Spanton (1942) - Richard Black (FM 2094)
Sicilian Bb5(+)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e5!?
This is sixth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but has been played by Carlsen, Caruana, Nakamura and other strong grandmasters.
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| How should White respond? |
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4.0-0
This is the main continuation, but 4.Bxc6 is also quite popular, and there are 11 examples in Mega26 of White meeting 4...dxc6 with 5.Nxe5, including three games in which White was rated over 2300, although 5...Qd4 gives Black a slight edge, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.
4...Bd6!?
This is the engines' top choice.
5.c4!?
Apparently a novelty, an not liked by the engines. Normal is 4.c3.
5...Nf6 6.d3 h6!? 7.Nc3 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Black's dark-square bishop looks oddly placed, but the position is closed, so Black should have time to relocate it, and the engines reckon the game is equal.
8.Qe2!?
8.Qe2!?
This is what I believe Kasparov would call a half-move - it looks vaguely useful, but does not get to the heart of the position. Indeed, the queen becomes a target on e2 for the c6 knight. The engines suggest 8.Rb1, 8.a3 or 8.Ba4!?
8...a6 9.Ba4 Bc7 10.a3 Rb8 11.Rb1 d6 12.h3 Nd4 13.Qd1!?
The engines agree this is best.
13...Bd7!?
Offering to exchange Black's passive, but technically 'good' bishop, for White's active, but technically 'bad', one. The engines suggest 13...b5!? or 13...Qe7.
14.Bxd7 Qxd7 15.Nxd4
The engines reckon White has an edge after 15.a4.
15...cxd4 16.Ne2
Equal, as is 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.cxd5 f5, according to the engines.
16...b5 17.cxb5 axb5 18.Bd2 d5 19.f3!? Bd6
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| How would you assess this middlegame? |
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Black has more space and is ahead on development, but White has the long-term plusses of a farside pawn-majority and the technically better bishop, even if, for now, Black's bishop is more active. Stockfish18 reckons the position is equal, but Dragon1 prefers Black.
20.Qb3 Rfc8
The engines suggest 20...b4!?, eg 21.axb4 Qb5 22.Ng3 Bxb4 23.Qxb4 Qxb4 24.Bxb4 Rxb4, when White's passed, but isolated and unmoved, b pawn is probably more of a weakness than an asset.
21.Rfc1
21.exd5?! b4!? is good for Black, according to the engines.
21...dxe4 22.fxe4 Qe6?
Heading for an ending is the wrong idea when White's plusses (better majority, better bishop) are much more realisable in an endgame.
23.Rxc8+?
Better is 23.Qxe6 fxe6 24.Rxc8+ Rxc8 25.Rc1, transposing to a position that is also reached in the game, but could have been avoided by Black.
23...Rxc8?
23...Rxc8?
Black should avoid the ending by playing 23...Qxc8.
24.Qxe6 fxe6 25.Rc1 Rxc1+ 26.Bxc1 Nd7
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| How big is White's advantage in this minor-piece ending? |
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It may be that Black's space advantage is the reason the engines evaluate the position as giving White 'only' the upper hand, rather than being winning.
27.Bd2 Kf7 28.Kf2 Be7
Active play by 28...Nc5!? cuts White's advantage to a slight edge, according to the engines.
29.Ng1!?
The engines reckon this is the only move to maintain the upper hand.
29...Nc5 30.Ke2 Na4
RB offered a draw.
31.Bc1
The engines prefer 31.b3!?
31...Nc5
Black should force an exchange of bishops with 31...Bg5!?, according to the engines.
32.Nf3 Kf6 33.Kd2 Bd6 34.Kc2 Ke7 35.Bd2 Kd7 36.Bb4 Kc6
The engines prefer to preserve the knight.
37.Bxc5 Kxc5 38.b4+ Kb6 39.Nh4 Kc6 40.Ng6 Kb6 41.Nh8 Kc6 42.Kb3 Kb6 43.Nf7 Bc7 44.a4 bxa4+ 45.Kxa4 Kxa6 46.Nh8
The knight starts a long journey to the queenside, having achieved nothing by its kingside excursion, but White's advantage has not lessened as there is no counterplay for Black.
46...Kb6 47.Ng6 Bd6 48.Nh4 Be7 49.Nf3 Bd6 50.Nd2 Bc7 51.Nc4+ Kc6 52.Na3 Kb6 53.Kb3 Bb8 54.Kc4 Bd6 55.Nb1 Kc6 56.Nd2 Kb6 57.Nb3 Be7
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| How should White proceed? |
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58.Nc5?
This throws away the win. The correct plan is to slowly advance the pawn, as this is one of those positions where the piece-and-pawn ending is won, but the pawn ending is drawn.
58...Bxc5 59.bxc5+ Ka5!
The game is now completely equal. White will lose the c pawn, and so be a pawn down, but without danger of losing the game.
60.c6!? Kb6 61.c7 Kxc7 62.Kc5 Kd7 63.h4 h5 64.Kb5 Kd6 65.Kb6 Kd7 66.Kb7 Kd6 67.Kb6
67.Kc8!? also draws.
67...Kd7 68.g3 ½–½
Pimlico3 won the match 4.5-0.5.
My Battersea Season 2026-7
DATE.....EVENT...........................COL..RATING..OPP'S RATING..SCORE..SEASON PERF
29/9/26 Club Championship W 1953 1411 1 *
1/10/26 Central London League W 1942 2094 = 2094
*I am ignoring my win against a 1411 as it counts as an 1811 performance,,which, unless I have a very bad season, will lower my rating performance, despite my win.
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