BEAU CHESS - the post-work workings-out of a chess amateur

I begin this blog after getting back into league chess following many years' absence due to work. My post-job status also means I am able to play more tournament chess. My new club in London is Battersea and my first game for them is on Thursday September 14, 2017. I start with a Fide rating of 1858, an ECF grade of 169 (=1968 elo) and an ICCF correspondence rating of 2267. My current Fide is 1911, my ECF is 1939 and my ICCF is 2369.

Showing posts with label Catalan Opening. Show all posts

Friday, 27 March 2026

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?

*****

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?

*****

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?

*****

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?

*****

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

Friday, 30 January 2026

League Chess

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

Neil Davies (1882) - Spanton (1929)

Catalan(?)

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.c4

It is not easy classifying the opening - a Catalan, or a Tarrasch Defence to the Queen's Gambit? Then again it could be just a Queen's Pawn Game, or arguably all three

*****

For what it is worth, ChessBase classifies the opening as "D30: Queen's Gambit Declined Systems without Nc3."

4...dxc4!?

This capture away from the centre is typical of Open Catalan structures, but also occurs in lines of the Queen's Gambit.

5.Bg2!?

This is more popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database than immediately regaining the pawn via 5.Qa4+.

5...Nc6 6.Qa4 Qa5+!?

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer 6...cxd4 or 6...Bd7.

7.Qxa5

Not 7.Nc3? Qxa4 8.Qxa4 cxd4, when Black is two sound pawns up.

7...Nxa5 8.Nc3 Bd7

Guarding against Nb5, but the engines prefer the apparent-novelty 8...Nf6!?, meeting 9.Nb5 with 9...Nd5, and if 10.e4?, then 10...a6 is very good for Black.

How should White proceed?

*****

9.0-0

The engines give another apparent-novelty in 9.d5!?, claiming White has a slight edge, or at least the better part of equality.

9...Nf6 10.Rd1!?

This seems to be an improvement on the known-move 10.Bd2.

10...Be7 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Ne5 Bc6

The engines suggest 12...Rd8.

13.Nxc6 Nxc6

How would you assess this late-opening/early-middlegame position?

*****

Black is up a pawn, but according to the engines this is more than offset by White's bishop-pair and slight lead in development.

14.Bg5 Rd8

The engines prefer 14...Rc8!?

15.Bxc6+ bxc6 16.Rxd8+ Kxd8 17.Ne4

White has cashed in the bishop-pair to mangle Black's pawn-structure and gain an initiative.

17...Be7 18.Nxf6 gxf6

Probably not 18...Bxf6?! 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Rc1, when White will regain his missing pawn, and be left with two -pawn-islands against Black's four.

19.Be3 Kc7 20.Rc1

Not 20.Bxa7?? c5.

20...Rb8 21.Rxc4 Rxb2 22.Ra4

How should Black proceed?

*****

22...Rb7?

Rook passivity in an ending should be a last resort. Black has two perfectly reasonable moves in 22...Rxe2 and 22...c5!? The point about the latter is that if White goes after the black kingside with 23.Rh4?! Rxe2!? 24.Rxh7, the Black c pawn becomes dangerous following 24...c4, and if 23.Rxa7+, then 23...Rb7 is completely equal, according to the engines.

23.Rh4 Rb2

This comes to be Stockfish17.1's top choice, but the engines agree White is winning, or at least has the upper hand, whatever Black plays.

24.Ra4?

After 24.Rxh7 Black is in big trouble, eg 24...Rxa2 25.Rxf7 Kd6 26.h4, when White's passed pawn is much quicker than either of Black's passers.

24...Rb7? ½–½

Pimlico 3 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

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC: Battersea club championship

I also have a win-by-default in the Central London League

Saturday, 4 October 2025

Calvià Round One

FACED a France-registered player.

Said Zinoun (1623) - Spanton (1941)

Catalan

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

This trails 5.Nbd2 and especially 5.Bd2 in popularity, but has been played by many grandmasters.

How should Black respond?

*****

5...Ne4!?

Much more popular are 5...dxc4 and especially 5...0-0, and these are the top choices of Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

6.Bd2!?

Offering the bishop-pair. The engines suggest 6.Qc2.

6...Nxd2 7.Nxd2!?

The engines slightly prefer this over capturing with the queen, when Black has 7...dxc4.
7...0-0 8.Bg2 c6 9.0-0

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

*****

Black has the bishop-pair, but gaining it has meant falling behind in development. Stockfish17 reckons the chances are equal, but Dragon1 gives White at least the better part of equality.

9...f5!?

The engines are not keen on this, suggesting 9...Nd7 or 9...a5!?

10.e3!?

This may be a novelty. The engines reckon it as good as the known 10.a3, and a tad better than the other known move, 10.Qb3.

10...Nd7 11.Ne2!? Nf6

Winning a pawn with 11...Bxd2!? 12.Qxd2 dxc4 did not seem worthwhile.

12.Qc2 Ne4 13.Nf3 Bd7 14.c5!?

The engines are fine with this, one of the points being 14...b6?? loses the dark-square bishop to 15.a3 etc.

14...Ba5 15.a3 Bc7 16.Rfd1!?

Denuding the kingside of a major piece looks a little risky, but SZ apparently had a particular follow-up in mind.

16...Qf6 17.Bf1?!

Putting all his eggs, as it were, in the queenside basket. The problem is that Black's kingside play is likely to come first.

17...g5 18.b4?!

Best may be 18.Bg2!?

18...f4 19.exf4 gxf4 20.Ne5?

Better is 20.Nxf4, but 20...Bxf4 21.gxf4 Qxf4 is good for Black.

20...fxg3! 21.Nxg3

Not 21.Nxd7?? Qxf2+ 22.Kh1 Qxh2#.

21...Rad8?

Not 21...Bxe5 22.dxe5 Qxe5? as Black cannot recapture after 23.Nxe4. However Black can instead continue 22...Qg7, when White cannot defend f2.

22.Ng4??

Correct is 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.Qxe4!, when 23...Qxf2+ 24.Kh1 gives equal chances, according to the engines.

22...Qg6 23.Bh3?!

Perhaps better, but still losing, is 23.Be2.

23...h5 24.Ne3

There is no satisfactory defence.

24...h4

Even stronger is 24...Rxf2.

25.f3 hxg3 26.fxe4 Rf2 27.Rd2

The engines agree this is best, but inadequate.

27...Rdf8 28.e5!?

White is lost anyway, so this might be the best practical try.

How should Black proceed?

*****

28...Qxc2?

Black has several winning continuations, including a mate in four: 28...gxh2+ 29.Kh1 Rf1+! 30.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 31.B(orN)xf1 Qg1#.

29.Rxc2 Rxc2?

Black may be still winning, and is certainly better, after 29...gxh2+ 30.Kh1 Rxc2 31.Nxc2 Rf2 32.Ne1 Bd8.

30.Nxc2 Rf2 31.Ne3 Rxh2

How would you assess this rook-and-double-minor-piece ending?

*****

Black is a pawn up and still has the bishop-pair, but it will take time to activate the bishops, and meanwhile Black's extra pawn is vulnerable. The engines give Black a slight edge.

32.Bg2

Possibly better is 32.Bg4, the idea being 32...Rd2 can be met by 33.Rd1.

32...Bd8 33.Ng4 Rh4 34.Bf3 Bg5 35.Kg2 Bf4!?

Setting a trap, but the engines reckon Black should give up the g pawn, eg 35...Bg8 36.Kxg3 Kg7, claiming Black still has a slight edge.

What should White play?

*****

36.Nf6+?

White equalises with both 36.Rf1 and 36.Be2, according to the engines.

36...Kh8

The engines reckon 36...Kf8 is even more convincing.

37.Nxd7 Rh2+ 38.Kf1

Even worse is 38.Kg1 Be3+ 39.Kf1 Rf2+ etc, according to the engines.

38...Rf2+ 39.Ke1 Rxf3 40.Ke2

Or 40.Ra2 Be3, when threats include the simple ...Bxd4.

40...Rf2+ 41.Kd3 g3 42.Rg1 Bh2

The game finished:

43.Rxg2 Rxg2 44,a4 Ra2 45.a5 Kg7 46.Nf6 Kf7 47.Ng2 Rg2 48.Ne3 Rg3 49.Ke2 Rxe3+ 50.Kxe3 Kg6 51.Kd3 a6 0-1

Friday, 31 January 2025

Even More Winning Chess

THE third all-play-all norm tournament at Mariánské Lázně was won by Indian international master Maran Senthil (2398) on tiebreak from Czech IM Michal Konopka (2321), both scoring +3=6-0.

Senthil's six points cost him 3.4 Fide elo, but Konopka gained 6.3.

Since both have a K factor of 10, this means Senthil's expected score was 6.34, Konopka's 5.37.

The winner was arguably slightly fortunate in that he had five whites in the nine rounds - Konopka had only four.

Senthil's three wins came with white, with the pick of the bunch, in my opinion, being this instructive round-eight game against German Fide master Rainer Roesemann (2276).

Senthil - Roesemann

Catalan

1.d4 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Nf3 Bf5 4.c4 c6 5.Nc3 e6

How should White proceed?

*****

6.Nh4!?

The standard 6.Bg2 scores 55% in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, but the main alternatives - the text and 6.Qb3!? - score 59%.
6...Bg6

Black cannot save the bishop-pair as after 6...Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 White can continue with 8.g4!? Bg6 9.Nxg6, gaining a slight edge, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qd3!?

Protecting c4 so the light-square bishop can be developed at g2. The engines disagree as to whether the text or 8.Qb3 is the better way to do this.

8...Nbd7 9.Bg2 Be7 10.0-0 0-0

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

*****

The biggest imbalance in the position is probably that White has the bishop-pair. The engines reckon White is slightly better.

11.Rd1!?

Signalling that Senthil sees his chances as lying on the central-queenside.

11...Qa5 12.e4!?

The two strongest players to reach the position after 11...Qa5, Anish Giri (2749) and Boris Gelfand (2695), chose 12.b3!?, while the engines recommend the conservative 12.e3.

12...dxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Qxe4 Nf6 15.Qe2 Rad8

Black has achieved some simplification, and has pressure against d4, but White has more space, and the position is starting to open up for the bishops

*****

16.Be3 Rd7 17.a3 Rfd8 18.b4 Qa4!?

Black has completely equalised, according to Stockfish17, but Dragon1 gives White a slight edge.

19.Bf3!?

I find this hard to understand. The knight was surely not going to h5, from where it would have few prospects.

19...Ne8 20.Ra2!?

Preparing to sacrifice the a3 pawn.

20...Bf6 21.Rad2!? Qxa3

How can White follow up the sacrifice?

*****

22.d5

Both this and the passive 22.Rb1 give complete equality, according to the engines, which reckon 22.b5!? also gives White enough compensation.

22...cxd5 23.cxd5 Qxb4?

How many club players would make this mistake? Not many, I believe. Correct is 23...exd5, eg 24.Bxd5 Qxb4 25.Bxf7+ Rxf7 26.Rxd8 Bxd8 27.Rxd8 Qe7, with complete equality, according to the engines.

24.dxe6 Rxd2 25.exf7+ Kxf7 26.Rxd2

The engines reckon 26.Bxd2!? is even stronger.

26...Rxd2 27.Bxd2 Qb3

It is quite possible Roesemann had seen this far, but misjudged the resulting position, - the bishop-pair and king safety prove more important than Black's connected passed pawns

*****

28.Be3 b6

The engines prefer offering the pawn back with 28...Be7!?, claiming White is only slightly better.
29.Qa6 Qb1+?

It seems Black needed to play 29...Kf8!, one point being that after 30.Qxa7 the engines point out the strength of 30...Bd4!, getting rid of the bishop-pair. The further moves 31.Bxd4 Qxf3 32.Qxb6 leave White a pawn up, but all the pawns are on one side of the board, and the black king is in much less danger than in the game. Instead the engines recommend 30.Qb7!, with what they reckon is a slight edge.

30.Kg2 Qa1?

The engines reckon 30...Be7 31.Qxa7 Nf6 keeps Black in the game, albeit with White well on top.

31.Bd5+ Kf8 32.Bc5+!

This is the move Roeseemann probably missed.

32...bxc5 33.Qe6 Nd6 34.Qxd6+ Ke8 35.Bc6+ Kf7 36.Qd7+ 1-0

Mate cannot be avoided, eg 36...Be7 37.Bd5+ Kf6 38.Qe6+ Kg5 39.f4+ Kh6 40.Qh3+ Nh4 41.Qxh4#.

Tuesday, 17 December 2024

Coulsdon Round Five

DOUBLE-upfloated against a junior (born 2005).

Henry Adams (2119 ECF/1991 Fide) - Spanton (1965 ECF/2012 Fide)

Catalan

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.0-0 Nf6 6.c4 dxc4

This position occurs 7,246 times in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database

*****

7.Qa4

This is the commonest continuation in Mega25, but Stockfish17 and Dragon1 prefer 7.Ne5!? or 7.dxc5!?

7...Bd7 8.dxc5!? Bxc5 9.Qxc4

How should Black proceed?

*****

9...Qe7!?

The engines prefer 9...Be7 or 9...Bb6, which brings to mind advice from chess writer and first world correspondence champion, Cecil Purdy: if a piece is attacked, don't defend it - move it.

10.Nc3

The engines reckon 10.Bg5!? gives a slight edge.

10...Rc8?!

Black maintains equality with 10...h6!?, according to the engines.

11.Bg5 Bb6?

Much better, according to the engines, are 11...0-0 and 11...h6!?, even though both moves can be met by 12.Bxf6, when 12...gxf6 is forced.

12.Qh4

Black is losing

*****

12...Qc5?!

Best may be 12...Bd8!?

13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Ne4!

This is even stronger than 14.Qxf6.

14...Qe7 15.Nxf6+ Kf8??

Better, but still horrible, is 15...Kd8 16.Rfd1 Rc7.

16.Qh6#

Thursday, 3 October 2024

Crete Round Two

FACED a Scot, with my second black in a row.

Michael Ridge (1885) - Spanton (2013)
Amateur Chess Organization 50+ World Championship Group C
Réti/Reversed Grünfeld/Catalan/QGD Tarrasch
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.d4 Nf6

Varying from round one, when I played 4...Bg4!?

5.0-0 e6 6.c4

There are 7,833 games with this position in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database

*****

6...dxc4

This is the main move in Mega24, and leads ChessBase to classify the opening as "E04: Open Catalan: 5 Nf3," but other classifications are possible.

7.Qa4 Bd7 8.Qxc4 b5! 9.Qd3

Probably not 9.Qxb5?! Nxd4.

9...Nb4!?

The main moves are 9...Rc8 and, a tad more popular in Mega24, 9...c4.

10.Qd1 Bc6!?

A superficial glance at the position might lead one to suppose Black is doing well - the white queen has been chased back to its starting square, and the white king's knight cannot move without allowing a swop of light-square bishops

*****

However after ...

11.a3

... the impetuous black knight does not have a good retreat square, eg 11...Nbd5?! 12.e4 is positionally winning for White, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

That leaves ...

11...Na6

... but the knight is sidelined for the foreseeable future.

12.Bg5!?

This may be a novelty. The engines prefer the known 12.Nc3.

12...cxd4 13.b4!?

Fixing the b5 weakness and preventing ...Nc5.

13...h6?!

Probably better is 13...Be7.

14.Bxf6 Qxf6

The engines prefer 14..gxf6!?

15.Qxd4

Even stronger is 15.Qd3!?, according to the engines.

15...Be7 16.Nbd2 Qxd4

Both 17.Ne4 and 17.Rac1 were unpleasant threats.

17.Nxd4 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Bf6

Perhaps better is 18...Nc7, but Black's position is very difficult.

19.N2b3 0-0 20.Rac1

Can you find a decent continuation for Black?

*****

No, unless your abilities surpass those of Stockfish17 and Dragon1. They reckon best-play goes 20...Bxd4!? 21.Nxd4 Nb8 22.Nxb5 a5, but White is winning.

20...Rfd8 21.Nxb5 Rd7 22.Rfd1 Rad8?!

Perhaps better is the engines' 22...Rb7 23.Nd6 Re7!?, but it is all rather hopeless.

23.Rxd7 Rxd7 24.Rc6 Rb7

There is nothing better, eg 24...Nb8 25.Rc8+ Rd8 26.Nxa7.

25.Rxa6 Rxb5 26.Rxa7 Bb2 27.Nc5 Bd4 28.Rb7!? (1-0, 41 moves)

Saturday, 17 August 2024

Olomouc Round Nine

FACED an international master on top board.

Zdeněk Beil (2185) - Spanton (1980)

Catalan

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Qc2!?

Much more popular is 6.Bg2, but the lines often transpose.

6...0-0 7.Bg2 Nbd7 8.0-0 c6 9.a4!?

The main move in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database is 9.Bf4, returning the tempo Black lost by playing the king's bishop to b4 and then to e7. The text was chosen by Magnus Carlsen when he reached this position, for the only time in Mega24, in 2016. Grandmaster Mihail Marin called it "a highly original and virtually unexplored plan, typical for Carlsen." He added: "The structure resulting after Black's natural answer is supposed to be completely inoffensive, but Magnus had his own views about it."

What should Black play?

*****

9...b6

Marin was referring to 9...a5, which is the top choice of Stockfish16.1 and Dragon1, but they are OK with the text, which is their second choice.

10.Rc1

This was Carlsen's reply to 9...a5.

10...Ba6 11.b3 dxc4 12.bxc4 c5 13.a5 Bb7 14.e3 Qc7 15.Nc3 Rfc8?!

This leaves Black's light-square bishop dangerously short of squares.

16.Qb3

Missing a chance to seemingly put Black in big trouble after 16.a6 Bc6 (16...Bxf3 is even worse, according to the engines, eg 17.Bxf3 Rab8?! 18.Nb5 Qd8 19.Nxa7) 17.d5! exd5 18.cxd5 Nxd5 19.Nd4. The same position is also reached by 16.d5! cxd5 17.a6 Bc6 18.cxd5 Nxd5 (or 18...Bxd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.e4 N5f6 21.e5!? Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Qxe5 23.Re1 Qc7 24.Rad1 with a huge initiative) 19.Nd4. The lines are sharp, but strongly favour White, according to the engines.

16...Qd8

The engines suggest 16...bxa5!?, but prefer White.

17.d5

Even stronger is 17.a6 Bc6 18.Rd1!?, according to the engines.

17...exd5 18.Nxd5!?

Perhaps 18.cxd5 is better.

18...Nxd5 19.a6!?

Black has at least a slight edge after 19.cxd5 Nf6.

19...Bxa6 20.Rxa6

The engines prefer 20.cxd5!?

20...Nc7?

Definitely better is 20...Nb4, and then 21...a5.

21.Ra2 a5

After the dust has somewhat settled, how would you assess the position?

*****

Black is a pawn up, but White has the bishop-pair and strong pressure against the black queenside. The engines give White the upper hand.

22.Bc3 Bf6 23.Rd1 Bxc3?!

After 23...Qe7 24.Rad2 Nf8 Black seems to be holding on.

24.Qxc3 Qf6?!

Again the engines prefer ...Qe7.

25.Qxf6 Nxf6 26.Ne5

Black does not seem to have a defence to White's threats

*****

26...Rd8 27.Rb1!? Ra6!? 28.Bb7 Rda8!? 29.Rab2!? a4!?

White to play and win

*****

30.Rxb6??

This turns a winning position into a losing one. Capturing either rook is strong, eg 30.Bxa8 Nxa8 31.Ra2 Nc7 32.Rba1 b5 33.cxb5 Nxb5 34.Rxa4 etc.

30...Rxb6 31.Rxb6 a3 32.Bxa8

Or 32.Rb1 Rb8 etc.

32...a2 33.Rb8+ Nce8 34.Nd7 a1=Q+ 35.Kg2 g6??

Missing that after 35...Nxd7 36.Rxe8+ Black has 36...Nf8.

36.Nf6+ Qxf6 37.Rxe8+ Kg7

How would you assess this ending?

*****

White has rook, bishop and pawn for a queen, with no weaknesses and a safe king. Dragon1 calls the game completely equal, but Stockfish16.1 gives White a slight edge, and it is certainly easier for White to play.

38.Bd5 Qd6

An only-move - otherwise White plays Rb8 and wins the f7 pawn.

39.e4 g5 40.e5 Qc7 41.e6 fxe6 42.Rxe6 h6 43.Re4

Perhaps 43.Be4!? is trickier to meet, eg 43...h5?, tyring to set a trap, rebounds after 44.Rg6+ Kf8 45.Rxg5 Qe7 46.Rf5+ etc. Instead 43...Qf7 apparently holds.

43...Qd6 44.h4!? gxh4 45.Rxh4 Qf6 46.Re4 Qb2 47.Re6 Qc3 48.Rc6 Qd4 49.Ra6 Qd1 50.Ra2 Qd4 51.Ra8 Qc3 52.f3!?

A last try.

52...Qc2+ 53.Kh3 Qf5+ 54.g4 Qb1 55.Kg3 Qg1+ 56.Kf4 Qd4+ ½–½

Wednesday, 3 April 2024

Championship Chess

PLAYED last night in the Battersea club championship.

Meet Shah (1927) - Spanton (1924)

Catalan

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nc6

This is second in popularity to 5...a6 in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database.

6.0-0 Be7

The main move is 6...Rb8!?

7.Qa4 0-0 8.Qxc4 Qd5 9.Qd3 Nb4 10.Qd1 c5 11.Nc3 Qd8

This is the commonest continuation in Mega24, albeit from a very small sample size, but Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 prefer the more-active 11...Qh5 and 11...Qc4!?

12.a3 Nc6

The engines much prefer 12...cxd4 or 12...Nbd5.

13.dxc5 Bxc5 14.Qc2!?

This apparent-novelty is liked by the engines, although they prefer the known 14.b4.

14...Bd7 15.Bg5

How should Black proceed?

*****

15...Be7

This is more-or-less forced as White threatened 16.Bxf6 Qxf6?? 17.Ne4, winning a piece.

16.Rfd1 h6 17.Bf4 Rc8 18.Rac1 Qa5 19.Qb3 b6 20.Nb5?

The engines suggest 20.Qa2!?, with b4 to come.

20...e5 21.Bd2 Be6?

Winning, according to the engines, is 21...Qa6, after which White seems to have no answer to the threat of ...Be6, eg 22.Nc3 e4 23.Ne1 Nd4 24.Qa2 Be6 25.Qb1 Rxc3! 26.Rac3 Nxe2+ etc.

22.Qxe6 Qxb5 23.Qf5?

White is better, according to the engines, after 23.Qc4.

23...g6?!

Black should probably grab the b pawn.

24.Qb1

This is best, according to the engines - they reckon 24.Qh3 h5 marginally favours Black.

What should Black play?

*****

24...Kg7?!

Probably too slow. Best-play, according to the engines, is the sharp line 24...e4!? 25.Bxh6 Rfd8!? 26.Nd2 Ng4 27.Qxe4 Nxh6 28.Rxc6 Rxc6 29.Qxc6 Qxb2 30.Bd5!?, with what they reckon may be a slight edge for White.

25.e3 Rfd8 26.Bc3 Bd6?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 26...Rxd1+ 27.Rxd1 a5.

27.Nd2 Nd5 28.Qe4?!

The engines reckon White has a large advantage after 28.Bf1 or 28.Bh3.

28...Nxc3 29.Rxc3 f5!? 30.Qc2 Ne7 31.Nc4 Bb8 32.Rxd8 Rxd8 33.e4 f4 34.Bf1 Qd7 35.Rd3 Qc7 36.Rxd8 Qxd8 37.gxf4 exf4 38.Qc3+

Where should the king go?

*****

38...Kh7?

Tucking the king away is right 99 times out of 100. This is the 100th.

39.Qf6 Qc7

If the king were on g8, Black would have 39...Qf8.

40.Qf7+ Kh8 41.e5 Qd7?

Unprotecting the bishop and walking into a pin. The engines give 41...Nf5!, the idea being that after 42.Qxg6 Qg7 43.Qxg7+ Kxg7, Black will round up the e pawn. White can improve by keeping queens on with 42.Qe8+!, but this is not as bad for Black as the game.

42.f3? b5?

42...Bxe5! equalises.

43.Qf8+ Kh7 44.Qxb8 Qd4+?

Correct is 44...bxc4, although White has a large advantage after 45.Qd6.

Where should the king go?

*****

45.Kh1!

45.Kg2 only draws after 45...bxc4 as if, as in the game, 46.Qc7 (46.Qb7 Qxe5), Black has 46...Qxb2+ and 47...Qxa3, protecting the knight.

45...bxc4 46.Qc7

The knight cannot be saved.

46...Qf2 47.Qxe7+ Kh8 48.Qf8+ Kh7 49.Qf7+ Kh8 50.Qxc4 Qxf3+ 51.Bg2 Qe3 52.Qc3 Qe2 53.h3 (1-0, 68 moves).

MY BATTERSEA SEASON 2023-4

DATE.....EVENT...........................COL..RATING..OPP'S RATING..SCORE..SEASON PERF

24/10/23 London League B 1870 2102 = 2102

26/10/23 Central London League W 1870 2118 = 2110

21/11/23 Eastman Cup W 1882 2118 = 2113

14/12/23 Central London League B 1882 2152 0 2023

10/1/24 London League B 1884 2130 0 1964

11/1/24 Central London League B 1884 2278 1 2083

25/1/24 Central London League W 1884 2205 = 2100

30/1/24 Club Championship B 1884 1809 1 2114

1/2/24 Central London League W 1916 2072 0 2065

7/2/24 London League B 1916 2298 0 2048

8/2/24 Central London League B 1916 1960 0 2004

15/2/24 Central London League B 1916 1951 = 1999

29/2/24 Central London League B 1916 2014 0 1970

5/3/24 Club Championship W 1910 1990 1 2000

2/4/24 Club Championship B 1924 1927 0 1968

Tuesday, 27 February 2024

Cambridge Round Nine

FACED a junior (born 2006).

Mohammed Aayan Ismail (2301 ECF/2111 Fide) - Spanton (1916 ECF/1766 Fide)

Catalan

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7!? 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.Qc2 c6 9.Nc3!?

An unusual continuation. The main moves in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database are 9.b3, 9.Rd1 and especially 9.Bf4, but the text has also been played by grandmasters.

How should Black respond?

*****

9...dxc4

This is the commonest continuation, and is the top choice of Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1.

10.e4 b5 11.e5 Nd5 12.Ne4

How should Black proceed?

*****

12...f5?!

This seems to be a novelty, and probably not a good one. Normal is 12...h6, with a slight edge for Black, according to the engines.
13.exf6 N7xf6 14.Ne5 Bd7!?

The engines prefer 14...Qc7, the idea being to follow-up with ...Nd7 or ...c5.

15.b3 c3!?

Returning the pawn in a bid to keep lines closed, but perhaps better is 15...cxb3 or 15...Nxe4!?

16.Nxc3 Nxc3 17.Qxc3 Nd5 18.Qc2 Rc8 19.Ba5!?

The engines prefer targeting he weak e pawn directly with 19.Bh3 or 19.Rfe1, but agree White has at least the upper hand after the text.

How should Black reply?

*****

19...Qxa5?

Better is 19...Qe8.

20.Nxd7 Rfd8 21.Qe4 Bf6

If 21...Nc7, then 22.Bh3, and the e pawn falls anyway.

22.Qxe6+ Kh8 23.Bxd5 Re8!?

Also deeply unpleasant is 23...cxd5 24.Nxf6 etc.

The game finished:

24.Qf5 Bxd4!? 25.Rad1 Bxf2+!? 26.Rxf2 cxd5 27.Nf8! Re1+ 28.Kg2 1-0

Tuesday, 20 February 2024

Cambridge Round Two

James Cole (2116 ECF/1940 Fide) - Spanton (1916 ECF/1766 Fide)

Catalan

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

Black's well-known manoeuvre with the dark-square bishop loses a tempo but is generally considered to misplace White's dark-square bishop, which otherwise would probably be fianchettoed

*****

6.Bg2 0-0 7.Qc2 c6 8.0-0 b6 9.Rd1 Bb7

9...Ba6!? 10.Ne5 marginally favours White, according to Stockfish16, although Komodo14.1 disagrees.

10.Bf4 Nbd7 11.Ne5 Nxe5

The engines suggest 11...Nh5 12.Bd2 Nhf6!?, a popular continuation in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database.

12.dxe5 Nd7 13.e4?!

The engines much-prefer 13.cxd5, followed by 14.e4.

13...g5?!

Probably a novelty, and probably not a good one. The engines reckon Black is at least slightly better after 13...dxc4, the main points being, presumably, White's bishops are badly restricted, and Black has the better-structured pawn-majority.

How should White proceed?

*****

14.Be3

This looks normal, but the engines like 14.exd5!?, eg 14...gxf4? 15.dxc6, or 14...cxd5 15.cxd5 gxf4 16.dxe6, with a complicated position that slightly favours White, according to the engines.

14...Nxe5?!

The position is completely equal after 14...dxc4, according to the engines. The problem with the text is it helps open lines to Black's weakened kingside.

15.exd5 cxd5 16.cxd5 Bxd5 17.Nc3 Qc7?!

White has a winning position after this, according to the engines, which reckon necessary is 17...Qc8!?, keeping a watch on what turns out to a very vulnerable f5 square. Nevertheless the engines reckon their suggestion leaves White with the upper hand.

18.Bxd5 exd5 19.Qf5

The black position is collapsing

*****

19...Ng6

The engines suggest 19...Rae8, 19...d4 or 19...f6, but reckon White is winning.

20.Nxd5 Qb7 21.Bxg5 Bxg5 22.Qxg5 f5 23.Nf4

Even stronger seems to be the engines' 23.Nf6+, and if 23...Kh8 then 24.Rd7.

23...Qe7!? 24.Qxe7 Nxe7 25.Rd7 Ng6 26.Ne6 Rf7 27.Rad1 Rxd7

Not 27...Ne5?? 28.Rd8+ etc.

28.Rxd7 Re8

What should White play?

*****

29.Rd8!?

Getting rooks off the board is usually commendable in a pawn-up ending as their presence often increases drawing chances, but here the resulting knight-and-pawn ending seems not very favourable for White.

29...Rxd8 30.Nxd8 Ne5

Both black pieces are a little better-placed than the white ones

*****

31.b4

The engines suggest 31.f4, 31.b3 or 31.Kf1, claiming a winning advantage for White.

31...b5!?

Possibly better is 31...Nf3+ and 32...Nd4.

32.Ne6 Nc6 33.Nc7 Nxb4 34.Nxb5 Nxa2 35.Nxa7 Kf7

White remains a pawn up, but that is probably not enough with all pawns being on one side of the board

*****

36.f4 Ke6 37.Nc6 Nc3 38.Nd4+ Kf6 39.Kg2 Nd5 40.Kf3 h5 41.Ke2 Kg6

A possibly simpler way to draw is 41...h4, and if 42.Kf3 hxg3 43.Kxg3 White's passed h pawn is not going anywhere, fast or slow, it would seem.

42.Nf3 Kf6 43.Kd3 Ke6 44.Nd4+ Kf6 45.Nc2 h4 46.Kc4 hxg3 47.hxg3

Not 47.Kxd5?? gxh2.

47...Ne7 48.Kc5 Ng8 49.Ne3 Ke6 50.Nc2 Nh6 51.Nd4+ Kf6 52.Kd6 Ng4 53.Nc2 Nf3 54.Ne3 ½–½

Friday, 5 January 2024

Kraków Seniors Round Nine

Bogusław Czepczyński (1648) - Spanton (1743)

Catalan

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.d4 c6 6.Bg2 Bd6 7.Nf3

What's in a name - or, to put it another way, what would you call this opening?

*****

After 4.cxd5 ChessBase calls it "A17: English Opening: 1...Nf6 with ...Bb4." After 7.Nf3 it changes to: "D35: Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation." I reckon it is a Catalan, albeit one in which White has captured on d5 at an unusually early stage.

7...0-0 8.0-0 Re8 9.Re1 Bg4

This is the most popular move (just) in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, but Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 are unimpressed, preferring 9...Bf5.

10.h3 Bh5 11.a3 a5 12.Bg5 Nbd7 13.e4!?

There is a game in Mega24 in which a 2163 played 13.Qc1. The engines much prefer the text.

13...dxe4 14.Rxe4!? Rxe4 15.Nxe4 Be7

How should White proceed?

*****

16.Nc3!?

The engines like this retreat, although they also like 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxf6 Nxf6 18.Qb3, claiming a tiny pull for White.

16...h6 17.Bf4 Nb6 18.g4 Bg6 19.Ne5

This is rather a good example of a position in which dynamism more than makes up for the structural weakness of having an isolated queen's pawn

*****

19...Nbd5

Preserving the bishop-pair with 19...Bh7?! looks problematic after 20.Qb3.

20.Nxg6 fxg6 21.Bg3 Bd6 22.Be5!

How should White respond?

*****

22...Qc7

This may be better than 22...Bxe5, when best-play. according to the engines, runs 23.dxe5 Nxc3 24.bxc3 Qxd1+ 25.Rxd1 Nd5 26.Bxd5+ cxd5 27.Rxd5, after which White has won a pawn, but the position is not clearcut (White has the upper hand - Komodo14.1; White has a tiny pull - Stockfish16).

23.Nxd5 Nxd5 24.Bxd5+ cxd5 25.Qb3 Qc6 26.Bxd6 Qxd6 27.Qxb7 Rxb2 28.Qa7 Rxb2 29.Qxa5

White has won a pawn, but Black is active and so is completely equal, according to the engines

*****

29...Rb3

Arguably more clearcut, but requiring a huge belief in one's calculating abilities, is the engines' 29...Rxf2!?

30.Kg2 Qe6?!

Probably better are 30...Kh7 and 30...Rd3.

31.Re1 Qf7

The only move to keep the game going.

32.Re3 Rxe3 33.fxe3

How would you assess this queen-and-pawn ending?

*****

As I understand it, two factors stand out in a queen-and-pawn ending. The first is that a passed pawn nearly always gives excellent winning chances, but these can be cancelled by having an exposed king. The engines reckon this position is equal.

33...Qe6 34.Qd2 Qa6 35.Qb2 Qd3 36.Kf2

The practical problem, from the defender's view, is that the player a pawn up can keep on probing in the knowledge that, barring a horrific blunder, the worst that can happen is the game is drawn

*****

36...h5?!

Trying for counterplay, but I probably should have stayed pat with, for example, 36...Qc4.

37.Qe2!?

The engines agree this is strong.

37...Qxa3 38.gxh5

White no longer has the 'holy grail' of a passed pawn, but is nevertheless winning, according to the engines

*****

38...Qd6!? 39.hxg6 Qh2+ 40.Ke1 Qg1+ 41.Kd2 Qxg6

I find it hard to comprehend how this position is so much better for White than the position with a passed pawn after 36.Kf2, but the engines are insistent

*****

42.Qg4 Qc6 43.Qf5 Qc4

Nevertheless, it is far from obvious, at least to me, how White should continue.

44.Qc2

The engines suggest the counterintuitive 44.Ke1!?

44...Qb4+

Apparently 44...Qf1!? gives better drawing chances.

45.Qc3 Qb8 46.Kd3

And here the engines like 46.Qc6.

46...Qb5+ 47.Kd2 Qb8 48.Kc1

Again Qc6 is the move, according to the engines.

48...Qb7 49.Qc5 Qa8 50.Kb2 Qb7+ 51.Kc3 Kh8!?

Played so that White cannot capture on d5 with check.

52.Qf8+ Kh7 53.Qf5+ g6!? 54.Qf4 Qc8+ 55.Kd2

What should Black play?

*****

55...Qc4

I thought 55...Qxh3!? 56.Qf7+ Kh6 57.Qxd5 made White's task easier, thanks to White having a pair of connected passed pawns.

However the Syzygy endgame tablebase shows the position is drawn, but there is only one move that draws

*****

In the diagrammed position Black needs to find 57...g5!! as everything else loses. So objectively I should have grabbed the h pawn at move 55, but I believe the practical chances of Black drawing from the diagram are low.

Back to the game:

56.h4 Qa2+ 57.Ke1 Qg2 58.Qg5 Qe4 59.Kf2 Qe6 60.Kg3 Qf7 61.Qf4 Qe6?

The queen should stay on the seventh rank.

White is winning anyway, but now has a sequence that puts the result beyond doubt

*****

62.Qe5

After 62.Qc7+ Kh6 63.Qe5 Qg8 64.Qg5+ Kh7 65.h5 Qb8+ (pawn-endings are lost for Black) 66.Kh3 Qc8+ 67.Kh4 gxh5 68.Qxh5+ Black is pretty much hopeless, but 62...Kg8 63.Qe5 Qf7 64.Kg4 Qd7+ 65.Kg5 Kh7 66.h5 Qd8+ 67.Kg4 Qc8+ 68.Kf4 Qf8+ 69.Kg3 is little better.

62...Qf7 63.Kg4 Qd7+ 64.Kg5 Qd8+ 65.Kg4 Qd7+ 66.Kg3 Qf7 67.Qg5

Stockfish16's 67.h5!? seems strong, the point being that after 67...gxh5 68.Kh4 Qf2+ 69.Kxh5 White has a tablebase win.

67...Qe8?!

Almost certainly better is 67...Qf1.

68.Kf2

This time both engines suggest h5, the move I have been trying to prevent. After 62.h5!? gxh5 63.Kh4 White will recover the sacrificed pawn, leaving the black king with no cover.

68...Qf7+ 69.Ke2 Qe8?

Lack of concentration, but, as I pointed out earlier, the practical chances very much lie with the attacker in this type of ending.

70.Qxd5 Qb8 71.Qf7+ Kh8

Not 71...Kh6? as the queens come off after 72.Qf4+.

72.Qf6+

The position is a tablebase draw after 72.Qxg6? Qh2+ (or 72...Qb2+).

72...Kh7 73.Qe7+ Kh6 74.Qg5+ Kh7 75.Qf4 Qb7 76.Kf2 Qb2+ 77.Kf3 Qd2 78.Ke4 Qc2+ 79.Kf3 Qd1+ 80.Kg2 Qe2+ 81.Kh3 Qd1!?

White to play and win (ie avoid a draw by repetition)

*****

82.Qg3?

This seems the only move that does not win (apart from giving the queen away with, for example, 82.Qf3??). The engines like 82.Kg2!?, but perhaps easiest for a human to calculate is 82.Qf2.

The game finished:

82...Qh1+ 83.Kg4 Qe4+ 84.Kh3 Qh1+ 85.Qh2 Qf3+ 86.Qg3 Qh1+ ½–½