Lessons From Bischofsgrün II

THE following position was reached after six moves of my round-two game, in which I was White against Peter Babrikowski (2155).

Black has just played 6...d6!?

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The position is reached 1,429 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, with most games (1,240) continuing with 7.Be2 or 7.Be3, both of which score an excellent 65%

I preferred 7.Bg5, which occurs just 40 times, and scores a miserable 35%.

One of the problems with my move in such positions is that after the reply 7...Be7, White has to be constantly on the alert for tricks based on the move ...Nxe4.

Indeed, if White were to meet 7...Be7 with 8.b3, Black can already play 8...Nxe4!?, eg 9.Nxe4 Bxg5 10.Nxc6! (an only-move, according to the engines) bxc6 11.Nxg5 Qa5+! 12.b4! (12.Qd2? Qe5+) Qxg5 13.Qxd6 Bb7, with what the engines reckon is an equal position.

I was aware of the danger, and I am sure my opponent was too, but that did not stop me reaching the following position, having just played 13.f3?!

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This is a case where ...Nxe4 does not just equalise, but gives Black at least a slight edge, eg 13...Nxe4! 14.Bxe7 Nxc3!? 15.bxc3 Qxe7 16.Qxd6 Qg5 leaves Black with much the better pawn-structure, as well as the better bishop, and Black has the upper hand (Stockfish18) or is even winning (Dragon1).

White can improve with 14.Nxe4 Bxg5 15.Nxg5 Qxg5 16.Qxd6, but 16...Rfd8 leaves Black with the better bishop, and what the engines reckon is a slight plus.

LESSON: when White has a pawn on e4, and Black has a knight on f6, the move Bg5 can open White to surprise tactical shots if Black has a bishop-queen battery on e7 and d8.

Bischofsgrün Round Eight

Spanton (1951) - Udo Waltenberger (2033)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Bg7 5.c4 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Be2 d6 9.0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess this position, which occurs 20,723 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database?

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White's space advantage gives a slight edge, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

9...Nd7!?

This is fourth in popularity in Mega26, behind 9...a6, 9...Nxd4 and especially 9...Bd7.

10.Rc1

The main line in Mega26 runs 10.Qd2 Nc5 11.Rfd1 Bd7 12.f3, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines.

10...Nc5 11.f3 a5 12.b3

Yordan Ivanov (2395) - Keith Arkell (2480), Balaguer (Spain) 1997, went 12.Ndb5!? f5 13.exf5 Bxf5 14.Nd4 Bd7 15.Qd2, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines (1-0, 53 moves).

12...Bd7

A short while after pressing the clock, UW offered a draw.

Objectively, should White accept?

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Black has not broken the bind, by getting in one of the three traditional anti-Maróczy pawn-breaks, ...b5, ...d5, ...f5, so the engines reckon White still has a slight edge.

13.Ndb5!?

Apparently a novelty, at least in this exact position, and preferred by the engines over the known 13.Qd2.

13...Na7 14.Qd2 Nxb5 15.Nxb5

The engines suggest 15.cxb5!?, making White's light-square bishop slightly less bad.

15...Ne6!? 16.Rfd1 Bc6 17.Nc3!? Rb8 18.Nd5 b6 19.Qe1!? Nc5 20.Qh4 Bxd5

How should White recapture?

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21.exd5?!

The worst of the three choices, according to the engines. They suggest 21.cxd5, and if, as in the game, 21...e5!?, then they reckon 22.Qxd8 Rbxd8 23.g4!? gives White the upper hand, a sample line continuing 23...f5!? 24.g5 Rf7 25.exf5!? gxf5, after which the position has opened a little for White's bishop-pair, but Black still has a strong knight, despite the engines' continuing evaluation of White having the upper hand.

21...e5!

The engines reckon this completely equalises.

22.Qxd8 Rbxd8 ½–½

Bischofsgrün Round Two

Spanton (1951) - Peter Babrikowski (2155)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 d6!?

The main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 6...Bb4 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 e5!? 9.0-0 0-0 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 Bc5!? (11...Be7 and 11...d6 are also popular) 12.Kh1 d6, with a slight edge for Black, according to Stockfish18, but equal, according to Dragon1.

7.Bg5

Alekhine, Capablanca, Najdorf, Tal, Smyslov, Morozevich, Short and Ivanchuk are among the many who have preferred 7.Be2.

7...Be7 8.Be2 a6 9.0-0 0-0

Not 9...Nxe4? 10.Nxe4 Bxg5 (10...Nxd4? 11.Qxd4) 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Nd6+ and 13.c5.

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

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The position occurs only 20 times in Mega26, but is fairly typical of a Maróczy Bind in which Black has developed the dark-square bishop at e7 rather than g7. To equalise, and possibly gain an edge, Black normally has to get in one of three classic pawn-breaks: ...b5, ...d5, ...f5.

10.Qd2 Bd7

After 10...Nxe4?! 11.Nxc6!? Bxg5 12.Nxe4!? Bxd2 13.Nxd8 Bf4 14.Nxf7 Kxf7 the engines reckon White has the upper hand.

11.Rfd1

This may be a novelty. Known moves are 11.Rad1, 11.Kh1, 11.Nc2!? and 11.Rfe1.

11...Nxd4

A common exchange in the Maróczy. Black has less space, and so is happy to see a pair of knights leave the board, especially as the queen's bishop is ready to occupy c6.

12.Qxd4 Bc6 13.f3?!

The engines suggest 13.Kh1, 13.Bf1!? or 13.Be3!?

How should Black proceed?

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13...Qa5?!

This helps White successfully reorganise. Instead, the engines' 13...Nxe4! is strong, eg 14.Nxe4 Bxg5 15.Nxg5 Qxg5 16.Qxd6 Rfd8 gives Black the better bishop, while 14.Bxe7 Nxc3!? 15.bxc3!? Qxe7 16.Qxd6 Qg5 leaves Black with the better bishop and much the better pawn-structure.

14.Qd2

Threatening 15.Nd5!

14...Qb6+ 15.Be3 Qc7 16.Rac1 Rac8

The engines suggest 16...Qb8!? or 16...Rfb8!?

After 16...Rac8, how should White proceed?

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17.Nd5

'Clever', but not best, according to the engines. They reckon 17.b4!? gives White the upper hand, a possible continuation being 17...Rfd8 18.Bf1!? (clearing the way for Qf2) Be8!? 19.a3 Nd7 20.f4!?

After 17.Nd5, how should Black respond?

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17...Bxd5!

The engines reckon that after 17...exd5 18.cxd5 Black has nothing better than 18...Qb8!? 19.dxc6 Rxc6 20.Rxc6 bxc6, when 21.Bxa6 nabs a pawn.

18.cxd5 Qd7 19.dxe6 Qxe6!?

Another engine-approved choice.

20.b3 b5

As PB pointed out in the postmortem, 20...d5 at least equalises.

21.Bf4?!

Again as PB pointed out, better is Bd4, and that would have been better at move 20 too.

21...Rxc1 22.Rxc1 d5 23.exd5?!

The game is equal after 23.e5!? Nd7 24.Qd4, according to the engines.

23...Nxd5

What should White play?

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24.Bg3

Everything else loses, but now 24...Rd8 gives Black a slight edge, according to the engines, the point being Black's initiative and well-placed knight count for more than White's bishop pair.

Instead, PB offered a draw as he played:

24...Re8

Objectively, should White accept?

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The engines agree the position is equal if White finds 25.Bf1, and after 25.Bd3, according to Stockfish18, although Dragon1 reckons that the latter move gives Black at least the better part of equality.

½–½

Bad Neuenahr Round Eight

Siegmund Kolthoff (2074) - Spanton (1911)

Maróczy Bind

1.Nf3 c5 2.e4 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3 Bf6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0

This position occurs 20,723 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

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White's space advantage gives at least a slight edge, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

9...Bd7 10.h3!?

Dragon1 prefers the commonest continuation, 10.Qd2, when the main line in Mega26 runs 10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6 12.f3 a5!? 13.b3 Nd7 14.Be3!? Nc5 15.Rab1!? Qb6!? 16.Rfc1, with a slight edge for White, according to both engines.

Stockfish18 likes keeping pieces on the board with 10.Nc2!?, when the main line in Mega26 goes 10...Rc8 11.f3 a6 12.Qd2 Ne5!? 13.b3 (13.Na3!? is a popular alternative) b5!? (the almost equally popular 13...Qc7?! is a mistake, according to the engines, which reckon several moves, including 14.a4!?, give White the upper hand) 14.cxb5 Qc7 15.Bd4, leaving White with at least a slight edge after 15...axb5, according to the engines. But they reckon 15...Bxb5!?, which does not appear in Mega26, more-or-less equalises.

10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6 12.Qc2!?

In 1904, in what is generally regarded as the first example of what came to be called the Maróczy Bind, the move 12.Qd3 was played against Geza Maróczy. Two years later, when Maróczy had the same position as White, he preferred 12.Bf3!? Today the text is most popular, perhaps not surprisingly - it scores 70% in Mega26.

How should Black respond?

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12...Nd7!?

The engines prefer the mainline 12...a5!?

13.Bxg7

Tiviakov reckons an exchange of dark-square bishops in the Maróczy Bind nearly always favours Black, but this position may be an exception - at least, the engines reckon it is. Note that 13.Be3 does not lose a pawn, as 13...Bxc3?! 14.Qxc3 Bxe4? runs into 15.Bh6, when 15...Nf6 16.Bxf8 gives White a large advantage.

13...Kxg7

How should White proceed?

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14.Rad1

SK was upset with himself in the postmortem for not having played 14.b4!?, which is indeed the engines' top choice. Black's best reply is perhaps 14...b6 (a 2331 lost a blitz game with 14...a6?? 15.b5), which is not the sort of move Black normally plays in the Maróczy Bind. However, the text is also popular, and gives White at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

14...a5 15.f4 Qb6+ 16.Kh1!? a4!? 17.Bg4 Nc5 18.Bf3

Possibly a novelty. Olga Badelka (2427) - Kamil Szadkowski (2278) Chess.com Blitz 2020, went 18.e5!? dxe5 19.fxe5 Rfd8?! 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.cxd5, with a positionally won game for White, according to the engines (1-0, 30 moves). However, they reckon Black had several equalising moves in reply to19.fxe5, including 19...e6 and 19...Qb4.

18...Qb4 19.Ne2

SK was highly critical of this in the postmortem, but the engines are fine with it. although their top choice is probably 19.Be2 or 19.Nd5.

19...Ra6!? 20.Nd4 Rb6 21.Rf2 e5!?

Seeking to win the d4 square for Black's knight.

22.Nxc6

Also possible is 22.a3!? Qa5 23.Ne2, but the engines prefer the text.

22...Rxc6 23.f5 Nd7 24.a3!?

The engines suggest 24.b3 or 24.Be2.

What should Black play?

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24...Qb6

The engines reckon 24...Qxc4 25.Qxc4 Rxc4 26.Rxd6 Nc5 gives Black at least a slight edge.

25.Rfd2

Not 25.Qxa4?? Qxf2.

25...Nc5 26.Rd5

SK offered a draw.

Objectively, should Black play on?

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Black has the better minor piece and pressure against b2 and c4. White has pressure against d6 and, arguably, the less-threatened king, but that still leaves Black with at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

26...f6!?

If 26...Rfc8, White has 27.Qd2, and if 27...Nb3. then 28.f6+!, when 28...Kxf6?! leaves Black in big trouble after 29.Qh6. So Black should almost certainly play 28...Kh8, when 29.Qh6 Rg8 is completely equal, according to the engines.

However, instead of the text, Black can try 26...Nb3, when best-play may run 27.Qc3 f6 28.fxg6 hxg6 29.Bg4 Qc7 30.Qg3!? Nd4 31.Bh5!? g5 32.Qd3, with an imbalanced position, although the engines reckon Black is slightly better.

27.Qf2 Qa6 28.h4

Dragon1 reckons the position after 27...Qa6 is completely equal, while Stockfish18 awards Black the better part of equality, but both engines find it difficult to settle on White's best continuation, candidates including Kh2, Qg3, fxg6 and Qe2. The text is also probably all right, if followed up correctly.

28...Qxc4 29.Rxd6?!

Probably better is 29.fxg6 hxg6, and now 30.Rxd6 Rxd6 31.Rxd6 Nxe4 32.Rd7+ Rf7 33.Rxf7+ Kxf7 34.Qb6!, when the engines agree Black has nothing more than a draw.

29...Rxd6 30.Rxd6 Nxe4 31.Bxe4?!

Possibly better - for a long time Dragon1 prefers the text - is 31.Rd7+ Rf7 32.Rxf7+ Kxf7 33.fxg6+, when 33...hxg6 34.Qb6! transposes to the drawn line given at move 29. But the engines point out Black can improve with 33...Kxg6!, when 34.h5+ Kg7 35.Qh4 Qc1+ 36.Kh2 Nc5 gives Black the upper hand (Dragon1) or at least a slight edge (Stockfish18).

31...Qxe4 32.fxg6 hxg6

Here 33...Kxg6? is a mistake that allows a draw after, for example, 34.Qg3+ Kf7 35.Rd7+ Ke6 36.Qg7 etc.

After 32...hxg6, what is White's best hope for a draw?

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33.Rd7+?!

Heading for a queen-and-pawn ending, but it is completely lost, so better chances lay in, for example, 33.Rb6, although the engines agree that after 33...Qd5!?, Black is winning, eg 34.Rb4 Re8 35.Qe3 (35.Rxa4?? Qd1+) e4 36.Rd4 Qc6, when Black's extra pawn should tell, albeit after a slow and somewhat painstaking process.

33...Rf7 34.Rxf7+?

White should definitely keep rooks on.

34...Kxf7

At first glance it might seem White has hopes of a perpetual, but it turns out every White continuation either drops material or allows transposition into a trivially won pawn ending

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35.Kg1 Qd4 0-1

Bad Neuenahr Round Three

Spanton (1911) - Andreas Kuhn (1827)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5!?

More popular are 5...a6 and especially 5...Nf6, but the text has been tried by Caruana, and appears to be a favourite of Epishin's.

6.Nb3

This is Dragon1's top choice; Stockfish18 marginally prefers 6.Nc2!?

What should Black do about the attacked bishop?

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6...Be7

Dragon1 suggests 6..Bb6!?, and if 7.c5, then 7...Bc7, followed by a quick ...b6. Stockfish18 likes 6...Bb4+, when the engines are unsure whether White should intervene with the queen's knight or the queen's bishop.

7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Be3 0-0

The engines suggest 8...Bb4!?

9.Be2 b6

Again the engines suggest ...Bb4, which, like the text, has been played before, but they also suggest an apparent-novelty in 9...d5!?, the idea being to meet 10.cxd5 exd5 11.exd5 with 11...Nb4, when they reckon chances are equal.

10.0-0

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

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White's Maróczy Bind has not, so far, been challenged by a pawn break, ie ...b5, ...d5 or ...f5, but the knight at b3 looks a little awkward. The engines give White the better part of equality.

10...Bb7 11.f4 d6 12.Bf3 Nb8??

We did not have a proper postmortem, but AK explained afterwards that he intended rerouting the knight via d7 to protect e6, but failed to take into account that the text interferes with the queen's support of the a8 rook.

White to play and win

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13.e5 1-0

League Chess

FACED a junior (born 2012) on board one (of five) for Battersea 3 against Streatham 2 in Central London League Division Three last night.

Spanton (1939) - Charlie Pearson (2007)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 d5!?

This is quite a popular alternative to the mainline 8...e5.

How should White respond?

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9.cxd5

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 marginally prefer 9.exd5 exd5 9.0-0, but the text has a point that is perhaps not immediately obvious.

9...cxd5??

There are 28 examples of this blunder in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, including by a 2405 and a 2384 (the latter went on to win, albeit both games were at blitz). Black should play 9...exd5 or 9...Bxc3+.

10.Qa4+ Bd7 11.Qxb4 Rb8 12.Qa3 Bc6!? 13.e5!? Ng4 14.Bf4 Qb6 15.0-0 Rb7!?

15...Qxb2 can be answered by 16.Qd6!? and 16.Qxa7, as well as 16.Qxb2.

16.h3 Nh6 17.Rfd1 Qd8!? 18.Qd6!? Qxd6 19.exd6 Rxb2

Black has won a pawn, and has hopes of winning a second, but the engines reckon White's advantage is worth more than a rook

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20.Rab1 Rxb1 21.Rxb1 Kd7 22.Bb5 f6 23.Bxc6+ Kxc6 24.Nb5 e5

Not 24...Rb8? as White has 25.Nd4+ (and 25.Nxa7+).

25.Bxh6 gxh6 26.Nxa7 Kxd6 27.Rb6+ Ke7 28.Kf1 Ra8 29.Rb7+ Kd6 30.Rxh7 Kc5 31.Rb7 d4 32.Ke2 e4 33.Kd2 h5 34.h4 f5 35.g3 Rf8 36.Rb5+ Kc4 37.Ke2 Rf7

The engines give 37...f4 38.gxf4 Rxf4 39.Rxh5 d3+ 40.Ke1, when 40...d2+!? 41.Kxd2 Rxf2+ 42.Ke3 Rxa2 leaves White a pleasant choice between saving the knight, and letting it go to get a winning rook-and-pawn ending (it is winning, despite White having a rook's pawn, because Black's king is cut off from interfering with the pawn's progress to h8).

White to play and win

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38.Nc8!

38.Ra5 may also win, but is far less convincing.

38...Rf6

This is best, according to the engines.

39.Rb6 Rf8 40.Rc6+ Kd5?!

Allowing a speedy finish.

41.Ne7+ Ke5 42.Ng6+ Kd5 43.Nxf8 Kxc6 44.Ne6 Kd5 45.Nf4 Kc4 46.Kd2 1-0

Streatham 2 won the match 3-2.

My Battersea Season 2025-6

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

16/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1952             0           1552

18/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1797             =           1675

16/10/25 CLL       W       1889         2047             0           1665

23/10/25 CLL       B        1889         1823             1           1805

18/11/25  LL         W       1891         1980             =           1840

20/11/25  CLL      W       1891         1866             1            1911

25/11/25  BCC     B        1891         1817             1            1955

9/12/25    LL         W       1904         1982             1            2008

16/12/25  LL         B        1904         2046             0            1968

18/12/25  CLL      B        1904         2066             1            2018

6/1/26      CLL      W       1929         2150             =            2066

7/1/26      LL         W       1929         1971             =            2058

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

13/1/26    LL         B        1929         2035             1            2067

27/1/26    LL         B        1929         2089             0            2041

29/1/26    CLL      B        1929         1882             =            2031

3/2/26      BCC     W       1928         1836             1            2043     

12/2/26    CDL      B        1928        1890              1            2057

25/2/26    LL         B        1928        1863              =            2047

26/2/26    CLL      B         1928        2015             0            2025

3/3/26      CDL      B        1914        1976              1            2043

24/3/26    BCC     W        1921        1780             1            2049

26/3/26    CLL      B         1921        1942             =            2045

31/3/26    CDL      B        1921         2091             0            2030

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

9/4/26      CLL      W        1938        2012              =           2029

30/4/26    CLL      W        1938        2285              0           2023

7/5/26      CLL      W        1939        2007              1           2037

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC: Battersea club championship

CDL: Croydon & District League

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

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

World Team 65+ Round Seven

Bo.	46	England - 5	Rtg	-	28	England - 4	Rtg	0 : 0
17.1		Freeman, Richard C P	1897	-		Orton, Stephen L A	2117
17.2	CM	Stokes, Michael	1861	-		Hewson, Brian W R	2060
17.3		Spanton, Tim R	1908	-		Bray, David	1990
17.4		Marshall, Michael	1859	-		Hymer, Barry	1986

Spanton (1908) - David Bray (1990)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Nxc6 Bxc6 8.Bd3

This position occurs 1,799 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

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8...e5 9.0-0 0-0

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

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White has set up a Maróczy Bind, but capturing on c6, at a time when Black could reply ...bxc6, means Black is better-placed than usual to break the bind with ...d5. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon the game is equal.

10.Be3 d6

This is the main move, and was Kasparov's choice in a 1994 rapid loss to Kramnik. In his notes to the game, Kasparov gave the text a question mark, which almost certainly has more to do with the result than with the objective merits of the move. Kasparov recommended 10...Bxc3!? 11.bxc3 d6, claiming equality.

The break 10...d5!? has been tried, but after 11.exd5 (or 11.cxd5) Black is obliged to play 11...Bxc3, when 12.bxc3 cxd5 13.cxd5 (or 13.exd5) Nxd5 is not clear, but the engines give the apparent-novelty 14.Qc2!?, with chances for an advantage, eg 14...h6?! 15.Bc5 Re8 16.Rad1! is very good for White. Instead, 14...Nxe3!? 15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.fxe3 drops a pawn, but Black gets counterplay, one line running 16...Qg5 17.Be4!? (17.Rae1? f5) Qxe3+ 18.Kh1 Rb8 19.Bd5!?, after which Black has restored material equality, and has fewer pawn islands, but the less-safe king. Stockfish17.1 calls the chances equal, although Dragon1 favours White.

11.h3

This is the commonest move in Mega26. Kramnik played 11.Na4!?, but that allowed 11...d5!?, with apparently equal chances.

11...Bxc3!?

This also equalises, according to the engines.

12.bxc3

How should Black proceed?

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12...c5!?

This is Dragon1's second choice, but both engines slightly prefer 13...Be6. After the text, Black has closed the centre, making White's light-square bishop very bad, and has good prospects of winning the c4 pawn. But the d pawn is backward on a half-open file, and White gets dynamic kingside chances.

13.f4 Nd7!?

This was played in three of the four games to reach the position in Mega26. The other game saw 13...Qe7.

14.f5

A 2647 played 14.Rb1!? in a blitz game, but the engines reckon Black was better after 14...exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne5, although Black, rated 2193, went on to lose.

14...f6 15.g4 Qe7 16.Qd2 Ba6 17.h4

The engines calculate White is better after 17.Rf2, 17.Rf3 or 17.a4!?

17...Nb6 18.g5

The c4 pawn can hardly be saved (18.Qe2 Qe7), but better compensation is to be had with 18.Rad1 or 18.Rf2, according to the engines, eg 18.Rad1 Bxc4 19.Bxc4+ Nxc4 20.Qe2 Nxe3 21.Qxe3, after which Black will have great difficulty mobilising the extra (backward) pawn, or 18.Rf2 Bxc4 19.g5 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 d5 21.Kh2, when the engines reckon Black has an edge, but White has dangerous kingside chances.

18...Nxc4 19.Bxc4+ Bxc4 20.Rf3 Kh8 21.Rg3

Black has to be careful, eg 21...Rg8 22.g6 h6? (22...Qb7 is better) allows 23.Bxh6!

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21...Rad8

The engines suggest 21...Qb7 or 21...d5!?, eg 21...d5!? 22.exd5 fxg5!? 23.Rxg5!? Rad8 24.d6!? Rxd6!? 25.Bxc5 Rxd2 26.Bxe7 Rf7!, with much the better game for Black, but there are many alternatives along the way.

22.g6

The engines fluctuate between several moves, but come to more-or-less settle on 22.h5!? or 22.Kh2.

22...d5

Not 22...h6? 23.Bxh6!, when 23...gxh6? loses to 24.Qxh6+ Kg8 25.g7 etc, but even stronger than the text may be the engines' 22...Qb7!?

23.Qd1! Kg8?

Black should play 23...dxe4 or 23...d4, the point being to meet 24.Qh5 with 24...Bg8.

24.gxh7+?

Both 24.Qh5 and 24.Kh1 are stronger, eg 24.Qh5 h6 25.Kh1 (25.Bxh6!? Be2! 26.Qxe2 gxh6 is not so clear, but probably still winning for White) d4 26.Bxh6!, when 26...Be2!? fails to 27.Qxe2 gxh6 28.g7 Rf7 29.Qh5 Rxg7 30.Rag1 (the reason for playing 25.Kh1).

24...Kh8

How should White proceed?

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25.Kh2

Best may be 25.Qg4, one line running 25...Rf7 26.Bc1!? Kxh7 27.h5 Rh8 28.h6 Kg8 29.Rb1, with a continuing attack, but the position is complicated, and the engines have difficulty agreeing on anything.

25...d4 26.cxd4?

But they do agree that here White had to play 26.Bc1!?

26...exd4 27.Bf4 Qxe4 28.Qg4 Qe2+ 29.Qxe2 Bxe2

With queens gone, so are White's mating chances, leaving Black with an advantage worth more than a rook, according to the engines

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30.Rag1 Rf7 31.h5!? Bxh5 32.Rc1 Rc8 33.Rb3 c4 34.Kg3!? Kxh7 35.Rb2 g5!? 36.fxg6+ Kxg6 37.Rd2 Rd7 38.Be3 d3 39.Rc3 Be2

Black's passed duo is temporarily blockaded, and there are opposite-colour bishops, but that is not enough to hold against three extra pawns

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40.Rb2 Kf5 41.Rb5+ Ke4 42.Bd2 Kd4 43.Ra3 Rc6??

White to play and win

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44.Kf4!?

Black's king is trapped in the middle of the board, whereas many moves. instead of 43...Rc6??, would have won, including either rook to the g file.

44...Rc5

Or 44...c3 45.Ra4+ Rc4 46.Be3#.

45.Be3+ Kd5 46.Rxc5+ Ke6 47.Bd2 1-0

Team Result

Freeman = Orton

Stokes 0-1 Hewson

Spanton 1-0 Bray

Marshall 0-1 Hymer

England 5 1.5-2.5 England 4

Championship Chess

PLAYED last night in the Battersea club championship.

Spanton (1928) - Alan Palmer (1836)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5!?

This is third in popularity in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 5...a6 and especially 5...Nf6, but it is the top choice of Stockfish17.1, and has been played by Fabiano Caruana. Dragon1 likes the even rarer 5...Qb6!?

How should White respond?

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6.Nb3

This sidelines the knight, but at least does not lose a tempo as Black's dark-square bishop is more-or-less obliged to move again. Magnus Carlsen has played 6.Nc2!?, but 6.Be3?!, which trails only the text in popularity, is probably a mistake, best exploited by 6...Qb6.

6...Bb4+ 7.Bd2 a5!?

The engines prefer this over the commoner 7...Bxd2+.

8.a3 Bxd2+!?

This seems to be new. Vladimir Epishin (2657) played 8...Be7 in a 1999 game, but could only draw against a 2227 (and was worse when the draw was agreed). The engines prefer the text.

9.Qxd2 Nge7

The engines suggest 9...Qb6!?, justifying it, after 10.Qg5, with a rook sacrifice: 10...Nf6!? 11.Qxg7 Ke7!? 12.Qxh8 Qxb3 13.Nd2 Qxb2 14.Rb1 Qxa3, claiming complete equality.

10.Nc3 0-0

Again the engines like ...Qb6.

11.Be2

White has the upper hand after 11.0-0-0!?, according to the engines.

11...b6

This looks a natural way to prepare the development of Black's light-square bishop, but again the engines prefer ...Qb6.

12.0-0

Castling long is the engines' choice.

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

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White has more space in the centre, and Black may have problems down the d file, both with the d pawn and the d6 square. The engines give White a slight edge.

12...Ng6

The engines like 12...f5, 12...a4 or 12...Ba6.

13.Rad1 Qe7 14.Qe3 Rb8?!

The engines do not like this, suggesting 14...a4 or 14...Rd8. Actually, even if it were White to move after 14.Qe3, White could not capture the b6 pawn as 15.Qxb6?? would lose to 15...Rb8 and 16...Rxb3.

15.Na4 d5?

This loses a centre pawn. It is better to give up the b pawn,, according to the engines, playing something like 15...Ba6!? 16.Nxb6 d6, claiming White is only slightly better. I expected 15...Qd8. but the engines do not like the move, and after it Black's position does look rather passive.
16.exd5 exd5 17.Qxe7

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 17.cxd5 Qxe3 18.fxe3, when White's passer is not isolated.

17...Ncxe7 18.cxd5 Rd8 19.Nc3 Bb7 20.Bf3?!

Almost certainly better is 20.Rd2, with Rfd1 to come.

How should Black proceed?

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20...Rd7?

Too slow, but also bad is 20...Nf4?, when White has time for 21.Rd2 (preparing Rfd1) as 21...Nfxd5?? loses to 22.Rfd1, when Black cannot successfully get out of the pin.

Correct is 20...Ne5 21.Be4 f5, eg 22.f4 fxe4 23.fxe5 Nxd5. A probable improvement for White is probably 22.Bc2, but 22...Nxd5 23.Bxf5 Nf4!? 24.Rxd8+ Rxd8 25.Re1 Nc4 leaves Black with full (Stockfish17.1) or nearly full (Dragon1) compensation for a pawn.

How should White proceed?

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21.Rfe1!

The plausible 21.Rd2 allows Black counterplay with 21...Ne5 22.Be4 f5 23.Bb1 Nc4.

21...Rbd8 22.d6 Nc8

The engines prefer 22...Nc6, but they reckon 23.Na4!? Rxd6 24.Rxd6 Rxd6 25.Re8+ Nf8 26.g3 is nevertheless winning for White.

23.Bxb7 Rxb7 24.Nb5 Rbd7

The engines give 24...Na7!?, but agree 25.N3d4 Nxb5 26.Nxb5 maintains White's winning advantage.

25.Re4

This is Stockfish17.1's second choice, but 25.N3d4! is much stronger, eg 25...Nxd6 26.Nc6 Rc8 27.Ne5 Nxe5 28.Nxd6 Rc5 29.b4.

25...Nf8 26.Red4 Ne6 27.R4d2 g6 28.N3d4 Nc5?

Black had to play 28...Nxd4, but after 29.Rxd4 White's extra pawn is a permanent asset, and should decide matters.

29.Nc6 Re8 20.Nb8!? 1-0

My Battersea Season 2025-6

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

16/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1952             0           1552

18/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1797             =           1675

16/10/25 CLL       W       1889         2047             0           1665

23/10/25 CLL       B        1889         1823             1           1805

18/11/25  LL         W       1891         1980             =           1840

20/11/25  CLL      W       1891         1866             1            1911

25/11/25  BCC     B        1891         1817             1            1955

9/12/25    LL         W       1904         1982             1            2008

16/12/25  LL         B        1904         2046             0            1968

18/12/25  CLL      B        1904         2066             1            2018

6/1/26      CLL      W       1929         2150             =            2066

7/1/26      LL         W       1929         1971             =            2058

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

13/1/26    LL         B        1929         2035             1            2067

27/1/26    LL         B        1929         2089             0            2041

29/1/26    CLL      B        1929         1882             =            2031

3/2/26      BCC     W        1928         1836             1            2043     

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC: Battersea club championship

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

Civil War

PLAYED on board one (of five) for Battersea against Battersea Galacticos in Central London League Division Two last night.

Spanton (1929) - Tom Farrand (2150)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6!?

This is fourth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 3..d6, 3...a6 and especially 3...Nc6, but it has the best score percentagewise.

4.Nc3 Bb7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 d6!?

This is the commonest continuation in Mega26. but it is disliked by Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1, which suggest 6...Nf6 or 6...Nc6.

7.Be2 Nf6 8.f3 Be7 9.0-0 0-0

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

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White's Maróczy Bind arose from a Sicilian move-order, but equally could have come from the Symmetrical Variation of the English, and is classified as such by ChessBase. The engines give White a slight edge. There are 352 examples of the diagrammed position in Mega26.

10.Be3 a6 11.Qd2 Nbd7 12.Rac1 Rc8 13.Rfd1 Ne5 14.b3 Qc7 15.Na4 Ned7

Black has a classic hedgehog setup

The arrangement of Black's pieces is the one chosen to illustrate the hedgehog in Wikipedia.

16.Nc2!? Rfd8 17.Bd4 Bf8 18.Qe3 Nc5!?

How should White proceed?

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19.Nb2

We both thought White could not afford the dark-square weaknesses in his position after 19.Bxf6!?, but the engines marginally prefer that over the text.

19...Ncd7 20.Na4

We looked at 20.b4? in the postmortem, but TF suggested 20...e5 21.Bc3 d5!, which the engines reckon gives Black the upper hand, their main line running 22.exd5 Nxd5 23.cxd5 Qxc3 24.Qxc3 Rxc3. If 20.g4?, then 20...e5 21.Bc3 d5! is even better for Black.

20...Nc5 21.Nb2 Ncd7 22.Na4 ½–½

Battersea Galacticos won the match 3-2.

My Battersea Season 2025-6

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

16/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1952             0           1552

18/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1797             =           1675

16/10/25 CLL       W       1889         2047             0           1665

23/10/25 CLL       B        1889         1823             1           1805

18/11/25  LL         W       1891         1980             =           1840

20/11/25  CLL      W       1891         1866             1            1911

25/11/25  BCC     B        1891         1817             1            1955

9/12/25    LL         W       1904         1982             1            2008

16/12/25  LL         B        1904         2046             0            1968

18/12/25  CLL      B        1904         2066             1            2018

6/1/26      CLL      W       1929         2150             =            2066   

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC: Battersea club championship

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

Lessons From Benidorm

MY round-one game, where I had black against Samuel Salas Lerida (1669), reached a position after 10 moves that is not easy to judge.

I have just played 10...0-0

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The position is reminiscent of a Maróczy Bind for Black, except that the black d pawn has been swopped for White's e pawn, rather than for White's c pawn. Black has more space and is slightly more developed, while White has a slightly weakened king's position.

I cannot recall my exact thoughts, but I am fairly sure during the game I thought I had at least a slight edge.

However, Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon the game is equal (although Dragon1, if given plenty of time, comes to slightly favour Black), but with a big proviso - the 'equality' only applies if White quickly takes vigorous steps to break the bind.

Generally speaking, there are three ways to break a Maróczy Bind - by attacking it with the b pawn, the d pawn or the f pawn.

The first two options are not in play in the diagram, and are unlikely to be for quite some time, but White can instead play 11.g4!? Bg6 12.f4!, when Black has nothing better than 12...exf4, after which 13.Nxf4 gives a level game, according to Stockfish17.1, although Dragon1 slightly favours Black.

Note that 12...Nxg4!? runs into 13.f5 Bh5 14.Bxc6!? bxc6 15.Ng3, when the engines reckon White has the upper hand.

In the game White played a developing move, 11.Bg5, but after 11...h6 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Ne4 Be7 the bind was intact, Black had the bishop-pair, and the knight at e4 invited Black to play the aggressive ...f5.

LESSON: I do not claim the engines' line with 11.g4!? and 12.f4! is obvious, at least not below master level, but it is an example of playing to the specifics of a position - "Black has a bind - I should be looking for a way to break it" - rather than just developing.

Benidorm Round Six

Spanton (1941) - José Luis Guillen Montiel (1756)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4

There are 9,849 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, where it scores a disappointing 50%.

3...a6

This is second in popularity to 3...Nc6, but is not liked by Stockfish17.1 or Dragon1, although both moves score 51%.

4.Nc3 Qc7 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4

By a slightly unusual move-order, the game has reached a position occurring 3,176 times in Mega25

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6...Ne7!?

This rare continuation is not liked by the engines. Normal is 6...Nf6.

How should White proceed?

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7.Be3

This is Stockfish17.1's top choice, but Dragon1 for quite some time prefers 7.Ndb5!? axb5 8.Nxb5 Qc6 9.Nd6+ Kd8 10.Nxf7+ Ke8 11.Nxh8 Qxe4+ 12.Qe2, when the engines agree White is better, but the position is tricky to play for both sides.

7...Nbc6 8.Rc1!?

Tyring to take advantage of the Black queen's placement, but the engines prefer the straightforward 8.Be2.

8...Nxd4 9.Qxd4 Nc6 10.Qd2 b6!?

This seems to be a novelty, and is preferred by the engines over the known 10...Ne5.

11.Be2 Bb7 12.0-0 Rb8?!

This is the engines' second choice, but they much prefer 12...Bc5, when play might continue 13.Rfd1 d6 (13...0-0 14.Qxd7) 14.Bf4, with what they reckon is at least the upper hand for White.

13.Rfd1

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 13.Na4.

13...d6?

It seems Black had to play 13...Bc5 or 13...Ne5!?, but White is on top.

After 13...d6? it is White to play and gain a winning advantage

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14.Nd5! exd5 15.cxd5 b5?!

Stockfish17.1 suggests 15...Qd7 16.dxc6 Bxc6, but 17.Bxa6 (17.Qd4!? may be stronger) wins a pawn, while keeping a large lead in development in a position that has suddenly opened.

Dragon1 gives 15...Be7 16.dxc6 Bc8, but 17.Bf4 (again 17.Qd4!? is a major alternative) leaves White with an advantage the engines agree is worth more than a rook.

16.dxc6 Bxc6 17.Qc3 Rc8 18.Bg4 Bd7

What is White's best continuation?

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19.Bxd7+!

This is even better than winning the exchange with 19.Qxc7 Rxc7 20.Rxc7 Bxg4 21.f3.

19...Kxd7 20.Qb3 1-0

On 20...Qb7 I planned 21.Qxf7+ Be7 22.Rxd6+! (other moves also win, including 22.Qf5+), and after the forced 22...Kxd6 the quickest mate starts 23.Bf4+ Kd7 24.Rd1+. Similarly, after 20...Qd8 White has 21.Qxe7+ Be7 (or 21...Qe7) 22.Rxd6+! Kxd6 23.Qd5#.