The dates for the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL) 2009/10 season have been posted and for Oxford 1 – playing in the top division for the first time – there will just be two games to play before the end of the year. For some, myself included, summer is the chess quiet time and lack of match practice can be a factor at the beginning of the new season.

It won’t be a problem for Oxford regular Michael White who seems to have been playing in almost every tournament I’ve followed over the summer.

His latest was the strong Hostafrancs Open in Barcelona, where he played ten games and scored a creditable six points. In round seven he played the following wild game with German International Master Florian Grafl.

White: Michael White Black: Florian Grafl 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qd6 David Bronstein used to play this move from time to time; but recently it’s become quite popular. Though it is slightly less well motivated than the usual 3…Qa5 – the queen being quite exposed on d6 – it is proving just as hard to refute and a handy surprise weapon.

However, Mr Grafl seems to play it all the time – rather lessening the surprise element.

4.d4 Nf6 5.Nf3 a6 6.g3 Bg4 6...b5 is a safer alternative.

7.h3 Bh5 8.Bg2 Nc6 9.0–0 0–0–0 10.Bf4 If 10.Be3, then 10…e5! leads to mass exchanges and a likely draw.

10...Qb4 11.g4 If 11.a3 immediately then Black can play 11…Qxb2, not fearing 12.Na4, which is met with 12…Bxf3 11...Bg6 12.a3 Qxb2 13.Qe1 e6 13...Bxc2 has been played before when after 14.Ra2 Qb3 15.Qc1 Nd5 things are no clearer.

14.Rb1 Qxc2 15.Ne5 Nd5 The computers seem to like 15...Bxa3! here and this does have the merit of making it hard to attack the Black queen.

16.Rc1 Nxf4! This is better than 16...Qb2 17.Nxd5 exd5 18.Nxc6 bxc6 19.Rxc6 when only White can win.

17.Rxc2 Nxg2! The best move. If 17...Bxc2? then 18.Nxf7 is strong and removing this knight with 17...Nxe5 allows 18.Qxe5 Nxg2 19.Nb5!

18.Kxg2 Nxe5 19.Ra2 Nc6 20.Ne2! Nxd4 21.Nxd4 Rxd4 22.Qe3 The exchanges have stopped and we can take stock and count the pieces. The material balance is certainly unusual; but with two bishops and three pawns for the queen, Black should not be too unhappy and he may even have the better chances.

22…Rd3 If 22...Bc5 then 23.Qe5 targets c5 and g7.

23.Qa7! Be4+ 24.f3 Bc6 25.Rc2 Kd7 26.Rxc6! Rd2+! 27.Rf2 Rxf2+ 28.Qxf2 Kxc6 29.Qd4 b5 30.Qd8 Kb7 31.Qe8 g6?! Perhaps with 31...f6 Black could still play for a win and 32.Qxe6? Bxa3 would then be very good for him.

32.f4 Bg7 33.Qxf7 Bb2 34.Qxe6 Bxa3 35.Qd5+ Kb8 36.Qc6 White now has enough activity to hold the balance.

36…Bd6 37.Qxa6 b4 38.f5 gxf5 39.Qb5+ Ka7 40.Qa5+ Kb7 41.Qb5+ Ka7 42.Qa5+ ½–½