Miniatures 9

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

Spanton (ungraded) - A Bradshaw (165)

North London Spring Congress 1989

French 3.Bd3

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Bd3!?

This was tried by many of the old masters, including Lasker, Tarrasch, Winawer, Schlechter, Showalter, Marco, Mason and Tartakower.

How should Black respond?

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3...Nf6!?

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 strongly dislike this, preferring the more popular 3...c5 and 3...dxe4.

4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nf3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Be3!?

Normal is 7.0-0.

7...Qb6 8.Qc2?!

This allows an effective reply. The engines suggest 8.Qc1!? or 8.Qd2, claiming a slight edge for White.

8...cxd4 9.Bxd4

Or 9.cxd4 Nb4.

9...Nxd4?!

The engines much prefer 9...Qc7 or 9...Bc5.

10.cxd4 f6!? 11.Bxh7!?

This is Dragon1's top choice, but Stockfish17 prefers 11.Nc3.

11...Rxh7

Forced, as otherwise Black is much worse.

12.Qg6+ Kd8 13.Qxh7 Qxb2 14.0-0 fxe5?

Black had to take the plunge with 14...Qxa1, when play becomes very sharp, eg 15.Qc2 Bb4! 16.Rc1!? (not 16.Nbd2?? Qc3) fxe5!? 17.Ng5!? Nf8!? 18.Qc7+ Ke8, after which White probably has to take the draw by perpetual.

15.Nbd2 e4

Black has the bishop-pair and a pawn for the exchange, but White's lead in development and safer king give a large advantage

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16.Nxe4?

White may still have an advantage after this, but a better way to give up a knight is 16.Rab1!? Qxa2 17.Ra1 Qb2 18.Rfb1 Qc3 19.Qg8! exf3 20.Nxf3, when White only has a rook for two bishops and a pawn, but White's position is so dominating that the engines reckon Black's second-best continuation is 20...Qxf3? The point is that after their best move, 20...a5, there comes 21.Ng5!? Ra6 22.Nh7 etc.

16...dxe4 17.Qxe4

White has the upper hand, according to Dragon1, but Stockfish17 assesses the position as completely equal

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17...Nf6 18.Qe5 Qb6 19.Ng5 Bd6!? 20.Nxe6+??

Falling for the trap, whereas 20.Qe2!? maintains equality, according to the engines, and sets a trap in return: 20...Qxd4? 21.R(either)d1 Qc5 22.Rxd6+! Qxd6 23.Nf7+ and 24.Nxd6.

20...Bxe6 0-1

LESSON: when an opponent apparently puts something en prise (19...Bd6!? seems to interfere with Black's protection of e6), it is either a blunder or a trap - if you are going to take, make sure it is not the latter!

Miniatures 8

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

Christopher Rice (168 BCF) - Spanton (ungraded)

North London Spring Congress 1989

Bishop's Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4!?

This gambit scores 58% in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database.

How should Black respond?

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3...Nxe4!?

This has been played by grandmasters, but Stockfish17 and Dragon1 prefer the more popular 3...Nc6 and 3....exd4.

4.dxe5 Bc5?

The engines reckon 4...c6 leaves White with 'only' the upper hand.

5.Qd5!? Bxf2+

This is the commonest continuation in Mega25, but better may be 5...Qh4.

6.Kf1 Qh4

The other known moves, 6...0-0 and 6...Qe7, allow 7.Qxe4.

7.Qxf7+ Kd8 8.Nc3 Nxc3

Or 8...Bxg1 9.Nxe4, when the threats include Bg5+.

9.Nf3 1-0

LESSON: it is hard to survive White's gambits in double-e pawn openings without knowing some theory.

Miniatures 7

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

Spanton (ungraded) - J Kaye (168)

North London Spring Congress 1989

Nimzowitsch Defence

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bg4

There are 3,152 examples of this position in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database

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5.Bc4 e6

Probably not 5...Nxe4?! 6.Nxe4 d5 7.Bb3 dxe4 8.Bxf7+!

6.Bb3 d5 7.exd5 exd5 8.Be3

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 reckon White is slightly better after 8.Bg5.

8...Bb4 9.0-0 Na5 10.Ba4+?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 10.Bg5 or 10.h3.

10...c6 11.Bg5 0-0 12.Qd3 Nc4 13.Nd1 h6 14.Be3?!

It was probably better to maintain the pin with 14.Bh4.

14...Re8

Black has three minor pieces past the halfway line, supported by a rook

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15.Nd2?

Perhaps 15.c3 is best, but Black is well on top after 15...Bd6.

15...Rxe3?!

The simpler 15...Bxd2 16.Bxd2 Be3 is much stronger, but the text also wins.

16.Nxe3 Nxd2 17.Nxg4 Nxg4 18.c3?

Better is 18.h3 Nxf1 19.hxg4, but Black remains a knight up after 19...Qa5 or 19...Nd2.

18...Nxf1 19.cxb4 Qh4 0-1

LESSON: combinations are almost certainly in the offing when enemy pieces cross the middle of the board in strength.

Miniatures 6

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

L Filipowicz (175 BCF) - Spanton (ungraded)

North London Spring Congress 1989

Philidor Countergambit

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5?!

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 strongly dislike this gambit, preferring 3...Nf6, 3...Nd7 or 3...exd4.

How should White respond?

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4.Nc3

This is the main move in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, but the engines prefer 4.Bc4 or 4.exf5!?

4...Nf6?!

Almost certainly better is the most popular continuation, 4...fxe4.

5.dxe5 Nxe4 6.Bc4!?

The engines agree this is best.

6...Nxc3 7.bxc3 c6?

Better, but still losing, according to the engines, is 7...d5!? 8.Bxd5 Be7.

8.exd6 Qxd6 9.Bg5

Probably even stronger is 9.0-0, but either way White's lead in development and safer king are decisive.

9...h6

Getting queens off is preferred by the engines, but 9...Qxd1+ 10.Rxd1 increases Black's development advantage.

10.Qe2+ Be7 11.Rd1 Qc7 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Ne5 h5? 14.Bf7+ 1-0

LESSON: when playing an opening that is sharp, but dodgy, success is unlikely without knowing the basic theory and ideas.