Easter Egg-stras

AS well as the three swisses run by the Four Nations Chess League at Daventry, Northants, over Easter, there is a Saturday evening blitz and two 10-player round-robins, featuring five grandmasters and six international masters.

Main playing-hall

Easter Treat

AM traveling to the Northamptonshire market town of Daventry today for the Four Nations Chess League's Easter congress, which has three seven-round tournaments over four days: open, U2000 and U1700.

I have entered the U2000, which, with 65 entries, is easily the biggest of the tournaments.

All three have what can be thought of as the modern standard time-control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment.

Two halfpoint byes are allowed, and I am taking mine in the morning rounds on Saturday and Monday.

Players in the open include two grandmasters - full details at the 4NCL.

League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of four) for Battersea against Lewisham last night in Croydon & District League's Dave Luckin division, where teams are allowed a rating total of 6,600 elo, ie a player-average of 1650.

Anthony Agu (2091) - Spanton (1921)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5!?

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

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

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

Miniatures 32

IN this occasional series I am going through my decisive games of 20 moves or fewer.

R White (?) - Spanton (147 BCF)

Highbury (London) Rapidplay 1990

King's Indian Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d3!?

White, going first, can afford liberties like this, which may be why the position after 3.d3!? occurs 4,216 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, with players on the white side including Nimzowitsch, Capablanca, Barcza, Benko, Shirov, Ehlvest, Topalov and Gukesh. Perhaps the idea is to take the opponent out of book, but it is also possible, as happens in this game, to transpose into lines of the King's Indian Attack with a quick g3.

3...Nf6 4.Nbd2 Be7 5.g3 d6

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon 5...d5 gives Black a slight edge.

6.Bg2 Bg4 7.0-0 Qd7!?

Raising the spectre of opposite-side castling

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8.Re1 0-0!?

Cold feet? I cannot recall, but, for what it is worth, the engines are not keen on castling on either side at this point, suggesting instead 8...h5!?

9.c3 Ne8!?

Probably a novelty - the move is not in Mega26.

10.Nf1 Bh3 11.d4 Bxg2 12.Bxg2 exd4

How should White recapture?

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13.Nxd4!? 

Dragon1 prefers 13.cxd4, but Stockfish17.1 fluctuates between the two moves.

13...Nf6 14.h3 Rfe8 15.Nf5!?

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 15.Bf4 or 15.f3!?

15...Bf8

Preserving the bishop-pair and unmasking pressure against e4. The engines now suggest 16.c4, albeit awarding Black a slight edge.

16.Qg4?? 0-1

RW resigned without waiting for 16...Nxg4.

LESSON: blunders do not come much bigger than putting the queen en prise, but there is always an underlying cause for such moves, and here I suggest it was a case of concentrating so much on one's own threats that the opponent's possibilities were overlooked.

Miniatures 31

IN this occasional series I am going through my decisive games of 20 moves or fewer.

P Orn (150 BCF) - Spanton (147 BCF)

Highbury (London) Rapidplay 1990

QGD

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0-0 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Be2!?

This has been played by grandmasters, but trails 7.cxd5, 7.Qc2, 7.Bd3 and especially 7.Rc1 in popularity.

7...dxc4!?

Offering a transposition, which is accepted, to 7.Bd3 lines.

8.Bxc4

This position occurs 2,244 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

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8...Nd5!? 9.Bxe7 Nxe7 10.0-0

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

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White's extra central space and lead in development give a slight edge, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

10...c5 11.Qc2 cxd4 12.Nxd4 b6?

Better is 12...Nf6.

How can White exploit Black's last move?

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13.Qe4

White has the upper hand after this, according to the engines, but they prefer 13.R(either)-d1 and 13.Bxe6!? fxe6 14.Nxe6  Qe8 15.Nc7 etc.

13...Rb8 14.Bd3

Again the engines like R(either)-d1, but not 14.Bxe6?? as Black has 14...Nc5.

14...Nf6 15.Qf4 Bb7 16.Bc2 Ned5 17.Nxd5 Qxd5 18.f3??

Spotting one threat (18...Qxg2#), but missing:

18...e5

The game finished:

19.Be4 exf4 0-1

LESSON: don't stop thinking when you have spotted an opponent's threat - the most dangerous moves have more than one idea.

Miniatures 30

IN this occasional series I am going through my decisive games of 20 moves or fewer.

D Muroko (174 BCF) - Spanton (147 BCF)

London League 1990

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Be7!?

This is very much second in  popularity to 5...Nd6, but has been played by Carlsen, Kramnik and Morozevich.

How should White respond?

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6.Re1

More popular, and preferred by Stockfish17 and Dragon1, are 6.dxe5 and 6.Qe2.

6...d5?!

The main continuation 6...Nd6 is probably better.

7...Bd7 8.Bxc6
Luke Harmon-Vellotti (2409) - Ognjen Matko (2307), Chess.com Blitz 2015, saw 8.Nxd7 Qxd7 9.c3 0-0 10.Nd2, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines (1-0, 37 moves).

8...Bxc6 9.Qg4?!

The engines reckon this makes the queen more of a target than an attacking weapon. They suggest Qe2, either immediately or after first exchanging on c6.

How should Black respond?

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9...0-0!

Coolly done, but everything else loses, according to the engines, eg 9...Bf6? 10.f3!? (10.Nxc6 is also strong), or 9...g6? 10.Bh6.

10.Nxc6

If 10.Bh6, then 10...Bf6.
10...bxc6 11.c4

The engines prefer 11.Nd2 or 11.Qd1!?

11...Bb4!? 12.Rd1 Qf6?

Black is better after 12...f5!?, according to the engines.

13.f3!

Simple, but effective.

What should Black play?

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13...Rae8!

This seems best. The problem with 13...Nd6? is that it loses a piece to 14.a3 Ba5 15.b4 etc.

14.a3!?

Possibly better is grabbing the knight with 14.fxe4, although after 14...Rxe4 15.Qf3 Rxd4 Black has compensation. Nevertheless 16.Bd2!? Qxf3 17.gxf3 Rb8!? 19.Nc3!? Rxc4 20.Rab1 leaves White with a knight for three pawns, and at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

14...Bd6 15.c5?

This is a mistake, although the engines' top choice 15.fxe4 is unclear after 15...Rxe4 16.Qf3, when both 16...Rxd4 and 16...Qh4!? give interesting compensation.

15...Bxh2+! 16.Kxh2

Even worse is 16.Kf1? as after 16...Ng3+ White has to give up the queen to avoid mate in one.

16...Nf2 17.Qg3

Objectively probably better is 17.Qf4, but 17...Qxf4+ 18.Bxf4 Nxd1 leaves White with few hopes.

17...Nxd1 18.Bf4 Nxb2 19.Be5 Qh6+ 20.Kg1 Nd3 0-1

LESSON: check those checks - both your own, and your opponent's.

Thoughts On Bad Wörishofen IV

MY round-seven game in the Bad Wörishofen seniors was an Old Indian that began 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.f3!? e5 4.d5 c6 5.c4 Qb6 6.Qb3 Be7 7.Be3 Qxb3 8.axb3, reaching the following position.

Spanton (1919) - Dieter Bauer (1798) after 8.axb3 - notice anything unusual?

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The unusual feature is that queens have come off the board before anything else.

There are 11.7million games in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database - have a go at guessing how many feature the same phenomenon of queens-off first.

A) 35,222 (0.3%)

B) 58,715 (0.5%)

C) 82,202 (0.7%)

D) 105,688 (0.9%)

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The answer is 35,222 games, which is 0.3% of the games in Mega26.

I have a database with 5,028 of my games, and, since this was the sixth time queens have come off first in those games, my percentage is the even tinier 0.1.

The openings in my games varied: two Rétis and one each of the King's Indian Attack, Slav, Liberated Bishop and Old Indian.

But they have in common that, with the arguable exception of the King's Indian Attack, they were all closed systems.

League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of five) for Battersea 3 against Hackney in Central London League Division Three last night.

Ben Cullen (1942) - Spanton (1921)

Catalan

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Nc3!?

This is third in popularity in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, a long way behind 6.Qc2 and especially 6.Bg2.

6...c6 7.Bg2 dxc4!?

This is marginally the top choice of Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

8.0-0 0-0

With both sides castling fairly early, how would you assess the position?

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Black's extra pawn is not irrelevant, in that White will not find it easy to restore the material balance. But White has a 2-1 majority on the two central files, which might help generate an attack. Equal chances, according to the engines.

9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rfd1 Qc7!?

This may be a novelty. The engines prefer the known move, 10...b5, and another possible novelty in 10...a5!? After 10...b5 the engines' main line runs 11.a4 b4 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Bb7, with what they reckon are still equal chances. After 10...a5!? they are less sure how play should go, but one sharp line runs 11.Ne5!? Nxe5 12.dxe5 Nd5 13.Ne4 Qc7 14.Nd6!? b5 15.b3!? Bxd6 16.exd6 Qxd6 17.bxc4 bxc4 18.e4!? Nb4 19.Qxc4, when they agree White has sufficient compensation for a pawn.

After 10....Qc7!?, how should White proceed?

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11.e4

The engines like 11.Bf4 Bd6 12.Bxd6 Qxd6 13.a4, or immediately 11.a4.

11...e5 12.dxe5

The engines suggest 12.h3!?, 12.b3!? or 12.Ne2!?

12...Nxe5 13.Nxe5 Qxe5 14.Ne2!?
This is Stockfish17.1's top choice; Dragon1 marginally prefers 14.h3!? But if 14.Bf4, then 14...Qh5 seems a good reply.

14...Be6 15.Bc3 Qc7 16.Nd4 Bg4!? 17.f3 Bd7 18.Qe2

The engines prefer 18.f4.

18...b5 19.e5 Nd5

What should White play?

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20.Nxb5!?

The engines prefer 20.Kh1, 20.f4 or 20.e6. The text restores material equality, but after ...

20...cxb5 21.Rxd5 b4 22.Be1 Be6 23.Rdd1 Rfd8

... Black's queenside pawn-majority is mobile and advanced.

24.f4 Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Rd8 26.Be4 g6 27.Kg2 h5 28.Qc2 Rxd1 29.Qxd1 Qc8!? 30.Bf2 Bc5

The engines give 30...Bh3+ 31.Kh1 c3 with a won game.

31.Bxc5 Qxc5

How should White continue?

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32.Qd8+

The engines reckon 32.Qd6! leaves White only slightly worse.

32...Kh7 33.Qd1

If 33.Qf6, then 33...Qc8! gives Black a positionally won game, according to the engines.

33...a5?

Missing a simple tactic.

34.Qxh5+! Kg7 35.Qg5 Qe3 36.Qf6+ Kg8 37.Qd8+ Kg7 38.Qf6+ Kg7 ½–½

Hackney won the match 3.5-1.5.

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 

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

Thoughts On Bad Wörishofen III

CAPTURING with check nearly always improves your position, often dramatically, and is rarely bad.

It was just my luck that my round-three game in the Bad Wörishofen seniors featured an exception to this usually reliable rule.

The following position was reached after 11 moves of a Caro-Kann Tartakower.

Achim Heller (2045) has just played 11...b5!?

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Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon White has at least a slight edge after 12.c5.

I intended playing c5, but first played 12.Qc2, thinking I was gaining a tempo thanks to the threat of capturing on h7 with check.

But my opponent 'overlooked' the threat, as I thought, by replying 12...bxc4!

I annotated this as !? in my original post, but really the move deserves an unadorned exclamation mark.

According to the engines, I should have replied 13.Bxc4, with an equal game.

Instead I played 13.Bxh7+ Kh8 14.Ng3!? with a sharp position where, as AH pointed out after the game, 14...g6 is simply good for Black.

The engines reckon White should prefer 14.Be4 or 14.Rae1!?, but agree Black has a slight edge either way.

I still find it hard to believe 13.Bxh7+ is not the best move in the position - there cannot be many examples of such a phenomenon.

Championship Chess

PLAYED last night in the Battersea club championship.

Spanton (1921) - Ibrahim Abouchakra (1780)

Sicilian Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Bg7 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nxc6!?

This is fourth in popularity in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database behind 6.Nde2, 6.Nb3 and especially 6.Be3.

6...bxc6 7.Bc4 d6 8.0-0 Nf6 9.e5!?

A pawn sacrifice that divides the engines. Dragon1 reckons it gives White the upper hand; Stockfish17.1 claims it is only enough for equality.

How should Black respond?

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9...Ng4

IA said afterwards he rejected 9...dxe5 10.Qxd8+ Kxd8, which is the main line, because White can capture on f7, but he missed that after 11.Bxf7?? e6 the bishop is trapped.

10.e6?!

Almost certainly better is 10.exd6.

10...Ne5?

Black should play 10...f5.

11.exf7+ Nxf7 12.Bxf7+ Kxf7 13.Qf3+ Kg8?

Apparently a novelty. After 13...Bf6 14.Qxc6 Rb8 White is a pawn up and has the safer king, but Black has the bishop-pair and has the only pawns on the two central files, meaning White is only slightly better (Stockfish17.1) or at best has the upper hand (Dragon1). Indeed the engines reckon White should prefer 14.Ne4!? d5 15.Nxf6 exf6 16.Qc3.

14.Qxc6 Bf5 15.Nd5!?

The engines prefer 15.Re1.

15...Rc8 16.Qb7 Kf7 17.Bg5?!

The engines suggest 17.Qb3!?, 17.Re1 or 17.Qxa7.

How can Black cut White's advantage to a minimum?

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17...Re8?

Better than the text is 17...Rb8, but best is the engines' 17...Qd7!, the point being that, after 18.Qxd7 Bxd7, the capture 19.Bxe7?? loses to 19...Bc6, while 19.Nxe7?! Rc5 20.h4 Bxb2 also favours Black.

18.Rfe1

The engines prefer 18.Qb3.

18...Bf8

Again 18...Qd7! works.

19.Qb3

Can you find a good reply for Black?

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No ... or, to be on the safe side, if you have found a good reply, you have done better than the engines.

19...Bxc2?!

The engines' best is 19...Kg7, but 20.Qe3 leaves White well on top, eg 20...Kf7!? 21.Qf3 Kg8 22.c4!? h6 23.Bf6!? Qd7 24.Bxe7!? (Stockfish17.1), or 20...Qa5!? 21.Nxe7 Bxe7 22.Bxe7 Qb6 23.Qf4 Qxb2 24.Bxd6 (Dragon1).

20.Qf3+

Probably even stronger is 20.Qh3.

20...Kg7

How should White proceed?

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21.Bxe7! Bxe7 22.Rxe7+ Rxe7 23.Qf6+ Kh6 24.Nxe7 Rb8

This, for a short time, is Stockfish17.1's top choice, but objectively best, or, rather, least worst, is probably 24...Ra8.

25.Qf4+ Kg7 26.Nc6 Qb6 27.Nxb8 Qxb8 28.Qd4+ 1-0

The bishop is also dropping.

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

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

Thoughts On Bad Wörishofen II

I HAD four blacks in the Bad Wörishofen seniors.

One of those games began with 1.e4, but the other three were closed games, with rounds two and four seeing White play the Colle-Zukertort.

I was also expecting a Colle-Zukertort in round eight as a search in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database seemed to indicate that it was my opponent's favourite opening, but he varied with a New London (1.d4 and 2.Bf4, without an early  Nf3).

So why this sudden upsurge in interest in an opening named after players who died in 1932 (Edgard Colle) and 1888 (Johannes Zukertort)?

One possibility is that there has been a new book or online course devoted to the opening, and I later noticed the bookstall at Bad Wörishofen had a copy of Richard Palliser's The Killer Colle-Zukertort System.

This was published last year, described as an updated version of a a 2022 Chessable course.

Somewhat strangely, I cannot find the book on Amazon, but it is available from Chess & Bridge

One feature of the Colle-Zukertort is that White usually sets up the same way more-or-less whatever Black plays.

Round two after White's fifth move

Round four after White's fifth move

One point of this presumably is that White rarely has to get involved in a deep theoretical argument - it really is an ideas opening.

And a lot of the basic ideas are explained in some detail on the internet, eg at thechessworld and at chess.com.

The latter article is 15 years old, but ideas change slowly in long-established opening systems.

I expect to see a few more examples in my coming games as, if my limited experience at Bad Wörishofen is any guide, it appeals to a wide range of players - my round-two opponent was rated 2031, my round-four opponent 1671.

Thoughts On Bad Wörishofen

THE 41st Bad Wörishofen chess festival was split into three sections: open (103 participants), U2000 (73) and seniors (153).

A problem with the large field that the seniors had is that the first round tends to consist of a series of mismatches.

My Fide elo of 1919 meant I was seeded 72nd, just above the cut-off point for the top half.

Depending on byes and absences, I could have found myself facing an international master in round one. But instead I was drawn against the 150th seed, who was rated 1577.

In a tournament with juniors, that could have proved a poisoned chalice, but was not the case here, and my opponent forfeited on time while thinking about his 21st move.

That might seem strange, but it is probably significant that Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon he was positionally lost after six moves.

In one way the most remarkable thing about the game was that I had the white pieces, having had black in my previous seven encounters.

The seven comprised of the last two rounds at Weimar, followed by club games in the London, Central London and Croydon & District leagues, and two county games.

Off the top of your head, without pausing to calculate, what would you guess are the odds of getting seven blacks in a row?

Image: wikiHow

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Clearly, the chances of having black in the first round are one in two, and the chances in the second round are also one in two, so the chances of having black in two consecutive rounds are one-in-two x one-in-two, ie one in four.

[Actually, the odds in a tournament of getting two blacks in a row are longer than this as pairing rules usually dictate alternating colours.]

The five games following Weimar were all one-off events, in that previous colours had no bearing on future colours.

Seven rounds of one-in-two add up to one-in-128, or, in bookmakers' terms, 127-1 against.

The real odds were higher in my case as having black in round six at Weimar reduced my chances of having black in round seven, so perhaps the true odds of my getting seven blacks in a row were more like 150-1 or even 200-1 (someone more mathematically inclined might be able to give a more precise figure).

I have a barmaid-friend who regularly bets 50p each-way - sometimes £1 each-way - on horses she fancies because of their name or because they are grey.

Maria recently had a 250-1 winner, so I should not feel too put-upon at getting the short end of  a 127-1 chance.

Nevertheless, I am fairly sure it is a personal record.

Summing Up Bad Wörishofen

MY score in the seniors of +4=1-4 lost 10.8 Fide elo.

Early morning in the forest

Bad Wörishofen Senioren Round Nine

Spanton (1919) - Hans Marzik (2042)

Caro-Kann Bronstein-Larsen

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ gxf6!?

This recapture has very much played second fiddle to 5...exf6 in recent years, and the latter is much preferred by Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

6.c3

This consolidating move is the main continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database. The engines suggest 6.Nf3.

6...Bf5 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Bf4 Bg7 9.Qe2!?

Stockfish17.1 prefers 9.Be3!? or 9.a4; Dragon1 gives 9.Bd3 or 9.Be2.

How should Black respond?

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9...Qa5

The engines like 9...e5!?, the very move 9.Qe2 was supposedly stopping. A possible continuation runs 10.dxe5 fxe5 11.Nxe5 Bxe5!? 12.Bxe5 0-0 13.0-0-0 Qa5, with an unclear position in which the engines reckon White should play 14.g4!?, or offer the exchange with 14.Rxd7!? After the latter, Black has to decline the offer as 14...Bxd7?? loses to 15.Qh5. However, Black has 14...Qxa2, when 15.Rd3!? Qa1+ 16.Kc2 f6 17.Bd4 Rad8 is still not clear. After 14.g4!?, Black is obliged to play 14...Bg6!?, when 15.Rxd7 Qxa2 is again sharp and unclear.

10.Nd2!? Qd5 11.Qe3
White is slightly better after 11.Nc4, according to the engines.

11...Qe6 12.Bc4 Qxe3+ 13.fxe3 e5 14.e4!? Bg6 15.Be3 f5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.0-0 Bg6 18.Rae1 0-0

Now both sides have castled (kingside - unusual in the Bronstein-Larsen), how would you assess the position?

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White is ahead on development, and has two pawn islands against Black's three, but Black has pressure against d4. The engines call the game equal, although for quite some time Dragon1 prefers White.

19.Nb3
The engines suggest 19.d5!?

19...Rfe8 20.Be2

The engines prefer 20.Na5 or 20.Nc5!?

20...a5 21.Bg4?!

The bishop hits the knight, but in return the knight hits the bishop ...

21...Nf6

... gaining time to relocate to d5.

22.Be2?

It was necessary to play 22.Bd1 or 22.Bf3, but in each case with the upper hand for Black, according to the engines.

22...Nd5 23.Bf2 Nf4

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 23...a4 24.Nc1 exd4 25.Bxd4 Ne3! 26.Bxe3 Rxe3, eg 27.Bf3 Bh6! 28.a3 (28.Rxe3 Bxe3+ 29.Kh1 Rd8) Ra5!? 29.Kf2 Rxe1 30.Rxe1 Rb5.

24.Nc1 exd4 25.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 26.exd4 Ne6

White cannot save the d pawn

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27.Rd1 Rad8 28.d5!? cxd5 29.Rd2 Re7 30.Rfd1 Be4 31.Nb3 b6 32.Nd4!? Nxd4 33.Rxd4 f5 34.Bc4!? Kg7 35.Kf2?!

The engines much prefer 35.Bd3!?, but agree Black is winning.

35...Kf6 36.g3 Ke5 37.Bb3 Rc7 38.Ke3 b5 39.a3 Rc5 40.R4d2 Rd6!?

Preparing to open a second front.

41.h4!? Rg6 42.Rg1 Rxg3+!? 43.Rxg3 f4+ 44.Kf2 fxg3+ 45.Kxg3 Rc1 46.Bd1 d4 47.Kf2 Rc6!? 48.Be2 b4 49.axb4 axb4 50.Bd3?!

This loses a pawn, but White was already down the equivalent of about a rook, according to the engines.

50...Bxd3 51.Rxd3 Rc2+ 52.Kg3 Rxb2

Not all rook-and-pawn endings are drawn

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53.Rf3 Rc2 54.Kg4 Rc6 55.Rf5+ Ke4 56.Rb5 d3!? 57.Rxb4+ Ke3 58.Rb7 Rd6 59.Re7+ Kf2 60.Rxh7 d2 61.Rf7+ Kg2 0-1

Easter determines when the Bad Wörishofen congress is held, and, with Easter being a week earlier next year, the chess starts on Friday March 5

Bad Wörishofen Senioren Round Eight

FACED a fellow England player - someone with whom I am due to be playing in the same England side next month at the world senior team championships in Albania.

Michael Marshall (1843) - Spanton (1919)

New London

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Bd6 4.Bg3 Nf6 5.Nd2 b6!? 6.Bb5+

The well-known point of Bb5+ in such positions is that ...Bd7 can be met by Bd3, and ...Nbd7 by Bc6

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6...c6

Also worth considering is 6...Nfd7!?, but perhaps not for long.

7.Bd3 Ba6 8.Bxa6 Nxa6 9.Ngf3 0-0 10.Ne5 Bxe5!?

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 suggest 10...Qc7, 10...c5 or 10...Rc8

11.Bxe5 c5 12.c3 Nb8!? 13.0-0

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

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Two sets of minor pieces have been swopped off, neither side has a significant weakness, development is more-or-less level (bearing in mind it is Black to move), and all 16 pawns are still on the board, so perhaps it is not surprising Dragon1 calls the game completely equal, and Stockfish17.1 gives Black a minute edge, ie about a 10th of a pawn.

13...Nc6 14.Bg3 Ne7 15.h3 Nf5 16.Be5 Nh4 17.Qe2 Ng6 18.Bh2 Re8 19.Rad1 cxd4 20.exd4 Qd7 21.Rfe1 h6!? 22.Qd3 Qa4 23.Rc1 Rac8

Not 23...Qxa2?? 24 Ra1 Qxb2 25.Reb1, after which the black queen is lost.

24.a3 Rc6 25.Ra1 Rec8 26.Rac1 b5 27.Ra1!? Nd7 28.Bg3!? Nb6 29.h4 Qa5?

Not 29...Nc4?? 30.b3, but the text is also flawed.

30.Nb3 Qa4 31.Nc5 Qc4 32.Qc2 Na4?

Black should give up the exchange, but after 32...Rxc5!? 33.dxc5 Qxc5 34.Qe2 White has a slight edge, according to the engines.

White to play and gain a winning advantage

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33.Nxa4

Winning is 33.Nxe6!, when best play, according to the engines, runs 33...Nxb2 34.Nxg7 Kxg7 35.Qxb2 Qxc3 36.Qxc3 Rxc3 37.h5 Nf8 38.Re7, after which material is level, but Black's five isolated pawns should prove fatal.

33...bxa4 34.h5 Ne7 35.Qd2 Rb6 36.Qe2!? Qxe2 37.Rxe2 Rcc6!? 38.Bf4 Rb3 39.Rc1 Rcb6 40.R1c2 Nc6 41.Bc1 Na5 42.Kf1

MM offered a draw, not long after pressing the clock - how would you assess this late-middlegame?

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Black has huge pressure against b2, but the weakness is defendable, which is presumably why the engines reckon the position is completely equal (Stockfish17.1) or just a tad better for Black (Dragon1). However, at least as far as humans are concerned, it is easier for Black to play.

42...R3b5 43.Ke1 Kf8 44.g4 Nc4 45.f3 f6 46.Kf2 Kf7 47.Ke1 Rb3 48.Rh2 e5

Just about the only sensible way to make progress. White's reply is forced.

49.dxe5 Nxe5

Can White hold?

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50.Kd1?

Even worse is 50.Rhf2?? Nd3+, but 50.Rh3 Nd3+ 51.Kd2 Nxb2 52.Bxb2 Rxb2 53.f4!? is better than the text as White gets rid of the bad bishop and swops off into a rook-and-pawn ending. However, the star move is the engines' 50.Kf2!, when they reckon 50...Nd3+ 51.Kg3 Nxc1 52.Rxc1 Rxb2 53.Rxb2 Rxb2 54.c4! is completely equal, eg 54...d4 55.Rd1 Rb3 56.Rxd4 Rxa3 57.Rd7+ Kg8 58.Rxa7.

50...Nxf3 51.Rhf2 Ne5 52.Rg2?!

Almost certainly better is 52.Rf4.

52...Nc4 53.Rh2 a6!?

Getting a pawn off the same colour-complex as the bishop. There is no need to hurry - White is without counterplay.

54.Ke1 Re6+ 55.Rhe2 Rbb6 56.Kf2 Ne5 57.Kg3 Nc4 58.Kf3 Rxe2 59.Rxe2 Re6 60.Rc2!? Re4 61.Bf4 Ke6 62.Rg2 Re1 63.Rc2 Rb1 64.Bc1

Despite first appearances, the black rook is not trapped

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64...Ne5+ 65.Kg3 Kd7 66.Bf4?!

Almost certainly better is 66.Be3, covering g1, one point being 66...Nd3? runs into 67.Rd2, so Black should probably prefer 66...Nc4 67.Bc1 Kd6.

66...Rg1+ 67.Kh3 Nc4

There is nothing wrong with 67...Nxg4 as the counterplay White gets after 68.Rd2 does not amount to much, but there is plenty wrong with 67...Rxg4?? 68.Bxe5.

68.Rc1?!

This is briefly Stockfish17.1's top choice, but it makes Black's task easier as the minor-piece ending is hopeless for White.

68...Rxc1 69.Bxc1 Ke6 70.Kg3 f5 71.gxf5+ Kxf5 72.Kh3 Ne5 73.Kh4 Ke6 74.Be3 Nd3 75.Bd4 Kf7 76.c4!?

The engines agree this is best, but that does not mean it is any good.

76...dxc4 77.Bc3 g5+ 78.hxg6+ Kxg6 79.Bd4 Ne1 80.Bc3 Nd3 81.Bd4 h5 82.Bc3 Nf2 83.Bd4 Ne4 84.Kh3 Nd6 85.Bc3 Nf5 86.Bd2 Kf6 87.Bc3+ Ke6 88.Bh8 Kd5 89.Bc3 Ke4 90.Bb4 Kd3 91.Bc3 Kc2 92.Kg2 Ne3+ 93.Kf3 Nd1 0-1

Frosty morning

Bad Wörishofen Senioren Round Seven

Spanton (1919) - Dieter Bauer (1798)

Old Indian

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.f3!?

This is third in popularity, behind 3.Bd3 and especially 3.Nc3, but has been played by Carlsen, Kasparov and Anand.

3...e5 4.d5 c6 5.c4

ChessBase calls this a Pirc, but, to me, Old Indian Defence is more appropriate 

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5...Qb6 6.Qb3 Be7

This may be a novelty. Viktor Korchnoi (2606) - Jörg Hickl (2617), Swiss Team Championship 2007, went 6...Qxb3 7.axb3 Na6 8.Be3 c5?!, which is probably the wrong idea as it leaves White with an unchallengeable centre (1-0, 32 moves). Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 suggest 8...Nd7!?, 8...Nb4 or 8...Be7, the last of which would transpose to the game.

7.Be3 Qxb3 8.axb3 Na6!

The engines agree this is much better than 8...a6, when play might continue 9.b4 0-0 10.Nc3 cxd5 11.cxd5 Nbd7 12.Bd3, with what they reckon is the upper hand for White, although the line is by no means forced.

9.Nc3 0-0 10.Bd3 Nb4 11.Kd2!? cxd5 12.cxd5 Nxd3 13.Kxd3

How would you assess this queenless middlegame?

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Black has the bishop-pair, but White has more space and queenside pressure, giving White a slight edge, according to the engines.

13...a6 14.Nge2 Bd7

DB offered a draw.

15.Ng3!?

The knight is headed for c4.

15...g6 16.Nf1 Ne8 17.Nd2 f5 18.Nc4 Nf6 19.h3

White has to be careful, eg the plausible 19.Ne2? loses to 19...fxe4+ 20.fxe4 Nxe4! 21.Kxe4 Bf5+ 22.Kf3 Bd3+ 23.Kg3 Bxe2.

19...fxe4+ 20.fxe4 Nh5 21.Nb6 Rad8 22.Nxd7 Rxd7 23.Ne2 Rc7 24.Rhf1 Rcc8 25.g4 Ng7 26.Nc3 Rf8?!

The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting 26...h5!?, albeit much preferring White.

How should White proceed?

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27.Na4

This gives the upper hand, according to the engines, but they reckon White is positionally winning after 27.Rxf8+ and 28.b4, eg 27.Rxf8+ Kxf8 28.b4 Rd7!? 29.b5 axb5 30.Nxb5 Kf7 31.Rc1!? Ne8 32.g5!? Rd8 33.Nc7 Rc8 34.Nxe8 Rxe8 35.Rc7, after which Black's b pawn must surely fall.

27...Rxf1 28.Rxf1 Rc8

The engines prefer 28...h5, 28...Ne8 or 28...Bh4.

29.Nb6 Rf8

DB pressed the clock and almost immediately offered a draw.

30.Rxf8+ Kxf8

White to play and gain a winning advantage

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31.Bh6
Heading for an ending of good knight versus bad bishop, but it is not enough for a win, whereas the engines 31.Nc4! probably is, eg 31...b5 32.Na5 Ne8 33.Nc6 Bh4 34.Nb8 Nc7 35.Bb6 Na8 36.Ba5 snaffles the black a pawn.

31...Kf7 32.Bxg7 Kxg7 33.Nc4 Kh6

Black's active king makes up for having the inferior minor piece

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34.Ke2 Kg5 35.Kf3 Kh4 36.Kg2 b5 37.Na5 h5 38.Nc6 Bg5 39.gxh5 gxh5

The position is completely equal, according to the engines, but White has a try that might well have worked over the board

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40.b4

The try is 40.Nb8!?

Analysis diagram - after 40.Nb8!?, can you see how Black saves the game?

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The obvious 40...a5 loses to 41.Nc6 a4 42.Na7! (but not 42.axb4?, when 42...axb4 wins for Black) axb3 43.Nxb5 Bc1 44.Nxd6 Bxb2 45.Nc4 Bc1 46.d6 Bg5 47.Nxe5! with unstoppable mate.

The engines show Black has to find 40...Bd2!!, eg 41.Nxa6 Kg5!, when White's extra pawn is useless, and the position remains completely equal.

Back to the game, where the idea of 40.b4 was to pin the a pawn.

40...Bd2 41.Nb8 Bxb4 42.Nxa6 Ba5!?

An only-move, but not difficult to find.

43.Nb8 Kg5 44.Nc6 Be1 45.Kf3 Kh4

Has White a (sensible) alternative to playing 46.Kg2 and acquiescing to a draw?

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46.Na7!?

This is certainly an alternative; whether it is sensible is a matter of opinion.

46...Kxh3

Forced, as Black's d pawn drops after 46...b4?, eg 47.Nb5 b3 48.Nxd6 Bc3!? 49.Nc4 Bb4 50.d6 Kg5 51.d7 Be7 52.Nxe5, when White is two pawns up.

47.Nxb5 Bb4 48.Na3 Bc5 49.Nc2 h4 50.b4 Bb6 51.Ne1 Kh2 52.Kg4 Kh1?

Setting a 'trap', but it is a 'trap' that is only good enough for a draw, even if White falls for it. Black had to play 52...h3, when 53.Nf3+ Kg2 54.Nh4+ Kh2 etc is a draw.

53.Nf3

After 53.Kxh4? Bf2+ (springing the 'trap') 54.Kg5 Bxe1 55.b5 Bf2 56.Kf6 Kg2 57.Ke6 Bc5 58.b6 Bxb6 59.Kxd6 Bd4 60.Ke6 Kf3 61.Kf5, the engines show neither side can make progress.

53...Kg2 54.Nxh4+ Kf2 55.Kf5 Ke3 56.Ng6 Kd4 57.Ne7 Bc7 58.Nc6+ Ke3 59.Na7 Bb6 60.Nc8 Bc7 61.b5 Kd4 62.b6 Bb8 63.Ne7 Bc7!? 64.bxc7 1-0

A water-treading hydroptherapy facility known as a Kneippanlage, operating only in the warmer months - Wikipedia lists 24 such 'troughs' in the immediate Bad Wörishofen area, but I suspect that is an underestimate