Winning Chess

THE U2000 tournament at Hull 4NCL was won by the top seed, Wales' John Fletcher, who notched up four wins, before securing the draw he needed, as Black, in the last round to secure first outright.

Here is his win in round one, which starts with interesting opening play, after which a faulty combination by White gives Black a winning middlegame.

JF nurses it into a winning rook-and-pawn ending, which is where the fun starts, as the endgame becomes a fiendishly difficult series of positions in which first one player, then the other, has to find only-moves to save a half-point (for White) or to bring home the win (for Black).

Even Dragon1 does not understand what is going on, although, to its credit, Stockfish18 does much better.

Robert Kane (1828 ECF/1792 Fide) - John Fletcher (1999 ECF/1955 Fide)

QGD Ragozin

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4

The Ragozin, characterised by the move 4...Bb4, is Black's third-most popular continuation at move four, behind 4...c6 and especially 4...Be7, but is the top choice of Stockfish18, and is Dragon1's equal-first choice, along with 4...c5. But the evaluation-differences between the moves are tiny, and, given more time, 4...dxc4 takes over as Dragon1's top choice, while 4...c6 becomes Stockfish18's second favourite.

5.Qa4+ Nc6 6.Ne5

The engines prefer 6.e3 or 6.cxd5.

6...Bd7 7.Nxc6

Somewhat more popular, at least in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, is 7.Nxd7 - either way, White wins the bishop-pair.

7...Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 Bxc6 9.Qb3 0-0

With the immediate tactics having died down, how would you assess the position?

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White has the bishop-pair, and can get rid of his doubled pawns at any time, but Black is well ahead on development. The engines reckon the game gives equal chances.

10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 g5!? 12.Bg3 Ne4 13.e3 Kg7!?

The engines are OK with this apparent-novelty, and prefer it over the known 13...h5, which was played by a 2193 in the 2003 Marseille Open.

14.c5!?

The engines much prefer 14.cxd5 or 14.f3.

14...b6 15.Be5+?

The engines reckon 15.cxb6 axb6 16.Bd3 Nxg3!? 17.hxg3 leaves Black slightly better (Stockfish18) or at best with the upper hand (Dragon1).

15...f6 16.Bxc7?

'Clever', but bad, although Black is also on top after the engines' 16.Bg3 bxc5.

16...Qxc7 17.f3

This is the point of White's combination, but after ...

17...Nxc5 18.dxc5 bxc5

... White has lost a pawn, as well as the bishop-pair.

19.Be2 Qa5 20.0-0 Rab8 21.Qc2 Ba4 22.Qc1 Bb5 23.c4 Ba6 24.f4?!

The engines suggest 24.Re1 or 24.h4!?

24...Qb4 25.fxg5 hxg5 26.Bd3 Bxc4 27.a3 Qa4 28.Bxc4 Qxc4 29.Qxc4 dxc4

How big is Black's advantage in this rook-and-pawn ending?

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Black's two extra pawns are doubled and isolated, but White also has weaknesses, and the engines reckon Black's advantage is roughly the equivalent of being up a minor piece.

30.Rfc1 Rb2!

The engines prefer grabbing the seventh rank over attacking the white isolanis with 30...Rb3.

31.Rxc4 Rd8 32.Rac1 Rdd2 33.Rg4 Kg6 34.Rh4 Kh5 35.Rg3?

White had to play 35.Rcc4, according to the engines.

35...Kxh4 36.Kh2 Rbc2 37.Rb1 Rd7 38.Rb8

Threatening mate in two!

38...Kh5 39.Rg8 Rc4 40.Rf3 Rf7 41.Re8 g4?!

This seriously lessens Black's advantage, whereas, after 41...Re4 or 41...Rh4+, Black is in the region of being the equivalent of a rook up, according to the engines.

42.Rf4?

The engines reckon that after 42.Rf1!? Black's advantage is 'only' about +2.50.

42...Rc3??
Black wins easily after 42...Rxf4 43.exf4 Rc7, eg 44.Rxe6 c4 45.Re1 c3 46.Rc1 c2 47.Kg3 Rc3+ 48.Kf2 Kg6, with an overwhelming position.

White to play and equalise

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43.Rh8+?

After 43.Rxe6, Black's material advantage is reduced to one pawn, and that, as is well-known, is often insufficient in rook-and-pawn endings, this one included, eg 43...Rxa3 can be met by 44.Rf5+ Kg6 45.Rxc5, with complete equality, according to the engines, one line running 45...a5 46.Kg3 Rg7 (defending g4 indirectly) 47.Rc4 Kf5 48.Re8, when it seems Black cannot make progress. The engines prefer 43...f5, but agree White is fine after 44.a4.

43...Kg6 44.Rg8+ Kh7 45.Rfxg4 Rxe3

White's rooks may look menacing, but Black's king is not in serious danger, and meanwhile Black is still two pawns up

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46.Rc8 Re5

There is nothing wrong with 46...Rxa3.

47.Rc4 Kg6 48.R8xc5 Rxc5 49.Rxc5

Now a pair of rooks has been exchanged, how big is Black's advantage?

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Black is not only a pawn up, but has a passed pawn that can easily be made a protected passer; the a7 pawn is easily protected (and cannot be got at by the white king); and Black's king is well-placed to support the black pawn-duo. Black's advantage is almost the equivalent of being a piece and a pawn up, according to the engines.

49...Rb7 50.Ra5 e5 51.Kg3 Kg5 52.Kf3 f5??

Impatient. Correct is 52...Re7, getting behind the passed pawn, while still protecting a7.

53.Rxe5 Rb3+

All three legal moves draw

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54.Kf2 Rxa3

The Syzygy endgame tablebase shows 10 of White's 18 legal moves draw

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55.Re8 Kf4 56.Re2?

There were still eight drawing moves - all seven rook moves along the back rank, and 56.Kg1!?

Black has one winning move

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56...a5!

Stockfish18 works out that this is winning, but Dragon1 does not.

57.Rc2

Again there is only one winning move

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57...Rd3

Syzygy, and Stockfish18, show 57...Ra4! wins. Play might continue 58.Rc5 (Dragon1 erroneously believes this draws) Ra2+ 59.Kg1 (Dragon1's idea) a4 60.Rc4+ Ke3 61.Kh2 (equal, according to Dragon1) f4! 62.Kg1, and only now does Dragon1 realise Black is winning, after 62...a3. Actually, Syzygy shows 62...Ra1+ and 62...Ra3 also win, but the most direct path to victory runs (with White putting up the most dogged resistance) 62...a3 63.Rc3+ Kd4 64.Rc3 Kc5! 65.Kh2 Kb5 66.Kg1 Kb6!? (other moves also win, but Syzygy shows this is the fastest) 67.Rb3+ Ka5 68.Rf3 Ra1+ 69.Kh2 Kb5! 70.Rb3+ Ka4 (70...Ka4 is also a good answer to, for example, 70.Rc3) 71.Rb7 (71.Rf3 Rb1 72.Rxf4+ Rb4 73.Rf2 Rc4 74.Re2 Rb3 etc) Rc172.Ra7+ Kb3 73.Rb7+ Ka2, and the rest is relatively simple, eg 74.Ra7 Rc3 75.Ra8 Ka1 76.Ra7 Rb3 etc.

58.Ra2 Rd5 59.Ra4+ Ke5 60.g3 Kd6

White has one drawing move

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61.Ke3

White had to play 61.g4!, forcing an ending of rook and rook's pawn versus rook - the most drawish of all rook-and-pawn endings.

Black has one winning move

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61...Kc6

An only-move, but is fairly easy to see other moves get Black nowhere.

62.Kf4 Kb5
Six other moves also win.

63.Ra1 a4 64.g4

Too late.

64...fxg4 65.Kxg4 Rd3 66.Kf4 a3 67.Rb1+ Kc4 68.Ke4 a2 0-1

Hull 4NCL Round Four

Spanton (1953 ECF/1997 Fide) - Roger Greatorex (1758 ECF/1754 Fide)

Spanish Cozio

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nge7

For quite some time this is Dragon1's second choice, but the engine comes to agree with Stockfish18 that the best continuation is 3...Nf6, with 3...a6 second-best (!?).

4.Nc3!?

More popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 4.c3 and especially 4.0-0, but the text is fashionable, for a reason I will explain after Black's next move.

How should Black proceed?

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4...Ng6!?

The 'normal' Cozio move, 4...g6, is out of favour because of 5.d4 exd4 6.Nd5!? Bg7 7.Bg5, with the upper hand for White, according to the engines.

5.d4 exd4 6.Nxd4

6.Nd5?! makes much less sense without a hole at f6.

6...Bb4 7.0-0 Bxc3?!

Black smashes White's queenside, but the resulting structure is not easy to attack, at least not before an ending, and in the meantime White has the bishop-pair and a lead in development.

8.bxc3 0-0

White has the upper hand (Stockfish18) or possibly a positionally won game (Dragon1, but the evaluation fluctuates, and eventually more-or-less settles on plus-over-minus)

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9.f4!

The engines agree this is best. White takes control of the e5 square, while preparing a kingside attack.

9...a6!?

Apparently a novelty, and preferred by the engines over 9...Nxd4, which was played in games featuring a 2200 and a 2295 as Black.

10.Bd3 d6 11.Rb1 Re8

Not 11...Rb8?? 12.Nxc6.

12.Qh5!? Nxd4?!

Not 12...Qh4? 13.Qxh4 Nxh4 14.Nxc6 bxc6 15.f5, after which the black knight has no retreat squares. But, rather than the text, the engines much prefer 12...Qe7.

13.cxd4 Nf8!?

This looks horribly passive, but it is probably best.

14.f5 Qf6

Perhaps a better way to stop White playing f6 is for Black to play 14...f6, or 14...Nd7.

15.c3 h6

White threatened to win the black queen with 16.Bg5.

16.g4

Perhaps 16.Rf3 is strongest.

16...Nh7 17.h4 g5!? 18.fxg6 Qxg6 19.Qxg6+ fxg6

Black has foiled the mating attack, but is losing a pawn

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20.Bxh6 Bxg4 21.Rxb7 Re7 22.Bc4+ Kh8 23.Bxa6??

White is roughly the equivalent of being a rook up after 23.Rf7, according to the engines.

23...Bc8 24.Rfb1

The engines reckon 24.a4!? Bxb7 25.Rxb7 Rxa4 is equal, White having a pair of bishops and a pawn for the exchange. Note that 24...Rxa6!? 25.Rb8 Re8 26.Rf7 may slightly favour White, according to the engines.

24...Bxb7

But here the engines reckon 24...Ra6!? 25.Rb8 Re8 gives Black at least the better part of equality.

25.Rxb7

The engines reckon 25.Bxb7 Rb8 26.Rb3 is completely equal.

25...Rxa6!?

Black has a slight edge after 25...Rxe4, according to Dragon1, but Stockfish18 disagrees.

26.Rb8+ Nf8 27.Bxf8?!

Probably better is 27.Rxf8+ Kh7 28.Bg5.

27...Rxe4 28.Bxd6+ Kh7

Black has at least a slight edge after the somewhat counter-intuitive 28...Kg7!, according to the engines.

White to play and equalise

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29.Be5!

After 29.Bxc7 Rxa2, Dragon1 reckons Black is winning, but Stockfish18 gives Black just a slight edge. The text threatens mate.

29...g5 30.h5!? Rxe5

Forced.

31.dxe5

How would you assess this rook-and-pawn ending?

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White is two pawns up, but it is Black to move, and the black king is more active than its white counterpart. The endgame is completely equal, according to the engines.

31...Rc6?

But not any more. Three moves seem to hold the balance: 31...Rxa2, 31...Re6 and 31...Kh6

32.Rb4 Kh6 33.Re4 Re6

The central passed pawn is blockaded, and h5 is about to fall, but the black rook has become passive - White's advantage is again worth about a rook, according to the engines

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34.a4?

The king should be activated, eg 34.Kf2 Kxh5 35.Kg3, when Black is in zugzwang, a possible continuation being 35...Re8 (35...Kg6 36.Kg4; 35...g4 36.Kf4) 36.a4 Re6 (36...Re7 37.e6) 37.a5 Kh6 38.Kg4 Kg6 39.Re2, when Black has to give way.

34...Kxh5 35.a5

Activating the white king also only draws.

35...Kg6 36.a6?! Rxa6 37.e6 Ra8 38.Kf2 Re8

Black has the less-vulnerable passed pawn, and the more-active king, but the ending is still drawn

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39.Kf3 Kf6 40.Rc4 Re7 41.Kg4 Kxe6 42.Kxg5 Kd5 43.Rd4+

The only move to draw, but not so hard to find.

43...Kc5 44.Kf4

Again an only-move, according to the Syzygy endgame tablebase.

44...c6 45.Rb4 Re1 46.Re4!? Rxe4!?

The draw is easy after this, whereas care is still required after 46...Rc1, but one drawing line runs 47.Ke3!? Rxc3+ 48.Kd2, reaching a well-known drawn position, although there is nothing stopping Black playing on.

47.Kxe4 Kc4 48.Ke5 ½–½

48.Ke5 was also an only-move, after which play might have continued 48...c5 49.Kd6 Kxc3 50.Kxc5.

Lessons From Bad Bertrich III

THERE is a fairly well-established hierarchy when it comes to the drawishness of endings.

At the top, and by a considerable distance, are endings with opposite-colour bishops.

Next come rook-and-pawn endings, their drawing tendencies illustrated by the aphorism, usually attributed to Tarrasch or Tartakower, that "all rook endgames are drawn."

Third in the drawishness stakes are queen endings, thanks to the danger of the weaker side escaping defeat with perpetual check.

After that the hierarchy becomes somewhat murky, but I would suggest the list continues with same-colour bishop endings, followed by knight endings, and finally pawn endings (note I am only listing endings where both sides have the same pieces, ie leaving out, for example, rook versus bishop and knight).

All of this is a preamble to the strange finish in my round-three game, where I was Black against Børge Svanholm (1871).

The following rook-and-pawn ending was reached after White's 27th move.

White has just captured on d8, leaving a commonly occurring rook-and-pawn ending in which material is level, but one player has a farside passed pawn

Such positions are normally quickly agreed drawn at high levels, and often at club level too.

However, if the game continues, the normal procedure is that the player with the passed pawn - in this case White - protects it from the front, and advances the pawn to the seventh rank, while the black rook keeps an eye on the pawn from behind.

There are two dangers for Black to avoid, once the pawn has reached White's seventh.

One is to carelessly put the black king in such a position on Black's third rank, or higher, that it can be checked by the white rook, allowing the a pawn to be advanced on the next move.

The other is to let the white king get over to the queenside to safely help promote the pawn, although this is a risky business if it means Black mops up White's kingside pawns.

But if White tries nothing, and Black does not get careless, the game is inevitably drawn.

Here is the position seven moves after the previous diagram

Material is still level, and the ending is still completely drawn. Indeed, the ending would be a tablebase draw even if the h pawn were removed from the board.

Six moves later, the h pawn was removed from the board after Black in this position played 40...Rxh5

The Syzygy endgame tablebase confirms that the position is still drawn, and would remain so after any move by the white rook along the back rank.

Instead, my opponent committed the cardinal sin of leaving a drawn rook-and-pawn ending for a lost pawn ending by playing 41.Rxh5+, resigning 10 moves later.

LESSON: unless you have no other option, never swop off into a pawn ending unless you are certain of the outcome.

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

World Team 65+ Round Eight

Bo.	37	Norway - Golden Oldies	Rtg	-	46	England - 5	Rtg	0 : 0
27.1		Esbensen, Arnt	2169	-		Freeman, Richard C P	1897
27.2		Taksrud, Vidar	1931	-	CM	Stokes, Michael	1861
27.3		Johnsen, Oystein	1949	-		Spanton, Tim R	1908
27.4		Bjorgvik, Jan Arne	1818	-		Marshall, Michael	1859

Øystein Johnsen (1949) - Spanton (1908)

London System

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 Bd6 4.Bg3 Nf6 5.e3 b6 6.Nbd2 0-0 7.Bd3 Bb7

How should White proceed?

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8.Bh4!?

Presumably ØJ did not fancy 8.0-0 Bxg3. The main move in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database is 8.Ne5, when 8...c5 9.c3 Nc6 is equal, according to Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.

8...Nbd7 9.0-0

With both sides having castled, how would you assess the position?

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The position is largely symmetrical, with the notable exception of the queens' bishops, but the engines award Black at least the better part of equality, perhaps because having the move in such a position confers a small initiative.

9...Re8

But this is not the way to pursue it, according to the engines. They suggest 9...c5 or 9...Qb8!?

10.c3 h6!?

Anticipating 11.Qc2.

11.Qc2 c5 12.b3 Rc8 13.Rac1 Qc7 14.Bg3!?

The engines fluctuate between the text, 14.Qb1 and 14.Qb2.

14...Bxg3 15.hxg3

So White has allowed ...Bxg3 anyway

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15...Ng4 16.e4!?

This is the classic pawn break in this sort of position, but the engines are not keen on it here.

16...dxe4

Possibly stronger is 16...cxd4, eg 17.cxd4 Qxc2 18.Bxc2!? Ndf6!?, when 19.e5 Ne4 favours Black, according to the engines, but so does 19.exd5 Nxd5.

17.Bxe4!?

The engines reckon this is better than 17.Nxe4 cxd4 18.cxd4 (18.Nxd4?! Qe5! 19.Nf3 Qh5 is risky for White) Qxc2 19.Rxc2 Rxc2 20.Bxc2 Rc8.

17...Ndf6 18.Bxb7 Qxb7 19.Rfe1 Red8 20.dxc5 Rxc5 21.Ne4 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 Qxe4 23.Rxe4 Nf6

Where should the rook go?

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24.Rd4!?

This is the engines' top choice.

24...Rdc8 25.c4 b5 26.Kf1 Kf8

The game is completely equal after 26...bxc4 27.Rdxc4 Rxc4 28.bxc4, according to the engines.

27.Ne1!?

This seems playable, but probably better is 27.Nd2.

27...e5 28.Rd2?!

The active 28.Rd6!? is better, according to the engines, eg 28...bxc4 29.Ra6!? cxb3 30.Rxc5 Rxc5 31.Rxa7 bxa2 32.Rxa2, when Black is a pawn up, but all the pawns are on one side of the board, and the engines reckon Black has only a slight edge.

28...cxb4 29.Rdc2

The engines prefer 29.bxc4 Rxc4 30.Rd8+!? Rxd8 31.Rxc4, when Black is again a pawn up, but with pawns on both sides of the board, giving Black at least the upper hand, according to the engines.

29...Ne4 30.b4 R5c7?!

Probably better is taking the open file with 30...Rd5!?, one point being 31.Rxc4?? Rxc4 32.Rxc4 loses to 32...Nd2+ and 33...Nxc4.

31.Ke2?

Black has at best a slight edge after 31.Re2, according to the engines.

31...Ke7 32.Ke3 f5 33.g4 g6 34.gxf5 gxf5 35.g4?!

The engines much prefer 35.Nd3!?, eg 35...Kd6 36.Nb2 Kd5 37.Rd1+ Ke6 38.Rh1 c3!? 39.Rxh6+ Kd5 40.Nd1, although after 40...f4+ Black has pressure.

35...Kf6

The engines suggest 35...c3 or 35...Nd6.

36.f3

And here they like 36.Nf3 or 36.Rd1.

36...Nd6 37.Rh2 f4+ 38.Kf2 Nf7 39.Rc3 Rd8 40.Kf1 Kg6 41.Rhc2 Rd4 42.Ra3!? Rd6 43.Rac3 Rdc6?!

The engines give 43...Rd4, and if 44.Ra3, then 44...Nd6, claiming a large advantage for Black.

44.Nd3!? a6 45.Nc5 Nd6 46.Re2 Kf6 47.Ne4+!?

Forcing a double-rook-and-pawn ending, but the engines reckon White is better off keeping knights on, challenging Black to find a way to make progress after 47.Rc1 or 47.a3.

47...Nxe4 48.Rxe4

How would you assess this ending?

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Dragon1 reckons Black is winning, but Stockfish17.1 gives Black only a slight edge. The practical point, however, is that unless Black gets careless and lets White create something with the 2-1 pawn-majority on the a-b files, there are only two likely outcomes - a draw or a black win.

48...Ke6 49.Re2?!

The rook is well-placed on e4. White should almost certainly be centralising the king, as far as is possible, with 49.Ke2 or 49.Ke1.

49...Rb7 50.a3 Rd7 51.Ke1?

Much better, but still losing, according to the engines, is going for counterplay with 51.Rh2.

51...Rd3 52.Rec2 Rd4?

This is probably still winning, but much stronger is 52...Rxc3 53.Rxc3 Kd5, eg 54.Kd2 Kd4 55.Kc2 Rg6!? 56.Kb2!? (56.Kd2 h5!) e4!? 57.fxe4 Rxg4.

53.Rd2 Kd5 54.Rdc2 Rc7 55.Rh2 Rc6 56.Rhc2 Re6 57.Kf2 e4 58.fxe4 Rexe4 59.Rh3 Rd3 60.Rh5+ Kd4 61.Rxh6

Black to play and win

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61...Rxa3?

One of the few plausible moves that does not win, whereas 61...c3, 61...Ree3 and even 61...Kd5!? win comfortably.

62.Rd6+ Ke5 63.Rc6 c3 64.R2xc3 Rxc3 65.Rxc3 Rxb4

This is a tablebase draw

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66.Ra3 Ke4 67.Ra6 Rb2+

White to play and draw

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68.Ke1?

The Syzygy endgame tablebase shows only 68.Kg1! draws.

The problem with the text will soon become apparent, whereas 68.Kf1? loses to 68...f3! (only-move), and if, as in the game, 69.g5, then 69...Kf4 (another only-move), eg 70.g6 Kg3 (a third only-move, but the easiest of the lot to find) 71.Ra1 Rh2 (71...Rf2+ also wins) 72.Kg1 f2+ 73.Kf1 Rh1+ 74.Ke2 Rxa1.

After 68.Kg1, Black can again try 68...f3, but 69.Rf6! draws, eg 69...Ke3 70.g5 Rb1+ (70...f2+ 71.Kg2) 71.Kh2 f2 72.g6, when Black has to take a draw as 72...f1=Q?? loses to 73.Rxf1 Rxf1 74.g7 etc.

68...Kf3

White cannot prevent the black king from occupying g2, as 69.Kf1? allows 69...Rb1#.

69.g5 Kg2 70.g6 f3 71.Rf6

Black to play and and maintain the win

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71...Rb1+?

There are two winning lines: 71...Re2+ 72.Kd1 Re7, eg 73.Rf7 f2!? (73...Re8 also wins) 74.g7 Re8 75.Rf8 f1=Q+, and 71...Rb7 72.Rf5 Re7+ 73.Kd2 f2, eg 74.Rg5+ Kh3 75.Rf5 Kg3 76.Kd3 Kg2 77.Rg5+ Kf1 78.Kd2 Rd7+ 79.Kc2 Ke2 80.Re5+ Kf3 81.Rf5+ Kg3 82.Kc3 (82.Rg5+ Kf4) Rg7 83.Rf6 Kg2 etc.

72.Kd2 f2 73.g7 Rb2+ 74.Kc1 Rb8 75.Rg6+ Kf3 76.Rf6+ Ke2 77.Re6+ Kf1 78.Rg6 Rg8 79.Kd2 Rd8+ 80.Kc3 Rc8+ 81.Kd4 Rd8+ 82.Kc5 Rc8+ 83.Kb6 Rg8

White to play and lose

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84.Kc7??

This loses because Black will be able to capture on g7 with check.

84...Ke2 85.Re6+ Kd3 86.Rd6+ Ke4 87.Rf6 Rxg7+ 88.Kd8 Ke3 89.Re6+ Kd2 90.Rd6+ Ke2 91.Re6+ Kf1 0-1

Team Result

Esbensen = Freeman

Taksrud 1-0 Stoke

Johnsen 0-1 Spanton

Bjorgvik = Marshall

Norway Golden Oldies 2-2 England 5

World Team 65+ Round Six

Bo.	18	Albania	Rtg	-	46	England - 5	Rtg	0 : 0
12.1	IM	Seitaj, Ilir	2303	-		Freeman, Richard C P	1897
12.2	FM	Cela, Shkelqim	2179	-	CM	Stokes, Michael	1861
12.3		Stavri, Gligor	1979	-		Spanton, Tim R	1908
12.4		Pasku, Sotir	2031	-		Marshall, Michael	1859

Gligor Stavri (1979) - Spanton (1908)

QGD Normal Variation

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 c5 3.e3 e6 4.c4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Nf6

The starting point of the Normal Variation

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One advantage for White in playing this way is that often it is White who decides whether to play with or against an IQP. It is not that either way is theoretically advantageous, but playing what you like can be important.

6.cxd5 exd5

Black can avoid an isolated queen's pawn with 6...Nxd5, when the main line in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database runs 7.Bd3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.a3!? cxd4 10.exd4 Bf6, with Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 giving White at least the better part of equality.

7.Be2 Bg4

The engines suggest 7...cxd4!? 8.Nxd4 and 8...Bb4, 8...Bd6 or 8...Bc5.

8.0-0 Be7!?

This is the commonest move in Mega26, but Black scores just 26%, although it is a small sample size (19 games). The engines like 8...c4!? or 8...Rc8.

9.dxc5

So White gets to inflict an IQP on Black after the black dark-square bishop has moved.

9...Bxc5 10.a3 0-0

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

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This position is usually reached with Black to move, when the engines reckon the game is equal. With White to move, they give the latter a slight edge.

11.Qa4!?

This may be a novelty. Known moves are 11.b4 and 11.h3.
11...Qe7?

The engines give 11...d4!?, and if 12.Rd1, then 12...Bxf3!? 13.Bxf3 Qb6, claiming at least equal chances for Black.

12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Qxg4

White has won a sound pawn, and has the bishop-pair

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13...Rad8 14.Qc4!?

The engines like this.

14...Rfe8 15.Re1!? Bb6 16.Qc2 Ne5 17.Nxe5 Qxe5 18.Bf3 Nf4!?

How should White respond?

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19.Rf1!

The engines reckon this is easily the best move, whereas 19.Bxb7, although probably objectively fine for White, can lead to tricky play, eg 19...Re7 20.Bf3 Nd3 21.Rd1 Rc7 22.Qb3 Rcd7 23.Rf1!? h5, when White is two pawns up, but faces a difficult defensive task.

19...Nd5 20.Bd2 Re6 21.Bxd5!? Qxd5

The bishop-pair has gone, but White is a pawn up and has no weaknesses, and so can count on a substantial advantage if development is successfully completed

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22.Bc3 Red6 23.Qe2 Rg6!? 24.g3 Rgd6 25.Bb4 R6d7 26.Qg4

The engines give 26.Rfd1!, the point being they reckon 26...Qxd1+ 27.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 28.Kg2 is much better for White.

26...h5!? 27.Qh3 Qf3 28.Qg2 Qe2 29.Bc3 Re8 30.Rfe1 Qg4 31.h3 Qe6 32.Rad1

It has taken some time, but White has finally contested the open d file.

32...Red8 33.Rxd7 Rxd7

However, Black retains control of the file.

34.g4!?

The engines like this.

34...h4

But in reply they prefer 34...hxg4 or 34...Bc7.

35.Qf3 Qd6

How should White proceed?

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36.e4?

The engines suggest 36.Rc1, 36.Kg2 or 36.Qe4, but can you see what is wrong with the text.?
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36...Qd3

Black has 36...Qg3+! 37.Qxg3 (forced) hxg3 and 38...gxf2(+), with at least a slight edge.

37.Qxd3 Rxd3 38.Kg2 Bd4 39.Bxd4 Rxd4

How would you assess this rook-and-pawn ending?

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White's extra pawn gives a slight edge, according to Stockfish17.1; is winning, according to Dragon1.

40.Kf3 g5

Possibly the less-committal 40...f6!? is better.

41.Ke3 Rd6 42.f4?!

The engines agree White has at least the upper hand after 42.Rc1!?

42...f6?

This turns a completely equal position into a completely lost one, according to the engines. They give 42...Rb6, eg 43.b4 Ra6 44.Ra1 Rc6 45.Kd4!? gxf4 46.Rf1 Rd6+ 47.Kc4 (47.Ke5 Rd3 may even favour Black) Rc6+ 48.Kd4 Rd6+ etc, or 43.fxg5 Rxb2 44.e5 Rb3+ 45.Ke4 Rxh3 46.g6!? Rxa3!? 47.gxf7+ Kxf7 48.Rf1+ Ke6 49.Rf6+ Ke7 50.Rh6 h3, with what they agree is complete equality.

43.fxg5 fxg5 44.e5 Rb6 45.b4 Ra6 46.Ra1!?

This looks horribly passive, but is one of several winning moves.

46...Kf7 47.Ke4 Ke6 48.a4 b5!? 49.a5 Rc6 50.Rd1

The rook is in time to defend b4.

50...Rc3

Or 50...Ra6 51.Rd6!? (not the only winning move) Rxd6 52.exd6 Kxd6 53.Kf5 etc.

51.Rd6+ Ke7 52.Kf5 Rxh3 53.Kxg5 Rh1 54.Ra6 h3 55.Rxa7+ Ke6 56.Rh7 h2 57.a6 Kxe5 58.a7 Ra1 59.Rxh2 Rxa7

White has a tablebase win

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60.Rc2 Rg7+ 61.Kh4 Kf4 62.Rf2+ Ke3 63.Rf5 Rc7 64.Rxb5 Rc4 65.Kh5 Kf3 66.Rf5+ Kg3 67.b5 Rb4 68.g5 Rh4+ 69.Kg6 Rb4 70.Kf6

Even 70.b6!? wins, according to the Syzygy endgame tablebase.

70...Kg4 71.g6 Rd4 72.Re5 Rd6+ 73.Re6 Rd5 74.b6 Rf5+ 75.Ke7 Rg5 76.Kf7 Rf5+ 77.Rf6 Rd5 78.g7 Rd7+ 79.Kg6 Rd8 80.Kh7 Rd7 81.Kh8 Kh5 82.g8=Q 1-0

Team Result

Seitaj = Freeman

Cela 0-1 Stokes

Stavri 1-0 Spanton

Pasku 1-0 Marshall

Albania 2.5-1.5 England 5

Cracovia 60+ Round Nine

FACED a Spaniard.

Spanton (1913) - Manuel Llopis de Aysa (2000)

QGD Exchange

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 Be6 6.e3 0-0 7.Bd3 h6!?

There was a time, not so long ago, when ...h6 had a dubious reputation in the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. The problems were thought to be twofold: i) it provides White a target for a g-pawn push, or a possible piece sacrifice; ii) it takes away a square a black rook might want to use, after joining the third rank at d6 or e6, for putting pressure on White's kingside.

So what has changed? Nothing really - those criticisms are still valid, BUT 7...h6!? comes with engine approval, eg it is the top choice of Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1. Therefore, the argument goes, the benefits of ...h6 must outweigh its drawbacks.

The position after 7.Bd3 occurs 11,650 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database

The continuation 7...c6 occurs 3,916 times (34%), 7...Nbd7 occurs 2,939 times (25%) and 7...h6 occurs 2,251 times (19%).

However, make the same search, but from 2023 onwards only, and the results are rather different. There is still quite a substantial number of games, 2,227, and 7...c6 is still most popular, but its 695 appearances represent a more modest 31%. In second place, with 630 games (28%). is 7...h6, while 7...Nbd7's 265 games is 12%.

In other words, in recent praxis, 7...c6 has slipped three percentage points, and 7...Nbd7 has dropped 13 percentage points, but 7...h6 has gained nine percentage points.

This is surely an example of how engines are affecting opening choices, even in non-tactical positional lines.

Back to the game.

8.Bh4 Re8 9.Qc2

Guess which move is Black's most popular continuation (hint: it is also liked by the engines)

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Well done if you plumped for 9...c5!? - you either know your (modern) theory, or you have a natural affinity for the Exchange Variation of the QGD.

I suspect most club players would give 9...c5!? little or no consideration. After all, what happens if White captures on c5, saddling Black with an isolated queen's pawn? Well, after 10.dxc5, the engines continue 10...d4!?, and if 11.exd4 (the most popular move in Mega26) Qxd4 (attacking the h4 bishop as well as the c pawn) 12.Nf3, then 12...Bd8+!?, when the engines reckon Black is at least equal.

The engines' alternative to 10.dxc5 is 10.Nf3 or 10.Nge2, but then 10...c4!? comes with tempo. For those who do not like the ...c4 move in such positions, 10...Nc6 looks reasonable.

9...c6

This, to me, is the most natural continuation, or, at least, the one I regard as being most 'normal' in this opening.

The position occurs 2,716 times in Mega26

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10.Nf3 Ne4 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Bxe4!?

This is very much second in popularity to 12.0-0, but it has been played by Magnus Carlsen and other strong grandmasters.

12...dxe4 13.Nd2 Bf5

ML offered a draw.

Who, if anyone, stands better?

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Equal chances, according to the engines.

14.0-0 Bg6 15.a3 Nd7 16.b4 Nb6 17.Na4 Nxa4

The engines reckon Black has at least the better part of equality after 17..Nd5.

18.Qxa4 a6 19.Qc2 Rad8 20.Nc4?!

The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting 20.Qc5 or 20.Rfc1 (one of the points of 20.Rfc1 is that it frees the f1 square for the knight).

20...Qg5

Best, according to the engines, is 20...Rd5, eg 21.Ne5 Bh5 22.h3 f6 23.Nc4 Rg5, when Black has promising kingside play.

21.Kh1 Bf5 22.Ne5 f6 23.Nc4 Be6 24.Rae1 Bxc4 25.Qxc4

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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Completely equal, according to the engines.

25...Qd5 26.Rc1 Qxc4 27.Rxc4 Rd5 28.Rfc1 Kf7 29.Rc5 Ke6 30.Kg1 Rb8 31.Kf1 Rxc5 32.Rxc5

How would you assess this rook-and-pawn ending?

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Completely equal, according to the engines.

32...Kd6 33.Ke2 b6 34.Rc2 Rc8 35.f3 exf3+!? 36.gxf3 Re8 37.Kd3 Re7 38.e4 Re8?!

Black should not do nothing - the engines suggest 38...g5, maintaining equality.

39.Rg2

The engines suggest 39.f4 or 39.a4.

39...Re7?!

White's rook should almost certainly not be allowed to occupy g6, so again ...g5 is called for.

40.Rg6

How should Black proceed?

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40...Kc7?!

The engines suggest 40...Ke6, or play on the queenside with 40...b5 or 40...a5, or 40...h5!?, but in each case with a large advantage to White.

41.f4 Rd7 42.Kc4

The engines suggest clamping down on the kingside with 42.h4, intending h5, or advancing on the queenside with 42.a4. If, for example, 42.h4 is met by 42...c5, then 43.bxc5 bxc5 44.d5.

42...Kd6!?

This is the best try, according to the engines, but they reckon White is winning.

How should White proceed?

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43.e5+?!

Winning a pawn, but letting the black rook become active. Instead, White should increase the pressure, eg 43.f5!? Kc7!? 44.a4 Rf7 45.a5 h5!? 46.h4 Kb7 47.Rg1 Re7 48.Re1 Rf7 49.Kd3 Kc7 50.Rc1 Kb7 51.c5 cxd5 52.exd5 bxa5 53.bxa5 Re7 54.Kd4, when White's advantage is worth more than a rook, according to the engines - Black's three kingside pawns are held up by two White pawns, leaving d5 a monster.

43...Ke6 44.exf6

The engines prefer 44.h4!?, and if 44...Kf6, then 45.Rg1!?, the point being 45...Kxf4? loses to 46.e6 Re7 47.Rf1+ Ke4 48.Re1+ Kf5 49.d5 etc.

44...gxf6 45.Rxh6 Rg7 46.Rh5 Rg1 47.f5+ Kd6 48.Rh6 Rc1+ 49.Kb3 Kd5 50.Rxf6 Kxd4 51.Kb2

Black has three plausible rook moves - which should he play?

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51...Rf1?

The engines agree this loses; they also agree 51...Rc4! draws. Stockfish17.1 reckons 51...Rh1!? also draws, but Dragon1 reckons it loses. Even after the 51...Rh1!? line is continued for several moves, eg 52.Rxc6 Rxh2+ 53.Kb3 b5 54.Rxa6 Rh3+ 55.Kc2 Rh2+ 56.Kd1 Rf2 57.f6 Rf5 58.Rd6+ Ke4, both engines persist in their different evaluations. One reason 51...Rc4! draws is that 52.h4 can be met by 52...Ke5.

52.Rxc6 Rf2+

How should White proceed?

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53.Rc2?

Both 53.Kc1 and 53.Kb3 apparently win, but the text does not. One winning line runs 53.Kc1 Rxf5 54.Rxb6 Kc3 55.Rc6+ Kb3 56.Rxa5, when White is three pawns up, and the Syzygy endgame tablebase confirms Black is lost.

53...Rxf5 54.h4 Rh5 55.Kb3!?

Black to play and draw

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55...b5?

The one plausible move that loses, according to the engines. Of course not 55...Rxh4?? 56.Rc4+ etc, but both 55...Kd5 and 55...a5!? leave White with at best a slight edge, according to the engines, although it takes Dragon1 a lot longer to realise this than Stockfish17.1. After 55...Kd5, White can protect the h pawn with 56.Rh2 or 56.Rc4, but there seems no way to make progress, while 56.Rd2+ Kc6 57.Rd4 does not change anything.

After 55...b5? it is White to play and win

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56.Rc6?

Thanks to 55...b5?, White's protecting the h pawn with 56.Rh2!? now wins, eg 56...Ke4 57.Kc3 Ke3 58.Rh3+ Ke4 59.Kc2!? Kd4 60.Ke2 Ke4 61.Kf2 Kf4 62.Rh1 Kg4 63.Ke4 Kf5 64.Kd4!? Kf6 65.Rh3!? (White's ability to temporise with the rook is what makes the endgame winning) Kf5 66.Re3!? Rxh4+ 67.Kc5 Rh6 68.Kd3 with Rd6 and Rxa6 to come. There are lots of alternatives along the way, but the engines are sure White always has a win.

56...Rxh4 57.Rxa6

The main difference between the position in the game and the one reached in the previous note is that in the game White's king is confined to the back three ranks.

57...Rh3+ 58.Kc2 Rh2+ 59.Kd1 Kd3 60.Ke1 Kc4 61.Rg6 Kb3 62.Rg3+ Ka4 63.Rd1 Ra2 64.Kc1 Rxa3 65.Rxa3+ Kxa3 66.Kc2 Kxb4 ½–½

With the b pawn in its half of the board, this is only a win for the attacking side if the king can get to one of three squares two ranks ahead, ie in this case a3, b3 or c3, and since White easily stops that with the obvious 67.Kb2, the ending is drawn