Championship Chess

PLAYED last night in the first qualifying round of the Battersea club championship, which has a new format this season.

There are six dates for games before Christmas, after which players will be divided into three or four divisions for an additional seven possible games.

Last night's game turned out to be replete with sharp and somewhat unusual tactics.

Spanton (1953) - Stephen Welch (1411)

Caro-Kann Tartakower

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.Be3!?

Fourth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 6.Bc4, 6.Nf3 and especially 6.c3.

6...Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Ne2!?

Avoiding the pin that is available to Black after 8.Nf3.

8...Bg4!?

Pinning anyway! Normal is 8...Re8.

9.h3 Bh5

How should White proceed?

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10.Qd2

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 like castling and 10.c4!? After the latter, they reckon 10...Bb4+ 11.Kf1!? leaves White with at least a slight edge, a possible continuation being 11...Bd6!? 12.g4!? Bg6 13.h4 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 Re8 15.h5, reaching a an imbalanced position that the engines agree favours White.

10...Re8 11.0-0 Nd7 12.c4

One of the points of 6.Be3!? is to get in c4 without spending a a tempo on c3.

12...b6 13.b4!? Qc7?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 13...Bg6, albeit giving White a slight edge.

14.c5!?

Gaining space, but making the d pawn backward.

14...bxc5 15.dxc5?!

Almost certainly stronger is 14...bxc5!?, keeping Black's minor pieces out of the key e5 square, and prioritising dynamism over structure.

15...Be5

The engines give 15...Bh2+ 16.Kh1 Ne5, reckoning White has a slight edge at best.

16.Rab1 Rad8

SW offered a draw in my time.

How would you assess the position?

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White has the endgame advantage of a farside pawn-majority, but for now that is somewhat overshadowed by the activity of Black's pieces. Nevertheless the engines give White at least a slight edge.

17.f4?!

Premature.

How should Black respond?

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17...Bxe2

This is fine, but the engines highlight the strength of 17...Nxc5!, when 18.bxc5 (not 18.Bxc5?? Bxe2 19.Qxe2 Bd4+ etc) Bxe2 19.Qxe2 Bd4 leaves Black slightly better, the main line running 20.Bxh7+ (forced - 20.Rf3? loses to 20...Rxe3! 21.Rxe3 Qxf4 22.Re1 Re8) Kf8 21.Qh5 Rxe3.

18.Qe2?

Correct is 18.Bxe2, with a slight edge, according to the engines.

18...Bd4 19.Bxh7+?!

This works out well, but is objectively bad. The engines reckon White should sac the queen with 19.Bxd4!? Rxe2 20.Bxe2, when White has rook and two bishops for queen and knight, but may not be losing (the engines disagree).

Black to play and win

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19...Kxh7?

Both other king moves win, eg 19...Kf8 20.Rb3 Rxe3! 21.Rxe3 Re8 22.Rf3 Rxe3! 23.Rxe3 Qxf4.

20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Bxd4

White is a pawn up, but Black has full compensation, according to the engines

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21...Re4 22.Rbd1

Black to play and fully equalise

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22...Rde8

The engines reckon Black had to find 22...Nf8!, when both the bishop and white f pawn are en prise, so the latter falls. The problem with immediately playing 22...Rxf4 is that, after 23.Rxf4 Qxf4 24.Bf2!, the knight is pinned. Play might continue 24...Qb8 25.b5!, when 24...Qxb5 25.Qf5 Qb7 26.Qd3 leaves White up about +4.00, while 24...Ne5 25.b6! axb6 26.cxb6 is also fatal for Black in the long run, according to the engines. However, it is probably fair to say finding quite a few of these moves would tax even masters, never mind club players.

23.g3?!

Probably the wrong way to hold on to the f pawn. Correct, according to the engines, is 23.Qf3 or 23.Qg4.

23...Re2?

The engines reckon Black is equal after moves such as 23...Nf8, 23...a5 and 23...Qb7.

White to play and win

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24.Rf2

24.Be5! wins the exchange.

24...g6?

White is a pawn up, but only slightly better, after 24...Re1+ or a retreat such as 24...R2e4, according to the engines.

25.Rxe2!

This is one of most clearly advantageous cases of giving up a queen for two rooks, but even so I was unsure about playing it - perhaps an example of how conditioned chessplayers are to venerate the queen.

25...gxh5 26.Rxe8+

White's advantage is roughly the equivalent of being up a rook (Stockfish18) or up almost a rook and a minor piece (Dragon1).

26...Kg7

This is apparently best, while if 26...Kh7, then 27.Bf2!? is strongest, according to the engines.

27.Re7

Now the knight falls.

27...Qc8 28.Rxd7! Kg6 29.Ba1 1-0

Burnout

BACK in June someone - the person did not leave a name - commented on my plans for the summer, asking if I worried about burning out. I replied that I did worry, but that burnout had not happened yet.

Well, judging by my games over the weekend at Hull, where I faced five lower-rated opponents, tiredness may have finally caught up with me.

I say that because, after winning on Friday evening and Saturday morning, I played three consecutive games in which I blundered, and, by blundered, I mean played moves that were fully deserving of "??," rather than just "?"

It began in round three, where I was Black against Kristian Usifoh (1910 ECF/1953 Fide), reaching the following position after White's 41st move.

White has just played 41.Bb4-e7+, which Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon is the only continuation to give an advantage

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Instead of replying 41...Kxe7, after which 42.Rxe5+ Kd6 43.Re6+ Kd6 44.a4 leaves White two pawns up, but maybe not winning (the engines disagree), I played 41...Kxf5??, when 42.Bd7+ won a piece.

Worse was to come in round four, where I was White against Roger Greatorex (1758 ECF/1754 Fide), reaching the following position after Black's 22nd move.

Black has just played 22...Kg8-h8, leaving White with an advantage worth about a rook, according to the engines

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Instead of continuing with something solid and strong, such as 23.Rf7 or 23.Bd5, I played the 'clever' 23.Bxa6??, the point being 23...Rxa6?? allows checkmate, starting with 24.Rb8+, but my opponent played 23...Bc8.

At least that blunder involved missing a backward bishop move, which everyone does at some point, but worse - far worse - came in round five, where I was Black against Andy Corbyn (1713 ECF/1652 Fide).

White has just played 44.Rb3-a3

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I replied 44...Re1??, unprotecting f7, at which point Dragon1's evaluation shoots up, eventually passing +14.00 for White, while even the more staid Stockfish18 comes to rate White's advantage at about +8.80. Give the engines more time, and their evaluations increase further.

Everyone errs at chess, and everyone below elite level is used to the horrible feeling that comes with a ?? blunder.

But, to blunder in three consecutive games must, I feel, be a sign of tiredness - burnout, if you will.

Clearly I need to slow down, so, for the foreseeable future, I intend avoiding tournaments with back-to-back double-round days.

Naturally, that still leaves plenty of other tournaments ...

Summing Up Hull

MY score of +2=2-1 in the U2000 lost 10.6 ECF elo and 16.6 Fide Elo.

Hull 4NCL Round Five

Andy Corbyn (1713 ECF/1652 Fide) - Spanton (1953 ECF/1997 Fide)

King's Indian Attack

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c5 4.0-0 Nc6 5.d3

Staying in KIA territory, but Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon 5.d4!? gives White a slight edge.

5...e5 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.e4 d4 8.Nc4 Qc7 9.a4 0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position, which occurs 205 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database?

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Black has more space in the centre, which is something the engines normally seem to rate highly, but here they give White at least the better part of equality, perhaps thanks to the well-placed queen's knight, and the possibility of a kingside attack in King's Indian style with the push f4.

10.h3 Be6 11.b3 h6 12.Nh2!? Qd7 13.g4?!

The engines strongly dislike this, claiming White is slightly better after 13.f4.

13...Nh7!? 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 Bxc4 16.bxc4 Bd6 17.Bxd6

Preserving the bishop-pair does not make much sense in this closed position, especially as White's dark-square bishop would have to take up a passive position on d2 or c1.

17...Qxd6 18.Nf3 g6!? 19.Qd2 Kg7 20.Rae1

The engines are happy with this, but also like 20.e5!? Nxe5 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Bxb7 Rab8 23.Rae1!? Qd6 24.Bd5, claiming equality.

20...Ne5 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Qf4 Rae8 23.Qxe5+ Rxe5

How would you assess this late-middlegame?

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Black's knight is better than White's bad bishop, but White's rooks will be more active, thanks to having two half-open files to work on, especially the b file. The engines reckon chances are equal.

24.Rb1 b6 25.a5! Re6

25...bxa5?! 26.Rb7 is what White wants.

26.axb6 axb6 27.Rb2 Nf6 28.Rfb1 Nd7 29.Ra1 Rb8 30.Ra7 Ne5 31.Ra6?!

The engines suggest 31.Kf2 or 31.Rb1!?

31...g5?!

The engines like 31...h5, eg 32.gxh5 gxh5, when the white king is looking a little exposed. Dragon1 at first reckons Black is winning, but it soon comes closer to Stockfish18's assessment of a slight edge for Black.

32.Bh1 Kg6 33.Bg2?!

White should be activating the king with 33.Kf2 or 33.Kh2, according to the engines.

Black to play and gain what the engines reckon is a large advantage

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33...Kg7?!

The engines give 33...h5!? 34.gxh5+ Kxh5, with ...Kh4 to come, when again White's king looks vulnerable.

34.Bf1 Kf8 35.Be2 Ke8 36.Rb3 Kd8 37.Kg2 Kc7 38.Kg3 Ng6 39.Bf3 Nh4 40.Bh1 Rf6?

Black should mark time with 40...Ng6  or 40...Kd8.

41.e5 Rf1

Even worse is 41...Re6? 42.Ra7+ Kd8 43.Rxf7, when 43...Rxe5 44.Be4 is winning, eg 44...Re6 45.Ra3 Re7 (White was threatening to double on the seventh) 46.Rf6 etc.

42.Ra7+ Kd8 43.Bd5?!

Probably stronger is 43.Be4, eg 43...Ke8 44.e6! fxe6 45.Rh7, reaching a position similar to one that will be arrived at in the game.

43...Ke8 44.Rba3

Again the engines reckon 44.Be4!? is winning.

44...Re1??

Inexplicably unprotecting f7.

45.Be4?

Inexplicably not capturing on f6. White's advantage after 45.Rxf7 is worth much more than a queen, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish18 is slightly less effusive. Nevertheless, even after the text, White is winning, according to the engines.

45...Re3+?!

Black can probably put up more of a fight after 45...Ke8, but 46.Kf2 Rc1 47.Rd7 Rxc2+ 48.Kg3 Rc1 49.Raa7 Rf1 50.Bd5 is convincing enough for White.

46.Kh2?

Correct is 46.Kf2 Rxh3 47.Bc6+!? Kf8 48.Bd5 etc.

46...Re2+?

Black should play 46...Nf3+, as comes later.

47.Kg3 Re3+ 48.Kh2? Nf3+

This cuts White's advantage to a minimum.

49.Bxf3 Rxf3 50.e6!? fxe6?

50...Rf6 holds.

51.Rh7 Rf7

There is nothing better.

52.Rh8+

This does not spoil anything, but 52.Rxh6 is strong, eg 52...Ke7 53.Ra7+ Kf8!? 54.Rh8+ Kg7 55.Rxf7+ Kxh8 56.Kg3, after which Black has too many weak pawns.

52...Rf8 53.Rh7

Not 53.Rxh6? Ke7, after which Black should hold.

53...Rf7 54.Rh8+? ½–½

It was not too late to play 54.Rxh6, transposing to the note at move 52.

Hull 4NCL Round Four

Spanton (1953 ECF/1997 Fide) - Roger Greatorex (1758 ECF/1754 Fide)

Spanish Cozio

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nge7

For quite some time this is Dragon1's second choice, but the engine comes to agree with Stockfish18 that the best continuation is 3...Nf6, with 3...a6 second-best (!?).

4.Nc3!?

More popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 4.c3 and especially 4.0-0, but the text is fashionable, for a reason I will explain after Black's next move.

How should Black proceed?

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4...Ng6!?

The 'normal' Cozio move, 4...g6, is out of favour because of 5.d4 exd4 6.Nd5!? Bg7 7.Bg5, with the upper hand for White, according to the engines.

5.d4 exd4 6.Nxd4

6.Nd5?! makes much less sense without a hole at f6.

6...Bb4 7.0-0 Bxc3?!

Black smashes White's queenside, but the resulting structure is not easy to attack, at least not before an ending, and in the meantime White has the bishop-pair and a lead in development.

8.bxc3 0-0

White has the upper hand (Stockfish18) or possibly a positionally won game (Dragon1, but the evaluation fluctuates, and eventually more-or-less settles on plus-over-minus)

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9.f4!

The engines agree this is best. White takes control of the e5 square, while preparing a kingside attack.

9...a6!?

Apparently a novelty, and preferred by the engines over 9...Nxd4, which was played in games featuring a 2200 and a 2295 as Black.

10.Bd3 d6 11.Rb1 Re8

Not 11...Rb8?? 12.Nxc6.

12.Qh5!? Nxd4?!

Not 12...Qh4? 13.Qxh4 Nxh4 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.f5, after which the black knight has no retreat squares. But, rather than the text, the engines much prefer 12...Qe7.

13.cxd4 Nf8!?

This looks horribly passive, but it is probably best.

14.f5 Qf6

Perhaps a better way to stop White playing f6 is for Black to play 14...f6, or 14...Nd7.

15.c3 h6

White threatened to win the black queen with 16.Bg5.

16.g4

Perhaps 16.Rf3 is strongest.

16...Nh7 17.h4 g5!? 18.fxg6 Qxg6 19.Qxg6+ fxg6

Black has foiled the mating attack, but is losing a pawn

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20.Bxh6 Bxg4 21.Rxb7 Re7 22.Bc4+ Kh8 23.Bxa6??

White is roughly the equivalent of being a rook up after 23.Rf7, according to the engines.

23...Bc8 24.Rfb1

The engines reckon 24.a4!? Bxb7 25.Rxb7 Rxa4 is equal, White having a pair of bishops and a pawn for the exchange. Note that 24...Rxa6!? 25.Rb8 Re8 26.Rf7 may slightly favour White, according to the engines.

24...Bxb7

But here the engines reckon 24...Ra6!? 25.Rb8 Re8 gives Black at least the better part of equality.

25.Rxb7

The engines reckon 25.Bxb7 Rb8 26.Rb3 is completely equal.

25...Rxa6!?

Black has a slight edge after 25...Rxe4, according to Dragon1, but Stockfish18 disagrees.

26.Rb8+ Nf8 27.Bxf8?!

Probably better is 27.Rxf8+ Kh7 28.Bg5.

27...Rxe4 28.Bxd6+ Kh7

Black has at least a slight edge after the somewhat counter-intuitive 28...Kg7!, according to the engines.

White to play and equalise

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29.Be5!

After 29.Bxc7 Rxa2, Dragon1 reckons Black is winning, but Stockfish18 gives Black just a slight edge. The text threatens mate.

29...g5 30.h5!? Rxe5

Forced.

31.dxe5

How would you assess this rook-and-pawn ending?

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White is two pawns up, but it is Black to move, and the black king is more active than its white counterpart. The endgame is completely equal, according to the engines.

31...Rc6?

But not any more. Three moves seem to hold the balance: 31...Rxa2, 31...Re6 and 31...Kh6

32.Rb4 Kh6 33.Re4 Re6

The central passed pawn is blockaded, and h5 is about to fall, but the black rook has become passive - White's advantage is again worth about a rook, according to the engines

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34.a4?

The king should be activated, eg 34.Kf2 Kxh5 35.Kg3, when Black is in zugzwang, a possible continuation being 35...Re8 (35...Kg6 36.Kg4; 35...g4 36.Kf4) 36.a4 Re6 (36...Re7 37.e6) 37.a5 Kh6 38.Kg4 Kg6 39.Re2, when Black has to give way.

34...Kxh5 35.a5

Activating the white king also only draws.

35...Kg6 36.a6?! Rxa6 37.e6 Ra8 38.Kf2 Re8

Black has the less-vulnerable passed pawn, and the more-active king, but the ending is still drawn

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39.Kf3 Kf6 40.Rc4 Re7 41.Kg4 Kxe6 42.Kxg5 Kd5 43.Rd4+

The only move to draw, but not so hard to find.

43...Kc5 44.Kf4

Again an only-move, according to the Syzygy endgame tablebase.

44...c6 45.Rb4 Re1 46.Re4!? Rxe4!?

The draw is easy after this, whereas care is still required after 46...Rc1, but one drawing line runs 47.Ke3!? Rxc3+ 48.Kd2, reaching a well-known drawn position, although there is nothing stopping Black playing on.

47.Kxe4 Kc4 48.Ke5 ½–½

48.Ke5 was also an only-move, after which play might have continued 48...c5 49.Kd6 Kxc3 50.Kxc5.

Hull 4NCL U2000 Round Three

FACED a Nigerian.

Kristian Usifoh (1910 ECF/1953 Fide) - Spanton (1953 ECF/1997 Fide)

Catalan

1.c4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7!?

This by-now well-known manoeuvre sees Black spend a tempo misplacing White's dark-square bishop, the general consensus being the bishop is better developed at b2. However, 4...dxc4 and especially 4...Be7 are more common in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0

With both sides castling early, how would you assess the position, which occurs 10,378 times in Mega26?

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Black has a typical QGD setup, while White, thanks to the fianchettoed bishop, hopes to pressure the black queenside. Stockfish18 and Dragon1 give White the better part of equality.

7...Nbd7 8.cxd5!?

Playing for a Minority Attack is unusual in this variation, but has been tried by grandmasters. White normally continues developing with 8.Qc2.

8...exd5 9.Nc3 c6 10.Qc2 Re8 11.a3 a5 12.Rab1 b5!?

Probably a novelty. Known moves are 12...Bd6 and 12...Bf8, while Stockfish18 suggests 12...Nb6!?, and Dragon1 12...h6.

13.e4!? dxe4

The engines reckon Black is at least equal after 13...b4.

14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.Qxe4 Bb7 16.Qf4 Bf6

Perhaps best is 16...c5.

17.Rfe1 Nf8?!

Black equalises with 17...Rxe1+ 18.Rxe1 c5, according to the engines.

18.Rxe8 Qxe8 19.Qc7!? Qd7 20.Bxa5 Rd8?

The engines much prefer 20...Qxc7 21.Bxc7 Ne6 22.Be5 Bxe5 23.dxe5 c5, reckoning White has only a slight  edge (Stockfish18) or perhaps the upper hand (Dragon1).

21.Qxd7 Rxd7 22.Ne5!?

White has a winning advantage, according to the engines

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22...Rxd4 23.Bxc6 Ba6?!

The bishop is horribly passive on a6.

24.Re1 Ne6 25.Bc3 Rd6 26.Bg2 h6 27.h4 Nc7 28.Bb4 Re6 29.f4 Re8 30.Bd6 Ne6 31.Bd5 Bc8

Not 31...Rd8? 32.Nxf7!

32.Bb4 Rd8 33.Ba2

After much manoeuvring, White remains a pawn up and has denied Black any significant counterplay

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33...Bb7? 34.Nxf7! Kxf7 35.Bxe6+ Kg6 36.b3 Rd3

Black does now get some play, but only after dropping a second pawn.

37.Kh2 Bd4 38.f5+?

This throws away almost all of White's advantage by seriously weakening g3, as well as allowing the black king relative security on f6. The engines reckon 38.g4 and 38.Bg4 maintain a large advantage.

38...Kf6 39.Bd7!?

This may be best. The alternative is 39.Re2, eg 39...Rd1 40.Be7+!? Kxe7 41.Bd5+ Kd6 42.Bb7, but the engines agree 42...Rd3 gives complete equality.

39...Be5 40.Bxb5 Rxb3?

Drawing is 40...Bxg3+ 41.Kg1, and now 41...Rxb3.

41.Be7+! Kxf5??

After 41...Kxe7 42.Rxe5+ Kd6 43.Re6 Kc5 44.a4, White is two pawns up, but play is not simple, and Dragon1 (but not Stockfish18) reckons White may only have the upper hand, rather than being winning.

42.Bd7+ Kg6 43.Rxe5 Rb2+ 44.Kh3

Also winning is 44.Kg1.

44...Bg2+ 45.Kg4 h5+!? 46.Kf4 Rf2+ 47.Ke3 Rf3+ 48.Ke2 Rf7?!

Black's position is hopeless, but this does not help, as is also the case with 48...Rxg3?! 49.Kf2.

49.Be8 1-0

Hull 4NCL U2000 Round Two

FACED a junior (born 2014)

Spanton (1953 ECF/1997 Fide) - Dominik Pitel (1818 ECF/1762 Fide)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0-0 g6 6.c3 Bg7 7.d4 cxd4 8.cxd4 e6!?

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 like this alternative to the mainline 8...Nf6, reckoning the two moves are of roughly equal value.

How should White proceed?

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9.Nc3

There is nothing dramatic to be done, although 9.d5!? has some interesting points, as the engines reckon the reply 9...e5!? leaves White with the upper hand. They prefer 9...exd5!?, meeting 10.exd5 with 10...Ne7, and 10.Qxd5 with 10...Nf6.

9...Ne7 10.Qe2 Nbc6!?

This apparent-novelty is the engines' top choice. Known moves are 10...0-0 and 10...d5, although the engines dislike the latter because White has 11.Ne5.

11.d5!? exd5 12.exd5 Nb4?

Going after the d5 pawn is too greedy. The engines give 12...Ne5 13.Bf4!? Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 0-0, when they agree White is slightly better.

13.Re1 Bxc3?

Consistent, but bad. Best, according to the engines, is 13...Kf8!?, but White has much the better game.

14.bxc3 Nxd5 15.c4 Nc7

This was DP's idea. The queen's knight can hop into e6, unpinning the king's knight. But Black is horribly weak on the dark squares, and after ...

16.Bb2 Rg8

... loses kingside castling rights, and has too many weaknesses to defend.

17.Ng5 Ne6

There is nothing better.

18.Nxh7 0-0-0!?

Again, there is nothing better, but now Black loses the exchange.

19.Nf6 Qc6 20.Nxg8 Rxg8

How would you assess this middlegame?

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White is up the exchange, has the only bishop on an open board, and has the safer king, advantages worth close to +4.00, according to the engines.

21.Rad1 Nf5 22.Qe4 Qb6 23.Rb1 Qa5 24.Bf6!?

The engines like this post for the bishop, where it is relatively free from harassment, covers d8, prevents black knights using g5 or h4, and continues to stop ...Rh8.

24...Qa6 25.Qd5

Threatens 26.Rxe6!

25...Re8 26.Red1 Kc7?

The engines suggest 26...Nf4 or 26...Ne7!?, but agree White is winning.

27.c5! Rf8

Not 27...dxc5? 28.Qd7+, nor 27...Nxc5? 28.Qxf7+.

28.cxd6+Nxd6 29.Be5

Technically even stronger is 29.Rxb7+!, provided White sees 29...Nxb7 can be met by 30.Be5+.
29...Rd8 30.Bxd6+ Rxd6 31.Qxd6+ 1-0

The ending after 31...Qxd6 32.Rxd6 Kxd7 33.Rxb7 is hopeless for Black.

Hull 4NCL U2000 Round One

Steve Crow (1772 ECF/1763 Fide) - Spanton (1953 ECF/1997 Fide)

Sicilian Closed

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d3!? Nc6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 e6

This is a popular continuation, but even more common are 6...e5 and 6...Nf6.

7.Re1 Nge7 8.a4 0-0

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

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This exact setup only occurs 25 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but it is typical of the type of position that arises from the Closed Variation of the Sicilian, and is equal, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

9.h4!?

This may be a novelty.

How should Black respond?

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9...e5!

Moving the e pawn a second time in the opening, but the point is that with White no longer able to play h3, the g4 square becomes an inviting post for Black's light-square bishop. The text is the engines' top choice.

10.h5!?

The engines prefer 10.c3, or developing the queen's knight, to either d2 or c3.

10...Bg4?!

Black has the upper hand after 10...gxh5, according to the engines.

11.h6 Bh8 12.c3 Qd7 13.Nbd2 Rad8 14.Qc2 f6!? 15.Nf1 d5 16.N3h2!?

The engines like 16.a5, claiming White has the upper hand.

16...Be6 17.Bd2 dxe4

The engines prefer 17...b6 or 17...d4.

18.dxe4 Na5 19.Nf3 Bb3 20.Qb1 b6

Not 20...Bxa4?? 21.Qxa2+ etc.

21.Ne3

Can Black now safely capture on a4?

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No.

21...Bxa4?

After 21...f5 or 21...c4 the game is completely equal, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish18 slightly prefers White.

22.b4 cxb4 23.cxb4 Nb3

How should White proceed?

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24.Qa2

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 24.Ra3!? Nxd2 25.Nxd2, when Black is still a pawn up, and with the bishop-pair, but the engines reckon White is winning, eg 25...Rfe8!? 26.Bf1!? (the simple 26.Qa2+ Kf8 27.Rxa4 Qxd2 28.Qxd2 Rxd2 29.Rxa7 is also good) Bc6 27.Bc4+ Kf8 28.b5 Ba8 29.Rd1, with massive pressure. If Black tries to hold on to the extra pawn by defending the light-square bishop with 25...b5, the engines reckon 26.Nb3 is very strong for White, and certainly Black's somewhat exposed king, and sidelined bishops, do not make a good impression.

24...b5 25.Rab1 Qe6 26.Rb2 Rd6?!

The engines much prefer 26...Qf7!?

27.Bc3

Even stronger seems to be the engines' 27.Nd5!?, eg 27...Nxd5 28.exd5 Rxd5 (28...Qxd5? 29.Nxe5) 29.Rxb3 Bxb3 30.Qxb3 Rd6 31.Qxe6+ Rxe6 32.Be3 leaves White with bishop and knight for rook and two pawns, and, more importantly, much the better coordination, including having the bishop-pair.

27...Rc8?

Black should probably play 27...Rd3 or 27...Rfd8, although the engines are unsure which move is better.

White to play and gain a large advantage

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28.Rc2?

Good is 28.Nd5 as 28...Nxd5 29.exd5 Rxd5 can be met by 30.Nd4, but best is 28.Bxe5! fxe5 29.Ng5, giving White an advantage worth about a minor piece, according to the engines.

28...Nd4!? 29.Qxe6+ Nxe6 30.Rcc1 Rdc6

Black has escaped the complications, while remaining a pawn up, but White apparently has sufficient compensation

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31.Nd5?

The engines give 31.Bb2 or 31.Bd2, eg 31.Bb2 Rxc1 32.Bxc1!? (they reckon it is important for White to keep a pair of rooks on the board) Kf7 33.Nd5, claiming complete equality.

31...Nxd5 32.exd5 Rxc3 33.Rxc3 Rxc3 34.dxe6

Black to play and win

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34...Kf8!?

Obvious enough, perhaps, but it is the only winning move, according to the engines.

35.Nd2

The engines suggest 35.g4!?, but have no good answer to 35...Ke7. Another possibility, pointed out by Dragon1, is 35.Bf1!?, when 35...Rxf3?? 36.Rc1 seems to allow White to draw, but again 35...Ke7 wins.

35...Ke7

35...f5 seems even better.

36.Ne4 Rc4 37.Rb1?!

White's best try is 37.Bf1!, when Black should reply 37...Rc7!, keeping control of the c file, as 37...Rxb4 38.Rc1!! Rxe4 39.Rc7+ Kxe6 40.Rxh7 may even win for White, according to the engines.

37...Kxe6?!

There is no rush for this, so better is the consolidating 37...a6, and the engines give as best 37...f5!?, eg 38.Ng5 e4 39.Nxh7 Bc2!? 40.Rc1 Bb2. But note that the tempting 37...Bc2?! runs into 38.Ra1!, with strong counterplay.

38.Nc5+ Ke7 39.Bh3?

This is easily met, and with a move Black wants to play anyway. However, after the engines' 39.Bd5 Rd4 40.Bg8, White more-or-less has full compensation for two pawns.

39...f5 40.Bf1 Rc3 41.Re1 e4 42.Nd3 Kd6 43.Nc5 Bd4

White is already two pawns down, and is losing more material imminently 

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44.Rxe4?!

Desperation.

44...fxe4 45.Nxe4+ Ke5 46.Nxc3 Bxc3 47.f4+ Kf6 48.Bg2 Bb3 49.Bc6 Bc4 0-1

Lessons From Bad Bertrich IX

MY round-nine game, in which I was White against international master Dieter Pirrot (2321), featured a classic example of how not to prepare for a game.

My opponent has 831 games in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, of which 407 have him with the black pieces.

I fairly quickly decided I wanted to play 1.e4, which reduced the field to a still-healthy 156 games, of which 96 saw him continue 1...e5.

A Spanish would suit me, I felt, and it seemed he had 'only' two replies 3...a6 and 3...f5.

Against the former I would be happy with my normal Exchange Variation, but I had to do some work before deciding how I would meet the latter.

But my preparation could not end there, as in Mega26 he also has 21 games with 1...e6, 20 games with 1...d5, 10 games with 1...c5, and also games with 1...Nf6, 1...c6 and 1...Nc6.

I was not overly inclined to look at everything, especially as with some of those moves there was very little to go on, but on examining a list of my opponent's games by date, I noticed the French was very much his modern fancy, and I even found a game where he answered 1.d4 with 1...e6.

I have played many games with the Exchange Variation of the French, trying to emulate Morphy, but I decided this would be a too-insipid choice against an IM, and I ruled out the King's Indian Attack, a favourite of mine some years ago, on the ground of rustiness.

That left 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3, of which there were six games of DP's in Mega26 - four continued 3...Bb4, and two saw 3...Nf6.

I fairly quickly decided what I would play against the Winawer, and then looked at the two games with 3...Nf6.

I used to continue exclusively with 4.e5, but more recently I have mixed in 4.Bg5, and with this latter continuation the one game in Mega26 showed DP replying with the fashionable 4...dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7.

Position after 5...Be7

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That game continued 6.Bd3?! Nxe4 7.Bxe7 Nxf2!? 8.Bxd8 Nxd1 9.Bxc7 Nxb2, which the engines reckon is level, although DP went on to win.

I knew the main move is 6.Bxf6, when 6...gxf6!? gives Black the sort of imbalanced game - pawn-structure v bishop-pair - that the superior player should be happy to get.

Accordingly I settled on 6.Nxf6+ Bxf6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.Nf3, when I noticed the engines suggested meeting the main move, 8...0-0, with the little-played 9.Qd3, the idea being to follow up with queenside castling, the quicker the better.

And that was the extent of my preparation - it never occurred to me to look a few moves further ahead, to see how Black might react to White's queen move.

Over the board there came 9...c5 10.0-0-0 Rd8, and suddenly I realised White has difficulties.

Position after 10...Rd8

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Black has three men attacking d4, and is about to bring in a fourth attacker with ...Nc6.

White has three defenders, but adding a fourth defender with 11.c3? sees White's king exposed after 11...cxd4 12.cxd4, when the simple 12...Bd7, with ...Nc6 and Rac8 to come, gives Black a winning attack, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

White therefore has to move the queen to unpin the d pawn, but my 11.Qe3?! showed my inexperience with the position (Qe4 is probably best, as I detail in my notes to the game).

After my move, Black played 11...Nc6, when 12.dxc5? Rxd1+ 13.Kxd1 Qxb2 is terrible.

Instead I played 12.d5!? (I had planned this when playing Qe3), but I was on the back-foot for almost the whole of the rest of the game - it felt as if I was playing with the black pieces, and my opponent with the white ones.

LESSON: half-baked preparation can be more dangerous than no preparation.

Lessons From Bad Bertrich VIII

MY round-eight game, in which I was White against Horst Prüsse (2006), began as an O'Kelly Variation in the Sicilian: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 a6.

I did not know my opponent played 2...a6, and I had nothing prepared

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All I could recall was that 3.d4!? was considered a mistake, and that White should play a line in which ...a6 would not prove useful, eg going into an Alapin setup with 3.c3.

I cannot recall where this advice came from, but in the end I rather went against it by playing 3.c4, intending to play a Maróczy Bind, even though ...a6 in the Maróczy is a common move as, among other things, it helps prepare the break ...b5.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered, after the game, 3.d4!? is easily the commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database (I also found that I had played 3.d4!? last year, albeit with the special intention of switching into a Morra Gambit).

So, was the advice in my mind simply wrong, or had I misremembered altogether? Maybe not, on both counts.

For starters, the top two recommendations of Stockfish18 and Dragon1 are 3.c4 and 3.c3, although the former engine comes to like 3.g3!? the more time it is given to consider the position.

And then there are the stats to consider. 3.c4 scores 56% in Mega26, 3.c3 scores 54% and even 3.g3!? scores 52%, whereas 3.d4!? turns in a miserable 40%.

The main line in Mega26, after 3.d4!?, runs 3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3, and now Black gets to play what is effectively an Accelerated Najdorf, ie 5...e5!?

Position after 5...e5!?

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The engines agree Black has already at least equalised, eg after the main move in Mega26, 6.Nf3, they reckon 6...Bb4!? starts to tip the balance in Black's favour.

So it seems the half-remembered advice I had at the back of my mind was sound after all. But it would have been nice if I had originally spent some time learning the reasons behind the advice, rather than just noting it.

LESSON: as usual in chess, knowing something is good, but knowing why it is good is much better.

To Hull And Back

AM making final preparations for traveling to Hull tomorrow for a 4NCL weekend congress, which starts on Friday evening.

The 150 entries over five sections include two grandmasters, an international master and two Fide masters, with a time limit in the top three tournaments of 90 minutes, and a 30-second increment throughout.

I have entered the U2000, which has five rounds over three days, but I will be staying on an extra night, returning to London on Monday.

Hull's South African war memorial

Lessons From Bad Bertrich VII

THE progress of players is in some ways mirrored by their relationship with the chessboard's back rank, and in particular with the danger of falling victim to a back-rank mate.

Novices often succumb to such a mate, until in time they learn it can be worthwhile playing h3/...h6, or similar, to give the castled king an escape square.

But as players get stronger, they realise playing h3/...h6 - a "bookend move," as it has been called - can be a serious waste of time, and even make the king's position less safe.

Eventually players develop a feel for when a back-rank mate is on, or, more precisely, for when it is useful to take precautions against the possibility of such a mate.

My round-seven game at the Bad Bertrich 50+ tournament, in which I was Black against Michael Hillenbrand (2113), featured an interesting back-rank scenario, arising after I played 22...Rfd8.

All four black pieces (five if you include the king) are either on the back rank or are defending it - even the bishop covers f8

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In the game, White saved his queen by playing 23.Qf3?, but after  23...Rxd1 24.Qxd1 Qe4+ 25.Kg1 h6 White was lost, thanks to the pin on the c file.

The move 25...h6 was necessary because, although the peril is not immediately obvious, Black's back-rank is weak.

So much so, that in the diagram position White has three moves that maintain at least equality, Qe5, Ba1 and Be1, and it is worth looking at each in turn.

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23.Qe5 threatens mate on g7, so Black's best is 23...Qxe5, and after 24.Bxe5 Black cannot capture either white rook, eg 24...Rxc2?? loses to 25.Rxd8+ Bf8 26.Bd6.

Black should probably play 24...f6, when Dragon1 gives White a slight edge, but Stockfish18 calls the position equal.

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23.Ba1!? gives an even stranger impression at first sight, but 23...Rxd5?? loses to 24.Rxc8 Qf8 25.Rxf8+ and 26.Rxd5.

Not so bad is 23...Rxc2?!, although 24.Qxd8+ Qf8 25.Rd7!? is promising for White, eg 25...Rxa2 26.Be5 Rc2 (preventing Qc7) 27.Qg5 h6! (only move) 28.Qxf5 Rc5 29.Qe4, after which White's greater activity gives the upper hand, according to the engines.

The engines reckon Black's best is 23...Bc5!?, after which White should play 24.Qe5 or 24.Qf3, both with equality.

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23.Be1?! also looks odd, but the engines agree it leaves the game completely equal.

However, unlike Qe5 and Ba1, it sets Black no problems, and several moves maintain the balance, including 23...Bc5, 23...g6 and 23...Rb8.

LESSON: the threat of back-rank mate creates possibilities that otherwise would not exist, and this is especially so when most minor pieces (bishops and knights) have been exchanged, but heavy pieces (queens and rooks) remain.

Lessons From Bad Bertrich VI

MY round-six game, in which I was White against Martin Schopf (1909), was decided in a rook-and-pawn ending.

A critical position arose after I played 48.Rg3-g5

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My opponent replied 48...Rxg5?, which, as I commented in my post, "makes White's task easier."

The evaluations of my main engines jump from around +3.00 for White to more than +5.00 (Stockfish18) or almost +9.00 (Dragon1).

But it occurred to me afterwards that it would be instructive to see how White wins after a more sensible move, such as 48...Ke7, assuming the engines are right, and there is a way for White to break through.

Position after 48...Ke7

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Material is level, but White's advantage is based on the fact that Black's 4-3 queenside majority is blockaded, while White's 4-3 kingside majority still has some flexibility.

The moves that follow are the engines' consensus on how to best play the position. Where they disagree, and it is not obvious which is correct, I will choose what seems to me the more-human continuation.

49.Rf1!? Rg7 50,g4 hxg4 51.Rxg4 Rh5 52.Kf3 Rh6 53.Rc1 Kd7 54.Rh1 Rh5 55.Rg5 Ke8!? 56.Kg4 Rh8 57.h5 Rgg8 58.h6 Kf7.

White has created a passed pawn, but how does White make progress?

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59.Kf3 Rh7 60.Rg2 Rgh8 61.Rc2!? Rxh6 (61...Rc8?! 62.Kg4) 62.Rxh6 Rxh6 63.Rxc6 Rh3+ 64.Kg4 Rb3 65.Rxa6 Rxb4 66.Ra7+ Ke8 67.a6 Kd8 68.Kg5 Rxd4

Black is a pawn up, but White's more-active king and advanced passer add up to an advantage worth well more than a rook, according to the engines

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69.Rh7 Ra4 70.a7 Kc8 71.Kxg6 Ra6 72.f5!? exf5+ 73.Kxf5 b4 74.Rh8+ Kc7!? (74...Kb7 75.e6) 75.a8=Q Rxa8 76.Rxa8, and even the most-stubborn Black can resign.

LESSON: engines can make endgame technique seem simple, but watching such technique is instructive.

Opening Conundrum

THE game from the British Championship I highlighted yesterday featured an interesting point in the opening, which was a Réti, albeit one that began as an English.

This position has occurred 29 times in my games, with me being on both sides of the board, and it appears 49,965 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

In Syvatoslav Bazakutsa (IM 2579 ECF/2488 Fide) - Kenneth Hobson (FM 2349 ECF/2244 Fide) the move-order was 1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3.

Black continued 4...d4!?, with Andrew Ledger commenting in Chess that "White will get decent dynamic chances, given that he has the extra move and Black is committed to ...e6."

In my post I pointed out that 4...d4!? is the top choice of Stockfish18 and Dragon1, whereas the engines reckon the most popular continuation, 4...Be7, allows White to gain a slight edge with 5.d4 or 5.0-0.

So the question arises as to the soundness of ...d4, and I think it will be interesting to investigate this.

Note that a purer Réti move-order to reach the diagram would be 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2.

In that sequence, Black has the option of 2...d4!?, which, while playing through Bazakutsa-Hobson, I seemed to remember used to be frowned on in old opening books.

My memory was not faulty, eg Reuben Fine in The Ideas Behind The Chess Openings claims pushing ...d4 on move two "is somewhat dubious," because it is "uncertain whether Black can maintain his powerful wedge at d4 under favourable circumstances."

However, Fine adds that "it is essential for White to hammer at the Black d pawn early, or secure compensation in some other way."

He reckons both e3 and b4 are necessary, and argues that 3.e3 is the best continuation.

A more modern, and more specialist, book, Easy Guide To The Réti Opening, sees Angus Dunnington recommend 3.b4.

He admits "theoretically Black should be OK," but argues that the complicated lines arising will not be easy for Black to handle psychologically.

However, it is again interesting to note that after 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4, the engines agree 2...d4!? is Black's best continuation.

The possibility of 3.b4 has persuaded some players to delay ...d4 in favour of 2...e6, when 3.g3 continues the "purer Réti move-order" mentioned above.

Position after 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3

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Here Stockfish18 changes tack by recommending 3...dxc4!?, narrowly ahead of what is overwhlemingly the most popular continuation, 3...Nf6. Dragon1 also comes to prefer 3...dxc4!?, but by a tiny margin over 3...d4!?
After the commonest move, 3...Nf6, White usually plays 4.Bg2, reaching the position in the first diagram, where, as we know, the engines like 4...d4!?, albeit with 4...dxc4 close behind, and with some fluctuation in the evaluations.

The bottom line seems to be that ...d4 is certainly playable, and may even be best, at moves two, three and four.

However, be warned that after 4...Be7 5.0-0, reaching a position occurring 27,651 times in Mega26, ...d4 loses some of its charm, at least for Stockfish18, which reckons both 6.e3 and 6.b4!? are promising for White.

And be especially warned that 6.b4!?, apart from facilitating Bb2, sets a trap, which has been fallen into by a 2206, namely 6...Bxb4? 7.Qa4+ Nc6 8.Ne5, when best seems to be 8...Rb8.

At first glance Black looks fine, but Gulruhbegim Tokhirjonova (2350) - Rui Yang Yan (2206), US Women's Championship (St Louis) 2023, continued 9.c5!, when Black's best may be 9...0-0!? (the game saw 9...Nd7?!) 10.Nd3! Ba5 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Qa5 e5!?, but Black does not have enough compensation for being a piece down.

Ton Up

ENTRIES for the English championships in Peterborough at the end of October have passed 100.

Lessons From Bad Bertrich V

MY round-five game, in which I was Black against Fide master Norbert Heck (2235), featured an instructive middlegame moment.

White has just played 22.Rc1-c7, defending the bishop on b7, which has helped snaffle a pawn

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I replied with 22...Rfd8?, the idea being that White is forced to move the bishop from b7 as Black threatens to kick the queen's rook with 23...Be5.

However, after 23.Ba6 Rxb2 (there is nothing better) White played 24.Bc4, when Black must lose either the f or a pawn.

Black is lost, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1, as I show in my notes to the game.

What is more important is that in the diagram Black has an instructive way to equalise (Stockfish18) or at least be only slightly worse (Dragon1).

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The way to do this is to give up a second pawn by 22...d3!?, the point of the move being to activate Black's bishop.

After 23.exd3, Black does not take on b2 straightaway (if at all!), but instead hits the white queen's rook with 23...Be5.

That effectively forces 24.Rd7, and now 24...Rfd8 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 results in two White pawns being en prise.

White cannot defend both of them, so, after Stockfish18's line, 26.b3 Rxd3 27.Re1 f6, Black has regained one pawn, and has the better coordinated pieces.

Dragon1 suggests 26.Re1 Bxb2 27.Ba6, after which White has a passed pawn, but it is difficult to see how White makes progress following, for example, 27...Bd4.

LESSON: piece activity is hugely important, and can be well worth achieving at the price of a pawn, especially as the pawn may well be regained in short order.

Championship Chess

THE September issue of Chess magazine has reports on the British championships, held at Warwick University last month.

Chess ... championship edition

One game that particularly caught my attention, and certainly deserves deeper scrutiny, is the following round-three clash, which features a long-term positional piece sacrifice.

Notes in italics are by international master Andrew Ledger.

Syvatoslav Bazakutsa (IM 2579 ECF/2488 Fide) - Kenneth Hobson (FM 2349 ECF/2244 Fide)

Réti

1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3 d4!?

We get a reversed Benoni, and White will get decent dynamic chances, given that he has the extra move and Black is committed to ...e6.

On the other hand, 4...d4!? is the top choice of Stockfish18 and Dragon1, narrowly ahead of 4...dxc4, while the engines agree the most popular continuation, 4...Be7, leaves White slightly better, or at least with the better part of equality, after 5.d4 or 5.0-0.

5.0-0 c5 6.e3 Nc6

This position occurs 1,929 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, and is equal, according to the engines

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7.d3 h6!?

7...Bd6 is most common, although as this is usually met by 8.exd4 cxd4 9.Bg5, you can see the point of ...h6.

8.exd4 cxd4 9.Bf4 Nd7!?

Challenging White's dark-square bishop with 9...Bd6 looks much more natural, but the engines rate the two moves as more-or-less equivalent.

10.Re1 g5!?

An aggressive attempt to stir things up.

11.Be5

I'd be nervous about committing my bishop to e5, but Bazakutsa, quite rightly, has no such fears.

11...Rh7!?

After 11...N(either)xe5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Rxe5, Black has the bishop-pair, but White is ahead on development, and it is unclear where the black king will find a safe haven.

How should White proceed?

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12.Bxd4!!

This appears to be a novelty, initiating a long-term piece sacrifice, relying on Black's lack of coordination and development.

I am sure the text would not have seriously crossed the mind of most players, but it is engine-approved, and may well have been preparation. The known continuation is g4 but, as AL points out, it "looks pretty ropey after simply 12...h5."

12...g4

Black has to accept the piece sacrifice, as otherwise White is winning, according to the engines.

13.Bc3 gxf3 14.Bxf3 Bg7

How would you assess the coming middlegame?

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White has two pawns for a knight, which, materially, is clearly not enough, and has a slight lead in development. But the main factor is surely the plight of the black king, which will struggle to reach the queenside, and is unlikely to be very safe in the centre or on the kingside. The engines give White a slight edge.

15.d4 Kf8!

Bearing in mind White's threatened 16.d5, this is the only move to stay in the game, according to the engines.

16.Na3!? Kg8 17.Nb5 a6?!

Black has defended well up to this point, but this looks wrong, sending the knight to where it wants to go. 17...Ne7 looks better, and the engine [unspecified] assesses it as close to equal.

18.Nd6 Bf8?

The engines give 18...Qf8!?, but award White the upper hand.

19.d5!

Really strong.

19...Nce5

19...Bxd6!? looks catastrophic for Black after 20.cxd6, but the engines reckon it is not much inferior to the text, which shows how bad Black's position already is.

20.dxe6 Bxd6 21.Be4!

Excellent play, following up with all the best moves. White will soon start to recoup material.

He needs to - Black has two knights for three pawns!

21...Qf8 22.exd7 Nxd7 23.Bxh7+ Kxh7

The position has clarified somewhat, leaving White with rook and two pawns for bishop and knight

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Often two pieces are well worth a rook and two pawns, but not here - Black's position is a wreck, with a weak king and far behind in development.

24.Qd3+ Kg8 25.Rad1 Bb4!? 26.Bxb4 Qxb4 27.Qd4 Qf8!?

The engines reckon there is nothing better.

28.Qg4+ Kh8 29.Rxd7

The rest is pretty easy.

29...Bxd7 30.Qxd7 Qb4

It is KH's misfortune that, being 'only' two pawns down, he probably feels compelled to play on in the hope a swindle will somehow appear, and it may be his opponent is short of time

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31.Re7 Qxb2 32.Rxf7 Qb1+ 33.Kg2 Qe4+ 34.Kh3!? Qg6 35.Qxb7 Re8 36.Rf4 h5 37.Kg2 Kg8!? 38.Qd5+ Re6 39.h4 Kh7 40.Rf5 1-0

It is said that only when you become really good do you realise how really bad you are. Alas, I am fairly certain I am one of those players for whom 12.Bxd4!! would not have been a candidate move.