When the opponent is considerably stronger, this is not surprising, but when ratings are not so different, the results are harder to explain.
My biggest bogeyman is probably John Bass, whose record against me is +6=1-0.
Seven games is not a huge sample, but such a poor performance on my part must signify something.
So in this mini-series I intend to look at my games against JB and try to discover what is going on.
We first met at the annual Easter congress in Sutton, Surrey, not long after I had moved to London for work.
Bass (163 BCF) - Spanton (unrated)
Sutton 1989
French Winawer
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Nf3
This is the most popular positional alternative to the attacking 7.Qg4.
7...Qa5 8.Qd2 Bd7
Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 recommend 8...b6, claiming Black is at least equal.
9.Be2 Ba4 10.Rb1 Nbc6!?
A gambit-move that does not appear in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database. Known moves are 10...b6 and 10...Qc7.
 |
| How should White respond? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
11.Rxb7
Cold-blooded acceptance. The engines prefer 11.dxc5 Qxc5 12.0-0.
11...0-0-0?!
Probably the wrong plan. After 11...0-0 Black has full compensation for a pawn, according to the engines.
12.Rb1 f6?!
The engines suggest trying to keep lines closed with 12...c4.
The engines suggest trying to keep lines closed with 12...c4.
13.exf6 gxf6 14.0-0
 |
| With both sides castled, how would you assess the position? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
The main factor may be king safety, in that White's king is far safer than Black's. However, White also has an extra pawn, and the bishop-pair, and the engines agree White is winning.
14...Nf5 15.Qf4!?
14...Nf5 15.Qf4!?
The engines prefer 15.Bd3 or 15.dxc5.
15...Bxc2?
Black is still in the game after 15...c4.
16.Rb5 Qa4 17.Rxc5 a6
More-or-less forced, but White gets another tempo to build up against the black king's position.
18.Bd2 Rhg8 19.Rc1 h5 20.Rxc2?!
This will cost White his queen. White will still be winning, according to the engines, but other moves are much clearer, eg 20.Ne1 or 20.c4.
20...Rg4 21.Rb2 Rxf4 22.Bxf4
 |
| White has rook, two bishops and a pawn for queen and knight |
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
Materially, there is not much in it, but White continues to have much-the-safer king.
22...Kd7 23.Nd2?
Much stronger is 23.Rb7+ Ke8 24.Ne1.
23...e5 24.Rb7+ Kd6 25.Bg3?
White still has an edge after 25.Rb6!?, according to the engines.
 |
| Black to play and win |
*****
*****
*****
*****
25...h4
Even stronger is 25...N(either)xd4!
26.c4?
Other moves are better, including 26.Bh5 and 26.Rb6.
26...Nfxd4
This time, which knight makes the capture is important. The text is good for Black, but not as good as 26...Nxcxd4!
27.Rxd5+ Ke6
If I had captured with the other knight at move 26, Black would now have 27...Kc6.
28.Bg4+ f5 29.Ne4
 |
| What should Black play? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
29...Rxd5??
A queen move is mandatory, preferably 29...Qxc4.
30.cxd5+ Kxd5 31.Nc3+ 1-0
LESSON: the game was decided by tactics, with the winner, classically, being the player who made the next-to-last mistake.
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