Summing Up Kraków

MY score in the 60+ seniors of +4=3-1 (I also took a halfpoint bye) gained 15.4 Fide elo.

The final standings are here - scroll down and you will see one player managed to lose 175 elo.

                                                                 Kraków main square

For some reason I do not understand, the video seems to work on laptops, but not on mobiles

Cracovia 60+ Round Nine

FACED a Spaniard.

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

QGD Exchange

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Back to the game.

8.Bh4 Re8 9.Qc2

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

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

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

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

9...c6

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

The position occurs 2,716 times in Mega26

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

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

12...dxe4 13.Nd2 Bf5

ML offered a draw.

Who, if anyone, stands better?

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Equal chances, according to the engines.

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

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

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

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

20...Qg5

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

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

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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Completely equal, according to the engines.

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

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

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Completely equal, according to the engines.

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

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

39.Rg2

The engines suggest 39.f4 or 39.a4.

39...Re7?!

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

40.Rg6

How should Black proceed?

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40...Kc7?!

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

41.f4 Rd7 42.Kc4

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

42...Kd6!?

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

How should White proceed?

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43.e5+?!

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

43...Ke6 44.exf6

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

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

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

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51...Rf1?

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

52.Rxc6 Rf2+

How should White proceed?

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53.Rc2?

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

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

Black to play and draw

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55...b5?

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

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

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56.Rc6?

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

56...Rxh4 57.Rxa6

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

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

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

Cracovia 60+ Round Eight

UPFLOATED against a Germany-registered player.

Józef Czarnik (1850) - Spanton (1913)

London System

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.Bf4 Bd6 4.Bg3 Nf6 5.e3 0-0 6.Bd3 c5 7.c3 Nc6 8.0-0

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

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Black has a bad bishop, but a little more space on the queenside, which has enabled the black queen's knight to occupy its 'normal' square, c6, while White's will probably have to be developed to the less-active d2 square. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon the game is equal.

8...c4!?

It seems to me that whenever I play ...c4 in such positions, the engines disapprove, and whenever I do not play it, the engines reckon it is the best move. The engines are not keen on ...c4 here, but do not condemn it either.

9.Bc2 Bxg3!?

Giving up White's good bishop, but slightly weakening the white king's position. The text is Stockfish17.1's top choice, but Dragon1 prefers 9...b5.

10.hxg3 b5

The engines suggest two apparent-novelties in 10...Qb6!? and 10...Qc7!?, narrowly preferring the latter, which transposes to a known position. Play might continue 11.Nbd2 e5 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 Qxe5 14.Nf3 Qh5, when Black has opened a diagonal for the c8 bishop, but has been saddled with a backward pawn on a half-open file. Equal chances, according to the engines.

11.Nbd2

White is ready to break in the centre with e4 - how should Black react?

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11...e5?

An unjustified pawn sacrifice. The engines make various suggestions, including 11...Qc7, 11...Rb8, 11...b4 and 11...Bb7, but agree they all leave White slightly better.

12.Nxe5

12.dxe5? Ng4 lets Black, at least partially, off the hook.

12...Nxe5 13.dxe5 Ng4 14.e4?

The obvious 14.Nf3 is strong, and if 14...Re8, then 15.Qd4.

14...Nxe5?

Much better, according to the engines, is 14...d4 15.cxd4 Qxd4, although 16.Nf3!? Qxb2 17.Rb1 Qxa2 18.Rxb5 is tricky for both sides to play.

15.Qe2?

Again the best move is the obvious one, this time 15.exd5, after which the engines reckon White has the upper hand.

15...Re8?!

Again ...d4 seems to be the way to go, and is even better for Black, according to the engines, than it is in the note to Black's 14th move,

How should White proceed?

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16.f4?

Dubious is 16.exd5?! Bg4, when 17.f3? Nxf3+ is a disaster for White, but 17.Qe4 Nf3+ 18.gxf3 Rxe4 19.Bxe4 keeps White in the game. However, the engines reckon 16.Qe3 is equal.

16...Ng4 17.f5?

This makes a bad situation much worse, according to the engines, which reckon best is 17.e5, although 17...Qb6+ wins the exchange, as in the game. The main alternative is 17.Nf3!? Qb6+ 18.Nd4 Qh6 19.Nf3, when 19...dxe4 20.Nh4 Qb6+ 21.Kh1, which does not look so bad at first, but the engines reckon Black's advantage is roughly the equivalent of being up a minor piece and a pawn.

17...Qb6+ 18.Rf2 Nxf2

Even stronger is 18...Bxf5!

19.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 20.Kxf2 Bb7 21.Re1 dxe4 22.Nxe4 f6 23.Kf3 Rad8 24.Re2 Kf7

The engines point out the strength of 24...Rd3+! 25.Bxd3 cxd3 26.Re1 Rxe4!

25.g4 g6

Still strong is ...Rd3+.

26.g3 Re5 27.Kf4 Bc8?

This loses a lot of Black's advantage, and gives White a chance to complicate. Best, according to the engines, is 27...Bxe4!? 28.Bxe4 Rde8, eg 29.Kf3 Kg7!? 30.Kf4 h5!? 31.fxg6 hxg4, with ...f5 to come.

28.Ng5+??

Not only does this drop a piece, but it also misses 28.Rh2!?, after which Black probably has only one winning continuation.

Analysis diagram - position after 28.Rh2!?

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Black can easily go wrong, eg 28...Kg7? runs into 29.Nxf6! Kxf6 30.g5+ Kf7 (30...Kg7? 31.f6+) 31.Kxe5 Bxf5!? 32.Rxh7+ Kg8 33.Rh2, when White has at least the upper hand (Dragon1) and may even be winning (Stockfish17.1).

Protecting the h pawn with 28...Rh8?! allows 29.Nd6+ fxg6, when the engines reckon White has equalised.

However, 28...gxf5!? 29.Ng5+!? (29.Rxh7+? Kg6) Kg8 30.Nxh7 Kg7 31.g5!? Re1! 32.Nxf6 Rh8 wins, according to the engines, and the simpler 28...Bxf5!? may also give Black an advantage.

Back to the game.

28...fxg5+ 0-1

Cracovia 60+ Round Seven

TOOK a halfpoint bye in the first of today's two rounds.

Spanton (1913) - Zbigniew Gregulski (1746)

English Opening

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 d6

This is distinctly second in popularity to 3...Nc6.

4.d4 exd4!?

More popular are 4...e4 and especially 4...Nbd7, but the text is best, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

5.Nxd4 Be7 6.e4 0-0 7.Be2 Bd7 8.0-0

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

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White's bind on the centre gives a space advantage that is the equivalent of being about a pawn up, according to the engines.

8...Nc6 9.Be3

Avoiding exchanges with 10.Nc2!?, an idea also seen in the Maróczy Bind in the Sicilian, is liked by the engines.

9...Re8 10.Rc1 Nxd4!?

This apparent-novelty is preferred by the engines over the known 10...a6.

11.Bxd4 Bf8 12.Qc2 g6 13.f3 Bg7 14.Rfd1 Nh5!?

How should White proceed?

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15.Bxg7!?

This weakens the black king's position, but swops off White's good bishop, something that is often questionable when White, as here, has a bad bishop (Chess Tip Of The Day #27 on my blog cited grandmaster Gregory Kaidanov in the US Chess Federation's magazine Chess Life: "When you have a bad bishop, don't trade the other bishop.") It was possible to keep my dark-square bishop with, for example, 15.Be3 Be5 16.g3, but the engines agree with my decision.

15...Nxg7 16.Nd5 Bc6 17.Qc3 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Rc8 19.Qb4

How should Black respond to White's queenside pressure?

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19...Qg5!?

Black almost certainly has to do something on the kingside as there is little chance of holding out by trying to defend the queenside. The text is Dragon1's top choice, at least for while, but Stockfish17.1 prefers 19...f5!?

20.Bf1 Nh5

The engines suggest 20...f5, or 20...Qe3+ 21.Kh1 Qb6, but agree White is at least slightly better.

It is White to move, but if it were Black to move, what would be the immediate threat?

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Black would have a draw by perpetual by 21...Qe3+ 22.Kh1 Ng3+! 23.hxg3 Qh6+ 24.Kg1 Qe3+ etc. But note there is no win as 23...Re5?? fails to 24.g4, eg 24...Qh6+ 25.Kg1 Qe3+ 26.Qf4+ Kh3.

21.Rc2 Qe3+ 22.Rf2 b6?!

There is no immediate need for this as White is not threatening to capture on b7 (even if it were White to move again after 22.Rf2, the capture 23.Qxb7? runs into 23...Rb8 24.Qc6 Rb2!! 25.Qxe8+ Kg7, after which Black gets the rook back, with a continuing strong attack). So Black should probably play 22...Qb6, angling for an exchange of queens (White probably should not oblige), or 22...Nf6, when capturing on b7 is again not good.

23.Rd3 Qg5

23...Qc5 24.Qxc5 dxc5! is not too bad for Black, but White again should almost certainly avoid exchanging queens.

24.Rc3 Nf4?!

The engines do not like this, suggesting 24...Re7, 24...f5 or 24...a5.

25.Kh1 Re7 26.Rfc2 f5 27.g3 Nh5

What should White play?

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28.Bh3?!

This activates the bishop, and pins the f5 pawn, but there is much better available, eg 28.e5! (Stockfish17.1's top choice), when 28...Rxe5 29.f4 Qg4 can be met by 30.h3! Nxg3+ 31.Kg2!, or 28...dxe5? 29.d6 c5 30.dxe7! cxb4 31.Rxc8+ and 32.e8=Q(+). Dragon1 comes to agree 28.e5! is best, but for a long time prefers the also-strong 28.f4!, when 28...Qh6 29.e5 is very good for White, while the engines reckon 28...Nxf4!? should also be met by 29.e5!, eg 29...Nxd5 30.Qb3 Rxe5 31.Rd3.

28...Nf6?!

The engines suggest 28...Qf6, claiming Black is only slightly worse.

29.Qd4!

This is best, according to the engines. Note that 29.e5? Rxe5 30.f4? Re1+ 31.Kg2 Qh5 is winning for Black.

29...Kf7 30.Rc6 h5?

The engines fluctuate between various moves, including 30...a5!?, 30...Ne8, 30...Nd7 and 30...Nh5, all of which they reckon leave White with at least the upper hand, but they agree the text is a mistake.

White to play and gain a large winning advantage

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31.Rxd6?

White has two very strong continuations in 31.f4 Qh6 32.e5, eg 32...Ne4 33.exd6 Nxd6 34.Rxd6!, and 31.exf5 gxf5 32.Qd3. Note that in both lines the move ...Re1+ never gives Black more than a check.

The text wins a pawn, at least temporarily, and gets a rook to the eighth rank, but the f5 pawn is no longer pinned, and the initiative goes over to Black.

31...cxd6 32.Rxc8 h4!

Black is a pawn down, but has gained complete equality, according to the engines

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33.f4!?

The engines for quite some time strongly dislike this, reckoning Black gets the upper hand or a slight edge (Stockfish17.1) or is even winning (Dragon1).  However, eventually they come to agree White seems to be just about all right.

Probably simplest is 33.Kg2, when 33...hxg3 34.hxg3 Nh5 35.Qf2 Nf4+ leads to a possible threefold repetition after 36.Kh2 Nd3 37.Qd4 Ne5 38.Qf2 Nd3 etc, although there are playable alternatives along the way (but the engines' evaluations never vary from complete equality).

33...Qh5 34.e5 hxg3

The alternative is 34...dxe5 35.fxe5 hxg3 36.e6+ Kg7 37.Kg2, with the same position reached in the game, but without the f4 and d6 pawns.

Analysis diagram

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The engines reckon best-play from this alternative position runs something like 37...Qe2+!? 38.Kxg3 f4+!? 39.Kxf4 g5+ 40.Kf5! Qf3+ 41.Ke5 Qxh3 42.Rc2 Ne8!?, when White, for being a knight down, has two advanced and connected passed pawns. Neither king is safe, and the position remains unclear, but equal chances seems the fairest verdict.

Back to the game.

35.e6+ Kg7 36.Kg2 gxh2

The engines agree that, with pawns at f4 and d6, the text is slightly better than ...Qe2+.

37.Kxg2 Qh4

Threatening to win with 38...g5.

How should White respond?

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38.Rd8?!

This is the engines' second choice, but probably better is 38.Kg2!?, with what the engines reckon is equality.

38...Kh7!

The engines come to agree this is best.

If 38...Rc7, then 39.Rd7+ Rxd7 40.exd7 can be met by 40...Qh8 or 40...Kh7!? 41.d8=Q Ng4+ 42.Kg2 Qxd8, in both cases with equality, according to the engines.

39.Kg2??

Necessary is 39.Rc8, although the engines reckon Black is at least slightly better after, for example, 39...Rg7.

39...Rc7 40.Qf2 Qh5+

Black does not want to swop queens, as 40...Qxf2+? 41.Kxf2 makes the e pawn dangerous, although the engines agree 41...Nxd5 gives complete equality.

41.Rf8

There is no defence.

Black to play and win

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41...Kg7?

Black wins easily after 41...Ne4 as either the white queen is driven off the second rank, allowing ...Rc2+, or White is reduced to 41...Rf7+ 42.Rxf7 exf7, when the simplest win is probably 43.Qxh3+!? Nxf2+ 44.Kg2 Kg7 45.f8=Q+ Kxf8 46.Kxf2, with a fairly straightforward 5v4 pawn ending.

White to play and win

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42.Rxf6! Kxf6?!

This allows a quick mate, but otherwise Black is a piece down and faced with a huge passed pawn on e6.

43.Qd4+ Ke7 44.Qg7+ Ke8 45.Qg8+ Ke7 46.Qf7+ 1-0

Chess Blindness

THERE are no games today in the Cracovia seniors, so I thought I would share an amusing moment that occurred on a board near me yesterday.

Hanna Bartczak (1729) - Ryszard Hebdaś (1509)

Jobava-Prié

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4

This may not have been the exact move-order, but these were the moves that had been played when Black started gesticulating, attracting my attention (and the attention of others).

After some mirth from adjoining boards, the players swopped the a1 pawn for the h2 rook, and got on with the game (White won).

The incident is an example of minds seeing what they expect to see, not what is in front of them.

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

Trophy

Yesterday's gift to players at the Cracovia chess festival

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

Magnetic Attraction

Players yesterday were given a fridge magnet featuring a stylised version of Kraków's legendary Wawel dragon

Cracovia 60+ Round Three

Józef Twardy (1585) - Spanton (1913)

Sicilian Hyper-Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bb5!?

This position occurs 46 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, and includes White wins by grandmasters Zaven Andriasian and Zhamsaran Tsydypov

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I guess the opening could be called a Sicilian Bb5(+), although I do not recall the line being covered in any books I own.

3...Bg7

Five games saw Black play 3...Nc6!?, transposing to a main line of the Bb5(+) Variation of the Sicilian.

4.0-0 a6

Seven of the 12 games to reach the position after 4.0-0 saw Black choose 4...Nc6!?, again transposing to a well-known main line.

5.Bc4

Apparently a novelty. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon it is an improvement on the known 5.Ba4?? (obviously) and 5.Be2 (marginally).

5...Nc6

If 5...b5!?, then 6.Bd5.

6.a3 Nf6 7.d3 b5 8.Ba2 0-0

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

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White's play has been on the eccentric side, with Black able to expand on the queenside 'for free', but there are no weaknesses in the white position, and White has the only pawn on the two central files to reach the fourth rank. The engines reckon the game is equal.

9.h3!? d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Re1 Bb7

How should White proceed?

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12.c4?!

The engines suggest 12.Nbd2.

12...Nb6 13.Nc3

This is best, according to the engines, one point being 13.Qb3? runs into 13...bxc4 14.dxc4 Na5.

13...b4 14.axb4!?

The engines are OK with this. Indeed, it comes to be Stockfish17.1's top choice, although Dragon1, after initially top-rating it, comes to prefer the move I expected, 14.Ne4, when both engines reckon 14...Nd7 gives Black at least a slight edge. Also quite good for Black is 14...bxa3 15.Nxc5 axb2.

14...Nxb4 15.Bb1 Qc7 16.Na2 a5 17.Nxb4?!

The black knight looked menacing, but swoping it improves Black's pawn-structure and gives up control of the a file.

17...axb4 18.Ra2!?

Even worse is 18.Ba2? Bxf3 19.gxf3 (19.Qxf3 b3) Ra6, when Black has huge pressure against White's queenside. However, possibly better than the text is 18.Rxa8.

18...Rxa2 19.Bxa2 Ra8 20.Bb3 Ra1!?

What should White play?

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21.Qe2

This is Stockfish17.1's choice; Dragon1 comes to prefer 21.d4.

On 21.Bf4!? I intended sacrificing the exchange, with 21...Qxf4! 22.Rxa1 Bxf3, which gives Black more than enough compensation, eg 23.gxf3 Bd4. The engines reckon 23.Qc1!? is an improvement, but 23...Qxc1 24.Rxc1 Bc6 leaves Black well on top.

21...e6 22.Qc2?

The engines suggest 22.Rd1, but agree Black has a positionally won game.

22...Bxf3 23.gxf3 Bd4 24.Bd2? Qg3+! 25.Kh1 Qxf3+ 26.Kh2 Qxf2+ 27.Kh1 Rxe1+ 28.Bxe1 Qxe1+

Missing 28...Qg1#.

29.Kg2 Qg1+ 30.Kf3 Qf1+ 31.Kg3 Be5+ 0-1

Presents

YESTERDAY turned out to be a day of gifts.

Booty

First up, from the tournament organisers, were a jar of Polish honey and a keyring/bottle-opener.

Then my Lithuanian opponent handed me a brochure from what is presumably his hometown of Plungė, together with a pen for my ever-expanding collection of chess writing-implements (Lietuva is the country's name in Lithuanian).

Cracovia 60+ Round Two

FACED a Lithuanian.

Spanton (1913) - Rimandas Šakinis (1757)

Old Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 c6!?

This is fifth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind ...Bf5, ...e5, and especially ...g6 and ...Nbd7.

4.e4 Qa5!?

More popular are ...Qc7 (marginally), ...g6, ...Nbd7 and ...e5.

5.Bd3 e5 6.Ne2 Nbd7 7.0-0 Be7 8.a3!? Qc7 9.b4 exd4 10.Nxd4 Ne5 11.Be2!?

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 agree it is worth spending a tempo to save White's bad bishop.

11...0-0

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

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Whites' extra space gives the upper hand, according to the engines.

12.Bb2 Be6!?

This is Stockfish17.1's second choice, but both engines prefer 12...a5.

13.Nxe6

Stockfish17.1 suggests 13.Qb3!?, but Dragon1 likes the text.

13...fxe6

White has gained the bishop-pair, but has strengthened Black's centre and given Black a half-open f file

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14.Rc1 Nfd7!?

The engines suggest 14...a5 or 14...Kh8!?

15.Qd2 Nb6 16.Nd1 Nbd7!?

The engines agree this is best, albeit reckoning White is still better.

17.f4 Nf7

This is almost certainly better than 17...Ng6?! 18.Bg4 e5 19.Be6+ Kh8, and either 20.f5 or 20.Bxd7 Qxd7 21.f5.

18.Bg4 e5 19.Bxd7!?

This comes to be Stockfish17.1's top choice, but Dragon1 marginally prefers 19.g3!?

19...Qxd7

How should White proceed?

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20.fxe5?

This throws away White's advantage. White is still better after 20.Ne3 or 20.Qc3.

20...Qg4

Also equal is 20...Bg5 21.Ne3.

21.Nf2 Qg5 22.Qxg5 Bxg5 23.Rcd1 Nxe5 24.Bxe5!?

Otherwise Black is better, according to the engines.

24...dxe5 25.Ng4 Rf4!? 26.Rxf4 exf4

How would you assess this rook-and-minor-piece ending?

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White has the open file, and a passed pawn, but Black has fewer pawn islands, and the better piece for cooperating with a rook. Equal chances, according to the engines.

27.Kf2

27.Rd7 Rd8?! 28.Rxb7 is good for White, but the engines reckon Black is fine after 27...a5!?, eg 28.Rxb7 axb4 29.axb4 Bh4!? 30.Kf1 Re8, and if 31.e5, then 31...Ra8!?

27...Rd8?!

The engines suggest 27...a5, or 27...h5!? 28.Ne5 and then 28...a5.

28.Rxd8+ Bxd8

How would you assess this bishop-v-knight ending?

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White's more-active king and the vulnerability of f4 give White at least a slight edge, according to the engines, despite the bishop being better than the knight when there is play on both wings.

29.Kf3 h5?!

Probably the wrong idea. Black should be activating the king, either immediately with 29...Kf7!?, or after first protecting f4 with 29...Bc7. The point, after 29...Kf7!?, is that 30.Kxf4 Bc7+ 31.Kf3 can be met by 31...h5 and 32...Bxh2. However, the engines give 30.Ne5+!? Ke6 31.Nd3 b5! (White threatened 32.Nc5+ as well as 32.Nxf4+), eg 32.Nxf4+ Ke5 33.cxb5 cxb5, after which Black's king is very active.

30.Ne5 g5 31.h3?!

The engines reckon White is winning after 31.Nd7 or 31.Nd3.

31...Bf6?

Again Black should be activating the king, this time with 31...Kg7.

32.Nd7 Bd4 33.h4! Bb2 34.a4 Kf7 35.hxg5 Bc1 36.Ne5+ Kg7 37.b5!?

This may be marginally better than 37.Nd3 Bd2.

37...cxb5 38.axb5!?

This is fine, but White has to take care against Black creating a passed a pawn.

38...Bd2 39.Nd3 Kg6 40.Nxf4+ Kxg5 41.Ne6+ Kf6 42.Nd8 a5!?

How should White respond?

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43.Nxb7?

Black also gets drawing chances after 43.bxa6? bxa6. Correct is gaining a tempo with 43.Ke2, bringing White's king within the queening box of the a pawn (the a pawn is four squares from a1, so the queening box runs from a5-a1-e1-e5-a5).

43...Bb4?

Black had to play 43...a4.

44.c5?

Again White wins by bringing the king within the queening box.

44...a4

White to play and draw

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45.e5+!

The engines reckon 45.b6 also draws, but only if, after 45...a3, White finds the same idea and plays 46.e5+! However, 45.c6? loses trivially to 45...Ke7 etc. Probably also losing is 45.Nd6?! a3 46.b6 a2 47.b7 a1=Q 48.b8=Q, although this may be one of those positions where the engines have one side winning (Black is almost +5.00, according to Stockfish17.1; almost +6.00, according to Dragon1), but they cannot finish it off, eg 48...Qd1+ 49.Kg3 Qg4+ 50.Kf2 Bxc5+ 51.Ke1 Qh4+ 52.Kd2 Qf4+ 53.Kc2 Bxd6 (Black now has queen, bishop and pawn versus queen and two pawns) 54.Qd8+ Kg6 55.Qg8+ Kh6 56.Qd5!? Be5 57.Kb3 Kg5 58.Kc4 Kh4 59.Qd3 Qg4 60.Qd5 Bf4 61.Qd3 Qxg2, finally reaching a position that the Syzygy endgame tablebase can give a definitive verdict on: Black is winning. Naturally, there were lots of plausible alternatives along the way, so 45.Nd6?! may draw, with best play, but it would in practice be very hard for White to do so.

45...Ke7

Or 45...Kxe5 46.c6 Ke6 47.Nd8+ Ke7 48.c7 Kd7 49.b6 Ba5 (not 49...a3? 50.Nc6! a2 51.b7 Kxc7 52.b8=Q+ Kxc6 53.Qa8+ and 54.Qxa2) 50.c8=Q+! Kxc8 51.b7+ Kc7 52.Nc6! Kxb7 53.Nxa5+ Kb6, with a tablebase draw.

46.Nd6 a3 47.Nf5+ Kd8!?

47...Ke6 also draws.

48.Nd4 Bxc5??

48...a2 draws.

49.Nb3??

Winning is 49.Ne6+ followed by 50.Nxc5(+).

49...a2 50.Ke4 Kc7 51.Kd5 Kb6 52.Kc4 h4 53.e6 Be7 54.Na1 Bf6 55.Nc2 Kc7 56.Kd5 Be7 57.Kc4 Kd6 58.Kb3 Kxd6 59.Kxa2 Bc5 60.Ne1 Kf5 61.Kb3 Kg4 62.Kc4 Bf2 63.Nd3 Bb6 64.Ne5+ Kg3 65.Ng6 Bf2 66.Kd5 Kxg2 67.Nxh4 ½–½