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
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| 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?!
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
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| 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.
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| 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
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| 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
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