Tom Townsend (2015) - Spanton (1928)
Spanish Four Knights
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3!?
This is the third-most popular response to the Berlin in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 4.d3 and especially 4.0-0.
4...Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Ne2!?
This is the top choice of Stockfish17.1; Dragon1 fluctuates between the text and the more common 7.Bg5.
7...Bg4 8.c3
Probably not 8.Ng3?! Nd4.
8...Bxf3 9.gxf3 Bc5 10.d4 Bb6 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Ng3!?
This seems to be a novelty. The known move is 12.dxe5.
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| I now picked up my knight, meaning to play 12...Nh5?? |
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12...Nd7!?
TT commented afterwards that, although I had not intended to play the text, it is the correct move in the position, and it does turn out to be Dragon1's top choice. Stockfish17.1 marginally prefers 12...Qd7 or 12...Qe8!?
13.f4 Qf6?
The game is equal after 13...exf4 14.Bxf4 c5!?, according to the engines.
14.dxe5 dxe5?
Hoping for swindling chances, but objectively better is playing on a pawn down after 14...Qe6 15.exd6 cxd6.
15.Qxd7 exf4
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| How should White proceed? |
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16.Nf5
Not 16.Ne2?? Qg6+ 17.Kh1 Qxe4+ and 18...Qxe2, but even stronger than the text, according to the engines, is 16.e5!? Qxe5 17.Qf5.
16...Rad8
The engines suggest 16...Rfe8.
17.Qxc6?!
This is good enough for the upper hand, according to the engines, but winning is 17.Qe7 Qg6+ 18.Kh1.
17...Qg5+ 18.Kh1 Bxf2?
'Clever', but not good.
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| After 18...Qh5, White would have had only one move to keep an advantage |
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TT said he planned 19.f3?, but that loses to 19...Rd1! Better is 19.Ne7+ Kh8 20.e5, but after 20...Qxe5 Black seems to have at least full compensation for a knight, eg 21.a4 a5 22.Qf3 Qxe7 23.Bxf4 Qxf6, with equality, according to Stockfish17.1, although Dragon1 slightly prefers Black.
However, White has 19.Nh6+!, when taking the knight loses, eg 19...Qxh6? 20.Qxh6 gxh6 21.Rg1+ Kh8 22.Bxf4, after which Black has six isolated pawns, two of which are doubled, giving White an advantage worth more than the knight he has just given back. Instead 19...Kh8 20.e5! Qxe5 21.Qf3!? gxh6 22.Bxf4 leaves a position with material equality, but with White having the upper hand, according to the engines.
Back to the game.
19.Qxc7 Be3
Better is the engines' 19...Rd1!, although 20.Rxd1 Qg4 21.Qxf4! Qxd1+ 22.Kg2 Qg1+ 23.Kf3 keeps a winning advantage, as does 20.Bxf4 Qg4 21.Nd4!
20.Bxe3 fxe3 21.Qxg3 Qxg3
There is nothing better.
22.hxg3 e2 23.Rfe1 Rd2 24.Nd4 Rxb2 25.Rxe2 Rfb8 26.Kg2 Rxe2+ 27.Nxe2 Rb2 28.Kf3 Kf8 29.Nd4 a5 30.a4 Ke7!? 31.Nc6+ Kd6 32.Nxa5 Kc5 33.Ra3 Rb1
Not 33...Rd2?? 34.Nb3+.
34.Nb3+ Kb6
Not 34...Kc4?? 35.Nd2+.
35.a5+ Ka7 36.Nd4 Ka6 37.Nb3 Rf1+ 38.Ke3 f5 39.Nc5+ Ka7 40.a6 g5 41.exf5 Rxf5 42.Ne4 h5 43.Nd6 Rc5 44.Kd4 Re6 45.Nb5+ Ka8 46.a7 h4 47.gxh4 gxh4 48.c4 Rc8 49.Rh3 Rh8 50.c5 Rh7 51.c6 Re7 52.c7
Not 52.Rxh4? Re4+!
52...Rd7+ 53.Kc5 1-0
Hammersmith 2 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
3/2/26 BCC W 1928 1836 1 2043
12/2/26 CDL B 1928 1890 1 2057
25/2/26 LL B 1928 1863 = 2047
26/2/26 CLL B 1928 2015 0 2025
CLL: Central London League
LL: London League
BCC: Battersea club championship
CDL: Croydon & District League
I also have a win-by-default in the Central London League
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