Lessons From Bad Bertrich III

THERE is a fairly well-established hierarchy when it comes to the drawishness of endings.

At the top, and by a considerable distance, are endings with opposite-colour bishops.

Next come rook-and-pawn endings, their drawing tendencies illustrated by the aphorism, usually attributed to Tarrasch or Tartakower, that "all rook endgames are drawn."

Third in the drawishness stakes are queen endings, thanks to the danger of the weaker side escaping defeat with perpetual check.

After that the hierarchy becomes somewhat murky, but I would suggest the list continues with same-colour bishop endings, followed by knight endings, and finally pawn endings (note I am only listing endings where both sides have the same pieces, ie leaving out, for example, rook versus bishop and knight).

All of this is a preamble to the strange finish in my round-three game, where I was Black against Børge Svanholm (1871).

The following rook-and-pawn ending was reached after White's 27th move.

White has just captured on d8, leaving a commonly occurring rook-and-pawn ending in which material is level, but one player has a farside passed pawn

Such positions are normally quickly agreed drawn at high levels, and often at club level too.

However, if the game continues, the normal procedure is that the player with the passed pawn - in this case White - protects it from the front, and advances the pawn to the seventh rank, while the black rook keeps an eye on the pawn from behind.

There are two dangers for Black to avoid, once the pawn has reached White's seventh.

One is to carelessly put the black king in such a position on Black's third rank, or higher, that it can be checked by the white rook, allowing the a pawn to be advanced on the next move.

The other is to let the white king get over to the queenside to safely help promote the pawn, although this is a risky business if it means Black mops up White's kingside pawns.

But if White tries nothing, and Black does not get careless, the game is inevitably drawn.

Here is the position seven moves after the previous diagram

Material is still level, and the ending is still completely drawn. Indeed, the ending would be a tablebase draw even if the h pawn were removed from the board.

Six moves later, the h pawn was removed from the board after Black in this position played 40...Rxh5

The Syzygy endgame tablebase confirms that the position is still drawn, and would remain so after any move by the white rook along the back rank.

Instead, my opponent committed the cardinal sin of leaving a drawn rook-and-pawn ending for a lost pawn ending by playing 41.Rxh5+, resigning 10 moves later.

LESSON: unless you have no other option, never swop off into a pawn ending unless you are certain of the outcome.

Bad Bertrich 50+ Game Three

Much of the walking in this part of the Eifel mountains is in shade, so can be comfortably tackled even on hot days

Faced a Norwegian.

Børge Svanholm (1871) - Spanton (1997)

Queen's Pawn Game

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 c5 4.0-0 Nc6 5.d4

What's in a name?

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Quite a few people would probably describe the opening as a King's Indian Attack, while others might call it a Réti. But to me the former needs to have the move d3, and the latter should have c4. ChessBase labels the opening: "D02: 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 sidelines, including 2...Nf6 3.g3 and 2...Nf6 3.Bf4." It could also be thought of as a Reversed Grünfeld, but to me the most appropriate name is Queen's Pawn Game.

5...e6

Tempting is 5...cxd4 6.Nxd4 e5!?, but after 7.Nxc6 bxc5 8.c4 Black's centre is under a lot of pressure, with White scoring 66% in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

6.Bg5!?

The main line in Mega26 runs 6.c4!? dxc4 7.Qa4 Bd7 8.Qxc4 b5!? 9.Qd3 c4 10.Qd1, when Dragon1 gives White a slight edge, but Stockfish18 calls the position equal.

6...h6 7.Bxf6!?

Consistent, but White's eagerness to give up the bishop-pair makes a strange impression.

7...Qxf6 8.e3 Bd6

This is the commonest continuation in Mega26, albeit from a small sample, but the bishop is a little loose on d6, and the move does not score well. The engines prefer 8...Be7 or 8...cxd4.

9.c4!?

This is the engines' top choice.

9...dxc4 10.Na3

The engines suggest an apparent-novelty in 10.Nbd2!?, and if, as in the game, Black captures on d4 with the c5 pawn, they reckon 11.Nxd4 gives White a won game after 11...Nxd4 12.Ne4! Qd8 13.Qxd4 Bf8 14.Qxc4. Black should probably prefer 10...Qe7, 10...0-0 or 10...c3, but White enjoys at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

10...cxd4

With the white queen's knight on a3, this is Black's best continuation.

11.Nxc4

Almost certainly good for Black is 11.Nxd4?! Bxa3 12.bxa3 Nxd4.

11...Bc5!?

This seems to be a novelty, and probably improves on the known 11...Be7?!, but I may have done better sticking with my first thought of 11...e5!?, although the engines agree White has full compensation for a pawn.

12.exd4 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Qb3

The engines give 14.Qa4+!?, eg 14...Bd7 15.Qb3 Bc6 16.Bxc6+ bxc6 17.Rac1, again claiming full compensation for a pawn.

14...0-0

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

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White has a lead in development (and can increase that lead by playing 15.Rad1), and has pressure against the black queenside, but, according to the engines, those factors do not quite make up for Black being a pawn up and having the bishop pair.

15.Rad1 Qf6 16.Nd6

How should Black proceed?

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16...Bxd6

Stockfish18 likes 16...Qe7; Dragon1 prefers 16...Bd4.

17.Rxd6 Rb8

This seems a little stronger than 17...Rd8 18.Rxd8+ Qxd8 19.Rd1.

18.Rfd1 b6 19.Qa3 a5

Or 19...Bb7 20.Qxa7 Bxg2 21.Kxg2 Qxb2, when White has enough activity for a pawn, according to the engines.

20.b4 Bb7 21.bxa5 Bxg2 22.Kxg2 bxa5 23.Qxa5 Rb2 24.R1d2

BS offered a draw.

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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The position is completely equal, according to Dragon1; Black has a notional advantage of perhaps 0.1, according to Stockfish18.

24...Rfb8 25.Rxb2 Rxb2 26.Qd8+ Qxd8 27.Rxd8+ Kh7

This is quite a common type of rook-and-pawn ending, and is completely equal, according to both engines

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28.Rd7 Kg6 29.Ra7 e5 30.g4!? f6 31.h4!?

BS was highly critical of this in the postmortem, but the engines reckon the game remains equal.

31...h5 32.gxh5+ Kxh5 33.Rxg7 Rxa2

Completely equal, according to the engines, although to my eye Black's position looks easier to play

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34.Rh7+ Kg4 35.h5 Kg5!? 36.Kg3 Ra3+ 37.Kg2 Ra4 38.Kg3 Rg4+ 39.Kf3 Rh4

Black is winning a pawn, but the game remains completely equal (Stockfish18) or White is just 0.13 worse (Dragon1)

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40.Rh8 Rxh5 41.Rxh5+?

Any rook move along the rank draws, although clearly Black would have hopes of somehow winning, but swopping off into a pawn ending loses.

41...Kxh5 42.Ke3

Black has two winning moves, but there is a plausible continuation that only draws

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42...Kg5

Also winning is 42...f5, but 42...Kg4? allows White to get the opposition with 43.Ke4, drawing.

43.Kf3 f5 44.Kg3 f4+ 45.Kf3 Kf5 46.Ke2 Kg4

But not 46...Ke4?, apparently gaining the opposition, as, following 47.f3+ Kd4 48.Kd2, it is White who has the opposition, and after 48...e4 49.fxe4 Kxe4 50.Ke2 the game is a (fairly) trivial book draw, and the try 48...Kc4 49.Kc2 e4 (49...Kb4 50.Kd3) 50.fxe4 f3 is easily answered by 51.Kd2 Kd4 52.e5 Kxe5 53.Ke3.
47.Kf1 Kf3 48.Ke1 Kg2 49.Ke2 f3+ 50.Ke3 e4 0-1

Czech 65+ Round Three

Mausoleum built by the Czechoslovak-Yugoslav League to honour soldiers from what would become Yugoslavia who were killed in WW1

The second of today's double-round games.

Spanton (2003) - Jindřich Papay (1945)

French Winawer

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.Bd2 Bd7!?

Several other continuations are more common, including 5...cxd4 and especially 5...Ne7, but the text has been played by grandmasters.

6.a3!?

The engines agree this is stronger than the more popular moves 6.Qg4 and 6.Nb5.

6...cxd4?!

Black should probably prefer 6...Bxc3.

7.axb4 dxc3 8.Bxc3

Black has ceded the bishop-pair and given White a useful half-open a file, factors which add up to White having a positionally won game, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1

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8...Ne7 9.Bd3 Ng6 10.Nf3 Nf4!? 11.Bf1!? g5?!

This type of thrust is rarely good, and this position is almost certainly not an exception.

12.Qd2 Rg8 13.h4 h6 14.h5 d4!?

Giving up a pawn, so the king's knight has a retreat square in the event of White playing g3.

15.Bxd4 Bc6!?

The engines agree this active move is the best chance in a bad position.

16.b5!? Be4 17.c4!? Kf8?

The engines reckon Black should play 17...Bxf3!? 18.gxf3 Nd7, or 17...a6, with ...Nd7 to come.

18.Bc5+

Even stronger are 18.Rd1, 18.Qe3 and 18.0-0-0.

18...Kg7 19.Bd6 Nd7?!

Exchanging on f3 is probably better.

20.Qe3 f5?!

And here the engines reckon Black should settle for 20...Bxf3 21.Qxf3 a6!?, despite White having 22.g3.

21.exf6+ Nxf6 22.Be5 Nd3+ 23.Bxd3 Qxd3

How should White proceed?

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24.Qxd3

Even stronger is the engines' 24.Qc5!, when Qe7+ and Rd1 cannot both be met.

24...Bxd3 25.0-0-0 Rgd8

Not 25...Bxc4?? 26.Rd7+.

26.b3 Kf7 27.Bc7!? Rdc8

Not 27...Rd7?? 28.Ne5+.

28.Ne5+ Ke8 29.Rxd3 Rxc7 30.f3!?

Restricting the black knight.

30...Nd7 31.Nxd7 Rxd7 32.Rhd1 Rxd3 33.Rxd3

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

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White is a pawn up, has the open file, and has fewer pawn-islands, advantages worth more than +4.00, according to the engines.

33...Ke7 34.Kc2 a6!?

This lets White undouble the b pawns, but activating the black rook is the engines' top choice.

35.bxa6 Rxa6 36.Kc3 Rc6 37.b4 Ra6 38.c5 b5 39.Kd4

The engines agree with not taking en passant.

39...Ra4 40.Rb3 Ra1 41.Rd3 Rb1 42.Kc3 Rc1+ 43.Kb2 Rg1

What should White play?

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44.c6?

Impatience, throwing away nearly all of White's advantage. Best is 44.Rd2, but 44.g4 also wins.

44...Rxg2+ 45.Kb3 Rg1 46.c7!?

There is no longer any win, whatever White plays.

46...Rc1 47.Rc3 Rxc3+ 48.Kxc3 Kd7 49.Kd4 Kxc7 50.Ke5!?

Or 50.Kc5 e5!, when 51.Kxb5? loses to 51...e4!, so White has to play 51.Kd5 Kd7 52.Kxe5, but 52...Kd7 draws.

50...Kd7 51.Kf6 Kd6 52.Kg6 Ke5

This draws easily enough, but the engines reckon Black has at least a slight edge after 52...e5!? 53.Kxh6 e4!? 54.Kxg5 (54.fxe4? g4 wins for Black) exf3 55.h6 f2 57.h7 f1=Q, although 58.h8=Q gives White a tablebase draw.

53.Kxh6 Kf6 54.Kh7 Kf7 55.Kh6

Not 55.h6? e5 etc, eg 56.Kh8 e4! 57.fxe4 g4 58.e5 g3 59.e6+ Kxe6 60.Kg8 g2 61.h7 g1=Q 62.Kh8 (hoping for stalemate) Qa7 63.Kg8 Qf7+ 64.Kh8 Qf8#.

55...Kf6 ½–½

Lessons From Magdeburg VII

IN round seven, when I was Black against Dieter Stummeyer (1834), I was feeling pretty pleased with myself after playing the best move in the following position.

White has just played 76.Ke4-f4

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I replied 76...Rxe3!, bringing about a winning pawn ending.

I analysed the ending in my original post, but here I want to look at the position that arose 10 moves later, after White played 86.Kg4-h5

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If I had been concentrating properly, I would have played the simplest win, which is with 86...Kh3, followed by promoting the g pawn. But I played 86...Kg3, expecting 87.Kxh6? Kf4 88.Kg6 g4 etc. However, after 87.Kg6!, the win was no longer there

LESSON: it ain't over till it's over.

Magdeburg Round Seven

Dieter Stummeyer (1834) - Spanton (2039)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1!?

This has become fashionable, at the expense of the mainline 5.d4, partly, I suspect, because engines, such as Stockfish18 and Dragon1, reckon there is little to choose between the two moves, and the text leads to simpler play.

5...Nd6 6.Bxc6!?

But here Stockfish18 and Dragon1 definitely prefer the mainline 6.Nxe5.

6...dxc6

As in the Exchange Variation of the Spanish (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6), recapturing away from the centre is generally considered the better continuation. 

7.Nxe5 Be7 8.d4 0-0

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

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White has more space in the centre, and the slightly superior pawn-structure, but these factors are outweighed by Black's bishop-pair, according to Stockfish18, although Dragon1 is less sure.

9.Bf4 Bf5 10.Nd2 f6!? 11.Nef3 Qd7

How should White proceed?

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12.c3

Interesting is 12.Nh4!?, not least because 12...Bg4? loses to 13.Rxe7! However, Black seems fine after 12...Be6!? 13.Qe2 Kf7.

12...Kh8 13.Rc1?!

The engines strongly dislike this, and it certainly is hard to see what future the rook has on the closed c file.

13...Rae8

The wrong rook, according to the engines, although they do not reckon it is a big deal.

14.a3 Bg4 15.h3 Bh5 16.Qa4!?

White threatens both Qxa7 and d5

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16...a6?!

Dealing with one threat, but not the other. Perhaps best is 16...b5!?, when 17.Qxa7?! runs into 17...Ra8 18.Qc5 Bxf3, and, if 19.Nxf3, then 19...Nf5 forces 20.Rxe7, after which 20...Ne7 leaves Black up the exchange for a pawn. Instead of 17.Qxa7?!, the engines give 17...Qa5 or 17...Qa6, claiming equality.

17.d5 b5 18.Qxa6 cxd5 19.Nd4

How should Black respond?

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19...c5?

The engines suggest 19...Rg8, but give White at least the upper hand.

White to play and gain a winning advantage

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20.Bxd6??

Simplest is 20.Ne6 Rg8 21.Nxc5, when White's advantage is worth between two and three pawns, according to the engines, but they also reckon 20.Rxe7!? and 20.Qc6 win. After the text, Black, not White, has a large advantage.

20...Bxd6 21.Qxb5?!

The engines prefer 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.N4f3, but agree Black is winning after 22...Bf4 (both 22.Nxb5? and 22...Qxb5? 23.Qxb5 Nxb5 make ...Bf4 even stronger).

21...Qxb5 22.Nxb5 Bf4 23.Nb3

This may be best. Certainly there is no way to save the exchange.

23...Bxc1 24.Rxc1 Rb8 25.a4 c4?!

Now a white knight will have a strong outpost at d4. The engines prefer 25...Rfc8.

26.Nc5 Be8!? 27.Ne6 Rf7 28.Nec7 Bxb5 29.Nxb5 Ra8 30.Re1 h6 31.Re6?!

The engines much prefer 31.Rd1 or 31.Ra1.

31...Rd7 32.Rb6 Rxa4 33.Nd6 Kh7 34.Kf1 Re7 35.g4 Ra1+ 36.Kg2 Rd7 37.Kf3 Rh1 38.Kg2 Re1 39.Nf5 Ra1 40.Kf3 Rh1 41.Kg2 Re1 42.Kf3 Kg6 43.Kf4 Re4+ 44.Kg3 Re5 45.Nd4 Kf7 46.f4!?

The engines prefer temporising with 46.Rb5 or 46.Rb4.

46...Re3+ 47.Kg2 Ree7 48.Nf5 Re6 49.Rb5 Re2+ 50.Kf3 Rd2 51.h4 Rd3+ 52.Kf2 Kg8 53.h5 Rd2+ 54.Kf3 Kh7?

This throws away Black's advantage.

White to play and equalise

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55.Ke3?

After 55.Rb8, it seems Black cannot make progress. and the engines come to call the position completely equal.

55...Rd1 56.Ke2

Now 56.Rb8 can be met by, for example, 56...Rf1 or 56...Ra7, when the engines agree Black is winning. Going back to the diagram, however, 55.Rb8 Rd1 56.Nh4 is equal, thanks to the threat of 56.Ng6, whereas after 55.Ke3? Rd1 (as in the game) 56.Rb8 Ra7 57.Nh4, Black has 57...Re7+.

56...Ra1 57.Rb6 Raa7 58.Ke3 Rab7 59.Rxb7 Rxb7

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

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Black's advantage is the equivalent of being about a rook up, according to the engines.

60.Kd4 Rxb2 61.Kxd5 Rg2 62.Ne3 Rg3 63.Kd4 Kg8 64.f5!? Kf7 65.Ke4 Ke7 66.Kf4 Rg1 67.Ke4

Or 67.Nxc4 Rc1 68.Ne3 Kd6 (68...Rxc3?? 69.Nd5+) 69.c4 Kc5 70.Ke4 Rc3 71.Kf4 Kd4 and 72...Rxc4.

67...Kd7 68.Kd4 Rg3 69.Ke4 Kc6 70.Kf4 Rg1 71.Nxc4

There is nothing better.

71...Rc1 72.Ke4

Or 72.Na5+ Kb6 73.Nc4+ Kc5 74.Nb2 Kd5 75.Na4 Rc2 76.Ke3 Kc6 (threatening to win the knight with ...Ra2) 77.Kd4 Rg2 and ...Rxg4(+).

72...Rxc3 73.Kd4 Rg3 74.Ne3 Kb5 75.Ke4 Kb4 76.Kf4

Black to play and win

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76...Rxe3!
The pawn ending is a win for Black.

77.Kxe3 Kc3 78.Ke4

DS offered a draw in my time.

78...Kd2 79.Kf3

Or 79.Kd5 Ke3 80.Ke6 Kf4 81.Kf7 Kxg4 82.Kxg7 Kg5 etc.

79...Kd3 80.Kg3

Or 80.Kf4 Ke2 81.Kf4 Kf2 82.Kf4 Kg2 etc.

80...Ke3 81.Kh3 Kf3 82.Kh4 Kg2 83.g5 hxg5+ 84.Kg4 Kh2 85.h6!? gxh6 86.Kh5

Black to play and maintain the win

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86...Kg3?

Both 86...Kh3 and 86...Kh1 win.

87.Kg6!

There is no longer a win

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87...Kf4

Or 87...Kh4 88.Kxf6 g4 89.Kg6!? (other moves also draw, including 89.Ke6, but the engines marginally prefer the text) g3 90.f6 g2 91.f7 g1=Q+ 92.Kxh6, with a book draw, thanks to White having a bishop's pawn on the seventh rank.

88.Kxf6 g4 89.Ke6 g3 90.f6 g2 91.f7 g1=Q 92.f8=Q Kg3

I offered a draw, but DS apparently did not hear, or did not understand what I was saying.

93.Qg7+ Kf2 94.Qxg1+ ½–½

Fascinating Ending

HERE is a a fascinating and instructive endgame position from Carl Portman's Never Mind The Grandmasters column in Chess magazine.

Black to make his 33rd move in Portman (1888 ECF) - Tayeb Kazemi (1791 ECF), Leamington (Warwickshire) League 2026

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Pawn endings with rival majorities are tricky, no matter how equal the engines reckon the position is (completely equal, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1).

So how does one go about gaining winning chances, or, at least, setting the opponent problems?

The answer, I believe, is to try to create a passed pawn that will divert the enemy king, leaving your own king free to attack weak enemy pawns, and thus create another, this-time-winning, passer.

Here is an example from a 1991 rapid game at London's Barbican.

Black has just captured a knight on e6 in Spanton (151 BCF) - Martin Cutmore (152 BCF)

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I played 26.Kf3, as advancing the king is rarely wrong in such positions, although the engines marginally prefer 26.g4!?

After 26...h5, I took the chance to also advance my backward pawn with 27.e4, and following 27...dxe4+ 28.Kxe4, we have a position with rival pawn-majorities.

The game is completely equal, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1

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28...f5+?

This natural-looking move not only gains space, but comes with a check, and yet after it Black is lost. The engines reckon several moves maintain the balance, including 28...g6, 28...a5 and 28...b5.

The problem with the text is that after 29.Kf4, Black is obliged to defend the kingside as 29...Kd5 30.Kxf5 Kxd4 is hopeless, eg 31.Kg6 Ke3 32.Kxg7 Kf4 33.Kh6 Kg4 34.g3, when Black's king will eventually have to move, allowing Kxh5.

My opponent played 29...Kf6 (29...g6 runs into the same trouble as in the game after 30.Kg5 Kf7 31.c4), but 30.c4 g6 31.d5 cxd5 32.cxd5 created a diverting passed pawn.

The game finished 32...a5 33.b3 b5 34.a4 b4 35.g3 Ke7 36.Ke5 1-0.

Returning to Portman-Kazemi, what would you play in the diagram position?
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The game saw 33...h5?, which, probably to both players' surprise, loses.

CP states that, after the move, "the engines goes up to '+7' for White." I do not know which engine he is talking about, but for a long time Stockfish18 puts White's advantage at a little over 3.00, while Dragon1 gives White only the upper hand. However, after allowing them more time than I usually would, Stockfish18's evaluation rises to just over +4.00, while Dragon1 agrees White is winning, but puts the advantage at a little under +2.00.

Even so, whatever the precise number, there seems little doubt White is winning, whereas moves such as 33...g4!? (CP's suggestion) and 33...a5 keep the game level.

I might have been inclined to play 33...Kd5, and if, as in the game, 34.c4, a sample continuation runs 34...bxc4+ 35.bxc4+ Kd6, when neither side is able to safely create a diverting passer.

In the game, White met Black's faulty 33rd move by gaining space with 34.c4!, which the engines agree is the strongest continuation by some distance.

There followed 34...a6 35.a4 Kd6 36.a5 Ke6.

How should White proceed?

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37.Ke3

Also winning is 27.h4 - the idea will become apparent as the game progresses.

However, simply creating a passed pawn is NOT the way to go. Indeed, 37.cxb5?? turns a win into a loss after 37...cxb5 as, far from diverting Black's king, the sequence allows the king to advance to the d5 square, eg 38.Ke3 Kd5 39.Kd3 f4 40.gxf4 gxf4, when it is Black who has created a diverting passer, a possible continuation being 41.b4 f3!? 42.Ke3 f2 43.Kxf2 Kxd4 etc, or 41.h4 b4 42.Ke2 Kxd4 etc.

37...Kd6 38.h4!?

This could also have been played in answer to 37...Kf6.

38...bxc4 39.bxc4 gxh4

Or 39...g4 40.Kf4 Ke6 41.Kg5 etc.

40.gxh4 Ke6

Black has created a passed pawn, but rather than diverting White's king from a crucial part of the board, the sequence has created weak squares that invite the king to advance

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41.Kf4 Kf6 42.d5!?

But this does create a passer that diverts.

42...cxd5

Or 42...c5 43.d6!? Ke6 44.d7 Kxd7 45.Kxf5 etc.

43.cxd5 Ke7

As CP points out, 43...Kg6 loses to 44.Ke5.

44.Kxf5 (1-0, 53 moves).

So why was 33...h5? weak? The answer is it eventually let White create kingside weaknesses in Black's position with 38.h4!?

Could Black have prevented this? Well, he could have prevented the h4 thrust, eg with 34...g4, but that does White's job for him by immediately creating black kingside weaknesses, a likely continuation being 35.Ke3 a6 36.Kf4 Kf6 37.cxb5 cxb5 (37...axb5 38.a4) 38.d5, when the diverting passer wins.

As is often the case, a 'simple' pawn ending has proved to be anything but simple.

4NCL Round 10

PLAYED on board one (of six) for Wessex B against a junior (born 2009) for Ashfield 2 this afternoon.

Sebastian Griffin-Young (1901 ECF/1841 Fide) - Spanton (1940 ECF/1911 Fide)

King's Indian Attack

1.g3 d5 2.Nf3 c5 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.0-0 e5 5.d3 Nf6 6.e4!?

Contrary to first impressions, 6.e4!? does not lose a pawn

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6...dxe4 7.dxe4 Qxd1 8.Rxd1 Bg4

If 6...Nxe4?!, then 7.Nxe5! is good for White as 7...Nxf2?? (this has been played) loses to 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.Kxf2.

9.Re1 Rd8

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer getting the queen's rook to d8 via 9...0-0-0.

10.Na3!?

This is not in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, which has 10.h3, 10.c3 and 10.Nbd2? (10...Nb4).

10...Be7

The engines suggest 10...Be6!?, 10...h6 or 10...Bd6.

11.Nc4 Bxf3?!

Breaking the well-established rule that when you have a bad bishop (in this case the king's bishop, hemmed in by black pawns), you should not swop your good bishop.

12.Bxf3 0-0

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

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Black's light-square weaknesses are probably the main reason why the engines award White the upper hand.

13.Ne3 g6 14.c3 Kg7 15.Nd5 Rd7 16.Be3

The engines like 16.Nxf6!?, or starting to advance on the kingside with 16.h4 or 16.g4!?

16...b6

Black equalises (Stockfish17.1), or comes close to it (Dragon1), with 16...Nxd5!? 17.exd5 Na5.

17.Rad1

Again the engines like swopping on f6.

17...Rfd8

And here they again like swopping on d5.

18.Rd2

I will not repeat the obvious, but at this point the engines also like 18.Bc1!?, eg 18...h5 19.h4 Rd6 20.Kf1!?, claiming Black has nothing more constructive than 20...R6d7!?, but then they seem to run short of ideas, one line given being 21.Kg2!? Rd6 22.Kf1!?, nevertheless agreeing White has the upper hand.

18...Na5!?

Stockfish17.1 reckons this is even better, albeit marginally, than 18...Nxd5. Dragon1 is not so sure.

19.b3 Nxd5 20.exd5 Nb7

The engines suggest 20...c4!?, eg 21.b4 Nb7. However, Stockfish17.1 recommends sacrificing a pawn with 21.d6!? Rxd6 22.Rxd6 Rxd6 23.b4 Nc6, claiming the bishop-pair gives enough compensation.

21.c4 Nd6

How would you assess this queenless middlegame?

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White has the bishop-pair and a protected passed pawn, but the latter is well-blockaded, and only likely to become dangerous in an ending. Meanwhile, the bishops do not have open diagonals on which to work. The engines call the game equal.

22.Rde2 f5 23.Bg2 Bf6 24.h3 h5 25.h4 Re7 26.f3!? Rde8 27.Bf2 g5!?

The engines prefer 27...e4 or 27...a5.

28.hxg5 Bxg5 29.Be3?!

Unnecessarily giving up the bishop-pair. The engines suggest getting White's queenside going with 29.b4!?, eg 29...cxb4? 30.c5. Better is 29...Nxc4, but 30.bxc5 bxc5 31.Bh3!? gives White plenty for a pawn, with the position opening up for the bishops.

29...Bxe3+ 30.Rxe3 Kf6 31.Kf2

How should Black proceed?

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31...f4

This is reasonable, but best may be the engines' 31...h4!?, eg 32.gxh4 f4 33.R3e2 Rh7, when Black will regain the pawn, with a position the engines disagree about. Dragon1 reckons Black is winning, but Stockfish17.1 gives Black only the better part of equality. Allow the engines more time, and they start to see more resources for White, with Dragon1 downgrading Black's advantage to the upper hand, and Stockfish17.1 giving Black a tiny edge worth about a tenth of a pawn. A possibly better response is 32.f4!?, when 32...hxg3+ 33.Kxg3 again brings disagreement, except both engines reckon Black is at least equal.

32.Rd3!?

Possibly better is 32.R3e2, or 32.gxf4 exf4 33.Rxe7 Rxe7 34.Rh1.

32...fxg3+ 33.Kxg3 Rg8+ 34.Kf2 Reg7 35.Bf1 Nf5

How should White proceed?

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36.f4!?

The engines like this pawn sacrifice to activate the e1 rook, although they reckon other moves also give complete equality.

36...exf4 37.Re6+ Kg5 38.Bh3 Nd4 39.Re5+ Kh4 40.a3!?

40.Re4 and 40.d6!? maintain equality, according to the engines. They strongly dislike the text at first, but, given time, Stockfish17.1 reckons White is still holding, although Dragon1 gives Black the upper hand.

40...Rg3

Dragon1's idea at first is 40...f3, but 41.Bf1 seems to hold, It switches to 40...Rg5, but White seems fine after 41.Rxg5, followed, whichever way Black recaptures, by 42.d6!? Dragon1 later likes the text for a while, and the move comes to be Stockfish17.1's top choice, again for a short time.

41.Bf1?

But the engines agree this is wrong, preferring 41.Rxg3 Rxg3 42.Bg2, with what they reckon is enough compensation for a pawn.

Black to play and win

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41...Rxd3?

Simplification helps White. The engines reckon both ...Kg4 and ...a5 win, eg 41...Kg4 42.d6!? Rd8 43.Rd5, and now 43...Rxd3 44.Bxd3 h4, with a large advantage for Black.

42.Bxd3 Rg3 43.Be2!?

The text threatens mate in one, but White completely equalises with 43.Be4, according to the engines.

43...Nxe2 44.Kxe2

Black has one move that wins (Dragon1) or draws (Stockfish17.1), but plenty of continuations that lose

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44...Rg7?

Correct is 44...Rg5!, when 45.Rxg5?! Kxg5 gives a pawn ending that, despite White's protected passed pawn, is won for Black (Dragon1) or at least gives Black the upper hand (Stockfish17.1), eg 46.Kf3 h4 47.Kg2 Kf5 48.Kf3 h3 49.a4 Ke5 50.Kf2 Kf5 51.Kf3, after which it is hard to see how Black makes progress, even though Dragon1 reckons Black's advantage is equivalent to more than four pawns. However, note that 46.d6? definitely loses to 46...Kf6 47.Kf3 Ke6 48.Kxf4 Kxd6 49.Kg5 Ke5 etc.

Instead of trading rooks, White can play 45.Re7, when 45...Kg3 is completely equal (Stockfish17.1) or leaves Black with the upper hand (Dragon1). This time, however, giving the engines more time leads Stockfish17.1 to backtrack a little and award Black a slight edge. Play might continue 46.d6 f3+ 47.Kf1 Rg6 48.d7 Rd6 49.Rg7+ Kf4 50.Kf2 Rd2+ 51.Ke1!? Rd3 52.Kf2 h4 53.Rh7 Kg5 54.b4!?, after which the engines agree the position is completely equal.

45.Kf3

White is winning easily

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45...Rf7 46.d6 Rg7 47.Rd5 Rg3+ 48.Kxf4 Rg4+ 49.Ke5 Rg8 50.d7 Rd8 51.Kd6 Kg4 52.Kc7 1-0

After 52...Rxd7 53.Rxd7 h4, White sacrifices the rook for the h pawn, leaving White's king to mop up the black queenside pawns.

Final standings in the triangular match:
Wessex B 3.5-2.5 Iceni2
Ashfield 2 4-2 Wessex B
Iceni 2 1-5 Ashfield 2

World Team 65+ Round Two

Bo.	46	England - 5	Rtg	-	33	Ireland - 1	Rtg	0 : 0
19.1		Freeman, Richard C P	1897	-	FM	Smith, Andrew Philip	2118
19.2	CM	Stokes, Michael	1861	-		Noone, Joe	1946
19.3		Spanton, Tim R	1908	-	CM	MacElligott, Gerard	1979
19.4		Marshall, Michael	1859	-		Gaffney, Michael	1919

Spanton (1908) - Gerald MacElligott (1979)

French Alekhine-Chatard

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.h4!?

The starting position of the famous Attack, apparently first played by Adolf Albin in 1890

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6...h6

This is the second-most popular continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database. Stockfish17.1 prefers accepting the gambit with 6...Bxg5 7.hxg5 Qxg5 8.Nh3 Qh4!?, while Dragon1 likes the text, and 6...0-0!?

7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.Qg4

This is the commonest continuation, but the engines prefer 8.f4.

8...0-0 9.f4

Alekhine played 9.0-0-0 in a 1930 simul.

9...f5!?

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring the more popular 9...c5.

10.Qg6!?

White need not fear an exchange of queens. After 10...Qf7 11.Qxf7+ Rxf7 12.Nf3 the engines give White at least the upper hand.

10...Rd8!?

Seemingly a novelty. The engines at first suggest 10...c5, 10...Nc6 or 10...a6, albeit with advantage to White, but Dragon1 comes to prefer 10...Qf7, at least for a while.

11.Nf3

The engines reckon 11.g4!? Nf8 12.Qh5 leaves White with a positionally won game.

11...Nf8 12.Qg3 a6

The engines recommend 12...c5!?, not fearing Nb5-d6.

13.Qf2 c5!? 14.dxc5 Nbd7 15.Na4!?

White should play 15.Nd4 or 15.0-0-0, according to the engines.

15...b5

How should White proceed?

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16.Nd4?

Initiating a faulty combination. Instead 16.Nb6 Nxb6 17.cxb6 Qb4+ 18.c3! Qf4 19.h5 gives White a slight edge (Stockfish17.1) or at least equality (Dragon1).

16...bxa4 17.Nc6 Qe8

Also good is 17...Qxc5!? 18.Qxc5 Nxc5 19.Nxd8 Bd7.

18.Bd3 Bb7 19.Na5!?

How should Black proceed?

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19...Rdb8!

Black is winning after this, according to the engines, whereas they reckon 19...Rab8 20.c6 Ba8 (20...Bxc6?! 21.Nxc6 forks the black rooks) 21.c7 Rxb2 22.cxd8=Q Qxd8 23.Nb3! axb3 24.axb3 gives White at least equal chances. A little better is 19...Bc8 20.c6 Qe7 (20...Nb8? 21.c7 Rd7 22.Qb6) 21.cxd7 Bxd7, but the text is best.

20.Nxb7 Rxb7 21.c6 Rxb2 22.cxd7 Qxd7

Even stronger, according to the engines, is taking with the knight.

23.0-0

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

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Black's extra pawn is doubled, but the black king's rook is well-placed. The engines reckon Black is winning, or at least has the upper hand, but do not agree on how to go about maintaining Black's advantage.

23...Qa7

But they do agree exchanging queens is the wrong plan. Perhaps best is 23...Qf7!?, eg 24.a3!? Rab8!? 25.g4!? (25.Bxa6 Qe7 26.Bd3 Nd7 27.h5 Kh7) R8b3!? 26.Rad1!? Qg6!? 27.Qg2!? Qf7!? 28.gxf5 exf5, but I am far from understanding the ideas behind the vast majority of these engine moves.

24.Rfb1

The engines give 24.Qxa7 Rxa7 25.c4, but their evaluations of the resulting position differ markedly, and fluctuate.

24...Qxf2+ 25.Kxf2 Rab8

25...a3!? may be better, but the evaluations fluctuate wildly, with at one point Dragon1 claiming Black is winning while at the exact same moment Stockfish17.1 calls the game equal. Given plenty of time, their evaluations merge somewhat, eventually stabilising at the upper hand for Black (Dragon1) or equality (Stockfish17.1)

26.Rxb2 Rxb2 27.a3!

An important move that seems to give White equality, whereas allowing 27...a3 appears to leave Black with at least a slight edge.

27...Nd7 28.Ke3 Kf7 29.Kd4 Ke7?!

This allows White the upper hand, according to the engines.

What should White play?

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30.h5!

Fixing Black's h and g pawns, and preparing to open the kingside with g4. Black should have played 29...h5 or 29...g6, according to the engines.

30...Rb6

30...Nb8!? is suggested by the engines, but with the upper hand for White.

31.g4! fxg4 32.Rg1 Kf7 33.Rxg4 Rc6 34.Rg6 Nf8 35.Rg1 Nd7

35...Rb6 occupies the open file, but the engines agree White is winning, eg 36.f5 exf5 37.Bxf5 Rb5 38.Rg3!? a5 39.Rc3 Ne6+ 40.Bxe6+ Kxe6 41.Rc6+ Kf7 42.Rc7+ Kf8 43.e6 Rb8 44.Rf7+ Kg8 45.Ke5 Rc8 46.Rf2 etc.

36.Rb1 Nb6

Even worse is 36...Rb6? 37.Rxb6 Nxb6 38.Kc5!

37.Bxa6

With the number of pawns aside now equal, White's rook-and-bishop combo gives a large advantage

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37...Nc4 38.Rb7+ Kf8 39.Rb8+

More precise is 39.Bb5 Rc8 40.Bc7.

39...Ke7

If 39...Kf7, White needs to play 40.Rb7+ Kf8, and now 41.Bb5, as in the previous note, but with two extra moves thrown in.

40.Bb5 Rc7 41.Re8+ Kf7

White to play and win

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42.f5!

The only winning move, but plenty good enough.

42...exf5

The pawn ending after 42...Re7 43.Rxe7+ Kxe7 44.Bxc4 dxc4 45.fxe6 Kxe6 46.Ke4 is an easy win for White, eg 46...c3 47.Kd4 g5!? (47...Kf5 48.Kd5) 48.hxg6 h5 49.Ke4 h4 50.Kf4 h3 51.Kg3 etc (Black cannot capture on e5 without allowing the g pawn to queen).

43.Kxd5 Nb6+

Or 43...Nxa3 44.e6+ Kf6 45.Rf8+ Kg5 46.Bxa4 Nxc2 47.Rf7 Ne3+ 48.Kd6 Rc8 49.e7 etc.

44.Kd6 Rxc2 45.e6+ Kf6 46.Rf8+ Kg5 47.e7

Not 47.Rxf5+?? Kxf5 48.Bd3+ Kf6 49.Bxc2 as Black has 49...Nc4+, after which White cannot get out of check without losing the e pawn, eg 50.Kd5!? Ne3+ 51.Kd6 Nc4+ (51...Nxc2?? 52.e7) 52.Kd7 Ne5+.

47...Nc8+

Only one move maintains the win

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48.Rxc8!

After, say. 48.Ke6 Nxe7! 49.Kxe7 Rc3, the game is drawn, according to the engines.

48...Rxc8 49.e8=Q Rxe8 50.Bxe8

Black's kingside pawns are too far from queening to save the game

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50...f4 51.Bxa4 Kxh5 52.Bd1+ Kh4 53.Ke5 Kg3 54.Ke4 g5 55.a4 h5!? 56.Bxh5 g4 57.Kf5 f3 58.Bxg4 f2 59.Be2 1-0

Team Result
Freeman (1897) = Smith (2118)
Stokes (1861) 1-0 Noone (1946)
Spanton (1908) 1-0 MacElligott (1979)
Marshall (1859) = Gaffney (1919)
England 5 3-1 Ireland