More League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of five) for Battersea against Hammersmith 2 in Central London League Division Two last night.

Tom Townsend (2015) - Spanton (1928)

Spanish Four Knights

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3!?

This is the third-most popular response to the Berlin in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 4.d3 and especially 4.0-0.

4...Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Ne2!?

This is the top choice of Stockfish17.1; Dragon1 fluctuates between the text and the more common 7.Bg5.

7...Bg4 8.c3

Probably not 8.Ng3?! Nd4.

8...Bxf3 9.gxf3 Bc5 10.d4 Bb6 11.Bxc6 bxc6 12.Ng3!?

This seems to be a novelty. The known move is 12.dxe5.

I now picked up my knight, meaning to play 12...Nh5??

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12...Nd7!?

TT commented afterwards that, although I had not intended to play the text, it is the correct move in the position, and it does turn out to be Dragon1's top choice. Stockfish17.1 marginally prefers 12...Qd7 or 12...Qe8!?

13.f4 Qf6?

The game is equal after 13...exf4 14.Bxf4 c5!?, according to the engines.

14.dxe5 dxe5?

Hoping for swindling chances, but objectively better is playing on a pawn down after 14...Qe6 15.exd6 cxd6.

15.Qxd7 exf4

How should White proceed?

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16.Nf5

Not 16.Ne2?? Qg6+ 17.Kh1 Qxe4+ and 18...Qxe2, but even stronger than the text, according to the engines, is 16.e5!? Qxe5 17.Qf5.

16...Rad8

The engines suggest 16...Rfe8.

17.Qxc6?!

This is good enough for the upper hand, according to the engines, but winning is 17.Qe7 Qg6+ 18.Kh1.

17...Qg5+ 18.Kh1 Bxf2?

'Clever', but not good.

After 18...Qh5, White would have had only one move to keep an advantage

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TT said he planned 19.f3?, but that loses to 19...Rd1! Better is 19.Ne7+ Kh8 20.e5, but after 20...Qxe5 Black seems to have at least full compensation for a knight, eg 21.a4 a5 22.Qf3 Qxe7 23.Bxf4 Qxf6, with equality, according to Stockfish17.1, although Dragon1 slightly prefers Black. 

However, White has 19.Nh6+!, when taking the knight loses, eg 19...Qxh6? 20.Qxh6 gxh6 21.Rg1+ Kh8 22.Bxf4, after which Black has six isolated pawns, two of which are doubled, giving White an advantage worth more than the knight he has just given back. Instead 19...Kh8 20.e5! Qxe5 21.Qf3!? gxh6 22.Bxf4 leaves a position with material equality, but with White having the upper hand, according to the engines.

Back to the game.

19.Qxc7 Be3

Better is the engines' 19...Rd1!, although 20.Rxd1 Qg4 21.Qxf4! Qxd1+ 22.Kg2 Qg1+ 23.Kf3 keeps a winning advantage, as does 20.Bxf4 Qg4 21.Nd4!

20.Bxe3 fxe3 21.Qxg3 Qxg3

There is nothing better.

22.hxg3 e2 23.Rfe1 Rd2 24.Nd4 Rxb2 25.Rxe2 Rfb8 26.Kg2 Rxe2+ 27.Nxe2 Rb2 28.Kf3 Kf8 29.Nd4 a5 30.a4 Ke7!? 31.Nc6+ Kd6 32.Nxa5 Kc5 33.Ra3 Rb1

Not 33...Rd2?? 34.Nb3+.

34.Nb3+ Kb6

Not 34...Kc4?? 35.Nd2+.

35.a5+ Ka7 36.Nd4 Ka6 37.Nb3 Rf1+ 38.Ke3 f5 39.Nc5+ Ka7 40.a6 g5 41.exf5 Rxf5 42.Ne4 h5 43.Nd6 Rc5 44.Kd4 Re6 45.Nb5+ Ka8 46.a7 h4 47.gxh4 gxh4 48.c4 Rc8 49.Rh3 Rh8 50.c5 Rh7 51.c6 Re7 52.c7

Not 52.Rxh4? Re4+!

52...Rd7+ 53.Kc5 1-0

Hammersmith 2 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

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

Kidlington U2000 Round One

Philip Neatherway (1811) - Spanton (1929)

Spanish Four Knights

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.d3 0-0!?

The main move is 5...d6.

How should White proceed?

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6.0-0

This is Stockfish17.1's top choice. Dragon1 prefers 6.Bxc6 bxc6 7.Nxe5, although it reckons 7...d5 8.0-0 Qe8 gives equality.

6...d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3

This is overwhelmingly the commonest move, but the engines marginally prefer 7...Ne7!? Keeping symmetry with 7...Bg4?! has been tried, but 8.Bxf6!? gxf6 9.Bxc6!? bxc6 gives White at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

8.bxc3 Qe7 9.Re1 h6 10.Be3!?

This may be a novelty. Known moves are 10.Bxf6, 10.Bd2, 10.Bc1!? and especially 10.Bh4.

10...Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.Qd2?

White's pieces are not well-placed to protect a shattered kingside.

12...Bxf3 13.gxf3 Kh7 14.Kh2 Nh5 15.f4?

The engines much prefer 15.d4.

15...exf4 16.Bxf4 Ne5 17.Qe3?!

The engines reckon White should offer the exchange with 17.Kh1!?, or protect the f3 square with 17.Kg2.

17...f5

Even stronger is 17...Qf6.

18.d4

Black to play and win

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18...Nxf4?

Winning is 18...Ng4! 19.hxg4 Qh4+, eg 20.Qh3 Qxf2+ 21.Qg2 Qh4+!? 22.Qh3 Qxh3+ 23.Kxh3 fxg4+ 24.Kxg4 Rxf4+ 25.Kh3 (Kxh5?? g6#) Rf3+ 26.Kh2 (26.Kg4?? Raf8 etc) Rxc3, netting two pawns, or 20.Kg1 Qxg4+ 21.Kf1 Nxf4, when Black is a pawn up, with a continuing attack. The engines reckon 18...a6!? is also better than the text.

19.Qxf4 Ng6

Not 19...fxe4?? 20.Qxe4+ and 21.dxe5.

20.Qg3?

The game is equal after 20.exf5 Nxf4 21.Rxe7, according to the engines.

Black to play and win

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20...f4?

Winning is 20...fxe4, eg 21.Bd3 d5 22.c4 Qf6!? with a large advantage.

21.Qg4 Nh4!? 22.e5 d5?

It was time to go for king safety with 22...Qg5, although 23.Bd3+ Kh8 24.Qxg5 Nf3+! 25.Kh1 hxg5 leaves White with at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

23.Bd3+ Kh8 24.Rg1 Rae8?

Too slow, but the engines' 24...c5 25.Qh5 c4 26.Bg6 is also very good for White.

25.Qh5 f3

Black's game is past saving, eg 25...Rf7 26.e6, or 25...Qd8 26.Rxg7! Nf3+ 27.Kh1!

26.Rg4 Ng2 27.Qg6 Kg8 28.Qh7+ Kf7 29.Rxg7+ 1-0

Bischofsgrün Round Three

Manfred Herbold (2105) - Spanton (1942)

Scotch Four Knights

1.Nc3 Nf6 2.e4 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nd5!?

This is the Belgrade Gambit, first played by Kurt Richter in the 1938 Germany-Austria match at Berlin, where he lost to Albert Becker. The gambit was taken up and apparently given its name by a Yugoslav player, although sources vary as to whom.

How should Black respond?

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5...Be7

Richter-Becker went 5...Nxd5 6.exd5 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Qe7+ 8.Be2 d3!? 9.cxd3 Bxd2+ 10.Qd2 Nb4 11.0-0 0-0, with at least a slight edge for Black, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 (0-1, 32 moves).

Grabbing the pawn with 5...Nxe4 is possible, eg 6.Bd3!? (the engines prefer this over the commoner 6.Qe2) Nc5 7.0-0 Ne6!? 8.Re1, when White has sufficient compensation for two pawns, according to the engines.

The text is the most popular move in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database.

6.Nxd4 Nxd4 7.Qxd4 Nxd5 8.exd5 Bf6 9.Qe4+ Qe7 10.Qxe7+ Kxe7!? 11.Bd3 Kd6!?

This may be too ambitious. Black should perhaps be content with 11...Re8 or 11...d6.

How should White proceed?

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12.c4

The engines suggest 12.0-0!? or 12.Bf4+, eg 12.Bf4+ Be5 13.Bxe5+ Kxe5 14.0-0-0, with what they reckon is a slight edge for White.

12...Re8+ 13.Kd1 Ke7 14.Re1+ Kf8 15.Rxe8+ Kxe8 16.Kc2 Kf8 17.Bf4

17.Bxh7!? g6 18.Bh6+ Bg7 19.Bf4 is completely equal, according to the engines.

17...d6 18.h3 Bd7 19.Re1 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Bxe8 21.b4 Ba4+ 22.Kd2 h5 23.Bf5 Ke7 24.Bc8 b6 25.b5 g6 26.g4 hxg4 27.hxg4 Bd4 28.Bg5 Bf6 29.Be3 Kd8 30.Bb7 ½–½

London League Summer Congress

THE London League summer congress is being held over nine consecutive Thursday evenings at the Mindsports Centre, Hammersmith.

The time limit is all moves in an hour plus a 30-second increment, with games ECF rated but not sent to Fide (the time control is too fast).

I took a half-point bye in last week's first round of the open as I was abroad, but I played last night in round two.

Max Phillips (1694) - Spanton (1949)

Scotch Four Knights

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4

5...Bc5!? has become quite a popular alternative to the text, which nevertheless very much remains the mainline.

6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.0-0 0-0

There are 10,790 games with this position in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database

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10.Bg5

This is easily the most popular continuation although it only scores 50% in Mega22.

10...c6 11.Qf3 h6!?

Provoking White to smash up Black's kingside. The mainline continues 11...Be7 12.h3 h6 13.Bf4 Bd6 14.Rfe1, which is equal according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.

12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Qxf6 gxf6

Black has the bishop-pair and the only central pawn, and meanwhile hopes the king can defend the black pawn weaknesses.

14.Rae1

This may be new. Most popular is 14.Ne2 Bd6 15.Nd4 c5 16.Nf5 Bxf5 17.Bxf5, when the engines reckon White is slightly better but the game looks rather drawish.

14...d4 15.a3 Ba5 16.b4 dxc3?!

Probably better is 16...Bxb4 17.axb4 dxc3. Either way Black ends up with six isolated pawns, four of which are doubled.

17.bxa5 Be6 18.Re3 Rab8 19.Be4 Bd5 20.Bxd5 cxd5 21.Rxc3 Rfc8

Black is slightly more active, and White's extra pawn on the a file is worth little, but the multiple black weaknesses must count for something

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22.Rxc8+?!

Probably better is 22.Rb3, when the engines continue 22...Ra8!?, awarding White a slight edge, eg 23.Rb5!? Rxc2 24.Rxd5.

22...Rxc8 23.g3

Or 23.Rc1 Rc3 etc.

23...Rxc2 24.Rd1 Rc5 25.Kg2!? Rxa5

In the space of three moves White has gone from a pawn up to a pawn down, but the engines reckon the game is equal.

26.Rd3 f5 27.f3?!

This is somewhat slow and passive. Stockfish15 gives 27.Rf3!? d4 28.Kf1 Kh7!? 29.Rf4 d3 30.a4 d2!? 31.Rd2 Rxa4!? 32.Rxd2, which the engines agree is dead-equal despite Black's extra pawn. Komodo13.02 gives 27.Kf3 Kg7 28.a4!? Kf6 29.Rd4 Rc5 30.Rh4!? Kg5 31.Rd4, with again the engines agreeing the position is dead-equal.

27...Kg7 28.g4?!

28.f4 looks better.

28...Kf6 29.h4 f4 30.Kf2?!

The engines much prefer 30.Rc3 but claim Black is well on top after 30...Ra6.

30...Ke5 31.Ke2 Ra4 32.Kd2?

The pawn-down rook-and-pawn ending is very difficult for White but the pawn-down pawn ending is hopeless.

32...Rd4 33.Kc2 Rxd3 34.Kxd3 Kd6 35.Kd4

If 35.g5 then 35...h5 is simplest.

35...f6 0-1

Kraków Round Six

FACED a Norwegian junior (born 2006) rated 1785 yesterday.

Barbican, built in the late 1400s to protect the main entrance to Kraków old town

Spanton (1861) - Amadeus Hestvik Evenshaug (1785)

U2200

1.Nc3

1.Nc3 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.e4!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 5.Bg5 Bb4 6.Nc6 bxc6 7.Qd4, which the analysis engines Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon may favour White by a very small margin.

5...Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5

Does this position look familiar - and in any case what should White play?

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It should be familiar - there are 11,101 examples of the position in Mega22, a much more-common move-order being 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5, as in the 1886 world championship between Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort.

8.0-0!?

This has been played by grandmasters, but far-the-most-common continuation is 8.exd5 cxd5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5 c6 with a roughly level position.

8...Bxc3!?

Accepting the challenge, which means every move for the foreseeable future will be critical.

9.bxc3 dxe4 10.Qe2

Not 10.Re1 0-0 11.Bxe4?? Qxd1 etc.

10...0-0 11.Bc4

11.Be4!? Re8 12.f3 Nxe4 13.fxe4 restores material equality but leaves White with the more-serious weaknesses. Perhaps slightly better is 12.Bg5, but 12...Bf5 looks good for Black.

11...Bg4 12.Qe3 Re8 13.Ba3?!

This may be a novelty. The known continuation in Mega22 is 13.Qg3, although the engines reckon Black is better after 13...Qd6.

13...Nd5 14.Qg3 Bh5 15.Bc5

Perhaps Stockfish15's 15.Rfe1 is slightly better, but Komodo13.02 narrowly prefers the text.

15...Re6 16.Bxd5?!

Giving up the bishop-pair when a pawn down is rarely a good sign. The engines suggest 16.Kh1!?, but reckon Black has the upper hand.

16...Qxd5!

Straightening the pawn formation with 16...cxd5 is also good for Black, but the engines prefer the aggressive text.

17.Qe3 Rg6 18.Kh1

This is best, according to the engines.

How should Black proceed?

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18...Qf5

This is good enough for a pleasant advantage, but winning is 18...Rxg2! 19.Kxg2 Bf3+ 20.Kg1 Qf5.

19.Rae1?

19.Rg1 keeps the game going.

19...Rxg2! 20.Qxe4 Qxe4 21.Rxe4 Bf3 0-1

Bad Wörishofen Round Five

The wall-to-wall sunshine has ended

Spanton (1912) - Helmut Reitz (1692)

U2000

Spanish Four Knights

1.Nc3 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.e4

White can keep the game in independent 1.Nc3 lines by playing 3.d4!?, when the main line in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 3...exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Bg5, from which White scores 64%.

3...Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4

This, which is known as the Rubinstein Variation, is the top choice of Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1.

5.Bc4 Nxf3+

The main line runs 5...Bc5 6.d3 d6, which the engines reckon is equal.

6.Qxf3 c6!?

This slightly strange-looking move (...d5 is not going to be possible for some time) has been played by Boris Gelfand, and is the top choice of Stockfish14.1; Komodo12.1.1 narrowly prefers 6...Bc5.

7.0-0 d6 8.d3

The engines like 8.d4!? exd4 9.Ne2, and if 9...c5 then 10.c3!?

8...Be7 9.Be3 0-0 10.d4 Bg4

The engines suggest 10...Ng4!?

11.Qg3 exd4 12.Bxd4 Qd7 13.f3!?

The engines prefer the conventional 13.h3.

13...Be6 14.Bb3 Nh5 15.Qf2 Nf4 16.Ne2 Nxe2+

HR offered a draw.

17.Qxe2 c5!?

17...d5 18.Rad1 is slightly problematic for Black, but the text turns the semi-backward d pawn into a fully backward one.

18.Bc3 b5 19.Bd5?!

The engines much prefer 19.bxe6 fxe6 20.Rad1.

19...Rab8

Black is better, according to the engines, after 19...Bxd5 20.exd5 Rfe8.

20.Rad1 b4 21.Be1 Bf6 22.c4!? bxc3 23.Bxc3 Bxc3 24.bxc3

How would you assess this middlegame position?

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White has two isolanis, but Black has a backward d pawn and will have no useful entry squares on the b file. The engines reckon the position is equal.

24...Rb6 25.Rd2 Rfb8 26.Rfd1 Kf8 27.e5 dxe5 28.Qxe5

How should Black proceed?

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28...Qe7?

Best is 28...Qd6, according to the engines, eg 29.Qh5 Rb1! 30.Bxb3!? Qxd2 31.Qxc5+ Kg8 32.Rxb1 Bxb3, when the engines reckon Black's activity compensates for the pawn-minus. Also reasonable seems to be 28...Bxd5 29.Rxd5 Qe7 30.Rxc5, although this time the engines reckon Black does not have quite enough for the pawn.

29.Bxe6 fxe6?

Not 29...Rxe6?? 30.Qxb8+, nor 29...Qxe6? 30.Qxc5+. However the engines reckon best is 29...h6!, when 30.Rd7 Qxe6 31.Qxc5+ Kg8 leaves Black only slightly worse, thanks to the white pawn-weaknesses and partly exposed king.

30.Rd7 Qf6 31.Qxc5+ Ke8?!

Seemingly better is 31...Kg8

32.Rxa7 Rb1 33.Rd7 Rxd1+ 34.Rxd1 Rb2

The rest of the game is played with somewhat surprising accuracy by both players until the final denouement.

35.Qa3 Re2 36.Qa4+ Kf7 37.Rd7+ Kg6 38.Qg4+ Kh6 39.Qh3+ Kg6 40.Qg3+ Kh6 41.Rd4 Re5

Or 41...g6 42.Rh4+ Kg7 43.Qc7+ etc. Also no good for Black is 41...g5 42.h4 etc.

42.Rh4+ Rh5 43.Rxh5+ Kxh5 44.h4 h6? 45.Qg4#

Four Knights

PLAYED in Division One West of the London League last night.

Spanton (2040 ECF) - Baptiste Alloui-Cros (*)

Battersea - King's College London, Board One (of eight)

Spanish Four Knights

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nd4

This move is often attributed to Akiba Rubinstein, but was known long before his playing career, the oldest game in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database being from 1881.

5.Bc4

The commonest reply is 5.Ba4. Grabbing the e5 pawn with 5.Nxe5 is usually met by 5...Qe7, when the main line runs 6.f4 Nxb5 7.Nxb5 d6 8.Nf3 Qxe4+ 9.Kf2!? Ng4+, reaching a somewhat murky position that may slightly favour Black.

5...Bc5 6.0-0

Normal is 6.d3, although White does much better percentagewise in Mega22 with 6.Nxe5!? However, after the latter the most-popular continuation 6...Qe7 7.Nf3 d5!? 8.Bxd5 Bg4 9.d3 0-0-0 10.Be3 Nxd5 22.Nxd5 Rxd5!? 23.exd5 Re8 is not clear despite White being the exchange and two pawns up.

6...0-0!?

More popular is defending the e5 pawn with 6...d6.

7.Nxe5!?

In turn more popular is the solid 7.d3, but the text may be better. 

7...d6 8.Nf3

Not 8.Nd3?? Bg4 9.f3 Nxf3+ 10.Kh1 Nd4 11.Qe1 Nxc2, when Black had a winning advantage in Benoit Pigeat (1873) - Alloui-Cros (2139), French Online Blitz Championship Qualifier 2020 (but 1-0, 26 moves).

8...Bg4 9.Be2 Nxe2+ 10.Qxe2 Nh5!?

The analysis engines Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 give 10...Re8 11.d3 with what they reckon is a slight edge for White.

11.d3 f5

How should White proceed?

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12.h3??

The engines reckon White is much better after several moves, including 12.e5 and 12.exf5.

12...Ng3 13.Qe1?

Better, but still very good for Black, is 13.Qd1.

13...Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nxf1 15.Qxf1 fxe4 16.Nxe4 Qh4!?

Even stronger is 16...Rxf3, when 17.Qg2 can be met by, among other moves, 17...Qf8 since 18.Bh6 is not much of a threat in view of Bxg7?? being meetable by ...Qxg7, pinning the white queen.

17.Qg2 Qh5 18.Nxc5 Qxc5 19.Bh6 Qe5 20.c3 Qf6 21.Be3 Qxf3

Black has regained his pawn and is a pure exchange ahead (0-1, 48 moves).
Battersea defaulted on board eight. King's College London won 4.5-3.5.

*Has a Fide rating of 2076 and an ECF "F" rating, based on six games, of 1995.

Alicante Round Nine

PLAYED a Belgian yesterday evening.

Spanton (1829) - Marc Lacrosse (FM 2035)

II Open Internacional de Ajedrez Dama Negra

Spanish Four Knights

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Qe7

This is Black's most-popular move. The main idea is to implement the Metger Unpin, ie ...Nd8-e6-f4-g6.

9.Bxc6!?

This capture goes back to at least 1893, when Curt von Bardeleben played it against Johannes Metger of Unpin fame. The game was drawn, and 9.Bxc6!? has since been massively overtaken in popularity by 9.Re1.

9...bxc6 10.Rb1

Von Bardeleben played 10.Qd2, while modern strong players have tended to prefer 10.Nd2.

10...h6 11.Bh4 g5

How should White proceed?

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12.Bg3

I rejected 12.Nxg5!? hxg5 13.Bxg5 because of the simple 13...Qe6, missing that Black cannot meet 14.f4 with 14...Nh7? as White has 15.f5 Qd7 16.Bh6 f6 17.Qg4+ Kh8 18.Bxf8 Nxf8 19.Rf3, a more-or-less forced line that leaves White with rook, two pawns and an attack for bishop and knight. A likely continuation runs 19...Qf7 20.Rf3+ Nh7 21.Rh4! (to make Qg6 possible) Bd7 22.Qg6 Qe7 23.Rb7, when Black is abominably tied down and completely lost, according to the engines, eg 23...Rg8 24.Rxc7! Rxg6 25.fxg6 and 26.Rxh7+. The engines reckon that instead of 14...Nh7? Black should play 14...exf4 with a position that is unclear but probably favours Black.

12...Nh5 13.Qd2 Be6 14.c4 Bg4!?

This looks strange after first playing ...Be6, but it is Stockfish14.1's top choice. I guess the point is 13...Be6 was not a wasted tempo as it induced White to play 14.c4, thus making the white central pawns less flexible.

15.Qe3

It is important not to let the dark-square bishop be entombed by 15...Bxf3 16.gxf3.

15...c5 16.Rb7 Rfb8 17.Rfb1 Qd8 18.Nd2

Not 18.Rxb8 Rxb8 19.Rxb8 Qxb8 20.Nxg5?? as Black has a back-rank mate.

18...Qc8 19.R7b3 Rb6 20.Nf1 Rab8 21.Qc1 Qa6 22.Ne3 Be6 23.R1b2 Kg7 24.Qd1 Kg6 25.Nf5 Ng7

Not 25...Bxf5?? 26.exf5+ and 27.Qxh5.

26.Nxg7

The engines prefer 26.Ne3!? or 26.Ne7+.

26...Kxg7 27.f3 Bd7 28.Be1 Ba4 29.Rxb6 Rxb6!?

I thought the idea of forcing an exchange on b6 was to recapture with the a pawn. The engines agree Black has an edge after that, but it looks like it would be difficult to make much of it.

30.Qb1 Qb7 31.Rxb6 Qxb6!?

Again ...axb6 is slightly preferred by the engines.

32.Qxb6?!

Played on the assumption the ending with opposite-coloured bishops is an easy draw, but it proves much trickier than I imagined.

32...cxb6 33.Kf2 Bxc2 34.Ke2

The position after 34.Ke2 - the start of a difficult ending for White

The engines reckon Black has the upper hand, despite the opposite-coloured bishops. The point is Black's bishop is active, while White's has no targets and can only wait, at least for the foreseeable future, and try to find the best way to keep out the black king. However, there is a caveat to the engines' evaluations in such endings as I have often noticed engines have trouble understanding how drawish opposite-coloured bishops can be.

34....h5 35.Kd2 Ba4 36.Ke3 Kg6 37.g3 Bc2 38.Kd2 Ba4 39.h4?!

This is strongly disliked by the engines, who suggest repeating with 39.Ke3, a possible continuation being 39...f5 40.f4!? exf4+ 41.gxf4 g4 42.Bh4, when they still prefer Black but nowhere near as much as in the game.

39...gxh4 40.gxh4 f5 41.Bf2 f4

Black's king can never invade the white kingside, but White has fixed weaknesses at d3 and f3

Stockfish14.1.1 reckons Black is winning. Komodo12.1.1 at first 'only' gives Black the upper hand, but comes to agree Black is winning.

42.Kc1 Bd7 43.Kd2 Bh3 44.Ke2 a6 45.Be1 Bd7 46.Bc3 Kf7 47.Kd2 Ke8 48.Ke2 Kd8 49.Kd1 Kc7 50.Ke2 Kb7 51.Kd1

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

51...a5

The engines like 51...Kc6 52.Ke2 b5, meeting 53.cxb5+ with 53...Kxb5. A likely line runs 54.Kd2 Ka4 55.Ke2 Be6, but then White has 56.a3! as 56...Kxa3 57.Ba5 seems to give White sufficient counterplay. So instead the engines give a move such as 56...Bh3 or 56...Kb5, claiming a huge plus for Black - more than five pawns' worth, according to Stockfish14.1 - but the position seems to be drawn.

Note White should avoid the plausible 55.Bb2?, to keep out the black king, as then 55...Be6 threatens to capture the a2 pawn without allowing counterplay from the white bishop. So White has to reply 56.a3, when 56...Bh3 57.Bc3 Bf1 58.Bb2 Bg2 59.Ke2 Kb3 60.Ba1 (60.Bc1 Kc2 61.Bd2 Bxf3+) Kxa3 61.Bc3 Ka4 looks very strong for Black, although even here I am not certain Black is winning.

The game finished:

52.Ke2 Kc6 53.Kd1 Be6 54.Ke2 b5 55.cxb5+ Kxb5 56.a3 Bh3 57.Bd2 a4 58.Bc3 Ka6 59.Bb2 Kb5 60.Bc3 Kc6 61.Bb2 Kd7 62.Bc3 Ke7 63.Bb2 Bd7 64.Bc3 Bb5 65.Kd2 Ke6 66.Bb2 d5 67.exd5+ Kxd5 68.Bc3 c4 69.dxc4+ Bxc4 70.Ke1 e4 ½–½

In the final position Komodo12.1.1 gives Black the upper hand, but Stockfish14.1 correctly identifies the position as dead-equal.

Calvià Round Four

MY game from last night.

Josef Vrchotka (1963) - Spanton (1731)

Four Knights

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5 c6 11.Qf3

Almost 4,300 games reach this Scotch Variation tabiya of the Four Knights Defence in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database

11...h6!?

Much more popular are 11...Be7 and 11...Bd6. The idea of the text, which has been played by grandmasters, is that after 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Qxf6 gxf6, although Black's kingside pawn-formation is smashed, the absence of queens greatly reduces the chances of a mating attack, and Black has the bishop-pair.

12.Bh4?

If White does not want to capture on f6, the best move is 12.Bf4.

12...Bd6?

Black has a winning positional advantage, according to Stockfish14, after 12...g5 13.Bg3 (not 13.Qg3?? Bd6 14.f4 Ng4 etc) Bg4 14.Bc7 (not 14.Qe3?? d4) Bxf3 15.Bxd8 Raxd8 16.gxf3 c5, although Komodo12.1.1 is less enthusiastic.

13.h3 Rb8 14.b3 Be5 15.Be2?

White should play 15.Bg3.

15...Qa5?!

Probably stronger is 15...Rb7 followed by 16...Re7, one point being 16.Ba6?? fails to 16...Rb4.

16.Bg3 Bxc3 17.Bxb8 Bxa1 18.Rxa1

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

18...Bxh3?

Black has an edge after the engines' 18...Bg4!

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

19.Qg3?

White is better after 19.Be5, the point being 19...Bg4? runs into 20.Qg3, when 20...Bxe2 21.Bxf6 g6 22.Qe3 costs Black the light-square bishop as White threatens mate in three. Instead Black should probably play 19...Be6, but then 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.Rd1!? is good for White, according to the engines.

Note that 19.Bd6? fails to 19...Bg4.

19...Ne4 20.Qxh3?!

Better, but still good for Black, is 20.Qf4, according to the engines.

20...Rb8 21.Bd3 Qc3?!

This looks aggressive, but it spends a tempo driving the white rook to a better square. Simple and good is the consolidating 21...Nf6.

22.Rd1

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

22...Re8!?

The engines flit between the text and 22...Qd4, but not 22...Nf6?? as 23.Bh7+ wins the black queen.

23.Qd7 Nf6 24.Qxa7

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

24...Re1+?

This swops an active rook for a relatively passive one, and sets up White with the possibility in some lines of a back-rank mate. The engines reckon Black is much better after 24...Ng4.

25.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 26.Kh2 Qe5+ 27.g3 g6

This seems better than 27...Ng4+?! 28.Kh3 Qh5+ 29.Kg2 Qh2+, when 30.Kf1 g6 (White threatened mate in one) 31.a4 leaves the Black pieces out of position for stopping White's passed pawn.

28.Kg2

Not 28.Qa8+ Kg7 29.Qxc6?? as 30.Ng4+ starts a winning attack, thanks to the weakness of f2.

28...Kg7 29.Qe3 Qd6?!

I rejected Stockfish14's choice, 29...Qxe3!? because a bishop is in its element in an ending against a knight in which there are rival pawn-majorities, and specifically here the knight cannot stop White's passer. However after 30.fxe3 Ke8 the black king can prevent the a pawn queening. A likely continuation is 31.a4 Ke7 32.Kf3, when the engines reckon White has only a slight edge. I suspect this would be a tough position for Black to play, but then so is the game continuation.

If Black does want to keep queens on, a better way than the text is almost certainly the engines' 29...Qc3.

30.a4 Qb4 31.Qf4 Qa5 32.Qd4 c5 33.Qe5 Qb6 34.Be2 c4?!

Probably better is 32...Qa5 or 32...Qb4, but White is on top.

35.Qc3?!

White wins quickly after 35.bxc4 dxc4 36.a5, but not 36.Bxc4?? Qc6+ etc.

35...cxb3 36.Qxb3!?

Creating connected passed pawns with 36.cxb3 is more logical, but the text does have the advantage of ensuring the d pawn does not become a problem for White.

36...Qa5?!

Better seems to be 36...Qd4 and 36...Qa7.

37.Bb5 Qd2?

This achieves nothing. The engines reckon it is a good time to start seeking counterplay with 37...h5.

38.Qd3 Qa5 39.Qd4 h5 40.c3 Qc7 41.Be2 Qd8 42.Bf3!

This is better than 42.c4, when 42...Qe7 43.Bf3 Qb4 is problematic for White.

42...Kg8!?

Freeing the knight but at the cost of losing the d pawn. However the engines reckon all lines are lost for Black.

43.c4 g5 44.Bxd5

White is only one pawn up but has two passers, and there is little Black can do to create chances against the white king.

The game finished:

44...Qe7 45.a5 h4 46.Qe3 h3+ 47.Kxh3 Qd7+ 48.Kg2 Nf5 49.a6 Nxd5 50.cxd5 Qxd5+ 51.Qf3 1-0

Champion Of Champions: Challenge

VLADIMIR Kramnik won my Champion Of Champions tournament, in which the 16 classical world champions faced off in a knockout format.
'Games' were decided by choosing each player's most-popular move in any given position in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.
There is no reason why such an event should be restricted to world champions - anyone can take part as long as there is a reasonable number of a player's games in Mega20.
I have 923 games in Mega20, so here I will be taking on the Champion Of Champions in a two-game match.

Vladimir Kramnik - Spanton
Pseudo-Chigorin
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3!?
There are 157 games with this move by Kramnik in Mega20, compared with 152 for 2.c4.
2...Nc6!?

Kramnik has not faced this move, so this is as far as we can go

The analysis engines Stockfish11 and Komodo11.01 give White an averaged advantage of +57.5, which means I have it all to do in the next game.

Spanton - Vladimir Kramnik
Spanish Four Knights Rubinstein
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nd4

I have not faced Rubinstein's 4...Nd4 in Mega20, so again the 'game' comes to a quick conclusion

The analysis engines give me an averaged advantage of +25.5 - not bad, but not enough to overcome Kramnik's game-one advantage.
So Kramnik wins with a score of +32 - closer than I feared.

Champion Of Champions (part five)

HERE is the updated tournament bracket after four matches.

Round of 16               Quarter-Finals
1. Steinitz
v----------------------------Carlsen
16. Carlsen (+102.5)

8.Tal (+8.5)
v-----------------------------Tal
9.Petrosian

6. Botvinnik (+66)
v-----------------------------Botvinnik
11. Fischer

13. Kasparov
v-----------------------------Alekhine
4. Alekhine (+21.5)

3. Capablanca
v--------------------------
14. Kramnik

5. Euwe
v--------------------------
12. Karpov

7. Smyslov
v--------------------------
10. Spassky

15. Anand
v--------------------------
2. Lasker

Round of 16
Match Five: Capablanca v Kramnik
Game One
José Capablanca - Vladimir Kramnik

Spanish Four Knights Rubinstein

1.e4!?

This is surprising, but there are 393 of Capablanca's games with 1.e4 in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database compared with 306 for 1.d4.

1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6

This easily beats 2...Nf6 - 253 games to 105.

3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3!? Nd4

No games in Mega20 with Capablanca facing 4...Nd4

The engines Stockfish11 and Komodo11.01 give Capablanca an averaged advantage of +25.5, which should make for a tense second game.

Game Two

Vladimir Kramnik - José Capablanca

QGD Orthodox

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5

Capablanca preferred this over 3...b6 by 25 games to 20.

4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bg5

Kramnik has played this and 5.cxd5 four times each, scoring 75% in both cases, but recording a much better rating performance with the text (+116 compared with +61 for 5.cxd5).

5...Be7

Kramnik has not faced 5...Be7 so this is far as we can go

The engines give Kramnik an averaged advantage of +37.5, meaning he wins the match with a score of +12.

Here is the updated tournament bracket.

Round of 16               Quarter-Finals
1. Steinitz
v----------------------------Carlsen
16. Carlsen (+102.5)

8.Tal (+8.5)
v----------------------------Tal
9.Petrosian

6. Botvinnik (+66)
v----------------------------Botvinnik
11. Fischer

13. Kasparov
v----------------------------Alekhine
4. Alekhine (+21.5)

3. Capablanca
v----------------------------Kramnik
14. Kramnik (+12)

5. Euwe
v--------------------------
12. Karpov

7. Smyslov
v--------------------------
10. Spassky

15. Anand
v--------------------------
2. Lasker

Tough Tussle

TURNED out for Battersea 2 last night on board six against Wanstead & Woodford in division two of the London League.
Spanton (168) - Steven Rix (175)
Spanish Four Knights
1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3
International Master John Cox reckons (Starting Out: Alekhine's Defence, Everyman 2004) he faces 2.Nc3 "in over 50% of my games with the Alekhine." Cox was 'only' an FM when he wrote that, but if 2.Nc3 is popular at his level, you can understand why it does not come as a surprise to anyone at club level.
2...e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bb5 d6
This is more popular, at least in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database, than Rubinstein's famous 4...Nd4.
5.d4 exd4 6.Nxd4 Bd7
This position could also arise from the Steinitz Defence, and is classified as such by ChessBase.
7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1 Nxd4
This common freeing manoeuvre brings the white queen to a central square, but is considered worth it because Black's position has more pieces than his pawn-structure can comfortably cope with.
9.Qxd4 0-0 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4
11.Bxf6!? would be a novelty, or at least is not in Mega19. The idea is to follow-up with 11..Bxf6 12.e5, but the retreat 12...Be7 seems fine for Black.
11...a6?!
Hoping for 12.Ba4?? b5 13.Bb3 c5 and 14...c4 - a version of Noah's Ark trap. More solid was 11...Bxb5, an exchange that is often played as part of Black's freeing manoeuvre begun with 8...Nxd4.
12.Bxd7 Nxd7
Better than 12...Qxd7? 13.e5.
13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nd5 Qd8
And this is better than 14...Qe5 15.Qxe5 dxe5 16.Rad1, according to Stockfish10 and Komodo10. In this line, 15...Nxe5 16.Re2 gives White the upper hand, according to Stockfish10, although it does not seem so clear to me or Komodo10.
15.Rad1 Ne5 16.Re3 Nc6 17.Qc3 Kh8 18.Rg3 f6
I expected the less-committal 18...Rg8, but the engines prefer the text.
19.Nf4 Rg8 20.Ng6+ Kh7 21.f4
Taking the e5 square from Black's knight. During the game I thought my position was overwhelming, but it is not.
21...Qe8!?
The engines' choice - at least at first. I planned to meet 21...Ne7, which Stockfish10 comes to narrowly prefer, with 22.Nh4, when White has a small edge, but, it seems, nothing more.
22.Re1
Not 22.e5? dxe5 23.Qd3? e4.
22...Rad8 23.a3
Taking the b4 square from the black knight. I rejected 23.Qd3, trying for an improved version of the previous note, because of 23...Nb4?!, missing the strength of 24.Qb3. However, Black is holding on with 23...Ne7.
23...Qf7 24.Qd3 Rge8 25.Nh4 Kh8 26.Nf5 Rg8 27.Rh3 Ne7

How should White proceed?

*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
28.Nd4?!
Aiming for the e6 square in the mistaken belief my position was, if not overwhelming, at least strong. But this is probably not so, and maybe I should have settled for approximate equality with 28.Nxe7. The engines give the sharp line 28.Qb3 d5!? 29.Qxb7 Nxf5 30.exf5 Rde8 31.Rxe8 Qxe8 32.Qxa6 Qe1+ 33.Qf1 Qd2, when they reckon Black has full compensation for his two-pawn deficit. The line is not forced, and there are interesting alternatives along the way, eg 31.Rhe3, but generally Black seems to be very close to equality.
28...c5!
Thwarting White's plan in the realisation that the backward d pawn Black gets is not as weak as it looks.
29.Nf3 Nc6?!
Better is 29...Ng6 or 29...Rge8, pressurising White's centre.
30.c4?
Fixing the d pawn, but better was 30.Qd5 as 30...Qxd5? (Black should avoid this capture) 31.exd5 leaves White with a substantial advantage thanks to controlling the open file.
30...Rd7!?
I missed the point of this move, which becomes clear with Black's next. However, the engines prefer 30...Rge8 with what they reckon is a completely equal position.
31.Kh1!?
Planning g4 followed by g5 etc, and if …Qg6, then Rg1. The engines hate the idea at first but come to quite like it if given enough time.
31...Rb8
Showing the point of 30...Rd7!?, but the engines still prefer ...Re8.
32.a4
This is OK, but I should not have been spooked out of the consistent 32.g4.
32...Na7?
Determined to get in ...b5, but this decentralising move is a mistake. The engines still recommend ...Re8, with equality, but ...b5 was possible immediately, eg 32...b5!? 33.axb5 axb5 34.cxb5 c4 and ...Rxb5.
33.Nd2?
"Passive" flashed through my head, and I should have paid attention and found something more active. Both 33.g4 and 33.Nh4 give White an edge.
33...b5 34.axb5 axb5 35.b3 bxc4 36.Nxc4 Nb5 37.Rb1?
More passivity. The engines give 37.Rhe3 d5 38.exd5 Rxd5 39.Qb1 with a slight edge for Black.
37...d5 38.Na5 dxe4 39.Qxe4 Qd5?
Letting White off the hook. White's pieces are discoordinated, and his weaknesses (b3 and the back rank) are best exploited by keeping queens on. Black is winning, according to the engines, after 39...Re7, eg 40.Qc4 Qe8 41.Qf1 (41.Rf3? Na3) Ra8 42.Nc4 Nd4 43.Rd3 Ra2 44.Rd2 Rxd2 45.Nxd2 Re2.
40.Qxd5 Rxd5 41.Re3 Nd4 42.Kg1 Rb5 43.Nc4 Rb4 44.Kf2!?
Best, according to the engines, even though it loses a pawn.
44...Nxb3 45.Rbxb3 Rxc4 46.Re7??
Hoping to double rooks on the seventh rank. But Black is never going to allow this, and anyway the f4 pawn is en prise. Correct is 46.Kf3, with drawing chances.
46...Rxf4+ 47.Kg3 Rb4 48.Rc3 Rg5+ 49.Kf3 Rf5+ 50.Ke3 Rb2 51.g4 Re5+??
Almost any other move with this rook wins.
52.Rxe5 fxe5 53.Rxc5 Rxh2 54.Rxe5 Kh7 ½–½
My updated Battersea statistics for 2019-20
Event*..Colour...Grade...Opponent's Grade...Result
CLL..…...B....…..168...………169...……….....W
CLL...…..B...…...168...………196...…………..D
CLL...…..W...…..168...………176...…………..L
LL....……W...…..168...…....…175...………….D
Overall this season for Battersea I have scored +1=2-1 for a grading performance of 179.
In season 2018-19 I scored +12=12-13 for a grading performance of 169.
In season 2017-18 I scored +10=8-9 for a grading performance of 175.
*CLL: Central London League; LL: London League

British Chess Championships 50+ Seniors Round 5

Alan Brusey (2054/181) - Spanton (1900/168)
Spanish Four Knights
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 d6 7.Nce2
Overwhelmingly more popular is 7.Bg5, but the text is preferred by Stockfish10 and Komodo9, and has been played by strong players including Anand, Ivanchuk and Wei.
7...Qe7!?
The copycat 7...Ne7 and the aggressive 7...Bg4 are normal. The text, in conjunction with Black's next move, offers a pawn.
8.c3 Ba5 9.b4
White can win a pawn with 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Qa4 Bb6 11.Qxc6, but Black's bishop-pair and development-lead offer good compensation.
9...Bb6 10.a4 a6 11.Bc4 Be6 12.Bxe6 fxe6 13.Bxe3 Bxe3 14.fxe3 Ng4 15.Qd2 Qf6?
I thought I was getting a kingside initiative as 16.Nfd4?? loses to 16...Qh6, but White has a simple intermezzo.
16.h3 Nh6 17.Nfd4 Qg6 18.Nxc6 bxc6 19.Rxf8+
Simplification favours White, thanks to Black's queenside weaknesses; only Black has hopes of a kingside attack.
19...Rxf8 20.Rf1!?
The engines, especially Stockfish10, reckon this gives White a nice edge, but after the second pair of rooks is exchanged, White has to bear in mind that Black will be able to gain a tempo at will with a check on the f file.
20...Rxf1+ 21.Kxf1 d5

How should White meet Black's threat to capture on e4?

*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
22.exd5
Obvious, but the engines give 22.a5! The point is that 22...dxe4 23.d4 leaves Black with SIX isolated pawns. Black can dissolve one with 23...exd4, but 24.Qxd4 gives Black a miserable position despite his pawn-plus.
22...exd5 23.d4
The engines suggest 23.e4!?, but after 23...dxe4 24.dxe4 Qxe4 25.Qd8+ Kf7 26.Qxc7+ Kg6, the vulnerability of White's king makes a draw very likely.
23...Qb1+ 24.Qc1 Qd3 25.Kf2 Nf5 26.dxe5 Nh4?!
26...Qe4 gives simple equality, but I was getting greedy.
27.Nd4 Qe4 28.Qf1
28.Nf3 Nxf3 29.gxf3 Qxe5 is dead-equal.
28...Nf5 29.Qe2 Qxe5 30.Qf3
30.Kg1! offers the e pawn, but accepting is dubious as 30...Qe3+ 31.Qxe3 Nxe3 32.Nxc6 exposes Black's queenside weaknesses. So instead the engines give 30...Nxd4 31.cxd4 with what they reckon is a slight advantage for White.
30...Nxd4
I rejected the engines' 30...Nd6 because of 31.Nxc6, but after 31...Ne4+ 32.Kg1 the engines point out 32...Qd6 or 32...Qxe8, in either case with 33...Nxc3 to follow.
31.exd4 Qg5 32.Qe2
Threatening 33.Qxa6 and, more to the point, 33.Qe8#
32...h6 33.g4!?
Not what one would expect in such a position, but the mutually exposed kings means a draw is inevitable (barring a blunder).
The remaining moves were:
33...Qf4+ 34.Kg2 Kh7 35.Qf3 Qd2+ 36.Kg3 Qe1+ 37.Kg2 Qd2+ 38.Kf1 Qc1+ 39.Kg2 Qd2+ 40.Kg3 Qe1+ 41.Kg2 Qd2+ ½–½

New York Giants

CONTINUING to go through Tartakower and du Mont's 500 Master Games Of Chess, I have reached a game played in the final of the first American Chess Congress, held in New York in 1857.
This event was organised as a series of knockout matches that happily ended with a final between the two strongest players, Paul Morphy and Louis Paulsen.
Both had been unbeaten in reaching the final, with each conceding just a single draw against their semi-final opponents.
According to Bill Wall's chess trivia, it cost $10 to play in the tournament, with an admission fee for spectators of $5.
These are much larger sums than they may seem at first sight. According to the Measuring Worth website, $10 in 1857 is worth almost $300 today if comparing consumer prices, and an eye-watering $4,000+ if comparing average incomes.
Notes in italics are algebraicised from 500 Master Games Of Chess.
Paulsen - Morphy
Spanish Four Knights
Although this game is adorned by one of the most famous queen sacrifices in the literature of the game, it also illustrates quite a number of additional tactical and strategic points; a temporary sacrifice, operations on open files, exploitation of a hole (d3), breaking up of the king's defences, irruption on the seventh rank, etc. Historically, this game spread Morphy's fame to Europe and presaged his coming triumphs in the old world.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3
A forerunner of the modern style, Louis Paulsen prefers a quiet and solid opening, whereas the general tendency of his time was to play the gambits - King's, Scotch, Evans, etc.
3...Nf6 4.Bb5
The Spanish Four Knights, the most scientific of all. Playable also is 4.Bc4, the Italian, and 4.d4, the Scotch Four Knights. Less pugnacious is the restricted development 4.Be2, and Gunsberg's 4.a3, which is best answered by 4...Bc5, claiming the initiative.
4...Bc5
A more stimulating reply than the symmetrical 4...Bb4.
"Rubinstein's" 4...Nd4!? was apparently first played by Emil Schallopp in 1881 in a loss to … Paulsen.
5.0-0
This continuation, storing up energy, is better than hitting out at once with 5.Nxe5 (5...Nxe5 6.d4) or than 5.d3, renouncing any offensive in the centre.
5...0-0
After the more timid 5...d6, the initiative for a long time to come remains with White after 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Nf5 0-0 9.Bg5 etc.
Paulsen beat Zukertort with this line in 1877.
6.Nxe5
This temporary sacrifice (6...Nxe5 7.d4) is not without risks for White, as his great adversary immediately tries to demonstrate. After 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Nxe5 Re8 8.Nd3 Bd4 etc, the game has lost some of its plasticity, and after 6.d3 d6 7.Bg5 Ne7 etc, leads to a slowing down of operations.
6...Re8
Aiming at the full development of his forces. After 6...Bd4 7.Nf3 Bxc3 8.dxc3 Nxe4 9.Re1 d5 10.c4 Nf6 11.Bg5, White has command of the central files. If 6...Nd4, 7.Bc4.
7.Nxc6
A careful defence is 7.Nf3 Nxe4 8.d4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Bf8, and the position tends to equality.
7...dxc6 8.Bc4
An immediate and full retreat shows more prudence by 8.Be2 Nxe4 9.Nxe4 Rxe4 10.d3 Re8 11.c3 with 12.d4 to follow.
8.Be2 is not in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database, but is the choice of both Stockfish10 and Komodo9.
8...b5
Not yet 8...Nxe4 on account of 9.Nxe4 Rxe4 10.Bxf7+, for if 10...Kxf7, 11.Qf3+ followed by queen takes rook.
An interesting idea here is 8...Ng4 with 9.h3 Nxf2 10.Bxf7+ Kh8, and Black has the last word.
9.Be2 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 Rxe4 11.Bf3
He is hypnotised by Black's weakness at c6. More self-control is shown by 11.d3 Re6 12.c3, to be followed by 13.d4.
11...Re6 12.c3
An error of judgment. He underrates the dangers of the hole at d3. After 12.d3, White's game could be defended.
12...Qd3 13.b4?!
The engines reckon White is fine if he takes immediate steps to evict Black's queen, eg 13. Re1 Rxe1+ 13.Qxe1 Bd7 14.Qf1.
13...Bb6 14.a4?!
A clever plan. Beaten in the first skirmish, White wants to make up leeway in the second, and to release, by turning manoeuvres, the pressure established by Black's queen.
Despite Tartakower's words, Re1 again seems to be better.
14...bax4
Necessary because of the threat 15.a5. If 14...a6, 15.axb5 Qxb5 (evidently not 15...axb5, nor 15...cxb5), 16.d4, breaking the charm.
15.Qxa4 Bd7?
A mistake that allows White a chance, which he misses, to break the bind. Correct was 15...Bb7, covering both c6 and a6.
16.Ra2?
Intending 16.Qc2, but the immediate opposition of the queen by Qa6 is essential.
16...Rae8
A crushing concentration (threat: 17...Qxf1+).
17.Qa6
Too late.

White's queen prevents Black sacing on f1, but ...

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17...Qxf3!!
A splendid sacrifice of the queen, which breaks the hostile king's defence.
18.gxf3 Rg6+ 19.Kh1 Bh3 20.Rd1?
Clearly neither 20.d4 Bg2+ 21.Kg1 Bxf3# [this should read 21...Bxf3+ 22.Bg5 Rxg5#], nor 20.Rg1 Bg7+ 21.Rxg2 Re1+, followed by mate in two. Relatively better would have been 20.Qd3.
Morphy apparently spent 30 minutes over his 17th move, and it may well be a large portion of that time was spent on how to meet 20.Qd3.

Black to play and win after the variation 20.Qd3

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If 20.Qd3, the engines give 20...f5!, the idea being to stop the queen from sacrificing itself for the rook on g6, as 20...Bg2+? 21.Kg1 Bxf3+ fails to 22.Qxg6. After 22...hxg6, Black would have the bishop-pair and a pawn for the exchange, but 23.d3 would prevent Black's rook transferring to the g file, and White's superior pawn-structure would give him the advantage.
After 20.Rd1?, the game continued:
20...Bg2+ 21.Kg1 Bxf3+ 22.Kf1 Bg2+
Morphy has his whole plan cut and dried in his mind. Another method is 22...Rg2, with a view to ...Rxh2 and ...Rh1#.
23.Kg1 Bh3+
This wins very easily, but the engines point out a quicker finish, ie 23...Be4+ 24.Kf1 Bf5 etc.
24.Kh1 Bxf2 25.Qf1
The only chance of prolonging the game for a little while.
25...Bxf1 26.Rxf1 Re2 27.Ra1 Rh6 28.d4 Be3+ 0-1