James Regan (unrated) - Spanton (1929)
Sicilian Delayed Wing Gambit
1.e4 c5 2.a3!?
There are more than 4,800 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.
2...Nc6 3.b4!?
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| A position occurring 1,129 times in Mega26 |
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3...cxb4
Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer 3...Nf6!?, eg 4.b5 Nd4 5.c3 Ne6 6.e5 Nd5, claiming a slight edge for Black.
4.axb4 Nxb4 5.c3 Nc6 6.d4
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| For a pawn, White has space and open lines - fair compensation, according to the engines |
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6...d5 7.exd5 Qxd5 8.Na3 Bf5
This and 8...Nf6? are equally popular, but the latter runs into 9.Nb5, when the commonest continuation, 9...Qd8?!, is probably another mistake as White has 10.d5, with Bf4 to come.
9.Nb5 Rc8 10.Nxa7! Nxa7
Marcelo-Rafael Ortali (2041) - Rainer Siegmund (2149), Arvier (Italy) 2005, saw 10...Ra8?! 11.Nb5, when Black, presumably realising that 11...Rxa1?? loses to 12.Nc7+, and that 11...Qe4+ is met by 12.Be3, settled for 11...Rc8, but lost quickly: 12.Be2 e5?! 13.Ra8! Qd8 14.Rxc8 Bxc8 15.d5 Nb8 16.d6 Na6 17.Bc4 Nf6 18.Nf3 Bg4 19.Nxe5! 1-0.
11.Rxa7 e5 12.Nf3 exd4
This has been played by a 2689, but the engines prefer 12...Nf6!?
13.Nxd4
The engines reckon 13.Qxd4 gives White at least a slight edge.
13...Bc5?
Magnus Carlsen (2837) - Ernesto Inarkiev (2689), World Blitz Championship (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) 2017, went 13...Bd7 14.Nb5!? Qxd1+ 15.Kxd1 Bc6?! 16.Bd3 Bc5 17.Re1+ Ne7 18.Ba3 Bxa3 19.Rxa3 Rd8, with an equal game, according to the engines (but 1-0, 27 moves).
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| How should White proceed? |
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14.Bb5+
The engines suggest the strong novelty 14.Nxf5!, when 14...Bxf2+? fails to 15.Kxf2! Qxd1 16.Bb5+ Qd7 17.Rxb7!, while 14...Qxd1+ 15.Kxd1 Bxa7 can be met by 16.Nd6+ Kd7 17.Nxf7 etc.
14...Kf8!?
14...Bd7 is also fine for Black.
15.Ba3?
Capturing on f5 is still the way to go, but now gives only equality, according to the engines, eg 15.Nxf5! Qxd1+ 16.Kxd1 Bxa7 17.Ba3+ Bc5 18.Nd6! Rc7 19.Ne8!?, when Black has to either return the exchange or allow a draw by repetition. That is a tricky line to visualise, but also better than the text, according to the engines, is 15.Ra4!?
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| What should Black play? |
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15...Qe4+?
Dániel Kéméndi (1893) - András Bakos (1934), Hungarian Team Championship 2023, went 15...Bxa3 16.Rxa3 Qxg2, when Black had won a pawn, and went on to win the game.16.Kf1!? Bxa3 17.Rxa3 Nf6 18.f3 Qf4 19.Ne2 Qc7 20.Nd4 Qf4
The engines reckon Black is slightly better after 20...Bg6.
21.Ne2 Qc7 22.Nd4
I announced I was claiming a draw as my next move would be:
22...Qf4 ½–½
Battersea 3 won the match 3.5-1.5 (West London defaulted on bottom board).
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
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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