Anthony Agu (2091) - Spanton (1921)
Spanish Berlin
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5!?
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| Much more common is 5...0-0, but the pawn-thrust is growing in popularity |
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6.exd5
Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 like the text and 6.Nbd2. Naturally, 6.Nxe5 is possible, but after 6...0-0! note that 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bxc6 runs into 8...Bxf2+!, with a sharp position that the engines reckon favours Black.
6...Qxd5
The engines prefer this over 6...Nxd5.
7.Bc4 Qd6
This is the commonest queen-retreat in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.
8.0-0 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Black has more space in the centre, but White can take the initiative on the queenside, and the engines reckon this is the slightly more important factor.
9.b4 Bb6 10.a4 a6
This may be a novelty. The engines prefer 10...e4!?, when 11.dxe4 Qxd1 12.Rxd1 Nxe4 gives equal chances, according to Stockfish17.1, although Dragon1 gives White an edge.
11.Ba3 Ne7 12.Nbd2 Bf5 13.Qb3 Rad8!?
The engines fluctuate a lot, but come to more-or-less agree Black should play 13...c6 or 13...Ng6.
14.Ng5
Perhaps best is 14.a5 Ba7 15.b5 Bc5 16.Nxe5!? Qxe5 17.d4 Qf4 18.Bxc5, when White is a pawn up, has the bishop-pair and is better coordinated.
14...Bg6 15.a5 Ba7 16.Nde4 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 Qd7 18.b5 axb5 19.Qxb5 c6!?
The engines give this as best.
20.Qxe5!?
Withdrawing the queen to b2 or b3 maintains a bigger advantage, according to the engines.
20...Rfe8 21.Nc5 Qc8!? 22.Qg5 Nd5 23.a6?
The engines reckon White is slightly better after 23.Qd2.
23...b5 24.Bb3 Nxc3 25.h4?
Too slow. The engines suggest 25.Kh1!? or 25.Bb2, but prefer Black.
25...Rd4
Even stronger, according to the engines, is 25...Ne2+, and then 26...Rd4 or 26...Nd4.
26.Rfe1 Ne2+ 27.Kf1
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| How should Black proceed? |
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27...h6??
27...Rg4 can be met by 28.Be6!, so best may be 27...Bxc5 28.Bxc5 Rg4 29.Qd2 Rxh4!? 30.f3 Qd8!, with equal chances, according to the engines.
28.Qxg6
The engines reckon White's advantage is worth more than a rook.
The game finished:
28...Rxh4!? 29.Bxf7+ Kh8 30.Ne6 Rxe6 31.Qxe6 Qxe6 32.Bxe6 Nd4 33.Bh3 b4 34.Bb2 Rf4 35.Re8+ Kh7 36.Re7 Rxf2+? 37.Kxf2 Nf5+ 38.Rxa7 1-0
The match ended 2-2.
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
3/3/26 CDL B 1914 1976 1 2043
24/3/26 BCC W 1921 1780 1 2049
26/3/26 CLL B 1921 1942 = 2045
31/3/26 CDL B 1921 2091 0 2030
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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