Neil Davies (1882) - Spanton (1929)
Catalan(?)
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.c4
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| 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.
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| 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
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| 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
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| 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
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