxd5 16.Qxd5 Rd8 etc. That leaves 13.Kc1, but 13...Qe1+ 14.Kc2 Nb4+ wins the white queen.

11...Qe7 12.a3!?

This is Stockfish17's top choice, although it comes to also like 12.Kg2. Dragon1 suggests 12.e4, marginally ahead of 12.Kg2.

12...Bc5 13.Qa4?

White is fine, according to the engines, after 13.h3, with 14.e4 possible whether the bishop retreats to h5, f5 or e6.

How should Black proceed?

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13...0-0!?

The engines also like 13...Rd8!? as there is no need to defend c6.

14.e4

After 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Qxc6? Rac8 White has very little chance of surviving Black's attack.

14...Ne5 15.Qb3 d3!? 16.h3 Bh5 17.Bf4 Qf6?!

Developing the queen's rook makes sense, and even the speculative 17...Bxf2!? is probably good for Black after 18.Kxf2 Rac8. However the text, which at first glance looks good as it pins White's dark-square bishop, gives White the chance to beat off Black's attack.

What should White play?

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18.Qc3!

The engines agree this is best.

18...Be2+?

Better is 18...Nd7, although that allows 19.Qxd3!? as 19...g5 can be simply met by 20.Be3. Dragon1 suggests 19...Qxb2, but 20.Ra2 (necessary to protect f2) leaves Black with at best a slight edge, according to the engines.

19.Nxe2 dxe2+

Can you see why 18...Be2+? was wrong?

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20.Kxe2

White has a winning advantage, according to the engines, after the remarkable 20.Kg2! Black can save both hanging pieces with 20...Nd7, but 21.Qxf6 Nxf6 22.Bxb7 Rae8 23.b4! Bd4 24.Ra2 will see White emerge material ahead and with the bishop-pair, eg 24...Nxe4 25.Rxe2 g5! 26.Bc1. Slightly better may be 20...Bd6, but it is still good for White, eg 21.Qe3 Ng6 22.Bxd6 Qxd6 23.Qxe2.

20...Qa6+ 21.Kd2 Nd7

The engines give 21...Bd4!, the point being 22.Qxd4?? loses to 22...Nf3+. White has to play 22.Qb3, when 22...g5! 23.Bxe5 Bxe5 leaves White a pawn up, but with an exposed king in a position with opposite-coloured bishops. Dragon1 reckons White has the upper hand, but Stockfish17 gives White only a slight edge, and it would be a difficult middlegame for White to negotiate.

22.Be3

The engines give 22.Rac1!?, the idea being to meet 22...Bxf2 with 23.Rhf1, when White has given back the pawn but is ahead on development and has threats, along with the bishop-pair. Instead of immediately grabbing the f pawn, the engines give 22...Rad8!? 23.Kc2, and now 23...Bxf2, but still prefer White after 24.Kb1!?

22...Rac8 23.b4?!

The engines still like Rac1.

23...Bxe3 24.Qxe3

Black has full compensation for a pawn, according to the engines

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24...Nf6 25.Rhc1?!

The engines prefer 25.Qd3!?, meeting both 25...Qd6 and 25...Qb6 with 26.Ke2.

25...Nxd5

25...Rcd8!? is slightly stronger, according to the engines.

26.exd5 Rcd8 27.Rc5?

Equal is 27.Qd3!? Qxd3+ 28.Kxd3 Rxd5, as is 27...Qh6+ 28.Kc3 Qxh3 29.Kb3, according to the engines.

27...b6 28.Rc3 Rxd5+ 29.Rd3 Rfd8?

This looks natural, but throws away the win, which was to be had, it seems, with more than one continuation, including 29...Rxd3+ and possibly 29...Qb7, but most convincing is 29...Rdd8!, to which there appears no satisfactory answer. Perhaps the best try is 30.Kc2, but the engines give 30...Qc4+ 31.Rc3 Qb5! 32.Rd1 Qa4+ 33.Rb3 Rxd1 34.Kxd1 Re8 35.Qd3 Qc6 36.Rc3 Qh1+ 37.Kc2 Qxh3, after which Black is a pawn up and still has much the safer king. There is a long way to go to convert the extra pawn, and there are plenty of alternative moves before reaching this point, but the engines are convinced Black is winning.

30.Rxd5 Rxd5+ 31.Ke1 Qb5 32.Rd1 Rxd1+ 33.Kxd1

VL offered a draw in my time.

Dead equal?

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Yes, according to the engines, one point being Black sooner or later has to spend a tempo preventing back-rank mate.

33...g6 34.Kd2 Qd7+ 35.Ke2 Qxh3

Winning a pawn, but only temporarily.

36.Qe8+ Kg7 37.Qe5+ Kf8!? 38.Qb8+ Kg7 39.Qxa7

After 39.Qe5+ the only way to keep the game going is 39...Kh6 40.Qf4+ Kh5!?, although 41.Qxf7 gives White a tiny edge, according to Dragon1 (Stockfish17 reckons the ending is still equal).

The text means White has the smaller of the two pawn-majorities, and has the majority that is on the farside from the kings, but Black still has the draw in hand.

39...Qe6+ 40.Kf1 h5 41.Qa6 Qc6 42.Qd3!?

Centralising the queen. It allows ...

42...b5!?

... which means one pawn is now holding up two on the queenside, but that does not change the engines' assessment of complete equality.

43.Qd4+ f6 44.Qe3 g5 45.Qd3 h4!? 46.gxh4 gxh4

A passed pawn is normally a major asset in a queen-and-pawn ending, even though here it has come at the cost of accepting three isolanis, but the engines steadfastly maintain their verdict of completely equal

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47.Qf5 Qc1+ 48.Ke2

Also fine is 48.Kg2!? as following 48...Qg5+ 49.Qxg5 fxg5 White has 50.a4 (50.f4!? may also hold the draw), after which both sides queen a pawn.

48...Qc4+ 49.Ke1 Qc3+ 50.Kf1 Qa1+!? 51.Kg2 Qe5!?

Continuing to take risks in the hope of somehow conjuring up a win.

How should White proceed?

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52.Qd7+

The Syzygy endgame tablebase shows 52.Qxe5 fxe5 53.Kh3 Kf6 54.Kxh4 is a draw, provided Black finds 54...Kf6 55.Kg3 e4!

Another try is 52.Qg4+ Qg5 53.Kh3 Kg6 54.Qxh4, but it seems Black holds with, among other moves, 54...Qd5 and 54...f5, but 54...Qxh4+?? 55.Kxh4 is a winning pawn-ending for White.

52...Kh6 53.Kh3 f5 54.Qd2+

Not 54.Kxh4?? Qh2#.

54...f4!?

White to play and gain a slight edge (Stockfish17) or even the upper hand (Dragon1)

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55.Kxh4??

After 55.Qc2! White is the one pushing for a win, although it seems 55...Qg5 56.Qe4 Qf6 holds, and other lines too, according to the engines.

The text was presumably played in the light of the reply ....Qg5+ only drawing, thanks to the f5 pawn being pinned after the black queen leaves g5. However that misses:

55...Qh5#