League Chess

GOT home yesterday afternoon in time to play last night on board five (of eight) for Battersea against Kings Head in London League Division Two.

Spanton (1954) - Andrew Gilfillan (2080)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Qe2!?

The commonest moves in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 4.e5, 4.Bxc6 and especially 4.Nc3.

4...g6 5.c3 Bg7 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 0-0 8.Nc3 d6 9.0-0

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

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White has more space in the centre, and that is enough for a slight edge, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish18 is less sure.

9...Bg4 10.Be3 Nd7!?

The engines like this.

11.Rfd1

11.Rad1!? is marginally preferred by the engines.

11...e5!?

Grandmasters have played 11...a6 or 11...Rc8, but the text is the engines' choice.

12.Bxc6!? bxc6 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 f5!

This looks bad at first glance, but after ...

15.exf5

... Black has a zwischenzug that grabs space in the centre.

15...d5 16.dxe5 Rxf5 17.Qe2 Nxe5

How should White proceed?

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18.f4?

The position is equal after 18.Qa6!? or 18.Rac1, according to the engines.

18...Nc4 19.Bd4

Perhaps the engines' 19.Bc5!? is best, but 19...Qe8!? seems a strong reply, eg 20.Qf2 can be met by 20...g5 or 20...Qb8.

19...Bxd4+ 20.Rxd4 Qb6 21.Qf2 Qxb2 22.Qxb2 Nxb2

How would you assess this queenless late-middlegame?

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Black has more pawn islands, but Black's extra pawn and connected passers add up to a winning advantage, according to the engines.

23.Re1 Nc4 24.Re6 Rc8 25.g4!? Rf7

The engines reckon 25...Rff8 is better.

26.Kg2 Rb7?!

The engines like 26...Kf8, intending ...Re7.

27.f5 Rb2+ 28.Kg3 Rc2 29.Ne2!?

Perhaps 29.Rd3 is better.

29...Kf7?!

The engines reckon Black has at least a slight edge after 29...Nd2!?

30.Rf4?

30.Rd3!? equalises, according to the engines, eg 30...Rxa2 31.Nd4 gxf5 32.gxf5 Re8!? 39.Rxe8 Kxe8 40.Nxc6 Ra6 41.Nb4 Ra3 42.Rxa3 Nxa3 43.Nxd5.

30...g5!? 31.Rf3 Nd2

Even stronger may be 31...c5!?

32.Ra3 Ne4+ 33.Kf3 Rc7 34.Ra6??

Black is only slightly better after 34.Nd4 or 34.Ke3, according to the engines.

34...Nc5

White is lost. The game finished:

35.Raxc6 Nxe6 36.fxe6+ Ke7 0-1

Kings Head won the match 6.5-1.5.

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

31/3/26    CDL      B        1921         2091             0            2030

7/4/26      BCC     B         1938        1505*            1            2030

9/4/26      CLL      W        1938        2012              =           2029

30/4/26    CLL      W        1938        2285              0           2023

7/5/26      CLL      W        1939        2007              1           2037

9/6/26      LL         B         1954        2059              0           2024

23/6/26    LL         W        1954        2080              0           2012  

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

*A win against a 1505 counts as a 1905 performance, so I have excluded this game from calculating my season's performance as it would lower my average despite me winning.

League Chess

PLAYED on board six (of eight) for Battersea against Hammersmith 2 in London League Division Two last night.

Sergiy Teslya (2059) - Spanton (1954)

Sicilian Grand Prix Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.f4 Bg7 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.a3!?

There are 404 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, including being played by Magnus Carlsen. The move is Dragon1's second choice, at least for a while; Stockfish18 prefers 5.a4!?

5...d6 6.Bc4 e6 7.d3

This has been tried by David Howell and Alexander Morozevich, but Carlsen both times preferred castling.

7...Nge7 8.Ba2!? 0-0

This is the commonest continuation in Mega26, but Stockfish18 suggests 8...b6, 8...d5 or 8...Rb8. Dragon1 at first quite likes castling, but comes to prefer 8...b6 or 8...Rb8.

How should White proceed?

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9.h4!?

This is the engines' top choice.

9...d5 10.h5 Nd4 11.hxg6

This has been played by a 2623, and comes to be Dragon1's top choice, at least for a while, but Stockfish18 suggests apparent-novelties in 11.Qd2!?, 11.Bd2 and 11.Ne2!?

11...fxg6 12.Ng5!? h6 13.Nf3

The engines reckon this apparent-novelty is a slight improvement on Anton Demchenko (2623) - Eduardo Jesús Méndez Fortes (2250), Chess.com Blitz 2023, which featured 13.Nh3, after which 13...b5 14.Ne2 dxe4 was at least equal for Black, according to the engines (0-1, 53 moves).

13...Kh7

Strengthening h6, but weakening g5.

14.Qd2!? dxe4?!

The engines strongly dislike this. Stockfish18 gives 14...Qc7 15.Nxd4 cxd4 16.Ne2 Bd7, claiming a slight edge for Black, although Dragon1 reckons it is White who has at least a slight edge.

15.dxe4 Nxf3+ 16.gxf3 Qxd2+ 17.Bxd2 e5?!

This is Dragon1's top choice, for a short while, but the engines come to agree 17...b6 is best, albeit awarding White the upper hand.

What should White play?

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18.Ne2?!

The engines reckon White has a positionally won game after 18.fxe5!? Rxf3 19.e6!?, eg 19...Rf6? loses to 20.Bg5. Stockfish18 gives as best 19...b5!? 20.Bg5 c4!?, but 21.Bxe7 Bxe6 22.0-0-0 is clearly winning. Dragon1 suggests 19...a5, but 20.Bc4 (Stockfish18 reckons 20.Bg5 is even stronger) Nc6 21.Nb5 Nd4 22.Nxd4 cxd4 23.0-0-0 is very strong.

18...Bd7?!

Probably better are 18...exf4 and 18...Nc6.

19.0-0-0 Rad8?

Possibly best is 19...Nc6, although the engines prefer White after both 20.c3 and 20.f5!?, eg 20.f5!? gxf5 21.c3!? f4!? (this is best, according to the engines) 22.Bxf4! Bc8 23.Bd2 Rxf3, when they agree White has more than enough for a pawn, but they disagree on how to proceed.

20.Be3

How should Black continue?

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20...b6

The best the engines can come up with is 20...Bb5!?, when 21.c4 Rxd1+ 22.Rxd1 Bc6 23.Bxc5 Re8 24.Bxa7 wins two pawns.

21.fxe5 Rxf3?

The engines give 21...h5, but White has several strong continuations, including 22.Nf4 Bh6 23.Nd5 Bxe3+ 24.Nxe3 Rxf3 25.Ng4!?, when Black has no good answer to Nf6(+).

22.Bg5 Bf8

There is no satisfactory move..

The game finished:

23.e6 Kg7 24.Bxh6+ Kf6 25.Bxf8 1-0

Hammersmith 2 won the match 4.5-3.5.

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

31/3/26    CDL      B        1921         2091             0            2030

7/4/26      BCC     B         1938        1505*            1            2030

9/4/26      CLL      W        1938        2012              =           2029

30/4/26    CLL      W        1938        2285              0           2023

7/5/26      CLL      W        1939        2007              1           2037

9/6/26      LL         B         1954        2059              0           2024

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

*A win against a 1505 counts as a 1905 performance, so I have excluded this game from calculating my season's performance as it would lower my average despite me winning.

League Chess

FACED a junior (born 2012) on board one (of five) for Battersea 3 against Streatham 2 in Central London League Division Three last night.

Spanton (1939) - Charlie Pearson (2007)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 d5!?

This is quite a popular alternative to the mainline 8...e5.

How should White respond?

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9.cxd5

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 marginally prefer 9.exd5 exd5 9.0-0, but the text has a point that is perhaps not immediately obvious.

9...cxd5??

There are 28 examples of this blunder in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, including by a 2405 and a 2384 (the latter went on to win, albeit both games were at blitz). Black should play 9...exd5 or 9...Bxc3+.

10.Qa4+ Bd7 11.Qxb4 Rb8 12.Qa3 Bc6!? 13.e5!? Ng4 14.Bf4 Qb6 15.0-0 Rb7!?

15...Qxb2 can be answered by 16.Qd6!? and 16.Qxa7, as well as 16.Qxb2.

16.h3 Nh6 17.Rfd1 Qd8!? 18.Qd6!? Qxd6 19.exd6 Rxb2

Black has won a pawn, and has hopes of winning a second, but the engines reckon White's advantage is worth more than a rook

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20.Rab1 Rxb1 21.Rxb1 Kd7 22.Bb5 f6 23.Bxc6+ Kxc6 24.Nb5 e5

Not 24...Rb8? as White has 25.Nd4+ (and 25.Nxa7+).

25.Bxh6 gxh6 26.Nxa7 Kxd6 27.Rb6+ Ke7 28.Kf1 Ra8 29.Rb7+ Kd6 30.Rxh7 Kc5 31.Rb7 d4 32.Ke2 e4 33.Kd2 h5 34.h4 f5 35.g3 Rf8 36.Rb5+ Kc4 37.Ke2 Rf7

The engines give 37...f4 38.gxf4 Rxf4 39.Rxh5 d3+ 40.Ke1, when 40...d2+!? 41.Kxd2 Rxf2+ 42.Ke3 Rxa2 leaves White a pleasant choice between saving the knight, and letting it go to get a winning rook-and-pawn ending (it is winning, despite White having a rook's pawn, because Black's king is cut off from interfering with the pawn's progress to h8).

White to play and win

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38.Nc8!

38.Ra5 may also win, but is far less convincing.

38...Rf6

This is best, according to the engines.

39.Rb6 Rf8 40.Rc6+ Kd5?!

Allowing a speedy finish.

41.Ne7+ Ke5 42.Ng6+ Kd5 43.Nxf8 Kxc6 44.Ne6 Kd5 45.Nf4 Kc4 46.Kd2 1-0

Streatham 2 won the match 3-2.

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

7/4/26      BCC     B         1938        1505*            1            2030

9/4/26      CLL      W        1938        2012              =           2029

30/4/26    CLL      W        1938        2285              0           2023

7/5/26      CLL      W        1939        2007              1           2037

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

*A win against a 1505 counts as a 1905 performance, so I have excluded this game from calculating my season's performance as it would lower my average despite me winning.

League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of five) for Battersea against Hammersmith in Central London League Division Two last night.

Spanton (1938) - Tony Niccoli (2285)

Spanish Exchange

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Qxd4 Qxd4 8.Nxd4 Bd7 9.Be3 0-0-0

This position occurs 279 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

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10.f3

Long castling was played in 222 of those games.

10...Ne7 11.Rd1

Ruling out castling on the queenside - in fact the plan can be to not castle at all.

11...Ng6 12.Kf2!?

Emanuel Lasker often developed his king this way in the Exchange Variation of the Spanish, the idea being the king is well-placed on f2 to later assist an advance of White's pawn-majority. On the other hand, the absence of the king from c1/b1 leaves the white queenside pawns more vulnerable.

12...Ne5 13.Nb3!?

This may be a novelty, and is not liked by Stockfish17.1 or Dragon1. They suggest 13.h4 or 13.b3.

13...b6 14.h3

Preparing f4, without allowing a black piece to land on g4.

14...Nc4 15.Bc1 Bd6 16.f4?!

But, played this early, the move is probably too loosening.

How should Black exploit White's last?

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16...Rde8

Black can seize the initiative with 16...g5!?, when 17.fxg5?! fxg5 gives White an isolani and an exposed king. Better is 17.f5, and the engines suggest 17.Nd4!?, the idea being to meet 17...gxf4 with 18.b3, when 18...Ne5 allows 19.Bxf4, after the engines still much prefer Black, but they reckon even better is 18...Bb4!?, when 19.bxc4 Bxc3 20.Bxf4 equalises the number of pawns, but both 20...Rhe8 and 20...c5 leave Black much better.

17.Rhe1 Bb4 18.Rd3 Re7 19.a3 Bd6 20.Nd2 Bc5+ 21.Kf3 Be6?

Black should swop knights.

How can White exploit Black's last?

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22.Nxc4?

Missing 22.Na4!?, after which Black loses the bishop-pair, and contracts tripled c pawns, as 22...Bd6? is met by 23.Nxb6!

22...Bxc4 23.Rdd1 Rhe8 24.Be3 Bd6

Swopping bishops may be better.
25.Bxb6 Bxa3

How should White proceed?

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26.bxa3?

This is possibly the worst of the plausible choices. Best is probably the engines' 26.Bxc7!, when 26...Bxb2 27.Ba5!? more-or-less obliges Black to give up the bishop-pair with 27...Bxc3, after which the engines reckon White is at least slightly better. If Black tries to preserve the dark-square bishop with 27...Ba3?, White has 28.Na4!, with very strong play as Black does not seem to have a good answer to the threat of Nb6+, forking king and light-square bishop, eg 28...Bb5 29.Nb6+ Kb7 30.c4.

26...cxb6

Black has lost the bishop-pair, but straightened the queenside pawns, so who stands better?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

No one, according to the engines.

27.Rd6 Kc7 28.Red1 Bf7 29.R6d4 Be6!? 30.g4 a5 31.Ne2 Rd7!?
The engines reckon an exchange of rooks favours White.

32.f5!?

The engines prefer 32.Rxd7+ Bxd7, and now 33.f5!?

32...Rxd4 33.Rxd4 Bf7 34.Nf4 b5

Black has a slight edge after 34...g5!? or 34...c5, according to the engines.

35.Nd3 Rd8 36.Ke3 Ba2

Possibly better is 36...Rxd4 37.Kxd4 Kd6, with what the engines agree is complete equality.

37.Nc5 Rd6?

White has at most a slight edge after 37...Rxd4, according to the engines.

38.Rxd6 Kxd6 39.Nb7+ Ke5 40.Nxa5 c5 41.Nb3 Kd6 42.Nd2 Ke5 43.Nf3+ Kd6 44.h4 Bb1 45.Kd3!? b4 46.axb4 cxb4

White to play and maintain a winning position

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

47.g5?

The simple 47.Nd2 snuffs out Black's counterplay, and, after 47...Ba2, the time is right to play 48.g5.

47...b3

Exploiting White's self-pin at move 45.

48.Nd4

An only-move.

48...bxc2

White to play and draw

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

49.Nxc2?

White holds with 49.Kd2, eg 49...c1=Q+ 50.Kxc1 Bxe4 51.Kd2 Ke5 52.Ne6, or 49...Ke5 50.Ne6.

Black to play and win

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

49...Ke5

But not 49...Bxc2+?? 50.Kxc2 Ke5 51.Kd3 Kf4, as 52.gxf6 gxf6 53.Kd4 wins for White, as does 51...fxg5 52.hxg5 Kf4 53.f6.

50.gxf6 gxf6 51.h5 Bxc2+ 52.Kxc2 Kxe4 0-1

TN: "Sorry."

Me: "It was my fault."

Hammersmith won the match 4-1.

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

7/4/26      BCC     B         1938        1505*            1            2030

9/4/26      CLL      W        1938        2012              =           2029

30/4/26    CLL      W        1938        2285              0           2023

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

*A win against a 1505 counts as a 1905 performance, so I have excluded this game from calculating my season's performance as it would lower my average despite me winning.

League Chess

PLAYED last night on board one (of five) for Battersea against Railsport in Central London League Division Two.

Spanton (1938) - William Taylor (2012)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.c3!?

The main moves in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 4.Bxc6 and especially 4.0-0.

4...Nf6 5.Qe2 Bg7 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 d5 8.e5 Ne4 9.0-0 0-0

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

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White's extra space in the centre may be why Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 give White a slight edge.

10.Nc3!?

This is the main move in Mega26, even though after ...

10...Nxc3 11.bxc3

... White has a backward pawn on a half-open file.

11...Na5 12.Ba3

The position after 11...Na5 is reached 12 times in Mega26, with White trying seven different moves, including the text.

12...Bd7 13.Bd3 Rc8 14.Rfc1

The engines suggest 14.Qe1!?, which protects c3 while keeping the option of kingside play.

14...Nc4 15.Bxc4

The engines give 15.Bc5 b6 16.Bxc4 bxc5!? 17.Bxd5 Bg4, reckoning Black has full compensation for a pawn.

How should Black recapture?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

15...Rxc4

The engines agree this is the better move as after 15...dxc4?! White has a freer hand on the kingside, now that the c file is closed.

16.Nd2 Ra4 17.Bb2 Bh6 18.Rd1

I picked up the rook, intending to play 18.Rf1?, but White is in trouble after the reply 18...Qb6, when Black has two major threats: 19...Qxb2 and 19...Bb5.

18...Bxd2

The engines prefer 18...Qc7 or 18...Qc8, with Dragon1 also liking 18...Bg7!?

19.Rxd2 Qa5 20.a3 Qa6 21.Qxa6

The engines reckon it is better for White to keep queens on.

21...Rxa6

How would you assess this late-middlegame?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

White has an awful bishop, but it protects important pawns, while the black bishop, although it has lovely diagonals to work on, has no targets. The engines award Black a slight edge.

22.Re1

But the engines strongly dislike this, preferring 22.Bc1!?

22...Rb6 23.f3 Rb3 24.Ree2 Rc8 25.Rf2 h5 26.h4 a5 ½–½

The engines reckon Black has the upper hand. A sample line:  27.Kh2 a4 28.Kg3 Bb5 29.Rd1 Bc4 30.Kf4 f6!? 31.Re1 Rc6 32.Rc1!? Kf8 33.Rcc2 Kf7 34.Rc1 Ke6 34.Rcc2 Kd7 35.Rcd2 Ke6, after which they still give Black at least the upper hand, but Black does not seem to have made any progress, and it may well be progress is not possible.

The match was tied 2.5-2.5.

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

31/3/26    CDL      B        1921         2091             0            2030

7/4/26      BCC     B         1938        1505*            1            2030

9/4/26      CLL      W        1938        2012              =           2029

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

*A win against a 1505 counts as a 1905 performance, so I have excluded this game from calculating my season's performance as it would lower my average despite me winning.

Championship Chess

PLAYED last night in the Battersea club championship.

Michael Krautzberger (1505) - Spanton (1938)

Sicilian Alapin

1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6!? 3.d4 d5 4.exd5!?

There are 6,208 games with this continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, keeping the game in independent Alapin lines, whereas there are 3,928 games with 4.e5, transposing into the Advance Variation of the French.

4...exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Be3 cxd4!? 7.Nxd4 Bd6

Black has felt obliged to spend a tempo (6...cxd4!?) in accepting an isolated queen's pawn, but in compensation the white dark-square bishop is not particularly actively placed and the white queen's knight will take two tempi to reach the active f3 square, now that c3 is occupied 

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

8.Bd3 Nf6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nd2

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

10...Ng4!

This was probably also good at move nine, which is why Stockfish171.1 and Dragon1 recommended h3 on the last two moves.

11.Nxc6?

Allowing a simple zwischenzug, although 11.N2f3 Nxe3 also favours Black.

11...Bxh2+ 12.Kh1 bxc6 13.g3?

This only makes matters worse.

13...Nxe3 14.Qh5 g6 15.Qxh2 Nxf1 16.Rxf1

Black is 'only' up the exchange and a pawn, but Black's advantage is close to the equivalent of a whole rook, according to the engines

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

16...Qf6 17.Kg2 Kg7 18.Be2 Rh8 19.Nf3 Bg4 20.Rh1 Bxf3+ 21.Bxf3 h6 22.Qh3 Rab8 23.Qxd7 Rxb2 24.Qxa7 Qxc3 25.Rh4 Rhb8 26.Rf4 R8b7 27.Qa4 Qc2 28.Qd4+ Kg8 29.Bh5? gxh5 30.Qf6 Qg6 31.Qd8+ Kg7 32.Ra4 Rxf2+! 33.Kxf2 Qc2+ 0-1

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

7/4/26      BCC     B         1938        1505*            1            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

*A win against a 1505 counts as a 1905 performance, so I have excluded this game from calculating my season's performance as it would lower my average despite me winning.

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

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

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?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

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?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

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