Hull 4NCL Round Five

Andy Corbyn (1713 ECF/1652 Fide) - Spanton (1953 ECF/1997 Fide)

King's Indian Attack

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 c5 4.0-0 Nc6 5.d3

Staying in KIA territory, but Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon 5.d4!? gives White a slight edge.

5...e5 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.e4 d4 8.Nc4 Qc7 9.a4 0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position, which occurs 205 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database?

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Black has more space in the centre, which is something the engines normally seem to rate highly, but here they give White at least the better part of equality, perhaps thanks to the well-placed queen's knight, and the possibility of a kingside attack in King's Indian style with the push f4.

10.h3 Be6 11.b3 h6 12.Nh2!? Qd7 13.g4?!

The engines strongly dislike this, claiming White is slightly better after 13.f4.

13...Nh7!? 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 Bxc4 16.bxc4 Bd6 17.Bxd6

Preserving the bishop-pair does not make much sense in this closed position, especially as White's dark-square bishop would have to take up a passive position on d2 or c1.

17...Qxd6 18.Nf3 g6!? 19.Qd2 Kg7 20.Rae1

The engines are happy with this, but also like 20.e5!? Nxe5 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Bxb7 Rab8 23.Rae1!? Qd6 24.Bd5, claiming equality.

20...Ne5 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Qf4 Rae8 23.Qxe5+ Rxe5

How would you assess this late-middlegame?

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Black's knight is better than White's bad bishop, but White's rooks will be more active, thanks to having two half-open files to work on, especially the b file. The engines reckon chances are equal.

24.Rb1 b6 25.a5! Re6

25...bxa5?! 26.Rb7 is what White wants.

26.axb6 axb6 27.Rb2 Nf6 28.Rfb1 Nd7 29.Ra1 Rb8 30.Ra7 Ne5 31.Ra6?!

The engines suggest 31.Kf2 or 31.Rb1!?

31...g5?!

The engines like 31...h5, eg 32.gxh5 gxh5, when the white king is looking a little exposed. Dragon1 at first reckons Black is winning, but it soon comes closer to Stockfish18's assessment of a slight edge for Black.

32.Bh1 Kg6 33.Bg2?!

White should be activating the king with 33.Kf2 or 33.Kh2, according to the engines.

Black to play and gain what the engines reckon is a large advantage

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33...Kg7?!

The engines give 33...h5!? 34.gxh5+ Kxh5, with ...Kh4 to come, when again White's king looks vulnerable.

34.Bf1 Kf8 35.Be2 Ke8 36.Rb3 Kd8 37.Kg2 Kc7 38.Kg3 Ng6 39.Bf3 Nh4 40.Bh1 Rf6?

Black should mark time with 40...Ng6  or 40...Kd8.

41.e5 Rf1

Even worse is 41...Re6? 42.Ra7+ Kd8 43.Rxf7, when 43...Rxe5 44.Be4 is winning, eg 44...Re6 45.Ra3 Re7 (White was threatening to double on the seventh) 46.Rf6 etc.

42.Ra7+ Kd8 43.Bd5?!

Probably stronger is 43.Be4, eg 43...Ke8 44.e6! fxe6 45.Rh7, reaching a position similar to one that will be arrived at in the game.

43...Ke8 44.Rba3

Again the engines reckon 44.Be4!? is winning.

44...Re1??

Inexplicably unprotecting f7.

45.Be4?

Inexplicably not capturing on f6. White's advantage after 45.Rxf7 is worth much more than a queen, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish18 is slightly less effusive. Nevertheless, even after the text, White is winning, according to the engines.

45...Re3+?!

Black can probably put up more of a fight after 45...Ke8, but 46.Kf2 Rc1 47.Rd7 Rxc2+ 48.Kg3 Rc1 49.Raa7 Rf1 50.Bd5 is convincing enough for White.

46.Kh2?

Correct is 46.Kf2 Rxh3 47.Bc6+!? Kf8 48.Bd5 etc.

46...Re2+?

Black should play 46...Nf3+, as comes later.

47.Kg3 Re3+ 48.Kh2? Nf3+

This cuts White's advantage to a minimum.

49.Bxf3 Rxf3 50.e6!? fxe6?

50...Rf6 holds.

51.Rh7 Rf7

There is nothing better.

52.Rh8+

This does not spoil anything, but 52.Rxh6 is strong, eg 52...Ke7 53.Ra7+ Kf8!? 54.Rh8+ Kg7 55.Rxf7+ Kxh8 56.Kg3, after which Black has too many weak pawns.

52...Rf8 53.Rh7

Not 53.Rxh6? Ke7, after which Black should hold.

53...Rf7 54.Rh8+? ½–½

It was not too late to play 54.Rxh6, transposing to the note at move 52.

Czech 65+ Round Eight

Street decoration

I was upfloated.

Milan Petráš (2002) - Spanton (2003)

King's Indian Attack

1.e4 e6 2.d3 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.g3!?

The main move is 4.Ngf3, but the text also has many adherents.

How should Black respond?

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4...c5

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 like 4...dxe4!? 5.dxe4, followed by 5...Nc6 or 5...e5.

5.Bg2 Nc6 6.Ngf3 Be7 7.0-0 0-0

With both sides castling early, how would you assess the game?

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The position occurs13,953 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, and is equal, according to the engines.

8.Re1 Qc7!?

The engines are happy with this move, which is second in popularity to 8...b5.

9.c3 d4!?

The engines are not keen on this, preferring 9...Rd8!?, 9...dxe4!? or 9...h6!?

10.e5 Nd7

The engines suggest 10...dxc3!?

11.Qe2 f6?

Aggressive, and often thematic in the French Defence when White has played e5, but here its main effect is weakening. The engines prefer 11...dxc3, but assess it differently, Dragon1 claiming equality, Stockfish18 awarding White at least a slight edge.

12.exf6 Nxf6 13.c4?!

Probably better is opening more lines with 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Nc4.

13...Bd6

According to the engines, Black should either get on with development (13...Bd7) or move the king into the corner.

14.Ng5 e5 15.Nde4

The e4 square makes a great outpost for a white minor piece, and the d5 square may well do the same later

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15...Bf5 16.a3 Rad8 17.Bd2 Ne8 18.b4 b6 19.Rab1 Ne6 20.Nxf6+ Rxf6

How should White proceed?

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21.g4!?

Even stronger, according to the engines are 21.Bd5 and 21.Ne4.

21...Nxg5

Forced.

22.Bxg5 Rg6 23.h4 Bc8!? 24.Be4 Bb7

Should White take the exchange?

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25.Bxg6 hxg6 26.f3 gives White at least a slight edge, but even better is ...

25.f4!

... the game continuing:

25...Bxe4 26.Qxe4 Qf7?!

Probably better, but still losing, are 26...bxc4 and 26...Bf8.

27.f5 Rf8 28.Rf1 Rxg5 29.hxg5 cxb4 30.g6 Qe7 31.axb4 Bxb4 32.gxh7+ Kxh8

The tactics, which heavily favoured White, have died down, and White has an advantage worth about a rook, or maybe more, according to the engines

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33.Rb2 Bc3 34.Rg2 Qg5 35.Qxe5 Bd2 36.Rxd2?

There is no need for this. Instead 36.Kh1 and 36.Rg3 keep a large advantage.

36...Qxd2 37.f6?!

The engines reckon probably best is 37.Qxd4, but that 37.Qg3 also gives at least a slight edge.

37...gxf6 38.Rxf6 Qd1+??

Completely equal is 38...Rxf6 39.Qxf6+ Kxh7, according the engines.

39.Rf1+ 1-0

Magdeburg Round Five

Bernd Wagner (1872) - Spanton (2039)

King's Indian Attack

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

This is the KIA move, but marginally more popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database is 4.d4, which scores seven percentage points better.

4...e5

This is what puts some people - and engines - off castling at move four. Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon that, after the text, Black is already slightly better.

5.d3 Nf6 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.e4 0-0

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

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Black's extra space gives a slight edge, according to the engines, although Dragon1 is less sure than Stockfish18.

8.exd5 Nxd5 9.Re1 f6

There are 102 examples of this position in Mega26 - it is reminiscent of a Maróczy Bind, with colours reversed, except White has used the e pawn, rather than the c pawn, to swop off Black's d pawn  

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10.Nc4 Bg4

The engines are not keen on evicting the c4 knight with 10...b5, evaluating 11.Ne3 Be6 12.a4 as equal.

11.Ne3 Be6

This position occurs 14 times in Mega26, but with Black to play in all but one of the games - nevertheless, even with White to play, the engines give Black a slight edge

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12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.c3!?

This may be a novelty. Kapil Chandran (2333) - Bence Pribelszky (2413), Budapest 2023, went 13.Be3 Qd7 14.Nd2!? Bxg2 15.Kxg2 Rae8 16.a4 f5, with at least a slight edge for Black, according to the engines (but 1-0, 81 moves).

13...Qd7 14.Be3 Rad8 15.Bf1?!

Passivity is rarely correct, unless it is forced, and that apparently is not the case here. The engines suggest 15.Qe2!? or 15.a3!? If, after 15.Qe2!?, Black plays 15...Bxf3?! 16.Qxf3 Qxd3, the engines reckon 17.Rad1 Qc4 18.Qd5+ Qxd5 19.Bxd5+ Kh8 20.g4!? gives White more than enough for a pawn. Similarly, 15.a3 Bxf3?! 16.Qxd3 Rad1 gives White an edge, according to the engines.

15...Qf5?!

Black is better after this, but is positionally winning after 15...f5, according to the engines.

16.Nh4 Qe6 17.a3?!

Not 17.c4? Bxc4!, but the engines much prefer 17.Qh5!? or 17.f4!?

17...f5 18.Ng2 Qg6?!

Black is well on top after 18...Qf7 or 18...c4, according to the engines.

19.f4

How should Black proceed?

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19...e4?!

The engines reckon both 19...Qf7 and 19...Qf6 give at least a slight edge.
20.dxe4 Bxe4

Black gets a passed pawn after 20...fxe4?!, but it is probably too weak to be of much use.

21.Qb3+ Kh8 22.Rad1

White completes development, and has equalised, according to the engines

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22...Rfe8 23.Bf2 Bd6?

Best may be playing for exchanges with 23...Rxd1 24.Rxd1 Rd8.

24.Nh4 Qf6 25.Bg2

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 25.Qxb7!?, when 25...Rb8? runs into 26.Rxe4!

25...Bxg2 26.Kxg2 b6

Perhaps best is 26...Re7, when the position is sharp, but best-play may go 27.Rxe7 Qxe7 28.Re1 Qd7 29.Qd5 g6 30.Bxc5 Bxc5 31.Qxc5 Qd2+ 32.Qf2 Qxf2+ 33.Kxf2, although the engines agree White is winning.

27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Qd5 Bf8

There is nothing better - Black is losing a pawn.

29.Qxf5 Qxf5 30.Nxf5 Re2 31.b4

BW offered a draw.

Objectively, should Black accept?

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½–½

Black is 'only' one pawn down, and the black rook is more active than its white counterpart, but all the other white pieces are better than their opposite numbers. The engines reckon White's advantage is worth almost three pawns.

Bischofsgrün Round Three

FACED a Fide master.

Jochen Bruch (2115) - Spanton (1951)

King's Indian Attack

1.Nf3 c5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 d5 4.0-0 Nc6 5.d3

This keeps the play in King's Indian Attack lines, but Stockfish18 and Dragon1 suggest switching into a Queen's Pawn Game with 5.d4!?

5...e5 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.e4 0-0

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

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Black's broad pawn-centre, achieved without falling behind in development, is liked by the engines, leading them to award Black a slight edge.

8.c3

Fischer played 8.Re1 in a 1956 game, and that is the most popular continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

8...Rb8

The engines like 8...d4.

9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nc4

The engines much prefer 10.Re1.

10...f6 11.a4 Be6 12.Nh4!?

Probably a novelty. The known move is 12.Qe2.

12...Qd7 13.f4 exf4 14.gxf4 f5 15.Nf3 Bf6 16.Re1 Rbd8 17.Qe2 Rfe8 18.Qf2 b6 19.a5!? b5!? 20.Nce5 Nxe5 21.Nxe5

The engines marginally prefer 21.fxe5.

21...Bxe5 22.Rxe5?!

Missing Black's powerful reply. White should almost certainly prefer 22.fxe5.

How should Black proceed?

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22...Nf6!

A retreat that means the c5 pawn cannot be saved, but Black's twin threats of 23...Ng4 and 23...Qxd3 cannot both be successfully met.

23.h3!?

This is Dragon1's top choice, at least for a while, but the engines eventually more-or-less agree on 23.Bf3!?, albeit allowing 23...Qxd3.

23...Qxd3 24.Be3 Ne4

The engines give 24...Nd7!? 25.Bf1 Nxe5!? 26.Bxd3 Nxd3, claiming Black is winning.

25.Bxe4 fxe4 26.f5 Bc8

This is more active than 25...Bf7.

27.Rxc5 Rf8

How should White proceed?

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28.Bd4!?

The engines agree White should play the text or 28.Re1. Note that 28.Rf1?! allows 28...Bxf5! 29.Rxf5 Rxf5 30.Qxf5 Qxe3+.

28...Qxh3 29.Qg2!? Qxg2 30.Kxg2

White has got queens off, safeguarding his king, but at the cost of a pawn - how would you assess the position?

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White's bishop dominates, and the white king's rook is very active. The engines reckon the position is equal.

30...a6 31.Rf1 Bb7 32.Rc7 Rf7 33.Rxf7+

JB offered a draw.

33...Kxf7 34.Kg3 b4!? 35.Kf4 Rd5 36.Rh1

How should Black respond?

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36...h6?

Several moves hold, including 36...e3!?, 36...Bc8 and 36...Kg8, but not the text.

37.Rg1

White is winning.

37...g5+!? 38.fxg6+ Kg8 39.g7 bxc3 40.bxc3

White threatens 41.Rg6, 42.Rxh6, etc.

40...Rg5!? 41.Rb1 Bd5

Or 41...Rb5 42.Rh1 h5 43.Be5.

42.Rb6 Kh7 43.Rxa6 Rg6 44.Ra7

Also winning is 44.Rxg6 Kxg6 45.Ke5!

44...Bc4 45.Rc7 Bd3 46.Rc8 1-0

Bad Neuenahr Round Nine

I WAS upfloated against the top seed, a Fide master, on board one.

Stephan Buchal (2202) - Spanton (1911)

King's Indian Attack/English Symmetrical/Réti

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c5 4.0-0 g6 5.c4

What's in a name? At various points in the opening, ChessBase classifies it as "A08: King's Indian Attack," "A34: Symmetrical English: 2 Nc3, lines with ...d5" and "A38: Symmetrical English vs ...g6 4 Bg2 Bg7 5 Nf3 Nf6," and I suspect some people would regard it as a Réti

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5...Bg7 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Nc3 0-0

With both sides castling early, how would you assess the game?

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The position occurs 2,330 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, with White scoring a below-par 51%. Stockfish18 calls the game completely equal, but Dragon1 gives White at least the better part of equality.

8.Nxd5!? Qxd5 8.d3 Nc6

This is the point at which, according to ChessBase, the opening switches from A34 to A38.

9.d3 Nc6 10.Be3!?

How should Black proceed?

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10...Qd6

This is the commonest continuation in Mega26, followed by 10...Bd7, but the engines reckon Black should grab the proffered pawn with 10...Bxb2!? After 11.Rb1 Bf6!?, White has various moves, including offering a second pawn, temporarily, with 12.Nd4!?, when 12...Qxa2!? 13.Ra1!? Qb2 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Rb1!? Qa2 16.Bxc6 Bh3!? 17.Bxa8 Bxf1 18.Bf3 Bh3 19.Bxc5 is completely equal, according to the engines. But there are lots of alternatives along the way, including 14.Rb1 Qxb1!? 15.Qxb1 Nxd4, when Black has rook, knight and two pawns for a queen - imbalanced, but equal, according to the engines. Give the engines enough time, and Stockfish18, at least, rates 10...Bd7 on a par with 10...Bxb2!?, and it is not as though they reckon the text, which has been played by many grandmasters, is a mistake.

11.Rc1 Nd4

Grischuk and others have tried 11...b6?!, but 12.d4 is a strong answer.

How should White proceed?

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12.Bxd4!?

The engines prefer the main move, 12.Nxd4, when 12...cxd4 13.Bd2 is slightly better for White, according to the engines, which value White's pressure against Black's queenside more highly than Black's central space.

12...cxd4 13.Nd2

What should Black play?

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13...Be6!?

This is the main move in Mega26, albeit from a small sample, but the engines come to more-or-less plump for another known move, 13...Qb4!? (the choice of an 1831, the lowest-rated player to reach the position in Mega26), but they also suggest apparent-novelties in 13...a5!? and 13...Bh6!?

Now White has the chance to capture the opponent's QNP, but should he?

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14.Qa4!?

After 14.Bxb7 (there are no examples of this move in Mega26) Rab8 15.Bf3!? Rxb2 16.Nc4 Bxc4 17.Rxc4 Rxa2, White has enough for a pawn, but no more, according to the engines. They reckon the text is best.

14...Bd7

The engines prefer two apparent-novelties in 14...Bh6!? and 14...Rfb8!?

15.Qb3 Be6?!

The engines suggest another apparent-novelty in 15...Rab8.

Now can White grab the b pawn?

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Yes, according to the engines, which give best-play as 16.Qxb7 Rab8 17.Qxa7 Rxb2 18.Ne4! Qb8 19.Qxe7, all of which occurred in Vlastimil Sejkora (2221) - Daniel Koval (2093), Tatranské Zruby (Slovakia) 2011, after which the engines reckon White had the upper hand (1-0, 36 moves).

My game went ...

16.Qa4 Bd7 17.Qb3 Be6?!

... at which point SB wrote down the move 18.Qa4 and announced he was claiming a draw by repetition.

½–½

My third draw in my last 30 games.

Bad Neuenahr Round Four

Christoph Schneider (2056) - Spanton (1911)

King's Indian Attack

1.Nf3 c5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 g6 4.0-0 Bg7 5.d3 d5 6.Nbd2 Nf6 7.e4 0-0

With both sides castling early, how would you assess the position?

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This position, typical of one from the KIA, occurs 3.941 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database. The game is equal, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1, although the former is not far off giving Black a slight edge.

8.Re1 e6!?

The engines suggest 8...dxe4, 8...e5 or 8...Qc7.

9.c3 Qc7 10.Qe2 b6 11.Nf1 Ba6!?

The engines suggest 8...e5 or 8...dxe4.

12.e5 Nd7 13.Bf4 Rac8 14.h4 b5 15.N1h2 b4!?

The engines prefer this apparent-novelty over the known 15...Qb6, but even so give White at least the upper hand.

16.Ng4

The engines prefer keeping lines relatively closed on the queenside with 16.c4!?

16...bxc3 17.bxc3 Qa5

17...h5!? equalises (Dragon1) or leaves White with only a slight edge (Stockfish18).

How should White proceed?

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18.Qd2
The engines reckon White can give up the c pawn with 18.Bh6!? Qxc3 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Qe3, claiming White has much more than enough compensation.

18...d4?!

Probably better is 18...h5, meeting 19.Nh6+ with 19...Kh8 (not 19...Kh7? 20.Ng5+!), when the knight on h6 seems to hinder more than help White's attack, and if White instead retreats the knight to h2 (or, even worse, e3) then the engines reckon 19...d4 is strong.

19.Rac1

The engines still like Bh6.

19...dxc3 20.Rxc3 Qa4?!

Again the engines much prefer ...h5.

21.Bh3?!

The engines' 21.Re4 lets White follow up with 22.Bh6, with what the engines reckon is a large advantage.

21...Nd4 22.Ngh2!? Bb7 23.Bg2 Bd5 24.Qc1?!

Probably better is 24.Nxd4 Qxd4 25.Bxd5 Qxd5 26.Ng4, with what the engines claim is at least the better part of equality.

How should Black proceed?

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24...Nb5!

This is best, according to the engines, although they also still like ...h5.

25.Rc2 c4 26.dxc4 Rxc4 27.Rxc4 Qxc4 28.Bf1!? Qxc1

Keeping queens on with 28...Qa4 or 28...Qb4 may be a tad better, now Black's king is no longer menaced.

29.Rxc1 Rb8 30.a4 Na3 31.Rc7 Nb6?

I do not know how I missed the simple 31...Rb7, and if 32.Rc8+ Bf8 33.Bh6, then 33...Rb8, with equality.

32.Rxa7 Rb7?!

A move late, and now it seems to only make matters worse. Perhaps best is 32...Bb7!?, when the sharp line 33.Nd2 h5!? (that move again) 34.Bg2 Nd5 35.Be3 Nxe3 36.Rxb7 Rxb7 37.Bxb7 Nec4 38.Nxc4 Nxc4 divides the engines, although Dragon1 is much keener than Stockfish18 on White's chances.

33.Rxb7 Bxb7 34.a5 Nbc4 35.Bc1 Bf8 36.Bxa3!?

White has to give up the bishop-pair, but is winning, according to the engines.

36...Nxa3 37.a6 Bd5 38.Nd2 Bc5 39.Ng4 Kf8!? 40.Nf6 Ke7!? 41.Nxd5+!?

Other moves also win, according to the engines, including 41.Nxh7 and 41.Nde4.

41...exd5 42.Nb3 Bb6 43.Kg2

Even stronger is the move I feared, 43.Na5!

43...Kd7 44.f4 h5?!

Ironically, considering the number of times ...h5 was seemingly the way to play, it now probably makes matters worse, although Black is losing anyway.

45.Kf3 Kc6 46.g4 d4?

This definitely makes matters worse. After 46...hxg4+ 47.Kxg4 White's advantage is worth roughly a piece, according to the engines, but it is not simple to make progress.

47.gxh5 gxh5 48.Ke4 Nb5 49.Bc4 Nc3+ 50.Kd3 Nd5 51.Nxd4+ Bxd4 52.Kxd4 Nxf4 53.Bxf7 1-0

4NCL Round 10

PLAYED on board one (of six) for Wessex B against a junior (born 2009) for Ashfield 2 this afternoon.

Sebastian Griffin-Young (1901 ECF/1841 Fide) - Spanton (1940 ECF/1911 Fide)

King's Indian Attack

1.g3 d5 2.Nf3 c5 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.0-0 e5 5.d3 Nf6 6.e4!?

Contrary to first impressions, 6.e4!? does not lose a pawn

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6...dxe4 7.dxe4 Qxd1 8.Rxd1 Bg4

If 6...Nxe4?!, then 7.Nxe5! is good for White as 7...Nxf2?? (this has been played) loses to 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.Kxf2.

9.Re1 Rd8

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer getting the queen's rook to d8 via 9...0-0-0.

10.Na3!?

This is not in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, which has 10.h3, 10.c3 and 10.Nbd2? (10...Nb4).

10...Be7

The engines suggest 10...Be6!?, 10...h6 or 10...Bd6.

11.Nc4 Bxf3?!

Breaking the well-established rule that when you have a bad bishop (in this case the king's bishop, hemmed in by black pawns), you should not swop your good bishop.

12.Bxf3 0-0

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

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Black's light-square weaknesses are probably the main reason why the engines award White the upper hand.

13.Ne3 g6 14.c3 Kg7 15.Nd5 Rd7 16.Be3

The engines like 16.Nxf6!?, or starting to advance on the kingside with 16.h4 or 16.g4!?

16...b6

Black equalises (Stockfish17.1), or comes close to it (Dragon1), with 16...Nxd5!? 17.exd5 Na5.

17.Rad1

Again the engines like swopping on f6.

17...Rfd8

And here they again like swopping on d5.

18.Rd2

I will not repeat the obvious, but at this point the engines also like 18.Bc1!?, eg 18...h5 19.h4 Rd6 20.Kf1!?, claiming Black has nothing more constructive than 20...R6d7!?, but then they seem to run short of ideas, one line given being 21.Kg2!? Rd6 22.Kf1!?, nevertheless agreeing White has the upper hand.

18...Na5!?

Stockfish17.1 reckons this is even better, albeit marginally, than 18...Nxd5. Dragon1 is not so sure.

19.b3 Nxd5 20.exd5 Nb7

The engines suggest 20...c4!?, eg 21.b4 Nb7. However, Stockfish17.1 recommends sacrificing a pawn with 21.d6!? Rxd6 22.Rxd6 Rxd6 23.b4 Nc6, claiming the bishop-pair gives enough compensation.

21.c4 Nd6

How would you assess this queenless middlegame?

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White has the bishop-pair and a protected passed pawn, but the latter is well-blockaded, and only likely to become dangerous in an ending. Meanwhile, the bishops do not have open diagonals on which to work. The engines call the game equal.

22.Rde2 f5 23.Bg2 Bf6 24.h3 h5 25.h4 Re7 26.f3!? Rde8 27.Bf2 g5!?

The engines prefer 27...e4 or 27...a5.

28.hxg5 Bxg5 29.Be3?!

Unnecessarily giving up the bishop-pair. The engines suggest getting White's queenside going with 29.b4!?, eg 29...cxb4? 30.c5. Better is 29...Nxc4, but 30.bxc5 bxc5 31.Bh3!? gives White plenty for a pawn, with the position opening up for the bishops.

29...Bxe3+ 30.Rxe3 Kf6 31.Kf2

How should Black proceed?

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31...f4

This is reasonable, but best may be the engines' 31...h4!?, eg 32.gxh4 f4 33.R3e2 Rh7, when Black will regain the pawn, with a position the engines disagree about. Dragon1 reckons Black is winning, but Stockfish17.1 gives Black only the better part of equality. Allow the engines more time, and they start to see more resources for White, with Dragon1 downgrading Black's advantage to the upper hand, and Stockfish17.1 giving Black a tiny edge worth about a tenth of a pawn. A possibly better response is 32.f4!?, when 32...hxg3+ 33.Kxg3 again brings disagreement, except both engines reckon Black is at least equal.

32.Rd3!?

Possibly better is 32.R3e2, or 32.gxf4 exf4 33.Rxe7 Rxe7 34.Rh1.

32...fxg3+ 33.Kxg3 Rg8+ 34.Kf2 Reg7 35.Bf1 Nf5

How should White proceed?

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36.f4!?

The engines like this pawn sacrifice to activate the e1 rook, although they reckon other moves also give complete equality.

36...exf4 37.Re6+ Kg5 38.Bh3 Nd4 39.Re5+ Kh4 40.a3!?

40.Re4 and 40.d6!? maintain equality, according to the engines. They strongly dislike the text at first, but, given time, Stockfish17.1 reckons White is still holding, although Dragon1 gives Black the upper hand.

40...Rg3

Dragon1's idea at first is 40...f3, but 41.Bf1 seems to hold, It switches to 40...Rg5, but White seems fine after 41.Rxg5, followed, whichever way Black recaptures, by 42.d6!? Dragon1 later likes the text for a while, and the move comes to be Stockfish17.1's top choice, again for a short time.

41.Bf1?

But the engines agree this is wrong, preferring 41.Rxg3 Rxg3 42.Bg2, with what they reckon is enough compensation for a pawn.

Black to play and win

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41...Rxd3?

Simplification helps White. The engines reckon both ...Kg4 and ...a5 win, eg 41...Kg4 42.d6!? Rd8 43.Rd5, and now 43...Rxd3 44.Bxd3 h4, with a large advantage for Black.

42.Bxd3 Rg3 43.Be2!?

The text threatens mate in one, but White completely equalises with 43.Be4, according to the engines.

43...Nxe2 44.Kxe2

Black has one move that wins (Dragon1) or draws (Stockfish17.1), but plenty of continuations that lose

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44...Rg7?

Correct is 44...Rg5!, when 45.Rxg5?! Kxg5 gives a pawn ending that, despite White's protected passed pawn, is won for Black (Dragon1) or at least gives Black the upper hand (Stockfish17.1), eg 46.Kf3 h4 47.Kg2 Kf5 48.Kf3 h3 49.a4 Ke5 50.Kf2 Kf5 51.Kf3, after which it is hard to see how Black makes progress, even though Dragon1 reckons Black's advantage is equivalent to more than four pawns. However, note that 46.d6? definitely loses to 46...Kf6 47.Kf3 Ke6 48.Kxf4 Kxd6 49.Kg5 Ke5 etc.

Instead of trading rooks, White can play 45.Re7, when 45...Kg3 is completely equal (Stockfish17.1) or leaves Black with the upper hand (Dragon1). This time, however, giving the engines more time leads Stockfish17.1 to backtrack a little and award Black a slight edge. Play might continue 46.d6 f3+ 47.Kf1 Rg6 48.d7 Rd6 49.Rg7+ Kf4 50.Kf2 Rd2+ 51.Ke1!? Rd3 52.Kf2 h4 53.Rh7 Kg5 54.b4!?, after which the engines agree the position is completely equal.

45.Kf3

White is winning easily

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45...Rf7 46.d6 Rg7 47.Rd5 Rg3+ 48.Kxf4 Rg4+ 49.Ke5 Rg8 50.d7 Rd8 51.Kd6 Kg4 52.Kc7 1-0

After 52...Rxd7 53.Rxd7 h4, White sacrifices the rook for the h pawn, leaving White's king to mop up the black queenside pawns.

Final standings in the triangular match:
Wessex B 3.5-2.5 Iceni2
Ashfield 2 4-2 Wessex B
Iceni 2 1-5 Ashfield 2

Miniatures 32

IN this occasional series I am going through my decisive games of 20 moves or fewer.

R White (?) - Spanton (147 BCF)

Highbury (London) Rapidplay 1990

King's Indian Attack

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d3!?

White, going first, can afford liberties like this, which may be why the position after 3.d3!? occurs 4,216 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, with players on the white side including Nimzowitsch, Capablanca, Barcza, Benko, Shirov, Ehlvest, Topalov and Gukesh. Perhaps the idea is to take the opponent out of book, but it is also possible, as happens in this game, to transpose into lines of the King's Indian Attack with a quick g3.

3...Nf6 4.Nbd2 Be7 5.g3 d6

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon 5...d5 gives Black a slight edge.

6.Bg2 Bg4 7.0-0 Qd7!?

Raising the spectre of opposite-side castling

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8.Re1 0-0!?

Cold feet? I cannot recall, but, for what it is worth, the engines are not keen on castling on either side at this point, suggesting instead 8...h5!?

9.c3 Ne8!?

Probably a novelty - the move is not in Mega26.

10.Nf1 Bh3 11.d4 Bxg2 12.Bxg2 exd4

How should White recapture?

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13.Nxd4!? 

Dragon1 prefers 13.cxd4, but Stockfish17.1 fluctuates between the two moves.

13...Nf6 14.h3 Rfe8 15.Nf5!?

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 15.Bf4 or 15.f3!?

15...Bf8

Preserving the bishop-pair and unmasking pressure against e4. The engines now suggest 16.c4, albeit awarding Black a slight edge.

16.Qg4?? 0-1

RW resigned without waiting for 16...Nxg4.

LESSON: blunders do not come much bigger than putting the queen en prise, but there is always an underlying cause for such moves, and here I suggest it was a case of concentrating so much on one's own threats that the opponent's possibilities were overlooked.

Weimar Round Six

Wilfried Adam (1828) - Spanton (1939)

King's Indian Attack/Sicilian Closed

1.e4 c5 2.d3!? Nc6 3.Nf3 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.c3!? d5 6.Nbd2 e5 7.Bg2 Nge7

Perhaps it is a matter of taste whether the opening is classified as a King's Indian Attack or  the Closed Variation of the Sicilian

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If pressed to choose, I would pick the former, but would not be surprised to be called wrong. ChessBase muddies the water further by opting for "B30: Sicilian: 2...Nc6 3 Bb5, lines without ...g6," which is certainly not correct.
8.0-0 0-0

Getting the name right would be nice, but evaluating the position correctly is more important, so how would you assess matters now both sides have castled?

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Black has more space, which may be why Stockfish17.1 gives Black the better part of equality. Dragon1 has the position as almost completely equal.

9.h3!?

This prevents the pinning ...Bg4, but that does not look dangerous, and also prepares an advance of the g pawn, but the engines prefer 9.exd5 or 9.a3!?

9...h6!?

But this h-pawn push, which prepares ...Be6 without allowing the reply Ng5, is the top choice of the engines.

10.Ne1!?

Probably a novelty. The engines prefer the known 10.Re1, which is more normal in the KIA.

10...Be6 11.f4 Qd7 12.Kh2 Rad8

The engines reckon Black has a positionally won game, but I was not expecting my opponent to resign and time soon

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13.Qe2 Rfe8

Black has a large lead in development, but the position, while not closed, is not open either.

14.Nb3 b6 15.Be3 a5 16.Nc2 a4 17.Nd2

How should Black proceed?

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17...d4

Gaining space, but closing the centre. The engines prefer 17...exf4 and especially 17...f5!?, both of which are likely to lead to more lines opening.

18.cxd4 cxd4 19.Bg1 b5 20.Nf3 f6

The engines still like ...exf4 and especially ...f5.

21.a3

White would surely have had to play this sooner or later as otherwise the white queen's rook could not move.

21...Rc8 22.g4 g5!?

This is Stockfish17.1's top choice (Drgaon1 prefers 22...exf4). The idea is to oblige White to push on with the f pawn, and so make it more difficult to open lines on the kingside.

23.f5 Bf7 24.Qd2 Qa7 25.h4 Na5 26.Rae1 Nb3 27.Qe2 Bf8 28.Na1 Rc6 29.Nxb3 Bxb3

Stockfish17.1 marginally prefers 29...axb3. Dragon1 fluctuates between the two moves, before coming down in favour of the text.

30.Rc1 Rec8 31.Rxc6 Rxc6 32.hxg5 Rc2 33.Qe1 hxg5 34.Rf2 Qc7 35.Rxc2 Qxc2 36.Qd2 Qc7?!

The engines much prefer 36...Nc6 or 36...Qxd2, although, even after the text, they still reckon Black has a positionally won game.

37.Nxg5!?

The engines suggest 37.Kh3!?, 37.Ne1, 37.Bf1 or 37.Bh3, but they do not out-and-out condemn the text either.

How should Black respond?

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37...Bh6!

This is best, although it leaves Black a pawn down. Also good is Stockfish17.1's second choice, 37...Nxf5, provided Black sees the same ...Bh6 idea. Dragon1's second choice, 37...Qc2, is also probably winning.

38.Ne6 Bxd2 39.Nxc7

Why is Black winning despite being a pawn down?

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Black's bishops are more active than White's, and Black will be able to create an advanced passed pawn, against which White's pieces are not well-placed to contend, whereas Black's king is ideally situated to deal with White's extra kingside pawn.

39...Bc1?

But this is the wrong way to go about matters. After 39...b4 40.axb4 Bc1!, White is helpless, eg 41.Nb5 Bxb2 42.Bf2 a3 43.Nxa3 Bxa3, when Black's extra piece should prevail easily.

40.Nxb5 Bxb2 41.Bf2 Bd1!?

Possibly better is 41...Bc1 or 41...Kg7, in each case with full compensation for a pawn, according to the engines. They do not like the text when it is inputted, and for quite a few moves afterwards, but later judge that it is OK.

42.Bh4 Be2 43.Bxf6 Nc6

Not 43...Bxd3?? 44.Bxe7 Bxb5 45.g5, and if 45...d3, then simply 46.Bf3.

White has one move to maintain at least equality - everything else loses

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44.Na7?

Also losing is 44.g5? Bxd3 45.Nc7 Bxa3, and 44.Bg5? Bxd3 45.Nc7 Bxa3, and 44.Kg3? Bxd3 45.Nc7 Bxa3.

But the engines' 44.Kg1! is another story, eg 44...Bxd3? 45.Bf1! Bxe4 46.Bc4+ Kf8 47.Bg5! Na5 48.Be6 Nb7 49.f6 Bg6 50.Bh6+ Ke8 51.Bd5 Nd8 52.Nd6+ Kd7 53.Nc4 Bc3 54.Nxe5+ Kd6 55.f7, when White wins a piece.

So 44.Kg1! should be met with 44...Bc1!, eg 45.Bf1 Be3+ 46.Kg2 Bxg4, when the engines reckon Black has enough activity to make up for a being a pawn down.

44...Nxa7 45.Bxe5 Bxd3 46.Bd6 Be2 47.e5

Black to play and win ... or lose

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47...d3??

This turns an advantage worth +3.00, or possibly more, into a disadvantage worth more than -7.00. Instead, Black wins by attacking the white dark-square bishop with 47...Nb5 or 47..Nc8, or by taking control of the g8-a2 diagonal with 47...Bc4.

48.Bd5+ Kh7

Even worse is 48...Kg7? as that allows 49.f6+ with tempo.

White to play and win ... or lose

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49.Bc4??

Both 49.f6 and 49.Be4 win without any trouble.

49...Nc8 50.Kg3?

This does not help, but White should lose anyway after the engines' top choice, 50.Bc7, eg 50...Bxa3 51.g5 Bc1 52.g6+ Kh6 53.Kg2 Bf4 54.Kf2 Bg4! 55.Bxd3 a3 56.Bb1 Bxf5! 57.Ba2 Kxg6, after which Black will win White's last pawn, and so be up knight and pawn. White will eventually have to give up a piece for the a pawn, although Black may have to show how to win with king, bishop and knight versus king.

50...Nxd6 51.exd6 Be5+ 52.Kf2 Bxd6 53.g5 Bxa3 54.Ke3!?

This is Stockfish17.1's top choice, which means White's position is completely hopeless.

54...Bc1+ 55.Kd4 Bxg5 0-1