Winning Chess

GRANDMASTER Keith Arkell won the British 65+ championship, scoring +6=1-0, finishing a point clear of the field.

Arguably the key game came in round six, where he was Black against Welsh international master John Cooper.

Cooper (2252 ECF/2194 Fide) - Arkell (2512 ECF/2390 Fide)

English Symmetrical

1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.e3 Nf6!?

The point of playing this, rather than the 'natural' 3...Bg7, is so ...

4.d4 cxd4 5.exd4

... can be met by:

5...d5

Nevertheless, after 3...Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.exd4, Black can still play 5...d5!?, meeting 6.Nxd5 with 6...Be6 or 6...e6.

6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Bc4 Nb6 8.Bb3 Bg7

The position is reminiscent of a Tarrasch Defence to the Queen's Gambit, but with colours reversed

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9.d5!?

The main move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database is 9.Nf3, but it scores only 49%, whereas the rare text has racked up an impressive 61%.

9...0-0 10.Nge2 N8d7 11.Be3 Nf6

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 suggest 11...Ne5!?

12.0-0

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

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White's isolani has gained space in the centre, and does not look vulberable, which may be why Dragon1 gives White a slight edge. Nevertheless, it is an isolated pawn, and it is not obvious how White can use the pawn for attacking chances, eg the pawn has not created outposts for White's knights, except, perhaps, at d4. Stockfish18 calls the game equal.

12...Bd7 13.h3!?

This may be a novelty. The known move is 13.Re1.

13...Nc8!?

Heading for the blockading square d6.

14.Nd4 Nd6 15.Qe2 a6 16.a4

The engines reckon White has a slight edge after 16.Rad1 or 16.Rfe1.

16...Qa5 17.Rfd1 Rfe8 18.Bf4!? Rac8 19.Be5 Nfe4!? 20.Bxg7 Nxc3 21.bxc3 Kxg7 22.c4 Qc5!? 23.a5 Kg8!?

This retreat - perhaps withdrawal is a better word - is the engines' top choice.

24.Rac1?!

The engines do not like this pawn sacrifice

24...Qxa5 25.Ba2?!

This looks rather slow. The engines suggest 25.Qe3 or 25.Nf3.

25...Ba4 26.Bb3 Bxb3 27.Nxb3 Qb4 28.Nd2

It is hard to see what White has for a pawn

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28...b5!? 29.Rb1 Qc5 30.cxb5 axb5 31.Nb3 Qc4 32.Qe5 Qe4 33.Qg5 Qf5 34.Qe3 Qe4 35.Qg5 Rc4 36.Qd2?!

Probably better is the engines' 36.Na5, although Black remains on top.

36...Rc2 37.Qg5 Qe2 38.Qf4 Rb2 39.Nd4 Rxb1 40.Nxe2?

Better is 40.Rxb1, although 40...Qa2 gives Black the upper hand, according to the engines. The text wins the white queen, but after ...

40...Rxd1 41.Kh2 Rxd5

... Black has two rooks and two pawns for it.

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World Team 65+ Round Six

Bo.	18	Albania	Rtg	-	46	England - 5	Rtg	0 : 0
12.1	IM	Seitaj, Ilir	2303	-		Freeman, Richard C P	1897
12.2	FM	Cela, Shkelqim	2179	-	CM	Stokes, Michael	1861
12.3		Stavri, Gligor	1979	-		Spanton, Tim R	1908
12.4		Pasku, Sotir	2031	-		Marshall, Michael	1859

Gligor Stavri (1979) - Spanton (1908)

QGD Normal Variation

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c5 3.e3 e6 4.c4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Nf6

The starting point of the Normal Variation

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One advantage for White in playing this way is that often it is White who decides whether to play with or against an IQP. It is not that either way is theoretically advantageous, but playing what you like can be important.

6.cxd5 exd5

Black can avoid an isolated queen's pawn with 6...Nxd5, when the main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 7.Bd3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.a3!? cxd4 10.exd4 Bf6, with Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 giving White at least the better part of equality.

7.Be2 Bg4

The engines suggest 7...cxd4!? 8.Nxd4 and 8...Bb4, 8...Bd6 or 8...Bc5.

8.0-0 Be7!?

This is the commonest move in Mega26, but Black scores just 26%, although it is a small sample size (19 games). The engines like 8...c4!? or 8...Rc8.

9.dxc5

So White gets to inflict an IQP on Black after the black dark-square bishop has moved.

9...Bxc5 10.a3 0-0

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

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This position is usually reached with Black to move, when the engines reckon the game is equal. With White to move, they give the latter a slight edge.

11.Qa4!?

This may be a novelty. Known moves are 11.b4 and 11.h3.
11...Qe7?

The engines give 11...d4!?, and if 12.Rd1, then 12...Bxf3!? 13.Bxf3 Qb6, claiming at least equal chances for Black.

12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Qxg4

White has won a sound pawn, and has the bishop-pair

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13...Rad8 14.Qc4!?

The engines like this.

14...Rfe8 15.Re1!? Bb6 16.Qc2 Ne5 17.Nxe5 Qxe5 18.Bf3 Nf4!?

How should White respond?

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19.Rf1!

The engines reckon this is easily the best move, whereas 19.Bxb7, although probably objectively fine for White, can lead to tricky play, eg 19...Re7 20.Bf3 Nd3 21.Rd1 Rc7 22.Qb3 Rcd7 23.Rf1!? h5, when White is two pawns up, but faces a difficult defensive task.

19...Nd5 20.Bd2 Re6 21.Bxd5!? Qxd5

The bishop-pair has gone, but White is a pawn up and has no weaknesses, and so can count on a substantial advantage if development is successfully completed

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22.Bc3 Red6 23.Qe2 Rg6!? 24.g3 Rgd6 25.Bb4 R6d7 26.Qg4

The engines give 26.Rfd1!, the point being they reckon 26...Qxd1+ 27.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 28.Kg2 is much better for White.

26...h5!? 27.Qh3 Qf3 28.Qg2 Qe2 29.Bc3 Re8 30.Rfe1 Qg4 31.h3 Qe6 32.Rad1

It has taken some time, but White has finally contested the open d file.

32...Red8 33.Rxd7 Rxd7

However, Black retains control of the file.

34.g4!?

The engines like this.

34...h4

But in reply they prefer 34...hxg4 or 34...Bc7.

35.Qf3 Qd6

How should White proceed?

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36.e4?

The engines suggest 36.Rc1, 36.Kg2 or 36.Qe4, but can you see what is wrong with the text.?
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36...Qd3

Black has 36...Qg3+! 37.Qxg3 (forced) hxg3 and 38...gxf2(+), with at least a slight edge.

37.Qxd3 Rxd3 38.Kg2 Bd4 39.Bxd4 Rxd4

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

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White's extra pawn gives a slight edge, according to Stockfish17.1; is winning, according to Dragon1.

40.Kf3 g5

Possibly the less-committal 40...f6!? is better.

41.Ke3 Rd6 42.f4?!

The engines agree White has at least the upper hand after 42.Rc1!?

42...f6?

This turns a completely equal position into a completely lost one, according to the engines. They give 42...Rb6, eg 43.b4 Ra6 44.Ra1 Rc6 45.Kd4!? gxf4 46.Rf1 Rd6+ 47.Kc4 (47.Ke5 Rd3 may even favour Black) Rc6+ 48.Kd4 Rd6+ etc, or 43.fxg5 Rxb2 44.e5 Rb3+ 45.Ke4 Rxh3 46.g6!? Rxa3!? 47.gxf7+ Kxf7 48.Rf1+ Ke6 49.Rf6+ Ke7 50.Rh6 h3, with what they agree is complete equality.

43.fxg5 fxg5 44.e5 Rb6 45.b4 Ra6 46.Ra1!?

This looks horribly passive, but is one of several winning moves.

46...Kf7 47.Ke4 Ke6 48.a4 b5!? 49.a5 Rc6 50.Rd1

The rook is in time to defend b4.

50...Rc3

Or 50...Ra6 51.Rd6!? (not the only winning move) Rxd6 52.exd6 Kxd6 53.Kf5 etc.

51.Rd6+ Ke7 52.Kf5 Rxh3 53.Kxg5 Rh1 54.Ra6 h3 55.Rxa7+ Ke6 56.Rh7 h2 57.a6 Kxe5 58.a7 Ra1 59.Rxh2 Rxa7

White has a tablebase win

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60.Rc2 Rg7+ 61.Kh4 Kf4 62.Rf2+ Ke3 63.Rf5 Rc7 64.Rxb5 Rc4 65.Kh5 Kf3 66.Rf5+ Kg3 67.b5 Rb4 68.g5 Rh4+ 69.Kg6 Rb4 70.Kf6

Even 70.b6!? wins, according to the Syzygy endgame tablebase.

70...Kg4 71.g6 Rd4 72.Re5 Rd6+ 73.Re6 Rd5 74.b6 Rf5+ 75.Ke7 Rg5 76.Kf7 Rf5+ 77.Rf6 Rd5 78.g7 Rd7+ 79.Kg6 Rd8 80.Kh7 Rd7 81.Kh8 Kh5 82.g8=Q 1-0

Team Result

Seitaj = Freeman

Cela 0-1 Stokes

Stavri 1-0 Spanton

Pasku 1-0 Marshall

Albania 2.5-1.5 England 5

Championship Chess

PLAYED last night in the Battersea club championship.

Michael Krautzberger (1505) - Spanton (1938)

Sicilian Alapin

1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6!? 3.d4 d5 4.exd5!?

There are 6,208 games with this continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, keeping the game in independent Alapin lines, whereas there are 3,928 games with 4.e5, transposing into the Advance Variation of the French.

4...exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Be3 cxd4!? 7.Nxd4 Bd6

Black has felt obliged to spend a tempo (6...cxd4!?) in accepting an isolated queen's pawn, but in compensation the white dark-square bishop is not particularly actively placed and the white queen's knight will take two tempi to reach the active f3 square, now that c3 is occupied 

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8.Bd3 Nf6 9.0-0 0-0 10.Nd2

How should Black proceed?

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10...Ng4!

This was probably also good at move nine, which is why Stockfish171.1 and Dragon1 recommended h3 on the last two moves.

11.Nxc6?

Allowing a simple zwischenzug, although 11.N2f3 Nxe3 also favours Black.

11...Bxh2+ 12.Kh1 bxc6 13.g3?

This only makes matters worse.

13...Nxe3 14.Qh5 g6 15.Qxh2 Nxf1 16.Rxf1

Black is 'only' up the exchange and a pawn, but Black's advantage is close to the equivalent of a whole rook, according to the engines

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16...Qf6 17.Kg2 Kg7 18.Be2 Rh8 19.Nf3 Bg4 20.Rh1 Bxf3+ 21.Bxf3 h6 22.Qh3 Rab8 23.Qxd7 Rxb2 24.Qxa7 Qxc3 25.Rh4 Rhb8 26.Rf4 R8b7 27.Qa4 Qc2 28.Qd4+ Kg8 29.Bh5? gxh5 30.Qf6 Qg6 31.Qd8+ Kg7 32.Ra4 Rxf2+! 33.Kxf2 Qc2+ 0-1

My Battersea Season 2025-6

Date       Event  Colour  Rating  Opp's Rating  Score  Season's Perf

16/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1952             0           1552

18/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1797             =           1675

16/10/25 CLL       W       1889         2047             0           1665

23/10/25 CLL       B        1889         1823             1           1805

18/11/25  LL         W       1891         1980             =           1840

20/11/25  CLL      W       1891         1866             1            1911

25/11/25  BCC     B        1891         1817             1            1955

9/12/25    LL         W       1904         1982             1            2008

16/12/25  LL         B        1904         2046             0            1968

18/12/25  CLL      B        1904         2066             1            2018

6/1/26      CLL      W       1929         2150             =            2066

7/1/26      LL         W       1929         1971             =            2058

8/1/26      CLL      B        1929         1800?           =            2038

13/1/26    LL         B        1929         2035             1            2067

27/1/26    LL         B        1929         2089             0            2041

29/1/26    CLL      B        1929         1882             =            2031

3/2/26      BCC     W       1928         1836             1            2043     

12/2/26    CDL      B        1928        1890              1            2057

25/2/26    LL         B        1928        1863              =            2047

26/2/26    CLL      B         1928        2015             0            2025

3/3/26      CDL      B        1914        1976              1            2043

24/3/26    BCC     W        1921        1780             1            2049

26/3/26    CLL      B         1921        1942             =            2045

31/3/26    CDL      B        1921         2091             0            2030

7/4/26      BCC     B         1938        1505*            1            2030  

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC: Battersea club championship

CDL: Croydon & District League

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

*A win against a 1505 counts as a 1905 performance, so I have excluded this game from calculating my season's performance as it would lower my average despite me winning.

Bad Wörishofen Senioren Round Two

FACED an Austrian.

Robert Hafner (2031) - Spanton (1919)

Colle-Zukertort

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 Nf6 4.b3 Bd6

Throwing in the moves 4...Bb4+ 5.c3, and then 5...Bd6, probably does not make much difference as White will likely want to play c4 at some point anyway.

5.Bb2 0-0 6.Be2 b6 7.Nbd2 Bb7 8.0-0

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

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The pawn-structure is symmetrical, and the piece-setup is not far off it. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon the game is equal.

8...Nbd7 9.c4 Rc8 10.Rc1 Qe7 11.Qc2 c5 12.Rfd1 Rfd8 13.Qb1 h6!?

Possibly a novelty. The engines suggest 13...dxc4, 13...cxd4 or 13...Bb8.

14.h3 Ne4!? 15.cxd5!?

This is the engines' top choice. They reckon 15.Nxe4 dxe4 gives Black at least a slight edge.

15...exd5 16.dxc5!?

Again the pawn capture gets engine approval.

16...Bxc5

The engines are not keen on this, reckoning 16...Ndxc5 keeps White's advantage to a slight edge.

What is Black's threat, and how should White respond?

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17.Nd4!?

This is the engines' top choice, although they also quite like 17.Nxe4. White had to be careful, though, as Black threatened 17...Nxf2!

17...Qh4?

Best seems to be the engines' 17...Ne5, but also better than the text are 17...Nd6 and 17...Bxd4!?

18.Nxe4 Qxe4

Worse is 18...dxe4? 19.Nf5.

19.Bd3

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 19.Qxe4!? dxe4 20.Nf5, eg 20...Bf8 21.Rxc8 Bxc8 22.Bb5 a6 23.Bc6 h5 24.g4 hxg4 25.hxg4 g6 26.Bf6 Re8 27.Bxd7 Bxd7 28.Rxd7 gxf5 29.gxf5, when White is a pawn up and with much the better pieces. If 20...f6, then  21.Bc4+ Kf8 22.Be6 Bc6 23.Nd4 Ke7 24.Bg4 is very good for White.

19...Qe8 20.Nf5 Ne5

Not 20...Bf8? 21.Nxh6+!

21.Be2!?

The engines fluctuate between the two bishop retreats.

21...Bf8 22.Qa1!?

The engines like this. It induces a weakening of the black king's position.

22...f6 23.Qb1!? Rxc1!?

Played on the principle that a weak IQP is easier to defend with fewer heavy pieces on the board.

24.Rxc1 Rc8 25.Nd4!? Rxc1+ 26.Qxc1 Qc8 27.Qxc8 Bxc8

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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The isolated queen's pawn constitutes a major weakness, giving White the upper hand, according to the engines.

28.f4!? Ng6 29.Bf3 Bb7 30.Kf2

In the postmortem RH suggested 30.Nb5, when the engines continue 30...a6 31.Nc7 Bc5 32.Kf1!?, the point being 32...Bxe3 33.Nxd5 Bxd5 34.Bxd5+ Kf8 35.g3 leaves White with the bishop-pair on a relatively open board. The engines reckon Black should prefer 32...Ne7, but agree 33.Bd4!? Bxd4 34.exd4 gives White at least a slight edge.

30...Bc5 31.Ne6 Bd6 32.g3 Ne7 33.Nd4!?

This is better than 33.Nc7 Bc8!?

33...Kf7 34.Nb5 Bb8 35.Ba3

How should Black proceed?

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35...Ke6?

Several moves seem to hold, including 35...Bc6 and 35...Bc8.

36.Bg4+

There is no satisfactory reply to this.

36...Kf7

Certainly not 36...Nf5?? 37.Nd4+, while after 36...f5?! 37.Nd4+ Kf6 38.Bxe7+ Kxe7 39.Nxf5+ the bishop-pair is nowhere near enough compensation for being a pawn down and with a continuing weakness at d5.

White to play and gain what is probably a winning advantage

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37.Nd6+?

RH rejected 37.Bd6!? because of 37...a6 38.Bxb8 axb5 39.Bc7 Nc8, when 40.Bxc8? Bxc8 41.h4 and 42.Bxb6 wins a pawn, but opposite-colour bishops should save Black. However, White has several improvements at move 40, including 40.Bd7!?, when 40...Bc8 41.Bxb5 Bxh3 leaves the number of pawns equal, but 42.a4!? sets in motion White's newly acquired farside majority, and that wins, according to the engines. Note that 37...Ba6? 38.Bxb8 Bxb5 39.Bxa7 gives White a huge advantage.

37...Bxd6 38.Bxd6

Black to play and draw

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38...f5?!

The simple 38...Bc8 gets the bishop-pair off the board, and so draws easily. Other moves also probably hold, according to the engines, including 38...g6, 38...Nc6 and 38...Ke8.

39.Bf3 Ke6 40.Be5

This is a good outpost for the bishop, and meanwhile Black's remaining bishop looks a sorry piece.

40...g6 41.Bg7

White has the upper hand after 41.g4!?, according to the engines. They reckon the reply 41...fxg4!? is almost mandatory, but after 42.hxg4 they are unsure how Black can put up the best resistance, one line running 42...Ba6 43.Ke1 Bb5 44.Bg7 Ng8 45.Kd2 Bd7 46.Kd3, with continuing white pressure.

41...h5!?

This puts another black pawn on the same colour complex as Black's bishop, but now White will find creating a breakthrough on the kingside difficult.

42.Be2 Nc8 43.Be5 Nd6!?

Correctly judging that the good-v-bad bishop ending is drawn.

44.Bxd6

White can hardly hope for winning prospects if the knight is allowed to settle on e4.

44...Kxd6 45.b4 Bc6 46.Ke1 a5 47.a3 axb4 48.axb4 b5!?

Blockading the queenside, but Black's task is made trickier by putting yet another black pawn on a light square

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49.Kd2 Bd7 50.Kc3 Kc6 51.Kd4 Kd6
Clearly White's king cannot be allowed access to e5 or c5.

52.Bf3 Be6

52...Bc6!? allows 53.g4, when Black may still be OK, but the defence gets more complicated.

53.Bg2 Bf7 54.Bf1 Be8 55.Be2 Bd7 56.Bd1 Be6 57.Bb3 Bf7 58.Kd3 Be6 59.Bc2 Kc6 60.Kd4 Kd6 61.Bd3 Bd7 62.Kc3 Kc6 63.Kd2 Kd6 64.Ke2 Kc6 65.Kf2 Kd6 ½–½

Tournament hall

Mariánské Lázně 50+ Round Eight

FACED a German.

Guido Schott (2016) - Spanton (1915)

Réti

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3!?

This is fifth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 2.b3, 2.c4, 2.d4 and especially 2.g3, but has been played by Carlsen, Kramnik, Nakamura and So. It is also liked by Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1, ahead of the quintessential Réti move 2.c4, albeit we are talking fine margins.

2...Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.b3!? c5 5.Bb2 Nc6 6.cxd5

How should Black recapture?

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6...Nxd5

The engines prefer 6...exd5 and 6...Qxd5!? over the text.

7.Nc3!?

This is the engines' top choice.

7...Nxc3

The engines suggest 7...Nf6.

8.Bxc3 Qd6!?

This appears to be a novelty, the idea being to get in ...e5 to allow ...Be7. Known moves are 8...f6, 8...Qc7 and 8...Bd7.

How should White respond?

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9.d4

The engines reckon White has the upper hand after 9.a3!? (Stockfish17.1) or 9.Qc2 (Dragon1).

9...cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.exd4?!

The isolani gives White more space, but, with all the knights off the board, it is more of a weakness than a strength.

11...Bd7 12.Be2?!

Leaving the dark-square bishop loose on an open file is probably unwise.

How should Black proceed?

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12...Rc8

Black gets at least a slight edge, according to the engines, after 12...Qc6, eg 13.Qd3 Rc8!? 14.Bd2 (worse is 14.Rc1? Ba3 15.Rc2 Qxg2 16.Bf3 Qh3) Qxg2 15.Bf3 Qh3, or 13.Bd2 Qxg2 14.Bf3 Qg6 15.Bxb7 Rd8, or 13.Rc1?! Qxg2 14.Bf3 Qg6 15.Bxb7 Rb8 16.Qf3!? Ba3 17.Rd1 0-0.

13.Rc1 Be7

Not 13...Qa3 14.0-0! Qxa2?? 15.Ra1.

14.0-0 0-0

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

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The key feature is the IQP, which gives Black a slight edge, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish17.1 is less sure.

15.Qd2

DS pressed his clock and offered a draw.

15...Rfd8 16.Bf3 Bc6 17.Bxc6 Rxc6

What would have been wrong with recapturing with the queen, giving the above position?

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Full marks if you plumped for 18.Ba5!, but go to the bottom of the class (do teachers still use that as a sanction?) if you chose 18.Bb4?, as White is lost after 18...Bxb4!

Back to the game.

18.Bb2 Rdc8 19.Rxc6 Rxc6 20.Rc1 h6 21.Rxc6 Qxc6

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

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The isolated queen's pawn remains the key feature, but with rooks off the board, and with White having no other weakness, it is not decisive. Indeed Stockfish17.1 reckons the position is equal, although Dragon1 gives Black a slight edge.

22.g3

GS offered a draw in my time.

22...Qd5 23.Qc3 Bf6 24.a3

The engines do not like this, preferring 24.Qc2!?, when they reckon 24...Bxd4 25.Bxd4 Qxd4 26.Qc8+ Kh7 27.Qxb7 is equal.

24...h5 25.h4 g6 26.Kh2 Kf8 27.Kg1 Kg7 28.Kh2 b5 29.Kg1 a5!? 30.Kh2?!

This may be a mistake. The engines give 30.Qxa5 Qxb2 31.Qd2, when they reckon White is only slightly worse.

30...Qf5 31.Kg2 Qe4+ 32.Qf3?

This is definitely a mistake. Instead 32.Kf1!? Qb1+ 33.Bc1 (33.Kg2? b4! 34.axb4 axb4 35.Qd2 Qa2 36.Qc2 Kh7 leaves White unable to defend both b3 and d4) g5!? 34.Qe3!? gxh4 35.Qh6+ Kg8 36.Qxf6 Qxc1+ 37.Kg2 hxg3 38.Kxg3 is a sharp line, with several major alternatives along the way, that ends with a position that Dragon1 at first reckons only slightly favours Black, but it comes to agree with Stockfish17.1 that Black is winning.

32...Qc2

32...Qb1! is very strong, in a similar way to the previous note, eg 33.Qc3 b4! 34.axb4 axb4 35.Qd2 Qa2, which is a direct transposition to the line in brackets.

33.Qc3 Qe4+ 34.Qf3?

34.Kf1!? gives the same position as in the note to White's 32nd move. After the text, 34...Qb1! almost certainly wins, as explained above.

½–½

Cracovia 60+ Round Five

FACED an Israeli Fide master.

Ran Shabtai (1996) - Spanton (1913)

QGD Normal Position

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 c5 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nc6

The game started as an English, became a Tarrasch Defence to the Queen's Gambit, and has now reached the Normal Position of the Queen's Gambit Declined, albeit the variation has not been the normal continuation in the QGD for well over a century

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6.cxd5
This is second in popularity to 6.a3.

6...exd5 7.Be2 Bf5!?

A rare continuation. Most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database is 7...Be7, while Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 recommend 7...cxd4 8.Nxd4, and either 8...Bb4 or 8...Bd6, although Dragon1 comes to prefer 7...c4!?

8.0-0 Rc8 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Nb5!? 0-0

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

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The game has produced a fairly typical IQP position, with equal chances, according to the engines.

11.b3 Qe7 12.Bb2 Rfd8 13.Rc1 Bb6

RS criticised this after the game, but the engines are fine with it.

14.Ba3 Qd7?

This is the real mistake. Instead 14...Nb4!? is good, the point being the knight can always be supported by ...a5, since an exchange on b4 would leave a2 weak.

15.Nd6 Rc7 16.Nxf5

Even stronger is 16.Nxb7! Rxb7 17.Bb5 with Ne5 to come.

16...Qxf5 17.Bc5

The engines prefer 17.Bd3 or 17.Bb2.

17...Bxc5 18.Rxc5 Rdc8 19.Bd3 Qd7 20.Qb1 g6 21.Rfc1

How should Black proceed?

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21...d4?

Black is fine after, for example, 21..Nb4.

22.Nxd4

Not 22.exd4? Nxd4 23.Rxc7 Nxf3+ etc.

22...Nxd4 23.exd4 b6

The engines suggest 23...Ne8!?

24.Rxc7 Rxc7 25.Rxc7 Qxc7 26.Qe1!

The engines agree this is better than the obvious 26.Bb2.

26...Ng4 27.g3 Qd7 28.Qe4 Nf6 29.Qf4 Nd5 30.Qe5 Nb4 31.Bb5 Qd8 32.a3!? Nc2?

Better is 32...Nd5, but Black has no compensation for being down a passed pawn.

33.d5 Nxa3 34.Bc6

The knight is out of play, and there is nothing to stop the d pawn queening

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34...Nc2

Marginally better may be 34...Qc8.

35.Qc3 Na3 36.b4 Qe7 37.Qxa3 a5 38.Qd3 Qd6

Either capture on b4 is met by 39.d6.

39.bxa5 bxa5 40.Qb5 Qa3 41.Kg2 h5 42.Qb8+ Kh7 43.Qc7 Kg7 44.d6 h4 45.d7 h3+ 46.Kxh3 Qd3 47.Kg1 1-0

Cracovia 60+ Round Four

FACED a Fide master.

Spanton (1913) - Henryk Samborski (2085)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5 Nd7

This trails 3...Bd7 in popularity in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but scores six percentage points better.

4.c3

Of moves occurring at least 1,000 times in Mega26, 4.d4 and especially 4.0-0 are more popular, while most successful percentagewise is 4.Ba4!?

4...Nf6 5.Qe2 e6 6.d4 Be7

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer 7...a6 or 7...cxd4.

How should White proceed?

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7.0-0

The engines suggest 7.e5 or 7.dxc5!? After the latter, which is not in Mega26, they reckon 7...dxc5 should be met with 8.a4!? a6 9.Bd3, claiming White has the upper hand.

7...Qc7 8.Rd1 0-0

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

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White's classical centre gives a slight edge, according to the engines.

9.e5 Nd5 10.Qe4?!

The queen may look menacing on e4, but threats against the black kingside are illusory, and meanwhile the queen becomes a target. The engines like 10.c4.

10...cxd4 11.cxd4 g6?

Unnecessarily weakening. The engines give 11...dxe5 12.dxe5, followed by the cool 12...Rd8!?, claiming a slight edge for Black. They reckon 12...Nc5 also gives at least equality.

12.Bh6 Rd8 13.Na3

13.Nbd2 gives White the upper hand, according to the engines.

13...dxe5 14.dxe5 Nc5 15.Qe2 a6 16.Bc4 b5

The engines agree with HS's postgame suggestion that 16...Nb6 is better.

17.Bxd5 Rxd5

The engines prefer this over capturing with the pawn.

18.Rxd5 exd5 19.Rd1 Be6

The engines like 19...Bg4!?, and if 20.Rxd5, then 20...Be6, reckoning Black's bishop-pair and better coordination give full compensation for a pawn.

20.Nc2 Rd8

What should White play?

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21.Bg5?!

Getting rid of Black's bishop-pair, but ceding all of White's advantage, according to the engines, which reckon 21.Nfd4 gives at least a slight edge.

21...Bg4!? 22.Bxe7 Qxe7 23.Ncd4 Qd7 24.h3 Bxf3 25.Qxf3 Ne6

After exchanges have left each side with identical material, how would you assess the position?

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Black's isolated but passed pawn is firmly blockaded, but at the same time is not vulnerable. The engines reckon the game is completely equal.

26.Qe3 Rc8 27.f4!? Qa7 28.f5!? Nxd4 29.Qxd4 Qxd4+ 30.Rxd4

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

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There are nearly always drawing chances in rook-and-pawn endings, and in this case the position is completely equal, according to the engines.

30...Rc1+ 31.Kh2 gxf5 32.Rxd5 Rc2 33.Rd6

Not the only drawing move.

33...a5 34.Ra6 a4 35.b3 Rxa2 36.bxa4 bxa4

Black has won a pawn, but the white king, unlike its back counterpart, can activate

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37.Kg3 a3 38.Kf4 Rf2+ 39.Kg3 Ra2 40.Kf4 Ra1 41.Kxf5 a2 42.Kg5 Kg7 43.Ra7 Re1 ½–½

All About That Bass VI

MOST of us have an opponent against whom nothing seems to work.

When the opponent is considerably stronger, this is not surprising, but when ratings are not so different, the results are harder to explain.

My biggest bogeyman is probably John Bass, whose record against me is +6=1-0.

Seven games is not a huge sample, but such a poor performance on my part must signify something.

So in this mini-series I am looking at my games against JB to try to discover what is going on.

The following game came 35 years after our first two encounters, in both of which he opened with 1.e4.

Bass (1951) - Spanton (1916)

Central London League Division Two 2024

QGD Semi-Tarrasch

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

5...cxd4!? is a sharp line, marginally preferred over the mainline 5...Nxd5 by Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1

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6.Qa4+!?

More popular is the straightforward 6.Qxd4.

6...Bd7 7.Qxd4

The point of White's manoeuvre is to oblige Black's light-square bishop to interfere with Black's coverage of the d5 square, but this does not prove important.

7...exd5 8.Bg5 Nc6 9.Qd2 Be6 10.e3

White cannot win the d pawn, for example 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Nxd5?? Bxd5 12.Qxd5 Bb4+ 13.Nd2 Qxb2 14.Rd1 Rd8 etc.

10...Be7 11.Bb5 0-0 12.0-0

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

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It looks like a typical IQP position - imbalanced, but with equal chances, according to the engines.

12...Ne4!? 13.Nxe4 dxe4 14.Bxe7!?

The engines reckon this apparent-novelty is a marginal improvement on the known 14.Qxd8.

14...Nxe7 15.Nd4 Nf5 16.Rfd1 Nxd4 17.Qxd4 Qxg5!?

The engines suggest 17...Qxd4 18.Rxd4 Rac8!?

18.Be2 f5?!

Probably better is 18...Rfe8 or 18...Qf6!?

19.g3 Rfd8 20.Qa4 a6?!

The engines much prefer 20...Qf6 or 20...h6.

21.Qb4 Rab8 22.a3

White has a positionally won game after 22.h4 Qf6 23.Rxd8+ Qxd8 24.Rd1, according to the engines.

22...Qf6

The engines reckon 22...Kf7!? is best.

23.Rxd8+ Qxd8 24.Rd1 Qc7 25.Rd6 a5!? 26.Qd4 Kf7!?

How should White proceed?

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27.Kg2

Even stronger is 27.Rxe6! Kxe6 28.Bc4+ Ke7 29.Qxg7+, eg 29...Kd6 (29...Kd8 30.Qf8+ Kd7 31.Qxf5+) 30.Qf6+ Kc5 31.Qd4+ Kc6 32.Bd5+ etc.

27...b6?

Better is 27...Rc8 or 27...Re8.

28.Qe5

This is winning, but again Rxe6 is even stronger.

28...Re8 29.Qd4?!

Stronger is 29.Bb5 or 29.b4, but not 29.Rxe6?? Qxe5.

29...Rb8?

29...Qc5 was a chance to get out of the worst of Black's troubles.

30.Qe5 Re8 31.Qd4?! ½–½

LESSON: my lucky let-off does not conceal the fact that, first, I was first outplayed positionally, and then tactically.

Cap Negret Round Five

FACED a Belgian Fide master on a live board.

Johan Goormachtigh (2188) - Spanton (1896)

QGD Ragozin

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4!? 0-0 7.e3 Bf5

Our game from the same tournament last year went 7...c6 8.Bd3 Nbd7 9.0-0 Re8 10.Qc2, with a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 (½–½, 59 moves).

8.Qb3 c5!? 9.dxc5 Qa5 10.Be2

The engines reckon White is at least slightly better after 10.a3 or 10.Nd4.

10...Nd7 11.0-0

The engines still prefer a3, or Bd6.

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

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Black has an IQP and is a pawn down, but that pawn-deficit is about to be erased with tempo, driving the white queen to the back rank. The engines prefer Black.

11...Nxc5 12.Qd1 Rfd8?!
Shant Sargsyan (2594) - Alan Pichot (2630), Abu Dhabi Online Blitz, went 12...Bxc3 13.bxc3 Nce4, when Black had a slight edge (Dragon1), although Stockfish17.1 is less enthusiastic about Black's position (0-1, 45 moves).

13.Nd4

Even stronger, according to the engines, is the immediate 13.Nb5.

13...Bg6?

Black should probably play 13...Bxc3, although the engines reckon 14.Nxf5 Bxb2 15.Rb1 Qc3 16.Bf3 gives White more than enough for a pawn.

14.Ncb5 Ne6?

14...Na6 defends the sensitive c7 square, but White is positionally winning according to the engines, eg 15.a3 Be7 16.b4 Qb6 17.Rc1 Rac8 18.Qb3, although the game is far from over.

15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Bc7 Qa6 17.Nd4!? b5 18.Bxb5 Qb7 19.Bxd8 Rxd8 20.Qa4 Bd6 21.Nxe6

The flurry of tactics is complete, and White has emerged up the exchange and two pawns

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21...Rb8 22.Bc6!?

Simpler is 22.Nd4, but the text is also good, and may even be better (the engines are unsure).

22...Qxb2 23.Qd4 Qc2!?

This loses another pawn, but with queens off the board Black's position is hopeless.

24.Bxd5 Qf5 25.Nf4+ Kh8 26.Be6 Qe5 27.Qxe5 Bxe5 28.Nxg6+ hxg6 1-0

Correspondence Chess

I PLAY correspondence chess at the Fide-recognised International Correspondence Chess Federation.

Most games, thanks to modern engines, are drawn, but occasionally one escapes that fate, or is interesting for other reasons.

Spanton (2330) - David Picken (1684)

British Correspondence Chess Championship Reserves Section D

French Exchange

1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.c4

This scores 50% in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, which is not great, but is the highest percentage of White's five most-popular continuations.

4...Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7

This is the commonest move, but Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer 6...Bb4 or 6...Nc6.

6.Nf3 0-0 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Bd3 c6 9.0-0

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

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It looks like a classic IQP position, but with Black having occupied the blockading square with the king's knight, leaving f6 free to be occupied by the queen's knight. Complete equality, is the engines' verdict.
9...Bg4

The engines suggest 9...Be6 or 9...Na6!?

10.Re1 Nd7

The engines again prefer ,,,Na6!? They dislike the text because it gives White the chance to inflict an IQP on Black.

11.Nxd5!? cxd5

The engines reckon White has a slight edge

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12.Bf4 Nf6

Jonathan Speelman (2610) - Valery Salov (2645), Linares 1991, went 12...Rc8 13.h3 Bh5 14.Bf5!? Bg6 15.Bxg6, with the upper hand for White, according to the engines, although the game was eventually drawn.

13.h3 Bh5 14.Re3 Bg6 15.Qb3

How should Black proceed?

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15...b6?

The engines reckon Black should precede ...b6  with 15...Bxd3, or play for activity with 15...Bd6!?, eg 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Bxg6 hxg6 18.Qxb7 Rfb8.

16.Ne5

This seems best, but 16.Ba6!? also appears strong.
16...Bxd3?

The engines prefer 16...Be4 or 16...Bd6.

17.Nc6!?

An easy move to miss, at least over the board.

17...Bc4 18.Qa4 b5 19.Qc2 Qb6 20.Nxe7+ Kh8 21.b3!? Qxd4 22.Be5 Qc5 23.Bxf6 gxf6 24.Qf5

Black must lose a piece for inadequate compensation, but also has to worry about mating threats

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24...Qd6 25.bxc4 dxc4 26.Rae1 Rab8

Presumably hoping to push Black's extra pawns.

27.Re4 Qd3?!

Black is getting mated anyway, but this speeds the process.

28.Qxf6#

Czech 65+ Open Championship Round Four

FACED an international master on board two.

Spanton (1982) - Milan Babula (2086)

French Exchange

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.c4 Nf6!?

More popular is 5...c6, but there are 1,482 examples of the text in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database.

6.c5!?

Much more popular is 6.Nc3, but Dragon1 marginally prefers the text, while Stockfish17 fluctuates between the two moves.

6...Be7 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Bd3 b6

This is the prescribed response to White pushing on with the c pawn in the manner of this game, and in this case the move scores a fabulous 71% in Mega25, albeit from 36 games.

9.cxb6 axb6 10.0-0

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

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Thanks to having an isolated queen's pawn, White has an extra pawn island, but the isolani is not much of a weakness. Both sides have a half-open file, but it may be easier for White to exert pressure on the c file than it is for Black to do likewise on the a file. The engines reckon the game is equal.

10...Ba6!? 11.Bf4 c5!? 12.Bxb8!?

The engines dislike this. Dragon1 suggests 12.Ne5 or 12.Bxa6, in each case claiming a slight edge for White; Stockfish17 reckons 12.Bxa6 is equal, but 12.a3 may give a slight edge.

12...Bxd3 13.Qxd3 Rxb8 14.b3 Rc8 15.dxc5!? bxc5 16.Rfd1 d4!? 17.Ne4 Nd5 18.Rac1

The engines suggest 18.Qc4!?

18...f5!? 19.Ng3

19.Ned2!? allows 19....Nc3 with a double-threat to d1 and a2. However the position is not altogether clear, one line running 20.Re1 Nxa2 21.Ra1 Nb4 22.Qc4+ Kh8 23.Ne5 Bf6!? 24.Nf7+ Rxf7 25.Qxf7 Nc2 26.Qe6 Nxe1 27.Rxe1, when the engines reckon White's activity gives decent compensation for a pawn.

19...g6 20.Ne5?!

Almost certainly better is 20.Ne2, with equality, according to the engines.

20...Bf6 21.Nc4?

This loses a pawn. Better is retreating back to f3.

21...Nc3 22.Re1

Not 22.Rd2? Bg5.

22...Nxa2 23.Ra1 Nb4

Materially Black is up a protected passed pawn, but is the equivalent of almost a minor piece ahead, according to the engines

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24.Qf3?? Nc2 25.Ra7 Nxe1 26.Qb7 Be7!? 27.Ne5!?

After 27.Qxe7 Qxe7 28.Rxe7 Rfe8 Black is up the exchange and a passer.

27...Rc7!? 28.Qxc7 Qxc7 29.Rxc7 Bd6 0-1