Kidlington U2000 Round Three

AFTER taking a halfpoint bye in round two, I was upfloated.

Spanton (1929) - Matthew Stewart (1694)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0-0 Nc6 6.c3 Nf6

Stockfish17.1 marginally prefers 6...d5!?, when the main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 7.exd5 Qxd5 8.d4 e6 9.Be3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nf6, with what Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 agree is an equal position.

After 6...Nf6, how should White proceed?

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7.Qe2

Most popular in Mega26 is 7.Re1, while the engines like the gambit move 7.d4!?, eg 7...Nxe4 8.d5 Ne5 9.Re1 Nxf3+ 10.Qxf3 Nf6, after which they reckon White has at least enough for a pawn.

7...g6

The engines prefer 7...e6 or 7...e5!?

8.d4 cxd4 9.cxd4 Bg7 10.Nc3 0-0

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

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White's classical centre gives a slight edge, according to the engines.

11.Rd1 e6

The engines suggest 11...d5!? 12.e5 Ne8.

12.Bf4!?

How should Black respond?

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12...Nh5!?

This comes to be Stockfish17.1's top choice, at least for a while, but the engines come to more-or-less settle on 12...h6!? or 12...Rad8, eg 12...h6!? 13.Nb5 a6!? 14.Nxd6!? Nh5 15.Qe3 g5 16.Be5 f6 17.Bg3 Nxg3 18.Nc4 (threatening a fork with Nb6) Nxe4!? 19.Qe4 Rad8, a long and complicated line that they reckon ends in equality.

But note that 12...Nxd4?? fails to 13.Rxd4.

13.Be3 a6?!

The engines suggest 13...Nf6, but then White has got in the move Be3 for free.

14.e5

Threatening to win a piece with 15.g4.

14...f5 15.exf6?!

This throws away most of White's advantage. The engines give 15.Na4 Rad8 16.Bg5 Rb8 17.Nb6 Qc7 18.Nc4, claiming White has a positionally won game.

15...Nxf6 16.d5 Nb4?

Better is 16...exd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5 18.Rxd5 Ne7, although Black's isolani means White has an edge.

17.dxe6 Qxe6 18.Ng5 Qe7 19.Qc4+ 1-0

MS resigned almost instantly - was he right to do so?

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Black has 19...d5, when best play, according to the engines, runs 20.Bc5!? dxc4 21.Bxe7 (forking rook and knight, as well as capturing the queen) Nd3 22.Bxf8 Bxf8!?, after which Black is the exchange down, but not without chances, and, at least below elite level, I feel most people would play on.

Kidlington U2000 Round One

Philip Neatherway (1811) - Spanton (1929)

Spanish Four Knights

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.d3 0-0!?

The main move is 5...d6.

How should White proceed?

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6.0-0

This is Stockfish17.1's top choice. Dragon1 prefers 6.Bxc6 bxc6 7.Nxe5, although it reckons 7...d5 8.0-0 Qe8 gives equality.

6...d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3

This is overwhelmingly the commonest move, but the engines marginally prefer 7...Ne7!? Keeping symmetry with 7...Bg4?! has been tried, but 8.Bxf6!? gxf6 9.Bxc6!? bxc6 gives White at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

8.bxc3 Qe7 9.Re1 h6 10.Be3!?

This may be a novelty. Known moves are 10.Bxf6, 10.Bd2, 10.Bc1!? and especially 10.Bh4.

10...Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.Qd2?

White's pieces are not well-placed to protect a shattered kingside.

12...Bxf3 13.gxf3 Kh7 14.Kh2 Nh5 15.f4?

The engines much prefer 15.d4.

15...exf4 16.Bxf4 Ne5 17.Qe3?!

The engines reckon White should offer the exchange with 17.Kh1!?, or protect the f3 square with 17.Kg2.

17...f5

Even stronger is 17...Qf6.

18.d4

Black to play and win

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18...Nxf4?

Winning is 18...Ng4! 19.hxg4 Qh4+, eg 20.Qh3 Qxf2+ 21.Qg2 Qh4+!? 22.Qh3 Qxh3+ 23.Kxh3 fxg4+ 24.Kxg4 Rxf4+ 25.Kh3 (Kxh5?? g6#) Rf3+ 26.Kh2 (26.Kg4?? Raf8 etc) Rxc3, netting two pawns, or 20.Kg1 Qxg4+ 21.Kf1 Nxf4, when Black is a pawn up, with a continuing attack. The engines reckon 18...a6!? is also better than the text.

19.Qxf4 Ng6

Not 19...fxe4?? 20.Qxe4+ and 21.dxe5.

20.Qg3?

The game is equal after 20.exf5 Nxf4 21.Rxe7, according to the engines.

Black to play and win

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20...f4?

Winning is 20...fxe4, eg 21.Bd3 d5 22.c4 Qf6!? with a large advantage.

21.Qg4 Nh4!? 22.e5 d5?

It was time to go for king safety with 22...Qg5, although 23.Bd3+ Kh8 24.Qxg5 Nf3+! 25.Kh1 hxg5 leaves White with at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

23.Bd3+ Kh8 24.Rg1 Rae8?

Too slow, but the engines' 24...c5 25.Qh5 c4 26.Bg6 is also very good for White.

25.Qh5 f3

Black's game is past saving, eg 25...Rf7 26.e6, or 25...Qd8 26.Rxg7! Nf3+ 27.Kh1!

26.Rg4 Ng2 27.Qg6 Kg8 28.Qh7+ Kf7 29.Rxg7+ 1-0

Lessons From Mariánské Lázně IV

CERTAIN words in chess have a technical meaning separate from their usage by the general public.

An obvious example of this is in the common pub-quiz question: "How many pieces are there on the board at the start of a game of chess?"

Most people, assuming they had at least a passing acquaintance with the game, would answer 32.

But an experienced chess player would probably pause, knowing that in chess the word pieces has a technical meaning that includes rooks, knights, bishops, kings and queens, but excludes pawns.

Similarly, 'good' and 'bad' has a technical meaning when applied to bishops.

A bad bishop, in this sense of the word, is one on the same colour complex as many of its own side's pawns, especially centre pawns, while a good bishop is one unobstructed in this way.

The importance of whether a bishop is technically good or bad becomes paramount in endings.

In the middlegame, however, what counts for more is whether a bishop is active or passive.

All of which is a long-winded introduction to my round-four game against Germany's Achim Heller (2038), in which the following position was reached after seven moves.

I have just played 7...Bf8-e7

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Black's dark-square bishop is technically good - Black's centre pawns are on light squares - but passive.

Black's light-square bishop is technically bad, but is active as it helps control the e4 square, reducing the chance of White making the pawn-break e4, and being well-placed to support the black king's knight should it ever go to e4.

White's light-square bishop is both good and active, while White's dark-square bishop is unmoved and technically bad.

It is also currently passive, but it can be made active by developing it to b2, and, indeed, 8.Bb2 is overwhelmingly the commonest move in the position (grandmasters have also played 8.Nc3 and 8.cxd5) as on b2 it helps prevent the pawn-break ...e5, and can support a white knight landing on the e5 square.

My opponent came up with what is probably a novelty in 8.Ba3!?

This is not an out-and-out mistake, but I think it is significant that after 8...0-0 Dragon1 suggests playing 9.Bb2!?, and Stockfish17.1 fluctuates between that move and the game's 9.Bxe7.

LESSON: whether a bishop is good or bad can be of decisive importance in an ending, but in the middlegame (and the opening) what usually counts is whether a bishop is active or passive.

Quick Weekender

ARRIVED in Kidlington, five miles north of Oxford, after making a late decision to play in a five-round weekender that starts tomorrow.

It is being played at a venue, the Leonardo Royal Hotel, that was apparently recommended by the 4NCL, and is a short walk from Oxford Parkway train station.

There are 179 entries, divided into four sections, with a time control of 90 minutes and a 15-second increment.

I have entered the U2000, where I am seeded fifth. However, I have booked a halfpoint bye for Saturday afternoon, so by the evening will be at least a halfpoint behind the leaders ...

League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of five) for Battersea against Pimlico 3 in Central London League Division Two last night.

Neil Davies (1882) - Spanton (1929)

Catalan(?)

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.c4

It is not easy classifying the opening - a Catalan, or a Tarrasch Defence to the Queen's Gambit? Then again it could be just a Queen's Pawn Game, or arguably all three

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For what it is worth, ChessBase classifies the opening as "D30: Queen's Gambit Declined Systems without Nc3."

4...dxc4!?

This capture away from the centre is typical of Open Catalan structures, but also occurs in lines of the Queen's Gambit.

5.Bg2!?

This is more popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database than immediately regaining the pawn via 5.Qa4+.

5...Nc6 6.Qa4 Qa5+!?

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer 6...cxd4 or 6...Bd7.

7.Qxa5

Not 7.Nc3? Qxa4 8.Qxa4 cxd4, when Black is two sound pawns up.

7...Nxa5 8.Nc3 Bd7

Guarding against Nb5, but the engines prefer the apparent-novelty 8...Nf6!?, meeting 9.Nb5 with 9...Nd5, and if 10.e4?, then 10...a6 is very good for Black.

How should White proceed?

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9.0-0

The engines give another apparent-novelty in 9.d5!?, claiming White has a slight edge, or at least the better part of equality.

9...Nf6 10.Rd1!?

This seems to be an improvement on the known-move 10.Bd2.

10...Be7 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Ne5 Bc6

The engines suggest 12...Rd8.

13.Nxc6 Nxc6

How would you assess this late-opening/early-middlegame position?

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Black is up a pawn, but according to the engines this is more than offset by White's bishop-pair and slight lead in development.

14.Bg5 Rd8

The engines prefer 14...Rc8!?

15.Bxc6+ bxc6 16.Rxd8+ Kxd8 17.Ne4

White has cashed in the bishop-pair to mangle Black's pawn-structure and gain an initiative.

17...Be7 18.Nxf6 gxf6

Probably not 18...Bxf6?! 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Rc1, when White will regain his missing pawn, and be left with two -pawn-islands against Black's four.

19.Be3 Kc7 20.Rc1

Not 20.Bxa7?? c5.

20...Rb8 21.Rxc4 Rxb2 22.Ra4

How should Black proceed?

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22...Rb7?

Rook passivity in an ending should be a last resort. Black has two perfectly reasonable moves in 22...Rxe2 and 22...c5!? The point about the latter is that if White goes after the black kingside with 23.Rh4?! Rxe2!? 24.Rxh7, the Black c pawn becomes dangerous following 24...c4, and if 23.Rxa7+, then 23...Rb7 is completely equal, according to the engines.

23.Rh4 Rb2

This comes to be Stockfish17.1's top choice, but the engines agree White is winning, or at least has the upper hand, whatever Black plays.

24.Ra4?

After 24.Rxh7 Black is in big trouble, eg 24...Rxa2 25.Rxf7 Kd6 26.h4, when White's passed pawn is much quicker than either of Black's passers.

24...Rb7? ½–½

Pimlico 3 won the match 3.5-1.5.

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

18/12/25  CLL      B        1904         2066             1            2018

6/1/26      CLL      W       1929         2150             =            2066

7/1/26      LL         W       1929         1971             =            2058

8/1/26      CLL      B        1929         1800?           =            2038

13/1/26    LL         B        1929         2035             1            2067

27/1/26    LL         B        1929         2089             0            2041

29/1/26    CLL      B        1929         1882             =            2031     

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC: Battersea club championship

I also have a win-by-default in the Central London League

Lessons From Mariánské Lázně III

IN round three I reached the following position with white against Martin Taus (2052)

Black has just played 16...Nb6-c4?!

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Black had a bad position anyway, but the only good thing about the text is its aggressiveness.

White has several strong continuations, including 17.Qh3+ and 17.Bc3, but probably best is 17.Ng5, when 17...Rf7 defends the f7 pawn and prevents a fork of Black's rooks, but 18.Qh3 Kc7 19.e6 fxe6 20.Nxe6+ leaves White with an advantage worth more than a minor piece, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

Instead I played 17.exd6?! Bxd6 18.Nxd6?!, exchanging White's well-placed knight for Black's unmoved bishop. Not only that, but after 18...Rxd6 Black is helped to dominate the d file, a process continued by 19.Re4?! Rhd8.

I cannot recall my exact thinking at the time, but I am fairly sure I was both intimidated by the knight at c4 and pleased to exchange a pair of minor pieces in the belief this would make life easier against an opponent who outrated me by 137 elo.

In other words, a clear case of playing the rating rather than the position.

LESSON: just as contempt for a weaker player can make you careless, so exaggerated respect for a stronger opponent can lead to timidity and a failure to properly look for opportunities.

League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of eight) for Battersea 2 against Greater London in London League Division Three last night.

Hendrik Brackmann (2089) - Spanton (1929)

Sicilian Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nxc6!?

This is fourth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, scoring 52%, which is much higher than the more popular 7.f3 (39%) and 7.Be2 (43%), but not quite matching the most popular move, 7.Bc4 (53%).

7...bxc6 8.e5 Ng8

The gambit 8...Nd5!? has been recommended, eg in an Andrew Martin video, but after 9.Nxd5 cxd5 10.Qxd5 Rb8 11.0-0-0!? Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 give White the upper hand.

9.Bd4

This is Stockfish17.1's top choice; Dragon1 prefers 9.f4.

9...Qa5 10.f4

How should Black continue?

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10...Nh6

The engines prefer 10...Rb8 or 10...f6.

11.e6 Bxd4?!

This is probably a mistake. The engines give 11...f6 or 11...Rg8!?

12.Qxd4 0-0

This is the only move in Mega26. The engines suggest two novelties, 12...f6 and 12...Rf8!?
13.exd7 Bb7?!

Probably better is 13...Nf5!? 14.cxd8=Q Nxd4 15.Qa6 Nxc2+ 16.Kd2 Qxa6 17.Bxa6 Nxa1, although after 18.Rxa1 the engines reckon White has a winning advantage.

14.0-0-0 Rfd8 15.Qe4 Kf8!? 16.Bc4 Qc7 17.Qe5 Rxd7!?

The engines agree this is better than taking on e5.

18.Rxd7 Qxd7 19.Qh8+ Ng8 20.Qxh7 Qf5

Now the flurry of forcing and semi-forcing moves has died down, how would you assess the position?

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White has emerged a pawn up, with the better pawn-structure and safer king, and has a slight lead in development - advantages that equal being more than a minor piece ahead, according to the engines.

21.Qh4 Rd8 22.Re1

The engines suggest 22.Bd3 or 22.Qf2.

22...Rd4 23.Rxe7??

Correct is 23.Bd3, when 23...Qxf4+ 24.Qxf4 Rxf4 wins back the pawn but, according to the engines, leaves White with a winning advantage, thanks to the weaknesses in Black's position.

Black to play and win

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23...Rxf4??

Winning is 23...g5, with a simple interference motif. I had seen the idea earlier, but thought I had calculated the text out to a win.

24.Rxf7+ Qxf7 25.Qd8+ Qe8 26.Qd6+

This is what I missed.

26...Kg7 27.Qxf4 Qe1+ 28.Nd1 Qe7

White is two pawns up, with the safer king, and all the black pawns are isolanis

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29.Qb8 Nf6 30.Qxa7

White is now three pawns up, but White's advantage is worth about double that, according to the engines.

30...Nd5 31.Qd4+ Kh7 32.Bxd5 cxd5 33.Ne3 Qg5 34.b4!? Ba6 35.Kb2 Bc4 36.Ng4 Qd2?? 37.Qxd2 1-0

Greater London 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

18/12/25  CLL      B        1904         2066             1            2018

6/1/26      CLL      W       1929         2150             =            2066

7/1/26      LL         W       1929         1971             =            2058

8/1/26      CLL      B        1929         1800?           =            2038

13/1/26    LL         B        1929         2035             1            2067

27/1/26    LL         B        1929         2089             0            2041       

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC: Battersea club championship

I also have a win-by-default in the Central London League

Lessons From Mariánské Lázně II

GRANDMASTER John Nunn tells an amusing, and instructive, anecdote in Secrets Of Practical Chess (Gambit 1998) about a blitz match he played against an opponent rated around 2300.

Nunn won the series 88-12, despite having a time handicap, but the interesting thing is his opponent's comment about halfway through: "I thought I would see lots of advanced strategic concepts in these games, but actually all I have learnt is LPDO."

Or, to put it another way, loose pieces drop off.

Nunn comments: "During the remaining games I saw what he meant. Most of the games were decided by relatively simple tactics involving undefended pieces, when the LP would duly DO."

I was reminded of the story during my round-two game at Mariánské Lázně, where I had black against Poland's Ewa Balcerczak (1537).

This position arose after White played 21.Nb1-c3

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A peculiarity of the position is that both white rooks are loose - neither is protected by a fellow piece or pawn.

The looseness of the king's rook might seem unimportant, but look what happens over the next few moves.

I began with 21...Qe7, taking advantage of the undefended queen's rook to reposition my queen with tempo.

EB had to do something about the rook, and chose to play 22.Qb3?! (Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer 22.Qc1 or 22.Ra1).

The problem with the game's choice is it allows 22...Nc5! (better than the tempting 22...Nxf2+ 23.Bxf2 Bxf2, when 24.Nd5 keeps White in the game).

EB counterattacked with 23.Nd5? (23.Qd1!? is better), but that allowed me to take advantage of White's other undefended rook by playing 23...Qe2!, when my opponent could have resigned on the spot, and did so anyway after a further three moves.

LESSON: loose pieces drop off.

Malta Is Back - Fingers Crossed

A WELCOME announcement has appeared at the ChessOrg.de site to the effect that its Malta tournament should return in 2026 after a seven-year absence.

The event ran from 2011-19, before being cancelled in 2020 due to covid, and not being revived.

But organiser Jürgen Wempe hopes to relaunch this year, although there is no indication if it will resume in its previous November timeslot.

Here is one of my better games from Malta.

Spanton (1940) - Kevin Goater (2102)

Buġibba 2018

Modern Defence

1.Nc3 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.Nf3 d6 4.d4 a6!?

This is second in popularity to 4...Nf6, but scores five percentage points better in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

5.Bc4 e6!? 6.a4 b6 7.Bg5 Ne7 8.Qd2 h6 9.Be3 Nd7 10.Rd1 Bb7

Black has a 'perfect' Hippopotamus setup, at least as as defined in Wikipedia 

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The diagram position occurs nine times in Mega26, with White enjoying a slight edge, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

11.0-0

But now we have reached a position that appears 96 times in Mega26.

11...g5!?

With White having committed the king, a typical Black plan is to play ...g5, followed by moving the king's knight to f4 via g6.

12.d5!?

There is only one example of this move in Mega26, but it is the top choice of Stockfish17.1, although Dragon1 marginally prefers 12.h3.

12...Bxc3!? 13.Qxc3 e5 14.Qd2

Guenter Moser (2315) - Michael Bezold (2508), Austrian Team Championship 1999, went 14.h4!? f6!? 15.g3 Nc5 16.Bxc5 bxc5 17.Kg2, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines (½–½, 25 moves).

14...Ng6 15.Be2 Nf6 16.Bd3 Qd7 17.b3 Rg8 18.a5!? Nf4

How should White continue?

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19.Ne1

Not 19.axb6?! Nxg2!

19...b5 20.c4 bxc4 21.bxc4 c5 22.Rb1 Rd8 23.Bc2!? Bc8!? 24.Qd2 Kf8 25.Rb6 h5?

Missing a point of White's last move.

26.Bxc5! Qe7 27.Be3 h4 28.c5!?

A pawn sacrifice to open lines.

28...Nd7?!

Black almost certainly should have accepted the gambit.

29.Rxd6 g4 30.Ba4 g3 31.Bxf4 exf4 32.Bxd7 gxh2+ 33.Kxh2 Bxd7 34.Qf3 Bb5 35.Rxd8+ Qxd8 36.Rh1 h3!?

Desperation, but Black's kingside attack has got nowhere, and meanwhile White is two pawns up.

37.gxh3 Qg5 38.c6 Qe5 39.Qa3+ Ke8 40.Nf3 Qh5 41.Qd6!? Rg6

Or 41...Qxf3 42.Qb8+ Ke7 43.Qxg8.

42.Qxf4 Kf8 43.Ne5 Rh6 44.Nd7+ Kg7 45.Qe5+!?

Getting queens off the board greatly reduces the chance of an accident.

45...Qxe5+ 46.Nxe5 f6 47.Rg1+ Kf8 49.c7 1-0

Lessons From Mariánské Lázně

DAVID Bronstein warned in his book on the 1953 Zurich candidates' tournament that "to lose one's objectivity is almost invariably to lose the game as well."

Unfortunately, the reality at club level is that players tend to view positions with the help of either a glass-half-full or a glass-half-empty.

This was starkly illustrated in my round-one game, where I had white against Radek Zálešák (1611).

The following position was reached after I played 37.Ne6-g5!

I gave the move an exclamation mark because it is far from obvious, but is the best  available

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Nevertheless it does not change the fact that Black's exchange is worth far more than White's two extra pawns, one of which is about to fall.

Naturally my opponent avoided 37...Kxg5?? 38.Qf4#, and instead played the winning 37...Qc7+, when it is easy to see the only reply to keep the game going is Kh4, after which Black has ...Rxe7.

However, after playing ...Qc7+, my opponent offered a draw - definitely a case of glass-half-empty thinking.

It should have been obvious to me that I had to take the draw as the next two moves are forced, after which White has only one pawn for the exchange, and, with the seventh-rank pawn gone, Black's pieces are well-placed to protect the black king.

Instead, in a clear case of glass-half-full thinking by me, the game continued 38.Kh4 Rxe7, and now I could find nothing better than 39.Ne4+, planning to meet 39...Kg7 with 40.Nd6, after which at least the knight has an outpost.

But White has several moves that maintain the win, including 40...h6 and 40...Re5.

Instead my opponent apparently went into glass-half-empty mode again and played 39...Rxe4??, after which the game concluded 40.Qxe4 g5+ 41.Kh5 Qf7+ 42.Kh6 Qf8+ 43.Kh5 Qf7+ ½–½

I write "apparently went into glass-half-empty mode" because it is possible he played ...Rxe4, not out of undue pessimism, but as a result of a miscalculation, thinking ...g5+ would be followed by mate.

Either way, it leads to the same LESSON: if you do not keep a clear head, and instead analyse with your personality to the fore, rather than objectively, you risk going horribly wrong.

Quite An Adventure

I MANAGED to make rather a meal out of getting back to London.

After breakfast at 07:30, I left my hotel at around 08:00 to walk to the station, which, despite a little ice on the pavements, took no more than 30 minutes.

I bought a train ticket, sat down in the foyer, and thought about reading a book, as the train was not due until 08:54.

Reaching round for my backpack, I discovered it was not there - I had left it in my room!

I could not possibly walk back to my hotel and return to the station in time for my train, and the next one was not until 10:54 - way too late to catch my flight.

Fortunately, in the time I spent in the waiting room, a taxi pulled up to the stand outside of the station.

There ensued a dash back to my hotel, where I collected the missing backpack, and got back to the station with a minute or so to spare.

More stupidity was to follow at Prague airport.

I passed through passport control, but somehow took a wrong turn and, before I knew it, I had re-entered the country.

I was not allowed to simply slip back out, but instead had to start again, making sure I got in the same queue as the first time, so I would be dealt with by the same border guard.

After a brief consultation with a colleague, and a failed telephone call to ask someone in higher authority for advice (no answer on a Sunday!), he stamped my passport with a second exit visa.

My worry is: will the Schengen computers understand what happened, or  when I next enter Europe, will I be accused of having overstayed on my previous visit (if the computers do not understand, I am in serious danger of being thought to have breached the 90-days-in-180 rule)?

The bottom page shows me entering Czechia on Jan 16,  then the top page shows me leaving on Jan 25, re-entering on Jan 25, and then, on the bottom page, leaving again

Summing Up Mariánské Lázně

MY score in the seniors (50+) of +3=4-2 gained 8.8 Fide elo.

I did not win a cash prize, but everyone - apart from the main prize winners - who attends the closing ceremony gets what is called a "material" prize, which means selecting from a table of (modest) goodies.

I chose a combined package of some sort of sponge snack and a ballpoint pen.

I gave the snack to one of the juniors, who played in the open, but, on inspecting the wording on the pen, it seems I should have given that away too

Here is the CzechTour's photogallery.

Mariánské Lázně 50+ Round Nine

Spanton (1915) - Pavel Vodička (1967)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e5

This is only sixth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but has been tried by Carlsen, Caruana, Nakamura and other strong grandmasters.

4.0-0

This is far more popular than the second commonest move, 4.Bxc6.

4...Nge7!?

The main line in Mega26 runs 4...Bd6!? 5.c3 a6 6.Ba4 b5 7.Bc2 Nge7 8.d4 (8.a4 is also popular) cxd4 9.cxd4 Nxd4 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 exd4Qxd4, when Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 come to agree White is a tad better.

5.c3 a6 6.Ba4 b5 7.Bc2 Ng6 8.d4 d6!?

The engines prefer double-capturing on d4.

9.d5!?

This appears to be a novelty - Mega26 has only 9.a4 and 9.h3.

9...Na5 10.a4 Bd7 11.Nbd2 Be7 12.b4 Nb7 13.Rb1 0-0

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

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White has more space in the centre, but the white pieces do not appear particularly well-placed to exploit this. However the engines give White a slight edge.

14.Ne1!? Qc8 15.g3!?

This is the engines' second choice, behind 15.a5!?

15...f5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.Ne4 cxb4 18.Rxb4

The engines prefer 18.cxb4, and if 18...Qc4, then 19.f3.

18...Nc5 19.Nxc5 dxc5 20.Rb2 Rb8 21.Qe2 c4 22.axb5 axb5 23.Be3

The engines much prefer 23.Bxf5.

23...Rd8 24.Bxf5 Qxf5 25.Rd2 h5

The engines reckon Black has a slight edge after 25...h6, and if, as in the game 26.Qf3, then 26...Qxf3 27.Nxf3 Bf6, when ...e4 is a threat.

26.Qf3 Qh3

Now 26...Qxf3 27.Nxf3 Bf6 can be met by 28.Ng5.

27.Qe4 Kh7?!

Self-pinning usually requires exact calculation. Almost certainly better is 27...Qg4, when 28.Qxg4 hxg4 29.Nc2 is equal, according to the engines.

White to play and gain what the engines reckon is a winning advantage

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28.Nf3?!

Black does not seem to have a good answer to 28.d6!, eg 28...Bxd6 29.Nf3 Be7 (even worse is 29...Qg4? 30.Ng5+ etc) 30.Rxd8 Rxd8 31.Nxe5 Qe6 32.f4 Rd5 33.Ra1! Bd6 34.Ra6, or 28...Rxd6?! 29.Rxd6 Bxd6 30.Nf3, with a slightly worse-for-Black line than the previous one, or 28...Bf6 29.Ba7! Ra8 30.Bb6 Rf8 31.d7 Qg4 32.Qxg4 hxg4 33.Nc2, when Black has not lost material, but the pawn on d7 is a monster that will win material in the long run.

The engines reckon other 28th moves also give White an edge, including 28.Nc2 and 28.Ng2, eg 28.Ng2 Qg4 29.f4.

28...Qg4

But now this is good enough for equality.

29.Qxg4 hxg4 30.Ng5+ Bxg5 31.Bxg5 Rd7!?

The engines reckon this is slightly better than 31...Rd6.

32.d6 b4 33.cxb4 Rxb4 34.Rc1 Kg8 35.Rdc2

Dragon1 reckons 35.Be3 gives a slight edge, but Stockfish17.1 disagrees.

35...Rxd6 36.Rxc4 Rxc4 37.Rxc4 Rd4 38.Rc6

38.Rxd4!? may be playable, although Dragon1 at first calls it a blunder, but comes to agree with Stockfish17.1, which quickly assesses the position as still equal.

38...Kf7 39.Be3 Ra4 40.h3!? gxh3 41.Kh2 Ne7 42.Rc7 Kf6 43.Kxh3 Ra6 44.Bg5+!? ½–½

Mariánské Lázně 50+ Round Eight

FACED a German.

Guido Schott (2016) - Spanton (1915)

Réti

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3!?

This is fifth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 2.b3, 2.c4, 2.d4 and especially 2.g3, but has been played by Carlsen, Kramnik, Nakamura and So. It is also liked by Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1, ahead of the quintessential Réti move 2.c4, albeit we are talking fine margins.

2...Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.b3!? c5 5.Bb2 Nc6 6.cxd5

How should Black recapture?

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6...Nxd5

The engines prefer 6...exd5 and 6...Qxd5!? over the text.

7.Nc3!?

This is the engines' top choice.

7...Nxc3

The engines suggest 7...Nf6.

8.Bxc3 Qd6!?

This appears to be a novelty, the idea being to get in ...e5 to allow ...Be7. Known moves are 8...f6, 8...Qc7 and 8...Bd7.

How should White respond?

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9.d4

The engines reckon White has the upper hand after 9.a3!? (Stockfish17.1) or 9.Qc2 (Dragon1).

9...cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.exd4?!

The isolani gives White more space, but, with all the knights off the board, it is more of a weakness than a strength.

11...Bd7 12.Be2?!

Leaving the dark-square bishop loose on an open file is probably unwise.

How should Black proceed?

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12...Rc8

Black gets at least a slight edge, according to the engines, after 12...Qc6, eg 13.Qd3 Rc8!? 14.Bd2 (worse is 14.Rc1? Ba3 15.Rc2 Qxg2 16.Bf3 Qh3) Qxg2 15.Bf3 Qh3, or 13.Bd2 Qxg2 14.Bf3 Qg6 15.Bxb7 Rd8, or 13.Rc1?! Qxg2 14.Bf3 Qg6 15.Bxb7 Rb8 16.Qf3!? Ba3 17.Rd1 0-0.

13.Rc1 Be7

Not 13...Qa3 14.0-0! Qxa2?? 15.Ra1.

14.0-0 0-0

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

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The key feature is the IQP, which gives Black a slight edge, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish17.1 is less sure.

15.Qd2

DS pressed his clock and offered a draw.

15...Rfd8 16.Bf3 Bc6 17.Bxc6 Rxc6

What would have been wrong with recapturing with the queen, giving the above position?

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Full marks if you plumped for 18.Ba5!, but go to the bottom of the class (do teachers still use that as a sanction?) if you chose 18.Bb4?, as White is lost after 18...Bxb4!

Back to the game.

18.Bb2 Rdc8 19.Rxc6 Rxc6 20.Rc1 h6 21.Rxc6 Qxc6

How would you assess this queen-and-bishop ending?

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The isolated queen's pawn remains the key feature, but with rooks off the board, and with White having no other weakness, it is not decisive. Indeed Stockfish17.1 reckons the position is equal, although Dragon1 gives Black a slight edge.

22.g3

GS offered a draw in my time.

22...Qd5 23.Qc3 Bf6 24.a3

The engines do not like this, preferring 24.Qc2!?, when they reckon 24...Bxd4 25.Bxd4 Qxd4 26.Qc8+ Kh7 27.Qxb7 is equal.

24...h5 25.h4 g6 26.Kh2 Kf8 27.Kg1 Kg7 28.Kh2 b5 29.Kg1 a5!? 30.Kh2?!

This may be a mistake. The engines give 30.Qxa5 Qxb2 31.Qd2, when they reckon White is only slightly worse.

30...Qf5 31.Kg2 Qe4+ 32.Qf3?

This is definitely a mistake. Instead 32.Kf1!? Qb1+ 33.Bc1 (33.Kg2? b4! 34.axb4 axb4 35.Qd2 Qa2 36.Qc2 Kh7 leaves White unable to defend both b3 and d4) g5!? 34.Qe3!? gxh4 35.Qh6+ Kg8 36.Qxf6 Qxc1+ 37.Kg2 hxg3 38.Kxg3 is a sharp line, with several major alternatives along the way, that ends with a position that Dragon1 at first reckons only slightly favours Black, but it comes to agree with Stockfish17.1 that Black is winning.

32...Qc2

32...Qb1! is very strong, in a similar way to the previous note, eg 33.Qc3 b4! 34.axb4 axb4 35.Qd2 Qa2, which is a direct transposition to the line in brackets.

33.Qc3 Qe4+ 34.Qf3?

34.Kf1!? gives the same position as in the note to White's 32nd move. After the text, 34...Qb1! almost certainly wins, as explained above.

½–½

Mariánské Lázně 50+ Round Seven

FACED a Pole.

Spanton (1915) - Michał Nisztuk (1696)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Qe2!?

This is fourth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 4.Nc3, 4.d3 and especially 4.0-0.

How should Black respond?

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4...Bc5!?

It is Black's ability to develop the king's bishop actively, without worrying about a quick d4 (after c3), that has been cited as the drawback to White's fourth move. The point is that with the queen having left the d file, a d4 thrust requires extra preparation. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 also like 4...Bd6!?, when the main line in Mega26 runs 5.c3 0-0 6.d3 (the point here being that 6.d4?! runs into 6...exd4 7.cxd4 Nxe4!) Re8, with an equal game, according to the engines.

5.Bxc6!?

How should Black recapture?

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5...dxc6?!

Recapturing with the d pawn in the Spanish is so common that it can become 'automatic', but here it is probably a mistake. After 5...bxc6 6.Nxe5 Qe7, Judit Polgár (2630) - Jan Smejkal (2510), Olympiad (Moscow) 1994, went 7.Nd3 Ba6!? 8.Nc3 0-0 9.b3!? Rfe8 10.f3 Nd5! 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.Bb2 dxe4 13.fxe4 Qxe4 14.Qxe4 Rxe4+, with the upper hand for Black, according to the engines (but ½–½, 41 moves).

6.Nxe5 Qd4

The engines prefer the less-popular, albeit from a small sample size, 6...Qe7, but again the answer is 7.Nd3, when there is no ...Ba6 available.

7.Nd3 Bb6

The blunder 7...Nxe4?? has been played, but loses to 8.Nxc5.

8.Nc3 0-0 9.0-0?!

The engines suggest 9.f3, when Francisco Vallejo Pons (2707) - Yuriy Kryvoruchko (2689), World Blitz Championship (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) 2017, continued 9...Re8 10.b3 c5 11.Bb2 c4!? 12.Nf2!? Nd5!? 13.Na4, with a winning advantage for White, according to the engines, although the game was drawn. The engines also like an apparent-novelty in 9.a4!?, the idea being to play 10.f3 after 9...a5.

9...Bg4

The engines reckon 9...Re8!?, which has been played in two games between unrateds, gives equality.

10.Qe3 Qd7

The engines prefer 10...Rfe8!?, which was played in Nitai Leve (2128) - Ivan Ivanišević (2606), Chess.com Blitz 2021, although they reckon 11.Rfe1 would have given White the upper hand. Instead the game went 11.Qf4? Nxe4! 12.Qxg4 Nxc3 13.Qxd4 Ne2+, leaving Black with what the engines reckon is a winning advantage (but 1-0, 86 moves).

11.Qg3 Nh5!? 12.Qh4 Nf6

Black has nothing better, but the engines reckon the waste of time with the knight has not harmed Black much (Black was already in a bad way).

13.Ne5 Qe6 14.Nxg4 Nxg4 15.d3 Bd4?!

But this achieves nothing. Much better is 15...f5.

16.h3 Ne5 17.Ne2 Bc5

How should White proceed?

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18.Nf4

The engines like 18.Qg3, but not 18.d4?! Qc4.

18...Qd7 19.Be3 Be7 20.Qg3 Bd6 21.d4 Ng6 22.e5 Be7 23.Nxg6!?

The engines are OK with this, but it offers Black practical chances, so 23.Rad1 was more prudent.

23...fxg6!?

Taking with the h pawn is marginally preferred by the engines, but half-opening the f file is a very human thing to do when a pawn down.

24.Rad1 Rf5 25.Rd2 Raf8 26.Rfd1 Rh5!? 27.Qg4 Qd5 28.b3

Preparing c4.

28...b5 29.Qe2 Bb4 30.Rd3

There is nothing wrong with 30.c4.

30...Be7 31.Rc1 Rhf5 32.c4 bxc4 33.bxc4 Qe4

What should White play?

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34.Rf1

This stops Black's threatened 34...Rxf2! But even stronger is 34.f3! as 34...Rxf3!? 35.gxf3 Rxf3 is not as dangerous as it looks at first sight, eg 36...Rg3+ is not much of a threat as it can be met by 37.Kg2.

34...c5 35.f3 Qb7!?

This is best, according to the engines, even though it allows ...

36.Rb3

... after which Black's attacking chances are negligible.

36....Qa6 37.g4 R5f7

The engines prefer 37...cxd4!?, but after 38.gxf5 dxe3 39.Qxe3 gxf5 40.Rb2 White is the exchange up and has a powerful passed pawn.

38.d5 Rd8

Threatening 39...Rxd5!

39.Re1 h5 40.Kg2 Qa5!?

The engines do not mind this, even though it allows ...

41.Rb5 Qa6 42.Bxc5 
... which only goes to show how bad Black's position was anyway.

42...Bg5?!

It is objectively better to swop bishops as Black has no satisfactory answer to White's next.

43.e6

The attacked rook does not have a good square available.

43...Rf4 44.Be3 Bh4!? 45.Bxf4 Bxe1 46.Bxc7!? Re8 47.d6 Bh4 48.g5 Kh7!? 49.e7 Qc6 50.Qe4 Qa6!? 51.Qxh4 Qxa2+ 52.Qf2 Qxc4 53.Rb8 1-0

Mariánské Lázně 50+ Round Six

FACED a Czech Fide master.

Jan Bartoš (2124) - Spanton (1915)

Sicilian Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nxc6!?

The main continuation is 7.Bc4, but the text has been played by many strong grandmasters, including Garry Kasparov.

7...bxc6 8.Bc4!?

Usual is 8.e5, but Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 are happy enough with developing the bishop.

How should Black respond?

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8...Ne4?!

A well-known idea in such positions, but here White has a strong reply. Black should probably castle; 8...d6 is also good.

9.Nxe4

As usual, this is better than Bxf7+.

9...d5

White to play and gain a large advantage

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10.Bd3

Interesting is 10.Bb3!? dxe4 11.Qxd8+ Kxd8 12.0-0-0+, but may not be enough for an edge (the engines give different evaluations). However 10.Bd4! 0-0 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.Qd4+ f6 13.0-0-0 is strong, eg 13...Qb6 14.Rhe1 Qxd4 15.Rxd4 e5! 16.Rd2 dxc4 17.Rd6, when White gets back the pawn with much the better position.

10...dxe4 11.Bxe4 Qa5+!?

This may be new. Known are 11...Qc7 and 11...Bb7, while Stockfish17.1 suggests sacrificing c6 with 11...0-0!? Both engines also like 11...Bxb2!?, eg 12.Bxc6+ Bd7 13.Bxa8 Qxa8 14.0-0!? (this is better than 14.Rb1 Qxg2 15.Rf1 Be5, according to the engines) Bxa1 15.Qxa1 f6 (15...0-0?? 16.Bh6) with what they reckon is complete equality.

12.Qd2

12.c3!? is a tad better, according to the engines.

12...Qxd2+ 13.Bxd2 0-0?

The engines give 13...Bxb2!?, eg 14.Bxc6+ Bd7 15.Bxa8 Bxa1, or 14.Rb1 Rb8 15.Bxc6+ Bd7 16.Bxd7+ Kxd7, in each case with equality.

14.0-0-0!

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

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Black's queenside pawn weaknesses give White the upper hand, according to the engines.

14...Rb8!?

This is Stockfish17.1's top choice; Dragon1 prefers 14...Be6!?

15.b3 Bd7?!

Probably not a good way to defend c6. Almost certainly better is 15...Rb6, but the engines come to like best of all 15...a5!?, although both 16.Bxa5 Ra8 17.b4, and 16.Bxc6 Bf5 17.Rhe1! (17.c4? Rfc8), are strong for White.

16.Rhe1 Rb7!?

This seems best. Certainly not 16...Rfd8?? 17.Ba5.

17.Bg5

How should Black proceed?

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17...Re8?

Best is 17...f6, but White has at least the upper hand, and is probably winning, after 18.Be3 or 18.Bd2, according to the engines.

How should White proceed?

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18.Rxd7! Rxd7 19.Bxc6 Red8 20.Bxd7 Rxd7 21.Rxe7 Rxe7 22.Bxe7

White's advantage is worth more than a rook, according to the engines

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22...Bd4 23.f3 f5 24.Kd2 Kf7 25.Bg5 Be5 26.h3 Ke6 27.Be3 a6 28.Kd3 Kd5 29.c4+ Kc6 30.b4 Bd6 31.c5 Be7 32.Kc4 1-0

Mariánské Lázně 50+ Round Five

FACED a Russian.

Spanton (1915) - Sergei V Ivanov (2029)

Spanish Classical Deferred

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Bc5!?

There are 5,384 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

How should White respond?

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5.c3

This is second in popularity in Mega26 to 5.0-0, which scores two percentage points better.

5...Nge7!?

This is the main continuation.

6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 d5!?

Immediate castling allows 9.d5.

9.e5 0-0 10.h3!?

This time it is White who has cause not to castle 'automatically'. After 10.0-0 Bg4 Black  is building pressure on White's centre, eg Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2758) - Rudik Makarian (2502), Chess.com Blitz 2022, went 11.Be3?! (this is the main move in Mega26, albeit from a small sample size) f6 12.e6!? Bxe6, when White had nowhere near enough for the sacrificed pawn (0-1, 56 moves). Vachier-Lagrave avoided the natural-looking 12.exf6?! as White cannot avoid having his kingside smashed after 12...Rxf6. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon White should play the known 11.Qd3, or an apparent-novelty in 11.Bg5!?

10...h6 11.0-0

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

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White has more space in the centre, and a kingside pawn-majority, which could give attacking chances. The half-open c file might also prove useful. Black may be able to generate pressure against d4, and has no major weaknesses. The engines give White a slight edge.

11...Bf5 12.Be3

This is the engines' second choice, behind 12.Ne2!?

12...f6 13.exf6 Rxf6 14.Rc1

The engines much prefer 14.Ne5 or 14.Bb3.

14...Qc8!?

White's central space advantage has been dissolved, and suddenly it is Black who has the better kingside chances, thanks to having more-active pieces on that wing. Note that the same idea with 14...Qd7?! runs into 15.Ne5.

15.Bxc6!?

This is probably best.

15...bxc6 16.Ne5?!

The engines slightly prefer 16.Kh2, meeting 16...Bd6+ with 17.Ne5.

How should Black proceed?

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16...Rb8

The sacrifice 16...Bxh3! is already on as 17.gxh3? Qxh3 gives Black a winning position, according to the engines, eg 18.Qd3 (18.Qg4? Rg6) Bd6 19.Bf4 Qxd3 20.Nxd3 Bxf4 21.Nxf4 Rxf4 leaves Black up two pawns. White should probably play 17.Ne2, but Black has won a good pawn, although Black's queenside weaknesses give White some compensation.

17.Ne2

This rules out ...Bxh3, at least for now.

17...Bd6 18.Qd2 c5 19.Ng3?!

The engines reckon White should gain kingside space with 19.f4 or 19.g4.

How should Black proceed?

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19...Bh7?

This turns a large Black advantage into a large White one. Both 19...c4 and 19...Rb5!? give equal chances, according to the engines, but again it was good to capture on h3. After 19...Bxh3! 20.gxh3?! Qxh3 Black has a huge threat in 21...Nf5. White's best, according to the engines, is 21.Rfe1, but Black can still play 21...Nf5, meeting 22.Nxf5 with 22...Qxf5!? (22...Rxf5 is also good), eg 23.Qd3 Qh5 24.Qd1!? Qh3 25.Qg4 Qxg4+ 26.Nxg4 Rg6 27.f3 cxd4! 28.Bxd4 h5. Once again it is better for White not to accept the sacrifice at h3, but then Black is clearly better.

What should White play?

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20.Nh5?

After 20.Ng4 White is winning a pawn, eg 21...Re6 (this is better than 21...Rf8, according to the engines) 22.dxc5 Bxg3 23.fxg3.

20...Rf5 21.g4?

The sacrificial combination 21.Nxg7!? Kxg7 22.Bxh6+ gains two pawns and an attack, for a bishop, with equal chances, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish17.1 reckons 22...Kh8 gives Black an edge.

21...Rxh5!

Instead it is Black who successfully sacrifices.

22.gxh5 Qxh3

How would you assess this imbalanced middlegame?

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Black has a pawn and the bishop-pair for the exchange. Materially, that is about equal, but Black also has an attack, and much the safer king, and so is the equivalent of more than a minor piece ahead, according to the engines.

23.Bf4!?

The engines agree this is the best defence.

23...cxd4 24.Qxd4

Perhaps 24.f3 is a little better, but Black can build up with 24...Rf8, or snaffle another pawn with 24...Qxh5.

24...c5

Even stronger is getting the black rook more into play, with either 24...Rb4 or 24...Rf8.

25.Rxc5?!

Offering back the exchange, but the queen should probably just retreat.

25...Be4 26.f3 Rxb2!?

Spectacular, but unnecessary. The engines prefer 26...Nf5, and 26...Bxc5 27.Qxc5 Rxb2.

27.Qxb2 Bxc5+ 28.Rf2 Bxf3 29.Nxf3 Qxf3 30.Kf1 Qxf2+ 31.Qxf2 Bxf2 32.Kxf2

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black's two-pawn advantage is the equivalent of being up more than a rook, according to the engines.

32...Kf7 33.Ke3 Nc6 34.a3 Kf6 35.Kd3 Kf5 36.Bd6 g6!? 37.hxg6 Kxg6 38.Ke3 Kf5 39.Bf8 h5 40.Bh6 Kg4 41.Kf2 h4 42.Bf8 Ne5 43.Bd6 Nc4 44.Be7 d4 45.a4 d3 46.Bb4 h3 47.a5 d2 0-1

Defeat ended an 11-game unbeaten streak in which I scored +5=6-0, performing about 150 elo above my average rating in those games of 1919.