Julian Morrison (2046) - Spanton (1904)
Scotch
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qf6!?
The usual moves are 4...Nf6 and especially 4...Bc5, but the text often transposes to lines involving the latter continuation.
5.Be3
Magnus Carlsen has played the text and the independent 5.Nf3!?
5...Bc5 6.c3 Nge7 7.Nf5!?
A rare try. The Main moves are 7.Be2, 7.g3 and especially 7.Bc4.
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| How should Black respond? |
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7...Bxe3
This is the commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 like 7...d6!?, when they reckon 8.Bxc5 Bxf5 9.exf5 dxc5 gives Black the upper hand.
8.Nxe3 0-0 9.Bc4 b6 10.Nd2 Ne5 11.Be2 Bb7 12.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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White has more space in the centre, but Black has a lead in development. The engines reckon the position is equal.
12...d5?!
This apparent-novelty lets White activate his kingside pawn-majority, whereas 12...N5g6 prevents this, or at least greatly slows it down, as 13.f4? can be met by 13...Nxf4!, when the pin on the knight is not dangerous as White is obliged to spend a tempo moving his light-square bishop.
13.f4 N5g6
The engines prefer 13...d7 or 13...Qh6!?
14.e5 Qc6 15.Nb3 Rad8
Possibly better is 15...Qd7, and if 16.Nd4 then 16...c5 as 17.Nb5 can be met by 17...f6!?, although the engines reckon 18.Nd6 is enough for at least a slight edge.
16.Nd4 Qe8!?
Perhaps 16...Qd7 is better, even though it allows 17.Bg4 with tempo (it is not clear the bishop is best-placed on g4).
17.Bd3 Nc6?
The engines reckon 17...c5 or 17...Bc8 is required.
18.Qh5!?
This is Stockfish17.1's top choice; Dragon1 prefers 18.Ng4 or 18.Qe1.
18...Nxd4 19.cxd4 f6?!
The engines suggest 19...Qa4!?, but agree White is winning after, for example, 20.Nf5.
20.Nf5 Bc8 21.Nh4 f5!?
This loss-of-a-pawn is more-or-less forced.
22.Nxf5 Bxf5 23.Bxf5
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| Black is 'only' a pawn down for the time-being, but White's attack continues |
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23...Qf7 24.Bd3 Rfe8 25.Rac1 Rc8!? 26.Rc6 Nf8 27.Qxf7+ Kxf7 28.Ba6 Rcd8 29.Rxc7+ Re7 30.Rxe7+ Kxe7 31.f5 Nd7 32.Rc1 Nb8 33.Rc7+ Rd7 34.Rxd7+ Kxd7
Or 34...Nxd7 35.Bb7.
35.Bb7 1-0
This defeat ended a 12-game over-the-board unbeaten streak (+6=6-0) in which I performed 99 elo above my average rating for those games of 1895.
Battersea 2 won the match 4.5-3.5.
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
23/10/25 CLL B 1889 1823 1 1805
18/11/25 LL W 1891 1980 = 1840
20/11/25 CLL W 1891 1866 1 1911
25/11/25 BCC B 1891 1817 1 1955
9/12/25 LL W 1904 1982 1 2008
16/12/25 LL B 1904 2046 0 1968
CLL: Central London League
LL: London League
BCC: Battersea club championship
I also have a win-by-default in the Central London League
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