Weimar Round Two

Rolf Müggenburg (1716) - Spanton (1939)

Colle

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 Bd6!?

More common are 3...f5!?, 3...c5 and especially 3...Nf6.

4.Bd3 Nc6!?

Overwhelmingly most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database is going for a Dutch Stonewall with 4...f5!?

5.c3 e5!?

Black is first to get in a central pawn-break, and this seems worthwhile, despite the loss of time involved in moving the e pawn twice so early in the game

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6.dxe5 Nxe5 7.Nxe5 Bxe5 8.0-0 Qh4!?

This apparent-novelty - the known move is 8...Nf6 - is not liked by Stockfish17.1 or Dragon1.

9.f4

Also possible is 9.g3, especially as 9...Qh3 can be met by 10.Bb5+! c6 11.Qxd5!, while 9.h3!? invites a draw by repetition with 9...Bxh3 10.gxh3 f4 11.Qg3+ etc.

9...Bd6 10.Nd2

The engines again like Bb5+

10...Bg4 11.Qb3

RM offered a draw, shortly after pressing the clock.

How should Black react?

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11...0-0-0!?

The engines agree this is best, although they reckon Black is also fine after 11...Nf6 12.Qxb7 0-0.

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position?

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White's pawn-structure makes the white dark-square bishop a sorry-looking piece, but, as usual, opposite-side castling introduces a lot of uncertainties. The engines give Black a slight edge.

12.Nf3

Not 12.Qxd5?? Bxf4 as 13.Bf5 can be answered by the wining 13...Kb8.

12...Qh5 13.Qc2!?

This both covers the kingside and frees the b2 pawn to advance.

13...Nf6 14.h3 Bd7 15.Qf2?!

The engines strongly dislike this, claiming White is equal after 15.Ng5.

15....Ne4 16.Qh4 Qg6

Black is also much better after 16...Qxh4!? 17.Nxh4 Rde8!?, according to the engines.

17.Nd4 Be7??

Black has a positionally won game after several moves, including 17...c5 and 17...Rhe8, according to the engines.

18.Qxe7

I had somehow missed that the bishop was hanging.

18...Bxh3 19.Bxe4 dxe4 20.Qg5 ½–½

RM had again offered a draw after pressing his clock, but this time I was less inclined to be sniffy about it.