Spanish defense in white chess. Spanish Party: Fight against the Berlin Wall. How best to study the opening

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Spanish party- one of the oldest chess openings. It was first explored by the Spanish chess player Ruy Lopez in the 16th century. Since then, the Spanish game has remained one of the most popular openings and has been used at all levels.

The purpose of the bishop attack is to exchange the c6-knight at the right moment and win the e5-pawn. Or, with the help of this threat, to force Black to drive away the bishop with a6 and b5, in order to then use the advanced position of the pawns in his favor. There are a lot of systems, variations and sub-variations in the Spanish game. Let's take a look at some of the most popular ones.

On the 3rd move, Black has a choice - to clarify the bishop's intentions with the move a6, or to do without moving the outer pawn.

Defense without move a6

Steinitz Defense

1. e4 e5 2. Kf3 Kc6 3. Bb5 d6

Black, without further ado, immediately defends the e5-pawn. But this does not cause big problems for White, who will get a little more active play with the help of the d2-d4 breakthrough.

1. e4 e5 2. Kf3 Kc6 3. Bb5 Kf6

An old variation that received a new impetus to development after V. Kramnik successfully played it with black in the world championship match against G. Kasparov in 2000. Then very often the game turns into an endgame after 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. d4 Kd6 6. Cxc6 dc 7. de Kf5 8. Qxd8+ Kpxd8. White ruined Black's pawn structure, gaining an advantage on the kingside 4 against 3 pawns, and deprived Black's king of castling. In return, black has the advantage of two bishops and no weaknesses. Their position is very strong, for which the variant was nicknamed the "Berlin Wall". Many grandmasters still struggle in analysis and over the board in an attempt to break through it.

1. e4 e5 2. Kf3 Kc6 3. Bb5 f5

Black wants to distract the e4-pawn in order to capture the center with d5. Same idea as in . Taking a gambit right away is dangerous. White usually plays 4. Nc3 or even 4. d4, throwing wood on the fire. There is also a more calm but also strong continuation 4. d3. White's chances are higher in many variants of the Janisch Gambit, but anything can happen in a sharp fight. You can read more about the Janisch Gambit in .

1. e4 e5 2. Kf3 Kc6 3. Bb5 Kd4

With a counterattacking lunge of the knight, black wants to immediately clarify the situation in the center. The disadvantage is that you have to waste time on the second move with an already developed piece. White can try to use the resulting tempo to his advantage.

Defenses with the move a6

Exchange option

1. e4 e5 2. Kf3 Kc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. C:c6 dc

It would seem that black with a6 only pushes White to carry out the threat. But after 5 Nxe5 Black wins back the pawn with 5... Qd4 with equal play. Therefore, White's plan is connected with the move d2-d4. And after exchanging pawns, they will get a 4v3 advantage on the kingside, which in the future will allow them to form a passed pawn there. Black, on the other hand, will not be able to do the same on the queenside because of the doubled c-pawns. But in contrast, they get the advantage of two bishops. Whose trump cards will outweigh, a long struggle will show.

1. e4 e5 2. Kf3 Kc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ca4 d6

Open variant

1. e4 e5 2. Kf3 Kc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ca4 Kf6 5. 0-0 Kxe4

Black cannot hold the extra pawn after 6. d4 or 6. Re1. But there is some unloading in the center, which leads to a live figure struggle.

Black launches a counterattack in the center, but White can take the pawn: 9. ed Kxd5 10. Kxe5 Kxe5 11. Rxe5. In return, black gets the activity of the pieces and develops an attack on the king. For example, 11... c6 12. d4 Cd6 13. Re1 Qh4. The variation leads to a very sharp struggle, and Black's chances are considered no worse. White often deviates from the Marshall Variation on move 8, instead of playing 8... c3 in a different way, eg a4, d3, h3. In this case, the pawn sacrifice is not so dangerous, since White still has the opportunity to develop the knight on c3.

1. e4 e5 2. Kf3 Kc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ca4 Kf6 5. 0-0 Ce7 6. Re1 b5 7. Cb3 0-0 8. c3 d6

White captures the center with d2-d4 and a complex maneuvering struggle begins. However, the immediate 9. d4 runs into an unpleasant 9. ... Bg4. Therefore, 9. h3 is usually played first. Then black can play differently. For example, 9...Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 leads to the Chigorin variation, 11...Kd7 to the Keres variation. There is also a paradoxical retreat 9. Kb8 (Breuer's variation), in order to then transfer the knight to d7.

The Spanish game is a very varied and strategically rich opening. No wonder they say that in order to learn how to play chess, you need to learn how to play the Spanish game.

Chess is exactly the game that combines science, art and sport. One of the main components of a successful game is its competent beginning. It is on the first steps of the player, on his ability to mobilize all his forces at the very start, that the outcome of the entire game depends. In this article, we suggest you consider some of the most popular openings in chess.

In fact, the opening itself is already a whole science of chess. There are many varieties of the opening, it has specific goals and criteria: You need to secure the king, counteract the opponent, control the situation on the board, and develop a strategy for the next and final stage of the game.

Italian game of chess - a quiet start

The Italian game is one of the oldest chess openings. The name can be translated as "quiet beginning". This beginning has three main ways of development. Each of them is based on the fact that White strengthens the center with pawns.. But over time, a successful strategy was found for black pieces, which allowed them to successfully counter.

Start moves:

1. e2-e4 e7-e5
2. Kg1-f3 Kb8-c6
3. Bf1-c4 Bf8-c5.

The main directions of game development:

1) There is no activity in the center, white pieces tend to strengthen the center. 4.d2-d3 d7-d65. Kb1-c3 Kg8-f66. 0-0 0-0. A reliable continuation, although it does not set impossible tasks for the opponent.

2) The center is captured by White. 4. c2-c3 Kg8-f6! Black move Kf6 attack a pawn e4.5. d2-d4 e5:d46. c3:d4 Cc5-b4+ the elephant after the attack leaves the field without wasting time. 7. Cc1-d2 Cb4:d2+ 8. Kb1:d2 d7-d5! Black managed to eliminate White's advantage in the center and equalize his chances.

3) The third option is gambit. As we can see, after the move 4.c2-c3, with a competent game for black, the opponent does not have time to strengthen the position in the center. In the 19th century, it was invented to sacrifice a pawn 4. b2-b4. 4. b2-b4 Cc5:b4 Many chess gurus believe that the best continuation of the game is to accept the sacrifice. If black rejects it, then white will have not only a pawn, but also the initiative. 5.c2-c3 accepting the sacrifice allowed White to capture the center in gainful time.

Spanish Game - Ruy López's debut

One of the most common is the Spanish part. It is believed that it was invented by Ruy Lopez, one of the first masters in modern chess. The abundance of complex and varied schemes is the key feature of the Spanish game. Such outstanding chess players as V. Steints, K. Janisch, S. Furman, A. Karpov, G. Kasparov and many others analyzed and contributed to the development of the theory of this opening.

First moves:

1. e2-e4 e7-e5
2. Kg1-f3 Kb8-c6
3. Cf1-b5.

The development of events provides for a large number of systems without basic moves, as well as rare systems.

Scottish Party – Correspondence Edinburgh – London

In modern tournament practice, you can often meet the Scottish game. Garry Kasparov used this game twice in the tournament against Anatoly Karpov. This opening gained notoriety in the 1824 Correspondence Game. Although it should be noted that the first mention of this opening was a century earlier. The main line of strategy is the early advance of the pieces to the center and a lively struggle there.

Start moves:

1. e2-e4 e7-e5
2. Kg1-f3 Kb8-c6
3.d2-d4.

In the development of events, Black has equal opportunities. Main options:

3. …e5:d4- with other continuations, the initiative remains with White.

4. Nf3xd4- the main continuation.

4. …Qd8-h4- Steinitz system

4. …Kc6:d4. 5. Qd1xd4 d7-d6 6. Bf1-d3- Variant of Ghulam Kassim

4. …Cf8-b4+

4. …Nf8-c5

4. …Kg8-f6- Schmidt variant

5. Kd4:c6 b7:c6

6.e4-e5- Mises variant

6. Kb1-d2- Variant of Tartakower

4. Bf1-c4- Scottish gambit.

4.c2-c3- Göring's Gambit.

4. Bf1:b5- Relfson Gambit

3. …Nc6xd4- Lolly variant

4. Kf3:е5 Nd4-e6 5. Cf1-c4 c7-c6 6. 0-0 Kg8-f6 7. Ke5:f7- Cochran variant

Russian Party - Defense of Petrov

The parade of popular chess openings ends with the Russian game, which deservedly enters the repertoire of the leading chess professionals of our time. The essence of this opening is that the e4-pawn goes over to an immediate counterattack. Superiority in most cases can be maintained until the end of the game. Indeed, it is worth noting that recent times many interesting solutions have been found for the black pieces, which make it possible to complicate the game.

Starts with moves:

1. e2- e4 e7- e5

2. kg1- f3 kg8- f6.

Then there are two main scenarios for White:

3.d2-d4(Steinitz system)

3…e5:d4 4. e4-e5Tof6-e4 5.Fd1:d4 d7-d5 6. e5:d6 Ke4:d6

3…Nf6:e4

3. Kf3xe5- main option: 3…d7-d6 4. Ke5-f3 (4.Ke5:f7?!- Cochran's Gambit) 4…Kf6:e4.

There are many legendary games and tournaments that have been studied for decades and become the basis for the analysis and development of theories, attacks and counterattacks.

Interesting games of world chess champions

For example, May 11, 1997 is a very important date in the history of chess, a turning point. It was on this day, for the first time in the world, that one of the strongest chess players on the planet lost to a computer. Garry Kasparov lost this match to DeepBlue with a score of 3.5:2.5. The opening "Defense of Caro-Kann" was chosen, but on this day luck was not on the side of the man.

And in 1851, a party took place in London, which went down in history as the "Immortal Party". It was unanimously recognized as the highest example of "romantic" chess. Adolf Andersen and Lionel Kieseritsky fought in this game between themselves, the game was started by the King's Gambit. Gambit play is one of the hallmarks of the Italian school.

There is an interesting historical fact, the main character of which is Napoleon. Everyone knows that he was an excellent tactician. In history, he is credited with three games of chess. The last, according to historians, he played with on the island of St. Helena in 1818, while in exile. His opponent was General Bertrand. Napoleon chose the Scottish game as his opening. Black managed to get a material advantage over the opponent a couple of times during the game. But, having thought through all the moves in advance, Napoleon won a beautiful and logical victory. It is possible that it was his best party play chess.

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Berlin Defense in Spanish Party has become part of the main weapon for Black today. Berlin has a reputation for being a boring and draw option for Black. However, everything changed when Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik used it against Garry Kasparov in the World Championship match.

Kramnik used it in four games and they all ended in a draw. After that, this variation attracted elite players, and ordinary chess players followed them. Many grandmasters such as Topalov, Shirov, Anand and even Kasparov started using this defense after the match. Currently current champion Magnus Carlsen continues to use it, as well as other strong players Wesley So and Levon Aronian.

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Why is she so popular for Blacks?

After moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 Whites usually continue 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 5.dxe5 Nf5 6.Qxd8+ Kxd8

The question often arises: why is the opening, in which Black exchanged queens, lost the right to castling and received a doubled pawn, so popular? The reason is pretty simple. Castling is not that important after a queen trade, and the king in the center is not only safe, but even much more useful. Black gets doubled pawns but has no weaknesses. The most important and attractive element for Black is that he gets a pair of bishops.

And where are the hopes for victory, if White tries to open a position in order to realize his pawn majority, then Black's bishops will get space and sufficient counterplay. And most importantly, in the Berlin Defense you do not need to know the exact sequence of moves, as in the Sicilian Defense. Therefore, Black can afford small mistakes that will not affect his play.

This protection can be avoided

In this article, I'll show you a few ideas for White that will avoid the main options and keep the game more tense. Of course, it is difficult to lay claim to the opening advantage in the lines under consideration, but they deserve serious attention.

I recommend playing 4.d3, keeping the "Spanish style". Here Black usually continues 4…Bc5. Further, White can take on c6 and play in the spirit of the Exchange Variation. Objectively, the game is equal with mutual chances. This variation has been played several times by Magnus Carlsen and other famous players, so it should be taken seriously.

In the game Carlsen - Caruana, the world champion played f2-f4 after exchanging the dark-squared bishop. The result is a middle game with opposite-colored bishops with a certain amount of pressure along the f-file for White.

The second game was played between Yu Yangi and Kramnik. With this victory over the former world champion, Yu Yangi secured 1st place in the Masters of Qatar tournament. Yu Yangi is a specialist in this variation, so you should pay attention to his plays.

Finally, we'll look at other ideas for White, such as the d3-d4 break in the late middle game.

So, as you can see, White doesn't have much opening advantage. However, the middlegame is full of pieces, the pawn structure is asymmetric and therefore there are many options and ideas for both sides.

Note: If you want improve your chess level you should have a clear training plan. If you are striving for a sharp increase in your chess level, then you need to systematically work on all elements of the game:

• Tactics
• Positional play
• Attacking Skills
• Endgame technique
• Analysis classic games
• Psychological preparation
• And much more

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