European 65+ Team: Game Nine

Awaiting a new arrival in the family?

England 3 v England 4

Spanton (2003) - Stephen Williams (1870)

Scandinavian

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 Bg4

How should White proceed?

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6.h3

The main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 6.c5!? N6d7 7.Bc4 e6 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nc3, with the upper hand for White, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1, but they reckon 8...Bxf3!? is a major improvement for Black.

6...Bh5?!

The engines also prefer ...Bxf3 here.

7.Be3

After 7.g4!? Bg6 8.Qb3!? the engines reckon White has a positionally won game (Stockfish18) or at least the upper hand (Dragon1).

7...e6 8.g4!? Bg6 9.Ne5

The engines suggest 9.Nc3 or 9.a3!?

9...Be4!?

This apparent-novelty is the engines' top choice, ahead of the known moves 9...N8d7 and 9...Be7. However, my opponent was playing quickly here, so although the text is not in Mega26, it is probably a published idea, and the game does soon transpose into known lines.

10.f3!?

Dragon1, but not Stockfish18, marginally prefers 10.Rg1.

10...Bxb1

9...Be4!? turns out to have been a zwischenzug that led to White weakening the h4-e1 diagonal. 

11.Rxb1 Bb4+

This looks very natural, but the engines prefer 11...N8d7 or 11...Be7. The reason is probably that the bishop proves vulnerable on b4, despite forcing White to move the king, as 12.Bd2? runs into 12...Qh4+!? (the engines reckon this is even stronger than 12...Qxd4) 13.Ke2 Bxd2 14.Kxd2 f6 15.Nd3 Nc6, with good attacking chances for Black.

After 11...Bb4+, where should White's king go?

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12.Ke2

The engines slightly prefer 12.Kf2, when Sergio Duran Vega (2304) - Edison Ruge (2205), Latin Cup (Cali, Colombia) 2012, continued 12...Be7!? 13.Qb3 Bh4+ 14.Kg2 0-0 15. f4, with the upper hand for White, according to the engines, although the game was eventually drawn.

12...N8d7 13.Qb3

The engines suggest 13.Nd3 or 13.f4.

13...Nxe5 14.dxe5

Black to play and obtain seemingly equal chances

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14...c5?

Better than the text, but probably still good for White, is 14...Be7?! 15.Rd1, but Black is fine after 14...Qe7, according to the engines.

15.a3 Ba5 16.Rd1 Nd7 17.Bxc5

The engines prefer slow build-up with 17.Bg2!?, or consolidation with 17.f4!?

17...Bc7?

After 17...Rc8 18.Bd6 Bc7, White has at least the upper hand, but that is much better than the text, according to the engines.

18.f4

The engines reckon the pin down the d file, combined with Black's inability to castle, makes for an advantage worth more than a minor piece.

18...b6 19.Bb4 a5 20.Bd6 Bxd6 21.Rxd6 0-0

The black king has found safety, and indeed looks safer than White's king, but Black is losing material 

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22.Bg2 Qc7!?

Giving up the exchange, but after 22...Ra7 23.Rhd1 Qe7 (23...Nc5 24.Qxb6) 24.Qb5 Nb8 (24...Rd8 25.Qxb6!) 25.Rxb6, White is two pawns up and with a continuing initiative.

23.Bxa8 Rxa8 24.Rhd1 Nf8

There is nothing better, but ...

25.Rxb6

... leaves White up two pawns as well as the exchange.

25...Ng6 26.Kf3 Nxe5!?

This is objectively bad, but at least exposes the white king to harassment.

27.fxe5 Qxe5 28.Kg2 Rf8

If 28...Qe2+, then 29.Kg1 ends the checks immediately.

29.Qd3 f5!? 30.Rb5 Qc7 31.gxf5 Qc6+ 32.Kh2 Qc7+ 33.Qd6

The checks are effectively over, with White up a rook and a pawn

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33...Qa7 34.Qxe6+ Kh8 35.c5 Qc7+ 36.Qd6 Qc8 37.Qd7 Qa8 38.Rb7 Rg8 39.f6 k6 40.fxg7+ Kh7 41.Qf5#

TEAM RESULT

Bo.	13	England 3	Rtg	-	17	England 4	Rtg	3 : 1
8.1		Spanton, Tim R	2003	-		Williams, Stephen M	1870	1 - 0
8.2		Freeman, Jon A	1950	-		Kane, Robert	1791	½ - ½
8.3		Guilfoyle, John M	1921	-	AFM	Winter, Kevin	1722	½ - ½
8.4		Wilson, Edgar	1903	-		Cox, Kevin	1637	1 - 0

Czech 65+ Round Nine

Wooden carvings

Spanton (2003) - Jan Švub (1910)

Scandinavian

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6

This position occurs 5.756 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, a testament to the rise of 3...Qd6, championed by Tiviakov

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6.g3

This is second in popularity to 6.Ne5, when the main line in Mega26 runs 6...Nbd7 7.Nc4!? Qc7 8.Qf3!? Nb6 9.Bf4, with a slight edge for White, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

6...Bg4 7.Bg2 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Re1 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 at some point will probably play Bf4 with tempo, factors that add up to a slight edge, according to the engines.

10.h3 Bh5

The engines prefer 10...Bxf3!? 11.Bxf3 Rd8!?

11.Bf4 Qd8 12.g4!?

Going after the bishop-pair. The weakening of White's kingside does not seem serious.

12...Bg6 13.Ne5 Nbd7 14.Nxg6 hxg6 15.Qe2

The engines suggest an apparent-novelty in 15.Qd3!?

15...Nb6

Not, as occurred in a Mega26 game, 15...Nd5? 16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Bxd5!

16.Rad1 Nbd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5!?

Stockfish18 reckons this is better than 17...cxd5; Dragon1 is less sure.

18.Bg3 Bd6 19.c4!? Nf6

JS spent more than 25 minutes over this move, presumably calculating the consequences of 19...Nf4, when the engines at first reckon 20.Bxf4 Bxf4 21.d5 gives White a slight edge, but they come to be less enthusiastic about White's position.

20.Be5 Qc7 21.Bxf6?!

The engines strongly dislike this, reckoning it switches the position from slightly favourable for White to slightly favourable for Black.

21...gxf6 22.d5 exd5 23.cxd5 cxd5

The engines prefer creating a queenside majority with 23...c5!? That gives White a passed pawn, but it is a passer that is well-blockaded, and it obstructs the action of the white bishop.

24.Bxd5 Be5 25.Rc1 Qb6 26.Qe4!? Kg7

White threatened 27.Qxg6+!

27.Kg2 Qxb2!? 28.Rb1 Qd4 29.Qxd4 Bxd4 30.Rb7 Rab8 31.Ree7 Rxb7

JS offered a draw.

How would you assess the rook-and-bishop ending?

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After 32.Rxb7 White will have the more-active rook, but the position is completely equal (Stockfish18), or White has a purely notional advantage of +0.1 (Dragon1).  On the other hand, Black's rook and king are tied to defending f7, and by playing on it is hard to see how White can lose, bar a catastrophic blunder.

32.Rxb7 Kg8 33.f4 Kg7 34.h4 Bc5 35.Kg3 Bd4 36.h5 gxh5

The engines prefer 36...f5 as, after ...

37.gxh5

... they reckon White has a slight edge.

37...Bc5 38.Kg4 Bb6 39.Kf5 Bd4 40.Rd7 Bc5 41.Bb3 Bb6 42.a4 Bf2 43.Rd2 Rb8!?

This comes to be the engines' top choice, but it involves a pawn sacrifice that requires precise play from Black. Meanwhile, 43...Bb6 also involves a pawn sacrifice, but after, for example, 44.Rg2+ Kh6 45.Kxf6 Bc7 46.Bxf7 Bxf4, the position may be easier to defend. Perhaps it comes down to a matter of taste.

44.Bxf7 Kxf7

Not 44...Be3?? 45.Rd7.

45.Rxf2 Rc8

Not 45...Rb4? 46.Rc2 Rxa4 47.Rc7+ Kg8 48.Kg6.

46.Rh2 Rc5+ 47.Kg4 Kg7 48.Rb2 Ra5 49.Rb7+ Kh6 50.Rf7 Rxa4 51.Rxf6+

One move draws, the other loses

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51...Kg7?

The Syzygy endgame tablebase shows 51...Kh7! draws. The reason for the difference will soon become clear.

52.Kg5

52.Rg6+? only draws.

52...Ra1 53.h6+

If the king were on h7, White's 53rd move would not come with check, and that makes all the difference as Black would have 53...Rg1+, when play might continue 54.Kf5 Rh1 55.Ra6 Rxh6 56.Rxa7+ Kg8, with a standard draw.

53...Kg8 54.Rg6+ Kf8

Or 54...Kh8 55.f5 Rg1+ 56.Kf6 Rf1 57.Rg7 a5 58.Kg6 a4 59.f6 a3 60.Rh7+ Kg8 61.f7+ Rh8+ 62.f8=Q+ Rxf8 63.Rxf8 Kxf8 64.h7.

55.h7 Rh1 56.Rg8+

Also winning is 56.Rh6.

56...Kf7 57.h8=Q Rg1+ 58.Kf5 Rxg8 59.Qf6+ Ke8 60.Qe6+ Kf8 61.Kf6 1-0

British 65+ Round Five

Spanton (1940 ECF/2003 Fide) - Francis Best (1893 ECF/1813 Fide)

Scandinavian

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 c6 6.g3!?

There are 1,052 examples of this move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but the main continuation remains 6.Ne5.

How should Black respond to the text?

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6...Bf5

This has been played by many grandmasters, but the main line in Mega26 runs 6...Bg4 7.Bg2 e6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Bf4, when Black usually chooses between the aggressive 9...Qb4 and the passive 9...Qd8 (3...Qd6 guru Tiviakov has played both moves), with Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckoning White is clearly better in either case.

7.Bg2 e6 8.0-0 Qc7!?

Prophylaxis, the idea being to meet 9.Bf4 with 9...Bd6, but Tiviakov has preferred the more-common moves 8...h6 and 8...Be7.

9.Re1!? Be7!?

The problem with 9...Bd6, after 9.Re1, is White has 10.d5!?, when 10...Nxd5 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.Nd4 obliges Black to allow 12...0-0 13.Nxf5, as 12...Bg6? can be met by 13.Nb5 Qe7 14.Bxd5!, or 13.Nxe6!? fxe6 14.Rxe6+, with the engines reckoning White is winning comfortably in both lines. Probably even worse is 10...cxd5?! 11.Nd4.

10.Bf4 Qd8

This position occurs 22 times in Mega26, but in all but one game it is Black to move

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11.Ne5 0-0?!

The engines suggest 11...Nbd7.

How should White proceed?

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12.g4!

This type of move is often double-edged, but here it definitely works.

12...Bg6 13.h4 h5?!

The engines prefer 13...Nd5!?, but after 14.Nxd5 cxd5 15.h5 Be4 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Rxe4 White has won a sound pawn.

14.g5

There are other good continuations, including 14.Nxg6 fxg6 15.Qe2!?

14...Nd5 15.Nxd5 exd5 16.Bf3

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 16.Nxg6 fxg6 17.Bg3.

16...Nd7 17.Bxh5

Stockfish18 again likes Nxg6, but Dragon1 prefers the text, at first, albeit eventually evaluating the two moves as roughly equally good.

17...Nxe5 18.dxe5

And here the engines are unsure whether the text or 18.Bxe5 is better. Note that 18.Bxe5 cannot be met by 18...Bxg5? as White has 19.Bxg6!, before capturing on g5.

18...Bf5 19.Bg4 Qd7 20.Bxf5 Qxf5 21.Bg3

With the tactics having settled down, how big is White's advantage?

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Black has the better bishop and the safer king, but White has an extra pawn, and chances of using the white majority for an attack on Black's king. The engines agree White is winning.

21...Bc5

21...Qh3 is not dangerous for White after 22.Qf3.

22.Kg2 Rae8

The engines suggest plunging in with 22...f6!? 23.exf6 gxf6, but it is far from clear whose king is more vulnerable.

23.Qf3!?

The engines like 23.Qd3, not being worried about the nuisance-value of 23...Qxd3 24.cxd3 Bd4.

After 23.Qf3!?, can Black get his pawn back?

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Yes! The point being 23...Qxc2!? 24.Rac1 Qd2!? saves the black bishop. However, after 25.Red1 Qa5 26.a3 Bb6, White has gained valuable time, and the engines reckon 27.h5 leads to a winning kingside attack.

23...Qxf3+?!

Nevertheless, the engines agree Black should keep queens on, one way or another, eg by 23...Qe6 or 23...Qg6.

24.Kxf3 g6!? 25.Kg4 Kg6 26.Rad1 Re6 27.f4 Rh8 28.Rh1 Ree8 29.Rde1 Bb6 30.Re2 d4!?

Going for counterplay. It seems unlikely that passively defending on the kingside would work in the long run.

31.Rd1 c5 32.b3 Ba5 33.a4 a6 34.f5!?

This lets Black split White's majority, but in return the white king advances, and the h pawn becomes passed.

34...gxf5+

This is best, according to the engines.

35.Kxf5 Re6 36.Rf2 Bc7 37.Re1 Rhe8

Not 37...Rh5? 38.Kg4 Rh8 39.Rhf1.

38.Re2 b5 39.axb5 axb5 40.h5 c4 41.bxc4 bxc4 42.Rd1 Bb6 43.Re4

Not 43.Bf2? d3!

43...Rh8 44.h6+ Kh7 45.Bf2 d3 46.Bxb6 dxc2 47.Rc1 Rxb6 48.Rxc2

Black is losing a second pawn

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48...Re8 49.Rcxc4 Rbe6 50.Rc7 Kg8 51.Rd7 Rg6 52.Rd6 Rge6 53.Rxe6 Rxe6 54.Rd4 1-0

Lessons From Bregenz III

I HAVE had the following position three times in my games.

In each case it arose after the moves 1.e4 d5 2.d4!? exd4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 Bf5!? 5.g4 Bg6 6.g5 Nd5 7.Nxe4 e6

I first had it at Guernsey in 2005, when I continued 8.Nh3!?, which was apparently a novelty, although ChessBase's 2026 Mega database has two subsequent games with the same continuation.

According to my notes, my opponent, Dutchman Peter Vorstermans (1934), suggested 8.c4, which I noted was also recommended by Gary Lane in his 2003 book Blackmar-Diemer Gambit.

I also noted that my main engines at the time, which I am pretty sure were Hiarcs1.5a and Deep Fritz7, "love 8...Bb4+, but Lane gives a ?, continuing 9.Ke2!"

There is little doubt that Lane, and presumably Vorstermans, were ahead of contemporary engines, as modern engines, eg Stockfish18 and Dragon1, flash red when ...Bb4+ is inputted. agreeing that the best reply is Ke2.

I next had the diagram position in round one at Bregenz, where I again continued 8.Nh3!?, having no recollection of the Guernsey game.

That is understandable, since there are almost 21 years and more than 3,000 games between the two encounters, although I do find it surprising, and a little disappointing, that my calculations came to the same apparently sub-optimal solution in both cases.

The third time I had the diagram position was in round three at Bregenz, where I continued 8.Ne2!?, which is again almost certainly sub-optimal, showing how little I had taken from my experience two rounds earlier.

I probably should have chosen one of the two moves liked by Stockfish18 and Dragon1, namely 8.c4 (known since at least a 1947 game of Emil Diemer's - the game is not in Mega26), and 8.h4 (the earliest encounter in Mega26 being a a 1997 game between two unrateds).

LESSON: it is good to look at your games, but it is so much better to study them.

Lessons From Bregenz

IN round one of the Bodensee Seniors I was White against Kurt Vogel (1643).

The game began as a Scandinavian, 1.e4 d5, but I mixed things up by switching into the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit with 2.d4!?

There are 2,034 examples of this transpositional trick in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, although, on the face of it, the trick rebounds on White as 2.d4!? scores 48%, seven percentage points lower than the mainline 2.exd5.

Then again, of all the moves after 1.e4 d5 that appear at least 100 times in Mega26, 2.d4!? records the second-highest score, so it has something going for it.

Not only that, but it has been played by grandmasters, although German GM Matthias Wahls, in a 1997 article for ChessBase, wrote: "The vast majority of Scandinavian Defence supporters are aware of the possibility of becoming involved in the BDG."

He furthered this by giving d4 a question mark, explaining that he had been taught a pawn is worth "roughly two to three tempi," whereas in the BDG White "only receives a single tempo for the sacrifice."

With all due respect, I am not sure Wahls is right about this.

After 2...dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3, the following position is reached 3,407 times in Mega26.

It is Black to move, but I am showing the board from White's viewpoint

Black has accepted the sacrifice by taking on f3 - until then it was still possible to decline the gambit, for example by 4...e3 (585 examples in Mega26).

After Nxf3, White has developed two pieces, against Black's one, and has opened diagonals for both white bishops, whereas Black has yet to open a diagonal for the f8 bishop.

I make that an advantage of two development tempi, and it will be three once White castles kingside, as the king's rook will land on the half-open f file.

True, it is Black to move, but even so, by my reckoning, White has the "roughly two to three tempi" that Wahls was taught is necessary for a positional pawn sacrifice.

Then again, show the diagram position to Stockfish18 and Dragon1, and they reckon Black has the upper hand, which rather supports Wahls' opinion.

Black should continue, according to the engines, with 5...c6, 5...Bf5 or 5...g6!? The last move is interesting as it was Diemer's choice when Bogoljubow played the gambit against him in 1952 at Baden-Baden. ChessBase gives the game as a White win, but Black made the last move, the final position is dead drawn, and no explanation is given as to what happened, so it is anyone's guess as to how the game ended.

Be that as it may, the main line in Mega26 runs 5...Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 (6...Bxf3 is also popular) 7.g4!? Bg6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Bg2 c6, reaching the following position.

White has developed three pieces, including a knight to the fifth rank, which, according to Tarrasch, counts as two development tempi

Black has developed two pieces, but it is White to move, and White can still castle kingside, developing the king's rook to a half-open file. Alternatively, White might castle long, in which case the queen's rook
will be developed to a half-closed file - one on which the black queen currently resides.

Again White seems to be getting "roughly two to three tempi" for a pawn.

Naturally, counting tempi is far from being the only way to evaluate opening play, and, in the diagram, after 6...c6, White has more space in the centre and on the kingside, but also a lot of holes.

This time the engines have a higher regard for White's play, rating the position as giving equal chances (Stockfish18) or at best giving Black a slight edge (Dragon1).

LESSON: as is often the case in chess, there is plenty of room for divergence of opinion, and the objective merits of a move, especially if it involves a gambit, may be very different from the practical results.

Bregenz Seniors Round Three

FACED a Swiss.

Spanton (1911) - Urs Scheidegger (1809)

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit

1.e4 d5 2.d4!? dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 Bf5!? 5.g4 Bg6 6.g5 Nd5 7.Nxe4 e6

So far, all as in round one

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8.Ne2!?

This is second in popularity in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database to 8.c4, but is not liked by Stockfish18 or Dragon1.

8...f5?!

Apparently a novelty, and probably not a good one. The engines suggest 8...Nc6 or 8...h6!?

9.N4g3

White is slightly better after 9.gxf6, according to the engines, eg 9...Nxf6 10.Ng5!?, or 9...gxf6 10.c4!?, and if 10...Bb4+?!, then 11.Kf2!

9...Be7 10.f4 Bb4+?

There is no logic to this move.

11.c3 Bd6?!

The engines recommend eating humble pie with 11...Be7!?

12.Bg2 c6

How should White proceed?

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13.c4!?

Strong (and would have been even stronger at move 12), but needs to be followed up correctly. Also good is 13.h4.

13...Bb4+?!

The d5 knight should probably retreat to c7 or e7.

14.Bd2??

White is winning after moving the king, eg 14.Kf2!? Ne7 15.Qb3 a5 16.a3 Bd6 17.Qxb7, or 15...Qb6 16.c5 Qb5 17.Qxe6.

14...Ne3 15.Qb3

Objectively best, or rather least worst, may be 15.Bxb4!? Bxd1 16.Rxd1.

15...Nxg2+ 16.Kd1 Bxd2 17.Qxb7 Nd7 18.Kxd2 Rb8 19.Qxc6 Nh4

Even stronger is the engines' 19...Rxb2+!, eg 20.Kc1 Qb8!, and if 21.Qxg2, then 21...Qb4! 22.Rd1 Qa3!

20.Qxe6+

What should Black play?

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20...Kf8!

Despite the white queen looking so menacing, it is White's king that is in greater danger, which is why 20...Qe7 21.Qxe7+ Kxe7 21.b3 would be a great relief.

21.Kc2 Rb6?!

Probably better are two suggestions of the engines, 21...Qc7 and 21...h6.

22.Qe3 Qb8 23.Qa3+ Kf7 24.Nc3?

The engines give 24.Rac1!?, preparing to bring the king to (relative) safety on b1, while at the same time developing a piece.

24...Nf3?

Stronger are 24...Qxf4 and 24...Ng2.

25.Nd5?

25.Rad1 equalises (Dragon1) or comes close to it (Stockfish18).

25...Nxd4+! 26.Kd3 Rd6 27.Kxd4 Rxd5+!

This exchange sacrifice leaves the white king helpless

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28.cxd5 Qxf4+ 29.Kd3 Ne5+ 30.Kc2

Or 30.Ke2 Re8.

30...Qc4+

Much stronger is 30...Rc8+, but the text is plenty good enough, and Black's winning route is arguably a matter of taste.
31.Kd1?

There was more hope in 31.Qc3 f4+ 32.Kc1, eg 32...Qxc3+ 33.bxc3 fxg3 34.hxg3, when White has rook and two pawns for bishop and knight, but White's pawns are chronically weak, and the engines reckon Black's advantage is about equivalent to being up a piece.

31...Qxd5+ 32.Ke2 Qg2+ 33.Kd1

Or 33.Ke1 Nf3+.

33...Rd8+ 34.Kc1 Qd2+ 35.Kb1 f4+ 0-1

Bregenz Seniors Round One

FACED a German.

Spanton (1911) - Kurt Vogel (1643)

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit

1.e4 d5 2.d4!?

This is strongly disliked by Stockfish18 and Dragon1, but they do not like 1...d5 either.

2...dxe4 3.Nc3 Bf5!?

This is third in popularity in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 3...e5!? and especially 3...Nf6.

How should White respond?

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4.f3

This was Alexander Alekhine's choice in a 1923 simul, but the engines suggest 4.g4 Bg6 and, probably, 5.Nge2 (Emil Diemer played 5,Bg2 in a 1972 game), claiming White has equalised.

4...Nf6

Alekhine - Lynn* Blount, Simul (Providence, Rhode Island) 1923, went 4...exf3 5.Qxf3!? e6 6.Qxb7 Nd7 7.Bb5 Nf6 8.Bg5 Be7?! (the engines suggest 8...Rb8 or 8...Qc8!?) 9.Bxf6?! (White is better after 9.Bxd7+, eg 9...Nxd7 10.Bxe7 Kxe7 11.0-0-0) Bxf6 10.Bxd7+ Kxd7, with equal chances, according to the engines (but 1-0, 46 moves).

After 4...Nf6 the game has reached, via transpositions, a tabiya of the BDG that occurs 846 times in Mega26 

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5.g4

More common is 5.fxe4!? Nxe4 6.Qf3 Nd6 7.Bf4 e6 8.0-0-0, when White has interesting compensation for a pawn, although Dragon1 (but not Stockfish18) reckons Black is still slightly better.

5...Bg6 6.g5 Nd5 7.Nxe4

Kurt Richter - Simon Rotenstein, Berlin Championship 1932, continued 7.fxe4?! Nxc3 8.bxc3 Bxe4 9.Nf3, with the upper hand for Black, according to the engines (but 1-0, 42 moves).

7...e6 8.Nh3!?

The engines prefer 8.h4, 8.c4 or 8.c3.

8...c6

This may be a novelty. Spanton (2018) - Peter Vorstermans (1934), Guernsey 2005, went 8...Be7 9.Bg2 h6 10.gxh6 Bh4+ 11.Ng3 gxh6 12.Bd2?! (White should probably castle, or play 12.Nf4) Nc6, with the upper hand for Black, according to the engines (0-1, 30 moves).

9.Bg2 Nd7 10.Qe2 N7b6 11.Bd2 Qd7 12.a4 a5 13.0-0 Be7 14.b3 0-0

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

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White's kingside looks a mess, but White's pawns give White more space, and White is capable of attacking on the queenside, in the centre and/or on the kingside. The engines reckon White has the upper hand (Stockfish18) or is at least slightly better (Dragon1).

15.Rad1 Qc8?!

Not a great square for the queen, and meanwhile Black is falling behind in development.

16.c4 Nc7?!

This drops a pawn, but 16...Nb4 17.Ne4 is also very good for White, according to the engines.

17.Qe1!? Bxe4?!

This probably makes matter worse.

18.fxe4 Nd7 19.Bxa5  b6 20.Bc3 Ne8 21.Qg3 Rb8 22.e5 g6!?

This is the top choice of the engines, but if 22...g6!? is really the best move in the position, it only goes to show how badly Black stands.

23.Qf3 c5

The engines give 23...b5 24.axb5 axb5 25.c5!?, with what they regard as a positionally won game for White.

24.d5 exd5?!

Natural looking, but it loses a piece, so Black had to try something like 24...Ng7 25.d6 Bd8, but with a horrible position.

25.Qxd5! 1-0
*Given as T Blount in Mega26, but it was probably Lynn Blount, champion of Providence Chess Club.

World Team 65+ Round Nine

Bo.	46	England - 5	Rtg	-	40	Brazil	Rtg	0 : 0
18.1		Freeman, Richard C P	1897	-		Okamura, Milton Kasuo	1979
18.2	CM	Stokes, Michael	1861	-		Gambale, Eduardo De Aquino	1944
18.3		Spanton, Tim R	1908	-		Moyses Sobrinho, Elias	1896
18.4		Marshall, Michael	1859	-		Vieira, Alexandre Letizio	1826

Spanton (1908) - Elias Moysés Sobrinho (1896)

Scandinavian

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nb6 5.Nf3 Bf5

The main continuations in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 5...Bg4 and especially 5...g6, although the text is the second choice of Dragon1, at least for a while. However, it and Stockfish17.1 come to agree 5...g6 is best.

How should White respond?

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6.c5!?

The main move is 6.Nc3, but the text has some interesting points.

6...Nd5 7.Qb3 Bc8!?

The engines suggest an apparent-novelty in 7...Nc6!?, when their main line runs 8.Bb5 e6 9.Ne5 Ne7, with a sharp position that they reckon gives White the upper hand, but they do not agree on how White should continue.

8.Nc3

The engines slightly prefer the relatively rare 8.Bg5!?

8...e6 9.Bc4 c6 10.0-0 Be7 11.Re1 0-0

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

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Black has an outpost at d5, but White has more space and development. The engines reckon White has at least the upper hand.

12.Bd3!? Nd7

Varying from Vitor Luis de Jesus Silverio (2016) - Moysés Sobrinho (1948), Manaus (Brazil) 2024, which went 12...b6 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.Qc2 g6 15.Bh6 Re8 16.b4, with a positionally won game for White, according to the engines (1-0, 21 moves).
13.Qc2 N7f6 14.a3 b6 15.Nxd5!? Qxd5 16.Re5!? Qd7 17.b4

Almost certainly much stronger is 17.Rg5!?, when the rook, despite being off the back rank early in the game, is in little danger of being embarrassed as it has both g3 and h3 as safe squares, at least in the medium term.

17...bxc5

How should White recapture

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18.dxc5

Getting rid of the backward pawn, but allowing Black counterplay down the a and d files. Stockfish17.1  much prefers 18.bxc5, but Dragon1 for quite some time is less sure.

18...Rd8 19.Bf1?!

Probably better is 19.Re3, as Black cannot play 19...Ng4? or 19...Nd5? as White has 20.Bxh7+.

19...a5 20.Bb2 axb4 21.axb4 Rxa1 22.Bxa1 Qd1!? 23.Qxd1 Rxd1 24.Re1 Rxe1 25.Nxe1 Nd5

How would you assess this minor-piece ending?

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White's queenside majority is held up a single pawn, so the position is equal, according to the engines.

26.Nc2

Not 26.Nd3? Ba6.

26...Bf6?!

This lets White seize the initiative. The engines suggest 26...f6, 26...Bd7 or 26...Bg5.

27.Bxf6 Nxf6

Stockfish17.1 fluctuates between the text and 27...gxf6, but Dragon1 prefers the former.

28.Nd4 Bd7?

Correct is 28...Bb7, and if, as in the game, 29.b5 cxb5 30.c6, then 30...Ba6, eg 31.Bxb5 Bc8, when White has no way of promoting the pawn. However, the engines recommend 29.Bc4 or 29.g3, claiming at least a slight edge.

29.b5! cxb5 30.c6

This zwischenzug gives White a winning position.

30...Be8

Or 30...Bc8 31.Nxb5 Ba6 32.Nc7 Bc8 33.Na8 Nd5 34.Bc4 Ne7 35.Nb6.

White to play and win

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31.Bxb5?

Winning is 31.c7 Bd7 32.Bxb5! Bc8 33.Nc6 Nd5, and now the move I missed, 34.Bc4, which is easy to see on reaching the position, but not so easy from the diagram.

31...Nd5 32.f4!?

Preventing ...e5, and opening a diagonal for the white king.

32...Kf8 33.Ba4!?

Dragon1 strongly dislikes this, preferring 33.Bc4 or 33.Kf2, but it may hold.

33...Ke7 34.Kf2 Nb6!?

The immediate 34...Kd6 may be better, one line running 35.Nf3!? h6!? (35...Nxf4 36.c7! Bd7 37.Ne5 Bc8 38.Nxf7+ Kxc7 39.Bc2 gives White excellent drawing chances, according to the engines) 36.g3 Ne7 37.Ke3 Bxc6 38.Bxc6 Nxc6, although with pawns on only one side of the board, it will be difficult to win.

35.Bc2 h6

If 35...Kd6 36.Bxh7 g6, White rescues the bishop with 37.h4 etc.

36.Be4 Kd6 37.Nb5+ Kc5 38.Na7 Kd6

How should White proceed?

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39.Ke3!?

Keeping the game going, whereas 39.Nb5+ Kc5 is likely to lead to a quick draw.

39...Nd5+ 40.Kd4 Bxc6 41.Nxc6 Kxc6

Black has won a pawn, but the active White king ensures equal chances

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42.Ke5 Kc5 43.f5 Nc7 44.f6!? gxf6+

Not 44...g6? or 44...g5?, as both are answered by 45.B(x)g6!.

45.Kxf6 Kd4 46.Bf3 e5 47.Kxf7 e4 48.Bxe4!?

There is nothing better.

48...Kxe4 49.Kg6 Kf4 50.h4 Kg4 51.h5 Nd5 52.Kxh6 Nf4 ½–½

Team Result

Freeman 1-0 Okamura

Stokes 0-1 Gambale

Spanton = Moyses Sobrinho

Marshall = Vieira

England 5 2-2 Brazil

Lessons From Cap Negret IV

MY round-four game, where I had white against Luis Vicente Martín Martín (2000), was a Scandinavian that reached the following fairly common position after five moves.

It occurs 484 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, with the vast majority of games continuing 6.Nf3 or 6.Bc4

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I tried 6.g4!?, which is obviously double-edged, but also much liked by Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1. I had not prepared the move, but had seen it the previous evening in passing, either in the diagram position or in one much like it.

My opponent replied 6...Be6!?, of which there are two examples in Mega26, compared with 17 for 6...Bg6 (and two for 6...Bc8?!).

The engines come to like the text best, and the game continued 7.Bg2 Qd8!?, which is also how the two games in Mega26 went.

How should White proceed?

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Jean-Baptiste Mullon (2445) - Martin Herndlbauer (2125), EU Team Cup (Rhodes) 2013, went 8.f4!? Qxd4 9.Nf3 Qb6 10.f5 Bd7 11.Qd2, with what the engines reckon is a game-winning initiative for White (1-0,  23 moves).

Stefan Voigt (1745) - Andreas Fischer (1917), Münster Team Tournament 2019, saw 8.g5!?, which the engines agree is the strongest move in the position. After 8...g6, White got cold feet and somewhat spoilt his position by defending d4 with 9.Nge2!?, whereas the engines reckon White can continue offering the pawn with 9.Qe2, or defend it with the more-active 9.Nf3. Nevertheless, White was considerably better for much of the game, until blundering a piece (and even then he should not have resigned, as Stockfish17.1 shows White still had plenty of resources).

I played 8.Be3, easily the least-dynamic of the three moves. After 8...Nf6 9.h3 Nd5 10.Nxd5 Bxd5 Black was close to equalising.

Going back to the diagram, the main feature of the position is the difference in development. White has developed three pieces, and is two moves away from being able to castle on either flank. Not only that, but if White castles long, the queen's rook will be on the half-open d file, currently occupied by the black queen. Black has developed one piece, and will require at least six moves to connect rooks.

In addition, it is White to move, so all in all the position is crying out for dynamic play, not stodgy consolidation. But playing Be3 moves an already developed piece, and puts it on a square where it can be attacked by a black knight on d5.

LESSON: when your advantages are dynamic, the position almost certainly calls for dynamic play - otherwise your advantages will wither away as the opponent catches up in development and/or coordination.

Cap Negret Round Four

I WAS downfloated.

Spanton (1896) - Luis Vicente Martín Martín (2000)

Scandinavian

1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Bd2!? Bf5

Probably not 5...Qb6 6.Nf3 Qxb2?! as 7.Rb1 Qa3 leaves White with a lot of compensation for a pawn, especially after the apparent-novelty 7.Ne5!?, which is suggested by Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

6.g4!?

This rare continuation is much-liked by the engines.

How should Black respond?

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6...Be6!?

The engines fluctuate between the text and the more common 6...Bg6, coming to prefer the former.

7.Bg2 Qd8!? 8.Be3

The engines prefer gambiting the d pawn with 8.g5!? Qxd4 9.Nf3.

8...Nf6 9.h3 Nd5 10.Nxd5 Bxd5 11.Nf3 Nd7 12.Qe2 Nb6 13.b3 e6 14.a3

The engines prefer 14.c4, meeting 14...Bb4+ with 15.Kf1!?

14...Be7 15.Qd3 0-0 16.0-0

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

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White has more space in the centre, but the white king's position is a little loose, and the engines reckon Black has a slight edge.

16...Bxf3!? 17.Bxf3 Bg5!?

Ensuring White will not be able to use the bishop-pair to gain an advantage.
18.a4 Nd5 19.Be4 Bxe3 20.fxe3

After 20.Bxh7+ Kh8 21.fxe3 Black can choose between three promising continuations: 21...Qh4; 21...f5; and 21...g6 22.Bxg6 fxg6 23.Rxf8+ Qxf8 24.Qxg6 Qg7!? 25.Qxe6 Nf4!

20...Qh4 21.Bg2 h5 22.e4 Nb4!?

Possibly better is 22...Nf6 or 22...Ne7.

23.Qd2 a5

The engines suggest offering a pawn with 23...c5!?, eg 24.dxc5 a5 25.c3 Nc6.

24.c3 Na6 25.Qf2!?

With the knight sidelined, it is probably the black king that is most in danger, in which case White should keep queens on.

25...Qxf2+ 26.Rxf2 hxg4 27.hxg4 e5!? 28.Rf5!? exd4 29.cxd4 Nb4 30.Rd1 Rfd8 31.d5!? cxd5 32.exd5 Rd6

Who, if anyone, stands better?

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The position is completely equal, according to the engines.

33.Re1 b6 34.Rd1!? Rc8 35.Be4

The engines prefer active defence of b3 by 35.Re5!?, eg 35...Rc3 36.Re8+ Kh7 37.Rf1 Rd7 38.Rf8 Rcc7, and not 38...f6? 39.Be4+ etc.

35...Rc3

The engines suggest 35...g6 36.Rf4! (36.Rf3? Re8 37.Bb1 Re5) Kg7, claiming a slight edge for Black.

36.Rf3 Rc7 37.Rf2 Kf8 38.Kg2 Rc3 39.Rf3 Rxf3 40.Kxf3

How would you assess this rook-and-minor-piece ending?

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The passed pawn is firmly blockaded, and under pressure from the well-placed knight in addition to the black rook. The engines agree the position is completely equal.

40...Ke7 41.Kf4 f6 42.Kf5 Kf7

Probably not 42...g5?! 43.Kg6!?

43.Kf4 Ke7 44.Kf5 Kf7 45.Bf3 Nc2 46.Ke4 Nb4 47.Kf5 ½–½

Bad Bertrich Round Three

Spanton (1946) - Uwe Single (1810)

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit

1.e4 d5

My opponent has no games in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, and I could find none online, and yet he has had an international rating since 2007. I thought I might find myself playing against a Pirc, or the fashionable Tartakower Variation of the Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6), but a Scandinavian makes sense in that Black, as it were, gets his theory in first.

2.d4!?

But now it is a Blackmar-Diemer Gambit, which I hoped would be unfamiliar territory.

2...exd4 3.Nc3 a6!?

This position occurs 13 times in Mega25

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4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6

The game now bears a strong resemblance to the Classical Variation of the Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6), except there Black has a pawn on c6 rather than a6 

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6.Nf3 h6?!

This is normal in a Caro-Kann Classical after White has played h4. Here Black should probably play 6...Nd7 or 6...Nc6!?

7.Ne5 Bh7?

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 suggest 7...Qd6!?, but reckon White is winning, one line running 8.c4!? (8.Bf4 is also strong) Nc6 9.Nxg6 Qxg6 10.d5 Ne5 11.Be2, although there is plenty of play left in the position.

8.Qh5 g6 9.Qf3 1-0

Premature resignation? I thought so, although the engines reckon White's advantage is worth more than a rook.

Summer Club: Round Seven

AM playing in a summer daytime tournament organised by Surrey's Coulsdon Chess Fellowship. It takes place on 10 Wednesday afternoons, the time control being 90 minutes with a 30-second increment. I missed round six as I was playing in a tournament in Munich.

Salvatore Fazia (1267 ECF/1457 Fide) - Spanton (1940 ECF/1954 Fide)

Scandinavian

1.e4 d5 2.e5!?

This move has a poor reputation, largely, I suspect, because everyone 'knows' White's best move is 2.exd5. However, the text is far from being bad, and has the merit of probably putting blacks on their own resources.

2...c5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.c3 Qc7 5.d4 Bf5

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 do not like this, preferring 5...Bg4 or 5...cxd4.

How should White proceed?

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6.Bf4

The engines reckon White is better after 6.dxc5!? e6 7.b4.

6...e6 7.Nbd2 Nge7 8.Nh4?

The engines give 8.dxc5 Ng6 9.Be3 as equal.

What should Black play?

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8...cxd4

Black is now winning, according to the engines.

9.Rc1

The engines prefer 9.Ndf3 or 9.Nxf5.

9...d3?

This throws away most of Black's advantage, whereas 9...dxc3 10.Rxc3 h6 11.Nxf5 Nxf5 keeps a winning advantage, according to the engines.

10.Nxf5 Nxf5

The engines reckon 10...exf5!? is slightly better.

11.Bxd3 Nxe5!? 12.Bxb5+ Kd8

The bishop-pair and Black's loss of castling rights give White more than enough for a pawn, according to the engines

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13.Nf3

The engines suggest 13.g4!?

13...Bd6 14.Nd4?

Correct is 14.Bxe5 Bxe5, and either 15.0-0 or 15.Bd3, according to the engines.

14...Nxd4 15.cxd4 Qa5+ 16.Bd2

Best, but losing.

16...Qxb5 17.dxe5 Bxe5 18.Rb1?!

Passivity, when two pawns down, does not help.

18...Ke7 19.a4 Qc4 20.Rc1 Qe4+ 21.Qe2 Qxe2+

Possibly even better is 21...Qxg2!?, but there is no need to encourage complications.

22.Kxe2 Rhc8 23.Bc3!?

Keeping rooks on, but allowing more weaknesses.

23...Bxc3 24.bxc3 Rc4 25.a5 Rac8 26.Kd3!? d4 27.Rc2 Rxc3+ 28.Rxc3 dxc3 29.Kc2 Rc5 30.Ra1 Kd6 31.a6!? b5 32.Rd1+ Kc7 33.Rd3 b4 34.Kc3?!

Speeding the end.

34...c2 0-1