Target: c6

 Here is another great example of following a simple plan to its obvious conclusion. White employs a king side fianchetto, training all his pieces on the c6 pawn. But in the end, the pawn itself survives the entire game. Instead, in trying to defend the pawn, Black falls victim to various other tactics, resulting in a winning final position for white.

Lagarde,Maxime (2615) - Yilmaz,Mustafa (2576) [A20]
Round 6: European Championship (6.11), 20.03.2025

1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. d4 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bxd2+ 6. Qxd2 d6 7. Nc3 O-O 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qxd8 Rxd8 10. Nf3 Re8 11. b4 Bf5 12. Nd2 Nbd7 13. Nb3 Rac8 14. Na5 Rc7 15. O-O Rec8 16. b5 Nc5 17. bxc6 bxc6 18. Rfd1 Kf8 19. Rd6 Bd7 20. Rad1 Ke7 21. f4 exf4 22. gxf4 Nb7 23. Nxb7 Rxb7 24. e4 Nh5 25. f5 Nf6 26. Bh3 Ne8 27. R6d3 Rcc7 28. e5 f6 29. e6 Bc8 30. Ne4 Rb4 31. Nc5 Rxc4 32. Rd7+ Kf8 33. Rxc7 Nxc7 34. Rd8+ Ne8 35. Nd7+ Ke7 36. Rxc8 Rc1+ 37. Kf2 Rc2+ 38. Kg3 Rc3+ 39. Kh4 g5+ 40. fxg6 hxg6 41. Rxe8+ Kxe8 42. Nxf6+ Kf8 43. Bg4 Rc2 44. h3 Rxa2 45. Kg5 a5 46. Nd7+ Ke8 47. Kxg6 a4 48. Nf6+ Kf8 49. Ng8 Ra1 50. e7+ Ke8 51. Bh5 Kd7 52. Kg7 Rg1+ 53. Bg6 Re1 54. e8Q+ Rxe8 55. Nf6+ Ke7 56. Bxe8 1-0

The most English chess player ever (and he isn't even English)

 While scanning the results of the 2025 European Championship, I cam across the most English player ever. FM Henry Edward Tudor is the player concerned, and he is apparently quite a talent. Born in 2011 he is already 2384 on the current rating list, and won his national Under 20 Championship at the age of 12. But the truly strange thing (at least to me), is that he is Romanian. 

2025 European Championship

 or How to work on your openings

Find a strong event (in this case the 2025 European Championship). Look for an opening you wish to work on (eg Catalan). Find wins for your side (in this case White). Play through the game looking for knowledge and inspiration. Ignore the evaluation bar!

Bosiocic,Marin (2518) - Lohia,Sohum (2365) [E11]
2025 European Championship, 16.03.2025

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 a5 6. a3 Be7 7. Bg2 O-O 8. Qc2 c6 9. h4 b6 10. Nc3 Ba6 11. e4 dxe4 12. Ng5 Qxd4 13. Ncxe4 Nxe4 14. Bxe4 f5 15. Bd3 Qf6 16. Bc3 Qh6 17. O-O-O Nd7 18. f4 Nc5 19. Be2 b5 20. Rhe1 bxc4 21. Kb1 Bb5 22. Qc1 Na4 23. Bd4 Rfe8 24. Bxc4 Bxg5 25. hxg5 Qg6 26. Bxb5 cxb5 27. Qc6 e5 28. Qd5+ Qf7 29. Bxe5 b4 30. Qb5 Nc3+ 31. bxc3 Qb3+ 32. Kc1 Qxa3+ 33. Kc2 Qa2+ 34. Kd3 Rad8+ 35. Ke3 Qg2 36. Qc4+ Kf8 37. Rg1 Qc2 38. Rd3 Rc8 39. Qd4 Rxc3 40. Rxc3 bxc3 41. Kf3 Kg8 42. Qd5+ Kh8 43. Re1 1-0

We are all just prisoners here

 Piece mobility is an important factor in assessing a position. So much so that Karpov (or his ghost writer) once said that the most important strategy in chess is to increase your mobility and reduce your opponents. If White in the following game had followed this advice, he might not have chosen 42.Ra7. The attempt to win the pawn was futile, but at least it provided an entertaining final position.

Palma Araya,David (2003) - Tristan,Leonardo (2542) [D38]
ZONAL 2.5 ABSOLUTO CHILE 2025 Polideportivo Estadio Nacional (1.1), 09.03.2025

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 d5 5. Bg5 h6 6. Qa4+ Nc6 7. Bxf6 Qxf6 8. e3 O-O 9. Be2 dxc4 10. O-O Bd7 11. Bxc4 Bd6 12. Qd1 e5 13. Nd5 Qd8 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Bxe5 16. f4 Bd6 17. Qh5 c6 18. Nc3 Qe7 19. Rf3 Be6 20. Bd3 f5 21. e4 Qf7 22. Qh4 Bc5+ 23. Kh1 Bd4 24. Re1 Rae8 25. Bc2 Bxc3 26. Rxc3 fxe4 27. Bxe4 Qxf4 28. Qxf4 Rxf4 29. Bf3 Bf7 30. Rxe8+ Bxe8 31. Rd3 Bg6 32. Rd8+ Rf8 33. Rd7 Rf7 34. Rd8+ Kh7 35. Kg1 Re7 36. Kf2 Bf5 37. b4 Kg6 38. Rd6+ Be6 39. a4 Kf6 40. Rd8 Ke5 41. Ra8 a6 42. Ra7 Bd5 43. Bg4 Kd4 44. Bc8 c5 45. bxc5 Kxc5 46. Bg4 Re8 47. a5 Kb4 48. Bf3 Bxf3 49. Kxf3 Rb8 0-1

2025 O2C Doeberl Cup Entry update

 The 2025 O2C Doeberl Cup has just passed to 200 entries mark. While there are still 5 weeks before the tournament starts, it is certainly better to get your entry in sooner, rather than later. This goes double if you are playing in the Major event (Under 2100), as there are already 81 entries, and each tournament is limited to 100 players. So if the event fills up you will either be moved to net available event you are eligible for (most likely the Minor), or plan for 2026!

A chess development index

 While looking at some issues regarding the makeup of various zones and regions for chess events, I did a little messing around with data. The goal is to try and equalise the makeup of zones, based on measurable criteria. 

As a first attempt I used recent rating data to come up with a number that measures the 'strength' of a federation. This does not just come down to average rating (in fact my first attempt ignored ratings), but to number of players and number of titled players. As a rough cut I came up with the following top 20 (with the score I found for them)

RUS 1842.932

GER 1101.273

USA 694.061

ESP         573.55

UKR 537.533

IND         532.761

SRB 465.432

FRA 448.532

POL 408.356

HUN 397.325

NED 315.182

CZE 295.835

ENG 245.108

ISR         243.719

CUB 239.675

ROU 232.501

ARG 225.578

CHN 221.433

CRO 216.734

ITA         199.595

Now I am not going to say what scoring system I used (or weightings), as I am interested in what jumps out here. India and China may look to be ranked too low, but there is a reason for this. Both countries do not rate enough events in the FIDE system, and this in part is the consequence. Also, Serbia might be a little high these days, but this is due to historical factors.

If you are interested, Australia is 38th (120.943) with NZ 73rd (29.868)

Finding the right mate

 Checkmates in competition chess are quite rare. Normally both players see what is coming and one player decides to resign. But if your opponent gives you the chance to checkmate them, then finding the 'right' sort of checkmate can be an interesting challenge.

 

Huang,Billy (1829) - Morris,James (2431) [B07]
Begonia Open 2025 Ballarat, Australia (5.6), 09.03.2025

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 a6 5. a4 Nc6 6. h3 Bg7 7. f4 e5 8. fxe5 dxe5 9. d5 Nd4 10. Nf3 Nxf3+ 11. Qxf3 O-O 12. Bc4 Ne8 13. O-O Nd6 14. Bd3 f5 15. Qe2 f4 16. Bd2 g5 17. b4 Rf6 18. Qd1 g4 19. hxg4 a5 20. b5 Rg6 21. Be2 Nf7 22. Bf3 Nh6 23. Kf2 Nxg4+ 24. Ke2 Bf8 25. Na2 Bc5 26. Qe1 Qg5 27. Kd1 Nh2 28. Rh1 Nxf3 29. gxf3 Qg2 30. Qf1 Bh3 31. Qxg2 Bxg2 32. Re1 Bxf3+ 33. Kc1 Rg2 34. Bc3 Bf2 35. Rf1 Re8 36. Bxa5 Bxe4 37. Nc3 Be3+ 38. Kd1 Bxc2+ 39. Ke1 Bd2# 0-1