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

4NCL Easter Round Seven

TOOK a halfpoint bye in this morning's round six.

David Flynn (1867 ECF/1816 Fide) - Spanton (1944 ECF/1908 Fide)

Sicilian Hyper-Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Qxd4 Nf6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Qa4 d6 7.e5 dxe5 8.Nxe5

This position occurs 1,784 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database - how should Black proceed?

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8...Bg7!?

Offering at least one pawn. The main line in Mega26 runs 8...Bd7 9.Nxd7 Qxd7 10.Be3 Bg7 11.Rd1 Qc8!? 12.Be2 0-0 13.0-0, when White's bishop-pair and lead in development outweigh Black having the only pawn on the two centre files, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

9.Bb5

This is the most popular move in Mega26. It is also marginally the top choice of Dragon1, and will quite possibly give White the option of grabbing two pawns. Stockfish17.1, however, for quite some time marginally prefers 9.Nxc6, before coming to see the two moves as more-or-less exactly equal. After 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.Qxc6 Bd7, Stockfish17.1 reckons Black has sufficient compensation for a pawn, but Dragon1 gives White a slight edge.

9...0-0 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Bxc6 Rb8!?

Offering a second pawn. Instead 11...Bd7 12.Bxd7 Nxd7!? divides the engines as before, with Stockfish17.1 calling the position equal, while Dragon1 slightly prefers White. At move 12, instead of capturing on d7, White can also castle.

What should White play?

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12.0-0

This is the engines' recommendation. After 12.Qxa7!? they suggest an apparent-novelty in 12...Qd6!? (12...Bf5 is known), when 13.Bf3 Ba6 gives a sharp position with what the engines reckon are equal chances.

12...Bf5

More popular, and possibly marginally better, is 12...Qc7, while 12...a5!? has scored very well in practice.

13.Rd1 Qc7 14.Bf3 Rfc8!?

This may be new, and is the top choice of Dragon1, whereas Stcokfish17.1 prefers the known 14...a5.

15.Re1!?

Presumably in the hope of playing Bf4 without Black being able to reply ...e5. The engines suggest 15.h3 or 15.Rb1, but are fine with the text.

15...e5 16.Ne4 Bd7

The engines reckon Black should regain the sacrificed pawn immediately with 16...Nxe4 17.Bxe4 Bxe4 18.Qxe4 Qxc2.

17.Nxf6+ Bxf6 18.Qa6!? Rb6 19.Qe2 Qxc2 20.Qxc2 Rxc2

The pawn has been regained anyway, and the game is equal, according to the engines

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21.Be4 Rc7 22.b3 Be6 23.Bd2 Rd6

Perhaps 23...Ra6!?, with queenside pressure, is a tad better.

24.Be3 Bg7 25.Rac1 Rxc1 26.Rxc1 Ra6 27.Bb1 Ra5?!

The engines suggest 27...Bf8, 27...f5 or 27...e4!?

28.Rc5 Rxc5 29.Bxc5 a6 30.Bd3 Bc8 31.f3

Trying to centralise the king as quickly as possible, but 31.Bd6 gives White at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

31...Bf8 32.Bb6 Bb4 33.Kf2 Kf8 34.Ke3 f5 35.Bc4 Bb7 36.g3 Ke7 37.g4!? h6 38.gxf5 gxf5

Giving Black a 2-1 central pawn-majority seems a little strange, but the engines call the position completely equal

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39.Bd3 Bc8 40.Bc4 h5!? 41.Bd5 Be6 42.Bc6

Exchanging bishops is also OK for White, according to the engines.

42...h4!? 43.Bb7 a5 44.Bc6 Kd6 45.Bb7 Bc5+!?

There seems no other way to make progress. Dragon1 at first reckons the text gives Black the upper hand, but eventually agrees with Stockfish17.1 that the game remains equal.

46.Bxc5+ Kxc5

How should White continue?

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47.Kd3!?

The engines reckon both 47.f4!? e4 48.Ba6 and the immediate 47.Ba6!? are completely equal. Stockfish17.1 is also fine with the text, at least at first, but Dragon1 instantly calls it losing. Given more time, the engines come to agree it leaves Black slightly better. One point about 47.Ba6!? is that after 47...Kb4 48.Bd3 Ka3 49.Bb5 Kxa2 White has the neat trick 50.Bc4!, with what the engines reckon is complete equality.

47...Kb4

White seems to have only one drawing move

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48.Kc2

This looks natural, but the engines show White has to play 48.Ke3! Ka3 49.Ba6!?, again relying on the neat trick 49...Kxa2 50.Bc4!

48...Ka3 49.Kb1 Bd7 50.Bd5 Bb5 51.Kc2!?

The best try, but it should not save White.

51...Kb4!?

This may win, but other moves, eg 51...f4!?, are more convincing. However, not 51...Kxa2? 52.b4+.

52.a4?!

The engines suggest 52.Be6 f4 53.Kb2!?, but agree 53...e4!? is one of several winning moves. However, after, 54.Bg4 e3 55.a3+ Kc5 56. Kc3 Bc2 57.b4+ axb4 58.axb4+ Kd6!?, the picture is not as clear as Dragon1's assessment of +3.48 for Black makes it appear. Instead Stockfish17.1's +1.29, ie the upper hand, rather than winning, may be nearer the mark.

52...Bd7 53.Kb2 Kc5 54.Bb7 Be6 55.Kc3 f4!?

This is probably the key move, which has to be played at some point to bring home the full point.

56.Be4 Bd7

Also winning is 56...Bd5!?, but the lines get hairy, eg 57.Bxd5 Kxd5 58.Kd3 h3! 59.Kc3 e4 60.fxe4+ Kxe4 61.Kd2 f3 62.Ke1 Ke3 63.Kf1 f3, when there is no stalemate as White has to play the losing 64.b4. Alternatively, 58.b4 axb4+ 59.Kxb4 Kd4! 60.a5 e4 61.a6 e3 62.a7 e2 also loses as after 63.a8=Q Black queens with check, 63...e1=Q+, and then 64.Kb5 Qe2+ 65.Kb6 Qe6+ 66.Kc7 Qe5+ 67.Kd7 Qd5+ forces queens off, leaving Black with a winning pawn ending. Engines see these lines in the blink of a (human) eye, but over-the-board for club players it is another matter.

57.Bb7

DF offered a draw.

57...Bf5 58.Ba6

Or 58.Ba8 Be6 with ...Bd5 to come. The text is the engines' top choice.

58...e4 59.fxe4 Bxe4 60.Bc4 Bg2 61.Kd3

This lets Black get bishops off, but 61.Kd2 is also hopeless after, for example, 61...Bd5.

61...Bf1+ 62.Ke4 Bxc4 63.bxc4

Black wins the pawn race

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63...Kxc4 64.Kxf4 Kb4 65.Kg4 Kxa4 66.Kxh4 Kb3 67.Kg5 a4 68.h4 a3 69.h5 a2 70.h6 a1=Q 71.Kg6 Qh8 0-1

Kidlington U2000 Round Four

FACED a junior (born 2016).

Aviraj Bhaduri (1707) - Spanton (1929)

Sicilian Hyper-Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.c3 d5!?

The main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 3...Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.cxd4 d5 6.e5, with at least a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Bb5+!?

This trails 5.Be2, 5.Na3 and especially 5.d4 in popularity.

5...Bd7 6.Bxd7+ Nxd7 7.d4 Ngf6 8.0-0 Bg7 9.Be3 cxd4 10.Qxd4 0-0

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

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Black has the only pawn on the two centre files, which could be a middlegame asset, while White has the possible endgame asset of a farside pawn-majority. The engines reckon the position is equal. 

11.Re1!?

They much prefer 11.Rd1 or 11.Na3.

11...Rfe8

The engines reckon 11...e5 12.Qxd5 Nxd5 gives Black the upper hand.

12.Na3 a6 13.Nc4 b5 14.Nb6 Qxd4 15.Bxd4 Nxb6 16.Bxb6 Nd5 17.Bd4 e6 18.Bxg7 Kxg7

How would you assess this late-middlegame position?

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Black has more space on the queenside, but the only other major difference between the two sides is the rival pawn-majorities. The engines agree the game is equal.

19.g3 Rec8 20.Rec1 Rc7 21.Rc2 Rac8 22.Rac1 Kf6

Not 22...Nb4 23.Rd2 Nxa2? 24.Ra1 Nxc3 25.bxc3 Rxc3 as, after 26.Kg2, White is well-placed to blockade, and ultimately destroy, Black's connected passers.

23.a3 h5 24.Kf1 g5!? 25.Ke2 g4!? 26.Nd2 Ke7 27.Kd3 f5 28.c4 bxc4+ 29.Rxc4 Rxc4 30.Rxc4 Rxc4 31.Nxc4

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

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White's queenside majority looks dangerous, but the engines reckon the position is completely equal.

31...f4?

But this is the wrong plan. Instead 31...Nf6, eyeing the e4 square, keeps White in check.

32.Ke4 f3 33.Ne3?

White is winning after 33.Ke5, according to the engines.

How should Black proceed?

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33...Nb6

The engines prefer a move I dismissed without bothering to analyse, namely 33...Nxe3!? I assumed 34.Kxe3 gave White a winning pawn ending. However, after 34...e5!? 35.Ke4 Ke6 36.b4 Kd6 37.a4 Ke6 38.b5 axb5 39.axb5 (39.a5?? loses to 39...Kd6) Kd6 40.b6 Kc6 41.Kxe5 Kxb7 42.Kf5 Kc5 43.Kg5 Kd4 44.Kxh5 Kd3 45.Kxg4 Ke2 46.h4 Kxf2 47.h5 Kg2 48.h6 f2 49.h7 f1=Q 50.h8=Q Qf3+, the game is drawn.

34.b3 Nd7!?

The text is for a long time strongly disliked by Dragon1, but the move seems to be fine. However, the engines are sure Black maintains complete equality with 34...Kd6, one point being 35.Kf4? loses to 35...Nd5+, eg 36.Nxd5 Kxd5! 37.Kg5 e5 38.Kxh5 e4 39.Kxg4 Kd4 40.h4 Kd3 41.h5 e3 etc.

35.b4 Nb6 36.Nd1!?

The engines for quite some time marginally prefer this over 36.Ke5, but come to view the two moves as equal.

36...Nc4 37.a4 Nb6

Going after the h2 pawn with 37...Nd2+? does not work, eg 38.Kf4 Nf1? 39.Kg5 Nxh2 40.Ne3!? Kd6 41.Kxh5. Slightly better is 38...Kf6, but 39.Ke3 Nf1 40.Kd4, with b5 to come, wins for White.

How should White proceed?

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38.Nc3

Interesting is 38.a5!? Nd5 39.b5 axb5 40.a6 Nc7 41.a7, but both 41...b4 and 41...Kd6 seem to hold.

The engines suggest 38.Kf4!? Kf6 (38...Nxa4? 39.Kg5 Nb6 40.Nc3! is very good for White, and if 40...Nd5 41.Nxd5+ exd5, White wins with 42.Kxh5 d4 43.Kxg4 etc), and now 39.Nc3, when 39...e5+ 40.Ke4 Ke6 transposes to the final position in the game, except with White, rather than Black, to move. The engines reckon White has to continue 41.a5!?, when Dragon1's 41...Nd7?! loses, according to Stcokfish17.1, but 41...Nc4 42.b5!? axb5 43.a6 b4!? 44.a7 Nb6 45.Na4 Na8 seems to hold.

38...Kd6 39.Kd4

39.Kf4 Nd5+ 40.Nxd5 exd5! is completely equal, according to the engines.

39...e5+ 40.Kd3 Ke6 41.Ke4 ½–½

Cracovia 60+ Round Nine

FACED a Spaniard.

Spanton (1913) - Manuel Llopis de Aysa (2000)

QGD Exchange

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Be6 6.e3 0-0 7.Bd3 h6!?

There was a time, not so long ago, when ...h6 had a dubious reputation in the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. The problems were thought to be twofold: i) it provides White a target for a g-pawn push, or a possible piece sacrifice; ii) it takes away a square a black rook might want to use, after joining the third rank at d6 or e6, for putting pressure on White's kingside.

So what has changed? Nothing really - those criticisms are still valid, BUT 7...h6!? comes with engine approval, eg it is the top choice of Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1. Therefore, the argument goes, the benefits of ...h6 must outweigh its drawbacks.

The position after 7.Bd3 occurs 11,650 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

The continuation 7...c6 occurs 3,916 times (34%), 7...Nbd7 occurs 2,939 times (25%) and 7...h6 occurs 2,251 times (19%).

However, make the same search, but from 2023 onwards only, and the results are rather different. There is still quite a substantial number of games, 2,227, and 7...c6 is still most popular, but its 695 appearances represent a more modest 31%. In second place, with 630 games (28%). is 7...h6, while 7...Nbd7's 265 games is 12%.

In other words, in recent praxis, 7...c6 has slipped three percentage points, and 7...Nbd7 has dropped 13 percentage points, but 7...h6 has gained nine percentage points.

This is surely an example of how engines are affecting opening choices, even in non-tactical positional lines.

Back to the game.

8.Bh4 Re8 9.Qc2

Guess which move is Black's most popular continuation (hint: it is also liked by the engines)

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Well done if you plumped for 9...c5!? - you either know your (modern) theory, or you have a natural affinity for the Exchange Variation of the QGD.

I suspect most club players would give 9...c5!? little or no consideration. After all, what happens if White captures on c5, saddling Black with an isolated queen's pawn? Well, after 10.dxc5, the engines continue 10...d4!?, and if 11.exd4 (the most popular move in Mega26) Qxd4 (attacking the h4 bishop as well as the c pawn) 12.Nf3, then 12...Bd8+!?, when the engines reckon Black is at least equal.

The engines' alternative to 10.dxc5 is 10.Nf3 or 10.Nge2, but then 10...c4!? comes with tempo. For those who do not like the ...c4 move in such positions, 10...Nc6 looks reasonable.

9...c6

This, to me, is the most natural continuation, or, at least, the one I regard as being most 'normal' in this opening.

The position occurs 2,716 times in Mega26

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10.Nf3 Ne4 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Bxe4!?

This is very much second in popularity to 12.0-0, but it has been played by Magnus Carlsen and other strong grandmasters.

12...dxe4 13.Nd2 Bf5

ML offered a draw.

Who, if anyone, stands better?

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Equal chances, according to the engines.

14.0-0 Bg6 15.a3 Nd7 16.b4 Nb6 17.Na4 Nxa4

The engines reckon Black has at least the better part of equality after 17..Nd5.

18.Qxa4 a6 19.Qc2 Rad8 20.Nc4?!

The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting 20.Qc5 or 20.Rfc1 (one of the points of 20.Rfc1 is that it frees the f1 square for the knight).

20...Qg5

Best, according to the engines, is 20...Rd5, eg 21.Ne5 Bh5 22.h3 f6 23.Nc4 Rg5, when Black has promising kingside play.

21.Kh1 Bf5 22.Ne5 f6 23.Nc4 Be6 24.Rae1 Bxc4 25.Qxc4

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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Completely equal, according to the engines.

25...Qd5 26.Rc1 Qxc4 27.Rxc4 Rd5 28.Rfc1 Kf7 29.Rc5 Ke6 30.Kg1 Rb8 31.Kf1 Rxc5 32.Rxc5

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

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Completely equal, according to the engines.

32...Kd6 33.Ke2 b6 34.Rc2 Rc8 35.f3 exf3+!? 36.gxf3 Re8 37.Kd3 Re7 38.e4 Re8?!

Black should not do nothing - the engines suggest 38...g5, maintaining equality.

39.Rg2

The engines suggest 39.f4 or 39.a4.

39...Re7?!

White's rook should almost certainly not be allowed to occupy g6, so again ...g5 is called for.

40.Rg6

How should Black proceed?

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40...Kc7?!

The engines suggest 40...Ke6, or play on the queenside with 40...b5 or 40...a5, or 40...h5!?, but in each case with a large advantage to White.

41.f4 Rd7 42.Kc4

The engines suggest clamping down on the kingside with 42.h4, intending h5, or advancing on the queenside with 42.a4. If, for example, 42.h4 is met by 42...c5, then 43.bxc5 bxc5 44.d5.

42...Kd6!?

This is the best try, according to the engines, but they reckon White is winning.

How should White proceed?

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43.e5+?!

Winning a pawn, but letting the black rook become active. Instead, White should increase the pressure, eg 43.f5!? Kc7!? 44.a4 Rf7 45.a5 h5!? 46.h4 Kb7 47.Rg1 Re7 48.Re1 Rf7 49.Kd3 Kc7 50.Rc1 Kb7 51.c5 cxd5 52.exd5 bxa5 53.bxa5 Re7 54.Kd4, when White's advantage is worth more than a rook, according to the engines - Black's three kingside pawns are held up by two White pawns, leaving d5 a monster.

43...Ke6 44.exf6

The engines prefer 44.h4!?, and if 44...Kf6, then 45.Rg1!?, the point being 45...Kxf4? loses to 46.e6 Re7 47.Rf1+ Ke4 48.Re1+ Kf5 49.d5 etc.

44...gxf6 45.Rxh6 Rg7 46.Rh5 Rg1 47.f5+ Kd6 48.Rh6 Rc1+ 49.Kb3 Kd5 50.Rxf6 Kxd4 51.Kb2

Black has three plausible rook moves - which should he play?

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51...Rf1?

The engines agree this loses; they also agree 51...Rc4! draws. Stockfish17.1 reckons 51...Rh1!? also draws, but Dragon1 reckons it loses. Even after the 51...Rh1!? line is continued for several moves, eg 52.Rxc6 Rxh2+ 53.Kb3 b5 54.Rxa6 Rh3+ 55.Kc2 Rh2+ 56.Kd1 Rf2 57.f6 Rf5 58.Rd6+ Ke4, both engines persist in their different evaluations. One reason 51...Rc4! draws is that 52.h4 can be met by 52...Ke5.

52.Rxc6 Rf2+

How should White proceed?

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53.Rc2?

Both 53.Kc1 and 53.Kb3 apparently win, but the text does not. One winning line runs 53.Kc1 Rxf5 54.Rxb6 Kc3 55.Rc6+ Kb3 56.Rxa5, when White is three pawns up, and the Syzygy endgame tablebase confirms Black is lost.

53...Rxf5 54.h4 Rh5 55.Kb3!?

Black to play and draw

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55...b5?

The one plausible move that loses, according to the engines. Of course not 55...Rxh4?? 56.Rc4+ etc, but both 55...Kd5 and 55...a5!? leave White with at best a slight edge, according to the engines, although it takes Dragon1 a lot longer to realise this than Stockfish17.1. After 55...Kd5, White can protect the h pawn with 56.Rh2 or 56.Rc4, but there seems no way to make progress, while 56.Rd2+ Kc6 57.Rd4 does not change anything.

After 55...b5? it is White to play and win

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56.Rc6?

Thanks to 55...b5?, White's protecting the h pawn with 56.Rh2!? now wins, eg 56...Ke4 57.Kc3 Ke3 58.Rh3+ Ke4 59.Kc2!? Kd4 60.Ke2 Ke4 61.Kf2 Kf4 62.Rh1 Kg4 63.Ke4 Kf5 64.Kd4!? Kf6 65.Rh3!? (White's ability to temporise with the rook is what makes the endgame winning) Kf5 66.Re3!? Rxh4+ 67.Kc5 Rh6 68.Kd3 with Rd6 and Rxa6 to come. There are lots of alternatives along the way, but the engines are sure White always has a win.

56...Rxh4 57.Rxa6

The main difference between the position in the game and the one reached in the previous note is that in the game White's king is confined to the back three ranks.

57...Rh3+ 58.Kc2 Rh2+ 59.Kd1 Kd3 60.Ke1 Kc4 61.Rg6 Kb3 62.Rg3+ Ka4 63.Rd1 Ra2 64.Kc1 Rxa3 65.Rxa3+ Kxa3 66.Kc2 Kxb4 ½–½

With the b pawn in its half of the board, this is only a win for the attacking side if the king can get to one of three squares two ranks ahead, ie in this case a3, b3 or c3, and since White easily stops that with the obvious 67.Kb2, the ending is drawn

Lessons From Benidorm IV

MY round-five game, in which I had white against Spanish junior Tarek Kaji Senas (1711), reached an instructive endgame position after 31 moves.

Black has just played 31...Bh2-e5

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Material is level and both sides have doubled and isolated queenside pawns, one of which is under immediate threat. White has the only passed pawn, but Black has potential to create a passer on a flank.

Quite often in endgames, such a flank passer appears on the queenside, when it is well-known that its power to divert an enemy king can make it decisive. But that can easily also be the case with a passer on the kingside.

The position in the diagram is completely equal, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1, although their first reaction on being shown it is to slightly favour Black.

I suggest this means that, although theoretically equal, the position is easier for Black to play.

But what would be the verdict if the bishops were removed? 

Same position, but without bishops

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The position is still completely equal, according to the engines, but it is worth watching them play it out to see why this is the case.

Best play goes something like:*

32.Kf3 Kf7 33.Kf4 Kf6 34.e5+ Ke7 35.b4!? (this freezes Black's queenside pawns, and creates a reserve tempo in the shape of b2-b3) h6 36.h4 g5!? 37.hxg5 hxg5+ 38.Kxg5 Kxe5 39.Kg6 Kd4 40.Kf6 Kc4 41.Ke7 Kxc4 42.Kd7 c5 43.Kxc7 c4 44.Kc6 Kb3 45.Kc5 ½–½

*For most moves there are two or more continuations of equal value, and I have preferred what I reckon to be the most natural, or perhaps most human.

Going back to the first diagram, it might be thought White can draw with 32.Bc3?

After 32...Bxc3 33.bxc3 White's pawn-structure has been improved, but the game is lost.

If it were White to move, the game would be drawn, more-or-less as shown above, but the sequence 32.Bc3 Bxc3 33.bxc3 costs White a tempo, and that it is all it takes to turn a draw into a loss

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A likely continuation is 33...g5!? (33...Kf7 also wins) 34.Kf3 h5 35.b4 Kf7 36.e5!? Ke6 37.Ke4.

Black to play and win

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37...c5!

After 37...g4 38.hxg4 hxg4 39.Kf4 g3 40.Kxg3 Kxe5 41.Kf3 Kd5 42.Ke3 Kc4 the white king is in time to protect c3 with 43.Kd2, and so the game is drawn.

38.bxc5

After 38.b5 c4 39.Kd4 Black creates a winning kingside passer with 39...g4.

38...c6 39.c4 h4! 40.Kd4 g4 etc.

Again going back to the first diagram, the game continuation was 32.Kf3!? Kf7 (32...Bxb2 33.Bf4) 33.Kg4 Ke6 34.Bf4!? Bxf4 35.Kxf4, resulting in a draw.

The engines reckon White has another draw with 32.Bc1!?

I rejected it for fear of getting into zugzwang, but a sample continuation shows my fear was ungrounded, eg 32...Kf7 33.Kf3 Ke6 34.Bf4, when 34...Bxf4 35.Kxf4 reaches the same drawn position as in the game.

LESSON: 'simple' endings can be just as deep, in their own way, as a middlegame slugfest.

League Chess

PLAYED on board five (of eight) for Battersea against East Ham in London League Division Two last night.

Spanton (1904) - Aakarsch Boswan (1982)

Caro-Kann Tartakower

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.Be3!?

This is fourth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but is liked by Stockfish17.1, along with the commonest continuation, 6.c3. Dragon1 likes 6.c3 and 6.h3!?

6...Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Nf3 Re8 9.0-0

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

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Appearances can be deceptive. White has the only pawn on the two central files, which is also the only pawn on a fourth rank, and White, unlike Black, has an undamaged pawn-majority, but the engines reckon the position is equal. Wikipedia tries to explain this paradox by explaining that ...exf6 "offers Black rapid development," which is true, but there is no reason why Black's development should be any more rapid than White's.

9...Nd7 10.c4 Nf8 11.Re1 Bg4 12.Be2!?

This position occurs 13 times in Mega26, but in each case with White to move, when the engines reckon White is slightly better

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12...Qd7

White's loss of a tempo gives Black equality, according to the engines, and the text is Stockfish17.1's top choice, although Dragon1 suggests 12...Ne6 or 12...Bb4!?

13.Qd2 Ng6 14.Rad1 Qf5

How should White proceed?

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15.c5!

The engines agree this is the only way to avoid a disadvantage.

Disastrous would be 13.h3? Bxh3! as 14.gxh3? Qxh3 wins for Black thanks to the threatened ...Nh4. Also losing is 15.Bd3? Qh5, when White has no good answer to 16...Bxf3, while the immediate 15.d5?!, which, like the text, also aims for central counterplay, is well-met by 15...c5.

15...Bc7 16.d5 cxd5 17.Qxd5 Qxd5 18.Rxd5

Now the queens are off the board, how should Black proceed?

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18...Nf4

Black still has kingside pressure.

The main alternative is 18...Be6, when 19.Rd3 Bxa2!? wins a pawn, but 20.b3 traps the bishop. However, after 20...Rad8 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Bc4 Black can try 22...Ne5 or 22...Be5, with an unclear position that Stockfish17.1 reckons gives equal chances, but Dragon1 reckons favours White.

19.Rd2 Nxe2+ 20.Rdxe2 Bxf3!? 21.gxf3

How would you assess this late-middlegame?

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White's pawn-minority has been smashed, but that is probably not as serious as it looks as White will in any case be defending on the kingside. Meanwhile White has a healthy farside pawn-majority, which for quite some time Dragon1 reckons gives White an edge, but the engine comes to agree with Stockfish17.1 that the position is equal.

21...Re6 22.Bd2 Rae8 23.Re4 f5 24.R4e3 Be5 25.b4 Bd4 26.Rxe6 Rxe6 27.Kg2?!

Best may be 27.Kf1.

27...Kf8?!

The engines give Black the upper hand after 27...Rxe1 28.Bxe1 Kf8.

28.Rxe6 fxe6

What should White play?

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29.f4!

This puts a fifth white pawn on a dark square, which is normally not a good idea in an ending when both sides have dark-square bishops. However, the engines agree f4 is the best move in the position, one point being 29.Kf1 is well-met by 29...e5.

29...Ke7 30.Be3!?

How should Black proceed?

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30...Bxe3!?

The engines reckon this results in a completely equal pawn ending, whereas 30...e5!? gives Black at least a slight edge, eg 31.fxe5 Bxe3! (31...Bxe5 is only equal, according to the engines) 32.fxe3 Ke6 33.Kf3 Kxe5, when Black's more-active king makes the black position easier to play, but the game should probably be drawn.

31.fxe3 Kd7?

The engines suggest 31..a6 or 31...b6.

White has one winning move - everything else loses

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32.b5!

The plausible 32.Kf3 Kc6 33.a4 loses to 33...a5 (33...Kd5 also wins), while 32.a4 Kc6 leads to similar results.

32...e5!?

Standing pat with, say, 32...Ke7 33.Kf3 Kd7 lets the white king manoeuvre to the queenside and force through a passed pawn, eg 34.Ke2 h6 35.h4 g6 36.Kd3 etc.

33.fxe5 g5

Or 33...Ke6 34.c6 bxc6 35.bxc6, when Black cannot capture on e5.

34.Kf3 h6 35.h3 h5 36.a4 a6!?

Black is lost anyway, eg 36...g4+ 37.hxg4 fxg4 38.Kf4 Ke6 39.a5 Kd7 40.c6+!? bxc6 41.b6 etc.

37.c6+ bxc6 38.bxa6 1-0

The match was drawn 4-4.

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         

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC - Battersea club championship