Miniatures 10

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

Spanton (151) - J Lewis (141)

Highbury (London) Rapidplay 1989

Stonewall Attack/King's Indian Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.e3 g6

This is easily Black's commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database.

3.Bd3 Bg7 4.f4

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 like 4.e4!?, at first claiming White has an edge, although they come to call the position equal. They do not like the text.

4...0-0 5.Nf3

Again the engines reckon White's best is e4.

5...d6 6.Nbd2 Nbd7 7.c3?!

This is a standard move in the Stonewall Attack, but it has little relevance here as Black has not played ...c5 (threatening a possible ...c4), and there is no question of a black knight landing on b4.

7...c5 8.0-0 a6 9.a4 Rb8!?

This move does not appear in Mega25, which only has 9...b6 and 9...Qc7.

10.Qe2 Qc7 11.Ng5 e5!?

How should White proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

12.Nde4?!

White has equal chances after 12.dxe5!? dxe5 13.f5, according to the engines.

12...Nxe4 13.Nxe4 d5 14.Nxc5 dxc5 15.fxe5??

A hard-to-explain blunder. After 15.dxc5 e4!? 16.Bc2 Qxc5 Black is better, but the game goes on.

15...Nxd3 16.Qxd3 Bf5 17.Rxf5!? gxf5 18.Qxf5 Qc6 0-1

LESSON: no amount of 'sophisticated' opening preparation will avail if gross blunders are not avoided.