Bad Bertrich 50+ Game Six

                                                             Klidinger waterfall

I was upfloated.

Spanton (1997) - Martin Schopf (1909)

Veresov

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 h6!?

Putting the question to the bishop is somewhat uncommon - sixth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind ...c5, ...c6, ...Bf5, ...e6 and especially ...Nbd7. But it is Stockfish18's top choice, fractionally ahead of the mainline...Nbd7, while Dragon1 comes to like it almost as much as ...Nbd7.

4.Bh4

The Trompowsky-like 4.Bxf6 is more usual, when the recapture 4...exf6 is the top choice of humans and engines.

4...Bf5

Developing the light-square bishop outside of the pawn-chain becomes a serious option when White cannot attack Black's centre/queenside with a combination of c4, Qb3 and Nc3.

5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 Bxd3

6...e6? can be met by 7.Nxd5!

7.cxd3!?

The engines marginally prefer this over 7.Qxd3.

7...c6 8.Nf3 e6 9.0-0 Be7 10.Rc1 0-0

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

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White is slightly more developed, and has a half-open c file, but the game is equal, according to the engines.

11.Na4 Nh5!? 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Nc5!?

This may be new. Héctor Rossetto - Miroslav Filip, Mar del Plata (Argentina) 1961, went 13.Qb3 Rab8 14.Qc3!? Nhf6 15.b4 Rfc8 16.Rb1 Nb8!? 17.Rfc1 Nd6 18.h3!?, when Dragon1 prefers White, but Stockfish18 calls the game equal (½–½, 38 moves).

13...Nxc5 14.Rxc5 Nf6 15.Ne5 Nd7 16.Nxd7 Qxd7

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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The game is completely equal, according to Stockfish18, although Dragon1 awards White the better part of equality.

17.Qa4 a6 18.Rfc1 Rfd8!?

The engines are fine with this, but it does seem a mysterious rook move.

19.b4 g6 20.h3 Kg7 21.Qa5 Rdc8 22.a4 Qd8 23.Qxd8 Rxd8

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

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Stockfish18 sticks with complete equality, while Dragon1 gives White a miniscule edge of under 0.1.

24.Kf1 Rd7 25.Ke2 Kf6 26.Kd2 Ke7 27.Kc3 Kd6

It is still possible for either side to blunder, eg 28.h4?? loses 28...b6.

28.Kb3 h5 29.h4 Ra7!?

Another somewhat strange-looking rook move, but again the engines are not bothered.

30.e4 f6 31.Re1 Re7 32.Rc2 b6!?

The engines react badly to this at first, but Stockfish18 comes to view it as OK, although Dragon1 is less sure.

33.e5+ fxe5

Stockfish18 suggests 33...Kd7!?, the engines agreeing 34.exf6 Rf7 is equal. However, Dragon1, but not Stockfish18, reckons 34.f4!? gives White a slight edge.

34.dxe5+ Kd7 35.Rec1 Rc7 36.d4

Black to play and avoid getting a difficult game

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36...b5

Black needed to play 36...Re8!, the point being to meet 37.b5 axb5 38.axb5 with 38...Rec8, giving complete equality, according to the engines.

37.f4?!

Better is 37.axb5 axb5, and now 37.f4, with play similar to the game.

37...Re8?

This is now bad, whereas 37...bxa4+ 38.Kxa4 Rf7 gives Black sufficient counterplay to compensate for having weak a and c pawns, according to the engines.

38.a5

Played to prevent Black getting possible counterplay down the a file after the action switches, as I intended, to the kingside. But the engines much prefer 38.axb5!? axb5 39.Ra2, taking the open file, a sample line continuing 39...Rf8 40.g3 Ke7 41.Kc2 Rd8 42.Kd3 Kf8 43.Ke3 Kg7 44.Rca1 Kf7 45.Ra7 Rdc8 46.Kf3 Kf7 47.Rxc7+ Rxc7 48.g4 Kf7 49.gxh5 gxh5 50.Ra8 Re7 51.Rh8, after which White wins either the h or c pawn.

38...Rf8 39.Rf2 Rcc8 40.Kc3 Rf7 41.Kd3 Rcf8 42.Ke3 Rf5 43.Rf3 R5f7

Black can do nothing but await White's activation of the 4-3 kingside majority, in sharp contrast to Black's immobile 4-3 queenside majority

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44.Rc2 Rf5 45.Rcf2 R5f7 46.Rg3 Rg8 47.Rff3 Rf5 48.Rg5 Rxg5?

This makes White's task easier.

49.fxg5 Ke7 50.Rf6 Rg7 51.Kf4 Rg8 52.g4 hxg4 53.Kxg4 Rg7 54.h5 gxh5+ 55.Kxh5 Rh7+

All three legal continuations win

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56.Kg4 Rh1 57.g6 Rb1 58.Rf7+ Ke8 59.Kg5 c5!?

This is Stockfish18's top choice, at least for a while, and Dragon1 comes to agree.

60.dxc5 d4 61.c6 Rc1 62.Rd7 Rxc6 63.g7!? Kxg7 64.g8=Q Kc7 65.Qf7+ 1-0

Bad Bertrich 50+ Game Three

Much of the walking in this part of the Eifel mountains is in shade, so can be comfortably tackled even on hot days

Faced a Norwegian.

Børge Svanholm (1871) - Spanton (1997)

Queen's Pawn Game

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c5 4.0-0 Nc6 5.d4

What's in a name?

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Quite a few people would probably describe the opening as a King's Indian Attack, while others might call it a Réti. But to me the former needs to have the move d3, and the latter should have c4. ChessBase labels the opening: "D02: 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 sidelines, including 2...Nf6 3.g3 and 2...Nf6 3.Bf4." It could also be thought of as a Reversed Grünfeld, but to me the most appropriate name is Queen's Pawn Game.

5...e6

Tempting is 5...cxd4 6.Nxd4 e5!?, but after 7.Nxc6 bxc5 8.c4 Black's centre is under a lot of pressure, with White scoring 66% in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

6.Bg5!?

The main line in Mega26 runs 6.c4!? dxc4 7.Qa4 Bd7 8.Qxc4 b5!? 9.Qd3 c4 10.Qd1, when Dragon1 gives White a slight edge, but Stockfish18 calls the position equal.

6...h6 7.Bxf6!?

Consistent, but White's eagerness to give up the bishop-pair makes a strange impression.

7...Qxf6 8.e3 Bd6

This is the commonest continuation in Mega26, albeit from a small sample, but the bishop is a little loose on d6, and the move does not score well. The engines prefer 8...Be7 or 8...cxd4.

9.c4!?

This is the engines' top choice.

9...dxc4 10.Na3

The engines suggest an apparent-novelty in 10.Nbd2!?, and if, as in the game, Black captures on d4 with the c5 pawn, they reckon 11.Nxd4 gives White a won game after 11...Nxd4 12.Ne4! Qd8 13.Qxd4 Bf8 14.Qxc4. Black should probably prefer 10...Qe7, 10...0-0 or 10...c3, but White enjoys at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

10...cxd4

With the white queen's knight on a3, this is Black's best continuation.

11.Nxc4

Almost certainly good for Black is 11.Nxd4?! Bxa3 12.bxa3 Nxd4.

11...Bc5!?

This seems to be a novelty, and probably improves on the known 11...Be7?!, but I may have done better sticking with my first thought of 11...e5!?, although the engines agree White has full compensation for a pawn.

12.exd4 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Qb3

The engines give 14.Qa4+!?, eg 14...Bd7 15.Qb3 Bc6 16.Bxc6+ bxc6 17.Rac1, again claiming full compensation for a pawn.

14...0-0

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

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White has a lead in development (and can increase that lead by playing 15.Rad1), and has pressure against the black queenside, but, according to the engines, those factors do not quite make up for Black being a pawn up and having the bishop pair.

15.Rad1 Qf6 16.Nd6

How should Black proceed?

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16...Bxd6

Stockfish18 likes 16...Qe7; Dragon1 prefers 16...Bd4.

17.Rxd6 Rb8

This seems a little stronger than 17...Rd8 18.Rxd8+ Qxd8 19.Rd1.

18.Rfd1 b6 19.Qa3 a5

Or 19...Bb7 20.Qxa7 Bxg2 21.Kxg2 Qxb2, when White has enough activity for a pawn, according to the engines.

20.b4 Bb7 21.bxa5 Bxg2 22.Kxg2 bxa5 23.Qxa5 Rb2 24.R1d2

BS offered a draw.

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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The position is completely equal, according to Dragon1; Black has a notional advantage of perhaps 0.1, according to Stockfish18.

24...Rfb8 25.Rxb2 Rxb2 26.Qd8+ Qxd8 27.Rxd8+ Kh7

This is quite a common type of rook-and-pawn ending, and is completely equal, according to both engines

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28.Rd7 Kg6 29.Ra7 e5 30.g4!? f6 31.h4!?

BS was highly critical of this in the postmortem, but the engines reckon the game remains equal.

31...h5 32.gxh5+ Kxh5 33.Rxg7 Rxa2

Completely equal, according to the engines, although to my eye Black's position looks easier to play

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34.Rh7+ Kg4 35.h5 Kg5!? 36.Kg3 Ra3+ 37.Kg2 Ra4 38.Kg3 Rg4+ 39.Kf3 Rh4

Black is winning a pawn, but the game remains completely equal (Stockfish18) or White is just 0.13 worse (Dragon1)

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40.Rh8 Rxh5 41.Rxh5+?

Any rook move along the rank draws, although clearly Black would have hopes of somehow winning, but swopping off into a pawn ending loses.

41...Kxh5 42.Ke3

Black has two winning moves, but there is a plausible continuation that only draws

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42...Kg5

Also winning is 42...f5, but 42...Kg4? allows White to get the opposition with 43.Ke4, drawing.

43.Kf3 f5 44.Kg3 f4+ 45.Kf3 Kf5 46.Ke2 Kg4

But not 46...Ke4?, apparently gaining the opposition, as, following 47.f3+ Kd4 48.Kd2, it is White who has the opposition, and after 48...e4 49.fxe4 Kxe4 50.Ke2 the game is a (fairly) trivial book draw, and the try 48...Kc4 49.Kc2 e4 (49...Kb4 50.Kd3) 50.fxe4 f3 is easily answered by 51.Kd2 Kd4 52.e5 Kxe5 53.Ke3.
47.Kf1 Kf3 48.Ke1 Kg2 49.Ke2 f3+ 50.Ke3 e4 0-1

Cracovia 60+ Round Nine

FACED a Spaniard.

Spanton (1913) - Manuel Llopis de Aysa (2000)

QGD Exchange

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Be6 6.e3 0-0 7.Bd3 h6!?

There was a time, not so long ago, when ...h6 had a dubious reputation in the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. The problems were thought to be twofold: i) it provides White a target for a g-pawn push, or a possible piece sacrifice; ii) it takes away a square a black rook might want to use, after joining the third rank at d6 or e6, for putting pressure on White's kingside.

So what has changed? Nothing really - those criticisms are still valid, BUT 7...h6!? comes with engine approval, eg it is the top choice of Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1. Therefore, the argument goes, the benefits of ...h6 must outweigh its drawbacks.

The position after 7.Bd3 occurs 11,650 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

The continuation 7...c6 occurs 3,916 times (34%), 7...Nbd7 occurs 2,939 times (25%) and 7...h6 occurs 2,251 times (19%).

However, make the same search, but from 2023 onwards only, and the results are rather different. There is still quite a substantial number of games, 2,227, and 7...c6 is still most popular, but its 695 appearances represent a more modest 31%. In second place, with 630 games (28%). is 7...h6, while 7...Nbd7's 265 games is 12%.

In other words, in recent praxis, 7...c6 has slipped three percentage points, and 7...Nbd7 has dropped 13 percentage points, but 7...h6 has gained nine percentage points.

This is surely an example of how engines are affecting opening choices, even in non-tactical positional lines.

Back to the game.

8.Bh4 Re8 9.Qc2

Guess which move is Black's most popular continuation (hint: it is also liked by the engines)

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Well done if you plumped for 9...c5!? - you either know your (modern) theory, or you have a natural affinity for the Exchange Variation of the QGD.

I suspect most club players would give 9...c5!? little or no consideration. After all, what happens if White captures on c5, saddling Black with an isolated queen's pawn? Well, after 10.dxc5, the engines continue 10...d4!?, and if 11.exd4 (the most popular move in Mega26) Qxd4 (attacking the h4 bishop as well as the c pawn) 12.Nf3, then 12...Bd8+!?, when the engines reckon Black is at least equal.

The engines' alternative to 10.dxc5 is 10.Nf3 or 10.Nge2, but then 10...c4!? comes with tempo. For those who do not like the ...c4 move in such positions, 10...Nc6 looks reasonable.

9...c6

This, to me, is the most natural continuation, or, at least, the one I regard as being most 'normal' in this opening.

The position occurs 2,716 times in Mega26

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10.Nf3 Ne4 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Bxe4!?

This is very much second in popularity to 12.0-0, but it has been played by Magnus Carlsen and other strong grandmasters.

12...dxe4 13.Nd2 Bf5

ML offered a draw.

Who, if anyone, stands better?

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Equal chances, according to the engines.

14.0-0 Bg6 15.a3 Nd7 16.b4 Nb6 17.Na4 Nxa4

The engines reckon Black has at least the better part of equality after 17..Nd5.

18.Qxa4 a6 19.Qc2 Rad8 20.Nc4?!

The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting 20.Qc5 or 20.Rfc1 (one of the points of 20.Rfc1 is that it frees the f1 square for the knight).

20...Qg5

Best, according to the engines, is 20...Rd5, eg 21.Ne5 Bh5 22.h3 f6 23.Nc4 Rg5, when Black has promising kingside play.

21.Kh1 Bf5 22.Ne5 f6 23.Nc4 Be6 24.Rae1 Bxc4 25.Qxc4

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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Completely equal, according to the engines.

25...Qd5 26.Rc1 Qxc4 27.Rxc4 Rd5 28.Rfc1 Kf7 29.Rc5 Ke6 30.Kg1 Rb8 31.Kf1 Rxc5 32.Rxc5

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

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Completely equal, according to the engines.

32...Kd6 33.Ke2 b6 34.Rc2 Rc8 35.f3 exf3+!? 36.gxf3 Re8 37.Kd3 Re7 38.e4 Re8?!

Black should not do nothing - the engines suggest 38...g5, maintaining equality.

39.Rg2

The engines suggest 39.f4 or 39.a4.

39...Re7?!

White's rook should almost certainly not be allowed to occupy g6, so again ...g5 is called for.

40.Rg6

How should Black proceed?

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40...Kc7?!

The engines suggest 40...Ke6, or play on the queenside with 40...b5 or 40...a5, or 40...h5!?, but in each case with a large advantage to White.

41.f4 Rd7 42.Kc4

The engines suggest clamping down on the kingside with 42.h4, intending h5, or advancing on the queenside with 42.a4. If, for example, 42.h4 is met by 42...c5, then 43.bxc5 bxc5 44.d5.

42...Kd6!?

This is the best try, according to the engines, but they reckon White is winning.

How should White proceed?

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43.e5+?!

Winning a pawn, but letting the black rook become active. Instead, White should increase the pressure, eg 43.f5!? Kc7!? 44.a4 Rf7 45.a5 h5!? 46.h4 Kb7 47.Rg1 Re7 48.Re1 Rf7 49.Kd3 Kc7 50.Rc1 Kb7 51.c5 cxd5 52.exd5 bxa5 53.bxa5 Re7 54.Kd4, when White's advantage is worth more than a rook, according to the engines - Black's three kingside pawns are held up by two White pawns, leaving d5 a monster.

43...Ke6 44.exf6

The engines prefer 44.h4!?, and if 44...Kf6, then 45.Rg1!?, the point being 45...Kxf4? loses to 46.e6 Re7 47.Rf1+ Ke4 48.Re1+ Kf5 49.d5 etc.

44...gxf6 45.Rxh6 Rg7 46.Rh5 Rg1 47.f5+ Kd6 48.Rh6 Rc1+ 49.Kb3 Kd5 50.Rxf6 Kxd4 51.Kb2

Black has three plausible rook moves - which should he play?

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51...Rf1?

The engines agree this loses; they also agree 51...Rc4! draws. Stockfish17.1 reckons 51...Rh1!? also draws, but Dragon1 reckons it loses. Even after the 51...Rh1!? line is continued for several moves, eg 52.Rxc6 Rxh2+ 53.Kb3 b5 54.Rxa6 Rh3+ 55.Kc2 Rh2+ 56.Kd1 Rf2 57.f6 Rf5 58.Rd6+ Ke4, both engines persist in their different evaluations. One reason 51...Rc4! draws is that 52.h4 can be met by 52...Ke5.

52.Rxc6 Rf2+

How should White proceed?

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53.Rc2?

Both 53.Kc1 and 53.Kb3 apparently win, but the text does not. One winning line runs 53.Kc1 Rxf5 54.Rxb6 Kc3 55.Rc6+ Kb3 56.Rxa5, when White is three pawns up, and the Syzygy endgame tablebase confirms Black is lost.

53...Rxf5 54.h4 Rh5 55.Kb3!?

Black to play and draw

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55...b5?

The one plausible move that loses, according to the engines. Of course not 55...Rxh4?? 56.Rc4+ etc, but both 55...Kd5 and 55...a5!? leave White with at best a slight edge, according to the engines, although it takes Dragon1 a lot longer to realise this than Stockfish17.1. After 55...Kd5, White can protect the h pawn with 56.Rh2 or 56.Rc4, but there seems no way to make progress, while 56.Rd2+ Kc6 57.Rd4 does not change anything.

After 55...b5? it is White to play and win

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56.Rc6?

Thanks to 55...b5?, White's protecting the h pawn with 56.Rh2!? now wins, eg 56...Ke4 57.Kc3 Ke3 58.Rh3+ Ke4 59.Kc2!? Kd4 60.Ke2 Ke4 61.Kf2 Kf4 62.Rh1 Kg4 63.Ke4 Kf5 64.Kd4!? Kf6 65.Rh3!? (White's ability to temporise with the rook is what makes the endgame winning) Kf5 66.Re3!? Rxh4+ 67.Kc5 Rh6 68.Kd3 with Rd6 and Rxa6 to come. There are lots of alternatives along the way, but the engines are sure White always has a win.

56...Rxh4 57.Rxa6

The main difference between the position in the game and the one reached in the previous note is that in the game White's king is confined to the back three ranks.

57...Rh3+ 58.Kc2 Rh2+ 59.Kd1 Kd3 60.Ke1 Kc4 61.Rg6 Kb3 62.Rg3+ Ka4 63.Rd1 Ra2 64.Kc1 Rxa3 65.Rxa3+ Kxa3 66.Kc2 Kxb4 ½–½

With the b pawn in its half of the board, this is only a win for the attacking side if the king can get to one of three squares two ranks ahead, ie in this case a3, b3 or c3, and since White easily stops that with the obvious 67.Kb2, the ending is drawn

Cap Negret Round Three

Salvador Freijedo Álvarez (2123) - Spanton (1896)

QGD Semi-Tarrasch

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Nc3 c5

This is fifth in popularity, behind 4...Nbd7, 4...Bb4, 4...c6 and especially 4...Be7.

5.e3

The main move is 5.cxd5, but there are 3,721 examples of the text in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database.

5...Nc6 6.cxd5 exd5

How should White proceed?

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7.Be2

This is the commonest continuation in Mega25, but Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 marginally prefer 7.Bb5, when the main line in Mega25 runs 7...Bd6 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.0-0 0-0 10.b3, with a slight edge for White (Dragon1), or at least the better part of equality (Stockfish17.1).

7...c4!?

This is Dragon1'a top choice by a small margin over the much more popular 7...cxd4, which is Stockfish17.1's recommendation.

8.0-0

This is the normal continuation, and the engines' preference. The problem with 8.b3!?, immediately attacking the advanced pawn, is that Black has the pinning 8...Bb4.

8...Bb4 9.Bd2 0-0

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

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White has a slight lead in development, but the game is probably going to hinge on how White deals with Black's space-gaining queenside pawn-majority. Stockfish17.1 gives White a slight edge; Dragon1 calls the game equal.

10.b3 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Ne4

Possibly 11...b5 is a little better.

12.Rc1

This seems to be a novelty. The engines like 12.Be1!?, while three queen moves have been tried - to e1, c1 and c2.

12...Nxc3 13.Rxc3 b5 14.bxc4 Qa5 15.Rc1 bxc4

The engines reckon 15...dxc4?! strongly favours White after 16.a4!

16.Nd2?!

The engines give 16.e4!? dxe4 17.Rxc4, claiming equal chances.

16...Re8?!

Black has at least a slight edge, according to the engines, after 16...Rb8, occupying the open file.

17.Bf3

How should Black respond?

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17...Bb7!?

Preparing a pawn sacrifice for active play.

Note that in the diagram, White threatens 18.Nxc4, when 18...dxc4? makes matters worse as 19.Bxc6 wins back the piece and forks the black rooks.

The aggressive 17...c3? leaves Black in trouble after the simple 18.Nb3, and even worse is 17...Qxa2?? 18.Bxd5.

The engines recommend 17...Bd7, with what they reckon is equality.

18.Rb1 Rab8!?

Not 18...Nd8? 19.Nxc4!, but the engines suggest 18...Ba6, again with equal chances.

19.Nxc4!

The engines agree White has to accept the sacrifice to gain an advantage.

19...dxc4 20.Rxb7! Rxb7

The engines' 20...Nb4!? may be slightly better.

21.Bxc6 Reb8 22.Bxb7 Rxb7

How would you assess this heavy-piece late-middlegame?

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White is a pawn up, but Black's more-advanced passer is dangerous. Dragon1 reckons White is winning; Stockfish17.1 gives White only a slight edge. If the engines are given extra time to study the position, Stockfish17.1 comes for a while to give White the upper hand, but reverts to awarding only a slight edge. Dragon1, meanwhile, downgrades White's advantage to enjoying the upper hand.

23.Qc2
At first both engines reckon 23.Qf3 is best, but Dragon1 comes to prefer the text.

23...c3 24.Qe4

Dragon1 is convinced 24.Rc1 is much stronger; Stockfish17.1 is less sure. Note that 24.Rc1 does not threaten to immediately capture on c3 as White (as well as Black) has back-rank problems.

24...Rb8 25.g3 g6

This is good enough for equality, according to the engines, which reckon 25...Qxa2 also equalises.

White to play and lose

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26.Qe5??

Various moves maintain complete equality, according to the engines, including 26.Qc6, 26.Rc1 and 26.h4.

26...Qxe5 27.dxe5 c2 0-1

Benidorm Round Seven

Ignacio Fernández García (1802) - Spanton (1941)

Queen's Pawn Game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3!?

This has been played by grandmasters, but is only seventh-most popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database.

3...Nf6 4.e3!? c5

White is arguably playing the black side of a Chigorin Defrence to the Queen's Gambit, but with an extra tempo

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Whatever it is called, Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 are unimpressed - they already give Black at least equality.

5.Be2 Nc6 6.0-0 Bd6 7.Nb5!?

The engines like this, which is why they prefer 6...a6.

7...Be7 8.c4 dxc4!?

All three games to reach the position in Mega25 saw 8...0-0, but the engines reckon the text is better.

9.Bxc4

They suggest 9.dxc5!? or 9.Qa4!?

9...a6 10.Nc3 b5 11.Be2 0-0

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

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The position is symmetrical - in piece-structure, that is, not pawn-structure.

White has an extra pawn on the two central files, but a dark-square bishop restricted by its own pawns. Both engines call the game equal, although Dragon1 leans slightly towards Black.

12.Ne5?!

The engines reckon White should play 12.dxc5.

12...Nxe5 13.dxe5 Nd5

Even stronger, according to the engines, is putting pressure on the doubled pawn with 13...Nd7.

14.Qc2

The engines suggest 14.Ne4 or 14.Nxd5, but agree Black has at least a slight edge.

14...Qc7 15.f4?!

Much better, according to the engines, is 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.f4, presumably the point being White then has a mobile kingside pawn-majority.

15...Nb4 16.Qb1 Bb7 17.a3 Nd5 18.Qxc2 Nxc3 19.bxc3!?

Stockfish17.1 reckons this is marginally better than recapturing with the queen, perhaps because the resulting pawn-structure makes it harder for Black to convert the queenside majority into a passed pawn. However, White now has two isolated pawns, which is likely why Dragon1 prefers 19.Qxc3.

19...Rfd8 20.a4!? Bc6 21.axb5 axb5

White's last two moves were the top choice of Stockfish17.1, which casts doubt on my explanation for the engine liking 19.bxc3!? as Black now has a conventional two-v-one majority

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22.Rb1

The engines prefer 22.Rxa8 Rxa8 23.c4!?, even though 23...b4 gives Black a protected passer.

22...Rab8 23.Bb2 c4!?

Now the b pawn is backward, but White's dark-square bishop will continue to find it hard to usefully get into the game.

24.Ra1 Bc5 25.Bc1 Qb6 26.Kh1

White can save the pawn, at least in the short term, with 26.Kf2!?, but that looks very risky.

The engines come to suggest 26.Bf3!? Rd3 27.Kh1, but 27...Bxf3 28.Rxf3 Rbd8 leaves Black well on top.

26...Bxe3 27.f5!?

This may be White's best chance, as otherwise there is no compensation for being a pawn down.

27...Bxc1 28.Raxc1 Qb7

This threatens both 29...Bxg2+, and 29...Be4 followed by 30...Bxf5.

29.Bf3 Rd3 30.fxe6 fxe6 31.Bxc6 Qxc6 32.Qf2 Qd7 33.Ra1 Rd2 34.Qf3

If 34.Qc5?!, then 34...Qd5 more-or-less forces queens off, leaving Black with a relatively easy double rook-and-pawn ending.

34...h6

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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Black is not just a pawn up - the black pieces are well-placed for supporting the black majority and for eyeing targets at g2, c3 and e5. White's pieces control two open files, but the engines reckon Black's advantage is roughly equivalent to being up a minor piece.

35.Rad1!? Rd3 36.Rxd3!?

This is the engines' top choice, but after ...

36...cxd3 37.Rd1 d2

... the remaining white rook is virtually tied to the d1 square, making it difficult for White to create counterplay.

38.Qe2 Rd8 39.h3 Qd5 40.Kh2

No better is 40.Kg1 Qc5+ 41.Kh1 Qxc3 42.Qxb5 Qe3.

40...Qd3 41.Qg4 Qc4 42.Qxc4 bxc4 43.Kg1 Rd5 44.Kf2 Kf7 45.Kf3

45.Ke2 Rxe5+ 46.Kxd2 Rd5+ 47.Kc2 Rxd1 48.Kxd1 gives White a lost pawn ending.

45...Kg6 46.Ke4 Kg5 47.Kf3 Kf5 0-1

York Round One

Aaron Rich (2134) - Spanton (1936)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Be2 0-0 9.Qd2!?

This is second in popularity in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, albeit a long way behind 9.0-0.

How should Black respond?

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9...Ng4

This is also second in popularity, behind 9...Bd7.

10.Bxg4 Bxg4 11.0-0

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

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Black has the bishop-pair, but White has swopped off his bad bishop, and White retains the usual space advantage that comes with the Maróczy Bind, although with three sets of minor pieces (at least for the moment) rather than four. Stockfish17 and Dragon1 give White a slight edge.

11...Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Be6 13.Rad1

This seems to be a novelty, and is not liked by the engines. Known moves are 13.b3, 13.Bxg7, 13.Rfd1 and 13.f4.

13...Bxd4 14.Qxd4 Qa5

The engines do not like this either, claiming 14...Qb6 equalises (Stockfish17) or at least is better than the text (Dragon1).

15.b3 Rfc8!?

Perhaps 15...Rac8 was more circumspect.

16.f4 f6

This is best, according to the engines, but they give White the upper hand.

 I could have forced queens off with 16...Qc5?!. but after 17.f5 Qxd4+ 18.Rxd4 Bd7, both 19.f6 and 19.Nd5 leave White with a positionally won game, according to the engines.

17.Rf2 Rab8 18.f5 Bf7 19.fxg6 hxg6 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.exd5

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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The e7 pawn and e6 square are weak, Black has the less-safe king and the black rooks and queen are not well-placed to help on the kingside. Dragon1 reckons White is winning, although Stockfish17 is more cautious.

21...Kf7 22.Rdf1 Qc5 23.Qe4 Re8?

Better is 23...Rc7, but Black's position remains difficult.

24.Kh1 b5

The engines suggest 24...Qc7, but agree Black does not have a good answer to 25.g4.

25.Rf3 bxc4?!

Better, but still losing, according to the engines, is 25...Qc8.

26.Rg3

Also very strong is the immediate 26.Rh3.

26...Rg8 27.Qe6+ Kf8 28.Rh3 Qc7

All moves lose.

29.Rh7 1-0

4NCL Final Weekend: Game One

PLAYED on board two (of six) for Wessex B against Ashfield 3 in division four of the Four Nations Chess League this afternoon.

Spanton (1976 ECF/1937 Fide) - Alex Bentley (1763 ECF/1784 Fide)

Sicilian ...e6/Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nxd4!?

This makes an odd impression, at least to me, but it has been played by Vladimir Epishin (2667), Bogdan Lalić (2507) and other grandmasters.

6.Qxd4 d6

The main line in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database runs 6...Ne7 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Qd1 Bc5, with an equal position, according to Stockfish17, although Dragon1 favours White.

7.Nc3 Nf6

If 7...Ne7, then 8.Be3, when 8...Nc6 can be met by 9.Qd2 with a more harmonious development than in the previous note.

8.Be2 Be7 9.0-0 0-0

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

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White has achieved a Maróczy Bind, while also being slightly ahead on development. The engines reckon White has the upper hand.

10.Rd1!?

Of the 29 games to reach the position in Mega25, 10.Be3 was played in 21 of them, but the engines prefer the text.

10....Qd7

This seems to be a novelty. Known moves are 10...e5 and 10..a6, while the engines suggest 10...Bd7 or 10...b6.

11.Bg5 Rd8?!

Probably better is 11...h6!?, when the engines reckon 12.Bxf6 Bxf6!? 13.Qxd6 Qxd6 14.Rxd6 g5!? leaves Black with enough compensation for a pawn (Stockfish17), or at least only slightly worse (Dragon1).

12.Rd3

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 12.e5!?

12...Ne8 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.e5 Bd7?

Better is 14...b6.

15.exd6 Qf8!? 16.Bf3 Bc6 17.Bxc6?!

The engines prefer 17.c5.

17...Rxd6!

This is much better than 17...bxc6 18.c5.

18.Bd5 exd5 19.cxd5?

The knight recapture is significantly stronger.

19...Nf6 20.Rad1 Qe7 21.Qc4 Rad8

How would you assess this pawn-up middlegame?

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White is obviously better - winning, according to the engines - but the extra pawn is firmly blockaded, and, as will be shown, making progress proves difficult.

22.h3

If 22.Nb5 Black has 22...Rxd5! 23.Rxd5 Nxd5, when 24.Rxd5?? loses to 24...Qe1+ 25.Qf1 Qxf1+ 26.Kxf1 Rxd5. White instead remains a pawn up after 24.Nxa7, but no longer has a passer, and is no longer winning, according to the engines.

22...a6 23.a4 h6 24.b4 Qd7 25.b5

The engines suggest 25.Rd4, one line running 25...Re8 26.Qd3 Kf8!? 27.Kf1!? Qc7 28.Rc4 Qd7 29.Rd4 Qc7 30.Qf3 Re5, but it is unclear how White makes progress.

25...a5 26.Ne4 Nxe4 27.Qxe4 Re8 28.Qd4 b6

The engines prefer 28...Rd8.

29.Rg3 f6 30.Rdg3 Re5 31.Qc4 Qf5

Active, but not liked by the engines, which suggest holding tight with, for example, 31...Kh7.

32.g4?!

Probably stronger is 32.Re3, when 32...Rxe3 33.fxe3 will allow the d pawn to be supported by a fellow pawn, while 32...Qh5 33.Qc8+ Kh7 34.g4!? Qg5 35.Rxe5 Qxe5 36.Qf5+!? gives White a winning rook-and-pawn ending, according to the engines. In the latter line, if Black instead plays 35...fxe5, then 36.Qc4 consolidates, after which there is much less pressure on d5, and both sides have an isolani, but White's is the only passed one, and White remains a pawn up.

32...Qd7 33.f4?!

The engines much prefer 33.Re3, one point being 33...Rexd5?? loses to 34.Red3.

33...Re8 34.Qd4 f5!

White's king is much less safe than Black's - a key factor in heavy-piece middlegames

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35.gxf5 Qxf5 36.Rg3 Rg6

How should White proceed?

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37.Qf2?

Both 37.Qd3 (37...Re1+ 38.Kg2) and 37.Rxg6 Qxg6 38.Kf2 keep the position equal.

Black to play and win

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37...Rd6

AB offered a draw.

Instead 37...Re2! wins as 38.Qf3 can be met by 38...Qxh3!

Should I have accepted the draw offer?

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Black has full compensation for a pawn, according to the engines, and the Black position is easier to play, thanks to White's three isolated pawns and exposed king, so objectively, ratings aside, it is hard to make out a case for playing on.

38.Qg2 Re7 39.Qf3 Red7 40.Qe3 Rxd5 41.Rxd5 Qxd5 42.Qxb6?

White has nothing better than taking a draw by perpetual.

Black to play and win

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42...Qd1+

The engines show that the clever move 42...Qe4! wins as Black has no good answer to 43...Rd1+.
43.Kh2 Qd2+ 44.Kh1

Not 44.Rg2?? Qxf4+ etc.

44...Qd5+ 45.Rg2 Re7 46.Qc6

Not 46.Qxh6?? Qxg2+ etc.

46...Qd1+ 47.Kh2 Qxa4 48.Qd5+ Kh7 49.Qf5+ Kg8 50.b6 Qb4 51.Rc2

Black to play and draw

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51...Qe1??

Black had to guard the back rank with 51...Re8, and if 52.Rc8 White cannot escape perpetual check after, for example, 52...Qd2+ (exchanging rooks also draws).

52.Rc8 Re8 53.Rxe8+ Qxe8

White to play and win

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54.Qe5?

The simplest win is 54.Qd5+ Kh8 55.b7, meeting 55...Qe2+ with 56.Kg3, after which the checks eventually run out, but not 56.Qg2? as 56...Qb5, followed by pushing the a pawn, draws.

Black to play and draw

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54...Qf7?

The engines reckon 54...Qc6 definitely draws, eg 55.Qxa5 Qc2+ 56.Kg3 Qd3+, when the white king cannot escape the checks, and 54...Qd7!? may draw, although Dragon1 is a lot less convinced than Stockfish17.

55.Qc7 Qa2+ 56.Kg3 Qb3+

White to play and win

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57.Kh4

The engines show only 57.Kf2! wins - not an easy move to find.

Black to play and draw

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57...g5+?

The engines show both 57...Qf3 and 57...Qe3!? draw as the white king cannot escape perpetual check.

58.fxg5 hxg5+ 59.Kxg5

The white king has no cover on the kingside, but it does not need it as the black queen has no support and cannot stop the white king reaching cover on the queenside

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59...Qd5+ 60.Kf6 Qf3+ 61.Ke7 Qf7+ 62.Kd8 Qf8+ 63.Kd7 Qf7+ 64.Kc8 Qe6+ 65.Kb8 1-0

Wessex B won the match 4-2.