European 65+ Team: Game Eight

Mountain view

Sweden 1 v England 3

Anders Wengholm (2171) - Spanton (2003)

English Symmetrical

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e3 Nf6!? 5.d4 cxd4 6.exd4

The idea of playing 4...Nf6!?, rather than the more popular 4...Bg7, is so 5.d4 cxd4 6.exd4 can be met by ...

6...d5

... when Black is playing the white side of a Tarrasch Defence to the Queen's Gambit, but with a tempo less.

How should White proceed?

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7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qb3 Nxc3 9.Bc4!? Nd5!? 10.Bxd5 e6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6

How would you asses this opening position?

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Black has the bishop-pair, but has an extra pawn island and is behind in development. Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon White is slightly better.

12.0-0 Bg7

The main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 12...Qd5 13.Be3 f6!? 14.Rfc1 Bd6 15.Nd2, with White maintaining a slight edge, according to the engines, but there are many plausible alternatives along the way.

13.Bg5

The engines reckon the immediate 13.Bf4 gives White the upper hand.

13...f6!? 14.Bf4 g5!?

The engines are fine with this apparent-novelty, switching between it and the known 14...0-0 as their top choice, although Dragon1 comes to also like another apparent-novelty in 14...Qd5.

15.Bg3!?

The engines agree with offering the d pawn.

How should Black proceed?

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15...h5?!

Probably a pawn move too many. The engines suggest 15...Qd5 or 15...0-0, but reckon 15...g4?! 16.Nd2 (the engines prefer this over 16.Nh4) Qxd4? is asking for trouble, eg 17.Nc4 0-0 18.Rad1 Qe4 19.Rfe1, and either 19...Nd6 or 19...Bd6, in each case with more than enough for a pawn.

16.h4!?

The engines rate this more highly than 16.h3.

16...g4 17.Nd2 0-0

Again, taking on d4 is bad.

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

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Black still has the bishop-pair, but lags in development and has numerous weaknesses. The engines agree White has at least the upper hand.

18.Qe3!?

This is the engines' top choice.

18...f5 19.Nb3 Qf6 20.Bf4 Qxh4!?

This comes to be quite liked by the engines, but they eventually prefer 20...a5 or 20...c5!?

21.Rac1!?

This seems even stronger than 21.Bg5 f4 22.Bxf4 Qf6 23.Be5.

21...Qe7?!

Black should probably play 21...Bd7 or 21...Qf6, albeit with advantage to White.

22.Rxc6 e5?!

A pawn sacrifice for activity, but Black should probably settle for 22...Bd7.

23.dxe5 Bb7 24.Rd6 Be4?!

This hardly helps.

25.Rfd1 Rfd8

Not 25...Bxe5? 26.Bxe5 Qxe5 27.Qg5+.

26.Nc5 Bxe5?

A bad move in a bad position.

27.Rxd8+

By no means the only winning move.

27...Rxd8 28.Rxd8+ Qxd8 29.Bxe5

White is a knight to the good

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29...Qe7 30.Qb3+ Kh7 31.Qb8 g3 32.Nxe4 fxe4 33.Qc7 1-0

TEAM RESULT

Bo.	7	Sweden 1	Rtg	-	13	England 3	Rtg	3 : 1
5.1	CM	Wengholm, Anders	2171	-		Spanton, Tim R	2003	1 - 0
5.2		Jaderberg, Bjorn	2059	-		Freeman, Jon A	1950	½ - ½
5.3		Lagerborg, Krister	2041	-		Guilfoyle, John M	1921	1 - 0
5.4	CM	Soderberg, Per	2022	-		Wilson, Edgar	1903	½ - ½

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

League Chess

GOT home yesterday afternoon in time to play last night on board five (of eight) for Battersea against Kings Head in London League Division Two.

Spanton (1954) - Andrew Gilfillan (2080)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Qe2!?

The commonest moves in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 4.e5, 4.Bxc6 and especially 4.Nc3.

4...g6 5.c3 Bg7 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 0-0 8.Nc3 d6 9.0-0

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

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White has more space in the centre, and that is enough for a slight edge, according to Dragon1, although Stockfish18 is less sure.

9...Bg4 10.Be3 Nd7!?

The engines like this.

11.Rfd1

11.Rad1!? is marginally preferred by the engines.

11...e5!?

Grandmasters have played 11...a6 or 11...Rc8, but the text is the engines' choice.

12.Bxc6!? bxc6 13.h3 Bxf3 14.Qxf3 f5!

This looks bad at first glance, but after ...

15.exf5

... Black has a zwischenzug that grabs space in the centre.

15...d5 16.dxe5 Rxf5 17.Qe2 Nxe5

How should White proceed?

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18.f4?

The position is equal after 18.Qa6!? or 18.Rac1, according to the engines.

18...Nc4 19.Bd4

Perhaps the engines' 19.Bc5!? is best, but 19...Qe8!? seems a strong reply, eg 20.Qf2 can be met by 20...g5 or 20...Qb8.

19...Bxd4+ 20.Rxd4 Qb6 21.Qf2 Qxb2 22.Qxb2 Nxb2

How would you assess this queenless late-middlegame?

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Black has more pawn islands, but Black's extra pawn and connected passers add up to a winning advantage, according to the engines.

23.Re1 Nc4 24.Re6 Rc8 25.g4!? Rf7

The engines reckon 25...Rff8 is better.

26.Kg2 Rb7?!

The engines like 26...Kf8, intending ...Re7.

27.f5 Rb2+ 28.Kg3 Rc2 29.Ne2!?

Perhaps 29.Rd3 is better.

29...Kf7?!

The engines reckon Black has at least a slight edge after 29...Nd2!?

30.Rf4?

30.Rd3!? equalises, according to the engines, eg 30...Rxa2 31.Nd4 gxf5 32.gxf5 Re8!? 39.Rxe8 Kxe8 40.Nxc6 Ra6 41.Nb4 Ra3 42.Rxa3 Nxa3 43.Nxd5.

30...g5!? 31.Rf3 Nd2

Even stronger may be 31...c5!?

32.Ra3 Ne4+ 33.Kf3 Rc7 34.Ra6??

Black is only slightly better after 34.Nd4 or 34.Ke3, according to the engines.

34...Nc5

White is lost. The game finished:

35.Raxc6 Nxe6 36.fxe6+ Ke7 0-1

Kings Head won the match 6.5-1.5.

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

7/5/26      CLL      W        1939        2007              1           2037

9/6/26      LL         B         1954        2059              0           2024

23/6/26    LL         W        1954        2080              0           2012  

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.

Bad Neuenahr Round Seven

Spanton (1911) - Michael Negele (2149)

French Winawer

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

This is second in popularity to the mainline 5.a3.

5...Ne7

This is a normal way to the develop the black king's knight in the Winawer Variation of the French Defence, but here it has the added point that, in the event of Nb5, Black can castle before White continues with Nd6+

6.a3

Even so, the commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database is 6.Nb5, when 6...Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 0-0 8.f4 a6!? (8...cxd4 is also popular) 9.Nd6 cxd4 10.Nd4, gives a game with equal chances, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

6...Bxc3

How should White recapture?

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7.Bxc3

This is overwhelmingly most popular, but the engines fluctuate between it and 7.bxc3!?, which was played by Lajos Steiner in a win against Aron Nimzowitsch  in the 1928 stem game.

7...cxd4

The engines suggest 7...Nbc6 or 7...b6.

8.Bxd4

The engines prefer the much more successful 8.Qxd4, meeting 8...Nbc6 with 9.Qg4!?, claiming the upper hand for White, one point being 9...d4?! can be met by 10.0-0-0, and, if 10...Nf5, then 11.Nf3.

8...Nbc6 9.Nf3 0-0 10.Bd3

Preserving the bishop-pair with 10.Bc3 is recommended by the engines.

10...Nxd4 11.Nxd4 Ng6

The engines suggest 11...Nc6, or David Howell's 11...Qb6.

12.Bxg6!

Apparently a novelty, and much liked by the engines. Carles Díaz Camallonga (2467) - George Stoleriu (2349), Chess.com Blitz 2020, went 12.Nf3 Nf4!? 13.0-0 Bd7 14.Re1, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines (but 0-1, 80 moves).

How should Black recapture?

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12...fxg6!

The engines agree this is one of those rare occasions when capturing away from the centre is better, even though here it weakens e6.

13.0-0

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

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White has an unchallengeable knight on d4, and fewer pawn-islands, which combine to give the upper hand, according to Stockfish18, although Dragon1 only awards White a slight edge.

13...Bd7 14.Qd2 Rc8 15.c3 g5!?

The engines like this.

16.h3 h6 17.Rfe1 Qe8 18.Re3 Qg6 19.Qd3 Qxd3 20.Rxd3 Rf4 21.Re1 Rcf8 22.Rf3 Rxf3 23.Nxf3

How would you assess this ending?

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White has the better pawn-structure, and has good-knight-v-bad-bishop. But rook-and-bishop is nearly always a stronger partnership than rook-and-knight, especially with play over the whole board, so any opening up of the game could work in Black's favour, at least as long as rooks stay on the board. However, both engines give White the upper hand.

23...Kf7 24.Nd4 Ke7 25.Re3 a6!? 26.Kf1 Rf4 27.g3

Not 27.Rf3?, as both 27...Re4 28.Re3 Rxe3 29.fxe3, and 27...Bb5+!? 28.Ke1 Re4+ 29.Re3 Rxe3+ 30.fxe3, leave the game equal, according to the engines.

27...Rf8 28.Rf3 Rc8

The engines reckon White is only slightly better after 28...Rxf3!? 29.Nxf3, but it looks an unpleasant position for a human to defend.

29.Ke2 Be8 30.Re3 Bh5+ 31.f3 Rf8 32.Nb3 Be8 33.Nd4 h5!?

This is the engines' top choice.

34.Kf2 Bg6

On 34...g4 I intended 35.h4, with what the engines agree is a slight edge.

35.Ke2 Bb1 36.Nb3

The engines suggest 36.g4!?

36...b6 37.Nd4 Kd7 38.Kf2 a5!?

This is not liked by the engines. They prefer 38...g4 or 38...Bf5.

39.Ke2

White is much better after 39.Re1, according to the engines, one of their lines running 39...Bf5 40.g4 hxg4 41.hxg4 Bg6 42.Ne2!? Rh8 43.Kg3 Kc6 44.Rd1 Kc5 45.Nd4 Re8, although there is a lot of play left in the position, and there were many reasonable alternatives for both sides along the way.

39...a4!?

The engines are happy with this, even though it puts another pawn on a light square. I suppose the point is it restrains White's queenside, and anyway the pawn is hard for Black to get at.

40.Kf2 Ba2?!

MN strongly criticised this afterwards, saying the bishop was "so powerful" on the b1-h7 diagonal; the engines agree.

How should White proceed?

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41.Re1

Keeping the bishop off b1-h7, and freeing e3 for the white king.

41...Bc4 42.Ke3 Rh8 43.h4!?

With Black unable to create counterplay on the queenside (or in the centre), it is a good time to try to make gains on the kingside, especially with the bishop somewhat out of play.

43...gxh4

Not 43...g4? 44.fxg4 hxg4 45.Kf4!, eg 45...Rf8+ 46.Kxg4 Rf2 47.Re3 Rxb2 48.Kg5 Ra2 49.Rf3, when White's kingside play is much quicker than Black's on the queenside.

44.gxh4 Ke7 45.Rg1 Rg8?

Black had to play 45...Kf7, when the engines give White the upper hand, or at least a slight edge (Stockfish18 is less enthused than Dragon1). However, it is far from clear White can make progress, although White can keep probing, without much risk of losing.

46.Rg6

Winning a pawn, and the game.

46...Kf7 47.Rxe6 g5 48.Rf6+ Ke7 49.hxg5 Rxg5 50.Rf5 Rg2 51.Rxh5 Rxb2

Black is 'only' one pawn down, but White's e pawn wins easily

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52.Rh7+ Ke8 53.e6 Rb1 54.Kf4 Re1 55.Nf5!? 1-0

Bad Neuenahr Round Two

FACED a Fide master.

Kuno Thiel (2095) - Spanton (1911)

QGD Semi-Tarrasch

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Nc3 c5 5.cxd5 cxd4!? 6.Nxd4!?

More popular are 6.Qa4+ and especially 6.Qxd4.

6...exd5!?

After this the game soon transposes into a main tabiya of the pure Tarrasch, whereas Stockfish18 and Dragon1 prefer keeping the game in independent Semi-Tarrasch lines with 6...Nxd5.

7.g3 Nc6 8.Bg2

This position, which occurs 1,817 times in ChessBase's 2026 Maga database, more normally arises from the move-order 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 cxd4 8.Nxd4

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8...Bc5 9.Nxc6!?

More popular is 9.Nb3, when Black can hold on to the d pawn with 9...Bb4, albeit probably having to give up the bishop-pair, or can offer the d pawn with 9...Bb6!?, eg 10.Nxd5 Be6 11.e4 Bg4 12.f3 Be6 13.Nxb6 Qxb6, with an unclear game.

9...bxc6 10.0-0 0-0

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

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Black has more space in the centre, but Black's extra pawn island, and the vulnerability of the c and d pawns on half-open files, are probably more significant, which is presumably why the engines give White at least the better part of equality.

11.Na4 Bd6

Stockfish18 marginally prefers 11...Bb6!?, which Keres used to draw with Smyslov at the 1956 Candidates; Dragon1 disagrees.

12.Be3 Qe7 13.Qc2!? Bd7 14.Nc5 Rfe8 15.Rfe1

The engines like grabbing the bishop-pair with 15.Nxd7!?

15...Rab8 16.Rac1 Rec8!?

The engines suggest 16...Bg4!?

17.b3 Rb5!? 18.Bd4 Bg4!?

Here the engines prefer 18...Bxc5!? or 18...Be6.

19.e4 dxe4?

Possibly best is 19...Bxc5 20.Bxc5 Qd8, albeit White is on top.

20.Nxe4 Nd5?

Better, but still very good for White, is 20...Nxe4.

21.Nf6+!? 1-0

Premature resignation? Possibly, although after 21...Nxf6 22.Rxe7 Bxe7 the engines assess White's advantage as worth more than a piece.

World Team 65+ Round Seven

Bo.	46	England - 5	Rtg	-	28	England - 4	Rtg	0 : 0
17.1		Freeman, Richard C P	1897	-		Orton, Stephen L A	2117
17.2	CM	Stokes, Michael	1861	-		Hewson, Brian W R	2060
17.3		Spanton, Tim R	1908	-		Bray, David	1990
17.4		Marshall, Michael	1859	-		Hymer, Barry	1986

Spanton (1908) - David Bray (1990)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Nxc6 Bxc6 8.Bd3

This position occurs 1,799 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

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8...e5 9.0-0 0-0

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

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White has set up a Maróczy Bind, but capturing on c6, at a time when Black could reply ...bxc6, means Black is better-placed than usual to break the bind with ...d5. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon the game is equal.

10.Be3 d6

This is the main move, and was Kasparov's choice in a 1994 rapid loss to Kramnik. In his notes to the game, Kasparov gave the text a question mark, which almost certainly has more to do with the result than with the objective merits of the move. Kasparov recommended 10...Bxc3!? 11.bxc3 d6, claiming equality.

The break 10...d5!? has been tried, but after 11.exd5 (or 11.cxd5) Black is obliged to play 11...Bxc3, when 12.bxc3 cxd5 13.cxd5 (or 13.exd5) Nxd5 is not clear, but the engines give the apparent-novelty 14.Qc2!?, with chances for an advantage, eg 14...h6?! 15.Bc5 Re8 16.Rad1! is very good for White. Instead, 14...Nxe3!? 15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.fxe3 drops a pawn, but Black gets counterplay, one line running 16...Qg5 17.Be4!? (17.Rae1? f5) Qxe3+ 18.Kh1 Rb8 19.Bd5!?, after which Black has restored material equality, and has fewer pawn islands, but the less-safe king. Stockfish17.1 calls the chances equal, although Dragon1 favours White.

11.h3

This is the commonest move in Mega26. Kramnik played 11.Na4!?, but that allowed 11...d5!?, with apparently equal chances.

11...Bxc3!?

This also equalises, according to the engines.

12.bxc3

How should Black proceed?

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12...c5!?

This is Dragon1's second choice, but both engines slightly prefer 13...Be6. After the text, Black has closed the centre, making White's light-square bishop very bad, and has good prospects of winning the c4 pawn. But the d pawn is backward on a half-open file, and White gets dynamic kingside chances.

13.f4 Nd7!?

This was played in three of the four games to reach the position in Mega26. The other game saw 13...Qe7.

14.f5

A 2647 played 14.Rb1!? in a blitz game, but the engines reckon Black was better after 14...exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne5, although Black, rated 2193, went on to lose.

14...f6 15.g4 Qe7 16.Qd2 Ba6 17.h4

The engines calculate White is better after 17.Rf2, 17.Rf3 or 17.a4!?

17...Nb6 18.g5

The c4 pawn can hardly be saved (18.Qe2 Qe7), but better compensation is to be had with 18.Rad1 or 18.Rf2, according to the engines, eg 18.Rad1 Bxc4 19.Bxc4+ Nxc4 20.Qe2 Nxe3 21.Qxe3, after which Black will have great difficulty mobilising the extra (backward) pawn, or 18.Rf2 Bxc4 19.g5 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 d5 21.Kh2, when the engines reckon Black has an edge, but White has dangerous kingside chances.

18...Nxc4 19.Bxc4+ Bxc4 20.Rf3 Kh8 21.Rg3

Black has to be careful, eg 21...Rg8 22.g6 h6? (22...Qb7 is better) allows 23.Bxh6!

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21...Rad8

The engines suggest 21...Qb7 or 21...d5!?, eg 21...d5!? 22.exd5 fxg5!? 23.Rxg5!? Rad8 24.d6!? Rxd6!? 25.Bxc5 Rxd2 26.Bxe7 Rf7!, with much the better game for Black, but there are many alternatives along the way.

22.g6

The engines fluctuate between several moves, but come to more-or-less settle on 22.h5!? or 22.Kh2.

22...d5

Not 22...h6? 23.Bxh6!, when 23...gxh6? loses to 24.Qxh6+ Kg8 25.g7 etc, but even stronger than the text may be the engines' 22...Qb7!?

23.Qd1! Kg8?

Black should play 23...dxe4 or 23...d4, the point being to meet 24.Qh5 with 24...Bg8.

24.gxh7+?

Both 24.Qh5 and 24.Kh1 are stronger, eg 24.Qh5 h6 25.Kh1 (25.Bxh6!? Be2! 26.Qxe2 gxh6 is not so clear, but probably still winning for White) d4 26.Bxh6!, when 26...Be2!? fails to 27.Qxe2 gxh6 28.g7 Rf7 29.Qh5 Rxg7 30.Rag1 (the reason for playing 25.Kh1).

24...Kh8

How should White proceed?

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25.Kh2

Best may be 25.Qg4, one line running 25...Rf7 26.Bc1!? Kxh7 27.h5 Rh8 28.h6 Kg8 29.Rb1, with a continuing attack, but the position is complicated, and the engines have difficulty agreeing on anything.

25...d4 26.cxd4?

But they do agree that here White had to play 26.Bc1!?

26...exd4 27.Bf4 Qxe4 28.Qg4 Qe2+ 29.Qxe2 Bxe2

With queens gone, so are White's mating chances, leaving Black with an advantage worth more than a rook, according to the engines

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30.Rag1 Rf7 31.h5!? Bxh5 32.Rc1 Rc8 33.Rb3 c4 34.Kg3!? Kxh7 35.Rb2 g5!? 36.fxg6+ Kxg6 37.Rd2 Rd7 38.Be3 d3 39.Rc3 Be2

Black's passed duo is temporarily blockaded, and there are opposite-colour bishops, but that is not enough to hold against three extra pawns

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40.Rb2 Kf5 41.Rb5+ Ke4 42.Bd2 Kd4 43.Ra3 Rc6??

White to play and win

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44.Kf4!?

Black's king is trapped in the middle of the board, whereas many moves. instead of 43...Rc6??, would have won, including either rook to the g file.

44...Rc5

Or 44...c3 45.Ra4+ Rc4 46.Be3#.

45.Be3+ Kd5 46.Rxc5+ Ke6 47.Bd2 1-0

Team Result

Freeman = Orton

Stokes 0-1 Hewson

Spanton 1-0 Bray

Marshall 0-1 Hymer

England 5 1.5-2.5 England 4

World Team 65+ Round Four

Bo.	46	England - 5	Rtg	-	15	Sweden - 1	Rtg	0 : 0
11.1		Freeman, Richard C P	1897	-	GM	Akesson, Ralf	2316
11.2	CM	Stokes, Michael	1861	-	CM	Wengholm, Anders	2165
11.3		Spanton, Tim R	1908	-	FM	Hammar, Bengt	2099
11.4		Marshall, Michael	1859	-	CM	Soderberg, Per	2050

Spanton (1908) - Bengt Hammar (2099)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Nd7

This is second in popularity to 3...Bd7, but scores six percentage points more in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

4.c3

White obviously has a wide choice after 3...Nd7, but I was surprised to find 22 different continuations in Mega26, although admittedly they include 4.Nd4?? in a rapid game.

4...Nf6 5.Qe2 a6 6.Ba4 b5 7.Bc2 Bb7 8.0-0 e5

This position, which is somewhat reminiscent of a Spanish, occurs 142 times in Mega26

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9.d4 Be7

This is the commonest continuation, but Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer capturing twice on d4.

10.d5!?

A very committal move, but it is the engines' top choice. More popular in Mega26 are 10.a4 and especially 10.Rd1.

10...c4!? 11.b3 cxb3 12.axb3 0-0

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

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The engines award White the upper hand, presumably largely because of White's extra space in the centre, and, perhaps, the fact of having all pawns connected, whereas Black's are split into two islands.

13.Nbd2 Rc8 14.Bb2 Nb6 15.Rfc1 Nh5 16.g3 g6

How should White proceed?

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17.c4!?

An important move as White's centre is about to come under pressure.

17...b4!?

The engines fluctuate between the text, 17...f5 and 17...Qd7.

18.Nf1

A typical Spanish move, but the engines prefer going after Black's queenside with 18.Ra2, or 18.Ne1!?, intending 19.Nd3.

18...Nd7 19.Ne3

The engines still like Ne1 and Ra2, but reckon 19.Ra4 allows immediate equality with 19...a5.

19...Nc5 20.Rf1 Rc7?!

Black is also equal after ...a5 here, according to the engines.

How can White exploit Black's last move?

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21.Qd2

The b4 pawn cannot be successfully defended, although Black gets time to play on the kingside.

21...a5?!

This distracts a white rook from the back rank, but is probably not best. Black can keep material equality with 21...Nf6!? 22.Qxb4 N(either)xe4, but the engines reckon 23.Qe1!? gives White at least the upper hand. They recommend 21...Bc8 22.Qxb4 Bh3 23.Ng2 Qc8, but agree White has the upper hand after 24.Qe1!? or 24.Qc3.

22.Rxc5 Bc8 23.Kg2

The engines reckon 23.Qxb4!? is good, but then they would, wouldn't they?

23...f5 24.exf5 gxf5 25.h3?

Giving the white queen's knight a protected square (g4) in the event of ...f4, but the engines much prefer 25.Kh1!? or 25.Ra8.

How should Black proceed?

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25...Rb7?

Protecting b4 and hitting a5, but White has a strong reply. The engines reckon Black equalises with both 25...e4!? 26.Nd4 f4, and the sharp 25...Bg5 26.Qe2 Bxe3 27.Nxe5! (27.fxe3? Rg7), when 27...dxe5 28.Qxe3 Ne4!? 29.Bxe4 Fxe4 30.Bxe5 Rcf7 leaves Black with a knight for three pawns in a position the engines evaluate as completely equal.

White to play and gain a winning advantage

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26.Rxc5!

One of the easier exchange sacrifices to play. Also strong is 26.Ra8.

26...dxc5 27.Nxe5 f4?

The engines suggest 27...Bd6 or 27...Qd6, but agree White is winning.

White's winning combination is not hard to find

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28.Bxh7+! Kxh7

Moving the king to a dark square loses at least the queen to 29.Nc6+.

29.Qd3+ Kg8 30.Qg6+ Ng7 31.Nc6

Hitting the queen anyway.

31...Rf7

31...Bxh3+ can be simply met by 32.Kh2, and the engines show 32.Kxh3!? also wins.

32.Nxd8 Bxd8 33.Bxg7 1-0

After 33...Rxg7 34.Qe8+ Kh7 35.Qxd8 Bxh3+ 36.Kxh3 fxe3 37.fxe3 White has queen and three pawns for rook.

Team Result

Freeman 0-1 Akesson

Stokes 0-1 Wengholm

Spanton 1-0 Hammar

Marshall 0-1 Soderberg

England 5 1-3 Sweden