Miniatures 46

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

J Gorgol (178 BCF) - Spanton (164 BCF)

Islington 1992

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Qe2!?

This is fourth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 4.Nc3, 4.d3 and especially 4.0-0.

How should Black respond?

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4...Bc5

This is the commonest continuation.

5.c3 Qe7!?

The main move is 5...0-0.

6.d3 a6 7.Ba4 0-0 8.Bg5 d6 9.Nbd2 b5 10.Bb3 Be6?

The game is equal after 10...h6 or 10...Nd8, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

How can White exploit Black's last move?

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11.Bd5!

Not an easy move to spot, as is evidenced by the fact grandmasters have missed its strength. However, it dates back to at least a game of Howard Staunton's in his 1853 match against Tassilo von der Lasa.

11...Bxd5?

Better is von der Lasa's 11...Bd7, but then 12.Nh4 Rab8 13.Nf5 Qd8 (this is better than 13...Bxf5?!, according to the engines) 14.b4 Bb6 15.Qf3 gave Staunton the better game, according to the engines (1-0, 75 moves).

12.exd5 Nd8?

The knight has few prospects here. Better is 12...Nb8.

13.Ne4 c6

There is no good move for Black.

14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Nh4 Kh8 16.Nf5 Qa7 17.Nxf6 cxd5 18.Qh5 1-0

LESSON: Black's position in the second diagram could easily pass at a glance as a routine one from the Spanish, but closer examination reveals both black knights are awkwardly placed, despite being on 'normal' squares, and two weaknesses can often prove fatal.

Miniatures 39

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

JC Walton (158 BCF) - Spanton (156 BCF)

Highbury (London) Rapid 1991

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1!?

A fashionable continuation these days (and engine-approved), but much less so in the 1990s. However, my opponent had a trap in mind.

5...Nd6 6.Nxe5 Nxe5

Much more popular is 6...Be7, but the text is also fine.

7.Rxe5 Be7 8.Nc3!?

The main move is 8.Bf1!?

How should Black proceed?

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8...Nxb5?!

Black is close to lost after this natural-looking move, which nevertheless scores 52% in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database.

9.Nxd5!

Much better than capturing the knight.

9...c6?

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 give 9...Kf8!? 10.Rxe7! c6 11.Qf3! f6 12.Qg4 Rg8 13.Re2!?, claiming the upper hand for White, one point being 13...cxd5?! runs into 14.Qb4+ etc.

10.Nxe7 Qxe7??

Better, but miserable, is 10...Kf8.

11.Nxe7 Kxe7 12.d4 d5 13.Bf4 Bf5 14.a4 Nd6 15.Qe2+ Kd7?? 16.Qe5 1-0

LESSON: it is far from immediately obvious that 8...Nxb5?! leads to difficulties, but I should not have been so ready to assume White's fifth move was a positional error.

Magdeburg Round Seven

Dieter Stummeyer (1834) - Spanton (2039)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1!?

This has become fashionable, at the expense of the mainline 5.d4, partly, I suspect, because engines, such as Stockfish18 and Dragon1, reckon there is little to choose between the two moves, and the text leads to simpler play.

5...Nd6 6.Bxc6!?

But here Stockfish18 and Dragon1 definitely prefer the mainline 6.Nxe5.

6...dxc6

As in the Exchange Variation of the Spanish (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6), recapturing away from the centre is generally considered the better continuation. 

7.Nxe5 Be7 8.d4 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 the slightly superior pawn-structure, but these factors are outweighed by Black's bishop-pair, according to Stockfish18, although Dragon1 is less sure.

9.Bf4 Bf5 10.Nd2 f6!? 11.Nef3 Qd7

How should White proceed?

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12.c3

Interesting is 12.Nh4!?, not least because 12...Bg4? loses to 13.Rxe7! However, Black seems fine after 12...Be6!? 13.Qe2 Kf7.

12...Kh8 13.Rc1?!

The engines strongly dislike this, and it certainly is hard to see what future the rook has on the closed c file.

13...Rae8

The wrong rook, according to the engines, although they do not reckon it is a big deal.

14.a3 Bg4 15.h3 Bh5 16.Qa4!?

White threatens both Qxa7 and d5

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16...a6?!

Dealing with one threat, but not the other. Perhaps best is 16...b5!?, when 17.Qxa7?! runs into 17...Ra8 18.Qc5 Bxf3, and, if 19.Nxf3, then 19...Nf5 forces 20.Rxe7, after which 20...Ne7 leaves Black up the exchange for a pawn. Instead of 17.Qxa7?!, the engines give 17...Qa5 or 17...Qa6, claiming equality.

17.d5 b5 18.Qxa6 cxd5 19.Nd4

How should Black respond?

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19...c5?

The engines suggest 19...Rg8, but give White at least the upper hand.

White to play and gain a winning advantage

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20.Bxd6??

Simplest is 20.Ne6 Rg8 21.Nxc5, when White's advantage is worth between two and three pawns, according to the engines, but they also reckon 20.Rxe7!? and 20.Qc6 win. After the text, Black, not White, has a large advantage.

20...Bxd6 21.Qxb5?!

The engines prefer 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.N4f3, but agree Black is winning after 22...Bf4 (both 22.Nxb5? and 22...Qxb5? 23.Qxb5 Nxb5 make ...Bf4 even stronger).

21...Qxb5 22.Nxb5 Bf4 23.Nb3

This may be best. Certainly there is no way to save the exchange.

23...Bxc1 24.Rxc1 Rb8 25.a4 c4?!

Now a white knight will have a strong outpost at d4. The engines prefer 25...Rfc8.

26.Nc5 Be8!? 27.Ne6 Rf7 28.Nec7 Bxb5 29.Nxb5 Ra8 30.Re1 h6 31.Re6?!

The engines much prefer 31.Rd1 or 31.Ra1.

31...Rd7 32.Rb6 Rxa4 33.Nd6 Kh7 34.Kf1 Re7 35.g4 Ra1+ 36.Kg2 Rd7 37.Kf3 Rh1 38.Kg2 Re1 39.Nf5 Ra1 40.Kf3 Rh1 41.Kg2 Re1 42.Kf3 Kg6 43.Kf4 Re4+ 44.Kg3 Re5 45.Nd4 Kf7 46.f4!?

The engines prefer temporising with 46.Rb5 or 46.Rb4.

46...Re3+ 47.Kg2 Ree7 48.Nf5 Re6 49.Rb5 Re2+ 50.Kf3 Rd2 51.h4 Rd3+ 52.Kf2 Kg8 53.h5 Rd2+ 54.Kf3 Kh7?

This throws away Black's advantage.

White to play and equalise

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55.Ke3?

After 55.Rb8, it seems Black cannot make progress. and the engines come to call the position completely equal.

55...Rd1 56.Ke2

Now 56.Rb8 can be met by, for example, 56...Rf1 or 56...Ra7, when the engines agree Black is winning. Going back to the diagram, however, 55.Rb8 Rd1 56.Nh4 is equal, thanks to the threat of 56.Ng6, whereas after 55.Ke3? Rd1 (as in the game) 56.Rb8 Ra7 57.Nh4, Black has 57...Re7+.

56...Ra1 57.Rb6 Raa7 58.Ke3 Rab7 59.Rxb7 Rxb7

How would you assess this rook-v-knight ending?

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

60.Kd4 Rxb2 61.Kxd5 Rg2 62.Ne3 Rg3 63.Kd4 Kg8 64.f5!? Kf7 65.Ke4 Ke7 66.Kf4 Rg1 67.Ke4

Or 67.Nxc4 Rc1 68.Ne3 Kd6 (68...Rxc3?? 69.Nd5+) 69.c4 Kc5 70.Ke4 Rc3 71.Kf4 Kd4 and 72...Rxc4.

67...Kd7 68.Kd4 Rg3 69.Ke4 Kc6 70.Kf4 Rg1 71.Nxc4

There is nothing better.

71...Rc1 72.Ke4

Or 72.Na5+ Kb6 73.Nc4+ Kc5 74.Nb2 Kd5 75.Na4 Rc2 76.Ke3 Kc6 (threatening to win the knight with ...Ra2) 77.Kd4 Rg2 and ...Rxg4(+).

72...Rxc3 73.Kd4 Rg3 74.Ne3 Kb5 75.Ke4 Kb4 76.Kf4

Black to play and win

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76...Rxe3!
The pawn ending is a win for Black.

77.Kxe3 Kc3 78.Ke4

DS offered a draw in my time.

78...Kd2 79.Kf3

Or 79.Kd5 Ke3 80.Ke6 Kf4 81.Kf7 Kxg4 82.Kxg7 Kg5 etc.

79...Kd3 80.Kg3

Or 80.Kf4 Ke2 81.Kf4 Kf2 82.Kf4 Kg2 etc.

80...Ke3 81.Kh3 Kf3 82.Kh4 Kg2 83.g5 hxg5+ 84.Kg4 Kh2 85.h6!? gxh6 86.Kh5

Black to play and maintain the win

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86...Kg3?

Both 86...Kh3 and 86...Kh1 win.

87.Kg6!

There is no longer a win

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87...Kf4

Or 87...Kh4 88.Kxf6 g4 89.Kg6!? (other moves also draw, including 89.Ke6, but the engines marginally prefer the text) g3 90.f6 g2 91.f7 g1=Q+ 92.Kxh6, with a book draw, thanks to White having a bishop's pawn on the seventh rank.

88.Kxf6 g4 89.Ke6 g3 90.f6 g2 91.f7 g1=Q 92.f8=Q Kg3

I offered a draw, but DS apparently did not hear, or did not understand what I was saying.

93.Qg7+ Kf2 94.Qxg1+ ½–½

Miniatures 35

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

William Watson (239 BCF) - Spanton (147 BCF)

Highbury (London) Rapid 1991

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Be7!?

This has been largely superseded by 5...Nd6, heading for a Berlin Wall.

6.dxe5

Most popular is 6.Qe2.

6...0-0 7.Qe2 d5 8.Rd1 Re8?

Probably a novelty, and not in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database. Known moves are 8...a6 and 8...Bg4.

How should White proceed?

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9.c4

The logical follow-up to 8.Rd1.

9...Be6 10.cxd5

Even stronger. according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1, is 10.Be3.

10...Bxd5 11.Bd3?!

This seems to throw away White's advantage, whereas 11.Bf4 gives the upper hand, according to the engines.

What should Black play?

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11...Nc5!

An only-move (11...f5? 12.Bc4), but it gives complete equality, according to the engines.

How should White continue?

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12.Bc2??

Even grandmasters can blunder (Watson was awarded the title in 1990). The bishop could have been safely preserved by 12.Bb5 or 12.Bf5, but not the text.

12...Bxf3! 13.Qxf3 Nxe5??

Turning a win into a loss, whereas 13...Nd4 (13...Qc8!? is good enough for equality, according to the engines) leaves White without a good answer, eg 14.Qg4 Nxc2! 15.Rxd8 Raxd8, when Black gets more than enough for a queen. Another line given by the engines runs 14.Bxh7+!? Kxh7 15.Qh3+ Kg8 16.Nc3 Nce6, when White has nowhere near enough for a knight.

14.Qh3 Bd6?!

Other moves are a little better, but still losing.

15.Qxh7+ Kf8 16.Qh8+ Ke7 17.Qxg7 Kd7 18.Bg5 Qc8 19.Bf5+ Ne6 20.Qxe5 1-0

LESSON: a GM rarely gives a club player the chance to claim his scalp, but if the chance is not immediately taken, it is unlikely to be repeated.

League Chess

PLAYED on board one (of four) for Battersea against Lewisham last night in Croydon & District League's Dave Luckin division, where teams are allowed a rating total of 6,600 elo, ie a player-average of 1650.

Anthony Agu (2091) - Spanton (1921)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5!?

Much more common is 5...0-0, but the pawn-thrust is growing in popularity

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6.exd5

Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 like the text and 6.Nbd2. Naturally, 6.Nxe5 is possible, but after 6...0-0! note that 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bxc6 runs into 8...Bxf2+!, with a sharp position that the engines reckon favours Black.

6...Qxd5

The engines prefer this over 6...Nxd5.

7.Bc4 Qd6

This is the commonest queen-retreat in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

8.0-0 0-0

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

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Black has more space in the centre, but White can take the initiative on the queenside, and the engines reckon this is the slightly more important factor.

9.b4 Bb6 10.a4 a6

This may be a novelty. The engines prefer 10...e4!?, when 11.dxe4 Qxd1 12.Rxd1 Nxe4 gives equal chances, according to Stockfish17.1, although Dragon1 gives White an edge.

11.Ba3 Ne7 12.Nbd2 Bf5 13.Qb3 Rad8!?

The engines fluctuate a lot, but come to more-or-less agree Black should play 13...c6 or 13...Ng6.

14.Ng5

Perhaps best is 14.a5 Ba7 15.b5 Bc5 16.Nxe5!? Qxe5 17.d4 Qf4 18.Bxc5, when White is a pawn up, has the bishop-pair and is better coordinated.

14...Bg6 15.a5 Ba7 16.Nde4 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 Qd7 18.b5 axb5 19.Qxb5 c6!?

The engines give this as best.

20.Qxe5!?

Withdrawing the queen to b2 or b3 maintains a bigger advantage, according to the engines.

20...Rfe8 21.Nc5 Qc8!? 22.Qg5 Nd5 23.a6?

The engines reckon White is slightly better after 23.Qd2.

23...b5 24.Bb3 Nxc3 25.h4?

Too slow. The engines suggest 25.Kh1!? or 25.Bb2, but prefer Black.

25...Rd4

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 25...Ne2+, and then 26...Rd4 or 26...Nd4.

26.Rfe1 Ne2+ 27.Kf1

How should Black proceed?

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27...h6??

27...Rg4 can be met by 28.Be6!, so best may be 27...Bxc5 28.Bxc5 Rg4 29.Qd2 Rxh4!? 30.f3 Qd8!, with equal chances, according to the engines.

28.Qxg6

The engines reckon White's advantage is worth more than a rook.

The game finished:

28...Rxh4!? 29.Bxf7+ Kh8 30.Ne6 Rxe6 31.Qxe6 Qxe6 32.Bxe6 Nd4 33.Bh3 b4 34.Bb2 Rf4 35.Re8+ Kh7 36.Re7 Rxf2+? 37.Kxf2 Nf5+ 38.Rxa7 1-0

The match ended 2-2.

My Battersea Season 2025-6

Date       Event  Colour  Rating  Opp's Rating  Score  Season's Perf

16/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1952             0           1552

18/9/25   CLL       W       1936         1797             =           1675

16/10/25 CLL       W       1889         2047             0           1665

23/10/25 CLL       B        1889         1823             1           1805

18/11/25  LL         W       1891         1980             =           1840

20/11/25  CLL      W       1891         1866             1            1911

25/11/25  BCC     B        1891         1817             1            1955

9/12/25    LL         W       1904         1982             1            2008

16/12/25  LL         B        1904         2046             0            1968

18/12/25  CLL      B        1904         2066             1            2018

6/1/26      CLL      W       1929         2150             =            2066

7/1/26      LL         W       1929         1971             =            2058

8/1/26      CLL      B        1929         1800?           =            2038

13/1/26    LL         B        1929         2035             1            2067

27/1/26    LL         B        1929         2089             0            2041

29/1/26    CLL      B        1929         1882             =            2031

3/2/26      BCC     W       1928         1836             1            2043     

12/2/26    CDL      B        1928        1890              1            2057

25/2/26    LL         B        1928        1863              =            2047

26/2/26    CLL      B         1928        2015             0            2025

3/3/26      CDL      B        1914        1976              1            2043

24/3/26    BCC     W        1921        1780             1            2049

26/3/26    CLL      B         1921        1942             =            2045

31/3/26    CDL      B        1921         2091             0            2030           

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

Miniatures 30

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

D Muroko (174 BCF) - Spanton (147 BCF)

London League 1990

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Be7!?

This is very much second in  popularity to 5...Nd6, but has been played by Carlsen, Kramnik and Morozevich.

How should White respond?

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6.Re1

More popular, and preferred by Stockfish17 and Dragon1, are 6.dxe5 and 6.Qe2.

6...d5?!

The main continuation 6...Nd6 is probably better.

7...Bd7 8.Bxc6
Luke Harmon-Vellotti (2409) - Ognjen Matko (2307), Chess.com Blitz 2015, saw 8.Nxd7 Qxd7 9.c3 0-0 10.Nd2, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines (1-0, 37 moves).

8...Bxc6 9.Qg4?!

The engines reckon this makes the queen more of a target than an attacking weapon. They suggest Qe2, either immediately or after first exchanging on c6.

How should Black respond?

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9...0-0!

Coolly done, but everything else loses, according to the engines, eg 9...Bf6? 10.f3!? (10.Nxc6 is also strong), or 9...g6? 10.Bh6.

10.Nxc6

If 10.Bh6, then 10...Bf6.
10...bxc6 11.c4

The engines prefer 11.Nd2 or 11.Qd1!?

11...Bb4!? 12.Rd1 Qf6?

Black is better after 12...f5!?, according to the engines.

13.f3!

Simple, but effective.

What should Black play?

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13...Rae8!

This seems best. The problem with 13...Nd6? is that it loses a piece to 14.a3 Ba5 15.b4 etc.

14.a3!?

Possibly better is grabbing the knight with 14.fxe4, although after 14...Rxe4 15.Qf3 Rxd4 Black has compensation. Nevertheless 16.Bd2!? Qxf3 17.gxf3 Rb8!? 19.Nc3!? Rxc4 20.Rab1 leaves White with a knight for three pawns, and at least a slight edge, according to the engines.

14...Bd6 15.c5?

This is a mistake, although the engines' top choice 15.fxe4 is unclear after 15...Rxe4 16.Qf3, when both 16...Rxd4 and 16...Qh4!? give interesting compensation.

15...Bxh2+! 16.Kxh2

Even worse is 16.Kf1? as after 16...Ng3+ White has to give up the queen to avoid mate in one.

16...Nf2 17.Qg3

Objectively probably better is 17.Qf4, but 17...Qxf4+ 18.Bxf4 Nxd1 leaves White with few hopes.

17...Nxd1 18.Bf4 Nxb2 19.Be5 Qh6+ 20.Kg1 Nd3 0-1

LESSON: check those checks - both your own, and your opponent's.

Lessons From Mariánské Lázně VII

EDMAR Mednis in his book Practical Opening Tips (Cadogan 1997) spends a chapter discussing the merits of pawn captures towards the centre, as opposed to pawn captures away from the centre.

When Black, for example, plays ...Bxb3 it is nearly always better to recapture with axb3 rather than cxb3.

Generally speaking, the nearer a pawn is to the centre, the stronger it is.

This particularly applies to a rook's pawn, which, when 'promoted' to a knight's pawn, doubles the number of squares it controls.

Of course, in the great scheme of things, we are talking small margins - a better pawn-structure is unlikely to make up for the loss of a piece, although it might make up for the loss of a pawn.

A prominent exception to the desirability of capturing towards the centre comes in the Spanish, after White captures a knight on c6.

This commonly happens in the Exchange Variation (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6), but also occurs in delayed forms of the Exchange, and in some other lines.

My round-seven game at Mariánské Lázně, when I had white against Poland's Michał Nisztuk (1696), featured one such line.

It started as a Berlin Defence to the Spanish, ie 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6.

I continued with the relatively unusual 4.Qe2!?, and after 4...Bc5!?, which is the most popular reply in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, I played the rare, but engine-approved, 5.Bxc6!?, which occurs in 56 out of 788 games in Mega26, ie 7.1% of the time.

Position after White's capture on c6

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The game saw 5...dxc6?!, but after 6.Nxe5 Qd4 7.Nd3 it was clear something had gone wrong for Black, who, with best play, is not getting the pawn back.

It turns out the diagram is one of those exceptional cases in the Spanish when a capture on c6 should be answered with the positionally desirable option of capturing towards the centre.

After 5...bxc6 the engines still approve of 6.Nxe5, but then 6...Qe7 7.Nd3 can be met by 7...Ba6, when Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 reckon Black has at least a slight edge.
LESSON: general rules about which way to recapture are useful guidelines but, as American author and international master John Watson would be sure to point out, they should not be relied on - calculation is necessary.

Mariánské Lázně 50+ Round Seven

FACED a Pole.

Spanton (1915) - Michał Nisztuk (1696)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Qe2!?

This is fourth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 4.Nc3, 4.d3 and especially 4.0-0.

How should Black respond?

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4...Bc5!?

It is Black's ability to develop the king's bishop actively, without worrying about a quick d4 (after c3), that has been cited as the drawback to White's fourth move. The point is that with the queen having left the d file, a d4 thrust requires extra preparation. Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 also like 4...Bd6!?, when the main line in Mega26 runs 5.c3 0-0 6.d3 (the point here being that 6.d4?! runs into 6...exd4 7.cxd4 Nxe4!) Re8, with an equal game, according to the engines.

5.Bxc6!?

How should Black recapture?

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5...dxc6?!

Recapturing with the d pawn in the Spanish is so common that it can become 'automatic', but here it is probably a mistake. After 5...bxc6 6.Nxe5 Qe7, Judit Polgár (2630) - Jan Smejkal (2510), Olympiad (Moscow) 1994, went 7.Nd3 Ba6!? 8.Nc3 0-0 9.b3!? Rfe8 10.f3 Nd5! 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.Bb2 dxe4 13.fxe4 Qxe4 14.Qxe4 Rxe4+, with the upper hand for Black, according to the engines (but ½–½, 41 moves).

6.Nxe5 Qd4

The engines prefer the less-popular, albeit from a small sample size, 6...Qe7, but again the answer is 7.Nd3, when there is no ...Ba6 available.

7.Nd3 Bb6

The blunder 7...Nxe4?? has been played, but loses to 8.Nxc5.

8.Nc3 0-0 9.0-0?!

The engines suggest 9.f3, when Francisco Vallejo Pons (2707) - Yuriy Kryvoruchko (2689), World Blitz Championship (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) 2017, continued 9...Re8 10.b3 c5 11.Bb2 c4!? 12.Nf2!? Nd5!? 13.Na4, with a winning advantage for White, according to the engines, although the game was drawn. The engines also like an apparent-novelty in 9.a4!?, the idea being to play 10.f3 after 9...a5.

9...Bg4

The engines reckon 9...Re8!?, which has been played in two games between unrateds, gives equality.

10.Qe3 Qd7

The engines prefer 10...Rfe8!?, which was played in Nitai Leve (2128) - Ivan Ivanišević (2606), Chess.com Blitz 2021, although they reckon 11.Rfe1 would have given White the upper hand. Instead the game went 11.Qf4? Nxe4! 12.Qxg4 Nxc3 13.Qxd4 Ne2+, leaving Black with what the engines reckon is a winning advantage (but 1-0, 86 moves).

11.Qg3 Nh5!? 12.Qh4 Nf6

Black has nothing better, but the engines reckon the waste of time with the knight has not harmed Black much (Black was already in a bad way).

13.Ne5 Qe6 14.Nxg4 Nxg4 15.d3 Bd4?!

But this achieves nothing. Much better is 15...f5.

16.h3 Ne5 17.Ne2 Bc5

How should White proceed?

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18.Nf4

The engines like 18.Qg3, but not 18.d4?! Qc4.

18...Qd7 19.Be3 Be7 20.Qg3 Bd6 21.d4 Ng6 22.e5 Be7 23.Nxg6!?

The engines are OK with this, but it offers Black practical chances, so 23.Rad1 was more prudent.

23...fxg6!?

Taking with the h pawn is marginally preferred by the engines, but half-opening the f file is a very human thing to do when a pawn down.

24.Rad1 Rf5 25.Rd2 Raf8 26.Rfd1 Rh5!? 27.Qg4 Qd5 28.b3

Preparing c4.

28...b5 29.Qe2 Bb4 30.Rd3

There is nothing wrong with 30.c4.

30...Be7 31.Rc1 Rhf5 32.c4 bxc4 33.bxc4 Qe4

What should White play?

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34.Rf1

This stops Black's threatened 34...Rxf2! But even stronger is 34.f3! as 34...Rxf3!? 35.gxf3 Rxf3 is not as dangerous as it looks at first sight, eg 36...Rg3+ is not much of a threat as it can be met by 37.Kg2.

34...c5 35.f3 Qb7!?

This is best, according to the engines, even though it allows ...

36.Rb3

... after which Black's attacking chances are negligible.

36....Qa6 37.g4 R5f7

The engines prefer 37...cxd4!?, but after 38.gxf5 dxe3 39.Qxe3 gxf5 40.Rb2 White is the exchange up and has a powerful passed pawn.

38.d5 Rd8

Threatening 39...Rxd5!

39.Re1 h5 40.Kg2 Qa5!?

The engines do not mind this, even though it allows ...

41.Rb5 Qa6 42.Bxc5 
... which only goes to show how bad Black's position was anyway.

42...Bg5?!

It is objectively better to swop bishops as Black has no satisfactory answer to White's next.

43.e6

The attacked rook does not have a good square available.

43...Rf4 44.Be3 Bh4!? 45.Bxf4 Bxe1 46.Bxc7!? Re8 47.d6 Bh4 48.g5 Kh7!? 49.e7 Qc6 50.Qe4 Qa6!? 51.Qxh4 Qxa2+ 52.Qf2 Qxc4 53.Rb8 1-0

Correspondence Chess

I PLAY correspondence chess at the Fide-approved International Correspondence Chess Federation.

Most games are drawn, thanks to the strength of modern engines, but occasionally a game escapes that fate, or is interesting for some other reason.

Héctor Pupo Pérez (2317) - Spanton (2330)

Philippine 5th Year Anniversary Invitational Section 3

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6!?

This modern-looking continuation dates back to at least 1851, but has been taken up by Carlsen, Caruana, Ding, Nakamura and other of today's greats.

5...dxc6 6.0-0 Qe7 7.Nbd2 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.a3 Nd7 10.b4 Bd6 11.Nc4 f6!? 12.Na5 0-0-0!?

This seems to be a novelty. The known move 12...Rb8 may be more prudent, but I like to play adventurously at correspondence, within reason, as a learning exercise.

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

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The consequences of opposite-side castling are often hard to judge because there are so many variables. However, Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 give White a slight edge.

13.Rb1 g5!?

Stockfish17.1 dislikes this, but I felt Black has to try something on the kingside, and Dragon1 is less unfavourable.

14.c4 Qe8 15.c5 Be7 16.Be3 g4 17.Nh4 gxh3 18.Qa4!? Nb8

18...gxh2? gives the white king shelter.

19.b5!? cxb5 20.Rxb5 Be2 21.Rc1 Bxd3 22.c6 b6 23.Rb2

Black is two pawns up, but White has at least sufficient compensation, according to the engines

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23...Ba6 24.Nf5 Bf8!?

Stockfish17.1 dislikes this, but Dragon1 is fine with it.

25.g3 h5 26.Nc4 Rd4!

A necessary exchange sacrifice to prevent White blasting through to Black's king by sacrificing on b6.

27.Bxd4 exd4 28.f3

Black has two bishops and two pawns for rook and knight

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The engines give White the upper hand, but the position is imbalanced and unclear.

28...h4!? 29.gxh4 Bc5 30.Na5!?

This is Stockfish17.1's top choice, but Drgaon1 much prefers 20.Kh1!?

30...Qe5 31.Qb3

Black is lost, according to Stockfish17.1, but Dragon1 for quite some time reckons the game is completely equal, although eventually comes to give White a slight edge

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31...d3+ 32.Kh1 Re8 33.h5!?

Suddenly the game is not about mutual attacks on the enemy's king, but a matter of a passed pawn rushing to queen.

33...Bf8 34.Nc4!?

This is best, according to Dragon1, but Stockfish17.1 much prefers 34.Qf7!?

34...Bxc4 35.Rxc4 Bc5

The game has, to a certain extent, stabilised to a more-easily understandable one of Black having a pawn for the exchange

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36.Rb1 d2!? 37.Rc2 Nxc6 38.Rxd2 Qf4 39.Rbd1 Kb7 40.h6

After a brief flurry of intermediate moves, it's back to White's dangerous passer

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40...Ne5 41.Re2 Qxf3+ 42.Qxf3 Nxf3 43.a4!?

The engines agree this pawn needs to be saved, but reckon it is better to push the a pawn after 43.Rd3 Ng5.

43...Ne5 44.Rf1 Rh8 45.Rf4 Ka6 46.Ra2 Nf7

Bizarrely, Stockfish17.1 now gives White only a slight edge, while Dragon1 reckons White is winning.

47.Rh4 Bf8 48.Rxh3 c5 49.Rg2

Dragon1 has lost some of its enthusiasm for White's position, but for quite a while prefers 49.Rah2, before settling on the text, albeit while at first not believing White is winning. Given time, however, it again comes to rate White's position as winning.

49...c4!?

This dampens Dragon1's enthusiasm.

50.Rg6

Dragon1 suggests 50.h7, but the distracting 50...c3!? seems to hold, eg 51.Rh5 (51.Rxc3 Rxh7+ 52.Rh2 Rxh2 53.Kxh2 Bc5 may even marginally favour Black) Bh6 52.Nd4 Rxh7 53.Nb5 Ne5 54.Rc2 Ng4 55.Nxc3 Rg7 56.Nd5 Be3, after which Black does not appear to be in trouble.

50...Ne5 51.Rg2

If 51.Rxf6, then 51...Ng4 forces 52.Rxf8 Rxf8, with equality.

51...Nf7 52.Rg6 Ne5 ½–½

Dragon1 reckons White has an edge in the final position, but Stockfish17.1 calls the position completely equal.

The game is an interesting example of how strong engines can radically differ in their assessments of imbalanced middlegames.

Northumberland Round Two

David Egan (1917 ECF/1787 Fide) - Spanton (1936 ECF/1977 Fide)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.0-0 Nd4 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.c3 Bb6

A standard position, occurring 735 times in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database

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8.Bg5

This and 8.Nd2 are almost equally popular, but the latter scores 11 percentage points higher in Mega25.

8...h6 9.Bh4 c6 10.Ba4

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 prefer 10.Bc4!?

10...d6 11.Nd2?!

The engines strongly dislike this, although it has been played by grandmasters. They suggest 11.Bxf6!?, albeit giving Black a slight edge, but definitely not 11.Qf3?? as that loses the dark-square bishop to 11...g5, since 12.Bg3? can be met by 12...Bg4, trapping White's queen.

11...g5

This is why the engines dislike White's 11th move,

12.Bg3 Bg4

They reckon even stronger is 12...h5, and if 13.h4 then 13...Bg4, eg 14.Qe1 Nd7! with a strong kingside attack.

13.Qe1 Nh5

Again the engines prefer ..h5.

14.Nc4

The engines agree this is marginally better than 14.Kh1, as played in Alexei Shirov (2660) - Peter Keller (2328), Chess.com Blitz 2024. That continued 14...Qf6 15.h3?! Be6 16.Bh2!? Nf4, with the upper hand for Black, according to the engines (but 1-0, 54 moves).

14...Nxg3 15.hxg3 Qd7

This may be a novelty. The engines like the known 15...Bc7, or another apparent-novelty in 15...h5.

16.Nxb6 axb6 17.Bb3 h5!? 18.f3 Be6 19.Qe3

The queen hits two undefended pawns.

How should Black respond?

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19...h4!

The engines prefer this over defending the b and g pawns with 19...Qd8.

20.g4

Possible is 20.Qxg5!?, but 20...hxg3 21.Qxg3 0-0-0 gives Black promising compensation. After 22.Kf2!? (forced, according to the engines) Rhg8!? 23.Qh4 d5 the position is unclear, with the engines fluctuating between calling the position equal and awarding White a slight edge.

20...Qd8

The engines are happy with this retreat, now the position has changed slightly.
21.d4 c5?!

Probably better is 21...Bxb3.

22.Bxe6 fxe6 23.dxe5 dxe5 24.Rfd1 Qe7

Black has two pairs of doubled pawns, but the weaknesses are not easy for White to get at

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25.Qd3 h3?

It is better to give up the b6 pawn, eg 25...Kf7!? 26.Qb5 Kg6!?, and if 27.Qxb6, now 27..h3, when 28.g3 h2+ 29.Kg2 Rad8 is completely equal, according to the engines.

26.Qb6+ Kf8 27.Rd7 Ra5?!

Probably better is 27...Qf6, but 28.Qxb6 hxg2 29.Rad1! is winning, according to the engines.

28.Qd3 Qf6?

Better is 28...c4, but the simple 29.Rxe7 cxd3 30.Rxe6 gives an advantage that the engines reckon is almost equivalent to being a rook up.

29.Qd6+ 1-0

Miniatures 2

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

Spanton - A Cooper*

Yorkshire League 1979

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6

Very modern play for 1979!

4.0-0 Be7

Nowadays 4...Nxe4 is all the rage.

5.Re1 a6?

This blunders a pawn. Normal is 5...d6.

6.Ba4?

Well, it should have blundered a pawn. Amusingly the text is the commonest continuation in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, but 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Nxe5 leaves Black with no compensation for being a pawn down as 7...Qd4 is simply met by 8.Nf3.

6...b5 7.Bb3

The game has transposed to a hardcore Spanish position occurring 94,646 times in Mega25

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7...0-0 8.c3 d5!?
The Marshall Attack, aka the Marshall Gambit.

Black scores an excellent 52% with 8...d5!?

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9.d4!?

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 prefer accepting the gambit with 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5, but the text has been played by Magnus Carlsen, and scores 10 percentage points better in Mega25.

9...exd4

Also popular are 9...dxe4 and 9...Nxe4, but the text is the main line.

10.e5 Ne8?!

Almost certainly better is 10...Ne4.

11.cxd4 Be6 12.Nc3 Na5 13.Bc2 c5!?

The engines prefer this over the known move 13...Rac8.

14.Be3?!

The engines give 14.dxc5!? Bxc5, and possibly 15.Bg5, claiming White is positionally winning.

14...Nc4

The engines like 14...c4!?

15.Qd3!?

Black to play and lose

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15...Nxb2?? 16.Qxh7#
*Apart from the fact my opponent came from York, I have no further details. He probably had a grade, but I did not record it, and I do not think I had one.

LESSON: 15...Nxb2?? is the result of focusing on one's own threats, instead of considering what the opponent might do. Instead 15...g6 would have left White with only a slight edge, according to the engines.

Mariánské Lázně Round Seven

FACED a Dutchman.

Spanton (1946) - Stef van Kesteren (1892)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d6!?

This is second in popularity in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, but a long way behind castling.

How should White respond?

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6.Be3

Stockfish17 and Dragon1 are not keen on this, preferring the common 6.0-0 and the somewhat unusual 6.d4!? After the latter they reckon best-play continues 6...exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ 8.Bd2 0-0!? 9.Bxc6 Bxd2+ 10.Nbxd2 bxc6 11.0-0, when they give White at least the better part of equality.

6...Bb6 7.Nbd2 Ng4!? 8.Nc4!? Nxe3 9.fxe3 0-0 10.0-0

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

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White is ahead in development and has a half-open f file, but Black has the bishop-pair (at least temporarily) and no weaknesses. The engines call the game equal.

10...f5 11.Nxb6 axb6

The bishop-pair has gone, but Black has a half-open a file, which means at some point White will probably have to use a tempo safeguarding the a pawn.

12.Bc4+ Kh8 13.exf5 d5?!

Black should probably have been satisfied with 13...Bxf5.

14.Bb5!?

How should Black proceed?

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14...e4?!

Best seems to be 14...Bxf5, when 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Nxe5 Qe7 17.d4 c5 gives Black some activity for the pawn, although White has the upper hand, according to the engines.

15.dxe4 dxe4 16.Qxd8 Nxd8 17.Ng5!?

The engines much prefer 17.Nd4!? or 17.Nh4. eg 17.Nd4 c5 18.Ne2 Rxf5 19.Nf4, when Black has regained the pawn but the engines reckon White has a won game, one line running 19...g5!? 20.Rfd1!? Nf7 21.Nd5 with Nxb6 to come.

17...Bxf5??

The engines give 17...h6 18.Nxe4 Rxf5, albeit awarding White at least the upper hand.

18.Bd7?

Much better is the immediate 18.g4, and if 18...Ne6 then 19.Rxf5! Rxf5 20.Nxe6, the point being 20...Rxb5 is met by 21.Nxc7 Rba5 22.Rxa8, when after 22...Rxa8 there is a rook-and-pawn ending in which White is 'only' one pawn up, but has the superior pawn-structure and, thanks to the threat of back-rank mate, can take the open d file with 23.Rd1, giving an advantage the engines evaluate as being worth much more than a minor piece.

18...g6 19.g4?

Stronger, according to the engines, are 19.Bxf5!? with Nxe4 to come, or immediately 19.Nxe4!?

19...Bxd7?

Correct is 19...Nf7!, when 20.Nxf7+ Rxf7 is equal, according to the engines.

20.Rxf8+ Kg7 21.Rf4

After the flurry of (missed) tactics, how would you assess the position?

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Black has no compensation for the exchange - indeed Black is the equivalent of being at least a piece and a pawn down, according to the engines.

21...Bc6 22.a3?

But this throws away almost all of White's advantage, which could be maintained with, for example, 22.Rd1.

22...h6 23.Nh3 Ne6?

Both 23...Nf7!? and 23...g5 keep White's edge to a minimum, eg 23...Nf7!? 24.Raf1 Ne5 25.g5!? (the only move to keep any sort of advantage, according to the engines) Nf3+ 26.R1xf3!? exf3 27.Kf2 Ra5, after which the engines reckon White is at most slightly better.

24.Rf2 g5 25.Raf1 Be8 26.Rf6 Nc5 27.Rf8 Ne6 28.R8f5 Ra5!?

It is usually a bad idea to swop rooks when down the exchange, although here the engines do not mind it much as they cannot find anything significantly better.

29.Rxa5 bxa5 30.Rf5 b6 31.Re5 Kf6

How should White proceed?

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32.Rxe4?

Preparing to give up the exchange in return for a pawn-up ending, but White should keep the rook with 32.Rf5+ or 32.Rd5.

32...Bc6 33.Rxe6+?

The rook cannot be saved, but this was not the way to give it up. Instead both 33.Nf2 and 33.Rc4 leave the game completely equal, according to the engines.

33..Kxe6

White is a pawn up, but Black has the better minor piece and the more-active king - advantages that the engines reckon give Black a slight edge

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34.Kf2?

Now Black is winning. Correct is 34.Nf2, defending g4 and preventing the black king from occupying e4.

34...Ke5?

Winning is 34...Kd5, eg 35.Ke2 Bb5+ 36.Kd2 Ke4 etc, or 35.b3 a4!, or 35.Ng1 Kc4 36.Nf3 Be8 (36...Kb3?? 37.Nc4+) 37.Nd2+ Kd3 etc.

35.Ng1?

Possibly holding is 35.Ke2, meeting 35...Bb5+ with 36.Kf3, and 35...Ke4 with 36.Ne2+. At any rate 35.Ke2 is the only move that does not definitely lose.

35...Ke4 36.Nf3 Bd7

Not 36...Kd3?? 37.Ne5+.

37.h3 c5?

The engines reckon several moves win, including 37...a4, 37...Be8 and 37...Bc8.

White to play and draw

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38.b4

White had to play 38.b3!, after which Black apparently cannot make progress, one point being 38...Be6 is a sham threat as White simply plays 39.Ke2, when 39...Bxb3?? loses to 40.Nd2+.

Black to play and win

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38...axb4?

Liquidation saves White's bacon, whereas 38...Bb5 and 38...Ba4 certainly win, and other moves may win.

39.axb4 Be8

No better is 39...cxb4 40.cxb4 Kd5, eg 41.Ke2 Bb5+ (41...Kc4?? 42.Ne5+) 42.Kd2 Kc4 43.e4 Kxb4 44.h4 gxh4 45.Nxh4 etc.

The game finished:

40.bxc5 bxc5 41.h4 gxh4 42.Nxh4 Kd3 43.Nf5 Kxc3 44.Nxh6 Kd3 45.Nf5 c4 46.Kf3 Bd7 47.Nd4 Bxg4+!? 48.Kxg4 Kxe3 ½–½

4NCL Game Two

PLAYED on board five (of six) for Wessex against The Rookies today in Division Three Knights of the Four Nations Chess League.

Martin Burrows (2167 ECF/2042 Fide) - Spanton (1958 ECF/1946 Fide)

Spanish Berlin

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Ba4!?

This is third in popularity in ChessBase's 2025 Mega database, but a long way behind 6.dxe5 and 6.Bxc6. However, the text scores 57%, five percentage points more than 6.dxe5 and three more than the main continuation, 6.Bxc6.

How should Black respond?

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6...Be7?!

'Safety-first', but probably a more forcing response is necessary. The mainline in Mega25 runs 6...e4 7.Re1 Be7 8.Ne5 0-0 9.Nc3, with complete equality, according to Stockfish17 and Dragon1. However the engines slightly prefer 6...exd4, when they reckon 7.c3!? Be7 8.cxd4 b5!? 9.Bc2!? (more common is 9.Bb3) Nb4 10.Bb3 Bb7 11.Nc3 leaves White with enough for a pawn, but no more.

7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Nc3 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 a slight lead in development, giving the upper hand, according to the engines.

9.Nd5 Nh4?!

The engines suggest 9...d6.

10.Nxh4 Bxh4 11.Bf4 Re8?!

The engines much prefer 11...Ne7!?

12.Re1

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 12.g3 Be7 13.e6!

12...d6!?

There seems nothing better.

13.exd6 Rxe1+ 14.Qxe1 cxd6 15.Rd1 Be6 16.c3

The engines point out that, among other good moves, 16.Bxd6!? is possible.

16...Qa5?!

The engines reckon 16...Ne7 is best.

17.Bb3 Re8!?

This may be best, or at least better than 17...Rd8?!. when 18.g3 Be7 19.Nxe7+ Nxe7 20.Bxe6 fxe6 21.Qxe6+ Kf8 22.Bxd6 wraps things up.

18.Bxd6

White is a good pawn up, with continuing pressure

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18...Bd7 19.Qd2 Re6?

Trying for counter-chances, but weakening the back rank only makes matters worse.

20.Bf4 Bc8!? 21.Nc7 Re4

The rook cannot be saved.

22.Bc2 Rxf4 23.Qxf4 Bg5 24.Qe4 Qe5 25.Qxe5!?

Objectively stronger is 25.Qxh7+, but both moves win easily.

25...Nxe5 26.f4! 1-0

The Rookies won the match 5.5-0-5.