4NCL - Day Two

PLAYED on board two (of six) for Wessex B against FCPL-UK* in Division Four of the Four Nations Chess League today.

Francis Sagyaman (2098 ECF/1995 Fide) - Spanton (1889 ECF/1941 Fide)

French Advance

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Bd7 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Be2 Bb5!?

This is the point of Black's move-order - to exchange light-square bishops.

7.0-0 Bxe2 8.Qxe2 Qa6!?

This is the commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database. The problem with the almost-as-popular 8...Nc6?! is that, after 9.dxc5!? Bxc5 10.b4, Black's dark-square bishop is kicked back to f8 or to the square the king's knight wants to use, e7.

9.Qe3

The main move is 9.Qd1, but the text has also been played by grandmasters.

How should Black proceed?

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9...cxd4

This comes to be Stockfish17.1's top choice, at least for a while. Both Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 also like 9...Nh6, and if 10.dxc5 then simply 10...Nf5 followed by 11...Bxc5. The engines strongly dislike 9...c4?!, presumably because it takes pressure off the centre, leaving White with more-or-less a free hand on the kingside, which is where the black king should probably go.

10.cxd4 Nc6 11.Nc3 Nge7

11...Nb4 can be comfortably met by 11...Rb1 or the engines' 11...Qd2!?

12.Rd1 Nf5 13.Qf4 h5?

Missing a simple tactical point. The engines suggest 13...Qc4 or 13...Nce7!?

14.Nxd5! exd5?!

Probably better is 14...0-0-0.

15.Qxf5

How big is White's advantage?

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White is a pawn up, is better developed and has much the safer king, adding up to the equivalent of being about a minor piece ahead, according to the engines.

15...Ne7!?

Retrograde, but the engines reckon it is the best move available.

16.Qb1!? Rc8 17.Bg5 Qg6 18.Rd3!

The engines like this - with Black having problems completing development and getting the king to safety, it makes sense to keep queens on.
18...f6!?

Risky, but perhaps worth it to create complications to try to change the course of the game.

19.Bf4 Qg4 20.exf6 gxf6 21.Bg3 Bh6 22.Rc3 Kf7

Perhaps 22...0-0 is better.

23.h3 Qe4 24.Qf1!?

Not 24.Qxe4? as after 24...dxe4 Black is at least equal, according to the engines.

24...Rxc3 25.bxc3 Rc8?

Active, but it ignores the weakness of Black's queenside. The engines suggest 25...Qe6, 25...Qc2 or 25...a6.

26.Re1 Qc2 27.Qb5

The engines reckon White's advantage is now worth more than a rook

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27...Qxc3 28.Qxb7 Bf8 29.Bd6 Re8 30.Bxe7 Rxe7 31.Qxd5+ Kg7 32.Rxe7+ Bxe7 33.Qe6 Qc7 34.g3 Bd6 35.Nh4!? Qc1+

Not 35...Bxg3? 36.Nf5+ etc.

36.Kg2 Ba3 37.Qd7+ Kh6 38.Qe8 Qb1 39.Qh8+ Qh7 40.Qxf6+ 1-0

FCPL-UK won the match 5-1.
*FCPL apparently stands for Filipino Chess Players League.

Calvià Round Seven

FACED  a junior (born 2008).

Antonio Mehmedov (1780) - Spanton (1941)

French Advance

1.e4 e6 2.d5 d5 3.e5!?

This move has an iffy reputation in some quarters, but it is liked by Stockfish17 and Dragon1, although they come to marginally prefer 3.Nc3.

3...c5 4.c3 Bd7!?

This could be a harmless transposition to main lines, but can also have independent significance.

5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 Bb5!?

Seeking to swop bad bishop for good.

How should White respond?

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7.0-0

This is the commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, and it is Dragon1's top choice, but Stockfish17 suggests 7.dxc5!? Bxc4 8.b4, and Dragon1 comes to agree. Best play, according to the engines, runs 8...Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Bf8!? 10.0-0, when they claim a slight edge for White.

7...Bxd3 8.Qxd3 Nc6 9.Nbd2

The engines like 9.dxc5!?, when 9...Bxc5 10.b4 Bf8 reaches the same position as in the previous note, if Black had there continued 10...Nc6.

9...cxd4 10.cxd4 Nge7 11.Nb3 a5 12.a4!?

This may be a novelty, and is slightly preferred by the engines over the known 12.Be3.

12...Nb4 13.Qd1 Rc8

How should White proceed?

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14.Bd2?

The engines suggest 14.Rb1!? or 14.Ne1. Dragon1 comes to quite like 14.Nc5, but prefers Black after 14...Nf5, when threats include ...Nxd4.

14...Nc2 15.Bxa5?

White should acquiesce to the loss of a pawn after 15.Rc1 Qxb3 16.Bc3 Qxa4 17.Ne1, or give up the exchange for a pawn by 15.Nxa5 Nxa1 16.Qxa1.

15...Qxb3 16.Rc1 Qxa4

Even stronger is 16...Qxb2, according to the engines.

17.Bc3 b5

The c2 knight can be rescued, or at least given up along with the b pawn for the white bishop.

18.Qxc2 Qxc2 19.Rxc2 b4 20.Ra1 bxc3 21.bxc3 Ng6 22.Ra7 Be7 23.Kf1 0-0 24.Ke2 Ra8 25.Rb7 Rfb8 26.Rd7?

The rook gets trapped after this, but exchanging on b8 leaves White in a more-or-less hopeless position, down a bishop for a pawn.

26...Kf8 27.g3 Ke8 0-1

4NCL Final Weekend: Game Two

PLAYED on board two (of six) for Wessex B against She Plays To Win Falcons in division four of the Four Nations Chess League this afternoon.

Jane Scott (1650 ECF/1640 Fide) - Spanton (1976 ECF/1937 Fide)

French Advance

1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.e5 Bd7 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 Bb5!? 7.dxc5!?

The main move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database is 7.0-0, but the text scores 16 percentage points better, and is preferred by Stockfish17 and Dragon1.

7...Bxc5 8.b4!?

How should Black proceed?

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8...Bxf2+?

The main line in Mega25 runs 8...Bxd3 9.Qxd3 (9.dxc5? Qa6) Bf8!? 10.0-0, when White is slightly better, according to the engines.

9.Ke2

Not 9.Kf1? Bxd3+ 10.Qxd3 Nh6!? 11.Bxh6 gxh6 as the bishop escapes, or Black gets plenty of compensation for it, eg 12.Ke2 Rg8!? 13.g3 a5 14.Rf1 Bxg3 15.hxg3 axb4.

9...Bxd3+ 10.Qxd3 Nc6 11.Rf1 Bh4!?

Four other moves are known, but this apparent-novelty is the engines' top choice, albeit they reckon White is winning.

12.Nxh4 Nxe5 13.Be3 Qc6 14.Qd4 f6 15.Qc5

The engines prefer 15.Kf2 or 15.a4.

15...Qa6+ 16.b5

Forced, as both 16.Kf2?? and 16.Ke1?? allow the knight fork 16...Nd3+.

16...Qa4 17.Nf3 Qc2+

The engines much prefer 17...b6!? 18.Qb4 Qxb4 19.Nc4, claiming White 'only' has the upper hand.

18.Nbd2 Qd3+ 19.Kd1?!

Not 19.Kf2?? Ng4+ etc, but the engines reckon 19.Ke1 is best.

19...Nc4 20.Bg1

What should Black play?

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20...Qxc3?!

This lets the white king get out of danger, whereas 20...e5! keeps the white king on the back rank and takes the d4 square away from the white queen. The engines reckon 21.Ke1!? then gives White the upper hand, but the position remains tricky.

21.Qd4

The engines reckon 21.Ke2!? is best, but also like 21.Rc1!?

21...Qa3

Stockfish17 gives 21...Qxd4 22.Nxd4 Nxd2 23.Kxd3 Kd7, claiming White has 'only' the upper hand, while Dragon1 suggests 21...Qb4 22.Rb1 Qa4+ 23.Ke2, albeit claiming White is winning.

How should White proceed?

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22.Nxc4!

Opening lines to the white king, albeit while grabbing a pawn and swoping off a dangerous piece, looks strange, but the engines come to agree it is the best move.

22...dxc4 23.Qxc4 Rd8+ 24.Kc2 Ne7

This seems best, even though it allows:

25.Bc5

Objectively Black's best continuation, according to the engines, is 25....Rc8, but after 26.Bxa3 Rxc4+ 27.Kb3 White's extra piece should tell without much difficulty.

25...Qa5!? 26.Bxe7

This is good enough for a win, but even stronger are 26.Rae1 and 26.Qxe6, according to the engines.

26...Kxe7 27.Qc5+ Kf7

27...Rd6!? sets a nice trap, ie 28.Rfd1 Rc8!! 29.Qxc8 Qa4+ gives Black a perpetual. However 28.a4! wins.

28.Ne5+ Ke8 29.Nc4 Qa4+ 30.Kb2

The engines prefer 30.Kc3.

30...Kf7

The engines' 30...Rd5!? probably gives better chances. They reckon White has to find 31.Qc8+ Kf7 32.Qc7+, winning after both 32...Kg6 33.Qg3+ Rg5 34.Qd3+ Kh6 35.Rad1! (the key is that the white king will be safe on a1) and 32...Kg8 33.Rad1!, eg 33...Rxd1 34.Qc8+ Kf7 35.Ne5+ Ke7 36.Qxb7+ Ke8 37.Qc6+ Ke7 38.Qc7+ Ke8 39.Rxd1 Qxd1 40.Qc8+ Ke7 41.Qb7+ Ke8 42.Qa8+ Ke7 43.Qxa7+ Ke8 44.Qb8+ Ke7 45.Qc7+ Ke8 46.Nc6 (Black has no perpetual).

31.Nd6+!? Rxd6!?

The best try.

What should White play?

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32.Qc7+!

Not 32.Qxd6? as Black wins after 32...Qxb5+ 33.Ka3 Qa5+ and 34....Rd8.

32...Kg6 33.Qxd6 Qxb5+ 34.Ka3 Qa5+ 35.Kb3 Rd8

The same idea as in the previous note, but Black is losing as the white queen has a saving check.

36.Qg3+ Kf7 37.Rad1 Qb5+ 38.Ka3 Rc8 39.Qb3 Qa5+ 40.Kb2 Qe5+ 41.Kb1 Qe4+ 42.Rd3!? Rc4

Or 42...Qxg2 43.Rd7+ (43.Re1 is also very strong) Kf8 44.Rfd1 etc.

43.Ka1 Rb4 44.Qc2 Qe5+ 45.Qc3 Qa5 46.Rd7+ 1-0

She Plays To Win Falcons won the match 4-2.

London League Weekender Game Two

Yashvardhan Veeturi (1658 ECF/1426 Fide) - Spanton (1959 ECF/1824 Fide)

French Advance

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Bd7 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.a3!?

This is Komodo14.1's top choice. Stockfish15.1 prefers the most-popular continuation, 6.Be2.

6...Bb5!?

This is the point of Black's move-order: to exchange the bad light-square bishop for White's good light-square bishop.

7.Bd3 Bxd3 8.Qxd3 c4 9.Qc2 Nc6 10.Nbd2!? Nge7 11.Rb1 Ng6 12.b3 cxb3 13.Rxb3 Qa6!?

How would you assess this position?

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White has more space in the centre and has pressure down the b file, but will have difficulties castling. Black has the better bishop and targets at c3 and a3. The engines reckon Black is slightly better.

14.c4 Na5?!

The engines agree Black remains better after  14...dxc4!? and 14...Nh4!?

15.Rc3 dxc4 16.Nxc4 Nxc4 17.Rxc4 Be7 18.0-0 0-0 19.Bb2 Nf4 20.Re1?!

Almost certainly better is keeping control of the c file with 20.Rc1.

20...b6

Black has the advantage after this, but best is 20...b5!, the idea being to meet 21.Rc6 with 21...Rfc8!, one point being 22.Rc1? fails to 22...Ne2+.

21.Rc1 Rfd8 22.g3 Nd5 23.h4 h6 24.Nd2 Qb7 25.Nf1 a6 26.Ne3!? Nxe3?!

White is at least equal after this. The engines suggest 26...a5 or 26...Bf8.

27.fxe3 Qf3 28.Qf2 Qxf2+ 29.Kxf2

How would you assess this late-middlegame?

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The engines reckon White's control of the open file and extra space more than compensate for Black having the better bishop and a farside pawn-majority.

29...Rd7 30.h5 Kf8 31.Rc6 Rb8 32.Ke2 Ke8 33.Kd3 Rdb7 34.g4 Kd7 35.Ke4?!

White has the upper hand after 35.e4, according to the engines.

35...a5

The engines reckon 35...Bc5! 36.d5 is equal.

36.d5 exd5+ 37.Kxd5 Bc5

How should White proceed?

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38.e4?!

Strong is 38.e6+ fxe6 39.Rxe6, eg 39...Rd8 40.Rg6 Rxe3 41.Rxg7+ Re7 42.g5!?

38...Ke7 39.e6 Rd8+ 40.Ke5?

The game is completely equal after 40.Kc4, according to the engines.

Black to play and win

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40...f6+?

Black wins the exchange with 40...Bd6+ as 41.Kf5? loses to 41...g6+! 42.hxg6 fxe6#.

41.Kf5 Rd2 42.Bc3 Rf2+ 43.Kg6 Rg2 44.Kf5 Rf2+ 45.Kg6 Rf4?! 46.Kxg7

Very strong is the engines' 46.g5!, eg 46...Rg4 47.Bd2 Bxa3 48.Rf1 with Kxg7 to come.

46...Rxg4+ 47.Kxh6??

White is very much still in the game after 47.Kh8.

47...Be3+ 48.Kh7 Kf8 49.Kh8 Rg8#

Lessons From Fagernes

MY round-one game at Fagernes began 1.e4 e6 2.d4 de5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Bd7 5.Nf3 Qb6!?

How should White respond to the black plan of playing ...Bb5, the idea being to swop the bad black light-square bishop for its good white counterpart?

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The game saw 6.Qb3!?, which cuts across Black's plan of exchanging bishops. However, after 6...Qxb3!? 7.axb3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Be3 Bxd4!? 10.Bxd4 Nc6 Black has equalised, according to Stockfish15.1 and Komodo14.1.

The engines reckon even more convincing for Black is 6...f6!?, which does not appear in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, a sample line running 7.exf6 Nxf6 8.Na3!? Qc7!? 10.Nb5 Qd8!?, after which Stockfish15.1 gives Black a slight edge, although Komodo14.1 reckons the position is equal.

Going back to the diagram, the most-popular move in Mega23 is 6.Be2!?, effectively ignoring Black's exchanging-bishops plan, or at least not being worried about it.

The mainline continues 6...Bb5 7.0-0 Bxe2 8.Qxe2.

Position after 8.Qxe2

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Black has carried out the plan, but it has cost time, leaving White ahead on development. Komdodo14.1 reckons White is slightly better, although Stockfish15.1 flips between agreeing with that verdict and calling the position equal.

LESSON: just because an opponent's plan is transparently obvious, it does not follow that the plan should be foiled. It may be natural to do so, but most strong players who have reached the position after 5...Qb6!? have decided (rightly, according to the engines) Black should be allowed to get on with it.

Fagernes Game One

Leiv Ove Bollestad (1401) - Spanton (1806)

French Advance

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Bd7 5.Nf3 Qb6!?

The main idea behind this move is to bring about a swop of Black's bad light-square bishop for White's good light-square bishop.

How should White react?

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6.Qb3!?

A rare response, but one that has been tried by grandmasters. The most-popular moves in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database are 6.Be2 and 6.a3, eg 6.Be2 Bb5 7.0-0 Bxe2 8.Qxe2 Qa6!? 9.Qd1!? with a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish15.1 and Komodo14.1, or 6.a3 Bb5 7.c4!? Bxc4 8.Bxc4 dxc4 9.d5!? with an unclear position that the engines reckon is about equal.

6...Qxb3!?

Swopping queens in this type of position is often regarded as questionable as the opponent gets pressure down the a file, and the a pawn becomes a more-influential b pawn, these factors being regarded as of greater significance than the doubling of pawns.  However, here it seems a reasonable move, although the engines prefer 6...Nc6 or 6...f6!?

7.axb3 cxd4 8.Nxd4

The engines reckon 8.cxd4!? leaves Black better.

8...Bc5 9.Be3

The engines reckon 9.Nb5!? Bxb5 10.Bxb5+ may give White a pull, despite allowing Black to exchange the bad light-square bishop.

9...Bxd4!?

Swopping off a good bishop when you have a bad one is often a bad idea, but White was threatening, among other things, 10.Nxe6!?

How should White recapture?

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10.Bxd4

The engines reckon both recaptures give equality, although the resulting positions are somewhat different. After 10.cxd4, which is not in Mega23, one line runs 10...Nc6 11.Nc3 Nge7 12.Bd3 Nb4 13.Bb1 a6 14.0-0 Rc8 with a long manoeuvring game in prospect.

10...Bc6 11.f4

Austin Jacob Literatus (-) - Quang Long Le (2252), Association of Southeast Asian Nations U12 Championship (Huế, Vietnam) 2009, saw 11.b4 Nxd4 12.cxd4 Ne7 with maybe a slight edge for Black, according to the engines (but 1-0, 73 moves).

11...Nxd4 12.cxd4 Ne7 13.Nc3

The engines suggest 13.Na3, and if, as in the game, 13...Nf5, then 14.Nc2.

13...Nf5

What should White do about the awkward-to-defend d4 pawn?

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14.Nb5?!

White should probably have chosen from the passive moves 14.Ne2 and 14.Rd1, or 14.0-0-0, although none is entirely satisfactory.

14...Bxb5 15.Bxb5+ Kd7 16.Rd1?!

Probably better is 16.0-0-0, but Black has the better (I think) minor piece, the better queenside pawn-structure and an initiative.

16...Rac8

Can you find a defence for White?

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17.g3

The engines reckon best is 17.Kf2!?, but 17...Rc2+ is obviously strong. Note that 17.0-0?! will immediately lose the exchange after 17...Ne3.

17...Ne3 18.Kd2!?

Both 18.Ra1 and 18.Rb1 are met by 18...Nc2+.

18...Nxd1 19.Rxd1 Rc7 20.Bd3

White's position may look reasonably solid, but once Black opens files for the rooks the game will effectively be over

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20...h5 21.h4 f6 22.f5?!

This allows lines to be opened quicker.

The game finished:

22...fxe5 23.dxe5 Rf8 24.fxe6 Kxe6 25.Bg6 Rf3 26.Bxh5 Rxg3 27.Rf1 Rxb3 28.Bg4+ Kxe5 29.Rf5+ Kd6 30.Rg5 Rxb2+ 31.Kd3 a5 32.Rg6+ Kc5 33.Bd1 b5 34.Bc2 a4 35.Ra6 Rf7 36.Kc3 Ra2 37.Bd3? b4#

Championship Chess

PLAYED last night.

Hugo Bassa (no rating) - Spanton (2042 ECF)

Battersea Club Championship

French Advance (by transposition from the Sicilian Alapin)

1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6

The text trails 2...d6, 2...Nf6 and 2...d5 in terms of popularity in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.

3.d4 d5 4.e5

4.exd5 keeps the game in independent Sicilian Alapin lines, and was the choice of Semyon Alapin.

4...Bd7 5.Nf3 Qb6

The idea of Black's move-order is (usually) to follow with ...Bb5 and exchange light-square bishops.

6.Qb3!?

An unusual way of cutting across Black's plans, but one that has been played by grandmasters, although in Mega22 it only dates back to 1969. The main line runs 6.Be2 Bb5 7.0-0 Bxe2 8.Qxe2 Qa6!? (8...Nc6 is also popular) 9.Qd1!? with a position slightly favouring White, according to Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1.

6...Nc6 7.Na3!?

The engines like this and the somewhat-more popular 7.Qxb6.

How should Black proceed?

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7...cxd4

This is apparently a novelty. Komodo12.1.1 prefers 7...c4 8.Qxb6 axb6, claiming equality. Stockfish14.1 fluctuates between 7...Qxb3, 7...f6 and 7...Qc7, in each case also claiming equality.

8.Qxb6 axb6 9.Nb5

The game has transposed to a known position in which Vladimir Bondarenko (2315) - Leonid Totsky (2450), Moscow 1995, continued 9...Ra5 10.Nbd4, when White had the upper hand, according to Stockfish14.1, although Komodo12.1.1 is less enthusiastic about White's chances, and the game was drawn in 52 moves.

9...Rc8 10.Nbxd4 Nge7 11.Bf4

The engines prefer 11.Be3!? Ng6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 with a roughly level position.

11...Ng6 12.Bg3 Be7 13.Bd3 0-0 14.h4!? Nxd4 15.Nxd4!?

The engines reckon the text and 15.cxd4 and of about the same value.

15...Bc5

The engines prefer 15...f6 16.Nf3 Nxe5 17.Nxe5 fxe5 18.Bxe5, albeit giving White a slight edge.

16.h5 Ne7 17.h6 g6

How should White proceed?

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18.Nc2!?

I thought this very strange but, once played, it comes to be Komodo12.1.1's top choice, although Stockfish14.1 narrowly prefers 18.Nf3.

18...Nc6 19.b4?

This seriously weakens the queenside. The engines prefer 19.0-0-0, 19.Ne3 or 19.Be2!?

19...Be7 20.a3?

Too slow. Black has at most a slight edge after 20.0-0-0 or 20.f4, according to the engines.

20...Na7?

Not active enough. Black is positionally winning, according to Stockfish14.1 after 20...f6 21.f4 fxe5 22.fxe5 Bg5, although Komodo12.1.1 'only' gives Black the upper hand.

21.Kd2 Bb5

At last getting in the thematic move (see note to 5...Qb6)!

22.Nd4 Bxd3 23.Kxd3 Rc4 24.f4 Rfc8 25.Rhc1!?

I thought this was a mistake, and rather a crass one at that, but the engines disagree.

25...Bf8

What should White play?

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26.Be1

Stockfish14.1 reckons White has an edge after 26.Bf2!? Bxh6 27.g3 (Komodo12.1.1 rates the position as equal). The point seems to be White is better placed for play on both flanks, for example if it were White's move the engines reckon best-play would go 28.a4 g5 29.Be3 Nc6 30.Nxc6 R4xc6 31.Bd4 Kg7 (31...gaxf4 32.Rh1). A plausible continuation given by Stockfish14.1 runs 32.Ra2 Kg6 33.Rh1 Bg7 34.fxg5 Ra8 35.Rf1 with pressure. Bearing this in mind, the engines reckon Black should meet 27.g3 with 27...g5 28.Be3 Nc6, when Black is a tempo up on the previous line and seems fine.

The text is the engines' second-choice, but probably is inferior because it interferes with rook-play along the first rank.

26...Bxh6 27.Bd2 Bf8 28.g4!?

Presumably played to attempt to restrain ...h5, but the engines do not like it, preferring the consolidating 28.g3.

28...Nc6 29.Nc2?

Black has the upper hand after 29.Be3 g5!? 30.Nxc6 R8xc6 but White is still in the game, according to the engines.

29...Na7?!

Stronger seems to be the engines' 29...g5, eg 30.Re1 gxf4 31.Nd4 Bg7!? 32.Bxf4 Rxd4 33.cxd4 Rc2, when Black is a pawn up with a big initiative.

30.Ne3

This is better, according to the engines, than trying for repetition with 30.Nd4, when 30...Nc6 returns to the position - good for Black - after 28...Nc6. Black also has 30...g5!?

30...R4c6

Black is slightly better after 30...Re4!?, when ....g5 and ...Nc6 are both strong threats, according to the engines.

31.g5 h5 32.gxh6 Bxh6 33.Ng4 Bg7 34.a4

Black apparently has only one move to maintain equality

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34...Kf8?!

It seems 34...Rc4 may be necessary, when neither side can make progress, according to the engines.

35.Nf6?!

The engines give 35.Be3 Rc4 36.Nf6 Bxf6 37.exf6 Nc6 38.Rh1 Ke8 39.Rh8+ Kd7 40.Rxc8 Kxc8 41.b5 Nb8, when White has a lot of play for a pawn.

35...Ke7 36.Ng4 Rh8 37.Rh1 Rcc8?!

White seems only slightly better after 37...Rxh1 38.Rxh1 Rc4.

38.b5

This is good enough for equality, according to the engines, but promising is 38.Be3!?, after which Black's defensive task is very difficult, eg 38...Rxh1 39.Rxh1 Rc6 40.Bd4 Nc8 41.Ne3 followed by c4.

38...Rxh1 39.Rxh1 Rh8 40.Rxh8 Bxh8 41.c4 Nc8 42.cxd5 exd5 43.Ne3 Ke6 44.Kd4?!

White is equal after 44.Nc2, intending Nd4(+), according to the engines.

44...Ne7?!

Almost certainly stronger is 44...f6 45.exf6 Bxf6+.

45.Bb4 Nf5+ 46.Nxf5 gxf5 47.Bd6 f6 48.Bc7 fxe5+ 49.fxe5 Bg7 50.Bxb6 Bxe5+ 51.Kd3 Kd7

How should the game finish?

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52.a5?

This loses whereas almost any bishop move, eg 52.Be3, 52.Bf2 or 53.Ba5, draws, according to the engines.

52...Bc7 53.Bxc7 Kxc7 54.Kd4 f4 55.Kd3 Kd6 56.Ke2 d4 57.a6 bxa6 58.bxa6 Kc6 0-1

New & Improved Milner-Barry Gambit (conclusion)

THE position after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? is a rare bird.

Just 59 games reach it in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database, but early results are promising, with White scoring +31=6-22, which is a healthy 58%.

In 46 of the games whites had a rating which averaged at 2115, and they performed at 2164, ie +49pts.

Black players had a rating in 48 games, also averaging at 2115, and they performed at 2023, ie -92pts.

As I have detailed, strong players almost invariably play 7...Bd7 rather than immediately capturing on c3.

One point of their choice is that if White replies 8.cxd4, the game transposes into a regular Milner-Barry Gambit.

If White plays Jonny Hector's choice 8.Re1 or Magnus Carlsen's novelty 8.Nbd2!?, Black still has the option of capturing on c3.

Even at club level, players are well capable of finding 7...Bd7 - it occurs in 42 of the 59 games in Mega20.

There is much still to be learned about the New Milner-Barry.

The Cuban international master Osmel Garcia Carey, for example, has his own ideas about how to play the gambit, preferring to meet 7...Bd7 with 8.Kh1!?, while the Australian amateur Adrian Flitney likes 8.Qe2!?

For what it is worth, the analysis engine Stockfish12 does not approve of Garcia Carey's idea, but Komodo11.01 is fine with it.

Both engines reckon Flitney's move is playable, although in this case Komodo11.01 is slightly less keen than Stockfish12.

New & Improved Milner-Barry Gambit (part four)

AT high levels Black usually meets 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? with 7...Bd7.

But what happens if Black makes the white pawn-sac permanent by immediately capturing on c3?

There are seven games in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database that reach the position after 7...dxc3.

The bad news is White scores a pitiful +1=0-6, but the situation is not as bad as that implies - five of the whites were unrated and the other two were 1775 and 1638.

Further, two of the whites replied to 7...dxc3 with 8.Be3??, which loses on the spot to 8...cxb2.

To slightly redress the balance I want to start by looking at the one game in Mega20 that White won.

Veronika Buchkovska - Dariy Koval

Lviv (Ukraine) Winter Cup 2016

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? dxc3 8.Nxc3

The natural move, giving what John Watson at chesspublishing.com calls "obvious compensation."

Position after 8.Nc3

8...Bb4?!
Five games reach the position after 8.Nxc3 in Mega20, and Black has replied with five different moves (I will look at the alternatives below). The text develops the black dark-square bishop so it will not be shut in by ...Nge7, but the bishop invites harassment on b4.

9.Re1 Bc5?

Seeking to take advantage of White unprotecting f2, but the idea is flawed both positionally and tactically.

10.Qe2

Even stronger is 10.Na4! as 10...Bxf2+?? drops a piece to 11.Kf1.

10...Nd4?

The analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 show 10...Bd7! gives Black a reasonable game as 11.Na4 can be met by 11...Nd4 12.Nxd4 Bxa4.

11.Nxd4 Bxd4 12.Nb5 Bd7

Black can hardly defend the d6 square with 12...Bc5 as then 13.b4! Be7 (13...Bxb4 14.Rb1 etc) 14.Be3 Qd8 15.Rac1 is horrific.

13.Nd6+ Ke7 14.Qd2?!

Hardly subtle. The engines much prefer offering a rook with 14.b3!?, one point being that accepting the sacrifice with 14...Bxa1?! runs into 15.Ba3 with what seems a winning attack.

14...Bc5?!

Seeking to evict the troublesome knight, but apparently missing the main point of White's last move. Better is 14...f6, when 15.exf6+ Bxf6 (not 15...Kxd6? 16.Qf4+ e5 17.fxg7! exf4 18.Bxf4+ Kc5 19.Rac1+ Kb4 20.Bd2+ Ka4 21.Bc2+ Kb5 22.a4+ Kc6 23.Bd3+ Qc5 24.Rxc5+ Kxc5 25.b4+ Kc6 26.Bb5+ winning - a long but largely forced line) 16.Nb5 Bxb5 17.Qb4+ Kf7 18.Bxb5 leaves White with sufficient compensation for her pawn deficit.

15.Qg5+ f6??

Black had to play 15...Kf8, although the engines reckon White is better.

16.Qxg7+ (1-0, 23 moves).

That game was full of mistakes, but it does illustrate how play can get very tactical very quickly after 7...dxc3. Now here is the first game in Mega20 to feature 7...dxc3.

Carlos Utman - Luis Rojas Keim (2310)

Chilean Championship (Santiago) 1993

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? dxc3 8.Nxc3 a6?!

This protects the b5 square, which proved a major factor in Black's undoing in the last game, but it does nothing about Black's lag in development.

9.a3!?

White replies with equal slowness. Probably better is 9.Na4. Also possible is 9.Be3!? as 9...Qxb2 10.Na4 Qa3 11.Nb6 Rb8 12.Qc2 gives White great compensation for two pawns, according to the engines. A sample line continues 12...Nh6 (12...Qe7 13.Bxa6!) 13.Rab1 Be7 14.Rb3 Qa5 15.Rc1, when the engines cannot find a decent move for Black.

9...Nge7 10.h4!?

As a rule, h4 in this sort of position is less effective when Black can immediately reply ...Ng6 without fearing h5.

10...Ng6 11.Qe2 Nd4 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 13.h5 Nf4

Black can probably also get away with 13...Nxe5!?

14.Bb5+??

White had to play 14.Bxf4 Qxf4 15.Rac1 or 14.Qg4 Qxd3 13.Qxf4, with just-about enough compensation for a pawn in both cases, according to the engines.

14...axb5 15.Qxb5+ Bd7 (0-1, 33 moves).

Utman-Rojas Keim illustrates that both players need to develop quickly, ideally with threats. Black's probable minor-slip at move eight could have caused big problems. As it was, despite White playing seemingly sub-optimal moves, White still had a lot of compensation for being a pawn down.

In the next game Black gets on with development.

Oswaldo Caminos - Mario Guevara (2260)

San Salvador Championship 1995

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? dxc3 8.Nxc3 Bd7

This looks a sensible move.

9.Qe2

Preparing Be3. But the engines like an immediate 9.Be3!?, when 9...Qxb2?! 10.Nb5 Rc8 11.Re1 a6 (11..Nxe5 12.Rb1 Nxf3+ 13.Qxf3 with  a huge lead in development that is worth much more, according to the engines, than Black's extra pawns) 12.Rb1 Qxa2 13.Re2 Qa5 14.Bb6! wins the black queen. If 10...Kd8? then 11.Bc1 (11.Rb1 is also strong) Qb4 (11...Qxa1 12.Bg5+)  12.Rb1 with a huge attack.

Black should probably meet 9.Be3!?, according to the engines, with 9...Qd8, but White's compensation for a pawn is obvious.

9...Bc5?!

Probably better is 9...Nge7 or 9...Rc8.

10.Bf4?!

As in Buchkovska - Koval, White misses the chance to play 10.Na4!?, when 10...Qb4 11.Nxc5 Qxc5 12.Be3 gives White great compensation for a pawn, including the bishop-pair and Black being left with a bad bishop. Perhaps Caminos was put off by 10...Nd4 11.Nxd4 Bxa4, but the engines reckon 12.Qg4! Ne7 13.Nf3 gives White a very good game.

10...Nb4 11.Bb1?!

White probably should have settled for 11.Bb5 Bxb5 12.Nxb5 a6 13.Nd6+ Bxd6 14.exd6, which is a little unclear but probably better for Black.

11...d4!

Caminos must have missed the strength of this move.

12.a3

Or 12.Ne4 bb5.

12...dxc3 13.axb4 cxb2 14.Qxb2 Qxb4 15.Qxb4 Bxb4 16.Be4 Bc6 17.Bxc6+ bxc6 18.Rfb1 c5 19.Nd4?

The engines reckon White should have played 19.Bd2 Bxd2 20.Nxd2 with good chances of getting one pawn back, after which he will have some drawing chances.

19...Ne7 20.Nb5 Nd5 (0-1, 23 moves).

Caminos - Guevara again shows how the game can quickly get tactical after 7...dxc3. It also illustrates, in the notes rather than the game, White's thematic shots Be3!? and Na4.

The next game is another example of missed tactical opportunities in the New Milner-Barry Gambit.

Ole Overmark (1775) - Arun Vijay Cithu (1501)

Xtracon (Helsingør, Denmark) 2016

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? dxc3 8.Nxc3 f6?!

Again a non-developing move by Black, and again it is probably too slow, but White must react energetically.

9.exf6

The engines again like 9.Be3!?, when 9...Qxb2? 10.Nb5 is immediately winning, they reckon, eg 10...Kd8 11.Rb1 Qxa2 12.Ra1 Qb2 13.Bd2!? Nxe5 14.Bc3 Nxf3+ 15.Qxf3 Qb3 16.Rfb1, trapping the black queen.

So Black should probably retreat the queen with 9...Qd8, when best may be 10.Bb5!? (10.Qc2 also seems good) Bd7 11.Re1 Bb4 12.a3 Bxc3 13.bxc3 with what the engines reckon is more than enough compensation for a pawn. Note that 13...Nxe5? 14.Nxe5 Bxb5 fails to 15.Qh5+ etc.

9...Nxf6 10.Ng5?!

The engines reckon White is at least slightly better after 10.Bf4.

10...Be7?!

Probably better is 10...Bd6.

11.Re1

The engines give 11.Bxh7!, eg 11...Nxh7 12.Qh5+ Kd7 13.Nxe6!, when 13...Kxe6? 14.Qxd5+ is good for White, but even stronger seem to be 14.Re1+ and 14.Nxd5. Black could try 13...Nb4, to cover d5, but 14.Re1 and 14.Nxg7 seem good, eg 14.Re1 Ng5 (14...Nc2 15.Nxd5) 15.Qxh8 Nxe6, when material is approximately equal but White's attack continues.

11...e5?!

Black should return the pawn with 11...0-0 12.Nxe6 Bxe6 13.Rxe6 with a roughly equal game, according to the engines.

12.a3?

Capturing on h7 again works. The text is too slow.

12...0-0!?

This may be best, but it should lead to sharp play.

13.Na4?

The knight has no real follow-up, and in fact the move drives the black queen where it wants to go.

White could still play Bxh7+, eg 13.Bxh7+ Nxh7 14.Qxd5+ Kh8 15.Nf7+ Rxf7 16.Qxf7, when material is again roughly equal, but this time Black's king is much safer and the black pieces are much better coordinated. Stockfish12 gives Black the upper hand although Komodo11.01 reckons the black edge is a lot smaller.

13...Qc7?!

Almost certainly better is 13...Qd8, when Black is a pawn up, controls the centre and has no problems with king safety.

14.h3??

Again Bxh7+ was White's best chance.

14...h6 15.Nf3 e4 (0-1, 52 moves).

Overmark - Cithu once again shows the tactical nature of the New Milner-Barry Gambit. White must be alert for combinations, especially when Black fails to catch up in development.

The next game is a rating mis-match, but the 525-point underdog is not the first to make a dubious move.

Jordi Caixal Piqué (1638) - Sergio Romero Calduch (2163)

Salou (Spain) U2300 2018

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? dxc3 8.Nxc3 f5?!

Again a non-developing move, and again probably wrong.

9.Bxf5?!

9.exf6 would transpose to the previous game, while once again the engines like Be3.

The text is not as ridiculous as it may look at first sight, but it is almost certainly not best.

9...exf5 10.Nxd5 Qd8 11.Bg5?

Stockfish12 gives 11.Ng5 Nb4!? 12.Qa4+ Bd7 13.Qb3 Nxd5 14.Qxd5 Nh6 15.Qxb7 Qc8 16.Qf3 Bc6 17.Qh5+ g6 18.Qh3 f4 19.e6 with an unclear position but one that probably favours Black (Komodo11.01 is less sure).

Komodo11.01 gives 11.Qb3 Be6 12.Nf6+ gxf6 13.Qxe6+ Qe7 14.Qxf5 fxe5, but prefers Black.

After the text, White is busted.

11...Nge7 12.Bxe7

There is nothing better.

12...Nxe7!? 13.Nf4 Qxd1 14.Rfxd1 g6

Black has two bishops for knight and pawn, and no real worries about king safety (0-1, 27moves).

There are no games with 8...Nge7 in Mega20, but it is worth taking a quick look at it as ...Nge7 often features in games between strong players covered earlier in this series.

The engines like 9.Re1 and, once again, 9.Be3.

As usual, 9...Qxb2? fails to 10.Nb5.

So  the engines prefer 9...Qd8 10.Bg5 a6 with a sample line continuing 11.Rc1 h6 12.Be3, when White has more than enough for a pawn, according to Stcokfish12, but Komodo11.01 reckons the chances are equal.

The engines also quite like 9...Qa5!? 10.Rc1 Ng6, when Komodo11.01 reckons 11.Nb5 gives White a slight edge although Stockfish12 calls it even. Note that the e5 pawn is almost certainly poisoned, for example 11.h4 Ngxe5?! 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 13.Nb5 Bc6 14.Bf4 e5 15.Re1 f6 16.Qh5+ with a very strong attack.

New & Improved Milner-Barry Gambit (part three)

JONNY Hector last played the New Milner-Barry Gambit (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!?) in 2015, according to ChessBase's 2020 Mega database.

The reason it is again attracting attention is because Magnus Carlsen played it in September, and came up with a novelty on move eight.

Carlsen - Pentala Harikrishna

St Louis Rapid 2020

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? Bd7 8.Nbd2!?

Position after 8.Nbd2!?

This looks really weird. John Watson at chesspublishing.com compares the text with Jonny Hector's favoured 8.Re1, saying: "This [Re1] does seem to give White better attacking chances, if only because the combination of ...dxc3 and Nxc3 gives White’s knight dangerous prospects so Black has to either allow that or commit to less promising moves."

But you may recall from part two of this series that the analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 quite often like an early Nbd2, even though it means White cannot recapture on c3 with the queen's knight. Indeed, give them a little time and they come to like it at move eight at least as much as Re1.

8...Rc8

Clearly 8...dxc3 is critical. After the just-about compulsory reply 9.bxc3 (9.Nb3?! cxb2 10.Bxb2 looks like a poor version of the Danish Gambit), the engines give 9...Nge7 10.Nb3 Ng6 (they also like 10...Qc7) 11.Qe2 Be7 12.Rb1 0-0 (again they also like ...Qc7) 13.Nbd4 (Stockfish12 also likes 13.h4) Qc7 14.Re1 Rfc8!? 15.h4 with a position where they reckon White has more-or-less full compensation for a pawn. This needs tests, as grandmasters like to say - but will it get any at a high level?

9.Nb3 dxc3

The engines reckon alternatives are good for White, eg Stockfish12's main alternative line runs 9...Qc7 10.Re1 (10.cxd4 is also good, according to the engine) dxc3 (Stockfish12 reckons this is practically forced) 11.bxc3 Nge7 12.Rb1 with a slight edge for White despite being a pawn down. Komodo11.01 comes to also rate 9...Qc7 as the main alternative, but for a while prefers 9...Nge7, continuing 10.Nbxd4 Nxd4 11.Nxd4 Nc6 12.Nf3 with a slight edge for White in a materially equal position.

10.bxc3 Qc7 11.Re1 Nge7 12.h4

This is the move we have seen Hector play after Black plays ...Nge7. The main idea seems to be to discourage ...Ng6 as the black king's knight will later be hit by h5.

12...Ng6

Harikrishna plays it anyway as here White has to first protect e5 before being able to push the h pawn.

13.Qe2 Be7 14.h5 Ngxe5?!

Black will get three pawns for a knight, but that is not usually enough in a middlegame.

The engines give 14...Nh4, when 15.Nxh4 Bxh4 16.h6 g6 17.Ba3 Be7 18.Bxe7 Nxe7 19.Qe3 is unclear. Komodo11.01 wants for some time to continue with 19...Qxc3!?, but Stockfish12's 20.Rec1 Qb4 21.Rab1 gives White dangerous play, as Komodo11.01 comes to recognise.

15.Nxe5 Qxe5 16.Qxe5 Nxe5 17.Rxe5 Bf6 18.Re3 Rxc3 19.Rb1 d4 20.Rg3 0-0 21.Bb2 Rfc8!?

Now Harikrishna imaginatively offers the exchange. The engines agree this is Black's best shot, but they much prefer White.

22.Bxc3 dxc3

(The second time Black has played ...dxc3)

23.Rd1 Bc6 24.Bc2 Kf8

Black has just three pawns for a rook, but he has the bishop-pair on an open board and his material deficit is apparently not enough to resign at a rapid time-control even when facing the world champion.

25.Re3 b6 26.Nd4!?

Probably even stronger is 26.Bxh7 but Carlsen was presumably reluctant to risk unblockading the advanced c pawn in case he had missed something in his calculations.

26...Bd5 27.a4 g6 28.hxg6 hxg6 29.Nb5 Rc4?!

Seemingly stronger is the engines' 29...a6 30.Nd6 Rc6 31.Ne4 Bg7, albeit still much favouring White.

30.Nxa7 Rb4

Harikrishna is staking all on advancing the c pawn.

31.Nb5 Rb2 32.Rc1!?

Returning the exchange, but after ...

32...Bg5 33.Nxc3 Bxe3 34.fxe3

... White emerges up a knight for a pawn (1-0, 47 moves).

New & Improved Milner-Barry Gambit (part two)

SWEDISH grandmaster Jonny Hector launched the New Milner-Barry Gambit at the elite level in the following game.

Hector (2550) - Rafael Vaganian (2600)

Bundesliga 2007

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? Bd7

Strong players have shown no inclination to make White's pawn sac permanent by capturing on c3. No doubt this is because they feel White's compensation is very real, but it may partly be because ...Bd7 is also the main continuation after the normal Milner-Barry Gambit move 7.cxd4.

8.Re1 Nge7

Hector has also faced 8...Rc8 and 8...Nh6, and I will cover these moves later, but he has not faced 8...dxc3.

Six different moves appear in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database after 8...dxc3 9.Nxc3, but none appears more than twice. The analysis engines Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01 give best-play as 9...Rc8 (not one of the six in Mega20!) 10.a3 Nge7 11.Na4 Qd8 12.Nc5 Ng6!? 13.Nxb7 Qc7 14.Nd6+ Bxd6 15.cxd6 Qxd6 16.Be3 with a slight edge for White.

9.h4!?

Hector has played this aggressive pawn-thrust all five times he has reached the position after 8...Nge7.

Position after 9.h4!?

9...Rc8

Hector (2537) - Michael Roiz (2680), Politiken Cup (Helsingør, Denmark) 2008, saw 9...h6 10.h5 Rc8 11.Bc2 (the engines prefer 11.a3 a6 12.b4 or 11.Nbd2!? dxc3 12.bxc3 Na5 13.Rb1) dxc3 12.Nxc3 d4!? (this may be premature) 13.Na4 (13.Ne4!? is a possible improvement) Qc7 14.Be4 Nd5 15.Bxd5 exd5 16.Nxd4 Nxd4 17.Qxd4 Qc4 18.Qxc4 Rxc4 19.Nc3, which the engines reckon is slightly better for Black (but ½–½, 27 moves).

Hector (2614) - Tomas Karlsson (2293), Swedish Championship (Växjö) 2008, varied with 10...a6. The game continued 11.Bc2 (again the engines prefer 11.a3 or 11.Nbd2!?) dxc3 12.Nxc3 Qc7 13.Bf4 b5 14.Rc1 Qb7 15.Nh2!? Rc8 16.Ng4 Na5 17.Qf3 Nc4 18.b3 Nb6 19.Ne2, when the engines agree Black's cramped position gives White more than enough compensation for a pawn (1-0, 43 moves).

Hector (2592) - Anton Frisk Kockum (2332), Swedish Team Championship 2010-11, went 9...a6 10.Bc2 (the engines like 10.Nbd2!?) Rc8 11.h5 h6 (the engines prefer 11...dxc3!?) 12.cxd4 Nf5!? 13.Bxf5 exf5 14.Nc3, when Stockfish12 prefers White but Komodo11.01 reckons the position is equal (1-0, 46 moves).

It was Hector who varied in Hector (2539) - Arne Matthiesen (2345), Danish Chess Championship (Helsingør) 2012: 9...h6 10.Na3 Nf5!? 11.Bxf5 Bxa3 12.bxa3 exf5 13.cxd4 0-0 with a messy position, although the engines give a slight edge to Black (but ½–½, 42 moves).

As you can see, the diagrammed position is something of a tabiya for the New Milner-Barry Gambit. There are no clearly defined paths for either player, so familiarity with the ideas, as illustrated in Hector's games, is especially important.

10.a3

Hector (2485) - Lars Hansen (2239), Deltalift Open (Tylösand, Sweden) 2015, went 10.h5 a6 11.a3 dxc3!? 12.Nxc3 d4!? (premature?) 13.Na4 (the engines much prefer 13.Ne4!?) Qa7 14.b4, when Stockfish12 reckons Black is better but Komodo11.01 calls the position equal (1-0, 36 moves).

10...a6 11.Bc2!?

For once the engines like this manoeuvre. The idea, I presume, is to oblige Black to either take on c3, in which case White replies Nxc3, or to allow White to capture on d4, in which case Black is no longer a pawn up.

11...dxc3 12.Nxc3 Na5 13.Rb1 Qc7 14.Bf4 Nc4 15.Bd3!?

The bishop has spent three tempi to end up on d3, which is hardly ideal, but the engines like 15.Bd3!? along with 15.h5.

15...b5 16.a4 bxa4!?

This is best, according to the engines.

17.Nxa4 Ng6 18.Bg3 Bb4 19.Re2 Ne7 20.Ra1 Qa7 21.Rc2 Bb5

The engines reckon White more-or-less equalises after this, although they find it hard to agree on what to put in its place. One line they both quite like runs 21...Qb8!? 22.b3 Na5 23.Rxc8+ (23.Bxa6 Rxc2 24.Qxc2 0-0 is better for Black, according to the engines) Bxc8 24.Nd4 Nac6 25.Nxc6 Nxc6, when they reckon White does not have full compensation for a pawn.

22.Nc3 Bc6 23.Qe2 a5 24.Na2 Qb6

The engines prefer 24...Bc5.

25.Rac1?!

Offering the exchange as the rook on c2 has nowhere to run.

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

25...h6?!

Critical is 25...Ba4, when it is hard to believe White gets enough compensation.

The engines reckon best-play after 25...Ba4 goes 26.Bxc4 Bxc2 27.Bb5+ Kf8 28.Nxb4 axb4, when White has the bishop-pair but is the exchange and a pawn down.

Also possible is 26.Nxb4 axb4 27.Bxc4 Bxc2 28.Bb5+ Kf8, but this is just a transposition.

Finally 26.Rxc4 dxc4 27.Bxc4 0-0 leaves White the exchange down without any apparent compensation.

Both players presumably thought something in these lines was no good for Black, but I cannot work out what they saw.

26.Bf4!?

White renews his offer ...

26...Ba4!?

... and this time Black accepts.

However, the engines no longer like ...Ba4 so much, preferring 26...0-0.

27.Bxc4 dxc4

Capturing on c2, which was the engines' answer to 26.Bxc4, is no longer so strong, eg 27...Bxc2 28.Be3 Bc5 (28...Qb7?? 29.Ba6)) 29.Bb5+ Kd8 (the engines marginally prefer this over 29...Kf8) 30.Rxc2 Bxe3 31.Rxc8+ Kxc8 32.fxe3 with an unclear position.

28.Be3!?

28.Rxc4 is equal, according to the engines.

28...Qb7

White does not have enough for the exchange after 28...Bc5!? 29.Rxc4 Bb5 30.Rxc5 Qxc5 31.Qd2 Qd5 32.Rxc8+ Nxc8 33.Qxa5, according to the engines. But Black faces great practical difficulties and can easily lose on the spot, eg 33...0-0?? 34.Nc3.

29.Rxc4 Rxc4 30.Qxc4 0-0 31.Nxb4 axb4 32.Bc5 Rc8 33.Ra1 Bb3!?

A simpler way to a draw seems to be the engines' 33...Nd5 34.Rxa4 Qc7 and 35...Qxc5.

34.Qxb4 Qxb4 35.Bxb4 Nd5 36.Bd2 Rc2

Black's activity more-or-less compensates for being a pawn down.

37.Bc1 Rc7?!

But the rook is not so active here, which is why the engines want to restrict the white knight by 37...Re2 or 37...Rc4.

38.Nd4 Bc2 39.Bd2 Rc4 40.Bc3 Bd3 41.Ra3 Nxc3!?

Bishop-and-rook is usually a better combination than a knight-and-rook. On the other hand there is an old rule-of-thumb that is easier to realise a one-pawn advantage when the pieces are of different types.

42.bxc3 g5 43.hxg5 hxg5 44.Nf3 Rc5 45.c4 Be2 46.Nd4

A critical position - how should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

46....Bxc4!?

Vaganian must have been tempted by 46...Rxe5!? but presumably he assessed the ending after 47.c5 Re4 48.c6! (48.Nxe2 Rxe2 49.Rc3 Ra2 50.c6 Ra8 looks very drawish) Rxd4 49.c7 Rc4 50.Ra8+ Kg7 51.c8=Q Rxc8 52.Rxc8 as promising for White. Stockfish12 reckons the ending is equal, but Komodo11.01 reckons White is 0.68 better.

Black could also try 46...Bh5!? with what seem decent drawing chances, eg 47.Rc3 Kf8 (47...Rxe5? 48.c5) 48.Nb3 Rxe5 49.c5 Ke8 50.c6 Kd8, although this is not clear after the engines' 51.Nc5!?

47.Rc3 Kg7 48.Nf3 Rc6

So 49.Nd2 can be met by 49...Bd5.

49.Nxg5 Bd5 50.Rg3 Rc1+ 51.Kh2 Kg6

Worse is 51...Kf8? 52.Nh7+ Ke7 53.Ra3, eg 53...Rb1 54.Nf6 with much the better game for White.

52.f3!?

52.Nxe6+ looks strong and is preferred by the engines but after 52...Kf5 53.Ng7+ Kxe5 a pair of pawns has come off the board, which (generally speaking) is not what the player looking for a win wants.

52...Ra1

The engines like 52...Rf1. The point is that if White continues as in the game with 53.Nh3+ Kh6 54.Rg4, Black has 54...Bxf3! 55.gxf3 Rxf3, after which White's winning chances are very small as Black should be able to swop off the last white pawn.

53.Nh3+ Kh6 54.Rg4 Rc1?

Now the white king gets into play. Black had to strike quickly with 54...Re1, when 55.Ng5 Kg6 56.Nxe6+ Kf5 57.Ng7+ Kxe5 has swopped off a pair of pawns. White could protect the e5 pawn with 55.Rg5, but then his rook and knight are tied to their posts. And protecting the e5 pawn with 55.f4 destabilises the white rook, eg 55...Ra1 56.Ng5 Kh5 57.Kh3 (57.Rg3 Kh4 58.Nxf7 Rh1+! 59.Kxh1 Kxg3=) Rh1+ 58.Kg3 Ra1.

55.Kg3 Rc8 56.Ng5 Rf8 57.Nh3 f6 58.exf6 Rxf6

Black has managed to exchange a pair of pawns, but the white king is well-placed to play a crucial role while the black king is out of play, at least for a while..

59.Nf4 Rf5 60.Kf2 Kh7 61.Ke3 Bb7 62.Rh4+ Kg8

Forced.

63.Rh6 e5 64.Nh3 Kg7 65.Rb6 Bd5 66.Rd6 Bf7 67.Nf2 Rf6 68.Rd7

68.Rxf6+ Kxf6 is a tablebase draw,

68...Ra6 69.Ng4 Ra3+ 70.Ke4 Ra4+ 71.Kf5 Kf8 72.Nxe5

Winning a second pawn seals the deal.

The game finished:

72...Ba2 73.f4 Kg8 74.g4 Ra6 75.Kg5 Re6 76.Ng6 1-0

New & Improved Milner-Barry Gambit

THE Milner-Barry Gambit in the French Defence is a reasonably well-known continuation by White in the Advance Variation that has been extensively analysed.

White offers two pawns - only one is usually taken - for an attack that can be quickly deadly at club level.

I can remember winning a game, long before I had played in my first tournament, after the moves 1.e4 e6. 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Nxd4?? (there are 71 examples of this move since 1991 in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database) 8.Nxd4 Qxd4?? 9.Bb5+ etc.

The players on the black side of this line in Mega20 include three rated over 2000.

As is well-known (but not by everyone, clearly) Black should prefer 7...Bd7, after which Nimzowitsch used to play the sorry-looking 8.Be2, although he managed to beat Tarrasch and Duras from this position in a tournament in 1912.

Nimzowitsch's heroics not withstanding, the position after 8.Be2 is a tempo down on one that can be reached after 6.Be2.

The Milner-Barry Gambit, named after London player and WW2 code-breaker Sir Stuart Milner-Barry, starts with White playing 8.0-0!?, thus ignoring the threat to the d4 pawn that became real after 7...Bd7.

Starting point of the Milner-Barry Gambit

Black now usually grabs the pawn with 8...Nxd4, after which the main line runs 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Nc3.

Black then has to decide between grabbing a second pawn with 10...Qxe5, or declining it, normally with 10...a6.

Gligorić and Uhlmann in Understanding The Chess Openings - The French Defence (RHM Press 1975) say taking the second pawn is "extremely risky."

They give 10...a6 an exclamation mark, saying the single-pawn sac is a gambit "which theory considers insufficient but which practice has shown to be not without danger."

French Defence expert Uhlmann gave similar verdicts in Winning With The French (Batsford 1995*) although, if anything, he was more complimentary about the gambit, calling it "certainly a dangerous weapon in the hands of an experienced attacking player," and again giving 10...a6 an exclamation mark.

However, by the time another French expert, US international master John Watson, wrote the third edition of Play The French (Everyman 2003), the theoretical tide had turned against Sir Stuart's pet line, Watson's verdict being: "It has now been relegated to a rare sideline."

Since then Topalov has beaten Morozevich with it at the world blitz championship, and Smerdon has used it at regular time controls (drawing with Akopian, losing to Sadler), but generally speaking it is probably fair to say most players agree with Watson.

Certainly modern analysis engines, including Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01, reckon Black has the upper hand after the much-praised 10...a6 (but reckon 10...Qxe5 leads to dead equality).

At this point it is time to introduce the "New & Improved" Milner-Barry in the shape of 7.0-0!?

Starting point of the New Milner-Barry Gambit

The move first appears in Mega20 in a game in 1980, although the position after 7.0-0!? had been reached once before by transposition.

The first game featuring two rated players came two decades later.

Philippe Langevin (2180) - Yann Marteau (2317)

French Team Championship 2000

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.0-0!? Bd7!?

There are only eight games in Mega20 with the critical 7...dxc3.

Watson, in his November French Defence update at chesspublishing.com, writes: "Since White has obvious compensation after 7...dxc3 8.Nxc3 (compare the main lines of the Milner-Barry), strong players of Black have traditionally chosen 7...Bd7."

No doubt this is true, although even 7...Bd7 has only 42 games in Mega20 (but then Watson almost certainly has a larger personally-compiled database).

A major problem in deciding on the merits of 7...dxc3 is that it appears in only two games in which both players were rated, and even then only one of the players in those games was rated over 1775.

I will try later, with the help of Stockfish12 and Komodo11.01, to give some idea of what is going on.

Meanwhile, back to Langevin - Marteau.

8.a3!?

Giving Black a second chance to capture on c3.

The Swedish grandmaster Jonny Hector has had success with 8.Re1!?, while Magnus Carlsen recently beat Harikrishna with 8.Nbd2!? I will look at their games later.

Note that 8.cxd4 transposes to a regular Milner-Barry Gambit.

8...a5!?

White has good compensation for a pawn after 8...dxc3 9.Nxc3, according to the engines. They give best-play as 9...Nge7 10.Be3 Qd8 (10...Qxb2? 11.Nb5 is very strong for White), which is unclear but dangerous for Black, eg 11.Bg5 h6? 12.Nb5 wins for White.

9.cxd4

Retaking the pawn, at least temporarily, and reaching a mainline position of the French Advance which more often comes about from the move-order 6.a3 a5 7.Bd3 Bd7 8.0-0!? cxd4 9.cxd4.

9...Nxd4 10.Nxd4 Qxd4 11.Nc3 Qb6

It would be fascinating to learn if either Langevin or Marteau knew they were following fairly-mainline theory (Korchnoi had played 11...Qb6 two years earlier, and later in 2000 it was played by Anand).

12.Nb5?!

Most strong players, including Shirov, have applied kingside pressure with 12.Qg4.

12...Bxb5 13.Qb3

This is the 'clever' point of White's play. He will regain his piece, but meanwhile Black has swopped off his traditionally bad light-square bishop.

13...Ne7?!

This looks natural but almost certainly better is 13...Bc5 14.Bxb5+ Kf8, as in Srđan Benderać (2356) - Milan Vukić (2491), Bosnia & Herzegovina Team Championship (Jahorina) 2003, when the engines reckon Black is slightly better (but 1-0, 32 moves).

14.Be3 a4?

Better is 14...Qc7 15.Bxb5+ Nc6, although the engines agree White has at least enough compensation for a pawn.

15.Bxb5+ Nc6 16.Qxd5 Qc7 17.Qc4

White has got his pawn back while still having the 'compensation' of more-active pieces and queenside pressure.

17...Be7 18.f4 0-0

There is no way to defend a4.

19.Bxa4 Rfc8 20.Rac1 Qa5 21.Bb3 Bd8

Not 21...Nxe5?? 22.Qxc8+ Rxc8 23.Rxc8+ Bxf8 24.fxe5 Qxe5 25.Bc5 with a massive material advantage.

White went on to win in 52 moves.

*A translation of a German book published four years earlier.

Chess Evolution: The French Defence (part 10)

TARRASCH'S 3.Nd2 quickly became a popular weapon against the French, but another move, 3.e5, first mentioned by Greco in 1620 (see part one of this series) was revived by Nimzowitsch in the run-up to World War One.
The move 3.e5 had never fallen completely from favour, being extensively used by the Paulsen brothers, Wilfried and Louis, in the 1870s and 1880s, and by Steinitz in the 1890s.
Nimzowitsch played 3.e5 three times at Karlsbad 1911, drawing with Rubinstein but beating Salwe and Levenfish.
The move really took off the following year when at San Sebastian he used it to beat Tarrasch, Speilmann, Duras and Leonhardt.
Aron Nimzowitsch - Siegbert Tarrasch
San Sebastian 1912
French Advance
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5
This move divided opinion in the early 1900s and still does today. Is White punishing Black for failing to take his full share of the centre, or is White spending time on over-extending?
3...c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3!?
More common today are 6.Be2 and especially 6.a3.
6...cxd4 7.cxd4 Bd7
There are 71 examples in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database of Black falling for the well-known trap 7...Nxd4??, which loses because of 8.Nxd4 Qxd4?? 9.Bb5+ etc.
8.Be2!?
More popular today, but not necessarily better, is the Milner-Barry Gambit, starting with 8.0-0!?
The position after 8.Be2!? can also be reached if White plays 6.Be2 instead of 6.Bd3, in which case White gains a tempo as it would be his turn to move. But after 6.Be2 Black is not obliged to play an early ...Bd7, so 6.Bd3 followed by 8.Be2!? only loses a tempo if Black plays inaccurately.
8...Nge7 9.b3?!
This is probably too slow - 12 rounds later, against Duras, Nimzowitsch switched to 9.Na3.
9...Nf5 10.Bb2 Bb4+ 11.Kf1
The only way to save the d4 pawn.
11...Be7!?
The point of this move, which Tarrasch had played against Louis Paulsen 24 years earlier, is so 12.g4?! can be met by 12...Nh4. Rubinstein at Karlsbad prevented g4 by playing 11...h5. But according to Nimzowitsch, Black can play 11...0-0! (Nimzowitsch's punctuation) as 12.g4 Nh6 (12...Nfe7? 13.a3) is nothing to be feared.
12.g3 a5 13.a4
The text was also played against Tarrasch by Louis Paulsen at the Bavarian Congress (Nürnberg) 1888. Note that trying to stop ...a4 with 13.Nc3 does not work as 13...a4 14.Nxa4?! runs into 14...Rxa4 15.bxa4 Qxb2.
13...Rc8 14.Bb5 Nb4?!
Connecting rooks by 14...0-0, as suggested by the analysis engines Stockfish11 and Komodo11.01, seems better.
15.Nc3!?
Paulsen played 15.Bxd7+ against Tarrasch. After 15...Kxd7 16.Nc3 Black could have kept an edge, according to the engines, with 16...h5, when White's king seems the more vulnerable. The game saw 16...Nc6 17.Nb5 Na7 18.Nxa7 Qxa7 with a roughly level game (but 0-1, 62 moves).
15...Na6 16.Kg2 Nc7 17.Be2 Bb4
Tarrasch presumably had in mind keeping his king in the centre, as he did against Paulsen.
18.Na2 Na6 19.Bd3 Ne7 20.Rc1 Nc6 21.Nxb4 Naxb4
White has the bishop-pair, but the position remains fairly closed. The one major warning sign for Black, perhaps, is that his kingside is somewhat denuded of pieces.
22.Bb1 h6 23.Bb1 Ne7 24.Rxc8+ Bxc8 25.Ne1 Rf8 26.Nd3 f6 27.Nxb4 Qxb4 28.exf6 Rxf6 29.Bc1?
Nimzowitsch gave this an exclamation mark, but missed a tactical point of the position. Better is 29.Re1.

How can Black take advantage of White's last move?

*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
29...Nc6?
Black has a very good game after 29...e5 as 30.dxe5? runs into 30...Bxg4.
30.g5 hxg5 31.Bxg5 Rf8 32.Be3 Qe7?!
The engines reckon ...e5 is still Black's best shot, although the position is no longer favourable to him.
33.Qg4
Preventing 33...e5 by pinning the e pawn.
33...Qf6 34.Rg1 Rh8 35.Rh1 Rh4?
The engines reckon 35...Bd7 is decidedly better.
36.Qg3
There is no good answer to this, which leaves White threatening Bg5 and Qxg7.
36...Rxd4
Tarrasch hopes his central pawn-duo, along with depriving White of the bishop-pair, will compensate for the exchange.
37.Bxd4 Nxd4 38.Qxg7 Qf3+
Or 38...Qxg7 39.Rxg7 Nxb3 40.Rg8+ Kd7 41.h4 etc.
39.Qg2 Qxg2+ 40.Rxg2 Nxb3 41.h4 1-0

Chess Evolution: The French Defence

HERE I want to give an overview of an opening - namely the French Defence - by looking at how it developed over the centuries.

The French, as is quite well known, is named after a correspondence game between chess clubs in London and Paris.

That was in 1834, when national postal systems were in their infancy, and international mail even more so.

But by then 1...e6 in reply to 1.e4 had been known for more than 200 years, first being published, it seems, in manuscripts of the Italian master Gioachino Greco.

Here is the earliest game in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database

Greco - ??*

Rome (?) 1620

French Advance

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5

I find it interesting that in the first known French Defence, whether a genuine game or not, White should 'play' the Advance Variation (my guess would have been for 3.exd5). The move e5, either here or later, is thematic in that White seeks to take advantage of Black ceding space in the centre and thus on the kingside. It is also quite committal: White is more-or-less obliged to follow up with a kingside attack as otherwise the move e5 will likely prove a tempo expended for no good reason.

3...c5

Attacking the base of White's pawn-chain is second-nature to modern players, but Joseph Blackburne experimented in 1885 with attacking the head of the pawn-chain with 3...f6!?, drawing with Max Weiss and George Mackenzie.

4.c3 cxd4!?

This is generally regarded today as premature, not least because it allows White to clear the c3 square for the white queen's knight. However it has appeared in computer games and was played in 1981 by Bulgarian international master, and future grandmaster, Krum Georgiev (but the game was agreed drawn in 10 moves, so perhaps the players were peacefully inclined from the start).

5.cxd4 Bb4+

Patzer sees check, patzer plays check (or, probably in this case, is made to play a check by the game's composer). Strong players who have reached the position after 5.cxd4 by transposition, eg Francisco Vallejo Pons and Ruifeng Li, have generally preferred 5...Nc6. In their cases the games - one by Pons, two by Li - went 1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.cxd4 d5 5.e5. All three games were won by Black.

6.Nc3 Bxc3+!?

Black gives up his good bishop to saddle White with a backward pawn on a half-open file. But the pawn on c3 will support White's centre and should not be difficult to defend.

7.bxc3 Nc6 8.Bd3

8.Qg4 is at least as strong.

8...Nge7 9.f4

9.Ne2 was played by a 2265 in a Hungarian game in 1994. The text is often played by White in this type of pawn-structure.

9...Nf5 10.Nf3

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

10...0-0?

Black's play has been reasonable up to this point. The analysis engines Stockfish11 and Komodo11.01 reckon White only has a slight edge after 10...Na5, targeting the c4 square. The text, although plausible at first glance, is an example of "castling into it."

11.g4 Nh4 12.0-0 Nxf3+

The best alternative the engines can come up with is 12...f5 13.exf6 Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 gxf6, but reckon White has a winning attack after 15.Qh3.

13.Qxf3 Bd7?!

Black had to gain some breathing room on the kingside, eg 13...f5 14.exf6 Qxf6, but White keeps a large advantage.

14.Qh3 g6 15.f5 exf5 16.gxf5 gxf5 17.Rxf5!?

Objectively not best, according to the engines, but it leads to an instructive finish.

17...Bxf5

The engines give best play as 17...Kh8 18.Kh1 Ne7 19.Bg5 f6 20.Bxf6+ Rxf6 21.exf6 Bxf5 22.Bxf5 Nxf5 23.Qxf5, when White is only a pawn up but is completely winning.

18.Bxf5 1-0

*Many of Greco's recorded 'games' are thought to have been composed by him for instructional purposes rather than being genuine over-the-board encounters, and that is probably the case with this example.

(To be continued)