Mega Update

AFTER much effort, and many frustrations, I have downloaded and installed the 2026 version of ChessBase's Mega database.

Not only that, but I have got it working in ChessBase9, my preferred version of the program - the screen is so much cleaner and less cluttered than in modern editions.

I have 1,213 games in Mega26, up from 1,175 in Mega25, but according to ChessBase I still score "badly" as White and "below average" as Black.

The database totals 11.74million games, up from 11.15million a year ago, with the most recent being from the Russian Rapid Championship of October 18-19.

Beat The ... Grob

Written, but not posted, during lockdown. 

IN this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

The Grob: 1.g4 periodically has spells of popularity at club level.

Black's most popular reply, 1...d5, scores an excellent 55%

Position after 1...d5

White has two common continuations.

A) 2.Bg2 (1,377 games)

After 2...c6!? the line splits.

A1 3.h3 e5, after which the line splits again.

A1.1 4.d4 e4 5.c4 Bd6 6.Nc3 Ne7, when A1.1a 7.Qb3 0-0 scores 69% for Black, albeit from a small sample, and A1.1b 7.Bg5 f6 scores 91% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A1.2 4.d3 Be6 5.Nf3 f6!? scores 75% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A2 3.g5!? Bf5 scores 57% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A3 3.c4 dxc4!?, after which the line splits again.

A3.1 4.h3 e5 scores 70% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

A3.2 4.b3!? Bxg4 5.bxc4 e5 scores 100% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

B) 2.h3 (327 games)

2...e5 3.Bg2 h5!? scores 71% for Black, albeit from a small sample.

My Mega Details

NOW I have the latest version of ChessBase's Mega database up and running, I discover I have 1,175 games in the database.

According to ChessBase, I score "badly" with white, "below average" with black.

But it is not just about me - there are 11.15million games in the database, the latest being from the Slovakian rapid championship on October 5.

HELP!

IT is about this time every year I buy the upgraded annual edition of ChessBase's Mega database.

I used to get it from Chess & Bridge in London, but more recently I have been buying it direct from Germany when the company runs a one-day 25%-off sale.

The DVD takes a few days to arrive, and postage is extra, but I have been happy with that.

This year I bought Mega from Germany as usual, but instead of receiving a DVD I got a piece of paper with an activation code on it.

Apparently ChessBase is no longer offering a DVD option. If I had known, I would not have bothered paying postage.

But worse - much worse - was to follow.

I have installed the database on my computer, but there are no instructions for how to get it to appear in either of my versions of ChessBase.

I use ChessBase 9 on a day-to-day basis - the screen is far less-cluttered than later versions - and ChessBase 16 very occasionally.

I have repeatedly emailed the company asking for help, but have not even received an acknowledgement, never mind advice.

So I have two questions for blog readers.

1. Any idea on how I can get the database working in my versions of ChessBase?

2. Alternatively, is there a rival system with similar features I could use?

Mega Chess

THE 2024 edition of ChessBase's Mega database arrived yesterday.

It has more than 10.5million games, although strangely the DVD case claims only 10.4million.

My personal total is 1,114 games, the database noting I score "badly (45%)" with white and "below average (41%)" with black.

Beat The ... Spanish Classical

HERE is a post I wrote but did not publish during the covid crisis.

In this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

A popular answer to the Ruy Lopez, at least at club level, is the Classical Variation: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5.

It could be said Black is meeting the Spanish Opening by playing the black side of the Italian Game.

Of those responses appearing in Mega21 at least 500 times, the most-successful statistically is 4.c3, which scores 62%.

Position after 4.c3

Black has six replies that each appear more than 250 times in Mega21.

A) 4...Nf6 (1,721 games)

After 5.Qe2!? the line splits.

A1 5...0-0 6.0-0 (6.d3 scores equally well, and in practice the two moves often transpose, but castling is more popular and arguably more flexible as the white king is probably destined to end up on the kingside), after which the line splits again.

A1.1 6...Re8 7.d3, when A1.1a 7...h6 8.h3!? scores 86% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A1.1b 7...a6 8.Ba4 b5 9.Bc2 scores 60% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A1.2 6...d6 7.d3, when A1.2a 7...h6 8.Nbd2 scores 90% for White, albeit from a small sample, A1.2b 7...Bb6!? 8.Nbd2 Ne7!? 9.Nc4 scores 58% for White, albeit from a small sample, A1.2c 7...a6 8.Ba4 Ba7!? 9.Be3 scores 83% for White, albeit from a very small sample, and A1.2d 7...Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nbd2 scores 83% for White, albeit from a very small sample.

A2 5...Qe7 6.d3 0-0 7.Bg5 d6 8.Nbd2 scores 89% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B) 4...f5 (840 games)

After 5.d4 the line splits.

B1 5...fxe4 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Nfd2!? Bd6 8.dxe5 e3 (not 8...Bxe5?? 9.Qh5+ etc) 9.exd6 exd2+ 10.Nxd2 scores 71% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B2 5...exd4!? 6.e5!? dxc3 7.Nxc3 scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C) 4...Nge7 (598 games)

After 5.0-0 the line splits.

C1 5...Bb6!? 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 d5 8.exd5 Nxd5 9.Bg5!? scores 77% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C2 5...a6 6.Ba4, after which the line splits again.

C2.1 6...b5 7.Bc2!? (7.Bb3 scores equally well, but Bc2 is less well-known and is preferred by Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1), when C2.1a 7...d6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 scores 86% for White, C2.1b 7...0-0 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 scores 75% for White, albeit from a small sample, and C2.1c 7...d5 8.d4!? scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C2.2 6...0-0 7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4, when C2.2a 8...Ba7 9.d5 Nb8 9.d6!? scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample, and C2.2b 8...Bb6 9.d5 Na7 10.d6!? scores 92% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C3 5...0-0 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb6 8.d5, after which the line splits again.

C3.1 8...Nb8 9.d6!? scores 81% for White.

C3.2 8...a6 9.Ba4, when C3.2a 9...Na7 10.d6!? scores 92% for White, albeit from a small sample, and C3.2b 9...Nb8 10.d6!? scores 83% for White, albeit from a small sample.

D) 4...d6!? (481 games)

After 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Kf1!? Bd7 8.Qa4 the line splits.

D1 8...Nge7 9.d5 scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample.

D2 8...a5 9.a3 scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample.

D3 8...Qe7 reaches a position in Mega21 in which White scores 100% with both 9.d5 and 9.Bxc6, albeit from  very small samples.

E) 4...Qf6!? (335 games)

After 5.d4!? exd4 6.e5 Qg6 7.cxd4 the line splits.

E1 7...Bb4+ 8.Nc3, after which the line splits again.

E1.1 8...d5 9.0-0 Ne7 10.Qb3 Bxc3 10.bxc3 scores 90% for White, albeit from a small ample.

E1.2 8...Nge7 9.0-0 d5 is a transposition  to E1.1.

E2 7...Nxd4!? 8.Nxd4 Qb6 9.Be3 Bxd4 reaches a position in Mega21 in which White scores 63% with 10.Qxd4. albeit from a small sample, and 100% with 10.Bxd4, albeit from a very small sample.

F) 4...a6!? (265 games)

After 5.Bxc6!? the line splits.

F1 5...dxc6 6.Nxe5 scores 83% for White, albeit from a small sample.

F2 5...bxc6 6.Nxe5 scores 95% for White, albeit from a small sample.

Beat The ... Dragon

HERE is a post I wrote but did not publish during Lockdown.

IN this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible, those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

The Sicilian Dragon: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 is one of the commonest opening sequences in chess.

Of those continuations featuring more than 3,000 times in Mega21, the most-popular, 6.Be3, scores a respectable 56%, but this is eclipsed by the 58% of 6.f4!?

Position after 6.f4!?

Black has three popular replies.

A) 6...Nc6 (1,599 games)

After 7.Nf3!? Bg7 8.Bd3 0-0 9.0-0 the line splits.

A1 9...a6 10.Kh1 b5 11.Qe1 scores 60% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A2 9...Bg4 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 scores 70% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A3 9...b5!? 10.Nxb5!? Qb6+ 11.Kh1 Nxe4!? 12.Nxa7 scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A4 9...Bd7 10.Kh1!? scores 67% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B) 6...Bg7 (1,064 games)

After 7.e5!? the line splits.

B1 7...dxe5 8.fxe5, after which the line splits again.

B1.1 8...Ng4? 9.Bb5+, when B1.1a 9...Kf8 10.Ne6+! scores 100% for White (there are 135 examples of this trap in Mega21), B1.1b 9...Nc6 10.Nxc6 Qxd1+ 11.Nxd1 a6 12.Ba4 Bd7 13.h3 scores 81% for White, albeit from a small sample, and B1.1c 9... Bd7 10.Qxg4 scores 85% for White.

B1.2 8...Nd5? 9.Bb5+, when B1.2a 9...Kf8 10.0-0 Bxe5 11.Nxd5 Qxd5 12.Bh6+ Kg8 13.Nd5 Qc5+ (12...Qxc5? 13.Nxe7#) 14.Be3 Qc7 15.Nh6+ leads to mate in one,  and B1.2b 9...Bd7 10.Nxd5 scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B1.3 8...Nfd7 9.e6, when B1.3a 9...Ne5!? 10.Bb5+ Nbc6 11.exf7+ Kxf7 12.0-0 Bf6 13.Nxc6 bxc6 reaches a position where White scores 75% with both 14.Ba4 and 14.Qxd8, albeit from small samples, and B1.3b 9...fxe6 10.Nxe6 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Qa5 12.Qd4!? Nf6 13.Bb5+ scores 75% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B2 7...Nh5 8.Bb5+ Bd7 9.Qe2!? scores 67% for White, albeit from a small sample.

 

C) 6...Nbd7 (335 games)

After 7.Nf3!? the line splits.

C1 7...Bg7 8.Bc4!? scores 67% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C2 7...Qc7!? occurs just 17 times in Mega21. The analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon White already has a large advantage after the simple 8.Qd4.

Refuting The King's Gambit VI

AND what of Boris Spassky?

Fischer's Bust of 1961 did not put him off playing the opening - indeed, including simultaneous exhibitions, Spassky was still playing the King's Gambit 45 years later, when he scored +5=1-0 at a 2006 San Francisco simul.

Overall, eight opponents tried Fischer's recommended 3...d6, including four at one Reno simul in 2004.

Presumably those players had prepared the 'refutation' between themselves, but if so it did them no good - they all lost, including one game ending in checkmate on move 12.

At a more serious level Spassky first faced 3...d6 in the Hungary-Russia match of 1967.

Spassky - Lajos Portisch

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bc4 h6 5.d4 g5

So far, all as in the article, at which point Fischer only covered 6.0-0

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6.g3!?

Seeking to undermine the black kingside pawn-chain.

How should Black respond?

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6...Nc6!?

The most popular continuation in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database is 6...g4 7.Nh4 f3, although Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon Harmen Jonkman's 8.Nc3 comes close to equalising (the engines do not approve of the King's Gambit). Alexander Beliavsky played 6...fxg3 in beating a 2215 in 1978, but the engines like that even less. They agree with Portisch's choice, but also like Larry Evans' 6...Bg7 (played in a US Open before Fischer wrote his Bust, the position being reached by a different move-order).

7.gxf4?!

A strange move for a grandmaster to make. Did Spassky really miss Portisch's reply? Probably not, but maybe he misjudged the strength of it. The position is anyway difficult for White, eg 7.0-0 transposes to a relatively well-known position where White scores very poorly. Perhaps best is the engines' 7.Nc3.

7...g4 8.Ng1 Qh4+ 9.Kf1 Nf6 10.Nc3 g3 11.Kg2?!

The engines reckon 11.Qe2 and 11.Qd2!? are much better.

11...gxh2 12.Rxh2 Rg8+ 13.Kh1

How should Black proceed?

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13...Qxh2+!?

Black has a large advantage after this, according to the engines, but they reckon even stronger is 13...Qg3!? with the simple threat of ...Ng4. After 14.Be2 Black can switch to 14...Bg4, again with ...Ng4 to come.

14.Kxh2 Ng4+ 15.Qxg4

The queen is doomed anyway. But after ...

15...Bxg4

... White has no compensation for the exchange. However Spassky gradually outplayed Portisch, winning the bishop-pair and slowly improving his position, eventually gaining the full point. Nevertheless the opening was a success for the 'refutation'.

Seven years later Spassky again faced the Bust.

Spassky - Axel Ornstein

Soviet Union - Sweden, Olympiad (Nice, France) 1974

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bc4 h6 5.d4 g5 6.0-0

This is easily the main move in Mega23, although it is not liked by the engines.

6...Bg7 7.c3 Nc6 8.g3

Again Spassky seeks to undermine the black kingside pawn-chain, but the engines are not impressed. Stockfish16 suggests Steinitz's 8.Qb3!?, while Komodo14.1 likes 8.Qa4!?, which goes back to an 1839 simul by Alexander McDonnell.

8...g4?!

The wrong idea, according to the engines, which much prefer 8...fxg3 and 8...Bh3.

9.Nh4 f3

Black is a protected passed-pawn up, but the white king is much safer than in the previous game

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10.Nd2 Bf6 11.Ndxf3!?

All four games in Mega23 to reach the position saw this capture, but the engines reckon much stronger is 11.Nhxf3!?, which is counterintuitive since the king's knight is nearer the black king, and the queen's knight obstructs the queen's bishop. After 11.Nhxf3!? the engines reckon best play runs 11...gxf3 12.Qxf3 Bh3 13.Rf2 Qd7 14.e5, which frees the e4 square for the white queen's knight. Black can prevent it getting there with 14...Bg4, when best seems to be 15.Qe4. Black is then forced to play 15...dxe5, after which the engines give 16.Nb3!? with what they reckon is strong compensation for a knight.

11...gxf3 12.Qxf3 Bh3 13.Qh5!?

Also possible, as in the previous note, is 13.Rf2. But on 13...Qd7 the continuation 14.e5?! no longer has much point as Ne4 is not threatened.

13...Qd7 14.Rf4 0-0-0 15.Nf3?!

Probably better is 15.Nf5.

What should Black play?

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15...Ne5!

Giving back the knight in order to engineer exchanges and emerge the exchange up.

16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Rf5 Bxf5 18.Qxf5

Not 18.exf5? as 18...Qd1+ gives Black a very strong attack.

18...Qxf5 19.exf5

Spassky has even less compensation for the exchange than in the previous game, but battled on and salvaged a half-point when Ornstein missed a winning continuation on move 71

Next up with the Bust was reigning world champion Anatoly Karpov in the final of a made-for-TV tournament.

Spassky (2625) - Karpov (2720)

'World Cup' (Hamburg) 1982

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d6 4.Bc4 h6 5.d4 g5 6.0-0 Bg7 7.g3!?

Not bothering with the the centre-strengthening 7.c3 and instead accelerating his kingside counterplay, but again the engines are unimpressed.

7...g4?!

And again the engines reckon this is the wrong idea, claiming Black has at least the upper hand after 7...Bh3 or 7...Nc6.

8.Nh4 f3 9.Nc3!?

Spassky tries to use the absence of c3 to speed his development. Previous games to reach the position, going back to 1850, saw 9.c3.

9...Nc6 10.Be3 Nf6 11.Qd2 Nxe4!? 12.Nxe4 d5 13.Nc3 dxc4 14.Rae1 0-0

Now both players have castled - a far-from-common occurrence in these lines - how would you assess the position?

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Black is two pawns up, for the moment, and has a protected passed pawn, but also has doubled pawns. Black also has the bishop-pair, but White has a lead in development and the safer-looking king. The engines reckon the position is completely equal.

15.Ne5 Ne7 16.Bxh6 Ng6 17.Nxg6 fxg6 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Qd4+ Qf6 20.Re7+ Kg8 21.Qxf6 Rxf6 22.Rxc7 Bf5 23.Rxc4 Rxe8

Spassky has used his development advantage to go a pawn up and deprive Black of the bishop-pair, but Karpov has completed development and reached a position where king safety is not a paramount concern, and probably has the better minor piece

The rest of the game was marred by extraordinary blunders on both sides, with Spassky eventually winning.

CONCLUSIONS

These games seem to show five things.

1. Fischer's Bust gives Black an edge. But whether that counts as a refutation depends on whether Black gaining an advantage in the opening 'refutes' White's play or is merely good news for Black.

2. Modern engines are not just critical of common individual moves, but dislike plans that have become well-established over the years.

3. Play is very complicated with much needing to be considered both tactically and positionally.

4. The player more familiar with the arising positions will probably have a considerable practical advantage.

5. Much remains to be learned about what has become known as the Fischer Variation of King's Gambit, but that may also be true of the King's Gambit as a whole.

Refuting The King's Gambit IV

NOT withstanding his Bust of the King's Gambit in The American Chess Quarterly, Fischer had a surprise in store two years later when he faced Larry Evans, one of the driving forces behind the magazine.

Fischer - Evans

US Championship (New York) 1963

King's Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.f4!? exf4 3.Bc4!?

Fischer's choice of the Bishop's version of the King's Gambit over the much-more popular Knight's could hardly have been predicted by Evans, who responded with the principled:

3...Qh4+

The point of White's beginnerish-looking play is that after ...

4.Kf1

... White will gain time hitting the black queen.

4...d6 5.Nc3!?

According to Viktor Bologan in Bologan's Black Weapons In The Open Games (New In Chess 2014), "Fischer was not satisfied with this move, mostly because he was caught by surprise when Black answered with ..."

5...Be6

... which Bologan awards an exclamation mark.

Unfortunately Bologan does not explain how Fischer would have varied, and the latter's games in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database are no help as subsequent opponents did not play the queen check. Perhaps Fischer would have played the natural 5.Nf3, when the main move in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, 5...Qh5, is disliked by Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 on account of 6.Nc3, eg 6...Be6 7.Be2 Nf6 8.d4 with an unclear position.

6.Qe2 c6!?

This may be a tad slow. The engines reckon Black should develop a knight, eg 6...Nd7, and if 7.Nb5, perhaps the move Evans was worried about, then 7...0-0-0!?, when 8.Nxa7+ Kb8 9.Nb5 Ngf6 leaves Black powerfully ahead in development and equal on material.

7.Nf3 Qe7 8.d4 Bxc4 9.Qxc4 g5!?

The engines agree with 9...g5!?, which is about opening a diagonal for the black bishop as much as holding on to the f4 pawn

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10.e5

Hoping to open lines to exploit White's lead in development and the awkward line-up of the black monarchs on the e file.

10...d5

Keeping lines closed, and doing it with tempo on the white queen.

11.Qd3

The engines prefer 11.Qb3!?

11...Na6 12.Ne2!? Nb4 13.Qd1 0-0-0 14.c3 Na6

How should White proceed?

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15.h4!?

Playing on the side where your king has its address is usually frowned on, but Fischer, I presume, wanted to get at Black's awkward pawn-structure before Black could complete development and be better placed to defend it.

15...g4 16.Nh2 h5 17.Nxf4 Qxh4?

Temporarily winning a pawn, but the engines prefer 17...Qd7!?

18.Kg1

Freeing a square for the h2 knight, and protecting the king's rook.

18...Nh6 19.Nf1 Qe7 20.Nxh5

White has won his pawn back and threatens to go a pawn up.

20...Rg8 21.Nfg3 Rg6?!

The rook is a target here. The engines suggest 21...c5 or 21...Qe6.

22.Nf4 Rg5 23.Be3 Nc7?!

The engines suggest 23...f6.

24.Qd2 Rg8

Again the engines suggest ...f6, but it seems Black is losing material no matter what, eg 24...f6 25.exf6 Qxf6 26.Nfh5.

25.Nfe2

After a series of what seem sub-optimal moves, Black is losing  a piece.

25...f6 26.exf6 Qxf6 27.Bxh6 (1-0, 36 moves)

Refuting The King's Gambit II

BEFORE looking at Fischer's Bust, it makes sense to first look at why he felt a need to write the article.

Boris Spassky - Robert Fischer

Mar del Plata (Argentina) 1960

King's Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.f4

This was not a surprise to the American. Spassky had played the King's Gambit three times at the recently concluded 27th Soviet championship, scoring +2=1-0 in an otherwise disappointing tournament - his score of +5=10-4 left Spassky four points behind winner Victor Korchnoi.

2...exf4 3.Nf3 g5

A principled reply, and a successful one in that there are 4,220 examples of the move in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, with Black scoring 50%.

4.h4

This goes back to at least 1620 analysis by Gioachino Greco.

4...g4 5.Ne5 Nf6

Holding on to the g4 pawn with 5...h5 is quite popular. Greco's original analysis continued "6.Bc4 Nh6 7.d4 Be7 8.Bxf4 Bxh4+ 9.g3 Bg5 10.Rxh5 Bxf4 11.gxf4 d6[this probably should have been played at move seven] 12.Nxg4 Bxg4 13.Qxg4 Nxg4 14.Rxh8+ Ke7 15.Rxd8 Kxd8 16.Bxf7" with a two-pawn advantage for White.

6.d4 d6 7.Nd3 Nxe4 8.Bxf4 Bg7

What does White have for a pawn, now the initial tactical foray is over?

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Not a lot, would seem to be the answer, unless having a d pawn on the fourth rank against a d pawn on the third is significant. Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 give Black the upper hand.

9.Nc3

Fischer criticised this, giving it a question mark in My 60 Memorable Games, and suggesting 9.c3. The engines prefer the text.

9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 c5!?

Vigorously attacking the white centre. Paul Keres suggested castling, which is marginally preferred by the engines.

11.Be2!? cxd4 12.0-0 Nc6 13.Bxg4 0-0

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

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Komodo14.1 still gives Black the upper hand, but Stockfish16, perhaps influenced by White's lead in development, reckons White is only slightly worse.

Spassky now makes an interesting decision, that at first sight seems anti-positional.

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14.Bxc8!?

Exchanging a developed piece for an undeveloped piece, and developing the black queen's rook into the bargain. Stockfish16 likes the move, but Komodo14.1 is at first unimpressed, although the move comes to be it's second choice (behind 14.Bg5).

14...Rxc8 15.Qg4

This is Spassky's idea. By exchanging bishops he cleared a line for the white queen to immediately pressurise the black king's position. Fischer could have prevented this with 14...Qxc8!?, but then 15.Qh5 and 15.Qf3 perform a similar function for White.

15...f5

An anonymous ChessBase annotator in Mega23 claims 15...Kh8 is better, which was also Fischer's verdict in My 60 Memorable Games, but the engines prefer the text.

16.Qg3 dxc3!?

Greedy? Not according to the engines.

17.Rae1!?

Getting the final white piece into play. Alternatively 17.Bxd6 gets a pawn back, but is perhaps not in the spirit of the gambit. The problem is 17...Rf6 comes with a tempo that, as ChessBase points out, enables 18...Rg6, again with tempo.

17...Kh8

This has been criticised (17...Qd7 has been put forward as an improvement) but looks reasonable and rather sensible.

18.Kh1

ChessBase goes so far as to give this a question mark, which seems a bit strong. The anonymous annotator suggests 18.Bxd6, but does not mention the engines' reply, 18...Bd4+. After 19.Kh1 Rg8 White is under pressure and still a pawn down, but the engines agree this is objectively better than the text.

18...Rg8 19.Bxd6!? Bf8!?

Also interesting are 19...Bh6 and 19...Bd4, but the text may be best.

20.Be5+ Nxe5 21.Qxe5+ Rg7!?

Somewhat counterintuitive, but the engines marginally prefer it over 21...Bg7.

22.Rxf5 Qxh4+ 23.Kg1 Qg4

ChessBase gives this a question mark, citing Spassky as praising 23...Qg3. The engines prefer Fischer's choice.

24.Rf2!?

This looks retrograde and slightly awkward, bearing in mind Black has a bishop operating on the dark squares, but Spassky is saving the queen's rook for hitting the black queen.

24...Be7 25.Re4 Qg5

Fischer said he should have taken a draw by repetition with 25...Qd1+ 26.Re1 Qg4 27.Re4 Qd1+ etc. However the engines reckon White can play on with the pawn sacrifice 26.Rf1!? Qxc2 (forced) 27.Rg4 Rcg8, although then White probably has nothing better than taking a draw by repetition with 28.Rxg7 Rxg7 29.Qb8+ Rg8 30.Qe5+ etc. If 26.Kh2, Fischer gives 26...Rc6 27.Qb8+ Rg8 28.Qe5+ with another draw by repetition.

26.Qd4

How should Black proceed?

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26...Rf8?

"Overlooking White's real threat," was Fischer's comment. Black's advantage has eroded, according to the engines, but they reckon Black would be equal after 26...Rcg8, among other moves.

White to play and win

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27.Re5!?

A simple enough move, but Black's pieces are not supporting each other, and there seems no adequate reply.

27...Rd8

Certainly 27...Qh4? 28.Rxf8+ is no improvement, while 27...Qg4 28.Qxg4 Rxg4 29.Rxe7 also loses a piece for Black.

The game finished:

28.Qe4 Qh4 29.Rf4 1-0

Refuting The King's Gambit

IN a recent post I pointed out Bobby Fischer took up the King's Gambit after he published his famous 'refutation' of the opening.

The story, briefly, is that Fischer lost to Boris Spassky on the black side of a King's Gambit at Argentina's 1960 Mar del Plata International.

Not only did he lose, but he lost relatively quickly - 29 moves - and apparently was reduced to tears (Fischer was 17 years old).

The following year, in the first issue of The American Chess Quarterly, he wrote A Bust To The King's Gambit.

The article was an instant success, not least thanks to Fischer's trenchant writing style, including: "In my opinion the King's Gambit is busted. It loses by force."

He concluded his analysis: "Of course White can always play differently, in which case he merely loses differently (Thank you, Weaver Adams!)."*

In 1963, at the US championship in New York, Fischer shocked the chess world by using the King's Gambit to beat Larry Evans.

But he did so by meeting 2...exf4 with 3.Bc4, which became his favourite weapon.

However Fischer twice tried 3.Nf3, with one of his opponents essaying Fischer's 'refutation'.
And what of Spassky? He apparently did not believe Fischer's Bust, as is evidenced by his continued success with the King's Gambit.

Here is probably a good point to interject a few words of caution.

When researching a subject such as this, it pays to double-check and, if possible, triple-check sources as myths are easily created and often repeated.

For example, a discussion at Chess.com of Romantic Openings includes the statement: "In 1960 (Mar del Plata) Spassky overwhelmed Fischer with a King's Gambit. Fischer wrote an article for American Chess Quarterly detailing his improved plan "refuting" the gambit, but Spassky used it again to beat Bronstein and Karpov. In fact, over his career Spassky won all 16 King's Gambits he played."

Whenever I see a statement as bold as this one, I instinctively think: "Can that really be true?" And if it is true, why on earth did Spassky not play the King's Gambit every chance he got?

A simple search of any decent database answers these questions.

ChessBase's 2023 Mega database has 31 games with Spassky on the white side of a King's Gambit. His score of +19=12-0 (81%), including wins against Furman and Najdorf as well as Bronstein and Karpov, is impressive, even though it does include games from simuls, but is not perfect.

Incidentally, the same database shows that all five times Spassky was on the black side of a King's Gambit, he won - perhaps that had something to do with his preference for 2.Nf3.

*Adams wrote a series of books and articles claiming White should win after 1.e4.

to be continued

Northumbria Round One

FACED a teen (born 2004).

Spanton (1858 Fide/1919 ECF) - Owen Crawford (no Fide/1740 ECF)

Veresov

1.Nc3 Nf6 2.d4 d5 3.Bg5 g6!?

This is only the seventh commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, which is slightly surprising when one considers how popular kingside fianchetto systems are against 1.d4.

4.Qd2 Bg7 5.Bh6 Bxh6 6.Qxh6 c5 7.dxc5!? Qa5 8.0-0-0!? Qxc5 9.e3

How should Black proceed?

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9...a6!?

This apparent novelty - known moves are 9...Nc6 and 9...Bg4 - is the top choice of Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1.

10.Nf3 Bg4 11.Be2 Nbd7 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Rc8?

Over optimistic. The obvious 13...e6 is better, as is 13...Nb6,

How should White continue?

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14.Rd2?

Naturally not 14.Nxd5?? Qxc2#, but 14.Bxd5 safely wins a pawn. I rejected it because of 14...b5, missing that 15.Rd2, among other moves, is fine as 15...b4?! can be met by either 16.Ne4 or 16.Na4.

14...Qa5 15.Kb1 Ne5

What should White play?

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16.Rhd1?

This would have been the best reply to 15...Nc5?, but here it is disastrous. The engines reckon the game is equal after both 16.Rd4 and 16.Rxd5!?

How can Black punish White's error?

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16...Rxc3!

This is winning, according to the engines.

17.Rxd5!

The best try. After 17.Bxd5 Rc8 Black is piece-for-pawn up.

17...Nxd5?

The simple 17...Rc5 is much better. White can keep the game going with either 18.Rd8+!? Qxd8 19.Rxd8+ Kxd8 20.Bxb7, or 18.Rxc5 Qxc5 19.Bxb7, but in both cases Black's material advantage should tell.

18.Bxd5?

After 18.Qg7 Rf8 19.Qxe5 Rc8 20.Rxd5 White is the exchange down, but has a pawn and superior coordination.

18...Rd3!?

This may be better - the engines disagree - than the simple 18...Rc5.

19.cxd3 Qxd5

Black has emerged from the complications up a knight for a pawn, and White is doomed once the black rook gets into play

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20.Qg7 Rf8 21.e4

No improvement is 21.Qxh7 Qxg2.

21...Qb5 22.f4 Nc6 23.Qc3 Qa4 24.Rc1 Kd7 25.Qg7 Rc8!

White has found a way to quickly get the rook into play.

26.Qxf7

This sets up a beautiful finish, but White was lost anyway.

Black to play and finish in style

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26...Nb4! 27.Rxc8 Qd1+ 28.Rc1 Qd3+ 29.Ka1 Nc2+ 0-1

Are You Striving To Win Or To Not Lose?

I KNOW fairly well two players, who for the purposes of this post I will call Alan and Ray.

Both compete in congresses in Britain and abroad, and are roughly equally strong.

Alan currently has the higher Fide rating, but Ray has the better English Chess Federation rating.

Despite their approximate parity in playing strength, their tournament performances are very different.

Alan, as far as I am aware, virtually never wins a tournament, and rarely gets a rating prize, but then again he almost never has a stinker of a tournament.

Ray quite often wins prizes, either by topping a tournament or winning a rating category in an open event, but he also sometimes has a dreadful performance hundreds of points below his rating.

Alan usually opens 1.d4, and used to primarily play the London System, but also plays exchange variations of the QGD and the Slav.

As Black his main defence to 1.e4 and 1.d4, according to ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, has been 1...d6, which tends to avoid early tactical clashes of the pieces.

Alan seems happy to take a draw, especially against higher-rated opponents, even when there is lots of play left in a position.

The same database shows Ray exclusively opens 1.e4, generally preferring aggressive continuations, including the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit against the Scandinavian (1.e4 d5 2.d4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3), the Ponziani and 3.Nc3 or 3.e5 against the French.

Against 1.d4 he plays the Albin Countergambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5)  if allowed, or the Liberated Bishop if not (1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Bf5).

Against 1.e4 Ray has often played the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon, but has also played other Sicilian variations and the Scandinavian.

In my experience he almost never takes an early draw, insisting on playing out a game until the outcome is definitely decided.

I was reminded of these two approaches after friends at two recent tournaments, where I gained quite a few rating points, came up to me and said words to the effect: "I don't want to demean your results, but I wish my opponents made the sort of mistakes yours do, especially in the opening."

When this was first said to me, I did not know how to reply, but thinking about it afterwards I realised there are good reasons why I sometimes get 'lucky'.*

I generally play aggressively, and I try a wide variety of opening systems, which means both players are often on their own resources and under pressure from an early stage.

I also virtually never agree an early draw, even against higher rated players (not that many of them offer early draws), playing on until a position has been exhausted.

This can rebound on me, my round-eight game at Olomouc last week being a good example.

I suppose in an ideal world we would all combine the best of Alan with the best of Ray, and be solidly aggressive, or perhaps that should be aggressively solid.

Arguably, that describes Magnus's style.

The world No1 is known for being both solid and aggressive, and for playing out games to the bitter end.

He also has a wide opening repertoire, and I like to think in that respect I am a third of the way to becoming a new Magnus.

Then again I like to think a lot of things.

*You can learn more about improving your luck by reading David LeMoir's How To Be Lucky In Chess (Gambit 2001).

Olomouc 65+ Round Nine

FACED a Czech in today's final round.

Václav Lexa (1767) - Spanton (1858)

QGD 4...c5

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c5!? 5.cxd5 cxd4

The move 4...c5!? is often called the Dutch-Peruvian Gambit, with 5...cxd4 starting the Dutch branch and 5...Qb6 the Peruvian one.

6.Qxd4 Be7 7.e3!?

The mainline in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database runs 7.e4 Nc6 8.Qd2 and either 8...Nxe4!? or 8...Nxd5!?, in each case with sharp play.

7...exd5 8.Nf3

Not 8.Bxf6 Bxf6 9.Qxd5?? Bxc3+ etc.

8...0-0!?

Holding back on ...Nc6 in order to leave White in a quandary over where to develop the light-square bishop.

How should White proceed?

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9.Ne5?!

Usual is 9.Be2.

9...Nc6

Ferenc Vándor (2004) - István Horváth (2202), Hungarian Team Championship 2006, featured the strange 9...Bf5?! 10.Bd3?! (10.Bxf6 is more to the point), after which 10...Bxd3 11.Qxd3 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.0-0 h6 14.Bh4 resulted in a premature draw.

10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bd3 c5 12.Qf4?!

Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 prefer 12.Qh4 or 12.Qa4.

While I pondered my next move, VL offered a draw.

12...h6

Black's advantage is even bigger, according to the engines, after 12...Nh5, when 13.Bxe7 Nxf4 14.Bxd8 Nxd3+ leaves White in big trouble (15.Ke2 Ba6). Less worse for Black seems to be 13.Qh4 (or 13.Qf3) Bxg5 14.Qxh5, but 14...g6 followed by 15...d4 leaves Black well on top.

13.Bxf6

Not 15.Bxh6? Ng4!

13...Bxf6

What should White play?

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14.Nxd5?

Imaginative but incorrect. The engines give 14.0-0 or 14.Qf3, but with at least a slight edge for Black.

14...Qxd5 15.Be4 Qd8 16.Bxa8 Qa5+ 17.b4

Or 17.Ke2 Ba6+ 18.Kf3 Rxa8, when the bishop-pair and Black's attacking chances against the exposed white king are much more than enough for rook and pawn. Even worse is 17.Kd1? Rd8+ 18.Kc1?? (18.Ke2 is better, but then comes 18...Ba6+ and 19...Rxa8) Qd2+ 19.Kb1 Qxb2#. The engines marginally prefer 17.Kf1, but 17...Ba6+ 18.Kg1 Rxa8 is again very good for Black.

17...Bc3+ 18.Ke2 Ba6+ 19.Kf3 cxb4 20.Be4?!

Both 20.Bc6!? and 20.Qe4 are slightly better, according to the engines.

20...f5!

This is better than simply winning back the exchange.

21.Bc6

Or 21.Bc2 Qd5+ 22.Kg3 g5 etc.

21...Be5 22.Qh4 g5 0-1

Olomouc 65+ Round Seven

UPFLOATED against a Czech Fide master today.

Vlastimil Sejkora (2139) - Spanton (1858)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Qe2!?

This is much less popular than the recently fashionable 5.Re1 and than the main move 5.d4, but has been played by leading grandmasters.

5...Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Qxe5+

ChessBase's 2023 Mega database has 291 games with this position - how should Black proceed?

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7...Qe7

This is easily the commonest reply, and is the choice of Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1, but 7...Be6 and 7...Be7!? have also been played.

8.Qa5 Qd8!? 9.Re1+ Be7 10.d3 0-0

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

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The engines reckon White's lead in development is balanced by Black's bishop-pair.

11.Bf4

This may be a novelty. Zoltán Varga (2518) - József Pintér (2581), Hungarian Championship (Lillafüred) 1999, went 11.Bg5!? Bxg5 12.Qxg5 Qxg5 13.Nxg5 Nf5 14.Nf3 Be6, after which Black no longer had the bishop-pair but had caught up in development. The position is equal (but 1-0, 60 moves).

11...b6 12.Qd2 Bb7 13.Nc3 c5 14.Ne5!?

The engines prefer 14.Ne4, although they accept the position is equal after, say, 14...Nxe4 15.dxe4 Qxd2 16.Nxd2 Rad8 17.Nc4 Rd4.

14...g5!?

The engines reckon Black is at least slightly better after 14...Nf5.

15.Bg3 f6 16.Ng4 f5

How should White respond to Black's pawn-storm?

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17.Qe2!

Black is better after 17.Bxd6.

17...fxg4 18.Qxe7 Re8

White is better after 18...Qxe7?! 19.Rxe7.

19.Qxd8 Rxd8 20.Bxd6!?

The engines like this, either immediately or preceded by an exchange of rooks.

20...cxd6 21.Nb5 Rxe1+

The engines point out also possible is 21...Bc6!? as 22.Nxa7 runs into 22...Bd7, when they reckon best play goes 23.a4 Bxa4!? with a slight edge for Black.

22.Rxe1 a6 23.Re7

How should Black meet White's invasion of the seventh?

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23...Bc6?

The engines give two lines as maintaining equality: 23...axb5 24.Rxb7 Ra7 25.a3 b4 and 23...Bxg2 24.Nxd6 Rxd6 25.Kxg2 a5.

24.Nc7

Stronger, according to the engines, is 24.Nc3!?, a sample line running 24...h5 25.Rc7 Ba8 26.Ra7 a5 27.Nd1!? d5 28.Ne3, when they claim White has the upper hand.

24...Rd7?

The engines reckon Black holds with quiet pawn moves, eg 24...g6 and 24...a5.

White to play and gain a winning advantage

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25.Rxd7

This is good, but even stronger, as I saw just as VS moved, is 25.Nd5!, when Black has nothing better than 25...Kf8 (25...Rxe7?? 26.Nxe7+ wins the bishop) 26.Rxd7 Bxd7, after which 27.Nxb6 wins a sound pawn, and Black has the better remaining pawn-structure.

25...Bxd7 26.Nd5?

It was much better to take the a6 pawn as the knight cannot be trapped.

26...Be6 27.Nxb6 Bxa2 28.c3 Bb1 29.d4 cxd4 30.cxd4 Kf7 31.Nc4 Ke6 32.Ne3 h5 33.Kf1 Bd3+ 34.Ke1 Kd7 35.Kd2 Be4

What gives White the best chance of an advantage?

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36.d5!?

This looks counterintuitive in that the pawn becomes a target for the bishop, but the gain of space seems more important. Even so the engines reckon White has only a tiny edge.

36...Kc7 37.Kc3 Kd7 38.Kd4 Bg6 39.Nc4 Kc7 40.Nd2 Kb6 41.f3!?

Another slightly counterintuitive move in that it lets Black get rid of doubled pawns, but it gives White more space to operate in, and again is liked by the engines.

41...gxf3 42.Nxf3

Stockfish16 now gives White a slight edge, although Komodo14.1 disagrees.

42...g4 43.Nd2 Bh7 44.g3 Bg6 45.Nc4+ Kc7 46.Ke3 Be8 47.Kd4

Not 47.Kf4 Bf7 48.Ne3? Kb6 etc.

47...Bg6 48.Ne3 Kb6 49.Kc4 Be4 50.Kb4 Bd3 51.Kc3 Bg6 52.Kd4 Kc7 53.Ng2 Bf7 54.Nf4 Kb6 55.Kc4 Kc7 56.Nd3 Be8 57.Nb4 Kb6 58.Kd4 Bd7 59.Na2 Be8 60.Nc1 Bg6 61.Nb3 Kb5 62.Nd2 Kb6

Not 62...Kb4? 63.Nc4 Kb3 64.Nxd6 Kxb2, after which the white passed pawn is too strong, despite Black having what is normally the better minor piece for dealing with rival passers.

63.Nc4+ Kc7 64.b4 Be8 65.Ne3 Bg6 66.Kc4 Kb6 67.Kd4 Kc7 68.Ng2 Kb6 ½–½

Olomouc 65+ Round Six

FACED a Czech today.

Spanton (1858) - Jiří Groh (2004)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6 4.c3 Bg7 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4

How should Black proceed?

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6...d5?

This is the third time this mistake has been played against me. The most-popular moves in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database are 6...Nf6 and especially 6...Qb6.

7.exd5 Qxd5 8.Nc3 Qd6

This may be best, although Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 also suggest 8...Qf5.

9.d5 a6

The tricky-looking 9...Qb4!? was tried in John Curdo (2257) - Anthony Paolercio (-), Stillwater (Oklahoma) 2005, but 10.Qb3 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Qe4+ 12.Be3 a6 13.Be2 Nd8 14.Rd1 gave White the bishop-pair and a large lead in development (1-0, 25 moves).

10.Ba4 Bxc3+

The engines slightly prefer 10...b5.

11.bxc3 b5 12.dxc4 bxa4

Which is White's strongest continuation?

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13.Qxa4

The engines prefer 13.Qxd6!? exd6 14.Ba3, as played in Noah Fecker (2325) - Jake Sanger (1936), Tornelo Internet Rapid 2021 (1-0, 36 moves).

13...Nf6

The engines suggest 13...Qd3!?, albeit giving White a winning advantage (Stockfish16) or at least the upper hand (Komodo14.1).

14.0-0 0-0 15.Rd1!?

The engines marginally prefer this apparent novelty over the known 15.Ba3.

15...Qc7 16.Bf4 Qa7 17.Be3!? Qc7 18.Rab1 Rd8 19.Bf4 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Qb6

What should White play?

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21.Qb4!?

This quiet move is best, according to the engines, but there are other strong continuations, including 21.c7 and 21.Be3.

21...Qxb4

Worse is 21...Qxc6? 22.Rd8+ Kg8 23.Qxe7 with mate to follow.

22.Rd8+ Kg8 23.cxb4 Ne4 24.g3!?

Removing the possibility of a bank-rank mate, which was a factor in some lines, eg 24.Be3 Bb7! 25.cxb7?? loses to 25...Rxd8 as there is no time for 26.Ba7?? due to 26...Rd1+ and mate.

24...f6 25.Nd2!?

Possibly strongest is the simple 25.c7, after which the white rook ties down the black rook and bishop (25...Bb7?? 26.Rxa8 Bxa8 27.c8=Q), leaving White effectively a piece up.

25...Nxd2 26.Bxd2?

Correct is 26.Rxd2, when White is a pawn up and has a 3-1 queenside majority, which is winning, according to the engines, despite opposite-coloured bishops.

26...Bb7!

If the bishop were still on f4, this would not work as White could simply take the bishop and meet ...Rxd8 with b8=Q, emerging a piece up.

27.Rd7 Bxc6 28.Rxe7+ Kg8

White is still a pawn up but no longer has a dangerous passer

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29.Rc7

Staying on the seventh rank, but possibly better is 29.Re6!? After 29...Bd5 30.Rxf6 Bxa2 White no longer has a farside majority, but has the upper hand, according to the engines.

29...Bf3 30.Rc3 Rd8?!

Activating the rook and settling for a rook-and-pawn ending, with all the usual implied drawing tendencies, but it was probably better to keep the opposite-coloured bishops on.

31.Rxf3 Rxd2 32.a3

Possibly 32.Ra3 is slightly better.

32...Kf7 33.Re3 Ra2 34.g4!? g5 35.Kg2 Kg6 36.Kg3 h5 37.gxh5+!?

The engines prefer 37.h3.

37...Kxh5 38.Rf3 Kg6 39.Kg4 Ra1 40.Rc3 f5+ 41.Kg3 Kh5 42.Kg2 Ra2 43.Kg3 Ra1 44.h3 Rh1 45.Kf3

How should Black continue?

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45...Kh4?

Returning to a1 holds as the white position cannot be improved, according to the engines.

46.Rc6

The threat of mate wins a second pawn.

46...Kh5

Not an improvement is 46...g4+ 47.hxg4 fxg4+ 48.Kf4.

47.Rxa6 Rb1 48.Ra5 Rb3+ 49.Kg2 f4 50.b5 g4 51.hxg4+ Kxg4

Has White a win?

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52.Ra4!

Not 52.f3+? Rxf3 as that is a tablebase draw. However 52.Kf1, heading for the queenside, may also give winning chances.

52...Rxb5 53.f3+ Kg5 54.Rb4?

Correct is preparing Rb4 with 54.Kh3, one point being 54...Rb3 is met by 55.Ra5+ and 56.Kg4.

54...Rc5 55.a4

Black to play and draw

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55...Rc2+?

Driving the white king where it wants to go. Both ...Rc3 and ...Rc1 draw, eg 55...Rc1 56.Rb5+ Kf6 57.a5 Ra1 58.Kh3 and now an only-move, 58...Rg1!, after which 59.a6 Ra1 60.Rb6+ allows the black king to resume protecting the f4 pawn, drawing (Syzygy tablebase analysis).

56.Kh3 Ra2 57.Rb5+ Kf6 58.a5 Ra1 59.Kg4 Ra4 60.Rh5 Kg6 61.Rb5 Kf6 62.Rb6+ Ke5 63.a6?

Syzygy shows this only draws. The correct plan consists of switching the rook to the kingside, eg 63.Rh6. Black cannot capture the a pawn, and has nothing better than 63...Rb4, defending the f4 pawn.. But then 64.Rh5+ Ke6 65.Rf5 Ra4 66.Kg5 Ke7 67.Kg6 Kd7 68.Kf7 Ra1 69.Rxf4 Rxa6 reduces to rook-and-pawn versus rook, winning in this case as White can reach the Lucena position.

63...Ra1 64.Kg5 Rg1+ 65.Kh6

Black to play and draw

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65...Kd4?

Syzygy shows both ...Ra1 and ...Rh1+ draw, eg 65...Rh1+ 66.Kg6 Rg1+ 67.Kf7 Ra1 68.Ke7 Kd4 69.Kd6 Ke3 etc.

66.Rb4+ Ke3 67.Rb3+ Ke2 68.Ra3 Rg8 69.a7 Kf2 70.Kh5

Not 70.a8=Q? Rxa8 71.Rxa8 Kxf3 with a draw, eg 72.Kg5 Kg3 73.Ra3+ f3 74.Kf5 Kg2 etc.

70...Kg3 71.a8=Q Rxa8 72.Rxa8 Kf3 73.Ra3+

Not 73.Kg5? Kg3 etc.

73...Ke2 74.Kg4 1-0

Olomouc 65+ Round Five

FACED a Czech today.

Jiří Bříza (1830) - Spanton (1858)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8

The starting tabiya of the Berlin Wall

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9.Ng5!?

There are eight more-popular moves in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database, but the text has also been played by players rated over 2300, one point being Black is stopped from going for a setup with the king on the queenside (eg after ...Bd7, ...b6, ...Kc8 etc).

9...Ke8 10.Nbd2 Be7 11.Ndf3 h6 12.Ne4 Be6 13.b3 a5 14.a4 b6 15.Bb2 Rd8 16.Rfd1 Rd7!?

The idea is to create a route to the queenside for the black king, which might then go via b7 to c6 (after ...c5 is played).

17.h3 h5!?

Discouraging g4 but losing control of the g5 square.

18.Neg5 Bxg5 19.Nxg5 h4!?

This more-or-less fixes the the white g pawn, but leaves the black h pawn potentially weak.

20.Rxd7 Kxd7 21.Rd1+ Ke7 22.Nxe6 Kxe6

Who stands better after the flurry of exchanges?

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White has the better minor piece for cooperating with a rook, but the e pawn is weak and obstructs the bishop. The knight has a strong outpost, but developing the black rook will not be simple. Neither pawn-majority is ideal for creating a passed pawn. Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon the position is equal.

23.Kf1 Ne7 24.c4 c5

The engines reckon 24...Ng6 can be met by 25.Ke2!?, and if 25...Nxe5 then 26.Bxe5 Kxe5 27.Rd7 is fine for White.

25.f4!?

This defends e5 but further restricts the bishop and creates holes in the white kingside. The engines prefer 25.Ke2.

25...g6

Maybe 25...Nc6 gives a better chance of an edge, eg 26.Bc3!? (the engines reckon there is nothing better) Nd4 27.Kf2 (not 27.Bxd4? Rd8) Nxb3, but the engines still call the game equal.

26.Kf2 Nf5 27.Kf3 Rg8 28.Kf2 Ke7!?

How should White meet Black's plan of offering an exchange of rooks?

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29.e6!?

A positional pawn sac to bring the bishop to life. The sacrifice appears to be sound, but the engines reckon allowing an exchange of rooks is also fine.

29...fxe6 30.Be5 Nd6 31.Rd3 g5 32.g4

One of several moves to maintain complete equality, according to the engines.

32...hxg3+ 33.Kxg3 gxf4+ 34.Kxf4 Rf8+ 35.Ke3!?

This may be OK but simpler seems to be 35.Kg4 and 35.Kg3.

35...Rf5 36.Bg3 Rh5 37.Ke2?!

This may be a mistake. The engines like h4 or Kf2, eg 37.h4!? Nf5 38.Kg3 does not lose a pawn as 38...Nxh4+?? fails to 39.Kg4. Similarly 37.Kf2 is fine as 37...Rxh4?? 38.Bxd6+ is a disaster for Black.

The text also indirectly protects the h pawn, but after ...

37...e5 38.Bf2 Nf5

... Black is making progress, and the bishop is no longer much of a threat to the black queenside pawns.

39.Kd2?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 39.h4. But then 39...Nxh4!? 40.Rh3 Ng2 41.Rxh5 Nf4+ 42.Kf3 Nxh5 is winning, according to Komodo14.1, although Stockfish16 reckons Black only has a slight edge.

39...e4 40.Rd5!?

The horribly passive 40.Rc3 may objectively be slightly better, according to the engines.

40...Ke6 41.h4 c6?!

This wins a pawn but seems to throw away the full point. After 41...Rh8 Black threatens to trap the white rook with 42...c6, so White has to move the king, with 42.Ke2 for example, when the engines reckon 42...Rg8! wins, one line running 43.Rd1 Rg2 44.Kf1 Rh2 45.Kg1 Rh3 followed by ...Rxb3 or ...Nxh4.

42.Rd8 Nxh4 43.Re8+ Kf5 44.Rf8+ Kg4 45.Ke3 Nf5+ 46.Kxe4 Nd6+ 47.Kd3 Rh3+ 48.Be3 Nf5 49.Rg8+ Kf3 50.Rf8 Kg4

I offered a draw, but I do not think JB noticed.

51.Rg8+ Kf3 52.Rf8 ½–½

Olomouc 65+ Round Four

FACED a Czech today.

Spanton (1858) - Stanislav Sysala (1690)

French Burn

1.Nc3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.e4 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Nxf6+!?

The main move is 6.Bxf6, when the commonest reply in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database is 6...Bxf6, although fashionable recently has been 6...gxf6!?, Black accepting a damaged pawn-structure in return for keeping the bishop-pair. The variation with 4...dxe4 is named after Hull's Amos Burn, and the two games in Mega 23 in which he reached the position after 6.Bxf6 saw him recapture with the g pawn, which was normal in the early days of the variation, until supplanted by the bishop recapture.

6...Bxf6

Here 6...gxf6!? makes less sense on the face of it as White has not given up bishop for knight. However it has been played by grandmasters, and scores 51% in Mega23, just one percentage point less than the text, both scores being good for Black.

7.Bxf6 Qxf6

After the flurry of exchanges on f6, how would you assess the position?

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Black has the only developed piece but White has a fourth-rank central pawn against a third-rank one. Stockfish16 and Komodo14.1 reckon White may have a slight edge.

8.Bd3!?

Setting a rather transparent trap. The mainline in Mega23 runs 8.Nf3 0-0 9.Bd3 c5, which transposes to the game.

8...0-0

Guess how many players in Mega23 fell for 8...Qxd4?? 9.Bb5+ etc?

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None.

9.Nf3 c5 10.0-0 Nc6!?

The engines prefer 10...cxd4, which may have been first played in Gyula Breyer - Savielly Tartakower, Gothenburg (Sweden) 1928. After 11.Nxd4 Rd8 12.Nb5 Nc6 Black was slightly better, according to the engines, although a draw was quickly agreed.

11.dxc5!?

How should Black respond?

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11...Ne5?

Critical is 11...Qxb2, when 12.Bxh7+? Kxh7 13.Ng5+ fails to 13...Kg8! as 14.Qh5 is simply met by 14...Qxc2. Instead Fred Yates - Tartakower, Merano (Italy) 1926, went 12.Qd2 Qf6 13.Ng5 g6 14.Rab1 with a slight edge for White, according to the engines (½–½, 33 moves). Also better than the text is 11...Qe7!?

12.Nxe5 Qxe5 13.b4

Not only is White a pawn up, albeit a doubled one, but Black has problems completing development

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13...a5

Both 13...Bd7? and 13...Rd8?? are met by 14.Bxh7+ etc.

14.a3 axb4 15.axb4 Bd7? 16.Rxa8 Rxa8 17.Bxh7+ Kxh7 18.Qxd7 Qf4 19.Rb1

Not 19.Qxb7? Rb8 etc.

19...Ra2

There is no back-rank mate after 19...Qxb4?? 20.Qd3+ and 21.Rxb4.

20.g3 Qf6 21.Qxb7 1-0