English 65+ Round Six

Carving at Ferry Meadows

Spanton (1944 ECF/2035 Fide) - Alan Hall (1689 ECF/1765 Fide)

Petrov Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.c4!?

This is less popular than d3, Qe2, Nc3 and especially d4, but scores a better percentage than all of them in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

5...Be7 6.d4 0-0 7.Bd3

How should Black proceed?

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7...Nf6

This is most common in Mega26, but 7...d5, supporting the knight in traditional Petrov-style, has also been played. However, after 8.0-0, reaching a position occurring 996 times in the database, the best continuation is 8...Nf6!?, according to Stockfish19 and Dragon1.

8.0-0

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

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White's extra space gives a slight edge, according to the engines.

8...Nc6 9.Nc3 Bg4 10.Be3 Re8 11.h3 Bh5 12.g4!?

This apparent-novelty is liked by the engines, but they also like the known 12.Re1.

12...Bg6 13.Bxg6 hxg6 14.Qd3

The engines prefer 14.Bg5 or 14.Re1.

14...Qd7

How should White meet Black's threat to capture on g4?

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15.Nh2?!

Probably too passive, especially when there are simple remedies such as 15.Bf4 and 15.d5.

15...d5!?

The thematic ...d5 thrust in the Petrov, and here it gives Black the upper hand, according to the engines.

16.c5 Bf8?!

Almost certainly too slow, whereas the immediate 16...b6, a typical reaction when White pushes on with c5, seems strong. Note, however, that 16...Bxc5!? 17.dxc5 d4 can be met by 18.R(either)d1, after which Black has at best a slight edge, according to the engines.

17.Bf4 b6 18.cxb6 axb6 19.Rfe1?

White should probably play 19.a3, to take control of the b4 square.

19...Bd6?!

Black has an edge after this, but much stronger is 19...Nb4, when the engines reckon best-play runs 20.Qf1!? Ne4 (20...Nc2 21.Rxe8 Qxe8!? 22.Rd1 c5 is also good), with a lot of pressure for Black, eg 21.Red1 c5 22.dxc5 Bxc5 23.Nxe4 Rxe4, after which storm clouds are gathering around White's king.

20.Bg3?

White should probably play 20.Bxd6 Qxd6 21.Nf3, with what the engines reckon is a slight edge for Black.

20...Bxg3 21.fxg3 Rxe1+

Both 21...Nb4 and 21...Qd6 are even stronger, according to the engines.

22.Rxe1 Re8?!

But this throws away most of the rest of Black's advantage, whereas both ...Qd6 and ...Nb4 are still very good for Black, according to the engines.

23.Rxe8+ Qxe8!? 24.Nf3

Probably not 24.g5?! Ne4 25.Nxd5?! Nxg5.

24...Qd7

AH offered a draw.

How would you assess the position?

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The white king is less safe than its black counterpart, but I thought this should not prove critical with somewhat reduced material, and I hoped to pose problems for Black by creating a queenside passed pawn. However, the engines agree the game is completely equal.

25.Kg2 Kf8 26.Ne5 Qe6 27.Nxc6 Qxc6 28.Qb5 Qxb5

The engines prefer keeping queens on the board with 28...Qe6 or 28...Qd6.

29.Nxb5

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

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It is equal, according to the engines, but not simple.

[Indeed, after inputting more moves, and then returning to the diagram position, the engines change their evaluation to White being slightly better.]

29...c6

The engines agree this is best, although Stockfish19 evaluates 29...c5!? as only slightly worse for Black. Dragon1, however, reckons ...c5 loses, or at least gives White the upper hand. Black could also play 29...Ne8?!, but that is probably too passive.

30.Na7 c5 31.Nc8 Nd7

Not 31...cxd4? 32.Kf3!, eg 32...Nd7 33.Ke2 Ke8 34.Kd3 Kd8 35.Nd6 Ke7 36.Nb5, with a winning advantage for White, according to the engines.

32.dxc5

The engines prefer centralising the king with 32.Kf3!?

32...bxc5 33.Kf2 Kf8 34.Ke3 Kd8 35.Nd6 Ke7 36.Nb7 Ke6 37.a4

How should Black proceed?

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37...Ke5?

The engines reckon the diagram-position is one where centralising the king is not correct. They give 37...d4+ and 37...f6 as equal.

38.a5 d4+ 39.Kd3

39.Kd2! is much preferred by the engines.

39...Kd5 40.b3 Nb8 41.g5 Nc6!?

This may be a mistake, although the engines' evaluations fluctuate, with Dragon1 at one point reckoning the move loses, while at the same time Stockfish19 calls the game equal. The former settles on awarding White the upper hand, while Stockfish19 changes to giving White a slight edge, but finally calls the position completely equal. Nevertheless, the engines agree 41...Kc6 and 41...f6 give complete equality.

42.h4 Nb4+!?

This is an only-move, according to the engines.

43.Kd2

Black to play and be only slightly worse (Stockfish19), or at any rate to cede no more than the upper hand (Dragon1)

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43...f6

It seems Black had to play 43...Kc6!, when 44.Nd8+ Kb5 45.Nxf7 Nc6!? 46.g4 Kxa5 47.h5 gxh5 48.gxh5 Ne7! holds, according to the engines. Everything else loses fairly trivially, eg 43...Na6 44.Nd8 f6 45.gxf6 gxf6 46.g4, which is similar to the game.

44.gxh6 gxh6 45.g4 Na6 46.h5 gxh5 47.gxh5 Ke6

White to play and win

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48.Nxc5+?

Sacrificing the knight is the right idea, but this is the wrong way to go about it. Instead, 48.Nd6!? leaves Black helpless, eg 48...f5 49.h6 Kf6 50.Nxf5!, or 48...Ke7 49.h6 Kf8 50.Ne8! Kg8 51,Nxf6+. But other moves also win, including 48.Kd3 and 48.h6.

48...Nxc5 49.b4

Black to play and draw

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49...Ne4+?

Black holds with 49...Na6 50.b5 Nc7 51.b6 Na6.

50.Kd3 Nd6 51.Kxd4 f5 52.h6 Nf7?

There is more resistance in 52...Kf6 53.Kd5 f4 54.a6! Kg6 55.Kxd6 f3 56.a7 f2 57a8=Q f1=Q, when the queen-and-pawn ending is won for White, but practice does not always follow theory.
53.a6 1-0

English 65+ Round Four

Rolling stock at Overton station on the Nene Valley Railway

Spanton (1944 ECF/2035 Fide) - Roy Hughes (2112 ECF/2020 Fide)

Scandinavian

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

Stockfish19 and Dragon1 prefer this over the slightly more popular, at least in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, 5...a6. The engines also like 5...g6!?

6.g3!?

The main move is 6.Ne5!?

6...Bg4 7.Bg2 e6 8.Bf4

Where should Black's queen go?

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8...Qd8

This is the engines' top choice, but 8...Qb4!? is also playable, although the engines reckon White gets more than enough compensation if Black grabs the b pawn, eg 9.0-0!? Qxb2 10.Qb1!? Ba3!? (10...Qxb1?! 11.Rfxb1 b6 12.Ne5) 11.Ne5 0-0 12.Qe1!? Bb4 13.Rb1 Qxc3 14.Rxb4 Qxe1 15.Rxe1, when, for a pawn, White has a lead in development and the bishop-pair. The engines reckon Black, instead of grabbing the pawn, should instead carry on developing with 9...Nbd7 or 9...Be7.

9.h3 Bxf3!?

This is Stockfish19's top choice; Dragon1 rates the text and 9...Bh5 as of similar value.

10.Qxf3!?

How should Black proceed?

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10...Be7

This seems to be a novelty. Eduardas Rozentalis (2588) - Vladislav Nevednichy (2570), Greek Team Championship 2009, went 10...Qxd4 11.0-0 Nbd7 12.Nb5!? cxb5 (forced) 13.Qxb7 Rd8 14.Bc7 Be7 15.Rad1!?, at which point a draw was agreed. The engines reckon best-play runs 15...Qxb2 16.Bxd8 Bxd8 17.Bc6 0-0 18.Bxd7 Bb6, with equal chances.

11.0-0-0 Nbd7 12.g4!? Qa5 13.Kb1 Nb6

How should White proceed?

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14.Bf1

The engines reckon 14.Bc1!? gives White a positionally won game.
14...Nbd5 15.Bd2 Nxc3+ 16.Bxc3 Bb4

The engines prefer 16...Qd5.

17.Bxb4 Qxb4

White no longer has the bishop-pair, but Black has fallen behind in development

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18.c4!? Qe7 19.g5 Nd7 20.d5 exd5

Not 20...Ne5? 21.Qe3.

21.cxd5 0-0!

The engines strongly approve of what is effectively a pawn sacrifice.

22.dxc6 bxc6

If 22...Ne5 23.Qe4 bxc6, holding on to the pawn, White has 24.Bd3 Ng6 25.h4, with the upper hand, according to the engines.

Should White grab the c pawn?

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23.Bg2

If 23.Qxc6, then 23...Nc5 gives decent compensation, according to the engines, although they are not sure if it is enough.

23...Nb6 24.h4 Nd5 25.Qf5 Rab8!? 26.Bxd5 cxd5 27.Rxd5

The engines prefer 27.Qxd5.

How would you assess this heavy-piece middlegame?

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White is a pawn up, but the relative exposure of the white king, and the vulnerability of White's kingside pawns, give full compensation, according to the engines.

27...Qb4 28.b3!? g6 29.Qd3 a5 30.Ra4 Qa3 31.Qc3 Rfc8 32.Qb2 Qc5 33.Rhd1

There are constant tricks for White to avoid, eg here 33.Rc4?? loses to 33...Qf5+! (33...Qxc4 is also strong) 34.Rc2 a4, eg 35.Re1 axb3 36.axb3 Rxc2! 37.Qxc2 Rxb3+.

33...Qf5+ 34.Ka1 Qf3?

This is Dragon19's top choice, for a short while, but it comes to agree with Stockfish19 that Black needs to play 34...a4!, meeting 35.Rxa4 with 35...Rc2.

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

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35.Qd2

The engines point out the strength of 35.a4!, giving the white king breathing room, and stopping Black attacking White's queenside pawns with ...a4. One point is that Black cannot capture on b3 as White wins with 36.Rd8+, thanks to the weakness of Black's back rank.

35...a4?

Too late. Better is 35...Ra8, but White has the upper hand after 36.Rf4 or 36.Qe3, according to the engines.

36.Rxa4 Re8 37.Rf4 Qc6 38.Rf6 Qe4 39.Qd5!? Qe7

Dragon1 suggests going into a rook-and-pawn ending with 39...Qxd5, but Stockfish19 is unimpressed.

40.Rd6 Qe2 41.Rf6 Rf8!? 42.Qd3 Qe5+ 43.Qd4 Qe2 44.Rd6?

White is winning comfortably after, for example, 44.Qd2 Qe5+ 45.Kb1 Qe4+ 46.Kb2 Qxh4, when Black has won a pawn back, but White's queenside passers should eventually decide matters.

Black to play and equalise

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44...Rxb3! 45.Rd8

Or 45.axb3 Ra8+ 46.Qa4 (not 46.Kb1? Qa2+ 47.Kc1 Rc8+ 48.Qc4 Rxc4+ 49.bxc4 Qxc4+ and 50...Qxh4) Rxa4+ 47.bxa4, when the engines reckon the position is completely equal.

45...Rb8 46.Rxf8+ Rxf8

White is a pawn up, but seemingly can make nothing of it while queens remain on the board

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47.a4!?

A double-edged try.

47...Qc2 48.Rb1 Ra8 49.Rb4

An only-move, which shows how precarious White's position is.

49...Re8 50.Qb2 Qd1+ 51.Qb1 Qd2 52.Qb2 Qd1+ 53.Ka2!? Qd5+

Not 53...Re2?? 54.Rb8+

54.Ka3 Qd3+ 55.Rb3 Qd6+ 56.Ka2 Qd5 57.Qc3 Ra8 58.Ka3 Qd7 59.Rb4 Rc8 60.Qb3 Qd2 61.Rb8 Qd6+ 62.Rb4 ½–½

Calvià Round Four

Portas Vells

José Luis Mateo Moreno (1833) - Spanton (2035)

Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0-0 5.Bd3 d5 6.Ne2 c5 7.0-0

With both sides castling early, how would you assess this position, which occurs 697 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database?

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The pawn-structure is symmetrical, and, remembering it is Black to move, development is also approximately equal. The engines agree the game is even.

7...Nc6 8.a3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Na5!?

An unusual continuation that the engines are OK with, although they prefer the mainline 9...dxc4.

10.cxd5 c4

The engines prefer 10...exd5.

11.Bc2 exd5

White has won all six games to reach this position in Mega26.
12.Ng3

The immediate 12.f3 is also good.

12...Re8 13.f3 h5!?

This may be best, although the engines also like offering a pawn with 13...Nb3!? to swop off White's good bishop.

14.Nh1!?

This comes to be Dragon1's top move, at least for a while.

14...b5 15.Rb1

Tigran Petrosian - Octav Troianescu, Maróczy Memorial (Budapest) 1952, went 15.Nf2 Bb7 16.Re1 Nb3!? 17.Bxb3 cxb3 18.Qxb3, when Black did not have enough for a pawn, according to the engines (1-0, 32 moves).

15...a6 16.Nf2 Bb7 17.Re1 Qd7 18.Rb2 Re7 19.Bb1 Rae8 20.Rbe2 Nb3 21.Bc2 Na1 22.Bb1 Nb3 23.Bc2 Nxc1

Objectively Black should continue repeating moves.

24.Qxc1 Qc6 25.Qb1

25.e4 gives White the upper hand, according to the engines.

25...Qd6 26.Qb4 Qb6 27.a4 Bc6 28.axb5 axb5 29.e4!?

This is no longer strong.

29...dxe4 30.fxe4 Qb7

Black is much better after 30...Nd5!

31.Qb1 Ng4

The engines reckon ...Nd5 is still possible, evaluating 30...Nd5!? 31.exd5 Rxe2 32.Rxe2 Rxe2 33.dxc6 Qxc6 as equal.

32.h3

The engines like 32.e5!?, one point being 32...Bxg2?? loses to 33.Nxg4.

32...Nxf2 33.Kxf2 Re6 34.Kg1!? Qe7

Not 34...f5!? 35.e5 Rg6? 36.Bxf5 Rxg2 37.Rxg2 Bxg2 38.Bh7+ Kh8 39.Qf5, when White is winning, according to the engines.

35.e5 Qg5?

Better is 35...g6, albeit the engines award White the upper hand.

36.Be4

Even stronger, according to the engines, is 36.Bh7+ Kh8 37.Bf5.

36...Bxe4 37.Qxe4 Ra6?!

The engines suggest 37...Qg6, or 37...b4!? 38.cxb4 Qe7.

38.Rf1

38.Qb7 (Stockfish18) and 38.d5 (Dragon1) seem even stronger.

38...Ra3 39.Qf3

Here the engines reckon 39.Qd5 or 39.Qc6 is best.

39...Qg6 40.Qb7 Rxc3 41.Qxb5 Ra8

Not 41...Rf8? 42.e6! fxe6 43.Rxf8+ Kxf8 44.Qb4+ and 45.Qxc3.

42.Ref2 Rxh3

Now 42...Rf8!? is possible, and equalises, according to the engines. They reckon 42...Kh7!? also equalises, eg 43.Rxf7 Ra2 44.R7f2 Rxf2 45.Kxf3 Rc1+ 46.Rf1 (46.Kh2?? h4) Rxf1+ 47.Kxf1 Qd3+, when Black has a draw by repetition.

43.Qd7 Rg3 44.Qd5 Ra7 45.Qxc4 Qe6 46.Rc1 Qxc4 47.Rxc4

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

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White has a passed pawn, but the position is completely equal, according to the engines.

47...Rd3 48.Rf3 Rxf3 49.gxf3 Rd7 50.f4 g6 51.Kf2 Kf8 52.Kf3 Ke7 53.Ke4 f6?

The engines reckon Black is fine after 53...Ra7 or 53...Rb7.

54.d5

Also winning is 54.Rc6.

54...fxe5 55.fxe5 Ra7 56.Rc6 Ra4+ 57.Ke3 Ra3+ 58.Kd4 Ra4+ 59.Kc5 Ra5+ 60.Kc4 Ra4+ 61.Kb5 Re4

White to play and win

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62.Re6+?
White has several winning moves, including both pawn pushes, and Rc7+, eg 62.d6+ Ke6 63.Rc8! Rxe5+ 64.Kc6 Ra5 (64...Rd5 65.Re8+ Kf7 66.Re7+ etc) 65.Re8+ Kf7 66.d7 Ra6+ 67.Kc5 Ra5+ 68.Kb6 Rd5 69.d8=Q Rxd8 70.Rxd8, or 62.Rc7+ Kd8 63.Ra7!? Rxe5 64.Kc6 Re1 65.Ra8+ Ke7 66.d6+ Kf7 67.d7 etc.

62...Kd7 63.Kc5 h4 64.Rxg6 Rxe5 65.Rh6 Re4 66.Rh7+ Re7!? 67.Rxh4

This is a well-known tablebase draw, but a modicum of care is required

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67...Rg7 68.Ra4

The Syzygy endgame tablebase shows Black has five drawing moves

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68...Rg5?

The 'famous five' are ...Kc8, ...Rg1, ...Rg2, ...Rg3 and ...Rg6.

69.Ra7+ Kd8

White has two winning moves

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70.Rh7?

The 'dynamic duo' are ...Kc6 and ...Ra8, although the latter is unnecessarily long-winded.

70...Rg6 ½–½

Calvià Round Three

My latest chess pen

Faced a Dutchman.

Maarten Post (1834) - Spanton (2035)

Sicilian Accelerated Dragon

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Be3 Bg7 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Be2

This is second in popularity to 7.Bc4.

7...0-0 8.Nb3!?

This is third in popularity, behind 8.Qd2 and especially 8.0-0, but scores better than both of them in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, and is marginally the top choice of Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

8...a5!?

More common is 8...d6, transposing into a mainline Dragon, reaching a position occurring 2,757 times in Mega26. The text keeps the game in Accelerated lines.

9.a4 d5!?

The thematic Accelerated move - here played as a sacrifice.

10.exd5 Nb4

How should White proceed?

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11.0-0

The way to hold on to the pawn is with 11.Bf3, when the main line in Mega26 runs 11...Bf5 12.Rc1 Rc8 13.0-0, with the upper hand for White, according to the engines. A possible improvement is 11...e5!?, when 12.dxe6 Bxe6 seems to give Black better compensation for a pawn than in the main line.

Rather than castling, a more popular way to give the pawn back is with 11.d6!?, with an unclear position.

11...Nfxd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Bd4 Bf5

13...e5? is the most popular continuation in Mega26, albeit in a position with only 16 games, but that runs into 14.Bc5 Re8 15.Bb5.

14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Nd4!?

This apparent-novelty is liked by the engines, along with the known move 15.Bf3.

15...Qd7?!

Probably better are 15...Be4 and 15...Nf4!?

16.Bf3

The engines reckon 16.Bb5 Qc8 17.Re1 is best, giving White the upper hand, while 16.Nxf5 Qxf5 17.Bg4 Qf4!? is equal, according to Stockfish18, but slightly better for White, according to Dragon1.

16...Rfd8 17.c3 h5 18.Re1 Bg4 19.Bxg4 hxg4!? 20.Qe2 Re8 21.Rad1 Nf6!?

21...Nf6!? is possible, as the white knight does not have a crushing reply

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22.Nb5 Qc6 23.Rd4 Rad8!? 24.Rc4

Not 24.Rxd8 Rxd8 25.Qxe7?? as Black has 25...Re8.

24...Rd2!?

Black may even have a tiny advantage after 24...Qd7!?, the point being 25.Rc7 can be answered by 25...Qd5.
25.Rxc6 Rxe2 26.Rxe2 bxc6 27.Nd4

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

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The engines reckon it is equal, if Black finds the best continuation.

27...Rd8?

The engines give 27...c5! 28.Nc6 Nd5 29.Kf1 Nb6 (the passive 29...Ra8 may also hold, eg 30.Nxe7 Nb6) 30.b3 c4 31.b4 Nxa4 32.bxa5 Rc8 33.Nxe7 Rc5. Also better than the text is 27...Nd7, although 28.Nxc6 Nc5 29.Nxa5 Nxa4 30.Kf1 gives White an edge, according to the engines.

28.g3!?

This may be best, but 28.Rxe7!? is also possible as 28...c5?? fails to 29.Ne6+. However, 28...Rb8 29.Re2 Rb6 leaves White with a lot to do.

28...c5 29.Nc6 Rd1+ 30.Kg2 Ra1?!

Probably better is 30...Nh7!?, hoping to weave a mating net, eg 31.Nxa5?? loses to 31...Ng4. However, 31.h3 gxh3+ 32.Kxh3 leaves White with at least the upper hand, according to the engines.

White to play and win

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31.Nxa5?

Winning is 31.Rxe7, not least because 31...Rxa4?! runs into 32.Ne5.
31...Rxa4 32.Nb3

The engines agree this is best, but also agree the win has gone.

32...c4 33.Nd2 e6 34.Re5 Nd7 35.Re4

White may have a slight edge after 35.Rb5, according to the engines.

35...Nb6 36.Rxg4 Ra2 37.Nxc4 Nxc4

There is nothing is 37...f5 as White has 38.Rd4.

38.Rxc4 Rxb2 39.Rc7 g5 40.h3 Rc2 41.Kf3 Kg6 42.Ke3 ½–½

Championship Chess

PLAYED last night in the first qualifying round of the Battersea club championship, which has a new format this season.

There are six dates for games before Christmas, after which players will be divided into three or four divisions for an additional seven possible games.

Last night's game turned out to be replete with sharp and somewhat unusual tactics.

Spanton (1953) - Stephen Welch (1411)

Caro-Kann Tartakower

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.Be3!?

Fourth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, behind 6.Bc4, 6.Nf3 and especially 6.c3.

6...Bd6 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Ne2!?

Avoiding the pin that is available to Black after 8.Nf3.

8...Bg4!?

Pinning anyway! Normal is 8...Re8.

9.h3 Bh5

How should White proceed?

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10.Qd2

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 like castling and 10.c4!? After the latter, they reckon 10...Bb4+ 11.Kf1!? leaves White with at least a slight edge, a possible continuation being 11...Bd6!? 12.g4!? Bg6 13.h4 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 Re8 15.h5, reaching a an imbalanced position that the engines agree favours White.

10...Re8 11.0-0 Nd7 12.c4

One of the points of 6.Be3!? is to get in c4 without spending a a tempo on c3.

12...b6 13.b4!? Qc7?!

The engines strongly dislike this, preferring 13...Bg6, albeit giving White a slight edge.

14.c5!?

Gaining space, but making the d pawn backward.

14...bxc5 15.dxc5?!

Almost certainly stronger is 14...bxc5!?, keeping Black's minor pieces out of the key e5 square, and prioritising dynamism over structure.

15...Be5

The engines give 15...Bh2+ 16.Kh1 Ne5, reckoning White has a slight edge at best.

16.Rab1 Rad8

SW offered a draw in my time.

How would you assess the position?

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White has the endgame advantage of a farside pawn-majority, but for now that is somewhat overshadowed by the activity of Black's pieces. Nevertheless the engines give White at least a slight edge.

17.f4?!

Premature.

How should Black respond?

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17...Bxe2

This is fine, but the engines highlight the strength of 17...Nxc5!, when 18.bxc5 (not 18.Bxc5?? Bxe2 19.Qxe2 Bd4+ etc) Bxe2 19.Qxe2 Bd4 leaves Black slightly better, the main line running 20.Bxh7+ (forced - 20.Rf3? loses to 20...Rxe3! 21.Rxe3 Qxf4 22.Re1 Re8) Kf8 21.Qh5 Rxe3.

18.Qe2?

Correct is 18.Bxe2, with a slight edge, according to the engines.

18...Bd4 19.Bxh7+?!

This works out well, but is objectively bad. The engines reckon White should sac the queen with 19.Bxd4!? Rxe2 20.Bxe2, when White has rook and two bishops for queen and knight, but may not be losing (the engines disagree).

Black to play and win

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19...Kxh7?

Both other king moves win, eg 19...Kf8 20.Rb3 Rxe3! 21.Rxe3 Re8 22.Rf3 Rxe3! 23.Rxe3 Qxf4.

20.Qh5+ Kg8 21.Bxd4

White is a pawn up, but Black has full compensation, according to the engines

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21...Re4 22.Rbd1

Black to play and fully equalise

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22...Rde8

The engines reckon Black had to find 22...Nf8!, when both the bishop and white f pawn are en prise, so the latter falls. The problem with immediately playing 22...Rxf4 is that, after 23.Rxf4 Qxf4 24.Bf2!, the knight is pinned. Play might continue 24...Qb8 25.b5!, when 24...Qxb5 25.Qf5 Qb7 26.Qd3 leaves White up about +4.00, while 24...Ne5 25.b6! axb6 26.cxb6 is also fatal for Black in the long run, according to the engines. However, it is probably fair to say finding quite a few of these moves would tax even masters, never mind club players.

23.g3?!

Probably the wrong way to hold on to the f pawn. Correct, according to the engines, is 23.Qf3 or 23.Qg4.

23...Re2?

The engines reckon Black is equal after moves such as 23...Nf8, 23...a5 and 23...Qb7.

White to play and win

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24.Rf2

24.Be5! wins the exchange.

24...g6?

White is a pawn up, but only slightly better, after 24...Re1+ or a retreat such as 24...R2e4, according to the engines.

25.Rxe2!

This is one of most clearly advantageous cases of giving up a queen for two rooks, but even so I was unsure about playing it - perhaps an example of how conditioned chessplayers are to venerate the queen.

25...gxh5 26.Rxe8+

White's advantage is roughly the equivalent of being up a rook (Stockfish18) or up almost a rook and a minor piece (Dragon1).

26...Kg7

This is apparently best, while if 26...Kh7, then 27.Bf2!? is strongest, according to the engines.

27.Re7

Now the knight falls.

27...Qc8 28.Rxd7! Kg6 29.Ba1 1-0

Bad Bertrich 50+ Game Four

Green lake

Spanton (1997) - Joachim Hiller (1879)

Spanish Exchange

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3!?

This trails 5.d4 and especially 5.0-0 in popularity in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database.

5...f6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4!?

7.Qxd4 would likely transpose to 5.d4 lines.

7...c5 8.Nde2 Qxd1+ 9.Nxd1 Bd7 10.Bf4 0-0-0

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 much dislike 10...Bd6!?, claiming 11.Bxd6 cxd6 leaves White with the upper hand.

11.Ne3 Ne7 12.0-0-0

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

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Black's bishop-pair and White's superior pawn-structure balance each other out, leaving the game completely equal, according to the engines.

12...g5!?

This is narrowly more popular than 12...Re8!? and 12...Ng6 in Mega26.

13.Bg3 h5 14.h4 Bh6?

New and active, but bad. Known moves are 14...g4 and 14...Bg7.

15.hxg5 Bxg5

Or 15...fxg5 16.Rxh5.

16.f4 Bh6 17.Rxh5 b6 18.Rdh1 Bg7 19.Rxh8 Rxh8 20.Rxh8+ Bxh8

How large is White's advantage in this minor-piece ending?

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White is 'only' a pawn up, but Black's 4-3 queenside majority cannot create a passer by itself, while White's 3-1 kingside majority should have little trouble doing exactly that. Black still has the bishop-pair, but the engines reckon White's advantage is the equivalent of being more than a piece up.

21.Kd2

The engines suggest 21.f5!?

21...f5!?

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

22.e5

... the position is hardly opening for the bishops.

22...Be6 23.a3 Kd7 24.Bh4 Nd5 25.Bg5 b5 26.Ng3 Nxe3 27.Kxe3 Ke8 28.Nf1 Bg7 29.Kf2 c4 30.c3

The engines prefer 30.g4!?

30...c5?

This is a serious positional error. On c5 the pawn hampers the future scope of Black's dark-square bishop, and becomes a target for the white pieces.

31.Ne3 Kf7 32.g4!? Kg6!?

32...fxg4 33.f5 Bc8 keeps alive Black's faint hope of bringing about an ending of opposite-colour bishops.

However, after ...

33.gxf5+ Bxf5 34.Nxf5 Kxf5

... Black can still hope for a draw by exchanging off as many pawns as possible, and then somehow sacrificing the black bishop to leave White with rook's pawn and wrong-colour bishop.

35.Kf3 Bf8

White to play and win

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36.e6!

Sacrificing White's extra pawn seems the only way to make progress.

36...Kxe6 37.Ke4

Thanks to Black's stifled 4-3 majority, White is effectively still a pawn to the good. The only fly in the ointment, from a White perspective, is that all the white queenside pawns are on the same-colour squares as Black's bishop, and therefore potentially vulnerable.

37...b4 38.f5+ Kf7

Or 38...Kd6 39.Bf4+ etc.

39.Kd5 Bg7!?

This is Stockfish18's top choice, but the position is hopeless for Black. Dragon1 prefers 39...a5.

The game finished:

40.Kxc4 bxa3 41.bxa3 a5 42.a4 Be5 43.Kd3 Bg3 44.Bd8 Be5 45.Bxa5 Kf6 46.Ke4 c4 47.Bd8+ 1-0

British 65+ Round Six

Paul Kenning (1831 ECF/1778 Fide) - Spanton (1940 ECF/2003 Fide)

Vienna Game

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d4!?

This early central advance, reminiscent of the Centre Game (1.e4 e5 2.d4) scores 59% in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, the same as the main move 3.f4, and up to 11 percentage points better than the other popular continuations, 3.Bc4, 3.Nf3 and 3.g3.

3...exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qd3!?

This is the main continuation, upping White's score in Mega26 to 62%.

How should Black respond?

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5...Bb4

This is the commonest continuation in the Centre Game, after the moves 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qe3 Nf6 5.Nc3, and it is also the commonest continuation in this line of the Vienna, but after it White's score in Mega26 climbs to 67%. Stockfish18 and Dragon1 suggest 5...Bc5 or 5...d5!?, one point being 5...d5!? 6.exd5 can be met by 6...Nb4.

6.Bd2 0-0 7.Nge2!?

Stockfish18 marginally prefers the much more common 7.0-0-0, but Dragon1 fluctuates between the two moves.

7...Re8 8.0-0-0

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

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White has the only pawn on the fourth rank, but, as is often the case with opposite-side castling, the position is both tricky to assess and to play. The engines reckon chances are equal.

8...Qe7?!

But not anymore! The engines suggest 8...Ne5 or 8...d6.

9.Bg5!

Moving the bishop for the second time, but it is worth it as the pin is hard to meet.

9...Ne5?!

Apparently a novelty, and probably not a good one, although it does come to be the engines' second choice, at least for a while, behind getting out of the pin immediately with 9...Qe6, after which the engines suggest another apparent-novelty in 9...f3!?, claiming White has at least the upper hand, a sample line running 10.Bh4 Ne5 11.Qd4!? Ba5 12.Qa4!? Qb6, reaching a position where the engines disagree as to how White should proceed, but agree White is winning.

10.Qg3

White's main threats are 10.f4 and 10.Nd5

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10...Bxc3!?

The engines suggest 10...c6, but reckon 11.a3!? (as well as 11.f4) is very strong, one line running 11...Bxa3!? 12.Bxf6!? Bxb2+ 13.Kxb2 Qxf6 14.Nd4, when Black does not seem to have enough for a knight. Alternatively, 11...Bc5 12.f4 Neg4!? 13.e5 d5!? 14.Bxf6!? Nxf6 15.exf6 Qxf6 also leaves Black significantly down on material.

11.Nxc3 Qe6 12.f4!?

This seems even stronger than 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.f4.

12...Nc6 13.e5 Nh5 14.Qf3 h6!?

Giving up a pawn to keep the game going, as 14...g6?! 15.g4 Ng7 16.Nd5 is horrendous.

15.Qxh5 gxh5 16.Qxg5

How big is White's advantage?

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White is roughly the equivalent of being up a piece and a pawn, according to the engines.

16...Nb4!?

If 16...d6, then 17.Nd5.

17.Kb1 d6 18.a3 a5!?

Desperation, but the game is lost anyway.

19.axb4 axb4 20.Nd5 dxe5 21.Qxe5 Qd7

White to play and win

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22.Nf6+?

White has several strong moves, the most convincing being 22.Qg5 and 22.Bb5!?, eg 22.Qg5 Qa4!? 23.Nf6+ Kf8 24.Qc5+ Re7 25.Rd8+ Qe8 26.Rxe8#, or 22.Bb5!? c6 23.Nb6 Rxe5 24.Rxd7 Bxd7 25.fxe5.

22...gxf6 23.Rxd7 fxe5 24.Rxc7

PK offered a draw.

Objectively, should Black accept?

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Stockfish18 reckons the game is completely equal after 24.Ra5 or 24.exf4. Dragon1 is less convinced, but reckons White has no more than the better part of equality.

½–½

British 65+ Round One

Spanton (1940 ECF/2003 Fide) - Michael Binks (1933 ECF/1811 Fide)

Sicilian Bb5(+)

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+ Qxd7 5.0-0 g6

This has been played by many grandmasters, but more popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database are 5...Nf6 and especially 5...Nc6.

6.c3 Bg7 7.d4 Nf6!?

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 prefer this over the 'automatic' Sicilian capture ...cxd4.

8.Qe2

The engines reckon Black equalises after 8.e5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Qd5, and after 8.e5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Nd5. However, as well as the text, they like 8.Re1.

8...cxd4 9.cxd4 0-0

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

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White's space advantage gives a slight edge, according to the engines.

10.Nc3 e6 11.Rd1 a6!?

The engines reckon this apparent-novelty is an improvement over one known move, 11...d5?!, but not as good as the also-known 11...Nc6. One point about the latter is that 12.d5 (11.d5 would have been a good answer to 10...Nc6) can be met by 12...exd5 13.exd5 Ne7. The problem with 11...d5?!, according to the engines, is that 12.e5 is strong, although all three games that saw the move in Mega26 ended in draws, and Black was slightly the weaker player in at least two of them.

12.h3!? Re8 13.e5!?

The engines suggest 13.Bg5 or 13.Bf4.

 Nd5 14.Ne4 dxe5 15.dxe5 Qc7 16.Nd6 Rf8

16...Rd8?! 17.Ng5.

After 16.Rf8, how should White proceed?

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17.Bg5?!

The engines suggest 17.b3!? Nc6 (17...Nc3 18.Qc2) 18.Bb2, claiming a slight edge for White, or 17.Be3!?, when they reckon 17...Nxe3 18.Qxe3 may also give White a slight edge, but they are less sure.

17...Nd7?

Black is at least equal after 17...Nc6 18.Rac1 Qb8 19.Nc4 h6, according to the engines.

18.Rac1 Qb8

What should White play?

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19.Rxd5!

A temporary exchange sacrifice that gives White a clear edge.

19...exd5 20.Be7

How should Black respond?

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20...b5?

Best, according to the engines, is 20...Re8 21.Nxe8 Qxe8 22.Bd6, although they give White the upper hand.

White to play and win

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21.Bxf8?

Black has no answer to 21.e6!

After 21.Bxf8?, it is Black to play and equalise

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21...Nxf8??

Also bad are 21...Bxf8?? 22.Rc8 Qa7 23.e6, and 21...Kxf8?? 22.Rc8, but 21...Qxf8 gives complete equality, according to the engines, although White has to find 22.Rc6 to avoid being at least a little worse (if, as in the game, 22.Ng5??, then 22...Nxe5).

22.Ng5 Ra7 23.Rc8!

The engines reckon this is significantly better than immediately capturing on f7.

23...Qb6 24.Ngxf7

Possibly even stronger is 24.Qf3!?

24...Rxf7 25.Nxf7 Qe6

Not much better is 25...Kxf7 26.Qf3+ Ke7 (26...Kg8 27.Qxd5+ Kh8 28.e6) 27.Qxd5 Qe6 28.Rc7+ Nd7 29.Qxe6+ Kxe6 30.f4, when the engines calculate White's advantage as the equivalent of being roughly a rook up.
26.Rc7 Nd7 27.Ng5 Qxe5 28.Qxe5 1-0

The exchange-down ending is hopeless for Black.