Bischofsgrün Round Seven

Spanton (1954) - Roland Welsch (1890)

Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik

1.c4 c6 2.e4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6

This is the main move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, but it scores three percentage points lower than the 48% of second-most popular 5...Nc6.

6.Nf3 Be7

How should White proceed?

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7.Bg5!?

This has been played by grandmasters, but the main line in Mega25 runs 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1, with a slight edge for White, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish17 calls the game equal.

7...0-0 8.Rc1!?

The main moves are 8.c5!? and especially 8.Bd3!?

How should Black respond?

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8...Qb6!?

Apparently a novelty, in a position in which there are eight known moves, headed by 8...Nc6.

9.Qc2

The engines suggest 9.c5!? Qxb2 10.Bd3, claiming a slight edge.

9...Nc6

The engines prefer 9...dxc4 10.Bxc4, and now 10...Nc6.

10.c5!? Qc7 11.Bb5!? Bd7 12.Bxc6!?

The point of this manoeuvre is to slow Black getting in ...e5, the classic answer to White's queenside push.

12...Bxc6 13.b4 a6 14.0-0

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

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Barring blunders, the game is likely to revolve around whether Black can generate central counterplay to distract White from supporting and advancing the white queenside pawn-majority. The engines give White a slight plus.

14...Bb5?

Black spends a tempo obliging the white king's rook to move to a better location, and meanwhile provides White with a tempo for advancing the a2 pawn.

15.Rfe1 Rfe8 16.a4 Bd7

Probably no better is 16...Bc4.

17.Ne5 Nh5

Offering to give up the bishop-pair in the hope of getting Black's kingside pawns rolling.

18.Bxe7 Rxe7 19.Qe2 Nf6 20.b5 axb5 21.axb5 Be8!? 22.Ra1 Qb8 23.Qb2 Rxa1 24.Rxa1 Nd7 25.Nd3 f6

At last threatening to play ...e5, although d5 has to be protected first.

26.Qa3 Bf7??

Black is positionally lost anyway, according to the engines, but this allows an immediate finish.

27.c6 1-0

Cap Negret Round Two

FACED a Belgian

Spanton (2009) - Bernard Logie (1845)

Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qb3!? Bxf3 9.gxf3

This is one of the main tabiyas of the Panov-Botvinnik, occurring 3,179 times in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database

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9...e6 10.Qxb7 Nxd4 11.Bb5+ Nxb5 12.Qc6+ Ke7 13.Qxb5 Qd7 14.Nxd5+ Qxd5 15.Qxd5 exd5

BL offered a draw.

16.Be3 Ke6 17.0-0-0

The game is still very much in theory, this position occurring 209 times in Mega24

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17...Rc8+ 18.Kb1 Bc5 19.Rhe1 Bxe3!?

Possibly slightly better is 19...Kd6.

20.Rxe3+

This seems better than improving White's kingside pawn-structure.

20...Kd6 21.Ra3 Rc7 22.Ra5 Rhc8 23.Raxd5+

How would you assess the position now White has won a pawn?

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The key is: how much compensation does White's mangled kingside give Black? Stockfish17 reckons the game is equal, but Dragon1 gives White a slight edge.

23...Ke6 24.R5d3 h5 25.Rd6+ Ke7 26.a3 g6 27.R6d4 Kf6 28.h4 Rc4 29.a4 R8c7 30.a5 Rc2 31.R1d2 Rxd2 32.Rxd2 Rc4 33.Rd7 Rxh4 34.Rxa7

White remains a pawn up, but the engines agree the position is completely equal

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34...Rd4 35.a6 h4 36.Ra8 g5 37.a7 Ra4 38.b3 Ra6 39.Kb2 h3 40.b4 Kg7 41.Rc8 Rxa7 42.Rc1 Kf6 43.Kb3?

There is not time for this. Several other moves draw, including the simple 43.Rh1.

Black to play and gain a winning advantage

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43...Ra8!

Rooks belong behind passed pawns, especially ones that would otherwise be lost.

44.Rh1 Rh8 45.Kc4 Ke6?

The winning plan consists of going after the white kingside pawns, and at the same time supporting the black pawns, so 45..Kf5 or 45...Ke5.

46.b5 f5 47.b6 g4 48.Kc5!? Ke5 49.fxg4 fxg4 50.b7 Kf4 51.Kb6 Kf3

White to play and draw

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52.Rc1?

The engines show 52.Rh2!? draws, eg 52...Ke2 53.f4+ Kf1 54.f5 Kg1 55.Rc2 h2 56.f6 h1=Q 57.Rc1+ Kh2 58.Rxh1+ Kxh1 59.Ka7 Rh7 60.Ka8 Rh8+ 61.b8=Q Rxb8+ 62.Kxb8 g3, and both sides queen.

Black to play and win

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52...Kg2?

Both 52...h2 and 52...Rb8!? win.

53.Rc8

Black to play and draw

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53...Rh6+?

Drawing is 53...Rxc8!? 54.bxc8=Q h2 55.Qxg4+ Kf2, after which there is no win without Black blundering, eg 56.Qh6 Kg1 57.Qg3+ Kh1.

White to play and win

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54.Kc5?

The engines show that the other two king retreats, ie 54.Ka5 and 54.Kb5, win because they do not block the white rook on the c file.

54...h2 55.b8=Q h1=Q

BL offered a draw in my time.

Note that if the white king were on a5 or b5, White would now win with 56.Qg3+ Kf1 57.Rc1+ etc.

56.Qb7+

Thanks to the white king's unfortunate placement, 56.Qg3+ is only good enough for a draw, eg 56...Kf1 57.Kd4 Re6.

56...Kxf2

How should White proceed?

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57.Rf8+?

Drawing is 57.Qb2+ as the black king cannot escape checks, eg 57...Kg3 58.Qe5+ Kh4 59.Qe7+ etc.

57...Kg3 58.Qc7+ Kh3

White has run out of checks, and now the white king is extremely vulnerable, while Black has a supported pawn three squares from queening

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59.Qf4 Rh5+ 60.Rf5

This is best, but still losing.

60...Qg1+

But not 60...Rxf5+? as 61.Qxf5 leaves White with a tablebase draw.

61.Kd5 Qg2+ 62.Kd4 Qb2+ 63.Ke3 Qc1+ 64.Kf2 Qxf4+ 65.Rxf4 Ra5 66.Rb4 Ra2+ 67.Kg1

Black to play and win

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67...g3?

Winning is 67...Ra1+ 68.Kf2, after which many moves win, but simplest is 68...g3+ etc.

68.Rb1 Rg2+ 69.Kh1 Rh2+ 70.Kg1 Rg2+ ½–½

British 65+ Round One

Spanton (1919 ECF/1928 Fide) - Robert G Clark (2038 ECF/2076 Fide)

Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 g6!?

There are 732 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, but the mainline runs 6...Bg4 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qb3 Bxf3 9.gxf3 e6 10.Qxb7 Nxd4 11.Bb5+ Nxb5 12.Qc6+!? Ke7 13.Qxb5 Qd7 14.Nxd5+ Qxd5 15.Qxd5 exd5 16.Be3, reaching a position Stockfish16.1 and Dragon1 reckon is completely equal.

Position after 6...g6!? - how should White proceed?

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7.Bg5!?

Anatoly Karpov has played this, but the most popular continuation in Mega24 is 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qb3 Nxc3 9.Bc4!? Nd5 10.Bxd5 e6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.0-0, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines.

How should Black respond?

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7...Bg7!?

Commonest in Mega24 is 7...Ne4, but the engines like 7...Be6.

8.Bxf6 exf6!

More popular is 8...Bxf6, but the engines much prefer the text.

9.cxd5!?

The engines reckon 9.Nxd5 0-0 gives Black more than enough compensation for a pawn, eg 10.Be2 f5 11.0-0 Be6 12.Qb3 Na5 13.Qb4 Bxd5 14.cxd5 Qxd5.

9...Ne7 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.d6

This occurred in all three games to reach the position in Mega24, but the engines suggest the apparent-novelty 11.Qa4!?, which RC in the postmortem said he had thought was my idea.

11...Bxb5?!

The engines reckon 11...Nf5 and 11...Nc8 give equal chances, but not 11...Nc6? 12.Qe2+ Kf8 13.d5 Ne5 14.Nxe5 fxe5 15.Bxd7 Qxd7 16.0-0 as 16...Qxd6 runs into 17.Ne4 Qd7 18.d6 f5 19.Nc5 Qxd6 20.Rac1, when White has a huge attack, eg 20...Rc8 21.Rfd1 Qe7 22.Qc4 Rc6 23.Rd7 Qe8 24.Rxb7 Rd6 25.Qb4 etc.

12.Nxb5

Not 12.dxe7? Qxe7+ 13.Kd2 Bh6+ 14.Kc2 Qc7 15.Re1+ Kf8, after which the black king may even be the safer of the two monarchs, and Black has bishops on an open board.

12...Qa5+ 13.Nc3 Nd5?

The engines reckon Black needed to play 13...Nf5 or 13...Nc8.

14.Qe2+ Kd7?!

And here they reckon 14..Kf8 is better, although still very good for White.

15.0-0 Rhe8

The engines agree this is best, but it is well-met by ...

16.Qc4 Nxc3 17.Qxf7+ Kxd6 18.Qxg7

... after which White is 'only' a pawn up, but the black king is horribly exposed.

18...Ne2+!?

This is the engines' top choice.

19.Kh1 Qd5 20.Qxf6+ Re6 21.Qg5 Rc8

The engines prefer 21...Qxg5+!? 22.Nxg5 Re7, but Black is two pawns down and the black king is still not safe.

22.Ne5!?

This seems best.

22...Kc7 23.Rfe1 Nxd4 24.Rac1+ Kb8

What should White play?

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25.Rxc8+?

This largely lets Black off the hook. Best seems to be 25.Qf4, but the engines also like 25.Qg3 and 25.Rcd1.

25...Kxc8 26.Qf4?!

Almost certainly better is 26.f4.

26...Nc6 27.Qf8+

This is the only move to keep an edge, according to the engines.

27...Qd8 28.Qxd8+ Nxd8?

The engines reckon White has just a slight edge after 28...Kxd8.

29.Nf3?!

Probably better is, among other moves, 29.Re3.

29...Rc6 30.Nd4 Rd6 31.Nb3

The engines prefer 31.Nf3, and if Black repeats with 31...Rc6, then 32.Re2!?

31...Nc6 32.g3 a5 33.Rc1?!

Probably better is 33.Re2 or 33.Kg2.

33...a4 34.Na5 Rd2 35.Nxc6 bxc6 36.Rxc6+ Kb7 37.Rc4 Rxb2 38.Rxa4 Rxf2 39.Kg1 Rc2 40.Rh4

Black to play and draw

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40...h5

40...Rc1+ may also draw, but 40...Rxa2? 41.Rxh7+ wins for White, according to the Syzygy endgame tablebase.

41.a4 Ra2 42.Rf4 Kc7 43.h4 Kd7 44.Rf6 g5!?

Also drawing is 44...Rxa4.

45.hxg5 Rxa4 46.Rh6 Rg4 47.Rxh5 Rxg3+ 48.Kf2 Ra3

The position is easily drawn.

The game finished:

49.Rh4 Ke7 50.Rf4 Ra5 51.Rg4 Kf7 52.Kg3 Kg6 53.Kh4 Ra1 54.Rg3 Ra4+ 55.Rg4 Ra1 56.Kg3 Ra5 57.Kf4 ½–½

Bischofsgrün Round Eight

Theo Schmidt (1982) - Spanton (1942)

QGD 4...c5/Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c5!? 5.e3

The mainline in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database runs 5.cxd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Be7 7.e4 Nc6 8.Qd2, followed by sacrificing the black king's knight, either on e4 or d5 (the captures are equally popular).

5...cxd4 6.exd4

This position normally arises from the Panov-Botvinnik Attack in the Caro-Kann

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6...Be7 7.Nf3 0-0 8.Be2 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nc6 10.0-0

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

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It looks like a typical IQP setup, and indeed there are 1,803 examples of the position in Mega24. As a rule of thumb, IQP positions with all four pairs of minor pieces still on the board are reckoned to slightly favour White. However Stockfish16.1 and Dragon1 agree that here, if anyone has an edge, it is Black. But it should be noted the position normally arises with White to move, in which case the engines agree the position is still equal, but reckon this time White has the better side of equality.

10...Qb6 11.Qb3!?

A known sacrifice, but only from an obscure game between two unrateds.

11...Nxd4

The engines reckon 11...Qxb3!? is almost as strong, and is certainly more circumspect.

12.Nxd4 Qxd4 13.Rad1 Qg4

White has equalised after 13...Qb6!? 14.Qxb6 axb6 15.Bb5, according to the engines.

14.f4!?

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 14.Be3 or 14.Bxf6.

14...h6 15.h3 Qf5 16.Bh4 b6 17.Bd3 Qc5+ 18.Bf2 Qb4 19.Qc2 Qxf4!?

The engines agree this is best.

20.Bxb6 Qb4 21.Bf2 Bb7

Now Black has connected rooks, how would you assess the position?

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Black remains a pawn up and is winning, according to the engines, but I think most club players, at least, would regard White as having good practical chances.

22.a3 Qa5 23.b4!? Qc7

Not 23...Qxa3? 24.Ra1 Qxb4 25.Rab1 and Rxb7.

24.Rc1 Rfc8 25.Qe2 Qd7?!

Black is still winning (Stockfish16.1) or at least has the upper hand (Dragon1) after other moves, eg 25...Qc6 26.Be3 a5!? 27.Ne4 Qd5 28.Nxf6+ Bxf6 29.Rxc8+ Rxc8 30.Rd1 Qe5.

26.Rfd1 Qe8 27.Nb5 Rxc1+ 28.Rxc1 Rc8 29.Rxc8 Qxc8 30.Bxa7

Now White has won his pawn back, how would you assess the position?

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White's queenside pawns look menacing, but the engines reckon Black is still better. Presumably the somewhat exposed state of the white king is a significant factor.

30...Ba6 31.Be3 Qd7 32.Bd2 Bxb5!? 33.Bxb5 Qd4+ 34.Qe3 Qa1+ 35.Kh2 Bd6+ 36.g3 Nh5!?

Better, according to the engines, is my originally intended 36...Nd5.

37.Be1 Qa2+ 38.Qe2 Qd5 39.Bd3 Qg5 40.Qf3 f5?

The game is equal after 40...Qc1, 40...Qe5 and 40...Nf6, according to the engines.

41.Be2

The engines reckon White wins after 41.a4.

41...g6?

41...Nf6 leaves the game completely equal, according to the engines.

42.Qd3 Nxg3?

Misplaced desperation. White is only slightly better (Stockfish16.1) or at best has the upper hand (Dragon1) after 42...Be5.

White to play and win

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43.Qxd6!

Not 43.Bxg3 as 43...f4 draws.

43...Nxe2 44.Qxe6+ Kh7 45.Qxe2 1-0

Bischofsgrün Round Four

I WAS upfloated.

Spanton (1942) - Michael Reinkoester (1925)

Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Be6!?

This makes a strange impression, but has been played by Alexander Alekhine, Viswanathan Anand and other grandmasters.

How should White respond?

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7.c5

This seems logical in that Black's ability to counterattack in the centre with ...e5 has been compromised by the placing of the black light-square bishop.

7...g6 8.Bb5 Bg7 9.Ne5 Bd7

Arthur Dake - Alekhine, Pasadena (California) 1932, went 9...Qc8!? 10.Qa4 Bd7 11.0-0 0-0 12.Bf4 a6 13.Bxc6 bxc6!? 14.Rfe1, with at least a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 (1-0, 38 moves).

10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.0-0 0-0 12.b4 Qc8!?

This may be a novelty. Both games to reach the position in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database saw 12...a5, when 13.Na4!? axb4 14.Nb6 Ra6 gave White plenty of compensation for a pawn, according to the engines, in Sushant Bannerjee (2171) - Vikramaditya Kulkarni (2455), Mumbai 2012 (but 0-1, 40 moves).

13.Nxd7 Qxd7

Interesting is 13...Nxd7!? to support ...e5.

14.a4 Rfe8 15.Re1 Rab8 16.b5

Black to play and equalise

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16...Ne4!

The engines agree White's best reply is ...

17.Nxe4

... but after ...

17...dxe4

... Black has major pressure against d4 and b5.

18.Bf4

If 18.bxc6, Black gets an edge with both 18...Qxc6 and 18...Qxd4, according to the engines.

18...Rb7?

Better is 18...Rbd8.

White to play and win

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19.Rxe4

White has an advantage after this, but the engines give 19.d5!, when, after the forced 19...Qxd5 20.Qxd5 cxd5 21.c6 Rb6, White has 22.Rac1, eg 22...e5 23.Bd2 Bf8 24.Rb1 Ba3 25.a5 Rbb8 26.c7, followed by b6 etc.

19...cxb5?!

The engines prefer 19...Rc8, but reckon White has the upper hand.

20.axb5

The engines point out the strength of 20.Rc1!

20...Qxb5 21.Rc1 Rc8 22.h3 Rd7 23.Rb1 Qc6 24.Qe1?

The game is completely equal after 24.Qd3, according to the engines.

24...Rxd4 ½–½

Black has won a pawn, and should carry on.

Mariánské Lázně Round Three

Landscaped 'river' running through Mariánské Lázně central park (Skalníkovy Sady)

FACED my first Czech of the tournament.

Jiří Chmelík (1844) - Spanton (1736)

QGD 4...c5/Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c5!?

There are 1,015 games with this position in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database - how should White respond?

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5.e3!?

The mainline in Mega24 runs 5.cxd5 cxd4 6.Qxd4 Be7 7.e4 Nc6 8.Qd2, after which Black usually offers the king's knight by 8...Nxe4!? or 8...Nxd5!? Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 prefer the latter. After the chief further continuation 9.exd5 Bxg5 10.f4 Bh4+ 11.g3 exd5 12.gxh4 Qxh4+ 13.Qf2 Qe7+ 14.Qe2 Be6 15.Nf3 the engines agree Black does not have enough for a knight, but the position is not completely clear and there were alternatives along the way.

5...cxd4 6.exd4

There are 1,357 games with this position in Mega24, most of them arising from the Panov-Botvinnik Attack in the Caro-Kann, ie 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bg5

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6...Bb4!?

The engines prefer the much more popular 6...Be7.

7.Nf3 Qa5!?

Trying to seize the initiative.

8.Bd2!?

This retreat is the engines' top choice.

8...0-0 9.Bd3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Qc7 11.Qe2 Nc6 12.a3 Be7

The engines reckon 12...Bxc3!? equalises.

13.0-0 Rd8!? 14.Be3 Bd7 15.Rfd1 Rac8 16.d5

How should Black proceed?

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16...Na5!?

The engines prefer the 'normal' 16...exd5, continuing 17.Nxd5 (they also like 17.Bxd5!?) Nxd5 18.Bxd5 with what they reckon is at best a slight edge for White.

17.Ba2 exd5 18.Nxd5 Nad5 19.Bxd5

The engines slightly prefer 19.Rxd5!?

Black only has one reasonable continuation, according to the engines

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19...Bc6?

Necessary is 19...Ba4 20.Rdc1, and now 20...Bc6!? or 20...Qd6.

White to play and win

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20.Ba2?

Missing that after 20.Rac1 White wins material, thanks to the precarious position of the black knight, eg 20...b6 21.b4 Qb8 22.Bxf7+! Kxf7 23.bxa5, when 23...bxa5? loses to 24.Rxd8+ Bxd8 25.Qa2+! Kf8 26.Bc5+ Be7 27.Ng5. And if 20...Qb8 then 21.Bxa7! Qxa7 22.Qxe7.

20...Ba4?

Best may be 20...Bxf3 21.Qxf3 Bf6, although the bishop-pair gives White an edge.

21.Rxd8?!

White is better after this, but 21.Rdc1 Qd6 (this seems best as 21...Bc6?! runs into 22.b4) 22.Rxc8 Rxc8 23.Bd2! Bd8 (if 23...Nb3 then 24.Bxb3 Bxb3 25.Bb4) 24.Re1 gives an easily winning attack, according to the engines, eg 24...Bb6 25.Bxf7+!? Kxf7 26.Qe4 Kg8 27.Qxa4.

21...Qxd8 22.Ne5?!

White wins a pawn with 22.Bxa7 as 22...b6? fails to 23.Bxb6. Also strong, according to the engines, is completing development with 22.Re1!?, meeting 22...Rc2 with 23.Bd2, eg 23...Nc6 24.Bb1!? Rxb2 25.Qe4 g6 26.Qxa4 Rxd2 27.Nxd2 Qxd2 28.Qd1, when White emerges up the exchange for a pawn.

22...Bb3 23.Bxb3 Nxb3 24.Rf1?

Bizarre. White is at least slightly better after 24.Rd1.

24...Bf6 25.Qb5

Even now Rd1 is probably best.

The game finished:

25...Bxe5 26.Qxb3 Qc7 27.g3 b6 28.Rc1 Qb7 29.Rxc8+ Qxc8 30.Qc4 Bb8 31.Qe4 Bd6 32.a4 ½–½

Sitting Duck

MAGNUS Carlsen, the former world champion and still the top-rated player, is famous for having a wide opening repertoire.

He is not alone, for long gone are the days when it was thought advisable at the elite level to study the opening deeply but narrowly.

With the growth of databases, what applies at the top is probably almost equally applicable much further down the pecking order.

This was brought home to me in round six at Cap Negret when I had the white pieces against a candidate master with a rating almost 300 points higher than mine.

Playing him was always going to be a daunting prospect, but it was made much less so by discovering that with black he more-or-less restricts himself to systems with an early ...c6.

Not only that, but it soon became clear he sticks to certain lines within his systems.

Our game began 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.cxd5 Bg7 7.Qb3 0-0 8.Be2 Nbd7 9.Bf3 Nb6 10.Nge2 Bg4 11.Bxg4 Nxg4

There are 424 games with this position in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database

I played the most popular continuation, 12.a4, and my opponent sank into thought.

I knew that 11 years previously he had played 12...a5, drawing with a player rated 139 elo lower.

Against me he preferred the somewhat strange-looking 12...Qc8!?, after which the engines reckon White has the upper hand.

I failed to make the most of my position, and the game was eventually drawn, but I do think it shows how a very limited opening repertoire can make a player something of a sitting duck.

Cap Negret Round Eight

The coast is dotted with pillboxes built by Republicans in the Spanish Civil War after Germany and Italy imposed a naval blockade on the area

FACED a Dutchman.

Spanton (1808) - Ruud van Caspel (1967)

Modern Defence/Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack

1.e4 c6 2.d4 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 d5!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database runs 4...d6 5.Be3 Nf6 6.f3 with a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1.

How should White respond to Black's provocative opening moves?

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5.cxd5 cxd5 6.exd5

Most popular, albeit from a sample of just 110 games, is 6.e5. The engines prefer 6.Nxd5 e6 7.Nc3 Bxd4, claiming 8.Bb5+ gives White the upper hand.

6...Nf6 7.Qb3

The game has transposed to a chief variation of the Panov-Botvinnik Attack. There are 3,018 games with this position in Mega23.

7...0-0 8.Be2 Re8!?

The main move is 8...Nbd7.

9.Bf4 Nbd7

This seems to be a novelty, at least in this exact position.

10.Nb5!?

The engines strongly dislike this.

How should Black reply?

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10...e5

Black is at least slightly better after 10...Nb6!?, according to the engines, the point being 11.Nc7 can be met by 11...Nbxd5, hitting the loose bishop.

11.dxe6 Rxe6 12.Nc7 Rb6 13.Qg3 Rb8 14.Nb5!? Rxb5!? 15.Bxb5?!

Almost certainly better is 15.Bxb8.

15...Nh5 16.Qf3?

White is still in the game after 16.Bc7 Nxg3 17.Bxd8 Nxh1 18.Nf3.

16...Qa5+ 17.Qc3 Qc3+ 18.bxc3 Nxf4 19.g3 Nd5

Black has emerged from the complications with two minor pieces for rook and pawn, and also has the bishop pair - all-in-all an advantage worth about three pawns, according to the engines

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20.Ne2 N7b6 21.0-0 Bf5 22.Rfd1 Rc8 23.Rac1 Bh6 24.f4 g5 25.Bd3 Bxd3 26.Rxd3 gxf4 27.Nxf4 Nxf4 28.gxf4 Bxf4 29.Rf1 Nd5 30.Rdf3 Rxc3! 31.Rxc3!?

Objectively better is 31.Rxf4 Nxf4 32.Rxf4, but Black's active rook and extra pawn should tell easily enough.

31...Nxc3 32.Rf3

Not 32.Rxf4?? Ne2+ etc.

32...Nd5 33.Rb3 Be3+ 34.Kg2 Bxd4 35.Rxb7 Bb6

The material difference in pieces is still rook versus bishop and knight, but now Black has the extra pawn

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36.Rd7 Nf4+ 37.Kf3 Ne6 38.Kg4 Kg7 39.h4 h6 40.h5 Ng5 41.Kf5 Ne6 42.Rd2 Nd4+ 43.Ke4 f5+ 44.Kd5 f4 45.Rg2+ Kf7 46.Rg4 f3 47.Rf4+ Ke7 48.a4 a5 49.Re4+ Kf6 50.Rf4+ Kg5 51.Rf7 Kxh5 52.Rb7 f2 53.Rf7 Ne2 54.Kc6 Kg4 55.Kxb6 Nf4 0-1

Cap Negret Round Six

Looking from Altea Old Town towards Benidorm 

FACED a Spanish candidate master.

Spanton (1808) - Juan Bautista Sánchez (2094)

Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6!?

This trails 5...Nc6 and especially 5...e6 in popularity, but scores an excellent 49% in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, compared with 47% for 5...Nc6 and 45% for 5...e6.

How should White proceed?

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6.cxd5

Queen development with 6.Qb3 is more popular in Mega23, but the two moves usually transpose.

6...Bg7

In Mega23, 6...Nxd5 scores five percentage-points better.

7.Qb3 0-0

There are 2938 games with this position in Mega23

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Alexander Alekhine was first to reach the diagrammed position as White, at least in Mega23, and he played 8.Bc4!? against Max Euwe. The game was drawn, but when Alekhine had the same position a year later in a simul in Indonesia, he played what is today very-much the main move:

8.Be2

The idea is that the bishop will slide to f3, making it more difficult for Black to capture the d5 pawn.

8...Nbd7 9.Bf3 Nb6 10.Nge2 Bg4 11.Bxg4 Nxg4 12.a4

What should Black play?

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12...Qc8!?

Most popular in Mega23 is 12...a5, although Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon White has a slight edge.

13.0-0 Qc4!? 14.Qxc4 Nxc4 15.Bg5 Nf6 16.b3 Nb6!? 17.d6!?

This is a typical idea in this type of position. White recognises that the d5 pawn cannot be held in the long run, and so decides to give it back at a time when Black is obliged to capture with the e pawn.

17...exd6 18.Rfe1 Nbd5 19.Rac1 Rfe8 20.Bxf6!?

Initiating a forcing simplifying-sequence.

20...Nxc3 21.Nxc3 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Bxf6

How would you assess this ending?

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Black has the better minor-piece for cooperating with a rook, but White has more space and a small lead in development. The engines reckon the position is completely equal.

23.Ne4 Bxd4 24.Nxd6 b6

This looks natural, but Black has a slight edge, according to the engines, after 24...Rd8. The point is 25.Nxb7? loses to 25...Rd7 26.Na5 Bc3.

25.Kf1 Bc5 26.Nf5 Kb8 27.Rd1 Ke7 28.f3 a6 29.Nc7 Ra7 30.Nd5+ Ke6 31.Nf4+ Kf6 32.Nd5+ Kf6 33.Nf4+ ½–½

Pleasing Finish To Mallorca

Spanton (1864) - Barry Foran (1592)

Calvià U2350

Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik Attack

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6

This is the main move in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, although also very popular is 5...Nc6.

6.Nf3 Be7

Again this is the main move in Mega23, but the more-active 6...Bb4 is also often seen, the chief continuation being 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bd2 Nc6 9.Bd3 0-0!? 10.0-0 (not 10.Bxh7+?? Kxh7 11.Ng5+ Kg8 12.Qh5 Nf6) Be7!? 11.a3!? with a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1.

7.c5!?

Anatoly Karpov & Mikhail Podgaets, in Caro-Kann Defence: Panv Attack (Batsford 2006), wrote of this move: "Never very popular, and now a virtually forgotten continuation. The plans of the two sides are clear. White intends to construct a pawn-chain b4-c5-d4 and on the basis of this carry out an advance on the queen's flank, while Black will set about undermining this pawn-chain (...a5 and ...b6) and also undertake counterplay in the centre: ...Ne4 and ...f5."

7...0-0 8.Bf4

Karpov & Podgaets: "Containing more ideas than 8.Bg5, but also not without its downsides. The bishop, standing on f4, can come under the tempo-gaining attack ...g5."

8...b6 9.b4 a5

Karpov & Podgaets: "A higher ranking move than 9...bxc5."

10.a3

How should Black proceed?

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10... bxc5?!

Karpov & Podgaets mention 10...Ne4, but concentrate on what is the mainline in Mega23, namely 10...axb4 11.axb4 Rxa1 12.Qxa1 Nc6 13.Qa4 bxc5!? They reckon White can accept the piece sacrifice as "the variations show the risk is hardly excessive," but they also state that 14.bxc5 is a quiet way to get an "approximately equal game." The engines agree with these assessments.

The problem with the text is White is better placed to use the opened b file.

11.bxc5 Bd7 12.Rb1 Ne4 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Ne5 Nc6 15.Rb6 Nxe5 16.Bxe5

What should Black play?

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16...f5?

This protects the loose e pawn but fatally weakens Black's other e pawn. The engines recommend 16...Bf6 or 16...Qc8, but give White the upper hand.

17.Bc4 Qc8 18.Qb3 Qxc5?

Not 18...Kf7? 19.d5, so Black should probably shuffle the king into the corner and accept White can go a pawn up.

The game finished:

19.dxc5 Qxc5 20.Bd6 Qd4 21.Bxf8 Kxf8 22.0-0 1-0

Beat The ... Panov Attack

IN this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

The Caro-Kann was once thought to be practically refuted by the Panov Attack: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4, and this system, aka the Panov-Botvinnik Attack, is still popular, especially at club level.

Easily the most-popular reply, 4...Nf6, is also the most successful statistically, scoring 46%, and after 5.Nc3 we reach a position with almost 35,000 games in Mega21.

Here Black's commonest continuations are 5...e6, which scores 44%, 5...Nc6, which scores 47%, and 5...g6, which scores 49%.

But all those moves are eclipsed, at least statistically by Evgeny Agrest's speciality 5...Be6!?, which scores 53%.

Position after 5...Be6!?

This move surprises many whites, which partly explains why no reply has become dominant. I will look at the six most-frequent continuations, although none is especially popular.

A) 6.c5 (100 games)

After 6...g6 the line splits.

A1 7.Nf3 Bg7, after which the line splits again.

A1.1 8.Bb5+ Bd7!? scores 70% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A1.2 8.Bd3 0-0 9.0-0 scores 80% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A2 7.Qb3 Qc8 scores 62% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B) 6.Nge2 (54 games)

After 6...dxc4 7.Nf4 Bg4 8.f3 Bd7 9.Bxc4 e6 the line splits.

B1 10.d5 e5 11.Nd3 Bd6 scores 50% for Black.

B2 10.0-0 Bd6 scores 60% for Black.

C) 6.Nf3 (32 games)

After 6...dxc4 the line splits.

C1 7.Ne5 Nc6 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Qa4 Qd7 10.Bxc4 Bxc4 11.Qxc4 e6, after which the line splits again.

C1.1 12.0-0 Bd6 scores 70% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C1.2 12.Bf4 Be7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Rac1 Rac8 scores 75% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

C2 7.Bg5 Nd5 8.Qa4 Nc6 9.Ne5?! (played in eight of the 14 games to reach this position - Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 give 9.Qxc4, but much prefer Black) Nxc3 10.bxc3 Qa5 11.Qxa5 Nxa5 scores 92% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C3 7.Ng5 Bd5, after which the line splits again.

C3.1 8.Nxd5 Qxd5 9.Be2 e6 10.0-0 Nc6 scores 87% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C3.2 8.Qa4 Nc6 scores 80% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C4 7.Qa4+ Nc6 8.Bxc4 Bxc4 9.Qxc4 e6 10.0-0 Be7 scores 64% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C5 7.Be2 Nc6 8.0-0 g6 scores 80% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

C6 7.Bxc4?? (there are six games with this blunder in Mega21) Bxc4 8.Qa4+ b5 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

D) 6.cxd5 (29 games)

After 6...Bxd5!? the line splits.

D1 7.Nf3 Nc6, after which the line splits again.

D1.1 8.Be2 e6 9.0-0 Be7 10.Ne5 0-0 scores 62% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

D1.2 8.Nxd5, when Black scores 83% with both 8...Nxd5 and 8.Qxd5, albeit from small samples.

D1.3 8.Bb5 e6 scores 64% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

D1.4 8.Be3 e6 9.Be2 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 scores 90% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

D2 7.Nxd5 Nxd5 scores 75% for Black, albeit from a very small sample.

E) 6.Bg5 (27 games)

After 6...dxc4 7.Bxf6!? exf6 8.d5 Bf5 9.Bxc4 Bd6 Black scores 75%, albeit from a small sample.

F) 6.Qb3 (18 games)

After 6...Nc6 Black scores 61%, albeit from a small sample (note that 7.Qxb7?! Nxd4 is good for Black).

My Best Ever Tournament (part two)

Spanton (2096) - Vladimir Tukmakov (2581)
Lausanne 1999 Round 2
Caro-Kann Panov-Botvinnik
Vladimir Tukmakov is a Ukrainian grandmaster whose best results, according to Wikipedia, were in the days of the Soviet Union when he finished second to Bobby Fischer at Buenos Aires 1970, second to Anatoly Karpov at Madrid 1972 and first ahead of Tigran V Petrosian at Vilnius 1978.
1.e4 c6 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.exd5 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nxd5 6.d4 e6 7.Nf3 Bb4 8.Bd2
By a slightly unusual move-order, we have reached one of the main variations of the Panov-Botvinnik. I had just bought Jacob Aagaard's Easy Guide To The Panov-Botvinnik Attack - it had been published by Cadogan in the previous November - and had started playing the opening to learn how to use an IQP.
8...Nc6 9.Bd3 Nf6 10.0-0
Aagaard only covers 10.a3, which turns out for quite some time to be Stockfish10's top choice, narrowly ahead of the mainline text.
10...0-0
White seems to get more than enough compensation for a pawn after 10...Nxd4?! 11.Nxd4 Qxd4 12.Be3.
11.Qe2!?
However this move is labelled a "reckless pawn sacrifice" in Karpov & Mikhail Podgaets' 2006 Batsford book, Caro-Kann Defence: Panov Attack. Normal is 11.Bg5.
11...Be7
Critical is 11...Nxd4!? 12.Nxd4 Qxd4, when Larry Christiansen (2563) - Yasser Seirawan (2647), USA Championship 2000 (Seattle), quickly finished 13.Rfd1 Qg4 14.Qxg4 Nxg4 15.Be2 Nf6 16.Bf3 Bxc3 17.Bxc3 Nd5 18.Bxd5 exd5 19.Rxd5 Bxe6 ½–½.
12.Rad1
Here the main move is 12.Ne4, but the text scores a better percentage in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
12...Nb4
Again Black can try grabbing the pawn. After 12...Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4, Stockfish10 and Komodo10 suggest 14.Bg5, which has been seen in three high-level games, with all three possible results having occurred.
13.Bb1 b6 14.Ne4!?
14.Rfe1 was played in Mihai Suba (2500) - Petrosian (2605), Interzonal 1982 (Las Palmas), which continued 14...Bb7 15.Ne5 Rc8 16.Qe3, transposing to a position that had been reached by Petrosian as White in 1967 against Miguel Najdorf. The latter played ...Nfd5 and lost; Petrosian, against Suba, played ...g6 and drew.
14...Ba6?!
This natural-looking move may be a mistake. My move 14.Ne4!? only appears once in Mega20, in the game Petra Papp (2256) - Pal Kiss (2362), Hungarian team championship 2011, and was met by 14...Nbd5 15.Ne5 Bb7 (½–½, 26 moves).
15.Nxf6+ gxf6

How should White proceed?

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16.Bxh7+?
In playing my 14th move, I had missed that 16.Qe4 is met by 16...f5. I thought the bishop sacrifice gave me my best chance of saving the game, but the engines point out 16.Qe3, when 16...Bxf1? leaves White on top after 17.Bxb4 Bc4 (17...Bxb4?? 18.Qh6) 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Nd2, eg 19...Bd5 20.Qg3+ Kh8 21.Qh4. Best for Black, according to the engines, is 16...Nd5, when 17.Qh6 f5 18.Rfe1 is slightly better for White, they reckon.
16...Kxh7 17.Qe4+ f5 18.Qf4 Rh8
Best, according to the engines.
19.Ne5 Kg8 20.Rfe1 Nd5?!
The engines much prefer 20...Kf8.
21.Qg3+ Kf8 22.Ng6!
My notes show Crafty - I do not know which version - did not like this move, but it is definitely White's best shot, according to modern engines.
22...fxg6 23.Qxg6 Qd6?
I recall being worried about 23...Bc8, which is indeed better than the text. But best, according to Stockfish10 and Komodo10, is 23...f4, blocking White's bishop from the kingside. They continue 24.Rxe6 Bc8 25.Re5, and now 25...Qd6!? or 25...Qe8!? to get queens off at the cost of returning some material, eg 25...Qd6!? 26.Qxd6 Bxd6 27.Rxd5 Ke7, when Black's extra bishop is worth much more than White's extra three pawns, according to Stockfish10, although Komodo10 is not so sure.
24.Bh6+ Rxh6 25.Qxh6+ Kf7 26.Qh7+ Kf6 27.Qh6+ Kf7 28.Qh7+ Kf6 29.Qh6+ ½–½
Tukmakov could have played on with 25...Ke8, but Stockfish10 and Komodo10 reckon 26.Rxe6 Qf4! (this seems an only-move) 27.Qh8+ Kf7! 28.Rxe7+! Nxe7 (it is important that the knight protects the black king from a check at a7) 29.Qxa8 Be2 is dead-level despite the unbalanced material (White has rook and three pawns for bishop and knight).