Miniatures 19

IN this occasional series I am going through my decisive games of 20 moves or fewer.

Spanton (151 BCF) - Geoffrey Stearn (158 BCF)

Highbury (London) Rapid 1990

Spanish Schliemann

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.Qe2!?

This is only sixth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but has been played by grandmasters.

4...fxe4 5.Qxe4 Nf6 6.Qe2

How should Black proceed?

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6...Be7

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 suggest 6...Bd6!?, which is second in popularity to 6...e4?! (after the latter, White gets the upper hand with 7.d3, according to the engines).

7.Nxe5?

Better is 7.Bxc6 dxc6 8.Nxe5, although after 8...0-0 Black has some compensation for a pawn.

7...Nxe5 8.Qxe5 0-0

Black is a pawn down, but has more than enough compensation, according to the engines

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9.0-0 c6

The engines prefer 9...d5.

10.Ba4?

White needed to play 10.Be2, with equality, according to the engines.

10...d5 11.d4 Bd6 12.Qg5!?

The engines agree this is best, but the white queen remains a target, and White is short of pieces on the kingside.

12...Qc7 13.h3?

This natural-looking move is a mistake. Better is 13.Qh4 or 13.f4!?, but Black is winning, according to the engines.

13...Ne4 14.Qe3 Be6?!

Much stronger is 14...Bh2+ 15.Kh1 Bf4 16.Qe1 Bxc1 17.Qxc1 Nxf2+.

15.Nd2?

Better is 15.Nc3.

15...Bf4 16.Qe2 Bh2+ 17.Kh1 Rxf2 18.Qd3 Rxf1+ 0-1

LESSON: early development of the queen is fraught with danger - it often becomes a target for tempi-gaining moves by the opponent's minor pieces.