League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of five) for Battersea Galacticos against OTB 2 in Central London League Division Two last night.

Joaquín Inga Paiva (2240) - Spanton (1942)

Sicilian Closed

1.e4 c5 2.d3!?

One of the ideas of this quiet move is to play the Closed Variation of the Sicilian, but without committing to the move Nc3, the point being that in lines with Nc3, White often later moves the queen's knight a second time, so as to evict a black knight from d4 with the move c3. Another idea is that, depending on how Black meets 2.d3!?, White might switch into a King's Indian Attack.

The position occurs 17,046 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database - how should Black respond?

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2...Nc6

The problem with 2...d5!?, which has been played by Kamsky and other top grandmasters, is that 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.Nc3 leaves Black with nothing better than 4...Qd8, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1, when White's edge in development may amount to something.

3.g3 d5

But now this is well-playable, although 3...g6!? is more popular.

4.Bg2

The engines give 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Nf3 Nd4!?, claiming complete equality.

4...dxe4 5.dxe4!?

This is almost three times as common as 5.Bxe4.

5...Qxd1+ 6.Kxd1 Bg4+ 7.f3 0-0-0+ 8.Nd2!? Bh5 9.c3 Nf6 10.Kc2

With queens off the board, and both kings in relative safety, how would you assess the position?

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The engines, perhaps not surprisingly, reckon the game is equal, although naturally there is still a lot of play in the position.

10...e5

The engines are not keen on this, suggesting 10...g5!? or 10...h6.

11.Ne2

White is slightly better after 11.h4 Bg6 12.Nf1!?, according to Stockfish18, although Dragon1 is less sure.

11...Be7 12.g4 Bg6 13.Ng3

The engines still like h4.

13...Rhe8

They strongly dislike this (one point of the move is to give Black the option of meeting 14.Nf5 with 14...Bf8, but the engines reckon 14...Bxf5 is better anyway).

14.Nc4 h6 15.a4 b6 16.h4 Kc7 17.Be3 Bf8 18.h5 Bh7 19.g5

The engines give White at least the upper hand after 19.Nf5 or 19.Bf1!?

19...Nd5!?

How should White proceed?

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20.gxh6?

White should play 20.Bf1!? or 20.Bd2, in each case with a roughly equal game.

Black to play and gain a winning advantage

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20...gxh6

The engines point out the very strong 20...Na5!, when White has no good reply, eg 21.Bg5 can be met by 21...Nxc4 (22.Kb3 Na5+; 22.Bxd8+ Rxd8 23.hxg7 Bxg7), while 21.hxg7 can be met by 21...Nxc4 or 21...Bxg7.
21.Rhe1

White is slightly better after 21.Bc1!?, according to the engines.

21...Nxe3+ 22.Nxe3 Be7 23.Nf5 Bg5 24.Rad1 Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Rd8 26.Bf1 Rxd1 27.Kxd1

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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Black has the bishop-pair, but it is probably fair to say the bishops are no better than the knights. The engines reckon the game is completely equal.

27...Ne7 28.Bh3 Nxf5 29.Bxf5 Bg8 30.c4!? f6 31.b3 Bf7 32.Bg4 Bf4 33.Nf5 Bg5 34.Ng7 Kd6 35.Nf5+ Kc7 36.Kc2 a5!? 37.Kd3 Bf4 38.Ng7 Kd6 39.Bc8 Kc7 40.Be6 Bxe6 41.Nxe6+

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

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The bishop is bad in that every black pawn is on a dark square, and every white pawn is on a light square, giving the bishop no targets. But Black is in no danger of falling into zugzwang, as the bishop can move fairly freely along the g5-c1 diagonal, and in particular can protect the weak h6 and f6 pawns, especially with the help of the black king. The position is completely equal, according to the engines.

41...Kd6 42.Ng7 Ke7 43.Nf5+ Ke6 44.Ke2 Kd7 45.Kf2 Ke6 46.Kg2 Kd7 47.Kh3 Ke6 48.Kg4 Bg5 49.Kg3 Bf4+ 50.Kh3 Bg5 51.Kg4 Bf4 52.Nh4 Bc1 53.Ng6

Or 53.Ng2 Bd2.

53...Bg5 54.Nf8+ Ke7 55.Nh7 Ke6 56.Kh3 Kf7 57.Kg4 Ke6 ½–½

OTB 2 won the match 3.5-1.5.

My Battersea Season 2026-7

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

29/9/26  Club Championship         W     1953              1411                1                  *

1/10/26  Central London League   W     1942              2094                =              2094

5/10/26  London League                B      1942              2042                =              2068

6/10/26  Club Championship          B      1942             1541                 1                  +

8/10/26  Central London League    B      1942             2240                 =             2125

*I am ignoring my win against a 1411 as it counts as an 1811 performance, which, unless I have a very bad season, would lower my season's rating performance, despite me winning.

+I am also ignoring my win against a 1541 as it counts as a 1941 performance, which, at least for now, would lower my season's rating performance, despite me winning.

League Chess

PLAYED on board three (of five) for Battersea Galacticos against Pimlico 3 in Central London League Division Two last night.

Spanton (1942) - Richard Black (FM 2094)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e5!?

This is sixth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but has been played by Carlsen, Caruana, Nakamura and other strong grandmasters.

How should White respond?

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4.0-0

This is the main continuation, but 4.Bxc6 is also quite popular, and there are 11 examples in Mega26 of White meeting 4...dxc6 with 5.Nxe5, including three games in which White was rated over 2300, although 5...Qd4 gives Black a slight edge, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

4...Bd6!?

This is the engines' top choice.

5.c4!?

Apparently a novelty, an not liked by the engines. Normal is 4.c3.

5...Nf6 6.d3 h6!? 7.Nc3 0-0

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

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Black's dark-square bishop looks oddly placed, but the position is closed, so Black should have time to relocate it, and the engines reckon the game is equal.
8.Qe2!?

This is what I believe Kasparov would call a half-move - it looks vaguely useful, but does not get to the heart of the position. Indeed, the queen becomes a target on e2 for the c6 knight. The engines suggest 8.Rb1, 8.a3 or 8.Ba4!?

8...a6 9.Ba4 Bc7 10.a3 Rb8 11.Rb1 d6 12.h3 Nd4 13.Qd1!?

The engines agree this is best.

13...Bd7!?

Offering to exchange Black's passive, but technically 'good' bishop, for White's active, but technically 'bad', one. The engines suggest 13...b5!? or 13...Qe7.

14.Bxd7 Qxd7 15.Nxd4

The engines reckon White has an edge after 15.a4.

15...cxd4 16.Ne2

Equal, as is 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.cxd5 f5, according to the engines.

16...b5 17.cxb5 axb5 18.Bd2 d5 19.f3!? Bd6

How would you assess this middlegame?

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Black has more space and is ahead on development, but White has the long-term plusses of a farside pawn-majority and the technically better bishop, even if, for now, Black's bishop is more active. Stockfish18 reckons the position is equal, but Dragon1 prefers Black.

20.Qb3 Rfc8

The engines suggest 20...b4!?, eg 21.axb4 Qb5 22.Ng3 Bxb4 23.Qxb4 Qxb4 24.Bxb4 Rxb4, when White's passed, but isolated and unmoved, b pawn is probably more of a weakness than an asset.

21.Rfc1

21.exd5?! b4!? is good for Black, according to the engines.

21...dxe4 22.fxe4 Qe6?

Heading for an ending is the wrong idea when White's plusses (better majority, better bishop) are much more realisable in an endgame.

23.Rxc8+?

Better is 23.Qxe6 fxe6 24.Rxc8+ Rxc8 25.Rc1, transposing to a position that is also reached in the game, but could have been avoided by Black.
23...Rxc8?

Black should avoid the ending by playing 23...Qxc8.

24.Qxe6 fxe6 25.Rc1 Rxc1+ 26.Bxc1 Nd7

How big is White's advantage in this minor-piece ending?

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It may be that Black's space advantage is the reason the engines evaluate the position as giving White 'only' the upper hand, rather than being winning.

27.Bd2 Kf7 28.Kf2 Be7

Active play by 28...Nc5!? cuts White's advantage to a slight edge, according to the engines.

29.Ng1!?

The engines reckon this is the only move to maintain the upper hand.

29...Nc5 30.Ke2 Na4

RB offered a draw.

31.Bc1

The engines prefer 31.b3!?

31...Nc5

Black should force an exchange of bishops with 31...Bg5!?, according to the engines.

32.Nf3 Kf6 33.Kd2 Bd6 34.Kc2 Ke7 35.Bd2 Kd7 36.Bb4 Kc6

The engines prefer to preserve the knight.

37.Bxc5 Kxc5 38.b4+ Kb6 39.Nh4 Kc6 40.Ng6 Kb6 41.Nh8 Kc6 42.Kb3 Kb6 43.Nf7 Bc7 44.a4 bxa4+ 45.Kxa4 Kxa6 46.Nh8

The knight starts a long journey to the queenside, having achieved nothing by its kingside excursion, but White's advantage has not lessened as there is no counterplay for Black.

46...Kb6 47.Ng6 Bd6 48.Nh4 Be7 49.Nf3 Bd6 50.Nd2 Bc7 51.Nc4+ Kc6 52.Na3 Kb6 53.Kb3 Bb8 54.Kc4 Bd6 55.Nb1 Kc6 56.Nd2 Kb6 57.Nb3 Be7

How should White proceed?

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58.Nc5?

This throws away the win. The correct plan is to slowly advance the pawn, as this is one of those positions where the piece-and-pawn ending is won, but the pawn ending is drawn.

58...Bxc5 59.bxc5+ Ka5!

The game is now completely equal. White will lose the c pawn, and so be a pawn down, but without danger of losing the game.

60.c6!? Kb6 61.c7 Kxc7 62.Kc5 Kd7 63.h4 h5 64.Kb5 Kd6 65.Kb6 Kd7 66.Kb7 Kd6 67.Kb6

67.Kc8!? also draws.

67...Kd7 68.g3 ½–½

Pimlico3 won the match 4.5-0.5.

My Battersea Season 2026-7

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

29/9/26  Club Championship         W     1953              1411                1                  *

1/10/26  Central London League   W     1942              2094                =              2094

*I am ignoring my win against a 1411 as it counts as an 1811 performance,,which, unless I have a very bad season, will lower my rating performance, despite my win.

Bad Bertrich 50+ Game Four

Green lake

Spanton (1997) - Joachim Hiller (1879)

Spanish Exchange

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3!?

This trails 5.d4 and especially 5.0-0 in popularity in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

5...f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4!?

7.Qxd4 would likely transpose to 5.d4 lines.

7...c5 8.Nde2 Qxd1+ 9.Nxd1 Bd7 10.Bf4 0-0-0

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 much dislike 10...Bd6!?, claiming 11.Bxd6 cxd6 leaves White with the upper hand.

11.Ne3 Ne7 12.0-0-0

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

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Black's bishop-pair and White's superior pawn-structure balance each other out, leaving the game completely equal, according to the engines.

12...g5!?

This is narrowly more popular than 12...Re8!? and 12...Ng6 in Mega26.

13.Bg3 h5 14.h4 Bh6?

New and active, but bad. Known moves are 14...g4 and 14...Bg7.

15.hxg5 Bxg5

Or 15...fxg5 16.Rxh5.

16.f4 Bh6 17.Rxh5 b6 18.Rdh1 Bg7 19.Rxh8 Rxh8 20.Rxh8+ Bxh8

How large is White's advantage in this minor-piece ending?

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White is 'only' a pawn up, but Black's 4-3 queenside majority cannot create a passer by itself, while White's 3-1 kingside majority should have little trouble doing exactly that. Black still has the bishop-pair, but the engines reckon White's advantage is the equivalent of being more than a piece up.

21.Kd2

The engines suggest 21.f5!?

21...f5!?

This is also the engines' top choice, but after ...

22.e5

... the position is hardly opening for the bishops.

22...Be6 23.a3 Kd7 24.Bh4 Nd5 25.Bg5 b5 26.Ng3 Nxe3 27.Kxe3 Ke8 28.Nf1 Bg7 29.Kf2 c4 30.c3

The engines prefer 30.g4!?

30...c5?

This is a serious positional error. On c5 the pawn hampers the future scope of Black's dark-square bishop, and becomes a target for the white pieces.

31.Ne3 Kf7 32.g4!? Kg6!?

32...fxg4 33.f5 Bc8 keeps alive Black's faint hope of bringing about an ending of opposite-colour bishops.

However, after ...

33.gxf5+ Bxf5 34.Nxf5 Kxf5

... Black can still hope for a draw by exchanging off as many pawns as possible, and then somehow sacrificing the black bishop to leave White with rook's pawn and wrong-colour bishop.

35.Kf3 Bf8

White to play and win

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36.e6!

Sacrificing White's extra pawn seems the only way to make progress.

36...Kxe6 37.Ke4

Thanks to Black's stifled 4-3 majority, White is effectively still a pawn to the good. The only fly in the ointment, from a White perspective, is that all the white queenside pawns are on the same-colour squares as Black's bishop, and therefore potentially vulnerable.

37...b4 38.f5+ Kf7

Or 38...Kd6 39.Bf4+ etc.

39.Kd5 Bg7!?

This is Stockfish18's top choice, but the position is hopeless for Black. Dragon1 prefers 39...a5.

The game finished:

40.Kxc4 bxa3 41.bxa3 a5 42.a4 Be5 43.Kd3 Bg3 44.Bd8 Be5 45.Bxa5 Kf6 46.Ke4 c4 47.Bd8+ 1-0

Bischofsgrün Round Seven

Manfred Herbold (2075) - Spanton (1951)

Sicilian Grand Prix Attack

1.Nc3 c5 2.e4 Nc6 3.f4 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bb5 Nd4 6.d3?!

This fairly common continuation - there are 100 examples of the position after 6.d3?! in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database - may be a mistake.

How should Black proceed?

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6...Nxb5

Winning the bishop-pair. However, after the little-played 6...Qa5!? 7.Bc4 (forced) Nxf3+ 8.gxf3 (8.Qxf3?? Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qxc3+ sees Black winning rook and pawn) b5!? 9.Bd5 Rb8, Stockfish18 and Dragon1 give Black the upper hand.

7.Nxb5 a6

The commonest continuation in Mega26 runs 7...Qa5 8.Nc3 Bxc3+!? 9.bxc3 Qxc3+, but after 10.Bd2 White has a slight edge, according to the engines.

8.Nc3 d6

The engines suggest 8...b5!? or 8...b6.

9.a4 b6 10.0-0 e6!?

The engines suggest getting on with development with 10...Bb7 or 10...Nf6.

11.Qe1 Ne7

How should White proceed?

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12.g4?!

The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting two apparent-novelties in 12.e5 and 12.a5, but they also prefer, over the text, the known moves 12.Ne2 and 12.Bd2.

12...h5!?

Even stronger may be 12...f5.

13.g5 d5 14.Bd2 0-0

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

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White is more developed, and has more space on the kingside, but it is not easy for White to open lines there. Meanwhile, Black has the bishop-pair and the safer-looking king, although the former factor is hardly a big issue in the present position. The engines award Black the upper hand.

15.Ne2?!

A positional pawn sacrifice that the engines do not like.

15...Nc6?!

After 15...Bxb2 the engines reckon both 16.Rb1 and 16.Bc3!? leave Black with at least the upper hand.

16.Bc3 d4 17.Bd2 f5?

Black has a slight edge after 17...Bb7, according to the engines.

18.gxf6 Rxf6!?

How should White continue?

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19.Qg3!

White can win the exchange with 19.f5 exf5 20.Bg5, but 20...fxe4 gives decent compensation, eg 21.Bxf6?! Qxf6 22.dxe4 Bh3. Better is 21.dxe4, but Black is fine, according to the engines, after, for example, 21...Qd6 22.Bxf6 Bxf6.

19...Qe8 20.Rf2 Bh6?!

The engines suggest 20...e5!? or 20...Ra7, one point being 20...e5!? should probably not be met by 21.fxe5?! as 21...Nxe5 22.Nxe5 Rxf2 23.Kxf2 Bxe5 gives Black decent counterplay, although the position is unclear (equal - Stockfish18; White has the upper hand - Dragon1).

21.Rg2 Ra7!?

This loses a pawn, but may be Black's best continuation.

22.e5

Possibly even stronger is 22.Qh4!?, but the text is good enough for a winning advantage.

22...Rf8 23.Qxg6+ Qxg6 24.Rxg6+ Rg7 25.Rxg7+ Kxg7 26.Kf2 Ne7?!

The engines much prefer 26...Bd7 or 26...Kh8!?

27.Rg1+ Kh7 28.Ng5+ Bxg5 29.Rxg5 Rf5

What should White play?

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30.Rxf5

30.h4?! lets Black equalise with 30...Rxg5 and 31...a5!, according to the engines;

30.Rg3?! can be met by 30...Ng6; and 30...Rg2?! loses a tempo to 30...Bb7.

But best may be 30.Rg1!? MH rejected it because of the line 30...Ng6? 31.Ng3 Nxf4? 32.Nxf5 Nh3+, missing that after 33.Kg2 Nxg1 White wins a piece with 34.Nd6. I intended 30...h4, but 31.Rg4 Ng6 32.a5!? is winning, according to the engines.

30...Nxf5

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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Black has a strong knight, but a pawn is a pawn, and the engines reckon 31.a5! wins, eg 32...b5 33.Nc1!, or 32...bxa5 33.Bxa5 Ne3 34.Ng3 Nxc2 35.Ne4, although the play is tricky.

31.b4?! cxb4 32.Bxb4 Bd7 33.a5 ½–½

Bad Neuenahr Round Four

Christoph Schneider (2056) - Spanton (1911)

King's Indian Attack

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

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

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

8.Re1 e6!?

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

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

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

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

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

16.Ng4

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

16...bxc3 17.bxc3 Qa5

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

How should White proceed?

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

18...d4?!

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

19.Rac1

The engines still like Bh6.

19...dxc3 20.Rxc3 Qa4?!

Again the engines much prefer ...h5.

21.Bh3?!

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

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

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

How should Black proceed?

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24...Nb5!

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

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

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

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

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

32.Rxa7 Rb7?!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

43...Kd7 44.f4 h5?!

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

45.Kf3 Kc6 46.g4 d4?

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

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

League Chess

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

Spanton (1938) - Tony Niccoli (2285)

Spanish Exchange

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Qxd4 Qxd4 8.Nxd4 Bd7 9.Be3 0-0-0

This position occurs 279 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

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10.f3

Long castling was played in 222 of those games.

10...Ne7 11.Rd1

Ruling out castling on the queenside - in fact the plan can be to not castle at all.

11...Ng6 12.Kf2!?

Emanuel Lasker often developed his king this way in the Exchange Variation of the Spanish, the idea being the king is well-placed on f2 to later assist an advance of White's pawn-majority. On the other hand, the absence of the king from c1/b1 leaves the white queenside pawns more vulnerable.

12...Ne5 13.Nb3!?

This may be a novelty, and is not liked by Stockfish17.1 or Dragon1. They suggest 13.h4 or 13.b3.

13...b6 14.h3

Preparing f4, without allowing a black piece to land on g4.

14...Nc4 15.Bc1 Bd6 16.f4?!

But, played this early, the move is probably too loosening.

How should Black exploit White's last?

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16...Rde8

Black can seize the initiative with 16...g5!?, when 17.fxg5?! fxg5 gives White an isolani and an exposed king. Better is 17.f5, and the engines suggest 17.Nd4!?, the idea being to meet 17...gxf4 with 18.b3, when 18...Ne5 allows 19.Bxf4, after the engines still much prefer Black, but they reckon even better is 18...Bb4!?, when 19.bxc4 Bxc3 20.Bxf4 equalises the number of pawns, but both 20...Rhe8 and 20...c5 leave Black much better.

17.Rhe1 Bb4 18.Rd3 Re7 19.a3 Bd6 20.Nd2 Bc5+ 21.Kf3 Be6?

Black should swop knights.

How can White exploit Black's last?

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22.Nxc4?

Missing 22.Na4!?, after which Black loses the bishop-pair, and contracts tripled c pawns, as 22...Bd6? is met by 23.Nxb6!

22...Bxc4 23.Rdd1 Rhe8 24.Be3 Bd6

Swopping bishops may be better.
25.Bxb6 Bxa3

How should White proceed?

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26.bxa3?

This is possibly the worst of the plausible choices. Best is probably the engines' 26.Bxc7!, when 26...Bxb2 27.Ba5!? more-or-less obliges Black to give up the bishop-pair with 27...Bxc3, after which the engines reckon White is at least slightly better. If Black tries to preserve the dark-square bishop with 27...Ba3?, White has 28.Na4!, with very strong play as Black does not seem to have a good answer to the threat of Nb6+, forking king and light-square bishop, eg 28...Bb5 29.Nb6+ Kb7 30.c4.

26...cxb6

Black has lost the bishop-pair, but straightened the queenside pawns, so who stands better?

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No one, according to the engines.

27.Rd6 Kc7 28.Red1 Bf7 29.R6d4 Be6!? 30.g4 a5 31.Ne2 Rd7!?
The engines reckon an exchange of rooks favours White.

32.f5!?

The engines prefer 32.Rxd7+ Bxd7, and now 33.f5!?

32...Rxd4 33.Rxd4 Bf7 34.Nf4 b5

Black has a slight edge after 34...g5!? or 34...c5, according to the engines.

35.Nd3 Rd8 36.Ke3 Ba2

Possibly better is 36...Rxd4 37.Kxd4 Kd6, with what the engines agree is complete equality.

37.Nc5 Rd6?

White has at most a slight edge after 37...Rxd4, according to the engines.

38.Rxd6 Kxd6 39.Nb7+ Ke5 40.Nxa5 c5 41.Nb3 Kd6 42.Nd2 Ke5 43.Nf3+ Kd6 44.h4 Bb1 45.Kd3!? b4 46.axb4 cxb4

White to play and maintain a winning position

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47.g5?

The simple 47.Nd2 snuffs out Black's counterplay, and, after 47...Ba2, the time is right to play 48.g5.

47...b3

Exploiting White's self-pin at move 45.

48.Nd4

An only-move.

48...bxc2

White to play and draw

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49.Nxc2?

White holds with 49.Kd2, eg 49...c1=Q+ 50.Kxc1 Bxe4 51.Kd2 Ke5 52.Ne6, or 49...Ke5 50.Ne6.

Black to play and win

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49...Ke5

But not 49...Bxc2+?? 50.Kxc2 Ke5 51.Kd3 Kf4, as 52.gxf6 gxf6 53.Kd4 wins for White, as does 51...fxg5 52.hxg5 Kf4 53.f6.

50.gxf6 gxf6 51.h5 Bxc2+ 52.Kxc2 Kxe4 0-1

TN: "Sorry."

Me: "It was my fault."

Hammersmith won the match 4-1.

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

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 Nine

Bo.	46	England - 5	Rtg	-	40	Brazil	Rtg	0 : 0
18.1		Freeman, Richard C P	1897	-		Okamura, Milton Kasuo	1979
18.2	CM	Stokes, Michael	1861	-		Gambale, Eduardo De Aquino	1944
18.3		Spanton, Tim R	1908	-		Moyses Sobrinho, Elias	1896
18.4		Marshall, Michael	1859	-		Vieira, Alexandre Letizio	1826

Spanton (1908) - Elias Moysés Sobrinho (1896)

Scandinavian

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 Bf5

The main continuations in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 5...Bg4 and especially 5...g6, although the text is the second choice of Dragon1, at least for a while. However, it and Stockfish17.1 come to agree 5...g6 is best.

How should White respond?

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6.c5!?

The main move is 6.Nc3, but the text has some interesting points.

6...Nd5 7.Qb3 Bc8!?

The engines suggest an apparent-novelty in 7...Nc6!?, when their main line runs 8.Bb5 e6 9.Ne5 Ne7, with a sharp position that they reckon gives White the upper hand, but they do not agree on how White should continue.

8.Nc3

The engines slightly prefer the relatively rare 8.Bg5!?

8...e6 9.Bc4 c6 10.0-0 Be7 11.Re1 0-0

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

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Black has an outpost at d5, but White has more space and development. The engines reckon White has at least the upper hand.

12.Bd3!? Nd7

Varying from Vitor Luis de Jesus Silverio (2016) - Moysés Sobrinho (1948), Manaus (Brazil) 2024, which went 12...b6 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.Qc2 g6 15.Bh6 Re8 16.b4, with a positionally won game for White, according to the engines (1-0, 21 moves).
13.Qc2 N7f6 14.a3 b6 15.Nxd5!? Qxd5 16.Re5!? Qd7 17.b4

Almost certainly much stronger is 17.Rg5!?, when the rook, despite being off the back rank early in the game, is in little danger of being embarrassed as it has both g3 and h3 as safe squares, at least in the medium term.

17...bxc5

How should White recapture

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18.dxc5

Getting rid of the backward pawn, but allowing Black counterplay down the a and d files. Stockfish17.1  much prefers 18.bxc5, but Dragon1 for quite some time is less sure.

18...Rd8 19.Bf1?!

Probably better is 19.Re3, as Black cannot play 19...Ng4? or 19...Nd5? as White has 20.Bxh7+.

19...a5 20.Bb2 axb4 21.axb4 Rxa1 22.Bxa1 Qd1!? 23.Qxd1 Rxd1 24.Re1 Rxe1 25.Nxe1 Nd5

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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White's queenside majority is held up a single pawn, so the position is equal, according to the engines.

26.Nc2

Not 26.Nd3? Ba6.

26...Bf6?!

This lets White seize the initiative. The engines suggest 26...f6, 26...Bd7 or 26...Bg5.

27.Bxf6 Nxf6

Stockfish17.1 fluctuates between the text and 27...gxf6, but Dragon1 prefers the former.

28.Nd4 Bd7?

Correct is 28...Bb7, and if, as in the game, 29.b5 cxb5 30.c6, then 30...Ba6, eg 31.Bxb5 Bc8, when White has no way of promoting the pawn. However, the engines recommend 29.Bc4 or 29.g3, claiming at least a slight edge.

29.b5! cxb5 30.c6

This zwischenzug gives White a winning position.

30...Be8

Or 30...Bc8 31.Nxb5 Ba6 32.Nc7 Bc8 33.Na8 Nd5 34.Bc4 Ne7 35.Nb6.

White to play and win

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31.Bxb5?

Winning is 31.c7 Bd7 32.Bxb5! Bc8 33.Nc6 Nd5, and now the move I missed, 34.Bc4, which is easy to see on reaching the position, but not so easy from the diagram.

31...Nd5 32.f4!?

Preventing ...e5, and opening a diagonal for the white king.

32...Kf8 33.Ba4!?

Dragon1 strongly dislikes this, preferring 33.Bc4 or 33.Kf2, but it may hold.

33...Ke7 34.Kf2 Nb6!?

The immediate 34...Kd6 may be better, one line running 35.Nf3!? h6!? (35...Nxf4 36.c7! Bd7 37.Ne5 Bc8 38.Nxf7+ Kxc7 39.Bc2 gives White excellent drawing chances, according to the engines) 36.g3 Ne7 37.Ke3 Bxc6 38.Bxc6 Nxc6, although with pawns on only one side of the board, it will be difficult to win.

35.Bc2 h6

If 35...Kd6 36.Bxh7 g6, White rescues the bishop with 37.h4 etc.

36.Be4 Kd6 37.Nb5+ Kc5 38.Na7 Kd6

How should White proceed?

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39.Ke3!?

Keeping the game going, whereas 39.Nb5+ Kc5 is likely to lead to a quick draw.

39...Nd5+ 40.Kd4 Bxc6 41.Nxc6 Kxc6

Black has won a pawn, but the active White king ensures equal chances

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42.Ke5 Kc5 43.f5 Nc7 44.f6!? gxf6+

Not 44...g6? or 44...g5?, as both are answered by 45.B(x)g6!.

45.Kxf6 Kd4 46.Bf3 e5 47.Kxf7 e4 48.Bxe4!?

There is nothing better.

48...Kxe4 49.Kg6 Kf4 50.h4 Kg4 51.h5 Nd5 52.Kxh6 Nf4 ½–½

Team Result

Freeman 1-0 Okamura

Stokes 0-1 Gambale

Spanton = Moyses Sobrinho

Marshall = Vieira

England 5 2-2 Brazil

Bad Wörishofen Senioren Round Seven

Spanton (1919) - Dieter Bauer (1798)

Old Indian

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.f3!?

This is third in popularity, behind 3.Bd3 and especially 3.Nc3, but has been played by Carlsen, Kasparov and Anand.

3...e5 4.d5 c6 5.c4

ChessBase calls this a Pirc, but, to me, Old Indian Defence is more appropriate 

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5...Qb6 6.Qb3 Be7

This may be a novelty. Viktor Korchnoi (2606) - Jörg Hickl (2617), Swiss Team Championship 2007, went 6...Qxb3 7.axb3 Na6 8.Be3 c5?!, which is probably the wrong idea as it leaves White with an unchallengeable centre (1-0, 32 moves). Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 suggest 8...Nd7!?, 8...Nb4 or 8...Be7, the last of which would transpose to the game.

7.Be3 Qxb3 8.axb3 Na6!

The engines agree this is much better than 8...a6, when play might continue 9.b4 0-0 10.Nc3 cxd5 11.cxd5 Nbd7 12.Bd3, with what they reckon is the upper hand for White, although the line is by no means forced.

9.Nc3 0-0 10.Bd3 Nb4 11.Kd2!? cxd5 12.cxd5 Nxd3 13.Kxd3

How would you assess this queenless middlegame?

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Black has the bishop-pair, but White has more space and queenside pressure, giving White a slight edge, according to the engines.

13...a6 14.Nge2 Bd7

DB offered a draw.

15.Ng3!?

The knight is headed for c4.

15...g6 16.Nf1 Ne8 17.Nd2 f5 18.Nc4 Nf6 19.h3

White has to be careful, eg the plausible 19.Ne2? loses to 19...fxe4+ 20.fxe4 Nxe4! 21.Kxe4 Bf5+ 22.Kf3 Bd3+ 23.Kg3 Bxe2.

19...fxe4+ 20.fxe4 Nh5 21.Nb6 Rad8 22.Nxd7 Rxd7 23.Ne2 Rc7 24.Rhf1 Rcc8 25.g4 Ng7 26.Nc3 Rf8?!

The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting 26...h5!?, albeit much preferring White.

How should White proceed?

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27.Na4

This gives the upper hand, according to the engines, but they reckon White is positionally winning after 27.Rxf8+ and 28.b4, eg 27.Rxf8+ Kxf8 28.b4 Rd7!? 29.b5 axb5 30.Nxb5 Kf7 31.Rc1!? Ne8 32.g5!? Rd8 33.Nc7 Rc8 34.Nxe8 Rxe8 35.Rc7, after which Black's b pawn must surely fall.

27...Rxf1 28.Rxf1 Rc8

The engines prefer 28...h5, 28...Ne8 or 28...Bh4.

29.Nb6 Rf8

DB pressed the clock and almost immediately offered a draw.

30.Rxf8+ Kxf8

White to play and gain a winning advantage

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31.Bh6
Heading for an ending of good knight versus bad bishop, but it is not enough for a win, whereas the engines 31.Nc4! probably is, eg 31...b5 32.Na5 Ne8 33.Nc6 Bh4 34.Nb8 Nc7 35.Bb6 Na8 36.Ba5 snaffles the black a pawn.

31...Kf7 32.Bxg7 Kxg7 33.Nc4 Kh6

Black's active king makes up for having the inferior minor piece

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34.Ke2 Kg5 35.Kf3 Kh4 36.Kg2 b5 37.Na5 h5 38.Nc6 Bg5 39.gxh5 gxh5

The position is completely equal, according to the engines, but White has a try that might well have worked over the board

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40.b4

The try is 40.Nb8!?

Analysis diagram - after 40.Nb8!?, can you see how Black saves the game?

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The obvious 40...a5 loses to 41.Nc6 a4 42.Na7! (but not 42.axb4?, when 42...axb4 wins for Black) axb3 43.Nxb5 Bc1 44.Nxd6 Bxb2 45.Nc4 Bc1 46.d6 Bg5 47.Nxe5! with unstoppable mate.

The engines show Black has to find 40...Bd2!!, eg 41.Nxa6 Kg5!, when White's extra pawn is useless, and the position remains completely equal.

Back to the game, where the idea of 40.b4 was to pin the a pawn.

40...Bd2 41.Nb8 Bxb4 42.Nxa6 Ba5!?

An only-move, but not difficult to find.

43.Nb8 Kg5 44.Nc6 Be1 45.Kf3 Kh4

Has White a (sensible) alternative to playing 46.Kg2 and acquiescing to a draw?

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46.Na7!?

This is certainly an alternative; whether it is sensible is a matter of opinion.

46...Kxh3

Forced, as Black's d pawn drops after 46...b4?, eg 47.Nb5 b3 48.Nxd6 Bc3!? 49.Nc4 Bb4 50.d6 Kg5 51.d7 Be7 52.Nxe5, when White is two pawns up.

47.Nxb5 Bb4 48.Na3 Bc5 49.Nc2 h4 50.b4 Bb6 51.Ne1 Kh2 52.Kg4 Kh1?

Setting a 'trap', but it is a 'trap' that is only good enough for a draw, even if White falls for it. Black had to play 52...h3, when 53.Nf3+ Kg2 54.Nh4+ Kh2 etc is a draw.

53.Nf3

After 53.Kxh4? Bf2+ (springing the 'trap') 54.Kg5 Bxe1 55.b5 Bf2 56.Kf6 Kg2 57.Ke6 Bc5 58.b6 Bxb6 59.Kxd6 Bd4 60.Ke6 Kf3 61.Kf5, the engines show neither side can make progress.

53...Kg2 54.Nxh4+ Kf2 55.Kf5 Ke3 56.Ng6 Kd4 57.Ne7 Bc7 58.Nc6+ Ke3 59.Na7 Bb6 60.Nc8 Bc7 61.b5 Kd4 62.b6 Bb8 63.Ne7 Bc7!? 64.bxc7 1-0

A water-treading hydroptherapy facility known as a Kneippanlage, operating only in the warmer months - Wikipedia lists 24 such 'troughs' in the immediate Bad Wörishofen area, but I suspect that is an underestimate