Mark Murrell (1838) - Spanton (1955)
Colle System
1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bd3 Nc6!?
There are 1,066 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but it lags in popularity behind 3...c5 and especially 3...e6. After the text, White can choose between continuing Colle-style with 4.Nf3, or making the opening a Stonewall Attack with 4.f4.
4.Nf3 Nb4!?
This is the top choice of Stockfish19 and Dragon1.
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| How should White respond? |
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5.0-0!?
The main line, albeit from a small sample size, runs 5.Be2 Bf5 6.Na3, with equal chances, according to the engines.
5...Nxd3 6.Qxd3
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| Black has won the bishop-pair, but it has cost two tempi (...Nb4 and ...Nxd3), which White has used to castle and develop the queen |
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Database analysis by international master - now grandmaster - Larry Kaufman shows the bishop-pair is worth, on average, half a pawn, while it is generally accepted a pawn in the opening is worth three tempi (sometimes 2.5 tempi are quoted, or even "two-three" tempi). This suggests that, all other things being equal, Black's bishop-exchanging manoeuvre is not quite worth it. However, the engines reckon the position is equal, and it may be that the passive 2.e3 is responsible for all other things not being equal.
6...c6!?
Apparently a novelty. The engines reckon it is roughly equivalent to the known 6...a6, but better than the other known move, 6...Bg4!?, when 7.Ne5 and 7.Qb5+ are both promising.
7.Nbd2 e6 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.Qxe4 Qd5 11.Qxd5
Exchanging queens helps Black, according to the engines. They suggest 11.Qe2 Bd6 12.c4.
11...cxd5 12.Bf4 Be7 13.Rfc1!?
This is Dragon1's top choice, at least for a while, and comes to be also liked by Stockfish19.
13...Bd7 14.Ne5 b5!? 15.a4 b4
The engines prefer 15...bxa4 or 15...a6!?
16.Nxd7 Kxd7 17.c4 dxc4
The engines reckon 17...Rac8!? gives Black a slight edge, despite allowing White to create a protected passed pawn with 18.c5, when the engines continue 18...g5!? 19.Bg3 h5 20.h3 Bf6 21.Rd1, with ...Kc6 to come to blockade the passer.
18.Rxc4 Rhc8 19.Rac1 Rxc4 20.Rxc4 Rc8 21.Rxc8 Kxc8
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| How would you assess this bishop-and-pawn ending? |
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White has an extra pawn-island, but the position is completely equal, according to the engines.
22.b3 Bf6 23.Be3 Kb7
White gets a slight edge, or at least the better part of equality, after 23...Kc7 24.d5!?, according to Dragon1, but Stockfish19 disagrees.
24.Kf1 a6 25.Ke2 Kc6 26.g4!? Kd5 27.Kd3 h6 28.f3 Bg5!? 29.Bf2
Not 29.Bxg5? hxg5, eg 30.Ke3 a5 31.Kd3 f6!? (31...f5? 32.gxf5 exf5 33.Ke3 is equal) 32.Ke3 f5 33.gxf5 exf5 34.Kd3 f4!, after which d4 drops. Note that in the bracketed line, if Black continues 33...f4+, then 34.Kd3 g6 35.h3 is drawn as long as Black finds 35...g4! 36.hxg4 (36.fxg4? g5 wins for Black) g5, eg 37.Ke2 Kxd4 38.Kd2.
29...Bf4 30.h4 f5 31.h5 Bg5 32.Be1 a5?
32...Be7 holds, as does 32...gxf4 33.gxf4 Be7 (or 33...Bf6). The text leaves too many Black pawns on the same colour complex as the bishops.
33.Bg3 gxf4
Or 33...f4 34.Bh2 Bf6 35.Bxf4 Bxd4 36.Bc7.
34.gxf4 Bf6 35.Bf2 ½–½
White wins with 35.Bc7 Bxd4 36.Bxa5, a possible continuation being 36...Bc5 37.Bc7 e5 38.a5 e4+ 39.Ke2 Bd4 40.Bb6 Bxb6 41.axb6 Kc6 42.Ke3 Kxb6 43.Kxe4 Kc6 44.Kd4 Kb5 45.Kd5 Kb6 46.Kc4 Ka5 47.Kc5, etc.
However, the text spoils nothing (White's advantage is roughly the equivalent of being a rook up after 35.Bf2, according to the engines, although Dragon1 has to be shown some of the lines to change its evaluation from completely equal), but offering a draw did.
Black cannot stop White's plan even after 35.Bf2, eg 35...Be7 36.Bg3 Bd6 37.Bh4 Bc7 38.Be7 e5 39.Bf8! exd4 40.Bxg7 Bf4 41.Bxd4, with an easy win.
Battersea Galacticos won the match 3.5-1.5.
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
5/10/26 London League B 1942 2042 = 2068
6/10/26 Club Championship B 1942 1541 1 +
8/10/26 Central London League B 1942 2240 = 2125
20/10/26 Club Championship B 1942 1765 1 2135
21/10/26 London League W 1944 2291 0 2086
3/11/26 London League W 1955 1954 0 1998
5/11/26 Central London League B 1955 1838 = 1975
*I am ignoring my win against a 1411 as it counts as an 1811 performance, which, unless I have a very bad season, would lower my season's rating performance, despite me winning.
+I am also ignoring my win against a 1541 as it counts as a 1941 performance, which, at least for now, would lower my season's rating performance, despite me winning.
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