Ilkley Game Five

Randolph E Donahue (1789) - Spanton (1952)

U2000

Giuoco Piano

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d4!?

An interesting gambit that scores a very good 61% for White in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database.

5...Bxd4 6.Nxd4 Nxd4

For a pawn White has the bishop-pair and is able to quickly generate tactical threats

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7.Bg5!?

The mainline runs 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Bg5, slightly favouring Black, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02, which reckon Black's best continuation is 9...Qe7!? After 10.Na3 Be6 (this is the commonest move in Mega22, but better may be the almost-as-popular 10...Rg8!?) 11.c3 Bxc4 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Nxc4 Ne6 White's large lead in development, better pawn-structure and safer king at least compensate for being a pawn down.

7...h6 8.Bh4 d6

8...g5 9.f4! seems good for White, eg 9...gxh4 10.fxe5 wins the piece back with a continuing attack, and 9...gxf4, which has been played by at least one grandmaster and is the second-most popular continuation in Mega22, loses to 10.Rxf4! exf4 11.Qxd4 etc. Best may be 9...d5!? 10.exd5 gxh4 11.fxe5 Nxd5 12.Qxd4 Be6, although White is clearly better.

9.f4 b5!?

This may be a novelty. The mainline runs 9...Bg4 10.Bxf6 Bxd1 11.Bxd8 Rxd8 12.Rxd1 Nxc2 13.Nc3 Nxa1 14.Rxa1 with an unclear position, but one that Russian grandmaster Igor Lysyi has had twice as Black in Mega22, losing to a 2347 and drawing with a 2135.

How should White respond?

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10.fxe5

There are many interesting continuations, including 10.Bxb5+ Nxb5 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.Qxd8+ Kxd8 13.Rxf6! Ke8 14.Rc6 f6 15.a4 Nd4 16.Rxc7 and 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Bd3 Bd7 12.f5!?, but the text may be as good as any.

10...dxe5 11.Bxf7+?

But this is too optimistic. The engines give 11.Bxb5+ Nxb5, transposing to the first line in the previous note.

11...Kxf7 12.Qh5+ g6

The engines reckon 12...Ke6!? is probably even stronger.

13.Qxe5 g5 14.Nc3

How should Black continue?

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14...Kg6?

14...Be6? loses to 15.Bf2!, according to the engines, eg 15...Nc6 16.Qxb5 Qe8 17.Nd5 Rb8 18.Qc5 Nxe4 19.Bd4+ Kg8 20.Qxc6. But Black seems to be winning after both 14...Re8 and 14...gxh4.

15.Rad1

Slightly better may be the engines' 15.Bf2!?

15...Ng4!

This is the only move that does not lose, according to the engines.

16.Qc5 Qd6 17.Qxd6 cxd6 18.Rxd4 gxh4 19.Rxd6+ Kg7

White only has two pawns for a bishop, but Black has weak pawns and an exposed king

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20.Nxb5

Taking a third pawn, but slightly better, according to the engines, is first 20.h3.

20...Rb8 21.a4 a6 22.Na7?

Better is 22.Nd4, eg 22...Rxb2 23.h3 Ne3 24.Rf4, which Stockfish15 reckons is equal although Komodo13.02 gives Black at least a slight edge..

22...Rxb2 23.Rc6?!

Both 23.h3 Ne3 and 23.Nxc8 Rxc8 are good for Black, but the engines reckon the text is even worse.

Black to play and win

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23...Bb7?

This allows a perpetual, whereas 23...Bd7 24.Rc7 Ne5 solves Black's difficulties and allows a win on material.

24.Rc7+ Kg6 25.Nc6 Bxc6

More-or-less forced as 25...Re8?! 26.Ne7+ gives White a strong attack, eg 26...Kg7 27.Nf5+ Kh8 28.Nd6, when 28...Rb8?! runs into 29.h3 Ne3?! 30.Rff7 etc.

The game finished:

26.Rxc6+ Kg7 27.h3 Ne3 28.Rc7+ Kg6 29.Rc6+ Kg7 ½–½

Ilkley Game Four

Spanton (1952) - Robert A Newton (1937)

U2000

Modern Defence

1.e4 g6 2.Nf3 Bg7 3.d4 d6 4.Nc3 Nbd7

4...Nf6 would be a transposition to the Pirc; the text keeps the game in independent lines.

5.Be2 c6 6.a4 Qc7 7.a5!?

Castling is normal.

7...Ngf6 8.h3 0-0 9.Be3

The moves may have appeared somewhat random, or perhaps lacking planning, but the game has reached a position occurring 163 times in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database

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9...h6!?

The mainline runs 9...e5 10.dxe5 dxe5, when Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon 11.Bc4!? or 11.0-0 gives White at least a slight edge. One point of the text is to prevent 10.Qd2 followed by 11.Bh6.

10.Qd2 Kh7 11.0-0 a6 12.Rfd1 Ng8?!

The engines strongly dislike this retreat.

13.d5 c5 14.Qc1!?

Planning to re-route the king's knight to c4.

14...Rb8 15.Nd2 Ndf6 16.Nc4 Ne8?!

Another retreat strongly disliked by the engines.

17.Qd2 f5 18.Bd3 fxe4 19.Bxe4 Ngf6 20.Bd3 e5 21.Rf1

21.dxe6 Bxe6 22.Nb6 also leaves White on top, according to the engines.

21...Qe7 22.Rae1 Bf5 23.f4 Bxd3 24.Qxd3

The engines slightly prefer 24.cxd3!? to prevent Black's next move.

24...e4 25.Qd2 Rd8 26.g4 Nc7 27.Rd1 Nb5!? 28.Nxb5?!

The engines reckon much better is 28.Ne2, in effect asking Black what the knight is doing out on a limb on the queenside. Stockfish15 reckons 28.Ne2 gives White a won game, but Komodo13.02 allows White only a slight edge, suggesting the game is hard to evaluate, with positional factors dominating over the engines' strongpoint of tactics.

28...axb5 29.Na3 Qd7 30.Qe2 b4

The engines' 30...h5! initiates immediate kingside counterplay.

31.Nc4 Qf7 32.Qd2

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 32.f5 g5 33.Qd2.

32...h5 33.g5!?

The engines prefer 33.f5 hxg4 34.Qg2, claiming a slight edge for White.

33...Ng8 34.f5!? gxf5 35.Bf4 Qg6 36.Qh2 Rf7 37.h4?

Better is 37.Qg3, or even Komodo13.02's 37.Bxd6!?, the point of the latter being 37...Qxg5+ 38.Kh1 seems to leave White better coordinated.

37...Ne7?!

Almost certainly stronger is 37...Nf6 (or 37...Nh6) with ...Ng4 to come.

38.Bxd6 Bd4+ 39.Kh1 Nxd5 40.Bxc5!? Bxc5 41.Ne5 Bd6 42.Rxd5 Bxe5 43.Qxe5 Rxd5 44.Qxd5 f4

After a brief flurry of tactics we have a late-middlegame in which White has the better overall pawn-structure, but Black has a dangerous pair of passed pawns

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45.Qe5?

Both 45.Kg2 and 45.c4 are much better, according to the engines.

45...f3 46.Kg1 Qf5 47.Qxf5+ Rxf5 48.Kf2

There is nothing better.

48...Rxa5?

White is reduced to losing passivity after 48...Rf4.

49.Ke3 Re5 50.Rd1 Kg6 51.Kf4?!

White seems to have a comfortable draw after 51.Rd8 or 51.Rd7.

51...Re6 52.Re1??

Pushing the c pawn one or two squares holds, according to the engines.

52...f2 53.Rf1 e3 0-1

Ilkley Game Three

Bernie T Hare (1827) - Spanton (1952)

U2000

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.h3!?

The main moves are 5.c3, 5.0-0 and 5.Bxc6.

5...Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.c3 Bb6 8.Nd2

Grandmasters have played 8.Bg5!?, eg Ilya Smirin (2609) - Dimitry Andreikin (2719), World Rapid Championship (St Petersburg) 2018, continued 8...c6 9.Ba4 d5 10.Qf3 Be6 11.Nd2 h6 12.Bh4 g5!? 13.Bg3 dxe4 14.dxe4 g4!? 15.Qe2 Nh5? 16.Bxe5 with a large advantage for White (but 0-1, 54 moves).

8...c6 9.Ba4 d5 10.Qe2 0-0 11.Nf3 Re8 12.Bg5 d4

Black is slightly better after 12...Qd6, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.

13.c4?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 13.0-0 or 13.cxd4.

13...Ba5+

How should White meet the check?

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14.Kf1!?

This is the top choice of both engines at first, although Komodo13.02 comes to fluctuate between the text and 14.Nd2. Neither engine much likes 14.Bd2 Bxd2+, eg 15.Qxd2 Nd7!? 16.0-0 a5 17.Rae1 h6, when they reckon Black has at least a slight edge.

14...Qd6 15.a3 h6 16.Bc1 Nh5!? 17.g3

Stockfish15 gives 17.g4!? Nf6 18.g5 Nh5 19.Nxe5 g6 20.Ng4 hxg5 21.Bxg5 with equality. Komodo13.02 agrees with that verdict, but reckons Black has a significant improvement in18...hxg5, when 19.c5 Qd7 20.Nxg5 is completely equal, according to Komodo13.02, but gives White at least the upper hand, according to Stockfish15.

17...Qg6

What should White play?

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18.Nh4!?

Komodo13.02 is OK with this, but Stockfish15 prefers 18.g4!?, or 18.b4 followed by 19.g4!?

18...Nxg3+

Forced but good.

19.fxg3 Qxg3

How should White defend?

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20.Ng2?

Best, according to the engines, is 20.Nf5 Bxf5 21.exf5 e4 22.b4, when Black has two pawns and attacking chances for a bishop, eg 22...Re5 (22...exd3 23.Qf2 favours White, according to the engines) 23.Qg4! Qxd3+ 24.Kg2 e3 with a sharp and unclear-looking position, although the engines reckon it is completely equal.

20...Bxh3 21.Bc2??

White had to play 21.Kg1 with an unclear position, but one that looks easier for Black to play. The text defends d3, presumably with the intention of playing 22.Qf2, but allows a quick checkmate.

21...Bxg2+ 22.Qxg2 Qe1#

Ilkley Game Two

Spanton (1952) - James Hall (1808)

U2000

1.Nc3

1.Nc3 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 d5?!

A gambit that probably is not sound but at least has surprise value.

4.Nxe5 Nxe5 5.dxe5 d4 6.Nb5 c5 7.e3 a6

Not 7...dxe3? 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Bxe3, after which White is a pawn up, ahead in development and has deprived Black of castling rights.

8.Nd6+

Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 prefer 8.Na3.

8...Bxd6 9.cxd6 Qxd6 10.c3 Nf6 11.exd4 0-0 12.Be2 Bf5

For a pawn Black has a large lead in development, but White has the bishop-pair and no weaknesses

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13.0-0 Rad8 14.Be3 Qe6 15.Re1 Ne4 16.Qb3 Qxb3 17axb3 cxd4 18.Bxd4 Nd2 19.Rad1?!

Giving back the pawn with the aim of catching up in development and using the bishop-pair to exploit the awkward position of the knight. The engines much prefer holding on to the pawn with19.Bd1.

19...Nxb3 20.Bb6 Rxd1 21.Rxd1 Re8 22.g4?

Solving the back-rank mating threat, but Black has a good reply, so better is 22.f3.

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22...Be4?

The engines point out 22...h5, when they reckon 23.Bxa6 Bxg4 is completely equal.

23.f3 Bc6 24.Bc4 Ba4 25.Bxb3?

White is well on top after 25.Bd5.

25...Bxb3 26.Rd7 h5! 27.g5 Ba4 28.Rxb7 Bc6 29.Ra7 Bxf3 30.Rxa6??

This loses a piece.

30...Re6 31.Kf2 Bb7 32.Ra5 Rxb6

White has the more-active king and a pair of queenside passers, but they are a long way from even threatening to queen

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33.b4 Rc6 34.Ra7 Ba6 35.h4 Bc4 36.Ke3 Kh7 37.Kd4 Kg6 38.Rb7 Ba6 39.Rb8 Rc4+??

It is a check, but it loses the bishop.

40.Kd5 Rxc3 41.Rb6+ Kf5 42.Rxa6 Kg4 43.b5 Kxh4 44.b6 Kxg5 45.Ra5 f5

Not 45...Rb3?? 46.Kc4+ and Kxb3.

46.Rb5?

White gets a tablebase draw with 46.b7 Rb3 47.Kc6 Rxb7 48.Kxb7.

46...Rc8 47.Ke6 g6 48.Kd7 Rb8 49.Kc7

Black to play and win (only one move will do)

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49...Rf8

The engines give the only winning move as 49...Rh8!, eg 50.b7 h4 51.Rb3 (51.b8=Q Rxb8 is a tablebase win for Black) Kg4 52.Rb6 h3! 53.Rxg6+ Kh5! 54.Rg1 f4 55.b8=Q Rxb8 56.Kxb8 Kh4 57.Kc7 f3 58.Rg8 h2 59.Rf8 Kg3 60.Rg8+ Kf4 61.Rh8 f2 etc (analysis mainly based on the Syzygy endgame tablebase).

50.Rd5?

Drawing is 50.b7 h4 51.Rb3 Kg4 52.Rb6 g5 53.Rf6! Rh8 (53...Rxf6 b8=Q is a tablebase draw) 54.Rh6! etc.

50...h4 51.b7 h3 52.Rd7

Or 52.Rd8 Rxd8 53.Kxd8 h2 54.b8=Q h1=Q with a relatively easy queen-and-pawn ending for Black.

52...h2?

The pawn should be supported, either by 52...Rh8 or 52...Kg4.

53.Rh7 Kg4 54.Rxh2 Kg3 55.Rd2 f4 56.Rd8 Rf7+ 57.Rd7 Rf8 58.Rg7 f3 59.Rxg6+ Kf2 60.Rf6!? Rxf6 61.b8=Q Kg2 62.Qg8+ Kf1 63.Qc4+

Komodo13.02 at first reckons White is winning, but soon (correctly) agrees with Stockfish15 that the position is drawn.

63...Kg2 64.Qg4+ Kf1 65.Qh4 Ke2 66.Qxf6 f2

The position is a well-known book draw, but I played on in the hope of inducing a mistake.

The game finished:

67.Qe5+ Kd1 68.Qf6 Ke2 69.Qe5+ Kf3 70.Qb5 Kg2 71.Qb2 Kg1 72.Qd4 Kh1 73.Qd1+ Kg2 74.Qe2 Kg1 75.Qe3 Kg2 76. Qe2 Kg1

JH offered a draw.

77.Qg4+ Kg1 78.Qh3+ Kg1 79.Qg3+ Kh1 ½–½

Ilkley Game One

Stephen W Berkley (1761) - Spanton (1952)

U2000

QGD Semi-Tarrasch

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

The mainline in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database runs 5...Nxd5 6.e4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 Bb4+ 9.Bd2 Bxd2+ 10.Qxd2 0-0 11.Bc4 with a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02.

6.Qa4+!?

Magnus Carlsen has played 6.Qxd4, which is the main move, and also 6.Nxd4, but not, as far as I can discover, the text.

6...Bd7 7.Qxd4 exd5 8.Bg5

One of the points of 6.Qa4+!?, as opposed to 6.Qxd4, is White can win a pawn with 8.Nxd5!? However Black gets strong counterplay with 8...Qa5+ 9.Nc3 Nc6.

8...Nc6

Also possible is 8...Be7, when 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Qxd5 0-0 gives Black reasonable compensation for a pawn, but 8...Be6?! 9.Bxf6 Qxf6 10.Qxf6 gxf6 11.0-0-0 is slightly better for White, according to the engines.

9.Qd2

9.Bxf6 Nxd4 10.Bxd8 Nc2+? 11.Kd2 Nxa1 12.Bg5 gave White a large advantage in Salo Landau - Rudolf Spielmann, Amsterdam 1936 (1-0, 27 moves). However Black has a major improvement with 10...Nxf3+ 11.exf3 Rxd8, and if 12.Nxd5 then 12...Bc6, when White's extra pawn is largely meaningless.

9...Be6 10.e3

Not 10.Bxf6?! Qxf6 11.Nxd5?? Bxd5 12.Qxd5 Bb4+ 13.Nd2 Qxb2 with ...Rd8 to come.

10...Be7 11.Be2

How should Black proceed?

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11...Ne4!?

This is a typical move in this type of IQP position, but usually comes after both sides have castled, eg Artur Darzineks - Mikhail Tal, Latvian Championship (Riga) 1954, went 11...0-0 12.0-0 Ne4 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Qe1!? f5!? 15.Rd1 Rad8 16.Nd4 Bc8 17.Bb5 with at least a slight advantage for White, according to the engines (but 0-1, 49 moves).

12.Bxe7

Also equal, according to the engines, is 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nd4.

12...Qxe7 13.Qd1!?

The engines marginally prefer keeping contact with the queen's knight by 13.Qd3 or 13.Qc2.

13...Rd8!?

The wrong rook? It may be that the queen's rook is better placed on c8, especially after 13...Nxc3 14.bxc3, leaving d8 for the king's rook.

14.0-0 0-0 15.Qe1?! Nb4?!

Threatening a fork on c2, but that is easily stopped.

16.Nd4 Nxc3 17.bxc3

The engines slightly prefer 17.Qxc3, which would justify White's 15th move.

17...Nc6 18.Qd2 Rc8 19.Rfc1

The engines reckon White is slightly better after 19.Nxe6 fxe6 and may be slightly better after 19.Nxe6 Qxe6!?

19...Rfd8 20.Qb2 Ne5 21.Rab1 Rd7 22.Qb4 Qf6 23.Rb2 Bg4 24.Bxg4 Nxg4 25.Nf3 Rc4 26.Qb3 Rdc7 27.Qb5

Threatening a back-rank mate, as well as the d pawn, but the engines prefer 27.Rd2!?, eg 27...Rxc3 28.Rxc3 Rxc3 29.Qxd5 Rc1+ 30.Rd1 Rxd1+ 31.Qxd1, reckoning Black's farside pawn-majority is of no significance.

27...Qc6

Black has a slight edge after 27...Qd8!?, according to the engines.

28.h3 Nf6 29.Qxc6 R4xc6 30.Nd4 Rb6?!

Probably better is 30...Ra6.

31.Rxb6 axb6 32.Rb1 Rxc3?!

Probably another inaccuracy. The engines reckon White's edge is smaller after 32...Ne4 33.Rxb6 Nxc3.

33.Rxb6 Rc7 34.a4

In this position SB offered a draw

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34...Kf8!?

The pawn-structure means White must be better, but the engines disagree as to how much. Komodo13.02 reckons for quite some time White has the upper hand, while Stockfish15 gives only a slight edge, but with more time both engines become less enthusiastic about White's chances.

35.Kf1 Ne4 36.a5 g6 37.a6?!

Too intent on a draw. After ...

37...bxa6 38.Rxa6

... the position is completely equal, according to the engines. The problem with White's play is Black has more chance of conjuring a win from an equal position than from the previous slightly inferior one, albeit the chance is a small one.

38...h5 39.Ra5 Rc5 40.Rxc5 Nxc5 41.Ke2 Ke7 42.Nf3 f6 43.Nh4 Kf7 44.Nf3 g5 45.Nd4 Kg6 46.Nc6 Kf5 47.Nd4+ Ke5 48.Nc6+ Kd6 49.Nd4 h4!?

Gaining space, and hoping to manoeuvre White into some sort of zugzwang, must be Black's best hope, but Stockfish15 at first does not like the text.

50.Nf5+

Stockfish15 initially claims a slight White edge after 50.f4!?, but fairly soon reverts to rating the position as completely equal.

50...Ke5 51.Nd4 f5 52.Nc6+ Kf6 53.Nb4

Now it is Komodo13.02's turn to claim a slight edge for White, after 53.f4!?, but it also quickly reverts to equality.

53...Ke6 54.Nc6 g4 55.Nd4+ Kf6 56.Nc6 Ne4 57.Nb4 Ke6 58.Nc6 gxh3?!

Guess what happened next

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0-1

SB resigned, presumably thinking White is lost after my intended 59.gxh3 Ng5? However 60.f4 wins for White, eg 60...Nxh3?! 61.Nd4+ Kf6 62.Kf3 wins the Black knight. Slightly better is 60...Ne4, but 61.Nd4+ Kf6 62.Nf3 wins the h4 pawn, and with it the game, according to the engines. Instead of 59...Ng5? Black should play 59...Kd6 or 59...f4!?, according to the engines, but any advantage lies with White.

Summing Up Ilkley

MY score in the U2000 of +2=2-1 saw me lose exactly seven ECF elo.

Ilkley U2000 Round Five

IN round five this afternoon I drew with black in 29 moves against Randolph E Donahue (1789).

Ilkley U2000 Round Four

IN round four this morning I lost with white in 53 moves after being upfloated against Robert A Newton (1937).

Ilkley U2000 Round Three

IN round three this afternoon I won with black in 22 moves against Bernie T Hare (1827).

Ilkley U2000 Round Two

IN round two this morning I drew with white in 79 moves against James Hall (1808).

Ilkley U2000 Round One

IN round one this evening I won with black in 58 moves against Stephen W Berkley (1761).

Ilkley Round Five

Spanton (1998) - Andrew Wainwright (2030)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0-0 Nc6 6.Qe2!?

There are five more-popular moves in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, headed by 6.c3.

6...e5!?
The analysis engines Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 quite like this committal move, although it is much less successful percentage-wise than 6...Nf6, 6...g6 and 6...e6 in Mega21.

7.c3 Nf6 8.Rd1 Be7

8...Qg4!? 9.d3 is slightly better for White, according to the engines.

9.d4 cxd4 10.cxd4 Qc7?!

Putting the queen on an open file like this is not often a good idea. The engines give 10...exd4 11.Nxd4 d5!? 12.Nb5, but with advantage to White.

11.Nc3 a6?!

This is probably too slow. The engines give 12...0-0, but much prefer White.

12.Bg5 b5?

Black is too far behind in development to try this. However after 12...0-0 13.Rac1 White is clearly much better.

13.Rac1 Qb7 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 Be7?!

There are better moves than this natural-looking one, but Black is in big trouble whatever he plays.

White to play and win

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16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Nxe5! Rc8

Or 17...Nxe5 18.Rc7 Qb8 19.Rxe7+ Kf8 20.Qh5 f6 21.Rc1 with a huge attack.

18.Qg4! 0-0 19.Nxc6 1-0

My final score of +3=2-0 was a 2087 rating performance in my four games against ECF-rated players. Assuming my k factor is 20, I gained 9.2 elo in those four games.

Here are the final standings:

1= Tim R Spanton & Joe Varley 4pts

3. Kevin Winter 3pts

4= Tom Hobbs & Sam Davies 2pts

6= Andrew Wainwright & Gawain Ako 1pt (neither played in the first three rounds)

8. Jacob Smith 0pts

There was no prize money, but there were trophies for the first two places, so Joe Varley and I had an armageddon play-off. I had five minutes, while JV had four minutes and the draw, but I played so badly he won without any trouble.

Ilkley Round Four

Kevin Winter (1782) - Spanton (1998)

Sicilian Hyper-Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4!?

This is much less common than 4.Nxd4 but scores 56% compared with 51% for the latter in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database.

4...Nf6 5.e5 Nc6 6.Qa4 Nd5 7.Qe4 Nb6!?

Marginally more popular in Mega21 is 7...Nc7. Trailing both moves in popularity is 7...Ndb4!?, but it is much more successful percentage-wise (44% for ...Ndb4, 38% for ...Nb6 and 35% for ...Nc7).

8.Nc3 d5!?

The main line runs 8...Bg7 9.Bf4 d5!? 10.exd6 Bf5 11.Qe3 0-0 12.0-0-0!? with chances for both sides.

9.exd6 Bf5 10.dxe7!?

More popular are 10.Qh4 and 10.Qe2.

10...Qxe7?!

Almost certainly better is 10...Bxe7.

11.Qxe7+ Bxe7

Position after 11...Bxe7

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12.Bb5!?

Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon this apparent novelty is an improvement over the known move 12.Be3.

12...0-0 13.0-0 Rfd8

I rejected 13...Bxc2!? because of 14.Bxc6 bxc6 15.Nd4, but the engines reckon 15...Ba4 16.Nxa4 Nxa4 17.Nxc6 Bf6 equalises, and Black certainly gets a lot of activity for being a pawn down.

14.Be3

Stronger, according to the engines, is 14.Re1!?, eg 14...Bb4 15.Bg5 Rdc8 16.Bd3 Bxd3 17.cxd3, when White's extra pawn is isolated but is passed and not particularly weak.

14...Bf6 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Bg5 Bxg5!?

The engines prefer this to 16...Kg7.

17.Nxg5 Bxc2 18.Rac1

KW offered a draw.

18...Bf5

I played on even though I thought White must be better. However the engines reckon the game is equal, presumably regarding the black bishop in an open position as sufficient compensation for Black's isolanis.

19.Rfd1 Kg7 20.h3 Rac8 21.Nf3 Kf6

The engines prefer 21...c5!?

22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Ne2 Be4 24.Ned4 Bxf3?!

Now Black has no compensation for the queenside pawn weaknesses. The engines reckon 24...Rd6 maintains equality.

25.Nxf3 Rd6 26.Kf1 h5 27.h4 Nd5 28.Rc4 Nb6 29.Rc1 Ke6 30.Ng5+ Kf6??
White is only slightly better after 30...Ke7, according to the engines.

31.Ne4+  Ke5 32.Nxd6 Kxd6 33.Rc3 Na4 34.Rd3+ Ke6 35.b3 Nb6 36.Ke2 Nd5 37.g3 Ke5 38.a3 c5 39.f3 Ke6 40.Kd2 Ke5 41.Kc2 Ke6 42.Kd2 Ke5 43.Kc2 Ke6 44.Kd2??

White wins easily by activating the rook, eg 44.f4 Kd6 45.Rd2 Ke6 46.Re2+ Kd7 47.Re5 Kd6 48.Kd3 Nb6 49.Re8 Kd7 50.Rb8 Kc6 51.Rf8 f5 52.Rf6+ etc.

After the text I announced I was claiming a draw by repetition as my next move would be 44...Ke5.

½–½

Ilkley Round Three

Joe Varley (1830) - Spanton (1998)

Sicilian Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4

There are 21,016 games with this move in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database, and 28,965 examples of 5.Nc3. The former, which is preferred by the engines Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1, scores 57%; the latter 50%.

5...Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6 8.f3!?

The main move is 8.Be2, but Nimzowitsch, Rubinstein, Topalov and Howell are among those who have played the text.

8...0-0 9.Qd2

Position after 9.Qd2

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

9...Nxd4!?

More popular is 9...Bd7, when the main line continues 10.Be2 Nxd4, but I felt the light-square bishop is better placed on e6 as there is no need to play ...Bc6 to induce White to play the defensive f3.

10.Bxd4 Be6 11.g4!?

Aggressive, but arguably premature. The main line in Mega21 runs 11.Be2 Qa5 12.0-0 Rfc8 13.b3, when the engines reckon Black equalises with 13...b5!, the point being 14.cxb5?! Nxe4! 15.fxe4 Bxd4+ 16.Qxd4 Rxc3 favours Black, according to the engines.

11...Qa5 12.0-0-0!?

This is consistent with White's last move, but the engines prefer a more-cautious approach with 12.Be2 or 12.b3.

12...Rfc8 13.g5 Nd7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Kb1 Ne4!?

This seems better than 15...Bxc4 16.Qd4+ e5 17.Qxd6.

16.b3?!

The engines reckon White should go for it on the kingside with 16.h4!?, eg 16...Nxf3 17.Qf2 Ne5 18.h5 or 16...Nxc4 17.Bxc4 Rxc4 18.h5, in each case with an unclear position.

16...Nxf3 17.Qe3 Ne5

The knight is well-placed for attack and defence.

18.h4 Qb4 19.Nd5 Bxd5 20.exd5 a5 21.h5 a4 22.hxg6 hxg6 23.Bh3?!

The engines reckon White should offer an exchange of queens with 23.Qd2!?, but Black would be much better.

23...Rh8?!

I have no idea why I did not play 23...Rxc4. I suspect I saw ...Nxc4 but somehow missed ...Rxc4. Even so, Black is also winning after the text.

24.Qe1 Qa3 25.Qc3 axb3 26.Qxb3 Qc5 27.Bg2

White loses a piece after 27.Rc1? Ra3.

The game continued:

27...Qxc4 28.Rxh8 Qxb3+ 29.axb3 Rxh8 30.Rc1 Rh2 31.Be4 Re2 32.Bc2 Rg2 33.Bd1 Rg1 34.Kc2 Rxg5 35.Kd2 Rg2+ 36.Ke3 Rg1 37.Ke4 f5+ 38.Ke3 Kf6 39.Ke2 b5 40.Rc8 Rg4 41.Rb8 b4 42.Rf8+ Nf7 43.Ke3 Re4+ 44.Kd3 Kg7 45.Re8 Ne5+ 46.Kc2 Kf7 47.Rb8 Rd4 48.Be2 Ng4 49.Bb5 Ne3+ 50.Kb2 Nxd5 51.Bc4 Ke6 52.Rxb4 Ke5 53.Rb5 g5 54.Rb7 e6 55.Rg7 g4 56.Ba6 Kf4 57.Bc8

My scoresheet ends here as my clock had fallen below five minutes (the time control was all moves in an hour).

0-1

Ilkley Round One

Spanton (1998) - Tom Hobbs (-)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.Bxc6

If White intends disrupting Black's queenside pawn-formation, this is the time to do it as otherwise Black can cover the queen's knight with 4...Nge7, 4...Qc7 or 4...Qb6.

4...bxc6 5.d3

This may look wimpy, or at least passive, but putting pawns on light squares makes sense after giving up the light-square bishop, and White does not want to open the position for Black's bishop-pair.

5...d5!?

This is a popular alternative to the mainline 5...Ne7, but White scores 63% against it - compared with 53% for 5...Ne7 - in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database.

6.0-0 Qc7

The simplifying 6...dxe4?! 7.dxe4 Ba6! 8.Re1 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 leaves Black with a weak queenside.

7.Re1 Ne7!?

This is the most-popular and most-successful move in Mega21, albeit from a small sample. It is also the top choice of Stockfish14, but Black faces difficulties completing his development. Komodo12.1.1 suggests 7...Nf6.

8.c4 g6?!

This is strongly disliked by the engines, but they reckon their eventual choice of 8...f6!? is also better for White.

9.Bg5 Bg7 10.e5 Ng8?!

A retrograde move early-ish in the opening is risky. However Stockfish14 suggests 10...h6 11.Be3 (11.Bf6!?) d4 12.Bf4, claiming a positionally-won game for White, while Komodo12.1.1 prefers 10...0-0 11.Nbd2 Nf5 12.Nb3, giving White the upper hand.

11.Nc3 Bb7 12.Rc1

Possibly even stronger is 12.cxd5, when 12...cxd5 13.Nb5 and 14.Nd6+ is clearly good for White, while 12...exd5 13.Na4 either wins a pawn or induces 13...c4!? 14.dxc4 dxc4, when 15.Nc5 is again very good for White.

12...h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 Ne7 15.cxd5 cxd5

If 15...exd5?!, White has 16.e6, while 15...Nxd5 can be met by 16.Ne4.

16.Nb5 Qb6 17.Nd6+ Kf8 18.Nxb7!?

Of course I knew the white knight is better than the black bishop, but I liked the initiative White gets after the text. However the engines prefer a steadier approach, eg Stockfish14 gives 18.d4 c4 19.b3.

18...Qxb7 19.Rxc5 Qxb2 20.Qa4 Kg8 21.Rc7

The engines prefer attacking on the kingside with 21.h4!?

21...Nf5 22.Qd7 Rb8??

The engines give Black plenty of compensation for a pawn after 22...Rf8 23.Rxa7 g4 24.Nh4 Qd2. Instead they suggest 23.h3 with what they reckon is a game with equal chances, although to me White's position looks easier to play.

23.Qxf7+ Kh7 24.Qxe6 Rhf8 25.Qxd5 g4 26.Nh4 Nxg3

White to play and win

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

27.Rxg7+!

27.hxg3 is only good enough for a draw after 27...Qxf2+ 28.Kh2 Qxe1 29.Qd6! Rg8! 30.Rxg7+ Rxg7 31.Qxb8 Rf7, according to the engines.

27...Kxg7 28.Qd7+ Rf7

Black is too far behind on pawns after both 28...Kh8 29.Ng6+ Kg8 30.Nxf8 Rxf8 31.Qxg4+ etc and 28...Kg8 29.Qxg4+ Kh7 30.Qg6+ Kh8 31.Qxh6+ Kg8 32.Qg6+ Kh8 33.Qxg3.

29.Qxg4+ Kh7?

Better is 29...Kh8, but 30.Qxg3 leaves White with four pawns for the exchange.

30.Qg6+ Kh8 31.Qxf7 Ne2+ 32.Kf1 1-0

Ilkley Day Two

THE two players who withdrew shortly before the start of the tournament re-entered today, bringing the participants to eight.

This meant what had become an all-play-all reverted to a swiss with the following players:

Andrew Wainwright 2010*
Timothy Spanton 1998
Sam Davies 1944
Gawain Ako 1942*
Joe Varley 1830
Kevin Winter 1782
Jacob Smith 1577
Tom Hobbs (unrated)

*Missed first three rounds

Ilkley Day One

THE Ilkley tournament is being held at the town's dedicated chess centre.

Ilkley Chess Centre is up the stairs on the first floor

World champions overlook the main playing room

Games are shown live in the refreshment area

A well-stocked bar

The centre currently has a maximum capacity of  18 players, which was not a problem for this weekend as there were eight entries.

This was reduced to seven by a late withdrawal, so one of the organisers, who had also entered, stepped aside to make a more-manageable field of six players:

Timothy Spanton 1998
Sam "Son of Nigel" Davies 1944
Joe Varley 1830
Kevin Winter 1782
Jacob Smith 1577

Tom Hobbs (unrated - this is apparently his first over-the-board event)

I do not want to tire myself out analysing games while the tournament is running, but results should eventually appear at https://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/71675/rounds and I intend to publish my games asap.

Ilkley More Expensive

AM catching a train to Leeds today, where I will stay while playing in this weekend's congress at Ilkley Chess Centre.

The tournament consists of three rounds tomorrow and two on Sunday, but the time limit of one hour for each player for all moves means there should be plenty of time to relax on Saturday evening.

The games will be ECF rated, and there are seven entries:

Andrew Wainwright 2010

Timothy Spanton 1998

Sam Davies 1944

Gawain Ako 1942

Joe Varley 1830

Kevin Winter 1782

Jacob Smith 1577

I am planning to commute by train from Leeds as hotels are considerably cheaper there than in Ilkley, which turns out to be a spa town.