Lessons From Tegernsee IX

IN round nine my opponent shocked me - well, surprised me, at least - when, after 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6, he thought for quite some time and then uncorked 3.Bg5!?

I thought the move was quite amateurish, but, as I pointed out in my notes to the game, the move has an impressive pedigree, having been played by world champions Lasker, Petrosian and Carlsen.

If Black replies 3...Nf6, we have a Torre Attack.

I preferred 3...Be7, after which the natural 4.Bxe7 helps Black's development but swops off Black's better bishop.

Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon Black has already equalised, but of course there is lots of play in the position.

CONCLUSION: modern chess, even at the highest level, as exemplified by Magnus Carlsen, often sees White heading for positions that, while objectively offering little from a theoretical perspective, put both players on their own resources, and if White happens to feel more comfortable in the position arising, that may be as good as having a theoretical edge.

Tegernsee Round Nine

Michael Bohnstorff (2030) - Spanton (1886)

Queen's Pawn Irregular

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5!?

There are 1,809 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, with practitioners including Emanuel Lasker, Tigran Petrosian and Magnus Carlsen.

3...Be7 4.Qc1!?

Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 are OK with this rare continuation, but it makes a strange impression.

4...h6 5.Bxe7 Qxe7

The only upside about this manoeuvre from White's view, as far as I can see, is that Black's good bishop has been exchanged

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

6.e3 Nf6 7.c4 0-0 8.Nc3 Nbd7 9.Be2 dxc4 10.Bxc4 e5 11.0-0

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

11...e4

Stockfish16 gives 11....exd4!? 12.exd4 Nb6, claiming equality. Komodo14.1 suggests 11...c6!?, again claiming equality.

12.Nd2

The engines like 12.Nh4!?, eg 12...Nb6 (12...g6?? 13.Nxg6) 13.Ng6 Qd8 14.Bb3 Re8 15.Nf4, when Stockfish16 gives White a slight edge, but Komodo14.1 calls the position equal.

12...c5 13.Re1 Re8 14.Nf1!? Nb6 15.Bb3 Bf5 16.Ng3 Bg6 17.dxc5!?

This looks a little odd, at least at first, but it is the engines' top choice.

Can you see White's idea?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

17...Qxc5?!

I saw that 18.Nxe4?? loses to 18...Nxe4, but if I had spotted White's real idea I should have preferred 18...Nbd7!, which the engines agree is equal.

18.Nd5! Qd6

Or 18...Qxc1 19.Nxf6+ gxf6 20.Raxc1 with at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

19.Nf4

Probably better is 19.Qc7!?, eg 19...Qd8 20.Nxf6+ Qxf6 and either 21.Qxb7 or 21.Rad1.

19...Rac8 20.Qd1 Qxd1 21.Rexd1 Bh7

After a brief flurry of tactics, how would you assess the position?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

The most significant feature is probably that Black's bishop is somewhat out of play, which is presumably why the engines give White a slight edge.

22.Rac1 Kf8 23.Kf1 Ng4!? 24.h3 Ne5 25.Nd5 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Nd3?!

Tempting, but challenging control of the open c file with 26...Rc8 is more important.

27.Rc7

What should Black play?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

27...Rc8?

Necessary is 27...Nxd5, but 28.Bxd5 Re7 29.Rc8+ Re8 30.Rxe8+ Kxe8 31.Nxe4 wins a pawn.

28.Rxf7+! Ke8

Objectively better, according to the engines, is 28...Kxf7!? 29.Nxb6 Kf6 30.Nxc8, but it would be astonishing if White did not go on to win.

29.Nxb6?!

Even stronger are 29.Rxg7 and 29.Nc7+!?

29...Rc1+ 30.Ke2 Bg8?

Better, or at least less worse, is 30...Rb1 31.Rxg7! Rxb2+ 32.Kf1 Rb1+ 33.Bd1!? (only move to avoid a draw) Rxd1+ 34.Ke2 Ra1 35.Nc4 Rxa2+ 36.Nd2 Ra1 37.N(either)xe4 Bxe4 38.Nxe4 Ne5 39.Rxb7, although White emerges two pawns up.

31.Rxb7

Possibly 31.Rxg7 is even stronger.

31...Bxb3 32.axb3 axb6 33.Nxe4 Nxb2 34.Rxb6 Rc2+ 35.Kf3 Nd3

White is three pawns up, and altogether the white position is worth a rook (Stockfish16) or at least a minor piece and a pawn (Komodo14.1)

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

36.Rb7 Kf8 37.b4 Rc4 38.Nc5!?

Stockfish16 is fine with this, but Komodo14.1 is less sure. The downside is White, as well as losing one of his extra pawns, allows a rook-and-pawn ending. The upside is White no longer has any weaknesses, and accidents are much less likely without knights on the board.

38...Nxc5 39.bxc5 Rxc5 40.g4 g5 41.Rh7 Rc6

Although Black is now 'only' two pawns down, White's advantage has apparently grown thanks to the simplification, and is worth the equivalent of more than a rook and pawn (Stockfish16) or at least more than a rook (Komodo14.1)

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

42.Ke4 Kg8 43.Rd7 Rc1 44.f4 Rh1 45.fxg5

Remaining two pawns up, but even stronger is creating connected passed pawns with 45.f5!?, according to the engines.

45...hxg5 46.Rd5 Rxh3 47.Rxg5+ Kf7

This looks similar to the notorious drawn ending of rook, h pawn and f pawn against rook, but the fact that here there is no pawn on a rook's file makes all the difference

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

48.Kf4 Rh1 49.Ke5 Rg1 50.e4 Ke7 51.Rg6 Kf7 52.Rf6+ Ke7 53.Rf4 Ra1 54.Kf5 Ra5+ 55.e5 Kf7 56.g5 Kg7 57.Rb4 Ra7 58.Rb5 Rf7+ 59.Kg4 Re7 60.Rd5 Ra7 61.Rd6 Ra5 62.Kf5 Ra7 63.Rg6+ Kh7

How should White finish the game?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

64.Kf6?

There are many wins, but perhaps simplest is starting with 64.Rd6.

64...Ra6+ 65.e6 Rxe6+ 66.Kxe6 ½–½

Central London League

PLAYED last night on board three (of five) for Battersea against Rangers in division one.

Simon Spivack (2123) - Spanton (1924)

Irregular

1.d3!?

There are 7,226 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database. Presumably the ideas are: a) get the opponent out of book, b) aim for the black side of a regular opening but with colours reversed and a tempo more.

1...d5 2.Nd2!? e5 3.Ngf3 Nc6 4.e4

ChessBase calls this "C44: Ponziani Opening and Scotch Gambit," but it bears much more of a resemblance to a King's Indian Attack

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

4...Nf6 5.Be2!?

There are 1,380 examples of this position in Mega24, but 5.g3 gives a position occurring, perhaps surprisingly, only 800 times.

5...Be7 6.0-0 0-0

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

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

It very much looks like a reversed opening, in which White enjoys an extra tempo, but White's setup is so passive it is hard to believe White has an advantage, and indeed Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon the game is equal.

7.Re1

Most popular is 7.c3, bringing about a Reversed Pribyl.

7...Re8 8.Bf1 Bc5!?

Possibly a novelty. Known moves are 8...Bf8, 8...d4 (the engines' choice) and 8...Bg4.

9.exd5 Qxd5 10.c4?

Positionally suspect, and tactically flawed.

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

10...Qd6

This may be enough for a slight edge, but 10...Bxf2+! works, eg 11.Kxf2 Qc5+ 12.Ke2 e4 13.Nxe4 (13.dxe4? Nxe4 14.Nxe4 Rxe4+ 15.Kd2 Qb4+ 16.Kc2 Bf5) Nxe4 14.Be3 Nf6, after which material is equal and White has the bishop-pair, but the White position is a mess. White could try 12.d4, but there is no good answer to 12...Nxd4, eg 13.Ne4 Nxe4+ 14.Rxe4 Nxf3+ 15.Kf3 Qc6 16.Qd5 Qf6+ 17.Ke2 Bf5, when 18.Re3 loses to 18...Bg4+ 19.Ke1 Rad8.

11.a3?! a5?! 12.Qc2?! a4?! 13.h3

At last ...Bxf2+ no longer works, viz 13...Bxf2+?? 14.Kxf2 Qc5+ and either 15.Re3 or 15.Kg3.

14.Ne4 Nxe4

The engines suggest 14...Bxe4!? 15.dxe4 Nd7 may be slightly better.

15.dxe4 Be6 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Rxe3 Qc5 18.Rd1 f6

The engines dislike 18...b5, claiming White is at least equal after 19.Qc3.

19.Rc3 Re7 20.Rd5!? Qa7

The rook cannot be captured, and the black queen is now somewhat out of play, but the position remains tense.

21.Rd2

The engines fluctuate between moving the rook and continuing to offer it, with 21.c5!? After 21...Bxd5 22.exd5 Nd4 Stockfish16 calls the position equal, but Komodo14.1 reckons Black has the upper hand.

21...Nd4 22.Nxd4 cxd4 23.Rg3 Bf7

Black has at least a slight edge after 23...c5, according to the engines (they also like 23...Kh8), although the black king's position looks shaky after 24.Bd3.

24.Bd3

The engines like 24.c5!?, eg 24...Re5 25.Rxd4 Qxc5 26.Qd2, after which Black's relatively insecure king seems a big factor.

24...Bg6 25.c5 Kh8

What should White play?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

26.c6?!

The engines reckon chances are equal after 26.f4, and after the remarkable 26.Bf1!?, when 26...Bxe4 is met by 27.Qc4.

26...b6?!

After 26...bxc6 27.Qxc6 Black has 27...Be8 with ...c5 to come and the better game, according to the engines.

27.f4

The engines reckon White has at least a tiny pull after 27.Qd1!?

27...Qa5 28.e5!?

This is best, according to the engines, but they reckon the game is now completely equal.

28...Bxd3 29.Rgxd3 fxe5 30.fxe5 Rxe5 31.Rxd4 Rae8?!

It seems 31...Re1+ with ...Rae8 to come is more precise.

32.Rd8

White gains at least a slight edge, according to the engines, with 32.Kh2, when 32...Re1, trying to transpose to the game, is met by 33.Rd5. Instead they give best-play as 32...R5e6 33.Re2!? g6 34.Ree4!?, but it may be 34...Rxe4 35.Rxe4 Rxe4 36.Qxe4 Qc5 equalises (Komodo14.1 gives White the upper hand, but Stockfish16 reckons White has at best a light edge).

32...Re1+ 33.Kh2

White is probably also fine after 33.Kf2!?, but it would be easier to go wrong.

33...Qe5+ 34.g3 Qh5 35.Qd3 h6 36.Qd7 Re2+ 37.Rxe2 ½–½

Battersea defaulted on board two, losing the match 2-3.

MY BATTERSEA SEASON 2023-4

DATE.....EVENT...........................COL..RATING..OPP'S RATING..SCORE..SEASON PERF

24/10/23 London League               B      1870         2102                   =            2102

26/10/23 Central London League  W     1870         2118                    =            2110

21/11/23 Eastman Cup                  W     1882         2118                    =            2113

14/12/23 Central London League  B      1882         2152                    0            2023

10/1/24   London League               B      1884         2130                    0           1964

11/1/24   Central London League   B      1884        2278                    1            2083

25/1/24   Central London League  W      1884        2205                    =            2100

30/1/24   Club Championship         B      1884        1809                    1            2114

1/2/24     Central London League  W      1916        2072                    0            2065

7/2/24     London League               B       1916        2298                    0            2048

8/2/24     Central London League  B       1916        1960                    0            2004

15/2/24   Central London League  B       1916        1951                    =            1999

29/2/24   Central London League  B       1916        2014                    0            1970

5/3/24     Club Championship        W      1910        1990                    1            2000

2/4/24     Club Championship        B       1924        1927                    0            1968

4/4/24     Central London League  B       1924        2123                    =            1978

European Senior Team (65+) Round Eight

Spanton (1800) - Stjepan Novak (1499)

English/Nimzo-Indian/Irregular Queen's Pawn

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 a6!?

Tony Miles was famous for playing this type of thing.

3.d4

I was surprised to find 714 examples of this position in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

3...e6

Much more popular is 3...c5!?, which scores 55% in Mega23.

4.e4

For what it is worth, ChessBase classifies this as a Nimzo-Indian.

4...Bb4 5.Bd3 Ne4 6.e5

This was played by Emmanuel Lasker in a simul, and is good enough for an edge, according to Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1, but they prefer 6.cxd5 exd5 7.e5.

6...Ne4

The engines reckon 6...dxc4!? is better.

7.Bxe4 dxe4 8.f3?!

A good rule-of-thumb about this move, I believe, is that it should only be played if the follow-up fxe4 is a threat. Here it is not as, even if it were White to move again, 9.fxe4 could be met by 9...Qh4+.

8...Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 exf3?

This plays into White's hands. The engines reckon 9...c5 more-or-less equalises.

10.Nxf3 f6?

Black was already positionally lost, according to the engines, but this makes matters worse.

11.exf6 Qxf6 12.Ba3!?
Keeping the black king in the centre of the board is almost certainly stronger than harassing the queen with 12.Bg5.

12..Nc6 13.0-0 b5??

Oh dear.

The game finished:

14.Ne5 Qg5 15.Bc1 Qh4 16.Rf4 Qe7 17.Qh5+!? g6 18.Nxg6 Kd7? 19.Nxe7 1-0

FULL TEAM RESULT

England 3 v Mursko Središće
Richard Freeman (1987) 1-0 Stjepan Vadlja (1629)
David Tucker (1898) 0-1 Alojz Sobočanec (1762)
Tim Spanton (1800) 1-0 Stjepan Novak (1499)
Robert Kane (1723) 1-0 Zvonko Petanjek (1595)

.................................3-1.......................................

Hradec Králové Round Eight

Marek Krása (1619) - Spanton (1804)

Queen's Pawn Irregular

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.a3!?

This is more popular than you might think. There are 189 examples of the move in ChessBase's 2022 Mega database, including being played four times by Éric Prié. Some of the ideas will become clear as the game progresses.

3...c5 4.e3

This is the main move, but Prié preferred 4.c3 the only time in Mega22 he faced 3...c5.

4...Nc6 5.dxc5!?

Both Stockfish14.1 and Komodo12.1.1 like this, which is preparation for fianchettoing the dark-square bishop.

5...Bxc5 6.c4

The immediate b4 is more popular.

6...Nf6!?

The engines are not keen on this natural-looking developing move, preferring 6...a5 or 6...Be7!? The latter is not in Mega22, but the idea is to meet 7.b4 with 7...Bf6.

7.b4

This was the choice of Magus Carlsen and other strong grandmasters when they reached the position after 6...Nf6!? by transposition.

7...Bd6 8.Bb2 0-0 9.Be2!?

Possibly a novelty. Normal is 9.Nbd2.

9...Qe7

The engines strongly prefer 9...dxc4!? 10.Bxc4, reaching a position that occurs once in Mega22, but with White to move.

10.0-0 Rd8 11.Qc2 Bd7

Black has connected rooks, and the opening can be thought of as being over. How would you assess the position?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

Black's position looks a little cramped, to me, and the black light-square bishop is not very impressive, but Black has a lead in development. White's dark-square bishop is powerful, and White is threatening to grab more space on the queenside at a suitable moment (but White has to be careful this does not give Black a free hand in the centre). The engines reckon White has at least a slight edge.

12.Rd1

But they are not keen on this, preferring 12.Nbd2 or 12.c5!?

12...Rac8 13.Nc3?!

This allows a simple combination, although the resulting position is not completely clear-cut. Probably better is 13.Nbd2 or 13.c5!?

13...dxc4 14.Bxc4 Nxb4 15.axb4 Rxc4 16.Qd3 Rc6 17.b5 Rb6 18.Qe2?

The obvious 18.Rxa7 is best, according to the engines, although they reckon Black has a slight edge.

18...Bb4 19.Rxa7 Bxc3 20.Bxc3 Bxb5 21.Rxd8+ Qxd8 22.Qc2!?

This is best, according to the engines.

How should Black proceed?

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****
22...Rc6?

This lets White equalise. The engines reckon 22...h6!? is enough for at least a slight edge.

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****

23.h3??

Apparently oblivious to the danger down the c file. The simple 23.Rxb7 Ba6 28.Rb3 is equal.

23...Qc8

Also very strong is 23...Nd5.

24.Qb2?

Better is 24.Qa2 Ba6 25.Be5, but Black is effectively the exchange up.

24...Rxc3 25.Qxb5 Rc1+ 26.Kh2 Qb8+ 27.g3 Qxa7 28.Qd3 Rc8 29.g4 h6 0-1

Why Can't All My Opponents Play like This?

Balakrishnan Jagadeesh (1695/144) - Spanton (1881/168)
Northumbria Challengers Round 9
Irregular QP
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.g3 c5
Before this round, BJ had gained 46 Fide elo, so he is not the mug this game makes him seem.
4.Bg2!?
Kasparov and Kramnik have played this, but it does seem strange at first sight to allow Black a central pawn-majority.
4...cxd4
More popular are 4...Nc6 and 4...Nf6, but Kasparov has played the text.
5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.0-0 Bc5 7.Nb3 Bb6 8.Bf4?
Watch this bishop - it plays a major role in the farce that ensues.
The mainline in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database runs 8.c4 Nge7 9.cxd5 Nxd5, when Black's central pawn-majority has gone. Stockfish10 and Komodo10 reckon White has an edge.
8...e5 9.Bc1 Be6 10.Nc3 Nge7 11.Bg5? f6 12.Be3?? d4 13.Bd2
It's an easy quip to make, but a stronger move was 13.Resigns.
13...dxc3 14.Bxc3 0-0 15.Qe1 Qc7 16.a4 a5 17.Nd2 Rfd8 18.b3?! Nd4 19.Bxd4 Bxd4 20.c3?
This jettisons a pawn and allows Black to pin the white knight.
20...Bxc3 21.Rc1 Rac8 22.Qd1 Rxd2 23.Qxd2 Bxd2 0-1
My final score of +3=3-3 saw me lose 13.4 Fide elo with an ECF grading performance of c164.4.