The Spanish party is a trap against the whites. Spanish Party: overview of the main options
Good day, dear friend!
Do you know what “Spanish torture” is? In chess, of course. This is the Spanish party for blacks. Today I propose to take a short sightseeing tour of this “torture chamber”. As the unforgettable Red Army soldier Sukhov said: “Right away? No, it’s better, of course, to suffer...”
What is the Spanish party?
Spanish Party– the most popular, starting with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
The history of the “Spanish flu” dates back several centuries. Back in 1561, the Spanish cleric Rio Lopez studied and systematized the variations resulting from the move 3.Bb5, which was the reason for the name of this opening.
White's main task in the Spanish game is to impede the free development of black pieces and prevent them from positioning themselves in convenient positions. Thus, seize the initiative, forcing Black to parry threats.
With the move 3.Bb5 White increases the pressure on the e5 square. Black must constantly consider the possibility of Cxc6 and capturing the pawn on e5. This does not mean that White will do this directly with his next move. For example: after 3…a6 4.K:e5 Qd4 Black has a good game.
The Spanish game is one of the most studied openings. Entire studies have been conducted and books have been written on the most popular options. Today we will review the main features. For whites and for blacks.
Basic options
Rare sequels
3… Bb4
Calling “fire on yourself.” Example option:
With White's advantage.
3…. Kge7
WITH best game for White due to Black's pawn weaknesses.
3….g6
A correct, albeit somewhat slow move, giving White greater freedom of action. Let's consider the option when White sacrifices a pawn:
With a difficult endgame for Black.
3….Nd4 Bird Defense
Taking advantage of the position of the bishop on b5, Black starts a fight in the center. As practice shows, the knight's attack is somewhat premature and the black pawn on d4 can become a weakness.
An approximate scenario:
3….d6 Steinitz Defense
Has a reputation as a durable but passive option.
Example option:
With White's attack.
3….Cc5 Classic variation
Black brings out the bishop without fear of the d2-d4 advance and intends to counterattack White's center with 4....f5.
Example option:
White retains a slight advantage.
3….f5 Janisch Gambit
Black launches an immediate counterattack to the center.
4. Ks3 Is this much better than 4.ef? e4!
White has an advantage, the d3 pawn will soon “fall”.
Despite the fact that White, when played correctly, achieves “only” a better endgame, the last word in it has probably not been said yet.
Another option for Black in this line is 7... Qg5
White has the advantage. They play more freely.
I note that typical mistake is 8...Q:g2?. More on this below, in the errors section.
As we see, not everything is so simple in Janisch's gambit. It is not so easy to refute Black's plan with long castling.
3…. Kf6 Berlin Defense
For a long time it was considered a second-rate debut. However, at the beginning of this century, the gaze of the “masters” somehow fell on her. In particular, Vladimir Kramnik.
And everything changed.
In the main variation, already rejected by theory, additional resources were found for Black
For example:
Black has sufficient counterplay.
Practice recent years showed that the position is acceptable for Black despite the doubled pawns and the king in the center.
3….a6
This move begins the main ramification of the Spanish game.
Since we have an article, and not a monograph, it is not possible to consider the options in any adequate volume.
Therefore, your humble servant undertakes to write a review of variations with 3...a6 in a separate article. The same applies to the Berlin defense.
Common mistakes
A very common mistake is to take the pawn on g2 in the main variation of the Janisch Gambit.
After 9.Qh5+ White wins
9…g6 doesn’t help either
Such options are sometimes used as traps (in this case for White). You just need to know them if you decide to play openings like the Janisch Gambit.
Which option should I choose?
A) Select the main option
The one you will play most often. The “highlight” of your debut program, so to speak. It is desirable that this “nail” meet the following criteria:
- The option must be correct. Even in case correct game opponent, you should not end up in frankly worse positions “by default”. Otherwise, your friends-competitors will quickly “notice” that you are playing a “crooked” variation, and will begin to use it shamelessly, over and over again driving you “to the ground” already in the opening.
- You must like him. It’s not always easy to explain what we like or don’t like in life and why. Trust your intuition.
There is such a thing as “flow state”. When you do what you love, you are “in the flow” and are able to move mountains.
So is chess. When you play what you like, your possibilities are higher than when you “saw” what someone advised you, but “your soul doesn’t lie.”
B) Backup option
We have already discussed that in debut repertoire there should be “special” openings and variations, designed for the effect of surprise or inconvenient for a particular partner. Accordingly, they should be used from case to case.
Approximate games
Harikrishna - Bambacher
European Cup, 2016, 1:0
Ivanchuk - Elvest
Petrov Memorial, 2013, 1:0
Svidler - Stefanova
Gibraltar, 2012, 1:0
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Berlin Defense V Spanish Party has become part of the main weapon for Black today. Berlin has a reputation for being boring and a draw 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 all of them ended in a draw. After that, this option attracted elite players, and ordinary chess players followed them. Many grandmasters, such as Topalov, Shirov, Anand and even Kasparov, began to use 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.
To combat gross mistakes, find the right plan in difficult positions, and strengthen your positional and tactical vision, we recommend you. Hundreds of chess players have already benefited from our training. Do not wait,
Why is she so popular for Blacks?
After the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 White usually continues 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 traded queens, lost castling rights and gained a doubled pawn so popular? The reason is quite simple. Castling is not so important after the exchange of queens, 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 bishops will receive 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 their game.
This defense can be avoided
In this article I will show some ideas for White that will avoid the main options and keep the game more tense. Of course, in the variations under consideration it is difficult to claim an opening advantage, but they deserve serious attention.
I recommend playing 4.d3, keeping the "Spanish style". Here Black usually continues with 4…Bc5. Next, White can take on c6 and play in the spirit of the Exchange Variation. Objectively, the game is equal with mutual chances. This option has been used 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 was a middlegame with opposite-colored bishops with a certain pressure along the f line for White.
The second game was played between Yu Yangi and Kramnik. This victory over former champion world, Yu Yangi secured 1st place in the Qatar Masters tournament. Yu Yangi is a specialist in this variation, so you should pay attention to his games.
Finally, we will look at other ideas for White, such as the d3-d4 explosion in the late middlegame.
So, as you can see, White doesn't have much of an opening advantage. However, the middlegame is full of pieces, the pawn structure is asymmetrical and therefore there are many options and ideas on both sides.
Note: If you want improve your chess level, you must have a clear study plan. If you strive to sharply increase your chess level, then you need to systematically work on all elements of the game:
- Tactics
- Positional play
- Attack Skills
- Endgame technique
- Analysis classic games
- Psychological preparation
- And much more
At first glance, it seems like there is a lot of work to be done. But thanks to our training course Your training will be easy, efficiently and with minimal time. Join the "" training program right now!
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Lesson twenty-five. Study of the opening. Spanish party.
Created 07/25/2012 17:37
Lesson twenty-five. Study of the opening. Spanish party.
How to start a chess game? Chess opening.
Today you will get to know how to start a chess game. Do you still remember that the beginning of a chess game is called chess opening
. What should you do in the opening?
You know that chess is played in many countries. And depending on the character of the people chess game started out differently. In India, the construction of figures resembled rich palaces. The warlike Scandinavian Vikings came up with a beginning where the queen immediately rushes into battle on the first moves. Of course, there is also a Russian party.
Your task is to find out such openings that will help get your pieces out faster.
Today you will get acquainted with a popular chess opening - the Spanish game. This opening, as you understand from the name, was invented by the Spaniards more than 500 years ago. The names of these Spaniards Lucena And Lopez. Why do we want to introduce you to this beginning? This opening is not only for beginner chess players; it has not become outdated in hundreds of years; it has recently been played with great success by many world chess champions: Lasker, Capablanca, Fisher, Karpov.
There are seven moves in the diagram exchange variant of the Spanish game. You immediately guessed why this beginning is called "change".
- e2–e4 e7–e5
- Kg1–f3 Kb8 – c6
- Cf1–b5 a7–a6
- Cb5: c6 d7: c6
- d2–d4 e5:d4
- Qd1: d4 Qd8: d4
- Kf3: d4
The chessboard became very empty - everything was exchanged. But the fun is just beginning. This position has been known for a long time, but chess players are still arguing about who has it better?! There is a well-known game where one world champion Lasker played with white against another champion – Capablanca. Let's find out which one was right.
Let's take a closer look at several initial moves of the Spanish game.
- e2–e4 e7–e5
- Kg1–f3 Kb8 – c6
- Cf1–b5 a7–a6
You already know the first two moves, but on the third, a “Spanish bishop” appears on the board! His task is to attack the knight – the defender of the e5 pawn.
The bishop was attacked by a pawn.
But this is not the only continuation. In the variations of the Spanish game, interesting piece play arises on different flanks. Now black can choose one of several moves.
Can go
- 3. ... Bf8–c5,
- 3. ... Kc6–d4,
- 3. ... Kg8–f6,
- 3. ... g7–g6,
- 3. ... d7–d6,
- 3. ... f7–f5.
Let's get back to the game. Our bishop has two options: retreat to a4 or take the knight to c6.
We will get acquainted with the departure of the elephant in the near future, and today -
4.
Cb5: c6 . . .
The bishop dies, but he completed two assigned tasks: he destroyed the defender of the e5 pawn and spoiled the pawn structure - he doubled black's pawns.
Which pawn should I take: the b-pawn or the d-pawn? It is usually recommended to hit from the edge to the center, but in this case the exception is
4.
. . . d7: c6
Why did Black choose this particular capture? Roads open for bishops and even black gets the “d” rank for his heavy pieces.
5.
d2–d4 . . .
Why didn’t White immediately capture the e5 pawn with his knight?
It turns out that this pawn can easily be won back either by moving 5...Qd8 – d4, or 5...Qd8 – g5. Black delivers a double attack on the knight and pawn. Therefore, White better fight for the center!
5.
. . . e5:d4
6.
Qd1: d4 Qd8: d4
7.
Kf3: d4
Take a close look at the resulting position. To test your chess memory, try to reconstruct the course of the game yourself. Let's find out whose position you like better?
What is the best way to study openings?
There is no consensus on this matter. It all depends on your ability to remember the main variations and, most importantly, understand what is required in a particular opening: where to place the pieces and what to do next.
There is no need to memorize long opening variations. Even grandmasters are unable to memorize many moves. Learn to play for general reasons. We need to understand what is happening on the chessboard. Then you won’t get lost in unfamiliar positions. You need to remember the most common traps so that the game does not end as soon as it begins. It is best to study openings together with famous grandmasters, analyzing their games.
After playing with friends or parents analyze the errors you encounter. Choose which opening you will play in the next games with white and black.
Use of this material on the Internet without providing a link to the author, website and book is prohibited. The rights to publish the book and this material belong to the authors of the chess textbook "Chess for children, parents and teachers"
Kostrov Vsevolod and Davletov Jalil.
How to learn to play chess? List of all chess lessons online
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