BEAU CHESS - the post-work workings-out of a chess amateur

I begin this blog after getting back into league chess following many years' absence due to work. My post-job status also means I am able to play more tournament chess. My new club in London is Battersea and my first game for them is on Thursday September 14, 2017. I start with a Fide rating of 1858, an ECF grade of 169 (=1968 elo) and an ICCF correspondence rating of 2267. My current Fide is 2035, my ECF is 1942 and my ICCF is 2374.

Showing posts with label Queen's Pawn Game. Show all posts

Friday, 11 September 2026

Bad Bertrich 50+ Game Five

World's longest two-seater bench?

Faced a Fide master.

Norbert Heck (2235) - Spanton (1997)

Queen's Pawn Game

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 d5 3.g3 c5 4.Bg2 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nf6 6.0-0 e5!?

This is the commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, and is the top choice of Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

7.Nb3 Be6 8.c4

This and 8.Bg5 are the most popular moves.

8...Nc6 9.cxd5 Bxd5

The engines prefer 9...Nxd5.

10.Bh3!? Be7 11.Nc3 Bc4

How should White proceed?

*****

12.Bg2!?

Marius Manolache (2520) - Andrei Filip (2222), Tășnad Orașului Cup (Romania) 2021, went 12.Bg5 0-0 13.Nd2!? Ba6 14.Bg2, with an equal game, according to the engines (1-0, 37 moves).

Mikhail Demidov (2523) - Danii Voloshkin (2081), Russian Team Blitz Championship (Sochi) 2025, saw 12.Be3 0-0 13.Qxd8!? Rfxd8 14.Rfd1 b6!? 15.Bg2, again with an equal game, according to the engines (1-0, 39 moves).

The text, which may be a novelty, is the engines' top choice, albeit by a small margin.

12...0-0 13.Bg5 h6

The engines suggest 13...Qb6 or 13...Rc8.

14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 Rc8

Here the engines like 15...Nd4 or 15...e4!?

16.Rc1 Bxd5 17.Qxd5 Qb6 18.Qe4 Nd4!?

Dragon1 suggests 18...Rfd8 or 18...Be7, but Stockfish18 likes the text, even though after ...

19.Nxd4 exd4 20.Qxb7 Qxb7 21.Bxb7 Rab8 22.Rc7

... White has won a pawn.

How should Black continue?

*****

22...Rfd8?

The engines reckon Black should activate the bishop, eg 22...d3!? 23.exd3 Be5 24.Rd7 Rfd8 25.Rxd8+ Rxd8, after which Black wins back one pawn, and has enough activity to compensate for the other lost pawn, according to Stockfish18, although Dragon1 is less sure.

23.Ba6 Rxb2

Material is equal, but the engines reckon White is winning

*****

24.Bc4 a5 25.Rxf7 Kh8

The engines marginally prefer 25...Rc2!?, and if 26.Rc7+, now 26...Kh8, although they still reckon White is winning.

26.Rd1 Rc8 27.Be6 Re8 28.Bc4 Rc8 29.Ba6 Ra8 30.Bd3 Rxa2

Again material is level, but White has a winning attack

*****

31.Rb1 a4

There is no satisfactory defence. The best the engines can come up with is 31...Ra3 32.Ra7! Rc8 33.Kg2 a4 34.Rb5 Rb4 35.Rbxa5, after which White is a pawn up, but White's advantage is worth about a minor piece, according to the engines.

32.Rfb7! g5?

The engines suggest giving up the exchange with 32...Rg8!?, but after 33.Bc4 Rc2 34.Bxg8 Kxg8 35.Ra7 Rxe2 36.Rxa4 Black has no compensation, despite the passed d pawn, eg 36...d3?! 37.Rd1 d2 runs into 38.Kf1.

33.Rh7+ Kg8 34.Rxh6 Kg7 35.Rb7+

If now 35...Kxh6, then 36.Rh7#.

35...Kg8 1-0

Wednesday, 9 September 2026

Bad Bertrich 50+ Game Three

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

Faced a Norwegian.

Børge Svanholm (1871) - Spanton (1997)

Queen's Pawn Game

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

What's in a name?

*****

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

5...e6

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

6.Bg5!?

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

6...h6 7.Bxf6!?

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

7...Qxf6 8.e3 Bd6

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

9.c4!?

This is the engines' top choice.

9...dxc4 10.Na3

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

10...cxd4

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

11.Nxc4

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

11...Bc5!?

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

12.exd4 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Qb3

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

14...0-0

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

*****

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

15.Rad1 Qf6 16.Nd6

How should Black proceed?

*****

16...Bxd6

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

17.Rxd6 Rb8

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

18.Rfd1 b6 19.Qa3 a5

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

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

BS offered a draw.

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

*****

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

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

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

*****

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

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

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

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

*****

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

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

*****

40.Rh8 Rxh5 41.Rxh5+?

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

41...Kxh5 42.Ke3

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

*****

42...Kg5

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

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

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

Thursday, 26 February 2026

League Chess

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

Terry Whitton (1863) - Spanton (1928)

Queen's Pawn Game

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nc6!? 3.d4 Bf5 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.0-0 e6 6.b3!?

This is second-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, scoring an excellent 70%, but Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer 6.c4 or 6.Nh4.

6...Nb4 7.Na3 Bd6 8.Bb2 0-0

Now castling has been completed, how would you assess the position?

*****

Both sides have developed comfortably, and there are no obvious weaknesses. White is more likely to get in a c-pawn break, but neither player is close to pushing the e pawn to the fourth rank, and the engines rate the game as equal.

9.c3 Nc6 10.Nc2 Re8 11.Ne3 Be4 12.c4 a5!? 13.Ne5!? Bxg2 14.Kxg2

Also equal is 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.Kxg2, according to the engines.

14...Ne7 15.Nd3!?

The engines reckon this is an improvement on Saidakbar Saydaliev (2457) - Mayank Chakraborty (2448), Chess.com Blitz 2025, which saw 15.cxd5?!, when 15...exd5 would have given Black the upper hand, according to the engines.

15...Ng6 16.c5!? Bf8 17.Rc1 b6 18.Rh1 Nd7 19.h4 h5 20.Qd2

The engines prefer pushing the c pawn, or exchanging on b6.

20...bxc5 21.Nxc5 Nxc5 22.dxc5 c6 23.Rc2 Be7 24.Rhc1 Bf6 25.a3 Bxb2 26.Rxb2 Qf6

The engines much prefer 26...f5!?, or preparing the move with 26...Rf8.

27.b4 axb4 28.axb4 Reb8 29.Rcb1 Rb5 30.Rb3 e5 31.Qd3

Threatening 32.Nxd5!

31...e4 32.Qd2 Ne5 33.Qd4 g5!? 34.hxg5 Qxg5 35.f4!? exf3+ 36.exf3

How should Black proceed?

*****

36...Ng6

Interesting is 36...Nc4!? 37.Nxc4 dxc4, when 38.Qxc4?? Qd2+ and 39...Ra2 is catastrophic for White.

However, White should play 38.R3b2, when 38...Rd8 39.Qxc4 Qf6 seems to give Black enough for a pawn, but no more.

37.f4 Qe7??

Black had to play 37...Nh4+, meeting both 38.Kh3 and 38.Kf2 by 38...Nf5+, with equal chances.

White to play and win

*****

38.R3b2??

38.Nf5 threatens mate in one, and since 38...Qe2+? is easily met by 39.Kg1, and 38...Qf8?! can be strongly answered by 39.Re3, Black has to play 38...Qe4+ 39.Qxe4 dxe4, but 40.Nd4 wins the c6 pawn and leaves White with connected farside passers.

38...Ra3??

Necessary is 38...Qe6.

39.R2b3??

Nf5 still wins.

39...Ra2+ 40.R3b2 Ra3?? ½–½

The match finished 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

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

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

Wednesday, 11 February 2026

Miniatures 24

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

D James (189 BCF) - Spanton (151 BCF)

British Major (Eastbourne) 1990

Queen's Pawn Game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 c6 4.Bg2 Nbd7 5.0-0 e6

This position is not as obscure as might be thought, occurring 1,090 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

*****

6.b3 Bd6 7.Bb2 Qc7 8.Nbd2 0-0

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

*****

White's game has a slightly freer look to it, at least to me, and gives White a slight edge, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.
9.c4 Re8 10.Qc2 b6 11.e4 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Qxe4 Bb7 14.Qc2 e5?!

This is probably too ambitious. The engines recommend 14...Be7!? or 14...h6.

15.Rad1 Re7??

The engines give 15...exd4 16.Nxd4 Bf8, but reckon White has the upper hand.

16.Ng5 Nf6 17.c5 1-0

LESSON: pieces need breathing room.

Friday, 30 January 2026

League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of five) for Battersea against Pimlico 3 in Central London League Division Two last night.

Neil Davies (1882) - Spanton (1929)

Catalan(?)

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.c4

It is not easy classifying the opening - a Catalan, or a Tarrasch Defence to the Queen's Gambit? Then again it could be just a Queen's Pawn Game, or arguably all three

*****

For what it is worth, ChessBase classifies the opening as "D30: Queen's Gambit Declined Systems without Nc3."

4...dxc4!?

This capture away from the centre is typical of Open Catalan structures, but also occurs in lines of the Queen's Gambit.

5.Bg2!?

This is more popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database than immediately regaining the pawn via 5.Qa4+.

5...Nc6 6.Qa4 Qa5+!?

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer 6...cxd4 or 6...Bd7.

7.Qxa5

Not 7.Nc3? Qxa4 8.Qxa4 cxd4, when Black is two sound pawns up.

7...Nxa5 8.Nc3 Bd7

Guarding against Nb5, but the engines prefer the apparent-novelty 8...Nf6!?, meeting 9.Nb5 with 9...Nd5, and if 10.e4?, then 10...a6 is very good for Black.

How should White proceed?

*****

9.0-0

The engines give another apparent-novelty in 9.d5!?, claiming White has a slight edge, or at least the better part of equality.

9...Nf6 10.Rd1!?

This seems to be an improvement on the known-move 10.Bd2.

10...Be7 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Ne5 Bc6

The engines suggest 12...Rd8.

13.Nxc6 Nxc6

How would you assess this late-opening/early-middlegame position?

*****

Black is up a pawn, but according to the engines this is more than offset by White's bishop-pair and slight lead in development.

14.Bg5 Rd8

The engines prefer 14...Rc8!?

15.Bxc6+ bxc6 16.Rxd8+ Kxd8 17.Ne4

White has cashed in the bishop-pair to mangle Black's pawn-structure and gain an initiative.

17...Be7 18.Nxf6 gxf6

Probably not 18...Bxf6?! 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Rc1, when White will regain his missing pawn, and be left with two -pawn-islands against Black's four.

19.Be3 Kc7 20.Rc1

Not 20.Bxa7?? c5.

20...Rb8 21.Rxc4 Rxb2 22.Ra4

How should Black proceed?

*****

22...Rb7?

Rook passivity in an ending should be a last resort. Black has two perfectly reasonable moves in 22...Rxe2 and 22...c5!? The point about the latter is that if White goes after the black kingside with 23.Rh4?! Rxe2!? 24.Rxh7, the Black c pawn becomes dangerous following 24...c4, and if 23.Rxa7+, then 23...Rb7 is completely equal, according to the engines.

23.Rh4 Rb2

This comes to be Stockfish17.1's top choice, but the engines agree White is winning, or at least has the upper hand, whatever Black plays.

24.Ra4?

After 24.Rxh7 Black is in big trouble, eg 24...Rxa2 25.Rxf7 Kd6 26.h4, when White's passed pawn is much quicker than either of Black's passers.

24...Rb7? ½–½

Pimlico 3 won the match 3.5-1.5.

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

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC: Battersea club championship

I also have a win-by-default in the Central London League

Friday, 19 December 2025

League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of five) for Battersea against Wanstead in Central London League Division Two last night.

David Spearman (2066) - Spanton (1904)

Queen's Pawn Game

1.d4 d5 2.c3!?

There are 3,588 examples of this position in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

*****

2...e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.Bg5!?

The main move is 4.Bf4, transposing into a London System, but the text is also popular.

4...Be7 5.Bxe7 Qxe7 6.e3

White is left with the better bishop, but the exchanging manoeuvre has cost time

*****

6...Nf6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Ne5!? Nc6 9.f4 Ne4 10.Bxe4!? dxe4 11.0-0

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

*****

Black's bishop is bad, but the pawn-structure is not fixed, so that could change. The e4 pawn is doubled and potentially weak, but gives Black space. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon the game is completely equal.

11...f6!?

The engines do not like this, preferring either 11...cxd4 12.cxd4 Nb4, intending ...Nd5, or 11...Na5!?, intending ...b6.

12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Qa4 Rb8!? 14.b3

On 14.Qa3 the engines suggest 14...Kf7!?, and if 15.dxc5, then 15...Rd8, with decent compensation for a pawn.

14...cxd4

How should White recapture?

*****

15.cxd4

This is the engines' top choice, but they are also happy with 15.Qxd4. However, after 15.exd4!? they reckon 15...c5!? gives Black a good game, eg 16.Qa3 Qd7!? 17.Qxc5 Ba6 18.Re1 Bd3.

15...c5!? 16.dxc5!?

If 16.Qa3, then 16...Rb4, but the engines prefer that over the text.

16...Qxc5 17.Qxe4?!

Probably too greedy. However, the engines' 17.Re1!? does not inspire.

17...Rb4?!

The engines reckon Black is positionally winning after 17...Rd8, their main line running 18.Kh1!? Rb4 19.Qf3 Rb6!? 20.Re1 (20.Qe4? Bb7) Rbd6 with an initiative.

18.Qd3 Bb7

The engines suggest 18...Qb6!?, the idea being to follow with ...Rd8.

19.Nd2 Qc6 20.Rf2 Ba6 21.Qb1!?

The engines prefer this over giving back the pawn immediately with 21.Nc4 Bxc4 etc.

21...Qc3!? 22.Qe1 Rc8 23.a3 Rbb8 24.b4 Qd3!? 25.Nf3 Rc3 26.Rd2 Qxe3+ 27.Qxe3 Rxe3

Now Black has won back the pawn, how would you assess the position?

*****

White has a farside pawn-majority, but Black has what is usually the better minor piece for cooperating with rooks, especially when there are rival pawn-majorities. The engines reckon the game is equal.

28.Rd7 Rb7

This is probably better than 28...Bb7?! 29.Nd4.

29.Rd8+ Kf7 30.Rd4

The engines prefer putting the knight on d4.

30...Rc7 31.a4?!

Advancing the queenside majority may look natural, but the white pawns are a long way from queening. The engines prefer moving the king's knight again, to d1, d2 or even back to d8.

31...Bb7 32.Kf2 Rb3 33.Nd2?!

This allows a dangerous pin, but after, say 33.Re1 Bxf3 34.gxf3 Rc2+. Black is on top. Perhaps best is 33.b5!?, but after 33...Rc2+ Black is again doing well.

33...Rb2 34.g3?

The engines' main line runs 34.Re1 Ke7 35.b5 Rcc2 36.Re2 h6, when they reckon Black is winning, but clearly the game is far from over.

34...e5 35.fxe5 fxe5 36.Rd3 Be4!

This is even stronger than 36...Rxb4.

37.Raa3

Both 37.Rd6 and 37.Rd8 are met by 37...Ke7.

37...Bxd3 38.Rxd3 Rxb4 39.Rd5 Ke6 40.Ra5 Rb2 0-1

The match was drawn 2-5-2.5.

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

CLL: Central London League

LL: London League

BCC: Battersea club championship

I also have a win-by-default in the Central London League

Saturday, 1 November 2025

Benidorm Round Eight

Conchita Jover Fuentes (1849) - Spanton (1941)

Queen's Pawn Game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5!?

This has been played by Magnus Carlsen at blitz, and the move scores a respectable 55% in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database.

There are 1,903 examples of the position in Mega25 - how should Black respond?

*****

3...Be7

The move 3.Bg5!? goes back to at least 1892, when Emanuel Lasker played it in what appear to have been simuls. His first opponent replied 3...f6, but Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 prefer the text and 3...Nf6.

4.Bxe7 Qxe7 5.c3

This is the commonest continuation, but the engines suggest 5.Nbd2 or 5.c4!? If, after 5.c4!?, Black replies 5...Qb4+, the engines reckon White gets a slight edge with 6.Qd2, whatever Black tries.

5...Nf6 6.Nbd2 0-0 7.e3 Nc6

Seeking a quick ...e5, but 7...Nbd7 was a more sure way of achieving this.

8.Bd3

White can stop ...e5 with 8.Bb5!?

8...e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 Qxe5 11.Nf3 Qh5 12.Qc2 Re8

The engines give an apparent-novelty in 12...Bh3!?, more-or-less forcing 13.Bf1, claiming a slight edge for Black.

13.0-0-0!?

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

*****

Black has the only pawn on the fourth rank, and an uncompromised king's position, but White's pieces are well-coordinated, and the black queen could become a target for White's kingside pawns. The engines give Back a slight edge.

13...Bg4

This may be new. Known is 13...c5, while the engines reckon ...Bh3!? is still good.

14.Be2 Bf5 15.Bd3 Bxd3 16.Qxd3 c6 17.h3 Ne4 18.Qc2 Qg6!?

The engines agree this is best. It anticipates the move g4, and gives the option of ...Qf6 to pressurise the white knight and the f2 pawn.

19.Rhg1 Qf6 20.Rdf1 b5 21.Nd2 Rad8 22.Nxe4 dxe4 23.Rd1 Qg6

Better is 23...Rd3!, when White cannot win a pawn as 24.Rxd3?! exd3 25.Qxd3? is met by 25...Qxf2.

24.Qe2?!

White should probably have played 24.Rd4, or 24.Rxd8 Rxd8 and either 25.Rd1!? or 25.a4.

24...Rd3 25.g4?

The engines come to regard 25.Qg4!? as best, but give Black at least a slight edge after 25...Qd6 or 25...Qf6.

25...Red8 26.Rgf1?!

And here they prefer 26.f3.

26...Qe6 27.Kb1 g6

The engines reckon this is unnecessary, but averting a possible back-rank mate seemed a sensible precaution to me as White can do little active.

28.Rg1 Kg7 29.Rh1 Qd5

What should White play?

*****

30.Rxd3

The move White has been trying to avoid. Slightly better, according to the engines, is 30.Rc1, but there seems no good answer to 30...Rd2, followed by pushing queenside pawns to open lines against the white king.

30...exd3 31.Qd1 d2 32.Rg1 c5 33.b3

This is the engines' top choice, but White's position is completely lost. Indeed White is almost in zugzwang as neither the queen nor the rook can move, eg 33.Rg3? allows a quick mate starting 33...Qd3+ 34.Ka1 Qf1!

33...a5 34.Kb2 Qd3 35.g5 a4 36.a3 Qd5 37.b4 cxb4 38.axb4 Rc8?!

Black is still winning after this, but much better are 38...a4+!? and 38...Qd3.

39.Rg4?!

White keeps the game going, for a while, with 39.Qc2, although Black should win smoothly enough, eg 39...a3+!? 40.Ka1 Qe5 41.Qxd2 Rxc3 42.Qd4 Qxd4 43.exd4 Rxh3, when Black's advantage is roughly the equivalent of being a rook up, according to the engines, but it is a rook-and-pawn ending, which should give White hope.

39...Qd3 40.c4?!

Again it was possible to get down to a lost, but not quite completely hopeless, rook-and-pawn ending, ie 40.Rd4 Qxc3+ 41.Ka2 Qc2+ 42.Qxc2 Rxc2+ 43.Ka3.

40...bxc4 0-1

Friday, 31 October 2025

Benidorm Round Seven

Ignacio Fernández García (1802) - Spanton (1941)

Queen's Pawn Game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Nc3!?

This has been played by grandmasters, but is only seventh-most popular in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database.

3...Nf6 4.e3!? c5

White is arguably playing the black side of a Chigorin Defrence to the Queen's Gambit, but with an extra tempo

*****

Whatever it is called, Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 are unimpressed - they already give Black at least equality.

5.Be2 Nc6 6.0-0 Bd6 7.Nb5!?

The engines like this, which is why they prefer 6...a6.

7...Be7 8.c4 dxc4!?

All three games to reach the position in Mega25 saw 8...0-0, but the engines reckon the text is better.

9.Bxc4

They suggest 9.dxc5!? or 9.Qa4!?

9...a6 10.Nc3 b5 11.Be2 0-0

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

*****

The position is symmetrical - in piece-structure, that is, not pawn-structure.

White has an extra pawn on the two central files, but a dark-square bishop restricted by its own pawns. Both engines call the game equal, although Dragon1 leans slightly towards Black.

12.Ne5?!

The engines reckon White should play 12.dxc5.

12...Nxe5 13.dxe5 Nd5

Even stronger, according to the engines, is putting pressure on the doubled pawn with 13...Nd7.

14.Qc2

The engines suggest 14.Ne4 or 14.Nxd5, but agree Black has at least a slight edge.

14...Qc7 15.f4?!

Much better, according to the engines, is 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.f4, presumably the point being White then has a mobile kingside pawn-majority.

15...Nb4 16.Qb1 Bb7 17.a3 Nd5 18.Qxc2 Nxc3 19.bxc3!?

Stockfish17.1 reckons this is marginally better than recapturing with the queen, perhaps because the resulting pawn-structure makes it harder for Black to convert the queenside majority into a passed pawn. However, White now has two isolated pawns, which is likely why Dragon1 prefers 19.Qxc3.

19...Rfd8 20.a4!? Bc6 21.axb5 axb5

White's last two moves were the top choice of Stockfish17.1, which casts doubt on my explanation for the engine liking 19.bxc3!? as Black now has a conventional two-v-one majority

*****

*****
22.Rb1

The engines prefer 22.Rxa8 Rxa8 23.c4!?, even though 23...b4 gives Black a protected passer.

22...Rab8 23.Bb2 c4!?

Now the b pawn is backward, but White's dark-square bishop will continue to find it hard to usefully get into the game.

24.Ra1 Bc5 25.Bc1 Qb6 26.Kh1

White can save the pawn, at least in the short term, with 26.Kf2!?, but that looks very risky.

The engines come to suggest 26.Bf3!? Rd3 27.Kh1, but 27...Bxf3 28.Rxf3 Rbd8 leaves Black well on top.

26...Bxe3 27.f5!?

This may be White's best chance, as otherwise there is no compensation for being a pawn down.

27...Bxc1 28.Raxc1 Qb7

This threatens both 29...Bxg2+, and 29...Be4 followed by 30...Bxf5.

29.Bf3 Rd3 30.fxe6 fxe6 31.Bxc6 Qxc6 32.Qf2 Qd7 33.Ra1 Rd2 34.Qf3

If 34.Qc5?!, then 34...Qd5 more-or-less forces queens off, leaving Black with a relatively easy double rook-and-pawn ending.

34...h6

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

*****

Black is not just a pawn up - the black pieces are well-placed for supporting the black majority and for eyeing targets at g2, c3 and e5. White's pieces control two open files, but the engines reckon Black's advantage is roughly equivalent to being up a minor piece.

35.Rad1!? Rd3 36.Rxd3!?

This is the engines' top choice, but after ...

36...cxd3 37.Rd1 d2

... the remaining white rook is virtually tied to the d1 square, making it difficult for White to create counterplay.

38.Qe2 Rd8 39.h3 Qd5 40.Kh2

No better is 40.Kg1 Qc5+ 41.Kh1 Qxc3 42.Qxb5 Qe3.

40...Qd3 41.Qg4 Qc4 42.Qxc4 bxc4 43.Kg1 Rd5 44.Kf2 Kf7 45.Kf3

45.Ke2 Rxe5+ 46.Kxd2 Rd5+ 47.Kc2 Rxd1 48.Kxd1 gives White a lost pawn ending.

45...Kg6 46.Ke4 Kg5 47.Kf3 Kf5 0-1

Wednesday, 12 February 2025

Civil War

PLAYED on board two (of five) for Battersea against Battersea Galacticos in Central London League Division Two last night.

Gautam Jain (2178) - Spanton (1986)

Queen's Pawn Game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5 4.c3 Nf6 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.0-0 Be7 7.Nbd2 0-0

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

*****

Black has more space on the queenside and, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1, has at least the better part of equality.

8.Re1 b6

The engines like 8...cxd4 9.cxd4 Qb6.

9.Ne5 Nxe5 10.dxe5 Ng4?

Correct is 10...Nd7, with what the engines reckon is an equal game.

How should White exploit Black's mistake?

*****

11.Nf3?!

This is enough for a slight edge, but White is winning (Dragon1) or has at least the upper hand (Stockfish17) after 11.e4 Nxe5 12.exd5, the point being 12...Nd3? runs into 13.d6. The engines suggest 12...Bf6, but 13.Ne4! is strong as 13...exd5 14.Nxf6+ Qxf6?! (14...gxf6 is a tad better) runs into 15.Qxd5 Ng4 16.Qd2! Rb8 17.Qf4. Instead the engines give 13...c4!?, but reckon White is well on top.

11...f6 12.Bf4 g5!? 13.exf6 gxf4 14.fxe7 Qxe7 15.h3 Nh6 16.g4 Bb7

After the brief flurry of tactics, how would you assess the middlegame?

*****

Black is more developed and has a central pawn-majority, but the pawns are not easy to mobilise and the white king is much safer than its black counterpart. The engines give White the upper hand.

17.e3!?

Offering Black the chance to half-open the f file.

17...Rad8

The engines prefer 17...fxe3 or 17...Rae8.

18.Qd2 fxe3 19.Qxe3 d4

The engines suggest giving up the e pawn with 19...Nf7!?, or protecting it with 19...Rf6!? After the latter, 20.g5 can be met by 20...Rg6, when 21.gxh6 d4!? 22.cxd4 Rf8 gives excellent counterplay for the piece, according to the engines. However they reckon 20.Nh4! is very strong.

20.cxd4?!

Much better, according to the engines, is 20.Qxh6 Bxf3 21.Rxe6.

20...Bxf3 21.Bxf3

The engines still prefer Qxh6.

21...cxd4 22.Qxh6 Rxf3 23.Rxe6

Black to play and equalise

*****

23...Qf8?

Correct is 23...Rxh3.

24.Qg5+ Kh8

White to play and win

*****

25.Rae1

Getting the last piece into play looks natural, but Black is holding on after this. Instead there seems no adequate answer to 25.Re7!, when both 26.Qh4 and 26.Rae1 are decisive threats. If 25...Qf6, then 26.Qxf6+ Rxf6 gives White a winning rook-and-pawn ending, while 25...d3 fails to the engines' 26.Qe5+ Kg8 27.Rc1! d2 28.Qg5+ Kh8 29.Rxh7+! Kxh7 30.Rc7+ Rf7 31.Rxf7+ Qxf7 32.Qxd8 (but this is a very tricky line to find over the board, and at the end of it there is still a queen-and-pawn ending to negotiate).

Black to play and draw

*****

25...Rxf2!

The only move as 25...Rf7 fails to 26.Qxd8+! Qxd8 27.Re8+, eg 27...Rf8 28.Rxd8 Rxd8, when White has a winning rook-and-pawn ending.

26.Qe5+ Kg8 27.Qg5+ Kh8 28.Qe5+

Worth a try is 28.Re7 as only 28...Rf6! holds. Also holding is 28.Re8 Rxe8, but less clear is 28...Rf1+?! 29.Rxf1 Qxe8 30.Qf6+ Kg8 31.Rf5.

28...Kg8 29.Qg5+ Kh8 30.Qe5+ ½–½
Battersea won the match 3-2.

MY BATTERSEA SEASON 2024-5

DATE.....EVENT...........................COL..RATING..OPP'S RATING..SCORE..SEASON PERF

12/9/24..Central London League....W......1933..........1886................1............2286

26/9/24..Central London League....B.......1933..........2112................1............2399

15/10/24.Club Championship.........W......1968..........1578................1............2259*

31/10/24.Central London League...B.......1968..........1867.................0...........2061*

19/11/24.London League...............W.......1957..........1991................1............2127*

21/11/24.Central London League....B.......1957..........2035................=...........2112*

27/11/24.London League...............W.......1957..........1723................=...........2056*

12/12/24.Central London League....B.......1965..........2153................0...........2018*

7/1/25.....Club Championship.........B.......1958..........1785................1...........2037*

9/1/25.....Central London League....B.......1958..........1851................0...........1978

14/1/25....Eastman Cup.................B........1958..........2052................1............2021*

28/1/25....London League..............B........1958..........1766................1............2033*

4/2/25......London League..............B........1980..........1757................1............2043*

6/2/25......Central London League..W.......1980..........1932................0............2006*

11/2/25....Central London League..B........1986..........2178................=............2018*

*My season's performance is slightly better than this as my win against a 1578 is a 1978 performance, lowering my average despite me winning.

Sunday, 7 July 2024

Bad Herrenalb Round Three

I WAS downfloated against an opponent who took a half-point bye in round one.

Mario Born (2152) - Spanton (1928)

Queen's Pawn Game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 c5!?

White's move-order suggests he is angling for a Catalan, but without letting Black play an early ...dxc4, which has been cited as a relatively simple equalising line.

How should White respond?

*****

4.Bg2

This is by far the most popular move in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, and becomes the top choice of Dragon1, although for some time the engine prefers the peculiar 4.dxc5!? Stockfish16.1 suggests 4.c4, continuing 4...dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nd7!? 6.Qxc4 a6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Bg2, rating the position as completely equal.

4...cxd4!?

Much more popular are 4...Nf6 and especially 5...Nc6, but the text, which has been played by Garry Kasaprov, can be thought of as an anti-Catalan continuation.

5.0-0 Nf6 6.Nxd4 e5!? 7.Nb5

The mainline in Mega24 runs 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Bg5 Nbd7 9.Nc3 Be7 10.e4!? dxe4 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Bxe4 Nf6 14.Bg2 0-0, with complete equality, according to the engines.

7...a6 8.N5a3!?

The engines prefer retreating the knight to c3.

8...Be7

This may be a novelty. The engines reckon Black is better after 8...Nc6 or 8...Be6.

9.c4

The engines suggest 9.Bg5.

How should Black proceed?

*****

9...d4!?

This seems best. The position now resembles a Réti, albeit one in which the Réti knight has been transported from f3 to a3.

10.Bg5 0-0 11.Bxf6!?

This is the top choice of the engines.

11...Bxf6 12.Nd2 Nc6 13.Qb3!?

MB offered a draw.

How would you assess the position?

*****

Black has the bishop-pair and a central pawn-majority, together with more space in the centre. White has more pieces developed, a queenside space advantage and the endgame advantage of a farside pawn-majority. The engines give Black the upper hand.

13...Na5 14.Qd3 Nc6 15.Qb3 Qc7 16.Rac1 Be6 17.Bd5!?

This is the engines' top choice.

17...Bh3 18.Rfe1 Bg5 19.Rcd1 Rab8 20.Nc2 Ne7 21.Bg2 Bxg2 22.Kxg2

The bishop-pair has gone, but Black retains a good advantage.

22...Rfc8?!

This seems to largely let White off the hook, whereas 22...b5 is very strong, the point being 23.cxb5?! Rxb5 is winning for Black, eg 24.Qd3 Rxb2, or 24.Qa4 Bxd2 25.Rxd2 Rxb2.

23.Ne4?!

Probably better is the engines' 23.e3, eg 23...b5 24.exd4 bxc4 25.Qf3 Rxb2 26.Ne4 h6 27.Qc3 Qb7 28.dxe5, with an unclear position that the engines reckon gives equal chances.

23...Qc6 24.Qf3 Bh6 25.Nb4 Qg6

Not 25...Qxc4? 26.Nd6 etc.

26.c5!? f5!? 27.Qb3+ Kf8!?

Not 27.Kh8? Nd6 28.Rf8 Nd5 with a strong initiative.

28.Nd2 Bxd2 29.Rxd2 Rxc5

Black is a sound pawn up

*****

30.Nd3 Rb5 31.Qa3 Rc8 32.Kg1?!

There probably was not time for this. The engines suggest 32.e3 or 32.f4!?, but give Black the upper hand.

32...Qb6 33.Rc1

The engines suggest 33.Red1 or 33.b4, but agree Black has a positionally won game.

33...Rxc1+ 34.Nxc1 Ra5 35.Qd3 Qc6 36.Rc2 Rc5 37.Rxc5 Qxc5 38.Nb3 Qc6?!

This allows White an equalising chance, whereas 38...Qb4, among other moves, maintains an advantage, according to the engines.

How does White equalise?

*****

39.Qd2

The engines show 39.f4! breaks up Black's centre and so equalises, eg 39...exf4 40.Nxd4 Qc1+ 41.Kg2 fxg3 42.Nxf5 Nxf5 43.Qxf5+ with perpetual check.

39...b6 40.f4?!

A move late, and with much less effect thanks to the white queen being on d2 (as will soon become clear). However, after the engines' 40.e3 dxe3 41.Qxe3 Qd6 Black remains a sound pawn up.

How does Black gain a large advantage?

*****

40...Nd5!

There is no good answer to this. MB spent 21 minutes on his next, but defied grandmaster John Nunn's 20-minute rule (see yesterday's game for a brief explanation of this rule) by coming up with what Dragon1 reckons is best.

41.Kf2!?

Stockfish16.1 for quite some time agrees this is best, but comes to slightly prefer 41.e4 and 41.Qc1, albeit reckoning Black is the equivalent of more than a minor piece ahead.

41...Ne3 42.Qc1 Qxc1

This is stronger than 42...Qg2+ 43.Ke1 Qf1+ etc. However the engines reckon that, instead of 43...Qf1+, Black gets an even larger advantage with 43...b5!?

43.Nxc1 exf4 44.Nb3 Nd1+ 45.Kf3 fxg3 46.hxg3 Nxb2 47.Nxd4 g6 48.Ne6+ Kf7 49.Ng5+ Kg7 50.Ke3 h6 51.Ne6+ Kf7 52.Nc7 a5 53.Kd4 h5 54.Nd5 Ke6!? 55.Nxb6

White is now 'only' one pawn down, but Black can create a winning passer on the h file

*****
*****

*****

55...g5 56.Nd5 a4 57.Nc3 h4 58.gxh4 gxh4 59.e4!? h3 60.Ne2 h2 61.Ng3 f4 62.Nh1 Nd1 63.Kd3 Ke5 64.Kd2 Ne3 65.Nf2 Nf1+ 66.Kd3 Ng3?? 67.Ng4+ ½–½