British 65+ Round Three

Spanton (1940 ECF/2003 Fide) - Hassan Erdogan (1889 ECF/1839 Fide)

Přibyl

1.Nc3 d6 2.d4 Nd7!? 3.e4 Ngf6 4.f4 e5 5.Nf3 exd4 6.Qxd4 c6

Via an unusual move-order, the game has reached a position that occurs 1,338 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, and is probably best classified as the Přibyl System within the Pirc

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7.a4!?

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 much prefer the mainline 7.Be3. Note that the tempting 7.e5!? can be met by 7...dxe5 8.fxe5 Bc5, although the engines reckon White has a slight edge.

7...a5

The engines do not like this either, preferring the thematic 7...d5!?, when 8.exd5?! Bc5, followed by 9...0-0, gives Black good compensation for a pawn. White should probably play 8.e5, although again ...Bc5, either immediately, or after 8...Ng4!?, seems fine for Black.

8.Be3!?

Apparently a novelty. The engines agree it is better than the known 8.Bc4?!, when, again, ...d5 gives Black good play, eg 8...d5!? 9.exd5 Bc5 10.Qd3 0-0.

8...d5!? 9.exd5

The engines more-or-less agree this is best, but Stockfish18 also likes 9.0-0-0!?

9...Bc5 10.Qd3!?

And here they agree this is better than 10.Qd2.

10...Qe7 11.Kd2

The engines suggest 11.Nd4!?, the idea being to meet 11...Ng4 with 12.Nf5!? But not 11.dxc6? Bxe3 13.cxd7+ Bxd7 14.Be2 Rd8, when Black has much more than enough for a pawn.

11...Bxe3+

Here they like 11...0-0!? or 11...Bb4!?

12.Qxe3 Qxe3+ 13.Kxe3 Nxd5+

Stockfish18 likes the text; Dragon1 prefers 13...cxd5.

14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.Kd4!?

How should Black proceed?

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15...0-0!

The engines agree this is better than trying to hang on to the d pawn with 15...Nf6.

16.Bb5

Probably not 16.Kxd5?!, eg 16...Nf6+ 17.Kd4, after which both 17...Bf5 and 17...Rd8+ seem to give Black good play for a pawn.

16...Nf6 17.Rhe1 Bf5 18.c3

Probably even better is 18.Re7!?

18...Be4 19.Re2 Nh5 20.Ke3 Nf6 21.Ne5 Rfd8 22.Rd1 Bf5!? 23.h3 h5 24.Red2 Rdc8?!

Almost certainly the wrong rook.

25.Be2 h4 26.Bg4!? Nxg4+ 27.hxg4 Be4

How would you assess this late-middlegame?

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Black's bishop is technically bad in that the black central pawn is fixed on a light square, but the bishop is active, and is doing a good job preserving d5, while the d pawn in turn is preforming a useful task in giving the bishop a protected outpost. The bishop is also a better piece than the knight for cooperating with rooks. However, h4 is very weak, and that may be the major reason why the engines reckon White has at least a slight edge.
28.g5

The engines suggest 28.c4!?, eg 28...f6!? 29.cxd5 Bc2!? 30.Rc1 Bxa4 31.Rxc8+ Rxc8 32.Ng6 Rc1 33.Nxh4, awarding White at least a slight edge.

28...f6 29.gxf6 gxf6 30.Nf3 Re8 31.Kf2 h3!?

Stockfish18 likes this pawn sac; Dragon1 is less sure.

32.gxh3

Black is a pawn down, but White's extra pawn (h3) is weak, and the black bishop is much the better minor piece

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32...Kf7 33.Rg1 Rh8 34.Rg3 Rh7 35.Ke3 Re8 36.Kd4 Ke6?!

Black seems to be fine after 36...Rh5.

37.Rf2

Probably better is 37.Re2!?, when both 38.c4 and 38...Nd2 are threats.

37...Rc8 38.Nd2 Bf5 39.Re2+ Kf7!?

The engines marginally prefer this over 39...Kd6.

40.Kxd5 Bxh3 41.Rge3?!

White should perhaps have played 41.c4, 41.Kd4 or 41.Nc4.

41...Rh5+ 42.Kd4 Rc7?!

Black is at least equal after 42...Bg4, according to the engines.

43.Ke4

The engines reckon White is at least slightly better after 43.c4!?

43...Bg4 44.Rf2

The engines prefer 44.Rg2.

44...Re7+ 45.Kd4 Rd7+ 46.Ke4??

White is equal (Stockfish18), or only slightly worse (Dragon1), after 46.Kc4!? Be6+ 47.Rxe6 Kxe6 48.Nf3.

Black to play and win

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46...Bf5+?
Black mates with 46...f5+ 47.Ke5 Rh6 (or 47...Rh8) and 48...Re6# (or 48...Re8#). Also winning comfortably are 46...Rhd5 and 46...Rc5.
47.Kf3 Rh3+ 48.Ke2 Bd3+ 49.Rxd3 Rhxd3

How would you assess this ending?

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A pawn and knight are rarely enough for a rook in an ending, and this position is no exception, but the engines are not sure White is lost.

50.Nc4 R3d5 51.Kf3 Rd3+?!

Probably better is 51...Re7.

52.Ke4 Rd1 53.Nxa5 f5+?

Black is still much better after 53...Re7+ 54.Kf3 Rd3+. according to the engines.

54.Kf3 Ra1 55.Nc4 Rdd1 56.a5 Kf6

The engines reckon the game is completely equal

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57.Ke3 Ra4 58.b4 Raa1 59.Nb2 Rd8 60.c4??

But now White is lost, whereas 60.Nd3 holds.

60...Ra3+ 61.Ke2 Rb3 62.Ke1 Rxb4

Not only is White back to having only a pawn for the exchange, but all the surviving white pawns are weak 

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63.Rh2 Rg8 64.Kd1

What is the one critical factor in the position that Black must beware?

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64...Ra8?

Missing that the other rook is in mortal danger. Bearing this in mind, Black should have played something like 64...Rg3.

65.Kc2! b6!?

Or 65...Rxa5 66.Kc3, when Black has to give back the exchange as 66...Rb6?? loses to 67.Rh6+ etc.

66.axb6 Kg6 67.c5 Rb5 68.Kd3 Rxc5 69.Kd4?

69.Nc4 draws, as White's extra pawn is close to queening, and White's pieces are better coordinated than Black's.

69...Rb5

The engines show that 69...Rc1! wins, eg 70.Ke5 (70.Nc4? Ra4) Ra5+ 71.Kd6 Rb5 etc.

70.Nc4 Rd8+ 71.Kc3 Rc8 72.Kd4 Rb4 73.Rc2 Kf6 74.Kd5?

Both 74.Rc3 and 74.Kd3 hold.

74...Rxb6!

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

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75.Rh2 Rb5+ 76.Kd4 Rb4 77.Rc2 Rb5 78.Ra2 Rb4 79.Rc2 Kg6 80.Kd5 Kh5 81.Rh2+ Kg4 82.Nd6 Rd8 83.Ke5 Rxd6!

Returning the exchange to enter a winning rook-and-pawn ending.

84.Kxd6 Rxf4 85.Rg2+ Kf3 86.Rg5 Ke4

An only-move, but obvious enough.

87.Rg8 Rg4 88.Re8+ Kf3 89.Kd5 Re4 90.Rf8 f4 91.Rh8 Re1 92.Rg8 Kf2 93.Kd4 f3 94.Rf8 Kg2 95.Rg8+ Kf1 96.Rf8 f2 97.Rg8 Re7 98.Ra8 Ke2 99.Ra2+ Kf3 100.Ra3+ Kg2 101.Ra2 Kg1 0-1

Thoughts On Daventry II

AFTER taking a halfpoint bye in round two, I was positionally outplayed in round three by a girl aged nine or 10 (probably the former - she is listed by the English Chess Federation's as England's second-best under-10-year-old).
Tara Tamilselvan (1879 ECF/1820 Fide) went on to finish tied for second in the U2000, scoring +4=3-0 with a rating performance over 2050.

That may not make her a prodigy, but she has plenty of juvenile years ahead of her in which to get even better, and of course there are many adult players who can only dream of being so 'weak'.

She beat me positionally, but in the following round won against a Ukrainian in the tactical style associated with juniors.

Tara Tamilselvan (1879 ECF/1820 Fide) - Dmytro Chernov (1920 ECF/no Fide)

Pribyl Defence

1.Nf3 d6 2.e4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6 4.d4 Bg4

This is easily the most popular move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, although Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer transposing into a Pirc with 4...g6.

5.h3 Bh5 6.Bd3 Qc7?!

The engines strongly dislike this, claiming White is now winning.

How should White proceed?

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7.Bf4

This seems to be a novelty. The engines' main line runs 7.g4!? Bg6 8.e5 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Nd5 10.e6!? f6 11.0-0, assessing White as having a positionally won game.

7...Nbd7 8.g4 Bg6 9.e5

The engines prefer 9.Be3!? or 9.g5.

9...dxe5 10.Nxe5 Qa5 11.Qe2

White has the upper hand after 11.Nc4, according to the engines.

11...Nd5?!

11...Nxe5 equalises (Stockfish17.1) or cuts White's advantage to a slight edge (Dragon1).

12.Nc4! Nxf4

More-or-less forced as 12...Qd8?? allows 13.Nd6#.

13.Nd6+ Kd8 14.Nxb7+ Kc7 15.Nxa5 Nxe2 16.Kxe2 Rb8 17.Nb3 e5

White has emerged from the tactics a pawn up, so Black tries to open lines in the centre to get at the white king

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18.d5 Bb4 19.dxc6 Bxd3+ 20.cxd3 Kxc6

The engines prefer closing the c file with 20...Bxc3!? before capturing on c6.

21.Rac1 h5?

The black king is too vulnerable to allow time for this.

22.Ne4+ Kb6 23.Rc4 Be7 24.Rhc1 Rbd8?!

Almost certainly better is 24...Rh6, preventing White's next.

25.Rc6+ Kb7 26.Na5+ Kb8 27.Rc7 Rc8!?

White was threatening to deliver mate, starting with 28.Rb7+ Ka8 29.Rcc7.

28.Rb7+ Ka8 29.Rxc8+ Rxc8 30.Rxd7 Bb4 31.Nc4 1-0

Mariánské Lázně 50+ Round Three

FACED a 49-year-old.

Spanton (1915) - Martin Taus (2052)

Přibyl

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6

This is the Přibyl, or Czech, Defence, which is sometimes classified as an offshoot of the Pirc, but is really a system in its own right, although lines can transpose.

4.f4 Qa5 5.Bd2!?

Offering a pawn. The main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 5.Bd3 e5 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.Be3 Nbd7 8.0-0, with the upper hand for White, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

How should Black respond?

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5...e5

This is the main move in Mega26. Grabbing a pawn with 5...Qb6 6.Nf3 Qxb2?! is very risky, although it has been played by grandmaster Michał Krasenkow (2531). After 7.Rb1 (Krasenkow's opponent played 7.Bd3!?, which is marginally preferred by Dragon1, but not by Stockfish17.1) Qa3 8.Bd3, White has much more than enough for a pawn, according to the engines.

6.Nf3

The engines suggest 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.fxe5 Ng4!?, claiming at least a slight edge for White after 8.Nf3 or 8.Qf3!?

6...exd4 7.Nxd4

Also possible is 7.Nd5!? Qd8 8.Nxf6+ Qxf6 and 9.Bc4 (Stockfish17.1) or 9.Bd3 (Dragon1).

7...Qb6

Black is lost after 7...Qb4? 8.Ncb5!

8.Nb3

The engines like 8.Nf3!?, when capturing on b2 is again very risky.

8...Bg4?!

The engines reckon 8...a5!? equalises (Stockfish17.1) or leaves White with no more than a slight edge (Dragon1). The text seems to help White more than Black.

9.Be2 Bxe2?!

The engines much prefer 9...Be6!?, which is probably a novelty.

10.Qxe2 Qa6!? 11.Qf3!? Nbd7 12.0-0-0

Stockfish17.1 reckons this is an improvement over the aggressive known-move, 12.g4!?, but Dragon1 is less sure. John Leake - Paul de Rooi, Guernsey 1991, went 12.g4!? Nb6 13.0-0-0 0-0-0 14.Kb1 d5 15.e5, with a positionally won game for White, according to the engines (1-0, 32 moves, although in the final position in Mega26 Black is winning, but the last few moves for both sides look very strange).

12...0-0-0

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

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White has more space, a lead in development and the slightly safer king, which add up to a winning advantage, according to the engines.

13.Kb1 Nb6 14.Rhe1 h5?!

This seems rather irrelevant to the coming battle in the centre.

15.e5 Nfd5 16.Ne4 Nc4?!

Black should probably be mobilising with 16...Be7. The engines also suggest 16...Kb8.

17.exd6?!

This is almost certainly not the strongest. The engines like 17.Ng5 and 17.Qh3+.

17...Bxd6 18.Nxd6?!

White still has at least the upper hand after 18.Bc1 or 18.Bc3, according to the engines.

18...Rxd6 19.Re4?!

And now the game is equal, whereas 19.Qh3+ or 19.g4 give at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

19...Rhd8 20.Qe2?

Not 20.Qxh5? Nf6 21.Qf5+ Kb8 22.Re2 (22.Ree1 Nxd2+ 23.Nxd2 Rxd2) Nxd2+ 23.Rexd2 Rxd2 24.Nxd2 Rxd2!, but White should probably play 20.Rd4, or 20.Qh3+ and then Rd4.

Black to play and gain what the engines reckon is a winning advantage

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20...Ndb6?!

Almost certainly better is 20...Nxd2+ 21.Rxd2 Qxe2, when 22.Rexe2 allows 22...Nxf4. That leaves 22.Rdxe2, but 22...Nf6 is very strong, eg 23.Re7 Rd1+ 24.Nc1 Rh1 25.c4 Rdd1 26.Rc2 Rd7!? 27.Rxd7 Kxd7, when all of Black's pieces are more active.

21.a3?

Relatively best seems to be 21.Re8, but 21...Qb5!, pinning the white knight is good, eg 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8 23.Kc1 Na4 24.Be1 (there appears to be nothing better) Rxd1+ 25.Qxd1 Ncxb2, when Black is a pawn up and has the safer king.

Black to play and win

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21...Nxd2+?

This allows complete equality. Several moves preserve the upper hand for Black, but the engines' 21...Qb5! wins by threatening to double-capture on d2 with the rooks, at a moment when the white knight is pinned, thanks to the new threat of ...Qxb2#. The engines reckon White has nothing better than the distracting 22.a4!?, but after 22...Qxa4 Black is a pawn up and still attacking, eg 23.Re8 Nxd2+ 24.Rxd2 Rxd2 25.Nxd2 Qxf4, winning a second pawn.

22.Rxd2 Rxd2 23.Nxd2 Qxe2 24.Rxe2 Nd5 25.g3 h4!? ½–½

Lessons From Scarborough IV

Spanton (1979 ECF/1731 Fide) - Peter JE Ackley (2142 ECF/2008 Fide)

Scarborough Round Four

Pribyl

1.e4 d6 2.d4 g6 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4

This aggressive continuation is second in popularity in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database to 4.Be3.

How should Black respond?

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4...d5!?

This is easily Black's most-popular reply, despite the loss of tempo in taking two moves to get the d pawn to d5.

5.Nf3

The main line runs 5.e5 h5 6.Nf3 Bg4 (also popular is 6...Nh6) 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3, when White has a slight edge, according to Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1.

5...Bg4 6.Be2 dxe4 7.Nxe4 Bxf3?!

Giving up the bishop-pair without being provoked by h3 looks strange in what is a relatively open position.

8.Bxf3 Bg7 9.c3 Nd7 10.0-0 Ngf6 11.Be3

The engines prefer 11.Nf2!? or a queen move, ie 11.Qe2 or 11.Qb3.

11...Qc7 12.Qd2 Nd5 13.Rae1 0-0

This is probably better, and certainly safer, than 13...0-0-0?!

14.g3 Nxe3 15.Qxe3 Nf6 16.Ng5!?

Hoping to maintain winning chances by avoiding a further exchange, but the engines prefer 16.Nc5 (Komodo12.1.1) or 16.h4!? (Stockfish14).

16...e6 17.Kg2 Rac8 18.Re2 b6 19.Rd1 Rfd8 20.Red2 h6 21.Ne4 Nxe4 22.Bxe4 Bf6 23.Rd3 c5 24.d5 exd5 25.Rxd5 Rxd5 26.Rxd5 Rd8 27.Qd4 Rxd5 28.Qxd5 Qd8 29.Qxd8+ ½–½

After the game PA said the system he chose leads to an interesting game IF White makes it interesting; otherwise White just has a slight edge. He had expected me to want to make it interesting, he said, but had been proven wrong.

Lessons From Hull II

Spanton (1979 ECF/1731 Fide) - Geoffrey D Brown (1893 ECF/1726 Fide)

Hull 4NCL U2000 Round Two

Pribyl

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d6!? 3.Nf3!?

The main line in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database runs 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f4 Qa5 5.Bd3 e5 6.Nf3 Bg4, reaching a position with more than 1,300 examples. The analysis engines Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon White has the upper hand. However there are many possible deviations along the way, including 3...e5!?, when 4.dxe5 dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Bc4 f6 is only slightly better for White, according to the engines.

3...Bg4

This is the main line, although GB said in the postmortem he should probably have played 3...Qc7.

4.Bc4!?

The main moves are 4.Be2 and 4.h3. The text hopes for tactical trickery, but is easily countered by Black.

4...Nf6

An even simpler answer is 4...d5.

5.e5 d5

As GB pointed out, also possible is 5...Nd5. But not 5...dxe5? 6.Bxf7+! etc.

6.Bd3 Ne4!?

The engines prefer the more-circumspect 6...Nfd7.

7.h3 Bh5 8.g4 Bg6 9.Nh4

The engines like the pawn-sac 9.e6!?, eg 9...fxe6 10.Ne5 with what looks like good compensation. Indeed the engines reckon Black should reply 9...f6 with what seems an unclear position, although the engines favour White.

9...e6 10.Nxg6 hxg6

White has won the bishop-pair but left many weaknesses on the kingside

11.Nd2 Nxd2 12.Bxd2 Be7

I was worried about 12...Qb6!?, when 13.Bc3?! runs into 13...c5. However the engines reckon 13.c3 Qxb2 14.Rb1 Qxa2 is good for White after 15.Kf1!?, intending Kg2. Accordingly they reckon Black should ignore the b2 pawn and instead get on with attacking the white centre with 13...c5, rating the position as equal.

13.c3 Nd7 14.Qc2 Nf8?!

Defending against Bxg6 and hoping to reroute the knight on the kingside, but it is probably too slow. Instead the engines like 14...c5, when 15.Bxg6 cxd4! (15...fxg6 16.Qxg6 Kf8 17.Qxe6 is unclear) 16.cxd4 Qb6 17.Bd3 Qxd4 seems to favour Black.

15.0-0-0 Qc7 16.f4 0-0-0 17.f5

After 17.f5 the holes on the white kingside no longer look so significant, and it is the black kingside that is under pressure

17...c5 18.Rdf1 c4

This seems better than 18...cxd4 19.cxd4 Qxc2+, which increases the power of the bishop-pair.

19.Be2 Bh4!?

The best way to defend f7.

20.Qa4 Kb8 21.b3?!

Opening lines for the bishops and along the a file, but the engines reckon the good points are outweighed by the weakening of the white king's position.

21...cxb3

Almost certainly not 21...Rc8?! 22.bxc4 dxc4, which gives white a central pawn-majority, the h1-a8 diagonal for the light-square bishop and better protection for the king.

22.axb3 gxf5 23.gxf5 exf5 24.Rxf5 Be7?!

Setting a little trap, but probably better is 24...Ne6.

25.Kc2

After 25.Rxf7?! Ba3+ 26.Qxa3 Qxf7 White has two bishops and a pawn for rook and knight. The engines still favour White, but not as much as after the text.

25...f6?!

Best, but still very good for White, is 25...Qb6 26.Rg1 (26.Rxf7?? Qg6+) Qe6.

26.Bf4?

White is winning after 26.exf6 gxf6 27.Ra1 a6 (27...b6 28.Bf4 Bd6 29.Rxd5 a5 30.Rxd6 Rxd6 31.Qa3) 28.Bxa6! bxa6 29.Bf4+ Bd6 30.Qxa6 Qb7 31.Bxd6+.

26...Ne6 27.exf6?!

Probably better is 27.Bg3, but Black has a slight edge, according to the engines.

27...Nxf4 28.fxe7 Qxe7

During the game I was more worried about 28...Rde8?!, which worked well in the postmortem, but 29.Bg4 equalises, according to the engines. However Black had 28...Rc8!, when 29.Bg4 (forced) Qxc3+ 30.Kb1 is very good for Black after both 30...Qc2+ and 30...Nd3.

29.Re5 Qh4?

Black may have a slight edge after 29...Qf6, as suggested by GB in the postmortem.

White to play and win

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30.Ra1! Qf6

There is no defence, eg 30...a6 31.Bxa6! bxa6 32.Qb4+! Kc8 (32...Ka7 33.Re7+) 33.Qc5+ Kd7 (33...Kb8 34.Qb6+ ; 33...Kb7 34.Re7+) 34.Qa7+ Kc8 35.Qxa6+ and mates.

31.Qxa7+ Kc8 32.Bg4+ Kc7 33.Ra5 Qg6+ 34.Bf5 Qg2+ 35.Kb1 Qf1+ 36.Ka2 Ra8 37.Qc5+ 1-0

Lessons From Coulsdon

Spanton (1965 ECF/1747 Fide) - Somulpillai Gengadharan Selvarattinam (1540 ECF/1500 Fide)

Coulsdon Late Summer U2000 Round 1

Pribyl System

1.d4 c6 2.e4 Qc7!?

This weird-looking move has been played by grandmasters. The idea, I guess, is to provoke White into over-expansion in the centre.

3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3

This is how Frederick Yates handled the position against Joseph Blackburne at the 1913 British championships in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Yates went on to win in 49 moves. In more modern times Peter Leko and Alexei Shirov have preferred 4.f4.

Position after 4.Nf3

This position is classified by ChessBase as a Caro-Kann: Advance Variation - one of ChessBase's weirder classifications -  but the position really has much more in common with the Pribyl System in the Pirc, and even more so later when Black plays ...Nf6.

4...Bg4 5.Bc4 e5 6.Be3 Nf6 7.a4 Be7 8.h3 Bxf3!?

Both games to reach the position after 8.h3 in ChessBase's 2021 Mega database saw 8...Bh5. However capturing on f3 is quite typical in this sort of set-up.

9.Qxf3 Nbd7 10.a5

Gaining more queenside space. Stockfish14 and Komodo12.1.1 like 10.d5!?, which looks somewhat odd when White has the bishop-pair, including a bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal, but the engines clearly reckon space gained in the centre is worth allowing the centre to be closed.

10...exd4!?

The engines prefer this to allowing 11.d5!? after, say, 10...0-0.

11.Bxd4 Ne5

White is losing the bishop-pair but will have more central space and a target at d6.

12.Qe2 Nxc4 13.Qxc4

White has a slight edge, according to the engines, but there would be a lot of play left after, for example, 13...0-0.

13...d5? 14.exd5 Qf4 15.0-0 Bd6?

A crude threat that only makes matters worse.

16.Rfe1+ Kf8 17. g3 Qg5 18.dxc6 Rc8 19.Bxf6 gxf6!?

This smacks of desperation, but the engines slightly prefer it to 19...Qxf6.

20.Ne4 Qe5 21.Nxd6 Qxf6 22.Rad1 Qxc6 23.Qb4+ Kg7 24.Rd4 h5 25.c3 Rhg8?

This lets a white rook into the seventh. Better is 25...Rhe8.

26.Re7 Rge8 27.Rde4 Rxe7 28.Rxe7 Qf3?

Counterplay with 28...Rd8, or defence with 28...Rc7, is better.

29.Qxb7 Qd1+ 30.Kg2 Rf8 (1-0, 62 moves)

Beat The ... 1...d6 Systems

IN this series I am looking at the statistically best way to play against popular opening lines.

The numbers are drawn from the 2021 edition of ChessBase's Mega database, ignoring, where possible,those results that include very few games and so are statistically insignificant.

Meeting 1.e4 with 1...d6 used to mean that a Pirc Defence: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 was likely to arise, but these days other variations are increasingly likely, including the Pirc Pribyl: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6 and the Lion: 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 (or 3...Nbd7 4.f4 e5 to avoid an exchange of queens).

White has a free hand after ...d6 but the best move statistically is also the traditional continuation, 2.d4, which scores 55%.

Position after 2.d4

Black has five popular responses.

A) 2...Nf6 (146,315 games)

White's commonest continuation is 3.Nc3, which scores 55%, but White's score jumps to 58% with a move played by Kasparov and Carlsen: 3.f3!?

A1 3...g6 4.Be3, after which the line splits.

A1.1 4...Bg7 5.Qd2, when A1.1a 5...0-0 6.Nc3 scores 73% for White and A1.1b 5...c6 6.Ne2 scores 71% for White.

A1.2 4...c6 5.Nc3, when A1.2a 5...b5 6.g4!? scores 57% for White, A1.2b 5...Nbd7 6.g4!? scores 61% for White, A1.2c 5...Bg7 6.g4!? scores 60% for White and A1.2d 5...Qb6 6.b3!? scores 68% for White.

A2 3...e5 4.Ne2!? (4.d5 scores equally well but I have gone for 4.Ne2!? because it is less well-known) Be7 5.Be3 0-0 6.c4 scores 65% for White.

A3 3...Nbd7 4.Nc3 e5 5.Nge2, after which the line splits.

A3.1 5...Be7 6.g4!? scores 88% for White.

A3.2 5...c6 6.g4!? scores 85% for White.

A4 3...c6 4.Bd3!? e5 5.Ne2 scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A5 3...d5!? 4.e5, after which the line splits.

A5.1 4...Nfd7 5.c3!? scores 59% for White, albeit from a small sample.

A5.2 4...Ng8 5.Be3, when A5.2a 5...Bf5 6.g4!? scores 63% for White, albeit from a small sample, and A5.2b 5...e6 6.Bd3 scores 100% for White, albeit from just two games.

B) 2...g6 (28,743 games)

The modern and aggressive thrust 3.h4!? scores 66%, after which the line splits.

B1 3...Nf6 4.Nc3, after which the line splits again.

B1.1 4...Bg7 5.f3!? c6 6.Be3 scores 89% for White.

B1.2 4...c6 5.f3!? scores 70% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B1.3 4...h5 5.Nf3 scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B2 3...h5 4.Bc4 scores 67% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B3 3...Bg7 4.h5, after which the line splits again.

B3.1 4...c5 5.d5 scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample.

B3.2 4...Nf6 5.h6 Bf8 6.Nc3 scores 88% for White.

B3.3 4...Nc6 5.d5 scores 100% for White, albeit from a very small sample.

C) 2...e5!? (2,926 games)

After 3.Bc4!?, which scores 78%, the line splits.

C1 3...exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qe3 scores 83% for White.

C2 3...Nc6 4.d5 scores 83% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C3 3...Nf6 4.Nf3, after which the line splits again.

C3.1 4...Nxe4 5.dxe5 c6 6.Nbd2 (6.Nc3 scores equally well but the latter is from a much smaller sample size and so is statistically less reliable), when C3.1a 6...Nxd2 7.Qxd2 scores 75%, albeit from a very small sample, and C3.1b 6...Nc5 7.exd6 scores 100%, albeit from a very small sample.

C3.2 4...exd4 5.Ng5!? d5 6.exd5 scores 56% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C3.3 4...Be7? 5.dxe5, when C3.3a 5...Nxe4 6.Qd5 scores 77% for White and C3.3b 3...dxe5 4.Qxd8+ Bxd8 5.Nxe5 scores 82% for White.

C3.4 4...Bg4? 5.dxe5, when C3.4a 5...Bxf3 6.gxf3!? scores 85% for White, albeit from a small sample, and C3.4b 5...Nxe4?! 6.Qd5 scores 100% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C4 3...Nd7 4.Nf3, after which the line splits again.

C4.1 4...c6 5.c3!?, when C4.1a 5...b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.a4 scores 80% for White, albeit from a small sample, C4.1b 5...Be7? 6.Qb3 scores 83% for White and C4.1c 5...Qc7 6.0-0 scores 62% for White, albeit from a small sample size.

C4.2 4...Be7?! 5.dxe5, when C4.2a 5...Nxe5 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.Qh5 g6 8.Qxe5 scores 85% for White, C4.2b 5...dxe5? (137 examples of this mistake in Mega21) 6.Qd5 scores 94% for White and C4.2c 5...Nb6 6.Bb3 Bg4 7.Nc3 scores 88% for White, albeit from a small sample.

C4.3 4...h6 5.0-0 Ngf6 6.Re1 Be7 7.c3 scores 100% for White, albeit from a very small sample.

D) 2...Nd7 (2,546 games)

Three responses score 61%: 3.Nf3, 3.Nc3 and 3.Bc4!? I have gone with 3.Bc4!? because it is much less well-known and fits in with the lines given in C.

D1 3...e5 is a transposition to C4.

D2 3...e6 4.Nc3 scores 71% for White, albeit from a small sample.

D3 3...Ngf6 4.Nc3 e5 5.Nge2!?, after which the line splits again.

D3.1 5...Be7 6.0-0 scores 68% for White.

D3.2 5...c6 6.0-0 b5 reaches a position that only occurs three times in Mega21. The analysis engines Stockfish13 and Komodo12.1.1 reckon 7.Bb3 gives White a slight edge.

E) 2...c6 (2,299 games)

After 3.f4, which scores 65%, the line splits.

E1 3...Nf6!? 4.e5 scores 59% for White.

E2 3...g6 4.Nf3, after which the line splits again.

E2.1 4...Bg7 5.Bd3, when E2.1a 5...Bg4 6.c3 e5 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.0-0 scores 57% for White, albeit from a small sample, and E2.1b 5...Nf6 6.0-0 0-0 7.h3 scores 88% for White, albeit from a small sample.

E2.2 4...d5 is a clear tempo-loss for Black. White is better after Stockfish13's 5.e5 and Komodo12.1.1's 5.Nc3.

E3 3...Qc7 4.Nf3, after which the line splits again.

E3.1 4...Bg4 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 scores 71% for White.

E3.2 4...Nd7 5.Bc4 scores 82% for White, albeit from a small sample.

Missed Opportunity

FLUFFED a golden chance to claim a notable scalp in round four of the Highlands Open in Trebic, Czech Republic.
I had black against International Master Josef Pribyl, after whom the Pribyl Pirc (1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 c6!?) is named.
I sacrificed the exchange to gain light-square control and attacking chances, reaching the following position after JP had played 29.Ra1-e1:

Black to play and win

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I played 29...Nxb3?, which felt wrong, but I became materialistic and anyway could find nothing better.
After 30.Nxe4 fxe4? (30...Rxe4 is better, but I had missed White's next as it had been impossible for so long because my bishop covered the key square) 31.Qxg2 c6 32.Rxe4 Rxe4 33.Qxe4 Nxd2 34.Qxd3, the position is roughly equal.
Or at least it would have been if I had played 34...Qxf4.
Instead, I played 34...Qxd3?, and was ground down in a long ending after 35.Rad3 Nxc4 36.Rd7+
Going through the game later with Ian Heppell, the latter found 29...Nf3+!
I had rejected it because it seemingly lost two pieces for a rook, but in fact the move wins instantly, eg 30.Rxf3 Bxf3 31.Rxe8 Qxf4+ 32.Kg1 Qg3+, and mate next move.