Spanton (1889) - John Hodgson (2047)
Sicilian Accelerated Dragon
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nge2 g6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bg7 6.Nxc6!? bxc6 7.Bc4 d6
This is easily the main move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database.
8.0-0 Qc7!?
More common is 8...Nf6, but the text is equally liked by both Stockfish17 and Dragon1.
9.Bf4!?
There is no consensus over White's best continuation, and the engines fluctuate between moves, but the text perhaps comes to be marginally their top choice.
9...Nf6 10.Re1 Nd7!?
The engines like this, along with 10...Nh5.
11.Qd2 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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White has a slight lead in development, and more space in the centre, but Black has more central pawns. The engines reckon the position is equal.
12.Bh6 Rb8 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Bb3 Qa5!? 15.Rad1 Ne5 16.h3?!
The engines suggest 16.Re3, 16.Kh1 or 16.f4.
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| How should Black proceed? |
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16...Be6!?
The engines reckon 16...Bxh3!? 17.f4 Bg4 18.fxe5 Bxd1 19.Rxd1 Qxe5 slightly favours Black.
17.Kh2 Kg8
17.Kh2 Kg8
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| How should White proceed? |
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18.Qe2?!
18.Nd5!? Qxd2 19.Nxe7+ Kg7 20.Rxd2 Kf6 21.f4 seems about equal. However the engines reckon White is at least slightly better after 18.f4, eg 18...Nc4 (they prefer 18...Nd7) 19.Bxc4 Bxc4 20.b3 Be6 21.Nd5 Qd8 22.Nb4!? Qb6 23.Nd3.
18...Bxb3
The engines like the audacious 18...g5!? to secure the black knight's outpost.
19.axb3 Rb7 20.Ra1 Qc7 21.Ra6 Nd7 22.Rea1?!
Probably better is 22.f4, which, among other things, takes away Black's discovered check.
22...d5+ 23.g3 d4 24.Nb1!? d3 25.cxd3?
Weak, although Black is also better after the engines' top two suggestions, 25.Qe3!? and 25.Qxd3.
25...Nc5 26.R6a3 Nxb3
It was only now that I realised my planned 26...R1a2 is met by 27.Nc1.
27.Rxb3 Rxb3
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| White has no compensation for the exchange - indeed the engines reckon Black's advantage is worth somewhere between a minor piece and a rook |
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28.Na3 Qd7 29.Rd1 f5 30.e5?
Trying to keep lines closed, but only leading to more trouble. Preferable is 30.exf5 or 30.Qc2.
30...f4 31.g4 Qd4 32.Nc4 Rd8 33.Qf3 Rxd3 34.Rxd3 Qxd3 35.Qxc6 Qd5 36.Qc7 Qd7 37.Qa5 Qd4 38.Kg2 f3+!? 39.Kf1 0-1
Battersea won the match 3.5-1.5 (Wanstead defaulted on the bottom two boards).
My Battersea Season 2025-6
Date Event Colour Rating Opp's Rating Score Season's Perf
16/9/25 CLL W 1936 1952 0 1552
18/9/25 CLL W 1936 1797 = 1675
16/10/25 CLL W 1889 2047 0 1665
CLL: Central London League
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