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

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

Showing posts with label rook-and-minor-piece ending. Show all posts

Monday, 7 September 2026

Bad Bertrich 50+ Game One

Playing hall

Jürgen Dieter (1769) - Spanton (1997)

Maróczy Bind

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.c4 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 d6 8.Be2 0-0 9.0-0

Now both sides have castled, how would you assess this position, which occurs 20,723 times in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database?

*****

White's extra space gives a slight edge, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1.

9...Bd7 10.Rc1

This is a popular alternative to 10.Qd2, after which the main line in Mega26 runs 10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6 12.f3 a5 13.b3 Nd7!? 14.Be3!? (exchanging dark-square bishops is generally regarded as favouring Black in the Maróczy Bind) Nc5 15.Rab1, with a slight edge for White, according to the engines.

10...Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6 12.f3 a5 13.Qd2

White often plays 13.b3, partly to prevent Black's next, but the text is also common.

13...a4 14.Rfd1 Nd7!? 15.Bxg7!?

As explained in the note to White's 10th move, White normally likes to keep dark-square bishops on the board in these lines, but the text has been played by Judit Polgár.

15...Kxg7 16.Nd5 Bxd5

Judit Polgár (2682) - Rauf Mamedov (2639), President's Cup Rapid (Baku, Azerbaijan) 2010, went 16...Kg8 17.Qe3 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Qa5 19.Qc3 Qb6+ 20.Qd4 Qa5 21.f4, with an equal game, according to the engines (but 0-1, 58 moves).

17.Qxd5!?

The engines prefer 17.cxd5.

17...Qb6+ 18.Qd4 Qxd4+ 19.Rxd4

How would you assess this queenless late-middlegame?

*****

Black has the better minor piece, and enjoys a slight edge, according to the engines.

19...Rfc8 20.Rd2 Ra5 21.Rdc2 Rac5 22.Rc3 Nb6 23.Kf2 e6!? 24.Ke3 Kf6 25.f4 h5 26.g3 Nd7 27.Kd4

The engines suggest pressurising d6 with 27.Rd3 or 27.Rd1, claiming complete equality.

27...e5+!?

The backward d pawn should not prove a liability, and meanwhile Black has created an outpost at d4 for the knight.

28.Ke3 R5c6 29.Bd1 Nc5 30.Ra3?!

Stockfish18 suggests 30.b4 or 30.b3, while Dragon1 prefers shuffling rooks with 30.R1c2 or 30.R3c2.

30...Ra6?!

White has problems after 30...Rb6!?, eg 31.Rc2 exf4+ 32.gxf4 Re8 33.Bf3 Nxe4! 34.Bxe4 d5!, while after 31.b3 the engines give 31...h4!? 32.bxa4 Rb2 33.Rc2 Rxc2 34.Bxc2 hxg3 35.hxg3 Rh8, claiming much the better game for Black.

31.Rac3 Rb6 32.R1c2 Rb4 33.Be2 Rc6 34.Rd2 Ke7 35.Rd3 Rcb6 36.Rcc2 Ne6 37.Rf2

The engines suggest 37.c5!?, albeit preferring Black after 37...exf4+ 38.gxf4 Nxc5.

37...Nd4 38.Rcd2 Ke6 39.Bf1 Ke7 40.Kd3??

Black to play and win

*****

40...Rc6?

Missing mate-in-two with 40...Rb3+! 41.axb3 Rxb3#.

41.Ke3?

The king should have continued moving to the queenside with 41.Kc3.

41...Rc8

Black has the upper hand after this, but the engines point out the strength of 41...b5!, eg 42.cxb5 Rc1! 43.fxe5 dxe5, when White seems unable to meet Black's threats, eg 44.Rd3 Re1+ 45.Kd2 Rxe4, or 44.Be2 Nc2+ 45.Kf3 a3! 46.bxa3 Ne1+ 47.Ke3 Rc3+ 48.Bd3 Rd4, or 44.b3!? axb3 45.Rb2 Rc3+ 46.Kd2 bxa2! 47.Rxa2 Rbb3 48.Ra7+ Kd8 49.Ra8+ Kd7 50.Ra7+ Kc8 51.Ra2 Nf3+ 52.Ke2 Rd3 53.Rg2 Kb7 54.h3 Re3+ 55.Kf2 Ng5 - tricky lines, especially the third one, but in each case Black emerges on top.

42.Bd3 Ra8

Opening a second front with 42...h4!? is strongest, according to the engines.

43.Rf1 Ne6 44.Rdf2 exf4+ 45.gxf4 Nc5 46.f5?!

The engines prefer 46.Rc2 or 46.h4.

46...g5 47.Kd4

How should Black proceed?

*****

47...f6

The engines give 47...Nxd3!?48.Kxd3 Rc8 49.Rc2 b5!?, eg 50.cxb5 Rxc2 51.Kxc2 Rxb5, reckoning the rook-and-pawn ending is winning for Black.

48.Rd2 Nd7

Exchanging on d3 is still strong, according to the engines, and they also like 48...b5!?

49.Kc3 Rb6 50.Be2 h4 51.Rc1 Rc6 52.Rdc2 Ne5 53.Kb4 Rb6+

The engines like pushing on the kingside with 53...g4!?

54.Ka3!?

This looks risky, but Dragon1 is convinced it is best, although Stockfish18 is less sure.

54...Nd7 55.Rc3 Nc5 56.Bd3 Rg8 57.h3!?

Another white pawn on a light square, but it holds up Black's kingside pawn-majority.

57...Kd7 58.R1c2?

Both 58.Bc2 and 58.Rg1 leave White only slightly worse, according to the engines.

What should Black play?

*****

58...Re8?

Missing the strength of 58...Ra8 and 58...Kc6, eg 58...Ra8 59.Rd2 Kc6 60.Rdc2?! Rb3+! 61.Rxb3 (61.axb3 axb3+ 62.Kb4 Ra4#) axb3+ 62.Kb4 bxa2. Better is 60.Rc1, but 60...Nb3! wins at least the exchange.

59.Re2 Rc8 60.Rec2?

Setting up the same lines for Black as in the last note.

60...Nb3?

Seeing the idea, but missing that the way to implement it is with ...Ra8 or ...Kc6.

61.Rf2 Na5!? 62.Rfc2 Rbc6 63.Be2 b6 64.Kxa4!?

After all the manoeuvring and black pressure, it is White who goes ahead on material

*****

64...Ra8 65.Kb4 Nb7?

Black has full compensation for a pawn after 65...Rc5, according to the engines.

How should White proceed?

*****

66.Ra3?

Black is in trouble after 66.Bf3 Nc5 67.b3 (67.e5? allows a perpetual by 67...Ra4+ 68.Kb5 Ra5+ etc), eg 67...Ra5 68.Re3 (68.e5?? Na6#) 69.Rd2 Kc7 70.Bh5!? Rf8 71.Re1!? Raa8 72.a4, although there is no immediate breakthrough. The engines reckon 66.b3, with similar ideas, is also good.

66...Rxa3 67.Kxa3 Nc5?!

Probably better is 67...Rc8, intending to meet 68.b4 with 68...Nd8!?

White to play and gain a large advantage

*****

68.Bf3

The engines give 68.b4! Nxe4! 69.c5! (69.Bf3 d5) Rc7 (White threatened 70.Bb5, pinning the black rook against the king) 70.Bb5+ Kc8 71.Re2! Nc3 72.Ba6+ Kd7 73.cxb6! Rc6 74.Re6 Rxb6 75.Bc4, with the upper hand (Dragon1) for White, or even a won game (Stockfish18).

68...Nd3?

The engines reckon 68...Rc8 holds.

69.Rc3?

JD offered a draw, but he would probably have been winning after 69.e5 Rc5 70.e6+.

After 69.Rc3?, how would you assess the ending?

*****

White's extra pawn gives at least a slight edge, but Black should probably hold.

69...Ne5 70.Kb3?!

Probably better is 70.Be2, although Stockfish18 becomes a lot less enthusiastic if given plenty of time.

70...Rc5?!

After 70...b5 71.Be2 (71.cxb5?? Rxc3+ and 72...Nxf3) bxc4+ Black has equalised as 72.Bxc4? loses to 72...Rxc4 73.Rxc4 Nxc4 74.Kxc4 g4 etc.

71.Be2 Kc6

Not 71...b5?? as the simple 72.cxb5 wins.

72.Kc2 Ra5 73.a3 Ra8 74.b4 Nd7 75.Kb3 Re8 76.Bf3 Re5 77.a4 Kc7 78.Rd3 Kc6 79.Rc3 ½–½

Saturday, 18 July 2026

Lessons From Magdeburg V

IN round five my opponent, Bernd Wagner (1872), who was White, offered a draw in the following position.

White has just played 31.b4

I had little choice but to accept as White is a pawn up, and, with the exception of the rook, all the white pieces are more active than their black counterparts.

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon White's advantage is worth almost three pawns, but, even if it were less than that, White should play on.

LESSON: one sure way to avoid improving is to not play out endings in which you are at least equal.

Saturday, 27 June 2026

Lessons From Bischofsgrün IV

IN round four, where I was White against Stef van Kesteren (1861), I reached the following lost rook-and-minor-piece ending.

I have just played 26.Rc7-c6

*****

Black is a pawn up, and has the better minor piece for play on an open board with pawns on both wings, especially when rooks are present.

Stockfish18 and Dragon1 reckon a reasonable consolidating move, such as 26...f6 or 26...Rfd8, leaves Black with a winning advantage worth about two pawns.

Naturally, there would still be a long way to go before the advantage could be turned into victory, but one way to virtually rule out winning chances was to play the game's 26...Bxd6?

After 27.Rxd6, the activity of the rook on the sixth rank means Black has at best a slight edge (Dragon1), or effectively no edge at all (Stockfish18 fluctuates, but eventually more-or-less settles on Black's advantage being worth a tenth of a pawn).

I was able to draw the game without any trouble.

LESSON: almost the last thing you want to do when playing for a win in an endgame is to swop off into a rook-and-pawn ending.

Monday, 22 June 2026

Correspondence Chess

I PLAY correspondence chess, mainly for various England teams, at the Fide-recognised International Correspondence Chess Federation.

Thanks to the strength of modern engines, most games end in a draw, but occasionally one escapes that fate, or is interesting for other reasons.

Jonathan Tymms (1813) - Spanton (2330)

British Correspondence Chess Reserves 2025

Danish Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3!?

How should Black respond to this throwback to a more romantic era?

*****

3...Qe7!?

This is sixth-most popular in ChessBase's 2026 Mega database, but may be best, scoring 62% (3...dxc3, the commonest continuation, only scores 43%).
4.cxd4!?

This is best, according to Stockfish18 and Dragon1, increasing White's score to 48%.

4...Qxe4+ 5.Be2?!

After 5.Be3 Bb4+ 6.Nc3 Ne7 7.Nf3 Nf5!? 8.Qd2 Nxe3 9.fxe3 Qe7!? 10.Bd3 d5 11.0-0, a line suggested by the engines, White is close to having full compensation for a pawn, according to the engines, and would certainly have interesting practical chances over the board.

5...Qxg2 6.Bf3 Qg6 7.Ne2 Qf5!?

Alexander Alekhine - André Chéron, Exhibition Game (Vevey, Switzerland) 1925, went 7...Ne7 8.Nbc3 c6? 9.Nf4 Qd6?! 10.0-0, with a large advantage to White, according to the engines (1-0, 16 moves). The text is not in Mega26.

8.Ng3 Qe6+ 9.Be3 d5 10.Nc3 c6

10...Bb4?! 11.Nh5!

11.Qd2 Qe7!?

Freeing the e6 square for the light-square bishop.

12.0-0-0

Now White has connected rooks, how would you assess the position?

*****

Six of Black's 11 moves have been with the queen, which is the only black piece not on the back rank, and it blocks Black's dark-square bishop. But Black is two pawns up, and has no structural weaknesses, and that is enough to be winning, according to the engines (but I would not advise playing this way over the board).

12...Be6 13.Rde1 Na6 14.Bg5 Qd7!? 15.Rhg1 Ne7!? 16.Nh5!? 0-0-0!? 17.Nxg7 Bxg7 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Rxg7

Black has given back one of the pawns, but has almost caught up in development

*****

19...Qh4!? 20.Re5!? h5!?

20...Qxh2 21.Rh5.

21.Rgg5 Qxh2 22.Rxh5 Qg1+ 23.Bd1 Rxh5 24.Rxh5 Rg8 25.Qf4 Kd7!? 26.Ne2 Qg4 27.Rh4 Qxf4 28.Nxf4 Nc7 29.Rh7 Nb5 30.Kd2!?

How should Black proceed?

*****

30...Rg1!?

This more-or-less obliges White to swop off Black's bad bishop. However, 30...Nxd4 is also good, eg 31.Bh5 Rf8 32.Ng6 Re8 33.Ne5+ Kc7 34.Nxf7 Re7 35.Ng5 Rxh7 36.Nxh7 Kd6, when Black is a pawn up in a minor-piece ending.

31.Nxe6

Otherwise Black captures on d4, and probably remains two pawns up.

31...Kxe6 32.Rh6+ Ke7 33.Rh4

White is a pawn down, and the pawn on d4 is weak, more than compensating Black for having rook and knight against rook and bishop

*****

33...Nd6 34.Bc2 Nc4+ 35.Kc3 Rf1 36.Rh2 Rc1!? 37.a3 b5 38.Rh8 a5 39.Rc8 Kd6 40.Rd8+ Kc7 41.Rf8 b4+ 42.axb4 axb4+ 43.Kd3 Nxb2+ 44.Kd2 Ra1 45.Rxf7+ Kb6 46.Rf3

White has created a passed pawn, but Black's passer is the more advanced, and therefore the more dangerous

*****

46...Nc4+ 47.Ke2 Na3 48.Bb3 Nb5 49.Rd3 Nc3+ 50.Kf3 Ra3 51.Bc2 Ra2 52.Bb3 Rb2 53.Bd1 Kb5 0-1

There are two games ongoing, but as the table below shows, I have won the tournament.

Actually, I was not supposed to be playing at all, but was asked to step in after another entrant withdrew at short notice.

I believe my victory means I qualify for the candidates' section - the level below the championship proper - of a future British Correspondence Chess Championship.

BCCC/RES/25-27 D, British Correspondence Chess Reserves 25-27 Section D

						TD Komar, Miroslav
Rated						1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Score	Wins	SB	RG	Place
1	212116	CCM	Spanton, Tim	2330	(75)		½	½	½	½	½	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	9.5	7	45.5	0	1
2	210719		Beer, Doug	2050	(83)	½		½	½	½	½	1	½	1	1	1	1	1	9	6	42.5	0	2
3	213221	CCM	Baxter, Harold	2352	(77)	½	½		½	½	½	1	½	1	½	1	1	1	8.5	5	40.75	0	3
4	212273	CCE	Bruce, Robert	1997	(44)	½	½	½		½	½	½	1	½	1	1	1	1	8.5	5	40.5	0	4
5	211672	IM	Lockwood, Austin	2383	(88)	½	½	½	½		½	½	1	.	1	1	1	1	8	5	38.5	1	5
6	211824	CCM	Graham, Oliver	2379	(54)	½	½	½	½	½		.	½	1	1	1	1	1	8	5	36.5	1	6
7	211163		Tymms, J. D. M.	1813	(73)	0	0	0	½	½	.		½	1	1	1	1	1	6.5	5	23	1	7
8	213224		Hardingham, David	1895	(83)	0	½	½	0	0	½	½		1	½	1	1	1	6.5	4	25.5	0	8
9	211804		Tupper, Alex	1662	(102)	0	0	0	½	.	0	0	0		1	1	1	1	4.5	4	11.25	1	9
10	212069		Kirk, Matthew	1852	(70)	0	0	½	0	0	0	0	½	0		1	1	1	4	3	10.5	0	10
11	211815		Picken, R. David	1684	(92)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	½	1.5	1	1.25	0	11
12	212191		Ruffle, Alan	1371	(59)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	1	1	0.5	0	12
13	620635		Burridge, Raymond John	1543	(65)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	½	0		0.5	0	0.75	0	13