Summing Up Dresden

MY score in the European Chess Union's seniors team 65+ championship of +5=4-0, which included a win against a player without a Fide rating, saw me gain 65.8 Fide elo.

The crown gate of the Zwinger palace

Dresden Game Nine

SHORTLY before the final round this morning I was stopped in the street by two young men in uniform who turned out to be collecting for the German war-graves commission. I made a suitable donation.

Spanton (1764) - Jim G Murray (1908)

Jobava-Prié

1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 Bf5 3.Bf4 a6 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 Bxd3 6.cxd3!?

Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 marginally prefer this to going for speedy development with 6.Qxd3.

6...Bd6 7.Qg4!? Nf6 8.Qf3?!

This makes Qg4 a clear loss of tempo. The engines reckon the position is equal after 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qh6 Bxf4 10.Qxf4 Rxg2.

8...Bxf4 9.Qxf4 Nc6 10.a3 Qe7 11.Nf3 Rd8?!

The rook may be misplaced here. The engines reckon 11...h6 and 11...0-0-0!? give equality.

12.0-0 0-0 13.Rfc1 Rc8!?

This is Stockfish15's top choice, at least for a while, but both engines also suggest 13...Qd6. If 13...Na5, then not 14.Na4?? Nb3 15.Rxc7 as 15...Qe8 leaves two white pieces en prise, but 14.Ne2 gives White a pull, according to the engines.

14.b4 Na7 15.Na4 c6 16.Nc5 Nb5 17.Nd2 Qc7 18.Qe5

The engines reckon 18.Qxc7!? Rxc7 19.a4 Nd6 20.h3 gives White at least a slight edge.

18...Nd7 19.Qxc7 Rxc7 20.Nxd7 Rxd7 21.Nb3 Nd6 22.Nc5 Re7

How would you assess this late-middlegame?

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White has a well-placed knight and some pressure against the black queenside, but the simplification has left Black without major problems. The engines come to like White's position more the more time they are given to consider it, but even so give White at best a slight edge.

23.a4 Rfe8

Not 23...e5?? as 24.dxe5 cannot be met by 24...Rxe5? because of 25.Nd7.

24.f4!?

The engines prefer 24.h4.

24...f6 25.Re1 e5 26.dxe5 fxe5 27.Kf2 exf4?

This gives White a kingside pawn-majority capable of making a passed pawn, while Black will be left with a blockaded queenside majority. I was more concerned about 27...Rf7 28.g3 g5, but 29.Kg2 and even 29.Rac1!? seem fine for White, eg 29.Rac1!? exf4 30.gxf4 gxf4 31.e4!? dxe4 32.dxe4 Rfe7 33.Kf3 b6!? 34.Nxa6 Nxe4 35.Nc7 Ng5+ 36.Kf2 Rxe1 37.Rxe1 Rc8 38.Re8+ Rxe8 39.Nxe8 is completely equal, according to the engines. Perhaps simpler is 29.Kg2, eg 29...gxf4 30.exf4 exf4 31.Rxe8+ Nxe8 32.Re1 Ng7 33.g4, when the engines reckon White's activity again fully compensates for the pawn-minus.

28.exf4 Rxe1!?

It is hard for Black to keep rooks on the board but it does not seem sensible to actively exchange them when the coming knight-and-pawn ending is very difficult for Black.

29.Rxe1 Rxe1

The engines flick between this and preferring to cede the open file with 29...Rf8.

In this position JM offered a draw

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30.Kxe1 Kf7 31.g4 Ke7 32.Ke2 Kf6 33.h4?!

This may be premature when the white king is not fully activated.

33...g6 34.Nd7+ Ke7 35.Ne5?!

The engines much prefer 15.Nc5, and if 35...Kf6 then one move they like is 36.g5+, the point being 36...Kf5? 37.Kf3 leaves Black in zugzwang.

35...Ne8 36.Ke3 Ng7 37.a5 Ne6?

The engines reckon White is at best only slightly better after 37...Kd6.

38.f5 gxf5 39.gxf5 Ng7!?

The engines do not like this but reckon White is well on top anyway after, for example, 39...Nc7 40.h5 Kf6 41.Kf4 d4!? 42.Nd7+ Ke7 43.Nc5 Nd5+ 44.Ke5 Nxb4 45.Kxd4 Kf6 46.Nxb7 Kxf5 47.Nc5.

40.Kf4 Kf6 41.Ng4+ Kf7 42.Kg5 Ne8 43.h5 Nd6 44.h6?!

Probably premature. Almost certainly better is 44.f6.

44...Ne8!?

Stockfish15 much prefers 44...Ke7. Komodo13.02 reckons White has the upper hand after either move.

45.Kf4 Nd6 46.Ke5 Ne8 47.Kf4

Again f6 seems better.

47...Nd6 48.Kg5 Ne8 49.Ne5+ Ke7 50.Nf3 Nf6?!

The engines much prefer 50...Nd6, albeit giving White the upper hand.

51.Nd4 Ne8 52.Ne6

The engines' 52.Nb3!? seems best.

52...Nd6 53.Nc5?!

This seems to lose most of White's advantage. The engines give 53.Kf4, reaching a position occurring in the game two moves later.

53...Nf7+ 54.Kf4

Black to play and draw

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54....Nd6

The engines' 54...Nd8! holds as Black both protects b7 and prevents Ne6. This is certainly clearer than 54...Nxh6, eg 55.Nxb7 Kf6 58.Nd8 Nxf5 59.Nxc6 Ng7 60.Nd4! Ke7 61.b5 Kd7 62.b6, but it may be Black can defend this too.

55.Ne6

Now we have the position that could have been reached at move 53.

55...Nf7 56.Ng5 Nxh6 57.Nxh7 Nf7 58.Ng5 Nh6 59.Ne6?!

This allows a draw, whereas 59.Ke5 Ng4+ 60.Kd4 is not so clear.

Black to play and draw

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59...Nf7?

After 59...Kf6 60.Nd8 Nxf5 61.Nxb7 Nd4 Black is in time to defend the queenside.

60.Nc5 Nd6 61.Kg5 Nf7+

Or 61...Kf7 62.Ne6, when moving the knight allows 62...Nd8+ followed by ...Nxb7, and moving the king lets the white king advance.

62.Kg6 Ne5+ 63.Kg7 Nf7 64.f6+ Ke8 65.Nxb7 1-0

Dresden Round Nine

WON on board three in 65 moves with white for England 3 against Ireland 2's Jim G Murray (1908).

Match score:
European Team Seniors 65+
England 3 v Ireland 2
Stephen M Williams (1844) 0-1 Colm Quigley (1910)
Colin Costello (1854) 0-1 Joe Noone (1899)
Tim Spanton (1764) 1-0 Jim G Murray (1908)
Robert Kane (1738) = Martin Lohan (1829)
....................................1.5-2.5.....................................

Dresden Game Eight

Jürgen Bussler (1881) - Spanton (1764)

QGD Semi-Tarrasch

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c5 5.dxc5!?

This has been played by grandmasters but is nowhere near as popular as 5.Bg5, 5.e3 and especially 5.cxd5.

5...Bxc5 6.e3

This has also been played by GMs but the usual idea is to give Black an IQP by 6.cxd5 etc. Steinitz tried 6.a3!? in an 1897 game.

6...0-0 7.Be2 dxc4 8.Qxd8 Rxd8 9.Bxc4 Nc6 10.0-0 a6

The position is symmetrical, except Black has got in the extra moves ...Rxd8 and ...a6

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11.Rd1

This is Stockfish15's choice (Komodo13.02 prefers 11.a3), but after ...

11...Rxd1+ 12.Nxd1

... it is hard to believe Black does not have an edge.

12...b5 13.Be2 Bb7 14.Bd2

JB offered a draw in my time (just). Heinz Rudnik (2196) - Ingvar Ásmundsson (2288), European Seniors Individual (Bad Homburg, Germany) 2005, saw 14.b3 Rd8 15.Bb2 Nb4 16.h3 Nd3 17.Bd4?! Bxf3 18.Bxf3?! Bxd4 19.exd4 Rxd4 (0-1, 53 moves).

14...Ne4 15.Be1 Nb4

The engines prefer the modest 15...Be7!?

16.Nc3 Rd8 17.Rd1?

The engines reckon White is fine after, for example, 17.Nxe4 Bxe4 18.Rc1
17...Rxd1 18.Bxd1 Nxc3 19.Bxc3

This is slightly better than 19.bxc3 as Black then gets a passed a pawn with 19...Nxa2 - the black knight cannot be trapped, eg 20.Bc2 b4.

19...Nxa2 20.Ba5 Kf8 21.Kf1 Bd5 22.Ne5 Bb4 23.Bb6 Ke7 24.f3 Bd6 25.Nd3 Nb4

Capturing a second pawn with 25...Bxh2 is also possible as the bishop cannot be trapped, but the text is good enough to keep what the engines reckon is a winning advantage.

26.Be2?

There was nothing better than allowing further simplification with 26.Nxb4.

26...Nxd3 27.Bxd3 Bxh2 0-1

Dresden Round Eight

WON on board three in 27 moves with black for England 3 against Schach(t)jungs Bannewitz's Jürgen Bussler (1881).

Match score:
European Team Seniors 65+
Schach(t)jungs Bannewitz v England 3
Peter Jeute (1863) 1-0 Stephen M Williams (1844)
Wolfgang Steinbach (1923) = Colin Costello (1854)
Jürgen Bussler (1881) 0-1 Tim Spanton (1764)
Walter Köhn (1759) = Robert Kane (1738)

....................................2-2......................................

Dresden Game Seven

Spanton (1764) - Klaus Briesemeister (1591)

French Rubinstein

1.Nc3 e6 2.e4 d5 3.d4 dxe4 4.Nxe4 b6!?

This unusual continuation - it is seventh-most popular in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database - has been played by Magnus Carlsen.

5.Bd3

5.Qf3 can be met by 5...Qd5, although Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 slightly prefer White.

5...f6?

KB could not explain in the postmortem why he played this, except for vaguely fearing something might happen on the kingside (and 5...f6? makes such an event more likely).

6.Qf3 c6

The engines suggest giving up a pawn by 6...Nc6!? 7.Nxf6+ and 8.Qxc6+. Also possible is 6...Qd5, as 7.c4?! runs into 7...Bb4+, but 7.Ne2 is strong.

7.Ne2 Ne7?!

Black, already well behind in development, is not helped by this leisurely move.

How should White continue?

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8.Bf4!?

This is almost certainly better than 8.Nxf6+?! gxf6 9.Qxf6 Rg8 10.Bxh7, when the position is unclear - Stockfish15 gives White the upper hand; Komodo13.02 declares the position equal. However, even better than the text seem to be 8.Qh5+ and 8.Nf4.

8...Nf5?!

Probably better is 8...Nd5.

9.0-0-0 Bd6??

Not 9...Nxd4?? 10.Nxd4 Qxd4 11.Ba6, but 9...Be7 is better.

10.Nxd6+ Nxd6 11.Qg3 Nf5 12.Bxf5 Ba6 13.Bd3

Even stronger seem to be 13.Bxe6 and 13.Qxg7.

13...Bxd3 14.Rxd3 0-0 15.Bd6 Re8 16.Nc3 Qd7 17.Ne4 f5?? 18.Nf6+ 1-0

Dresden Round Seven

WON on board three in 18 moves with white for England 3 against Randbauern's Klaus Briesemeister (1591).

Match score:
European Team Seniors 65+
England 3 v Randbauern
Stephen M Williams (1844) 1-0 Edmund Lomer (2001)
Colin Costello (1854) 1-0 Hardy Wenske (1768)
Tim Spanton (1764) 1-0 Klaus Briesemeister (1591)
Robert Kane (1738) 1-0 Henning Geibel (1393)
....................................4-0.....................................

Dresden Game Six

Joachim Just (1957) - Spanton (1764)

New London

1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Bd6 4.Nf3!?

More popular in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database are 4.Bxd6 and especially 4.Bg3, but the text is also played by grandmasters.

4...b6!?

Attempting to refute White's play with 4...Bxf4 leaves Black slightly worse, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.

5.Nbd2 Bb7

The engines reckon White gets at least a slight edge after 5...Ba6?! 6.Bxa6 Nxa6 7.c4.

6.Bd3 Nf6 7.0-0 0-0 8.Ne5!? Ne4 9.c3 Nd7 10.Qc2!?

This may be a novelty. Known moves are 10.Nxd7 and 10.f3.

How should Black proceed?

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10...Nxd2!?

By no means the only move, but it effectively makes 10.Qc2 a loss of tempo.
11.Qxd2

Not 11.Bxh7+?? as White loses a piece after 11...Kh8.

11...Bxe5?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 11...f6 (Komodo13.02) or 11...a5 (Stockfish15).

12.dxe5 f6 13.exf6 Nxf6

It is hard to say whether this or 13...gxf6!? is better.

How would you assess the position?

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White has the bishop-pair, while Black has more space in the centre and a central pawn-majority. But there is a certain looseness about the black position, and the engines reckon White has the upper hand.
14.Qc2 Qe7 15.Bg5 h6 16.Bh4 e5 17.Be2?!

A puzzling retreat. The engines much prefer attacking the black centre with 17.c4.

17...g5!?

Double-edged (as this move almost always is). The engines like central play with 17...c5.

18.Qg6+!?

Getting queens off can enhance the power of the bishops, which become the only pieces that can move diagonally. Also, Black's space advantage could have led to an attack in which a queen might have played a prominent role. On the other hand the black king's position looks a lot less airy without queens. The engines prefer 18.Bg3, although by a small margin in Komodo13.02's case.

18...Qg7 19.Qxg7+ Kxg7 20.Bg3 Rae8!?

This may be the wrong rook in that it soon moves to d8.

21.Rad1!?

Perhaps White should preserve the bishop-pair by 21.f3 or 21.h3.

21...Ne4 22.f3 Nxg3 23.hxg3 Rd8 24.Rd2 Rf6 25.Rfd1 Rfd6 26.c4!?

The engines are OK with this move, partly, perhaps, because Black can anyway force through ...d4 after playing ...c5.

26...d4 27.exd4 exd4

The engines reckon Black is slightly better after 27...Rxd4 28.Rxd4 exd4.

28.Bd3 Re8 29.Re2?!

Probably better are 29.Kf2 and the engines' 29.c5!? bxc5 30.Rc1.

29...Rxe2 30.Bxe2 Re6 31.Kf2 c5 32.b4?!

Black is only slightly better after 32.g4, according to the engines.

How should Black respond?

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32...Kf6?!

Almost certainly stronger is 32...Re3, eg 33.Rb1 Ba6 34.b5 Bc8, when the threat of 35.Ra3 Rb2 36.Be6 Rd2 37.Rc3 seemingly cannot be avoided.

33.Rd3 Ke5 34.b5 Bc8 35.Ra3

The engines suggest 35.g4, albeit preferring Black.

35...Re7 36.Bd3?!

Again the engines want to seize kingside space with g4.

36...a5

Winning, according to the engines, is 36...h5!?

37.bxa6 Ra7 38.Rb3?!

Again g4 was apparently necessary.

38...Rxa6 39.Rb2 Bf5 40.Re2+ Kf6 41.Bxf5 Kxf5 42.g4+ Kf6 43.Rb2 Ke5 44.Re2+ Kd6 45.Rb2 Ke5 ½–½
You might think a draw by repetition cannot be safely avoided, and you would be none the wiser if using an old engine such as Fritz5.32, which for quite some time reckons in the final position Black has a slight edge, but no more. However, given more time Fritz5.32 changes its assessment to Black having the upper hand. In other words it is dimly seeing what Stockfish15 sees instantly and Komodo13.02 almost as fast: Black is winning after 45.Rb2 (and after 43.Rb2 for that matter), eg 45...Ra4! 46.Rxb6+ Ke5 47.Rxh6 Rxa2+ 48.Ke1 d3 49.g3 Kd4 50.f4 Kc3 etc. Slightly better, perhaps, is 47.Rb2 but 47...Rxc4 wins, eg 48.g3 Ra4 49.Ke2 c4 50.Rb5+ Kd6 51.Rb2 Ra3 etc.

Dresden Round Six

DREW on board three in 45 moves with black for England 3 against Deutsche Bahn's Joachim Just (1957).

Match score:
European Team Seniors 65+
Deutsche Bahn v England 3
Kark-Heinz Lehmann (2116) 1-0 Stephen M Williams (1844)
Hans-Jürgen Fleuch (1970) = Colin Costello (1854)
Joachim Just (1957) = Tim Spanton (1764)
Wolfgang Tichatschke (1944) = Robert Kane (1738)
....................................2.5-1.5.....................................

Dresden Game Five

Spanton (1764) - Eddie O'Connor (1956)

Sicilian ...e6

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3!? Nc6 4.Bg2 d5 5.exd5 exd5 6.d4

Magnus Carlsen is among those who have played 6.0-0!?, and if 6...d4 then Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 give 7.c3, the idea being to meet 7...dxc3 with 8.dxc3, which the engines reckon is very good for White, eg 8...Nf6 9.Qxd8+ Nxd8 10.Re1+ Be7 11.Na3 Nc6 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.Rxe5, when White has pressure down the e file and along the h1-a8 diagonal.

6...cxd4!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 6...Bg4 7.0-0 cxd4, when the engines like 8.Nbd2, eg 8...Be7 9.Nb3 Bf6!? 10.Qd3 with what the engines reckon is an equal position.

7.Nxd4

The engines slightly prefer 7.0-0!?

7...Nf6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Nc3 0-0 10.Bf4

Magnus Carlsen (2837) - Pavel Kotsur (2548), World Championship Blitz (Astana, Kazakhstan) 2012, went 10.Be3 h6 11.Re1 Re8 12.h3 Bb4 13.a3 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Na5 with an equal game, according to the engines (but 1-0, 33 moves).

10...Bg4 11.Qd3 Qd7 12.Rfe1 Rac8!?

The engines reckon 12...Rfe8 is equal, but there is a problem with the text, although it is far from obvious.

How should White proceed?

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13.Bg5

The engines give 13.h3!, the idea being 13...Bxh3?! 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Rxe7 Qxe7 16.Bxh3 is good for White. So Black should probably play 13...Bh5, which allows 14.Nf5, or 13...Be6, which allows 14.Nxe6.

13...h6 14.Be3

The engines prefer the complicated forcing sequence14.Nxd5!? Nxd5 15.Nxc6 Bxd5 16.Ne5 Nb4 with what seem to be equal chances.

14...a6?!

Black has a slight edge after 14...Rfe8, according to the engines.

15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Qxa6

This wins a pawn but cedes the initiative. Possibly better is 16.Na4!?, when the threat of a fork at b6 means White can win the c5 outpost with Nc5 or Bc5.

16...Bb4?!

The engines prefer 16...Bf5 or 16...Rfe8.

17.Bd2?!

Probably better is 17.Bd4, the idea being to meet 17...Ne4 with 18.Nxe4! Bxe1 19.Nc5, when White has only a pawn for the exchange but is better coordinated, eg 19...Qe7 20.c3 Bd2 21.h4 h5 22.Nb3 Be2 23.Qa5 Bh6 24.Bc5 etc.

17...Qf5 18.Qd3 Qh5?!

Black should let queens be exchanged, according to the engines.

19.Qd4 Bd6 20.Bf4 c5 21.Qd2 Bxf4 22.Qxf4 d4 23.Re5 Qg6 24.Nd5 Nxd5 25.Rxd5?

White has at least the upper hand after 25.Bxd5, according to the engines.

25...Be6 26.Re5?!

White should give up the exchange with 26.Be4!? f5 27.Bg2 Bxd5 28.Bxd5+, according to the engines, with Stockfish15 rating White a little better, but Komodo13.02 calling the position completely equal.

26...Qxc2 27.Qc1!?

This seems the only move to keep the game going.

27...Qxc1+ 28.Rxc1 Bxa2

Black has a slight edge after 28...c4!?, according to the engines.

29.Rexc5 Rxc5 30.Rxc5 d3 31.Bf3 Re8 32.Rc1?

Several moves draw, according to the engines, eg 32.Rc3 d2 33.Kg2.

Black to play and win

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32...Bb3?

The winning move is 32...d2, eg 33.Rd1 Rd8 and ...Bb3.

White to play and draw

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33.Kf1?

The engines point out 33.Rc3 Bc2 34.b4 with sufficient counterplay.

33...d2 34.Ra1 Bc4+ 35.Kg2 g6?

Winning is 35...Re1, threatening 36...Bf1+ etc. White's best, according to the engines, is 36.Bd1, but Black wins easily, eg 36...Kh7 37.Bc2+ g6 38.Ra4 Bd5+ etc.

36.Ra4 Bb5?

White is slightly better after this. The engines give several completely equal lines, including 36...Re2!? 37.Ra8+ Kh7 38.Rd8 d1=Q 39.Rxd1 Rxb2 and 36...Be2 37.Bxe2 Rxe2 38.Rd4 d1=Q etc.

37.Rd4 Re1 38.h4?

White has at least a slight edge after 38.g4 as 38...Bf1+ can be met by 39.Kg3, winning a pawn.

38...Bf1+ 39.Kh2 Be2 40.Bxe2 Rxe2 41.Kg2 d1=Q 42.Rxd1 Rxb2 ½–½

Dresden Round Five

DREW on board three in 42 moves with white for England 3 against Ireland's Eddie O'Connor (1956).

Match score:
European Team Seniors 65+
England 3 v Ireland
Stephen M Williams (1844) 0-1 Mark Orr (IM 2088)
Colin Costello (1854) 0-1 Tim Harding (1955)
Tim Spanton (1764) = Eddie O'Connor (1956)
Robert Kane (1738) = Kevin James (1790)

....................................1-3.....................................

Dresden Game Four

Steen Juul Mortensen (1901) - Spanton (1764)

QGD Semi-Tarrasch

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 cxd4!? 6.Qa4+!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 6.Qxd4 exd5 7.e4!? Nc6 8.Bb5 dxe4 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.Ng5, reaching a position Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon favours White.

6...Bd7 7.Qxd4 exd5

How should White proceed?

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8.Bg5

This is the commonest move in Mega22, but grabbing a pawn with 8.Nxd5!? is also possible, although 8...Qa5+ 9.Nc3 Nc6 gives Black decent compensation.

8...Nc6

Black can play 8...Be7!?, when 9.Bxf6!? Bxf6 10.Qxd5 0-0 again gives Black reasonable compensation for a pawn.

9.Qd2 Be6 10.e3 Be7 11.Be2 Ne4!?

This may be a novelty. Normal is 11...0-0.

12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nd4 0-0-0?

Better is 14...Nxd4 or 14...Bd7, eg 14...Nxd4 15.Qxd4 0-0!? (15...f5 16.Bh5+ Kf8 probably slightly favours White) 16.Qxe4 Qf6 17.Qxb7!? Rab8!? 18.Qxa7 Rxb2 19.Qd4 (only move, according to the engines) Qxd4 20.exd4 Bxa2, when Black has recovered two of the three sacrificed pawns and seems to have enough compensation for the third.

15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Ba6+ Kb8 17.Qc3 Qc7

The engines' 17...Bc8!? may be better.

18.0-0

Not 18.Qxg7?? Qa5+ etc.

18...f6!? 19.Rfc1

Probably even stronger is 19.Qb4+!?, eg 19...Qb6 20.Qxe4 Bd5 21.Qa4, when White is a pawn up and with much the safer king.

19...Bd5 20.b4 Qb6 21.Be2 Ka8 22.a4 Rb8 23.Rab1

Even better may be 23.b5!? cxb5 24.axb5, when the engines reckon Black has to oppose on the c file, but 24...Rhc8 25.Qxc8!? Rxc8 26.Rxc8+ Kb7 27.Rcc1 is comfortably winning for White, according to the engines.

23...Rhc8 24.a5 Qb7 25.Qd4 a6 26.Rc5 Qa7 27.Qc3

I was worried about 27.Bc4, eg 27...Bxc4 28.Qxc4 leaves Black unable to defend both the c and e pawns. Stockfish15 suggests 27...Bf7!?, when 28.Qe4?? fails to 28...Bg6, but instead White can play 28.h3 to solve back-rank mate problems and remain with a winning position.

27...Qb7 28.Qd4 ½–½

Dresden Round Four

DREW on board three in 28 moves with black for England 3 against SK 2012, Danmark's Steen Juul Mortensen (1901).

Match score:
European Team Seniors 65+
SK 2012, Danmark v England 3
Mogens Thuesen (2204) 1-0 Stephen M Williams (1844)
Per Holst (2075) = Colin Costello (1854)
Steen Juul Mortensen (1901) = Tim Spanton (1764)
Finn Andersson (1712) 0-1 Robert Kane (1738)

....................................2-2.....................................

Dresden Game Three

Spanton (1764) - Christian Depp (1938)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e5!?

An unusual continuation but one that has been played by Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana.

4.0-0

4.Bxc6+ dxc6 (4...bxc6 is also possible) 5.Nxe5?! Qd4 6.Nf3 Qxe4+ gives Black a slight edge, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.

4...d6 5.c3 a6 6.Ba4

The engines much prefer 6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.d4.

6...Nf6 7.d4!? b5

The e4 pawn cannot be safely captured.

8.Bc2 Bg4

The engines prefer 8...cxd4 9.cxd4 Bg4.

9.dxc5 dxc5 10.Qe2 Be7 11.Rd1 Qc7 12.Nbd2 0-0 13.Nf1 h6!?

Played so White's next can be met by ...Be6 without the bishop being harassed by a knight going to g5.

14.Ne3 Be6 15.Nd5

The white knight on d5, and the c3 pawn stopping a black knight landing on d4, mean White is better 

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15...Qb7 16.a4 c4 17.b3 Rfe8?

This loses a pawn. The engines give 17...cxb3 18.Bxb3 Rfd8, albeit preferring White.

18.axb5

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 18.bxc4.

18...axb5 19.Rxa8 Rxa8

Not 19...Qxa8?? 20.Nc7 etc.

20.bxc4 bxc4 21.Qxc4 Bd8!?

The engines prefer 21...Bf8.

22.h3 Na5 23.Qd3??

23.Qe2 leaves White well on top.

23...Bxd5 24.exd5 e4 25.Qe3 exf3 26.Qxf3

White has two pawns and the bishop-pair, but that is poor compensation for being a piece down

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26...Nc4 27.Bf4 Nb6 28.Be4 Ra4 29.Bc2 Ra5 30.Bb3 Ra3 31.Bc2 Qa8 32.Bc1 Ra5 33.Be4 Nxe4 34.Qxe4 Rxd5 35.Qe8+ Kh7 36.Re1

If 36.Qe4+ then 36...f5.

36...Bf6?!

The engines are OK with this move - they do not flash red - but there is no need to give up a pawn, even if only temporarily, when Black has available 36...Rd7.

37.Qxf7 Rd7

Not 37...Bxc3? 38.Re6.

38.Qe6!?

Defending the c pawn with 38.Qb3 is possibly better.

38...Qd8?!

Not 38...Re7? 39.Qf5+ Kh8 40.Rxe7 Bxe7 41.Bxh6!, but probably better is 38...Bxc3.

39.Be3 Rd6?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 39...Nd5 or 39...Re7.

40.Qe4+ Kh8 41.c4

Stockfish15 much prefers 41.Bc5!?, but Komodo13.02 is unsure.

41...Rd1

Here the engines like 41...Na4 or 41...Qc8.

42.Rxd1 Qxd1 43.Kh2 Qd6+ 44.Bf4?!

Almost certainly better is 44.g3, which comes to be played later anyway.

44...Qe7 45.Qc6 Nd7 46.Qa8+ Kh7 47.Be3 Be5+ 48.g3 Bd6 49.Qd5 Nf6 50.Qf5+ g6 51.Qf3 Ne4 52.Bd4 Bc5 53.Bxc5 Nxc5 54.Kg2

How should Black proceed?

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54...Qe4?

The queens-off ending is almost certainly drawn, so Black should keep the game going with, for example, 54...Kg7, when Stockfish15 reckons Black is winning but Komodo13.02 gives Black 'only' the upper hand.

55.Qxe4 Nxe4 56.f3 Nc5 57.Kf2 Kg7 58.Ke3 Kf6 59.Kd4 Ne6+

White to play and draw

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60.Kd5!

The king has to boldly support the c pawn. If 60.Ke3 then not 60...Ng5?! as 61.f4 gives drawing chances, but 60...Kf5 wins, according to the engines.

60...Ke7

If 60...Ng5 then 61.c5 draws.

61.f4 h5 62.Ke5 Nc5

CD offered a draw.

63.f5 Nd7+ 64.Kf4 Kf6 65.fxg6 Kxg6 66.g4 hxg4 67.hxg4 Kf6 68.g5+ Kg6 ½–½

Dresden Round Three

DREW on board three in 68 moves with white for England 3 against SV Dresden-Striesen's Christian Depp (1938).

Match score:
European Team Seniors 65+
England 3 v SV Dresden-Striesen
Stephen M Williams (1844) 0-1 Rainer Siegmund (2065)
Colin Costello (1854) = Wolfgang Lerhmann (1986)
Tim Spanton (1764) = Christian Depp (1938)
Robert Kane (1738) = Gerhard Groschup (1957)
.................................1.5-2.5.............................

Dresden Game Two

Geza Gal (1765*) - Spanton (1764)

King's Fianchetto Opening

1.g3 e5 2.Bg2 d5 3.d3 Nf6 4.Nd2 Be7 5.c4

5.e4 would take the game into King's Indian Attack territory. Instead, after ...

5...c6 6.Nf3

... it is more of a Réti.

6...Nbd7

6...e4!? seems strong, eg 7.dxe4?! dxe4 8.Ng5?! runs into 8...e3! 9.fxe3 Ng4. Less catastrophic is 7.Ne5!?, but Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon Black has at least a slight edge.

7.0-0 0-0 8.Rb1 a5 9.a3?!

The engines give 9.cxd5 cxd5 10.e4 with what they reckon is an equal game.

9...a4 10.Ne1 d4

Grabbing more space and leaving the white king's knight with nothing better to do than return to f3.

11.Ne4?! Nxe4 12.Bxe4 Nc5 13.Bg2 f5

At first sight this may look impressive but it is hard for Black to advance the central pawn-mass. The engines prefer 13...Bf5.

14.Bd2 Be6 15.Bb4 Qc7 16.Nc2 Rad8 17.Na1!?

This is the engines' top choice.

17...Ra8 18.Rc1

If 18.Nc2 I would almost certainly have varied rather than acquiesce to a draw by repetition.

18...Bd6 19.e3?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 19.b3.

How should Black proceed?

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19...Qd7

The engines reckon 19...dxe3!? 20.fxe3 Rad8!? is winning.

20.exd4 exd4 21.Nc2?!

Probably better is the engines' 21.f4!? or 21.Bxc5.

21...Nb3 22.Rb1 c5 23.Be1!? f4 24.Na1 fxg3

The engines prefer 24...Bh3!? or 24...Nxa1 25.Rxa1 Bh3.

25.hxg3 Bg4 26.Qc2?

Better is 26.f3, although Black keeps an advantage.

26...Nxa1 27.Rxa1 Bf3 28.b4!?

This is Stockfish15's top choice, at least for a while, which only shows how bad White's position is.

28...axb3 29.Qxb3 Be2?!

This wins the exchange, but White gets a pawn and the bishop-pair, which is often sufficient compensation. The engines give 29...Bxg2 30.Kxg2 Bxg3!, the point being 31.Kxg3? succumbs to mate after 31...Ra6.

30.Qxb7 Qxb7 31.Bxb7 Ra7 32.Bd5+ Kh8 33.a4?

Not 33.Bd2? as 33...Bxf1 wins the exchange and a pawn, eg 34.Kxf1 Bxg3. Best, according to the engines, is 33.f4, but 33..Bxf1 34.Kxf1 g5 leaves Black on top.
33...Bxd3 34.a5 Bxf1 35.Kxf1 Bxg3 36.Ra3 Bc7 37.a6 h6 38.Bb7 Rb8 39.Be4 Rb6 40.Rf3 Rf6 41.Rb2?! Rfxa6 (0-1, 54 moves).

*German rating - does not have a Fide rating.

Dresden Round Two

WON on board three in 54 moves with black for England 3 against USV TU Dresden's Geza Gal (no Fide - 1765 German rating).

Match score:
European Team Seniors 65+
USV TU Dresden v England 3
Walter Nauber (1992) 0-1 Stephen M Williams (1844)
Martin Keeve (1931) = Colin Costello (1854)

Geza Gal ('1765') 0-1 Tim Spanton (1764)
Hartwig Dötzel (1863) 0-1 Robert Kane (1738)
.................................0.5-3.5.............................

Dresden Venue

THE venue for the European Chess Union's seniors championships is the Maritim hotel, a converted municipal warehouse originally used for storing tobacco, spices and fabrics.

Rear-view of the Maritim from beside the Elbe

The hotel, which opened six years ago, is close to the old town, with many rooms overseeing the river.

Looking from my third-floor bedroom

Dresden Game One

Spanton (1764) - Walter Pregl (1960)

Spanish Exchange

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.Qxd4 Qxd4 7.Nxd4 c5 8.Ne2 Bd6?!

This has been played by grandmasters, and is the second-most popular move in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database, but lets White force off the black bishop-pair. The stem game, Emanuel Lasker - Wilhelm Steinitz, World Championship Match Game 13 1894 (Montreal), saw 8...Bd7, which is still the main move today, one point being 9.Bf4 can be met by 9...0-0-0.

9.Bf4 Bxf4

Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 marginally prefer contracting a backward d pawn with 9...Be6 10.Bxd6 cxd6.

10.Nxf4 Ne7 11.Nbc3 Bd7 12.Ncd5!?

Forcing off another pair of pieces and so getting closer to a favourable ending.

12...Nxd5 13.Nxd5 0-0-0 14.0-0-0 Rhe8 15.Rhe1 b5 16.Nc3!?

The engines prefer 16.Nf4 or 16.f3.

16...Bc6!? 17.Rxd8+ Rxd8 18.f3 b4 19.Ne2 Rd6 20.Nf4

This threatens 21.Nd3.

20...Bb5 21.Rd1 a5 22.Rd5

This forces the last pair of rooks off, getting down to a minor-piece ending.

22...Rxd5 23.Nxd5

How would you assess this ending?

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Black has the longer-range piece, which is particularly handy when there are rival pawn-majorities. But there are lots of pawns on the board, which hampers the bishop more than the knight, and Black's pawn-majority cannot make a passer with normal play.

White has five pawns on light squares. The queenside ones are easily moved to dark squares, but the kingside ones could prove vulnerable, although they also restrict the bishop's freedom to move.

Stockfish15 gives White the upper hand; Komodo13.02 reckons White only has a slight edge.

23...Kd7 24.Ne3 c6?!

As a general rule Black should avoid putting pawns on the same coloured squares as the bishop as they obstruct the bishop's range.

25.a3

The engines like 25.b3!?

25...g6!? 26.Kd2 Kd6 27.f4 f6 28.Ng4 Ke6 29.Ke3 h5!?

Preventing a quick e5.

30.Nf2 Kd6 31.c3 Ba6 32.Nd3 Bc8!?

Both engines approve of giving up a pawn in this way, although they reckon White is winning. After, say, 32...bxa3 33.bxa3 Black will have huge problems defending the queenside.

33.axb4 axb4 34.cxb4

The engines reckon 34.c4!? is even stronger.

34...cxb4 35.Nxb4 Be6 36.Nd3 c5 37.e5+ fxe5 38.Nxe5?!

The engines much prefer 38.fxe5+.

38...Bf5 39.h3 Bb1 40.g4 hxg4 41.hxg4 Kd5 42.Nf3 Bc2 43.Nd2

Now either the black king withdraws or the bishop has to leave the b1-h7 diagonal.

43...Ke6

Play can quickly become complicated and unclear after 43...Bd1!?, eg 44.Ne4 Kc4!? (44...Bxg4?? 45.Nf6+) 45.f5 gxf5 46.gxf5 is completely equal, according to Stockfish15, but winning for White, according to Komodo13.02 (the former verdict is probably correct).

44.Nc4 Ba5?!

If 44...Bb1?! then 45.Na3 forces the bishop off the b1-h7 diagonal. But probably better is 44...Bd1 or 44...Kd5, eg 44...Bd1 45.g5 Bg4, after which White remains better but it is hard to see how progress can be made.

45.Kd2?!

The engines much prefer 45.Kf3 or 45.Kf2!?

45...Bc6 46.Ne5 Be4

The passive 46...Be8!? is marginally better, according to the engines.

47.Nd3 Kd6 48.Kd3 Bc6?!

Almost certainly better is the engines' 48...Bd5, one point being if, as in the game, 49.Ne5, Black can play 49...g5!?

49.Ne5 Be8

Not 49...g5? as both 50.Nxc6 and 50.Nf7+ win.

50.Ke4 Ke6

Black keeps the game going with 50...Ba4, but 51.Nc4+ (51.Nxg6?? Bc2+ etc) Ke6 52.f5+ seems winning.

51.Nxg6! Bc6+ 52.Ke3 1-0

Dresden Round One

WON on board three in 52 moves with white for England 3 against Austria's Walter Pregl (1960).

Match score:

European Team Seniors 65+

England 3 v Austria

Stephen M Williams (1844) 0-1 Siegfried Zörnpfenning (2109)

Colin Costello (1854) 0-1 Paul Mayer (2045)

Tim Spanton (1764) 1-0 Walter Pregl (1960)

Robert Kane (1738) 0-1 Karl Lang (1949)

.................................1-3.............................