Thomas Hauptmann (166 BCF) - Spanton (147 BCF)
Guernsey 1990
Scotch
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nb3
This was the main move 36 years ago, but has been massively overtaken by the Kasparov-popularised 5.Be3. Nevertheless, in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database it scores 56%, two percentage points more than 5.Be3, and also two more than the other popular continuation, 5.Nxc6.
5...Bb6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Bd3
More popular are 7.Bg5 and especially 7.Qe2!?, but the text has also been played by grandmasters.
7...d6 8.0-0
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| This game is the first in Mega26 to reach this position |
*****
*****
*****
*****
8...Bg4
Stockfish17 and Dragon1 suggest 8...h6 or 8...Ne5!?
9.Qe1
Subsequently, 9.Be2 became slightly more popular, but the text is probably better.
9...0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
The most significant factor in the position is probably White's central space advantage. The engines give White a slight edge.
10.Be3 Bxe3 11.Qxe3 Re8 12.Qg3 Qd7
The engines prefer 12...Be6 or 12...Nb4!?
13.h3 Bh5?!
Probably the wrong retreat.
14.f4 Re7?
The engines give 14...h6, but much prefer White.
15.Qh4 Rae8 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 Be2?!
'Better', but still losing, is 17...Nb4.
18.Qxh7+ 1-0
LESSON: the game could be dismissed as being simply decided by tactical mistakes, but the underlying factor was that White's central dominance made Black's position harder to play.
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