ASp by Mihail Marin· ,
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with invaluable help from'
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Valentin Stoica ' .
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Quality Chess www.qualitychessbooks.com
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First edition 2007 by Quality Chess Europe AB Vegagatan 18, SE-413 09 Gothenburg, Sweden Copyright © 2007 Mihail Marin All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. ISBN 13
978-91-976005-0-7
ISBN 10
91-976005-0-4
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Edited by John Shaw Typeset: Jacob Aagaard Cover Design: Carole Dunlop Printed in Estonia by Ta llinna Raamatutriikikoja LLC
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CONTENTS
List of Symbols
5
Bibliography
6
Foreword
7
1
The Chigorin Variation - General Aspects
9
2
The Rubinstein System
25
3
The Petrosian System
97
4
The Yates Variation
133
5
The Yates Variation - 10.d5
137
6
The Yates Variation - 10..te3
149
7
The d3-System
169
8
The Worrall Attack
189
9
The Delayed Exchange Variation
197
10
The a4-System
209
11
The System Based on ctJ c3
217
12
The Central Attack
225
Index of Main Lines
232
List of symbols t
Check A strong move
!!
A brilliant move
!?
An interesting move
?!
A dubious move
?
A mistake
??
A blunder
D
The only move
1-0
White won
V2-V2
The game was drawn
0-1
Black won
(ch) (izt) (01) (n)
Championship Interzonal Olympiad nrh match game
+-
With a winning advantage for White
±
With a large advantage for White
!
With a small advantage for White
<Xl
With equal play With unclear play
+
With a small advantage for Black
=+=
With a large advantage for Black
-+
With a winning advantage for Black
00
With compensation for the sacrificed material
�
With an attack
t
With an initiative
+!
With counterplay
o
Better is
5
Worse is
i:::J.
With the idea
C
With a development advantage
X
Weakness
<=>
File
,;;<
Diagonal
Bibliography Die Moderne Schachpartie, Siegbert Tarrasch, Leipzig 1 924 Teoria Deschiderilor in sah (Chess Openings Theory) Voluille 1 -2, Paul Keres, Editura Tinetretului, Bucharest 1 952 300 partide alese ale lui Alehin, Vasily Panov, Editura Tineretului, Bucharest 1 957 Matchi pretendentov na pervenstvo mira, B. Kajic, M. Yudovich, Belgrade 1 969 Vierspringerspiel bis Spanisch (Four Knights Game to Spanish) , Paul Keres, Sportverlag Berlin, 1 976 Grossmeister Geller, Yakov Damsky, Fizkultura i Sport, Moscow 1 976 V ogoni ataki, Mikhail Tal and Yakov Damsky, Fizkultura i Sport, Moscow 1 978 (English Edition, Attack with Mikhail Tal, Everyman Chess, London 1 994) Korchnoi's 400 Best Games, Viktor Korchnoi, Robert Wade, L.S. Blackstock, Batsford, London 1 978 Akiba Rubinstein, Yuri Razuvaev and Valerii Murakhvery, Fizkultura i Sport, Moscow 1 980 Ispanskaia Partiia (The Spanish Game), Alexey Suetin, Fizkultura i Sport, Moscow 1 982 Ratmir Kholmov, Ratmir Kholmov, Fizkultura i Sport, Moscow 1 982 My System, Aron Nimzowitsch, Quality Chess 2007 Strategia nadejhnosti, Tigran Petrosian, Fizkultura i Sport, Moscow 1 98 5 Sto pobednikh partii, Arlatoly Karpov, Fizkultura i Sport, Moscow 1 984 Arlaliticheskie i kriticheskie rabotii, 1 -4, Mikhail Botvinnik, Fizkultura i Sport, Moscow 1 984-87 Strategiia Nadejhnosti, Tigran Petrosian, Fizkultura i Sport, Moscow 1 985 744 partii Bobby Fischera, (Two volumes), Arldrey Golubev and Leonid Gutzait, Roleg Limited, Moscow 1 993 Akiba Rubinstein: Uncrowned King, John Donaldson and Nikolay Minev, International Chess Enterprises, Seattle 1 994 Akiba Rubinstein: The Later Years, John Donaldson and Nikolay Minev, International Chess Enterprises, Seattle 1 995 Mikhail Tal, Games 1 -4, Sergey Soloviov, Chess Stars, St Petersburg 1 994-96 The Road to the Top, Paul Keres and John Nunn, Batsford, London 1 996 The Quest for Perfection, Paul Keres and John Nunn, Batsford, London 1 997 Boris Spassky, (Two volumes) , Nikolay Krogius, Andrey Golubev and Leonid Gutzait, Moscow 2000 My Great Predecessors, Volumes I-V, Garry Kasparov, Everyman Chess, London 2003-2006 Chess Informant, Belgrade 1 965-2006 New in Chess Yearbook, Alkmaar 1 987-2006 Schaknytt, Gothenburg 1 999-2006 Chess Extrapress, Bucharest 1 998-200 1 64 Shakhmatnoe obozrenie, Moscow 1 976- 8 1
Foreword In Beating the Open Games I started building a complete repertoire for Black based on 1 . ..e5 as an answer to 1.e4, but space limitations forced me to leave the story unfinished halfway. The present book is a logical sequel of my previous work by providing Black with a coherent system of development after l . e4 e5 2. lLlf3 lLlc6 3.ib5 a6 4.ia4 lLlf6. Since these two books can be considered as complementary parts of the same whole, my general approach has been the same in many ways, but there are some significant differences, too. I have structured each chapter in the same way as in the previous book. The introductory part deals with the general aspects as well as with the historical evolution of the variation. The theoretical section contains detailed analysis, which aims to be one or two steps ahead of the current stage of theory. Throughout the book, I have put a strong emphasis on the notion of development, which offers the most reliable guidelines in any open game. It is easier and more constructive to follow j ust a few general recommendations about development than remember a large mess of variations. At the same time, rules tend to have many exceptions, which frequently require combining common sense with concrete thinking. I have aimed to highlight and explain the most important situations where this latter aspect becomes vital. The main difference compared to the general structure of most other opening books consists of reversing the natural order of the chapters. Usually, books start with the sidelines and examine the main systems at the end. To a certain extent, this is the approach I had chosen for Beating the Open Games, too. I have examined White's alternatives to 2. lLlf3 first, then the deviations from 3.ib5 and only in the end the Exchange Variation. The need for a formal line-up was justified by the fact that each of the openings examined there had its own individuality, with more or less equal rights with the others. Once we have entered the territory of the Spanish Game, the situation becomes different. Each of White's attempts to deviate from the main stream implies a small concession and simplifies Black's defensive task. The main line is by far the most complex from a strategic point of view. Once its basic ideas have been assimilated, the other variations become easier to understand. This aspect has convinced me to arrange the systems in what I consider an order of decreasing strategic complexity. Admittedly, a certain amount of subjectivity was involved, but I believe that the general structure is quite practical: when examining certain "side-lines" I have frequently made reference to positions from previous chapters. For the same reasons, the first chapters are also the longest. In addition, certain variations are unpopular and inoffensive at the same time, which makes detailed analysis unnecessary. Although such openings as the Scotch, the Italian Game, and the Four Knights Game have become increasingly popular over the past few decades and require from Black a relatively high degree of accuracy, the Ruy Lopez remains unchallenged in its privileged position of queen of the open games. . This is not just a consequence of respect for tradition, but instead is due to the rich strategic content of the fight that characterizes the Ruy Lopez. Mastering the subtleties of this eternally young opening is synonymous with being a strong positional player. I hope that this book will help the reader make progress on this territory.
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
8
Finally, I want to express my gratitude to: Valentin Stoica, who helped me to prepare the theoretical material for the Yates system, the Worrall Attack, the Delayed Exchange variation and the d3-systems; Jacob Aagaard, who suggested possible ways of improving the initial versions of the nrst chapters; My wife, Luiza, for her patient and kind support. Bucharest, 1 " of January 2007.
Chapter 1
The Chigorin Variation - General Aspects l.e4 e5 2.liJa liJc6 3 .tb5 a6 4..ta4 .
This is where the story of our book starts. We have j ust stepped into the terri cory of the Ruy Lopez, the handling of which is uaditionally considered co be a cornerstone of positional understanding. The next series of moves until 9.h3 has occurred in thousands of games for many decades, and is now played almost automatically in most cases. However, I will make some short comments on each move, as if it were my first time seeing the position. This will hopefully offer an overview of the significance of each chapter. 4 . liJf6 Black takes advantage of the first opportunity co counterattack the enemy centre. .
.
5.0-0 White does not need to defend his e-pawn yet, because after 5 ... ct:lxe4 6.d4 he would win the pawn back, due the vulnerability of the enemy king. Actually, this would be just the start of a completely different scory titled the Open Variation, which is beyond the scope of this book. Each move that defends the pawn has some drawbacks. 5.ct:lc3 blocks the c-pawn and prevents the natural plan of occupying the centre with c3 and d4. 5.�e2 develops the queen at a moment when most of the other pieces find themselves on their initial squares. This seriously contradicts the general rules of development and is very unladylike. 5.d3 is more flexible, but might result in a loss of time if White later decides co occupy the centre with c3 and d4. 5.d4 is a premature display of central activity. The placement of the bishop on the a4-e8 diagonal serves long-term purposes, by putting the e5-pawn under pressure. If White intended to open the centre at such an early stage, he should have developed his bishop on c4, in order to get tactical threats against the f7-pawn. This would have led to a completely different opening, though.
5...i.e7
10
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
By covering the e-file, Black renews the threat of ... ctJxe4.
6.l3el All the moves mentioned in the previous comment are possible here, too, but they would have the same drawbacks. Defending the pawn with the rook is more efficient. After the planned c3 and d4, White's major pieces would keep the central files under permanent pressure, preventing an early black counterattack. 6 ..ixc6 is White's last chance to avoid the natural course of the game. After 6 . . . dxc6 the loss of tempo is justified by the fact that Black's pieces are not optimally placed to defend the e5-pawn, which will demand some accurate play from him. However, giving up the light squared bishop reduces White's strategic potential considerably. 6...h5 Black parries the threat of txc6 followed by lUxe5 that was created by White's last move.
8 0-0 Now, the rushed 9.d4 would allow Black to complete his development in a natural way with 9...tg4, putting the enemy centre under strong pressure. "ilierefore, the prophylactic ...
9.h3 should be regarded as a more consistent continuation.
7 .ih3 .
Finally, the bishop takes the f7-pawn under observation, but Black is well enough developed to avoid any major trouble. 7...d6 Black over-defends his e-pawn and creates the threat of . . . lUa5. At the same time, he opens the c8-h3 diagonal for the bishop. The alternative is 7 ... 0-0, when play may j ust transpose after 8.c3 d6. The sharp Marshall Attack (8 ... d5) is not part of this book's subject and, from the point of view of our main line, the move order starting with 7 ... d6 is more accurate. Castling on the 7rh move would leave Black with some minor problems after 8.a4. 8.d White clears the c2-square for his bishop and prepares the occupation of the centre. 8.a4 would be less effective because of8 ...tg4, creating the threats ... liJd4 or ...txf3 followed by . . . lUd4. After 9.c3 0-0 Black is ready to question White's strategy with . . . lUa5 followed by ... b4, when the weaknesses induced by the early advance of the a-pawn leaves the Spanish bishop rather exposed.
Thus, we finally reach what can safely be considered the main tabiya of the open games. There are several reasons to claim this. First of all, an examination of all the possible deviations clearly shows that Black's first move cannot be easily challenged by an early and unprepared action in the centre. (Some of these lines have been examined in Beating the Open Games, while the rest of them were reviewed above and will be examined in this book at a later stage.) More than one century of practice supports this point of view. Finally, we can note that contrary to the situation in the so-called sidelines where Black usually chooses between two or three reasonable variations, in the diagrammed position countless numbers of systems have been tried for Black: the Breyer, the Smyslov, the Zaitsev, and then a whole series of Chigorin set-ups connected with names such as Rauzer, Panov, Keres, Romanishin, Graf, as well as many other lines without specific names, but which have been part of the main repertoire of great players, including world champions, throughout chess history.
The Chigorin Variation - Gen�ral Aspects
This is hardly a sign that Black can equalize however he wishes against the main line of the Ruy Lopez; instead it is proof that against each of these systems White has continually found new ways of keeping his opponent under positional pressure, regularly forcing Black to come up with a new set-up. In fact, the wisest approach for a player who mainly relies on the closed lines of the Ruy Lopez with Black is to periodically switch from one system to another in order not only to avoid specific preparation by one's opponents, but also to gain a wider understanding of chess in general. In the diagrammed position, White is just one step away from achieving his primary goal, the stable occupation of the centre, but this does not necessarily mean that he has won the strategic battle yet. Since it is quite obvious that Black cannot physically prevent 1 0.d4, he has to look for an optimal way of meeting it. It is hard to claim that any of the variations listed above is better than another, which means that the word "optimal" needs further explanation. A player should choose Black's further system of development in accordance with his general level of understanding, style of play, personal taste and, why not, with his general mood on the particular day. It goes without saying that my choice of the repertoire systems contains a high degree of subjectivity. I intentionally avoided fashionable systems. Experience has taught me that fashion is an unpredictable and capricious lady; after certain variations have been well-enough forgotten, they might come back into the limelight. Secondly (and more importantly I would say), the task of catching the very essence of the position in lines where theory advances with big steps (not necessarily in the correct direction) is rather difficult. It is much easier to take a photo or sketch a portrait of a virtually immobile image than to describe a highly animated scene. Instead, I have preferred to choose variations with a very long past, involving the names of great players including world champions. This
11
will give us the opportunity of following the evolution of thought processes through the years. It is also supposed to lend some stability to the theoretical conclusions given in the following pages. Truths that have required years or even decades to unfold completely to human understanding, and involve names like Rubinstein, Botvinnik, Keres, Smyslov, Petrosian or Karpov will hardly ever be shaken by practice or with the help of a computer. I must confess that, apart from some rare moments of fear that I would not manage to make these "antiquities" viable, I have never regretted my choice during the whole working process. I rather felt as though I was drinking a very old wine, discovered in a hidden corner of my cellar. Another aim of mine has been to make the information useful in general, and not just relevant to the specific variations. If some of the readers would like to make a choice of their own against the main variation of the Ruy Lopez, the strategic explanation given below should help their orientation. All these self-imposed restrictions left me with a relatively narrow domain. After some further pondering and hesitations, I picked two of the oldest sub-lines of the Chigorin Variation, which, in its turn, is the oldest way of reacting to the main line of the Ruy Lopez. Strictly speaking, the move
9 �a5 ...
which defines the Chigorin system, looks like a small deviation from the logical course of development. Indeed, Black moves for the second time with an already developed piece, while the c8-bishop is still on its initial square. From this perspective, the more natural move is 9 ... .ib7, which in fact leads to the highly fashionable Zaitsev Variation, a system that endured a thorough examination during the matches between Kasparov and Karpov. However, there are certain elements of the position that explain why the generally good and logical move 9 ....ib7 is not necessarily the only correct or at least the very best one.
12
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
After 1 O.d4 Black cannot easily question White's supremacy in the centre in the near future. The main reason is that the c6-knight is tied to the defence of the e5-pawn, thus blocking his c-pawn, which under different circumstances could be used to undermine the d4-pawn. At the same time, it is uncertain yet whether the development of the bishop to b7 is useful, in view of White's possibility of closing the centre with d5 whenever he wishes. In fact, virtually all Black's possible continuations on the 9th move have minor drawbacks, which, I repeat, makes the choice at this stage a mere matter of taste. I do not intend to question the correctness of 9 ...ib7 or prove the superiority of 9 . . . lLl a5 in any way, but aim to explain that in this last phase of development concrete thinking can and should be tightly connected with the appliance of general rules. Let us now return to the Chigorin Variation.
lo.ic2 c5 Anticipating White's next move, Black prepares to put up strong resistance in the centre.
Il.d4 fl c7
This is the main tabiya of the Chigorin variation. Other moves have been played (mainly 1 1 ..ib7 and 1 1 ... lLld7), but in the vast majority of games (about three-quarters) Black prefers to defend the e5-pawn with the queen, maintaining maximum flexibility for his position. .
The term "flexibility" mainly refers to the fate of the queenside minor pieces. Developing the bishop to b7 now or slightly later would put the white centre under immediate pressure, but the simple advance of the d-pawn would solve this problem, leaving the bishop terribly passive on b7. Black can correct the bishop's placement in a rather simple way, with a further ...ic8. Although this would mean the loss of two whole tempi, it would at least avoid irreparable damage to the general harmony of the position. The problem of the a5-knight is slightly more demanding. If Black does not manage to find a comfortable location, or at least a useful job for it, he will most likely face insurmountable strategic problems. Dr. Tarrasch's warning, "If one piece stands badly, the whole position is bad" applies perfectly here. And yet, it is not easy for White to cut the knight out of play completely. The hidden interactions between pieces placed on different areas of the board can lead to surprising results. To a certain extent; the situation is similar to that arising in the Yugoslav variation of the fianchetto King's Indian. I believe that this latter aspect deserves a small digression. We, modern chess players, are accustomed to using the generic terminology of a pawn structure typical of the King's Indian Defence whenever White blocks the centre with the strategically dreaded triangle c4-d5-e4. But this structure can arise from several other openings as well, including the Closed Ruy Lopez. Historically speaking, the choice of name is not entirely correct, because the Ruy Lopez acquired coherent theoretical contours decades earlier than the King's Indian. However, for practical reasons I find it perfectly adequate. There is no such typical Ruy Lopez-structure, since the opening is much too complex and flexible, while the aforementioned blocked position almost defines the King's Indian. Let us return to the issue of the a5-knight. The next examples will illustrate the typical problems facing Black if he fails to solve this delicate matter in an adequate way. They are not intended to discourage the reader from playing
The Chigorin Variation - General Aspects
the Chigorin line, but to offer a clearer image of the kind of positions that should be avoided. All fragments are taken from games where the Ruy Lopez was played (although I was tempted to insert some games with the Yugoslav variation of the King's Indian Defence as well) . In some of them Black chose set-ups other than the Chigorin variation, but play soon took a course that is relevant for our central subject. The critical situation arises when White blocks the centre with d4-d5.
13
if the aI-rook is undefended, after . . . a5 White cannot maintain a pawn on b4, being forced to give up the control of the c5-square. If such rapid counterplay is not available, Black's situation could become critical from a long term perspective. The following game fragment illustrates the nature of Black's problems in its pure form. In spite of the fact that almost all the other pieces were exchanged, the knight's bad position on b7 was the main cause of his defeat.
Spassky Kholmov -
Soviet Championship, Yerevan 1 962
Having been deprived of the natural retreat to c6, the a5-knight has only fWO ways of regrouping. From one point of view, the retreat to b7 is the most natural. The knight physically approaches the rest of Black's army, although this does not necessarily mean that the overall coordination is improved yet. In order to solve the problem, Black has to install his knight on (5 (after a preliminary . . . c4 if the structure is as in the previous diagram or immediately if the c-pawns are missing as a consequence of an earlier exchange on d4). However, White has a strong remedy at his disposal. By playing b4 (or b3 and if . . . c4, then b4) he can prevent Black's plan with a minimum of effort. The evaluation of the position depends greatly on Black's ability to use the relative weakness induced by b4 in order to generate queenside counterplay. For instance,
At a superficial glance it might look as if Black had no problems at all. The queenside is safely blocked, while on the other wing only Black can start active operations. The knight's awkward position seems to be temporary, because after the standard ...f5 it could go to f7. Unfortunately for Black, things are not that simple. A deeper look reveals a remarkable detail: the solidity of the queenside is undermined precisely by the dreadfully placed knight. The threat tDa3xb5 is very unpleasant, because after ... axb5, a6 Black could not parry . the threats a7 and axb7 simultaneously. Black has no time to regroup properly. If 30 . . . tDd8, then after 3 1 .tDa3 he is not in time to transfer the bishop to the queenside in order to stop the a-pawn. In fact, this is one of the indirect but
14
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
very important consequences of the knight's misplacement. Adequate regrouping of the knight is possible in principle, but it requires the temporary obstruction of the other pieces. Since this aspect of poor coordination makes itself felt in a position with just two pieces left, you can imagine how much worse the situation could be in a complex middlegame.
Spassky's last move, and next two, are clearly aimed at inhibiting the knight sacrifice by transferring his forces closer to the queenside. I believe that his approach is very instructive. He trusted his positional advantage, based on the passivity of the b7-knight, more than the small material gain which could have been obtained by force after a hurried ltJa3.
30...�d8 Not having much of a choice, Black starts regrouping in the reversed move order.
31.lLld2! ? One natural question is why Spassky refrained from 3 1 .ltJa3. Apparently, Black has nothing better than to continue his plan with 31.. .�c7?!, hoping that after 32.ltJxb5 axb5 33.a6 �bS 34.axb7 �fS the king's rapid transfer to the queenside would generate adequate counterplay in spite of the predictable loss of the b5-pawn. However, after 35.ltJd2 �e7 36.ltJb 1 �d7 37.ltJc3 �c7 3S.ltJxb5t �xb7 39.�fl @a6 40. ltJa3 Black cannot make any progress and has to wait for the approach of the enemy king and a slow execution. If he tries to activate the bishop via a7-d4, the knight jump to c4 would force the king retreat to c7, with similar consequences. I assume that Spassky was more concerned about the possibility of 3 1 . .. ltJxa5 32.bxa5 ha5, solving the problem of the knight radically. One important aspect is that the f3-knight could not approach the queenside easily, allowing Black to put his pawns in motion with . . .ib4, ... a5, etc. For instance, 33.�fl f5 34.@e2 i.b4 35.ltJc2 ic5 36.ltJd2 a5 and White has problems keeping both wings under control. Black would combine the threat of advancing the passed pawns with a king infiltration on the opposite wing, with reasonable drawing chances. In a general sense, this is the kind of counterplay Black should be striving for when White tries to restrict the b7-knight with b4. The sacrifice on a5 gives Black's pieces a chance to work together instead of standing in each other's way.
31...f5! ? A brave decision. With the knight isolated on the queenside, this thematic pawn break risks only weakening Black's kingside, offering White additional targets. 3 1 .. .ltJxa5?! 32.bxa5 i.xa5 would be less effective now because the pair of knights would cooperate harmoniously in their fight against the passed pawns, for instance: 33.ltJb3 i.b6 (Better than the pseudo-active 33 . . . i.c3. After 34.@fl White would be threatening to almost trap the bishop with @e2-d3. 34 . . . a5 35.ltJa3 and Black has nothing better than transposing to a sad ending with 35 . . . a4 36.ltJxb5 ib2 37.ltJa5 a3 38.ltJxd6 a2 39.ltJb3 a 1 =�t 40.ltJxal i.xal, when White should win.) 34.�fl f5 35 .f3 �f6 36.@e2 h5 37.@d3 @g5 3S.ltJb4 a5 39.ltJc6 a4 40. ltJcl ic5 4 1 .ltJe2 White has stopped Black's initiative on both wings and is ready to question the stability of his fortress with ltJdS-b7 or -e6. Continuing the regrouping initiated by . . .i.d8 would also fail to save the game after 3 1 ...�c7?! 32. ltJa3 ibS 33.ltJdb l @fS 34.ltJxb5 axb5
The Chigorin Variation - General Aspects
35.a6 tLld8 36.0c3 followed by tLlxb5 and a7. A more solid defence was 3 1 . ..�f8. The king will not be in time to stop the a-pawn in case of the immediate 32.tLla3. However, the fact that 32 ... �e7 defends the d-pawn .would be essential in the variation 33.tLlxb5 tLlxa5 when 34.tLlxd6 �xd6 35.bxa5 �c5 would not offer White any winning chances because of the active position of the black king. White could try 34 .tLla7 tLlb7 35.tLlc6t c;t>e8 (avoiding a fork on b8) 36.tLlc4 but Black has chances to survive in a passive position after 36 . . .�c7 37.g3 tLld8 38.c;t>g2 �d7 finally exchanging the bad knight.
32.�fl �f6 33. �e2
15
pawn ending because after the exchange of the d pawn for the a-pawn, the e5-pawn would remain decisively weak, while otherwise the knight would get to f5 somehow, winning the h6-pawn. The correct defence was 33 ... h5!, preventing the undermining of the light squares with g4. Now, consolidating the a5-pawn with 34.lLlb3 would offer Black a vital tempo for his regrouping with 34 ...�c7 35.tLla3 �b8, preventing the sacrifice on b5 and planning to improve the position of his pieces further with ...�a7 and . . . tLlf7. Apparently, White has nothing better than 34.tLla3 (instead of 34.lLlb3) when Black could react with 34 . . . tLlxa5 35.bxa5 �xa5, since the knight is poorly placed on a3 and will need another tempo to regroup, while the kingside counterplay has reached a relatively advanced stage.
34.tLlxe4t �e7 35.tLla3 It is all over now. With such a stable knight on e4, White can parry any sacrificial counterplay rather easily.
35....L:a5
33 fxe4 ? •..
But this is unjustified panic. Black probably feared the threat 34.exf5 gxf5 35 .g4 followed by tLle3, taking control of the light squares. However, giving up the e4-square without any fight is definitely worse. Blocking the position with 33 ... f4 would have deprived Black of the planned kingside counterplay, which would make the knight sacrifice on a5 less efficient after 34.tLla3. At the same time, in the line 34 ... c;t>e7 35.tLlxb5 ILlxa5 36.lLlxd6 �xd6 37.bxa5 �c5 38.lLlf3 the weakness of Black's kingside makes itself felt, for instance 38 ... �d6 39.�d3 g5 (Necessary prophylaxis. If 39 ...�xa5 , then 40.tLlh4 winning a pawn.) 40.tLld2 �c5 4 1 .tLlc4 �c7 42.g4 �b8 43.tLlb6 �c7 44.f3. Black cannot transpose to a
One concrete consequence of the knight's presence on e4 can be seen after 35 . . . �d7 36.tLlxb5 tLlxa5 when White has the simple 37.tLlbxd6+-. Sacrificing the bishop marks a slight change from the initial plans. 35 . . . tLlxa5 would have given up any hope of exchanging the dominant e4-knight.
36.bxa5 tLlxa5 37.tLlc2 tLlb3 38.tLlb4 a5 39.tLlc6t �d7 40.�d3 a4 41.�c3 tLlc5 42.8 and White soon won. The analysis of this game has offered us an image of the trouble that can be caused by a passive b7-knight even in simplified positions, but has also shown us the hidden defensive methods available. We should also remember that both sides' play was guided by the aim of restricting/ activating this knight, even if the latter would imply sacrificing it. The next example features a complex middlegame, where Black has a good position with just one exception: his knight is hopelessly passive on b7.
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
16
Geller - Meeking
29.a3 gee8 30.gbl ge7 31.�e2 gb8 32.gb3 �d7 33.�f3 J.e7 34.ge3
Palma de Mallorca 1 970
White could have won the pawn now or on the next move, but he probably wanted to avoid any shadow of counterplay along the c-file, eventually combined with a discovered attack by means of . . . e4.
34....if6 35J3e4 .ie7
Black has the better pawn structure and if his queen's knight was placed on any reasonable square (preferably d7) his chances would probably be better. The way it is, he cannot take advantage of the relative weakness of the d5pawn and of the a4-square and will not be able to replace the f6-knight if it is exchanged by lLlg4. Unlike in the previous game, there is no way to activate or at least sacrifice the knight. The further course of the game strongly suggests that Black is simply lost, in spite of the material equality and the complete lack of weaknesses.
22 c3 .•.
Black faced the unpleasant threat of g4-g5 followed by a crushing attack. With his last move, he hoped to get some activity with . .W c4, attacking the d5- and b4-pawns, but in the long run this brave pawn will just be doomed. .
23.lLlg4 By exchanging the f6-knight, White insures his central pawn against any possible problems and takes control of the e4-square.
23 ....ie7 24.lLlxf6t .ixf6 25.ge4 Now all Black can do is wait. White will slowly improve his position, without any need to hurry. The knight has just two passive squares at its disposal.
25...�d7 26.�f3 ge7 27.h4 �e7 28.g3 lLld8
36.g4! f6 The threat of a massive kingside attack forces Black to restrict the activity of his bishop even more. True, the knight will get an extra square now, but it will remain just as passive as before. 36 . . ..ixh4? loses the bishop to 37.g5 .
37.ge3 lLlf7 38.gbxc3 In the absence of the threat . . . e4, the pressure along the c-file will be easier to stand after the capture of this pawn.
38... gbc8 39.ie4 .id8 40..id2 gc4 41.gxc4 gxc4 42.gc3 .ib6 43.gxc4 bxc4 44.g5 White has an extra pawn and a kingside attack. Black resigned a few moves later. This game clearly proves that the bad location of the queen's knight can be a decisive factor in what would otherwise be a normal position: a perfect illustration of Dr. Tarrasch's remark about "bad" pieces. We have examined two examples where the knight was practically caged by the white b4- and d5 -pawns and, for a while, by its own f7-pawn.
The Chigorin Variation - General Aspects
17
Spassky Keres
26.1!t1xb2 Ele6 27.1!t1d4 E1c6 28.l"lad1 and Black is almost paralysed if not in some sort of zugzwang already. With the knight far from the kingside, a plan based on h4-h5 looks appropriate, although rapid queenside incursions such as 1!t1a7 should not be underestimated. These two possibilities underline the fact that the black knight is passive and vulnerable at the same time.
Candidates Quarter-final, Riga 1 965
24.0 �f8?!
The following game will prove that the knight is unfavourably placed on b7 even in the absence of the d5-pawn. Although this latter detail would ensure some higher mobility for the knight in the long run, the risk of interfering with the other pieces' activity is high. -
Black had exchanged twice on d4 in order to activate his minor pieces, but failed to obtain adequate counterplay. Then he moved his a5knight to b7, aiming to increase the pressure against the e4-pawn, but probably missed the simple b4. All White's pieces are well placed, which allows him to keep control of the position.
23 §'e7 ...
Black clears the d8-square for the knight, increasing the pressure against the e4-pawn at (he same time. The immediate 23 . . .ltlxe4 24.�xe4 E1xe4 would have been dangerous with the knight isolated on b7. For instance 25.ltld5 �xb2 (Alternatively, Black can maintain control of the e-file with 25 . . .E1cc4 but this would leave the c-file available for White after 26.ixg7 @xg7 27.Ehe4 Elxe4 28.1!t1c3t @h6 29.1!t1c6, winning back the pawn and retaining a positional advantage. Black cannot defend the a6-pawn with 29 ... 1!t1a8? because of 30.ltlc7 winning the rook.)
After this hesitant move the knight will never get a chance to reach an adequate square. Black should have initiated his regrouping with 24 . . .ltld8 immediately. One possible continuation: 25.Elad1 ltlc6!? (Keres might have overlooked this indirect defence of the d6-pawn, noticing only that 25 ...l"lc6? loses material to 26.ltld5 ltlxd5 27.exd5 1!t1alt 28.@hl E1xe l t 29.Elxel when the attempt to defend his hanging pieces with 29 . . . E1c8 would lead to mate after 30.E1e8t �f8 3 1 . 1!t1h6.) 26.ib3 (after the rushed 26.�xd6?! �xd6 27.l"lxd6 Black can ignore the threat against the f6-knight and counterattack with 27 ...ltlxb4!) 26 ...l"led8 27.ltld5 ltlxd5 28.hg7 @xg7 29.�xd5ltle5 30.f4ltlc4 3 1 . 1!t1d4t @g8 32.l"ld3 White's advantage is indisputable. He has more space, better centralization and a more compact pawn structure. However, Black is in no immediate danger of losing, and what is more important from the point of view of our main theme, his knight has relative stability.
25.,ib3 etJd8 26J'!adl White activates his pieces with natural moves, while Black is clearly struggling.
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
IS
26..Jk6 Now, 26... tLlc6 would come one move too late. White could play 27.'&xd6, because after 27 ... '&xd6 2S.Elxd6 the light-squared bishop would not be hanging anymore. Black can try to take advantage of the relative vulnerability of the o ther bishop with 2S . . . tLlxe4, but this would leave White a pleasant choice between 29.Elxc6 and 29.i.xf7t @xf7 30.Eld7t, with a material advantage either way.
27J�c1! Very elegant play. If tried one move earlier, the occupation of the c-file could have been adequately met by . . . tLle6. Now the knight prevents the natural connection of the rooks by means of ... ElecS, which will result in White taking control of the c-file.
27 'Wie7 •••
The queen intends to join the battle for the c-file, but the presence of Her Majesty in the centre will give White the opportunity to create one-move threats.
28.
h2 By removing the king from g l , White threatens 29.lLld5 tLlxd5 30.exd5 without allowing the saving check on a7.
28 'Wid7 29.llJdS llJxdS 30.hdS 13xc1 31.�xc1 'Wie7 •..
The queen has to return, causing additional loss of time, because the generally desirable 3 1 ...ltJe6? would lose an exchange to 32.i.c6.
32..hg7 xg7
In spite of the simplifications, White's advantage has not been diminished a single bit. His control over the only open file will most probably lead to the capture of Black's queenside pawns. Having been obstructed by the knight over the past few moves, Black's major pieces are doubled on a half-open file, without any prospects of breaking through, as the e4-pawn is very well defended. The knight finds itself under the authoritarian domination of the bishop, although there is some ray of hope in view of the possibility of jumping to e6.
33.'Wic3t?! Slightly inaccurate. It would have been better to double the major pieces in the o ther order, starting with 33.E\CS. White threatens ElaS (eventually combined with a check on c3). 33 ... tLle6 can be met by either 34.i.xe6 '&xe6 35.ElxeS '&xeS 36.'&xd6 with a more or less winning queen ending, or 34.13c6, attacking the d6-and a6-pawns simultaneously.
33...g8 34.f4 llJe6 3S.g3 The knight seems to have improved its position quite a lot, but White's last move restrains its activity within very narrow limits.
3S...llJg7?! Keres' desire to activate his "bad" piece, any way he can, is understandable; but White's infiltration to c7 will prove decisive. Any waiting move would have been better, but Black's position would have remained very passive.
36.'Wic7 'Wif6 37.13c2 13£8 38.'Wib6 gS 39.fxgS 'Wixg5 40.'Wixa6 'WieS 41.'WixbS White collects two pawns before Black's counterattack has even started.
41...tiJe6 42.'Wif1 �g7 43.'Wif5 1-0 We have formed a general picture of the problems that can arise if the knight stays on the a5-b7 -dS path. The alternate route is tiJa5c4-b6-d7, which is more time-consuming, but offers chances for a more natural re-integration of the knight. However, problems could arise here, too, because there are other black pieces "competing" for the d7-square.
The Chigorin Variation - General Aspects
This is a typical example:
Kasparov Grisehuk -
World Cup of Rapid Chess, Cannes 200 1
19
16...b4 17.ltlbd2 g6 The ambitious plan initiated by this move will fail precisely because of the unavailability of the d7-square. Since the bishop is not doing much on d7 anymore, 1 7 ...J.c8 deserved serious attention.
18.ltlflltlh5 19.94 ltlf4?! Consistent but bad. The more restrained 1 9 ... ctJg7 followed by ...J.c8 was better.
20..hf4 exf4 21.VMd2
12...ltle4 From here, the knight hinders White's natural development. Exchanging one pair of knights with 1 3.ctJbd2 should be avoided because it would ease Black's task of finding adequate squares for his pieces.
13.a4 ltlb6 Black intends to transfer his queen's bishop to d7 in order to consolidate the b5-pawn, which requires that the a8-rook be defended. Since the knight was not too stable on c4 anyway, this willing retreat cannot be regarded as a significant concession.
14.b3 .le8 15.VMe2 .ld7 We can now see the organic defect of Black's regrouping. For concrete purposes (the defence of the b5-pawn) the bishop is required on d7, bur this cuts off the natural retreat of the knight. However, it might seem that Black has chances for counterplay with ... c4, undermining White's queenside structure.
16.e4! Before starting active kingside operations, Kasparov decides to clarifY matters on the other wing. If Black exchanges on c4 or a4, the queen's knight could go to the active c3-square later, iustifYing the slight delay in its development.
Since 2 1 . ..g5 would fatally weaken the b l h7 diagonal, we can state that the knight's jump to f4 is equivalent to sacrificing a pawn. Under normal circumstances White's slightly over-extended kingside structure, as well as the relative weakness of the dark squares, should offer Black sufficient compensation. If the d7square was available, he could play 2 1 . ..ctJd7 22. \Wxf4 �f6, intending ... ctJe5. 23."lWxd6? would lose a piece to 23 . . . ctJe5!. However, the d7-square is occupied and Black does not have sufficient means to block the e4pawn.
21....lf6 22.e5! dxe5 23.ltlxe5 oig5
Having failed to create counterplay on the dark squares, Black decides to maintain material equality.
24.ltlh2 a5 25.ltlhf3 .lh6 26J�adl White has completed his development and has a dangerous passed pawn in the centre. Kasparov went on to win convincingly.
20
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
I would like to extend the discussion about the availability of the d7-square. The presence of the bishop on d7 can interfere with the f6knight's activity as well. The next position is a famous example from the practice of Kasparov's predecessor to the supreme throne.
Karpov Unzicker -
Milan 1 975
and suddenly all Black's pieces are in the right places.) Black is not in time to regroup with 1 9 . . .ic8 (?) followed by ... ttJc(f)d7 because the temporarv lack of communication between his rooks would allow 20.e5 dxe5 2 1 .ixe5 when after 2 1 .. .i.d6 22.ixf6 the capture on g3 would be impossible. As in the previous game, the only chance for retaining a playable position was the immediate ls ... ic8, planning ... ttJd7-e5, ... ttJc5 and ...if8-g7. With the d6-square defended by several black pieces, the central break e5 is not dangerous. Moreover, the immediate 1 9.e5? just loses a pawn to 19 ... dxe5 because 20.ixe5 can be answered by 20 ...i.c5t when White would lose either his e5-bishop or the g3-knight.
19 .ig5! .
We can see now that ... g6 has weakened the f6square, while ... �e8 has blocked the emergency retreat for the king's knight.
19...ie7 A sad necessity. 1 9 ...i.g7 would lose the knight after 20.l"1fl 'lWdS 2 1 .�f3.
20.'lWd2 Black has managed to gain the c5-square for his knight, but has spent two whole tempi on relatively useless moves on the other wing ( ... g6 and ... l"1e8) in the process.
17.f4 exf4 18.hf4 From a strategic point of view, the opening of the f-file is a double-edged decision as it makes the e5-square available to Black's minor pieces. In this specific case the presence of the bishop on d7 makes the quick transfer of either knight to e5 impossible.
The point behind Black's last move is that after 20.�fl he would survive by means of 20 . . .�c5t 2 1 .@h 1 ttJxd5 when the g5-bishop would be hanging.
20...ic8 After a loss of two tempi, this move can hardly help. White's lead in development is too big. 20 . . . ttJc5 would not have helped either because of2 1 .'lWf4 @g7 22.�fl �dS 23.�f2 with the threat of �afl . If 23 ... �f8, defending the f7-pawn in order to enable the knight's retreat, then simply 24.ih6t wins the exchange.
18 .if8?
21.�fl lLld7 22.lLlg4
Black intends to transfer his bishop to g7, but he obviously missed White's next move. His problems of coordination caused by the unavailability of the d7-square would also have made themselves felt after the more consistent l S . . . ttJc5. White could play 1 9. 'lWd4 (PlanQing to submit the f6-knight to strong pressure by means of �fl and �e3. The attempt to take advantage of the lack of defence of the e5-square with 1 9.e5 would fail to 1 9 . . . dxe5 20.�xe5 i.d6!
White has obtained a massive attack against the weakly defended black king. Threats such as ttJh6t or �f2 are impossible to meet in an adequate way. Obviously disgusted with his position, Unzicker decided to call it a day.
...
1-0 In all the examples examined so far, Black has been constantly striving to reroute his as-knight via b7-c5 or c4-b6. The only open question is
The Chigorin Variation - General Aspects
21
whether the knight really stands badly on the edge of the board. The following game will offer some answers.
During his previous planning, Gligoric must have considered this move "impossible". White threatens Wc3 followed by �d2, which would mark the start of endless misery for the knight.
Tal Gligoric Leningrad Interzonal 1 973
25...'Ll xc4
-
25 ...h6 has been recommended, in order to answer26.�xh6 with 26 . . . 'Llxc4. However, after 26.hf6 hf6 27.Wxh6 'Llxc4 28.�d3 'Lla5 29.h4 the weakness of Black's kingside offers White excellent attacking prospects. Although the black knight has avoided immediate "personal" problems, it can hardly contribute to the defence of the king in any way.
26.�d3 'Lla5 27.�xa6 .ic8 28.�a7
Just as a cunoSlty, I will mention that the knight reached a5 through what we could call a reversed process compared to the Chigorin variation. The Breyer system was played (9 ... 'Llb8 1 O.d4 'Ll bd7) and Black's queenside position started resembling that from the Kasparov - Grischuk game, when the knight landed on b6 and the bishop on d7. Gligoric reacted to a4 with ... bxa4 and after White's bxa4 moved his knight to c4 then a5. In doing this, he probably aimed to take advantage of the relative weakness of the c4- and b3-squares, and hoped that the knight would have absolute stability on a5 in the absence of the b-pawns. Generally speaking, the whole plan is quite coherent, but Black's development is not sufficient to justify it concretely. With his queen on c7 and the rook on a8, his position would be entirely viable, but the way it is, he will not be able to get his forces fully coordinated. Tal's next move, which is quite typical of his :endency to solve strategic problems by tactical :neans, came as a shattering blow to Black's dreams.
25.c4!
Black whole queenside is under enemy occupation. The knight is in great danger and restricts the mobility of Black's other pieces. White's immediate threat is Elb8 and l"!xc8.
28...ge7 The only way to survive. After 28 ... 'Ll c4 29.�d3 the knight would not get anywhere.
29.�a8 �c7 Exchanging rooks with 29 . . . l"1b7 30.l"1xb7 'Llxb 7 would not help. White would play 3 1 . ctJd2, threatening 'Llc4 followed by the advance ofthe a pawn, practically forcing the rerum of the knight with 3 1 . ..ctJa5. Play could continue 32.�d3! . (threatening ia6) 32 ... h6. This weakening move is necessary in order to unpin the knight. 33.�e3 ctJd7 Now, 34.ia6 can be met by 34 . . . 'Llb6, but 34.�b5 creates the equally strong threat ofi.xd7.
22
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
Black has to defend his queen with 34 ...if6 but then 3S.!xh6 wins a pawn, maintaining the advantage on the other wing.
30.tiJd2 Threatening 3 U '1bS tLl b7 32.tLlc4 followed by aS-a6.
30 ..c4 .
Black prevents the blockade of his c-pawn, but weakens the g l -a7 diagonal.
31..ie3 tiJd7 32J�b5 tiJb7 33.a5 A familiar picture. The advance of the a-pawn is extremely unpleasant for Black if he has a knight on b7, as we could see in some lines of the game Spassky - Kholmov. Tal won easily. I hope that this series of examples has not been too depressing for the reader. I also believe that becoming acquainted with the worst that can happen will help the reader understand Black's general strategy in the variations examined in the next two chapters. However, I would like to end this chapter with a ray of optimism. The next game will reveal a hidden facet of our main subject. The passive placement of the knight can be compensated by other positional factors, especially if all the pieces are still on the board. If White concentrates all his efforts against the as-knight, he may suffer irreparable damage on other parts of the board, tilting the balance in Black's favour.
The queenside situation looks disastrous for Black. The a5-knight's retreat is cut off by the b7bishop, which cannot regroup to d7 easily because of the rook's presence on c8. However, Black has some attacking chances on the other wing.
19 ...i.d8! An important move. Black clears the seventh rank in view of the queen's transfer to the kingside and prepares the activation of the bishop via b6. It is worth remembering that once the centre is blocked, this bishop often becomes Black's worst piece in the King's Indian, while in this game it will play a decisive part in the final phase of the attack.
20.b3 During our post-mortem analysis, Friso Nijboer called this natural move the "decisive mistake", probably having in mind that White not only loses an important tempo but also weakens the c3-square. The further course of the game supports his point of view to a certain extent, but I would extend the criticism from this specific move (which is probably not so bad in itself) to the fact that White did not resist the hypnotic attraction of the knight placed on the edge of the board. 20.ifl g5 2 1 .tiJd3, exchanging the active cS-knight and preparing the occupation of the c-file, looks like a better plan.
20...g5
Nijboer - Marin
As we can see, the bishop is useful even from the apparently passive dB-square.
Spanish team championship, Sanxenxo 2004
21.i.f1 VfJg7
The Chigorin Variation - General Aspects
22.tLlc2 Consistently playing against the a5-knight, White places his own knight on a rather passive and exposed square. Even here, after having lost a tempo, 22.lLld3 deserved serious attention.
22..J1l�g6! This strong move, ignoring the threat b4 that required so much time from White to be prepared, marks a turning point in the game. Black attacks the e4-pawn (something unthinkable in the previous game) and prepares the advance of the h- and g-pawns.
23.tLld2 Unpleasant but necessary. White has to defend his pawn although this means retreating another developed piece. If23.b4?! lLlxe4 Black's activity would be hard to keep under control. For instance: 24.�d3 (Or 24.bxaS when apart from the simple 24 ...�xaS, Black has 24 ... 0xf2! 25 .'�xf2 l'hc2t when White's poorly coordinated army cannot survive the concentrated attack of Black's pieces and pawns.) 24 . . . lLlc3! 25 .ixg6 (2S .�d2 loses to 25 ... e4) 2S . . . lLlxd l 26.id3 Now the elegant 26 . . . e4! provokes complete chaos in White's territory, for instance 27.l'i:xe4 (27.ixe4 would be answered by 27. . . lLlc3, when the c2-knight would be hanging) 27 . . . lLl c4 with complete domination. Ironically, neither of the forked knights has been eliminated. On the contrary, they feel quite comfortable in White's territory.
23...h5 24..ie2
23
Trying to stop Black's attack at any cost. Once again, 24.b4 would lead to tremendous compensation after 24 ... lLla4 25 .bxaS ixa5 when White's pieces are helplessly massed on the first two ranks, or even 2S ... lLl c3 26.�f3 g4 27.�d3 ha5 with a similar verdict.
24...g4! Black cannot afford to block the kingside.
25.hxg4 hxg4 26.i.xg4 tLld3 After four moves, the Sword of Damocles (consisting of the threat b4) has been removed and Black can carry out his attack under normal circumstances.
27.'11l�f3! ? The best practical chance. Accepting the exchange sacrifice with 27.ixcs would lead to a lethal attack after 27 . . .ixcs. For instance 28.�f3 (the attempt to retain a material advantage with 2S.l'i:fl would lose instantly to 2s . . .ig4 29.lLl f3 ih3) 2S ... lLlxe l 29.lLlxe l ib6. Friso rightly understood that his light-squared bishop is one of the main defenders and should nor to be given away for a rook. With his last move he tries to block the f-pawn, preventing an eventual sacrifice ... f3 which would clear the f4-square for the knight.
27 J3c3! ? .•
Finally, Black occupies the weak c3-square, creating threats from both sides.
28J�fl ?! After this move it is unlikely that White can save the game. 2S.ie6t would also be bad because of 2S . . . �g7, enabling the rook's transfer to the h-file. The best practical chance consisted of 28. �fl !, avoiding the dangerous gl -a7 diagonal, as suggested by Friso the next day.
28 ....ib6 With every move Black brings new forces into the attack. The only piece that does not have realistic prospects of joining its colleagues remains the as-knight. However, we can easily ' notice now that White's efforts to isolate this piece have cost him very dearly: several queenside pieces are just as passive and do not contribute to the defence in any way.
24
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
38.tLlgl is no better because of 38 ... l"lh2-+.
38...�xg2 39.i.el :gh3 40.:gdJ
29.i.f5 �g5 ?! Black could have won instantly with 29 ...Wfg3! which would enable not only the threat . . . tLlxf2 but also the simple ... :1hc2, by defending the c3-rook and the d3-knight in X-ray mode, something not easy to spot during the game.
Simplest. After winning the queen, Black's attack will develop by itself.
White managed to escape his time trouble, and I still had some time to make my last move before the time control. I very much like to consider chess a logical and harmonious game, which made me rather unenthusiastic about the possibility of winning the game with the knight still on a5 . Therefore, I tried to make 40 ... tLl c4 work, but soon understood that it would just prolong the fight in view of 4 1 .tLlg5t. Finally, I resigned myself to the bitter thought that I might never understand the hidden logic of chess, and decided to call it a day by playing the trivial
31.ctJxe1 l"lxfJ 32.ctJxfJ �h5 33.ctJc3 i.c8
40...i.e3!
Exchanging the last possible defender of the h-file.
White's last point of resistance (f3) has been undermined, which caused my opponent's immediate resignation.
30.ctJbl This awkward knight retreat is a desperate attempt to complicate matters in time trouble. 30.Wfh3 would lose to 30 . . . l"lxf5 3 1 .Wfxf5 (or 3 1 .exf5 tLlxf2 and White cannot save his queen) 3 1 . . .Wfxf5 32.exf5 l"lxc2 with a decisive material and positional advantage.
30...ctJe1!
34.hc8 :gxc8 35.i.d2 �f7 36.:gfdl :gh8 37.�f1 �hlt 38.�e2
0-1
Chapter 2
The Rubinstein System
Though the group of systems of development introduced by 9 ... ltJa5 bears Chigorin's name, the first great player who seems to have settled on a coherent middlegame plan and regularly employed it in practice was Akiba Rubinstein. There is a small paradox regarding the place occupied by Rubinstein in opening theory. In his career he invented so many major opening \'ariations (most of them still fashionable nowadays) that it would be simply too monotonous (and confusing) to name all of them after him. Nevertheless, considering the limited part of the chess universe that is covered within this book, I believe that it will do no harm to baptize ,he variation examined in this chapter after its inventor. The first recorded game where Rubinstein -:xperimented with it was
Bernstein - Rubinstein Ostend 1 907 The game took place in the sixth round of a 28�ound marathon, which ended in a shared win �-or. . . Rubinstein and Bernstein! We can see that Rubinstein chose to rehearse his invention in a §:ame of great sporting importance. Mter the :!1uoductory moves
l .e4 e5 2.tLla tLlc6 3.i.b5 a6 4.i..a4 tLlf6
5.0-0 i.e7 6.:Sel b5 7.ib3 d6 8.d 0-0 9.h3 tLla5 1O.i.c2 c5 1l.d4 V!!!c7 12.tLlbd2 Rubinstein retreated his knight with
12 ...tLlc6
By putting additional pressure on the enemy centre, Black invites his opponent to release the tension as soon as possible. Besides, he declares his intention to immediately correct the position of his knight, although the concrete way he will achieve that might seem not entirely clear yet.
13.d5 The most natural reply, which has preserved its relevance up to the present. Apparently, the black knight has no favourable squares at his disposal.
13...tLld8! ?
26
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
Bur of all the possible retreats, this certainly looks like the most awkward! I wonder what Bernstein thought at this stage of the game... It should be said that the seemingly most flexible answer 1 3 ... tt:l bS, with the intention of re-developing to the natural d7-square, has the drawback of denying the bS-square to the rook for just one move, which can lead to problems of coordination after the accurate 1 4.a4.
14.tt:lfl �e8
main ideas behind developing the bishop on e7 is to regroup with . . . tt:l e8, . . . g6 and . . . tt:lg7 in order to prepare ... f5. IfWhite places his bishop on h6 in the Benoni, in order to put indirect pressure on f5 , then the other knight could come to help by means of ... tt:ld7-f6, ... i>hS and ... tt:lgS. Similarly, once the queen's knight is transferred to f7 in the Chigorin Ruy Lopez, the h6-square is taken under control, too. I must confess that some pleasant experimentation with the Old Benoni is one of the indirect factors that recently increased my interest in the Rubinstein system. The following is my favourite game, which, as we shall see as the chapter continues, bears strong similarities with our examined variation:
Moskalenko - Marin Barcelona 2005
l.d4 �f6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e5 4.�c3 d6 5.e4 fie7 6.fid3 �bd7 7.h3 a6 8.�f3 0-0 9.fie3 �h5!
Only this new knight retreat to the back rank casts some light on Black's further intentions. By clearing the way for the f-pawn, he prepares the transfer of the problem knight to f7, while its colleague wiU land on g7. Commenting on a later game in which Rubinstein reached the diagrammed position, Lasker made the following clever remark: "According to Philidor: the pawns in front, the pieces backing them up!" I would add: According to Rubinstein's inclination towards long strategic plans, too. If compared with the King's Indian, we can easily understand that the dark-squared bishop is better placed on e7, by not interfering with the knight's intended regrouping in any way. Digressing a bit, we can also understand the creation of the so-called Czech (or Old) Benoni ( l .d4 tt:lf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e5 4.tt:lc3 d6 5.e4 i.e7) as an intended improved version of the closed variations of the King's Indian. One of Black's
This way of transferring the knight to g7 was enabled by the development of the white light squared bishop to d3. The typical combination 1 0.tt:lxe5 tt:lxe5 1 1 .Wxh5 does not work now because the bishop is hanging. From h5, the knight slows down White's intended kingside attack by means of g4, in view of the knight's j ump to f4.
10.�e2 g6 1l.g4 �g7 12.�g3
The Rubinstein System
White has managed to advance his g-pawn only by transferring his queen's knight to the kingside, which has left the other wing slightly unattended. From the perspective ofour chapter, the situation starts becoming increasingly interesting, because in the Ruy Lopez White frequently adopts an identical kingside set-up. The fact that the queen's knight reaches g3 via ' a different route is completely irrelevant, of course. It should be mentioned that White had no way of keeping both wings under control, because 1 2.a4 would have allowed 1 2 . . .f5.
12...bS 13.b3 l3b8 Now, the queenside situation also strongly resembles that from the Ruy Lopez. In fact, the only significant difference is the placement of Black's queen's knight and its further route to [he kingside. It should be said that Black cannot claim an advantage on the queenside yet, but the gain of space is a relatively safe guarantee that he will not be submitted to pressure on this part of [he board in the near future. This also applies tor the Ruy Lopez, as we shall later have the opportunity to convince ourselves. For the moment, neither side can undertake anything concrete, which explains the slow manoeuvring phase that follows.
14.1t>f1 The king is heading for the only relatively safe zone. After Black's progress on the queenside, -:astling long is out of question, of course.
14...'lWe8 lS.lt>g2 �h8 Not only removing the king from the g-file in \-iew of the planned advance of the f-pawn, but also clearing the gS-square for the knight.
16.'lWe2 Possibly not the best square for the queen. to force me to clarifY the queenside situation, failing to understand that :he threat against the b5-pawn is illusory.
\ -iktor probably hoped
16...i.d8! We are familiar with this move from the game '\ijboer - Marin. Black intends to gradually -:lear the seventh rank in order to enable the
27
transfer of the queen's rook to the other wing if the position opens. Besides, White will have to permanently watch out for the activation of this bishop via a5-c3-d4.
17.i.d2 Not only radically preventing the latter idea behind Black's last move but also preparing the transfer of White's own bishop to a more active position. 1 7.cxb5 axb5 l S.�xb5 would have released the pressure against the f5-square, allowing dangerous counterplay after l S ... f5�.
17... �f6 In order to make the threat .. .f5 real, Black has to open the diagonal the way for his queen's bishop. Even though there is no enemy bishop on h6, gS is still the best square for the knight.
18.Ad From here, the bishop puts some sort of X-ray pressure against the enemy king. In case of the opening of the kingside, Black will have to permanently consider piece sacrifices on e5. During the game, I considered that a logical continuation would be l s.lLlh2 (threatening f4) 1 s ... lLld7! (taking the e5-square under control in order to inhibit White's plan and threatening �h4xg3 to enable f5) 1 9.1Llf3 lLlf6= with a draw by repetition. Apparently, Viktor hoped for more.
18...�g8 Black has completed his regrouping and can look forward with optimism.
19.'lWc2
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
28
White puts additional pressure on the f5square and refrains from concrete action yet. I considered that White's last chance for active play consisted of 1 9.cxb5!? axb5 20.a4 which is a logical consequence of Black's exodus to the kingside. Actually, we shall meet this situation quite frequently in the Ruy Lopez: Black's apparently active queenside chain of pawns can easily become a target for White, as a consequence of his higher mobility in the centre. Simple moves like a4 can be very annoying under certain circumstances.
19... f5! Black decides to start his attack at once, ignoring the bishops' pressure against his kingside. Mter the more cautious 1 9 ... b4 20.i.b2 a5 followed by ... a4, the most probable result would have been a draw, since there is no way for White to prepare the opening of the position by means of f4 without allowing ...f5 in a favourable form.
After removing the rook from its exposed position and preparing to safely defend the seventh rank and the e-file, the threat of capturing on f5 with a positional advantage becomes real. White has to react energetically.
23.lLlxe5! Finally, I could feel that my generally aggressive opponent was in his element, in spite of his severe time trouble. 23...dxe5 24..be5 Vlifl 25.f4 With three pawns for a knight and his strong central domination, White has sufficient compensation. However, the exposed position of his king will enable certain tactical nuances.
25....ih4 Black has to choose the moment of capturing on f5 with care. After 25 ... bxc4 26.bxc4 tLlhxf5 27 ..txf5 ixf5 28.tLlxf5 Wxf5 29.Wxf5 :Sxf5 30.<;!;>f3� followed by <;!;>e4 he can only be worse.
20.exfS gxf5 21.gxf5
26.:!3e3 bxc4
Another continuation that would have led to complications was 2 U 'lael e4 22.lt:Jh5 and now the long awaited rook lift 22 ... :Sb7! followed by Wg6 gives Black the initiative.
Once again, I disliked 26 . . .ixg3 27.:Sxg3 tLlhxf5 28.Lf5 Lf5 29.Wf2!?� because of the permanent pin along the dark diagonal and the weakness of the c5-pawn.
21...lLlh6 22.:!3ae1
27.bxc4 .if6 28.:!3fl
Creating the strong threat of tLlxe5, when the black king and the b8-rook would find themselves on dangerous diagonals, and the black queen on a dangerous file. 22.f6 would just give Black time to regroup, for insrance: 22 ...tLlh5! 23.�7 lLlf4t 24.<;!;>h2 Wd7+
Apparently, Black has just lost a tempo with his bishop manoeuvre, but it will soon become clear that the enemy queens rook has in fact been attracted to an exposed square.
22 gb7 .•.
28 ... lLlhxf5! Now or never. White's pressure was starting to become almost unbearable ...
29.lLlxfS 29.Lf5 ? is worse because of 29 ...i,xf5 30.tLlxf5 Wg6tFF followed by ... Wxf5, winning the piece back without the necessity ofpreviously exchanging on e5. 29 ...ixf5 30..ixf5 .L:e5 31.fxe5 lLlxfS .
32.:!3xfS ? The decisive mistake in time trouble. Correct was 32.Wxf5 Wxf5 (Viktor feared that after 32 .. J'!b2t Black would get attacking chances but after 33. <;!;>g 1 the king enjoys absolute safety) 33.:Sxf5 :Sxf5 34.e6 and, facing the awesome pair of passed pawns, Black has nothing
The Rubinstein System
better than giving a perpetual with 34 ... l"lg7t 35.@h 1 l"lfl t 36.@h2 l"lf2t.
29
the ability to maintain the balance berween the tensions created on both wings.
32...'!Wg6t! Winning a decisive tempo compared to the previous line.
33J:!g3 Now, 33.@h 1 would lead to a mating attack after 33 ... !!xfS, leaving White no time to advance his pawns.
33...'!Wns 34.'!Wns gns 35.e6 gb2t 36.@gl l'!e5 The pawns have been stopped and the white king is still in danger. The rest is easy.
37.Wfl gee2 38.gd3 gee2 39.gdl Wg7 40.d6 B:h2 0-1 Let us draw some general conclusions that will be useful for understanding the similar structure in the Ruy Lopez. In spite of his apparently aggressive kingside set-up, White cannot easily start an attack on this wing. On the contrary, it is mainly Black who can start active operations here. The pawn :,reak .. .f5 requires thorough preparation but is hard to prevent in the long run. However, opening the position on this wing has a double edged character because the central shield of pawns does not offer a 1 00% warranty against \'\'hite's well coordinated minor pieces. The main thing Black should be worried .;.bout on the kingside is a possible pawn break :.\. means of f4, at a moment when his knights .;.re too far from the e5-square. This is an eternal :heme in the Ruy Lopez, but in a slightly different context and its essence needed decades :0 reveal itself completely. On the other wing, the situation is to a certain �xtent reversed. It is Black who apparently has §":ood prospects of developing an initiative here, :'ur in fact his good-looking tandem of pawns �an easily become a target as well lsee White's :nissed opportunity 1 9.cxb5 followed by 20.a4). We can state that the strategic situation is quite complex and requires from hoth players
It is also worth mentioning that the regrouping typical of the Rubinstein Variation had been employed just once before (in a completely different line though) in the following game g!.ayed 8 years before Akiba was born. I guess we shall never know whether the great Pole was aware of this fact.
MaeDonnell - Wisker London match 1 874
l.e4 e5 2.
9...tila5 10.ie3 B:b8 Il.tile2 The knight is heading for g3 via the same roure as in the Old Benoni.
1l...e5 12.c3 '!We7 Of course, Black would have obtained comfortable play by capturing the bishop now or anywhere in the previous phase.
13.i.c2 b4 Obviously premature. Black usually advances his b-pawn only as an answer to a4.
14.i.d2 tile6 15.d4 a5 16.d5 tild8 17.e4 tile8
30
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
Here we are! One cannot help wondering whether it is possible to invent anything really new in chess.
18.g4 g6 19.1Llg3 lLlg7 20.�h6 f6 21.lLlh2 ttlf'7 22.hg7 s!?xg7 23.h4 �d7 24.b3 lLlh6 25.0 gaS 26.gn Wlc8 27.gg2 a4 and Black had a comfortable position which he eventually managed to win. It is time to return to the game Bernstein Rubinstein.
15.a4 This can be considered a sign that White finally understood the depth and soundness of Black's plan. Up to this moment he might have hoped that by the massive concentration of forces on the kingside he would soon obtain a decisive attack. The clumsily placed dS-knight would supposedly complicate Black's defensive task. Then, all of a sudden, Black's play started proving its coherence: the intended regrouping will not only solve the problem of the knight but also put up worthy resistance on the kingside. Hence, the desire to question Black's theoretical superiority on the other wing, before his pawns would become threatening. On the other hand, in spite of the fact that Black temporarily has to give up the control ofthe a-file due to the lack of communication between his rooks, the whole issue is less one-sided than it might seem at this stage of the game.
15...gb8 16.axb5 axb5 17.g4 In view of the transfer of the knight to £7, the direct opening of the kingside position by means of tLl 3h2 and f4 would only weaken the e5-square. Therefore, White puts the f5square under strict observation in order to prevent Black's further expansion on this wing.
17 ... g6 18.lLlg3 lLlg7 19.s!?hl f6 20.gg1 lLlf'7 21.Ae3 �d7
This move marks the completion of development. Remarkably, Black needed only eight moves in order to transform an apparently chaotic position into a harmonious one. It should be mentioned that he was helped by the closed character of the position, which prevented White from launching a direct attack. We can now draw a parallel with the Old Benoni. The placement of the knight on £7 has both advantages and drawbacks. By controlling the e5-square it protects Black against the opening of the kingside by means of f4 without obstructing Black's light-squared bishop as it would on d7, but also makes carrying out the plan based on . . . f5 more difficult by interfering with the action of the f8-rook. Although there is no direct pawn contact on the queens ide, the situation is more or less similar to the Benoni: it is not yet clear whether the black pawns are a strength or a weakness.
The Rubinstein System
31
However, a transposltlon to an almost identical situation as in my game against Moskalenko is still possible if White plays b3 and c4 followed by the transfer of the bishop to the long diagonal, allowing Black play ... tLlh6 followed by .. J5. This is purely hypothetical at this stage of the game, but clearly shows how similar positions can be obtained from completely different openings. In fact, Dorian Rogozenko explained to me that this is not so surprising: "They start the games with the same pieces" he said. Quite correct.
22.tve2 �a8 Once the rooks have been connected, Black can challenge White for control of the a-file. This apparently insignificant diversion will in fact prevent White from building up a kingside attack at his leisure.
23 .!LJd2 .
This is not just a sign that White intends to operate on the queenside. By clearing the d l h5 diagonal, he creates the potential threat of � f5 and if . . . gxf5 then gxf5 followed by Wffg4 0 r Wff h 5. True, this would work only under �ertain circumstances, but given the fact that play takes place on both wings now, Black has ,0 be careful.
23... Wh8 The simplest way to remove the danger in order to be able to concentrate on the queenside ..Jone. By quitting the dangerous g-file, Black o\-ins a crucial tempo in the event of a later ;:' f5.
24.b3 By preventing ... c4, White intends to keep b5-pawn under pressure. However, Black �as sufficient resources to defend it and keep :'ghting for control of the a-file.
:,l.e
24...tvb7 25.id3 �a6 Black's space advantage on the queenside .;Jaws him to win the strategic battle on this ,.-ing by simple means. His position i.., not worse i: all now.
26.�gbl �fa8 and a draw was agreed.
A rather premature finish, as any chess fan would say. A brief glance reveals the fact that, with his minor pieces massed on the kingside, Black could not build on the partial success of conquering the a-file so easily. However, with so many pieces on the board, there certainly was a lot of play left. On the other hand, we should not forget that both player had found themselves on unexplored territory from a relatively early stage of the game. Be that as it may--, here are two games where play continued for a longer while from similar positions.
Alapin - Rubinstein Lodz 1 907/08
32
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
29.'l;Ybl Understandably,
cannot easily carry out such an operation, bur White
prevents
the
infiltration of the enemy queen to a2.
29... ttl dS?!
For once, Rubinstein's "long plan" seems to have been not entirely adequate. The migration of his minor pieces ro the other wing initiated
his b5- and c4-pawns are in some danger. From this perspective, 33 . . . .tc8 looks quite natural, leading to equality and a probable draw after 34.Wixa6 ixa6 35.h4 he3 36.liJxe3 @f8.
30.b3
anticipates
White
the
intentions
of his
by his last move will prove rather pointless.
opponent and prevents . . . c4 followed by . . . liJb7-
There is simply not sufficient space available for
c5. 30.b4 would have been equally good.
manoeuvres on the queenside. Things would change if Black could manage to gain the c5-square for his knights by means of a
30... tiJb7
It was not too late for Black to return to the aforementioned plan with 30 . . . liJf7.
the queenside under favourable circumstances
31.'i'b2 idS 32.tiJd2 ttleS 33.i.fl tiJc7 34.tiJbl \Wa5 35.b4 \Wa6 36.id3 c4 37.i.e2 tiJaS 3S.\Wa3 \Wxa3 39.tiJxa3
by means of 30.b3 cxb3 3 1 .Wixb3 followed by
Black's regrouping hasn't yielded the expected
well-timed . . . c4. However, if played at this stage of the game, 29 . . . c4 would allow White ro open
.td3, liJd2 and (eventually after liJ b l -a3) c4. Another drawback of Rubinstein's plan is that, by giving up the potential threat of opening the
kingside with . . . 5, he will leave White a free hand for manoeuvres.
Black's next strategic aim should be the
results. His pieces are rather standing in each other's way. Meanwhile, White has managed to neutralize the pressure along the a-file and , concentrate his forces around the c4-pawn. The game ended in a draw after ten more uneventful moves. Things could have become livelier if'
exchange or (in the case of refusal by White)
White had decided ro sacrifice a piece on c4 at
activation of the dark-squared bishop. True,
some moment.
this was part of Rubinstein's plan, too, but a more economical way ro achieve it consisted
In the next game, we shall see an opposite
of 29 . . . liJe8 planning . . . if8-h6. For instance,
picture: it will be the unnecessary transfer of
30.b4 c4 This move is not really forced yet,
one of White's knights ro the queenside that will
since the exchange on c5 would free the d6-
cause him trouble.
square for Black's minor pieces as compensation for the deterioration of the pawn structure. We
Thomas Rubinstein
shall have a longer debate about this matter
Baden-Baden 1 925
later in this chapter. For the moment I would like to simplify things in order to follow the main idea. 3 1 .Wib2 White prepares to neutralize Black's pressure along the a-file. Preventing the above mentioned plan by means of Wid would have led to slight problems after . . . Wia2. 3 l . . ..tf8 32.ibl ih6 33.Wia2 An interesting moment. Both sides have offered the exchange they were interested in, but neither of them is interested in improving the opponent's position by carrying them out. In blocked positions, one important possibility is the sacrifice of a piece for two pawns, in order to create a mobile mass of pawns. We can clearly see that Black
-
The Rubinstein System
White has placed his pieces slightly less harmoniously than in the previous games, but he is by no means worse; the margin of equality is wide enough. He apparently connected his hopes with a sacrificial attack along the g-file, but will not be able to carry it out. Such radical operations can succeed only as a consequence of a strong concentration of forces, but part of White's forces will be inevitably distracted to the other wing.
22 .ie3 •
Quite deceptively, the attack would get nowhere after 22.�g2 E1a8 23.E1xa8 (In the case of 23.E1bl the least Black could do is 23 ... �h8 followed by a gradual increase of the queenside pressure.) 23 ... E1xa8 24.ct:lf5 gxf5 25.gxf5 i,f8. If the queenside were closed, White could possibly increase his pressure (for instance by means of ct:lh2-g4). The way it is, Black can harass him with ... E1al , pinning the bishop and eventually threatening to give back part of the material with ... E1xcl if things get too dangerous on the kingside.
22 .1'l:a8 23.\!;lfg2 :1l:xal 24.:1l:xal \!;lfb7 ••
Black has carried out the exchange of one pair of rooks at a slightly earlier stage than in the other games (meaning before placing the queen on b7) in order to reduce White's attacking potential as soon as possible. With his queen far away, White lacks just one tempo to take over the control of the a-file by means of E1a2 and if ... E1a8 then �al .
25.cJ;1h2 :1l:a8 26.\!;lffl :1l:a6
33
27.tLld2 The start of a mistaken regrouping. The simplest way to keep Black's queenside activity under control consisted of 27.b4 when after 27 ... c4 we would reach a familiar pattern.
27 \!;lfa8 28.:1l:xa6 \!;lfxa6 29.tLlb3 ?! •••
This is a significant inaccuracy. White intends to neutralize Black's pressure along the a-file as soon as possible, but employs exaggerated means to achieve his aim. Once transferred to the queenside, the knight cannot rapidly return to the other wing, leaving the king's position without sufficient defenders. 29.�bl followed by b4 would have maintained approximate equality.
29 tLlg5 •••
The lack of defence of the f3-square allows Black to activate his position with gain of tempo before launching the attack.
30.cJ;1g2 Actually, the immediate return of the knight with 30.ct:ld2 would have been a better answer. Things would work out perfectly well for White if Black would play as in the game. For instance 30 ... h5 3 1 .h4 ct:lf7 32.gxh5 gxh5 33.�g2 �f8 34.i,dl f5 35.ct:lxh5 ct:lxh5 36.i,xh5 f4 37.�g6 i,e8 and now the fact that the queen didn't have time to move to c8 or a2 allows 38.i,xc5!. However, the simple 30 ...�a2 (instead of 30 ...h5?!) would give Black comfortable play. If 3 1 .�bl then 3 l . ..�xbl followed by 32 ... h5.
30 h5 31oh4 tLlf7 32.gxh5 gxh5 33.cJ;1h2 •••
White's coordination is far from impressive. The king, which had been used to defend the f3-square, clears the g-file for the queen, in order to create some counterplay.
33 \!;lfc8 •••
The incursion of Her Majesty to the enemy queenside with 33 ...�a2 would have been an equally effective way to prepare .. .f5 as the regrouping to the opposite wing. In case of 34.�b l , the exchange of queens would allow Black to open the kingside without the undesired dose of risk regarding the king's position, while after 34.�g2 �f8 35 .i,cl f5 36.exf5 i,xh4 the queen would keep captive no fewer than three
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
34
minor pieces: quite a satisfactory equivalent to compensate for her absence from the kings ide. Moreover, after . . ..ixg3t followed by . . ..ixf5, White's pieces would be hanging rather badly.
. 34.'\&g2 �f8
We are familiar with this kind of incursion of the bishop from the game Moskalenko - Marin.
37.f6!? Giving up the already doomed pawn diverts the enemy bishop ...
37....ixf6 38.Wif3 i.h4
. . . but not for very long.
39 .ig6 hg3t 40.fxg3 �J5 42.tile4 Wid7 •
4 L.ixf7
�xf7
Black has won a pawn while retaining the better structure. White's attacking chances against the relatively weakened kingside are not too realistic and Rubinstein went on to win a nice technical game.
0-1 Bogoljubow's challenge
35.tild2 This admission of the erroneous character of the previous plan comes slightly too late as White does not have sufficient means to counter Black's plan. For instance, the attack against the relatively weak h5-pawn with 35 ..idl would not inhibit Black from · playing 3 5 . . .f5 (35 . . ..ig4 would be playable but too modest) 36.ltlxh5 ltlxh5 37 ..ixh5 f4 and the strong concentration of forces against the white king is rather annoying. As in certain lines of the King's Indian, the black pawn chain severely restricts White's pieces. Now, the seemingly active 38.'\&g6 does not spoil Black's coordination in view of the calm 38 . . ..ie8 39 ..id2 hh4. For instance, 40.iel ltlg5 4 1 .'&xe8t (if 4 1 ."Mfxd6t �g8 the white queen would remain out of play, while the intrusion of her colleague to h3 will have decisive consequences) 4 1 . . ."Mfxe8 42 ..ixe8 �xe8 43.ltld2 f3 and White is completely paralysed. There is nothing he can do against the transfer of the black king to f4, leading to the gradual elimination of all White's pawns.
35 .£5 36.exfS .hh4 ..
Winning a pawn, but also undermining White's control over the f5- and e4-squares.
One natural question raised by the experience from the previous games is whether the opening of the a-file really favours White. As mentioned above, one of the basic purposes of a4 is to radically prevent a gradual black expansion on the queenside, but is the capture on b5 really necessary? Before giving an answer, I will allow myself a short digression. In the previous games White played in a relatively inoffensive way and Rubinstein did not face any concrete dangers (apart from those that he created for himself against A1apin). The real test for Akiba's variation consisted of several tournament games against Bogoljubow, a strong and enterprising player with a natural talent for attack. Bogoljubow understood perfectly well that, although separated from each other by the blocked centre, the opposite wings could still influence each other, albeit indirectly. Therefore, he did not only try to find optimal kingside regroupings but looked for queenside solutions, too. From one game to another, he constantly aimed to change plans on both wings, in the hope that he would find the "winning combination" of patterns. Anticipating matters rather, I can say he did not manage to achieve this aim, but he did unearth many interesting
The Rubinstein System
35
ideas and posed 'his mighty opponent serious
develops with i.e3 and lMfd2, but for the time
practical problems.
being Black can just make all the other useful
In the following game, he decided to block the queenside completely.
moves and then choose the further plan of action in accordance with the concrete circumstances.
20.ote3 mb8 21.b3 B:g8 22.i.b2
Bogoljubow - Rubinstein
By placing the bishop on the long diagonal,
Breslau 1 925
Bogoljubow
probably
intended
to
inhibit
an eventual opening of the kingside by
13.dS otd8 14.a4
. .
. f5.
However, if Black avoids that, the bishop
The significance of the fact that White plays
stands rather passively on b2, being restricted
this move at an earlier stage than in the previous
by the over-defended e5-pawn. Besides, Black's
games will be revealed a little bit later.
kings ide potential consists of more than just
14
advancing the f-pawn.
..
JrlbS lS.c4!? b4
Black
is best advised to release the tension at
once. White's pieces
are
optimally placed for a
22 .i.f8! ••
It
looks
as
if Rubinstein
had
guessed
fight on the light squares. If allowed to exchange
Bogoljubow's intentions. Once the white bishop
twice on b5 he would place his knight on c4 and
has been developed to b2, the h6-c1 diagonal
the bishop on a4. Later, he could transfer his
remains available for the black bishop.
king's rook to the a-file using the third rank as a
23.M Be? 24.B:g2 .ih6 2S.Be2 .ti4t 26.mbl
line of communication. We can understand now
why it was so important to start the queenside operations before transferring the knight to the other wing.
Apparently, Bogoljubow had not formulated his further plan of action yet. Otherwise he
16.�h2 �e8 17.g4 g6 18.B:gl �f'7
f6
19.�fI
would have played 26.@gl at once.
26. :i!Jf8 .
The regrouping initiated with this move
We shall see that down the years Rubinstein
again reveals Akiba's tendency to overestimate
had refined his treatment of the position, too.
the effectiveness of the concentration of forces
By refraining from the otherwise desirable
regardless of the concrete circumstances, as in
... tLlg7 yet, he leaves the h6-fS diagonal available
the game against Alapin. The simple 26 ... .id7
in view of the possible transfer of his bishop to
followed by . . . tLlg7 and . . . h5 would have offered
h6. This would become impossible if White
Black very promising play.
A Spanish Reperroire for Black
36
27.'it>gl Wh6 28.i.cl .td7 29.'it>fl lLlg7 30.WdJ �bf8 31.�dl Black has reached the apogee of his intended regrouping but cannot make any furrher progress. In the meantime, White has starred to gradually improve his position. Once his king is evacuated, he will be ready for active operations. Rubinstein was wise enough to admit his error in j udgment and immediately starts the reverse process.
31. ..lLle8 32.'it>el Wg7 33..tb2 lLlh6 34.lLlgl We7 35.lLlh3 lLlf7 36..tf3 .th6 37.'it>e2
White intends to increase his pressure with �gl or � h l , then hide his king on a2 and look for a favourable way to open the position. Black cannot afford to wait.
40 . . . e4! when too many white pieces would be hanging, for instance 4 1 .i.xg7t CLlxg7 42.ttlxe7 exd3t followed by . . .�xh3.
39 . hf5 40.WxfS! ..
Very resourcefully played. In the case of the modest 40.gxf5 Black would obtain excellent play with 40 . . . �xg2 4 1 .1i.xg2 1Mfxh4 followed by ... CLlf6 and ... 0g5, with a firm blockade on the dark squares. We can notice the relative uselessness of the b2-bishop.
40...Wxh4
A wise decision. Black refrains from "winning"
the queen with 40 . . . CLlg5 4 1 .hxg5 �xf5 42.gxf5 hg5 which would have led to a very powerful attack for White after 43.�agl h6 44.icl when White's pieces cooperate perfectly. Instead of exposing himself to such dangers, he builds up a reliable fortress on the dark squares, for which the elimination of the h4-pawn is essential.
41.�hl lLlg5 42.<�:lxg5
37...f5!? Now or never! What makes these positions so difficult to play over the board is the fact that the possible consequences of this thematic pawn break must be calculated virtually on every move. White can count on an advantage only if he permanently retains sufficient tactical resources to meet . . . f5 in an efficient way. 38.exfS gxf5 Possibly underestimating White's 40th move, but the alternative looked pretty dangerous for Black: 38 . . . 1Mfxh4 39.fxg6 l:!xg6 40.�hl with strong threats along the h-file.
39.lLlxfS
39.g5 ig7 40.CLlxf5 doesn't work because of
42.. J�xfS! In view of White's 44th move, this might look like a blunder. However, if 42 . . .1Mfxg5 White would avoid the exchange of queens with 43.1Mfd3 leaving Black's pieces exposed to such threats as �cl , �e4 or �gh2.
43.�xh4 hg5 44.l;xh7t 'it>xh7 45 ..te4
White has won a pawn but has not managed to challenge Black's dark square stabiliry. Besides. the position has been considerably simplified. depriving White of further tactical possibilities.
The Rubinstein System
45 ... a5!
37
the same conclusion since one year after the
A last accurate move. Black removes his last pawn from a light square in order to avoid its
previous game, he introduced some significant changes in his general set-up.
loss after a5 and an eventual infiltration of the enemy bishop to cB.
46.�g1 lLlf6 47
\!;lg7 48.J.c1
Bogoljubow - Rubinstein Berlin 1 926
White cannot make any further progress without exchanging this bishop, which has remained rather passive on b2. Carrying out mis operation now will allow the black king replace the bishop in blocking the g-pawn,
(0
First of all, he exchanged on b5 and only after
15.axb5 axb5
provoked the blocking of the position wim
16.c4 b4
but White could not avoid this anyway. For instance, 4B.B:h 1 (aiming to deprive the king of the h6-square) could be met by 4B . . . B:hB 49.B:xhB �xhB when the bishop would lack support on d . White could transfer the king d 1 , but meanwhile Black would activate his
to
king, remaining clear of any danger. 48
..
.,hc1 49.gxc1 \!;lh6 50.gh1 t \!;lg5
Let us draw some parallels with the game against Thomas. White enjoys slightly more space on the queenside, which would allow him to defend against an intrusion to a2 in a very natural way and without the necessity of losing coordination, namely with the bishop on d3 and the queen somewhere on the second rank. White unsuccessfully tried to break Black's
A less obvious aspect relates to the d 1 -a4
fOrtress for 1 6 more moves before agreeing to
diagonal. The placement of the bishop on a4
•
draw . . .
�1j2
would not disturb Black too much since the significance of the eB-square is relatively low with the e-file safely closed. However, this
Decades later, the outstanding Ruy Lopez
diagonal could be successfully used by the king
.specialist Paul Keres stated that White has
in the event of mass simplifications: an aspect
· no real chances for success if he plays on just
that Black must always guard against. At the
GIle wing. If this is true (and I tend to trust
present stage of the game this might sound like
Xeres) then White's plan in the previous game
pure fiction, but it is precisely what will happen
. of completely blocking the queenside is slightly
questionable. Bogoljubow must have come to
•
some 40 moves later.
17.lLlfl lLle8 18.g4 g6 19.J.h6
•
3B
•
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
Bogoljubow intends to place his fl-knight on e3 as in the previous game, but the problem of the dark-squared bishop is not easy to solve. Placing it on h6 and cutting off its retreat with ctJe3 means giving up the bishop pair. Since the d 1 -a4 diagonal is meant to be left open, the development of the bishop to b2 is impossible. The only reasonable alternative is 1 9 .ctJg3 leaving the e3-square available for the bishop. However, Black is not without chances here, too. A logical continuation is 1 9 .. .f6 20.'it>h2 'it>hB 2 LE1g1 ctJf7 22 ..ie3 ctJg7. Now that White has defined his intentions regarding his bishop, the plan based on . . ..ifB-h6 does not look realistic anymore and Black should just connect rooks as soon as possible. 23.Wd2 .id7 Both sides have completed their development and White finds himself at a crossroads.
The pressure exerted by the a2-rook prevents White from concentrating all his efforts on the kingside.
19... ttlg7 20.ttle3 f6 21.@g2 ttlf7 22..ixg7 'it>xg7 23.ttld2
This is the position White had been aiming for.
Generally speaking, his strategy is quite coherent: after giving up the dark-squared bishop for a knight he has placed his remaining minor pieces in such a way that they control
24.b3 (This looks like a concession but after 24.E1g2 Black can get counterplay with 24 . . .b3 25 ..id3 E1aB. For instance, 26.E1b1 E1fbB 27.Wc3 Wa5 2B ..id2 .idB with a harmonious arrangement of the black forces.) 24 ... E1aB It is useful to play this move before White gets his king's rook to g2, clearing the gl -square for the other rook. 25.E1afl (Black would also win the battle for the a-file in the case of a neutral answer such as 25 ..id3, by means of 25 .. J::! a 3!) 25 ... E1gB 26.E1g2 WeB 27.E1fg1 E1a2 Black has achieved a very rational distribution of forces and has every chance of holding the balance.
several light squares. there are certain concrete However, circumstances that cast some doubt on White's concept. First of all, the c4-square, on which both knights concentrate their action, is occupied by White's own pawn. Had the pawn been placed on c3, White would have had a significant advantage on the queenside, bur the way it is, the control of the b3- and a4squares is not so important yet. This is also a consequence of the fact that Black's pawn chain offers him an entirely adequate defence against minor piece pressure on this part of the board. If, for instance, the d6-pawn were missing, the pressure exerted by a knight placed on b3 on the c5-pawn could be quite unpleasant. On the other wing, White's position is also not without drawbacks. The most obvious of these is the weakness of the f4-square: a direct consequence of White's previous play.
The Rubinstein System
All these aspects make the position rather complicated from a strategic point of view and quite difficult to assess.
23 J�h8 ••
From the previous discussion, the only question that seems to remain open is whether Black can effectively occupy the f4-square or take advantage of its weakness in some other way. Rubinstein decided to open the h-file in order to take over the control of the h3-square and enable the spectacular transfer of the knight to f4. However, the long-term consequences of these operations are far from clear as we shall see. Although from an aesthetic point of view it might seem that the knight is the best suited piece to occupy the f4-square, there are strong arguments for the bishop's activation, too. Opening a file on the wing where one's own king is located can be a double-edged decision. It is generally better to choose an alternate plan if one is available. Secondly, it is the bishop that truly needs a change, since on e7 it does absolutely nothing and risks becoming a typical "bad bishop" in the case of simplifications. On the other hand, the knight (which, by the way, has consumed five of Black's tempi already) is relatively well placed. It can either drive the enemy bishop back if it infiltrates to c6 or jump to g5 to support its own bishop if it reaches f4. Moreover, it keeps the e5-square under control, inhibiting the opening of the position with f4 or an eventual exchange on f4. All these aspects strongly suggest that a plan of regrouping initiated by 23 . . .c;!?hS is safer (rom a general point of view, but can lead to equally sharp positions after, for instance, 24.lLldfl (White needs to increase his pressure against the f5-square. After the straightforward 24.�a4 l"lgS 25 .�c6 Black would get strong counterplay with 25 ... f5.) 24 . . . l"lgS 25.lLlg3 �f8 26.�a4 �h6. White has problems keeping the kingside under control. The immediate threat is . ... �e3 followed by . . . f5 . White needs to spend a tempo with 27.'lWd3 to prevent this, when a race between the plans on opposite wings could
39
start. For instance, 27....if4 2S. .ic6 lLlh6 29.l"la4 'lWg7 (such a rapid and effective regrouping has been made possible by the fact that the dark squared bishop has cleared the seventh rank) 30.l"leal f5 3 1 .l"la7 (the immediate capture of the pawn with 3 1 .exf5 gxf5 32.lLlexf5 leaves White in deadly pins after 32 ...'lWg6!) 3 L..'lWf6 32.l"lc7 (now the f5-square is under sufficient control by Black and 32.exf5 gxf5 would only open the g-file for Black's attack) 32 ... fxg4 33.l"laa7 (We can see that the description of 23 . . . c;!?hS as "safer" is relative. The immediate doubling of rooks is stronger than 33.hxg4 lLlxg4 34.lLlxg4 Lg4 35.l"laa7 when Black has the simple defence 35 ...'lWh4. In the case of the exchanges on h7, Black would soon double rooks on the f-file with some initiative.) 33 . . .gxh3t 34.�hl Black cannot parry the threat against the h7-pawn, but it appears that he can live with that, since other important squares along the seventh rank are well defended. 34 ...l"lfS 35.l"lxh7t �gS 36.lLlef5!? The only way to maintain the initiative. Otherwise, White's pieces would remain hanging. 36 ... lLl f7 (only not 36 ... gxf5? because of37.lLlh5 followed by l"lag7t) 37.l"lg7t �hS 3S.i.eS! A strong move, bringing this bishop from its offside position into play and proving that White has not exhausted his resources yet. 3S . . .�xf5 Not the only possible answer, but the most logical one: Black attacks the intruding bishop and aims to bring his queen's rook into play. 39.l"lgxf7 l"lxf7 40.l"lxf7 'lWg5 41 .exf5 l"lxeS 42.fxgG 'lWg4 It is a sharp position, where Black's chances are not worse.
24.{)dfl h5
Just in time, before White takes the h5-square under control with lLlg3.
25.{)g3 hxg4 The opening of the h-file is more ambitious than 25 ...h4 which would have been equivalent to starting a cheerless fight for a draw. After 26.lLle2 Black would have serious problems of coordination. If . . .i.d7 in order to connect rooks, then the exchange of the light-squared bishops with �a4 would make the opening of the kingside by means of f4 quite unpleasant,
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
40
since . . . exf4 would allow White to transfer his knight to e6.
26.hxg4 c!LJg5 27.i.a4
White hurries to make use of his main trump. 27.:Elhl would only delay but not prevent the knight's manoeuvre in view of 27. . . :Elxhl 28.lMfxh l .id7 29.i.a4 :Elh8 30.lMfd l . This situation would be even more advantageous for Black than in the game because he could preserve his bishop from exchange with 30 . . . ic8 without obstructing the communication between his rooks.
27 c!LJh3 28.i.c6 c!LJf4t 29. <j;lf3 •••
pawn on c6 (by refusing to take on d7) in order to get the d5-square for his e3-knight. Black can hardly do the same with his knight since there is no piece that can make effective use of the e5square after CLlxf4 exf4. The significance of the control of the open files is strictly related to the aspects revealed in the previous paragraphs. It might seem that Black cannot fight for the a-file unless he trades the light-squared bishops, while the influence of the f4-knight over the h-file is practically nonexistent. These aspects strongly suggest that the modifications of the position induced by both sides' manoeuvres over the past few moves tend to favour White, but the plan initiated by Black's next move introduces new elements. •
29 J�b6! ••
Both sides have been consistently carrying out their partial plans. They each control one of the open files and have each installed a minor piece on an advanced outpost. However, their achievements are not entirely equivalent. The stability of the far advanced minor pieces is only relative, but we can notice certain nuances of difference. The exchange of the c6-bishop by means of . . . �d7 favours White from a strategic point of view, because of the number of black pawns blocked on dark squares. In contrast, an eventual exchange of the f4knight by means of CLle2 or CLlg2 has a "neutral" character and cannot in any way be considered a strategic concession from White's point of view. In certain cases, White can even sacrifice a •
Rubinstein decides to neutralize White's pressure along the a-file by side-stepping the enemy b ishop. The drawback of this plan is that Black loses all coordination between his rooks, thus allowing White to take control of the other open file, situated in the immediate neighbourhood of the kings. This will lead to very complicated play, the consequences of which are quite hard to evaluate. It should be mentioned that the main alternative, 29 . . . i.d7, does not offer Black easy play after 30.1Mfa4 (More ambitious than 30.ixd7 lMfxd7 3 1 .1Mfa4 lMfxa4 32.l"1xa4 l':!.a8 33.l"1eal when after 33 . . .l"1xa4 34.:Elxa4 st>f7 35.:Ela7 :1l:h2 Black has chances to resist in view of the closed character of the position and the activity of his rook, which makes the exchange of the f4-knight quite difficult.) Now, Black should refrain from 30 . . . l"1a8? 3 1 .1Mfxa8! l"1xa8 32.l"1xa8 �xc6 33.dxc6 1Mfxc6 34.!!eal with an indisputable advantage for White. Instead of 30 . . . :Ela8, Black should defend his bishop with 30 . . . l"1hd8 but this clearly shows that the initiative is all White's.
30.:Elhl :Elxhl 31.Wixhl ga6 32.gg1
White gladly abandons the a-file for the sake of concentrating his forces on the kingside.
32 <j;lg8 •••
The Rubinstein System
Black had no time for starting his queenside counterplay with 32 ... l"la2? due to 33.CLlgf5t! �g8 34.�h2 with dangerous threats.
33.'lWh2
33.CLlgf5 would be slightly premature because of the calm 33 . . .i.f8 when Black seems to be able to survive, partly because of the fact that the g6-square is safely defended and the seventh rank enables quick communication between wmgs. •
33 .if8 34.ghl Wgl 35 .ie8 .••
•
This move is familiar to us from the long variation given in the comment to Black's 23rd move. After fulfilling its partial job on the queenside, the bishop has remained slightly out of play and needed to find new horizons. By denying the f7-square to the enemy king, White creates the dangerous threat of CLlgf5.
35 J3al ..
Anticipating White's aggressive intentions, Black prepares to transfer the rook to the kingside along the seventh rank. The more active 35 . . . l"la2 was also playable, for instance 36.CLlgfS gxfS 37.gxf5 �h6. Now, White can repeat moves with 38.�g l t �g7 39.�h2 or play on with 38.�xh6 i.xh6 39.l"lxh6 when 39 ... @g7OO followed by ... l"lxb2 offers Black soong queenside counterplay. We can see here one possible drawback of White's queenside suategy: the loss of the b2-pawn will create a 'Rry dangerous black passed pawn.
36.tLle2
41
Finally, White decides to exchange Black's most active piece. 36.CLlgfS gxf5 37.gxf5 would not work so well now because of 37... l"le7 when the bishop retreat would open an escape for His Majesty while after 38.l"lgl l"lxe8 Black gets too much material for his queen.
36.. .!!e7?!
Rubinstein had probably invested a considerable amount of time in evaluating the consequences of the previous line, where placing the rook on this square was a key defensive resource. When his opponent switched to a more neutral continuation, he might have answered under the influence of some sort of mental inertia. Once the knights are exchanged, Black's main trump will be the a-file and he should have made use of it by means of 36 . . . CLlxe2 37.@xe2 l"la2 when after 38.l"lb 1 Black could neutralize White's pressure on the other wing with 38 . . .�h7, retaining a strategically favourable position because of his pair of bishops and the more flexible structure. We can conclude now that Rubinstein's plan initiated by 30 . . . l"lb6 was entirely viable and that Black has sufficient resources to deal with the balance between the significance of the open files on opposite extremes of the board.
3l..ib5 tLlxe2 38.�xe2 gal 39.�d3!±
The difference! The previously imprisoned king is very active now, allowing White to defend his b2-pawn without losing control of the h-file.
•
42
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
In the game, White exchanged all the major pieces after a long manoeuvring phase and infiltrated with his king via b3-a4. Rubinstein's position looked critical, but he managed to . survive in a study-like manner.
Ij2_112
The Rauzer variation In spite of the fact that Rubinstein disappeared forever from the international chess arena in the early '30s, the impression created by his games seems to have been so strong that theoreticians took the viability of Black's position after 1 3.d5 4J d8 as a fact, and started looking for something else for White. Fairly soon, the exchange
13.dxc5 dxc5
became increasingly popular. The paternity of the plan is attributed to Rauzer, who successfully employed it in a game (against Riumin in 1 936) where Black played . . . ttJa5 before castling, thus allowing White to save a valuable tempo by refraining from the prophylactic move h3.
One natural question is whether this way of releasing the tension in the centre is not just a significant concession. Absolved of the task of finding a favourable location for his queen's knight, Black seems to enjoy easy development with hopes for a comfortable middlegame. However, a deeper investigation of the position reveals White's less obvious trumps.
First of all, there is the chtonic weakness of the d5-square, which could soon become relevant after the predictable transfer of the white queen's knight to e3. It is also true that Black seems to have sufficient means to control this square in order to prevent the instalment of an "eternal" knight here. However, an eventual exchange on this square ( . . . 4Jxd5 exd5) could cause him significant discomfort, because all of a sudden the problems regarding the queen's knight would rerurn, not to mention the fact that the e5-pawn would be in danger. Another essential aspect is related to the queenside structure. We are accustomed to the fact that a well-timed pawn break by means of a4 could cause Black real problems. Here, in conjunction with Vfffe2, it would leave the b5pawn vulnerable. Black's natural reaction is . . . c4, but this reveals another drawback of the knight's placement on c6: it is just too far from the optimal c5-square, from where it would ensure the safety of the entire queenside, partly by controlling the b3- and d3-squares. This allows White to develop his initiative with b3, putting the c4- or b5-pawns in immediate danger. Another possible plan consists of preparing a kingside attack with 4J h2, Vffff3 and 4J g4. This would also eliminate one of the main defenders: either the f6-knight or the light-squared bishop. In principle, this is all White needs to retain chances for an advantage: threats against two or three different squares or areas. We can conclude that Rauzer's plan is a more refined way than 1 3.d5 of challenging the viability of the knight's placement on c6. This explains why the theoretical debate on 1 3.dxc5 lasted considerably longer than the first wave of discussion on the positions with a blocked centre, and involved even more famous names. It should be mentioned that White's possibility of combining two different plans can also be confusing for White regarding the choice of the most efficient move order. In the following game an expert on this system with both colours failed to deal optimally with this delicate matter.
The Rubinstein System
Smyslov Lilienthal -
Soviet Absolute Championship, Moscow 1 94 1
Leningrad/
1 4.a4
In spite of the fact that 14.CLlfl has proven more dangerous in practice, we cannot call Smyslov's move inaccurate. Only his whole approach during the next few moves should be criticized. From all the elements composing his general plan he allocated the lowest priority to the most important manoeuvre, the transfer of the knight to e3. There are a couple of reasons that make CLl fl e3 essential in my view. First of all, it continues development in the classical meaning of this word. I refrained from criticizing 1 4.a4 because it actually contributes to development, by opening me a-file for the rook, but the same cannot be said for [he subsequent moves. Secondly, the presence of the knight on e3 fits well in several possible plans, allowing White to adopt a flexible strategy. The knight could move to either f5 or d5 and would certainly be an excellent complement to the aforementioned manoeuvre CLl h2-g4.
14 ..i.b7 .
This move also shows that the research process
in [his line was at an early stage. 1 4 . . .i.e6 is
better, because it keeps several important squares (f5 , d5, b3) under control. Lilienthal probably feared that the bishop would be harassed by the enemy knight with CLlg5, but we shall see later in the chapter that such an incursion is inoffensive.
tS.CLlh2
It was not too late for White to return to
the correct path with 1 5. CLl fl when the lack of defence of the f5-square could cause Black problems. lS .
.
J':Ead8 16.�f3
An ambitious move, but e2 might have been
bener square for the queen, in view of the comment on White's 1 8th move.
a
16
. .
. c4
With the exception ofhis 1 4th move, Lilienthal handles the position very accurately. After
43
completing the first phase of mobilization, he makes the necessary preparations for adjusting the queen knight's placement by clearing the c5-square.
17.axb5 axb5
18.tLJdfl Up to this point, Smyslov might have hoped that by leaving the knight on d2 he would inhibit anyqueenside pawn action from Black. However, it turns out that the thematic 1 8.b3 cxb3 does not offer White much, precisely because of his previous premature commitments. For instance, 1 9.CLlxb3 can be answered in several ways: 1 9 ... CLlb4 would take advantage of the fact that the queen has left the c2-bishop undefended too early, while 1 9 . . .b4 underlines the lack of defence of the d4-square as a consequence of the knight's retreat to h2. Finally, 1 9 ... CLld4!? makes use of both these aspects. Similarly, 1 9.hb3 can be met by the simple 1 9 . . . CLla5 (since the b5-pawn is not attacked by the white queen) or 1 9 . . .b4.
18 ... tLJa5
Black rightly refrains from a further pawn advance. As pointed out by Borvinnik 1 8 . . . b4 19.CLle3 b3 20.i.b l (this self-imprisonment of the bishop is better than the more cautious 2o.id1 when after 20 ... CLla5 2 1 .CLl f5 :gd3! Black gets adequate counterplay in view of the weakness of the e4-pawn) 20 . . . CLl a5 2 1 .CLl f5 can only lead to problems for Black. White's kingside
44
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
pressure compensates for the passivity of the b 1 bishop (which fulfils important defensive tasks) while the a5-knight does not have much hope of reaching a decent square soon. •
19.1ilg3
Giving up the plan of invading the d5-square looks like an admission ofthe erroneous character of the previous play, but 19.'Lle3 would also have offered no chances for an advantage. After 1 9 . . . 'Llb3! 20.hb3 the intermediate 20 ...he4 removes a crucial pawn. White's only way to avoid a simply worse position is 2 1 .'lWg3 but then Black could force a draw with 2 1 . ..'Llh5 (the idea behind the queens placement on g3 becomes clear after 2 1 .. .cxb3 22.'Llhg4 which allows White to hold the balance by setting up some kingside pressure) 22.'lWg4 'Llf6 23.'lWg5 h6 24.'lWg3 'Llh5 and the queen cannot escape the perpetual pursuit.
19....ic8 Now that the knight only threatens to jump to f5, Black can defend by relatively simple means. The bishop's retreat also clears the b7square for the knight.
20.J.e3 lilb7 21.lilfS The invasion along the a-file with 2 1 .l"ia7 does not offer White much because of 2 1 .. .ic5 (Botvinnik). It should be mentioned that the exchange of the dark-squared bishops favours Black from a strategic point of view, because it would offer him increased stability for his knights on f6 and c5.
2 l ...,ixf5
22.Wfxf5 Botvinnik wrote that 22.exf5 would be more in the spirit of the Rauzer variation, activating the light-squared bishop and the e l -rook. From a general point of view, the Patriarch was perfectly right and we shall see later in our investigation of this system that the knight's move to f5 followed by capturing with the pawn will become a major theme. However, in this position Black does not face any big problems because he is well prepared to start the fight for the e4- and d3-squares with 22 . . . 'Llc5. For instance, 23.'Llg4 (undermining Black's control over the e4-square and preventing the advance of the e-pawn, which would add force to the invasion of the d3-square) 23 . . . 'Lld3 24.hd3 (White cannot tolerate this knight; besides the simple threat against the b2-pawn it puts pressure on the f2-square in view of the exchange on g4 followed by . . .ic5.) 24 . . . cxd3 25.l"ia7 'lWd6 26.l"idl l"ife8!? (threatening to connect his central pawns with ...e4) 27.'Llxf6t ixf6 28.'lWe4 (White should not neglect the e4-square. In case of the pseudo-active 28.'lWb7 Black can react with 28 . . .'lWd5 when after 29.'lWxd5 l"ixd5 30.f3 h5 3 1 .@f2 e4 White has problems stabilizing the position. For instance: 32.fxe4 l"ixe4 33.cj;>f3 l"ie8 34.g4 d2!) 28 ...'lWd5 29.f3 'lWc4. Neither side can afford to carry out the exchange of queens, which makes the position approximately equal. We can conclude that 22.exf5 would not have offered White an advantage. The idea behind Smyslov's last move is revealed in the next comment.
22 .ic5 ..•
The difference consists of the fact that the generally desirable 22 . . . 'Llc5 could now be answered by 23.'Llf3 'Llfd7 24.l"iedl + with pressure.
23.lilfl
Smyslov probably feared that the pressure against the f2-square would be too dangerous if he preserved the bishop from exchange. He decided to simply live with this strategically
The Rubinstein System
I
unfavourable exchange, hoping to compensate by dynamic means the static drawbacks of his position. Botvinnik gives the following variation: 23.i.g5 ggd6 24.�xe5? (24.b4, aiming to restrict the enemy pieces or else improve his own bishop, is better but after 24 . . . cxb3 25.i.xb3 ib6 followed by . . . lDc5 Black has a comfortable position.) 24 . . .hf2t! The bishop is taboo in view of the discovered attack . . . GGd2t, while otherwise the white king's position is completely destroyed. After the move played in the game, neither side is interested in releasing the tension between the bishops because this would allow the activation of an enemy knight. 23
..
JUe8
45
After clearing the c5-square, Black is just one step (. . . lDc5) away from his optimal regrouping. Once he achieves that, he could count on a stable advantage in view of White's passive bishop. However, this last step is not easy to make because of the permanent threat of�c8t when the forced . . .�fB leaves the b5-pawn defenceless after �c6. Also, the queen is not easy to drive away from f5 with . . . g6 because the f6-knight would be undefended.
30.b3?!
•
24Jledl Smyslov probably hoped that his control of both open lines combined with the pressure against the e5-pawn would offer him active play. However, with his next series ofmoves Lilienthal will manage to remove most of the dynamic e lements remaining in the position, although t his will involve a temporary worsening of his p ieee placement.
J�xdl 25.EExdl EEd8 26.EExd8t lDxd8 27.1xc5 24
..
The best moment to carry out this exchange, since recapturing with the knight is impossible now.
27..
�xc5 28.lDe3 lDe6 29.g3 �d6 .
.
This pawn break allows Black to complete his regrouping without further preparations. White should have adopted a neutral strategy, inviting his opponent to demonstrate a coherent plan. It should be said that 30. mg2?! is not the best waiting move because it allows 30 . . . g6! since the knight would be taboo because of the check on f4. Therefore, something like 30.h4 makes more sense. Now, 30 ... m fB planning . . . m e? followed by . . . g6 and . . . ltk5 looks like Black's most consistent plan. White could react with 3 1 .b3, aiming to take advantage of the temporarily placement uncomfortable of the king (3 l . ..cxb3 32.Lb3 lLlc5 is met by 33.�c8t with greater effect than in the game) . Now, the queen incursion 3 1 . ..�a3 leads to interesting ' play after 32.�xe5 (32.bxc4? is refuted by the slightly amusing 32 ... �xc3 with the simple threat . . .b4, when 33.cxb5? unexpectedly clears the c-file, leaving the c8-square protected by the black queen and allowing the win of a
46
A Spanish Reperroire for Black
piece with 33 ... ltJd4 since the pin 34:�xe5 just makes things worse after 34 ... ltJ f3t) 32 ... cxb3 33.iWb8t ltJe8 34.i.d3 b2 35 .iWxb5 iWxc3 .Black's passed pawn is compensated for by White's strong centralization. Possibly Black could do even better than that by playing a waiting move himself, 30 ... h6, when White would have problems finding the next neutral move. 3 1 . cj;lfl or 3 1 .cj;lh2 both worsen the position of the king when Black could proceed with 3 1 . .. cj;lf8, while 3 1 .h5 simply weakens the h-pawn.
30...cxb3 30 ...iWa3!? was still possible, but Lilienthal's simpler continuation prevents any counterplay.
31.hb3 ttlc5 32 ..id5 The difference is that after 32.iWc8t? iWf8 the bishop is hanging, which forces White to exchange queens (the last remaining dynamic element) leading to an inferior ending.
32...g6 33.%Vc8t 'i!lg7 34.%Va8 %Vc7 White has managed to defend the e4-pawn by keeping his pieces on seemingly active squares. However, his king is left almost without defenders, while Black's coordination is obviously better.
III
view of the threat ...iWd4 the e4-pawn is doomed. The approach of the king does not help because after 38.cj;lg2 iWd4 39.cj;lf3 ltJ b 1 (threatening . . .ltJd2t) 40. cj;le2 Black can push His Majesty back with 40 ... iWb2t 4 1 .cj;lf3 ltJd2t 42.cj;lg2 and then renew the threat with 42 ...iWd4.
35...ttla4 36.c4 ttlb6 37.%Va2 bxc4 38.hc4 ttlxe4 Black's superior strategy has been crowned by a minimal material gain. Smyslov managed to hold a draw after 87 (!) more moves, but this is beyond our scope. •••
1/Z-1f2
Theoretical discussions at the highest level Sixteen years later, Smyslov had the opportunity to test the variation at the highest possible level, namely in his second match against Botvinnik. The psychological situation was quite interesting, because in his notes to the previous game the Patriarch had called White's set-up "inoffensive".
Smyslov - Botvinnik World Championship ( 1 0) , Moscow 1 957 In the interim theory had advanced and so had Smyslov's understanding of the position. He improved upon his older game with:
14.ttlfl
35.�g2 This natural move loses a pawn, but 35.i.c6, given by Botvinnik as sufficient for equality, does not save White from difficulties after 35 ... ltJ a4 36.i.xb5 ltJxc3 37.i.c6 iWb6 and
The Rubinstein System
Botvinnik also had a good feeling for where his pieces should be developed and answered
with: 14....1e6
47
Smyslov - Botviooik World Championship (16), Moscow 1 957
After the natural sequence
15.lLJe3 :!'ladS 16.Be2
he found himselfat a crossroads again. White's main threats are lLlg5 and lLlf5. Botvinnik apparently decided that the latter was more unpleasant and prevented it with 16...g6 However, after
. 17.1LJg5 .ic8
White gradually put pressure on three different areas of the board starting with 1 8. a4 and obtained quite a good position after 18
.
. J!�'b7
The game continued with
Black has to choose this slightly uncomfortable way of defending the b5-pawn. If 1 8 ... c4 19.axb5 axb5 20.b3 lLla5 2 1 .bxc4 bxc4 22..i.a3± Black's position would lack coordination.
19.axb5 nb5 2O.M .id6 2l,c�d5 �h5 22.lLJa f6 23.Ah6 :!'lO 24.:!'lcdl Ag4 25.'9'e3 Jtlg7 26.:!'ld2 �e8 27.�h2 .leG 28.Bg3 mhS 29.:!'ladU;
However, he treated the next part of the game less accurately and allowed Botvinnik to hold the draw with purposeful play. •••
Ih_l/2
Obviously dissatisfied with the outcome of the opening, Botvinnik switched to the strange looking
15.�M g6 16.Ah6 :!'ldS 17.Ba lLle8 lS.lLle3 f6 19.�d5 Btl We can more or less grasp Botvinnik's idea. In spite of White's obvious initiative, Black has managed to avoid immediate inconvenience. After having consolidated the e5-pawn, he is ready to exchange the d5-knight with ...ttJe7xd5 (possibly after the preliminary .. J!b8 in order to prevent ttJb6) without fearing the newly created white passed pawn. The temporary passivity of the other white knight would supposedly prevent White from developing his initiative. However, Smyslov found an effective practical solution. He gained the bishop pair with
20.�b6 :!'lbS 21.�xcB :!'lbxc8
in the 1 6th game. Black's main idea is to allow
which is a palpable and long-term form of advantage, and then started the other knight's transfer to e3 by means of
d5, and regroup in such a way that he can live with it. However, the move is an obvious deviation from the natural course of development and there is l ittle wonder that Black soon found himself facing problems.
Again, it can be felt that Black has problems keeping both wings and the d5-square defended at the same time.
14.
.
..1d6
the intrusion of the enemy knight
to
22.g3 Am 23.i.e3 mhS 24.lLlg2 lLlc7 25.:!'ladl :!'lxd1 26.:!'lxdl :!'ldS 27.:!'lxdS lLlxdS 2S.a4 Be6 29.axb5 axb5 30.M c;t.g7 31.h5
31...g5 This is a radical attempt to prevent dangerous kingside threats, but also a positional concession as it weakens the fS-square.
48
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
32.i.cl lLlb7 33.lLle3 lLld6 34.lLlfSt lLlxf5 35.exf5 �d5 36.i.e4 �d6 37.J.e3 White has achieved a perfect regrouping and has a clear advantage in the endgame. Once again, Botvinnik managed to save the game but he did not employ this variation again during the rest of the match.
This illustrates the difficulties faced by Black in his attempt to combine harmonious development with handling specific elements such as the weakness of the d5-square and of his entire queenside structure or the exposed position of the bishop on e6.
Kholmov's discovery It took almost a decade until a brilliant answer was provided in the following famous game.
What would be even more interesting to know is the whole process of Kholmov's thinking before coming up with his next move. Unfortunately, this is impossible to achieve, but I shall try to suggest a plausible scenario. The main drawback of Botvinnik's 1 6 . . .g6 and 14 . . .id6 was that they did not contribute to the general strengthening of his own position. They were instead dictated by concrete short-term "fears", let's call them, caused by the enemy's threats.
What if we j ust close our eyes and ask ourselves what is the strategically most desirable continuation? After having seen the previous games, it is not hard to come up with
16...c4!
Havana 1 965
which clears the c5-square for the pieces, consolidates the queenside and... but let's not anticipate. For the moment, the main problem remains finding an adequate answer to the obvious
Kholmov does not give us details about how his novelty was born, whether it was over-the-board inspiration or as a result of thorough home preparation. I am more inclined to believe that the latter is true, because his much younger but already very strong opponent was a firm adherent of the exchange on c5 (irrespective of Black's set-up) and had previously obtained a few convincing victories in this very line.
If the bishop retreats, 1 8.tLlf5 would be strong, when 1 8 . . .Lf5 would not only lose time but also clears the e4-square for the g5knight. 1 8.tLld5 also deserves consideration, because the knight is taboo in view of the x ray pressure against the h7-square. However, it is still an open question whether White can consolidate the knight on d5 after a calm queen retreat.
Fischer - Kholmov
17.lLlg5
49
The Rubinstein System
The next move must have come as a bolt from me blue for Fischer.
17...h6!!
This is very deep, high-class strategy! Not only does Black not prevent the exchange that looks so "ugly" for him, but he spends a tempo provoking it!
18.ttlxe6 £x:e6
give the position a closed character in which, hopefully, his slight delay in development would lose relevance. This looks correct because Black cannot capture on b3 in view of the radical activation ofWhite's light-squared bishop, when the kingside weaknesses would become very relevant. However, the future world champion missed one hidden detail, which has not been mentioned so far...
19 ttld4! •..
The time has come to evaluate me consequences of Black's unexpected plan. White has invested a considerable amount of t ime (6 moves to be more precise) in knight moves, hoping to put Black's kingside and centre under serious pressure. From the point of view of strict development, all mis effort has been almost in vain because one of the knights has been exchanged while the other's activity has been strongly restricted by the e6-pawn. In the meantime, Black has activated his position move by move. For instance, his last move has opened the f-file for the king's rook, which in conjunction wim a further ...�c5 can lead to unpleasant pressure against the f2-square. At me same time, the weakness of the light squares induced by me recent exchange of pieces is not so relevant because me c2-bishop is restricted by bom sides' pawns. Fischer's next move is a logical reaction if we take all mese aspects into account.
19.M?
'White takes the c5-square under control, aiming to restrict Black's minor pieces and
The brilliant crowning of Black's superior strategy. The move itself is not so difficult to see, of course, but the abstract concept is remarkable. It appears that the "problem knight" does not necessarily have to be rerouted by laborious manoeuvres, but can also act very effectively from c6. In order to make this happen the perfect coordination of all the other forces was required. For instance, the presence of a pawn on c4 is essential in order to enable a further fork by means of ... d3, while without a firm control on d5 White could refute the combination with 20.cxd4 exd4 2 1 . tt:l d5!.
20.cxd4 exd4 2l.a3
As pointed out by Kholmov,
the main drawback of 1 9.b4 was that it weakened the long dark diagonal, which allows Black to answer 2 1 .e5 d3 22.exf6 (aiming to give up the queen for three minor pieces) with the simple 22 ...�xf6.
21...d3 22..bd3 �xd3
Black has obtained a clear advantage, which he confidently converted into a win.
. . . 0-1
Vistaneckis
-
Kholmov
Vilnius 1 953
l.d4 I suspect that Kholmov's inspiration when designing his new plan came from the following game which he had won twelve years earlier in a completely different opening.
1...ttlf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 d6 4.g3 g6 5 .ig2 J.g7 6.ttlc3 0-0 7.ttla e6 8.dxe6?! •
50
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
This move is an obvious concession. White gives up his space advantage and helps Black to develop at the same time. To a certain extent it is similar to the exchange on c5 in the Chigorin Ruy Lopez, although we know that in fact the Rauzer variation is perfectly sound.
8...he6 9.tLlgS
This incursion by the knight looks even more appealing than in the previous game. However, from the point of view of development it certainly does not help White much.
9 tLlc6!? .•.
When this game was played, theory 9 . . .ixc4 1 O.�xb7 lLlbd7 recommended 1 1 .�xa8 �xa8 with compensation for the sacrificed exchange. However, Kholmov's move looks more logical, because it develops the last minor piece. Remarkably, immediately after the white pawn has been removed from d5, Black's pieces occupy the active e6- and c6-squares.
10.tLlxe6 fxe6
Optically, the situation looks better for White than in the previous game. The active light squared bishop is in a better position to exploit the relative weakness of the light squares in the enemy's territory. However, Black's pawn structure is more flexible in this game. The common point between the two games is that the aesthetically desirable exchange on e6 led to an increase in Black's control of the centre and left White slightly underdeveloped.
1 1.0-0
If 1 1 .�f4 Black could defend his d6-pawn with 1 l ...lLld4! and if 1 2.e3 then 1 2 . . . lLl f5.
1 1...�e7 12.i,gS h6 13.if4 gad8
Black has comfortably completed his development, while White still needs two tempi to do the same. Symptomatically, the next natural move leads to immediate material losses.
14.�d2?
It was hard to resist the temptation to connect rooks, but a more detailed examination of the position and a better sense of danger would have revealed the necessity of putting the c5pawn under indirect pressure with 14.Ek l .
14...g5! 15 ..ie3 dS!! Just as against Fischer, Kholmov's strategic achievements explode tactically after White's first moment of carelessness.
16.cxdS exdS 17.tLlxdS tLlxdS 18.hd5t 'i!?h8 White cannot escape the pin now.
19.9ac1
Too late.
19 ... b6 20.,ixgS Other moves would not help either. For instance, 20.�xc6 :Sxd2 2 1 ..ixd2 �d6 winning one of the bishops or 20.a3 �e5 2 U 'lfd l lLle7 (variations indicated by Kholmov) .
20...hxgS 21.e4 tLld4 22.f4 gxf4 23.gxf4 gxdS! 24.exdS tLle2t 2S.'i!?g2 �e4t 26.ga tLlxf4t 0-1 Let us return to the Chigorin Ruy Lopez. In later games (some of them played by correspondence, but never again at the top level in practical chess) White tried to improve with 1 9.a4, when the combination no longer works because of the queen sacrifice mentioned above. However, after 1 9 . . . ic5 20.axb5 axb5 2 1 .b3 the black queenside is only apparently vulnerable. Black can ignore the pawn tension and quietly build up his kingside pressure because bxc4 can always be met by . . . b4! undermining the d4-square, when once again it appears that the knight can be quite useful on c6. In essence, we can state that Kholmov's plan put an end to 1 7.lLlg5. New directions
of investigation
Quite naturally, White started rehearsing the other knight move, which is more consistent, as can be inferred from the fact that the main theoretical discussion lasted longer than juS! one game. What's more, as we shall have the opportunity to see, theory's recommendations and conclusions are rather questionable in this line.
The Rubinstein System The first real test was the following game, which had great competitive significance. Tal - Korcbnoi Candidates Semi-Final, Game 5, Moscow 1 968 Ihrough the years Korchnoi had traditionally been a difficult opponent for Tal, and had an overwhelming score in their previous encounters. However, the first part of their Candidates Match was marked by the strong initiative of the fonner world champion. Ihe first three games ended in draws, but Tal missed two clear wins in his �es with White. Korchnoi managed to win the fourth game, which to a certain extent re-established the pre match psychological situation. . For the present game Tal switched from l .d4 to the more aggresis ve 1 .e4, probably thinking that, finally, the time had come to score against his dreaded rival. Korchnoi refrained from his favourite weapons, the French Defence and the Open Ruy Lopez, in favour of the Rubinstein system and soon they reached the position we are mvestlgatlng. •
•
51
the whole Rubinstein system was prematurely frozen unanimously proclaim 17.. J'!fe8 as Black's main continuation. They do not pretend it offers easy equality, but slighdy neglect the capture on f5 on the basis of erroneous analytical conclusions. The · rook move certainly · looks logical (it continues developing without releasing the tension) and practice has proven it is playable. However, giving . up the dark-squared bishop is an important concession, because it leaves several squares along the a3-ffl diagonal without sufficient derence. Here is an illustration of the problems Black could face: 1 8.liHh4 Well played. Before capturing on e7, White brings the reserve-knight one step closer to the f5-square. 1 8 ...�h8!? (preparing the knight's retreat to g8: a typical regIOuping by Karpov) 1 9.1Llxe7 1!ixe7 20."f«f3 lLld7 21.lLlf5 "f«ffl22..le3 Both sides have the first . phase of their mobilization, but White's position is more active. Black's next move could have led to an abrupt finish.
•
17.�f5
17 J.x5 The most natural answer and, according to my analysis, the best way to deal with White's kingside activity. Theory books published afrer the year when . ..
22 ... lLlc5? (As always, this is an optimal square for Black's minor pieces, but in this particular case the knight obviously lacks stability here. 22 .. .£6 has been recommended as better, some of the sources indicating equality, but this would only be the correct way to reach the game position afrer 23J''!edl lLlc5.) 23J3edl (I have refrained from awarding a question mark to this move for subjective reasons. Had White seen
52
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
the relatively simple combination 23.liJxg7! @xg7 24.�h6t @xh6 25.�f6t @h5 26.g4t+ we would have missed several instructive moments regarding the weakness of the a3-fS diagonal that occurred in the next phase of the game. True, the combination reveals another relative weakness in Black's position, the g7square.) 23 . . . f6 Both sides seem to have equal rights in the fight for the only open file. At the same time, White does not have effective pawn breaks yet. However, after 24J'l:d6! it appears that the queen is not a reliable replacement for the bishop for the purpose of ensuring Black's stability in the centre. 24 . . . Elxd6 25 .hc5 Eldl t (Black consistently refrains from capturing on f5 , in order to keep the enemy bishop passive. In doing so, he probably hoped to simplify the position by means of exchanges along the d-file without having to make any major concessions. It should be said that after 25 . . .�xf5 26.exf5 l"ledS 27 ..ie4 liJe7 2S ..ixd6 l"lxd6 29.b4+, followed by a4, White maintains an edge, too, mainly because of the difference in activity berween the bishop and the knight.) 26.Elxd1 �xc5 27.l"ld6! It is not a good sign for Black that White's pieces feel at home on such advanced positions, deep in enemy territory. 27 . . ..ifl (Black decides to avoid the worst by preventing �h5 . Against the obvious 27. . . g6? Kavalek gives the spectacular 2S.liJe7!! l"lxe7 29.�xf6t winning an essential pawn with a decisive advantage for White. Once again we can see that the area of squares weakened by the exchange of the dark-squared bishop can easily be extended, this time to include the f6-square. At the same time, 27 ....ixf5 would be adequately met by 2S.Eld5± followed by exf5. The intermediate 2S . . ..ixe4? does not work because of 29.�xe4 threatening mate on h7.) 28.�dl + White's control of the open file cannot be challenged in any way. We can also see that Black's problem knight has not managed to find an adequate square yet and, given White's domination, will probably have to remain passive until the end of the game. 2S . . . liJbS Probably aimed to prevent Eld7. 29J''1 dS Another attacking move
on a dark square. 29 . . .�c7 30.liJd6! This simple tactical operation does not win material, bur simplifies the position in a way that increases the significance of the black knight's passivity to decisive proportions. 30 . . . ElxdS 3 1 .liJxflt �xfl 32.�xdSt �gS 33.�d6 For the fourth time a white piece lands on this square. Black is completely paralysed.
33 . . . �eS 34 ..id l ! The time has come to activate the bishop; the threat .ig4 is very strong. 34 . . . h5 A necessary weakening move, which fails to restrict the bishop completely, though. 3 5 . .ie2 @h7 36.b3 Finally, a diagonal will be opened for the bishop. White went on to win confidently in Kavalek - Karpov, Caracas 1 970.
IB.ex5 .§feB
Now this final developing move does not have any major drawback.
The Rubinstein System
The n:ader probably remembers Botvinnik's comment about
this structure. By lengthening
his light-squared bishop's diagonal and opening the e-file for his major pieces, White
am
be
53
this move looks more unpleasant for Black than in Fischer With an
extta
tempo,
- JPtolmov.
17 BfdS lS.trf3JW6 •••
has acted in the spirit of the
Black has managed to consolidate the e6-
Rauzer variation. Before moving further, it is
square, but now Ra1!7er reveals his plan, without
useful to become acquainted with the original
even suspecting that it would
game that opened this whole stream of theory
throughout history.
Rarting with 13.dxc5.
19.�f5
satisfied that he
bear his name
20.cx5 h6 21.�e4 �xe4
�
.
- Riumin
Leningrad
1936
1.e4 e5 2.�f3 �c6 3iM a6 4..t.a4 �" 5.0-0 Ae7 6J;�el d6 7.<:3 bS S.J.b3
Instead of castling on the eighth move, Black
prematurely played
S_.�a5
when after
9.1c2 c5
10.d4 trc7
A dream position for White. His minor pieces are much more active than Black's, while the c5- and b5-pawns
are
weak. In addition, the
kingside configuration offers excellent prospects for a positional kingside attack.
23...�e7 24.M!? Cl4 2S.g3 Id7 26.1.7 BdS 27.Ld7 Bxd7 28.h4 Dark clouds are gathering around the black king's casde. The next move only makes things easier for White. White
could
save
the
tempo
normally
2S...�hS?
spent on h3, because the danger of ...J\g4 is
A neutral move such as 28 .. J�d8 would
less significant now that the knight is not on
have required from White some preliminary
1:6.
preparation ofhis attack. The best way to achieve
1I.�bd2 �c6 12.a4
that consists of 29. �g2 eventually followed by the tempo for a
l3hl and g4. However, there is a hidden detail
useful strategic operation: attacking the b5-
involved here. White does best to weaken the
pawn. 12 .l!!b8
f4-square only in a moment when Black cannot
As we can see, Rauzer
.
uses
13.axb5 axb5 14.dxc5 dxc5
Finally, we enter familiar territory.
JS.�fl J.e6 16.�e3 0-0 17.�g5
play ... It:ld5, for instance, if his major pieces are not doubled on the d-file or if the knight has moved elsewhere. This leaves Black in some
,
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
54
sort of zugzwang, since the only possible moves that avoid the described situation are . . . @h8 or . . . @f8, both placing the king on a more vulnerable square than its actual location in view of the planned g4-g5.
29.g4! Black is suddenly lost.
29...lilg8
Black is in some strategic danger now. After the white knight's transfer to e4, the f6-square will be submitted to strong pressure.
21...lile?! A logical complement of 1 9 . . . h6. Once the e7-square has been cleared, the knight hurries to d5 in order to consolidate the bishop.
22.lile4 lild5
Capturing the pawn would have led to the loss of a piece after 29 . . ..ixh4 30.\1{fh3 i.f6 3 1 .g5 when the drawback of the king's placement on the h-file becomes obvious.
30.g5 i.e? 31.�d1 Wc? 32.f6! and Black resigned few moves later.
32...hf6 33.gxf6 lilxfG 34.i.c2 �d8 35.hh6 �xd1t 36.hd1 e4 3? i.f4 Wd8 38.We2 lild5 1-0 We can see that the e4-square has a crucial importance in White's general plan of establishing his domination. For defensive purposes, the f6-square is j ust as important for Black: if White manages to unblock the f-pawn, as happened in Rauzer's game, Black's position is likely to collapse. These critical squares are placed a knight's move apart, which makes them closely inter-related, causing the strategic fight to be even more interesting. It should be mentioned that the pressure along the e-file has more of a latent character, since in most cases Black can defend the e5-pawn by simple means. For instance, 1 9.1ilxe5? would lose material to 1 9 ... ctJxe5 20.\1{fxe5 �d6.
19.i.g5 A natural move. White continues his development and undermines Black's control over the e4-square.
19...h6 Also quite understandable. Black intends to clarifY matters as soon as possible. However, the tempo spent on this pawn move will allow White to regroup optimally.
20.i.xf6 20.�h4 would leave the f4-square unattended and could be answered by 20 ... 4Jd5. 20.. hf6 21.lild2 .
Black has avoided immediate problems, but his regrouping is still far from perfect, because his knight lacks stability in the centre. Therefore, the next phase of his plan should consist of ....ie7 and . . . tLl f6, with good chances of equalizing. Not surprisingly, a player with such . developed dynamic senses as Tal immediately reacted against Black's intended plans.
23.b3! ? This move was unanimously criticized, probably for no other reason than the final result of the game and match. Instead, 23.l"lad1 has been recommended. I do not see any special problem for Black here, though. For instance 23 . . .�e7 24.g3 (Restricting the enemy knight and preparing a slow kingside attack, as in Rauzer - Riumin. 24.4Jg3?! as played in Planinec - Smejkal, Amsterdam 1 973, is completely illogical. After 24 . . . 4J f6 25.l"lxd8 l"lxd8 26.4Je4 White basically lost two tempi. Black soon obtained the more active position with 26 ... 4Jxe4 27.\1{fxe4 l"ld2 28.g3 �c5 although after 29.l"le2 White managed
The Rubinstein System
to maintain approximate equality.) 24 . . .l''1 d7! (Before exchanging knights, Black should make sure he
will be able to exchange all the rooks,
55
and retaining a pleasant position because of the control over the dark squares in the centre.
24...gxf6 25.'lWe3 cxh3 26.M3
too, or at least keep control of the d-@e. In
It would be too early to rush into an
case of the immediate 24.;.tLlf6 White would
attack with 26.�xh6? · bxc2 .· 27.�e3 . because
maintain a long-term edge with 25.tLlxf6t
of 27 ... B:dl t 28.@h2 e4t 29.B:g3t �xg3t
i.xf6 26 ..ie4 B:xdl 27.B:xdl B:d8 28 . .id5 �c5 29.�e4 B:d6 30.@g2 @f8 3 1 .h4+ and although
followed by ... B:xal and c1=�. After the move played, the threat against the h6-pawn becomes
Black is · in no immediate danger, his position
senous.
is a bit passive;) 25.@g2 B:ed8 26.h4 tLlf6= A
•
26...@h7
draw looks like the most probable result now. I believe that White can trouble his opponent only by putting pressure on the queenside. Apart from Tal's move, 23.b4 .ie7 24.a4 and 23.a4 deserve attention. My feeling is that White has chances of maintaining a tiny plus, although the presence of opposite�coloured bishops, increases the probability of a draw in the endgame.
23... �xc3
The further course of the game is quite typical of the pre-match encounters between the two players. Korchnoi would gladly accept every pawn Tal sacrificed, defend accurately in
an
optically
unpleasant
position,
and
win. However, . from the point of view of our
variation, the move is not very reliable (contrary to
the opinion of the annotators who considered
it the refutation of White's previous move!) . It
26 ... @g7 would simply transpose to the next note after 27.�g3t @h7 28 . .ixf7.
27.B:ecl?
should be mentioned that 23 ... cxb3 24.hb3
Practically handing Korchnoi a ticket to the
�xc3? is a much worse move order because of
Candidates final. It is hard to explain Why Tal
25.tLlxf6t gxf6 26.�h5 @g?, 27.B:e3, when the
refrained from winning back the pawn and
black king is in great danger. However, the more
weakening the enemy king's position even more
restrained 23 ....ie7 is safer, when after 24.bxc4
with 27 ..ixf7!. The annotators' opinions about
bxc4 the c3-pawn would be just as weak as the
the position resulting after 27 ...�xf7 28.�xc3
c4-pawn, while 25 ..ia4 is premature as it leaves
was split between
the d3-square unattended. Black would answer
given the weak position of the black king in the
25 . tLlf4 when the generally desirable activation
. presence of all the major pieces, I would choose
..
ofthe queen by means of26.�g4 is strongly met by 26 . . . h5 27.�g3 B:d3 followed by . . . B:ed8.
24.tLlxf6t
=
and +. I must confess that,
the white pieces without even blinking. As dangerous as it might look, Black could
consider not capturing on f7 (with 27 ... B:e7
The point behind the operation initiated by
for instance) keeping his strong knight which
Tal with 23.b3. For just one move the f6-square
restricts the activity of · the enemy rooks.
ha'i been lefr without sufficient defence and
White uses this opportunity to weaken the
However, even here · White could play on, having a draw by perpetual guaranteed any time
kingside structure. 24.tLlxc3? would be bad
he wishes.
because of 24 . . . cxb3! winning the piece back
27...h4
56
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
Curiously, the knight has achieved absolute stability on a completely different area of the board than the initially intended f6-square.
28.a3 e4!
This move is not necessarily stronger than 28 . . .a5 but it has the merit of avoiding the line Tal was probably hoping for when he played his rook to c l . After 29.axb4 axb4 30.ga7 ttJe2t 3 1 .'i!1h2 'lWxcI 32.gxf7t 'i!1h8 33.'lWxe2 White's compensation might be insufficient in theory, but the position certainly looks dangerous for Black over-the-board.
29.axb4 B:d3 30.�el
Having been pushed back, White is suffering.
The Informant novelties With the previous game we entered a new chess era. The number of reasonably strong players had increased considerably since the times of Rubinstein or those of the matches between Botvinnik and Smyslov. The ever-growing quantity of practical material strongly required systematization, which led to the creation of the famous chess publication Chess Informant. The concise system of annotation introduced by the Informant certainly had merit, as it allows the publication of a relatively high number of games in one book, but also had drawbacks of a deeper nature. Released from the laborious task of expressing their thoughts with words, players were allowed to spend less time on their annotations, which apparently tempted them to become more superficial in their purely chess analysis, too. What is worse, this frequently misled those readers who mistook the Informant for a chess Bible. Here is an example from those early years.
Ciric - Bouwmeester Amsterdam 1 968
30...e3! The decisive blow. The dark squares around the king will soon be very weak, which is fatal with Black's knight lurking.
31.1c2?!
White could somewhat prolong his suffering with 3 1 .'i!1hl although after 3 1 .. .ge7 (renewing the threat of capturing on £2) 32.8 e2+ Black's win is merely a matter of time.
31.. .:\3d2
The attack unstoppable.
against
the
g2-square
is
32.fxe3 c!l:le2t 33.�hl c!l:lg3t 34. �gl B:e2 35.�dl �b7 36.e4 B:8xe4! The difference in activity between the two armIes IS ImpressIve. •
0-1
•
•
•
The game was played shortly after the Korchnoi -Tal match and was published just one Informant issue later with the annotations of the great Chigorin Ruy Lopez expert, Borislav Ivkov.
21.ie4?!
57
The Rubinstein System
Ivkov awarded this move an exclamation mark, while 1 9 ...h6 had received a "?" and the position in general an evaluation of + . White's idea is simple: he blocks the e-pawn without loss of time and claims that the knight supports the kingside scorm even better than it would from e4, by controlling the h4-square. With the black knight quite far from the favourable squares, this simple approach seems to have every chance of success. Before taking a closer look at the position, it is useful to follow the game in order co become familiar with the potential strategic dangers.
27...£6 28Jl:gl c!Dd7 29.<.t>hl �ed8 30J�a6 cj;lf7�! 31.g5! hxg5 32.c!DxgSt! fxg5 33.V!Jh5t cj;lg8 34.hxg5 1-0 Let's return co the position after White's 2 1 ..te4.
21. ..c!Db8�
The intended knight rerouting is coo slow.
22.h4 V!Je7
Aiming co slow down the kingside attack, but trouble hits from the other wing now.
23.a4! �c8
23 ...�xh4 would leave the queenside pawns hopelessly weak after 24.axb5 axb5 25.�a5±. 23 ... tt:ld7 does not help either because of 24.axb5 axb5 25.E1a5± eventually followed by ic6. Maybe 23 ...�d6 followed by ...�b6 and ... tt:ld7 was a better chance for survival.
24.axb5 axb5 25.g3 V!Jc5 26.<.t>g2 i.e7 27.g4
Not so much time had passed since the introduction of Kholmov's new concept about the fate of the c6-knight and yet people seemed to have forgotten it already. Otherwise, how can we explain that nobody so far has mentioned the spectacular leap
21... c!Dd4!�
as the only way to keep Black in the game? After
22.cxd4 exd4
,
Ivkov's optimism expressed by the evaluation " +-" is more or less justified now, although " ±" would probably be more accurate. Black is in rrouble but still alive. The game ended brilliancly after:
the main drawback of placing the bishop on e4 rather than the knight becomes obvious: White fails to put pressure on the enemy bishop, which has now become Black's strongest piece. Black has only one pawn for a knight, but he has a very simple plan of doubling rooks on the e-file and pushing the pawn co d3. White's only chance to avoid the worst is to sacrifice the bishop back at the right moment. Here are some possible continuations:
23.�adl
If 23.�c2 Black can quietly "fall into the trap" with 23 ... d3 when after 24 . .txd3 �xe1 t 25.tt:lxel �f4 the bishop cannot move because
58
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
of the rook's intrusion to d2. White does not have time for the generally desirable 23.a4?! because of 23 ... d3 24.'lWd2 c3! winning back material while maintaining an active position for Black.
23 .. J'�e7 24.fid2
The immediate 24.'lWc2 is not effective because of 24... d3.
Here is a typical example.
Vasiukov Suetin -
USSR 1968
19 . . . tLJd5
24.. J'!deS 25.fic2
White's play might seem too hesitant, but against such perfect black coordination one cannot ask for a coherent plan. 25.i.bl is obviously too passive in view of 25 ...d3.
25...�dS
Since the immediate 25 ...d3? fails to 26.Ld3! Black has to choose a good square for his queen. 25 ...'lWd6 is also possible. For instance, 26.b3 (removing the pawn from the dangerous diagonal) 26... d3 27.hd3 cxd3 28J�xe7 dxc2! 29.1"lxe8t @h7 30.1"lxd6 cl='lWt 3 1 .tLle1 'lWb2. In view of the strong threat ...id4 Black should be able to make a draw by perpetual. However, the text move looks even stronger.
26.�bl
The bishop is not doing much on c6 after 26.i.c6 d3 27.'lWd2 1"lxel t 28.tLlxe1 1"le5oo.
26...d3 27..bd3 cx:d3 2SJh:e7 fixe7 29.b3 fic5 30.fixd3 gdS 31.fifl gxdl 32.fixdl fixESi
Black has recouped his sacrificed material and has the better chances in the ending. Remarkably, Ciric's novelty did not find other supporters, meaning that high class players might have secretly discovered the possibility of the knight sacrifice. In any case, the critical position remains that arising after the 22nd move in the Tal - Korchnoi game. Such positions with opposite-coloured bishops might not be to everybody's taste with Black, which explains the opening of new theoretical paths. Taking into account that the knight is a better blockading piece than the bishop, it is natural to aim for the exchange of the dark-squared bishops by means of 1 9 ... tLld5. However, carrying out the whole plan is not as simple as it may seem on paper.
20.gadl Ironically, the placement of the bishop on the blockading square with 20.i.e4 once again provoked the Informant annotator's admiration just one year later. In fact, Black has the entirely adequate defence in 20 ...h6 (The game went 20... f6? 2 1 .1"ladl ± Parma - Ostojic, Skopje 1 969, while 20 ...i.xg5 21 .i.xd5 1"lxd5 22. tLlxg5+ was correctly given by Parma as better for White. The white knight is obviously more active than its black rival.) For instance: 21 .i.e3 (2 1 . l:l:ad 1 ?! does not work now because of2 1 . ..tLlxc3 22.bxc3 hxg5) 2 l ...tLlf4 22.hf4 exf4 23.hc6 (if23.i.c2 then Black prepares ...i.f6 with 23 ... @f8 with a comfortable position) 23 ...'lWxc6 24.tLld4 'lWd7 25.'lW8 Apparently, Black cannot defend his f4pawn and maintain the blockade of the f5-pawn at the same time, but 25 ...i.f6 is an entirely satisfactory answer. Black is not worse here. 20...ixg5? Black's impatience to carry out this strategically favourable exchange in order to install the knight on f6 should have led to problems. Instead of helping the white knight get closer to the e4-square, it would have been better to
The Rubinstein System
play 20....ifb inviting White to kindly improve the placement of the d5-knight by means of an exchange on f6, which would lead to an essential extra tempo for Black compared to the game. If White avoids this with 2 1 .ie4 then Black can change plans by playing 2 1 ...ttlf4 with an entirely satisfactory position. This flexible strategy would have yielded better results than Black's straightforward play in the game.
21. tLlxgS tLlf6
Black has managed to install his knight on f6, but will not be able to keep it there for long.
22.tLle4! .
If Black could play ... ttlc6-d7 (?!?) now, he would solve the problems, but he lacks just one tempo to bring in the reserve knight.
22...tLlxe4 23 .he4. tLlb8 •
59
is also a reasonable square for the knight.
27J�edl
27.fb? does not work because of 27.. Jlxd5 2s.hd5 'IWd6! winning the courageous pawn.
27...�xd5 28.�xd5
Allowing further simplifications. White's last possibility to keep the position alive was 2s.hd5.
28...f6 29.�e3 tLlxe4 30.�xe4 �c6 1Jl-1Jl
We can conclude that 1 9 ... h6 is satisfactory from a practical point of view, but 1 9 . . . ttld5 is an even better answer to 1 9 .ig5. What if White immediately initiates the transfer of the knight to e4 via g5? In high level practical chess Black has generally reacted to 1 9.ttlg5 with the already familiar knight retreat 1 9 ... ttlbS, aiming to replace the f6-knight after it is exchanged. The following is a game that reflects rather faithfully both sides' plans as well as the overall evaluation of this plan.
Ivkov - Meckiog Sousse Interzonal 1 967
19.tLlg5
24.a4? Generously returning Black's favour. White should have taken advantage of the only moment when the f6-square lacked sufficient defence with the thematic 24.f6!±.
24... tLld7
The knight is now back in the game.
25.axb5 axb5 26.�d5
This is the position White aimed for. By putting the b5-pawn under pressure, he intended to keep the knight away from the f6-square. 26
.
.. tLlc5!
Had White read the introduction to this chapter, he would have known that, in fact, this
••
19... tLlb8 20..te3 tLlbd7 2 1.a4 Since Black is well prepared against ttle4, White intends to provoke the disconnection of the knights.
.
60
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
21...ttJc5 22.axb5 axb5 23.,hc5 hc5 24.h4
•
Since Black does not want to open the a2g8 diagonal for the enemy bishop, this move establishes a relatively favourable queenside structure for White. The point is that the b5pawn is easier to attack than the c3-pawn.
24....ib6 25.ttJe4
But now this move is necessary. If White does not blockade the e-pawn it could lead to problems. For instance, 25.E:ed l ? E:xd I t 26.E:xdl (or if26.�xdl then 26...�c6 followed by ... e4) 26 ... e4 27.ttJxe4 tZlxe4 28.ixe4 �e5 and Black's activity gives him the better chances.
25... ttJxe4 26..ixe4
This is a typical position for this variation. Black should not feel in danger, but it is clear that only White can make some attempts (even if just feeble ones) to win. Up to a certain point, at least.
26..J�d6 27J�edl �ed8 28.�xd6 ifxd6 29.�a8 ''has 30 .ha8 •
By these exchanges White has restricted Black's possibilities for counterplay, but also his own attacking potential.
30... g6
Slightly provocative. The more neutral 30 ....id8, as mentioned by Ivkov, is also playable.
31..ie4 <;!;>g7 32.g3 ifd7
Now in order to keep control of the f5-square
without weakening the dark squares (g3-g4) White has to allow the activation of the black queen.
33.�a �d2! 34.f6t �h6 Not fearing any ghosts.
35.�g2 �e1
The active black pieces prevent White from developing his attack against the slightly awkwardly placed black king.
36.h4!?
Ivkov decides to ignore the threat on f2, because he had no reliable squares for his bishop. Against 36 ..ic6 he gives 36 ...e4! 37.ixe4 (37.�f4t g5 38.�f5 e3 should also lead to a draw by perpetual) 37 ....ixf2 38.�f4t g5 39.�f5 and now an amusing pursuit of the white king around the f2-bishop leads to a draw: 39 ...�gl t 40.mB �xg3t 4 1 .me2 �e3t 42.mfl �el t and so on. Ivkov also mentions that 36 ..ic2 is met by the even simpler 36 ...�d2 37.ibl �el with perpetual pursuit of the bishop this time.
37.�g4??
White oversteps the acceptable limit of risk. Ivkov gives the following line which, although not the only one leading to a draw, is rather pretty especially if we consider that it was found decades before Fritz existed. 37.,ic6 �e3 38.ixb5 �xc3 39.g4 �d2t 40.mh3 g5 4 1 .�a8! �c5!!= Defending the f8-square and clearing lines in order to enable perpetual check at the same time.
The Rubinstein System
61
37...Ae3
21.�e4
Suddenly, it is Black who has the attack, in addition to his extra pawn and the target on f6. The game did not last long.
Relatively best. White brings his knight back into play with gain of tempo in view of the threat of capturing on f6. The following game is a perfect illustration of the fact that a lead in development tends to increase in case of simplifications, even in conditions of material inequality: 2 1 .�f3 d3 22..tf4 Ad6 23.L:d6 �xd6 24.l"lxe8t l"ixe8 2S.�d1 l"ie2 Black had decisive threats in Lorensen - Kling, corr. 1 972.
38.�c8 �flt 39.'tth3 �xf6-+ 40.g4 t;,t>g7 41.g5 Vfl t 42 .ig2 �d3 43.t;,t>g4 .til •
In view of the inevitable mate, White resigned.
0-1
This line looks quite okay for Black, but one natural question is whether moving the knight away from the centre before completing the development of the queenside is a concession that should be punished. Some correspondence players cenainly thought it should be. The method suggested by them is quite similar to the way Kholmov reacted against Fischer's premature lLlg5.
21. .'if.>f8! •
Konikowski - Ronczkowski
By over-defending the e8-rook with the king, Black parries the threat without spoiling the perfect coordination ofhis other pieces. 2 1 ... d3?! is dubious in view of 22.lZlxf6t gxf6 23.�g4t @h8 24.Ah6 1'lg8 2S.�e4 i.b4 26.Ad1 Axel 27.�xe1 + and the bishop pair combined with Black's weakened kingside structure are more relevant factors than the mighty (but as yet immobile) central pawns.
Correspondence 1 97 1
22.�xf6
19 . lZld4! .
.
Of course. The white knight moves away, so the black knight jumps towards the centre.
20.cxd4 exd4
23 .ie4 •
White cannot afford to leave the e-file in Black's hands. If 23.�fl d3 24.i.d1 �aS! 2S.1'lxe8t 1'lxe8 26.i.e3 (the only way to prevent ... 1'lel ) 26...i.xb2 27 .l"ib 1 i.d4+ White's position would be critical.
23 ...d3
••
We are familiar with this structure, although the pieces are placed slightly differently. Being slightly underdeveloped, White cannot easily fight against the strong pawn centre.
24.�h5 A logical attempt to take advantage of Black's
king move. Another game went 24.�e3 h6!?
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
62
To a certain extent, this move bears the same
with the icon of this immense player in their
philosophy as 2 1 ...@f8: Black intends to make
mind, had lost much of their strength or given
use of the smallest resources of the position in
up practical chess entirely. This partly explains
order to maintain his domination. The concrete
why the attempt to "refute" the Rubinstein
purpose of the last move is to enable . . . �g5.
system did not face any serious reaction. This is
25.Eldl �g5 26.'�·e1 (26.f4 would weaken the
how the story of the whole variation came to an
g1 -a7 diagonal and leave the white bishop very
abrupt end. Only temporarily, I hope . . .
•
unstable on e4, when Black could play 26 . . .�f6 27.Wif3. The only way to prevent material
The idea that revolutionized the theory of the
losses after . . .�d4 or ... Eld4. 27 ... c3 Winning
blocked positions was played for the first time
the sacrificed material back and maintaining
at a high level in the next game.
a plus because of White's double pawns on the kingside.) 26 . . . d2 27.i.xd2 i.xd2 28.Elxd2
Spassky - Korchnoi
Elxd2 29.'�·xd2 Elxe4+ Black's better structure offers him the better chances in the endgame,
Candidates Final, Game 1 , Kiev 1 968
Soldner - Weinitschke, corr. 1 970. 24.Wid1 would be too passive, allowing the immediate 24 . . . c3 25.bxc3 Wixc3. Now, 26.Elb 1 is the only move that avoids huge material losses, because the e4-bishop is hanging in many lines. However, after 26 . . . d2+ Black has the better chances.
24 i>g8 2S.i.d2 .hb2 26J�abl i.f6 ...
Black's strong chain of pawns offers him more than sufficient compensation for the small material deficit. We have continued a long way, but I believe that the conclusion was worth the effort. If met in an adequate way, the Rauzer variation does not cause Black real danger. Actually, Botvinnik had stated this a long time ago, but he did not have the practical ability to prove it.
Apparently Korchnoi had picked this solid variation as one of his main weapons for the entire cycle of the Candidates Matches. In the
The final episode. So far. . .
semi-finals he had employed it in the first game where Tal opened with 1 .e4, while in the final
So great was the authority of Rubinstein among
he had the opportunity to try it in the very first
chess players of the highest level that through
game of the match.
the years the conclusions drawn from the Polish
13.dS
grandmaster's games that the position was just
Korchnoi's comment on this move, published
equal after 1 3.d5 had been more or less taken for
in 1 969, gives us a more reliable picture of how
granted. Perhaps significantly, the first attempts
this variation was perceived by his contemporaries
to question the viability of Black's plan were
than that offered by database statistics alone. He
made by two future world champions who were
writes that 1 3.dxc5 was much more fashionable
born after Akiba's withdrawal from chess. By that
and that l 3.d5 was perfectly in accordance with
time, players from the older generations who
Spassky's tendency to avoid the theoretical paths
had lived their entire chess childhood (or youth)
as soon as possible!
The Rubinstein System
13 �d8 I4.a4 gb8 I5.nb5 nb5 ...
63
The rather abstract character of this absolutely brilliant comment made it hard to understand for his contemporaries. This explains why its essence only affected practical play six years later. As we shall soon see, Spassky himself did not understand the full strength of his novelty. Another aspect of the strategic fight started by 1 6.b4 is that by undermining the c5-pawn, White indirectly fights for the d4-square. Some readers may doubt that claim. Isn't the d4square defended by the e5-pawn as well? The time has come to re-open the discussion about White's possibility of opening the kingside with f4. When drawing a parallel between the variation we are investigating and the Czech Benoni, I mentioned that in the former f4 is less appealing because of the presence of the
16.M! This is the new idea. In fact, the move had been played once before in an obscure game Burstein - Dunkelblum, Haifa/Tel Aviv 1 958. Although that game revealed some new aspects about the position, both players' play in the next phase was not so relevant for our investigation. At first glance, 1 6.b4 looks like a strange decision. The c3-pawn and the c4-square are weakened and Black gains the possibility of opening the c-file at the most convenient
knight on £7. Indeed, after ... exf4 the knight
would gain an excellent outpost on e5, allowing Black to solve all his problems of coordination. Things are slightly different after 1 6.b4. If Black is forced to release the queenside tension, be it with ... c4 or ... cxb4, a further ... exf4 would leave the d4-square available for the enemy pieces, which would tilt the balance in White's favour. If Black ignores the kingside tension, White could continue to win space with f5 and
moment. We are more accustomed with White's idea of blocking the queenside, but only by
g4-g5.
means of c3-c4. And yet, as strange as it might look, the advance of the b-pawn in this game had a much
importance, but combining them in an optimal form is no easier than dealing with the possible plans in the Rauzer variation.
stronger impact on chess theory than, say, Tal's understandable 23.b3 as played against the
Korchnoi decided to reinforce the c5-square with
Both
mentioned
aspects
are
of
equal
same opponent just a few months earlier. Let us
I6 ll:lb7
try to understand the basic ideas behind White's move.
For the time being, White can forget about capturing on c5, since that would allow Black to
Logically, we should start with Korchnoi's conclusions after thinking for forty minutes when confronted with this move. After all, there
obtain a perfect square for his problem knight. However, since Black's lack of space does not allow him to generate adequate counterplay
is nothing that
compare with the intense cerebral work done under the pressure of over
along the c-file, White is under no pressure to clarify the situation on this wing. This is likely ,
the-board decision making. Korchnoi wrote that White aims to provoke the opening of the
to leave the knight quite passive on b7 for a long
can
e3-a7 diagonal in order to take control of the a-file, which has just been abandoned by Black.
...
time. •
I7.ll:lfl Ad7 I8..td2 This modest looking way of developing
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
64
the queen's bishop is in fact one of Spassky's
have 27 . . . .id6 28.f4 'lWb8 winning a pawn and
favourite moves. I only need to mention his
weakening White's central structure, when the
excellent score in the 9.�d2 line of the Closed
compensation for the queen would hardly be
Sicilian. In our case the bishop defends the c3-
sufficient.
square "just in case" and leaves the e3-square
1/Z-V2
available to the knight.
18 �a8 19.1Lle3 �fc8 •••
Remarkably, the next important episode in the theoretical dispute featured Spassky as a defender of Black's point of view. There is a kind of magical symmetry between these two games. They were played one year before Spassky became world champion and one year after he lost the title, respectively. Even more ironically, his opponent in the next game was a rapidly rising star who represented the Soviets' main hope of bringing back the supreme Chess Crown where it supposedly "belonged". This made him very different from the player of the black pieces in the previous game, who was to become a serious threat to the new Soviet champion after defecting in the late '70s ...
20.'.!?h2 White prepares the advance of the g-pawn, by
Karpov - Spassky USSR Championship 1 973
enabling �gl as an answer to Black's typical reply . . . hS. After the game Spassky suggested 20.�cl
On being confronted with his own invention,
as an improvement, but leaving Black with
Spassky reacted with the somewhat simplistic
control of the a-file does not promise White an advantage as will be proven by the next game.
20 �xal! •••
16 c4 ...
showing that he was relying on the solidity
of Black's position and did not mind making
The tactical operation initiated by this move
minor strategic concessions in order to ensure
was made possible precisely by the presence of
the continuation of the knights' regrouping on
the king on h2. However, against any other
the kingside.
neutral move Black could have reacted with 20 . . .'lWd8 followed by . . . �xal and . . . �a8.
21.'l!Yxal 'l!Yd8 22.'l!Ya7
This move leads to a draw, but otherwise Black would have won the battle for the a-file. After this partial achievement he could safely close the queenside with . . . c4 and return to Rubinstein's plan of . . . tt:ld8, . . . tt:le8, etc.
22 �a8 23.'l!Yxb7 �b8 •••
White cannot avoid a draw by repetition. The drawback of White's king move is that after the tempting queen sacrifice 24.�a7 :ga8 2S .�xa8 �xa8 26.bxcS dxcS 27.tt:lxeS Black would
The Rubinstein System
17.� fl �e8 18.�3h2 f6 This
move
order
is
6S
20.�a slightly
unusual.
A hidden point behind the move order chosen by Spassky is that after 20.fxeS Black
We are more accustomed to the g-pawn being the first to be advanced. However, in
can ,
anticipation of White's next move, Spassky's desire to consolidate the eS-square and avoid
interesting 20 . . . dxeS!? The fact that the f6- and h6-squares are well defended allows Black to
prematurely weakening the f6- and h6-squares is quite logical.
manoeuvre freely with his knights, using the d6-square as a transit point. In his brief notes to the game Karpov gives 20.f5!? g6 2 1 .g4 ttJg7
1 9 . . .exf4 20.i.xf4 ttJ O is an important alternative, of course. The following is an
22.ie3, with the idea of increasing control over the a-file, as a possible improvement. This is to a certain extent a continuation of Korchnoi's
19.f4 �f7
example from a time when people had not
besides the natural 20 ... fxeS, play the more
yet completely forgotten about the Rubinstein system. 2 1 .ttJf3 g6 22.ti"d2 ttJ g7 23.ttJd4 A
the opposite extreme by being too concrete.
perfect square for the knight. It controls the weak e6- and c6-squares and keeps the bS-pawn
The essence is that White could have played i.e3 on any of the previous moves. Taking
under pressure. 23 ...i.d7 Now we have: 24J::lacl ?! Giving up control of the a-file so easily is an obvious concession. 24 ... ttJeS
into account that the quoted game Spraggett - Biyiasas was not 1 00% convincing, we can
2S.ttJe3 gbe8 Freed of any queenside worries,
advancing the f-pawn. Once the queenside
Black
regroup perfectly. (2S ... ga8 was
is safely controlled by White, nothing could
equally good) 26.ibl id8 27.ge2 ti"c8 28.gfl
have stopped him from proceeding with active
ttJhS 29.ih2 gO 30.gefL gefB 3 1 .i>hl ttJg7 32.ti"dl i.b6 33.g4 ti"e8 34.i.f4 ti"e7 The game
operations on the other wing. It should be said that Karpov's reluctance to
Spraggett - Biyiasas, Toronto 1 978, soon ended
express the whole truth served him quite well, judging from the course of the next game.
can
in a draw. True, White would get nowhere by doubling
comment, but has the drawback of falling into
state that the best moment for it was before
20 ..g6 21.£5 �g7 22.g4 i.d7 23..te3 .
rooks with 24.gaS ga8 2 S.geal because of 25 . . . ti"b7. For instance, 26.i.bl gxaS 27.gxaS
regrouped perfectly already, with his rooks
ga8 28.ti"a2 gxaS 29.ti"xaS id8= and Black
connected and ready to fight for the a-file.
Now this move comes too late. Black has
retains a solid position. Actually, White should have used the time needed by Black to fight for the a-file for the purpose of strengthening his kingside pressure. One possible continuation is 24.tt:lg3 ga8 2S.ttJge2. The knight is heading for f4, in order to increase White's control of the e6-square. 2S . . . ti"b7 26.i.e3 gxal 27.gxal ga8 28.gfl Now, abandoning the a-file is appropriate. White needs one rook to keep his attack going: the action of just one black rook along the second rank is not that dangerous. 28 . . . ga2 29.ttJf4 ttJeS 30.ti"e l + White's kingside pressure ensures him of some initiative, but it is unclear whether this can lead to any concrete achievement if Black defends carefully.
23... ga8 24.�d2
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
66
24.:Ek1 !i:a2 25.ib1
Secrets of Chess Defence.
rook away from the second rank" was given by
in
Karpov as an improvement, but in fact 25 . . . !i:b2
mention that after
looks entirely playable .
•
I have thoroughly analyzed this position
"driving the enemy
24 %'Ib7 25.!i:ac1 !i:a2 26.�g3 •••
In spite of his considerable space advantage, White cannot make easy progress on the kingside.
Here, I shall only
35.�h2 %'Id8 36.f6 Spassky sacrificed a piece with
36 i.d7 •••
eventually obtaining the better position after
The double barrier made up of the pawns and
some inaccuracies from Karpov.
knights offers the black king reliable defence.
. . . liz-liz
26 JUa8 ••
Black does not threaten much, but the rooks'
activity restricts White actions.
27.h4 .id8
Preparing to exchange the bad bishop.
28.<;i?hl .ib6 29J�gl he3 30.%'Ixe3 %'Ia7 31.%'Id2 .ie8?! Karpov rightly criticized this move, after
We are just one step away from the end of the official history of the Rubinstein variation. The next game was practically Black's last attempt to make it playable at a high level.
Karpov - Unzicker Nice Olympiad 1 974
which Black somewhat loses coordination. The bishop is less active on e8 (failing to put pressure on f5) and blocks the e8-square disabling the g7knight's retreat. Instead, Karpov recommended 3 1 ..:lWb6 32.g5 'lWd8. Indeed, Black's position looks entirelyviable in view ofthe plan consisting of . . . fxg5, . . . !i:b2, . . . !i:aa2, which Spassky carried out in a worse form in the game. One essential aspect is related to the white bishop. In the event of mass exchanges, this piece would remain not only passive but also vulnerable in
jJ�J
some cases. This would compensate for Black's eventual material losses in his attempts to repel
.
'
.
.
the kingside attack.
32.g5 %'Ie7 33Jlcf1 fxg5 34.hxg5 %'Id7 As an answer to
16.b4 Unzicker chose Korchnoi's
16 �b7 •••
. probably relying on the fact that Black had little trouble making a draw in the original game, while in Karpov - Spassky the position looked quite dangerous for him. While such a general approach can be satisfactory in some cases, it did not work in the present game. These were the years when Karpov was progressing very rapidly, practically from one tournament to another. After
17.�fl .id7
67
The Rubinstein System
he proved that he had done his homework properly by improving on the game Spassky - Korchnoi with the natural looking
18..ie3
One sensible question is whether the pressure against the c5-pawn is worth depriving the knight of the e3-square and disabling the plan ::!>h2, g4, l"lgl . From the point of view of Karpov's new approach, it is worth it. The essence of White's
to transfer the bishop to the fl-a6 diagonal in order to clear the second rank for the queen and submit the b5-pawn to permanent pressure. An important detail is avoiding Black's gain of time by means of . . . c4, which explains the laborious character of the whole regrouping. 2 1 .. .i.d8! Black immediately takes advantage of the few available tempi in order to consolidate the c5square. We can see here a positive aspect of
plan is to establish domination on the queenside
Black's regrouping, not mentioned by Karpov: by concentrating the major pieces on a narrow
and only then prepare active kingside operations.
space, Black leaves the dS-square available.
In fact, we know already that this would have been very effective against 1 6 ... c4. Black will
22.i.dl i.b6 23.i.e2 Now Black should proceed with 23 .. Jhal (There is no favourable way of
face serious problems keeping his pawn on c5 while fighting for the a-file at the same time. In
unpinning the c5-pawn. For instance, 23 . . . 'I1;!fc7 24.l"lal! followed by l"l l al or 23 . . .'I1;!fd8 24.i.g5
addition, the fact that the queens knight will have to content itself with occupying the g3-
h6 2 5 ..ih4! and the pin on the knight is pretty annoying. 2 5 . . . g5?! is answered by 26.lLlxg5,
square is only a temporary concession.
of course.) 24.l"lxal l"la8 25 .'I1;!fb2 'I1;!fb8 26.l"lal �a7 Once the pressure along the a-file has been neutralized, Black's position looks entirely acceptable and, in any case, much berter than in the game.
20..td3 g6
Here or on the next move 20 ... l"la4 would have been a possible attempt to change the generally
unfavourable
course
of
events,
although after 2 1 .l"lxa4 bxa4 the modification of the pawn structure would not in any way solve the problem of the b7-knight.
21.tLJg3 .if8 22J�a2!
18 .. J�a8 19.YlYd2 gfe8?! Karpov recommended 1 9 ... l"lfbS as the start of a more effective regrouping. He is basically right but the continuation suggested by him is not the most critical. 20.lLlg3 (Karpov only gives the slightly cooperative 20.i.d3 'I1;!fc8 2 1 .lLlg3 c4 22.i.c2 �xal 23.l"lxal l"la8 when Black is out of danger. Indeed, 24.i.a7 would be less effective than in the game once a pair of rooks has been traded. For instance, 24 ... i.d8 25 .'I1;!fc1 i.c7 eventually followed by . . . 'I1;!fd8 and . . .i.b6.) 20 . . . 'I1;!fc8 2 1 .l"lec1 White's plan is
68
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
A classical method of fighting for the open
file. White simply intends to double rooks.
22...c4
31.£5 g5 32.i.c2 .tf7 33.�g3 �b7 34..tdl h6 35 ..th5 It is quite enjoyable to apply such simple
Finally, Black decides to release the tension in order to prepare mass exchanges along the a
strategy when Black can hardly make a move.
35 ...fieS 36.�dl �dS 37.�a3
file. However, a cold shower awaits him. For the
In this and the next three moves we see Karpov's
sake of truth, it should be said that the strategic
desire to have all his pieces on the most active
battle had already been won by White. The
squares before delivering the decisive blow.
pressure against the c5-pawn prevents Black from playing the immediate 22 ...�d8 because of 23.E:xa8 Elxa8 24.bxc5 winning a pawn.
23 ..ibl fidS
37...<.!?f8 3SJ:Ha2 <.!?gS 39.�g4 cj;Jf8 40.�e3 cj;JgS 41.lftxf7t �xf7 42.fih5 �dS 43.fig6 cj;Jf8 44.�h5 Unzicker decided that he had had enough.
1-0
Current theory mainly relies on these last two games in order to reach a verdict on the Rubinstein system. Karpov - Spassky is usually given as the main line, leading to a small plus for White, while the continuation from Karpov - Unzicker is considered a less satisfactory option for Black. To my understanding, this is questionable.
As
mentioned above, both sides could improve on the 1 9th move. I am nor sure whether Black's
position after 1 9.i.e3 in the former game would have been better than after 1 9 .. .l:l:fb8 in the latter. It could be quite the opposite. However, I do not feel like relying solely on
24.h7!± A very
the improvement suggested in the annotations to this game to make the variation playable. One strong and now famous move,
reason is that White could delay the exchange
probably missed by Unzicker two moves earlier,
on b5, leaving Black in some uncertainty. This
but anticipated by Korchnoi six years earlier!
had been recommended by Spassky's second,
Because of Black's queenside piece congestion
Bondarevsky, right after the original game. For
(the poor knight deserves a special mention) the
instance, in case of the transfer of the knight
fight for the a-file is over. Curiously, White will
to b7, White could choose the right moment
not try to develop his initiative on this wing, but
to close the queenside with a5 in order to
will use his partial success as a warranty against
concentrate his actions on the kingside. Who
Black's activity along the a-file. The main events
knows, if he had been confronted with this
will take place on the kingside and Black will
variation again, Karpov might have chosen
have to just sit and wait for the execution.
precisely such a course of events.
24... �eS 25 ..tc2 �c7 26.�eal �e7 27..ibl .ieS 2S.�e2 �dS 29.�h2 .ig7 30.£4 f6
A possible new beginning
With his knights far from the e5-square, keep the position blocked.
I believe that there is a more reliable approach for
Karpov recommended 30 ... exf4 as a lesser
Black, consisting of a slightly earlier deviation.
evil, but I believe it is just a matter of taste in
On the basis of the examined games, we
choosing which way Black will die.
draw the following conclusions:
Unzicker prefers
to
can
The Rubinstein System
I} Black is best advised to keep the e3-a7 diagonal closed. 2} The knight stands badly on b7. The natural question is whether there is a viable solution which takes these aspects into account. After an examination of the position I came to the conclusion that there is indeed such a solution. To my surprise, there has been some practical debate about it, which, however, passed unnoticed by the theoreticians. The main idea is to answer b4 (be it on the 1 6th move or, without the previous exchange on b5, on the 1 5th move) with a neutral move that continues development or the intended regrouping. In doing so, Black relies on that bxc5 could be answered with either ...�xc5 followed by the further transfer of the dS-knight to c5, or ... dxc5 clearing the d6-square for the knights. There are two such neutral but useful moves: . . . 4JeS and . . . id7. The immediate knight retreat to eS should be regarded as a sign that Black would capture on c5 with the pawn. If ...�xc5 the knight would be slightly misplaced on eS. In the next game White delayed the exchange on b5. This had no influence on both sides' plans.
Ghinda Padevsky -
Bucharest 1 975
14.a4 gb8 15.M c!lJe8
69
16.bxc5 If White intends to question Black's strategy by means of an exchange on c5, it is best to do it with his knight still on d2. Once the knight has transferred to the other wing, Black will have fewer problems defending his queenside. We are in fact familiar with a similar issue from the games between Bogoljubow and Rubinstein. In an earlier game the neutral 16.4Jfl had been played. Black won a good game, but not without inaccuracies from both sides. 16 ... g6 (This is slightly premature. In order to keep the option of recapturing on c5 with the pawn, Black should delay the weakening of the f6- and h6-squares for as long as he has other useful moves available. Therefore, 1 6....td7 should be preferred. Now, 1 7.g4 would imply a serious kingside commitment from White, which basically excludes the possibility of bxc5 and so Black can play 1 7 ... g6, which would most likely transpose to the game. After the more restrained 1 7..td Black should stick to his flexible strategy with 1 7... f6, planning ... 4Jf7 and only later ... g6 and ... 4Jg7. Now, the opening of the queenside with l S.axb5 axb5 1 9.bxc5 dxc5 20.c4 would be less effective than in the main game because of the simple 20 ... bxc4 when the time needed by White to win the pawn back could be used by Black to transfer one of his knights to d4. One possible continuation: 2 1. .�a4 This move carries out a strategically favourable exchange but loses even more time. 2 1 ...,txa4 22.!1xa4 4Jd6 Please note that this move is enabled by the fact that the e5-pawn is safely defended by its colleague. 23.�c2 !1b4= Black has little to complain about. After the careless 24.4J3d2? Black's activity would become threatening after 24 ...c3!+.) 1 7.g4 Now that the e5-pawn is not defended by the f-pawn, it would have been a good moment to carry out the aforementioned queenside operation. 1 7. . .4Jg7 The game will soon enter familiar paths, where the slightly different ' queenside structure does not bother Black too much. l S.4Jg3 f6 19.axb5 axb5 20 ..te3 ltJf7 2 1 .!1a3 .td7 Black has completed his regrouping and can look fotward with optimism.
•
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
70
solid position. White's next move is the only way to question the viability of Black's I Sth move.
18.c4
Blocking the cS-pawn and restricting the e7-bishop.
•
22.�a1 �cS 23.l'l:a7 .idS 24.l'l:a6 (24.bxcS dxcS 2S.i.xcS �xcS 26.l'l:xd7 b4 offers Black excellent compensation for the pawn in view of his control of the dark squares. Safer would have been 24.:1:kl although after 24 ...i.b6 2S.l'l:a6 �c7 Black has little to fear.) 24 .. .fS!� (A well timed pawn break, after which White will not be able to justifY his multiple commitments on various areas, such as g4, b4, the occupation of the a-file. White probably hoped for 24 ... cxb4?! 2S.cxb4 �xc2?! which loses the queen after 26.l'l:c1 �b3 27.tLld2 �xb4 2S.l'l:b l .) 2S.exfS gxfS 26.gxfS? (This move weakens the dS-pawn, which will be quite relevant as we shall see. White should have embarked on the dangerous complications that start after 26.bxcS f4.) 26... cxb4! 27.'il.a7 (the difference is that after 27.cxb4 �xc2 2S.1'kl �b3 the queen will escape through dS) 27... bxc3 Black had both a material and positional advantage and won quickly in Tukmakov - Kan, Tashkent 1 974.
16 dxc5 ..•
1 6. . .�xcS leaves Black with problems finding a good path for his eS-knight. For instance, 1 7.'il.e3 tLlb7 l S ..id3 �b6 1 9.1'l:b l tLlc7 20.tLlb3 i.d7 2 1 .ia3 'il.feS. Parrying the threat tLlxeS. 22.'il.e2 Preparing to transfer the rook to the queenside. 22 .. .'eia7 23.axbS lLlxbS 24.ib4+ Black's position is rather passive.
17.axb5 axb5
Black intends to play something like ... c4, ... f6, ... tLlf7, ....icS and ... tLl Sd6, with a very
IS b4? ..•
This self-blocking move is equivalent to positional surrender. In order to obtain acceptable play Black should have aimed to transfer one of his knights to the apparently unreachable d4-square. This could be achieved with I S . . .f6!? ( consolidating the eS-pawn before playing . . . liJd6) 1 9.cxbS liJd6 20 ..id3 .id7! 2 1 .liJc4 (Clearing the d2-square for his bishop in order to enable (he optimal regrouping. In the case of the somewh.u mechanical continuation of development �ith 2 1 .�c2 tLlSf7 22.ib2 l'l:fcS= Black achieves a comfortable position.) 2 l . ..li:lxbS 22.id2 liJb7 23.�c2 (Probably the best square for the queen. If 23.'eib3 Black has additional tactical possibilities, for instance 23 . . . liJd4 24.liJxd4 cxd4 2S.'il.a7 ct:: cS 26.�a2 �xa7! 27.�xa7 l'l:aS 2S.'eib6 ElfbS= . ) 23 . ,i'hB (13 . .t�Jd4 is premature in view of 24.li:l xd4 cxd4 2S.Ela7+) 24.'il.eb1 tLld4 2S.liJxd4 §xa l ! Another important move. 2S . . . cxd4? would lose a pawn to 26J!xaS ElxaS 27.li:lxeS!z.l 26.l!xa1 cxd4 27.'il.a7 WibS= Followed by ...li:lcS with a symmetrical posmon. .
•
•
19 .L4 f6 .
.
The Rubinstein System Black had no time to preserve this important knight from exchange with 1 9 ... ttld6 because of 20.ttlxe5±. SixeS 21.�b3 White has safely blockaded the passed pawn and will soon submit the c5-pawn to strong pressure. The next step will be an invasion on the a-file. .td7 23.Sie2 SieeS 24.Siea2 21. �b7 ••
idS 25.Sia6:t
The fight has a rather one-sided character. • • •
1h-1fz
In spite of the fact that ...ttle8 is entirely playable, as the previous analysis has proven, abstract reasons make me prefer ...id7. This developing move involves a lesser commitment than the knight retreat and allows recapruring with the queen in some cases. True, if White plays ttlfJ., the game would simply transpose above after ...ttle8. Curiously, the next game escaped the theoreticians' attention even though it was played at a time when the variation was "officially alive" . Kuzmin
-
Perm 1 971
Krogius
15.axb5 axb5 16.M id7
71
obvious after the risky 17.c4 when Black can rapidly complete his development with 1 7...cxb4 1 8.cxb5 ttlb7 1 9J"�bl E:fc8+.
17 Bxc5 •••
With the knights relatively far from the d6square, it makes little sense for Black to capture with the pawn.
IS.Siel
White needs to spend a tempo on defending this pawn. As indicated by Korchnoi in his notes to the game against Spassky, the straightforward 1 8.ia3 �xc3 19.E:e3 �c7 20.ttlxe5 leads nowhere because of 2o ...ixh3!. It should be said that Korchnoi did not mention ...id7 as a preparation for the continuation ofRubinstein's plan but just as a possible way to delay ...ttlb7 for one move. After 1 8.E:e3 the threat ia3 becomes senous. •
IS SieS?! •••
This looks like a logical move. Black parries the threat by developing a piece. However, in doing so he slightly neglects the queenside siruation, which could have led to some problems. It would have been better to remove the queen from the exposed position at once with 1 8 ...�c7, enabling the knight's transfer to c5 at the same time. Only if White insists with 1 9.ia3 would the move 1 9...E:e8 become necessary, with the possible continuation 2o.ib4 ttlb7 21 .E:a7 � 22.�al ttlc5 when Black is very much okay. Also, the opening of the queenside by means of 1 9.c4 is not dangerous because of 1 9 ...ttlb7! (Development above all! 1 9 ... b4 is bad because of 20.E:b3 when the weakness of the b4-pawn prevents the knight's activation.) 20.cxb5 E:fc8. For instance, 2 1 ..ta4 ttlc5 22.b6 �xb6 23.hd7 ttlfxd7 24.E:ea3 �d8!? intending . . . .tg5.
19.94
17.bxc5 The merits of Black's last move become
White misses his chance to take advantage of the exposed position of the black queen with 1 9 .c4!?, giving him of some initiative. For instance: 1 9 ...ttlb7 ( 1 9 ...bxc4 leaves White with an active position after 20.E:c3 .tb5 2 1 .E:bl+) 20.cxb5 ixb5 (20 ... E:ec8 would lose
72
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
a tempo compared with a similar line from a previous comment, allowing 2 1 . .td3+ since ... tLlc5 is impossible) 2 1 .�b3+ Black is not fully coordinated yet.
19...g6 20.tLlf1 tLlh7 21.tLlg3 E:a8 22.E:hl E:ec8 23.tLlel tLla5 24.E:f3 tLlc4i
Black has managed to regroup perfectly and has a very enjoyable position. We have now reached the end of an incredibly long journey. I hope that I have managed to prove that the system of development designed by Rubinstein one century ago is perfectly playable and that the oblivion into which it has fallen is due only to the well-known cruelty of Lady Fashion.
The Rubinstein System
73
l.e4 e5 2.lLla lLle6 3.�b5 a6 4.�a4 lLlf6 5.0-0 �e7 6J�el b5 7.�b3 d6 S.d 0-0 9.h3 lLla5 10.te2 e5 1 l.d4 '!We? 12.lLlbd2 lLl e6 13
1 2 3
4
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
i.b3 10 ell) b611
ell) 5 12 i.f6
ell)xd4 ge8
i.f4 ell) e4
i.b2 .id520 �a7p9 .id8
.ixe6 ,be6
.ixd4 .ib6
21
22
�xh5 t
he4 ell) e5
�e2 bxc336
a41 cxd4 ell) fl 6 cxd4
cxd4 ell)xd4
a3 14 .id715
b416 cxd4
cxd4 i.b318 gac817 exd4
dxe5 dxe5
5 ...
•••
axb5 axb5
ell)xe6 fxe6
ell) dfl e4
ell) e331 gfl33 �a5p2 b4!;34
�e2 e4
=
+
13.dxe5 dxe5 14.lLlfl �e6 15.lLle3 �adS 16.'!We2 e4 17
18
19
ell)xe6 fxe6
b4? cxd4 ell) d4p7 exd4
7 ...
•••
•••
•••
8 ...
•••
•••
9 ... •••
11 12
. ..
•••
•••
1 3 ::: 14
···
•••
20
21
g fl 54 �f755
•••
24
25
+
ell)xe3 �e545
.ixb3 ell)xe4
,be6 ell)xc3
ixf7t �xf7
i.e3 gedl?63 gd6! gxd6 ell) e5?62 f6
,be5 gdlt
ge369
exf5
gg871
�h6 i.d5
�dlF g3 �f478 �e579
+
ell) d765
�g466 i.f867
exf5
ell)xe574 i.f4!?75 ,be5 ell)xe5 gfe8 i.d6
,bd676 �f3 �xd6 �d2
gxe8t gxe8
i.g5 h6
ell) e4 ell) d5
ell)xf6t85 �e3 gxf6 cxb3
h673 •••
gfe8 •••
•••
•• •
ell) d5
i.h6 g6
�xf7t
=
00
axb5 axb5
ell)xe760 �f3 �xe761 ell) d7 •••
26
d3
gfl!?48 a450 gf7!?49 cxb3!?
•••
23
a338
ell) g4?40 .ie342 cxd4 i.e5!41 ell) d4!43 exd4
•••
22
�xf8
gxf868
gad1 88 i.e490 i.f6!89 ell) f4
�g5 gxf570
gdl
+ 2 7 2 i.xg +
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
74
13.dxe5 dxe5 14.lLlfl .te6 15.lL)e3 �adB 16.Wfe2 e4 17
1 5 ::: •
1
··· 6 •••
18 •••
•••
•••
• ••
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
ctJ g5 ctJb8
J.e391 ctJbd7
a492 ctJc5
axb5 axb5
hc5 hc5
b4 J.b6
ctJe493 ctJxe4
he4 l:'!:d694
J.d2 hb2
l:'!:abl J.f699
•••
ctJd4!
cxd4 exd4
ctJxf6 ixf6 •
+
l .e4 e5 2.tlJf3 lL)e6 3 ..tb5 a6 4..ta4 lL)f6 5.0-0 .te7 6.�e1 b5 7..tb3 d6 B.d 0-0 9.h3 lL)a5 10.te2 e5 1 1.d4 Wfe7 12.lL)bd2 lL)e6 13
14
15
16
17
1
1 9 ::: 2
ctJfl llO ctJh5
•••
··· 0
21 22
•••
• ••
...
a4 l:'!:b8
•••
···
•••
2 3 ::: 24
···
•••
2 5 ::: 2 6 ::: 2 7 :::
20
21
22
ctJa3 �b7
c4 b4
ctJb 5
b3 ctJ g3 113 J.e3 ctJ f/ gfb8?P 14 b4 1l 5 l:'!:afl l:'!:g8
�d2 .Ad7
ctJfl �e8 •••
19
ctJb l 104 axb5 ctJg7105 axb5
b3100 a4102 ctJe8101 l:'!:b8
··· 8
18
f6 123
26 1 l h 'it> ctJ f/
c4 b413 1
g4133 g6
•••
c4 b4
ctJfl ctJe8
g4141 g6
•••
•••
•••
• ••
•••
•••
•••
•••
•••
•• •
b4
axb5 axb5
ctJfl J.d7
J.d3 .Ae3147 �d2 l:'!:fc8?P48 g6149 l:'!:a8
axb5 axb5
ctJfl ctJe8
ctJ3h2 f6
• ••
•••
•• •
•••
•••
•••
•••
•••
•••
ctJb 7 •••
c4 • ••
ctJe8 •••
J.d7
a3 ctJel l:'!:af8 122 -
ctJd2 h5
axb5 axb5
•••
00
J.h6 ctJ g7
ctJe3 f6 ggl 145 @h8146 -
ctJ g3 ctJg7
_
l:'!:a2! C4150
ctJ f3 153 f5 ctJg7 g6
+
g4 + 4 oid715
=
bxc5 155 axb5 dxc5156 axb5
c4 f6 157
cxb5 ctJd6
J.d3 Ad7!
ctJC41 58 oid2 ctJxb5 ctJb7159 -
bxc5 160 axb5 �xc5 axb5
ge3161 g4163 l:'!:e8?p62 g6
ctJfl ctJb7
gbl gec8164 +
75
The Rubinstein System
I This typical way of undermining the black queenside at such an early stage has the significant drawback that it weakens the b4-square. 13 .ibI removes the bishop from the exposed c2-square but leaves White with further problems in continuing the development of his queenside. Black can answer with the equally extravagant 13 .idS, clearing the e7-square in order to solve the problem of the queen's knight. I4.dxeS (Delaying this exchange could lead to the radical activation of the black dark-squared bishop via b6. For instance, 1 4.ttlfl ttle7 1 5.ttlh4 cxd4 1 6.cxd4 Wffa7 17.i.e3 i.b6= Ciric - Janosevic, Sarajevo 1 95B.) I4 dxeS IS.�fI �e7 The knight keeps the crucial d5- and f5squares under control. I6.a4 .Ab7 I7.axbS axbS •
.••
•••
I9.�g3 geS 20.b3 .ic6 21..ie3 ISJtxaS .id7= Simagin - Bronstein, Moscow 1947.
2 Quite natural, but I4 .id7 might be a •..
more flexible move order, by maintaining the pressure against the d4-square. IS.axbS �b4 I6 .ib3 (If 1 6.i.b 1 , aiming to keep the d3square under control, Black could deviate with 1 6...axb5. For instance, 1 7.Ela3!? :!'!xa3 1 B.bxa3 ttlc6 1 9.i.b2 ElaB= Ll .. :!'!a4.) 16 hbS 17.�fI Georgiev - Skembris, Limaso1 1 997, 17 aS=. •
.
•••
.••
3 15 .ibl bxa4?! (I 5 ...i.d7! would transpose to the previous note) 16.gxa4 as 17.�fI �d7 IS.�e3 ge8 19.i.d2 �b6 20.ga3 i.e6 21.i.c3 f6 22.dS .id7 23.'l!Ne2 geeS 24.g4 �a4 25.�f5 txf5 26.gxa4 i.d7 27.ga3± Black's •
position is solid, but quite passive. White went on to win a good attacking game in Bogoljubow - Rubinstein, Maehrisch-Ostrau 1 923.
4 If 16.gxa4, as played in Lasker - Kupchik, New York 1 93 1 , 16...a5 is still simplest. S Black has a harmonious arrangement of pieces. •
6 This move is usually associated with the name of Emanuel Lasker, who employed it twice
during his World Championship match against Tarrasch in 1 90B. White decides to continue his development, ignoring the threats against d4.
7 This is one of those cases when the vulnerability of White's light-squared bishop makes itself felt. Black has temporarily won a pawn, but he can hardly count on maintaining his material advantage for long. However, the time and effort that White will consume in order to re-establish material equality will allow Black to complete his development comfortably, thus compensating for the relative weakness of the d6-pawn. The variation is only occasionally seen in practice and is regarded more as a surprise weapon than a serious attempt to refute Black's concept.
S To my taste, this is the move that best suits the spirit of the Ruy Lopez. Before undertaking any concrete action, White completes the knight manoeuvre, safely defending the e4-pawn and putting the enemy kingside under some indirect pressure. I will divide White's numerous alternatives into three groups, each of them featuring a different approach. One natural idea is to continue the development of the queenside by moving the dark-squared bishop. However, the seemingly active I6 .ig5 places the bishop on a relatively exposed square, allowing Black to defend his d4pawn with gain of time with I6 :�cS. Winning the pawn back could become a problem for White in this case. For instance: I7.i.h4 .ie6 IS.gel (Denying the queen access to b4 by means of 1 B.a3, as played in Wyeth - Morgan, corr. 1 9 1 3 , is too slow. Black should have reacted with 1 B .. .!:\acB 19.Elcl 'i!lhB eliminating the threat of e5 followed by i.xh7, keeping the bishop in a relative pin, and enabling a ' possible release of the pin on his own knight by means of ... ttlgB. If 20.Wffd2 then simply 20 ...Wffh 5+ taking advantage once again of the unstable position of White's queen's bishop.) •
•.
76
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
lS eM (In fact, 18 .. .lhc8 is also playable, •••
because the position arising after 1 9.eS dxeS . 2o.ixh7t �xh7 2 1 .gxcS gxcSoo offered Black reasonable compensation for the queen in Te KoIste - Michell, London 1 9 1 2.) 19.b3 (dearly a positional concession, restricting the Spanish bishop even more) 19•.•�ac8+ Joas - Juhnke, Hochspeyer 1 967. From the "developing" group, 16 .tf4 looks better. Some accuracy is required from Black in order to maintain the balance. The natural reaction to the pressure along the h2-b8 diagonal is 16 �d7, planning a further knight move to eS. Afrer the natural 17.�cl Black faces an important choice: how to parry the threat of a discovered attack while maintaining the fluent course of his development. 17 :l'a7!? (I prefer this untested move to the previously played 1 7.. .'
•••
••
•
•
.
•••
•
•
.
because White risks remaining underdeveloped and never getting the pawn back. Here are some examples: Undermining the bS-pawn with 16.a4 is frequently a dangerous weapon in White's arsenal, but here it is inoffensive because Black can continue his development with 16 .ie6. Afrer 17.�g3 �ac8 lS..ibl tfb6 19.axb5 axb5 •••
2o.ig5 �fe8 21.'I'd3 �d7 22.e5 g6 23.he7 �xe7 24.exd6 'l'xd6 25.�e4 'I'M 26.�dl
if5+ White had a pawn less and a passive position in D. lonescu - Sanduleac, Bucharest 1 997. 16.b3 (with the obvious intention ofwinning the pawn back with .ib2xd4) is also too slow. Black can immroiately lise the offered tempo to break in the centre with 16 d5!. Now, the critical test ofthe central break is, as usual, 17.e5?! ( 1 7.tt:lg3? dxe4 18 . .txe4 was seen in Kr. Georgiev - Antonov, Bulgaria 1 975. By continuing with 1 8 ...ib7t Black would have retained his extra pawn. The less ambitious 1 7.exdS, openly aiming for equality, might be safer.) However, White's incomplere development leaves Black with excellent prospects after 17...�e4+. For instance: lS.�dl? {White still hopes to fight against the intruder by classic means, but only gets the worst of iL 18.he4 dxe4 1 9.'xfl ec3 20.�f3 (saving the rook with 20.l"!b l would lose the bishop to 20 ... d3-+) 20...exa1 21.ed3 g6 22 .ig5 .xa2 23.ixe7 if5 Black won in Florian - Pachman, Zlin 1945. Finally, the most concrete approach is to threaten the immediate capture of the d4-pawn by either defending the light-squared bishop or removing it from the attacked square. ••.
••.
•
77
The Rubinstein System Conceptually, this makes sense because after removing the d4-pawn White could design a better plan for his knight, consisting of its transfer to d5. Concretely, things are far less simple, because the queen will be rather exposed in the centre. 16.ge2 is typical in many lines of the Ruy Lopez. However, here it has the drawback of placing the rook on an exposed square, something that would not make itself fdt if White's centre were intact. Black's simplest way of solving his opening problems is the untested developing move 16 ie6 (A typical example of underestimating White's dynamic potential was 1 6...lLld7 17.�xd4 .tf6 when in the game Johannessen - Dworzynski, Moscow 1956, White missed l S.e5! he5 1 9.�e4 which would have left him with a decisive material advantage after 19...lLlf6 20.ti'xaS .ig4 21 .ti'xffit xffi 22.hxg4+-.) 17.'ffxd4 (Consistent, but not best. White could still have returned to similar paths as in the main line with 1 7.lLlg3 when after 1 7...lLld7 l S.�xd4 .tf6 19.�dl g6= Black would have little to worry about.) 17 ic4! (This is where the hanging position of the white pieces tells. The rook cannot abandon the second rank because of ...hf1 followed by ...ti'xc2.) 18id3 d5! (the exposed position of the white queen offers Black the possibility of activating with gain of time) 19.e5 (19.exd5 i.c5 20.ti'c3 lLlxd5+. 19.hc4 dxc4 20.e5 �adS+) 19 �d7+ White cannot easily deal with such threats as ... lLlc5-e6, ...i.c5 or simply ...hd3 followed by ... lLlxe5. The seemingly active 16..tb3 has the drawback of weakening the defence of the e4-pawn, which is best exploited by the alternate way of developing the cS-bishop, namely 16 .ib7, which has also not been tested yet. (As in the line starting with 1 6.i.f4, as examined above, I am slightly sceptical about 1 6...�b6 although after 1 7.lLlg3 �eS lS.i.g5 i.e6 1 9.he6 fxe6 20.�b3 i.dS 2 l .f4, as played in Milanovic - Kazhgaleyev, Issy les Moulineaux 2004, Black could have obtained a pleasant position with 21 ...lLld7 22.hd8 Elaxd8+. ••
••
•••
•••
possible improvement for White is 19.1Llf5! i.xf5 20.exf5±, when White's light-squared bishop is very strong, while the black d-pawns are far from impressive.) 17.tfxd4 (Again, this seems like asking for trouble. 1 7.lLlg3 is safer, although after 1 7... d5 I S.exd5 hd5= White is not entitled to hope for more than plain equality.) 17. .gae8! (the reasons behind choosing precisely this rook to place on eS will reveal themselves later) (In view of Black's planned opening of the centre, White defends his el -rook. I s.lLlg3 d5 1 9.e5 i.c5 would leave him with problems defending the e5-pawn. I S.�d3 is best answered by I S ...i.dS! which increases the pressure against the e4-pawn without disconnecting rooks. After 19.1Ll g3 d5 Black wins a pawn.) 18... �xe4! 19.9xe4 This intermediate move would not be possible with the alternate placement of rooks because of �xeS with check. Now; after the exchanges in the centre, White will lose the b2-pawn without any compensatton. .
A
.
•
9 In view of the threatened lLlf5, Black dears the f6-square for the bishop.
10 As we know, 17.ge2 is a natural alternative
to threaten the capture of the pawn. However, once again the rook proves to be vulnerable after 17...�e5 18ib3 (18.�xd4? is met by the typical trick 18 ....ixh3!+) and now, in Gumprich - De Carbonnel, corr. 195 1 , Black could have obtained a strong initiative with 18 d3 19.9e1 J.e6 20.£4 (20.he6 fxe6 2 1 .f4 leaves White over-extended after 2 1 . . ..th4 22.h2 lLlg6+) 20 ...lLlc4 (safely restricting the b3-bishop) 21.ti'xd3 .if6 22.ti'e2 d5! (underlining White's lack ofdevelopment and his prematurely created weaknesses in the centre) 23.e5 .th4 24.h2 f6!? 25.elf6 �ae8 with a strong initiative. It would be premature to start kingside activity before solving the problem of the hanging bishop. For instance: 17.�e; .if6 18.g4 (slightly better is I S.i.f4, but after 18 . . . lLle5 1 9.1Llxd4 lLlc4 20J'lbl i.e5 Black •••
•
7B
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
would obtain active play anyway) 18 lLle5 19.95 (The exposed position of White's light squared bishop makes itself felt after the generally desirable 1 9.1Llxd4 when Black has the simple tactical manoeuvre 1 9 . . . lLlxg4 20.hxg4 ,hd4 2 I .Wixd4 Wixc2+ at his disposal.) 19 ..td8 20.f4 Now in H. Prokopp - Haese, corr. 1 9B7, Black should have taken advantage of his lead in development with 20 :&c5 21.cbg2 22.ex5 .la5 23.�f1 (23.!!e2 d3 24.,hd3 "efd5t-+) 23 �ac8 24.J.e4 d5+. •••
••
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•••
1 1 Black prevents the unpleasant threat .ld5
and plans to further restrict the enemy bishop by means of ...lLlc4. Again, I do not entirely trust 17 Yfb6 although it eventually led Black to victory in the historic game Lasker - Tarrasch, Germany (m) 1 90B. After 18.J.dS �a7 19.J.f'4 1Lle5 20.m3 play would transpose to the game Enders Lukacs (see above, the 1 6.i.f4 variation). •••
12 Black also gets comfortable development after 18.ffxd4 J.f6 19.ffd3 ILlc4 20.�e2 .te6 21.lLlh5 .te5 22.1Llf4 (Continuing to chase the
bishop with 22.f4? allows 22..."efc5t 23.Wh2 ,hb2 24.,hb2 "efxh5 when after 25 ..ld4 Black em undermine the enemy centre with 25 ...d5+ when White's compensation for the lost pawn is questionable.) 22 g&s •••
•.
13
Black has developed his pieces harmoni ously and enjoys a comfortable position.
14
White makes a generally useful move, inviting Black to define his intentions. In his attempts to avoid the heavily analyzed variations, Tal occasionally employed this variation in the late sixties.
15
Also a useful move. If Black continues in the same way as against Lasker's variation, with 13...cxd4 14.cxd4 �xd4 15.�xd4 ad4 White can continue with 16.�a followed by lLlxd4, thus saving a tempo over the manoeuvre lLlfl -g3-f5xd4.
•
16 The only way to give some meaning to the
previous move. Otherwise, the insertion of a3 and ....id7 would clearly favour Black.
17 To me, this rare move looks like the most
natural way to continue. The theory books generally recommend 15 �fc8 16.J.b3 a5 17.J.b2 as played a couple of times at a high level. However, I do not like the idea of leaving the f7-square vulnerable because this would practically force Black to play ....ie6 soon, leading to a slightly ugly pawn structure. My general impression is that, although he is not really in trouble, Black is struggling a little. •••
Theory gives 16.J.bl as the reason why the other rook should be placed on cB. This does not make much sense, because the bishop is simply passive on b I . 16 exc14 (after 1 6...!!feB 1 7..ib2 .ifB I B.lLlfl as played in Liberzon - Krogius, Rostov on Don 1971, White may indeed retain a tiny edge) 17.J.b2 Ae6 Targeting the c4-square. This relative loss of time is compensated by the enemy bishop's retreat. 18.lLlxd4 lLlxd4 19.hd4 ILld7 The weakness of the c4-square and Black's piece activity compensates for White's more compact pawn structure.
18
•••
19
The reader is familiar with the general reasons why I prefer this move to 17...1fb6 (see 1 3.lLlfl). An additional detail is that Black enables the over-defending of his extra pawn by means of ....!dB-b6.
20 18.1Llf1 .Ad8 19.1Llxd4
is strongly met by 1 9 ....lb6! 20.lLlxc6 .ixf2t 2I .Whl hOO when 22..ixf6 gxf6 23.Wig4t WhB 24.!!e2 does not offer White attacking chances because of 24....ld4 followed by ....ie5.
21 Black has an active position. 22 As
mentioned in the introduction, this move is part of White's general plan. The fact that it is played at an earlier stage should not
The Rubinstein System
distract Black from the system of development employed in Fischer - Kholmov.
23
After having kept the queen's knight on d2 for so long, White relied on this thematic pawn break. However, Black's better development and good central control offers him sufficient resources to cross White's plans. It should be said that 19.�fl transposes to Fischer - Kholmov with the significant difference that Black has saved the tempo spent he would certainly not on ...h6. After be worse.
24 An attractive move, putting the vulnerable f2-square under serious pressure, but the immediate 19 b4, fighting for the d4-square, is also possible. For instance: 20.Bxe4 bxc3 2l.�f3 (White should not define his queens intentions too soon. 21 .Wfxe6t?! would release the pin along the c-file, when after 21 ...'.:t>hB 22.ti)f3 Blackwould immediatelytake advantage of the queenside structural modifications by means of22...ti)b4+. Instead, 21 .ti'xc3 removes the threat against the e6-pawn too soon, allowing Black strong counterplay after, for instance, 21 ...ti'b6 22.ti)f3 J.b4 23.ti'e3 ti)d4!.) 21. Bc8 (Black solves both his tactical problems with just one stroke. The e6-pawn is defended and the pin on the knight is removed.) 22.ga4 •••
79
winning the queen) 21. bId 22.Bxc5 (22.ti)f3 is no fun either after 22...ti)b4 23.J.b 1 m6 planning to indirectly defend the advanced c-pawn with .. .l:kB. The immediate capture of the pawn with 24.Bxc3? allows 24 ....bf2tFt with the point that after 25JJ:xf2 B:d1 t 26.ti)el Black has 26...Bxf2t! 27.c.t>xf2 ti)xe4t when 2B. c.t>e2 fails to 2B ... ti)xc3t defending the d1-rook and mating on the next move.) 22...cxd2 23 .tb2 gfl (This move eventually led to Black's advantage, but the unexpected 23 ...Bf7!?, aiming to combine the pressure in the centre with kingside threats, deserves serious attention, too. The tactical point is that the c6-knight does not really hang in view of ...B:cB followed by ...B:xc2. A possible continuation would be 24.B:ad1 ti)d4 25 ..hd4 exd4 26.J.d3 ti)h5 27.B:xd2 ti)f4 2B.ti'g5 ti'b7= L\ . . . Bxb3, . . . ti)xd3, . . . ti'xe4.) 24.f3? (White does not need this consolidating move. It was imperative to cover the d-pawn with 24.B:fd1 when after 24 ... ti)b4 25.ti'xc7 B:xc7 26.J.b1°o White would keep things under relative control.) 24 �b4! 25.Bxc7 k7 26 .tdl Obviously forced now. 26 �d3 27.ga2 �h5 28.�h2 gent Kuijpers - Zuidema, Amsterdam 1 966. ••
•
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•
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�d4 23.Bxc8 �xf3t 24.gxf3 'hc8 25.ga6 �floo Levenfish - Lilienthal, USSR (ch) 1 940.
25 Who has said "A"
must... It might seem that White must continue the active operations initiated on the queenside. Indeed, 20.�f3 would allow 20 �h5 with .. .. .. .. some IDltlatlve. However, the prophylactic defence of the f2-pawn with 20.gfl might be better. The insertion of the last two moves certainly adds force to 20 b4! but things ate far from dear yet, for instance 21.Bxc4 (2 1 .cxb4 loses material to 2 1 ...ti)d4 22.Wfxc4 lLlxc2 because 23.Wfxc2? is impossible in view of 23 ...hf2t! •••
•••
26 The first knight joins the attack, jumping direcdy into the fire.
27
�d4! The second knight shates
his brother's fate. Curiously, Minic gave this brilliant move as leading only to equality. 24.cxd4 YNxe4t 25J�e2 Ae3t (Grabbing material with 25 ...hd4t? 26.c.t>el .hal ? immediately turned the tables after 27.B:f2!± in Van den Berg - Nei, Beverwijk 1 966. As a curiosity, I would mention that Nei was one of Spassky's dose collaborators and accompanied him as a second to the match against Fischer.) 26.c.t>el bd2t 27.c.t>xd2 YNxd4t This position was given in Informant as equal. Black obviously has a perpetual at his disposal, but given White's lack of coordination and the exposed position of the king he can play for more. 28..td3 (28.c.t>el ? leads to catastrophe
�
,,
I
80
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
after two unexpected checks: 28 ...�c3t 29.Eidl �g3t!) 28 �xa1 The white king remains surrounded by dangers. •••
28 This
move implies an early commitment in a similar way to 1 4.a4.
29 The bishop
feels very comfortable on e6
now.
30 White's main idea consists of placing his queen more actively than on e2 as in the main line, but we shall see that this is a far from one sided aspect.
31 The most consistent continuation. 17.ltlg4 �xg4 18.hxg4 leaves Black with a queenside initiative after 18.. b4f. 17.i.g5 helps Black regroup with 17 �d7 18.he7 �xe7 19.9ad1 �c5f 1h-lh Cioclltea
played more passively: 19 J!M7 20.a4 %Yb6 (even now 20 ... 1t1d4! was possible) 2UM1 gxd1 t 22.%Yxdl± Marulovic - Reshevsky, Skopje 1 970. Having been Fischer's rival for so many years, Reshevsky would have enjoyed the feeling of replaying over-the-board at least part of his older game. ••
38 21.e5 d3 (2 1 ...�xe5? 22.1t1f5!±) 22.elf6 bf6! 23.�g4 hal 24.ftxe6t fJIfl 25.�xf7t �d2 28.iLh5t g6 'ifixf7! 26.J.d1 d2 27 29.gxa1 gxh5-+ Kholmov 39 Fischer - Kholmov, Havana 1 965. 40 Just
another form of unjustified activity: symmetrical to 19.h4?
.
•••
- Ghinda, Bucharest 1 980. In fact, Ghinda has never been a Ruy Lopez expert with the black pieces, which makes me wonder whether this was a pre-arranged draw.
32 Suddenly, the main drawback of White's whole concept is revealed: the e I-rook lacks defence, enabling the very unpleasant threat ... ttJd4. This is a consequence of the over-ambitious placement of the queen combined with the delay in queenside development.
33
1 8.ttJf5? loses material to 1 8.. 19.exf5 ltld4! 20.�dl ttJb3!+.
34 Black's initiative takes concrete form, while White's attack has not even started yet.
35 Clearing the e5-square for the knight. 36
23.bxc3 gfe8 24..Ac2 ttJd3+ Bagirov - Kolpakov, USSR 1 969.
37 Curiously, in a later game played at GM level, Black was not aware of this move and
41
Considerably stronger than 19 �xg4 which allows White to remove his queen from its vulnerable square with 20.fJIxg4. However, Black has good play here, too. His attacking potential is revealed by the following game: •••
20 gf6 21.J.e3 J.d6 22.'I'e2 �e7 23.ged1 �g6 24.g3 gdfS 25.M J.c5 26.gfl �f4! A •••
logical tactical explosion, made possible by the accumulation of kingside tension. 27 (27.gxf4 exf4 28 ..bc5 f3 29.�e3 [otherwise ...�xc5] 29 ... Eig6t 30.'ifihl �d8-+) 27mexf4 28.e5 f3 29.�el? (better was 29.�e4 gf5 30.gael when White can still fight) 29 g£4! 3O.'ifih2 (30.gxf4 Eixf4 �Eig4, �e7xh4 mate.) 30mfJIe7 and 0-- 1 in Jongman - Praagman, corr. 1 980. •••
20.gfl
fails to safely defend the £2square after 20...ttJxg4. For instance: 21.fi'xg4 (21 .hxg4 �a7 22.b4 J.b6 there is sufficient room along the gl-a7 diagonal 23.a4 Eixrz 24.gxf2 gf8+) 21 .Jhf'2! 22.lhf'l mB+ De Baker - Toliusis, corr. 1 974 42
••
43 Just like that! White is big trouble. We can see here why the queen is badly placed on e2. Besides being en prise after the knight's move, it will enable the threat ...d3 one move later.
The Rubinstein System
44 22.gadl lilxg4 23.%Yxg4 dxe3 24.fxe3 �e5-+ Juarez
-
�h51 28J�fl gxf'l!-+
27
Lie - Stilling,
corr. 1 973.
Trois, Mar del Plata 1 970.
45 BlJwjanu - Widenmann, corr.
81
20.J.d2 looks like a logical developing move,
but it
1 980.
is too late for such a solid approach from
White. Black gets a very strong attack after
•
46 1his is a more sensible move. White tries to
20 �h5! •••
(20 .. :�f7 is inferior, but playable.
undermine Black's queenside, reducing the force
2 1 .bxc4 b4 22.cxb4 gxdZ 23.�xdZ ixb40Ci
of an eventual knight move to d4 as we shall see.
However, 20 ... lild4?! is not recommendable in view of 2 1 .cxd4 exd4 22.bxc4 dxe3 23.ixe3+
47
The standard reply. Black increases his
pressure against the enemy kingside and ignores Whites threat of winning a pawn.
19...�d4
is less indicated now because of
White's pressure against the c4-sqlJare, for
21.g3 �f4! 22.gd4 exf4 23.�fl f3 24.tfdl flfl With all his pieces massed on the back rank, White cannot survive Black's attack.
21. bxc4
Topolski - Smoljan, corr.
Scholl, Netherlands 1 970, leaves the c6-knight
is also playable for White)
22.bxc4 e5
1 969/72.)
49 Preparing to double rooks on the f-file. 20 tffl as successfully played in Zuidema -
instance 20.ad4 exd4 21.�xc4 (21 .bxc4 dxe3
22.ixe3;!;
Bohatirchuk - Heilemann, corr.
••
•••
undefended, allowing
1973.
21.bxc4 M 22 .la4! •
when after a further exchange on c6 the control
48 Probably the safest continuation, keeping
White in the game by defending the vulnerable f2-sqlJare.
of the d4-sqlJare will no longer give Black such a strong initiative.
20 J:lc8 aims to prepare the ttansfer of the ••
20.�dl looks rather passive but might not be
so easy to refute. 20
queen to f7. Personally; I do not like the idea
tffl21.bxc4 �h5 22.J.e3 lild4 23.ad4 exd4 24.J.d2 d3 25.hd3 �g3 26.tff3 tfg6 27.tfg4 tfxg4 28.hxg4 �d3 29 .le3 �xe4= Mrdja - Lengyel, Prague 1 979. 20.bxc4 prematurely blocks the c4-square
23.bxc4 M with reasonable compensation for
and leads to a very dangerous black attack after
White should put the enemy queenside
•••
•
of losing a tempo so easily but in practice the
move has worked after 21.a4 tffl 22.am5 axb5 Black in Kavalek - Cuellar, Sousse 1 967.
50
20 M. For instance: 21..tb2 (2 1 .cxb4 lDd4+) 21 bxc3 (simpler than 2l ...%Ya5 22.lildl gd�
under pressure before it is too late.
23.1Yfl ? lilh5! 24.�h2 gxd l ! 25.ixdl gxf2-+
attack.
•••
•••
lild4
E. Kuzmin - Trupan, corr. 1 984)
23 .ixd4 exd4 24.�dl 'f!Ye5 •
(Black does not
need to hurry with 24 ... d3. True, after 25.ixd3 �e5 26.lDe3 lDh5 27.lilg4? he delivered a nice tactical blow with 27 .. .l:'1xf2!! 28.lilxe5 gn t
forcing White's immediate resignation in Mull - Lengyel, Dortmund
1 988. The possible
mating positions are instructive, for instance
21..td2�! once again allows 21 �h5 with an •••
51 26.tfxflt � 27.axb5 axb5 28 .lb2 •
b4ii3 Black's control of the dark squares offers
him entirely adequate compensation for the small material deficit.
52 After
the game Fischer - Kholmov, this
move has been unanimously recommended as
29.�h2 .igl t 30.�hl lilg3 mate or 29.�f1
White's best chance of retaining an advantage.
lilg3 mate. However, White
However, practice and my analysis prove that
can
improve with
27.�c2 when 27 ... gd7 leaves Black with just compensation for the sacrificed pawn.)
25.�b2
25...d3! Now the situation is ripe for this sacrifice. 26.�xd3 gxd3 (25.gb l lilh5 with an attack)
Black has excellent play here.
53
As
usual,
the
most
consistent •
contmuatlon. •
•
•
•
82
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
19 �d4 is interesting, but leads to unclear consequences. 20.cxd4 exd4 21.e5! (The •••
only way to question the soundness of the knight sacrifice. In practice, White has gone down quickly . by choosing other moves. 2 1 .lbd5? shows that White intuitively felt an intermediate move was needed, but picked the wrong piece. 2 1 ...exd5 22.exd5 lbxd5 23.�e6t 'iiih8 24..te4 gf6 25.�g4 .tc5 26 ..txd5 gxd5 27.ge8t l'HS-+ Behling - lange, corr. 1 974. 2 1 ..tb l ? is simply too passive. 2 l ...d3 22.�dl lbxe4 23.lbg4 lbxf2 24.lbxf2 gxf2 25 ..te3 gxb2-+ Winsnes - Lengyel, Gausdal 1 988.) 21. dxe3 (2 1 ...�xe5? 22.lbf5±; 21 ...d3 22.exf6 dxe2 23.fxe7 �xe7 24.gxe2±; 2 1 ...lbd7? 22.axb5 axb5 23.lbg4 d3 24.lbxh6t gxh6 25.�g4t 'iiih7 26.�xe6 with an attack) 22.e1f6 (22.�xe3 .tc5 23.�e2 lbh5 24.J.e3 lbf4 with an attack) 22...elflt 23.trxno (23. 'iiixf2 .tc5t 24..ie3 �h2 25.J.e4 gxf6t 26..if3 he3t 27.�xe3 gd3 28.�e4 gfx8t 29.�xf3 &f3t 30.'iiixf3 �d6+) 24.tre20 1Yg3 (�25 ....ic5t 26.'iiihi .id6) 25.guloo This move finally justifies the advance of the a-pawn. After the capture on a3 the position is not entirely clear, but I would prefer White. •.
54
Again, this move is the best way to anticipate Black's intended attack. 20.b3 ab3 (20...lbd4?! is premature. After 2 1 .cxd4 exd4 22.ti)xc4 bxc4 23.�xc4 d3 as played in Christiansson - Garbacki, core. 1 985/88, White could have consolidated his advantage with 24..ie3!±.) . �xe4 n.ub5 uh5 23••xb5 �e7 24.£3 (24.he6t leaves the bishop exposed after 24...'iiih8 25.13 ti)g5 when 26..ig4 e4 looks dangerous for White) 24._�g5 25.h4 gbS 26 •a5 (The exposed white queen has to mind each step. · 26.�c4? is bad because of 26...gf4!-+.) 26....xa5 27.'ha5 �xf3t 28.gx:f3 Lb3+ The position is most probably drawn, but it is White who has to fight for it, because of his weaker pawn structure. •
55 This seems to be the best way to increase
the pressure against the enemy kingside.
The tempting 20...'eb6 has the significant drawback that it places the queen too far from the targeted wing. If the pressure along the gl a7 diagonal does not yield anything tangible, Black might just end up in a strategically inferior position. 21.axb5 axb5 22.�hl !i:Je7 23.g3 9c6 24.�g2 gf7 25. c,t>h2 gdf8 26.£3 !i:Jg6 This position was assessed as complicated by Suetin, on the basis ofa game played between the readers of two Soviet magazines ... Personally, I feel that Black's activity has reached a dead end and it is White who can start thinking about fighting for an advantage. 27 .ie3 !i:Je8 (27...lbh7!? fails to put White under serious pressure after 28.b4 he3 29.'iWxe3 lbg5 30.lbel + planning h4) 28.hc5 (28.b4!+) 28 �xc5 29.�e3 (We can feel that even if the rook's pressure does not have a threatening character, it somewhat restricts White's possibilities. For instance, he is not prepared to fight for the control of the a-file with 29.'iWe3? because of 29...'iWxe3 30.�xe3 gxf3.) 29 ...!i:Jd6 30.M m6 31.c,t>g2 Bf4 (3 l ...h5 32.h4 ga7!? with play on the a-file) 32.!i:Jg4 g4f7 After thorough preparation, White finally played 33.1!Ye3! in DUel Tatarczuk, corr. 1990. •
•••
56 Winning some space on the queenside. With his kingside under attack, White
is not prepared to handle the queenside tension after 22.b3?!. For instance: 22...�h5 23.1m:4 (23.g3 ti)f4! 24.gxf4 exf4 25.lbg4 13 26.tiel �h5 27.'iiih2 .td6t 28.e5 lbxe5-+) 23 �f4 24.9£3 b4� 25 .1a40 (aiming to exchange the dangerous knight before the d4-square becomes available) 25 ...'iWa7! 26.!i:Jc2 !i:Jd3+ 27.1Yg04 (27.hc6 �xf3 28.E1xa7 E1xf2 29.J.e3 ihflt 30.'i!?xfl ha7 31 .ha7 b3 32.!i:Ja3 b2-+ In view of the threat . . . E1c8 followed by . . . ga8 White cannot safely stop the far advanced pawn.) 27...�x£Z 28.9xe6t 'i!?h7 29.,hc6 Now, in J. Krimer - Korelov, core. 197 1 , Black could have won immediately with 29 'l'xall because the queen is taboo in view of the neat mate arising after 30.�xal !i:Jg4t •••
•
• ••
he3t 32.gn gdl.
The Rubinstein System
23.cxM �d4 24 •dl!
57
•
(24.'1!fd2 .!iJf3t 25.gxf3 �xd2 26.Axd2 .!iJh5 with an attack) 24 �b3 25.hb3 Ldl •••
29.Ag4:t
�c3 2s.Ab2 e4
�xe4 27
The premature 19.�u7t?! helps Black regroup with 19 �xe7 20.Ae3 �c5 2Uledl •••
�g6! 22.�f5 �f4 23 •a �cd3 24.hf4 �xf4 25.h4 g6 26.�e3 h5 27.g3 �d3! cxd3 29.!d2 !d7 30.�g2 .Ag4 ¥.z-¥.z Suetin •
- Klovans, USSR 1 973.
5S
This attempt to distract the queen contains a tacit draw offer.
59 But Black does not need to repeat moves. With his last move (threatening both .!iJxe4 and .!iJg6-f4) he shows that the queen em also be well placed on b7. 60 1 9.
61
.ig5 �g8! Kavalek
.
62
22...f6 23.�adl .!iJc5 24.�d6 would be the correct move order to reach the game posltlon. •
63 23.�xg7! <Jag7 (23 ...'Bxg7 24.Axc5) 24 .Ah6t c.txh6 25 •f6t �h5 26.g4t+ •
•
67
20..!iJx5 .Af6? 21 ..!iJxg7!+Merlicek - Copak, COrI. 1980. (Possibly premature. 19 .ARi 20.J.g5 The immediate 20 ...g6 comes into account, for instance 2U�adl ��xd7 21...,Axg5 22.'Bxg5 f6 although Black's kingside remains vulnerable.) 21.�xf5 .Axg5 22.tfxg5 g6 23.!adl f6 24 •g4 �c5 25.�e3 Once the knight has done its kingside job, by provoking several weaknesses in Black's structure, it switches to the main path, leading to d5. 25 �e7 26.b4!:t Kozlowski - Wisniowski, corr. 199 1 . ••
•
1 9....!iJxe7 20..Ag5 .!iJd7 21.a4 .!iJc5 22.axb5 axb5 23.�edl �a8 24.!xa8 !xa8 25 ..!iJ5 f6 26..Ae3 .!iJx5 27.ex5 .tg8 28.Axc5 'lWxc5 29..ie4 �b8 30.�d7+ Browne - Cuellar, Skopje 1 972.
•
83
Kavalek
27.!d6! J.fJ (27 ...g6 28. .!iJe7!! �xe7 29.'Bxf6t Kavalek) 2S •dl �bS 29.!d8 .c7 30.�d6 Jb.dS 31.�xf'7t .xf'7 32.'BxdSt 'BgS 33 •d6 (33.'Bc7!? 'Be8 34.b3± Kavalek) 3 3 •e8 34.Adl h5 35 .Ae2 �h7 36.b3+ 64
•
•••
68 21 ...� 22.'Bg5± gxf5 ? 23.ex5 id5
24.f6 with .an attack, Pichler - Wiedenhoeft, corr. 1976.
69 A
popular move among correspondence players. White is openly playing for an attack. In practice, Black probably has not used all the defensive resources of the position, but this does not diminish the merits of White's plan. The more neutral 22.!adl leaves Black in relative safety after 22 �c5 23 •g5 f6co when the stable position of the black minor pieces compensates for the kingside weaknesses. •••
•
•
.•.
•
Kavalek - Karpov, Caracas 1 970.
65 This is a more consistent way to answer White's kingside · aggression than IS �hS. .•.
The knight is heading for c5, but it should be taken into account that after the eventual exchange of the dark-squared bishop it will enjoy only relative stability there.
70 23 f6? 24..!iJxg6t!+-; 23 J�gS!? 71 24....Ad5 25.�dl 'Bd6 26.f6 .!iJxf6 27.�f3 .!iJe4 28.Axe4 'Be7 29.'Be3 Axe4 30.�xd8 .!iJxd8 31 .�xe4+ Womble - Kulczycki, email 200 1 . •
72 27.�g3 �xg3 28.fxg3 �g8 29.@xg2±
Purho - Koskinen, corr. 1 979.
73
66 White is systematically increasing the
pressure.
••
•••
By preventing ig5 Black ensures the stability of the f6-knight. Practice has failed to cast doubts over this rarely seen move, but
84
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
I believe that the implicit pawn sacrifice is not entirely sound.
74 In the event of neutral play Black would be doing just fine. 19.�d2 gEes 20.�e4 �b8! 21.a4 (2 1 .tZlxf6t .i.xf6 22.a4 tZld7 23.axb5 axb5 24..ie3 tZlc5 25 ..txc5 �xc5 26..ie4 looks like a slightly improved form of the game position. The main difference is that the black bishop is passive. However, the position is more or less equal anyway.) 21 �bd7 (2l ...tZlxe4?! 22 ..txe4 tZld7 23.axb5 axb5 24J3a61 Cioclltea) 22.axb5 u:b5 23 .te3 �xe4 •••
•
24.he4 �c5 25.hc5 .Axe5 26.gccll .tb6 27.g3 'ffc5 1,o2-Jfl Cioclltea - Karpov, Hastings 1971.
75 Only this move, never tried in practice or suggested by theoreticians before, can question the correctness of Black's 1 8'" move. White intends to regain the piece only after completing his development. Of course, during practical games it is quite understandable that 20.'Bxe5 is played almost automatically, leading to approximate equality. 20 ..td6 21..e2D gfe8 22.J.e3 (22.�f1 �xel 23.t'lxe1 .ic5 24..id2 t'lb6 25.�dl �e8 26.�fl tZlh5 27.�el �d8 28 ..ie3 tZlg3 29.fxg3 he3t 30.�h2 �d2 31 .�e2 �xe2 32.t'lxe2 .igl t 33.�hl t'le3= Matulovic - Padevsky, Vrnjacka Banja 1 973) 22... �d5 23.'B6 �xe3 24Jhe3 8xe3 25.'Bxe3 .tc5 26 •e2 'Bf4 27.�dl 1,02 lh Kavalek - Spassky, Solingen 1 974. ••
•
76 22.f4? gd7! would force White to capture
on d6 anyway, leaving him with unnecessary weaknesses along the gl-a7 diagonal. The best way to neutralize Black's temporary mltlatlve. 77
•
•
•
•
78 25 ...�e2 26.W1xd2 �xd2 27.�cl± 6�f1-e1
79 27.t'ld2± White has managed to stabilize the position. Although it is not clear yet how
he can convert his aua pawn into a passed pawn, his advantage (although minimal) is indisputable.
80 20 ..ih4 tZld5 81 21..ie4?! �d4! (21 ...tZlb8? 22.h4 �e7
23.a4!± Ciric - Bouwmeester, Amsterdam 1 968) 22.cxd4 exd4 23.ftadl (23.�c2 d3 24..txd3 �xe1 t 25.�xel �f4; 23.a4?! d3 24.�d2 c3!+) 23 ge7 24.'Bd2 (24.t'lc2 d3) 24.. J�de8 25 •c2 (25..ib1 d3) 25. :BdS (25 ... d3? 26 ..txd3!; 25 ...�d6 26.b3 · d3 27.i.xd3 cxd3 28.�e7 dxc2! 29.�xe8t �h7 30.�xd6 cl =�t 3 1 .tZlel �b2oo) 26.'ftbl (26.i.c6 d3 27.�d2 �el t 28.tZlxel �e5;;) •••
.
•
26...d3 27.hd3 cxd3 28.8xe7 .xe7 29.b3 .c5 30.�xd3 gd8 31..f1 8xdl 32 •xdl 'Bx5=i= •
"
82 21. ...te7?! 22.�e4 f6 23.b3 cxb3 24.hb3t �h8 25.'Bg4 �a5 26..te6 rulI 27.ge3 with an attack, Ciric - Martinovic, Sarajevo 1 968.
21. ..�d4!? 22.cxd4 exd4 23 •xe8t gxe8 24.�xe8t Cit>h7 25 .ie4 (25.tZle4!?) 25...c3 (25 ... d3!? might be better, although after 26.ge1 Bd7 27..t6 the threat of •
•
doubling rooks along the eighth rank is rather annoying, preventing Black from enjoying his superiority in the centre and on the queenside)
26.bxd dxd 27.tZlb3 a5 28.Ac2 a4 29.�c1 'Bd7 30.�e2 M 31.�bl± Zuckerman Addison, New York 1 967.
83 23.�adl .ie7 24.g3 (24.tZlg3?! tZlf6
25.�xd8 �xd8 26.tZle4 tZlxe4 27.�xe4 �d2 28.g3 i.c5 29.�e2= Planinec - Smejkal, Amsterdam 1 973) 24...�d7! (24...�f6 25.tZlxf6t .txf6 26.i.e4 �xdl 27.�xdl �d8 28.i.d5 �c5 29.'I1;Ve4 �d6 30.�g2 �f8 3 1 .h4;!;)
25.Cit>g2 ged8 26.h4 tZlf6= 23.M!? i.e7 24.a4; 23.a4!? 84 23...cxb3 24.i.xb3 tZlxc3? 25.�xf6t gxf6
26.'I1;Vh5 �g7 27.�e3 with an attack.
85
The Rubinstein System
23 �7 24.bxc4 bxc4 25.L4 liJf4 26.�g4 ••
23.ti'8 liJxe4 24.%Yxe4 .tc5 25.hc5 %Yxc5 26.Bad1= Ih-Ih Stein - Smyslov, Mar del Plata 1 966.
h5 27.%Yg3 Bd3 A...Bed8
85 24.liJxc3? cxb3!+ 26.�xh6? bxc2 27.Be3 Bd1 t 28.�h2 e4t 29.Bg3t %Yxg3t-+ 86
87
20.�e4 liJbd7 2 1 ..ie3 ll)xe4 22.he4 ll)c5
26 coth7 (26...�g7 27.�g3t �h7 •••
to the main line.) 27.BccH (27..txf7! �xf7 28.%Yxc3=/±, X�h7) 27 M 28.83 e4! (28...a5 29.axb4 axb4 30.Ba7 liJe2t 3 1 .�h2 %Yxc1 32.Bxf7t �h8 33.ti'xe2B 29.axM: Bd3 3o.Bel e3! 31�?! (31.�h1 Be7 32.8 e2+) 31 Bdl 32.fxe3 �e2t transposes
92 21.Badl h6 22.�e4 �xe4 23.he4 �f6 Yi'xc5 26.Rrd8 BId8 24..tc2 .Ac5 27.Bdl (27.ti'xe5 ti'xe5 28.Bxe5 Bd2-+ x.tc2, �b2, a2) 27...'hdl t e4 29.g4 Yi'd6 Bf4 31..e3 .xe3 32.fxe3 'iI1f8 33.Wf'2 g5= Zuckerman - Reshevsky, New York 1 965.
•••
33.cothl �g3t 34.cotgl Be2 35.Bdl 1fb7 36.e4 B8xc4! 0-1 Tal - Korchnoi, Moscow (esf/5)
93 25.Bedl? BIdl t 26.Yi'xdl (26.Bxd1 e4 27.liJxe4 ll)xe4 28.he4 �e5+) 26 :.00 27.�a e4 28.�d4 Yi'd5 29.Ba6 hd4 30 •xd4 Yi'xd4 (30 ...�xf5Ft) 31.cxd4 Bb8 32.cotfl �d5; Ivkov - Robatsch, Havana
1968.
1 965.
•••
88
h6 (20...f6? 21 .Badl± Parma -
Ostojic, Skopje 1969. 20.. .hg5 21 .hd5 Bxd5 22.liJxg5t Parma) 21..te3 (21.Badl?! liJxc3 elf4 22.bxc3 hxg5!F) 21...�f4 (23 ..tc2 �f8 A....t(6) 23 •xc6 24.�d4 Bd7 25 •8 J.f6. •••
•
89 21.�xg5 �f6 22.�e4! �xc4 23.jxc4 �b8 24.a4? (24.f6!±) 24...�d7 25.axb5 axb5 26.Bd5 �c5! 27.Bedl (27.f6? Bxd5 28.hd5 'i9d6!=t= A...'i9xf6) 27...lhd5 28.Bxd5 (28.hd5!?) 28 f6 29 •e3 �xe4 30 •xe4 Boo •
•••
•
1J1-1h Vasiukov - Suetin, USSR 1968. 90 2 1 .hf6 liJxf6 22.liJg5
••
•
94 27.Bedl
BedS. 28.Bxd6 Bxd6 29.BaS Bu8 g6 (30....idB= Ivkov) mg7 32.g3 Bd7 33.ft'8 ft'dl! 34.f6t mh6 35.mg2 Bel 36.M!? (36..ic6 e4! 37.he4 [37.�f4t g5 3B.%Y5 e3] 37....ixf2 3B.ti'f4t g5 39.ti'5 ti'gl t 40.�8 �xg3t 41 .�e2 �e3t 42.�f1 ti'el t Ivkov; 36..tc2 �d2 37..tb1 �el = Ivkov) 37."flYg4?? (37..ic6 .ie3 3B.hb5 �xc3 39.g4 ti'd2t 40.�h3 g5 41 .�aB! .ic5!!= Ivkov) 37 .te3 38."flYc8 •••
40.g4 mg7 41.g5 Bf'2t 39.mh3 Bflt 42.,tg2 'Bd3 43.cotg4 .tf2 0--1 Ivkov
- Mecking, Sousse 1 967.
95 2 1 .ti'8 d3 22 ..if4 .td6 23.hd6 �xd6
liJb8=
91 20.M �bd7 21.a4 as 22.axb5 aM 24.Bdl .tc5 (24....tc3!?) 25.�xf'7! Wxf'7 26.Bxc4t WfB 27.1133 Bc8 28 .tb3 •
(28.Bxd7 ttlxd7 29..ib3 �e7 3o.Lc5t �xc5 31 .'i9f7t �d8 32.�xg�) 28 .l:le7 29.Bacl ••
24.Bxe8t BxeB 25.ti'd1 Be2 with decisive threats in Lorensen - Kling, corr. 1 972.
96 2 1 ...d3?! 22.liJxf6t gxf6 23.�g4t �h8 24..ih6 13g8 25.Vge4 .tb4 26 ..id1 LeI 27.V9xe1±
bf'2t 3O.'iI1xf2 Ba7t 31..d40 Bxd4t (31 ...exd4 32.Bxc8t liJe8 33.�7t �xe7 34.Belt �f6 35.Bcxe8 d3too) 32.Bxd4 !xcI
33.Bxd7 �xd7 34.hc1 �c5 35..tc4 �e4t 36.Wa �d6 37 .ie2 Bb7 38 .tb� Ih-Ih •
Tseitlin - Smirnov, USSR 1966.
•
23.�f1 d3 24 ..tdl ti'a5! 25.Bxe8t Bxe8 26.ie3 hb2 27.Bb1 .td4+ 97
'.
98 24 •e3 h6!? 25.Bdl .tg5 26 •el •
•
(26.f4 .tf6 A ...td4, A ...13d4 27.ti'8 c3) .
•
h
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
B6
26...d227 gxe4T Soldner - Weinitschke, corr. 1 970.
24.'I'dl c3 25.bxc3 'lWxc3 26.�bl d2+ 99 Konikowski - Ronczkowski, corr.
1 97 1 .
100
By taking preventive measures against the eventual advance of the black c-pawn, White declares his intentions of submitting the b5-pawn to strong pressure by means of a4, i.d3, 'lWe2 and, eventually, ltlbl-a3. This plan aims to provoke the advance of the b-pawn, with the subsequent weakening of the c4-square, but is rather time-consuming, allowing Black to organize his kingside counterplay.
101 This is the most frequently played move. Black strictly follows Rubinstein's regrouping. However, in those cases when White delays the ' transfer of the d2-knight to the kingside, thus leaving the c1-h6 diagonal closed, Black can "borrow" an idea from the Old Benoni, consisting . of choosing an alternate way to transfer his king's knight to g7. Specifically, 14 g6 � . . . ltlh5 always deserves attention if.th6 is not possible at once. In this case the manoeuvre ltlfl -g3 is not so easy to carry out anymore and requires making some concession, such as either provoking the en�my knight's retreat by means of a further .th6 (which would most likely result in a loss of time later) or spending some time on preparing g4 without allowing a favourable knight move to f4. 15.a4 ( 1 5.ltlfl ltlh5 16..th6 tilg7 17.tilg3 f6 I B..td2 tilf7 1 9.tilh2 .td7= Fresneda - Chtcherbine, Vicente Lopez 2004) 15 J�bS 16.Y!Je2 �h5 17.�bl (This is consistent, but slightly awkward looking. However, it should be said that Black would not face any problems after 17.ltlfl .td7 I B..th6 tilg7 19.94 f6 20.a.xb5 a.xb5 2 1 .tilg3 tilf7=.) 17 id7 IS.Ah6 ie81? (Afrer White has practically lost two whole tempi by moving back and forth with his knight, Black deviates from his standard plan, too. By keeping his knight on h5 he plans a further move to f4, when after .txf4 . . . exf4 the long diagonal will be opened, leaving the c3-pawn exposed to the •••
••
••
----
------
attack of Black's dark-squared bishop. However, I B ...ltlg7 is entirely playable, too, for instance 1 9.1tla3 f5 20.a.xb5 a.xb5 2 l .id3 b4 22.cxb4 �xb4= � . . . ltlf7.) 19id3 (Slightly careless. White should have exchanged on b5 first with 1 9.a.xb5 and only after 1 9...a.xb5 proceeded with his plan. 20 ..id3 .iffi 2 l .ic1 ig7 22.ltla3 ltlf4 23.ixf4 exf4� The control over the dark squares compensates for the temporary passivity of the dB-knight. Under the new circumstances, this knight would probably have to be transferred back to the queenside, either to a5 in order to put the weakened b3-square under pressure, or to c5 after a preliminary pawn sacrifice ...c4.) 19 .J.i8 20.i.c1 �f4?! (The future world champion misses the simple pawn break 20...c4 2l .bxc4 bxa4 � ... ltlb7-c5. The only way to keep some life in White's position would now be 22.c5!? but after 22 ...�xc5 23.i.xa6 ig7 �...�a5, ...tilb7-c5, ... ltlf4 Black's position looks very much okay. The preliminary 20 ....tg7 would also be better than the game continuation.) 2 exf4 22 ..1.5 nb5 23.Y!Jd2 (23.ltla3?! would allow Black to return to the right path with 23 ...ig7) 23 ..tb6 24.l'�a2 b4?! (One gets the impression that Black could not decide what to do with his knight. 24... c4!? 25.bxc4 bxc4 26.ifl ltlb7 with counterplay was a serious alternative.) �b7 (25 ... f6!?) 26J�a7 bxc3 27.�xc3 As7 2S.til dl Y!Jb6 29J�a6 fi'b4 30.Y!Jxf4 �S 32.�e3± Gipslis - Karpov, Riga 1970. ••
.
••
102 15.�fl g6 16.a4
( 16.c4 b4 17..th6 This move is unnecessary at the moment, but the game could be relevant if Black had chosen ... g6 instead of ...ltleB. 1 7...tilg7 1 8.g4 f6 1 9.1tlg3 ltlf7 20 ..td2 id7 2 l .a4 Refraining from opening the a-file absolves Black of any worries on this side of the board and allows him to concentrate on the kingside. 2 1 ...'I'cB 22.'lWb 1 ltl g5 i Now, the exchange on g5 leads to a structure where only Black can play for a win, because of the weakness of the f4-square, while otherwise the break ...f5 is enabled opening the f-file for the rook, Sai - Kaplan, Denizli 2003.)
16 gbS 17.�3h2 f6 IS.nb5 nb5 19.�g3 •.•
The Rubinstein System (19.f4 exf4 20..txf4 lilf7 21 .�e2 lile5 22J�a2 lilg7 23.lilg3 .Ad7 24J�eal With the gl-a7 diagonal well defended, White's pressure along the a-file will be relatively easy to keep under control and even neutralize completely. After the instalment of the black knight on e5, b3b4 clearly remains out of the question. 24...h5 25.lilB .Ae8 26..Ah6 �h7 27..Ae3 .Ad7 28.ga6 gfc8 29.lilfl b4 With the c4-sqnare controlled by the knight, this is the simplest way to get rid of the relative weakness of the b-pawn. 30.c4 ti'd8= a ..ga8, Yagupov - Nicki, Kecskemet 1 99 1 .) 19•••�g7 20.£4 elf4 �f7
87
20.Ba2 �f7 21.Bea1 YfcS 22.L5 Ads 23.Ba7 �g7 24.J.c1 f5+! Velimirovic - Matanovic, Belgrade 1 978.
105 With
the kingside pieces less harmoniously placed than in the game Gipslis Karpov, the thematic lS•••c4?! is less favourable in view of 19.bxc4 b:04 20.c5U; Kapengut - Kholmov, USSR 1970, when the generally desirable 20...euS makes things worse because of 21.�u5!:t.
.
22.�a �e5 23..Ah6 Ad7 24.Bfl BaB 25.Yfe2 fi'b7 26.Badl fIb6 27.Bd2 Ba2 '&as
Rodriguez
Kakageldyev, Manila 1992. We can see that when combined with the standard kingside plan, b3 has just weakened the second rank and the c3-square. R.
-
103 16.am5 am5 17.�fl g6 IS..Ah6 �g7 19.94 f6 20.�g3 �f7 21..bg7 �7 22.mh2 .Ad7 23.Yfe2 BaS 24.td3 "'7 25.�g2 Ba6
Black proves that he has studied Rubinstein's games carefully. He will soon get the upper hand on both wings. 26.'&b2 gras 27"ha6 e:06 2S.Bbl .Ads 29.�d2 tra2 30.c4 b4 31.�a
trxb2 32.Lb2 .Ae7 33.�d2 �g8 34.�dfl .liB 35.�e2 J.h6+ Mueller - Brandenburg, corr. 1 978.
16.�fl f6 17.�e3 ( l7.axb5 axb5 18.b4 lilf7!
Correctly refraining from releasing the queenside tension in any way. The game becomes relevant now for a different move order, corresponding to the ' main line. 19..Ae3 g6 20.llJ3h2 llJg7 21 .lild2 Aiming to put additional pressure on c5 by means of lilb3, but losing too much time. 21 ...f5+! Askarian - Caturian, USSR 1979.)
17 g6 18.�h2 �f7 19 .Ad2 �g7 20.tre2 .Ad7 21.axb5 axb5 22.ga2 trb7 23 .Ad3 gaS 24.geal gxa2 25.b2 f5? Kudela - Matyska, •••
•
•
corr. 1995.
104 IS.axb5 axb5 19..Ab2 The simplest way
to connect rooks in order to occupy the a-file, but hardly questioning Black's strategy. 19. £6 ..
106lhis is a critical position for the assessment of 14...lile8 after 14.b3. Black will soon start his kingside counterplay, taking advantage of the fact that the white queen's knight has been sent on a · mission to the opposite wing. It remains an open question if White can put his opponent under serious pressure on the queenside and whether the b5-knight is active or just imprisoned.
107 After this move the situation tends
to become similar to that from the game Moskalenko - Marin, with the only significant difference being that the black queen's knight will be placed on f7 instead of g8. It should be said that Black enjoys a relatively wide choice of moves of equal merit, essentially because the pressure against the b5-pawn is not very significant. 23 ..tb2 f5 24.gxa8 ti'xaB 25.gal �b8QO
lOS As mentioned above, during my game against Moskalenko I felt uncomfortable about White's possibility ofopening the queenside with cxb5 and a4. White is less well developed here, but the presence of the knight on d2 certainly gives some sense to the early undermining of the c4-square by this method. This explains why I have picked 14....td7 as the main line. Black delays any kingside commitment and continues the development of the other wing, preparing himself for the possibility of cxb5 and a4. In practice, Black has been quite successful with other moves as well, but it should be said
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
BB
that White did not try the abovementioned plan in any of the games. 14 g6 IS.b3 ( 1 5 .a4 b4 allows Black to save a tempo compared to the move order 14.a4 �bB 1 5.c4. 16.lLlfl lLleB 1 7..th6 lLlg7 1 B.g4 f6 19.1Llg3 lLlf7 20..ie3 WhB 2 1 .�h2 ggB 22.gg1 .id7 23.�e2 �afB 24.�g2 �cB 25.gag1 lLlg5 26.lLld2 lLlf7 27.b3 �-Y2 Haag - Kholmov, Tbilisi 1 969.) IS J.d7 16.�h2 �hS I7.�dfJ. f6 18.g4 �g7 {There is nothing wrong with this knight retreat, of course, but a Benoni player would probably prefer the sharper I B ...lLlf4!? 19 ..ixf4 exf4 20.'�a lLlf7 21 .�xf4 bxc4 22.bxc4 lLle5 23.lLle3 �a5;;;; with excellent play �Ub8 on the dark squares.) 19.�g3 �f'7
similar ideas as in the g;ame Gipslis - Karpov, from the line starring with 14.b3 above.
•••
•••
21.�hf1 ecS 22.�d2 gb7 23.cJ1h2 J.d8+t
Herrera - Borges, Santa Clara 1 990. Just four rounds after the "official" inauguration ofwhat we now call the Rubinstein variation, the following game was played:
14 �e8 IS.b3 g6 16.ee2 "'8 17.�fl
112 With the quefDside under tension,
this move certainly looks risky. More prudent would have been 1 8.b3.
113 Now, it would be too late for 19.b3, in view of l 9 �f'7 St. •••
1 14
This move is connected with an interesting plan, which em be relevant for the whole system in general, but concretely is not the best, because it allows White to consolidate his space advantage. In fact, this was the right moment to undermine White's cenue from both sides with (21 tc2 gabB 22.�bl lLlg5 20...bxc4 also allows Black to obtain active play on both wings) 21. f5+t. ••
•••
(actually, this was a good moment for White to take advantage of Black's straightforward play with 17..id3 .id7 1 B.cxb5 axb5 1 9.a4 lLlg7 20.�bU followed by the occupation of the c4-square) 17...�g7 18.�g3 J.d7 19.�h2 Wc8 20.gfl J.h4 Rather creative handling of the position. 21.�hl S 22.£4 J.f6 23.gbl �f'7 24..tb2 ed8+ Suechting - Salwe, Ostend 1 907.
109
White defends the c4-pawn in order to free the knight from this task. IS.abS ubS 16.a4 is obviously premature now. By re-directing the knight with 16 �b7, Black has excellent prospects of exploiting the numerous weaknesses in White's queenside structure. •••
1 10 16.Be2 gb8 17.b3 is less efficient because of 17 �h51+t when in view of the •••
threat ...lLlf4, White cannot keep his queen's knight dose to the c4-square.
III
Once the long dark diagonal has been weakened, 1 7...�eB comes into account, with
liS
With the rooks concentrated on the queenside, 21 ...a5!? A ...a4 would have made a lot of sense.
1 16 23.a4 'it?m!?
Once the queenside has been safely blocked, the king gladly abandons his old residence, where action is likely to take place soon. 24.�h2 'it?e8 2S.£4 exf4 'it?d8 27.ga2 'it?c8 28.gfl 'it?b7 The first part of the plan has been successfully carried out. Now it is time to return the rooks to the kingside. 29.i.cl gm Black's play during the next phase of the game is marked by indecision. (29...h5!? 30.gxh5 lLlxh5 3 1 .lLlxh5 gxh5 32..ifl ggBt 33.Whl lLle5+t would have put the white king in some danger.) 30.gefl gg8 31.i.b2 ��5 32.�a gam 33.Wh2 �d8 (Once again, 33 ...h5 deserved serious attention, for instance 34.gxh5 �hBt) 34.J.e2 tLlf'7 35.tLlel �e5 36.�d3 'it?a8 37.g5 White has completed his regrouping and is ready for active operations himsel£ 37...tLlxd3 38.i.xd3 fxg5 39.gf'7 gxf7 4O.gxf7 �h5 (40 ... lLleB!? A41 .gxh7? lLlf6! 42..ixf6 [42.�f7 .ieB-+l 42....hf6+) 41.�xh5
gxh5 42.e5 Ae8 43.gxh7 gm 44.'it?g2 g4
89
The Rubinstein System
White bas obtained a considerable strategic superiority in the centre. However, the home analysis after adjourning must have revealed that the exposed position of the white king is likely to hamper any winning attempts, since in Spassky - Scholl, Amsterdam 1 970, a draw was agreed here. It is strange that just two years after having introduced 1 6.b4 into practice, Spassky chose the relatively inoffensive 1 4.c4.
1 17
With the d4-square under firm black control, the plan of opening the kingside by means of 15.�3h2 f6 16.£4 ed4 17.txf4 is not dangerous. 17 �f7 18.�g3 g6 19.�a �g7 20.!Ul Ad7 21.ed2 a5?! (But the plan of queenside expansion initiated by this move is dubious. Better was 2 1 ...tLle5 22.b3 ElaeS 23.Elae1 'ffc8 24.'.t>hl .idS=.) 22Jlfl gab8 23.gafl c4?! Unnecessarily giving up control of the d4-square. 24.�e2 b4 25.�fd4 'ffb6 26.edl �e5 27.Ae3 ea6 28.�f.u Korneev - Haik, Men 1 995. •••
1 18
Given the fact that the flexibility of Black's queenside structure is intact, the plan from the game Bogoljubow - Rubinstein, Berlin 1 926, consisting of giving up the dark-squared bishop, should be regarded as less adequate now. However, the following game includes some further nuances and is worth examining. 16.J.h6
�g7 17.�e3 f6 18.mb2 �fl 19.hg7 mxg7 20JJgl White has regrouped in a slightly more
aggressive way than Bogoljubow. The further phase of his general plan consists of connecting rooks and concentrating them on the kingside by means of Elg3 and Elagl, followed by the advance of the h-and g-pawns. 20 mh8 (This is the start of the regrouping recommended by me in the notes to the aforementioned game as an alternative to Rubinstein's plan. However, given the specific placement of White's pieces, only 20 ... ElhS �. . h5 seems to allow Black to obtain active play now. Remarkably, 21 .h4 h5 22.g5? fxg5 23.hxg5, aiming to maintain a favourable kingside configuration, fails to 23 ....ig4!+ taking advantage of the location •••
.
of the white king on the same file as a black rook.) 21.ed2 llg8 22.gg3 J.d7 23.11agl a5 (The intended transfer of the bishop to h6 can always be met now by h4 and g5. Therefore, Black has to keep his kingside passive and try to make some progress on the other wing. After the disappearance of the white dark squared bishop, 23 ...c4!? would make sense.) 24.M Am (Carelessly played. Once he has weakened the b5-square, Black should continue his queenside action until he has obtained a favourable configuration, with either 24...a4!? or 24...c4!? ) 25.g5 Ae7 26.gxf6 lixf6 27.�g4 Joe7 (if 27....bg4 2S.Elxg4 ElafS White could take advantage of Black's lack of resolution with 29.a4!;t) 28.�h6 �xb6 29.exb6 .lf8 30.We3 'ffdS 31.�g5;t Tumurbator - Munoz, Reykjavik 1957.
1 19 17.J.h6 f6 18.mh2 ( 1 8.a4 ElbS
1 9.axb5 axb5 20.b4 tLlf7 2 1 ..ie3 .id7 Again, this position is relevant from the point of view of the main line, based on an earlier b4. 22.tLld2 ElaS 23.tLlb3 c4 24.lDa5 White has managed to provoke the advance of the c-pawn at the cost of considerable loss of time. Besides, his knight is not only blocking the a-file, but also quite far from the kingside, ensuring Black complete safety on that wing. 24 ... '.t>hS 25.'.t>h2 Elg8 26.Elgl Elaf8 27.'ffe2 vec8 2S.Elafl .idS 29.f4 exf4 30.Elxf4 tLle5= Cintron - Steiner, Bradley Beach 1 929.) 18 �fl 19.'ffd2 J.d7 20.11g1 •••
�xb6 21.exb6 llfl 22.ee3 .lf8 23.gg2 J.e8 24.gagl 'ffc8 25.�d2 c4 Planning the activation of the bishop via b6. 26.£4 ElbS With his only remaining knight far from the e5-square, Black avoids capturing on f4. 27.gfl
gbb7 2S.a3 a5 29.ggn J.e7 30.We2 idS= Hess - Vidmar, Stuttgart 1 939.
120 IS.ggl �fl 19..ie3 id7
( 1 9 ... '.t>hS 20.tLld2 .id7 21 .�e2 :Sg8 22.a4 We know from Rubinstein's games that combining g4 with the opening ofthe a-file does not promise White very much. The main danger is that he becomes over extended. 22...ElabS 23.Ela2 vec8 24.axb5 axb5
A Spanish Repertoire for Black '
90
16.a4 E!b8 17.lilg3 g6 1 8.mhl filf7 1 9.1ilh2 lilg7 20.h4 Ad7 2 1 .E!gl YHc8 22.YHe2 Ad8 �-lh Karpov - Nowak, Trinec 1 966.
121 20 �g5 21.�h4 gaea 22.i.f1 'ffcS 23.f4 ed4 'ffdS 2S.�S �f7 26ih6 �xb.6? (This move could have led to trouble. Safer would be 26 ...file5=.) 27.1I'xb.6 if7 Now,
127 18...mh8 19.filh2 filg7 20.h4 .Ad7 21.i.d2 gg8 22J�gl iafS 23.V!iS idS (This is
•••
•••
•••
in Kulaots - A. Sokolov, Upplands Vasby 2000, White missed the chance to start a powerful , attack with 2S.eSI £xe5 29.�e4. 20...ifbS, with the idea of blocking the queenside in order to evacuate the king, also comes into consideration. . .
122
23.f4 exf4 24.i.xf4 Robatsch Padevsky, Amsterdam 1 972. 24...file5=
123
,
, •
•
I
124
25.E!a7 E!b7 26.E!gal V!ic7 27.E!7a5 E!gb8 28.c4 b4 29.lilb3 V!ic8 30.V!i8 mg8 3 1 .E!5a2 .td8 32.YHg2 mh8 33.V!if3 .te7 34.j,d2 YHc7 35.tikl E!fS 36..ta4 E!a7 37.YHb3 j,c8 38.Ac6 E!xa2 39.YHxa2 White has transferred an impressive number of pieces to the queenside, which enabled him to take control of the a file. However, · his kingside is vulnerable now. 39 ...5! 40.gxf5 gxf5 41 .V!ia5 V!ixa5 42.E!xa5 j,g5+ Jirovsky - Talla, Czech Republic 1 999.} 20.igl (20.YHe2 a5 21 .E!g2 mh8 22.E!agl E!fh8 The start of a plan similar to that from the game Spassky - Scholl, from the line with 14.c4 above. One could wonder, however, why Black did not play ...mh8 one move earlier. 23.mhl a4 24.j,bl V!ic8 25.E!h2 b4 26.c4 a3 27.b3 mg8 28.Ac2 mfS 29.�e1 me8 30.lild3 md8 3 1 .E!fl mc7 32.f4 exf4 33.lilxf4 �-1h Rossolimo - Foltys, Venice 1 949.) 20 'it?hS 21.'ffd2 'ffcS 22.iagl ig8 23.�h4?1 {White is planning a sacrificial attack, but 23 .lile 1 was safer} 23 �e8 24.S?1 'ffdS 2S.i£l 5+ White did not get enough for the knight that he had to sacrifice on 5 in Jansa - Albareda, Oberhausen 1 96 1 .
-
This move is likely to tranSpose to 1 5 ...g6. By delaying the king's knight's transfer to g7, Black maintains the possibility of activating his dark-sqnared bishop to h6, if the enemy bishop abandons the c1-h6 diagonal too soon. This is supposed to somewhat restrict White's active possibilities.
125 BlaCk can radically prevent the plan based on i.c1-h6, followed by giving up the bishop for either black knight, by playing 16... �f7 first.
17.�h2 g6 IS.f4 exf4 19.i.xf4 lilg7 j,d7 2U�f1 E!ae8 22.E!fl 'ffc8 23.b3?1 J.d8 24.c4?1 This way of gaining space only weakens
the long dark diagonal and gives Black a target on c4. 24...�eS 25.i.fI lilfl 26.'ffd2 5 27.e:d3 .tf6 28J�dl gx:6t Vogr - F. Blatny, Leipzig 1974.
126 17.<.tlh2
lilf7 I B.a4 E:bB 1 9.E!gl mh8 20.axb5 axb5 21 ..ie3 lilg7 22.YHd2 Ad7 23.E!g2 E!aB 24.E:agl Now, in Ostojic - Ivanovic, Novi Travnik 1 969, Black could have obtained a good game with 24...E:a2 25 ..tbl E:al ? 17.a4 YHb7 I B.filh2 lilf7 1 9.f4 exf4 20.J.xf4 j,d7 21 .axb5 axb5 22.E:bl filg7 23.lil8 �-�_ De Firmian - Z. Nikolic, Vrnjacka Banja 1 983. 23 ...lile5=
too passive. Once he completes his regrouping, Black should look for active counterplay. Better was 23 ...V!id8 24.E!agl f5 25.gxf5 hb4? )
24.�hf1 'ffcS 25.lile3 idfB 26.iagU; Szabo - Lilienthal, Budapest 1 949.
128
Trying hard to start active play. The following is a classic example of how Black might survive by waiting passively, although he had several ways of obtaining dangerous counterplay on the way. 19...j,d7 20.ig2 Wh8
21.1I'd2 ggS 22.iagl gafS 23.�e1 1I'cS 24.S 'ffdS (24...5 looks entirely playable) 2S.Wh2 1I'cS 26.Ah6?! id8?! (26 ... lilxh6! 27.1fxh6
WidB! would put the enemy queen in immediate danger. After 2B.YHe3 f5! 29.gxf5 Ag5 30.'fffl i.f4 Black's total control of the dark sq"ares offers him excellent compensation for the sacrificed pawn.) 27.h4 gdfB 28.�d3 ' 1fe8
The Rubinstein System
29.J.e3 11c8 30.h5 g5 There is nothing wrong with 30 ... gxh5 3 1 .gxh5 lZlg5 when Black enjoys absolute kings ide safety. 31.c��f5 �xf5 32.exf5 h6 33.�£2 tiD7 34.�e4 gc8 White's space advantage on the kingside is not especially relevant because of Black's favourable queenside configuration. 35.gal mg7 36.gggl ggdS 37.M ab4 3S.ab4 ge8 39.J.b3 .idS 40.11£2 a5 41.bxa5 .ba5 42.gad �1 43Jhc1 gc8 Black did not face great problems on his way to a draw in Horowitz - Hazenfuss, Warsaw (01) 1 935. 1291his looks slightly artificial, because it will leave the rooks disconnected for a good while. However, the indirect pressure against the h3pawn causes White to lose some coordination as well. The more natural 20••• �:J3t 21 .�xB Ad7 22..th6 �f7ao or 20 .J.d7 are entirely playable. ••
130 23.1Ye2 ghS 24.mg2 h4 (This seems to be the only way to at least partly justify Black's extravagant plan. The sacrificial attack initiated by 24...lZlxh3?! 25.�xh3 hxg4t 26.�g2 5 eventually led Black to success in Schaffer W. Adams, Pittsburgh 1 946, but White could have obtained an advantage by returning part of the material after 27.exf5 gxf5 28.fxg4 f4 29..bf4 exf4 30.�afl i.b7 3 1 .�xf4t �g8 32.�f3± when Black's pressure against the d5-pawn does not seem to compensate for his general lack of coordination; 24...hxg4 25.hxg4 �c7 26J�hl i.d7 would also be insufficient because of27.f4;!; when the knight cannot easily return to e5.) 25.�gfl f5� -
131 The necessity of blocking the position is revealed by the following game, which is quoted by most opening books: 15 •••Ad7? 16.axb5 axb5 17.a:b5 hb5 18.i.a4 The exchange of the bishops is a first step in the process of establishing a light-squared blockade. 18 ••. �a8 19.ge3 With a white pawn on c3 or a black one on b4, such an easy transfer of the king's rook to the a-file would have been impossible. 19 lZlb7 ..•
91
20.gea3 .ba4 2Um.4 1ha4 22.1Ixa4 gc8 23.b3 �dS 24.J.b2 h6 25.J.c3 It is remarkable that Stein will never occupy the c4-square with either of his knights: he probably intended to maintain a maximum of flexibility in choosing his further plan. 25 •••tiD7 26.�e1 gbS 27.�c2 �d7 2S.�e3± This way of placing the knights is familiar to us from the game Bogoljubow - Rubinstein, Berlin 1 926. The significant difference is that the knights have the c4- and 5squares at their disposal. 2S...�b6? Carelessly played in a difficult position. 29.'Be8t .tfB 30.�f5 1Id7 31.�xd6! 'BxeS (3 1 ...�xd6 10ses even more material to 32.i.xe5+-) 32.�xe8 gb7 33..ixe5 f6 34•.Ag3 �f'7 35.�c7 Ad6 36.J.xd6 �xd6 37.�e6 c4 3S.bxc4 �bxc4 39.�xc4 �xc4 As a tiny consolation, Black has managed to unblock the c-pawn, just to resign two moves later after reaching the time control, Stein - Ivkov, Amsterdam (izt) 1 964. 132 16.mh2 �e8 17.g4 g6 18.gg1 f6 19.�fl �f'7 20.�e3 mhS 21.b3 ggS 22.J.b2 J.f8! 23.h4 1Ie7 24.gg2 .ih6 25••e2 .if4t 26.mhl (26.�gl!) 26••••£8 (26...Ad7� L\...lZlg7 and ... h5) 27.mgl 'Bh6 28.J.c1 .Ad7 29.mfl �g7 30••d3 gb£8 31.Adl �e8 32.mel .g7 33.J.b2 �h6 34.�gl 'Be7 35.�h3 �f'7 36.J.a .ih6 37.me2 (L\�gl or �hl) 37•••f5!? 3S.exf5 gx:f5 (38 ...�xh4 39.fxg6 �xg6 40.�hl with an attack along the h-file) 39.�xf5 (39.g5 i.g7 40.lZlxf5 e4! 41 .i.xg7t lZlxg7 42.lZlxe7 exd3t L\ ...i.xh3) 39....ixf5 4O••xf5! (40.gxf5 �xg2 41 .i.xg2 �xh4 L\...lZlf6, ...lZlg5) 4O••••xh4 (40 ... lZlg5 41 .hxg5 �xf5 42.gxf5 i.xg5 43.�agl h6 44.i.c1 with an attack) 41.ghl �g5 42.�xg5 gxf5! (42 ...�xg5 43.�d3 �c1, i.e4 or �gh2) 43.�4 hg5 44.gxh7t mxh7 45.J.e4 a5! 46.gg1 �f6 47•.ixf5t mg7 48.Ac1 (48.�hl �h8 49.E1xh8 �xh8=) 4S••.J.xc1 49.�1 mh6 50.�hlt mg5= Bogoljubow - Rubinstein, Breslau 1 925. Although White is supposed to connect his queenside pawns at some point, 16.b3 should be regarded as slightly premature. We shall see that in the main line it will be a question of just one
�
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
9i
tempo which decides whether Black manages to start his kingside counterplay or not. 16 �e8 17.g4 g6 (Given the relatively unfavourable placement of knights, opening the kingside with 17 ...h5 is unfounded strategically. 1 8.ll'lh2 .!g5 19.1l'ldf3 hel 20.'l19xel 'i!!e7 2 1 .�g2 hxg4 22.hxg4 ll'lf6 23.'i!!g5 !!e8 24.�g3 ll'lh7 25.'i!!xe7 !!xe7 26.g5 ll'lf8 27.ll'lh4 g6 28.ll'lg4;!; Hecht - Stoeckl, Vienna 1953.) 1S.�h1 �g7 19.E:g1 f6 (Once again 1 9...h5 did not justify itself after 20.ll'lfl hxg4 2 1 .hxg4 f6 22.ll'le3 ll'lfl 23.ll'lh4 ll'lh8 24.f4!? exf4 25.ll'le5t Bogoljubow - Rubinstein, Baden-Baden 1925.) •••
�
20.�fl �f7oo
Mittag - Andreus, corr. 1984, the simplest way to obtain a huge advantage is 21.exf5 �x5 22.�x5 .tx5 23J�g1t �hS 24.J.h6.
137 Strictly speaking, this might still be premature, but we are approaching the moment when in view of the planned iod3 and ti'c2 (to prevent ...5) White will have to invest a tempo in this pawn move anyway. I took it as a main line because I could not find relevant games where b3 was delayed. 21.ti'd3 is slightly unnatural but quite interesting. Is White really hoping to deliver mate on h7? Basically, yes. 21. .!d7 22.J.d2 �hS 23.ggl ggS (23 ... b3 24..!dl �a3, �b3) 24.b3 (24.l"1hl b3 x8a4 25.hb3 ti'b7+t) 24 E:bfB?! (Given the circumstances, this is not the most accurate move. In order to threaten ...5 Black needs to neutralize White's pressure along the b I-h7 diagonal. He can achieve that with 24... !!be8 25.!!hl ti'c8 26.�gl iod8 27.�f1?! 5! 28.gxf5 gxf5 29.ex5 iox5 30.ll'lx5 e4+. Or if 27.ll'lh4, with the same idea as in the game, then after 27...5 28.ex5! Black should refrain from accepting the piece and play 28 ...ll'lx5 29.ll'lhx5 gxf5 30.gx5 e4! 31 .ll'lxe4 !!xg2t 32.�xg2 .!x5 with obvious compensation for the pawn, in view of his active piece play and the weakness of the h3-pawn. In all these lines it is important that White's dark-squared bishop is restricted by the black pawn chain, making its instant transfer to the long diagonal improbable.) 25.gh1 .c8 26.�g1 �dS (By clearing the f file, Black threatens ...5. A similar alternative is 26 ... ll'lg5 27.ll'lh4 ll'lfl transposing to the game. 26... 5?! would be premature in view of 27.ex5 gxf5 28.gxf5 ll'lx5 29.ll'lx5 .!x5 30.ti'x5 ll'lg5 31 .ti'xg5! bg5 32.ll'lxg5± when White's minor pieces are stronger than the queen.) 27.�h4 �f7 (27...5 28.exf5 .txh4 29.fXg6.... is justwhat White was hoping for when placing the queen in front of the bishop) 2S.�g5?1 (The position was not yet ripe for such radical action. 28.�f1!? �!!hgl) .•
133 Again, 17.b3 is not necessary yet. 17 g6 1sih6 �g7 19.94 f6 20.�g3 �f7 21.J.e3 This new loss of time offers Black an easy game. 21 .J.d7 22.�h2 �hS 23.E:g1 E:gS 24.ti'e2 E:bfB 25.�e1 ti'c8 26.£4 Facing the .••
••
threat of ... 5, White has to open the position himself 26 e:d4 (26...5!?) 27.J.xf4 �e5 •••
2S.E:fl E:f7 (2S h5!?) 29.�g2 E:gfB 30.�e3 ti'e8 31.E:fl AdS 32.E:afl Ac8 33..lh6 �gS 34.�gl E:b7 35.�d1 �f7 36.J.c1 �e5 37.J.b2 E:bf7 O'Kelly - Jimenez, Havana 1966. •••
=
Refraining from g4 allows Black to obtain counterplay by simpler means. 17.�g3 g6 1 8 ..!h6 ll'lg7 19.'i!!d2 f6 20.b3 li)fl 2 1 .J.e3 .id7 2U%adl !!be8 23.ll'lh2 'i!!c8 24.f4 5 25.ll'lf3 Linert - Dorn, corr. 1 978. 25 ....tf6= 17.�3h2 g6 1 8.ll'lg3 ll'lg7 1 9.!!fl f6 20.f4 exf4 2 1 ..txf4 ll'lfl+t � . . . ll'le5, . . . !!ae8, . . .'i!!c8, . . .5
134 18.ll'le3 ll'lg7 19.�h2 f6 20.!!gl ll'lfl 21 .b3 .!d7 22 ..!b2 ll'lg5 23.ll'lxg5?! fxg5 24.'i!!e2 !!fl 25.!!adl !!bf8=i= Dubrawski Waldhauser, corr. 1992. 135 As we already know, a more flexible move order is 1 8...f6 19.�h2 ll'lfl 20.b3 �h8 2 1 .!!gl .!d7 22.!!g2 !!g8 �23..!b2 .!ffi! � ... .!h6.
•.•
2S gU5 29.exf5 �e8 30.�g6tl? bxg6 31.fxg6 �dS 32 •a f5 33.gxf5 �g7+ Westerinen •.•
136 Opening the position with 19 f5? is premature. After 20.gxf5 gxf5 as played in •••
•
1.
Schneider, Esbjerg 1977.
-
The Rubinstein System
138 The following game, .in which Black manoeuvred without any clear plan, was given in many books as proof that the line based on a4 and c4 leads to better play for White: 21...gb7 Black should not disconnect his rooks without a good reason. 22..td2 c;t.h8 23.Be2 .Ad8 24.ggl ed7 25.Bhl Be8 26.c;t.gl ge7 27.�e1 'frd7 28.13 ggS 29.Wfl "'7 30.�d3 .Ad7 31.�f'l ecS 32.c;t.e1 f5? (This is almost suicide. Black should have finally re-conncctcd his rooks with 32... gce8 and only then think about opening the position.) 33.gd5 gd5 34.�x5
�x5 35.Lg8t Wxg8 36.eKf5 hf5 37.�e4 ge8 38.1fglt c;t.h8 39.gg1:t Black's king was
under strong pressure in Keres - Vidmar, Bad Nauheim 1936.
139 22.ib2!? c,t>h8 23.gg2 Etg8 24.•e2 .tf8 25.Ethl �e8!? �....Ah6 140 The voluntary retreat 23.�d2 makes Black's task easier. After, say, 23 ... Etg8 24..Ad3 Etbf8 25 .•c2 W1c8 26.gg2 he can play 26...h5, because �h4 is not available for White anymore. After 27.gxh5 g5 followed by ...�h6, Black has entirely adequate counterplay. 23.ggl Etbe8?! (more logical would be 23 ... Etg8! 24.W1d2 gbf8 25.Etagl W1c8) 24.W1d2 .c8 25.Ethl?! (after the more accurate 25.Etagl Black would have needed to spend one or two tempi on preparing ...f5 by means of 25 ...ggB eventually followed by ...gef8) 25 ...f5! Black had excellent counterplay in Evans - Rossolimo, Long Beach 1955, where a slightly different move order was actually played. 23� In my opinion, the regrouping initiated by this move is a critical test of Rubinstein's plan. 23 J�g8 (23 ...�g5 24.�d2 f5? does not work because of 25.exf5 gxf5 26.�xf5 �xf5 27.gxf5 .Axf5 2B ..Axf5 Etxf5 29.h4 �f7 30.W1g4+-.) 24.Bc2 gbfS 25J�gl Bc8 26.gagl (White is just in time to prevent ... f5. If26.Ethl Black obtains counterplay with: 26... �g5 27.�d2 f5! 2B.exf5 gxf5 29.h4 �h3! [preventing the opening of the h-file] 30.@xh3 f400) 26 �g5 27.�d2 (27.�h4 �f7 � ...f5)
93
27 Be8 (Since ... f5 is not playable, Black has •••
to look for other forms ofcounterplay. The main drawback ofWhite's regrouping is that the king feels rather insecure on the h-file. Indeed, if White had had time to evacuate it to fl before doubling rooks on the g-file, he would have maintained a firm control of the position. The last move over-defends the g6-pawn in order to prepare the pawn break ...h5. 27... �xh3 2B.@xh3 J.xg4t 29.c,t>h2 J.h3;!; is interesting, but probably not sufficient for equality, because Black cannot easily activate his rooks. 27...h5!? leads to more complicated play, but White seems to be able to maintain an edge with careful defence. 2B.gxh5 [2B.h4 �f7 29.gxh5 �xh5 30.�xh5 gxh5 3 1 .W1dl .Ag4 32.f3 .Ad7 33.f4 .Ag4 34..Ae2 f5 With all his pieces taking an active part in the fight, Black has little to worry about.] 2B ...�xh5 [2B ....AeB 29 ..Axg5! fxg5 30.hxg6 .Axg6 3 1 ..Ae2 Etf4 32..Ag4 W1f8 33.�dfl ± ��e3-f5; 2B ...gxh5 29.�f5±; 2B ...�xh3 29.hxg6± x@h8] 29.�xh5 .Axh3!? (29...gxh5 30.W1dl .AeB 3 1 .Etg3;!;) 30.�g3 @g7 3 1 .�hl .Axg2t 32.�g2 EthBt 33.@gl Eth6;!; Black's initiative is temporary, but for White it is not easy to regroup his minor pieces in order to start active operations himsel£) 28.Bdl b5 29.gxh5 �xh3! Black courageously opens the h-file, acknowledging that his king will feel in no greater danger than White's. 30.gbl (30.hxg6 W1xg6 3 1 .�f5 �g5 32.@hl �xf5 33.exf5 .Axf5 34.Eth2t @g7+) 30 �xh5 (30...f5!?) 31.�xh5 gxh5 32 .Afl gIgZt 33.Lg2 �g5 34.c,t>gl c,t>g7= White will win the pawn back, which will lead to further simplifications and a probable draw. •••
•
••
•••
141 18.c,t>h2 g6 1 9.b3 �g7 (Since White has declared his intention of developing the queen's bishop to b2, 19...f6 would have been more flexible, leaving the possibility of activating the .. bishop via h6 available.) 20 ..Ab2 f6 2 1 .ltJ e3 ltJ f7 22.W1d2 .Ad7 23.gg1 �h5 24.g3 .cB 25.h4 ltJh6+t �-� Steiner - Merenyi, Tatatovaros 1935.
94
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
18.�g3 g6 19.i.h6 liJg7 20.b3 f6 21.%!id2 liJf7 22.hg7 stJxg7 23.ga2 .lb7 24J!eal gaS 25.%!ic1 gxa2 26.gxa2 gaS 27.gxaS has 28.%!ial J.b7 29.%!ia7 .idS 30.liJd2 i.c8+ Only Black can be better here, because of his bishops and more flexible pawn structure. But Cornforth - Vaughan, corr. 1937, a draw was agreed. 142 23.�d2 gh8 (23 ...stJhS 24.liJdfl [24.L4 ggS 25.J.c6 5] 24 ... ggS 25.liJg3 J.f8 26.L4 J.h6 27.%!id3 J.f4 2s.ic6 liJh6 29.ga4 %!ig7 30.geal 5 31 .ga7 [31.exf5 gxf5 32.liJexf5 �g6!] 3l ...%!if6 32.gc7 [32.exf5 gxf5 <=>g] 32 ...fxg4 33.gaa7 [33.hxg4 liJxg4 34.liJxg4 hg4 35.gaa7 %!ih4] 33...gxh3t 34.stJhl gf8 35.gxh7t stJgS 36.liJe5!? liJf7 [36...gxf5? 37.liJh5 a...gag7t] 37.gg7t · stJhS 3S.ieS! .bf5 39.ggxf7 fuf7 40.fuf7 �g5 41.exf5 gxeS 42.fxg6 %!ig4oo) 24.�df1 aliJg3, Xh5 24 h5 25.�g3 hxg4 (25 ...h4 26.liJe2) 26.hxg4 �g5 27..ta4 (27.ghl gxhl 28.�xhl id7 29.L4 � f4t ghS 30.%!idl J.cS) 27 �h3 29.�6 gb6! (29...i.d7 30.�a4 [30..ixd7 %!ixd7 31 .%!ia4 �xa4 32J!xa4 gaS 33.geal gxa4 34.gxa4 stJf7 35.ga7 gh2::t] 30 ...gaS? 31.�xaS! gxaS 32.gxaS hc6 33.dxc6 %!ixc6 34.geal Better is 30...ghdS;!;.) 3O.ghl gul 31.Bxhl ga6 32.gg1 �g8 (32...ga2? 33.liJgf5t! stJgS 34.�h2 with an attack.) 33.Bh2 (33.liJgf5 .if8) ga7 (35...ga2 33 ..tm 34.ghl Bg7 36.liJgf5 gxf5 37.gxf5 �h6 Now White can repeat moves with 3S.�gl t �g7 39.%!fh2 or play on with 3S.tixh6 hh6 39.gxh6 when 39... stJg7°o followed by ...gm2.) 36.�e2 (36.liJgf5 gxf5 37.gxf5 ge7 3S.gg1 gxe8+) 36 �xe2 (36 ...ge7?! 37..lb5 liJxe2 38.stJxe2 !'l:a7 39. stJd3!± Bogoljubow - Rubinstein, Berlin 1926.) 37.�xe2 ga2 38.gbl tfh7; .••
•••
+
•.
•••
143 The following game steered a straight course towards a draw: 20.stJhl f6 21.gg1 liJf7 22.liJh2 id7 23.ie3 gaS 24.%!fd2 gxal 25.gxal �b7 26.b3 gaS 27.\¥Ic1 ga6 2S.gxa6 i'fxa6 29.h4 �a2 30.\¥Ibl 'f!Yxblt 31..ixbl h6 32.h5 g5 33.liJ5= �-� Cuartas - Sanchez, Quito/Guayaquil l969.
144 20...stJh8 21.gg1 f6 22.gg2 liJf7 23.b3 J.d7 24 .lb2 gaS 25.liJgl gxal 26.Yfxal 'ffc8 27.6 YfaS 28.ml gg8 29.M .tlB 30 .ld3 'ffd8 (Black's plan is even more ambitious than 30...ttieS a ...i.h6) 31.stJhl h5!? 32.gxh5 liJxh5 33.liJxh5 gxh5 34.gxg8t stJxg8 35.'ffe l .ih6 After reducing White's superiority on the kingside, Black has activated his bishop anyway. 36.liJe2 �flJ 37.Yfg3 liJh8 38 .lel Axel 39.liJxel 'ffaS=i= Black's counterplay on the dark ' squares was very strong in Smyslov - Levenfish, Leningrad 1939. •
•
•
145 22.liJd2 i.d7 23.J.a4 !'l:a8 24.%!fc2 J.c8 25.gg1 �-Y2 L. Schmid - Korchnoi, Lugano 1968. 146 23.tid2 (23.liJd2 i.d7 24.L4 gaS 25 ..ixd7 %!fxd7 26.%!fc2 liJg5 27.bg5 fxg5= L. Schmid - Smyslov, Havana 1967.) 23 ..td7 24.b3 {White needs to play this move now. If 24.gg2 then 24...b3 25.J.d3 gaS 26.gbl gfbS 27'%!fc3 i'fa5 2S.i.d2 J.d8 with a harmonious position for Black.} 24...ga8 Playing this move before White is able to dear the gl-square practically wins a tempo. 25.gafl ga3! a...gfaS) 25.. Jifg8 26J3g2 Bc8 27.JUgl ga2 Black's pressure along the second rank prevents White from creating serious kingside threats. ••
147 18J\d2 gaS 19.1iJe3 gfc8 20.�h2 (ag4, ggl . 20.gc1!? Spassky 20.. J!a2) 2o..Jhal! (this move order equalires more reliably than 20 ... %!idS followed by ..ixal and ... ga8) 21.'ffxal tid8 22.Yfa7 gaS 23.tfxb7 gb8 �-� Spassky - Korchnoi, Kiev (cfll) 1965. 24.tfa7 gaS 25.'ffxa8? 'ffxa8 26.hxc5 dxc5 27.liJxe5 .ld6 28.f4 YfbBT .
148 19...gfb8 20.liJg3 (20.J.d3 �cS 21 .liJg3 c4 22.i.c2 gxal 23.!'l:xal ga8 Karpov 24.L7 id8 25.i'fc1 ic7 a .. -'!�dS and ....lb6) 20....c8 (Xd8, �e5) 21 .gec1 (a.ldl-e2, Xb5) 21 ....id8! 22J\dl ib6 23..ie2 gxal (23 .. .'�c7 24.ga2! aglal; 23 ...%!id8 24.ig5 h6
The Rubinstein System 25 ..lh4!± g5?! 26.ttlxg5+-) 24Jhal gaS 25.1fb2 'Bb8 26.ga2 ga7=/!
149 20.. J3a4 21 .�4 bxa4±
95
lS.�g3 f6 19.am5 am5 20.J.e3 �f7 2U�a3 J.d7= 22 •a1 .c8 23.ga7 J.dS 24.ga6 (24.bxe5 dxe5 25 ..he5 �xe5 26J:hd7 b4; 24.gc1 ib6 25J!a6 �e7) 24 5!+t (24...cxb4?! 25.cxb4 �xe2?! 26Jkl �b3 27.lt'ldl �xb4 2S.gbl) 25.e1f5 gd5 26.gx5? (26.bxe5D f400) 26...csM! 27.ga7 (27.cxb4 �xe2 2S.gc1 �b3 Xd5.) 27 bxc3- Tukmakov - Kan, Tashkent 1974. •
•.•
150 22...•dS 23.�S gxaS 24.bxe5 �e5 22 c4 23..Abl �dS 24.L7!± It'leS 25.ie2 It'le7 26.geal �e7 27..Abl J.eS 2S.lt'le2 It'ldS 29.lt'lh2 J.g7 30.f4 f6 (30...exf4±) 31.f5 g5 32.J.c2 J.f7 33.ttlg3 ttlb7 34..Adl h6 35.ih5 �e8 36.�dl �d8 37.ga3 rn 38.g1a2 Wg8 39.ttlg4 wrn 40.ttle3 r;t;g8 41.J.xf7t ttlxf7 42.tih5 ttld8 43.�g6 r;t;rn 44.lt'lh5 1-0 Karpov - Unzicker, Nice (01) 1974. •••
•••
...
156 16...�xe5 17.ge3 ttlb7 18.id3 �b6 19.9bl ttle7 20.ttlb3 id7 21 .ia3 Alt'lxe5 2l...gfe8 22.ge2 �a7 23.axb5 ttlxb5 24 ..ib4± 157 �5, A...lt'ld6. lS M? 19.J.a4 f6 (I9...lt'ld6 20.lt'lxe5±) 20be8 �e8 21.�b3 �b7 22ie3 J.d7 23.ge2 geeS 24.gea2 .AdS 25.ga6± Ghinda - Padevsky, Bucharest 1975. •••
151 19..Ae3!?+ �a �f721.�a g6 152 19...e,f4 (Xd4) 22.1t'd2 �g7 23.�d4 24JLacH! (24Jla5 ga8 25J:�eal �7 26.J.bl �5 27.�5 ga8 28.tfa2 �5 29.tfxa5 .id8=; 24.ttlg3!? ga8 25.ttlge2 Attlf4, Xe6 25 ...�7 26..Ae3 gxal 27.�1 ga8 28.gfl ga2 29.ttlf4 ttle5 30.�eU) 24 �e5 25.�e3 gbe8 (25 ... ga8=) 26ib1 .Acl8 27.ge2 .c8 2S.gfl �h5 gf7 30.Bell geftl 31.Whl �g7 32 •dl J.b6 33.g4 .e8 34if4 .e7= Spraggen - Biyiasas, Toronto 1978. •••
•
153 20.iIe5 dxe5!?; 20.5!? g6 21 .g4 It'lg7 22.J.e3! �a, Karpov 154 23ie3 'f!.aS 24.tfd2 (24.gc1 ga2 25 ..Abl Karpov 25 .. Jlb2!) 24 tfh7 25.'f!.ac1 'f!.a2 26.�g3 'f!.faS 27.h4 idS 2S.�hl .lb6 29.'f!.gl .he3 30.tfxe3 Ba7 31.tfd2 .leS?! (31 ...�b6 32.g5 �dS= A...fxg5, ...gb2, ... gaa2) 32.g5 Be7 33.'f!.cf1 fxg5 34.hxg5 Bd7 35.�h2 tfdS 36.f6 Ad7l?i/;;!; Karpov - Spassky, USSR (eh) 1973. .••
155 16.�fl g6 (I6...,id7 Now 17.g4 g6 transposes to the game. 17.ie3 f6 A...ttlf7 and only later ...g6 and ... It'lg7. IS.axb5 axb5 19.bxe5 dxe5 20.e4 bxe4 21 .,ia4 ha4 22.gxa4 It'ld6 23.�e2 gb4= 24.lt'l3d2? c3!+) 17.g4 ttl g7
15S 21 .tfe2 ttl8f7 22..ib2 gfeS= 159 23 •c2 (23.�b3 It'ld4 24.ttlxd4 cxd4 25.ga7 ttle5 26.�a2 �xa7! 27.�xa7 gaS 28.�6 gfbS=) 23 JlaS (23...lt'ld4 24.ttlxd4 cxd4 25Jla7±) 24J:�eb1 �d4 25.�xd4 �11 (25 ...cxd4? 26J�xa8 gxa8 27.ttlxe5!±) 26.gxal ad4 27.'f!.a7 flbs= A...lt'le5 •
••
160 16.ttlfl ttleS see 15 ...lt'le8 16.lt'lfl .id7 161 Aia3, ttlxe5. 18 ..ia3 �xe3 I9.ge3 �e7 20.ttlxe5 .ixh3! Korehnoi. 162 1S •c7 19.c4 (I9 ..ta3 geS 20.ib4 ttlb7 21.ga7 �b6 22.'1Mlal ttle5=) 19 ttlb7! (I9 ...b4 20.gb3±) 20.ab5 gfc8 21..ia4 ttlc5 22.b6 .xb6 23 .Axd7 �fxd7 24.gea3 .dS!? A...,ig5. •••
.•.
•
163 19.c4!? �b7 (I9 ...bxe4 20.ge3 .ib5 21.gbl±) 20.ab5 hb5 (20 ... geeS 21..id3± sinee ... ttle5 is impossible) 21.gb3"! ,
164 23.ltlel ltla5 24.g8 It'le4i Kllzmin - Krogius, Perm 1971.
h
Chapter 3 •
SI
1.e4 e5 2.tla tlc6 3ib5 a6 4.J.a4 tlf6 5.� A.e7 6J�el b5 7ib3 d6 S.d � 9.b3 tlaS '1 e5 1 l.d4 We7 12.tlbd2 .Ad7
The variation examined here has an entirely different character from the previous chapter. By choosing two systems based on opposite approaches, my intention is to offer a wider perspective on the Chigorin variation as a whole. It is mere coincidence that the "godfathers" of these systems are two of my favourite players from chess history. With his last move Black completes his development by connecting rooks and is mainly concerned about maintaining the flexibility of his position. In doing so, he refrains from putting any additional pressure on the d4-
square, which allows White a wider choice during the next sequence of moves. White's basic plans remain the same: to either exchange on e5 in order to combine pressure on the kingside with the occupation of the d5square, or block the position with d5, which would consolidate his space advantage and, he hopes, leave the a5-knight misplaced. However, the basic difference compared to the Rubinstein system is that, freed from any worries regarding the d4-square, White can delay defining his intentions until what he considers is the most favourable moment. Black's main concern is to be prepared for both eventualities, which requires a lot of prophylactic thinking. Rubinstein's 12... lLlc6 looks a bit too committal, but has the significant advantage that Black will have to deal with just one structure after the very next move. After 12....id7, Black's pieces are still well placed, but the uncertainty regarding the near future can cause a lot of confusion. As always in the Chigorin variation, the main problem remains the queen's knight. Therefore, after the natural
13.tlfl
I have examined only
13 tlc4 •..
which immediately places the knight on a more favourable route. Philosophically, this is essential for Black in order to achieve a viable
..
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
98
position. Therefore, I have ignored such popular alternatives
as
1 3 ... l!fe8
My own approach when explaining the basic
(Ivkov's specialty)
ideas of the variation has also been different here.
and 13 ... cxd4 14.cxd4 l!ac8 (a more modern
Instead of presenting the facts chronologically, I
interpretation of this line) which have also
have focused on the basic plans separately. There
scored reasonably in practice.
are two good reasons for this. First of all, the
The presence of the black knight on c4
historical perspective is much less impressive
obviously irritates White, who will face some
than in the previous chapter. Also, the less
The
forcing character of the fight requires a well
difficulties
developing
his
queenside.
knight is not too stable here, but the natural
structured logical explanation.
way to drive it away, consisting of b2-b3, is a
I have also noticed another remarkable aspect.
rather double-edged decision as it weakens the
In the Rubinstein system, theory was more or
c3-square. Black would retreat his knight to b6,
less well established and only some (relatively)
followed by ... c4 (in order to answer b4 with
minor adjustments were necessary in order to
... a5) or even ... a5-a4. His queenside play would
gain an accurate overview. The situation is less
be easy to carry out and efficient at the same time, which ensures that Black's whole strategy
clear in the Petrosian system. I have discovered debatable moments (or at least move orders)
is coherent.
in almost every game I have examined. The fact that the play has a less forcing character than in the positions examined in the previous chapter leaves more room for mistakes by both sides. I would call the Petrosian system rather dangerous territory for the practical player (with either colour) but a very enjoyable universe for the analyst. We shall start by examining "Rauzer's plan", consisting of an exchange on e5. There are two main aspects that make this plan perfectly logical. First of all, the d5-square is not too well defended, because Black has committed his bishop to d7 already and will need to spend an extra tempo to place it on c6 or e6. Secondly, the advance of the d-pawn, corresponding to White's
In fact, it is precisely this position that I associate with Petrosian's name.
As far as I
know, theory books refer to it as just another of the numerous "nameless" variations. The 1 0m World Champion employed the
alternate plan, does not attack anything now, which allows Black more freedom of action. The first moment when White can capture on e5 is right after 1 2 ...i.d7. Logically speaking, such an early exchange is obviously premature,
French, the Sicilian and the Caro-Kann much
but in practice Black has frequently
more frequently than the Ruy Lopez. However,
problems after
his trust in the variation examined here must have been enormous, since he
used it against
&ced
13.dxe5 dxe5
The explanation is that White's general plan
such awesome opponents as Tal, Korchnoi,
is easy to carry out, while Black needs accurate
Karpov and Kasparov among others. His score
and concrete planning in order to maintain
was 6 draws out of 6 games. We can suppose that
the harmony of his position. In the next game
Petrosian did not consider the variation a reliable
he got into trouble as a consequence of one
weapon when needing to win with Black.
unnecessary loss of time.
The Petrosian System
99
the rook and anticipating the occupation of the d3-square) 1 6:�S It'lb7 17.lt'lg4 lt'lc5 1 8.lt'lfe3 (When moving his king from g8, Black might have been afraid of 1 8 ..ig5, which he probably intended to meet by ... It'lg8. However, with the king on g8, 1 8 ...hg4 1 9 .hxg4 lt'ld3 would have been a solution to this problem. Black's control over the d-61e offers him entirely adequate play.) 1 8 ....ie6 White's activity has reached its apogee. However, since the diagonal of the c1bishop is obstructed, White is now forced to re/ease the tension, allowing Black to activate his play. Dydysbko Katowice 1 992
Komccv
-
The actual move order was quite unusual, involving 8 ... lt'la5 before castling, but then White played h3 anyway, transposing to the variation we are currently examining.
14.�h2
White clears the S-square for the queen and prepares a further knight move to g4, in order to undermine Black's control of the dS-square. After the more natural 14.lt'lfl , continuing development, Black has a choice between 1 4 ... c4 with similar play as in the game and 1 4 ... lt'lc4, which is more relevant for the move order 1 3.lt'lfl It'lc4 14.dxe5 dxe5, which is examined below.
14...c4!
1 9.1t'lxf6t J.xf6 20.lt'ld5 i.xdS 2 1 .exdS �fe8 Black develops his last piece, preparing the further advance of the e-pawn. We are familiar with this kind of move from the variation
The exchange in the centre has released White's attack on the c5-square and Black
17.lt'lf5 hf5 1 8.exf5 gfe8 from the previous chapter, but it should be mentioned that here
hurries to clear it in order to transfer the knight there. Compared to the Rubinstein system, the
all Black's pieces are placed on optimal squares
process involves a saving of two whole tempi, because the knight had not defined its intentions prior to dxe5.
15.�dfJ. ebhS?
already. White has serious problems defending his dS-pawn, in view of such threats as ... e4 or the simpler ...�d6. 22.1Mff5 (White's last hope to stay in the game is his pressure along the b l -h7 diagonal. He is not sufficiently well developed to resort
This over-cautious move offers White a free tempo, which will prove of decisive significance
to the generally desirable 22.a4. After 22 ...lMfd7
in his attempt to establish domination in the
23.axbS axb5 24.gaS e4 he would be forced to
centre and on the kingside. Black should have carried out his plan
agree to the obviously unfavourable exchange of his dS-pawn for the bS-pawn, which would
without loss of time: 1 5 ... �ad8! (centralizing
be followed by the comfortable occupation
�
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
1 00
of the d3-square by the enemy knight. If 2S ..be4? ttJxe4 26Jhe4 �xe4 27.�xe4 �eB the weakness of the back rank as well as the complete lack of coordination of his forces would lead White to serious material losses. If White defends his bishop, there would follow 2B ... �el t followed by 29 ...�c7t, winning the rook, while after 2B.�f4 Black can change the move order by playing 2B ...�dB when the threats . . .�xaS or ...�el t followed by ....ieS are impossible to meet adequately.) 22 ...e4 23.£3?! (A highly risky attempt to complicate the position. The weakness of the dark squares will soon tell. However, the safer 23 ..be4 would mean acknowledging that White is already fighting for a draw. After 23 ... ttJxe4 24.�xe4 �xe4 2S.�xe4 �eS Black will win his pawn back soon, when the weakness of the c3- and b2-pawns, placed on squares of the same colour as the bishops, will leave White in some vague but permanent danger. However, the most probable result would be a draw.) 23 ...i.h4 (Simplest. Black removes the bishop from the exposed square in order to enable ...g6. An interesting alternative would be 23 ...b4!?, increasing the pressure along the al-hB diagonal, since 24.cxb4? leaves the d4-square unattended, allowing 24...ttJd3 2S.�xe4 .id4t! with decisive threats against the white king.) 24.�e2 (Once again, the most ambitious continuation is not the best. White keeps the e4-square under control, but the lack of coordination between his rooks will allow Black to take control of the e-file by tactical means. If 24.�dl Black would retain the better position with 24...g6 2S.�g4 �g3.) 24...g6 2S.�g4 ex£3! 26.�xeBt �e8 27.�xh4 �e2 2B.M4 �b6 Black has a powerful attack.
16.�g4 gad8 17 •a .Ae6 18.�fe3 �b7 •
Except for ' his I Sth move, Black has played consistently, but soon he will lack just one tempo to achieve an optimal
19.�:d'6
20.�d5 Axd5 21.ad5
21. ttJd6 ••
The knight has to content itself with this square in order to keep the fS-square under control. If 2 1 ...ttJcS 22.'1WfS e4 23.�xe4!± White simply wins a pawn. The rook is taboo because of the mating threats. Here we can feel the effects of the absence of the rook from eB. Generally speaking, the knight is a blockading piece and Black should be more or less okay after 2 1 ...liJd6. However, the absence of concrete threats against the dS-pawn will allow White to complete his development and consolidate his space advantage.
22.a4 gfe8 23.axb5 axb5 24.ga6 It becomes obvious that Black's position is a bit passive. In the game he did not manage to generate kingside counterplay and collapsed under the combined pressure on the opposite WlOgs. •
24 e4 25 •g3 Ae5 26.i.f4 Axf4 27.tlU4 f5 28.geal .e7 29.gb6 gd7 30.gaa6 ged8 31.h4 g6 32.b31 •••
•
The key final blow. After the activation of the bishop, Black's position will be even harder to defend. The final moves were probably played in murual time trouble and are of less relevance. Black lost after missing a chance to rum the tables. In view of the comment on Black's I Sth move, we can conclude that 13.dxeS does not
The Petrosian System cause Black any problems and White even risks getting into some trouble. The main problem is that Black em regroup perfectly with ...c4 and ...�b7-cS. Therefore, it seems to make more sense to play 13.�fl and only after 1 3 ... �c4 exchange in the centre with 14.dxeS dxeS. AIoaia
-
Aftrbakh
Soviet Championship, Moscow 1950 For didactic purposes, I have once again ignored the actual move order. White had exchanged on eS on the 1 3th move, but after 14.�fl Black missed his chance to play 14...c4 and moved the knight to c4 anyway.
15.�g3
The black knight guards the e3-square, preventing the transfer of the white knight to dS. If IS.b3 �b6 play would transpose to 13.�fl �c4 14.b3 �b6 I S.dxeS dxeS below.
15.. JUe8?!
In the 12 ...1d7-system, Black frequently places his rook on e8, clearing the fB-square for the bishop, increases the potential pressure against the e4-pawn or simply prepares to over defend the eS-pawn if the situation in the centre has clarified already. However, in many cases a premature move by the rook can result in a loss of time. There are certain situations when the rook is needed on other files. Sometimes, White has to slightly misplace his queen's bishop with
101
i.h6 in order to drive the rook away from its king. There is another important aspect regarding the general move order. As we shall see at a more advanced stage of this chapter, after 13.�fl �c4 14.�g3 Black's best answer is 14.. g6. With the centre still under tension, the issue of finding the right place for the rook is even more important than in our current game. All these points strongly recommend I S ...g6 as an improvement over the game move. The g3-knight has to be restricted in any case, while the fate of the rook will be decided later, in accordance with the concrete circumstances. Play may continue 16..ih6 (ifl6.b3 �b6 17.ih6 Black could consider 17...:Bfd8, threatening ...ixh3 and winning a tempo for his queenside counterplay after 18.�e2 c4) 16...:Bfd8 (some players, most likely including Petrosian, would enjoy the position after the exchange sacrifice 16...�xb2 17.�cl �c4 18.i.xf8 :Bxffi when the dark squared bishop should not be underestimated) 17.�cl (In view of the double threat against h3 and b2, the queen is practically forced to occupy this unfavourable square. After 17.b3 Black has the additional possibility of 17...�a3 when the positional threat ... c4 becomes even stronger.) 17... �e8 1he seart of a long regrouping, with the idea of consolidating the kingside. 18.b3 �b6 Followed by ...f6 and ...�d6-f7, combined with the usual queenside plan starting with ... c4. 16."e2 g6 .
102
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
17.a4?! With the b5-pawn safely defended, this move makes much less sense than in the Rubinstein system. White missed his chance to play 17.b3 lLlb6 1 8 ..ie3 (much better than the mechanical development of the bishop to h6!) when ...c4 is impossible because the b6-knight and the e5-pawn would be hanging. Later, a4-a5 might follow, challenging the stability of Black's queen's knight.
17 �a51? •.•
Immediately taking advantage of the newly created weakness on b3. Black had no time to initiate a kingside regrouping with 17....if8 because after 1 8.axb5 axb5 19.1axa8 laxa8 20 ..id3 the combined pressure against the b5and e5-pawns would have caused Black serious problems.
18.axb5 axb5 19..th6 c4?! We know from the previous chapter how difficult it is to find the appropriate balance berween the opposite wings. Black carries out his queenside plan without paying much attention to White's intentions on the other wing. This carelessness will soon force him to make serious positional concessions. 1 9....if8 was necessary. In order · to keep his attack going, White would have had to continue with 20.�e3 �xffi 21 .�e3 allows Black to prevent the enemy queen's . infiltration to h6 with 2 1 ...�g7 when 22.tig5 is not dangerous because of 22...h6. I have successfully defended similar positions arising from the Pirc Defence!) 20...lLlc4 2l :�g5 ixh6 22.�xh6 l2:xal 23.l2:xal lLlxb2 24.ga6 .ie6 As compensation for the pressure he is under, Black . has managed to somewhat simplify the position and win a pawn.
20.Y!Ye3 mh8
A sad necessity. In order to prevent the strong
threat oflLlf5, Black has to weaken the O-square. After the careless 20 ... b4 White would get a strong attack with 2 1 .lLlf5 .ic5 22.Y!Yg5 when 22 ... lLlh5?! only makes things worse because of 23.g4. It would be too late for 20....if8, as after
2 1 ..ixffi �xffi 22.�h6t �g8 23.lLlf5 .ixf5 24.exf5 White would gain an attack without having sacrificed a pawn.
21.�g5 .te6 Putring� an end to White's attack at the cost of spoiling his own pawn structure. Black's hopes that the knight move to f5 would be impossible after the obstruction of the g-file by the g5-knight (after say 21... cJig8) would have been shattered by 22.lLlf5!. After 22...gxf5 23.lLle6! f4 (obviously forced in order to prevent the mating threats) 24.�xf4 exf4 25.lLlxc7 the white rooks would be stronger than Black's poorly coordinated minor pieces.
22.Y!Ya �b7 23.tt::lxe6 fxe6 24.b4
White's advantage is obvious. If we compare with the game Fischer - Kholmov from the previous chapter, there is no counterplay available along the f-file to compensate fur the chronic structural defects. This game has confirmed the conclusions of the previous one. Although the position after an early exchange on e5 is not easy to handle with Black for an unprepared player, from a theoretical point of view the line should not cause any major problems. Let us check what could happen if White inserts one more move before playing dxe5 . .
Lilienthal Panov -
Soviet Championship, Moscow 1 940
14.b3 �b6 15.dxe5 dxe5
1 03
The Petrosian System
16.�e3
18. ..tm? .
A logical sequence. White has just driven the
This natural move is the main cause of Black's
enemy knight away in order to bring his own
further problems. Panov failed to anticipate his
knight closer to the d5-square.
opponent's intentions. Quite understandably,
1 6.a4
is
not
recommended
because
of
1 6...c4! 17.a5 cxb3 1 8.axb6 �xc3 with strong counterplay, Boleslavsky - Smyslov, Groningen 1 946.
since there was no precedent with this structure and the same placement of pieces. Black
should
have
immediately
started
improving the position of his queens knight
16 ladB 17.'fte2
with 1 8 ...tLlc8. The knight is ready to block the
...
17.lLld5 is premature because of 1 7 ... tLlfxd5
enemy d-pawn in the event of an immediate
1 8.em5 .id6, safely blocking the enemy pawn
invasion of the d5-square, but also has the more
and preparing kingside expansion with .. £5.
ambitious plan of reaching c6, in order to level
17...1fe8?1
the rights to the central squares. Let us assume
.
Black had no I'elson to allow his opponent
that White would have continued as in the
to increase his control over the d5-square. He
game with 1 9.a4 (For more explanations about
should have played the thematic 1 7...c4 with
this thematic move, see the game continuation.
comfortable play.
After the immediate 1 9.tLld5 liJxd5 White gets
18.c4
nothing by capturing with the c-pawn, because
In spite of having been played more than half
this would leave Black with a mobile queenside
this game is relevant for what I
majority, while the d5-pawn would be safely
consider to be the main line of the Petrosian
blocked. 20.exd5 is more interesting, opening
system ( l3.tLlfl tLlc4 14.b3 tLlb6 1 5 .tLle3, see
the e-file and the bl-h7 diagonal for the white
the game Dervishi - Hjartarson below).
pieces. Black has to defend his e5�pawn in order
a century ago,
The pawn structure is almost symmetrical.
to consolidate with a further ... tLld6.
Black's queenside structure is more active (at
The generally desirable 20... f6 fails to create a
far away
reliable barrier against the enemy pieces because
least temporarily) but his knights are
for the crucial d4-square, while the e3-knight
of the temporary unfavourable placement of
is ready to jump to d5. It should be mentioned
his own forces. White could continue with
that White should not be in a hurry to execute
2 1 .tLlh4, threatening �h5, when after 2 1 . . .g6
this positional threat,
because this would
i.xg6 .iffi 24..ixe8 he would
22.tLlxg6! hxg6 23.
just help Black organize his defence by safely
retain a dangerous initiative. For instance,
blocking the d5-pawn (after ... tLlxd5 answered
24 ...he8, which clears the seventh rank for
by cxd5 or exd5).
communication between wings, is strongly met by 25.f4 J.g7 26.fxe5 fxe5 27.J.b2 when Black will soon be behind on material, with an unsafe king. 24 ... gxe8 is relatively better, but even here White
can
maintain his initiative with 25.�h5
tLld6 26.ge3, eventually followed by gg3 and .ih6, when the vulnerability of the f6-pawn causes Black serious problems. However the modest 20...J.f6 instead of 20 ... f6 seems to offer Black a normal position. The knight will soon go to d6 and then ... g6 followed by ...J.g7 and .. £5 will neutralize .
White's kingside pressure and prepare Black's own expansion on this wing.) 1 9 ... bxa4 20.bxa4
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
104
tLla7 Now that Black's control over the c4-square
25...�bxd5
has been removed, the threat of tLld5 followed by
but failed to obtain adequate compensation and soon lost.
cxd5 becomes real. Therefore, the knight should . continue its trek towards d4. 2 1 .tLld5 �d6! The capture on d5 would be out of place with the
We can conclude that the plan of transferring the knight to e3 after a preliminary b2-b3 poses
knight on a7, but Black can tolerate the enemy
Black serious strategic problems. However, if
knight for a couple of moves, until he has played ... tLlc6-d4. 22.E:bl (The only way to question
preceded by an exchange on e5, this method is inoffensive because of 1 7 ... c4.
Black's slow plan. 22.E:dl would fail to create any dangerous threats of discovered attacks and
The time has come to have a look at the modern interpretation of Lilienthal's plan.
would be met by the same 22 ... tLlc6.) 22 ... tLlc6 23.E:b6 Black finds himself under serious pressure. However, he only needs to play ... tLld4 without making any major concessions in order to equalize completely. 23 ... E:a8! Defending the
Dervishi Hjartarson -
Turin Olympiad 2006
14.b3 �b6 15.�e3
attacked pawn and clearing the d8-square in order to expel the intruder with ....id8. 24.�d3 .id8 25 ..tg5 A last trick, threatening to win the queen with tLlxf6t. 25 ... c;t>h8 Black
will soon
play ... tLld4 with approximately equality.
19.a4!!
This move demonstrates Lilienthal's talent. Before making use of the better position of his
queen's knight, he intends to neutralize Black's queenside superiority. Nowadays, this method is well known (as in the game Dervishi Hjartarson below). However, back in 1 940, the move required a very fine positional insight.
19...bxa4 20.bxa4 �h5
The intended transfer of the knight to e6 via This is a critical test of the Petrosian system.
f4 is easily parried by the next move.
21.g3! We
can
see here another drawback of ....if8:
the h3-pawn is taboo because of the double attack tLlg5.
this position. White creates the threat of dxe5 followed by c4. It looks natural that the advance
21 �f6 22.g4 Ac6
c5-c4, which would have equalized comfortably
..•
In principle, Black is best advised
It must be more than just a coincidence that half of Petrosian's games in "his" line reached
to
restrict
in the previous game, would lead
to
less clear
White's light-squared bishop with 22... a5, but after 23 ..idl the weakness of the a5-pawn
consequences now, because it would leave White with an advantage in the centre. More about
would practically force the return of the rook with 23 .. J%a8 when 24..ic3 leaves White with
this later. For the moment, we shall examine what happens when Black ignores the threat
the better prospects.
and plays in the spirit of the already familiar
23.�d5 .hd5 24.cxd5 c4 25.a5± If the knight retreats to c8 then L4 consolidates White's advantage. Black sacrificed a piece with
pattern.
15..JUe8
1 5 ... E:ad8 makes less sense now since the tension in the centre has not yet been released.
The Petrosian System White could even consider 1 6.d5 when after 1 6...c4 17.b4 the absence of the rook from a8 makes itself felt. For a better understanding, please refer below to the plan involving the blocking move d4-d5.
16.che5
White should not deviate from his main plan. If 1 6.lLlf5 Black would get a favourable configuration with 1 6...J.xf5 17.exf5 exd4 1 8.cxd4 c4. White's chances to put the kingside under pressure are highly questionable, while Black's queenside play develops very naturally. 16...che5 17.c4 g6 This is a more useful move than 1 7.. J�ad8. We know already that the rook can be needed on the a-file in order to defend the a-pawn, while its action along the d-file is quite limited. The text move defends the b I -h7 diagonal in advance (ready for an eventual exd5), takes the h5-square under control in order to prepare ...lLlh5-f4-e6, and enables the activation of the dark-squared bishop via h6.
105
the blockade on c4, while opening the a3-fB diagonal at the same time. 23.i.c3 i.b4 24.�d2 hc3 25:�xc3 lLlc8 Now that the pawn has advanced to c4, the time has come to improve the position of the knight. 26.l''1 abl f6 27.lLld2 lLld6 Ildar Ibragimov, who is a contemporary expert on the Petrosian system, has faced the slightly trickier 2U�bl twice.
18.a4
This move has as much merit as Lilienthal's 19.a4, but I have not awarded it an exclamation mark, because the method had been invented 66 years earlier...
18...bxa4 19.bxa4 a5
We are already aware of the necessity of restricting the enemy light-squared bishop. With the rook still on a8, the last move is entirely adequate.
20.i.b2 .ifs
This is a more flexible approach than Panov's. When the bishop reaches h6 the positional threat of exchanging the e3-knight would practically force lLld5, at an earlier stage than White might have hoped.
21.i.c3
A second effect of the move ...a5 is that
the black queen's knight enjoys stability on b6, keeping the important c4-square under control. This is quite important in the following illustrative variation: 21 .lLld5 lLlfxd5 22.cxd5 c4 Black radically prevents
In both cases, he parried the threat of lLlxe5 (based on the fact that the b6-knight is under indirect attack) with 21..J:!a6 (this is more accurate than 2 1 ...gab8 when after 22.i.c3 Black has no favourable way to defend the a5pawn, while 22... lLlxa4?! does not work because of 23.ha4 gxbl 24.�xbl i.xa4 25.�al i.b3 26.he5 winning material) 22.i.c3 .th6 (The difference compared to our main game is that the generally desirable 22...i.c6? does not work now, because of Black's lack of coordination. After 23.lLld5 hd5 24.cxd5 lLlc8 25.�e2!± Black cannot prevent the occupation of the crucial c4- and b5-squares by the white pieces, because 25 ...c4? loses material to 26.he5! gxe5 27.lLlxe5 �xe5 28.�xc4 ga8 29.�c6 and Black is helpless.) 23.lLld5 White could not delay this knight move any more. 23 ... lLlfxd5 24.exd5 · (This move, opening the e-file and the bl-h7 diagonal, is more dangerous for Black than 24.cxd5 f6 25.lLlh2 c4 26.lLlg4 i.g7 Black has achieved a safe blockade on the dark squares. =.
106
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
White's over-optimistic action will soon leave him with just weaknesses. 27.f4?! .txg4 28.hxg4 exf4 29.�dZ ltJd7 30JJb5 .if8 3 1.ha5 �a7t 32.i>f1 lLle5+ Black has increased his control of the dark squares, while the white king starts to feel insecure, Paramos - Ibragimov, Ubeda 200 1 .) 24 .. f6 25.d6 Everything is aimed at stopping a blockade on d6! 25 ... �d8 26.lLldZ .ixdZ (This knight is too dangerous and has to be eliminated. If26 ...Ji.OO then 27.ltJe4 lLld7 28J�b7± with strong pressure.) 27.�xdZ iLOO?! (Too slow. Black had excellent chances of equalizing after 27...lLlxa4, which not only captures a pawn, but also clears the sixth rank in order to put the d6-pawn under pressure with a further .. .1300.) 28.�h6 (Apart from this strong attacking move, White could also have transposed to a better ending with 28.i.xa5 lLlxc4 29.hd8 ltJxdZ 30.�b6 �xb6 3 1 .hb6 c4 32.�dl c3 33.L5± winning the c-pawn and keeping two dangerous passed pawns.) 28 ...�a7 29.hg6 hxg6 30.�xb6 l3h7 3 1 .�xg6t �g7 32.�1 hh3 Now, in the game Smirin - Ibragimov, Philadelphia 2004, White missed the spectacular 33.�b7!! which would consolidate his advantage, since the capture 33 ...&g2t loses to 34.i>hl when after 34 ...�g7 35.�xg7t i>xg7 the other rook would join the attack with decisive effect after 36.�glt. 21 .�bl is likely to pose more problems than 2 1 .Ji.c3, but I have taken the more recent game as the main line. .
21 ..tc6 ••
Knights are better suited for blockading purposes, which justifies Black's decision to prepare the bishop for the exchange on d5.
after 23 ....ig7 24J'hb l ltJd6) 23 ...hd5 24.cxd5 (after 24.exd5 ltJd7 all the vital squares along the b-file are reliably defended and Black is ready for expansion in the centre and on tfte kingside) 24 ...c4 25.�e2 ltJd6 Followed by ... lLld7, with a solid position for Black.
23.cxd5 ltJfd7 24.�bl �c8
In spite ofWhite's space advantage, Black has little to worry about now.
25.td3?!
As a consequence of this and especially the
next move, the bishop will become very passive. More active would have been 25.lLldZ lLld6 26.�f3 c4 27.h4 putting some pressure on the . enemy kingside.
25...c4 26..tfl �d6 27.�d2 .th6
Afrer his mistaken manoeuvre White will soon face problems defending his numerous weaknesses: e4, a4, d3, b3.
28.'9'c2
Even here, preferable.
28.�f3
would
have
been
22.�d5
28 J�ac8 29.'9'a2 '9'a7 3O.�a
This might appear premature, but White does not seem to gain anything concrete by delaying the knight jump. For instance: 22.ltJdZ lLlc8 (heading for d6, in order to occupy in advance the blockading square and put the enemy pawns under some pressure) 23.ltJd5 (23.�f3 essentially does not change anything
Capturing the pawn with 30.lLlxc4 would lead to a series of exchanges that favour Black after 30 ...l3xc4 31 .hc4 l3c8 32.he5 ltJxe5 33.Ml �e7 with a safe blockade of the central pawns.
••
30 J�c7 31.g3 f6 32.�h2 �c5 33.ig2 �d3 34.ttlg4 J.,,7 35.�e2 £5+ ••
The Petrosian System
107
Black radically prevents his opponent's plan of invading the d5-square. White's previous play has been based on the potential threat of dxe5, which he has delayed as much as possible. Finally, Black has released the central tension, which looks like a positional concession, but is compensated for by the fact that the c3-pawn remains weak.
16.bxc4
Black would get excellent counterplay after 1 6.M a5!.
16...�xc4 17.�xc4 bxc4 A dream position for Black, who is in complete control. In conclusion, we can state that 1 5 .. J!fe8 is playable, but Black seems to be rather at the mercy of White, who can choose the right moment to install the knight on d5. We shall never find out Petrosian's opinion about Black's plan from the previous game, as it became popular many years after Tigran passed away. We only know that he preferred 1 5 ... c4 instead. The next game was his first recorded experience with "his" system.
The generally desirable capture with the queen might result in a loss of stability in the centre after 1 7.. .'�xc4 1 8.dxe5 dxe5 1 9.1Llxe5 Wfxc3 20.lLlxd7 lLlxd7 21 .E:bl when the pair of bishops in combination with the strong kingside majority is quite dangerous for Black. After 17...bxc4 a curious position has arisen, which is ofcrucial importance for the evaluation of the Petrosian system.
Korchooi Pebosiao Candidates Tournament, Curacao 1962 -
15 c4 ..•
White enjoys a space advantage in the centre and can afford to maintain the tension for a long time, retaining the possibility of both basic plans, based on dxe5 or d5. However, this does not necessary yield any tangible advantage. By exchanging a pair of knights, Black has simplified his defence considerably. Also, the threat of a knight infiltration to d5 has been removed. At the same time, the open b-file is likely to offer Black prospects for counterplay
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
1 08
or, at the very least, of further simplifications.
would transpose to positions examined below, but
The relative weakness of White's a- and c-pawns
ifWhite plays like in our main game Black would
considerably restricts his active possibilities,
have better chances for counterplay. For instance,
although it should be said that Black has his
1 9.!e3 (if 1 9 ..ta3 then Black should play
own worries about the c4-pawn.
1 9 .. J��fe8) r9 ... �a5 20.�d2?! E1b2! and White
For all that, these are rather abstract aspects. In practical play, each side
can
go wrong in his
has to deal with the strong threat of ... lLlxe4.
19.J.e3
own way, but Black's risk of doing so seems to be
I believe that this natural way of developing
higher. The examination of the following games
the bishop is the strongest continuation. White
aims to offer a guide to this atypical position, by
consolidates
highlighting the great players' mistakes.
pressure on the enemy queenside.
18.a4
the d4-square
and puts some
Many years later Petrosian played the following
White wins some space on the queenside
game:
1 9 .�e2 a5?!
(Once the c4-pawn is
and denies the b5-square to the enemy bishop.
attacked, Black prepares the transfer of his light
However, his a-pawn could remain weak in
squared bishop to a6. However, this weakening
some cases. The main alternative, 1 8 ..ia3, will
move was not really necessary. Black could have
be examined later. White does not get anywhere
continued improving the position of his pieces
if he tries to save a tempo with the immediate
with, say, 1 9 ... E1ab8 when 20.lLld2?! is strongly
1 8 ..ie3. After 1 8 .. .'IWa5
19.�d2 !':lab8 the
met by typical counterplay in the centre with
vulnerability of the a2-pawn will soon make
20 ... d5!. Actually I am quite puzzled by Black's
itself felt.
reluctance to play such a natural move as ... !':lab8
18 .lUe8?!
in practical games. Even though the structure
..
is rather unusual, general rules should still taken into account. An open file is still
an
be
open
file.) 20.!lb1 Of course White does not miss the opportunity to take control ofthe b-file. 20 ....ic8 (Petrosian is mostly concerned about safety, and seems to completely neglect the dynamic aspects of the position. With his previous passive moves he practically gave up any chances of getting counterplay in the centre. Even here, 20 ...E!ab8 deserved attention, indirectly attacking the a4pawn.) 2 1 .lZlh2 The reserve knight is heading for e3. Leaving the centre unattended is not dangerous now that Black is not really prepared for counterplay. 2 1 .. ..L6 22.lZlf1 (White is not well enough developed to launch a massive Preparing to consolidate the e5-pawn and,
attack with 22.f4. Black gets excellent play after
eventually, launch counterplay in the centre.
22... exd4 23.cxd4 d5! 24.e5 .ib4 25.!':ldl �d7
Although this move was played in practically all
26.�8 lZle4 27 ..he4 dxe4 28.�xe4 �xa4
the games where this position occurred, it
can
lead to a passive position for Black in the event of accurate play from White.
29 ..ie3 c3+ when the knight will need some time to join the fight.) The critical test ofWhite's plan is 22 ...d5. However, the subsequent analysis will
Instead of making long-term plans, Black
prove that Black is not well enough coordinated
should just play simple chess and occupy the
to equalize completely. (Petrosian played more
only open file with 18 ... !':lab8. In many cases play
passively with 22 ...g6 when after 23.�8 !':lab8
The Petrosian System
24.�xb8 �bB 25.lLle3± White remained in control ofthe position in Velimirovic - Petrosian, Rio de Janeiro 1979) 23.dxe5 �xe5 24.f4 The only way to question the correctness of Black's active play. 24...�xc3 25.iob2 'I1ffb4 26.Ad4 (Aiming to harass the black queen. 26.hf6? leads nowhere because of 26...�c5t 27.Whl .ixf6+.) 26...c3 (After the spectacular 26...,tcS!? White should refrain from winning the queen, which would leave Black with an impressive mass of pawns, and prefer 27.�f2 hd4 28.�xd4. Depending on where the black queen retreats to, White can choose between exd5 and e5 next, with active play in both cases.) 27.�dl �a3 28.e5 White is not forced to perpetually attack the enemy queen, of course. His better coordination allows him to retain the initiative in spite of the missing pawn. 28 ...liJe4 29.lLle3 White has strong pressure on practically all the important areas of the board. Surgical solutions such as 29 ....ih4?! 30.liJxd5 hel 31 .he4 ,td2 tend to lead to disaster after 32.�h5 h6 33.lLlf6tL The development of the bishop to a3 also deserves to be mentioned. It could cause Black some problems in the case of careless play. The main idea behind 1 9.Aa3 is to keep the d6- and c5-squares under observation, but it has the drawback of giving Black a free hand to regroup on the queenside. This is partly compensated for by the fact that all the squares for penetration along the b-file are safely covered. 1 9...as (This move was not necessary yet. 19 ...�abB or 1 9 ....tf8 both deserve a test.) 20.d5
1 09
20 ...,tdB?! (This is a serious inaccuracy. By mechanically concentrating his pieces on the queenside, Black will completely lose coordination. The generally desirable 20...AcB? is not possible yet because of 2 1 .lLlxe5 dxe5 22.d6±. Black could have maintained the harmony of his position with 20...AfS preparing not only ...,tcB-a6 but also the activation of the other bishop via h6 while keeping the d6pawn well defended for the time being. Let's see what would happen if White plays more or less like in the game. 2 1 .lLld2 iocB 22.�e2 .ta6 23J'�abl g6 24.�e3 lLld7 25.g3 �abB The first success compared to the game is that Black has neutralized the pressure along the b-file rather easily. 26J!xbB �xbB 27.Wg2 lLlc5!? By threatening ...lLlb3 followed by an attack against the a4-pawn, Black provokes mass simplifications. 2B.hc5 �xc5 29.�xc5 dxc5 30.�bl Once the b2-square has lost its natural defender, White also needs to exchange rooks. 30...�bl 3 1 .hbl .th6= The activity of the dark-squared bishop prevents White from taking advantage of the weakness of the c4pawn.) 2 1 .lLld2 ,tcB 22.\1ffe2 .ta6 23.�ab l lLld7 24.\1ffe3 The weakness of the d6-pawn prevents Black from carrying out the desired transfer of the bishop to c5. 24 ...�bB 25.g3 lLlb6 26J�b2 The lack of coordination of the black rooks will allow White to keep control of the only open file. 26... liJcB 27.�ebl �xb2 28.�xb2 �d7 29.h4+ Taking advantage of the bad placement of Black's minor pieces, White started a slow but effective kingside attack in Brodsky - Kruppa, Kherson 1 990.
19 Yfa5 •••
This is the natural reaction once the enemy bishop has left the queenside slightly unattended. After more neutral play, blocking the centre combined with the attack against the c4-pawn with by liJd2 and �e2 could prove more effective than in the analysis from the game Brodsky - Kruppa, because of the pressure exerted against the b6- and a7-squares. To a certain extent, this situation is similar to that in the game Karpov - Unzicker from the
�
•
1 10
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
previous chapter, except it was all about the a file in that case.
20.fYd2 gabS 2U!:abl
material. The same goes for 23-'We2 when Black has 23 ... Elxb l 24.Elxbl ha4 25.Elal .tb5!.) 23 ...d5 24.e5 lLJe4 Black has active play. However, 22.hd4! offers better chances of an advantage. Korchnoi might have feared that after 22 ...Elxb l 23.Elxb l Black can take advantage of the temporary vulnerability of the e4-pawn with 23 ...i.d8 (?) and if 24.Wlf4 then 24...d5. However, White can safely win a pawn with 24..hf6 .ixf6 25.Wfxd6 because Black's lack of coordination prevents him from getting counterplay with his dark-squared bishop. For instance, 25 ...Wfxc3 (25 ...i.e6 26.e5 .te7? does not work because of 27.Wfxe7!+-) 26.Wlxd7 Eld8 27.Wlb7 Wlxc2 28.e5 Eldl t 29.Elxdl Wlxdl t 30.@h2 .td8 3 1 .Wlc6!± threatening mate in one and attacking the c4-pawn at the same tIme. Black should probably have regrouped as in the game, but in that case the placement of the white pieces would have been more flexible. For instance, after 22...J.e6 23.lLJg5 lLJd7 24.�xe6 fxe6 the queen could go to e2, keeping the c4pawn under pressure and preparing to create some kingside threats. •
21 ...exd4!? Another release of tension from Black, which worked out well for one game. With his queen on a5 he had no possibility of trading all the rooks on the b-file, while otherwise it is hard to suggest a concrete plan.
22.fYxd4?!
White faced a wide choice, with several white pieces competing for the d4-sqnare. Korchnoi plays a consistent move, without being put off by the fact that it implies a loss of time. White keeps the e3-a7 diagonal under firm control and keeps the e4-pawn well defended at the same time, thus restricting Black's counterplay. It might seem that the knight belongs in the centre, but after 22.lLJxd4? Elxbl 23.Elxbl (otherwise the a4-pawn would be hanging) 23 ....tffi! the e4-pawn would remain weak, when 24.f3 brings no relief because of 24...d5! with a strong initiative in the centre. Keeping the central structure intact with 22.cxd4?! has the drawback of unblocking the black c-pawn, allowing strong counterplay after 22 ...c3. For instance: 23.fYc1 (23.fYdl allows 23 ...Elb2. 23.Wld3 places the queen on an exposed square, which can be felt after 23...Elxbl 24.Elxbl ha4! 25.Elal when Black gets out of the pin with 25 ...hc2, winning plenty of
22 .Ae6 ••
Black has achieved some stability in the centre.
23.�g5
The immediate attack against the "weak" d6pawn with 23.i.f4 does not work because of 23 ...Elxbl 24.Elxb l d5! with counterplay in the centre. After the generally desirable 25.e5(?!) Black can take advantage of the fact that White has placed on d4 the piece that is less suited for blockading purposes: 25 ...J.c5 26.W1d2 lLJe4+
23 fYc7 24 .if4 •••
•
This move allows Black to regroup perfectly. However, the seemingly more active 24.f4 would not have yielded any palpable result after 24...Elxb1 25.Elxbl i.c8 followed by ....if8, ...h6 and ....tb7, when the weakness of the e4-pawn compensates for White's space advantage.
24 �d7 25J�edl tLle5 26.tLlxe6 fxe6 27..lg3 tLlf7 •••
The Petrosian System
111
With his d6-pawn safely defended and the possibility of activating the bishop via f6, Black has little to worry about now.
28.Wbl Af6 29.e5!?
Korchnoi prevents the activation ofthe enemy bishop at the cost of a pawn. The simplifications arising after 29.hd6 itlxd6 30.�xd6 �xd6 3 1 .l3xd6 l3xbl t 32.hb1 would most probably result in a draw. Black obtains counterplay based on the fact that the enemy bishop is exposed with 32...l3b8 33..ta2 (33..ic2?! l3b2 34..id1 hc3 is already preferable for Black) 33...l3b2. The bishop cannot leave the b 1-sqllare undefended because of ...l3b1 t followed by ....ie5t, winning the rook, which practically forces further simplifications with 34.e5 he5 35.l3xe6 l3xa2 36J:he5 l3xa4 when Black should not have too many problems drawing. For instance, 37.l3c5 a5 38.',tJh2 l3a2 39.�g3 a4 40.l3xc4 a3 4 1 .l3a4 l3a1 followed by ...a2 and ...l3c1 .
29 dxe5 30.Bd7?! •••
He must have overlooked the fact that after the exchanges the e-pawn will not be easy to block. 30.�e4 or 30.�g4 would have been safer.
30mBxd7 31.�d7 �blt 32.hbl gb8 gc8 34.ga7 �d6 35.S gc6 36..tbl
Korchnoi offered a draw, which Petrosian accepted, failing to notice that 36 ...e4 would have offered him active play. 1/2-1/2
The general conclusion of the analysis of the previous game is that 1 8.a4 is a strategically double-edged move, offering Black targets for counterplay. Let's turn our attention to the main alternative, 1 8 ..ia3. The following game can be considered a model for Black. Petrosian had little trouble proving the correctness of his 1 5 ... c4.
Ljubojevic - Petrosian Milan 1 975
18 .ta3 .
18...gkS Practically forced. The careless 1 8...�a5? loses a pawn to 1 9..ib4!.
19.9bl .!JB
Black continues his kingside regrouping and is ready for counterplay in the centre or on the kingside. Once again, 1 9 ...�a5 would have made little sense because of the calm 20.�cl when the c3-pawn is taboo in view of .ib4, leaving the queen slightly misplaced on a5.
2o.Be2 gab8
As always when given a choice, Petrosian chooses a static plan. The capture on d4 from the previous game cannot be regarded as an exception. It was more of a sign that something had gone wrong for Black already. Here, in spite ofthe temptation, Black should probably refrain from early activity. True, after the bishop's retreat to £8, the opening of the centre based on ...d5 always has to be taken into account. However, the immediate 20 ...d5?! is bad in view of 2 1 .h£8 exd4 22.hg7! provoking irreparable damage to the black king's position. The other possible way of opening the centre is 20...exd4?! 2 1 .lLlxd4 (21 .cxd4 offers Black active play after 2 1 . . ..if5!?) 2 1 ...d5 but after 22.hfB Wxf'8 23.e5 lLle4 White is not forced to capture on e4 immediately with 24..L:e4, which would lead to equality after 24 ...l3xe5. Instead, he has the intermediate 24.'I1Nh5! attacking the h7-pawn and renewing the threat of he4.
1 12
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
2IJhb8 gxb8 22.ttJd2 gc8
Once again, releasing the tension in the centre with 22...exd4 23.cxd4 c3, for the sake of temporary activity, might be risky. After 24.tt:lb3 White would remain in control of the position.
23.Ab4 g6
Planning ....ih6 or ...tt:lh5.
24.'l!r6 Ag7 25.gdl
Nunn
-
Unzicker
Bundesliga 1 988/89
18.Aa3 gfe8 19.'l!re2 Deviating from 19 .l'::!:b 1 as played in the preVIous game. •
19...i.f8 20.ttJd2
This premature knight retreat could have led to immediate equality. It was not too late to transpose to the previous game with 20.l'::!:abl .
20 geeS •••
Black misses 20...d5! 2 1 .i.xf8 @xffi when mass simplifications and a draw look inevitable. However, the game move is not bad either.
21.gebl
25 .i.e6 ••
Once he has completed his regrouping, Black can safely play such a seemingly provocative move. White always has to be ready for ...d5, especially if he plays the planned lLlfl, which would weaken his control of the centre.
26.dxe5
After this exchange a draw becomes inevitable. White could have maintained the tension with 26.'lWe3, preventing 26...d5?! in view of27.d.xe5 'lWxe5 28.tt:lf3 followed by 29.e5 {this is better than 28.f4, which can be met by 28....ih6}. However, after the calm 26...tt:lh5 {instead of opening the centre} it is hard to see how White could increase his pressure.
21 'l!ra5!? ..•
26...dxe5 27.ttJf1 gdS 28.�e3 Ldl t
This might look like a loss of time, but it is a comfortable way of neutralizing White's pressure along the b-file. Black probably thought that 2 1 ...l'::!:ab8 was impossible because of 22.l'::!:xb8 'lWxb8 23.lLlxc4 {?}. In fact, White would lose material after 23 ...J.b5 24.J.d3 d5! because all his minor pieces would be hanging.
A static approach does not exclude concrete
Black plans to play . . . l'::!:ab8, reaching a comfortable position.
lh-lh
planning. In the next game a very experienced player and renowned Ruy Lopez specialist allowed his position to worsen gradually by just sitting and waiting.
22.i.b4 'l!rc7 23.dxe5
The following sequence of moves is a logical way of trying to take advantage of the offered tempo.
r The Petrosian System
23 dxeS 'Bcs .••
2S.gb4.ie6 26Jlabl
White has the b-file under complete control, but this does not offer him an advantage yet, because he lacks a real target. With his next moves he decides to improve the position of his knight.
27.�fl ga7 28.�e3 gac7 29.g1b2
1 13
A strange move. Any neutral move, such as
33...g6, would have been better. The plan ofimmediately transferring the knight to d6 with 33... ltleS would have been strongly met by 34.ltld5 .ixd5 35.exd5. For instance, 35 ...ltlf6 (35 ...g6 is strongly met by 36.Wle4 when Black cannot stabilize the position in his favour) 36J'�b6 �xd5 37J�xf6! gxf6 3S.Wlxh7 with strong compensation for the exchange in view of White's better structure and the unsafe position of the enemy king.
34.gb6! �d7 35.aS:t
29 'BaS? •••
The hesitations on the 20th and 21" moves did not have any consequences, but from now on Black's "policy of neutrality" will lead him into trouble. In principle, he should have thought about improving the position of some of his pieces. For instance, the transfer of the knight to d6 would have been highly desirable. The knight would be quite stable there and would fulfil several defensive tasks, such as supporting the c4-pawn and preventing the further activation of the white rooks along the b-file. However, in view of the white knight's possible move to d5, Black should have secured the c2-h7 diagonal first with 29 ...g6 30.a4 @g7 and only after, say, 3 1 .ib 1 proceed with his basic plan: 31...ltleS 32.�8 ltld6 when 33.ltld5 hd5 34.exd5 is not dangerous. Black has a firm blockade on the dark squares with possibilities of kingside expansion.
30.a4 Y!YcS 31.i.bl .
Black's loss of time is significant. White intends to make use of the a2-square in order to increase the pressure on the c4-pawn.
31..J�d7 32.�h2 gdc7 33.Y!Yc2 Y!Ya7?
White has managed to consolidate his advantage and went on to win rather quickly. Let's draw some conclusions about the merits of the modern 1 5... 8:feS and Petrosian's 1 5 ... c4. Both moves look entirely playable and offer Black excellent prospects of gradually equalizing the position. Personally, I am more inclined to trust Petrosian, as I (and many other people) consider him to be one ofthe most talented chess strategists ever born. However, the positions arising after 1 5 ...c4 are not easy to handle in practice without a thorough preliminary examination. Let's move on to White's alternate plan: blocking the position in the centre. As after dxe5, we shall start by examining the situation when White plays d5 immediately, on the 1 3th move.
Karjakin
European Cup, Saint Vincent 2005
B.d5
1 14
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
It should be said that this position usually arises in modern practice through a slightly different move order, 1 2.d5 iLd7 13.lLlbdl. This explains why you will find so many quotes from recent games, in spite of the fact that the Petrosian system is not very popular nowadays.
13 c4! •••
The same reaction as against 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.lLlhl. Once White has given up the control of the c5-square, Black prepares to transfer his knight there.
14.�fl �b7 Once the knight gets to c5 the position will strongly resemble . the Breyer system, with the significant difference that the bishop is developed on d7 instead ofb7. This obviously favours Black, not only from the point of view of the activity of the bishop, but also for possible queenside counterplay based on . . . l'!b8 and . . . b4. The fact that the knights do not have communication between them via d7 is of less significance, since the king's knight has the plan . . . lLle8, . . . g6 and . . . lLlg7 at its disposal, ensuring Black of some solidity on the kingside. White now has to choose the exact method of carrying out his kingside attack.
15.�3h2 From a general point of view, this is the most flexible move. White clears the way for his f-pawn, while keeping g4 in reserve.
The immediate 1 5 .g4 can be met by 1 5 ...h5 when Black can try to gain control of the slightly weakened dark squares: 16.lLl3h2 (16.g5 lLlh7 17.h4 g6 planning . . . 5 or . . . f6 would leave the h4-pawn weak) 16...g6 17..ih6 l'!fe8 1 8.'lMff3 'lMfd8! This is one of the moments when it is a good idea to return the queen to its initial square. We cannot really speak about a loss of time on Black's part (as would be the situation in the case of i.c8-b7-c8) since the concrete circumstances (and necessities) have changed in the interim. The basic idea is to keep the h4-d8 diagonal under firm control. 19.1Lle3 h4 20.'J;hI lLlh7 Threatening ...i.g5, in order to take advantage of the weakness of the dark squares in White's camp. 2 1 .lLl5!? Facing the risk of being outplayed strategically, White starts a hazardous attack. 2 1 . . .i.g5 Since the knight does not threaten anything tangible yet, there is no need to capture it at once. 22J�gI f6 23 ..Lg5 lLlxg5 24.'lMfe3 gx5 But now that Black has consolidated on the dark squares, this capture is entirely safe. 25.gx5 'it>f7+ White has no adequate attack for the sacrificed material, Megaranto - Avrukh, Amsterdam 2005. . The natural 1 5 .ltJg3 has the significant drawbackofblockingthe g-pawn, thus somewhat restricting White's offensive possibilities. 1 5 ...lLlc5 16.lLlh2 a5 There is no reason for Black to postpone the start of his main plan. (However, inserting some prophylactic moves is also entirely possible, for instance 16.. J!fe8 17.f4 l'!ab8 1 8.fxe5 dxe5 19.1'!f1 b4 2o.Adz b3!?� AI Modiahki - Purnama, Barcelona 2005.) 1 7.�f3 b4 1 8.lLl5?! (a more consistent continuation of the attack is 1 8.lLlg4?!) 1 8 ....ix5! 19.�xf5 (l 9.ex5 e4 20.'lMfdl lLld3+) 1 9...rub8 20.tif3 lLlfd7 It now becomes obvious that the exchange on 5 has allowed Black to solve his last remaining problem of coordination: the connection of his knights through d7. Now the thematic f4 is hardly advisable, since the d7-knight would get the excellent e5-square. 21 .ltJf1 b3! A thematic move, radically changing the structure and severely restricting the enemy bishop. 22.axb3 cxb3 23 ..tdI a4 24.l'!b1 YHd8
The Petrosian System
25.J.e2 J.g5 26.lLld2 a3 with a strong initiative. The play is rather one-sided, so Black enjoys a fantastic position, Kozlov - Tseshkovsky, Aktjubinsk 1 9S5. White could also try to widen the front of his offensive by taking preventive measures on the queenside with 1 5.J.d2 lLlc5 (Black could consider preventing White's intentions with 1 5 ...a5!? when 16.a4 could be met by 16...bxa4 17.J.xa4 lLlc5 I S.J.c2 �UbS with adequate counterplay along the b-61e) 16.M. For instance: 16 ... cx:b3 1 7.axb3 a5 I SJ�a3 gfcS 19.tlYe2 .ids 20.gea 1 tlYb7 21 .lLlg3 g6 Both sides have regrouped well and the position is balanced, Kalesis - Frolov, Cappelle la Grande 1995.
15 a5 .••
,.
From Black's point of view, the move order is not essential at this stage of the game.He can also play 1 5 ... lLl c5 first, of course. 16.f4 exf4 (Some players prefer to postpone this exchange until White has weakened his king's position with g4. Therefore, 16...a5 looks like a worthy alternative, when the critical continuation is probably 17.5.) 17..txf4 g6 1 8.lLlf3 lLlh5 1 9.i.h2 f6?! (This is an unnecessary weakening move. Black was probably afraid of the central break e5, but it is not always clear which side would benefit most from such a break. From a static point of view, we can note that Black would gain the d6-square while the d5-pawn, not supported by .tc2, could become weak.
115
1 9...a5!? looks better.) 2o.lLld4 gaeS 2 1 .�f3 lLlg7 22.lLle3 lLlb7 23.gfl lLldS 24.lLlg4 �hS 25.�hl �cS 26.lLlh6 lLlf7 27.lLlxf7t gxf7 2S.g4;l; To a. certain extent, the position is characteristic ofthe Rubinstein system. However, the availability of the d4-square ensures White a stable advantage, Vasiukov - Unzicker, Moscow 1 99 1 . However, 1 5 ...�b6!? might make some difference compared to the usual course of the game. Black improves the position of his queen and causes White to lose time, because the immediate cj;>hl is not possible. 1 6.J.e3 lLlc5 17.M!? (the decision to change plans is probably correct, as if 1 7.�hl a5 I S.f4 exf4 1 9.J.xf4 b4 Black gains the useful move �c7-b6 for nothing) 1 7...cx:b3 I S.axb3 �c7 Now that the circumstances have changed, the queen returns to its previous location. Even though White might have to return with the bishop to d2, he would basically be one tempo ahead compared to the game Kalesis - Frolov. It's a pity that the players agreed a draw here in Ciociltea - Ivkov, Malaga 1 9S 1 .
16.£4 �c5 17.g4
After the immediate 1 7.5 Black seems to be able to organize an effective defence along the h4-dS diagonal with 17...!lfbS. This looks like the most consistent continuation. Black transfers his last reserves to the queenside, leaving for later the decision of how exactly
,
1 16
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
to carry out the attack. (The straightforward 1 7... b4 1 8.g4?! b3 1 9.axb3 cxb3 is also possible. For instance, 20.i.d3 h6 2 1 .h4 llJh7 22.llJ8 Yffd8 and White cannot prevent his pawns from being blocked.) 1 8.g4 h6 1 9.h4 llJh7 20.llJ8 Yffd8 White's attack has reached a dead end while Black's offensive is just about to start.
17 exf4 •••
for one move, because this would deprive Black of the natural plan of transferring the knight to c5.
Kasparov - Petrosian Banja Luka 1 979
14.d5
But now g5 followed by f5 was a serious threat. With the position not blocked yet, 17...h6? is pointless because of 1 8.g5! with an attack.
18..hf4 b4 19.�g3 Black is well prepared for the opening of the centre with 1 9.e5 dxe5 20.,lxe5 'M>6 (if 20 ...J.d6!? 2 1 .J.xf6 gxf6 Black certainly has some compensation for the kingside weaknesses, due to his total control of the dark squares) 2 1 .Yffd4 llJa4 22.Yffxb6 llJxb6 23.d6 J.d8 followed by . . .J.e6 and . . . llJfd7, with a fairly complicated posltlon. •
•
19...�e8
Black reinforces his control ofthe d6-square in advance, anticipating (or aiming to discourage) the central break.
gb8
When this game was played, this move was reported in Chess Injonnant as a novelty.
Planning ...J.e5 and ...llJf6. Black's stability on the dark squares as well as his outside passed pawn compensates for White's active position in the centre. The gaffie soon ended in a draw. Obviously, it makes a lot of sense to delay d5
Botvinnik once complained that he could not anticipate many ofPetrosian's moves during their match in 1963. He also stated that Petrosian is the only great player whose style and algorithm of thinking had not been completely "decoded" yet. When I saw Black's last move I partly understood Botvinnik's state of mind regarding his successor to the throne. Why on earth would somebody willingly retreat his knight, spending a whole tempo and releasing the pressure against the b2-pawIi? This is either a complete patzer's move or that of a deep strategist. For a long time I did not manage to find any reasonable answer to this question: I had even decided that I would include this game only for its historical interest and recommend the easier to understand 14...g6. However, just before I started writing the final version of this chapter I managed to imagine a model of thinking
20.�f3 b3 21.axb3 ab3 23.ic2 gxh2 24.�d4 .if6
14...�b6!?!
The Petrosian System
according to which Petrosian's move made sense. I cannot be sure that I have guessed his thoughts, but at least my version looks plausible. I will say more about this in the notes to the game. We have already acquainted ourselves with the basic ideas behind 1 4...g6. Black takes the 5square under control, consolidates his kingside, prepares the transfer of his king's knight or bishop to g7, and invites White to weaken his queenside with b3 in order to be able to play .th6. After 1 5.b3 lLlb6 Black already threatens to start his queenside counterplay with ...c4. 16.a4?! only makes things worse for White in view of 1 6...c4 1 7.a5 cxb3!+ Benko - Ivkov, Buenos Aires 1 955. We can see that 14.d5 had been played long before the game Kasparov - Petrosian, but also more than a decade earlier than the first tome of Chess Informant was published, which partly justifies the laconic comment "N" attached to the advance of the d-pawn. If 1 5 ..th6 then Black has a choice. Apart from, say, . . J3feB, he can sacrifice the exchange with 1 5 ...lLlxb2!? 16.�c1 lLlc4 17.i.xf8 i.xf8. Black has entirely adequate compensation, since the white rooks do not have open files at their disposal, while the thematic pawn break £2-f4 would only convert the dark-squared bishop into a real beast. An interesting game in which Black combined play on both wings in an instructive way, making use of some of the ideas that are characteristic of the Rubinstein system, continued: 1 5.lLl3h2 lLlh5 1 6.b3 lLlb6 1 7.lLle3 c4 1 B.i.d2 a5 1 9.lLlhg4 @hB 20.�f3 f6 21 .lLlh6 lLlg7 22.h4 cxb3 23.axb3 a4 24.b4 lLlc4 25.lLlxc4 �xc4 26.g4 5 27.i.d3 �cB Black had excellent counterplay in Shabalov - Ibragimov, Connecticut 2004. White's most consistent continuation is 1 5.i.d3, aiming to drive the knight away and leave the structure intact, although this will most likely result in a loss of time. 1 5 .. .l2Jb6 16.i.h6 E!:feB (I believe that this is the best square for the rook under these concrete circumstances. Black has to be ready for White's main plan, that of opening the kingside by means of f4. We have
1 17
had several chances to convince ourselves that the mechanical concentration of forces on a narrow area is not necessarily favourable. Here is a further example played at very high level: 16...E!:fbB 17.g4 The subdeties regarding the move order chosen by White are explained in the notes to the line starting with 16.. J!feB. 17... c4 IB.i.c2 .tf8 1 9.i.g5 i.g7 20.lLlg3 lLla4 2 1 .E!:bl lLlc5 22.lLld2 @hB 23.i.e3 lLlgB 24.@g2 E!:fB Black understood the danger and returned with the rook to the kingside before his counterplay on the other wing even started. However, the placement of his king's knight is rather poor now. 25.f4 exf4 26..txf4;l; Black's position was rather cramped in Dolmatov - Hubner, Germany 1 992.) 17.g4 (This move, restricting the activity of the f6-knight, is part of White's general plan and this is the only moment when it can be played without the risk of being met by ...h5. 1 7.lLl3h2?! This simplifies Black's defensive task on the kingside. 17...i.fB IB.i.g5 i.g7 Now, 1 9.�f3 lLlh5 20.g4?! lLlf4! is strategically risky for White, while 1 9.94 allows 1 9 ... h5 when 20.i.xf6 .txf6 21 .gxh5 i.g5 leaves Black with wonderful play on the dark squares.) 17....tfB IB.i.g5 (Again the only move that keeps Black under some pressure. If IB.i.d then Black has the typical tactical operation I B ...lLlfxd5 1 9.exd5 e4 at his disposal, apart from the more trivial IB ...h5.) IB ...i.g7 19.1Llg3 Now ...h5 is not easy to carry out. Black should continue his play on the other wing. 1 9 ...lLla4 20.gbl c4 21 ..tc2 lLlc5 22.lLld2 (This looks more ambitious than 22.lLlh2, because it keeps the c4-pawn under pressure, aiming to discourage the thematic ...b4. However, Black can consider sacrificing the c4-pawn in order to get active play.) 22 ...h6 23.i.e3 as Black's plan seems easier to carry out. If 24.f4 he could reply 24...exf4 25 ..txf4 i.cB dearing the d7-square in order to transfer the knight to e5, with a comfortable position. Obviously, with the king's rook on bB, the position would be quite dangerous for Black in view of 26.e5!. IfWhite plays some half-waiting move such as 24.@h2, Black could continue with 24...E!:abB
•
l IB
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
25Jm b4! when 26.ltlxc4 is strongly met by ltlcxe4! 27.ltlxe4 ltlxe4. We can see here that the generally useful move .. .l:!abB avoids the intermediate move 2B.ltlb6.
15.g4
As we shall see, this was the move Petrosian was
counting on. His previous move was primarily aimed at discouraging the bold advance of the g-pawn, but his young opponent was not the kind of player to shy away from such attacking moves. It is also easy to understand that taking the c4-square under control with 1 5.b3 is not to be recommended because of 1 5 ...c4 16.b4 a5 with typical queenside counterplay. However, what could he have had in mind against a neutral move such as 1 5.ltl3h2. The following is an illustrative line that might give a hint about Petrosian's plans. 1 5...a5 (Any other generally useful move that leaves the eB-square available for the knight is playable, for instance 15 .. J!fcB. However, I believe that Black should not commit his king's rook so early.) 16.g4 ltleB 17.ltlg3 g6 Black plans to regroup with ...ltlg7 and eventually ...�dB, when White's kingside expansion could eventually result in weaknesses. Therefore, White's next move looks quite logical. I B.f4 exf4 19.hf4
really-really. The knight returns in order to install itself on e5. Black has a dream position, at least by the standards of the Chigorin Ruy Lopez. I believe that this last move contains the essence of Petrosian's idea. Conceptually, it is quite paradoxical. Black has ensured some sort of dynamic stability for his knight on c4 by retreating it without having been attacked. If the knight had remained on c4 White could have considered playing b3 at the right moment, in order to launch an attack that may have been faster than Black's queenside action. However, after the knight's retreat b3 does not look too appealing, since Black could start his counterplay with ...c4 immediately! Or ifWhite plays .id3, as in the game Dolmatov - Hiibner, Black could answer with ...ltla4 followed by ... c4 and ...ltlc5 without making any premature commitment on the opposite wing.
15...h5!
Suddenly, it appears that White is involved in open kingside combat at an earlier stage that he might have initially intended.
16.gxh5
Strategically speaking, this is a concession, but White will compensate for it by means of piece activity. Keeping the pawn structure intact would have implied other inconveniences. For instance, 16.g5 ltlh7 1 7. 'it>g2 (if 17.h4 then 1 7...g6 •
White has developed his queen's bishop comfortably, without having to weaken his queenside. Is this really true? 19 ...ltlc4!! Not
•
•
The Petrosian System
preparing .. [6, when the h4-pawn would remain weak) 17...h4! followed by . . .1!>!1d8 and the g5pawn will be impossible to defend. 18 ..ie3 1!>!1d8 1 9.'�c1 would be met by 1 9...tik4, of course. Once again, the knight returns to c4 with great effect. 1 6.ltHh2 would leave the dark squares insufficiendy defended after 1 6...hxg4 17.hxg4 �h7 followed by ...1!>!1d8 and ....ig5. .
1 19
dark-squared bishops with ....ig5) 20J�g3 �h8 2 1 .�f3;!;
19 1Yh3 ••.
17.�3h2
Now everything is in order for Black.
20.1Ya g6 21-Ul greg?!
17
. •�
?!
In his annotations for Chess Infonnant Kasparov awarded this move an exclamation mark. Petrosian was obviously worried about his bishop remaining exposed on h3, but giving up such an active piece without being forced to is an obvious concession. A more logical continuation of the plan initiated by 1 5 ...h5 would have been 17...g6, aiming to take control of the h5- and, implicidy, f4-squares. 18.tLlg3 (it almost goes without saying that after 1 8 ..th6?! Petrosian would have been delighted to sacrifice the exchange with 18 ... tLlxh5!) 1 8 ... �h8 1 9.1!>!18 Wld7 Followed by ...gg8, when Black seems to be better prepared for active operations on the kingside.
18.�rll ft'd7 19.�g3?!
White has just got rid of a disruptive enemy piece on h3, but now allows another one to occupy that square. Instead, he could have consolidated his space advantage with 19.ge3!' For instance: 19 ...�h7 (hoping to exchange the
But this move is questionable. It is curious that after having created such a sophisticated abstract plan, Petrosian fuiled to find the best concrete ways to carry it out in practical play. As pointed out by Kasparov, 2 1 ...tLlxh5? would lose material to 22.�fS!+-. However, 2 1 ...�h7 looks like a better way of preparing the activation of the kingside pieces. For instance: 22.Wlg2 1!>!1h4! (better than 22; ..�xg2t 23.�xg2± as given by Kasparov) 23.Wlh2 (White has to exchange the intruder. If 23.hxg6t then 23... fxg6 intending ...�h5.) 23...Wlxh2t 24.�xh2 gh8! This is the difference compared to Kasparov's line: the king is more exposed on h2. 25.�g2 tLlxh5 26.ghl �g7 27.i.xh5 gxh5 28.gxh5 gxh5 29.�xh5t �g6 30.�g3 gh8 The rook's activity compensates for the weakness of the fS-square. In addition, the immediate 3 1 .�fS does not lead anywhere because of 3 1 ...�xd5! while otherwise Black would get rid of his "bad" bishop with ....ig5.
22.ft'g2 1YIg2t 23.�Ig2;t
White's position is more active, but both players seem to have been tired by the unexpected course of events and decided to agree a draw. ¥2-¥2
120
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
In the notes to the game Dolmatov - Hubner above, we have seen that White's most effective kingside plan after blocking the centre involves the advance ofthe g-pawn. From this perspective, it should not surprise us that playing 14.tLlg3 combined with 15.d5 is far less dangerous for Black. The following is a game played between the same players a couple of years earlier.
after 16...c4? Then the spectacular 17.tLlxe5!? dxe5 18.dxe5 seems to put even more pressure on Black than the simple 17.dxe5 dxe5 1 8.tLlxe5.} 17.gc1 a4 1 8.tLld2 axb3 19.axb3 gec8 20.f4 cxd4 21.cxd4 ex£4 22.hf4 ga2 23 ..tb1 'lWxc1 24.'lWxc1 gxc1 25.gxc1 gb2 26.gc2 gxc2 27.hc2+ In spite of the mass simplifications, White has maintained his space advantage and eventually won in Geller - Unzicker, Moscow 1982.
Dolmatov - Hubner
15.d5
Manila Interzonal 1 990
Black is perfectly prepared for this.
15... �e8 16.a4 �g7 17.b3 �a5!?
Once the b3-square has been weakened, this retreat is best. If 17... tLlb6 1 8.a5 the knight would land on the unfavourable c8-sqllare.
18.axb5
The weakness of the b3-sqllare would make itself felt after 18.!h6 bxa4 1 9.bxa4 gfb8 eventually followed by ...c4.
18...axb5 19.Ah6 �b7 20.ftdl �tb8
Preparing to start the fight for the a-file.
21.b4
Do you have a feeling of deja vu?
21. £6 22.�h2 �d8 ••
�f7=
14...g6 The reader might have become used to the fact that I do not like 14...gfe8 as a half-waiting move. The following game perfectly illustrates my doubts. 15.b3 (15.d5 is slightly more favourable for White than in our main game, because the e8-square is not available to the knight for the standard regrouping ...tLle8-g7, but it fails to impress anyway. 15 ...g6 16.b3 tLlb6 17.ie3 a5 18.tLld2 b4 19.c4 .tc8 20.a4 .tfS Black plans to regroup with . . .'lWd8 and . . . ga7. 21.f4 exf4 22.hf4 tLlfd7 23.tLlf3 .tg7 24.ga2 tLle5= Black was absolutely fine in Bronstein - Geller, Soviet Championship, Yerevan 1975.) 15 ...tLlb6 16..te3 From this square the bishop inhibits Black's thematic counterplay based on ...c4. 16...a5 (As we know from the comments to the game Aronin - Averbakh, the knight would be hanging
If we hadn't seen the previous moves, we might think that the Rubinstein system had been played. 24Ale2 WeB 25..4b3 c4
Now that Black has regrouped perfectly on both wings, blocking the queenside can no longer be considered a positional concession.
The Petrosian System
�xal 27.�xa1 �aS 28.Y!Ye1 �a6
Black makes use of Rubinstein's method of taking control of the a-file.
29.f4 Y!YaS 3O.�dl �a2 31..thl �al 32.�f3
f5
Black can be quite happy with his position, although objectivdy speaking the chances remain approximatdy equal. We have covered in detail the plans based on dxe5 or d5 within 3-4 moves from the main tabiya of the variation. Of course, these moves can occur at a later stage, too, but a rigorous examination is virtually impossible given the absence of sufficient practical material. We shall just have a look at two more examples where White maintained the central tension for longer. Szalanczy
-
I.lIbcs
Budapest 1 993
13.�f1 �c4 14.�g3 g6 15.h3 �h6 16.i.h6
It is curious that this natural sequence of moves has occurred in practice quite rardy. As mentioned in the introduction, one of White's main trumps in the Petrosian system is that the centre is not under serious pressure and that the tension can be maintained for a long time.
16...�fe8
In Vierspringerspiel bis Spanisch published shortly after his death, the outstanding Ruy
121
Lopez specialist Paul Keres stopped his analysis with this move, evaluating the position as equal. He probably considered White's plan rather inoffensive and bdieved that any natural move would do for Black. Indeed, several other variations proved more dangerous for Black in practice at the time he wrote the book, and he found no reason to concentrate on a position that was almost never played. However, White's play so far has been very logical and it is out of place to consider his set up as "inoffensive". Although he is not under strong pressure yet, Black should act with great accuracy in order to avoid remaining passive. The reader can take a deep breath. This will be the last time that I criticize the placement of the rook on e8. My arguments are the same as ever: in addition to failing to put real pressure on the e4pawn, the rook deprives the fO-knight of its last retreat square, which one day may be needed. Virtually any other rook move would probably be better. The most obvious alternative to the text move is 16...�fc8, more or less forcing the white queen's rook to abandon the a-file with 17.�c1 when Black can start his counterplay with 17...a5. However, after completing his devdopment with 18.%!fd2 White threatens to start an even quicker attack with �f5. (18 ..ib1 c4 19.!e3 was played in Jennings - Shddon, London 1994, but now Black could get active play with 19... cxb3 20.axb3 a4 when the familiar win of a pawn with 21 .dxe5 dxe5 22.hb6 %!fxb6 23.�xe5 leaves Black with excellent compensation after 23 ...!e6.)
122
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
After IS.�d2 Black can parry the threatened knight move to f5 by means of I S...lLleS. As we shall see, the knight retreat is not only a defensive move, but aims to take advantage of the relative weakness of the central dark squares induced by the move b3. The knight is approaching the d4square in its characteristically sinuous way. An illustrative continuation is: 19.1Llh2 (A natural way to continue the kingside attack, which has the drawback of weakening the control over the centre. Against other moves, Black would have a choice between 19...a4 or the bolder 19 ...b4.) 19 ...b4! Black follows Nimwwitsch's recommendations by attacking the enemy pawn chain at its base, undermining the d4-square. We can finally see the hidden structural defect induced by White's natural desire to drive the irritating c4-knight back makes itself felt. With the b-pawn on its initial square, Black's attack would be far less effective. 20.dxe5 (blocking the centre with 20.d5 can be strongly met by 20...c4) 20...dxe5 2 1 .c4 (If 2 1.lLlg4 Black can develop his queenside initiative with 21...c4. Or if21 .cxb4 axb4 22..id3 then 22...lLlg7 and once again Black's pieces are well placed for the newly modified structure.) 2 1..J'gdS 22..id3 lLlg7 23.lLlhfl lLle6 24.lLle3 Both sides have taken the critical squares under control, and Black's chances are by no means worse. After 24...lLld4 25.lLld5 lLlxd5 26.exd5 he can continue his queenside play with 26...a4, while his king's position is relatively safe. If required, the queen's rook could be transferred to the kingside along the sixth rank. Similarly, 16.. J3fdS can be played. For instance, 17.�d2 lLleS Is.lLlh2 b4. Indeed, Black does not really need to advance his a-pawn yet in order to undermine the d4-square, while the opposition of the white queen and black king's rook could be useful. However, blocking the centre with 19.d5 makes more sense now, although Black's position remains solid. To my taste, 16.. J3fcS should be preferred because it restricts White's options, but it is hard to draw a definitive conclusion without further practical tests.
17J3c1?!
After, this unnecessary loss of time, Black can neutralize White's kingside pressure. In practice, 17.d5?! has also been tried, but it is not likely to pose Black any problems. The queenside plan develops naturally after 17...c4 IS.b4 a5 19.a3 l3a7 (the slightly premature 19 ... axb4 could be met by 20.cxb4!? followed by lLle2-c3) 20.l3c1 (If White tries to keep the a-file closed with, say, 20.lLlh2 l3eaS 2 1.l3e3, Black could take advantage of the fact that the white queen's possible communication with the dark-squared bishop has been temporarily cut off by means of 21.. ..ifS. For instance, 22..ixfB �xf8 23.�c1 �g7. Apart from the queenside pressure, Black can consider becoming strategically ambitious on the other wing, too, with . . . �dS and . . . h5.) 20 ...axb4 2 1.axb4 l3eaS 22.lLlg5?! (the more restrained 22.lLlh2 looks better) 22....ifB 23 ..ixfB l3xf8 24.f4?! White offers the e5-square to his opponent for nothing. 24...exf4 25.�f3 fxg3 26.�xf6 .icS! Clearing the d7-square for the knight. 27.l3al lLld7 Black's position is preferable, Sammalvuo - Ilinsky, Mallorca 2004. As frequently happens, the natural developing move is best. With the eS-square occupied already, Black has no favourable .way of preventing lLlf5 after 17.�d2!' White probably feared Black's counterplay along the c-file, but after 17...l3acS I S.l3ac1 cxd4?! 19.cxd4 �c3?! 20.�xc3 13xc3 2 1 .lLle2 followed by dxe5, White would simply win a pawn. Also, 17....tf8 does not work out well now, because of I S ..ixf8 �xf8 (1S ...13xf8 10ses the e5-pawn after 19.dxe5 followed by 20.�g5) 19.�h6t �gS 20.lLlg5 with the strong threat lLlh5!. 17 ..tm Now, Black is just in time to consolidate his kingside position. ••
18."d2
I S..txf8 �xf8 19.�d2 1eads nowhere because of 19 ... �g7.
18....tg7 19."gS
19.hg7 �xg7 20.�g5 is adequately met by 20 ...h6. Once again, the comparison with the
The Petrosian System Picc comes to mind. Once the e-file has been cleared, 19.tLlfS is n�t dangerous any more because of 19...hf5 20.exf5 e4 isolating the generally dangerous c2-bishop from the black kingside. However, 1 9.tDh4!? persisting with the threat of placing a knight on fS comes into consideration.
123
completing his development in a comfortable way and avoiding any pawn weakness.
14...�xe3
19 .cbh8 ••
Intending to expel the intruders with ...tLlgS or ....ixh6 followed by ...tDgS.
20.dxeS
White feels that his attack has lost intensity and opens a new front.
20..•dxeS 21 Jlcdl Am6 22.Bxh6 �g8 23.Bd2 ft) 24.Bd6 f!:aca
White's position remains optically appealing, but after the exchange of the dark-squared bishops Black can build up a reliable fortress rather easily. The game continued with
2S.�fJ. Wg7 26.�e3 �h6 27.a4 �t7 28.Bxc7 f!:xc7 29••S �c8 3O.�dS f!:b7 31.M c4..
when Black had little to worry about. The central knight will be easy to exchange if necessary. Apart from that, it does not create any serious threats and keeps the d-file closed. Together with the variation 13.tLlfl tDc4 14.b3 tDb6 1 5.tLle3, the line played in the previous game should be considered as a critical test of the Petrosian system. The main difference is that in the former case, theory is more or less settled, while in the latter there remain many "black holes". The variation played in the next game should not pose Black any special problems if he reacts accurately, but it has historical interest having been the choice of two other world champions against Petrosian.
IS f!:fc8I? •.•
When facing this position for the first time, Petrosian reacted in a rather neutral way, failing to foresee White's simple plan. The game continued 1 5....ie6 16.tLld2 �feS 17.f4 �ad8 IS.fxe5 dxe5 19.d5 .Ad7 20.c4 �bS 21.a4 b4 22.a5! and White was better on practically every area of the board in Tal - Petrosian, Soviet Championship, Riga 1958. The game is famous not so much for Petrosian's opening play, but for his exchange sacrifice on f4 (!) which completely changed the natural course of the game.
16.f!:c1
13.�fJ. �c4 14.lLle3
After the exchange of one pair of knights, White's only chance of retaining a tiny plus is to maintain the tension in the centre. If 16.d5 White has insufficient forces to generate dangerous threats against the kingside. Minev recommended 16.dxe5!? dxe5 17.tLlh4 but Black can play, for instance, 17...c4 I S.�e a5 19.tDfS hf5 20.exfS .ic5 2U�g5 �a6 with an entirely viable position (please refer to the similar structure arising in the Rauzer line from the Rubinstein system).
White centralizes his knight without driving the enemy knight away with b3. Although any early exchange of pieces is supposed to favour the defending side, White is counting on
By putting pressure against the e4-pawn, Black prevents White from carrying out Tal's plan.
Karpov
-
Petrosian
Milan (1) 1975
16...J.c6
124
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
17.�dl
20.�e2 id8
It is quite significant that Karpov, who generally liked to block the centre in the Chigorin Ruy Lopez (see for instance his game against Unzicker from the previous chapter) avoided 17.d5 here, even though this would have won a tempo.
17 cxd4 18.cxd4 'i!Yb7 •••
Now, White has to give up his secret hopes of playing f4.
19.d5 Once the position has stabilized, Black will be able to manoeuvre in cornfott. However, Minev's recommendation 19.�f3!? fails to impress. Black has several ways of improving his position. For instance, 1 9....id8 (the more neutral 1 9...a5 is also possible, leaving White with the difficult task of finding an active plan) 20.id3 ib6 (again, the more restrained 20...a5 comes into consideration) 2 1 ..igS tLle8 22.d5 id7 and the active dark-squared bishop compensates for the temporary passivity of the knight. Leaving the d7-square available to the knight.
21.b4 ,ib6
The exchanges initiated by this move will lead to a draw in the most natural way. 23.fi'xe3 flxcl 24.flxcl Jk8 25.�b3 flxclt 26.fi'xcl Ad7 27.Wh2 1Jb6
28.fi'dl fi'c7 Ih-lh
-- --
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The Petrosian System .
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1.e4 e5 2.tla �c6 3..lb5 a6 4..la4 �f6 5.0-0 Ae7 6J�el b5 7..lb3 d6 S.d 0-0 9.h3 �a5 lO..lc2 c5 1 l.d4 1fc7 12.�bd2 Ad7
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125
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126
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
1 14.lLlfl c4 (14...lLlc4)
2 14 ....le6 1 5.�f3 lLlc4 16.lLldfl l:!feS 17.g4 lLld7 I S.lLlg3 lLlfS 19.1Llhfl lLlg6 20.lLlh5 l:!adS 21 .b3 lLlb6 22.lLle3 c4 23.lLlf5± Simagin - Szabo, Moscow 1 963.
3 15...mhS 16.�g4 gads 17.Vla .le6 IS.�fe3 �b7 19.�xf6 20.�d5 hd5 21.exd5 �d6 (21 ...lLlc5 22.�f5 e4 23.l:!xe4±) 22.a4 gfe8 23.axb5 axb5 24.ga6 e4 25.tfg3 .le5 26.Ji4 .bf4 27.Vlxf4 5 2S.geal Vle7 29.gb6 gd7 30.gaa6 gedS 31.M g6 32.b3;!; Korneev - Dydyshko, Katowice 1992.
4 l S ..ig5 hg4 19.hxg4 lLld3= 5 22.a4 Vld6 (22...�d7 23.axb5 axb5 24.l:!a5 e4+ 25.he4? lLlxe4 26.l:!xe4 �e4 27.�xe4 l:!eS 2S.�f4 �dS �...�xa5 or . . . l:!e1 t followed by ....le5) 23.axb5 axb5 24.tf5 e4
g6 26.Vla Vle7
6 23.iLxe4 (23.f3?! Ah4 [23...b4!? 24.cxb4?
lLld3 25.l:!xe4 .ld4t!-+] 24.l:!d1 [24.l:!e2 g6 25.�g4 exf3! 26.l:!xeSt l:!xeS 27.�xh4 l:!e2 2s.M4 �b6-+] 24...g6 25.tfg4 �g3+)
23 �xe4 24J:lxe4 Le4 25.Y!Yxe4 Y!Ye5= •••
7 15.g4 h5! (15... lLleS 16.lLlg3 g6 17.lLlh2
lLlg7 lS.f4 f5!? Manik - Szamos, Hlohovec 1995) 16.lLl3h2 (16.g5 lLlh7 17.h4 g6 �...f6, X8h4) 16...g6 17.il.h6 l:!feS l S.�f3 'l!!YdS! (�h4-dS) 19.1Lle3 h4 20.'it>h1 lLlh7 (�....lg5) 21.lLlf5!? .ig5 22.:gg1 f6 23.hg5 lLlxg5 24.�e3 gxf5 25.gxf5 'it>f7+ Megaranto - Avrukh, Amsterdam 2005. 15.�g3 lLlc5 1 6.lLlh2 a5 (16...l:!feS 17.f4 gab8 1 8.fxe5 dxe5 19,%;[1 b4 20.J.d2 b3!?+t AI Modiahki - Purnama, Barcelona 2005) 17.�f3 b4 I s.lLlf5?! (1s.lLlg4?!) l S...hf5! 1 9.�xf5 (19.exf5 e4 20.�dl lLld3+) 19 ...l:!fbS 20.�f3 lLlfd7 21 .lLlfl b3! 22.axb3 cxb3 23 ..ld1 a4 24.:gb1 �dS 25 ..le2 .lg5 26.lLld2 a3t Kozlov - Tseshkovsky, Aktjubinsk 19S5. 15.J.d2 lLlc5 (15...a5!? �16.a4 bxa4 17.J.xa4
lLlc5 I S ..ic2 :gfbs �b) 16.b4 cxb3 17.axb3 a5 IS.:ga3 l:!fcS 19.�e2 .idS 20.:geal �b7 21 .lLlg3 g600 Kalesis - Frolov, Cappelle la Grande 1 995.
S 15 �c5 16.f4 exf4 (16...a5 17.f5) •••
17..txf4 g6 1 S.lLlf3 lLlh5 19.i.h2 f6?! (19 ...a5!?) 20.lLld4 l:!aeS 21.�f3 lLlg7 22.lLle3 lLlb7 23.:gfl lLldS 24.lLlg4 'it>hS 25.'it>hl �cS 26.lLlh6 lLlf7 27.lLlxf7t l:!xf7 2S.g4+ Vasiukov - Unzicker, Moscow 1 99 1 . 15...Ylb6!? 1 6..ie3 lLlc5 17.b4!? (17.'it>hl a5 IS.f4 exf4 19.i.xf4 b4+t) 17 ...cxb3 l S.axb3 �c7= Ciociltea - Ivkov, Malaga 19S 1 .
9 17.5 gtbS (17...h4 I S.g4?! b3 19.axb3
cxb3 20 ..ld3 h6 21.h4 lLlh7 22.lLlf3 �d8+) IS.g4 h6 19.M �h7 20.�a tfdS=F Xh4, g5
10 17...h6? l S.g5!-+ 1 1 19.e5 dxe5 1rb6 (20....ld6!? 21..ixf6 gxf6oo) 21.Vld4 �a4 22.Y!Yxb6 �xb6 23.d6 .ldS Followed by . . . .le6 and . . . lLlfd7, with a fairly complicated position.
12 23 ..lc2 l:!xb2 24.lLld4
25.'l!!Yc l l:!bS 26.�e3 a4 27.l:!ebl l:!xb1 t 2S.l:!xb1 a3 29.l:!a1 �a5 30.lLlge2 .ie5 31.�cl lLlf6 �-� Karjakin - Aleksandrov, Saint Vincent 2005. .if6
13 15.�3h2 :gadS 16.�f3 ac6 17.lLlg3 lLld6 l S.ag5 lLlfeS 1 9.he7 'l!!Yxe7 20.'l!!Ye3 lLlc4 21.lLlf5 �a7 22.�g3 f6 23..lb3 lLled6 24.lLlxd6 l:!xd6 25.lLlg4 Van den Berg - Donner, Amsterdam 1954, 25 ...'it>hS 26.hc4 bxc4= �d, Xd3. 15.tfe2 :gfeS 16.b3 lLlb6 17.c4 Bruzon Vazquez, Santa Clara 2000, 17...lLlh5!+
14 15..J;radS 16.�e2 l:!feS 17.b3 lLlb6 l S.a4 (1S.c4 Gilbert - Pillon, corr. 1951, l s. .lLlcs 19..ib2 if8 20.l:!ad1 lLla7 21.lLlf5 g6 22.lLle3 lLlc6= 23.cxb5?! lLld4+) l S ...afS 19.ag5 �c6 20.a5 lLlcs 21.lLlf5 �e6 22.lLlh2 h6 23..th4 lLle7 24.�f3 (�lLlxh6t) 24...g5 25 ..ig3± O'Kelly - Steiner, Groningen 1946. .
---.
127
The Petrosian System
IS �fc8
16.�h2 Ae6 17.ti'f3 �h8 18.�£5 .Affi 19.�g4 �xg4 20.hxg4 f6 21 .g5 fxg5 22.b3 .�b6 23.Axg51 Panov - Furman, Leningrad 1952. •••
26 1 6... c4!= 1:7 17.�d5 �fxd5 18.exd5 Ad6=
28 17...c4!..; 17 g6 18.c4 �hS 19.�dS �xdS 20.adS Ad6 21.�gS (21 .g4?! �f4 •••
IS 17.M �b6
Lla4 (1 8.c4 .tffi 1 9.a4 bxa4 20.bxa4 as 21 .Ab2 �c8 22.Jl.c3 l1:1a7 23.�abl �c6) 18•••c4?! 19.�xe5! fixeS
2O.tyb6
..
21.gedl!:t
22.J.xf4 exf4l 23.,td3 b4 24.'ilYb2 f6 25J�e2 'ilYc8!? 26.�f1 Axg4 27.hxg4 Yfxg4+ Fink - Sadomsky, corr. 1 960) 21...�g7 (2 1...£5 22.11:1e6 he6 23.dxe6 b4 24.Jl.h6 �g7°o)
16 Xb3. 17...Af8 1 8.axb5 axb5 19.�8 �8 �b5, e5
22.�e4 f6 23.g4 �eS 24..tb2 Ae7 2S..tc3 �d6 Benok - Ivkov, Sarajevo 195 1 .
17 19...c4 20 •e3 mh8 (20.. b4 2 1 .�£5 Ac5
19.a4 bxa4 20.bxa4 �hS 21.g3 29 �f6 (2 1 ...ll.xh3? 22.�g5!+-) 22.g4.lc6 (22 ... a5 23.Jl.d2 �8 24.Ac3;t) 23.�dS IbdS 24.cxdS c4 2S.aS:t Lilienthal - Panov, Moscow 1940.
•
.
22.tfgS �h5?! 23.g4, 20...,tffi 21 ..txffi �xf8 22.flh6t �g8 23.11:1£5 hf5 24.exf5±) 21.�gS Ae6 (21 ...mg8 22.�£5! gx5 23.�e6! f4 24.ti'xf4 exf4 25.l1:1xc7±) 22••£3 �b7 23.�xe6 fxe6 24.),41 Aronin - Averbakh, Moscow 1950.
18 20..txffi � 21.'ffe3 �g7 22.'ilYgS h6= 19
23.�1 �xb2 24.ga6 .ie6oo As compensation for the pressure he is under, Black has managed to somewhat simplify the position .and win a pawn.
20 X�g3 21
16.b3 �b6 17.Jl.h6 gfd8!? (Llhh3) 18.'ffe2 c4=
22 16...l1:1xb2!? 17.ti'c1 �c4
I B.hffi gxf8�
23 17.b3 �a3 Llc4
...
. 30 19.�d5 �xd5 20.exciS (<=>e, �bl-h7) 20...f621.�h4 Ll'ffh5 (21 .ti'd3 g6 22.h4 l1:1d6=) 21...g6 22.�xg6! hxg6 23.1bg6 J.flI LeS 2S.'frhS �d6 26.�e3 Eventually followed
by gg3 and Jl.h6, when the vulnerability of the f6-pawn causes Black serious problems of consolidation. Or 24...heB 25.f4 Jl.g7 26.fxe5 fxe5 27.Ab2, when Black will soon be behind _ on material, while his king's position remains unsafe. However the modest 20 ....tf6 instead of 20...f6 seems to offer Black a normal position. The knight will soon jump to d6 and then ...g6 followed by .. JJ.g7 and ...5 will neutralize White's kingside pressure and prepare Black's own expansion on this wing.
31 2 1 ...�xd5 22.cxd5± X�a7
24 Followed by ...f6 and ...�d6-f7, combined with the usual queenside plan starting with ... c4.
2S 16.a4 c4!
17.a5 cxb3 1 8.axb6 ti'xc3 with strong counterplay, Boleslavsky ..:.. Smyslov, Groningen 1946. 16.AgS (LlttJe3) 16...gfe8 17.ttJe3 c4 18.Lf6 hf6 19.bxc4 gad8 20.ttJd5 ttJxd5 2 1 .cxd5 ti'xc3+ Didier - Pillon, corr. 1952.
33 23.�b6 gaS! >
soon play ...l1:1d4 with an approximately equal posltJon. •
•
34 14...g6 1S.Ad3 Aiming to drive the knight
away while keeping the structure intact at the same time, although this will most likely result
128
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
in a loss of time. (1 5.b3 �b6 A... c4. 16.a4?! c4 17.a5 cxb3!+ Benko - Ivkov, Buenos Aires 1955. 15.ih6 l3fe8 or even 1 5 ... �xb2!? 16.'1!�c1 �c4 17.i.xf8 i.xf8co; 1 5.�3h2 �h5 16.b3 ttlb6 17.ttle3 c4 1 8.id2 a5 19.�hg4 <;!{h8 20.Yl!l£3 f6 21 .�h6 �g7 22.h4 cxb3 23.axb3 a4 24.b4 �c4 25.�xc4 Yl!lxc4 26.g4 f5 27.id3 Yl!lc8 Shabalov - Ibragimov, Connecticut 2004.) IS...�b6 16 .th6 gfeg (16...l3fb8 17.g4 c4 1 8.ic2 if'S 19.ig5 ig7 20.ttlg3 ttla4 21 .l3b1 �c5 22.ttldl wh8 23.ie3 �g8 24.Wg2 l3f'S 25.f4 exf4 26.ixf4i Dolmatov - Hubner, Germany 1992) 17.g4 (Xttlf6. 17.�3h2?! if'S 18.ig5 .ig7 Now, 19.Yl!l£3 ttlh5 20.g4?! ttlf4! is strategically risky for White, while 19.94 allows 19...h5, when 20 ..ixf6 .ixf6 21.gxh5 i.g5 leaves Black with wonderful play on the dark squares.) 17 ..lfB lS..tgS (18.ie3 �fxd5 19.exd5 e4 or just 1 8 ... h5) lS ig7 19.�g3 �a4 20.gbl c4 21..*.c2 �c5 22.�d2!? ><&:4 (22.ttlh2) .lc8 Or 22...b6 23.J.e3 as 24.f4 e.f4 if 24.<;!{h2 l3ab8 25.l3fl b4! 26.�xc4?! ttlcxe4! 27.ttlxe4 ttlxe4+. •
23...'f!Yxh2t 24. 'iflxb2 gbS! 2s.cbg2 �xbS 26.gbl cbg7 27.llxhS gxbS 2S.gxhS gxhS 29.�xbSt �g6 30.�g3 gbS= (A....ig5) 3 1.�f5 �xdS! 41 14 gfeg lS.b3 (15.d5 g6 16.b3 ttlb6 •••
17.i.e3 a5 1 8.ttld2 b4 19.c4 ic8 20.a4 .if'S [A ...Yl!ld8, ...ga7] 2l.f4 exf4 22.ixf4 �fd7 23.�£3 ig7 24J:�a2 ttle5= Bronstein - Geller, Soviet Championship, Yerevan 1975) lS...�b6 16..te3 (X�b6) 16 aS (16...c4? 17.�xe5!? dxe5 18.dxe5± or just 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.�xe5i) •••
17.gcl a4 IS.�d2 axb3 19.m3 gcc8 20.f4 ad4 21.ad4 exf4 22.hf4 gal 23..tbl Vxcl 24.Vxcl �cl 2S.�cl gb2 26.gc2 gxc2 27 Geller - Unzicker, Moscow 1982.
••
•.•
3S IS.b3 c4 16.b4 a5; lS.�3h2 a5
(l5 ...l3fc8!?) 16.g4 �e8 1 7.�g3 g6 (A...�g7, . . . V9d8) 1 8.f4 (l8.id3 �g7 19.f4 .th4 20.Yl!l£3 f5�) 1 8...exf4 19.ixf4 �c4!! A... �e5
36 16.gS ttlh7 1 7.Wg2 (17.h4 g6 A...f6,
X8h4) 17...h4! (A...Vd8, Xljg5) 1 8..ie3 Vd8 19.�c1 �c4+; 16.�3h2 hxg4 1 7.hxg4 �h7 Followed by ...Vd8 and ....ig5.
37 17...g6! lS.�g3 (18 ..th6?! ttlxh5!) lS...mbS 19.Vf3 Vd7 Followed by ...l3g8. 3S 19.9e3! �b7 (A.ig5) 20.Bg3 cotbS 21."'f3;t 39 21 ...�xbS? 22.�f5!+- Kasparov 2l ...gfeg 22.'f!Yg2 Vxg2t 23.Wxg2i
�-�
Kasparov - Petrosian, Banja Luka 1979.
40
22...Bh4! (22...�xg2t 23.Wxg2+ Kasparov) 23.Bh2 (23.hxg6t fxg6 A ...�h5)
42
lS.dS �e8 16.a4 ttlg7 17.b3 �a5! X8b3
(17...�b6 1 8.a5i) 1 8.axb5 (18..th6bxa4 19.bxa4 l3fb8 Xb3) 1 8 ...axb5 19..th6 �b7 20.Yl!ld2 gfb8 21 .b4 f6 22.ttlh2 �d8 23..ie3 �f7= 24.�e2 �c8 25 ..ib3 c4 26.ic2 l3xa1 27.�1 �8 28.Yl!le1 l3a6 29.f4 Yl!la8 30.l3d1 l3a2 3 1 ..ib1 l3a1 32.ttl£3 f5, Dolmatov - Hubner, Manila 1990. lS..th6 l3fc8= (15 ...gfe8 16.b3 �a3 1 7..id3 b4�; 1 5 ...�xb2 16.�c1 �c4 17.i.xf8 hf8 1 8.ib3 cxd4 19.cxd4 igni)
43 (= Keres) 16...l3fd8 17.Vdl �e8 18.�h2 b4 19.d5!co 44
17.Bd2! (A�f5) 17...c4 . (l7...gac8
1 8.gae1 cxd4?! 19.cxd4 Vc3?! 20.�xc3 �c3 21.�e2 Adxe5± Or 17...if8 1 8..ixf8 when 1 8 ...l3xf8 loses the e5-pawn after 19.dxe5 followed by 20.Vg5, while 1 8 ...Wxf8 is answered by 19.Yl!lh6t Wg8 20.ttlg5 with the strong threat �h5!') 1 8.ttlf5 ixf5 19.exf5t 17.dS?! c4 18.b4 a5 19.a3 l3a7 (19 ...axb4 20.cxb4!? followed by ttle2-c3) 20Jk1 (20.�h2 l3ea8 21 .l3e3 if8 22 ..ixf8 Wxf8 23.Vc1 <;!{g7 A ...�dS, ...h5) 20...axb4 21.axb4 geaS 22.�g5?! (022.ttlh2) 22. . .if8 23 ..ixf8 l3xf8 24.f4?! (Xe5) 24...exf4 25.�£3 fxg3 26.Vxf6 .icS! (Xd7) 27.ga1 ttld7+ Sammalvuo - Ilinsky, Mallorca 2004.
The Petrosian System
129
57 1 5 ...l3adB 16.d5 c4 17.b4+
45 I B..ixf8 'i!i>xfB 19.\!fd2 'i!i>g7= 19.�£5 hf5 20.exf5 e4 Xic2; 19.Axg7 'i!i>xg7 20.\!fg5 h6; 19.�h4!? �tLlhf5 46
47 23.�d2 f6 24.\!fd6 l3acB 25.lL'lfl 'i!i>g7 26.tLle3 tLlh6 27.a4 tLlf7 2B.�xc7 l3xc7 29.a5 tLlcB 30.tLld5 l3b7 3 1.b4 c4= Szalanczy - Lukacs, Budapest 1993. 48 �tLlf5. I B.Abl c4 19..te3, Jennings -
Sheldon, London 1 994, 19 ...cxb3 20.axb3 a4°o 21 .dxe5 dxe5 22..txb6 Vxb6 23.tLlxe5 .te6+
49 � ...b4, ...tLlg7-e6, Xd4 50 20.d5 c4!
51 2 1.lL'lg4 c4!. 2 1.cxb4 axb4 22.Ad3 tLlg7= -
52 23.tLlhfl tLle6 24.tLle3 tLld4 25.tLld5 tLlxd5 26.exd5 a4= 53 1 5 ...Ae6 16.lL'ld2 l3feB 17.f4 l3adB IB.fxe5 dxe5 1 9.d5 Ad7 20.c4 l3bB 21 .a4 b4 22.a5!;1; Tal - Petrosian, Soviet Championship, Riga 195B.
54 16.d5 c4!+!; 16.dxe5!? dxe5 17.tLlh4
(Minev) 17...c4 I B.\!ff3 a5 19.tLlf5 hf5 20.exf5 .tc5 21..tg5 l3a6=
55 19.VO (Minev) 19....tdB (19...l3c7 20..tb3
l3acB 21.dxe5 dxe5 22..tg5 h6 23 ..ixf6 .ixf6 24.lLlfl .txe4!+ Qwint - Leroy, COIT. 19BB/96. 19...a5=) 20..tg5 (20.i.d3.tb621..tg5 tLleB 22.d5 .td7= or 20 ...a5=) 20...h6 (20...a5!?=) 21 ..th4 .ieB 22..tg3 �e7 23.�d3 (23.�a3!? �a3-fB) 23 ....ta5 24.a3 tLld7 25.l3cdl tLlfB 26 ..tbl l3a7= 27.f4?! .tb6 2B.tLlf3 Wahls - Unzicker, Hannover 1991, 2B ...tLle6 29.fxe5 lLlxd4!+; 19.0 tLlh5 (19 ....idB=) 20.tLlfl .th4 21.l3e2 tLlg3 22.tLlxg3 .txg3= Zagorovsky - Preinfalk, corr. 1975/79. 56 23.�xe3 l3xcl 24.l3xcl l3cB 25.tLlb3 l3xcl t 26.\!fxcl .td7 27.'i!i>h2 �b6 2B.\!fd2 �c7 lh-lh Karpov - Petrosian, Milan 1975.
58 16.lL'lf5 hf5 17.exf5 exd4 IB.cxd4 c4+ 59 �...tLlh5-f4-e6 60
21.�d5 tLlfxd5 22.cxd5 c4 23 ..tc3 .tb4
24.\!fd2 .txc3 25.�xc3 tLlcB 26.l3abl f6 27.tLld2 lL'ld6= 21.gbl ga6 (21 ...l3abB 22..tc3± �a5) 22...lL'lxa4?! 23 ..txa4 l3xbl 24.\!fxbl .txa4 25.�al .tb3 26..txe5±) 22.J.c3.th6 (22 ....tc6? 23.tLld5 .txd5 24.cxd5 tLlcB 25.\!fe2!± c4? 26..txe5! l3xe5 27.tLlxe5 \!fxe5 2B.�xc4 l3aB 29.�c6+-) 23.�d5 �fxd5 24.enl5 (<=>e, �bl-h7. 24.cxd5 f6 25.lL'lh2 c4 26.lL'lg4 .tg7= 27.f4?! .txg4 2B.hxg4 exf4 29.�d2 tLld7 30.l3b5 J.f8 31..txa5 \!fa7t 32.'i!i>fl tLle5+ Paramos - Ibragimov, Ubeda 2001.) 24 f6 25.d6 VdB 26.�dl J.xdl (26...Ae6 27.tLle4 tLld7 2B.l3b7±) 27.Yfxd2 �xa4= (Xic3, � ... l3e6. 27....te6 2B.�h6 (2B ..txa5 tLlxc4 29 ..txdB lL'lxd2 30.l3b6 l3xb6 31..txb6 c4 32.l3dl c3 33.Aa5±) 2B...l3a7 29.j,xg6 hxg6 30.l3xb6 l3h7 3 1.\!fxg6t l3g7 32.\!fbl .txh3 33.l3b7!! (33.g3 �aB 34.\!fe4 %Yxe4 35.l3xe4 Ad7 36.l3el 'i!i>f7 37.'i!i>g2 l3g4 3B.f4 exf4 39.l3xeB Smirin - Ibragimov, Philadelphia 2004) 33 ... l3xg2t 34.'i!i>hl l3g7 35.l3xg7t 'i!i>xg7 36.l3g1 t+•••
23.�d5 (23.�f3 i.g7 24.l3abl tLld6=) 23 .hd5 24.cxd5 (24.exd5 tLld7= �... tLld6) 24 c4 25.'I'e2 �d6= 61
22.1�dl
�c8
••
•••
�...tLld7
-
62 23.cxd5 �fd7 24.gbl �c8 25.J.d3
(25.lLld2 lLld6 26.\!ff3 c4 27.M! �h5)
25 c4 26.1fl �d6= 27.�dl .th6 28.Va (2B.�f3!?) 28...gac8 29.Va2 Va7 30.�0 •••
(30.tLlxc4?! l3xc4 31 ..txc4 l3cB 32 ..txe5 tLlxe5 33 ..tfl \!fe7+) 30 gc7 31.g3 f6 32.�h2 •••
�c5 33.J.g2 �d3 34.�g4 Ag7 35.ge2 £5+ Dervishi - Hjartarson, Turin Olympiad 2006.
63 16.b4 a5!
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
130 •
17...�xc4 18.dxe5 dxe5 19.1tlxe5 �xc3 20.ltlxd7 ltlxd7 21 .�b1 + 64
65 18.i.e3 �a5 19.�d2 �ab8 Xb2 18 J�ah8! 19 .ie3 (19 ..ta3 �fe8) 19 �a5 20.ed2?! gb2!.. 66
••
•
••.
27.i.g3 �f7 28.mhl J.f6 29.e5!? (29 ..hd6
ltlxd6 30.�xd6 �xd6 31 .�xd6 �xb1 t 32 ..hb1 �b8 33.Aa2 [33.i.c2?! �b2 34.i.d1 .hc3+1 33 .. J�b2 34.e5! (34..hc4? �b1 t 35.'iflh2 i.e5t 36.g3 hd6-+) 34 ...he5 35.�xe6 �xa2 36.�xe5 �xa4 37.�c5 a5 38.'iflh2 �a2 39.'iflg3 a440.�xc4 a3 41 .�a4 �a1= Followed by ...a2 and ...�c1.) 29 dxe5 30.£e4oo (30.�d7?! �xd7 31 .�xd7 �xb1 t 32.hb1 �b8 33.i.a2 �c8 34.�a7 ltld6 35.f3 �c6 36..tb1 �-� Korchnoi - Petrosian, Candidates Tournament, Curacao 1962. 36...e4!+) •••
67 19.Be2 a5?! (19 ...�ab8= 20.ltld2?! d5!+) 20.gbl .ic8 (20...E:ab8!?) 21.oth2 .ia6 22.1t�fl
(22.f4 exd4 23.cxd4 d5 24.e5 .ib4 25.�d1 �d7 26.�f3 ltle4 27..he4 dxe4 28.�xe4 �xa4 29 ..ie3 c3+) 22 g6 (22...d5 23.dxe5 �xe5 24.f4 �xc3 25 ..ib2 �b4 26..id4 c3 27.�d1 �a3 28.e5 ltle4 29.ltle3;!; .lh4?! 30.ltlxd5 .he1 3 1..he4 .td2 32.�h5 h6 33.ltlf6t!+-, or 26...i.c5!? 27.�f2!+ .) 23.eS gab8 24.5hb8 5hb8 25.ote3i Velirnirovic - Petrosian, Rio de Janeiro izt 1979. as?! (19 ...E:ab8 19 ....ifB) 20.d5 .Am (20 ....ic8? 21 .ltlxe5 dxe5 22.d6± 20 ....ld8? 21.ltld2 i.c8 22.�e2 .ta6 23.�ab1 ltld7 24.�e3 �b8 25.g3 ltlb6 26.�b2 ltlc8 27.�eb1 �xb2 28.�xb2 �d7 29.h4;!; Brodsky - Kruppa, Kherson 1 990.) 21.otd2 .tc8 22.ee2 J.a6 23.gahl g6 24.ee3 otd7 25.g3 gabS 26.lhb8 •••
71 1 8 ...�a5? 19.Ab4!
19.ee2 .Am 20.otd2 geeS (20 ....ib5
72
21 .dxe5 dxe5 22.hfB �xf8 23.a4;!; 20...d5 21.i.xf8 'iflxf8=) 21.gebl ea5 (21 ...�ab8= 22.�xb8 �xb8 23.ltlxc4? .ib5 24.i.d3 d5!-+) 22.J.b4 ee7 23.dxe5 dxe5
25.gb4 .ie6 26.gahl ec5 27.otfl ga7 28.ote3 gae7 29.g1b2 ea5? (29...g6 �
exe5 29.exe5 .th6=
30.a4 'iflg7 3 1..ibl ltle8 32.%!ff3 ltld6 33.ltld5 .hd5 34.exd5 �e8=) 30.a4 ee5 31..t.bl gd7 32.1i?h2 gde7 33.ec2 ote8 (33 ...%!fa7? 34.�b6! ltld7 35.a5± Nunn - Unzicker, Germany 1 989.) 34.otd5 (34.�b6 �c6) 34...flxd5 35.ad5 otf6 (35 ... g6 36.%!fe4;!;) 36.gb6 "xd5 37.gxf6! gxf6
68 19 gah8 20.d5 (20.�bl) 20.....a5 21.ga3 g6
73 19 g6 20.ltlh2 .ic6 21 .�f3 'iflg7 22.�e3
gxb8 27.1i?g2 ote5!? dxc5 30.gbl gxbl
38.exh7;t
.••
69 22 .ixd4!;t lhbl 23.�xbl .id8 24..lxf6 •
.lxf6 25.�xd6 �xc3 (25 ....ie6 26.e5 .iel?
27.�xe7!+-) 26.�xd7 �d8 27.%!fb7 �xc2 28.e5 �dl t 29.�xdl %!fxdl t 30. 'iflh2 .id8 3 1 .�c6!± 22.otxd4? �xbl 23.�xbl AfB!= 24.8?! d5! 22.cxd4?! c3 23.�c1 (23.�dl E:b2=F 23.�d3 �xbl 24.E:xbl .ha4! 25.�a1? .hc2-+ or 23.%!fe2 lhbl 24.�xbl .ha4! 25.�al .ib5+) 23...d5 24.e5 ltle4=
7023.�g5 (23 ..if4�xbI 24.�xbl d5!=25.e5?! .tc5 26.�d2 ltle4+) 23 Be7 24»4 (24.f4
.••
�a7 23.f4 exd4 24.�xd4 .id8 25.�xa7 �xa7 Hiibner, Munich 26..hd6 �-Yz Wahls 1992 19 Ba5 20.�c1;!; -
•••
74 . 20 d5 21 exd4 22..ixg7±; 20 exd4 21 .ltlxd4 (21 .cxd4 .i5!?) 21 ...d5 •••
•••
'iflxf8 23.e5 ltle4 24.�h5!± (24..lxe4
�xe5=)
75 22.�bl Suetin - Lilienthal, USSR 1 955, 22... �b5!?=
•••
�xbl 25.�xbl .tc8 �....lf8, ...h6 and ....lb7, X8e4) 24...ltld7 25J�edl ltle5 26.�xe6 fxe6
76 22 gc8 (22...exd4 23.cxd4 c3 24.ltlb3;!;) 23.J.b4 g6 24."fYS .tg7 25.gdl .te6 26.dxe5 •••
The Petrosian System
131
(26.dS Ad7 . 27J�bl tLlhS 2S.�e3 tLlf4 29.h4 .th6 30.<,!{f1 c;f;lg7+t; 26.�e3 tLlhS!?= . [26...dS?! 27.dxeS �xeS 2S.tLlf3 AeSD
26...m5 27.�fl lId8 28.�e3 lIxdlt lh-lh
Ljubojevic - Penosian, MUan 1 975.
77 This is a relatively new try to cast some
doubt on Black's strategy. White avoids releasing the tension in the centre at this early stage of the game. Of course, play could transpose to the previous lines at any moment.
78 17 17 a5
Is.Ab4! Shirov prematurely weakens the queenside srrucrure, while depriving the black queen of the as-square at . the same time. l S.bxc4! (1 S.b4 dS!+t) I S...tLlxc4 1 9.tLlxc4 bxc4 20.dS!? (20.gadU Shirov) 20 ....tffi 2 1 .�e2 g6 22.tLld2! geeS 23.c;f;lh2;t Shirov - Piket, Wijk aan Zee 1 998. ••.
80 Once the white rook has abandoned the a
file, this typical counterplay is very well timed.
81 A ...a4, Xc4
..
•
Chapter 4
ates
•
arlatlon
1.e4 e5 2.�a �c6 3.Ab5 a6 4.Aa4 �f6 5.0-0 Ae7 6.lel b5 7.Ab3 d6 8.d 0-0 9.d4
Until recently the occupation of the centre without a preliminary h3 had generally been regarded as insufficient to offer White an advantage. Sometimes strong players have employed this variation as a surprise weapon, the most f.unous case being Fischer - Korchnoi, as mentioned in the chapter dedicated to 1 O.i.e3. Over the past few years the variation has become increasingly popular, partly because it offers a method of avoiding the Marshall Attack (via the move order 7.. 0--0 8.d4 d6 9.c3). At the time I am writing these lines, the theoretical dispute is very intense and far from reaching a conclusion. .
•
The statistics reveal that this variation is highly popular among strong grandmasters. In a remarkably high percentage of recent games the average rating of the players is above 2600. This is a clear hint that, at least at the present stage of theoretical development. this is an opening for the elite. even in those cases when it remains a mere surprise weapon. Indeed. the reSulting positions are rather difficult to handle for both sides. both strategically and tactically. The final outcome of the game is usually uncertain until an advanced stage of the game. . Logically, this is hardly surprising. On an conceptual scale. 9.d4 is situated in the immediate neighbourhood of 9.h3 and should be regarded as only "slighdy less consistent strategically" than the main continuation. The first master who played 9.d4 frequendy was the six-time British Champion Frederick Yates. He managed to obtain a series offine wins, but lost each of the three games where he tried this line against one of our main heroes in this book. Akiba Rubinstein. It is quite possible that these latter results influenced theory's opinion to a considerable extent. After all, this was a matter of principle: the main advocate of 9.d4 crushed by the greatest Ruy Lopez specialist of the time. However, it should be mentioned that the result was mainly determined by the difference in strength between the players. White could handle the opening phase a great
134
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
deal better than Yates did, as was discovered decades later. Black's natural reaction to the hurried advance of the d-pawn is
9 .J.g4 ..
This develops a piece and creates the unpleasant threat of ....txf3 , when White would have to either spoil his kingside structure or give up a central pawn.
White has two main continuations now, lO.d5 and lO.J.e3. The ensuing positions have completely different characters and will be covered in separate chapters. In the theoretical section of this chapter we shall mainly examine the experimencil 1O.a4, which ignores Black's threat and aims to weaken the light squares that will be left without their main defender after the exchange on 8.
The Yates Variation
1 .e4 10
135
e5 2 .t)a .t)c6 3 ..tb5 a6 4.Aa4 tilf6 5.0-0 .te7 6.ftel b5 7..tb3 0-0 8.d4 d6 9.c3 •
11
12
13
14
15
16
7
1B
19
�fl c5 edl dxc3
3
4 ... •••
•• •
•••
�hl .tf'87
-
exf4 cxd4 M
I
White can try to neutralize the pressure against the d4-pawn by this, but moving again with a piece that has consumed so many tempi already should not be regarded as a serious threat to Black. 1 1 .gxf3 lll a5 12.f4 Illxb3 10."d3 13.axb3 Illd7 14.1ll a3 exd4 1 5.cxd4 c5 16.d5 .if"6= Tolush - Bronstein, Soviet Championship, Riga 1 95B. •
2
1 0 ... lll xd5 I l .exd5 lll a5 12.dxe5 dxe5 1 3.l3xe5 Illc4 14.l3e1 Ill b6= Yates - Alekhine, Scheveningen 1 9 1 3
3
13.cxd4 �b6 14.d5 c6 1 5.dxc6 �xc6 16.lll b3 l3acB=
4
16.lll c2 Rosen - Chigorin, Paris 1 900, 16... d5+
5
�d5 �xd5
f4 M f4!?' �xf4
a4
-
This speculative idea proved successful in one vital game, in a situation when White desperately needed to win against a renowned Ruy · Lopez specialist. However, objectively speaking, it should not pose Black significant problems. White has no lead in development to compensate for the sacrificed pawn, but just some chances to confuse his opponent in a slightly unusual position where the hidden force of the bishop pair could eventually tell.
.id5
.Ar621
00
6 1 B...Bb6t 1 9.ie3 "b5 also looks good for Black.
7 20.13£1
ig7 Black had little to fear at this stage, although he eventually lost the game and the qualifying place in Bronstein - Keres, Candidates Tournament, Budapest 1 950.
8 Now that the pressure against the e5-pawn
has been released by the exchange on £3, Black can play this typical manoeuvre.
9 White sacrifices a pawn in order to obtain a mobile majority in the centre. Otherwise, Black would play ; ..ig5, obtaining a firm blockade on the dark squares. 10 15.axb5 axb5 1 6."g4 Ill c4 1 7J:!xaB "xaB I B.b3 1ll a3 19.1ll xa3 "xa3 20."xf4 "b2 2 1 ."d2 g6 lh-Y2 Taimanov - Ravinsky, Leningrad 1 949; 15.Vg4 Zagorovsky-Tarasov, Leningrad 1 949. 1 5 ... h4 1 6."xf4 c5=
II
15 �c4?! lh-Y2 Velimirovic - Ivanovic, Kladovo 1 990, 16.lll xc4 bxc4 17.�£3± White's bishop has better prospects of becoming active than its rival. 15 M 16.�£3 l3bB 1 7.l3adl g6 I B.@hl c5 1 9.dxc5 "c7 20."xf4 bxc3 2 1 .bxc3 "xc5 22.�g3 .ifO= Short - Ivanchuk, Moscow 1 994. •••
•••
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
1 36
12
White's central pawn chain is being submitted to strong pressure. He has to be careful not to allow the opening of any diagonals for the enemy bishop.
13 lS.fi'd2?! tLlc4
1 9.ti'e2 tLlxb2! 20.c4 cxd4 21 ..tb3 J.f6 22.\Wxb2 d3+ Black's pawns are enough compensation for the piece, while his posltlon remams very active. lS.Bel E:ac8+; 18.fi'e2 E:ac8+ •
•
•
•
14 20.1re2 £5+ Restricting the enemy'bishop. 21.clf6?! The black bishop will benefit from this exchange more than White's. . S. Salov - Naumann, Kiel 200S.
15 This is the most active move, keeping the c4- and b3-squares defended and putting Some pressure on the dS- and the f7-squares.
16 13 1rbS 14.f4 ad4 15.ad4 �c6 ( l S ...E:c8!? � ..b4, . �...tLlc4) 16.�c2 bxa4 17.J.bl J.d8 18.La4 J.b6 19.d5 �e7 20.£5 .a7 21.Ba �hS 22.�a3± Short - Sokolov, •••
.
Hoogeveen 2004.
17 There has been some theoretical discussion after 15 b3, but I believe that the text move •••
is a better way to invite White to exchange on as. It not only develops a piece, but keeps the b-pawn on the board as well! 16.�xa5 (16.J.xb3 . tLlxb3 17.ti'xb3 exd4 1 8.ti'd3 dS! 19.exd5 tLlxd5
.tf@) 16 fi'xa5 17..ixb3 20.ti'xd4 ( l 7.dxeS dxeS l s.hb3 i.cSoo) 17...exd4 lS�c4 (This looks like the critical test of Black's l S ...b3. White prepares the transfer of the bishop to me kingside and clears the third rank for the queen's rook at the same time. IS.@hl allows Black to obtain good counterplay with I S ...ti'hS 1 9J3:g1 tLld7! 20 ..tdS!? E:abS 21 .E:a3 i.f6 22.\Wfl tLlc5 23.f4 d3+ Sandipan - Shirov, Edmonton 200S.) lS d5 This looks like the most natural continuation, but Black will have a hard time winning back the sacrificed pawn, or at least finding adequate compensation for it. ( l S ...tLld7?! 1 9.f4 .tf6 20..td2± Bartel Warakomski, Krakow 2006; IS ...\whS 19.ti'xd4 \Wxf3 20.E:a3± Finkel) 19.exd5 gac8 20.Le7 •••
•••
!kc4 21.b3!?* IS
16.tLle3 tLlhS 17.tLldS .tgs followed by the invasion of the f4-square. This could be combined with ... tLlc6, in order to put the d4square under pressure, too.
19 17.f4 exd4 1 8.eS tLlg4!oo 19.ti'xg4? b3+ 20 17...exd4 looks playable, too. (18.ti'xd4 ti'h5=) lS •M 19.�hl �d7 20J�lgl J.f6 •••
21
White's domination on the light squares will soon be matched by Black's blockade on the dark squares.
Chapter 5
ates
•
1.e4 e5 2.�e �oo 3oAb5 a6 4.Aa4 �f6 5.0-0 Ae7 6Ji!e1 b5 7.lLb3 d6 8.d 0-0 9.d4 1Lg4 10.d5
•
atlon -
•
By releasing the tension in the centre, White aims to underline the relative weakness of Black's queenside light squares, a consequence of the advance of the b-pawn and the development of the bishop to the other wing. After
prevents White from continuing the natural course of his development with 12.ltJbd2. However, giving up the tension with 12.dxc6 does not promise any chance of an advantage, because it makes the e6-sqllare available for the enemy bishop too soon. Black could continue with 12 ...YHc7 followed by ... §'xc6 and, after an eventual h3, retreat the bishop to e6. This leaves us with
the position bears a certain similarity with the Chigorin variation. The main difference favouring Black is that the c-pawn is still on its initial square, which enables the undermining of the enemy centre with
This underlines the main drawback of Black's set-up, which is the early commitment of the light-squared bishop, and forces him to take a decision. At first glance, the position arising after
10...�a5 noAa
1 1 00 •••
12.h3
12.. be 13.Bxf3 ad5 14,exd5 .
looks quite promising for Black. He has excellent development, a compact pawn structure and a clear target on d5.
His insufficient defence of the d5-pawn
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
138
The first two games between Yates and Rubinstein strongly supported this point of view.
Yates Rubinstein Hastings 1922 -
14...l'ilc4 Black activates his knight immediately. However, the significant difference when compared to the Petrosian system is that this move is made before White has developed his queen's knight. Therefore, the contact between the knights established by the natural 15.�d2 is likely to favour White. In the event of an exchange (be it on d2 or c4) the time spent by the black knight to reach c4 will have been invested in vain, which would result in the annihilation of Black's slight lead in development. 15 �c8 Rubinstein continues bringing pieces into play. Attacking the d5-pawn with 15 ...tiJb6 would allow White to win time for development. After 16.tiJf1 tiJbxd5 17.tiJg3 tiJc7 18.tiJf5 tiJe6 19.a4 modern theory considers that White has more than sufficient compensation for the sacrificed pawn, in view of his piece activity and the weakness of several light squares in Black's camp. One should appreciate Rubinstein's powers of anticipation that made him refrain from "winning" the central pawn. 16.�f1? •••
White gambles everything on a kingside attack, but allows Black to achieve stability on the other wing. In his notes to the game, Alekhine recommended 16. tiJxc4 �xc4 17.a4 "with some sort of a game" apparently meaning that he did not trust White's position too much anyway. 16 g6 17.ttJg3 ttJe8 18.tiJf5?! A spectacular but rather ineffective move. Black's kingside is too solid to be shaken by such brutal means. Even here, 18.a4 deserved consideration. 18 J.gS Black calmly exchanges his passive bishop, making the b2-pawn vulnerable at the same time. 19.Yfg4 hI 20.�axd �g7 Rubinstein is confident in his strategic advantage and focuses on extinguishing White's temporary initiative. The careless 20...tiJxb2?! would have unnecessarily lost an exchange to 21.tiJe7t although the position would have remained unclear. However, the intermediate 20...tiJf6 followed by ...tiJxb2 was entirely possible, winning a pawn and maintaining the positional advantage. 21.�xg7 <.i>xg7 22.�bl f5 23.Yfe2 YfgS •.•
•••
Black has obtained a dream position. His knight is obviously stronger than the bishop and his structure much more flexible than White's. Rubinstein went on to win a good game.
The Yates Variation - 10.d5
139
In spite of this convincing success, Rubinstein
half a century later proved that White can get
apparently understood that things were not so
an advantage on the queenside in this case, by
simple in the opening. Alekhine's comment at the end of the suggested improvement had
means of the slightly unexpected 16.b4!? White can afford to weaken the c4-square only because
probably been influenced by the general course of the game, but the truth is that Black would
Black's light-squared bishop has been exchanged. In the near future, the c3-pawn will be easy to
have faced serious problems defending his
unblock. 1 6 ... tik4 ( 1 6 ... tLl b7?! is completely
queenside pawns. It is little wonder that when the same players
illogical. After examining the chapters about the Chigorin, nobody could consider placing
reached the same opening position again three
the knight on such a square. After 17.tLlfl tLlh5
yeats later, Black was first to deviate.
as played in Vogt - Lukacs, Kecskemet 1 977, White should have continued with 1 8.a4±
Yates Rubinstein -
Baden-Baden 1 925 ,
14 t!Jc7 •••
From , the point of view of the general
seriously weakening the
black queenside.) 17.tLlxc4 'lWxc4 1 8 ..ib3 Wfc7 1 9 ..ig5 tLlh5 (if
1 9 ... �g7 then 20.!'lec1 threatening c4, when the weakness of the c6-square would make itself
rules of development, this is the most logical
felt) 20 ..id2± After having forced the knight to occupy an unfavourable position, the bishop
continuation. Black connects his rooks and
returns to the queenside. White intends to play
takes a half-open file under control.
l3fc1 followed by c4 and/or a4, with a strong initiative. In the absence of his light-squared bishop, Black would face a difficult defensive task. Unfortunately, he cannot start his kingside counterplay yet, because 20 ... f5? would lose a pawn to 21 .!'lxe5!+-.
16.tLlfl?
Some things repeat themselves. The same knight move played on the same 1 6th move transforms a promising position into a worse one. Another game in the modern era showed the right way to play with White: 1 6.tLle4! tLlxd5 (Black has to accept the challenge, as otherwise he would be worse for nothing. Beliavsky
15.�d2 b4!?
- Razuvaev, Frunze 1 979, continued with the passive 1 6 ... tLl d7? when after 17. tLl g3 the white
A very ambitious continuation. Black aims
knight reached g3 with gain of time compared
to spoil White's queenside structure in order to 'gain targets for attack and stable squares for
to our main game. After 1 7 ...g6 1 8.tLlf5! iLf6 1 9.i.a4 White's combined pressure on both
the knights. However, this move has significant
wings ensured him a large advantage. Other
drawbacks, too. First of all, it weakens the light squares, opening new horizons for the c2bishop. Secondly, it does not contribute to the
moves do not work either. 1 6 ... tLlxe4? loses a pawn after 17.'lWxe4 g6 1 8.Wfxb4+- while 1 6 ... bxc3? is strongly met by 1 7.tLlxf6t h£6
consolidation of the kingside in any way.
1 8.'lWf5+- when Black has no time to defend
From this point of view, 1 5 ... g6 looks like a
the h7-pawn.) 1 7.tLlg3 bxc3 1 8.bxc3! (In his
safer choice. However, a game played more than
notes to the game Yates - Rubinstein, Razuvaev
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
140
complained that he did not see that after
allow White to obtain a stable plus with the
1 8.W!xd5? cxb2 1 9.W!d3 he
simple tactical trick 13.�xe5! and if 1 3 ... dxe5
can
answer with
the spectacular 1 9 ...W!xc2! winning material. However, White has no reason to embark on such cooperative lines.) 1 8 ... �xc3 (White also has a strong initiative after 1 8 ... �f6 19.i.g5) 19 ..id2 �b5 20J�lacl+ In spite of his rwo extra pawns, Black is under serious pressure. White is much better coordinated and has threats all over the board.
then 14.d6. It takes less than a minute to understand that
12...J.c8
is best. White has nothing better than releasing the tension with
13.dxc6
because otherwise his d5-pawn could become weak.
16...bxc3 17.bxc3 gac8 18..id2 �c4
Finally, we have reached the position White Again,
Black has obtained a wonderful
has more or less been aiming for. He
has not
position. White's structure is in ruins while his
obtained any concrete advantage, at least not in
attacking chances are questionable.
the classical meaning ofthis notion. However, he
These rwo games and the improvements found many decades later illustrate not only the
has created a complex strategic situation, where the fight will mainly lie in the middlegarne.
way certain aspects of chess understanding have
The structure bears some similarity to that
changed through history, but also the concrete
arising from many lines of the Sicilian Najdorf,
difficulties faced by Black after giving up his light
with the significant difference that White's
squared bishop. Yates lost because he focused
knights are still far from the d5-square. This
only on the kingside. Had he understood the
means that Black should not face any major
notion of playing on rwo different wings better,
problems advancing the d-pawn. However, this
the results might have been different.
thematic break does not necessarily guarantee complete equality because it would open up the
Let us return to the position after
12.h3
If Black wants to preserve the bishop, to which square should it retreat? 1 2 ...i.h5 is not
dreaded Spanish bishop, an element that is not characteristic of the Sicilian. The conclusion is that Black should aim to free his position with ... d5, but only after thorough preparation.
indicated because the bishop could remain out
Let's move on along the main line, in order
of play after a further g4. Generally; the most
to become familiar with the typical strategic
desirable retreat would be to d7, but this would
aspects of the position.
The Yates Variation - 10.d5
B
..Be7!
.
Black has more ambitious plans for his knight than 13 ...�xc6. On c6 it would be stable but rather passive, away from any favourable square. By using the queen to recapture the pawn, Black not only increases his pressure on the central squares, but maintains the possibility of a knight move to c4, with similar effects as in the Peuosian system of the Chigorin variation.
14.�bd2 11'xc:6 15.�fl �e4
Black has an active position and needs just one tempo to complete his development. However, his queen's knight is not completely stable yet, which is likely to cause further loss of time.
16.�g3 1e8 17.a4
We are familiar with the fact that White achieves very little if he plays on just one wing. He has chances for an advantage only if he combines play on different parts of the board. Black now finds himself at a crossroads: where should he (re)develop his light-squared bishop?
17
From an aesthetic point of view, this move looks the most natural. The bishop doesn't interfere with the queen, which is also placed on a light square, and puts the enemy queenside (the b3-square in particular) under pressure. However, the move has a major drawback: the bishop can eventually be chased away with �g5. This will most likely provoke a further
141
... h6, which slightly weakens the king's position, offering White additional ideas for an attack. It . is hard to give a definitive evaluation of the pros and cons based on just general considerations, so I have also investigated the main alternative, 17....tb7. This move might look more active, since it puts the enemy king under some potential threat. However, if White manages to keep sufficient obstacles in the way of the battery fonned by the queen and bishop, the slightly one-sided character of Black's strategy will become noticeable. My final conclusion afrer analysing the practical material available is that 17....te6 should be preferred, but those who like experimenting might also feel at home afrer 17....tb7. As for the general evaluation of the variation, I believe that Black can count on equality in the case of reasonably accurate play, but the position also remains full of resources for White.
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
142
1.e4 e5 2.tl:)a tl:)c6 3 .lb5 a6 4 .la4 tl:)f6 5.0-0 i.e7 6J�e1 b5 7.i.b3 0-0 8.d4 d6 9.e3 .lg4 10.d5 tl:)a5 n ..te2 e6 •
•
12
13
14
1 dxc61 fie7
15
16
�fl5 �e4
b3 �b6
17
18
19
20
21
e4!?10 bxe411
fie2
gfe8
_ -
+
12.h3 .lc8 13.dxc612 'fIfe7 14.tl:)bd2 'fIfxc6 15.tl:)f113 tl:)e4 17
16
2 a41
18
19
20
21
22
.te6
•••
•••
•••
•••
6 ...
•••
=
.tbl �bd7 3 .Ag5 5 d536
a4 .tb7
5 ...
25
i.xg521
b32S �b6
4 ...
24
�d519 �xf6t20 fih5
axb5 axb5
4
23
�3d446 �g3 Bg647 �de3!� axb5 axb5
•••
•••
•••
•••
•••
•••
•••
•• •
I This move is premature, as it makes the e6-
square available for the enemy bishop too soon.
�h51iO h6
Be2 h6 axb5 axb5
gfdS 20.�d2 Axb3 (it would have made some
sense to maintain the tension with 2o...Ae6!?) 21 •xb3 .lg5 (21 ..J:!ac8 would have allowed White "'undeserved" counterplay after 22.axb5 axb5 23J�a7) 22.�a g� Carlsen Marin, Spanish team championship, San Xenxo 2004. •
2 Since the d5-square is supposedly weak, it
might seem that exchanging its main defender with 13.J.g5 h6 (13...�c4!? is also playable. For instance, 14.�bd2?! �xb2 1 5.Y!Jbl �a4 1 6..txa4 bxa4 17.Y!Jb4 and now in Aronin - Petrosian, Soviet Championship 1951, Black could have retained a small advantage with 17...l'l:ac8, reinforcing the threat ...Y!Jxc6, when ttJxe5 could be answered with ...Y!Jxc3.) would make some sense. However, with his knights so far from that square, White hardly has any chance of obtaining an advantage. I 15.�bd2 Ae6! 1l . . . �xc6 (15 ...Y!Jxc6? 16.ttJxe5!) 16.a4 'fIxc6 17.b4 (llXb5 Xc4) 17 �e4 18.�xc4 .Axc4 19.J.b3 •••
-
3 13...l'l:fd8!? 14.Y!Je2 b400 F. Perez -Alekhine, Almeria 1 945.
4 Black has every chance to obtain a position
from the main line (12.h3 .ic8 13.dxc6) except a whole tempo up, because the bishop landed on e6 without previously retreating to cS. I shall not reiterate the important strategic elements here, since they are covered in the main line.
5 1 5.ttJg5 i.d7 16.ttJf1 ttJc4=
The Yates Variation - 1 0.d5
6 Rdativdy best. It makes little sense
to
devdop the bishop on the long diagonal, where it will be restricted not only by the c3-pawn, but also, in the cas(;: of an eventual c3-c4, by the black e5-pawn. 17..tb2 gfe8 18.�g3 .tm 19.tle2 gadS 20.gadl gM Black has regrouped his pieces and has no problems at all. In fact, his structure is more flexible and White always has to be aware of the threat of ...d5. 21.tle3 Ac:8 22.tlg5?! Black's kingside is too solid to allow such "attacking" moves to be successful.
22...J.g7 23.gd3 J.b7 24.�M h6 25.tld2 Ac:8?! (After this overcautious move the loss
of time caused by the white queen remains unpunished and Black is slighdy better again. I avoided the more resolute 25 ...d5! because of 26.�hf5 gxf5 27.�xf5. However, it seems that Black can repd the attack with 27...�h5 2B..tLdl lLlf4+ maintaining his material
advantage.) 26.�a tle7 27 •e2 d5!+ 28.gedl Ab7 29.g3d2 mh7 3O.M cb:e4 31.�xe4 �xe4 33.tlxe4 f5 34.ml (034.�e2 l:!xd2 35.l:!xd2 e4 36.h5+) 34...gxd2 35JrxcI2 •
e4T
Schleifer - Marin, Internet rapid 2006.
7 Black could have adopted a slighdy different move order, starting with 19 ...h6!?
8 20..tg5 'I'lfxc3!? and White has no dangerous discovered attacks at his disposal.
9 20...g6 2 1..tg5 i.g7 22.�e3, eventually followed by c4, would have offered White chances to take control of the central light squares.
143
3 1 .iuffi d4 32.�d2 mxf8 33.E:c5 with some initiative.) 26.�3d2 gaS 27.Y!Ydl a5= Fressinet - Mamedyarov, Reykjavik 2006.
12 After the bishop's retreat to cB, White has no reason to dday this exchange anymore. In fact, he is practically forced to play like this, because otherwise the d-pawn would be doomed after ...cxd5 followed by ....tLb7. 13.M does not make too much sense with the black light-squared bishop on the board, because the b5- and c4-squares have sufficient defence now. 13...�e4 14.dxc6 'fIe7 15.a4 tlxc6 16 •e2 .tb7 17..td3 gfc8= Rigo Lukacs, Budapest 197B. •
13 1 5.a4 would just transpose to the mainline after either 1 5 ....tb7 or 1 5 ...,te6.
14 Played at this stage of the game, this move lead to an independent course compared to the main line. 16.b3?! �b6 17.'I'lfd3 E:eB IB.i.d2 i.f8+ Makropoulou - Xie Jun, Malaysia Interzonal 1990. 16 •e2 E:eB 17.,td3 �b6 IB ..te3 �a4 19.c4 b4= Volokitin - Gustafsson, Greece 2005.
can
•
15 17.�g3 gEes transposes to 16.�g3 E:e8 17.a4 .!e6.
16 After 18...�b6 19.a5 �eS the knight lands on a rather unfavourable square. 20.'f!Yd3 h6 21.�f3 ILe6 22.�e3;t Stein - Gershberg, Dnepropetrovsk 1966.
10 Whitewas obviouslyworried about ...� bd7
17 This is the difference compared to the
or ... �fd7 followed by . . . d5 and decides to take the d5-square under firm control, even if this means creating a weak pawn on c4.
main line: the knight moves closer to the d5square. However, it has litde support from its colleagues in its attempt to control the centre. In addition, it obstructs the d2-bishop and the el-rook.
1 1 22.bxe4 tila4 23.i.M E:b8 14.33 tile5 25.i.e2 geeS (25 ...a5!? 26.i.xa5 '\Wa6 27..tb4 hc4 28.�e3= White can compensate for his inferior structure by dynamic factors. For instance, 28 ...�d3 29 ..txd3 i.xd3 30.tLlg3 d5
18 22 ...h6 23.tLlf3 .ie6 24.tLlh4 g6= 19 23.c4 weakens the d4-square. 23 ... tLlc6=
144
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
20
24.f4 was given as + by Nijboer, but after 24.. .h6 25.ll'l8 i.c6= White's apparent domination in the centre is temporary.
21 26.ti'xg5 Ae6! At the cost of giving up the pair of bishops, Black has neutralized White's initiative and enjoys harmonious development. The weakness of the b3-square is likely to cause White problems in keeping control of the a-file. 27.gb2 (27J�bl ll'lc6 28J;bal l:!xa2 29.l:!xa2 b4 30.c4 ll'ld4 (t\ ... ll'lxc2, ...�xe4) 31 .�e3 hc4 Simplest. Although Black's position looks nice from a strategic point of view, the weakness of the b4-pawn could make itself felt in the long run. The small tactical operation initiated by the last move aims to get rid of this weakness at once. 32.bxc4 b3=) 27 �c6 28.ti'g3 gal 29.£4 White is practically forced to start active play on the other wing, but this will soon result in weaknesses on the dark squares. 29 ed4 �e5!? Black sacrifices a pawn in order to neutralize the potentially dangerous bishop. •••
•••
31..be5 dxe5 32.ti'xe5 Ban 33.mh2 gal
(33 ...l:!a2 34.l:!xa2 �xa2 35.l:!e2 hb3 36.�f5 [36.i.dl �bl 37.hb3 �xb3 38.l:!e3 f6=] 36...l:!d8 37.l:!d2 l:!fS 38.�xb5 hc2 39.�e2 �e6 40.l:!xc2 l:!e8= [�...�xe4, �...�e5t, ... f5xe4] 41 .�d3 [White has no favourable way of defending the e4-pawn, because 41 .l:!b2?! would lose the c3-pawn to 41 ...�e5t 42.<.t>hl �xc3"j:] 4 1 ...�e5t42.g3 h543.h4�xe444.�xe4 l:!xe4 45.c4 <.t>fS= 33 ...h6!? 34.l:!fl gal�) 34.LaI (34.gbbl ga2=) 34 'ffxal 35.<:4 h6 (35 ...bxc4 . 36.bxc4 hc4 37.'flc7 'fla8!=) 36.'ffd4 bxc4 (36... <.t>h7?! 37.e5t g6 Nijboer - Adams, Wijk aan Zee 1 993 [38.cxb5?? gxc2-+]) 37.bxc4 b4 38.e5
ll'l5 and preparing for an eventual opening of the centre by means of ...d5.
24 This move provokes a slight weakening of
the black kingside, but developing this partial success is by no means simple. 17.�f5 has almost never been played. This premature activity will most likely result in the knight's loss of stability after an eventual ...d5, or a decrease of White's influence in the centre in case of i.xf5 17.. i.f8 1 8.a4 (if I B.b3 ll'lb6 19.i.g5 Black could either capture on f5 and on c3 or play the simpler 19 ... d5 which avoids any unnecessary weaknesses, while maintaining a harlllonious position) 1 8...i.xf5 19.exf5 gad8 Black has an active position. 17.J.d3 makes sense only in combination with a4, which puts pressure on the b5-pawn. Here, it is rather inoffensive. 17...i.e6 (17...lLl b6 18.�e2 i.e6 19.1l'lg5 i.c4 20.ll'lf5 h6= Kosashvili - Mokry, Tyniste 1995) 1 8.�e2 h6 (l8 ...gad8!?) 19.1Llh2 lLlb6 (l9...d5!+') 2o.lLlg4 ll'lbd7= 21 .�8 ll'lxg4 22.hxg4 i.g5 23.ll'lf5 l:!ad8 24.gdl ll'lc5 25.i.e3 (25..hg5=) 25 ...d5! 26.hc5 'flxc5 27.exd5 hd5 2B.i.e4 i.e6 29.a4 b4'f Negi - Zhigalko, Istanbul 200S. .
. . .
.
25 18 •a �g7
(l8...d5!? would have left White with several of his pieces misplaced) •
19.b3 �b6 20 •e3 �g8 21.�a .Ae6 22,td2 gac8 23.LcI �1c7 Romanishin - Almasi, •
=
Altensteig 1993.
•••
Ae6-
22 The most frequently employed regrouping. The knight puts some pressure on the enemy kingside, consolidates the e4-pawn and leaves the c1-h6 diagonal open for the bishop.
23
A flexible answer. Black clears the fS square for the bishop, neutralizing the threat of
26
Romanishin is a great specialist of unclear pawn sacrifices. For the of rapid development, he does not care about a mere detail such as the c3-pawn.
27
In fact, with his light-squared bishop strongly restricted by its own pawns, White would have a hard time provinghis compensation after the courageous 19...'flxc3!?
28 20.'fl8
Wg7 21.�e3 gac8 22.gacl 'flcS 23.i.h6t <.t>h8 24.ll'l6 'flxe3 25.J.xe3 lLlfd7 26.i.d3 f6"j: Black's structure is more compact
The Yates Variation - 1 0.dS
and flexible. In addition, after the exchange of queens his king enjoys absolute safety, Nepomniachtchi - Kurnosov, Nojabrsk 200S.
29
Once again, 20 .. :�xc3 comes into consideration. 30 22... ti'c7=
31 23.1L1xe4 1L1xe4 24.he4 'ifc7= 32 23 �xe4 24.�xe4 hg5 25.�ag5 •••
(2S.�fXg5 .ids 26.c4 bxc4 27.bxc4 he4! 28.1L1xe4 ged8 29.'iff3 £5+) 25 f6 26.�xe6 1he6 27.1Je2 �d5 Black's centralization offers him at least equal chances. •••
33
�7
27.Bdl
�xc3!
(27...1L1 Sb6?! Black's fear of capturing the c3pawn with the queen in the previous phase of the game was quite understandable, but why did he avoid installing a knight on such a wonderful square? 28.1L1e4 AdS 29.ti'h6 he4 30.he4 1L1f8?! [30...£500] 31 .c4! bxc4 32.bxc4± Romanishin - Smejkal, Polanica Zdroj 199 1 .) 28.M (28.1L1e4 would allow Black to consolidate the knight's position with 28 ...b4 when White's kingside initiative is easily neutralized. 29.'ifgS f6!? 30.1L1xf6t 1Llxf6 31 .ti'xf6 lLle2t?! 32.gxe2 'ifxcl t 33.gel 'ifc7 34.hg6!= Instead of winning the exchange, 3 1 ...AdS!+ maintains the domination.) 28 �b6 29.�xe5 •••
�bd5� 34
This straightforward attempt to take advantage of the bishop's departure from the c8-h3 diagonal has been seen in practice only rarely.
35
White has to play this thematic move immediately, even if it implies a pawn sacrifice. If 19.b3 lLlb6 20.i.gS dS Black will be able to recapture with his queen's knight on dS.
36 Accepting the sacrifice is risky, because it leads to the chronic weakening of the kingside.
14S
19 �xb2 20.trc1 �xa4 2 gd6 22.�h6t Wg7?! 23.!!e3! (�lLlh4) 23 wu,6l 24.�d4!+•••
•••
37 IfWhite intends to carry out the operation from the main line, he should first exchange on bS. If 'ifxf6 21 .exdS?! Black can answer 2 1 ...1L1xb2 because after 22.ti'bl lLlc4 White does not have 23.ti'xbS at his disposal, while 23.axbS is adequately met by 23 ...hdS. 20.eui5 is less ambitious. 20... 1L1xdS! (20...'ifxdS?! J. Polgar - Kamsky, Paris rapid 1992, 21 ..bf6!;!;) 21 .b3 1L1cb6 22.1L1xeS (22.Ae4 'ifc7 �c3) 22...ti'xc3 With his eS-knight hanging, White seems to have nothing better than forcing a draw by perpetual with 23.1L1e7t gxe7 24.h7 he7 2S.hh7t 'i!lxh7 26:�hSt 'i!lg8 27.'ifxf7t 'i!lh7=.
38 23 �xb2 24.m l 1L1c4 2S.'ifxbS! Anand; 23 gd8 24.b3 gxdS 2S.'ife2 �S, bS •••
•••
39 After this move it will
not be simple for Black to prove his compensation for the pawn. 24.b3 gxf5 2S.bxc4 bxc400 Anand
40 26.ge2 'ifd6 27.M Ab6 28.Ab3±
41
Given the placement of the black pieces, the bS-pawn is not easy to defend, which makes White's last two moves easy to understand.
42 In order to keep the balance, Black must react in the centre, increasing the scope of his pieces along the a8-hl diagonal and clearing the d6-square for the knight in order to defend the bS-pawn after a further b3. However, this is a double-edged decision since now the bl-h7 diagonal will be open and the e4-square will be cleared for White's pieces. 43 1hus we reach a critical position. 22...'ifxdS can be strongly met by 23.AgS when Black will face problems defending the f6- and bS-squares at the same time.
146
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
44 White immediately takes advantage of
the bishop's departure from the h3-c8 diagonal. The immediate threat is ltl5d4, winning the b5-pawn. The immediate advance with the other knight, 23.�d4?, allows Black to put his battery to work with 23 ...ltlxc3!. 23..hc4?! bxc4 24.ltlxe5?! loses material to 24.. .'IMfc7!. 23.Y!Ye4!? provoking the weakening of the black kingside comes into consideration as well. 23.Y!Yfl f6 24.ltl5 is slightly less resolute than the immediate knight move to 5, but is also playable. White's pressure against the enemy kingside is rather annoying, even if only for psychological reasons. Driving away the knight with ...g6 is always questionable because of the weaknesses caused. In any case, Black could not find a satisfactory plan in the following game: 24..J�b8 25 ..ie4 WIc5 (25 ...g6 26.ltlh6t Wh8 27.ltlg4 .ig7=) 26.WId3 ltlc7 (026...g6) 27.Yi'd7 Wh8 28.b4 Yi'b6 29.Yi'f7t L. Schneider - Barkhagen, Sweden 1991.
45
This move is recommended by current theory. Using tactical means, Black denies the e4-square to the white pieces and hopes to provoke their loss of coordination. However, dosing the a8-hi diagonal and giving away the control of the d+square are important drawbacks of the last move. True, consolidating the e5-pawn by means of 23...f6? would allow 24.ltl5d4! followed by ltlxb5. However, a calm move like 23...1Jc8 might offer better chances to neutraliu White's kingside pressure while maintaining his own superiority in the centre.
46 This looks like a critical test for the whole
line starting with 17....ib7. The black queen has a wide but far from easy choice of squares for retreat. What is the best way of keeping the b5-, c4- and e4- squares defended, by direct or indirect means? 24.,ixe4 allows drawish simplifications afrer
24...ltlxc3 25.bxc3 !!xe4 26.�xe4 Yi'xe4 27.gxe4 i.xe4 28.ltl 5d4 b4 29.ltld2 ltlxd2 30 ..ixd2 bxc3 3 1 .,txc3 Yl-Y2 Timman - Spassky, Montreal 1979.
47 24...Y!Ya6
25.\&fl+ exd3? 26J�xe8 d2 27.,txd2 ltlxd2 28.Vgel ltlc4 29.Yi'e7!+24...Y!Yc8 25.ltlxb5 �xf5 26.i.xc4±
48
�xc4 27.h3 �d6 28.M4 (28.ltlxb5 e3!) 28 ... �c8 29.t!Ye3 .id5 .bd6 31.�xb5 .ic5 32.�d4i 49 This move looks safer than 17....ib7. 50
Before driving away the active black knight with b3, White forces his opponent to occupy the d7-square with the bishop in order to inhibit the generally desirable retreat to b6, when afrer as the knight would have no natu.r.U squares at its disposal. This is quite logical, but the immediate 18.h3 has also been played. 18...�b6 Now that the knight has committed itself to this retreat, White would gladly play I9.ltlg5, but unfortunately the c3-pawn is hanging. Therefore, this variation has independent value. '2 (The more popular way 19.a5 �bd7 to develop the bishop. Since Black will have to prevent ltlg5 by playing ...h6, it looks quite logical to keep the bishop on this diagonal. However, 20.J.b2 is not without poison either. White intends to provoke his opponent into advancing his central and kingside pawns and then take advantage of the vulnerability of the long diagonal with a well-ti91ed c4. 20...h6 2 1 .ltlh4 �ad8 22.ltlhf5 1Lf8 23.WIa d5 24.�acl WIc7 25.b4 g6 26.ltle3 dxe4 27.�xe4 ltlxe4 28.,ixe4 5 29..id5 e4 30.WIe2 ltle5 3 1 .c4!co Gabrielian - Pokannjev, Sochi 2005.) 20. h6 21Jkm (A useful half-waiting move. In principle, White has to improve the position of his a-knight via either h2-g4 or h4-5. However, inviting Black to define his intentions before choosing the knight's trajectory is a good idea. 21 .ltlh4 gad8 22.ltlhf5 1Lf8 23.WIa d5� ..
14 7
The Yates Variation - 10.d5
21..J�ac8
22.�a .iftl 23.�h2 (This standard manoeuvre
same policy again. The queenside structure seems to greatly favour Black, but
is too slow and will allow Black to regroup comfortably. More to the point would have
the situation is not so simple because the
transfer of a knight to the c4-square is hard
been 23Jk1!? planning c4;t, in order to take advantage of the temporary lack of harmony
to imagine. Therefore, the pawn break c4
in Black's camp.)
Harandi - Bajarany, Teheran 1 992.)
22.M The
can
23...�e7 11 . . . d5
Finally, the
be extremely dangerous, especially in the case of mass simplifications. (Black had
knight has reached a decent square. 24.�g4 �xg4 25.bxg4 Had8 26 •a d5.. Conquest
had enough of this wait-and�see game and
- Hebden, Hastings 1990, with reasonable
decided to prepare the opening of the centre by over-defending the e5-pawn. However, this
counterplay for Black.
early commitment of the bishop's position
will simplify White's choice of a further plan. Black still had useful moves at her disposal, for instance 22 .. .i.c4 23.li)h4 jjB 24.li)hf5 d5f±.) 23.�h2! cI5 24.�g4 �xg4 By this exchange, White has increased his pressure on the light squares. The only drawback of such a plan is that it opens the h4-d8 diagonal for the enemy bishop, but after the retreat to f8 this is of less relevance. 25 .. .J.e7 26.�5
.lg5�!
•
53
White defends the c3-pawn and also
threatens to harass the knight with c4. Generally, Black refrains from 20 h6 at this stage of the game, because this would
54
•••
actually drive the knight back to the right path after having achieved his partial aim: 21.�a
1fc7 22.axb5 axb5 23.�h4j; 55
not only
fails
to justify the
By aiming to correct the problem,
previous move but allows White to drive the
Black loses too much time.
27.txg5 hxg5 28.1fd2!t 1fxc3 29.1fxc3 5hd 3O.exd5
a5-knight back to an unfavourable square after 24.fta2! �b7 25.l!ha8 'has 26.b-U Svidler
(30 ....L:d5 loses material to 3 1 .li)e3 threatening .ih7t) 31 Jhcl 32J�xd
- Stefansson, Torshavn 1 997.
gdS 33.gc6:t
Nijboer - Kachiani, Germany
1998.
56 By concentrating his major pieces on the queenside, Black declares his intentions to put up resistance on the a-file, if necessary by means
51
The most popular move, in spite of the fact that by exposing the b-pawn to the pressure of the enemy minor pieces it leads to double edged consequences. A high-level blitz game continued
h6 20.�a J.f8
(20 ....te6=)
21.�h2
19."ffe2 (21 ..td3
li)b6 22.a5 li)a4 23 ..tc2 tiJc5= P. Adams Mannion, Port Erin 2005) 21. g6!? (2 l ....te6 ••
22 •a Jog7 23.b3 �a5 hh6 .Ae6 25.c4 �b7! 27.1fxf6 .Ag7 28.tfa bxc4 29.a5 (29.bxc4 tfxc4+) 29... �c5 30.bxc4 hc4 (30 ... 1"lab8=) 31.�g4 d5?! (03 1 .. ..te6=) 32.�e3;t Khalifman 22.tiJh5 li)d7 23.tiJg4oc)
•
- Sargissian, Internet blitz 2004.
52 Actually, the retreat to b6 is not completely unplayable: 19 �b6 20.a5 lilcS 21.i.d2 h6 •.•
of ... �d8.
57
White
would
have
retained
better
chances for an advantage by combining play on both wings with, for instance, 25.1"la2 tfd8 26.li)f5±.
58 26.�g4 (26.c4 is inoffensive because ofthe calm 26 ... tfc7.) 26 �c6 27.b4 �xg4 28.hxg4 ftxal 29.lhal tfcS 3O.i.dl d5 (30 ....tc4 3 1 .tff3 tfe6=) 31.exd5 .bd5 32.�5?! (Better is 32 ..tc2+) 32 .J.f8 (032... .tf6) 33.�e3 •••
••
(33.!c2!? li)d4!? 34.li)xd4 exd4 35.�d3 g6 36.tfxd4 tfc6 37.tff4±)
�e7 35.Ael tfc6 36.gdl g6 37.tfd3 Jog7 38.tfd6 �-� Becerra - Kamsky, San Diego 2006.
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
148
59 This
is a considerable improvement over 20.. :�c7. Black makes use of his forces in a more rational way.
60 White correcdy adapts
to the change of
plans. If he had continued as in the game Becerra Kamsky with 2l.axb5 axbS 22._e2 h6 23.ltJa the bishop .ie6 24.gebl then after would not only put some pressure on the enemy kingside but also contribute to the fight for the a-file, by enabling .. J'!a7. 25.ga2 (25.ga3?! b4! 25 ..id3 lLlxb3 26..hb5 tHc7 27..he8 lLlxal+)
25 ga7 26..A«13 gb8l", •••
61 It might seem
that Black has just lost a tempo, but this is hardly relevant. since after the exchange of the knights the bishop has obtained better possibilities · of being activated on the kingside, too. Among others, by defending the e5-pawn it enables the central break ...d5.
62 26.ga3 "'7 27.�h2
White starts improving the placement of his knight and tries to inhibit ...d5 at the same time, in view of the threat lLlg4. 27 ..gec81? (27....ig5?! This move was not necessary yet. 28..ixg5 hxg5 29.h4i lLlc4 [Probably the safest way to a draw. Black prefers to lose a pawn rather than retreat the knight to a passive square with 29...�c6t.] 30J!xa8 _xa8 3 1..hc4 J.xc4 32.�xd6 �d8 33J!dl �xd6 34J;xd6 ga8 35.lLlg4 f6 36.lLle3 ga3 37.lLld5 galt 38.c;t>h2 ga2 39.c;t>g3 gc2 White has nothing better than to tranSpoSe to a rook ending where his extra pawn will not suffice for a win if Black defends carefully, Adams - Aronian, Dortmund 2006.) 28.�g4 .i.e7 White has to be aware of the threat ...d5 now. 29.�e3 ig5= This is the safest way to achieve a viable position. .
Chapter 6
ates
•
•
arlation -
ctJf6 5.0-0 1.e4 c5 2.ctJe �c6 3..lb5 a6 J.c7 6.ftcl bS 7..lb3 d6 S.d 0-0 9.d4 .Ag4
more fumiliar with the dangers facing Black in what
seems
to
be
a very consistent system of
development for White. It should also reinforce the reader's confidence that my repenoire recommendation is one of the soundest. The
character of play differs greatly from
that arising after lO.d5. White avoids any early structural commitment and aims for rapid development. Although Black's army is almost
completely mobilized, he should not try to equalize immediately, since this would most surely leave him slightly behind in development, in a more general sense of this notion. This will become clear after studying the following typical example. Zaitsev
-
Nachev
Moscow 1996 This
move
is
the
most
logical.
White
consolidates his centre by developing a piece. There is little wonder that it is precisely in this line that the most intense theoretical discussion in the Yates system has been held lately.
I
1.ei eS 2.ctJe ctJc6 3.AbS a6 4.Aa4 ctJf6 5.0-0 J.e7 6J�e1 b5 7.Ab3 d6 S.d 0-0 9.d4 J.g4 d5 1 One of the minor drawbacks of White's last
had a hard time choosing among the great
move is that it obstructs his rook's activity
variety of Black's possible answers. The final
along the e-file. However, Black cannot take
conclusion of most variations is hard to foresee
advantage of this detail by direct means because .
without a thorough analysis. For practical
the greedy I O ... tt:lxe4? would just drop a piece
reasons, I have decided to use the method of
to I I .Ad5!. The thematic central break is a more
elimination. I believe that it will be useful for the
refined method of questioning the placement of
reader to accompany me on a summarized path
White's pieces, but also fails to solve
of my research. This way the reader will become
problems.
all Black's
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
1 50
Before moving on with the analysis, I would
kingside structure to be spoiled, leaving Black
make some general points regarding such tense
with strong compensation
situations in the centre.
12.exd5 Ele8 13.id4 hE3 14.gxf3 id6 1 5.lLld2
after
1 1 ...lLlxe5
lLlh5 as in Smirnov - Jenni, Istanbul 2003.
1 l ...e:xd4 12 .ixd4! •
This is a key move in White's plan. The e1rook now has better range. If instead 1 2.cxd4 then Black could re-establish material equaliry with 1 2 ... lLlxd5 retaining a stable position in the centre. 1 2.dxc6 is risky because after 1 2 ...dxe3 the lack of development of White's queenside, resulting in a relative weakness of the back rank, would make itself felt.
12...�xd4
Another small concession that Black is forced to make. After the exchange on d4- White's queens knight will gain the possibiliry of being developed in the most active way, to c3. The usual premise for the success of such
The immediate capture of the pawn with
a radical operation in . the centre is better
1 2 ... lLlxd5? would have been met by 1 3.ixg7!
development or coordination of pieces. When
winning an essential pawn.
advancing his second pawn in the centre, Black
13.cxd4
offers his opponent a relatively wide choice of reactions. The right to move (and, indirectly, to
choose the further course of events) in
a position where all the central squares are occupied by pawns is of vital importance, and
can
be equivalent to a couple of tempi of
development. If Black was better developed before the collision, he will probably lose part of his dynamic advantage in order to maintain the strategic balance. But if the development of both
sides was equal, then White has every chance of gaining an advantage in the complications. In the diagram above, the situation is more or less equal on the scale of development. True,
White hasn't moved his queen's knight yet, but his king's rook has already occupied a central file
The first wave of complications has been
that will most likely soon be opened. The only
extinguished and we can draw some conclusions.
open question remains whether the e3-bishop
The balance between each side's development
dear the e-file in a favourable
remains even. However, the fact that the e
will be able to way.
1 1.e:xd5! The forced sequence initiated by this move will favour White as we shall see soon. I I .dxe5?! wins a pawn but allows White's
file has been opened prevents Black from immediately regaining his pawn and forces him to lose some time or even make some kind of strategic concession. Also, the advance of the b pawn, which was supposed to guarantee Black a
The Yates Variation - 1 0..ie3
space advantage on the queenside, has resulted in the weakness of the c5- and c6-squares without bringing anything positive for Black in compensation.
13 .J.b4 .•
This is the simplest way to win back the pawn. However, if Black has to move an already developed piece then it is a sign that something has gone wrong for him. Generally speaking, I prefer 1 3 ...ge8, which was an invention of Beliavsky. However, this move also fails to equalize against accurate play from White. 14.lLlc3 b4 Now, the previous advance of the b-pawn proves useful in the short term, but after 1 5.lLla4 it appears that the weaknesses along the c-file have become even more noticeable. 1 5 ...lLlxd5 1 6.�d3 White has more space and a very solid position. Black not only has to be prepared for the occupation of the c5- and c6-squares by the enemy knights, but has to ensure some stability to his best placed piece, the knight. He will also face problems completing development, because it is not easy to find a safe square for the queen. 1 6....ie6 (Black is not well enough coordinated to start active operations such as 16...lLlf4? After 1 7.�e4! .ixB White has 18.ixf7t! 'it>xf7 1 9.�xf4t 'it>g8 20.�xf3 with a dear extra pawn.) 1 7.tlje5 .id6 Now, in the game Kobalia - Beliavsky, Tripoli 2004, White could have consolidated his advantage with 1 8.�f3. For instance: 1 8 ...he5 (Black cannot afford to abandon the d5-square. After 1 8 ...lLlf6 19.tljc6 �d7 20.he6, he cannot capture with the rook because of 2 1 .lLle7t, while 20 ...fxe6 21 .tljc5 hc5 22.dxc5 lLld5 23.lLle5± is anything but appealing for him.) 1 9.9xe5 c6 20.gae1 White pressure. has
151
pawns in some way with 14...a5. The game L. Dominguez - Y. Gonzales, Cuba 2004, continued with 1 5.�d3 (Getting rid of the pin and connecting rooks at the same time. 1 5.a4?! would help Black eliminate one of his weaknesses with · 1 5 ...bxa4, while leaving the b4-square weak.) 1 5 ...a4 1 6..ic2 hf3 1 7.�xf3 hc3 (Finally, Black has to make this concession anyway. If 1 7...a3 then White would be only too happy to return his bishop to b3 with 1 8.bxa3! gxa3 1 9 ..ib3 maintaining a stable position and leaving Black with the difficult task of finding a favourable way to win the pawn back.) 1 8.�xc3! (Well played! With the bishop away from the a2-g8 diagonal, 1 8.bxc3 is less indicated, because of 1 8 ...�xd5 when Black would be dose to equality. The weaknesses along the c file have lost their significance, since. White's pieces do not have access to them anymore.) 1 8 ...lLlxd5 White now played 1 9.�d3, which led to further pawn exchanges and just a slightly better position for him. I would prefer 19.�c5!? (How could one resist the temptation to occupy such a square?) 1 9...�d7 20.ge5 followed by .it) or .ie4 and g l e 1 , of course. Black would be submitted to very strong pressure.
15.hxc3 �xd5
14.�c3
Again, the simplest solution implies a small concession. Black not only moves the bishop again, exchanging it for a knight that has consumed just one tempo, but helps his opponent to strengthen his centre. Just as one move earlier, the alternative consisted of trying to make use of the queenside
Five moves after the forced operation in the centre, Black has finally won his pawn back. However, the minor concessions he has been forced to make on the way have tilted the
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
1 52
balance of development in White's favour. He is a tempo ahead (l!fe1) and has the right to move. In addition, the quality of his development is superior, because his minor pieces enjoy more stability than Black's.
16.'flYd3 .ie6
Black aims to consolidate the blockade on the light squares. The vulnerability of Black's minor pieces is revealed by the rather "cooperative" variation 16.. .'iM6 17.l!e5 .le6? 18.liJg5 g6 I9.liJe4 followed by a double capture on d5 and a check on f6. Maybe Black should follow the principle "Fewer pieces, fewer worries" by playing 16....ix£3 although after 17.'1Wx8 liJf6 18.l!e5 his position is unenviable. White has strong pressure all over the board.
17.ie5:t White has very active play. I believe it is safe to call 10...d5 a premature attempt to challenge White's strategy. It is interesting that in the third game between Yates and Rubinstein where 9.d4 was played, Black was successful with a similar action in the centre just one move later.
Yates Rubinstein -
Marienbad 1925 Rubinstein played
10 leS!? •••
with the obvious aim of delaying clearing the c3-square for the bI-knight by making a generally useful move. If we remember that Beliavsky played this move at a later stage anyway, Rubinstein's idea makes sense. However, after a more detailed examination the whole plan will also prove unsound in its supposedly improved versIOn. •
I V�bc12!
For the time being, Yates reacts in the best possible way. About half a century later, White started playing I I .h3?! but I believe that Black has better chances for adequate counterplay in this case. He should answer with 1 1 .. ..ix£3!
(Several games played between strong grandmasters have continued with 1 1 .. ..th5?! but now 1 2.liJbd2 leaves Black with an unpleasant choice. Sticking to a neutral policy with 12 .. .t.ffi would lead to active queenside play for White after 13.d5 liJa5 14..lc2 followed by b4 and a4, while the central break 1 2...d5 is unplayable because of 1 3.dxeS liJxe5 14.g4!. A strong move after which Black will have to give up the tension in the centre twice in a row, thus helping White's development. 14... liJx8t 1 5.'1Wx8 dxe4 16.liJxe4 .lg6 1 7.liJxf6t .txf6 1 8 ..ld5 l!b8 1 9..lc6:t The difference in activity between the enemy armies is obvious.) 1 2.�x8 liJa5 Later in this chapter I shall say more about certain aspects of this knight manoeuvre when it is carried out in circumstances that are characteristic of the 10..le3 system. For the moment, I shall just mention its similarity to the Chigorin variation. 13 ..Ac2 liJc4 14..Acl exd4 (14...c5 looks playable as well, when White's best chance for an advantage consists of adopting Ral!7er's plan at some point) 1 5.cxd4 c5 1 6.b3 liJb6 1 7..ib2 cxd4 1 8.,hd4 liJfd7 Followed by ....Af6 with a reasonable position for Black. Indeed, the rdative weakness of the d6-pawn is compensated for by the unfavourable placement of the c2-bishop and the weakness of the dark sq1l3res on White's queenside. .
l l ...d5
1 53
The Yates Vatiation - 1 0 ..te3
12.che5?
instance, 1 3 ....th5 14.e5 lLle4 gives up all
this is a very unwise release of the tension,
control of the centre after 1 5.lLlxe4 dxe4 16.%Vc2!.) 14.hxg4 ex8 Appatently, Black is
allowing the activation of Black's forces.
doing fine, because after 1 5 .g5 he has 1 5 ... lLl d5.
The other possible capture, 1 2.exd5?!, is less favourable than in the case of 10 ...d5, because
However, after 16.%Vx8 the vulnerability of the
Without the interpolation of h3 and ....th5,
f7-sqnare and the lack of stability of the knights
of. 1 2...lLlxd5! (Taking full advantage of the fact
will cost him deatly, for instance 16...lLlcb4
that White no longer has pressure along the d file. If Black intends to transpose to an improved
12 �xe5 13.em5 �d3 14J�e2 �xd5
17.a3+-. •..
on the fact that the white queen's knight is
Black's position is more active; Rubinstein went on to win another game against the main
already committed to d2, White could deviate
aficionado of the Yates variation.
with 1 2 ... exd4?! 1 3.dxc6! because the d-file and, even more importantly, the back rank ate well
We ate ready to draw another important conclusion. If allowed to complete his
covered now. The c6-pawn will not be easy to collect, because ...%Vxc6 could be answered by
development in a natural way, with lLl bd2, White gets an impressive concentration of forces
txf7!t followed by a fork on e5 in certain cases.)
in the centre. In other words, neutral play is just
1 3.dxe5 Now 1 3 ... lLlxe5 is entirely possible because the d5-knight is not hanging. Black has
as bad (or even worse) than premature activity.
a great game.
In order to answer this crucial question, we have to look for a hidden Achilles' heel in
version of the game Kobalia - Beliavsky, relying
White's best way to question the soundness
Is there anything else left for Black?
of Rubinstein's plan is 12.h3!. Admittedly, this
White's position. We
is quite surprising. Instead of making use of his right to move in order to clarifY the position
basis of the elementary rules of development. "Develop the knight and only then the bishop
in the centre in a favourable way (something
from one wing" has been recommended by authors of manuals statting with Lasker
that worked out well against 1 0 ... d5) White seems to hand this possibility to his opponent.
can
do that only on the
and Capablanca. Reversing the order would
However, this is only an illusion. Black could
leave the b2- (or g2-) squate vulnerable for
gain the right to move only at the expense of
just an instant. In our particulat case, the
giving up his queen's bishop, which could prove
position of the bishop itself is also rather
very unpleasant with so many weaknesses on light squares. It is worth noting that after the
exposed.
rook's move to e8, the f7-square is under strong pressure.
enough, but I will mention one more general
We know from a previous comment that the bishop retreat to h5 does not offer Black an easy life, so let's investigate the alternatives.
I am pretty sure that the hint is already cleat point before getting to the precise details. One of the drawbacks of d6-d5 is that it deprives the c7-pawn of the possibility of joining the advance of its queenside colleagues. Instead of a
12 ... exd4 (After 1 2 ....ixB 13.%Vx8 Black has no favourable way of solving the complex situation in the centre. For instance, 1 3 ... exd4 14.cxd4
space advantage on that part of the boatd, Black
dxe4 1 5.lLlxe4 lLla5 16.lLlxf6t i.xf6 17..td5! and White's pieces dominate the whole boatd.)
obvious: Black has to combine the manoeuvre ... lLla5-c4 with the advance of the c-pawn.
1 3.cxd4 dxe4 (I suppose that it was precisely
However, choosing the optimal move order
this intermediate capture that inhibited Yates and his successors from choosing this move
requires some more investigation. The next two games will convince us once again that "All that
order. Other moves ate less principled. For
glisters is not gold."
is left with just weaknesses. The conclusion of the previous patagraphs is
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
1 54
Nisipeanu Ivanov
the vulnerability of the b2-square. White
Moscow 2005
bravely play 1 1 .ltlbd2 when 1 1 ...ltla5 (before
-
can
moving the Icing's knight to g4, it is necessary
10 exd4
to drive the light-squared bishop away from
• . •
the active diagonal: 1 1 ...ltlg4?! could be met by 12.i.d5!) 1 2 ..ic2 ltlg4 can be met by 1 3.b4! underlining the unfavourable placement of the a5-knight. 1 2 ... c5 (instead of 1 2 ... ltlg4) would not be entirely satisfactory either because of 1 3.dxc5, when the bishop is too
far from the
d5-square.
1 1.cxd4 �a5 12.Ac2
Strictly speaking,
this exchange
is
not
necessary at this stage, but Black will have to make it later anyway. If 1 O ... ttJa5 1 1 ..ic2 {By playing 1 O ... exd4 Black avoids the variation
h£3 12.YMxf3 dxe5, although this should hardly be a problem for him. As a I l .dxe5
curiosity, an almost identical position could arise mer Rubinstein's 1 O .. .l:!e8 if White plays I l .h3
.ixf3 12.YMxf3 ltla5 1 3.dxe5 dxe5. In
.
.
We have reached a point when an important
that case, the insertion of the moves .. J'!e8
decision must be taken. Should Black attack
and h3 should favour Black in principle,
the enemy centre with 1 2 ...c5 immediately, or
but from a practical point of view it hardly
would it be better to play 12 ...ttJc4 and only
makes any difference.} 1 1 ...ltlc4 12.iLc1 c5?!
afrer 13..icl advance his c-pawn? Ifjudged only
White could get a favourable form of the
from a general point of view, both possibilities
.ixf3
have drawbacks. 12 ... ltlc4 might commit the
1 5.YMxf3 dxe5 1 6.ltld2. After the exchange
knight prematurely, while afrer 12 ...c5 there is
on 8, the weakness of the d5-sqllare is more
a risk that the knight
noticeable.
one move too late to offer adequate counterplay.
Rauzer set-up with 1 3.b3 ltlb6 14.dxe5
A relatively popular alternative to the plan initiated by the game move is 1 0 ....ih5. By creating the threat of ... ltlg4 Black hopes to provoke h3. In certain lines, it would be useful
will
reach the c4-square
Once again, some concrete investigation is required. In our current game, Black chose
12...c5
to bring the bishop closer to the g6-square
After the logical sequence
without loss of time. However, this would
13.dxc5 dxc5 14.�c3 �c4
mean focusing on just a part of the hidden
White is not forced
to
defect of 1 O ..ie3, namely the exposed position
cl anymore and
of the bishop, without paying attention to
operations in the centte.
can
retreat the bishop to
immediately start active
The Yates Variation - 1 0..ie3
15.e5 �e8
This move offers White a vital tempo to avoid
the exchange of queens and centralize his whole army with gain of time. Black's safest choice is 1 5 .. :�xd1 but after the more or less forced sequence 16.l';!axd1 .tx8 1 7.exf6 hd1 1 8.fxe7 hc2 19.exf'8=\!!!ft gxf8 20.hc5 E:c8 2 1 .lLld5 �h8 22..id4 White's position remains preferable in spite of the symmetrical structure and the presence of opposite-coloured bishops. The game Bruzon Adams, Wijk aan Zee 2005, eventually ended in a draw, but I believe that chess should also be fun, not just a struggle, even when playing with Black. Therefore, I would not like to base my preparation on this kind of line. Another forced line goes 1 5 ...J.xf3?! 16.\!!!fxd8 hd8 17.hc5 E:e8 1 8.exf6 .ic6 19.E:xe8t he8 20.lLld5± with strong centralization for White, Lupulescu - Tunoscenko, Calvia Olympiad 2004. Black's main regret was that he had no time for 1 5 ...lLlxe3?! because of 1 6.exf6 lLlxdl 17.fxe7 followed by exf'8=\!!!f and bd1 , with a material advantage for White. -
1 55
A perfect regrouping for White. The b2-pawn and the dark-squared bishop have been secured and all White's pieces are ready to attack the poorly defended kingside.
18 J�e8 19.We4 g6 20.Wf4 h5?! ••
Weakening the position even more.
21.h3 �e6 Finally a ray of hope: this knight offers some stability to Black's position.
22.Wg3 *xa 23.Wxa �d4?! Under no circumstances should Black have exposed his best placed piece to the danger of being eliminated. It would have been better to try to add the queens rook into the defence with 23...E:a7.
16.We2 �c7
Black relies on the solidity of his position, possibly underestimating White's attacking potential.Maybe he should have embarked on the complications arising after 1 6... lLlxe5 17.E:ad1! although White's better coordination would offer him strong compensation.
17J�adl Wc8 18..ic1�
24Jlxd4! cxd4 25.e6! 5
Black overstepped the time limit here, but his king had no way to escape such a brutal treatment anyway.
1-0 Although Black can find improvements around the 14th and the 1 5th moves (for instance, 14...lLlc6 has been tried lately) the character of the position remains basically the same. We are just one step away from a final conclusion regarding our repertoire choice. The next game highlights one final danger that we must avoid.
156
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
Fischer - Korchnoi
Stockholm Interzonal 1962
We have decided by a method of elimination that
12...�c4 13.Acl c5
is the most accurate move order. The only
open question remains where to retreat the knight after the obvious
14.h3
extent that five years later he employed the same variation with White against Portisch, in spite of the fact that he rarely played l .e4. Portisch adopted a more neutral strategy, relying on the lack of weaknesses in his position, but quickly found himself in a passive position. 17...i.c3 I S.h3 .tx8 1 9.'I!i'xf3 'l!i'f6 20.ge3 i.d4 21 .'I!i'xf6 lLlxf6 22.ge2 lLld7 23.lLlf3 i.c3 24.i.f4 lLle5 25.lLlh4 g6 26.i.g3 gfeS 27.f4 lLld7 2S.lLlf3 f6 29.i.e1 hel 30.gbxel gacS 31 .g4± The a5-knight can do very little to prevent White's systematic kingside attack, Korchnoi - Portisch, Sousse Interzonal 1 967.
19.�:U3 ab3 20.m3 tlc7 18.h3 21.Ae3 .ic3 22J!e2 b4 23.�d4i
Black has managed to get the c5-square for his knight, but only at the cost of making the central d4-square available for the white knight. The space advantage combined with the weakness of the c6-square and the vulnerability of the black king leaves White clearly on top. All this leaves us with
14 �b6 •••
I should mention that
The previous play has resulted in a relative weakness of the d4- and c3-squares in White's camp. This explains Korchnoi's desire to redirect the knight towards c6 with
14 �a5 •••
This had happened in many previous games between strong players. However, Fischer's strong novelty
15.d5!
cut the knight off' for a long time and cast serious doubt on Black's entire concept.
15 �d7 •••
The forced tactical operation 1 5 ...lLlxe4 16.gxe4 .tx8 17.'I!i'xf3 i.f6 I S.lLlc3 b4 19.i.b2 bxc3 2o.hc3 i.xc3 2 1 .'I!i'xc3± manages to simplify the position, but completely fails to solve the problem of the knight.
16.�hd2 i.f6 17J:�hl c4
Korchnoi does his best to create some squares for the knight. Remarkably, Fischer's play in this game must have impressed him to such an
this does not mean
we have solved the problem of 10.,ie3 yet. We have just chosen our tabiya, the starting point of a veritable jungle of variations. Befure starting a thorough examination of the possible continuations, I shall point out some important elements. White's most consistent continuation is
15.�bd2
1 5 .d5? not only fails to cut the knight off'from the play, but is tactically refuted by 1 5... lLlfxd5! (with the knight on a5, the preliminary exchange on f3 was necessary, because otherwise White could have captured with the queen) 1 6.exd5 ,if6 17.lLlc3 b4, but not 17...hc3? 1 8.�d3!. White should not be in a hurry to develop his bishop with 1 5 .i.b2. White's main strategic threat in the long tellO is to drive the light sqnared bishop to g6 with h3 and g4, combined with blocking the centre with d5. In doing so, he should avoid the exchange of the light squared bishops, which would solve Black's
I
The Yates Variation - 10..ie3
space problems and offer him better chances to place his pieces harmoniously. With the bishop prematurely developed on b2, d5 could always be met by ...�fd7 followed by ....if6.
15 ad4 ...
This is Black's safest way to equality, and has become fashionable lately. The backward d6pawn is compensated for by the weakness of the c3-square and the relative passivity of the c2-bishop. I do not believe that White has any · advantage here. Black should avoid defining the rook's intentions too soon. For instance, after 1 5 .. JkB 16.h3 .Ah5 17.g4 .ig6 1 8.d5 the rook could be useful on the a-file, by supporting the advance of the a-pawn followed by infiltration on a2. 1 5 ...�fd7 looks more consistent strategically, because it does not release the tension in the centre too soon, but is also riskier from a practical point ofview. The main line goes 16.h3 (l6..ib2 l:'k8 17.�b I !? could cast some doubt on Black delaying ...cx:d4. 17...cx:d4 would be comfortably answered by 1 8.�xd4 now.) 16....Ah5 17..ib2 (The position resulting after 17.g4 J.g6 18.d5 .if6 19.�bl strongly resembles the Benoni. The main difference is that the g-pawn is on its initial square, leaving the g6square available to the bishop. In the Benoni a frequent problem is that the knights and the light-squared bishop stand in each other's way. Here, this problem is solved, but the bishop risks remaining passive if Black does not find a dynamic way of putting pressure on White's centre. Generally speaking, the plan based on opening the a-file with ... a5-a4 is the least committal, as it does not surrender any squares in the centre to White. On the other hand, opening the c-file with ... �c8 and ...c4 offers tactical possibilities based on the vulnerability of the c2-bishop. It is probably a matter a taste.
157
In any case, this is one of the critical positions for the assesm s ent of 1 5 ...�fd7.) 17.. Jk8 (Now that the bishop has been developed to b2, Black can also develop his rook, not feating the closure of the centre as much. Once again, 17...cx:d4 is an important alternative. If White captures on d4 with the bishop, Black gladly exchanges it with ....if6, in order to get chances ofexploiting the weakness of the c3-square. Against 1 8.g4, aiming to capture on d4 with the knight, the standard reaction is 1 8 ...d3!? decoying the enemy bishop to an exposed square, in order to win time with either ... �c5 or ...�e5 in the near future. White's main plan would consist of cutting the g6-bishop off from play with a brutal advance of the f-pawn, but Black can use his other bishop to prevent it [....ig5 as an answer to li:ld4]. Also, a well timed break with ...d5 could eventually leave White with just weaknesses.) 18.�cl
Now, Black has no useful moves left and should release the tension with 1 8... cx:d4 which offers him an entirely adequate position. However, 18.a4 looks like a more challenging contmuatlon. •
•
1 58
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
1.e4 e5 2.�f3 �c6 3 ..tb5 a6 4..ta4 �f6 5.0-0 .te7 6J�el b5 7..tb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.d4 .tg4 10..te3 exd4 1 l.cxd4 �a5 12..tc2 �c4 13..tc1 c5 . 14.b3 �b6 15
16
17
18
d5 �fd7
.t"213 gc814 •••
•••
•••
17
6 ...
19
22
fib 1
e5 �fd5
e65
g4 .tg6
gbl .td
ge2!?10 �3h2 h6 ge8
c4!?1l .
18
19
a4!?l9 c4!!
Aa330 dS
ge313 dS14
7�
�fl31 d5
e5
8 ...
.tb2 gc8
gel44 d5!45
•••
9 ...
17
18
15.�bd2 �fd7 16.h3 .th5 20 21 22 23 nb5 ab5
exd531 .te431 Bd6!l - Bf4
•••
•••
gaS=
24
25
BJ4 Bd2 �xd5!?33.tJ4
26
�d6
dxc5
.te547
nb3 Be�
�:s:g6
.tfl71 d5
00
. . -
-
+
-txc5� .t.p" &g649
19
_
-
-
g5 a5
uh3
"xc256 .Ad2 'he2l? �xd5 . "a8!� ;t
15.�bd2 cxd4 20 · - 2 1 22
23
,
Ildl65 .te5
•
•••
-
Bd2 · .txet
" J.dU? · } .txd4 .tb2 . 51 fib 10 �e560 �fd7 .tf6 �c:6!61 "xC6" h3 .td467 .lb2" �5 g4" 1 1 .th5 dS!" 1lc870 dxe4 d3! •••
'ha6
00
�g354 · Ilass ' c4 ab3
16
•••
dxc5
-
bxc415 �xc4 �xc4 dxc416
•••
··· 12
k511
.txd4 �c5
gel . .lb136 ad435 .tf6
•••
24
exf7t6 Bxc2 gxf'7 �b4
.tb2 gadS
.txb3 19 Be2lO a41S . h317 ad4 bxa416 nb3f11 .th5
23
.txe4 "x5
e573 �d474 .tr4 �e4 . Bcrs .tc5
.
24
25
J.e2 dS
-
-
gd5 �bd571
dxe4
-
�5 gadS
Bel .td577
=
+.
The Yates Variation - 1 0;.te3
159
1.e4 e5 2.�a �c6 3 ..tb5 a6 4..ta4 lilf6 5.0-0 Ae7 6.gel b5 7..tb3 d6 8.d 0-0 9.d4 .l.g4 10..te3 exd4 1 l.ad4 �a5 12..tc2 �c4 13..tc1 c5 . 14.b3 !ilb6 15.�bd2 ud4 17
16
18
19
20
1 1 1
•••
22
•••
• ••
•• •
• ••
··· 7 1 18 •
20
•••
••• •••
···· .
•••
•••
•••
·'· •••
2 1 '"
•••
22 "
·
•••
eS?! dxeS
• ••
•••
... 9 -1
+ -
•••
•••
• •• • ••
••• • ••
25 -
a4 bxa4 .
24
Icl!?'4 ctxe4 dxe4BS �£d5
" · 5
· · ' 6
23
.ib280 ctxg6 ctxe4 dxe4!II b:g6! - ctfdS
g4 d3!
4 ...
21
-
�4a" ' �J3 g6 ft'J3 .lfl �J3t" .Ar6
g4 d3!?" g41D3 . �DW� eS J.g6f1M d5!
bxa4 as'"
Axa6 _
a41?
-
�2al06 ft'dliOl cte � e6I07 .tc5 g61'"
fJxc2
�fd7
�al Ui _
J.xd4110 a4Hl ubS �bd7111 �cS l 13 ub5 ... g4?!1l9 a41lO �fd711' J.g6 bxa4
•••
•••
•••
•••
•••
•••
• ••
• ••
-
bu4 as exdS122 cte4! .tft';12l ctd5!? lu21l3
eS?!l3l .te2 �c5 I� dS= I30 cte6132
Will
-
I This exchange is not dangerous, because
Black's pieces are harmoniously placed and White's queenside is not yet in really good shape.
2
16.�e2 .txf3 17.gxf3 'lWd4 1 8.e5 �xal 19.J.b2 �xb2 20.J.xh7t ltlxh7 2 1 .�xb2 ltlg5 22. Wg2 ltld5 23.'lWc1 ltle6 0- 1 Tal Sodell, Latvia 1950. -
=
+
-
-
(� . . . J.f6) 17ib2 (I 7.e5 �c7 1 8.'lWe2 g6 19.�e3 gfe8 20.�f4 l?ixf3 2 1 .1t1xf3± Van Riemsdijk - Honfi, corr. 1997) 17 ge8 18.eS fJfll 19.'I'e2 .lhs (fl . J.g6) 20.a4! Kindermarm - Thipsay, Thessaloniki Olympiad 1984.
3 16 �fd7 •••
•••
. .
4 17.'I'e2 1t1h5 ( I 7... gad8? 18.e5±; 17.. .J.h5 I B.J.b2 gad8 19.9adl c4 20.bxc4 gxd2?!
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
160
21 .'ilYxd2 iDxc4 22.'ilYc1 .ixf3 23.gx8 iDh5 24.e5 §'c8 25 ..tb3 iDxb2 26.§'xb2 §'5 27.�d4 §'x£3 28.e6 5 29.l3d3± Sprenger - Shirov, Baden Baden 2006) 18.g3 l3ad8 19.'ilYe3 (l9 ..tb2? l3xd2!-+) 19... 5!? 20.exf5 .tf6 21.l3bl iDd5+ 17 .tb2 :gad8 1 8.�bl (l8.§'e2 iDh5 19.e5 §'c6 20..te4 §'h6+) 1 8 ... iDh5 (l8 ...h6!?) 19.e5 g6 20.h3 .te6 21.iDe4 iDd5= •
S 21.ixg6 fxg6! <=>f
29.a4 (29 ..te3? iDbxd5!+ 29.id3?! offers Black a dangerous initiative after 29 ...iDbxd5!. For instance: 30.exd5 :!:'lxd5 31 .iDe4 iDd7 32. .te3 iDe5!) 29 �bxdS! (29 ...bxa4?! 30.bxa4 iDbxd5?! f30 ...iDc4 31 ..id3 iDxd5!? 32 ..ixc4 iDc3 33.§'b3 iDxbl 34.§'xbl±] 31.exd5 l3xd5 [31 .. ..ixc2 32.§'xc2 iDxd5 33.�c4±] 32'l3xe8t §'xe8 33.§'e2± Labuz - Baranowski, corr. 1996.) 30.adS gxdS 31.gxe8t BxeS 32.Be2 geS 33.Bdl gdS Black has a perpetual attack against the queen. •••
..
6 22.§'xc2? iDb4 23.§'e4 5+ Xd3, c2 7 2S.J.eS �xeS 26.�xeS Jhci2 27.�xf7 <Jaf7 28.ti'e6t (28.§'xh7 §'f-H) 28 c.t>f8°o
13 The early development of the bishop rejects the advance of the d-pawn for a while.
•••
White's initiative may be enough to compensate for the sacrificed material, but not more than that, A. Kovacevic - Shirov, Jahorina 2003.
14 The only reasonable way to avoid transposing to the main variation below with 16...cxd4.
8 IS.J.b2 gca 16.dS?! (other normal moves transpose to the main lines) 16 �fd7! � ...tf6
IS 17.dS?1 .tf6+; 17.h3 .th5 transposes
•••
.
9 This early commitment of the rook should be avoided.
below.
16 17 ad4 18.a5!;!; XiDb6, Philipowski - Rudnitzki, Neumiinster 2000; 17 ..tgs •••
••
1 8.a5!± Cocozza - Altini, corr. 1997.
10 2U :!e3 b4 22.@g2 13e8 23.iDg3 c4 24.iDd4 cxb3 25 ..ixb3 iDc5 26..tc2 iDc4 27J:�e2;!; Black cmnot develop his initiative easily. At the same time, White's space advantage looks threatening, Yudasin - Balashov, Soviet Championship 199 1 .
17 1 8.bxa4 .tg5! 19.'ilYbl cxd4 20ixd4 .tf6 21.txf6 'ilYxf6 22.e5 dxe5 23.txh7t @h8 24..ie4 liJc4=
18
19.bxa4 ad4 20.a5! \
...�
II Doubling rooks on the e-file is a typical
.if6= transposes to the game Nisipeanu - Navara below, in line 21) 2O 0c:4 21.0xc4 Lc:4
plan, but this could have been achieved without loss of time by ...13a7-e7, which casts some doubt on the early development of the rook to c8. 23 ...c4!?
19 19.liJxb3 20.tix£3 liJc4 2 1..tc3 cxd4 22..ixd4 as and Black has little to fear.
12 2S.6 White has managed to isolate
the g6-bishop, but there are certain dynamic elements in the position that should not be neglected. 2S gce7 26..tn (26.liJhf1!? �liJ5) 26 ..AeS 27.0hfl .lf4 28.tgl (28.a4!? would have prevented Black's idea from the game, for instance 28 .. J�eS 29.axbS axb5 30..td3.) 28 geS!? (28... iDbd7 29..te3;!;)
22.g4 J.g6
•••
!c5 24.�xdti
20 20.�6? c4-+ 21 22..ic2?! .if6l
•••
••
•••
22 In order to avoid ending up in a slightly
worse position, Black has to complications. 17...cxd4 1 8.liJxd4;!; x.tg4
go
for huge
161
The Yates Variation - 1 0..ie3
23
18.bxc4 � 19.a4 (l9.�xc4 bxc4 20..tc3 .txa 2 1 .gxB J.g5=) 19 �xb2 M 21 .85 Bc3 22.jJ,3 'fIc7ao ••.
. 24 1 8...5!? 1 9.bxc4 bxc4+t 2S 1 9.e5 b4 20.ic1 g6 21 .a3 a5 22.axb4
axb4"" 26
With enotmously complicated play, l: 2006. N. Kosintseva - Azarov,
27 17.dS .ARi IS.!bl !ea 19.94 .t.g6 transposes below to 17.g4 .Ag6 18.d5.
28 1 7...cxd4 transposes below. 29 IS.�n .txa
(l8...cxd4 19.94 J.g6 20.�g3;!; Gufeld) 19.Vxfl cxd4 20.Vd1 .tf6 21 .ge2 d5 22.�g3 d3= Gufeld; IS."'1 cxd4 19.�xd4 .if6=; IS.dxcS �xc5 19.94?! (l9.ml J.g6 20.�d4 .if6 2 1 .lLl2f3= 19.e5 dxe5 20..ixeS �bd7 21..if'5=) 19...J.g6 20.�d4 .if6 21 .�2f3 ge8+ Lukin - Geller, USSR 1 978. 30 19.a5 cxb3 20.hb3 li1c4=; 19.bxc4 li1xc4
20.m1 (20.liIxc4 bxc4 21 ..i.c3 d5 22.eS gbS=) 20...liIxb2 21 .ti'xb2 b4 22.a5 gc3� White's space advantage in the centre is compensated by Black's bishop pair and clear superiority on the queenside. 31 22.ga7 c300
32 23.bxc4 bxc4 24.ga6 ti'xd5 2S.J.e4 .ix8 26.liIxfl �b5 27.ga7 li1f6=
33 24...Vxd2 2S.liIfxd2 c3 26.liIfl± 34 27.bxc4 bxc4 2S.tLlxc4 ixf3 29.gxB tLlf6
Black's· better structure compensates for the small material deficit.
3S
l S ...d5!? 19.dxcS liIxc5 20.exdS liIxd5 21 ..if5;!; Carlsen - Harikrishna, Lausanne 2005.
36 19 94
is not dangerous here. 19...J.g6 20.�xd4J.g5 (20....if621 .f4t) 21 .�e2 (21 ..tb1 �l 22.J.xc1 ge8 23..ib2 lLle5 24.�28 .tf6 25.�h2 [M4] 25 ....igS=) 2 1 ....tf6!= .if6 The typical way of solving Black's problems. 20.iLe3 (20.g4 .ig6 21 .lLlfl �cS 22.lLlg3 �e6 23.il.e3 .tb2 24.gb1 .ic3 25.ge2 d5 26.�5 ge8+ Gufeld) 20....ib2 21.gb1 .Ac3 22.ge2 ge8 23.g4 .ig6 24.�f1 �f6 (24...�c5 25.lLlg3 d5 26.eS lLle6 27.�f5 d4=t Gufeld) 25.Ag5 (25.�g2 dS!? 26.exdS �d6t) 25...Ve6 26.�g3, Fedorchuk - Froeyman, Condom 2005, 26...lLleS 27.lLlh4 dS+ .
37
23...ge8 24.Vd2 dS 25.gS hd4 Y2-Ih Carlsen - Almasi, Wijk aan Zee 2006, 26.�xd4 Vxd4 27.J.xd4;!; 38 1his move leaves the centre slighdy
vulnerable for an instant, allowing a typical method of counterplay.
39 19 J�eB 20.J.f5! c4 21.�g3 goo 22.Wgl leS 23Jlbl f6 (23 ...lLl£8!? 24.h4 h6) 24.h4t £xes 2S.cheS J.cS 26.lel! (26.e6?! .ixf5 27.gxf5 lLlf6"") 26 .AM 27J�e3 3O.�x5:tAxe3 d428.'I'xd4.icS29. ••
••
(30...gg6 3 1 .hS lLlf6 32.exf6 gxe4 33.f7t!+-) 31.Wu6 Axel 32.e6? (32.gxcl lLlxeS 33.�b7 �f6 34.ge1:t) 32 �bS? (32...�f6! 33.gxcl ti'xe6=) 33."'7 .tb2 34.Wf7t WbS 3S.!dl WeB 36.�g5!+- .tf6 37.�b6! 1-0 Tal Portisch, Biel Interzonal 1976. ••.
40 Recommended by Portisch.
41 21.1fe2 cxd4 (21 ...c4!?) 22.lLlxd4, Hamann - Brinck Claussen, Tastrup 1994. 22 .il.cS! (XliId4) 23..tb2 !eS 24.f4 �fB 25.mgl •.
42 24...geS!?
43 27
(029.liIf5
gfcS
29...lfc8 30.�f5 corr. 1990.
2 28.�xd2= Wb4 29.'f!Yg4 30.liId6 13£8 31 .liIf5=) �m; Tymcio - Studzinski,
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
162
44
19.�fl
hands the initiative to Black. 19 ... c4! 20.lZle3 (20.lZlg3 d5+ Gufeld) 20 ...d5 21 .exd5 Ab4 22.i!e2 lLlf6+ Vargic - Pe. Ascic, Croatia 1997. 19.a4 is not efficient with the bishop already on g6. The relative pin of the e4-pawn gives Black several additional ideas for counterplay. 19 bxa4 (19 ...c4 20.bxc4 lZlxc4 21 .lZlxc4 bxc4 22.ic3 d5 23.e5 bel 24.Vllfxc2 Vllfb6 �Vllfe6+ The queen is a good blockading piece in this C
•
•••
24.Vllfxc2 lZlxd5 25.Ad2 lZle5 26.lZld4 ig5oo) 24.mg2 (24..te3 lZle5 25.lZld4 .th4 26.lZlgf5 [�g6-c2] 26...hf5 27.lZlxf5 .tg5+!) 24 h6 25.�e1 �c5 (25 ...i!c7+! � . . . lZlc5) 26.£3 a5 (26... lZlcd1!?) 27.J.b2 b4 29.£4 lZlbd7 (29...�f6 30.lZld3! lZlxd3 3 1 .Vllfxd3 tyxf4 32.Vllfb5±) 30.�£3 'Bf6 31..c1 'Bd8 32.M J.h7 33.g5± Ganguly - Graf, Turin Olympiad 2006. .•.
53 20 a5!? 21.mg2 a4 22.�g3 m3 23.m3 h6 24.M .ic3 25.i!e3 b4 26.h5 .ih7 27.g5 hxg5 28.1hc3 (28.lZlxg5 Vllfxg5 29Jhc3 •••
Vllfh4 30J'!f3 i!xe4!? 31 .Le4 Le4 32.lZlxe4 Vllfxe4 33.Vllfd3 Vllfxd5 34 ..tf4 lZle5+) 28 bId 29.�xg5, Sandipan - Sasikiran, Pune 2004, 29 i!a2 30.�xh7 mxh7 31.�5 (3 1 .e5t �h8 32.Vllfd3 i!xc2 33.�xc2 tt'lxe5-+) 31...�e5 �32.f4 tt'lg4!+ •••
•••
45 19 cxd4 20.lZlxd4 Ag5=; 19 c4!? •••
•••
46 20 ...Lc5 2 1 .exd5 �c7 22.d6 Vllfxd6
23.tt'le4=
47 21.exd5
tt'lxd5 . . . tt'lf4+;
21.J.bl
tt'le6+
Xf4
54 Both sides have completed the first phase of their regrouping and the time has come for concrete action. •
55 23.b4 c3 �...tt'lc4
48
2l ...Le4 22.Le4 dxe4 23.lZlxe4 tt'lxe4 24.Vllfxd8 i!fxd8 2Hlxc8 � Saren P. Lehtivaara, Finland 1993.
-
49 White is slighdy underdeveloped and has many weaknesses.
50 Practice suggests this is the main tabiya of
the variation where Black refrains from capturing on d4.
51
1 8 ...a5!? 19J::!b1 b4 20.tt'lh2 .if6 2 I .f4 .id4t 22.�g2 f6 23.tt'lhf3 Ac3 24..tb2 Lb2 25.i!xb2 Vllfc7 26..td3 a400 Panchenko - Sturua, Soviet Spartakiad, 1 983.
52 19 c4 20.�fl (20.tt'lh2.ig5 21 .bxc4 Ld2 •••
22.Vllfxd2 lZlxc4 23.Vllfe2 i!e8 24.f3 f5+! After this thematic break Black has comfortable play, Ahlers - Hopfgarten, corr. 1 970.) 20 ge8 21.�g3 gc8 22.ge2 (22.lZlf5 cxb3 23.axb3 Vllfc7 24.Ad3 tt'lcS+!) 22 cxb3 23.m3 gc3 (23 ...i!xc2!? •••
•••
56 25Jhel i!xe4+! 57 27.lbel (27.lZlf5 hf5 28.gxf5 b4;; �...lZlc3) 27 b4 (�...lZlc3. 27...lZle5!?) 28.�5?! •••
(White probably missed that after 28.exd5 i!xe2 he has 29.Vllfc6! when after 29...Vllfxc6 30.dxc6 i!xe1 3 1 be1 lLlb6 32.Lb4 White's position remains more pleasant.) 29.pi5 �c3 (30.ie3?! tt'lc5+) 3O...bxc3 (30...Lc3 3 1 .i!d1 tt'lc5 32.i!xd6 tt'lxe4 33.i!d3 tt'lc5 34J:�xe8t Vllfxe8 35J:'!d6 'Bc8 36.i!d5 9c6 37.9d1 �h7 38.i!d6 m7 39.i!d5=) 31.ldl? (31 .b4!;!; Xc5) 31 ...�c5!; 32.Ld6 Le4 33.Le4 (33.ie3 i!xe3 34.fxe3 tt'le4 �...lZlg5+) 33...�xe4T Dominguez - Bologan, Poikovsky 2005.
58 17.h3 .ills transposes below. If White wants to get out �( the pin without weakening his kingside, he has to resort
59
The Yates Variation - 1O..ie3
to such ugly-looking moves, leaving the aI-rook temporarily out of play. would help Black activate his position. 18 •xf6 19.h3 J.h5 20.g4?! (it would have been safer to transfer the bishop to a more stable square with 20.,td3 �ac8 2Ukl gac8 2 1 ..tfl , planning a4) 22.�fl �1c3 23.�e3 (23.�e3!? would somewhat reduce Black's pressure) 23 �fc8+ Maumey - Rousseau, corr. 1997. •••
•••
60 The simpler 18 ...hd4 19.1lJxd4 %Yf6 is also
playable. Black probably feared 20.eS but this move is not dangerous. 20...dxeS (20...%Yh6!?) 2 1 .hh7t
61 Immediately 19...llJc6 makes sense, too. 62 This is the correct way to fight for the dark squares.
It makes little sense to exchange the passive white bishop with 20...llJxSt?!. After 21 .llJxS+ White finds it much easier to coordinate his forces and retain a small plus because of the weakness of the d6-pawn. 2l...hd4 (2l ...llJd7 22.%Yb2;!;) 22.llJxd4 fif6 23.%Yd3 g6 24.llJc6 �fc8 2S.�acl llJc4 26.llJb4± Granda - Roselli, . Calvia Olympiad 2004.
. 67 Even when there is no pawn on d4, White insists on centralizing his knight. see the fruits of the intermediate ... d3: the d3-bishop is hanging. 68 We
can
69 20.tJf5 dxe4 2 1 .llJxe4 iLxf5 22.gxf5 �a7
A . . . �d7+
20.tJc6 fid6 2 1 .llJxe7t fixe7 22.exdS fid6+
"'W"'hite has chronic weaknesses on both wings.
70 20... dxe4 2 1 .llJxe4= 71 White's pair of bishops is compensated by Black's stability on the dark squares.
72
This move leaves the e4-square insufficiently defended, allowing Black to take over the initiative.
73 20.exdS llJbxdS 2 1 ..L:g6 fXg6t 74 2 1 .,tb2 f5!:t 75 More to the point than 2 1 ...Ah4 as played in Bouaziz - Kostro, Siegen Olympiad 1970.
76 23.gcl?! llJxf2!+ 77 26.%Yxe4 llJxf4 27.%Yxf4 f6+ White's
63
21 .eS?! llJxd4 22.i.xa8 heS 23.,tb7 (23.,te4?! f5 24..td3 %Yh4+) 23 ...llJe6 24.llJ£3 hal 2S.fixa1 llJcS 26.,tc6 llJbd7+ 21 .,tb2 ,teS Followed by ...%Yf6 continuing the fight for the central dark squares. 64 Black
1 63
has a very active position.
It is not
easy for White to develop naturally.
65
22.%Yd3?! llJb4 23.%Ye3 gab8 24.gecl (24.gacl llJxa2 2S.gc6 llJd7+ 26.&a6? llJb4 27.ga7 llJc2-+) 24...llJc2! 2S.eS %Yg6+
66 Slightly premature. White's desire to unpin his knight is understandable, but he should not neglect his development.
position is shaky, in spite of his extra pawn.
78
This alternate path towards f5 is not too reliable because the knight is temporarily exposed on h4 and might be forced to capture on g6 soon. This would open the f-file for Black's counterplay.
79 19...�fd7 20.�f5 (20.llJxg6 fxg6 2 1 .llJ£3 .tf6) 20 J.f6 21.l3bl .tel= Fercec - Pinter, •••
Rabac 2003.
80 20.llJxg6?! fxg6! 21.e5 (21 .exdS?! ,tcS 22.llJ£3 llJbxdS+) 21.. .tc5! 22.llJa (22.exf6 �xf6-+) 22 �e4 23 .te3 hel 24.gu3 �c5 25.llJd4 (2S.e6 rfd6) 25 •g5 •
•••
•
•••
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
164
81
The simplest way. Black should refrain from material-hunting. 20 .he4 2I .he4 liJxe4 22.liJxe4 .ixh4 23.�d4 f6 24.liJc5oo 20 ,tM!? 2 I .e5 liJe4 22.liJxg6 fxg6 23.liJxe4! hel 24.�xel dxe4 25.he� •••
•••
82
The safest continuation, continuing development but also an indirect admission of the fact that I7.g4 was premature. White has no advantage at all, but does not risk being worse either. Curiously, this move has not been played ill practIce yet.
89 21.e5? is worse now (compared to without
the inclusion of h3 and ...i.h5) because after 2 1 . ..dxe5 22.hh7t? I!;h8 White does not have i.f5 at his disposal: 23.liJ48 .ixf3 24.liJxf3 g6-+; 21.fl28 :Bac8=i=
90 24... :Bab8 25.�dI a5 26.:BbI = 91
26.liJ8 :Bac8= Black has perfect coordination, which compensates for his backward pawn. .
92
The text is better than the more neutral continuation I 9...liJfd7 which transposes to the lines starting with I 7..tb2.
This move is less indicated here than without the inclusion of the moves h3 and ....th5. The potential threat against the h7-pawn is weaker, because the black bishop is closer to the g6-square.
84 20.�e5 .tc5! 21 .:Bcl :Bc8 leaves the knight
93 Another difference compared to the similar
•
•
83
vulnerable on e5. The problem is that capturing on g6 would leave the f2-pawn desperately weak after ...fxg6. 20.�b4 transposes to I9.liJh4 above.
line above is that White cannot save his pieces by means of il.f5 now. 22.g4 exd4 23.gxh5 d3! 24..bd3 liJc5+
94 More ambitious than 22 g6 23.g4 .bg4 24.hxg4mm725.�e4i:mg8 (25 . ..tg7 26..ta3 AliJd� 26.�xf6t 1fxf6 27.tre4 . (27.liJxe5 i¥g5) 27 •£4 28.�u5 .u4 29Jhe4 Bel.. •••
85
20 ....tb4 is more ambitious but after 21 .e5 liJe4 22.:Be3 Black has no obvious way of developing his initiative.
86 This
developing move is better than the hurried advance of the g-pawn.
87 Black prepares the activation of his dark
squared bishop in order to take advantage of the relative weakness of several squares along the aI-h8 diagonal.
88
Vxf6
(Once again, the transfer of this bishop to a more active diagonal is the best plan. 20.a4 �e5! 2 1 .axb5 axb5 22.:Bxa8 :Bxa8 23.�e2 b# followed by ...�bd7c5.) 20 Bac8 21.i.e2 �c5 22.a4 (less accurate is 22.e5 dxe5 23.liJxe5 ti"xe5 24..txh5 ti"f4+) 22 bxa4 23.bxa4 Bfe8 (23...a5 24�5=) 24.a5 �bd7 Black has a stable position for his pieces and is better coordinated. White should probably play 25.Ba3! A:Be3=. •••
•••
.
•••
95
(26.�xe5 Yfh7 27.f4 �xe5 28.Yfxh7t mxh7 29.fxe5 .tel+) 26...�u5
27.�u5 eh7 28.B.dl b5 29.1fxb7t mm7 3O.Bu5 IN 96 By playing this intermediate move Black
forces the enemy bishop to occupy a vulnerable position in view of a funher knight move to e5 or c5. Certain speci6cation needs to be made here. In some of the lines examined above I have recommended transferring the bishop to fl anyway, which might cast some doubt on Black's last move. We have to take into account the concrete circumstances of the position. By weakening his kingside, White has practically committed himself to playing �d4 and �f5 or, if allowed, f4-f5. Without g4, �xd4 was simply not possible. Once the black bishop reaches g6,
The Yates Variation - 1 0..te3
the e4-pawn needs additional protection, which makes .td3-fl a double-edged decision. All these aspects offer sufficient abstract justification for 18 ...d3. 97 Black should not allow the knight to
c6 with 20 �c5 because afrer 21 .li.:lc6 �c7 22.li.:lxe7t �xe7 23 ..tfl M4::t the b2-bishop remains the unchallenged master of the long diagonal. 20...Ag5 21.liJ2f3 .tf4 is premature in view of 22.h4;\; Kladiva Sziraki, Eger 199 1 . •••
-
98 21
25 J�b8 26.�c6
(26.i.b5 ,hd4 27.,hd4 axb3 28.ti'xb3 li.:ld7 �li.:lc5=; 26.b4!? t\I!lxd4 27.i.xd4 �e8 28 ..tb5 �e6 29.i.c@) 26....c7 .•
trxc6 28.Ad4 �fe8 29.�ecl trd7 27 30.bxa4 31.trdU 25 J�c71? 26.g5I? White can avoid trouble ••
only by decoying the bishop from the long diagonal. (26.bxa4 li.:lc4+ 27.,hc4 (27.i.c3 �a8 28..ib5 li.:le5 29.ti'e3 ,he4!) 27... �xc4 28.�edl (The bishop has ti'b6+ 26.ti'e3 �e8:j:) insufficient room along the important diagonal afrer 26...J.e5 27.ti'e3! M4.) 27.bxa4 �c4
Bxc4 29.�6
'1 1Lg5 22.li.:lf5 .if6!? (� ... li.:lxg4,
�...li.:lf3t) 23.�bl li.:lc6= Xf4, d4, c3 21.Ml .t.g5 22.�2a .lf4 (22...li.:lxf3t 23.ti'xf3 li.:ld7 24.li.:lf5 .txf5 25.gxf5 J.f6 26..txf6 exf6 27.�adl �fd8 28.ti'g3 li.:le5 29.�d5! �ac8 30.�ed1;!;) 23.�6 Jakovenko - Adams, Internet blitz 2004. (23.li.:lxe5 dxe5 24.li.:lf5 ti'c7= Vehi Balashov, Dorullund 1 99 1 . 23.i.g2 �c8 24.li.:lf5 hf5 25.gxf5 liJbd7=) 24.ed5 (24.gxf5 li.:lxf3t 25.ti'xf3 .te5=) 24...�bd7 « 24.. WI£6 25.i.g2 �ac8 26.li.:ld4± 6 . . . li.:lbd7?! 27.li.:le2!±) 25..lg2 Bc8 26.�xe5 (26.li.:ld4 li.:lc5 27.li.:le2 .th6t) 26...dxe5= .
99 22...�bd7 23.a4!?
3O.trxf5 Be8-
The king's position is too weak to allow White's forces to successfully push the a-pawn.
102 A natural move, developing a piece and avoiding defining his kingside intentions. In certain cases, the knight could prove useful on £6, by keeping the e4-pawn under pressure.
103 18.trbl
li.:lfd7 19.1i.:lxd4 .if6 transposes to the line 17...li.:lfd7 18.ti'bl above. 18.Bel li.:lfd7 19.94 i.g6 20.li.:lxd4 i.g5 transposes to 1 5 ...li.:lfd7 16.h3 .i1l5 17.g4 i.g6 1 8.i.b2 �c8 1 9.�c 1 .
104
22....tf6 23.�xe5!
(:$;23.a4 bxa4 24.,ha6 �a8 25 ..tb7 �b8+ �26.li.:lxe5 dxe5!-+ 23.li.:lh2 d5!? 24.f4 dxe4 25.fxe5 he5 26.ti'd2 �d�) 23...dxe5 (23 ...,he5 24.ti'd2 WI£6 25.g5 Wlf4 26.ti'xf4 .txf4 27.h4 �fe8 28.i.h3 �c7 29.li.:lf5+) 24.�5 .c7 ( 24... li.:ld7 25.i.a3! li.:lcS 26.�cl If 26...hf5 then 27.,hc5, while 26...ti'b6 allows 27.Wld6! �c6 28.�d5±; 24 ....txf5 2S.gxf5 6ti'g4±) 25.�el �a7 (25 ...�b7 26J3:xc8 li.:lxc8 27.ti'd3 �e8 28.�dl +) 26 •a �d7 27.Y!Yg3 kl 28.hcl (28.�xcl .tg5=) 28....c7 29.g5 .td8 3O •d3 White keeps some initiative. •
•
100
24...dS?! 2S.eS i.e4 26.�xe4! dxe4 27.�xe4±
101 25 ...�a8 26..tb7 l:'1b8 27.li.:lc6+ Timofeev
- Azarov, Moscow 2005.
165
The standard 1 8 ...d3 makes less sense now, because the white bishop is supposed to be submitted to the combined pressure of the c8-rook and g6-bishop.
1 05 This move allows the thematic counterplay in the centre in a favourable form.
106 23.�e2 This move, played in Pfreundtner - Ginsburg, Giessen 1997, has the drawback of leaving the d4- and f4-squares insufficiently defended. 23 ...li.:le6 A logical move, blocking the e5-pawn and aiming to unblock his own central pawn. 24.�acl �d7= 6 ...i.c5, . . . �fd8
107 The knight had a reasonable alternative. 23 ... �e41? looks more active, but fails to deal with the important issue of the f4- and d4-squares. Besides, the knight could become
166
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
vulnerable on e4. 24.�d3 il.c5 (24 ...g6 25.tild2! tilc5 26.�e3 tile627.f4±Apicella-Boudre, Saint Affrique 2005) 25J3e2 geS?! The plan initiated by this move proves to be too slow by just one tempo. 26.gdl tild7 Aiming to regroup with ... tilffi-e6. 27.�f5 �f8 (27...�b6 can be met by 2S.b4!+ when Black has to sacrifice material) 2s.WbI (28.b4 hb4 29.�xd5= 2S.�xd5? tilxf2 29.:9:xf2 .bf2t 30.@xf2 :9:c2t-+) 2S �g5 (28 ...�b6 29.:9:xd5 tilxf2 30.@g2 leaves Black's pieces hanging) 29.�xg5 Wxg5 30.gxd5 �e6� Black's compensation for the sacrificed pawn is probably insufficient because of White's strong centralization. However, the awkward looking 25 ...tilaS would save an essential tempo for the transfer of the knight to e6. The position would remain complicated. •••
lOS This position was reached in HaugH - Westerinen, Oslo 19S5. 24.:9:c1 �d7 25.tilf5 .ib4 26.:9:e3 .ic5 27..id4 ltlxd4 2S.til5xd4 !'tfeS= Rubtsova - Kushnir, Moscow 1 966.
1 1 1 This move, aiming to reroute the knight that was severely restricted by the b3-pawn, was rather unjusdy awarded an "?!" by Geller.
112 19.94 (!? Geller) 19 .ig6 20.�h4 (+ Geller) 20...�e5 A21.ltlxg6 (21.!'tc1 ltlfd7 •..
22.ltlf5 .ig5+ 21.f4?! tilc6 22.il.f2 he4+) 21...fxg6! <=>f22.£4 (22.b4 @hS 23 ..ib3 tilfd7! A24.:9:c1 :9:xc1 25.�xc1 .ig5 26.@hl �e7+ 27.:9:fl tilxg4!+) 22 �c6 23.i.e3 (23.tilf3 tilxd4 24.tilxd4 d5 25.e5 il.c5+ 23.il.f2 tild7 (25.il.f2 24.il.e3 g5) 23 d5 24.e5 d4! ltld5) 25...b£6 26..tfl � (20..tfl tilc6 (Aa4) 19 �e5 1 21 .il.b2d5 22.a4dxe4=) 20 .i.g621.�h4(21.a4 ltlxe4 22.tilxe4he4 23.axb5 axb5 24.tilxe5 dxe5 25.he5 .ib4=) 21...be4! (2l ...tilc6?! 22.tilxg6 fxg6 23 ..ib2± A23...d5 24.e5 tild7 25 ..ig4±) •.•
•••
•••
•.
22.�xe4 �xe4 23.�f3;i .tf6
(24.Ml?! d5 A25.f3?! tilc6!+) 24 �xrz 25.txrz axb5 26.ed5 (26.tilxd6?! !'tc6 27.tilxb5 tild3+) 26 �g6 27.gadl gu •••
•••
2S.�xd6 gxa2 29.exb5 Wb8=
1 13 19 �e5 20.axb5 axb5 21.g4 (21 ..ibl •••
109 This underlines the fact that the white knight cannot harass the black king and guard the d4-square at the same time. 26.�h6t (White has to keep the enemy kingside under pressure somehow. Otherwise, his own kingside would remain desperately weak. An illustrative variation: 26.tilg3 �e7 27.a3 b4 ftxf6 with a 2S.a4 f6!! 29.exf6 !!xf6 strong initiative. Such simple threats as . .ftxf3, ... tilf4 or ...:9:ffi are not easy to parry.) 26 �hS 27.g5 ee7 In the absence ofthe light-squared bishops, Black's position remains solid. His d-pawn could soon become quite dangerous. 2S.a3 d4 29.�g4 Wb7 Black has strong counterplay in the centre. In fact, I prefer Black (+). .
•••
tilfd7 22.fte2 b4 Ensuring the c5-square for a knight. 23.!'ta4 !'tbS= 21.!'ta2 tilfd7 22.fte2 b4 23..idl tilc5=) 21 .i.g6 22.�h4 �c6 (22...tilfd7 23.ltlf5 .ig5 24.tilfl 00; 22...tilxe4!? 23.tilxg6 �xd2 24.tilxe7t ftxe7 25 ..ixe5 � 26ixg7 ftxelt 27.ftxe1 til8t 28.@fl lilxel 29.bffi=) 23.J.b2 (23..ie3 d5! 24.lilxg6 fxg6 25.exd5 tilxd5+) 23 �d7 (23...d5 24.g5 lilxe4 25.tilxg6 fxg6 26.tilxe4 dxe4 27 .ixg5 28.!'ta6 tile7 29.!'td@) 24.�f5 25.ex5 ••
•••
�de5
Lc6 2S.ga2...
.tf6 27
1 14 21.ga7 �e6 22.J.b2 (22..ie3 d5 23.e5 tild7 24.ml .ig6) 22 �f4 •••
115 23.J.b2 (= Geller) 23 d5 24.�xg6 fxg6 25.�a (25.e5? tilh5+ A.ic5, m6) 25 '1'b6 26.exd5 �xd5 27.i.e4 �df4= •••
•••
1 10 White gives up the idea of capturing with the knight but avoids weakening his kingside and prevents 18 ... d5 which could be answered conveniendy by 19.e5.
1 16 25.exd5?! (! according to Geller) 25 ...tilxd5 26.ltl8 tilxe3 27.!'txe3 .tc5:'F
167
The Yates Variation - 10.iLe3
25.e5?
d4!+ Ligterink - Klovans, Jurmala
1 978.
Hitselberger - Drogi, email 1998.) 26.�c4 (the more cautious 26.lLlfl might be better) 26 �f4 27.�b6 (27.lLlxd6?! l3cd8! 28.lLlb7 lLlxb7 29.l3xb7 �g6 30.�fl lLlxh3t 31 .Wh2 lLlf4:t) 27 l3ce8+ /j. �h6 •••
1 17 26.i.xe4 ic5=
•••
1 18
After White's capture with the bishop this move is logical, as it prepares ....if6.
1 19 This move makes sense only if it enables
the capture on d4 with the knight. Otherwise, it just weakens the kingside. However, as the subsequent analysis proves, White is not necessarily worse, which means this evaluation of 1 9.94 is justified only from a subjective point of view.
120 The most active continuation.
20.�fl .if6 2 1 .l3el l3e8 22.lLlg3 lLle5 23.lLlxe5 Axe5 with good control on the dark squares for Black. 20.Dc1 d5 (20....if6!?) 21 .ibl (21.e5? .ta3 22.e6 fxe6 23.l3xe6 Axel 24.l3xg6 hxg6 25.�xel �c7 26.lLlel lLle5-+ Kagan - Lengyel, Budapest 2005) 2 1 ...k5 22.exd5 lLlxd5 Black IS not worse. •
121 21 ...d5 22.a5 lLlc4 23.lLlxc4 dxc4 24.�d2 .if6 25.ic3 lLle5 26.lLlxe5 �xd2 27.Axd2 Axe5 28.l3ab 1 =
. • .
12726.1Jd4 Lt3 27.1Jxf6 A drawwas agreed
here in Nisipeanu - Navara, Montpellier 2006. A possible continuation is 27 De6 29.J.a Dfe8 3O.Debl �xe4= with further simplifications and obvious equality.
128
Before opening the queenside with a4, ""Wrrlhite takes the fl-a6 diagonal under control.
129 A logical reaction. The e4-pawn will soon
become vulnerable. 19....if6 20.J.e2 l3e8=
130
The simplest way to equality. Black succeeds in carrying out "his" thematic pawn break first. 20 ig6 is a bit slow. 21 .a4! White is not forced to defend his central pawn but can counter-attack b5. 21...bxa4 (21 . ..d5!?) 22.bxa4 (22.b4!? would leave the a-pawns weak) 22...d5 23.e5 a5 24..tb5 lLle6= Stevic - Orak, Biwvac 2006. 20 .if6 21 .l3el (Black could answer the immediate 21 .a4 with 21 ...b4! because the pin along the al-h8 diagonal provides the a6pawn with indirect defence against Axc5. After 22.l3el lLlbd7 Black enjoys stability on the dark squares.) 21 ...f!e8 Black's pressure is becoming unpleasant. 22.e5!? .te7!= White will soon have to release the tension. ••
•••
122 23.J.d3?! lLlb411+ 123
23...i.xc2 24.�e2 lLlc5 25.:1!ael J.d3 26.�e3=
124 With
the bishop still on c2, this move fails to cause Black any trouble.
125 After
the queenside operation followed by the exchange of the dark-squared bishops, the black knights will have stable squares in the centre.
126 22.J.b3 lLle5 23.De3 lLlbd7 24.l3bl �c5 (24...lLlxBt 25.lLlxf3 lLle5 26.g4 i.g6 27.i.d5 �b8=) 25 .id5 lLled3! (The •
knight is heading for f4. 25 ... �b8?! 26.a5!+
131
White's pieces are badly placed for this type of structure. It would be safer to go for plain equality by allowing the central pawns to be exchanged.
132
White will have problems maintaining the blockade on d4.
,
Chapter 7
-
1.e4 eS 2.�a otoo 3.AbS a6 4.Aa4 �f6 5.d3
For once, the first diagram of the chapter does not give a comprehensive picture of the system . that is going to be examined. White can play this seemingly modest pawn move anywhere between the 5th and the l Oth moves, which illustrates the wide range of positions that can arise. This slow way of developing was a favourite of Steinitz. In fact, his confidence in this set-up was such that he frequently employed it after 1 .e4 e5 2.llJf3 llJc6 3.ib5 llJf6, which implied that he later had to play .ia4-c2 with loss of time. We can assume that his successes against such players as Zukertort and Chigorin were due to his greater ability for forming long-term plans
rather than to the objective merits of 4.d3. Much later, in the modern era, the system based on d3 was occasionally used by strong players, up to world champions (or future world champions) whenever they did not feel well prepared against cenain main lines of the Ruy Lopez. In my opinion, d3 is the most consistent alternative to defending the e4-pawn with �e 1 . The advance of the d-pawn by just one square does not imply any kind of commitment (as is the case with �e2 or llJc3). White does not give up the plan of occupying the centre with c3 and d4 completely, but prefers to finish his development before doing that. Even though dl-d3-d4 basically looks like a loss oftime, it can easily turn against Black if he spends the offered tempo in an inappropriate way, by choosing the wrong plan or placing one of his pieces on an unfavourable sqllare. This explains why this system has value as a surprise weapon. Black is taken away from the main theoretical paths and forced to think independently from an early stage, in a position that is just as complicated strategically as the main lines. White can combine the permanent threat of d4 with a plan that is characteristic of the Giuoco Pianissimo (for funher details, please refer to Beating the Open Games) involving piece pressure against the enemy kingside (llJdl-fl g3, h3, llJh2, �f3, etc.). However, it should not be forgotten that Black can become active in the
170
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
centre as well, by playing ...d6-d5, if allowed. Given the slow nature of the play, one natural thought is that the general notion of development loses its significance almost completely. For years I was convinced that, given a tempo free of charge, Black could do whatever he wants in the opening and remain unpunished. The following game came as a very instructive cold shower.
Lopez Martinez - Marin Andorra 2001
1.e4 e5 2.�f3 �c6 3..tb5 a6 4..b4 �f6 5.d3 When played on the 5th move, d3 has two main significant points. The most obvious of these is that White is afraid of the Open variation (5.0-0 lL'lxe4) which, indeed, formed part ofmy main repertoire for years. Also, White advancing the d-pawn before the fS-bishop has been developed gives Black the additional possibility of ...g6 followed by ...Ag7, which might suggest that 5.d3 is less consistent than, say, 5.0-0 Ae7 6.d3. On the other hand, White can draw some advantage from the fact that he has not castled yet by transferring his queen's knight to g3 without having to spend a tempo on clearing the fl-square with gel . In certain cases, if the kingside attack starts looking promising, he can even castle long. For all that, prior to this game I had always considered that Black gets an excellent position in the Ruy Lopez when allowed to fianchetto his king's bishop. Bearing all these aspects in mind, the following sequence of moves is quite logical.
5...d6 Unlike against 5.lL'lc3 (see Chapter 1 1) Black does not need to play ...b5 before defending the e5-pawn. If White decides to switch to the Steinitz variation by means of 6.hc6t bxc6 7.d4, he would be a tempo down for nothing compared to the normal lines.
6.c3 In view of the threat ... b5 followed by ...lL'la5, White clears c2 for the bishop. Alekhine wrote that the necessity of weakening the d3-square speaks against the viability of White's plan and that Black has sufficient means to obtain at least equal play. This comment might sound a bit too radical, but it is entirely understandable if we take into account the 4th World Champion's enterprising style of play. Alekhine knew how to use time and space very well and felt at home when facing such solid but somewhat passive set-ups.
6....id7 7.�bd2 g6 8.�fl
White intends to play lL'lg3, ig5 and h4-h5, with a promising attacking position.
8...�h5�!
This is my own invention and a very successful one, since I had won all my previous games where this position had arisen. By ttansferring the knight to f4, Black intends to reduce White's attacking potential. The knight move to the edge of the board as a reaction to lL'lfl is familiar to us from some of the Chigorin lines. However, there is a significant difference here. The centre is not blocked yet, which will result in less stability for the knight on f4. Indeed, with the long diagonal not weakened yet by d4-d5, sacrificing a pawn as a result ofJ.xf4 . . . exf4 YlYxf4 is out of the question for Black.
The d3-System
From the general point of view of development, we should remark that Black will move three times with the same piece. True, White will do just the same, but the transfer of the knight to g3 is clearly improving White's position in general, while the consequences of �f6-h5-f4 are less clear.
9.�g3 White should not try to prevent Black's plan. One of my games went 9.Ji.g5 f6 10..ie3 Yge7 1 1 .�g3 �f4 12.J.xf4 exf4 13.itJe2 .ih6 14..ib3 �a5 1 5 ..tc2 0-0 16.Y9d2 f5 17.exf5 .ix5 18.0-0-0 c5 19.1'�del V!!fl 20.'i!lbl .leG 21 .itJcl .id5 22.i.dl tLlc6 23.h4 b5. Black soon obtained a devastating queenside attack in J. Johansson - Marin, Badalona 1 992.
9... �f4 10.0-0 i.g7 1 1.d4
Technically speaking, this was a novelty, but the real improvement over my older games came a few moves later. I had only previously faced 1 1 ..ie3. 1 1 ...0-0 12.d4 (12.Y9d2?! allows Black to consolidate after 12...Y9f6 13.d4 �ad8. White cannot challenge Black's stability on the dark squares easily. 14.tLlel h5 1 5 .�d3 i.h6 16.d5 tLle7 17..txd7 �xd7 1 8.8 c6 with active play, Stefanov - Marin, Romanian Championship, Predeal 1988.) 12...b5 13.i.c2?! (the more active 13.i.b3! would have transposed to the main game) 13 ...h5 14.d5 (This is an obvious concession, but White would not get anything tangible after 14.ed2 i.h6 either. For instance, 1 5.dxe5 dxe5 16.tLlxe5?! tLlh3t 17.gxh3 tLlxe5. Threatening a fork on 8. 18.V!!d5 Otherwise, the knight would soon jump to c4. 18 ....ixe3 1 9.exe5 �eB 20.YU5 i.f4+ White's extra pawn does not make itself felt, while the black bishops dominate the board.) 14... tLla5 1 5 .b3 W1f6 16.tLlel c5 17.dxc6?! White should not have freed the a5-knight so easily. 17... tLlxc6 I B.b4 a5 19.bxa5 tLlxa5 20.tLld3 �fcB Black had a wonderful position in Reyes - Marin, Thessaloniki 1 9BB.
1 l ...b5 12..tb3! This is the correct retreat. The bishop is much more active here than on c2. With the centre
171
under tension and his king still in the centre, Black has no time to play ...tLla5.
12 0-0 13..te3 'Bf6 .••
I do not remember my thoughts around this point, but probably I had vague memories of my oId games. Anyway, the djfference compared to the line given in the notes to the game against Reyes is that after 1 3...h5 14.dxe5 dxe5 1 5.Y9d2 .ih6 16.tLlxe5 tLlh3t 17.gxh3 �xe5 I B.Y9d5 .txe3 19.Y9xe5 Black has no time for 1 9...�eB because of 20."d5, hitting fl. Therefore, Black has to play 1 9...i.h6 when after 20.�adI;t White retains an active position, with possibilities of a central expansion by means of f4 and e5. We can conclude that Reyes' basic mistake was that he annihilated his own dynamic potential by moving an already developed piece to a passive square, which is equivalent to decreasing development.
14.dxe5!
White takes advantage of the favourable moment. The neutral 14.ed2 would have offered Black the tempo he needed to consolidate with 14...�adB",. Black's missing tempo after the text move illustrates the drawbacks of the manoeuvre ...�f6-h5-f4.
14...�xe5 15.�xe5 'Bxe5 16.'Bd2 .ih6 Black has lost part of his stability in the centre. The pin along the e3-h6 diagonal looks unpleasant, but there was nothing better. 16... g5 would weaken the light squares while if l6... tLle6? 17.f4 Y9f6 I B.f5 White would gain a decisive attack.
17J:iadl�
White has a space advantage and a more harmonious placement of his pieces. Black's position is defensible, but I could not adapt to the new circumstances and lost rather badly. Incidentally, a few hours later I learned that my opponent had been nicknamed Super-Lopez after winning the Spanish youth championship. Had I known this in advance, I would have chosen another opening, because, logically speaking, the Ruy Lopez has little chance of surviving the assaults of a Super-Lopez.
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
172
After this game, I actually extended my doubts to include Black's whole set-up involving ...g6 and ...,tg7 and came to the conclusion that Black should develop as quickly as possible, meaning that ...i.e7 should be preferred. I admit that this is highly subjective, but on the other hand it suits the structure of this book well. Since we are planning to meet 5.0-0 with 5 ...i.e7, we have to be prepared for 6.d3 avoiding the possibility of a kingside fianchetto, anyway. For the moment, we should just note that development remains a crucial issue in the d3system. Black should not be toying with tempi, just because White has temporarily refrained from opening the centre. The following game features a reversed scenario. This time it will be Black who will convert his lead in development into solid domination in what could seem to be a basically static posmon. •
•
•
Smyslov - Botvinnik Soviet Absolute Championship, Leningrad! Moscow 1 94 1
1.e4 e5 2.�f3 �c6 3ib5 a6 4.J.a4 �f6 5.d3 Smyslov's decision to defend the e4-pawn immediately cannot be regarded as excessively cautious. Botvinnik had employed the Open variation in the previous round of the same tournament and would play it once again a few days later. Apart from its historical interest, this detail is also relevant from a technical point of view, as highlighted by the next comment.
5 d6 6.c3 Ae7 •••
IfBotvinnik had prepared some long variation of the closed Spanish for this tournament, his last move would not have required any special comments. However, if one intends to deviate with 5 ...ttlxe4 (or some other active variation) in case of the customary 5.0--0, a small psychological problem arises. The natural temptation is to take advantage of the fact that White has played d3 at such an early stage
of the game and choose a better fate for the king's bishop; I have lived with this feeling for years ... And yet, the Patriarch chose the seemingly modest 6.:.J.e7 thus agreeing to make a small psychological concession in that the play will take the course White was hoping for. This strongly suggests that developing the bishop to e7 is at least not worse than the fiancherto.
7.().;.O ()...() 8.gel b5
White completely gives up the fight for the central squares, at least for the time being. Since the centre is not yet under tension, Black could have met the more active 9.i.b3 with a manoeuvre typical for the Chigorin variation, namely 9 ...ttla5 1 0.i.c2 c5, something I could not do in my game against Super-Lopez. We shall find out more about the differences between this position and the genuine Chigorin line in the comments to the next game.
9 d5! .••
The opening of the d-file, even at the cost of a tempo (d7-d6-d5), is a logical reaction to White's solid but somewhat passive set-up. If allowed to transfer his queen's knight to g3 and start active kingside operations, White would obtain a promising position. Black's main trump consists of his minimal lead in development, achieved as a result of the time spent by White's light-squared bishop reaching a passive position. In the main lines of the closed Ruy Lopez, White compensates for his undeveloped queenside with his superiority in the centre. Indeed, constructive pawn moves such as c3 and d4 can be considered as part of the general process of development. Here, the placement of the c- and d-pawns seems to suit Alekhine's sceptical description of the d3system.
lO.�bd2 Smyslov chooses the most solid plan. 1 0.exd5 is an important alternative. In fact, with the bishop on b3 this move would simply win a pawn, but here Black can answer with 1 0...�xd5. The position remains quite complicated. White's main plan is to combine
The d3-System
pressure against the e5-pawn with a well-timed activation of the light-squated bishop by means of d4 or, more simply, .ib3. However, if Black manages to consolidate his position he would have excellent chances, given his space advantage and the weakness ofthe d3-pawn. I I .llJ bd2 .ig4 Black pins the a-knight in order to somewhat release the pressure against the e5-pawn. If driven back with h3 and g4, the bishop would take the d3-pawn under observation. 1 2.h3 .ih5 1 3.Wfe2 gfe8 Indirectly defending the e5-pawn; White threatened g4. 14.llJe4 gad8
Black has completed the mobilization of his forces and enjoys an active centralized position. The only drawback of his set-up is the relatively exposed position of his queen. Otherwise, he would simply be better. The text move develops a piece and keeps the potential threat of exd5 in reserve.
lO dxe4 •••
By cleating the situation in the centre, Botvinnik retains the possibility of natural development. If Black intends to keep the possibility of transposing to the vatiation statting with 1 0.exd5 (in the event ofa later capture on d5) he has to play 1 0 ....ig4 but then White can change his plans with I l .h3 ih5 1 2.ib3 when the h5bishop risks remaining slightly misplaced, by leaving its white rival unchallenged on the a2g8 diagonal.
173
1l.dxe4 Ac6
In spite of having spent a tempo on opening the d-61e, Black is still slightly ahead in development. However, this does not give us a complete picture of the objective evaluation of the position. We have to take into account the quality of development as well. Let's compate the elements in order to gain a better perception of the position. White's queen's knight is temporatily placed in the way of its colleagues, whereas the c6knight is developed naturally and does not interfere with any of the black pieces. However, the d2-knight has cleat prospects of improving its situation by means of llJfl-e3, taking the important d5- and fS-squares under control. The c6-knight is more restricted in its actions. First of all, it is temporatily tied down to the defence of the e5-pawn, but even without that task it would not be possible to suggest an equally efficient manoeuvre as that available to its rival. It should also be mentioned that White has not spent three tempi with his king's bishop in vain. The bishop does not look impressive on c2, but it offers White some freedom of action by keeping the e4-pawn well defended. If Black decided to employ his king's bishop for a similat purpose, he would have to place it on d6, thus obstructing the d-file along which he is supposed to have activity.
174
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
However, Black has his own trumps regarding the placement of the minor pieces. The group formed by the c6-knight and the pair of bishops cooperate well together in keeping the white queenside under latent pressure. The e6-bishop keeps an eye on the a2-pawn, while if �e2 followed by lLlf1 it could harass Her Majesty by means of ...J\c4. If White tries to solve these two problems with b3, then ...h4 would cause a chronic weakness on the d4-square, which could be taken advantage of by the c6-knight and the e7-bishop with ...J\cS and ...lOd4. On the basis of all these aspects, the position should be evaluated as balanced, but rather complicated strategically.
12.h3
By taking the g4-square under control, White creates the threat of lLlgS. The immediate 12.lLlgS?! would lead nowhere because of 12...J\g4 when l3.f3?! would only make things worse after 13 ...J\d7 followed by ...h6.
12 h6 13.�h2 •••
This deviation from the main plan looks a bit risky. By leaving his knight on d2 for such a long time he delays the development of the whole queenside. True, after l3.1Of1 �xdl 14.�xdl �fd8, followed by exchanges along the d-file, White cannot claim any advantage. In the absence of queens, his kingside pressure would be rather harmless. However, 13.�e2 planning �dl and lLlf1-e3dS looks more consistent.
In the following illustrative line Black's dynamic plan matches White's superior flexibility. l3 ...J\cS (It is better to prepare the thematic knight manoeuvre f6-hS-f4 by putting the fL.-square under pressure. After the immediate l3 ... lLlhS?! White could bravely embark on the following forced line 14.lLlxeS lLlf4 IS.�e3 lLlxh3t 16.gxh3 lLlxeS I7.f4± when Black's lack of stability in the centre would leave him struggling.) 14.h4 J\a7 (the reason why this slightly unnatural retreat should be preferred to 14...J\b6 will become clear later) I S .a4 This is the only way to challenge Black's kingside plan of ... lLlhS, ...�f6 and ...lLlf4 or ...lLlg3. I S ... lLlhS 16.axbS lLlf4 1 7.�f1 axbS 1 8.�xbS �d7 Black defends his knight and creates the threat of ...hf2t. Ifhe had retreated his bishop to b6, he would have lacked this resource and lost an impottant tempo in his kingside attack. 1 9.1Ll b3 (Development above all! White activates his knight and opens the way for his queen's bishop. Or, to put it in a more concrete way, he had to challenge the f4-knight one way or another. The exchange sacrifice 1 9J�xa7 would lead to simplifications and approximate equality after 19 .. J'�xa7 20.lLlxeS lLlxeS 21 .�xeS lLlxh3t 22.gxh3 �a2=. 1 9.�a6 allows Black to start a powerful attack with 1 9...J.xh3!.) 1 9...�fb8 (after 1 9...J.xh3?! 20.lLlxeS! the f4knight would be hanging if we compare with the recommendation against 19.�a6) 20.lLlxe5 (Only this tactical resource keeps White in the game. 20.�f1 ? would lead to disaster after 2o ...lLlxh3t 21 .gxh3 when White gets mated or loses the queen. 21 ...J.xh3-+) 20...lLlxe5 21 .�xd7 (21 .�xeS? would misplace the queen badly in view of 2 1 .. .hb3 22.hb3 hf2t! when the bishop is taboo because of the fork on d3 and the aI-rook will perish.) 2 1 ...�xh3t! The knight was doomed anyway, so it is better to cause some damage to White's kingside structure. 22.gxh3 lLlf3t An impottant intermediate check, forcing the king to go to the comer. 23.�hl (23.�g2 loses material to 23...lOxe1t while after 23.�f1 hd7 24.�dl J.xh3t 2S.�e2 J\g4+ the king feels rather insecure)
1 75
The d3-System
23 .. ..ixd7 24.l3dl has
been
.bh3 Material equality
re-established
after
spectacular
White's time. This also causes a temporary lack of coordination in White's camp. A lead in development is not always easy
complications. Black is not worse.
13 /t)h7!?
by simple
•••
means.
to
maintain
When the opponent is
Now that the g5-square has become available,
almost ready to level the situation, we need
Black prepares the activation (or the generally
some concrete thinking in order to retain our
dark-squared
advantage. Black's last move is characteristic of
favourable
exchange)
of his
bishop.
14./t)g4 Ag5 IS.Bel Bd6
such situations. Allowing the exchange for the other knight
move. The more natural
(by �xg5) would have made less sense, of
1 5 ...ee7, leaving the d-file available for the
course. The f3-knight has not only needed less
rooks, could have been met by 16.�e3 l3fdB
time to reach its current position, but is also less
17.�d5 when 17 ....bd5? I B.exd5 l3xd5? loses
well placed than its colleague.
A very
accurate
material to 1 9.hh7t �xh7 20.ee4t.
16./t)e3 �Ud8
has more or less completed his development, while his opponent has just Black
18.Bxe3 White could have connected rooks with IB.he3, but after I B ....tc4 he would have been forced to step back in development with
hopped around with an already developed
1 9.edl when play could continue: 19 ...�f6
has a long way to go before he has a dear target, since the position
20.ebl (otherwise Black could meet White's
.. knight. However, Black
has a half-closed character. One detail to note is Botvinnik's choice regarding which rook to place on the d-file. With his last move he cleared the ffi-square for
next move with ..AdJ, with chances to take .
over the control of the d-file) 20 ... �ffi 21 .�d2
Ae6 Followed by ...�g6-f4 with active play for Black.
18 fte7 •.•
the knight in view of its eventual transfer to
Now that the danger of an invasion to d5 has
g6 and left the other rook on the a-file, for the
disappeared, the queen retreats to the square left
eventuality of active operations with ...a5-a4.
available by the bishop, in order to allow the
17./t)a
rooks to take control of the d-file.
19.�h2 The
second
knight
initiates
manoeuvre as its fallen comrade.
17 ..be3 .
Black exchanges his bishop for the optimally placed knight that has consumed so much of
the
same
176
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
19 �f8 •.•
Botvinnik correctly considered this move to be inaccurate as it leads to the loss of two tempi. Instead, he recommended the immediate 19...gd7. However, in this case White could have played 20.�g3 threatening not only .ixh6 but also to activate his dark-squared bishop with f4 (after the preliminary ttJg4). I assume that during the game this was precisely the plan Botvinnik was afraid of when deciding to bring his knight one step closer to the f4-square. The far from easy task of increasing the pressure along the d-file while keeping things under control on the kingside could have been fulfilled by 19 ...gd6!? For instance: 20.�g3 i.c4 (defending the h6-pawn and threatening ...gad8 followed by ...!d3) 21 .b3 (preventing Black's plan, but weakening the c3-square) 21...gg6 22.�e3 !e6 Suddenly, it is Black who has attacking chances on the kingside. He could combine his attack with the invasion of the d4square after weakening it with ...b4.
20.Wa gd7 21.�fl �h7
Black returns the knight to this square in order to prepare ... �f6 as an answer to the coming ttJg3-f5, without fearing ttJxh6t. However, the waste of two tempi is a significant concession. A better solution to the threatened activation of the white knight would have been 2l ...gad8 22.ttJg3 !c4 23.ttJf5 �e6 when after 24.!e3 !d3 (the greedy 24...ha2? allows White to obtain a dangerous initiative with 25.�g4 ttJg6 26.h4±) 25.!b3 !c4 White would have to agree to either the weakening of the d3-square by exchanging bishops or an immediate draw by repetition.
22.�g3 gadS 23.�f5 Wf6 24.g4?!
This and the next move are the product of rather one-sided thinking. Smyslov probably felt obliged to attack on the kingside and completely forgot about development. In addition, the weakness of the f4-square will soon tell. He should have played 24.!e3 when Black could have kept the balance with 24...a5 25.gedl a4 ensuring himself of complete control of the a2g8 diagonal, and planning either ...ttJa5-c4 or ...ttJe7.
24...�e7 Black clears the way for his c-pawn, puts the f5-knight under some pressure, and brings his knight closer to the weak h4- and f4-squares.
25.Wg3
25.b3, aiming to prevent the occupation of the d3-square by the black bishop, could have been answered by a change of plans with 25...ttJc6 followed by ...b4 and the occupation of the d4-square.
25 ..tc4 26.a ••
This move isolates White's pieces on opposite wings from each other, and allows Black to carry out his plan along the d-file. White could have tried to put up resistance with 26.ge3, preventing the invasion of the d3-square. Play could have continued: 26...ttJg6 27.b3 !e6 2SJ''U� {1here is no way back. If2S.gel Black can safely jump into f4 because after 2S...ttJ f4 29.hf4 exf4+ the c3-pawn would be hanging.) 2S . .ixf5 29.gxf5 (White is best advised to keep the hl a8 diagonal closed. After 29.exf5? ttJh4 30.ge3 ttJg5 followed by ...�c6, his situation would be critical. Please note the perfect coordination of Black's forces and the chaos reigning in the white army.) 29.. J:;!dl t!? (Otherwise, it is not easy to develop the initiative. Now, 29...�h4 30.ge3 ttJg5?! would be answered by 3 1 .'it>f1! threatening Wxh4 without fearing the activation of the black queen along the hl as diagonal.) 30..hdl gxdlt 3 1 .'it>h2 ttlf4 In view of the threat of ...ttJg5, Black has excellent ..
_0 -
The d3-System
compensation for the sacrificed exchange. White should probably make a tacit draw offer by means of32..ib2 �d2 33.il.cl .
27..tb3 c5 30.h4 �eQ
c4 29..td1 �g5
Black has firm control of the position. Botvinnik went on to win after a complicated fight. Let's draw some conclusions. Given the half closed character of the position, the concept of development should be treated with care. White's greater 8exibility can compensate for one or two tempi of delay. On the other hand, White should not neglect the mobilization of his queenside for too long, because this would eventually allow Black to take control. The next game will familiarize us with the situation where Black is allowed to carry out Chigorin's plan (...liJa5 followed by ...c5) with the only difference being that the white d-pawn has advanced only one square. It will also give us a hint about the best way for Black to prepare for the predictable "loss of time" d3-d4.
Korchnoi
-
Petrosian
Candidates Tournament, Curacao 1 962
1.e4 Throughout his remarkably long career, Korchnoi's main repenoire with White has been based on l .d4 and l .c4, but he occasionally played 1 .e4 in those cases when he considered that his opponent felt less confident in the open games. In Curacao he had already experimented with 1 .e4 against Petrosian. That game is examined in the chapter dedicated to the Petrosian system.
2.�f3 �c6 3..ib5 a6 4..ia4 �f6 5.0-0 .ie7 6.�e1 b5 7..ib3 0-0 S.d d6 9.d3 �d7
1 ...e5
The start of an interesting plan. Apparendy, the main reason why Black transfers this knight to the queenside is to put some pressure on that pan of the board. However, there are some other hidden finesses in this manoeuvre. The control of the d5-square is rather important with the prospect of the manoeuvre tt:lfl-e3, but
177
the knight was not entirely stable on f6, being vulnerable to g4-g5, .ig5, or h3 and liJh2-g4. Therefore, a knight placed on b6 is better suited for the job of defending d5. Apart from that, by leaving open the diagonals of both bishops Black discourages any active kingside operations. This is a perfect illustration ofPetrosian's phenomenal powers of anticipation and prophylaxis: he was able to dismande an attack (or simply an active plan) long before it even started. However, from the point of view of our repenoire, the move order 9 ...liJa5 1 0.il.c2 c5 I l .liJbd2 liJd7 12.liJfl liJb6 is more relevant.
IO.�bd2 �b6 1 1.�fl �a5 12..tc2 c5 13.�e3
The main difference compared with the normal lines based on h3 and d4 consists of the fact that both sides have more freedom to manoeuvre at this stage of the game. The outcome of the opening largely depends on each player's ability to make use of this freedom. Up to this point, there is nothing with which to reproach either player.
13...�c6 14.h3
This move is useful in those cases where White plays an early d4, because it prevents ....ig4 putting pressure on the d4-square. However, what is the point of this move in a position where the g4-square is already under control? Korchnoi might have understood that if 14.d4 (hoping to compensate for the loss of tempo with the omission of h3, if compared to the main lines of the Chigorin) 1 4... cxd4 1 5.cxd4 .if6 16.d5 liJd4 Black would gain excellent counterplay. 1 4.h3 can be considered a useful, half-waiting move, eventually preparing the retreat of the knight to h2 and inviting Black to define his intentions. The position after the text move can be obtained through a different move order, if after the customary 9.h3 liJa5 l O .ic2 c5 White deviates from the main course of the Chigorin variation with 1 1 .d3. .
14....ie6!
The most principled reaction. By developing a piece in the centre, Black discourages any
•
178
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
plan on the wing based on lDh2. However, Petrosian's main merit is that he evaluated the consequences of the next move better than his opponent.
15.d4
Apparently, Korchnoi had great hopes for this move. Because of the threatened fork with d5, Black is virtually forced to release the tension in the centre. However, this is the moment when Korchnoi's lack of experience with 1 .e4 made itself felt. He might have overlooked the fact that there are certain lines of the Chigorin where the double exchange on d4 leads to a playable position for Black. The relative weakness of the d6-square can be compensated for by higher piece activity. In this particular case the loss of tempo d3-d4 (h3 was played anyway) certainly helps Black get dynamic play. A more consistent continuation would have been 1 5 ..ib3.
said that 22.exd5 .if6 would have given Black a dream position.
22...Af6
Another piece occupies an active position. The presSure against the b2-pawn creates considerable problems for White in completing his development.
23J�bl geS 24.gdl 'ffe7
Black has completed the mobilization of his forces while White is playing with only a few of his pieces. Probably feeling uncomfortable, Korchnoi initiates some simplifications. However, this will only partly solve his problems since Petrosian's pieces have occupied the best squares in advance.
'hc4 26.'ffxd6 'ffxe4
15...ad4 16.ad4 �xd4 17.�xd4 ad4 lS;'ffxd4
27
This is the position both sides had been aiming for. The slight lead in development ensures Black some initiative, but will he be able to eliminate the weakness of the d6-pawn?
lS... gc8 19.'ffd3 g6 20.Ab3 �c4 21.�d5 .b:d5 22.'ffxd5
With better development, the control of this square would have offered White a stable advantage, but the queen is well known as a bad blockading piece. However, it should be
27.'ifxf6 19'xbl 28..ih6 was not possible because of 28...'ifxdl t 29.'it>h2 'ifd4 parrying the threat and winning. With 27..ie3 White finally completed his development and is entitled to hope for equality in the near future. As mentioned before, some of Black's pieces occupy active sqlJares but they are not too stable there. Black has to play actively in order to maintain his minimal advantage.
27...ge6 28.tfb8t Wg7 29.b3 g� White cannot neutralize Black's pressure easily. Petrosian went on to win a fine game. The conclusion is that Black has favourable ways of preparing to meet the potential threat of .
The d3-System
dard kingside attack time. And yes, the advance of the
d4 while preventing a
stan
at the same d-pawn in two moves can be a significant loss of tempo.
FmaUy, we should become f.uniliar with the
1 79
Let's take a more detailed look at the d3labyrinth.
I.d: e5 2.�a �c6 3..ib5 a6 4.h4 �f6 5.0-0 5.d3 can have independent value if after
numerous move orders at White's disposal and
5 ...d6 6.c3 J.e7 White plays 7.li:)bd2 0-0 8.li:)fl .
the best reactions from Black. There
Black should take advantage of the presence of the king in the centre and the lack of pressure the e5-pawn by opening play in the
some essential ideas to be taken into account. Black should not play b5 before all his other useful are
.•.
moves have bec:D made, because this would allow White to stan active queenside operations .
centre with 8...b5 9..ib3 d5.
5 .Ae7 6.JL:I ••
with a4 at an earlier stage than is desirable for Black. This could force either the advance of
path. If 6.d3 d6 7.c3 then Black should play
the b-pawn to b4, which would
the
7.. ;0-0 (as mentioned above, the premature
queenside light squares, or · the development of the queen's bishop to b7, where it would
7...b5 gives White additional possibilities after 8 ..ib3 0-0 9.a4 tLla5 10 ..ia2 c5 1 1 .li:)a3 with some initiative) and only after 8.li:)bd2 drive the
weaken
be passively placed, hitting the weU defended
For the moment, we are following the main
e4-pawn. These two options are typical for the Anti-Marshall systems, which are playable
bishop away with 8 ...b5 followed by either ... d5
for Black but are supposed to offer · White a stable tiny edge. It is worth noting that in the
the bishop reueats to.
Anti-Marshall Black frequently transfers his queens bishop back to e6 once the development of his other pieces has been completed. For further details, consult chapter 10 dedicated to the situation where White plays a4 with his . d-pawn on its initial square (on the 8m or 9m move).
or ...li:)a5 and ... c5, depending on which square
6...b5 7..tb3 d6 8.d 0-0 9.h3 9.d3 was the move order chosen by Korchnoi in the game examined above.
9. .�a5 IO..ic2 c5 1 1.d3 .
Now, Black should also carry out Petrosian's plan with
1 1 �d7 12.�bd2 �c6 13.�f1 �b6 •••
This is likely to transpose to 9.d3.
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
1 80
6
7
2 ... •••
3 ...
8
• ••
•••
•••
•••
9
10
a6 4..ia4 �f6 5.d3 d6
II
12
�g37 a5!?8
a4
13
14
15
-.
h316 dxe4
.ie32S 'Bd7
0-0 0-0
•••
4
1.e4 e5 2.�f3 �c6 3..ib5
0-0
Bd2?!� .lc23S b5 bxc4
.hd4
.ie7
exd4
l.e4 e5 2.�f3 �c6 3 .tb5 a6 4.h4 �f6 5.0-{) lie7 6.d3 d6 7.c3 0-0 8Jlel .
9
5
10
Ac2" d5
11
12
13
14
h347 h6
S3 d4 7 ad4
ad4 �c6
d5 �b4
.AblS4
h3S' Ae6/iO
d461 ad4
ad4
d4 ad4
ad4
d5 �xd467 �fl �d466 ad4
9
�e3 �c6
10'"...
.Af6
a5
�a
b4
.Ab2 tlc5
18
-
tle2'2 d363
h3 Ae6
and enables the retreat of the bishop to c2 in of emergency. Allowing the bishop to be
exchanged by .. b5 and ... �a5 hardly offers any .
chances for an advantage.
6.h3
�e3
IUd8
I White increases his control over the centre case
17
�bdrO h3 Ah5 'But53' .Ag4 �bd24S dxe4 dxe4* Ae6
..
16
exd538
6 ... .
15
b5
b5 7..tb3 �a5 8.�c3 .te7 9 ..ie3 0-0
1O.'lYfe2 �e8 I l .g4 In the absence of the light-
-
ad5
tlbS
IIbl �a4"
�g3 g6
a4 �d7
axb5 axbS
1rd2 1rb6
-
squared bishops, such attacking actions have little
chance of being crowned with success.
1 1 ...�xb3 12.axb3 b4 13.�a4 c5 14.tld2 �d7 1 5.0-0-0 .ib7 1 6J�hfl d5+ Sultan Khan Rubinstein, Scarborough 1 930.
-
6.�bd2 b5 7..Ab3 �a5 8.�fl Ae7 �m3 10.axb3 0-0 11.�e3 g6 ( 1 1...d5=)
181
The d3-System
12.h3 c6 B.g4 fte8 14.1re2 .AtB 15.0-0?!
( l 5.0-0-0?! offers Black good attacking chances after 1 5 ...a5. However, 1 5.lLl£I Ae6 16.lLlg3 would have been more in the spirit of White's kingside set-up.) 15 d5; The e4-pawn is insufficiently defended, requiring a further loss of time from White. 16.�g2 J.,,7 17.�h2 �d7! The knight is heading for e6, where it will keep the important d4- and f4-squares under control. 18.Whl �ftl I9.a �e6 20.1rf2 c5 Black is expanding his central domination. 21.J.e3 1rd6 22.1rg3 .tb7-F Yates - Tarrasch, Semmering 1926. 6.c4!? is an old plan introduced by Duras. "'W"'hite aims to win space in the centre, but the rdative weakness of the d4-square offers Black sufficient counterchances. 6 ..te7 7.h3 Preventing ....tg4, which would undermine White's control of the d4-square. 7...0-0 8..te3 (S.O-O transposes to 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 Ae7 7.c4) 8 �d7 (S...lLla7!? is an interesting atrempt to neutralize White's space advantage. 9.lLlc3 c5 1 0.g4?! With his light-squared bishop cut off from the kingside, White has no real chances for an attack. The advance of the g-pawn will only leave him with weaknesses. He should have restrained himsdf to more neutral play, such as castling and completing his devdopment. 10... lLlc6 1 1 .,ixc6 Preventing ...lLld4 but also depriving himsdf of the d5-square. 1 1 ...bxc6 12.lLle2 lLle8 The reserve knight is heading for d4. 13.lLlg3 lLlc7 14.lLlf5 lLle6+ Mrva - Romanishin, Kaskady 2002.) 9.�c3 .if6! �...lLld4 (9 ...lLlc5?! 10.,ixc6 bxc6 1 1 .,ixc5 dxc5+ Yudasin) 10.�e2 (l0.lLld5 lbd4=; 10.,ixc6 bxc6 1 1 .0-0 :gbS � . . . c5=) 10 �d4!? Now the a4-bishop risks remaining a mere spectator. 1 1.�exd4 exd4 12.�xd4 (12.,ixd4 ,ixd4 13.lbxd4 �f6 wins the pawn back with a comfortable position) 12 c5 •••
••
•••
•••
•••
B.�e2 b51? 14..tb3 hb2 15.ftbl .if6=
2 By ddaying castling, White intends to win time by transferring the queens knight to the opposite wing without the necessity of clearing the £I-square. If the centre remains closed, he might consider leaving his king in the centre
for a longer time, in order to use his rook for attacking purposes along the h- or g-files.
3 The
bishop retreats to an active, but also vulnerable square.
4
In other lines of the system based on d3, Black refrains from opening the position with the enemy bishop on b3, fearing that his centre would be submitted to strong pressure after exd5. However, in this concrete case White is underdevdoped, which makes such a rdease of the tension in the centre completdy inoffensive for Black.
5 10.�g3
a5 (10...dxe4 l 1 .dxe4 'i«xdl t 12.hdl .tc5 13.b4 Ad6 14.a4;1; Shabanov - Mjasnikov, Tula 2003) 1 1 .0--0 ( l 1 .a4 dxe4 12.dxe4 'i«xdl t 13.,ixdl b4=; 1 1 ..tg5 Ae6 1 2.a4 dxe4 1 3.dxe4 �xdIt 14.,ixdl b4= �...:gabS, ...lbd7-c5) 1 1 ...a4 12.Ac2 dxe4 13.dxe4 �xdl 14.:gxdl .te6= 10.ad5 lbxd5 l 1 .lbg3 .te6 12.�e2 a5 . transposes to the main line.
6
The most logical continuation. Black continues his devdopment without rdeasing the tension in the centre. 10 che4 1 1 .dxe4 Ae6 12.,ixe6 fXe6 13.lbg3± left Black struggling in the famous game Fischer - Smyslov, Havana 1965. 10 d4 11.�g3 (1 1 .cxd4? lbxd4 12.lbxd4 �xd4 13.Ae3 Ab4t 14.lbd2'i«xb2+Grabczewski -Pfleger, PolanicaZdroj 1971) H ...a5!? 12.0-0?! (White should put up some resistance on this wing with 12.a4! dxc3. Now, 13.bxc3 b4 would leave him with chronic weaknesses on the dark squares, but 13.axb5 is better� 13 ...cxb2 14.,ixb2 lbd4 1 5.lbxd4 Ab4t 16.'i!l£I exd4 White has the more compact structure, but his b5-pawn is vulnerable and his king prevents the rooks from getting connected. The position remains complicated.) 12 a4 B.Ac2 ge8 (13 ...dxc3 14.bxc3 b4 Shchekachev - Svirin, Smolensk 1992, 15.d4!±) 14.33 Ac5 15.h3 Yfd6 16.�h2 Ae6=F Black's domination in the centre and on •••
•••
•••
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
182
the queenside is more significant than White's attacking chances, Zakharov - Bakulin, Moscow 1962.
7
I l .lLlg5?! J.g4 12.f3 J.cS! 13.exd5 lLla5+ Alekhine
8 This move, suggested by Stoica, is the best way to make use of the advantage in the centre. White cannot prevent the further advance of the a-pawn because of the vulnerability of his light-squared bishop. 1 1 ...�a5 12..Ac2dxe4 (12 ...lLlc6 13.d4 exd4 14.e5 lLld7 15.cxd4 lLlb4 16.J.bl c5 17.lLlf5±) 13.dxe4 (13.lLlxe4 Alekhine - Brinckmann, Triberg 192 1 , 13 ...lLlc6 14.0-0 lLlxe4 1 5.\!!Yxe4 J.d5 16.\!!Ye2 geS=) 13 ..Ac4 14 •d2 (14.\!!Ye3? lLlg4 1 5.\!!YdZ J.c5-+) 14 �c6 15.�f5 Black is out of immediate danger, but even in the absence ofqueens his kingside will be submitted to some annoymg pressure. ••
•
•••
•
9 12.exd5
llJxdS 13.llJxeS (This capture is obviously risky. The relatively better 13.0-0 transposes to the main line.) 13...llJxeS 14.\!!YxeS J.f6 1 5.\!!YhS (1S.\!!Ye2 llJxc3!=t) 1 5 ...g6 ( 1 S ...llJxc3 16..txe6 fxe6 17.0-0 llJdS=) 16.\!!Yh6 a4 17.,AxdS \!!YxdS+ 12.�g5 a4 13.llJxe6 (13.Ac2) 13...fxe6 14.J.c2 a3 � ...b4, with domination on the dark squares. 12.a4? and 12.a3? both lose material to 12...dxe4!-+.
10 13.J.c2 d4+ 11
14...a3 1 5.d4 axb2 16.,Axb2 helps White complete his development in a harmonious way, although his struccure is somewhat weakened.
18.,ibl ge8 White has the better structure, but faces problems due to his lack of space on both wings. A possible (unforced) continuation is
19.d4 f5 20.�ed2 i.f6 21..id3 .id5 22.'f!Ydl 'f!Yd7 23.Ll gxelt 24.'f!Yxel . g5� when I would definitely prefer Black.
13 The bishop is more safely placed here, but fails to put any pressure on Black's position.
ge8
14
(10 ...J.e6 I l .lLlg5?! J.g4 12.f3 J.cS+ XlLlg5, Ar. Vajda - H. Wagner, Hamburg 1930) I V�:lg3 J.m 12.0-0 dxe4 (12...J.e6 �...\!!Yd6, ...gadS, Alekhine) 13.dxe4 .Ae6 14.b3?! Xc3, d4. (14.a4 b4 1S.aS Alekhine 1 5 ...i.c4 16.ge1 gbS=) 14 ..ig4 1 5 •e2 �h5 16.gadl .f6 17.h3 (17.lLlxhS J.xh5 I S.h3 b4 19.J.d3= Alekhine 19...bxc3 20.,Axc3 18 •xa .xa 19.9xf3 .ic5+) 17 �f4+ 20.mh2 (20.J.xf4 exf4 2 1 .lLle2 Ad6+ Alekhine) 2O M 21.gfel Bad8 (21 ...gedS! � ...aS-a4, Alekhine) 22.�e2 'heI2 (22...lLlxe2 23.�e2 as 24.J.e1 bxc3 2S.,Axc3 J.b4 26.�dS �dS 27..Ab2 J.d2 2S.c,i;.>g2 f6 29.Aa3 llJb4-+ Alekhine) 23-"lxc12 b:u3 24.�:u3 AM 25.ge3 �d4+ Tartakower - Reti, New York 1924. .•
•
•
•••
15 Black has no reason to change his set-up compared to the variations with Ab3. Xg4. 1 1.�e3?! d4+ 12.cxd4?! Ab4t 1 3.AdZ �xd4+; 1 1.exd5 llJxdS 12.llJg3 llJf4 13.J.xf4 exf4 14.llJe4 ge8+; 1 1.�g3 dxe4 12.dxe4 J.c4 1 3.•dZ (13.•e3? llJg4 14.ti'dZ J.cS) 13.. .AcS 14.b3 Ae6 I S.0-0 (l S.b4 Ab6 [�...aS, �. .J.c4] 16.a4? llJg4 17.0-0 .ic4+) I S ...b4
16
.
17 The
12 16.�e4 M After the exchange ofWhite's
queen starts feeling uncomfortable and White is involved in concrete play before his attack has started.
dark-squared bishop, undermining the d4- and c3-squares by means of the massive advance of the a- and b-pawns becomes more effective. (16...a3 17.b4!) 17.a3 (l7.d4 a3+) 17 b3
18 13 �h5 14.g3 .d6 15.b3 Ae6 16..tb2 �f6 17.gdl .c5 18.'lYxc5 .Axe5 19.me2 (�lLle3) 19 a5� �a4, XAa2, b3
•••
•••
•••
I S3
The d3-System •
19 14.�3d2
.ic5 (l4.. ..ie6 1 5.%Ye2 b4 1 6.lLIe3 .ic5+) 1 5.%Yf3 .ie6 1 6.g4?! (16.lLIe3=) 1 6...lLIe7+ 17.lL\b3 lLIg6!? (l7....id6 IB ..id a5+) I B.lLIxc5 lL\xc5 19.%Yg3 (l9.h4 %Yd7 20..le3 lL\d3t 2 1 .hd3 Y«xd3 · 22.h5 lL\f4 23J!dl 1Yc2+) 1 9...%Yd7 20.h4 !!adB+ Mason - Teichmann, Leipzig I B94. 14.�1d2 .ic5 (l4....ie6 1 5.0-0 a5 16.'l!fe2 \!fbs 17..id3 b4 1B ..ic4 hc4 1 9.1LIxc4 %Yb5=) 15.'l!fg5 .ie6 (a . . . f6) 1 6.%YxdS !!fxdB 17.lL\g5 lLIffi=
27
Black an avoid ... !!feS beause the pressure against the e5-pawn does not make itself felt yet. 16.lLIxeS?! (l6..id2 .ig6=; 1 6...lL\db4!? 17.cxb4 lL\d4 1B.lL\xd4! he2 17.�xd7 �xe3 18.&e3 1 9.1L\xe2i) Jhci7 20.gedl Bfd8; Dvoirys - Balashov, Cheliabinsk 1 99 1 .
28 This
is another form of carrying out Duras' plan.
29 7 .j,g4!l 8.h3 ••
20
Once the queenside dark squares have been weakened, it makes sense to give up the light-squared bishop for a knight. However, 14....ie6 (a ...b4, Xd4) is also playable. 1 5.lL\g5 hg5 1 6.%Yxg5 b4 17.Y«g3 bxc3 I S.Ag5! f6 1 9.1Yxc3 lL\d4 20..ie3 c5 21 ..id3= Mc4
(B..ie3 0-0 9.lLIbd2 !!b8
1 0.h3 b5=) 9. 0-0 (lO.Ad!?! lLId7 1 1 .%Yg3 .ih4 1 2.Y«g4 lL\c5 1 3..ih6 .if6+ [Xd4, .M3] 14.lLIc3 lL1xd3 15.lLId5 cj{hB 1 6..ie2 lLIc5 17..ie3 lL\e6+ Griinfeld Averbakh, Szczawno Zdroj 1 950. 1 0..ie3 lL\d4 I l .hd4 exd4 12.lL\d2 c6= a ... lL\d7, . . . b5) 10 bxm I t.c�c3 ( l 1 ..ie3 !!b8 12.b3 d5=) 1 l BbS 12.Bbl 0d7 13.Yi'g3 (l 3..ie3 .ig5=) •••
21 16..lb2�e6 17JMl 'ffb8 (17....id6 1 8.g3 'l!ff6 19.cj{g2 !!fdB=) 18.BdS U6 ( 1 8 ...lL\f4?! 1 9.93! lL\xd5 20.exd5t) 19.�M (l9.g3 lL\e7 20.!!dl .ic5 2 1 .'l!fe2 c6=) 19 �e7 20.Bdl .tcs 21.Yi'a BdS 22.g3 Bxdlt 23.Yi'xdl Ba7
•••
B AM 14 •g4 0c5 IS.Bdl 0e6 · 16.M Ags 17 g6.. •
•••
•••
(The queen would have been more actively placed after 23 ...Y«b6, for instance: 24.%Ye2 !!dB a25.lL\f3 lL\g6 26..ic1 .id6 27.cj{g2 Y«a5+) 24.Be2 !!dS 2S.�g2?! (25.lL\f3 lL\g6 26..ic1=)
26.�a .ie3 27.Bel JLh�
AI.
Vajda - Alekhine, Semmering 1 926.
22 Black has finished his neutral moves and has to start concrete play.
23 10.!!e1 dxe4 I l .dxe4 transposes below.
30 8 0d4!? 9.0c3 (9.lL\xd4 exd4 1 0.lL\d2 c6 a...b5) 9 0xat 10.1Jxa c6 1l.Ae3 Ae6 12..ib3 0d7 B.d4 exd4 14.hd4 cS!? IS.J.e3 .if6 16.Badl b5= G. Guseinov - Beliavsky, •••
•••
Moscow 2005.
31
9.lL\c3 .if6 1 0.lL\d5 lL\c5 1 1 ..ie3 lL\e6= Pfeiffer - Sliwa, Sofia 1 957.
32
bxc6 1 1.lL\c3 (1 l .d4 !!b8! 12.b3 exd4 1 3.hd4 c5=) 1 1 .. .c5 12.lL\d5 !!b8 1 3.!!bl c6= 10.c5!? lL\xc5 (10...lL\d4 I l .cxd6 c5!?) 1 1 ..txc6 bxc6 12.hc5 dxc5 13.lL\a3 (13.Y«c2 c4=) 1 3 ....ie6 14.%Y� alLlc4 White has achieved stability on the light squares, but Black can also be satisfied because of his bishop pair and, let's not forget, his extra pawn. .
24 If White refrains
from !!e 1 , Black is not forced to place his king's rook on e8 either. The insertion of these moves would lead to a transposition to the vatiation 9.!!el d5 10.exd5 below.
25
14.a4!? b4+
26 1S.0g3 J.g6 (Xd3) 16.d4 (16J�adl lL\d5) 16 exd4 17.0xd4 lL1d5= •••
33 12 0c5 13.0exd4 hcl4 14.0xd4 .£6 15.0e2 (15.lL\f3? .ixh3! leaves White's pieces hanging) IS •xb2 16..ic2 !!e8 (16...f5 17.f3 •••
•..
a17 . . . fxe4 1 8.d4 lL\d3 1 9.!!b l ! %Ya3 20.fxe4t;
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
184
16 ...�f6 17.d4 tLle6 18.f4t) 17.d4! (17.f3 �f6 1 8.d4 tLle6 19.f4 cSco) 17...l()xe4 18.1M�
34 13.ixd7 ixd7 14.tLlf4= L\tLldS
weaknesses. However, the weakness of the back rank prevents White from achieving anything concrete by capturing the pawn with 13.tLlxeS. For instance, 13 ...tLlxeS 14.�xeS ixd3 I S.�xdS �xdS=. 13.tLlbd2 ixd3=) 13 •d7 •••
35 14.cxbS tLlb6 IS.b3 .id7t 36 15 l()b6 (1S ...tLleS+) 16••d3= g6 17.�d2 (17.tLlf4=) 17 a5 18.f4 d5! 19.b3 •••
•••
,Aa6; G. Guseinov - Jenni, Plovdiv 2003.
37 White aims to prevent the typical Chigorin set-up, based on ...tLlaS followed by ...cS. However, the bishop fails to put any pressure on the centre, allowing Black to carry out the thematic break ... dS under favourable clfcumstances. •
-
14.cxb5 axb5 15.l()xe5 l()xe5 16••xe5 gfeS 17.l()c3, Colle - Rubinstein, Baden-Baden 1925, 17 l()g4! 18 •f4 f6 19 .ih4 gS-+ 1 1.i.b3 is premature because it leaves the d3-pawn insufficiendy defended. 1 1 •d6 12.l()xe5? (12.d4 exd4 transposes to l 1.d4; •
•.•
•
•••
12.tLlbd2! �xd3 13.tLlxeS tLlxeS 14J''lxeS !le8 IS_�f3=) 12 l()xe5 13if4 l()fg4 14 •e2 (14..ig3 ii.h4!! I S.ixh4 tLlf3t!-+) 14 .J.h4! (14...�xd3 I S.ixeS �xe2 16.!lxe2 tLlxeS 17.!lxeS .id6 1 8.!le1 .ib7+ Fox - Lasker, Trenton Falls 1906) (1S.g3 ge8! [LL.tLlf3t] 16.tLld2 .ib7-+) 15...jxf2t 16 •xf2 •
•••
••
•
38 10.d4 l()xe4 1 1.l()xe5 l()xe5 12.dxe5, Ar. Vajda - I. KOnig, Berlin 1925, 12 51? 1 (13.f3 tLlcS 14.tLld2 tLle6= L\....tb7,
l()xe5 17.gfl l()xd3 18.hf'7t �b.8+
•••
...cS; 13.tLld2 .icS!? 14J''!e2 Ae6 IS.tLlb3 .tb6 16.tLld4 .e7=) 13 l()xf6 14.•d3 (14.tLld2?! tLlg4 I S.tLlf3 .icS 16J''!e2 .d6+; 14.tgS .tcS I S.ii.h4 .d6+) 14 g6 15.J.h6 (1S-tgS .if5 16.•d2 ixc2 17.•xc2 li)e4=i=) 15 .ftf7 16.i.b3 •.•
•••
••
c6F
41 14.g4 .lg6 15.l()h4 gad8 16.l()xg6 h.xg6 17.l()e4, Pilnik - Matanovic, Beverwijk 19S7, 17 a5 (This is a necessary preparation •••
of the manoeuvre initiated by .l()d7. The immediate 17...tLld7? would lose to 18 ..ib3.) 18.a4 (18.tLlxf6t .ixf6 1 9.•e4 a4=) 18 M 19.i.e3 Now the b3-square has been weakened, enabling 19 l()d7= intending . __tLlffi-e6. Another possibility would be 1 9. !ld7, preparing to double rooks on the d-file. White's problem is that if he wishes to complete the centralization of his pieces with gadl, he always has to take into account the threats of . __ b3 or ...•a2. _ _
•••
•••
39 This is the moment when the absence of the bishop from b3 makes itself felt_ Black captures with the queen in order to keep his eS pawn defended. 40 The most natural developing move and
also the best. 1 1.d4, Johner - Leonhardt, Carlsbad 1 907, 1 1 ...exd4 12.i.b3 (after 12.cxd4 tg4 13.li)c3 Black can transfer his queen to the kingside with 13 ...•hS+) 12 •d6 13.l()xd4 l()xd4 14••xd4 .ib7+ Black is better developed and has more space on the queenside. 1 1..Ag5.t5 (1 1.. ..ig4 12.tLlbd2!lad8 13.•e2 !lfe8 14.tLle4 li)xe4 I S.dxe4 .e6 16..tb3 .g6 . 17.ixe7 !lxe7 18.gedl !led7= Pilnik - Geller, Helsinki 19S2) 12••e2 gadS 13.c4?! (This pseudo-active move will just leave White with •••
_ _
42 Black intends to complete his regrouping by means of ...li)dS. In doing so, he allows a combination that leads to a draw almost by force. The more ambitious I S ...aS, aiming to leave the queen on its centtalized position, deserves attention as well.
43 16. ixe2?! 17.li)xd7 ixd3 1 8.li)dxf6t __
gxf6 19.ixd3 gxd3 20..td4± Mohrlok - Pfleger, Bad Pyrmont 1963.
18S
The d3-System
19J�adl BeS 20.B'e2
(Obviously e2 the only square available. If 20.Y!!iB ? then
44 was
20 ltlxel-+.) 20 BdS (Again forced. 2 1 .Bfl loses a pawn to 2 1 ..:lLlxb2=t.) •••
...
21 lxcl3 22.Jhd3 B'xc13 23.Ylxc13 Bxc13 •••
(24..ld4 h6 2S.J.xf6 [2SJ�te8t c;t>h7 26.J.xf6 ��Ml t 27.c;t>h2 gxf6 28J�e2 �g6=] 2S .. gxf6 26. �fl gd2 27J�e2 gMl t 28J'�el gd2=) 24 h5 Bd2 26.Bbl Bel White is too passive to be able to claim an. advantage. .
•••
4S
Since immediately giving up the centre does not offer White chances for an advantage, he continues developing, keeping the threat of adS in reserve.
46 The safest way to achieve equality.
10 d4
I I .cxd4 exd4 would not have yielded any advantage, but would merely open the al-gS diagonal for the bishop. 10 ..ig4 l 1 .h3 .ihS 1 2..ib3 x.t.hs •..
••
. ..ld3) 2 1 .b3 gg6 22.Y!!ie3 .ioot) 20."a Bd7 21.€Ifl ltlb7 (Xf6. 2 1 ...gads [�...gadS,
.
22.�g3 .ic4 23.lLlf5 Y!!ioo is equal after 24..ie3 .id3 [24.. 2S.Y!!ig4 lLlg6 26.h4±] 2S ..ib3 .ic4=.) 22.€Ig3 BadS 23.ltlS _£6 24.g4 (24.Y!!ig3 tig6= Botvinnik; 24.b3 b4+; 24..ie3! as 2S.gedl a4=) 24 €Ie7 2S.B'g3 .lc4 26.a (26.ge3 lLlg6 27.b3 .ioo 2S.gB [2S.gel lLlf4 29.hf4 exf4+] 28 ...J.xf5 29.gxf5 [29.exf5? lLlh4 30.ge3 ltlgS-+ �...Y!!ic6] 29 ...gdl t!? [29...lLlh4 30.ge3 ltlgS?! 3 1 .c;t>f1 ! �Y!!ixh4] 30.,ixdl �dlt 3 1 .c;t>h2 lLlf4 [�... lLlg5] 32..ib2 gd2 33 ..ic1) 26 ..ld3 27..lb3 (2s.lLlxe7t Y!!ixe7 29..idS lLlf6+) cS 28 c4 29..ldl €IgS 30.b4 ltl� Smyslov - Botvinnik, Soviet Absolute Championship, Leningrad/Moscow 1 94 1 . •••
••
•••
SI 1 l.a4 M 12.ltlbd2 BbS 13.d4 tic7 14.dS c4 1hreatening to cage the enemy light
squared bishop and the queen's rook by means of ...b3. BxM 16.Ba3 ltld7 17.Bee3 ltlc5f Baramidze Graf, Bad Zwesten 2006. -
47 Clearing the h2-square for the knight and taking the g4-sqnare under control in order to threaten lLlgS. 1 2.lLlgS?! .ig4!=t l 3.B?! .id7 � ...h6, XlLlgS
48
13.ee2 (�lLlf1-e3, �dl, lLldS) 13 .ic5 •••
( 1 3 ...ltlhS?! 14.lLlxeS lLlf4 I S .Y!!ie3 lLlxh3t 1 6.gxh3 lLlxeS 1 7.f4±) 14.M J.a7 15.a4
tlh5 16.am5 ltlf4 17 •fl axbS 18.exbS ti'd7 19.tlb3 ( 1 9.gxa7 gxa7 20.lLlxeS lLlxeS •
2 1 .Y!!ixeS lLlxh3t 22.gxh3 gal=; 1 9.9a6.ixh3!) 19 Bfb8 ( 1 9 ....ixh3?! 20.lLlxeS! XlLlf4) 20.ltlxeS (20.Y!!if1 ? lLlxh3t 2 1 .gxh3 .ixh3-+) 20 tlxe5 21.ti'xd7 (2 1 .Y!!ixeS .ixb3 22 ..ixb3 .ixf2t-+) 21 ltlxh3t 22.gxh3 ltlat 23.�bl (23.c;t>g2 lLlxel t; 23.�f1 .ixd7 24J�dl .ixh3t 24.Bdl 2S.�e2 .ig4+) •••
•••
S2 12.a4 M 13.(;xM cxb4 14.b3 (14.d4 .if6 I S .lLlfl ad4 1 6.lLlxd4 lLlcS=) 14 ltlc5 15.J.b2 J.f6= Black's pieces enjoy perfect stability. 16.d4 excI4 17.ltlxd4 Be8 18.ltlfl J.b7 19.1tlg3, Van der Sterren - Scheeren, Amsterdam 1977, 19 .J.e5! (� ....ixg3, •..
.•
....ixe4; if 1 9... dS?! 20.eS .ixeS 2 1 ..ixh7t!±)
20 •a dS; •
53
This central break is premature. Black has not taken any highly committal decisions which would justify White advancing the d-pawn with loss of time.
•••
54
1 6..ib3 as 1 7.a3 lLla6 1 8 ..ie3 a4!? 19 ..L2 lLld7= � ...lLldcS, ....id7
5S
49
17.lLle3 .id7 I S.b3 lLla6 19 ..ib2 g6= !h-Y2 Smirin - Hansen, Moscow 1994.
50 19.1Llh2 ltlf8
56 1 8 ..ixb4?! axb4 19.�b3 Y!!iaS 20 ..id3 Aa6 2 1 .lLle3 �fc8 22J�ac1 lLlxe3+
I S.,ixe3 .ic4 19.Y!!id l Y!!if6 2().Y!!ib l lLlfB 2 1 .lLld2 .iOO � ...lLlg6-f4 ( 1 9 .. J�d7 Botvinnik, 20.Y!!ig3;t �6, M4. 19 ... Eld6!? 20.�g3 .ic4
A Spanish Repenoire for Black
186
S7 18...Ag4?! 19.&3 be 20 •� AgS 21 •e2 'ffb6 22.�g3 g6 23.a4 gfc8 24.axbS .tf4 (24...•xb5? 25.b3 lLla3 26.� .xe2 27.lLl xe2+-) 2S.�hl (25 .•g4!?) 2S gab8 26.�fl .xbS 27.g3 .th6 28.�h2 Ag7!+t 29.f4 .cS 30.gfl? .e3 31..g2 af4+ Kudrin •
•
.•.
- Ivanov, USA (ch) 199 1 .
S8
19.id3?! lLlc5 20.hc4 bxc4 21 .lLl3d2 lLld3 22.�e2 .ia6 23.lLle3 .c7 24.Y!!fa4 �fc8 Xb2
59 14.d4 ad4 IS.ad4 J.g4 16.�{3 17..tb3 (l7.d5? 1xf5 1 8.exf5 lLlxd5!+) 17 ..Af6 18.dS �d4 19.�Sxd4 exd4 20.&3 21..xS �c4. ••
60 14...•c7!? A15.lLlh2 d5= 61 IS.�h2
�eB (l5 ....ig5!? 16.ixg5 Y!!fxg5 17.lLlf3 .f6=; 15 ...d5=) 16.lLlg4 .ig5 17.lLlf5 hc1 1 B.•xc1 1xf5 1 9.exf5 f6 20.f4 Y!!fc7 2 1 .fxe5 lLlxe5= Benjamin - Timman, Amsterdam 1994. IS.i.e3 d5=
66 The most active continuation, but other
moves are playable as well. 16 �b4 17..tb 1 a5 1 8.Y!!fe2 .id7 19 ..id2 lLla4 20.a3 lLla6 2 1 .b4 axb4 22.axb4 Y!!fb6 23J'k1 �fc8 24..id3 lLlb2 25 ..ic2 �c7 26.�cb1 lLlc4 27.lLlxc4 �xc4 28 ..id3 �ccB 29..ie3 Y!!fb7 30.lLlel AdB 31 .�a3 lLlc7 32J:'1ba1 �a4= Koc - Shamkovich, Leningrad 1957. 16 �e7 17..td2 .td7 1 8 ..ia5 Y!!fbB 19.Y!!fd2 lLlg6 20 ..td3 lLla4 2 1 .�ac1 .idB 22..ic2 ha5 23 .•xa5 Y!!fb6 24 .•d2 �acB= Ivkov - Benok, Zagreb 1955. .••
•••
67
17..id3 g6 1 B.b3 lLld7 1 9..ib2 lLlxf3t 20.Y!!fxf3 lLlc5 2 1 ..ic2 a5 22.a3 .td7 �-� Lee - Hartston, Oxford 1967.
68
1B...lLla4 19.ha4 bxa4 20 •xa4 gbB Bologan - Savon, Nikolaev 1 993. .
69
This knight keeps the enemy queenside under pressure and is ready to prevent the safe blockade of the d-pawn by jumping to c5. One of my Internet blitz games a fellow GM went 19 gc8 20.b3 ec7 �c4!? 22.bxc4 bxc4 23.eS? (White should have retreated his bishop and been ready to give it up for an impressive pair of pawns after 23.Ac2 d3 24.ixd3 cxd3 25.9xd3 when the weakness of the d6-pawn would restrict Black's compensation.) {3 'l'a5+ Sune Berg Hansen - Marin, . Internet 2006. •••
62 17.�xd4 �xd4 18.'I'xd4 .tf6 19.'I'dl (l9.•d3 g6=) 19 g6 20.J.b3 �c4 21.gbl gb8 (2 l ...lkB; 2 1 ...�eB) 22.�e2 ge8 23.�f4 Ad7 24.tc2 .tc6= Kosanski - Blagojevic, Zadar •••
2003.
63 17 �b4?!
I B.lLlexd4;!; �-� Moldovan - Marin, Romania (ch) 2006. 17 .if6 IB.lLlfxd4 lLlxd4 19.1Llxd4 Iks 20.lLlxe6 fxe6 2 1 .9d3 9c7 22.l:'1e2 Y!!fc4 23..te3 .xd3 24.hd3 lLla4 25.�bl d5 · 26.exd5 exd5 27 ..if5 �ceB 2B..id3 d4 29.Ad2 l:'1xe2 30.he2 d3!+ Shatskes - Nezhmetdinov, Soviet Spartakiad 1964. •••
••
64 1 8 .•xd3 lLle5=
6S 19 •d7 20.�xe6 'l'xe6 21.�gS 'l'eS 22.f4 'l'cst 23.�hl (23..ie3 .id4=) 24..te3 1Yb4 (25.fxg5 lLld7=) 2S.. txf4 26.ge2!;!; Aa3, XY!!fa4 ...
.
70 21.�e2 'l'b6 (22..th6 lLlxb2!? 23.�b2 d3=) 22 bu4 23..t.h6 BRa 24.It)f4 •••
AM-
71 IS.d4 ad4 16.ad4 �xd4 17.�xd4 exd4 18.'ffxd4 l:'1c8 19.'ffd3 g6= 20.J.b3 �c4 21.�d5 (21 .�dl , Bannik - Averbakh, Soviet
Championship, Kiev 1 964, 2 1 ...if6!? 22.hc4 bxc4 23.Y!!fxd6 Y!!fxd6 24.�xd6 c3 25.lLld5 .te5 26.lLle7t �g7 27.lLlxcs cxb2 2B ..ixb2 hb2 29.�bl Ae5 30.�xe6 fxe6 31 .�c1 .id4 32.�c7t �h6 33.�c2 .ixf2t 34.�xf1 �xcB=)
The d3-System
22.Vxd5 (22.exd5 if6 would have given Black a dream position) 22 .J.fti 23.!bl !e8 24.!dl Ve7 flu4 26 •xd6 .xe4 27 ••
•
(27.Wxf6 Wxb} 28..ih6 was not possible of 28...Wxdlt 29.\f{h2 Wd4 parrying the �t and winning) 27 !e6 28.1fb8t Wg7 29.b3 Ia; Korchnoi - Petrosian, Candidates tournament, Curacao 1 962. •••
72 15 c4
1 6.dxc4 bxc4 1 7..1<:2;1; Benderac - Blagojevic, Bar 2005. 15 Wd7 1 6.�d5 Axd5 1 7.Axd5 (17.exd5 �a5 1 8.J.c2 �xd5 1 9.d4 cxd4 20.cxd4 �ad8 2 1 .dxe5 dxe5 22.�xe5 Wc7= Black's activity compensates for White's pair of bishops.) 17...lLlxd5 1 8.exd5 lLla5 19.�e2 �fe8 20.J.d2 f5 2 1 .b4 �b7= •••
•••
73
16.lLld5 might have restricted Black's options, by avoiding the possibility from the next comment.
74 16 •d7 17.tfb3
(17.d4 cxd4 1 8.cxd4 hd5 19.exd5 �xd4 20.�xd4 exd4 2 1 .�xd4 �c4=) 17 .J.fti J.xd5 19.exd5 �e7 20.c4 (20.�g4 �exd5 2 1 .c4 h5!+) 20...�g6= •••
••
75 21 �c7!l= 21. !a8 22.�b7 �b8 •••
23.�xb8 �xb8 24.d4 if6 25.dxe5 �xe5 26.�xe5 Axe5 27..ig5 �e8 (27...h6? 28.J.e7 �e8 29.�xe5 dxe5 30.d6±; 27.. £6 28 ..1e3 f5 29.f4 .tf6 30.M2 Xe6) 28.f4 if6 29.J.xf6 �xelt 30.�xe1 gxf6 31 .�e7 'i!lg7= White's advantage is of a rather symbolic nature. The game Hamdouchi - Adams, Noyon 2005, soon ended in a draw. ••
.
1 87
Chapter 8
1.e4 e5 2.�f3 �c6 3.Ab5 a6 4.Aa4 �f6 5.Be2
I have found no historical evidence why the early development of the queen (now, or one move later with 5.0-0 fie? 6.YiJe2) is associated with the name of the 1 9th century American player Thomas Herbert Worrall. In my database there are only a couple of games played by Worrall. He was Black in all of them, with Morphy giving him the odds of a piece. This variation has occasionally been employed by strong players, including World Champions Alekhine and Spassky. In 1 992 Nigel Short created a sensation by twice defeating Anatoly Karpov in their Candidates semi�final match using the Worrall Attack. In recent years, Sergey
Tiviakov has been the most fervent supporter of�e2. However, the variation has never been part of the mainstream of theory. Quite justly so, since the general rules indicate that the queen should be the last piece to develop. Queens are strong, long-range pieces, which allows them to exert significant pressure from their initial squares. Therefore, castling and developing the queenside are higher priorities than developing the queen. At the same time, "short" steps by this mighty lady such as YiJe2 can induce important changes in the dynamic content of the position, compared with the more common situation when the e4-pawn is defended by the king's rook. The queen puts some pressure on the enemy queenside, making the thematic break a4 even more effective than in the usual lines. The dl-square is cleared for the rook, with the obvious aim of making the black queen feel uncomfortable. In other words, YiJe2 is likely to pose Black more concrete problems than �e 1 , which partly justifies calling the variation an "attack" (be it the Worrall, Alekhine or Short Attack). For the time being, the drawbacks of committing the queen so soon have a rather abstract character. Some important queenside squares are left insufficiently defended (c2 and b3 in particular) while the queen itself could be
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
1 90
fl
a bit exposed on e2. Let's see how these aspects
most probably have to go back to
could take shape in practice. Firstly, we will
intends to open the kingside with £2-f4 (although
consider the line where the play is similar to the
in the Chigorin it could also be useful on e 1 , as
Chigorin variation.
it defends the e4-pawn or supports its advance if
S ...bS 6..tb3 J.e7 7.0-0 0-0 8.d d6 9.gdl c!i.:laS lO..tc2 cS 1l.d4 'fNc7
if White
f4, ... exf4). Finally, the exposed position of the white queen makes itself felt after
12 ..td7 13.�bd2? .•
when Black can play
13...�hS! without fearing 14.lLlxeS . because of the . intermediate 1 4... lLlf4, winning a whole piece. White will have problems carrying out his typical kingside attack after
14.�fl g6 lS..th6 gfe8
eventually followed by ...jf6 and ... lLlf4.
White
can
advance his pawn two moves earlier,
just as in the Yates system.
9.d4 J.g4
Now, his biggest hopes are connected with the move Although Black has not played any committal moves yet (such as ... lLlc6 or ....ib7) White is practically forced to clarify the situation in the centre with either 1 2.dS or 12.dxeS, because after the generally desirable 1 2.lLlbd2 the c2-bishop
lO.gdl
because the standard reactions to the pressure against the d4-pawn do not work out well. If 1 0 ..ie3 the lack of pressure along the d-file makes 1 0 ... dS a completely viable reaction.
would be hanging after 12 ...cxd4, leading to
Even more deceptive for White is the
the loss of a pawn. The most consistent answer IS
following line: 10.dS lLlaS 1 1 ..ic2 c6 1 2.h3 .ixf3 (deserving a "!" now) 13.W1xB cxdS
12.dS
1 4.exdS W1c7 By moving the queen twice, White
•
If White makes the generally useful move
has reached a position a tempo down (�e1)
12.h3, clearing the hZ-square for the knight and
compared to the first two games between Yates
waiting for Black to define
his intentions, the
simple developing move 12 ....id7 maintains the
flexibility of Black's position. If we compare with similar positions from the Chigorin variation, we
can
see that White has played ti'e2 and gdl
. rather than �e1 and h3. These small differences clearly favour Black. First of all, the move h3 is quite useful for a number ofreasons: it enables the typical regrouping lLlhZ; prepares the thematic attack based on g4; or may simply allow the development ofthe bishop to e3 without fearing a knight move to g4. The rook has little to do on d l : it just over-defends a rather well-defended pawn! Just as in the Chigorin lines, the rook would
and Alekhine.
The Worrall Attack
191
This is a position where most ofthe drawbacks of "fee2 make themselves felt. First of all, the generally desirable 1 0.d3 is strongly met by 1 0....ig4 with the brutal threat of 1 1 ...li)d4, which gives White no time to react with the standard I I .h3. He can cover the d4-square with 1 1 ..te3 but then the central break I I .. .d5 is strong, because there is no pressure on the e file and the e3-bishop is exposed. 1 0.c3 reveals another occasional problem in the Worrall Attack after 10.. J�b8! when the b3bishop lacks its natural defence, causing White to lose time. All these leave: White with
After 15.li)d2 Black could use this tempo
with 1 5 ... g6, defending in advance the bl-h7 diagonal, when the threat of ...b4 would become quite real.
10 •d7 •••
Curiously, this natural developing move has been played only rarely. Players with Black are probably put off by the optically unpleasant pin along the d-file, but this is just an illusion: Black is absolutely fine. As previously mentioned
7.a4 is an important plan. The strong pressure against the b5-pawn forces Black to make an immediate decision. I do not like 7.. J�b8 because it gives up the a-file without a fight. However
10.h3
White plans d3. However, this is not only a loss of time at a point when the entire queenside is undeveloped, but also a weakening move. Black plays:
7 h4 ••.
1
. is an entirely adequate reaction. Play may contmue
Now, the standard ways of maintaining the tension (li)bd2 or c3) are not available, forcing White to play
•
8.a5 Otherwise Black would put the enemy queenside under serious pressure by a further ...li)a5.
1 l...he6
when after
1 l fxe6
8 0-0 9.0-0 d6 •••
•••
Black has good attacking chances, based on the relative weakness of the g3- and f4-squares and his considerable lead in development. The Worrall Attack could be a tempting variation for players with an enterprising style, but should not confront Black with any major problems. The theoretical material available is not comprehensive, but mastering the basic ideas should be sufficient to enable meeting any over-the-board surprise in an adequate way. I have taken 5."fee2 as the main move order, but I should mention that 5.0-0 .te7 6:�e2 is a common transposition .
•
192
A Spanish Repertoire for Black 1.e4 e5
7
8
2 :! 3 4
0-0
0-0 ... •••
5 ... . .
.
2.�f3 �c6 3..Ab5 a6 4 .Aa4 �f6 5.We2 b5 6..Ab3 J.e7 •
9
10
dS" �aS
ic2
11
13
12
14 -
0-0 d6 c3 d6 • ••
• ••
d4
194 gdl �aS
-
�bd2 �hS h317 .ths
lMl 1' Bd7 eS
d4 Be7
ic2
•••
•••
•••
• ••
•••
•••
• ••
• ••
1 This early central activity clOnot cause
Black any major problems. True, the generally desirable capture on d4 could be met by e4 e5, but White has insufficient development to take advantage of this partial success.
2 This answer is true to the spirit of the closed Ruy Lopez. Objectively speaking, 7 d5 is equally good. However, after 8.dxe5 (8.exd5 liIxd4 9.ltJxd4 exd4 and White can aspire only to equality, Hintikka - Zagorovsky, corr. 1984/89) 8 �xe4 the position becomes characteristic of the Open Ruy Lopez (5.0-0 ltJxe4 6.d4 b5 7.lLb3 d5 8.dxe5 .Ae6). Due to the white queen's early development, Black is not forced to protect his d5-pawn with ....Ae6 in this Clse, and can play more actively. 9.0-0 �aS l0.gdl .te6 1 1.�bd2 (With the queenside undeveloped, White should refrain from pseudo-active schemes such as I l .ltJd4 0-0 12.£3 liIc5 13..id2. White violates another rule, according to which it is better to develop knights first. 13...liIab7 14.liIc6 This is asking for trouble: White exchanges his most active piece. 14...•d7 15.ltJxe7t .xe7 16..Ae3 c6 17.•£l A draw was agreed in Davies - Varavin, Gausdal 1993, which is surprising from Black's point of view. He has a lead in •••
•••
a411
b41' h31S Ad?l'
16
0-0 WIer
adS 0-0
c6
15
�b3! �g3
duS20 gd'322 txf321 �IeS
f423 fxeS Bxh3! � g4u •
�bd2 �fl dS17 g&8!? �hS Af618
�uS� guS!
-
b33S �b'P'
dS Ad]30
development while the b3-bishop is passive and vulnerable. 17...a5! 18.c3 .tf5 Attacking the e5pawn. 19.1Ld4 a4 20.i.c2 .bc2 21.�xc2 Now, the surprising 21 ...ltJb3!! wins an exchange for Black.) 1 l �e5 12.�d4 (Again, this is premature activity. 12.c3 was better, increasing White's influence over the centre and opening a retreat for the bishop.) 12 0-0 13.�xe6 (The same mistake as 14.ltJc6 in the game Davies - Varavin.) 13 fxe6 14.eg4 ee8 IS.�a h5 16.'ffd4 'ffg6+ Black has a more active position. 17.�g5? Unjustified activity. The knight will be hanging on g5, while the £l-pawn becomes vulnerable. 17 �c6 (This is not bad, but 17...ltJcxb3 was even more clear-.cut. In view of the threat ....txg5, White has to attack the a5knightwith 1 8.axb3 but after 1 8 •xc2 19J��xa5 l':!x£l! Black gets a winning attack. For instance: 20.l':!d2 .xcI t 21.<j;>x£l lLc5-+) IS.tld �xb3 •••
•••
•••
•••
...
19.ab3 �b4 20.'ffg3 �c2 21.gbl �d4
White resigned in Wallace - Varavin, Budapest 1995. The threats ...�xbl, or ...ltJe2t followed by either ...ltJxg3 or ...ltJxcI and ....txg5, are impossible to parry.
3 8.du5 is unpretentious. 8 dxeS (8. liIxe5 •••
..
9.ltJxe5 dxe5 10.£3 0-0 1 1 ..ie3 i.e6 12.he6 fxe6= Dzindzichashvili - Foldi, Batumi 1 966)
-
The Worrall Attack
9.a4 J.g4 10.c3 0-0 11.�bd2 �h5 12.g3 .td(jao Bokuchava - Kuzmin, USSR 1 976.
4
li)xd5 1O.exd5 li)a5 I l .dxe5 dxe5 12.Wixe5?! .ix8 13.gxf3 0-0 14.0-0 .id6 1 5.Wih5 g6 16.Wig5 .ie7 17.�e3 li)c4i= - Bockenhaupt, I.andau 1996. d5! (It is interesting that Yates employed the set-up with an early d4 with the queen on e2, too. 9 ...0-0 10.li)bd2 Yates Thomas, Scarborough 1928, 10...d5!=) 10.exdS �xd5 I l .h3 (l 1 ..id2 exd4 12.Wie4 .ie6 13.c4!? bxc4 14..ia4 Wid6 1 5.li)xd4 .id7= Smithers - Alvarez, email 1 998) 1 1 ...exd4! 12.cxd4 (l2.hxg4 dxe3+) 12....ih5! (l2....ie6 13.0-0 0-0 14.li)c3=) 13.0-0 0-0= Tiviakov - Almasi, Groningen 1995. 9.che5 tiJxeS 1 0.h3!? tiJxBt (lO ...J.hS!? M 1 ..if4 .ix8 12.gxf3 li)hS � . . . .ig5) 1 1 .gxf3 .ih5 (l 1 .. ..le6 12J"!gl ,ixb3 13.axb3 0-0 14..ih6 tiJe8 l S.tiJa3 �li)c2cc) 12..if4 0-0 13.li)d2 tiJd7 14.Wie3 (l4.0--0--0 .ig5 l S.Wie3 .ixf4 16.Wixf4 tiJcS 17.�e3 Wid7 18 ..lc2, Manker - Kane, corr. 1997, 1 8...aS �...b4, . . . a4) 14...li)c5 1 5.0--0--0, A. Ivanov - Kodiar, St. Martin 1992; l S .. .l:'!b8? � . . . b4.
5 11.M? cxdS! 12.bxaS (l2.exd5 tiJc4+ X&l5) 12...dxe4 1 3.,ixe4 dS 14.h3 (l4..ic2 e4+) 14...dxe4 l S.hxg4 exB 16.WixB (16.gxf3!?) 16...e4 1 7.Wie2 Wid5 1 8..ie3 b4 19.0-0 (l9..id4!?) 19 ...0-0 20.g5 li)e8 21 .cxb4 ,ixb4 22.li)d2 tiJd6 23.li)b3 li)bS+ Pahtz Gabriel, Germany 200 1 . 1 1.chc6 0-0 12.h3 .le6 13.�bd2 h6= Hristodorescu - Sz. Vajda, Bucharest 1998. 6 1 1....lc8 12.dxc6 �c7 13.0-0 0-0 is similar to the lines discussed in chapter 5.
7 We have transposed to 7.0-0 0-0 8.c3 d6
193
8.d4?! dS! This move is much more effective now rather than without the insertion of the moves a4 and ...b4, because the b3-bishop is more unstable if White transposes to an Open Ruy Lopez structure. 9.exd5 (9 ..lg5 .lg4 1 0.dxe5 tiJxe4 1 1 .,ixe7 li)xen:; 9.dxe5 tiJxe4 10.0-0 li)cS+) 9 ...li)xd4 10.li)xd4 exd4 I l ..lg5 (l 1 .0-0 0-0 12.Wic4 .ib7 13.Wixd4 li)xd5+; I 1 .Wic4 0-0 12.Wixd4 .ie6 13.0-0 tiJxdS 14.li)d2+) 1 1 ...0-0 12.0-0 .ibn Gullaksen - Holzke, Amsterdam 2005. 8.0-0 0-0 9.d3 (9.aS transposes to the main line) 9...d6 10.h3 �aS 1 1 .h2 b3! A typical operation, spoiling White's queenside structure at the cost of a pawn. 12.,ixb3 �xb3 13.cxb3 c5 Again, the lack ofprotection ofthe b3-square makes itself felt if we compare with certain lines of the Anti-Marshall, where White plays gel instead of�e2. Black will continue with ...gb8 and .. ..ie6 with a comfortable position.
9 Preferably not 8 ...d6?? 9.Wic4+- as in Lagunes - Saucey, Saint Chely d'Aubrac 2006.
10 10.d3 .ig4 1 1 ..ie3 ( 1 1 .c3 gb8 12..lc4 Wic8 �... �a7-b5, and if h3 then ....le6) 1 1 ...d5= 10.c3 gb8 1 1 ..ic4 dS 12.exd5 �xd5 13.d3 .if'6= 14.Wie4 tiJde7 l S ..ig5 .if5 16.�e3 .ixg5 17.Wixg5 Wid6 1 8.ii.xa6 ga8 19 ..ib5 li)xa5 20.Wig3?! (20.d4=) 20...c6 21 ..lc4 li)xc4 22.gxa8 gxa8 23.dxc4 li)g6+Tringov - Smyslov, Amsterdam Interzonal 1964.
1 1 1 1.d3 J.xb3 12.a:b3 t&'b8 13.�bd2 �d7 14.�c4 �c5 15.trc2 t&'b5+ Black has the better pawn structure and is well coordinated. 16..ie3 �e6 17-'�fcl 'lacS! 18.'ldl .tf6 (l8 ...f5!? 19.exf5 gxf5 20.tikd2 dS+) 19.'f!te2 g6+ 20.g4 J.g7 21.�fd2 �cd4+ Randviir - Zagoriansky, Leningrad 1949.
9.d4 .lg4 1O.dS below.
8 Sooner or later White will have to play this move, which is a logical consequence of the recent modification of the queenside structure.
12 12.d3 We8 13.�bd2 �h5 14.�c4 �f4 15.1ixf4 gtt4 16.g3?! (Unnecessarilyweakening
the kingside. 16.c3 �g6 17.li)cd2 offers better chances to maintain the balance.) 16 •g6 ...
194
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
17.c;t>h2 ru7 IS.c3 gafB 19.�e1 dS:f 20.�d2 1cs 21.8 bxc3 22.bxc3 hS 23.�g2 1e7 (A. ..h4) 24.h4 d4 2S.c4 'ti'h6 26.f4 exf4 27.gxf4 gxf4!+ Randviir - Krogius, Leningrad 1 949. 13 12...�e8!?
IS 12.1gS gae8
(12.. J;fe8!?) 13.dS �aS I (14..tc2 ttJxd5 15.exd5 hg5 16.g4 i.xg4 17.hxg4 �xg4t 18.';i{fl �h3t 19.c;t>gl IS.�bd2 .igS= Vujacic 1f4-+) Cvetkovic, Yugoslavia 198 1 . 1 9 1 2 gabS 13.axbS axb5 14..ig5 (14.d5 ttJd8 1 5.1c2 c6=) 14 h6 IS.J.h4 gfe8 16.dS (17.i.c2 ttJxd5!? 18.exd5 .Axh4 ttJdS 17 19.94 Lg4 20.hxg4 �xg4t(j(j With three pawns for a piece and chances of an attack, Black is not worse.) 17 IS.ga7 �b7 19.�bd2 �c5 20.J.c2 b4!= Ensuring stability for the knight by preventing b2-b4. Black has a fine position, Alekhine - B. Nielsen, Munich 1 941. •••
14 13...�e8 14.1e3 (14.exd5?! exd5+ 15.ttJxe5 ic5+) 14...�g6=
IS 17.ge1 gxS!? IS.gxf3 'ti'f6 19.iLe3 (19.f4 exf4 20.exd5 exd5 21 .c;t>h2 13fB!oo) 19 �h5 20.c;t>h2 13m 21J�gl lYxa (2 1 ...d4 22.cxd4 ltlxd4 23.ltlxd4 exd4 24.1g5± Goldberg - Nezhmetdinov, Soviet Championship, Kiev 1957.) 22.�c5 (22.13ael d4!t) 22••.lLxcS •••
23..AxcS gf6i
•••
20
13.d5 ttJa5 14.i.c2 13fb8 offers Black counterplay along the b-file.
16 10.J.e3
d5 l 1 .exd5 ( l 1 .dxe5? ttJxe5+) l 1 ...ttJxd5 12.h3 ttJxe3 (l2...exd4 1 3.hxg4 dxe3 14.13dl ttJf4 1 5.�xe3 1d6 1 6.g3 ttJg6 Schmittdiel - Heidenfeld, Groningen 1 992) 13.fxe3 .ih5 14.ttJbd2 196= 15.d5?! e4 16.dxc6 (l6.ltld4 ltlxd4 17.cxd4 id6 18.�f2 f5=F Tseidin - Dorfman, Moscow 1 981) 16...ex8 17.!h8 (l7.ltlxB id3+) 17...�d6+ 10.dS ttJa5 1 1 ..tc2 c6 12.dxc6 (l2.h3 fixB 13.�xB cxd5 14.exd5 �c7 15.ttJd2 g6 a...b4) 12...�c7 13.h3 ie6 14.ttJbd2 'ti'xc6 1 5.�g5 id7 16.13dl h6 17.ttJg8 b4 Taking advantage of the bishop's lack of defence. 18.c4 .leG 19.b3 ltlb7 20.ltlfl ltlc5 2 1 .ltlg3 a5 22.ttJh4 13fe8 23.�8 a4 Black has comfortable play, J. Polgar - Ivkov, Monte Carlo 1 994.
17 H.d5
ttJa5 12..Ac2 c6=; H.mS ttJxe5 12.ttJxe5 .ixe2 13.�xd7 �xd7 14.gel .id3 15.id5 13ac8= 16.a4? c6! 17.ib3 (17..ia2 bxa4=F) 17...ttJc5 18.idl bxaH Canobra - Van Riemsdijk, Mar del Plata 1 969. 11.a4 b4 12.a5 leaves the b4-sqIJare weak after 12...bxc3 13.bxc3 exd4 14.cxd4, allowing Black to carry out the centtal break 14...d5 in a favourable form. For instance, 15.e5 �e4=F followed by ...13ab8, ...ttJb4 and ...c5, Mindl - Snorek, Czech Republic 1997.
21
13...ttJxe5 14.ttJxe5 ixe2 1 5.ttJxd7 ttJxd7 16.13el leaves the b4-pawn hanging.
22
14.�xB ttJxe5 1 5.'ti'e2 13abS 16.f4 ttJg6 17.ic4 �c6=
23 Aiming to weaken
Black's stability in the
centre.
24 17.0 (l7..if4 .ih4 lSJID dxe5+) 17 heSi White's lack ofdevelopment prevents •••
him from parrying the threat of ....Ac5t in a
favourable way. For instance: IS.lIdS eg3t (lS...c6 is over-ambitious. True, 19.13a5?? loses to 19....id8, but 1 9.'ti'g2 'ti'xg2t 20.c;t>xg2 ad5 21 .fxg4dxe4 22.�d21allowsWhite to consolidate on the light squares.) 19.'I'g2 'l'elt-
2S
.ig4 13.clxeS dxe5 14.0bd2 Wd8 (14...ttJh5!?) 15.�f1 �h5 16.h3, Alekhine Keres, Salzburg 1942, 17.tfxS .lxg5 IS.Bms &:7- Matanovic. . · , Since Black already has some indirect pressure on the enemy centre in view of the insecure position of the bishop in the event of ...cxd4, this neuttal developing move looks best.
26
The Worrall Attack However, 12...�c6, in the spirit of the Rubinstein system, is also possible. 13.d5 (13.dxc5 dxc5 14.lLlbd2 .te6 1 5.lLlf1 13fdS 16.13xdSt 13xdS= Kupper - Robatsch, Switzerland 1966) 13...�d8 14.�bd2 �e8 15.a4 gb8
16.8.bS ub5 17.�fl g6 18.M f6 19.9aS J.d7 �f7 21.gdal 1fcS 22.J.d3 For once, the
presence of the queen on e2 is useful, by putting additional pressure on b5. 22 c4 23.J.bl �c7 Since White has committed himself to queenside play, Black changes his plans slighdy and makes use of his king's knight to neutralize the pressure along the a-file. 24.1fd2 Wh8 2S.�3h2 6 The d5-pawn also finds itself under some pressure J.5- Thomas now. 26.f4 fre4 27 Michell, Scarborough 1930. •••
27 13.�bd2? cxd4 13.cIxeS c1xeS 14.�bd2 gad8 (I4...13fdS
1 5.lLlfl ie6 16JhdSt �dS 17.lLlg3 g6, Yudasin - Khalifman, Dos Hermanas 1993. l Sig5 c4 1 9.13d1 lLlb7=) IS.�fl J.c8 16.Wh2?! (I 6.13xdS (17.'iHxdl �dS 17.lLle3=) 16...Jhdl 17 13dS l S.'iHe2 c4+) 17... �xe41 18.'ffxe4 J.b7 19."e2?! 09.'iHg4 £) 20.'iHg3 .td6 2 1 .lLlxe5 ltJc6 22.\t>h1 lLlxe5 23 ..tf4 13f6!"j:) 19 e4t 20.g3 e,a+ Rosito - Servat, Buenos Aires 1997. •••
13.ig5 b6 14..ih4 cxd4 IS.cxd4 gac8 16.J.d3 �c6 17.�bd2 (17.lLlc3 lLlxd4 ls.lLlxd4 exd4 19.h£6 .bf6 20.lLld5 'iHdS=) 17 exd4 18.�b3 1fb6 19.J.bl (19 ..tc2 d3!? 20.Ld3 .te6=) 19 gres 20.�bxd4 �xd4 21.�xd4 gc4 22.�f3 J.e6 (22....tc6!? 23.b3 13c3 24.ltJd4 •••
•••
lLlxe4! 25.Le4 hh4 26.'iHd2 Le4 27.'iHxc3 b� The strong pair of bishops compensates for the exchange.) 23.J.d3 geeS 24.J.c2?! (24.b3 lLlh5�) 24 J.c4 2S.J.d3 (25.'iHe1 hal! 26.lLld4 .te6 27.'iHe2 lLldn) Now, in Kaminski Gazik, Koszalin 1996, Black should have played 25 .J.d8!+ �26.lLld2 d5+. •••
••
28 15 �f4 16.Lf4 exf4 17.e5!?; i5 g6= •••
•••
29 16.lLl3h2 lLlf4 17.1!9'e .tg5= 30 With the c3-pawn still defended,
195
12...c4?! is premature in view of 13.b4!± TIviakov - Almasi, Groningen 1995.
31 13.b3 �e8 14.a4 (14.lLlbd2 g6 1 5.lLlf1 lLlg7 16.ih6 f6 17.h3 lLlb7 l S.a4 13fbS 19.1Lle3 �-� Matikozian -A. Stein, Santa Monica 2005, 19... lLldS � . . . lLlf7) 14 gb8 (I4...bxa4 1 5.bxa4 g6 16.ih6 lLlg7 17.lLla3 £) I S.ex5 .tx5 19.1Lld2 lLlb7 20J!db1 lLldS 2 1 ..txf5 gx5 22.lLlac4± Cbiburdanidze- Spassky, Monaco 1 994) IS.ub5 •••
.mS 16.�bd2 sf' 17.�f1 �g7=
32 13 c4 14.�fl �b7 IS.�g3 gres (l5 ...g6 16.h3 �lLlh2±) 16.h3 �c5 17.J.e3 aSI? •••
(l7...13abS I S.b4 cxb3 19.axb3 13ecS 20.13dc1 a5 2 1 .lLl� Short - Piket, Wijk aan Zee 1997)
18.b3 ab3
geb8+t
33 IS.�g3 ltJf4!? 1 6.Lf4 exf4 17.lLlfloo (Piket) 17...lik4 lS ..td3 �e5+; 15.g3 lLlc4 (15 ...c4; 1 5 ...�b7) 16.h4 (16.b3 �b6 17.ih6 looks better) 1 6...�g7 17.b3 ltJb6 ls.ih6 c4 19.b4 a5 20.a3 ga6 �13faS+ Conquest - Bacrot, Clichy 1997.
34 1 5 ...lLlg7, in the spirit of the Rubinstein system, is entirely possible.
35 16.�g3 �f4 17.tfd2 �c4 18.tfel
(19.Lf4 exf4 20.'iHxf4 lLlxb2 J.fB 2 1 .lLlg5 13e7°o) 20.b3 �b6 21.tfe3 tfdB 22.�e2 tff6!? (22...ltJxe2t 23.'iHxe2 £) 24.lLld2 'iHg5=) 23.�xf4?1 clf4 24.eS (24.'iHd3 .tg4 25.h3 c4 26.bxc4 .txf3 27.'iHxf3 lLlxc4+)
24...fxe3 2S.af6 elf'lt 26.\t>x£z J.g41+
Hatzidakis - Markidis, Athens 2000. The d5- and f6-pawns are vulnerable, while a perfect outpost on e5 awaits the black knight. 16.�3d2 1!9'dS 17.'iHe3 .tf8= 16.� 1d2 .tf8 17.'iHe3 hh6 l S.'iHxh6 f600
17.h3 J.tB 18.1fd2 J.m6 19.'Bxh6 f6 20.'Be3 c4!? (20...lLldS 2 1 .lLlg3 lLlf4 22.lLle2, 36
Tiviakov - Iuldachev, Dhaka 1997, 22 ... lLlxe2t 23.Wfxe2 lLlf7=) 21.M (21 .lLl3d2 cxb3 22.axb3 lLlf4 23.lLlg3 a5=) 21. aS= ••
Chapter 9
•
•
latlon 1.e4 e5 2.otS otd; 3i.b5 a6 4.Aa4 otf6 5.0-0 J.e7 dxc6
would make little sense to play 5.hc6, because after 5 ...dxc6 6.0-0 Black could develop his bishop to d6 direcdy, which melDs that the Delayed Exchange variation cannot be used as an antidote to the Open variation (5 ... lDxe4). This places the variation somewhat aside from most of the other so-called sidelines of the Ruy Lopez, where it makes no great difference whether White deviates from the main line on the 5th or on the 6th move. Since White's main idea is to put the e5-pawn under some pressure, it would make little sense to open the centre with an immediate 7.d4. After
7 ...ig4!? 8.dxe5 ti'xdl 9J�xdl lDxe4 Black has a pleasant position. Just compare this with the
Berlin variation, where Black gives up the right to casde and wanders with his knight on a less White's play might seem rather paradoxical: isn't he just losing a tempo compared to the normal Exchange variation? (4 ..ixc6: see Beating
the Open Games) We had a similar discussion about the relative character of development in the chapter
favourable path just for the sake of getting this same structure. We can conclude that before undertaking any concrete action, White has to defend his e4pawn. I would divide the possible continuations into three distinct categories.
dedicated to the d3-system. Here, White's casding is a 1 00% useful move, while 4 ... lDf6
I: The most natural approach consists of
and 5 . . .iLe7 can be regarded as some sort of
developing a piece with either 7.lDc3 or 7J;e l .
early commitment, leaving Black with problems
I will include 7.Vlfe2 in the same category,
finding the optimal way of defending his e5-
although developing the queen at such an early
pawn after the delayed exchange on c6. From
stage is anything but natural. By keeping the
this perspective, it is easy to understand that it
d-pawn on its initial square, White hopes to
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
198
provoke 7...tt.'ld7 in order to open the centre with 8.d4 without loss of time. This would lead to an entirdy viable form of the "genuine" Exchange variation. However, Black has no need to be so cooperative. He can try to neutralize the pressure against the e5-pawn by means of 7....ig4. This move requires further explanation. Giving up the bishop pair with 8 . ..ixB as an answer to the obvious 8.h3 would be a serious positional concession, leaving Black without sufficient compensation for his slighdy weakened pawn structure. However, 8 ....ih5 is entirdy possible, when 9.g4 is not without risk. If White has played 7.tt.'lc3 or 7J'�e l , then Black can bravdy sacrifice with 9 ... tt.'lxg4 1 O.hxg4 .ixg4, because White will have a hard time escaping the pin. In the line starting with 7.'ifJe2, the correctness of the sacrifice is slighdy questionable because the queen has berter prospects of leaving the dl-h5 diagonal. However, 9 .. ..ig6 is playable, mainly because after 1 0.tt.'lxe5 'ifJd4 the e4pawn is not well enough defended. Otherwise, Black would play 1 O...tt.'ld7 followed by ...h5 soon. Of course, this is only a partial solution to a complex strategic problem, since White is not forced to play g4. For the moment, we shall just note that the early opening of the centre has been prevented and that Black can consolidate in accordance with some basic ideas that will be explained bdow. .
II: Latdy, 7.'ifJel has become fashionable.
White's idea is to avoid the annoying ....ig4 and retain the possibility of d4. However, after 7...tt.'ld7 8.d4 exd4 9.tt.'lxd4 tt.'lc5 the slighdy awkward placement of the queen makes itself fdt. If White had played 7.'ifJe2 and Black had reacted in the same way, 1 0J3dl would have been unpleasant, but here White has to resort to 1 0.'ifJe3 (another queen move) in a moment when the entire queenside is undevdoped! This allows Black to win time for completing his devdopment and putting the e4-pawn under
pressure. If White refrains from 8.d4, Black can stabilize the situation in the centre with 8 ... c5, when the usefulness of 'ifJel remains questionable. This leaves us with III:
7.d3 This has been considered the main line for decades.
The plan based on a knight sacrifice on g4 does not work well now, because White is prepared to connect his knights with tt.'lbd2, followed by 'ifJel and li)h2. On the other hand, the threat of d4 loses significance at this stage of the game, which allows Black to defend his e5-pawn with the solid
7 ..It�d7 •
Since White's main idea at this stage of the game is to put maximum pressure on the e5pawn, the most natural (and frequendy played) continuation is
8.�bd2 0-0 9.�c4
9.b3 is an important alternative. The plan of fianchettoing the bishop is usually connected with the later opening of the centre with d4. Otherwise, the bishop would merely hit the well defended e5-pawn. Therefore, Black's best reaction is 9 ...c5 and if 1 0.,ib2 then 1 0...£6. After the natural 1 1 .tt.'lc4 we reach a critical poslUon. •
•
1 99
The Delayed Exchange Variation
c6, namely the e6-square. This is useful to keep in mind when Black has no time to clear the c6-square with ... c5. The knight
can
reach e6
via either c5 or fB, which increases the overall availability of the manoeuvre. The knight's activity on e6 is even greater than on c6. It inhibits both standard pawn breaks (d4 and f4) and is ready to jump to either f4 or d4, according to the circumstances. The reversed side of the issue is that on e6 the knight would obstruct the h3-c8 diagonal. This makes one
think that the manoeuvre ... tZld7-c5(fB)
e6 is best suited for the lines involving an early ....tg4. Black has avoided immediate danger and should plan his further development. The
The following is a typical example:
simplest way is ... b5 followed by ....ib7, but this is hardly an optimal solution. The bishop
Nezhmetdinov
has few prospects on the long diagonal, while
Budapest 1 963
-
Lengyel
the knight stands in the way of the other pieces. White would transfer his queen's knight to f5, aiming to organize a kingside attack, involving a further f4. The correct plan starts with the paradoxical 1 1 ...tZlb8!. Instead of developing a piece, Black retreats his king's knight to the initial square of his disappeared colleague! In doing so, he clears the h3-c8 diagonal for the bishop and the d-file for the queen, which is just as good as developing these two important pieces. At the same time, the knight is heading for d4, aiming to convert Black's firm control over this square into a stable space advantage in the event of an exchange (hd4 . . . cxd4) . The following is a typical example: 12.tZle3 tZlc6 13.tZlf5 tZld4 With the bishop on its initial diagonal, the white knight is unstable on f5 . 14.tZl3h4 g6 Shattering
This manoeuvre (with reversed colours but in
White's kingside ambitions and leaving the h4-
similar circumstances) is well known from the
knight misplaced. 1 5.hd4 cxd4 1 6.tZlxe7t
Four Knights Opening, where it bears the name
�xe7 17.g3 .th3 1 8.gel c5+ Black has more
of a master from the past, Metger. It is slightly
space and chances for a queenside attack. His
less efficient here because the next knight move
position is already preferable, Hennings - Ree,
will not attack the bishop. However, avoiding
Romania 1 965.
driving the bishop away with h3 would not
Since we have touched on the important issue of rerouting the knight, I would mention that Black has another favourable square apart from
have been better, since 8.�e2 could have been strongly met by 8... tZlh5!.
10 £6 1l.tZle3 tZlc5 12.tZl6 tZle6 ..•
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
200
Apart from the aforementioned functions, this knight proves to be a reliable defender of the g7-pawn.
13.tfe3 A necessary loss
of time in view of the threat
... lLld4.
13...ti'd7 14.�g3
Exchanging on e7 would have been a safer choice, but Nezhmetdinov never looked for safety.
14 ..J.f7 15.d3 .
20.ti'B
White clears the g3-square for the knight, but he will then abandon this plan on the next move.
20...h51
Taking full advantage of the minor weakness caused by the move h3.
21.c3
Premature desperation. More consistent would have been 21 .lLlg3 although after 2 1 ...g4 Black's position would still be better. The knight's stability on f5 would be relative and not very threatening. At . the same time, Black would retain possibilities for active play on both wings. ..
21 ...g4 22.ti'g3 dxc3 25.�xc3
23.ti'xh3 .Ae6 24.1th2
Black has won a pawn and went on to win the game some 30 moves later.
Returning to the main variation, we can conclude on the basis of the game Hennings - Ree that developing the bishop to b2 only looks appealing from an aesthetic point ofview, but is not very effective. Let's now investigate the position after 9.lLlc4. Both sides have almost completed their development, but the further course of the game will prove that Black's regrouping is more efficient. 15 g6! Suddenly it appears that the nicely placed white knights are rather passive. The weaknesses caused by Black's last move are hardly relevant with so many black minor pieces massed on this area of the board. As recommended by Botvinnik, one should not rush to casde if there are more useful things to do.
9 £6 ..•
..•
16.�e2 c5 17.h3 �d4
Finally, the knight has reached this square using a different route than in Hennings - Ree, but with similar effect.
18.�fxd4 ad4 19.ti'g3 pI
Another accurate move with the g-pawn. By preventing f4, Black restricts the activity of several white pieces.
White has basically decided to keep his bishop on the cl-h6 diagonal, but finds himself at a crossroads again regarding the exact way to undermine the e5-pawn.
The Delayed Exchange Variation
201
Should he play 10.d4 or prepare f4 with 1 0.llJh4? We shall consider each plan individually. The loss of time connected with
10.d4
seems to be justified by the fact that Black has spent a tempo on ...f6, which weakens the e6-sqIJare and the al-g8 diagonal. However, we should not forget that only Black has a light-squared bishop. This imponant aspect makes the aforementioned weaknesses fairly irrelevant and will be a guideline for Black's plan in the next phase of the game. He will aim to transfer his queen to f7 in the near future, challenging the stability of the c4-knight and giving some meaning to the advance of the f-pawn.
10 ad4 1 1.�xd4 �c5 ••.
Black opens the way for the c8-bishop and puts the e4-and d4-squares under some pressure. The knight's stability on c5 is acceptable from a practical point of view, because b4 would leave the white queenside seriously weakened after the calm ...llJe6. Those familiar with the chapter dedicated to the Exchange variation in Beating the Open Games will know that White should avoid making pawn moves on this part of the board.
12.f3 ieS
Before initiating the queen manoeuvre, Black clears the fS-square for the bishop. The immediate 12 ...�e8 could be answered by 13.llJf), exchanging one of the black bishops.
13ie3 .Am 14.iel
Now everything is prepared for
14...'ife7 15.h3 'iff! 16.'ifd2 Ad7
The immediate 1 6... llJe6 has also been played, but I prefer a developing move to an unnecessary knight retreat.
17.'ifn �e6 Now, this is more or less forced because of the threat of llJxc6.
18.�f5 gad8 19J:�edl .tc8
Black has completed his regrouping and has a solid and flexible position. With his next moves he will restrict White's minor piece activity.
20.�b2 b6 21.'ifg3 YlYg6 22.YlYxg6 23.�g3 c5
These moves were played in the game Vogt Wegner, Bundesliga 1 992. Black has obtained a comfonable form ofthe Exchange variation. One imponant aspect is that the white queenside is slightly vulnerable because its natural defender, the king, finds itself on the other wing. We can conclude that the opening of the centre leads to quiet play without any major problems for Black. The alternate plan consists of praparing f4 with:
10.�h4
202
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
Black's most ambitious answer is lO...g6 This restricts the activity of the h4-knight and creates the potential threat of ...f5. For decades this move was considered to be insufficient, but recent improvements for Black have proven it to be entirely viable. The classical continuation is 10...�c5 1 1 .�f5 � 12.exf5 when the strategic situation is rather one-sided, because ofWhite's possibilities of a blockade on the light squares. However, it should be mentioned that Black is in no real danger and that careful play should eventually lead him to a draw. 11..ih6 gf'7 12.f41? This is the continuation that was supposed to question Black's ambitious strategy. However, the move is rather double-edged. 12...e,f4 13.grl'4 White's pieces are potentially exposed to the threat of a fork on g5, but for the moment 13 ...g5? is bad because of 14.�f5 and the rook is taboo because of the check on g4. 13...�cSI A significant �mprovement over the older 13 ...�ffi?!. From c5 the knight puts pressure on the enemy centre. ECO quotes the following game: 14J''m .te6 (the passivity of the ffi-knight can be noticed after 14 . 5 when 15.�f3 keeps things under control fur White) .
.
15.�e3 a5 ( 1 5 ...f5 led to a very strong attack for White after 16.�hxf5 gxf5 17.exf5 in Wedberg - Kaiszauri, Gladsaxe 1979) 16.�f3 a4 17.\!{fe1;j; Hort - Westerinen, Orebro 1966. 14.gfl • lS.�f3 fxe4 16.dxe4 tfxdl 17.gaxdl �xe4 Black has won a pawn and exchanged queens, but has remained slightly behind in development. 18.�ceS?1 White fails to find the most challenging move order, which was 18J�fe1 .ic5t (18...�d6 10ses the exchange to 19.�xd6 cxd6 20.�g5± when the g5-knight is taboo because of mate in two) 19. �f1 .tf5 20.�ce5, when Black would have to transpose to a complicated ending with 20.. J�f6 21.g4 tLlf2 22.gxf5 tLlxdl 23.grol .td6. Black will soon have rook and two pawns for a knight and bishop. In addition, his rooks would display adequate activity and his king would be slightly safer than White's. The position would remain balanced. 18 J!(ffi 19.9fel .icst 2o.M �d6 21.�d3 .tb6 22.J.gs gm+ White had insufficient compensation fur the pawn in Tseiclin Azarov, Cappelle la Grande 2006. I believe that 1O...g6 is a worthy alternative to the unambitious 10...tLlc5, offering good chances for counterplay. •.
-
203
The Delayed Exchange Variation
7
1.e4 c5 2.�a
8
9
�c6 3..lb5 a6 4.h4 �f6 5.0--0 Ac7 6..ixOO dxOO 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 00
-
2 ...
•••
••• •••
3 As4 . ..
_.
•••
•••
6
Bel �d7
b3 c5
»2 U6
7
...
d4 exd4
�xd4 �c5
8
d3 �d7
�bd246 b3 c5 0-0
...
• ••
•••
• ••
9
1 0 '"
•••
�5 g4ft . .Ag617 . 1Yd7
BaU.
•••
•••
•••
•••
00
-
Bel
•
1fcS1J
�h230 . Bgl31 d3 "xf5 . 0-0-0'1 .tat33
a4" 0-0
d3
�d4
b4�1
�h4·7 £4" elf4 g6
Bel Bd7
d4 exd4
�xd4 �c5
BreI Bf7
-
2 I am not a big fan of developing the queen to d6 in the Exchange variation, but here 7 'ffd6 would make some sense. If White opens the d-file, his !lfl-e 1 might result in a loss of time after ...�xdl, compen1ating for the
f4!?SI cxf4
-
=
.ib2 f6
.th6S7 Bf7=
�ad6 ad636
�xd6U 1Yg3« ad6.� Be6!�S +
�d7
1 7.d4?l iLg4 8.dxe5 �xdl 9J'�xdl ll:)xe4+ 7.�xe5?! ll:)xe4 8.�e2 ll:)d6 9J!el ke6 Black has no problem at all. In the long run his pair of bishops might offer him the better chances. 10 . .!iJc3 .!iJ5 1 1 .ll:)e4 0-0 12.d3 .!iJd4 13.�dl f6 14.ll:)c4 �d7 15.c3 ll:)5 16.�e2 !lfe8 17.d4 ,td5+ Gufeld Tal, Leningrad 1 954.
.••
Bdl .td 0-0-0 h5
�dl20 £621
.
•••
-
d31• �d7
.. . 1fe2 .
5
d3' �d7
Bfl60 5
�a
&e4
dxe4
Bxdl 61
00
tempo spent on moving the queen at such an early stage. 8.d4 (8.d3 c5 9 ..!iJbd2 .te6) 8...ig4 9.�bd2?! (9.dxe5?! �xdl 10.!lxdl .!iJxe4 transposes to 7.d4?! above. 9.c3 c5!? 10.d5 0-0 1 l .ll:)bd2 b5=) 9 �d7 (both players seem to have missed the spectacular 9...�xd4, which simplifies the position in Black's favour) IO.�c4 'ffe6 1 1.�ae5 �xe5 12.m5 �M8 13.'ffe2 0-0 14.h3 (14.,tf4 f6 15.exf6 ixf600 �f, �al 15.'ffxa 'ffxe5 16.�5 h8, X.!iJf3) (The safest continuation. 16.c3 ,td6 17.g3 5 leaves White underdeveloped, while after 16.�f4 �a5 17.,te3 kd6 his coordination •••
A Spanish Reperroire for Black
204
would be rather poor, leaving him with problems defending both wings.) 16....xf5 17.exf'5 l!!!fe8 18.Ji4 Y2-¥2 Savon - Kuzmin, Baku 1977.
3 9.b3 tLld7 1O..ib2 Niephaus - F. Olafsson, Wageningen 1957, 1 0...f6=.
12 15.tLl3h4 jJ8 16.c3 YNd7 A ... O-O-Q, ...g6 13 17.gadl jJ8 18.d4 cxd4 19.cxd4 exd4
20.tLl3xd4 tLlxd4 21 .gxd4 YNc8=
14 9.g4 .tg6 10./t)xe5 (10.tLlc3 transposes to 7.tLlc3) 10 •d4 (this is simpler than the •••
4 1 1 •e2 .ig5 12.tLla3 (12.tLlc3 YNf6 13.�g2 •
h5 14.d3 hel 1 5.gexel gh6 16.YNe3 .txf3t-+ Ermenkov - Littlewood, Borovo 1980) 12 ...YNf6 13.�g2 h5 14.tLlc4 .if4 15.d4 (15.d3 gh6 16.hf4 YNxf4 17.tLlcxe5 f6+ 1 8.tLlc4? .txf3t 19.YNxf3 gg6t-+) 1 5 ...hel 16.gaxel exd� 1 1.d4 exd4 12.YNd3 c5 1 3.tLlbd2 (13.tLle5 .ie6 14.f4 f6 15.tLlf3 YNd6+ Fishbein - Veroci, Moscow 1 989) 13 ...YNd6 14.tLlh2 (14.tLlc4 YNe6 1 5.tLlfe5 b5 16.YNg3 h5 17.tLla5 .id6=t Brendel - Shomoev, Istanbul 2003) 14....ie6 1 5.tLlc4 YNc6 16.tLle5 YNb6 17.b3 0-0-0+ Chaplinsky - Veltmander, Riga 1 952.
5 Hecht - Velimirovic, European team championship, Moscow 1977.
7 White cannot allow the opening of the h file, which forces him to sacrifice the g-pawn. This will leave Black with three pawns for the sacrificed piece.
8 A much safer move than 9.g4. 9 1 0....ig5!? l 1 .filfl hel 12.gxel YNf6 13.fil Ih2 0-0-0= A...filc5-e6
10 This knight manoeuvre gives meaning to the move 7 .ge 1 .
1 1 1 1 c5 12./t)g3 .tr7 13./t)5 g6 (13...0-0 14 ..ie3 ge8 1 5.c3 jJ8 16.YNc2 filb6) 14./t)h6! •••
(14.tLlxe7?! YNxe7 A...g5, ...h5, ...g4, ...0-0-0) 14 .te6 15.c3;t Ad4 1 1 .../t)c5 12./t)g3 Axa (12...M7 13.d4± XtLlc5) 13.tl!ixS O--O 14 •g4 l!!!f7 15.f4± Savon - Furman, Riga 1975. •••
•
spectacular but slightly artificial 10...he4 I I .g5 gg8!? Suo B. Hansen - Hector, Reykjavik 1995) 1 1./t)xg6 hxg6 White cannot defend both his hanging pawns at the same time. 12.c3 exe4 13 •xe4 /t)xe4 14.mg2 ()....()...()+ S. Perez - Zaitsev, Cappelle la Grande 1 995. •
15 10.Ae3, Hernandez - Fernandez Garcia,
Zaragoza 1 996, 1O ...c5 1 1 ./t)bd2 f6 12.tLlc4 tLlfS 13.a4 tLle6. 10J�dl f6 l 1 .tLlbd2 (1 1 .d4 .id6) 1 1 ...tLlc5 12.tLlfl tLle6 13.c3 filf4 1 4.hf4 exf4co
16 11.b3 filc5 12.filc4 file6 13.lLe3?! White should not leave the c3-square undefended. 13 ....th4!? 14.gadl J.c3+ Molnar - L. Vajda, Eger 1996. l1.gdl filc5 A...filc6
17 13...filf4 14.YNel YNd7?! 1 5.gxh5 YNxh3
16.YNdl .tc5 17.file1 g6 18.tl!if3± Karklins - Djuric, Chicago 1990.
18 8.YNe2 tl!id6 9.fildl filh5 1 O.file3 /t)f4t Suba - Rodriguez de Robles, Collado Villalba 2003.
19 9.d3 /t)d7 10./t)e2
n.pf3 Af4,
Babula - Berezjuk, Czech Republic 2006,
n ...51?=
20 10.gel Ghinda - Bach, Herculane 1996,
1 0...f6 1 1 .d3 filc5=
10.g4 Age; 1 1.d4 The only way to obtain
central activity in order to compensate for the kingside weaknesses. 1 1 exd4 12./t)xd4 h5 13./t)5 (13 ..tf4 hxg4 14.hxg4 .id6 1 5 .e5 .tc5 16.e6 hd4 17.exd7t �fS 18.�g2 YNxd7 19.f3 c5°o Adams - Shorr, England 1991) 13 hxg4 •••
•••
The Delayed Exchange Variation
14.1ug4 (14.lYxg4 Nezhmetdinov - Geller, Moscow 19S9, 14....hB IS.lYxf5 g6 16.lYg4 lLleS 17.lYg3 lYd7!+ 18.lYxeS? lYxh3-+) 14....td6 15.£4 16.edSt Wfll I7.g5 �c5 18.b4 'tId7Jl An interesting piece sacrifice,
-.
typical of Sax's enterprising style of play. Black will obtain two pawns for the knight and White will have problems keeping both wings under control. A draw by perperual check becomes very probable now. 19.bxc5 (19.lYg4 lLld3 20.cxd3 .ixM 2 1 .Ab2 Yfxd3 22.lLle2 �e8;;;) (20.Wg2 Yfxf5 21 .Yfd3 �g4t 22.�g3 22 •23 �� 20 "x5 21.�e4 •
•••
1Jh7 23.Wfl "b2t 24.Wel �e8 25.Ba3t Wg8 26.'I'e3 Wfll 27.Ba3t Wg8 28.Be3 Wfll Jfz-Jfz Sax - Ivkov, Rio de Janeiro 1 979. 10.d3 f6 1 1 ..ie3 lLlfB 12.�adl cS 13.lLldS .id6 14.M cxM I S.d4 lLld7 ( l S...lLle6!?) 16.g4 .if7 17.dxeS fxeS+, but not 17...lLlxeS 18.lLlh4 0-0 1 9.1Ll5;; Kholmov - Gligoric, Leningrad 19S7.
21 10 �c5 1l.d3 �e6 12..te3 (l2.g4 .ig6 13 ..ie3 .id6 14.�d2 hS+ Kremenietsky - Balashov, Moscow 1982) 12 .Af6 13.�c3 Yfe7 14.lLlbl g5 15.�bd2 �g8 16.g4 Ag6 17.�c4 Fischer - Alvarez del Monte, Mar del Plata 1 960, 17 �f4 gd4+t •••
•••
20S
26 To my knowledge, this move has not been
tried in practice so far, but I believe it is the best way to obtain stable compensation for the sacrificed piece. 1 l •d6 12JilgHI (l2.lLle2 0-0-0 13.lLlh2, as played in a couple of correspondence games, is a better defensive try) 12 •b6 13J!lbl (13.<.tfl? lYh3t) and now, in the game Blackstock Pinter, Budapest 1977, Black should have played 13 •£6 14.d3 b5 15.�bl b4 16.�bd2 h3t 17.Wgl Q...O..-O+ A...lYg6-hS, ...J.gS . •••
•••
•••
27 12.1Jel .ix8t 13. <.txf3 f4
A curious
decision. Black is a piece down, but blocks the position instead of starting the king hunt. This is justified by the fact that White's minor pieces are passive, while the advance of the g- and h pawns cannot be stopped. 14. <.te2 lYd7 IS.d3 0-0-0 16.a gS 17.�hl hS 18.lYf2 <.t b8 19 ..id2 g4 If anything, only Black can be better here. 12.�e2 leads to similar consequences after 12....ix8t 13.<.txf3 fid7 14. <.tg2 f4 Is.lLlgl hS 16.lLla .if6 17.d4 0-0-0 followed by ...gS, questioning the stability of the enemy knight on
a.
28 12 ... 0-0? 13.�e2! A'ilYc4t
•••
22 13 ....icS?! 14.�b3 'ilYc8 IS.'ilYxe6t! ± 23 14.d3?1 AcS+; 14.�g3?! .if7 IS.d3 g6 16.lLle2 cS 17.b3 lLld4!f Nezhmetdinov - Lengyel, Budapest 1 963. 24 9 ..tg6 10 •e2 (lO.lLlxeS lLlxe4 l 1 .lLlxg6 lLlxc3 12.dxc3 hxg6 13.fixd8t �xd8=) 10 �d7 l l.d� ••
•
29 13...'ilYd7?! 14.lLlxeS! 30 14.�xe5? Ah3t+ IS.<.txh3? fixf5t leads
to a decisive attack by Black's major pieces along the g- and h-files. 14.'f!Je4? loses material to 14...i.x5 IS.fixeS
.ih3t 16. <.tgl �g4t 17.�g3 fixg3t 18.fxg3 .ixfl 19. <.txfl l"lxf3t-+.
•••
25 1 l •e2 'Bd6 12.'Be3 J.h3 13.�b4 btl 14.�5 .£6 15.<.txfl+ AM (1S ...0-0-0 ? 16.�a7!; IS ...g6 16.lLlxe7 �xe7 17.fih3 �d7 18.'ilYh4°o) 16.d3 g6 17.lLlb6 'Be6 (17...0-0-0 18.'ilYa7!?) 18.Ba (oI8 ..id2 AI8 ... 0-0-0 19.�a7!?) 18 �fll 19.J.d2 0-0-0 20J.�el 5+ Conquest - Stefansson, Hafnarfirdi 1992. •
•••
31 15.d3? .if3t!-+; 15.'Be3 l"lf6-+ 32 Black has strong compensation for the
sacrificed material. The least he can do is force a draw by perpetual.
33 17.liJxf3 'ilYxf3t 18. <.tfl Y!!fh3t 19.<.te2 fiat 20.<.tfl= (20. <.td2?! e4 21.liJxe4 .ib4t 22.lLl c3 l"lde8+)
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
206
34 10.�a3
b5 l l .c4 c6 12.It:lc2 V!!e7 13.d3 0--0 14.lt:le3 g6= Tzermiadianos - Kosashvili, Arnhem 1989. 10.d3 0-0 l l.�bd2 b5 12.Be2 (12.a4 c6 13.V!!e3 Ele8 14.Elfdl It:lffi 1 5.lt:lfl f6 16.lt:lh4 It:le6 17.1t:l5 .iffi 18.c3 'iffc7= Ilijin - Kholmov, Timisoara 1977) 12 ..Ab7 (12...Ele8 13.g3 lt:lffi 14.1t:lh4, Lanc - Aleksandrov, Prague 1990, 14...1t:le6!?+ Ll ...lt:lf4, Ll ...lt:ld4) 13.a4 Be7 ••
14.u:b5 axb5 15Jba8 ftxa8 16J!!:a 1 'half 17.J.xa1 �fll 18.Be1 f6 19.�fl �e6 20.BaS Vd7 2l.Va7 J.c6 22.�e3 J.fll 23.h3 �d�
The activity of the white queen only partially compensates for Black's space advantage, I..nc - Graf, Prague 1990.
35 1 1 ...Ele8 12.lt:lc4 f6 13.c3 It:lffi 14.d4 exd4 1 5.cxd4 .ig4 16.lt:lxd6 Bxd6 17.dxc5 �-� Baklan - Fressinet, France 2002. 36 1 7.lt:le3 J.e6 1 8.f4 b5 19.Vd2 Bb6 20.Whl Bb7 2 l .fXe5 dxe5 22.axb5 axb5 23.Elfhl �-� Ostojic - Matanovic, Belgrade 1969.
12.0
It:le6 13.lt:lxe6 .txe6 14.Eldl J.d6 Black's bishop pair is very active and stable at the same time. White is under pressure on both wings. 15.V!!f2 Wfe7 16.Elel Aiming to prevent counterplaj- based on ...5, but basically losing a tempo. 16...Elad8 Black's centralization looks impressive. 17.a3 J.e5 1 8.f4 .txc3 19.bxc3 jJ) 20.e5 'iffe6f Black has the more compact structure and firm control of the light squares, Hecht - Portisch, Raach 1969. 12.f4?, Soltis - Albert, Dresden 1 969, 1 2...lt:lxe4!! 13.lt:lxe4 .ic5 14.Eldl .ig4 1 5.Eld3 V!!d5+
41 White has to weaken his position in order
to prevent Black from developing his initiative. 13.b3?! 5+ .
42 White is practically forced to improve
Black's structure, because he is not sufficiendy well developed to consolidate the knight on 5.
43 The weakness ofthe c4-sqlJare
for White's space advantage.
37
1O.lt:lb3 It:lxb3 l l .axb3 0--0 12.1t:lc3 5!? 13 ..tf4 A draw was agreed here in Short - Nunn, Hastings 1987. The vulnerability of the white queenside compensates for his majority on the other wing.
38 1 1.b3
40
�e8
12.�d2
has been played in a few games with a positive score for White. Black's simplest way to stabilize the position in his favour is 12...5. For instance: 13.e5 (l3 ..ia3 It:lxe4 14..txe7 Elxe7 1 5.Elfel c5 16.1t:l48 b6'f does not seem to offer adequate compensation for the pawn) 13 f41? 14.Bc3 (14.Bxf4? .ig5 wins the d4-knight) 14 Bd5 15.�2a .£7 Followed by ...It:le6, with excellent play on the light squares. •••
•••
39 White's
queen has consumed two tempi in order to reach an unfavourable square. It not only stands in the way of the cl-bishop, but is exposed to the enemy rook's X-ray pressure. �
44 16.f4?! would weaken the light squares even
more. 16...lt:lc4 17.V!!d4 b5'f 1 8.a4 .ig4 19.Eld3 Wfh4 20.h3 .ie2!+ Khasin - Geller, Kislovodsk 1968.
45 16 ge6l?
(This is more active than the over-cautious 16...f6 17.i.e3 Be7 1 8.a4 a519.b5 .ie6 20.h3t Short - Nunn, Bundesliga 1988.) 17.mbl Bb6 18.gbl gg6 19.fi'M .ig4 (20.8? .txf3 2 l .gxf3 It:lxB-+ Ll.. J'!gl f) 20 Bc7 21.gfl (2l.S? It:lxB-+) 21_.ct� Black is better coordinated and has the more compact structure, Adams - Wahls, Arnhem 1 988. •••
•••
46
8.b3
This move deserves some attention because it has occasionally been employed by Kasparov. True, this happened mainly against computers, in simultaneous displays, or in blitz events. The best way to prevent White's activity in the centre is 8 c5 (Kasparov's only • • •
The Delayed Exchange VaIiation
_
207
serious game with this line went B ...O--O 9.Ab2 f6 10.liJbd2 liJc5 1 1.d4 exd4 12.liJxd4 Ad6 13.�e2 liJe6 14.�c4 �eB 15.liJf5 b5 16.liJxd6 cxd6 17.�d3 �e7 18.�fe1 �a7 19.1iJfl and White retained his space advantage, KaspaIOV - Beliavsky, Reykjavik 1988.) 9ib2 f6 10.�h4 g6 11.£4 exf4 12.1hf4 0--0 BJ�fl �e5 14.�a �c6 15.�d Ae6 16.�e2 J.d6 17.'ffd2 'ffd7 18.gEl gfl 19.9afl gafB 20.h3 b5 21.'Bh6 J.e5= Godena - Milos, Aosta 1990.
�e6 17.�e2 a5 18.�hl a4 19.�b2 axb3 20.m3 hi 21.hl f5 22.exf5 'ffxf5 23.�d3 c5 24.ge1 b6 25.�g3 'ffd5 26.�e4 J.b7= Glek - Beliavsky, Minsk 1 9B3.
47 l1.liJe1 Ad6 12.liJc4 liJbB 13.g3 (13.f4 exf4 14.�f3 liJc6 15.liJxd6 �xd6 16.�xf4 �xf4 17.E1xf4 a5 1B.a4 Ae6=) 13 ...b5 14.liJe3 liJc6 15.f4 c4!? 16.
16.liJe3 1h-Yz Bertok - Ghitescu, Zagreb 1970. 16.. .i.d6 �...�e7=
48 12.�g4 Ghitescu - Giustolisi, Reggio Emilia 1961 12...liJb8 13.�g3 liJc6 14.liJf5 lLld4= 49 �...g5
53 13.b3 Vladimirov - Mortazavi, Ostend 1990, 13...AfS= 13.mhl AfS 14.b3 �e7 1 5.Ab2 �f7 16.liJe3 PafHey - PaIr, corr. 1951, 16...Ad7 � ...�adB 54 14..i£l liJe6 (l4...�e7=) 15.liJxe6 he6
55 16 liJe6 17.E1ad1 (17.�f2 c5 1 B.liJe2 b6 1 9.�adl Ab7 20.Acl �adB= Liebert - Lein, Zinnowitz 1 965; 17.lLlf5 Ad7 1B.�adl �ad8=) 17...lLlxd4 1B.�xd4 a5 19.Af2 Ae6 20.lLle3 Ab4 21.c3 Ae7 22.�d2 a4 23.c4 axb3 24.axb3 �fS 25.�c2 Ih-Ih Kholmov - Geller, Riga 1968. 16 .J.d7 17.�f2 lLle6 18.lLlf5 E1ad8 19.�edl AcB 20.lLlb2 b6 21 .�g3 �g6 22.�xg6 hxg6 23.lLlg3 c5= Vogt - Wegner, Germany 1 992. •••
••
56 1O ...lLlc5 1 1 .lLlf5 .hf5 12.exf5=/+ 57 11.g3 �c5 12.J.h6 (12.lLlg2 Sutovsky 12....th3 13.f4 exf4 � ...f5=t) 12 gfl 13.M (13.f4?! exf4 14.�xf4 .ie6=t Sutovsky) 13 ...�e6 14.'ffd2 (14.a3 c5 15.c3 b5 16.lLle3 a5+) 14 c5 15.�hl!? (1 5.bxc5 lLlxc5 16.Ae3=) 15 ...b5 16.lLla5 (16.lLle3 Ab7!+) 16...c:x:M (16....if8 Sutovsky - Adams, Dortmund 2005) 17.£4 (17.lLlc6 �d6 18.lLlxe7t �xe7 1 9.f4 exf4 20.gxf4 5! 21.lLlf3 fxe4 22.dxe4 Ab7 23.�ae1 lLlc5+ Sutovsky) 17 �d4! 18.fxe5 (1B.f5 gxf5 19.1LlxfS hf5 20.exf5 �d5t+) 1 1.'ffg4!?, Venkatesh - Thipsay, Pune 2004, 1 1...
•••
50 17.liJc4 liJd4=
51 12.ge1 ge8 B.d J.m 14.a 'ffe7 15.b3 'Bfl 16..ta3 a5 17.'ffc2 a4 18.J.M �:x:b3!? (1B ...axb3 19.axb3 E1xa1 20.�xa1 liJxb3 21 .�xb3 c5 22.Aa3 cxd4 23.cxd4 ha3 24.�xa3 f5 25.�c2 fxe4 26.fxe4 �e7= Kuzmin - Timoscenko, Soviet Championship, Frunze 19B1) 19.m3 c5 20.Aa3 cx:d4 (21.cxd4 axb3+ 22.�xb3? E1xa3;+) 21. b5 22.�d2 d:x:c3! 23.'ff:x:c3 gxffi+ ••
52 12 'ffe8 B.'ffe2 (13 ..tf4 �f7 14.�e2 liJe6) 13...'fffl 14..te3 ge8 15.b3 Am 16.'ffEl ..•
•••
208
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
58 12.Bg4 ttJc5
1 3.Y;¥g3 'i!lh8 14.ttJf3 ttJe6 1 5.Ae3 b5 16.ttJcd2 c5= 12.Be2 ttJffi 13.i'!adl ttJe6 14.Ae3 c5 1 5 .c3 b5 16.ttJa5 Ad6 17.g3 c6 1 8.ttJb3 a5 19.ttJg2 a4 20.ttJd2 a3= Kholmov - Romanov, Minsk 2000.
59 13...�f8?! 14.gfl J.e6 (14...f5 15.�e3 as ( 1 5 ...f5 16.ttJhxf5 gxf5
1 5 .ttJf3) 17.exf5,
Wedberg - Kaiszauri, Gladsaxe 1 979) 16.�f3 a4 17.'ffeU; Hort � Westerinen, Orebro 1966. 60
14.BeH Zuidema - Vizantiadis, Vrnjacka
Banja 1967, 14...g5 1 5.ttJf5 gxf4 Xg3. 14.cit?h1 Z. Horvath - Almasi, Budapest 199 1 , 14...J.e6 15.�a5 (I 5.b3 hc4 16.bxc4 f5 17.exf5 hh4 1 8.fxg6 �4 19.9xh7t 'i!lh8 20.J.xf4 .tf6=F) 15 ...J.d6 16.m f5; 17.exf5? Ylxh4-+ X8h2 14.Be2 Ae6+ .
61 17.gaxd1 �xe4 18.�ce511 (I8.gfel .le5t
[ l 8...tDd6 19.ttJxd6 cxd6 20.tDg5±] 1 9.'i!lfl j,f5 20.ttJce5 i'!f6 2 1 .g4 ttJf2 22.gxf5 ttJxdl 23J�xdl Ad6oo) 18...gf6 19.9fe1 J.c5t 20.�fl �d6 21.�d3 J.b6 ? gf8+ Tseidin - Azarov, Cappelle la Grande 2006.
•
•
Chapter 10
tetn
1.e4 e5 2.c��a �c6 3.J.b5 a6 4.J.a4 �f6 5.0--0 J.e7 6J�e1 b5 7.J.b3 d6 8.a4
release of the tension and leaves the queenside light squares slighdy weakened. However, if we look from a more general perspective, there are also downsides to 8.a4. White's entire queenside is still undeveloped, which makes such activity look rather premature. In addition, several squares are weakened, while the b3-bishop loses its stability. These aspects suggest that Black should react actively.
8...J.g4
We are already familiar with this kind of move. In several other variations such as the Rubinstein system and the Worrall Attack, White can pose Black concrete problems by undermining the b5-pawn. In the diagrammed position, Black has several ways of reacting, but many of them have minor drawbacks. Giving up the a-file witbout a fight with S .. J!bS would be an obvious concession. The natural S ....!b7 can be answered with 9.c3, when White will be able to play 1 0.d4 without the necessity of spending a tempo on h3, while a4 is useful anyway. 8 ...b4 100ks like a premature
This move is very rarely played when the d pawn has not advanced to d4. The reason is that the exchange on 8 (or the retreat to h5) would leave the b3-bishop the unchallenged master of the central light squares. In this position, the active development of the bishop is justified by the negative aspects of 8.a4, as mentioned above. In order to give a better general picture of the whole issue, I would refer to certain variations of the Nimw Indian. White can win the bishop pair with a3, but this would lose a tempo for development and weaken the queenside light squares. Here, 8.a4 has weakened a dark square as well (b4) which justifies Black's readiness to give up his light-squared bishop. We shall become familiar with the details slighdy later. The strong threat of ...li:ld4 (or if 9.h3 then 9 . .hf3 followed by 1 0...li:ld4) practically forces White to play .
210
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
9.c3 After
9...0-0 we reach the tabiya of this chapter. The position could also arise from the move order 8.c3 0--0 9.a4 .ig4.
A slightly paradoxical approach. After giving up his light-squared bishop, Black has built up a pawn chain on the dark squares. Under different circumstances this would allow the activation of the c2-bisliop, but here all the important light squares are controlled by the knights.
14.dxe5 White cannot maintain the tension in the centre because of the idea of ...cxd4 followed by ...It:lc6.
14 dxe5 15.�d2 c4 •••
White has a choice. He can attack the bishop with lO.h3, or prepare this move with lO.d3 and 1 1 .lt:lbd2. The slightly adventurous lO.d4 transposes to a side line of the Yates system.
10.h3 txf3 1 l.tfxf3 White has won the bishop pair but has not made any progress with his development.
1l ...�a5 A typical reaction. Before advancing the b pawn, Black takes the c4- and b3-squares under control.
12..tc2
The seemingly more active 12..ta2 puts the bishop in immediate danger after 12...b4. White is forced to play 13.cxb4, but after 13 ...lt:lc6 Black has excellent compensation in view of the weakness of the d4- and b4-squares and his better development.
12 b4 13.d4 •••
13.d3 fails to put Black under serious pressure. His best answer is 13...lt:ld7 14.lt:ld2 .ig5, exchanging his passive bishop and retaining a solid position.
13...c5
The position is typical for the Ranrer variation. Black has made significant progress with his queenside plan, which compensates for White's pair of bishops. One important aspect is that White can almost never place a rook on dl, because this would leave the bishop out of play for the rest of the game after ...b3, .ib l . This permanent danger is a direct consequence of the weakness of the b3-square, which was caused by the defining move of this chapter. With the pawn on a2, the bishop would feel very safe. The obvious drawback of l O.h3 is that it implies moving the queen before the development · of the queenside has even started. From this point of view, the more restrained
10.d3
certainly makes sense. Black has no reason to deviate from his standard plan.
The a4-System
10...itla5 11ic2 As in the previous line, the bishop feels less
comfortable after I I .J.a2.
1 l b4 12.itlbd2
21 1
lS b3 •••
A first moment when the presence of the rook
on bS is essential.
•••
Practically forced. If I6.ib I , Black would defend his e5-pawn with I6.. -'Mfc7, creating the strong threat of cutting off the aI-rook and the bI-bishop with ...c4. White would have to play I7.id3 anyway, which would just lead to a loss of tempo.
16 euI4 17.ad4 c4 lsib1 •••
The bishop has to keep the e4-square under control. After IS.i.f1 d5 I9.e5?! lile4 Black is already better.
lS c3! •••
For the second time, the bS-rook proves useful. The pawn is taboo because of ...b2.
tIS!? 20.eS itle4 21.J.xe4 dxe4 22.li:xe4 1tlc4 23.li:e2 "tIS
For the time being, White maintains better control ofthe queenside light squares than in the previous line. However, one of his pieces will be distracted from controlling the b3-square after the exchange on 8. Black should just prepare for this course of events with
12 li:bS •••
Now, after
13.h3
14.�xf3 cS lS.d4
White is better prepared to maintain the tension in the centre than in the previous line. However, Black has practically gained a tempo for nothing (.. .l':!bS) which he can use with energetic play.
Black has fantastic compensation for the sacrificed pawn.
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
212
1 .e4
e5 2.�f3 �c6 3.i.b5 a6 4.Aa4 �f6 5.0-0 /ie7 6J�el b5 7.j,b3 d6 8.a4
0-0
� �
-------------
1
10
11
12
d3 �a5
.tal b4
�bd2 d41 gb8 c5
.tc2
�bd2S gb8 ·
2 ... •••
b4
.tal13 b41� .
4 ...
13
h3'
.b4U
14
�xf37 d4 c51? b3
�c6
• ••
•••
•••
•••
•••
•••
•••
•••
• ••
•• •
• ••
. 5 ...
•••
•••
7 ...
•••
• ••
•• •
• ••
8 ...
•••
•••
•••
•••
c:xd4
cxd4 c4
.tb19 dSlO
-
+
b5 m5
gael bxc3
d4 c5
m5 m5
•••
•••
•••
• ••
•• •
• ••
• ••
c41?39
. . •
(l4...bxc3 I S.bxc3 cxd4 16.cxd4 lLlc6= Kupreichik - Piket, Germany 1998) 15.Abl 16.1t:Ixf3 (l6.gxB cxd4 17.cxd4 �c6+ Piket) 1 6...1fc7+ White cannot prevent his queenside pieces from being cut off from the play. 17.1fu6? only makes things worse because of 17 c4-+, trapping the queen as well, as indicated by Piket. •••
19
�fl bxc3
1 13.h3 hf3 14.�xf3 c5 1 5.d4 (1 5.�d2 �d7 16.�fI .ig5=) I S ...b3 1 6..ib l Bc7 transposes to a sub-line of the 1 1 .i.c2 variation. Exchanging the a5-knight with 13.tlc4 �xc4 14..lxc4 does not ensure complete stability for the bishop either. 14...bxc3 1 5.bxc3 c6!?= (l5 .. J�c8 16.h3 ke6=) 16.ha6 (16.d4 d5!) 16...Ba5 17.i.c4 d5=l= L\ Y!Yxc3
2 14.1fe2 b3!
18
.td5?P' c:xd5 �ul5 �d4
d330 tld7
•••
17
-
WI
J.dm14 d4 b4 ·c5
6 ...
•••
16
�c4 Bull
Bc3 Bd7
«
15
bxc3 c6
gabl gbS
3
1 8 ...bxc3 19.bxc3 hf3 20.gxB It:Ixc3 21 .i.d2 XlLlc3
4
Black's pawns restrict the white minor pieces, which compensates for the passed pawn.
5
12.cxb4? �c6 13.i.d2 �b8=l=
6 13.d4c5
(14.d5 c4 1 5.h3 b3 16.i.b l .h8 17.�xf3 �d7 �-� Kavalek - Smejkal, Ceska Trebova 1997. From Black's point of view, agreeing to a draw looks premature. The aI-rook and the b l-bishop are safely cut off from play for the rest of the game. It is true that Black should handle the position with care. For instance, the premature advance of the f-pawn
The a4-System
would reawaken the b I -bishop, but all White can do is sit and wait.) 14...bxc3 15.bxc3 cxd4 16.cxd4 �c6 17.h3 (17.dxe5 dxe5 IS.ha6 (17...�b4 IS.Abl Ab4 � . . J�·a5) 17 Ae6 1 9.Ab2 �c6 20.Ac3 exd4 2 1 .�xd4 �xd4 22.hd4 �d7 23.Ad3 �c5 24.Afl a5 Black . has a stable position, but White could daim a symbolic advantage because ofhis more compact structure, Czarnota - Malaniuk, Krakow 2006.)
18.�xf3 �xd4 19.�xd4 exd4 20.llxa6 d5=
Van der Wiel - Smejkal, Ter Apel 1997.
7 14.lIfxf3 �d7= �...Ag5 8
16.Abl lIfc7 17.Ad3 exd4 I S.cxd4 c4 19.Afl d5=
213
15 13.lIfdl lIfbS �...b3 16
With such poor development, White should avoid moving this bishop again.
17 The start of a surprisingly strong attack. 18 18.£4? AM 1 9J!e3 Ag3+ 18.�d2 f4! 19.B (19.�b3?
lLlBt! 20.gx8 lIfxh3-+; 19.�e4 g5 20.B h5 2 1 .�f2 g4 22.fxg4 AM!+) 19.. J�f6 20.�e4 'fJ.g6 21 .'it>h2 Ah4 22.'fJ.fl Ag3t 23.�xg3 (23.'it>hl 'fJ.h6 24.�f2 �xf3-+) 23 ...fxg3t 24.'it>hl lIfxh3t! 25.gxh3 g2t 26.'it>gl �e2t-+
19 20.ixf4 (20.'it>g2 fxe3 2 1 .fxe3 Ah4 22.'fJ.fl 'fJ.f6+) 20 'frxh3I=F 21ig3 gf6 22.�d2 gh6 hl gg6t 24..tg3 gf8! 25.�fl gf5-+ 26.�h2 gh5 27.1t'd2 1t'xh2t 0-1 Reeh •••
9 IS.Afl d5
1 9.e5 �e4 20.�d2 5+ Wells
10
I S ...c3!? 19.Ad3 d5 20.e5 �e4 21 .he4 dxe4 22.'fJ.xe4 �c4 23.'fJ.e2 lIfd500
1 1 19.e5 �e4!?
(19...�eS A ..g6 is also interesting, aiming to leave White's queenside pieces out of play) 20..be4 che4 2 IJhe4
1t'd5� 12
20.Ac3 Adams - Kolev, Elenite 1993. 20...dxe4 21 .he4 �xe4 22Jhe4 .d5 23 .•e2 Ab4=
Smejkal, Bundesliga 1 9S5.
20
The only logical move. White has to develop as soon as possible.
21 17
�b41? 18..bd5 (1 S.d3 �xa2 19.'fJ.xa2 dxe4 20.dxe4 'fJ.a4 2 1 ..c6 'fJ.xe4=) 18...�fxd5 •••
19.exd5 �xd5 20.m3 tf@ 21.d3 gfd8 22 .te3 gab8 Ih-lh Djokic - Jovcic, Yugoslavia •
1997.
22 lS.d3 'fJ.a4! � ..Ab4 .
13
This move used to be a specialty of Ljubojevic, who collected quite a few illustrious scalps with it.
14 �...b3 12 c5 13.d3 b4 14.cxb4 cxb4
1 5.lLld2 lLld7 16.�b3 �xb3 17.hb3 (�a2-gS) 17...Ag5 l S.Ae3 he3 19.1Ifxe3 a5 20.d4+ Ljubojevic - Portisch, Tilburg 19S6. 12 b:xa4 13.lIfdl .d7 14.d3 'fJ.fbS 1 5 .�d2 .b5 16..ic4! lLlxc4 17.�xc4 �d7 IS.'gxa4 a5 19..te3 c6 (19 ...5!= 20.exf5?! d5! 21 .�d2 .xd3+) 20.lIfal + d5 2 1 .exd5 cxd5 22.�xa5 i.f8 23.b3 d4? 24.�c4!± Ljubojevic - Karpov, Dubai Olympiad 1986. ••.
•••
23 20.d3
(20 ... 'fJ.a4 21 .lIfxc7 .id6 22 .•d7 'fJ.aaS [22 ...�b3 23.!xbl 'fJ.d4 24.lIfc6 'fJ.xd3 25 .•xd5 'fJ.xd5 26..te3+] 23.Ae3 'fJ.adS 24 .•g4;!; Ljubojevic-Smejkal, Dubai Olympiad 19S6; 20...'fJ.fdS 2 1 .Ae3 ha3 22.bxa3 �xb5 23 .•b2 f6 24.'fJ.ecl .xd3 [24... c6 25.a4 �d6 26 .•b4 'fJ.a6=] 25.a4 lLld4 26.•a2t [26.'fJ.xc7 'fJ.xa4! 27.'fJ.xa4 .dl t 2S.'it>h2 .xa4] 26...'it>hS [26 ...•b3 27.'fJ.xc7 l1fxa2 2S.'fJ.xa2 'fJ.d6 29.'fJ.b2 leaves Black with some seventh rank problems] 27.'gxc7+ Leconte - Ruch, corr. 1994.) 21.bxa3 1t'xb5 22..te3 (22.f4?! 'ga6 23.fxe5 (23.'fJ.xe5? .xe5!-+) 23...•d5+ �... 'fJ.g6, �...'fJ.c6-c2)
22 c5= •••
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
214
24 A specialty of Kupreichik. White places
his bishop on a slighdy passive square, but inhibits the further · advance of the b-pawn, which would no longer win a tempo.
25 14.cxb4 cxb4 1 5.dxe5 dxe5 1 6.lild2 lild7
1 7.lilb3 lilc5 18.lilxa5 �xa5 1 9..ib3 lilxb3 20.�xb3 .ic5 2 1 ..ie3 he3 22Jhe3 �fd8= Kupreichik - Bojkov, Kish 2003.
26 17.�xc3?! liJc6 1 8.�xc4 .Ab4+
Hou Yuan - Qin Kanying, Beijing 2005) 17.ctle3 ctlc5!? (17 ...bxc3 1 8.bxc3 . lilb3 1 9.hb3 cxb3 20.�d l ! �b8 2 1 .lilf5!±) 18 •g4 b3 ( 1 8 ... lilab3 19.hb3 lilxb3 20J;ba) 19.9dl: .cS 20.ctl5 .tf6 21.gd6 ctle6 •
22 .idl;t •
36 16 '8c7 · 17.ctlc4 ctlxc4 (17...lilb3 •••
18.�b l
1
.ig5 20.�cda) ctlb6 19..tfl c4 20 •� lilxc1
19.�bxc1
•
37 18 ..lci6 1 9.1ilf3 lilb3 (l9 ...�f6 ••
27 1 8 ..ixb3 cxb3 19.�bl �b8=
20..ie3;1;) 20..ig5! Af6 2 1 ..ih6 �e7 22.ctlh4!± 18 f6 1 9.1ilf3 A ...lilh4;1; The slighdy unnatural 18 •d6!? has some advantages over the text move. It places the queen on a defended square, thus avoiding a further · lild4 and it keeps the h6-square under observation. 1 9.cxb4 (The only way to question the viability of Black's last move. 19.1ilf3 lilb3 20.�bl bxc3 2 1 .bxc3 lilxa4 22.hc4 lilxc1 23.gexc1 �ac8=) 19...fixb4 20.fixe5 .i� •••
28 1 9..ixb3
••.
29 20.�xc1 h3!+ Kupreichik - Romanishin,
Bad Worishofen 1997.
30 13.cxb4 lilc6 14.fic3 ti'd7 A . . . �fh8 31 14 •g4 gbS bxd 16.bxc3 gb2 17 •dl b6 (17....ig5? 18.fic1!±) 1 8.J.cl gb8 20.d4 fif6=) ( 1 8 ...�b7!?) 19.£4 (1 9.lild2 Zapata 21 19 ctlc5 20.gal .., G. Garcia, San Salvador · 1995, 21 ..ig5 d5= •
•
•••
••
32 1 5.d4 c5 16.dxc5 dxc5= Compared to the
variation 1 3.d4 followed by 1 5 ...lild7 below, Black has an extra tempo consisting of ....tg5.
33 20.ib3 �f6 (20 ...g6
is an unnecessary
weakening of the · kingside. 21 .h4 [21 .d4 Agb7 22.h4!?] 21...�d8 22.g3 [22.h5 �f6=] 22 .. .'i!ig7 23..Ac2 h5 24.d4;t Nunn Romanishin, London 1 984.) 21.d4 greg",
34 This move prematurely weakem the control ofthe d5-square and allows a favourable regrouping of the c2-bishop.
35 This move bears . the seal of a former
world champion, but the standard manoeuvre initiated by 1 6.lilf1 might be stronger. 16 c4 (16...lilb6 17.lile3 ge8 18.lilf5+ •••
38 19...�b3 . 20.a5! We can
here another drawback of 1 8...fic7. BecauSe of the unfavourable position of the queen, Black cannot capture the rook because of 2 1 ..ih6 followed by 22.axb6 and 23.gxal. 2o...lild7 21 ..ih6 .if6 22.�a4± 19 Bfe8 20.Ah6 (20.fixe5!? fixe5 21 .ctlxe5 bxc3 [21 ...lilb3 22.a5!;1;] 22.bxc3 .if6 23.f4 liJb3 [23.. 24.fxe5 lild7 25.M4 lilxe5 26J�adl±] 24.�a3 he5 25.fxe5 ctlxcl 26.�xc1 �ac8 27.�dl a5 28.�d6 �e6 29.�a2 mf8 30 ..Ae2±; 20.lild4!? g6 2 1 ..ih6 .Ac5 22.lilc2!± A22 liJb3 23.a5 ctld7 24.gadl bxc3 21.ab4 (21 .lild4 fid6 .. 25.�xc3±) 22.lilf5 �g6=) 21 � b3 22.ga3? (22.ga2!?; 22.a5 lild7 23.�adl +) 22 a5 (22...�e6! 23.a5 [23 ..Ae3 .ixb4 24.�b3 cxb3 25J�c1 �e7 26.lilxe5 gxe5 27.hb6 gxe4 28.ti'xb3 ge8 Age1+] 23 ...lild7 24.�b3 cxb3 25 ..Ad2 gg6+) 23.bxa5 gxa5 24.gal gxa4 25.gxa4 �xa4- Kasparov - Ivanchuk, Prague (rapid) 2002. •••
•..
•••
•••
see
The a4-System
39 Black increases
21S
his queenside space
advantage. preventing the transfer of the white bishop to fl . At the same time. the dS-square remains defended.
-
,
40 16.4:10 hxel 17.'Bn:3 (17.bxc3 ll)b3 1 8ixb3 aM 19.13bl l3b8=) 17 4:lc6! 18.Wu:4 ftc8 (18...ll)d4!? 19.1Yd3 J.b4 20.l3dl lYc7 2 1 .J.b3 l3fd8) 19.'Bd3 4:ld4 (19...ll)b4 20.tlxd8 l3fxd8 2 1 .J.bl ll)c2 lh:cZ 23.4:le3 l3c6 24.ll)5 .AM 2S.J.gS!t Sutovsky Gyimesi. Medellin 1 996) 20..tb3 J.b4 21.ftdl •••
-
'BaS:;
41 16...4:ld7 17.(:,b4!� (l7.lilf3 !f6 1 8.cxb4 lilc6 1 lYe7=) 17 18.gdl gb8ll
(Black makes a generally useful move. without defining the queen's position yet. 1 8...lYe7 1 9.1ilf3 f6 2o.lilh4 lilcS 2 1 .lil5 'i9c7 would lose a tempo over the main line. 1 8...tlc7 19.1ilfl leaves the g7-square vulnerable. while an eventual ...lild4 would be impossible because oflh:d4. Generally speaking, 1 8... l!7h8 could be more useful than 18 ...l3b8, but concretely it fails to 19.1ilxc4 lilxc4 2o.V9b3;1;.) 19.4:la (l9.lilfl lilc6 A. .lild4) 19 f6 20.4:lh4 'Be7 21.4:15 .
•••
4:lc5 22J�d5 mb8
�
17...bxc3 1 8.bxc3 lilb3 1 9..ixb3 cxb3 20.l3bl tlxc3 2 1 .J.b2t 42
43 1 8.lild4 lilxd4 19.cxd4 b3+ 20.J.dI? lYaS+ 44 1 9.13adl? b3! Xic2
45 2o.lilfl mh8 2 1 .J.e3 lilf6=
,
Chapter 1 1
on
telD.
1.e4 e5 2.�a �c6 3.J.b5 a6 4.J.a4 �f6 5.�c3
quite significant. It is easy to convince ourselves that Black's standard continuations in the Four Knights do not work out well here. If 5 ...lLld4?! then the bishop is not attacked, allowing White to capture on e5, while 5 ....ib4?! can be strongly met by 6.lLld5! when 6... lLlxd5 7.exd5 e4 loses a pawn to 8.dxc6 exB 9.cxd7t because the intermediate 8 ...dxc6 is not available with the bishop on a4. With the white d-pawn still on d2, Black should not play the immediate 5 ... d6, when White does not answer 6.d4?! because of 6... b5 followed by ...lLlxd4, winning a pawn, but 6 ..ixc6t bxc6 7.d4, transposing to a position that is typical for the Steinitz variation (3 ... d6) where Black has a solid but rather passive posmon. However, Black has the simple •
Curiously, this natural developing move is one of the most inoffensive at White's disposal. We are accustomed to the fact that in the Ruy Lopez developing should be tightly connected with consistent strategic plans, which is not the case with White's last move. The desirable occupation of the centre by means of c3 and d4 becomes problematic, while the light-squared bishop is exposed to the standard- manoeuvre ...b5 followed by ...lLla5, since it lacks its natural retreat to c2. We can see a strong similarity to the Four Knights Defence, but the differences caused by the insertion of the moves ...a6 and i.a4 are
•
•
5 .b5 ..
at his disposal, removing the threat against the e5-pawn and driving the enemy bishop away from the a4-e8 diagonal. After
6.J.b3 J.e7 White has just one basic active plan at his disposal, consisting of putting his knight on d5 with the intention of occupying the centre · with c3 and d4. This would mean a significant strategic success (just imagine if in the main lines of the Ruy Lopez White could transfer his knight to d5 in just two moves after building up his pawn centre). However, he can achieve this
218
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
only as a consequence of Black's careless play. The following game illustrates such an optimal situation for White. Spassky - Beliavsky Reykjavik 1988
7.d3 White defends the d3-pawn in order to enable the knight jump to the centre.
7 d6 •••
This is the most precise move as will be explained later, but here it will not be followed by the most consistent plan.
S.�d5
8.a4 b4 9.lLld5 lLla5
S...�xd5?!
This exchange frees White from any worries regarding his bishop and allows him to obtain the more pleasant position with no risk.
a more natural way to maintain White's advantage.
13 dxe5 14.Y!Ye2 i.d6 15.�h4 •••
This standard attacking operation is facilitated by the congestion of Black's forces in the centre.
15 ...�e7 16.i.b3 c5 17.i.e3 c4 IS.i.c2
Black has managed to reduce the enemy light-squared bishop to passivity, but only temporarily. Since he cannot transfer his knight to c5 easily, we can state that the advance of the c-pawn has just weakened the queenside.
IS i.c8 •••
The more natural I 8 ...�e6 would have been strongly met by 19.1Llf5 when 19 ...lLlxf5?! 20.exf5 ILc8 would have offered White a crucial tempo for starting his attack with 21.f6!.
19..ib6 gd7 20.gfdl g6
9.i.xd5 i.d7 10.c3 0-0 1 l.d4ifi
Black cannot easily obtain counterplay.
1 l Y!YeS 12.0-0 gdS 13.dxe5 •••
Afrer studying Rauzer's plan against the Chigorin variation, we know that such an early release of the tension in the centre is not without poison. It is also possible that in this specific case it might have been dictated by the 10th World Champion's inclination for total safety towards the end of his career. A neutral move such as 13J:!el seems like
White has put pressure on two different areas of the board: the kingside and the d-file. The next move will add to the tension by opening the queenside, just like in the best tradition of Rauzer's plan.
21.b3! cxb3
The weakness of the d5-sqllare and the lack of defence of the a2-g8 diagonal become obvious now. 22 .ia3 23.Y!Ye3 An optimal square for the queen, from where it keeps both wings under observation. .•.
23...�dl t 24.gxdl:t �c6?
The System Based on tlJc3
The knight is not going anywhere, but Black hoped to neutralize the pressure exerted by the b3-bishop with ....ie6. However, leaving the g6-pawn without sufficient defence for just an instant proved a decisive mistake in an already difficult position.
219
the queen with 37.l:!d8! �xd8 38.�h8t. The only way to avoid the threat is 36...l:!h5 but then 37.he7t �xe7 38.�xg6 leaves the black king hopelessly exposed to the combined action of the white major pieces.) 34..ic5t cJ;>e8 35.�b7! The decisive threat is l:!h8.
27..tc7!!
25.�xg6! In his glory years Spassky was frequently referred to as the first player in history to have a truly universal style ofplay. This game is a model for small strategic achievements exploding tactically.
25 hxg6 26.�h6 ••.
Black's poor coordination leaves him helpless against the simple threats of�xg6 and l:!d3-h3.
26.. .tl:le7
Beliavsky rightly assumed that after 26....te6!? 27.l:!d3 his bishop would be overloaded: unable to cover the dangerous diagonal and prevent l:!h3 at the same time. I have retained the original analysis by Tal and Kouatly, which is entirely correct, although the computer sometimes claims to have simpler solutions. 27 ... f5 28.l:!g3 l:!f6 29.l:!h3 cJ;>f7 30.�h7t cj{fB 3 1 .exf5! i.xb3 (more stubborn than 3 1 . ..gxf5? 32.l:!g3!+ when Black will soon lose his queen) 32.axb3 �xf5 33.b4! Cutting the enemy bishop off from the main theatre of action and threatening the deadly .tc5t. 33 ...�e6 (I would only add that 33 ...l:!h5 is strongly met by 34 ..tc5t tlJe7 35.l:!f3t l:!f5 36.�d3 with the threat of winning
This move has even greater artistic effect than the sacrifice on g6. In spite of being a piece up, Black has no favourable way to prevent the simple threat of he5 followed by �h8.
27... �f5 28.ex/3
29.g4 Ae4 30.gel
The game is basically over, as Black cannot defend the e5-square. Beliavsky could find nothing better than giving up a whole piece with
30 Ac1 •••
and resigned 1 1 moves later. Quite an impressive game, but Black's opening play was rather cooperative. The following game features Spassky in a completely different situatIon. •
•
Spassky - Yusupov Linares 1 990 Black's main mistake in the previous game was that he did not use the fact that the enemy light squared bishop was temporarily captive on b3. This is best done with:
220
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
S...�a51 Immediately solving all Black's opening problems. We can understand now that 7...d6 was useful as it protected the e5-pawn. This is one of the main things Black should remember in this variation: whenever the threat of lLld5 becomes real, he should make sure that he can answer with ... lLla5.
This is too optimistic. White weakens the e4-square and the long light-squared diagonal, without any compensation. The poor placement of his bishop prevents him from putting the e5pawn under serious pressure.
9.�xe7 'tYxe7 10.0-0 0-0
14...£5! With no retreat squares available, the white knight starts feeling uncomfortable.
15.cd5
I I.id2?!
As mentioned in the chapter dedicated to the
Rubinstein system, this was one of Spassky's favourite moves throughout his entire career. In this specific case, he obviously aimed to force the exchange on b3 in order to strengthen his central structure, with a view to the advance of his c-pawn. However, this approach is very slow and completely neglects the dynamic elements of the position. A safer continuation would have been 1 1 ..tg5 although afrer 1 l ...h6 12 ..th4 g5 1 3 ..tg3 .tg4 Black has little to worry about.
1l ...�xb3 12.axb3
The presence of opposite-coloured bishops and the almost perfect symmetry ofthe structure by no means guarantees a rapid draw.
12...�d71
It appears that White has no way to prevent the opening of the f-file with ...5.
13J�e1 ib7 14.d4?!
Or 1 5.dxe5 fxe4 1 6.exd6 �f7! with strong threats against the white king, as indicated by Yusupov.
15...gxf5 16.dxe5 gxSl?
If given a choice, Yusupov always prefers to sacrifice material. By avoiding the simpler 1 6.; ..ixf3 he obviously wanted to keep the opposite-coloured bishops on the board, in order to increase his attacking potential.
17.gxf3 �xe5
White has no favourable way to defend the f3-square.
IS.Af4
Against 18.f4? Black would have several ways ofcontinuing his attack. One example: 1 8...�h4 1 9.fxe5 �h3 20.f3 .ixf3 2 1 .ge2 �g4t 22.c;t>f2 !'U8 and White will suffer huge material losses.
IS...�xSt 19.'tYxS 'tYxel t 20.Le1 21.ge7 gc8
Black eventually won this ending. It is notable that afrer this game Spassky practically stopped employing this variation
The System Based on lll c3
with White. 5.lt:lc3 (or 5.0-0 j,e7 6.111 c3) may occasionally prove effective as a surprise weapon, but can hardly put a careful opponent under any kind of pressure.
221
lO.�xb4 ffbS 1 Slighdy passive. White should have moved his knight back to d5, now or on the previous move.
12 �xb3 13.cxb3 .ie6 •..
Sometimes, White inserts the moves
8.a4 b4
and only now plays
9.�d5
White's extra pawn hardly makes itself felt. Instead of a queenside majority, he has just a permanent source of worries on that wing.
14.�cH! However, this leaves the b3-square weakened, increasing the force of
This is just too much. He should have returned the pawn with 1 4.b4 ha2 1 5 Jl:xa2 cxb4=.
Now, the bishop's retreat (eventually after an exchange on f6 or e7) can be met by .. Jl:b8 and ...b3, with similar play as in the previous game.
Black had a strong kingside attack in Shirazi - I. Ivanov. USA 1992.
9...�a5
14...�d7 15.J.c3 0-0 16.�d2 f5 17.�c4 We8 18.�e2 'ifg6 19.0-0 f4+
222
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
6
1 ...
d6?!1
1 .e4 e5
7
2.�6 �c6 3 ..lb5 a6 4..la4 �f6 5.�c3 b5 6 .lb3
8
•
9
10
•••
4 ...
•••
5
12
� g5
0-010 0-011
•••
•••
�f7
f4!? exf4
c3
+ U 'Bb6 •
h3
J.e6
I This is interesting but probably insufficient. Black does not need to defend his e5-pawn, because with the white king in the centre the e4-pawn is hanging as well.
2 8.ad5 �d4 9.d6 �:s:b3 IO.m7 1Jxc7 l1.m3 Ab7 12.0-0 h6 13.�a J.d6 14.d3 With his strong pair of bishops targeting the enemy kingside, Black has ample compensation for the pawn. 15.gel �ad8 16.1Je2 �de8 Renewing the threat of opening the centre with ...e4. 17.�e4 This will only be a temporary solution as we shall see. 17 �xe4 18.d:s:e4 f5+ Lewis - Yates, Oxford 1 910. Black's pressure along the hl -a8 diagonal is similar to that in the game Spassky - Yusupov. �
•••
3 9.c3? lLlxb3 1 0.fixb3 lLlxd5 l 1 .fixd5 Yflxd5 12.exd5 .lb7+ Janosevic - Tringov, Sarajevo 1 967. 9.�e3?l lLlxb3 10.axb3 h6 l 1 .lLlf3 lLlxe4 12.lLlxe5 �f6 13.lLlf3 .lb7 14.fie2 0-0-0 1 5.0-0 .ld� Thomas - Keres, Margate 1 937.
4
Keres considered this position to be favourable for Black, but he seems to have underestimated White's attacking potential.
12...hxg5 13.hg5 fixg5.
+
-
�Ie7t22 WId4 �Ie7 d5
d3 d6
5 Keres only mentioned that
15
.ih416 axb3 �:s:b317 We6I?
()"O a420. 0:-019 . b4 ...
14
�el 12 �C5 13
��7 WIe7
d3 d6
...
13
�h7
d5
�d5 , d49 �xe4. ad4
3 ...
11
12.h4? loses to
6
16.e5 fig7 1 7..le4 tJtxf7 1 8.c3 lLle6 1 9.hc6 13a7 20.d4± White's better coordination and mobile pawn centre offers more than sufficient compensation for the small material deficit.
7.�d5 �xe4 8.d4 (8.lLlxe5 lLlxe5 9.fie2 0-0 1O.fixe4 .ld6 l 1 .d4 lLlc4 12.lLle3 gb8 1 3.hc4 bxc4 14.0-0 13e8 1 5.fig4 13e6 16.lLlxc4 J.xh2t! 17.tJtxh2 d5 The knight amnot move now . because of ..J�h6t. 1 8 ..ig5 gh6t In view of the mass simplifications, the players a draw in Ninov - Delchev, Odorheiu Secuiesc 1995.) 8 ad4 (8 ...lLlxd4?! 9.lLlxd4 exd4 10.fixd4 lLlf6 1 1 .0-0 0-0 12.lLlxe7t Yflxe7 13 ..lg5� Alekhine - Pias, Lisbon 1 942) 9.0-0'0-0 IO.�el �c5= Black's extra pawns compensate for White's more active pos1t1on. •••
•
•
•
8 8 ... lLla5!? 9 9.�Ie5 �Ie5 IO.1Je2 �d3t!? (Obviously, a move suggested by the computer. Since one of the black knights was doomed anyway, he offers White a choice between two unfavourable captures. However, 10. . .5 is also playable. l 1 .d3 c6 1 2.dxe4 cxd5 13.hd5, Damaso - Postny, Evora 2006, and now 1 3 ...gb8 14.exf5 d6 1 5.�h5t tJtm. Black has every chance to beat
.. '
:
off White's attack by means of a further ...i.b7 because the rushed 16.f4?! leaves White with just weaknesses after 16...1MI'aS 17.i.b3 lLlg6!.) 1 1.'ffxd3 (This move releases the pressure along the e-file, but l 1 .cxd3 is highly undesirable from a strategic point of view. 1 1 ...lLlcS 12..tc4 c6 1 3.lLlxe7 Wlxe7 14.1MI'xe7t cllxe7 IS.d4 dS 16.dxcS dxc4+) 1 1 lLlc5 12.'ffg3 0-0 13.'frxc7 •••
lLlxb3 14.cxb3 'frxc7 15.lLlxc7 gbS 16.lLld5 J.c5 Black's better structure and development,
and his mighty pair of bishops offer him at least sufficient compensation for the missing pawn.
I
•
223
The System Based on lLlc3
10 1 0..tf4 is adequately met by 10 ...!d6. 11
The willing retreat 10 lLlc5 is slighdy premature. 1 1.lLlxd4 lLlxd4 12.'frxd4 lLle6 13.'frg4 (l3.Wle4 .tb7 14.J.e3 .td6 I S.f4 0-0= 16.f5 lLlcS 17..txcS .txcst I B.cllh l Spielmann - Dus Chotimirsky, Moscow 1 925 I B ...WlgS+) Fontaine - Atoufi, Las Vegas 2006, 13•••0-0= •••
12 1 1 .J.f4 J.d6= be solid and have a small material advantage, compensating for White's superior activity.
14 S.a4 M 9.lLld5 lLla5 10.lLlxM (l0.lLlxe7 Wlxe7 1 1 .i.a2 E:b8 L\... b3; 10.lLlxf6t .txf6 1 1 ..tdS c6 12.i.a2 E:bB 1 3.0-0 0-0 14.d4 b3 I S.cxb3 exd4+ Turzynski - Jasinski, corr. 1996/9B.) 10 gb8 1 1 .td2 ( l 1 .lLldS lLlxb3 12.lLlxf6t .txf6 1 3.cxb3 .tg4 14 ..td2 cS I S.E:c1 0-0 16.E:c3 .txf3 17.WlxB J.gS I B ..te3 �-� Slipak - Servat, Buenos Aires 1990. 1 3 ...i.e6!?) •
1 1 c5 12.�a2 �xb3 13.cxb3 J.e6 14.�cl (l4.b4 .txa2 I S.E:xa2 cxb4=) 14 lLld7 15.i.c3 0-0 16.�d2 6 17.�c4 'ffe8 IS.c!tJe2 'ffg6 19.0-0 £4+ Shirazi - I. Ivanov, USA 1992. •••
•••
15 11.�el
.
16
12.*,f6 'ffxf6 13.lLld2 (13:�'d2 lLlxb3 14.axb3 .tb7=) 13•••J.d7 14.£3 lLlxb3 15.ub3 a5 16.'ffe2 a4 17.bxa4 bxa4 IS.b3 axb3 19.1Llxb3 J.a4 20.ga3 J.xb3 2Uhb3 gfbS 22.LbSt �S 23.'frd2 'ffg5 24.£4 af4 25.'ffxf4 'frxf4 26.g,f4 1/2-1/2 Spassky - Beliavsky, Tilburg 198 1 .
17 12 g5 13.Ag3
(l3.lLlxgS hxgS 14.,bgS lLlxb3 I S.axb3 Wle6 16.f4 exf4 17.1MI'8 lLlg4 I B ..txf4 Wlg6F) 13 .ig4 14.M J.h5 15.'ffe2 lLlxb3 ( 1 S ...cllg7 16.Wle3 lLld7 17.lLld2 lLlb6 I B.c3 lLlxb3 19.axb3 as 20.d4 f6 21 .Wld3 c6 22.8 .tf7 23.�fdl E:fbB 24..tf2 .te6 2S.h4 a4 26.1MI'e2 1M1'c7 27..te3 lLlc4 28.lLlxc4 .txc4 29.Wlf2 1MI'e7 30J!d2 .tb3 3 1 .h4± Benjamin - Kaidanov, USA championship 1 997. I S ....tg6 16.Wle3 lLlhS= Benjamin) 16.axb3 lLld7 17.'f!Ye3 6 •••
•••
13 After bringing his knight to e6 Black will
••.
lLld7 14.h4 �-� Short - Peng Xiaomin, Beijing 2000) 1 3.lLle1 f5 14.exf5 �xfS I S.f4 .tb7+ Thomas - Sultan Khan, London 1932. 1 1.Ad2 lLlxb3 12.axb3 lLld7! 1 3.�el?! (l3..taS cS 14.lLld2= Spassky) 1 3....tb7 14.d4? (14.i.gS f6 I S ..th4 L\lLl d2+ Yusupov) 14...f5! I S.exf5 ( 1 S.dxeS fxe4 16.exd6 1MI'f7! 17..tc3 �ae8 1 8.lLlgS Wlxf2t 19.cllh l e3 20.Wlg4 hS 21 .Wlg3 cxd6+ Yusupov) I S ...�xfS 1 6.dxeS �xB! (16.. b8) 17.gxB lLlxeS 1 8 ..tf4 (l B. f4? Wlf7-+) 1 8 ...lLlxBt 19.WlxB Wlxe1 t 20.�xe1 hf3+ Spassky - Yusupov, Linares 1990.
lLlxb3 12.axb3 lLld7 13.f4 f5 14.exfS E:xfS I S.lLl8 .tb7+ Verlinsky Levenfish, Moscow 1924. 11.'ffe2 lLlxb3 12.axb3 lLleB (l2... cS 1 3 ..td2
IS.exl'5 'ff£6 19.1Lld2 'ffxf5 = IS
16.1MI'e3 (l 6.d4 f5+) 16...f5+ Tarrasch - Schlechter, Berlin 1 9 1 B.
19 The most accurate move order. 7 d6 not •••
only fails to prevent White's plan, but also gives him additional possibilities. S.a4 M 9.�d5 �a5 (9 ...lLlxe4 1O.d4 offers White ample compensation for the pawn) 10.J.a2 c!tJxd5 (lO ...lLlxe4, Spielmann - Reti, Gothenburg c5 13.d 1920, l 1 .d�) 1 1.J.xd5 c6 gbS, Alekhine - Bogoljubow, Bad Pistyan 1922. 14.d4!i Not having been forced to play d3 before moving his knight to dS, White
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
224
save a whole tempo. Black onnot cage the bl -bishop and the aI-rook with 14 b3 beouse after IS..ib1 he has to defend the e5-pawn with IS 'l!Ye7 when keeps the bishop . alive, leaving White with the advantage in the centre. can
••.
.••
20 8.�dS �xe4 9.d4
(9.lLlxe7t �xe7= lO.id5?!, Tartakower - Cukierman, Paris 1939, lO...lLlf6+) 9 exd4 10J�el ( l0.!f4 id6 1 1 .!xd6 lLlxd6 IV�Jxd4, Sarapu - Weir, Upper Hurt 1976, 12...ib7 13.�el lLlxd4 14.�xd4 hd5 1 5.hd5 �bS+) 10 �f6 1 1.�xd4 ( l l .lLlxe7t lLlxe7 12.�xd4 d6 13.c3 h6 14.a4 c5 1 5.�dl ib7+ Kostic - Vidmar, Zagreb 1946.) l l �xd5 12 .hdS Af6 13.�5 (13.lLlxc6 dxc6 14.hc6 �xdl 1 5.�xdl �bS 16.c3 b4+) 13 gbS 14.'l!Yg4 (l4.�h5!? g6 1 5.liJh6t �g7 16.�dl The only way to avoid additional loss of time after ...lLle5 or ...lLld4 followed by ...c6. 16...lLle5 17.f4 lLlc4 I s.lLlg4 The simplest way to neutralize White's kingside initiative is exchanging his active pieces with I S...J.b7!? 19.!xc4 bxc4 20.liJxf6 �xf6 21 .�xd7. Black's superior development and the vulnerability of the g2-square compensates for the weakness of the long dark diagonal. For instance: 2 1 ...J.c6 22.�xc7 �feS 23.�e5 gb7 24.�a5 �b5 25.�c3 �bxe5 26.fXe5 �xe5= with a probable draw.) •••
•••
•••
•
•••
14 �eS IS.gxeS !.xeS 16.�h6t mh8 'l!Yf6 19..ib3 d6 17.�xf7t gxf7 20.'i!YhS tb7� Mikenas - Nezhmetdinov, Kiev .••
1957.
8.ids
b4 9.J.xc6 (9.liJa4 id6 [�.. liJxd5] 1 0.J.xc6 dxc6 1 1 .d3 J.g4 1 2.h3 .ih5= 13.g4 liJxg4 14.hxg4 hg� X�gl , XlLla5) 9 ...dxc6 l O.liJe2 lLlxe4 1 l .lLlxe5 �d5+ Moller - Rubinstein, Gothenburg 1920.
After the insertion of the moves a4 and ... b4, this knight retreat is the most logical, beouse the b3-bishop is more vulnerable.
12.tOxd4 tf6 13.tOxdi dxdi 14.tOxf6t
(l4.lLlxb4 �xdl 1 5.�xdl lLlxb3 16.cxb3 ie6+) 14...'l!Yxf6 IS.ie3 tOxb3 16.cxb3 ie6T Nevanlinna - Helenius, Helsinki 19S5.
23
14.�el ib7 1 5.c3 lLlg6 16.ie3 �b6 17.�dl �adS+ Treybal - Rubinstein, Teplitz Schoenau 1922.
24
16.ic2 i5+ Von Hennig - Euwe, Gothenburg 1 920.
2S 9.�dS lLla5
1 0.liJxe7t �xe7 transposes to the game Spassky - Yusupov above. 9.�e2 J.g4 9.a4 b4 10.tOdS �a5 {lO...�bS is the more frequent move, but the text continuation restricts 1. (l l .lLlxb4 �bS 12.i.dl White's options} 1 c5 13.lLld5 lLlxb3 14.lLlxf6t .txf6 1 5.cxb3 .te6 16.�a3 �b6+ Kalygin - Potapov, Alushta 2003) ll JlbS 12.d4 {l2.idl more or less prevents ...b3, but blocks the dl-sqIJare, which makes 12...c5= a sensible move, without fearing a transfer of the white king's knight to c4.} 12...�xdS di 14.ta2 exd4 (l4...�c7!?) IS.�xd4 ••
J.f6 16..Af4 J.eS 17.'I'd2 eS 18.�f3 .lxf4 (IS ...b3!?) 19.'fIxf4 .Ae6 20.J.d5 J.xds 21.exdS b3 22.c3 'l'f6. Morozevich - Kaidanov, Beer
•••
•••
I
Sheva 2005. In this game a different move order, namely lO...�bS 1 1 .ia2 lLla5, had been played. •
.
21 10.�xe7t, Prokes - Euwe, Bad Pistyan 1922, 10 'I'xe7= l l.Bel {l l .d4 .tb7 12.�el liJa5=} l l dS!! 12.d3 (l2.J.xd5? liJxf2!) 12 �f6 13.�xeS �xeS 14..Af4 .Ag4 IS •d2 �f3t 16.gxf3 .Ae6= •••
22 llJlel tOeS
26 10.�dS? �xdS
( l 0...liJd4 l 1 .liJxd4! hdl 12.liJc6 �d7 1 3.liJcxe7t �h8 14.�dl±)
I I.J.xdS �d4! 14.gxf3 .AhS �... 5+
'l'u8
13.J.e3 �xf3t
27 13.lLld5 hd5
14.exd5 c4 1 5.liJdl liJxd5= We can see here that White's extra tempo does not help him: the e3-bishop is exposed.
•
28 Gazis - Mastrovasilis, Halkidiki 2002.
Chapter 12
1.e4 e5 2.�a �d) 3..tb5 a6 4ia4 �f6 5.d4
This early opening of the centre leads to lively piece play. Although there are some tactical dangers for Black on the way, such unprepared central activity hardly offers White any chance of an advantage. The main problem is that after
5 em4 •••
White will have to lose time or make certain concessions in order to win the pawn back, in view of the exposed position of the a4-bishop. 6.0-0 The immediate recapture on d4 with 6.fi:)xd4?! leads to the simplest illustration of the . unfavourable placement of the a4-bishop after
6...�xd4 7.t!ixd4 c5 8.t!ie5t (Obviously forced. Any queen retreat such as 8.t!id3 would lose a piece after 8 ... b5 9.e5 �g8 when White has insufficient development to get any attacking chances against the uncastled black king.) 8 ...\We7 9.t!ixe7t ixe7 and White cannot parry the threats ...b5 followed by ...c4 and ...�xe4 at the same time, for instance 10.e5 fi:)g4. Again, his compensation for the pawn would be insufficient. In many open games the advance of the king's pawn with 6.e5 can cause Black some problems finding a stable square for the knight. The situation is different here because after 6... fi:)e4 the knight's next move will most likely be to c5, forcing White to give up the bishop pair. White should castle here, transposing to the main line after 7...i.e7, since the capture on d4 with 7.�xd4? is even worse than in the previous line in view of7...\Wh4! when the white minor pieces are hanging along the fourth rank. For instance: 8.i.e3 (8.0-0 loses a pawn to 8 ...�xf2) 8 ... fi:)xd4 9.ixd4 (9.t!ixd4? leads to immediate disaster after 9....ic5 10.t!id3 �xf2) 9 ... �xf2! 1 0.i.xf2 \Wxa4 White has just lost a pawn without the faintest compensation. 6 i.e7 This position can be reached via a different move order: 5.0-0 i.e7 6.d4 exd4 White has a choice now. ...
A Spanish R.epenoire for Black
226
activating his king's knight. What's more, he should avoid trying to retain his exua pawn with 1 1 ...dxc3?! because this would only allow White to complete his development and achieve clear domination in the centre after 12.lLlxc3 d4 13.lLldS±.
8 .ib3 .
7� l .
e
The most consistent continuation. By taking the e4-square under conuol, White reinforces the threat of e4-eS. 7.eS is once again answered by 7...lLle4 when after 8.lLlxd4 0-0 White will not be able to maintain his space advantage in the cenue because of his lack of development and the insecure position of the Spanish bishop. The main line goes 9.lLlfS (It is quite deceptive that after 9.lLlxc6 dxc6 White cannot take advantage of his kingside majority. Black threatens to exchange the a4-bishop with ...lLlcS, when the situation would favour him in comparison with the Exchange variation [4.hc6 dxc6 S.d4] because the central light squares were weakened by e4-eS. The attempt to preserve the bishop with 1 O.fYxd8 �xd8 1 1 .c3 fails after l 1 ...lLlcS 12.�c2 lLld3. If allowed, Black would capture the other bishop, leaving Black with problems developing his queenside.) 9...dS! The seemingly active knight will have to be exchanged for the e7-bishop (either with 1O.exd6 hf5 1 1 .dxe7 or the simpler lLlxe7t) when Black's superior development compensates for White's space advantage in the centre.
7 b5! •..
This is the most active continuation. After the more neutral 7...0-0 White gets an active position: 8.eS lLle8 (8 ...lLldS allows 9.lLlxd4, with a space advantage for White) 9.M4 bS 1 0.�b3 dS 1 1 .c3+ Black will have problems
This is the only way to maintain some advantage in the centre. 8.eS offers Black easy play: 8 ...lLlxeS 9.IheS d6! (An important intermediate move. White's pieces would not be easy to drive away from the centre after 9 ...bxa4?! 1O.lLlxd4±.) 1O.�el (if 10.�xe7t V!1xe7 1 1 .�b3 cS=t= the position would be balanced materially, but the situation of the light-squared bishop would remain precuious) 1 0...bxa4 1 1 .lLlxd4 �d7 12.fYB 0-0 13.lLlc6 hc6 14.fYxc6 dS
White is behind in development and has to spend another tempo to win the pawn back. The following game, mentioned in the inuoduction to my previously published Beating the Open Games is my favourite loss! l s.M4 ( 1 5.fYxa4 is safer, but Black's position is more pleasantanyway. The suucture is similar to that arising from the Four Knights Scotch, but White's development is far less impressive here.) 1 5 .. ..id6 16.hd6 fYxd6 17.fYxa4 �ab8 Black uses his advantage in development in a very energetic way. 18.b3 �b4 19.fYa3 lLlg4 20.g3 fYh6 2 1 .h4 �f6 22.�fI �e4 23.c3 �e2 24.�cS V!1B Now I decided to
. •
The Central Attack
complete my development with 25.iLla3 just before resigning when hit by 25 ...iLle3!, Marin - Hoszu, Romania 1 983.
8 d6 9.J.d5 •••
There is no way to win the pawn back other than by giving up the bishop pair.
9...�xd5
Simplifying with 9 .. .J.b7 1 O.iLlxd4 iLlxd5 l 1 .iLlxc6 hc6 1 2.exd5 J.b7 does not free Black from all his worries. White em play 1 3.a4 when the b5-pawn is not easy to defend. Black will most likely have to sacrifice it, but this would mean struggling for a draw. 10.ad5 �e5 1 1.�xd4 0-0 The presence of an additional pair of knights compared to the previous line demands caution from White. The e5-knight enjoys some stability in the centre.
For instance, the premature
12.f4?!
leads to active play for Black afrer
12...Il.g4 13.ftdl �c4
Returning to the diagrammed position, it should be noted that the central white knight deprives the d5-pawn of its natural defence by the queen. The relative lack of defence of the white kingside gives Black the possibility of provoking such weakening moves as 8 and g3 by means of ...i.g4 and . .ih4, which could offer him attacking chances in the long-term. As a general conclusion, White cannot easily .
.
227
maintain his space advantage. Black's position is not better at this stage of the game, but his play IS easier to carry out. •
•
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
228
7
1 .e4 e5 B
2.�e �c6 3..j,b5 a6 4 .Aa4 �f6 5.d4 exd4 6.0-01 j.e7 •
9
�xd4 0-0
10
II
bxc6
�xe7t ftxc7
2 gel
e5 �xe5
�xe5 bxa4
Bxcl4 0-0
3 ...
••• •••
�5 d6
ge11s bxa4
�xd4 Ad7
.tb3 d6
Ad5 �xcl5
ad5 �e5
�xcl4 0-0
b5
•••
4 ... •••
1 6.�xcl4 �xd4 7.ftxcl4 <:5 8.Be5t fte7 9.Vxe7t Au7 lO.J.b3 (IO.eS tlJg
10.'fid3 tlJill-+ Olejarczyk - Tompa, Budapest 1 %2) 9...�xfl lO.txfl .xa4 l 1.�c3 .tb4+ Ozsvath - Barczay, Budapest 1963.
2 7.tlJxd4 tlJxd4 B.'�xd4 cS 9.'�d3 bS 10.eS
tlJ gB I LlYg3 c;t>f8+
3
(I 1 .c3 'i!?hB 12.lYe2 '!WeB 13 ..tf4 cS 14.tlJb3 b6 I S.c4 .ib7 16.8 tlJgS �...tlJe@, Popovic - Smejkal, Tmava 19BO; 1 1 .8 tlJcS 12.tik3 tlJe6 13..ie3 tlJxd4 14.hd4 .ie6 I S.tlJe2 f4 16.lYd2 cS 17..ic3 lYeB+ White's minor pieces are suongly restricted, while the eS-pawn is safely blocked and does not present any danger for Black. At the same time, the bishop pair is very dangerous, exerting pressure on both wings, F. Anderson Lombardy, Montreal 19S6.) n ...�:d"6 l2.J.f4 ge8. Mikhalchishin - Dorfman. Championship 197B.
13
14
IS
16
ftd48 �e6
ftf'2 c5
b3 £5'
+
Bxc6 d5
fta 0-0
00
I B.axb4 hc3 1 9.cxd3 hel 20.�el .id7 2 1 .tlJeS gdS+ Frois - Milos, Dubai Olympiad 1 9B6; 12.f4 tlJe6 13 ..ie3 tlJxd4 14.'!Wxd4 '!Wxd4 I s.hd4 .ie@) l2...�e6 . 13.�xe6 ftxcll l4Jhdl txe6 l5.�f4 (1 S.�d4 .ic8 16.b3 gS Preventing in advance an eventual transfer of the knight to f4. 1 7..ib2 cS 1 8.tlJe2 .ie@) l5..J�ad8! l6..te3 .tc8 l7.�d3 b6 (�. .cS�) l8.M f4! 19.�xf4 (19 ..ixf4? �d3-+; 19 ..id2 Vesely - Pachman, Prague 8+) 1 9S 1 . .
9.Be2 �xcl4 10.'Bxe4 �e6 n..tb3 �c5 12••d5 d6 (12 ..c6 13.'!W8 dS 14.exd6 hd6 .
dxc6 lOJ�e1 f5
.id6 13..txd6 ad6 l4.�e6
12
l5Jhe6
Soviet
dxc6 l 1.�c3 f5 9.ge1 �c5 l2.�ce2 (I2.exf6 .ixf6 13.h3 tlJe6 14.tlJ8
'fie7 I S.'�d3 '!Wb4 16.l:!abl gdS 17.a3 gxd3
I S ..if4 .ixf4 16.'!Wxf4 .ie6= Bronstein - Ivkov, 14..tg5 Beverwijk 1 963) 13.ad6
Be8 l5.�c3 .Ae6 16••a .bb3 17.a:b3 (I7.axb3
lYeS
I B.ftg3
lY5+
�. .lYxc2.) .
17....e5 18••g3 .f5 19.'ffh4 gaea 20.gadl �d3+ Bouaziz - Hjartarson, Szieak 1 987. 9.Ji4 tlJcS 1 0.c3 tlJxd4 l 1 .cxd4 �xa4
12.lYxa4 dS 13.exd6 hd6 14..ixd6 '!Wxd6; Bryzgalin - Kholmov, Moscow 1 996. 9.�xc6 dxc6 lO.c3 (I0..ie3 tlJcS l 1 .tlJc3 tlJxa4 12.tlJxa4 .if) 1 3.lYc1 '!WdS 14.gel gfe8 I S ..if4 '!Wc4 16.b3 lYxc2-+ Makarichev - Vladimirov, Pavlodar 1 987; 1 O.lYxd8 �d8 1 1 .c3 tlJc5 1 2..ic2 tlJd3+) 10....d5 n ••el?! (1 1 .lYxd5 cxd5 12.tlJd2 .if)=) n ... '1 �f6 12.ge1 .if5 13.g4 .tg6 l4.a 'Ba5 16.M 'Bb6t 17..te3 c5+ Blagidze - Petrosian, Tbilisi 1 947.
The Central Attack
4 10.ev16 td3 H.du7 �xe7 12.i.b3 fixdl 13.Hxdl 14.Be1 �eS IS.�c3 (l 5.,ic4
/t)c6 1 6.ig5 !M7 1 7./t)a3 b5+ X/t)a3 18./t)xb5 axb5 19.,bb5 gd6 20.iLxc6 f6 2 1 .ixf6 gxf6 22..lb5 gb8 23.a4 hc2+ Akopian - Ivanchuk, Adelaide 1988) IS•••Bd7 16•.le3 �xb3
17.cm3 Bfd8 18.Badl f6 19.�d7 �d7 200Bdl t 21.�xdl �dS 22.i.dl Abl 23083 .Ac2 24.�e3 �xe3 2S.he3 .hb3+
229
/t)e6 1 5./t)d2 gad8 ( l 5 ...d4 16 ..if2 c5+) 1 6.c3 c5 17.fib3 Wittmann - Tisdall, Thessaloniki 1988. 17...,ia8 1 8.�a3 gfe8 1 9.�xa6 d4 20.cxd4 cxd4 2 1 .,if2 �g5+ 14.b3 /t)e6 1 5 ..ia3 c5 1 6./t)c3 gad8 1 7.�d2 d4 1 8./t)e2 tfh4 19.9adl gfe8+ Grechinin - Zaitsev, Moscow 1 995.
8
Black unexpectedly won this obviously drawn ending in Ljubojevic - Karpov, Milan 1975.
9 17.Ab2 (17.exf6 tfxf6 1 8.c3+) 17...g5 18.�dl �f7 19.�adl �g7 20.c4 d4 21.�f1 g4 22.£4 hS 23.M h4+ The white king is under
1
serious pressure, Kosten - Krasenkow, Budapest 1989.
10.�xe7t �xe7 11.c3 �eS 12.i.c2 J.5
(l3.,ie3 /t)e6 14.,ib3 c5= 1 5.g4?! iLxbl 16Ji:xbl d4 1 7.,id2 �b6 1 8.�e2 gad8 1 9.COt>g2 fic6t 20.c,t>g3 b5+ Kuijf - Balashov, Germany 1 993) 13••.�xf5 14••a (l4.fic2 g6 1 5.g4 /t)g7 1 6.,ie3 /t)ce6 17.f4 f5 1 8.exf6 fixf6= Kuijf - Van der Sterren, Netherlands 1 992) This position was reached in Bronstein - Antoshin, Moscow 1956. Black should have completed his development with 14••••m ISJlfdl (l5./t)d2?! gae8 1 6.gel f6+) IS•••c6
16.e4 f6 17.adS �d4 18.�d4 ExeS 19••c3 exd4 20••xeS Bae8 21.i.dl .5 22••xd4 Be4 23.fieS Be2+ 24.a �:xg2tl-+. S
Many other moves have been tried here, such as 12...f6 and 1 2...ge8 1 3.£3 /t)d6. Black is entirely okay, but I prefer the text because it is connected with the simple plan of transferring the knight to e6 and opening the long diagonal with ...c5 and ...d4, with strong pressure against White's kingside.
6 l3.eg4 exeS 14.a fid4tl (it is difficult to say why Black shied away from this move in the game Ribeiro - Darnaso, Aveiro 2000, which continued 1 4...£5 1 5.�h4 f4 1 6.fxe4 dxe4:i5)
15.,ie3 fixb2+ 7 l3...�g5
has also been played, but Black has to consider .ixg5 in this Clse. 14.�c3 (l4.b3 Leventic- Boudre, Luxembourg 1993, 14...lLle6 transposes to the main line) 14...�e6 15.f4 f5
16.ea Bad8 17.Yfn e5 18.b3 d4 19.�a4 e4+
Vasta - Slipak, Mar del Plata 1 997.
10 1 1.�c3 �b8 12.&3 �b6 l3igS �e6 14.�adl W IS.Be3 h6 16.i.h4 .lb7 17.fixa4 Biro - Todorovic, Budapest 2003, 17....a8!+
(l8./t)xd7 /t)xd7 1 9J:he6 fxe6 20.iLxe7 19.�xd7 gxe7 2 1 .gxd7 .lc6-+) 1 20.bxc3Ac621.m4�g622.g3 (22.gg3hd7-+)
22...� 23.fxe3 11'e8 24.ed4 �d6-+ 1 1igS �b8 12.�d2 (l2./t)c3 h6 13 ..ixf6
The narural retreat to h4 would drop a piece to ...gb4. 1 3....ixf6 1 4.fixa4 gxb2+ Jicman - Richtrova, Balatonfured 1 987.) 12...�b6 l3.exa4 (l3./t)dc4 ge6 1 4.f4 d6 1 5./t)c6 �e8 1 6./t)xe7t fixe7 1 7..ih4 ge8+ A. Rodriguez - Nikolaidis, Moscow 1 994) l3...h6 14••1f6 IS.�de4 Be6 16.�d3 �fe8+ Robatsch - Ivkov, Maribor 1964.
1 1 12.&3 �b6 13.�c3 �e6 14igS c6 (l4... ge8 1 5./t)d3 h6 16..lh4 d6 1 7.gxe6 fxe6 1 8.gdl �d7 19.�c4 ,ifB 20./t)e5 �e7 2 1 .lLlg6 �f7 22.lLlxfS gxfS 23.ixf6 �xf6= Biro Pilgaard, Budapest 2001) 15.�d3 fie7 16.�f4
�e5 17•.lh4 ge8 18.gxe5 fixe5 19.�d3 fi5 20.ge1 .tm 2l.gxe8 �xe8= Chiburdanidze
- Romanishin, Frunze 1 985.
12.�d3 �dS l3•.ldl .if6 14.�a3 (l 4.lt.k3
lLlxc3 1 5.,ixc3 iLxc3 1 6.bxc3 d6 1 7.ge3 gb5+ Fuderer - Euwe, Beverwijk 1 952) 14...d6 IS.ea5 (l 5.gadl lLlb6 16.�f4 �d7 17.b3 lLld5 1 8.�g3 �£5 19.1Llf4 lLlxf4 20..ixf4 ,ib7+ Tompa - Lengyel, Budapest 1 967; 1 5.lLlc4, Kuzmin - Podgaets, Kharkov 1 985, 1 5 ...�d7
230
A Spanish Repertoire for Black
16.YMxd7 hd7+) lS .J.b7 16.c4 �b6+ Xltla3, Reshevsky - Unzicker, Dubrovnik 1 950. ••
12 14.a3, Capelan - Wade, Solingen 1 968, 14 .. J�h4; 14.h3, Capelan - Unzicker, Berlin West 1 971, 1 4...!lh4.
1 4.ltlxd4 0-0 I S ..th@ Reshevsky - Euwe, Dubrovnik 1 950) 12.�g5 .lg4 13.'Bel (1 3.'�d3 .ihs 1 4.ltlxh7 YMa5 I s.id2 YMbS 16.ltlxf6t .txf6 1 7.'ilYe4t I!ifB 1 8.!lg3 !le8 0-- 1 Eid ..:. Grischuk, Internet blitz 2000) 1 3 J.hS 14.�e4 I!id7 IS.�g3 .lg6 16.'Bdl .Af8 17.!hg6 lug6+ Kuzmin - Rogers, Tallinn 1 985. •••
13 The white queen is isolated and vulnerable
on the queenside, while the king has been left without sufficient defence. Black has excellent attacking prospects.
14 lS.J.e3?
.lb4 16.'ilYa4 hc3 1 7.YMxh4 ixeS-+ Kahn - Goldberg, corr. 1987. lS.�d3 J.d6 16.J.gs !hS (16...!lxh2 1 7.ltlf4 h6 1 8.1!ixh2 hxg5 1 9.'ilYxgS ltlh7 20.YMxd8 �xd8 21 .g3 ltlg5:f Saksis - Vitomskis, corr. 1 988) 17 (1 7.h4 .lg3=F) 17 !xaS 'hd8f Galkin - Yemelin, St Petersburg 1 994. •••
IS 6 ..d6
19
13.ltlc3 !lb8 14.ltlc6 hc6 1 5.'ilYxc6 !lb6 16.'ilY£3?! (16.'ilYxa4) 1 6...a3 17.b3 d5 1 8.ie3 �e6=F Shliperman - Ibragimov, New York 1 997.
20 lS.�c3
a3 16.�dl �b8 17.bxa3 �b6+ Kitchev - Vitolins, corr. 1 990.
exd6 17.'Bxd6
lS.i.f4 Ad6
(1 7.YMxa4 !lab8 1 8.b3 !lb4 1 9.'ilYa3 ltlg4 20.g3 YMh6 2 1 .h4 'ilYf6 22J%f1 !le4 23.c3 �e2 24.YMc5 YMB 2S.ltla3 ltle3 0-- 1 Marin - Hoszu, Eforie Nord 1983) 17 cxd6 18.a ( 1 8.ltld2 �fc8 1 9.�ac1 !lab8 20.b3 I!ifB 2 1 .ltlB ltle4 22.ltld4 �b4+ Nicholson ...., Hjartarson, London 1986) 18 !fc8 ( 1 8 ...�ab8 1 9.b3 �fc8B 19.�a3 ..•
.
16
16.'ilYa4 .lcst 1 7.\t>hl .t£l 18Jie2 .ig3-+ Hofstetter - Koch, corr. 1 986.
17 17.fxg4 Lh21! 18.�e4 (l8.1!ixh2? ib4!!
19.'ilYxb4 'ilYh4t-+ Shvidler; 1 8.ltld5 .tc5t! [? Shvidler] 1 9.'ilYxcS d6 [l9 ...•h4? 20.'ilYxfBt! I!ixfB 21 .ltlxd7t \t>g8 22.�e8 mate. Shvidler] 20.'ilYc4 .h4-+) 18 ..lcStl (I8...�c2?! 1 9.'ilYa4!+ Shrentzel - Shvidler, Israel 1 985.) 19.'itxh2 (l9.'ilYxc5 'ilYh4 20.ltlB �hl t 2 1 .1!ig2 .h3t 6 ...he4 Shvidler) 19...1fh4t ••
20.mg2 2 lJhe4 'Bflt 22.cbh3 'Bfl tl-+ Shvidler
•••
gabS 20.!abl �d7 21.!edl �b6 22.b3 !c3 23.!d4 g6 24.!M cJ7g'n D. Baratosi - Marin, Romanian. rapid championship, Predeal 2006.
21
1 5....ld6 16.ltlc3 h6 1 7.h3 ge8 1 8.M4 gxel t 1 9.�xel �b8 20..lc1 .c8 2 1 .a3 .5+ Zapata - German, Buenos Aires 1 996.
22 17.t!Yg4 (I7.•d4 ltle6 1 8.•a4 .tf6
1 9.c3 c5=F Zinchenko - Obukhov, Alushta 2004.) 17....tf6 18.�b3 (I 8.ltlB, V. Gurevich - Flear, Mondorf 1 99 1 , 1 8 ...�b8+.) 18. gea 19.9dl ..
18 10.l1u7t 'ilYxe7
1 1 ..tb3 c5 1 2.c4 (l2.c3 c4 1 3.ltlxd4 cxb3 14.axb3 0-0+ Nogueiras - Frey Beckman, Bogota 1 979) 1 2....Ab7 1 3.ltlbd2 0-0 1 4.ltlf1 ltle4+ Jenal - Donev, Bad Ragaz 1 993. 10.�g5 bxa4 1 1.'hg7 ( 1 1 .ltlxd4 0-0 1 2.ltlc3 .td7 1 3.ltl5 .Axf5 14.� a3 1 5.b3 'ilYd7 1 6.'ilYB !lae8 17.ha3 d5= 1 8.ltlxdS? ha3 1 9.�xf6 .tb2 0-- 1 F. Perez - Spassky, Amsterdam 1 964) 1 l ...cS (1 1 ...ltlh5 1 2.ggS .txg5 1 3 ..txg5 f6
ge4 20.t!Ya 'Be7 2 �xb3 22.axb3 .tm2; v. Gurevich - Kolev, Andorra 1 993. 23 12.f4?!
.tg4 13.'ilYd2 ltlc4 1 4.•d3 (l4.•f2 .ih4 1 5.g3 .tf6 1 6.ltlc6 'ilYd7 1 7.ltlc3 hc3 1 8.bxc3 �ae8+ Blatny - Rodriguez, Amsterdam 1 989) 1 4...ge8 (l4....Af6 1 5.ltlc3 �e8 1 6.�f1 c5!+ Ochoa - Lesiege, New York 1 989) 1 5.�d2 .Af6 16.�e4 hd4t 1 7.•xd4, Baron Rodriguez - Korneev, . Eigoibar 2002.
231 .
The Central Attack
17...5 1 8.b3 ti'h4 ( l 8 ...lLlb6? 19 ..ib2±) 19.93 ti'h6 20.bxc4 if3+ 12.h3 . .ib7 13.lLl5 .if6 14.lLlc3 ti'd7 (l4...Ele8!?) 1 5.lLlg3 ( l 5 .ti'h5 Elae8 16.lLle4 i.d8:j: X(5) 1 5 ...Elae8 16.lLlce4 .id8't 17.a3? 5 1 8.lLlc3 f4 19.1Llge4 f3-+ Etmans - Van der Sterren, Netherlands 1 987. 12..Af4 .ib7 (l2....ig4 13.f3 .id7 14.lLld2 ti'b8 15.b3 Ele8 16..ie3 5 17.c4? lLld3 1 8.Ele2 .if6-+ Fierro - Ehlvest, New York 2003) . 13.lLle2 lLlc4 14.lLlbc3 .if6 1 5.Elb l Ele8 16.ti'd3 hc3 17.lLlxc3 ti'fhl Fressinet - Kramnik, Paris 2002. 12.b3 .td7 (l2....ib7 13.f4 lLld7 14.c4 .if6 15.lLlc3 lLlc5 16.ti'd2 bxc4 17.bxc4 ti'd7 18.i.b2 �fe8 1 9.lLlb3 lLlxb3 20.axb3 c6 21 .lLla4= Ih-Ih Van der Wiel - Smejkal, Vienna 1980.) 13..tb2 .if6 14.lLld2 lLlg6 1 5 .lLlfl .ieS 16.lLlg3 ti'b8 1 7.Elbl ti'b6= Holm - Stempin, Copenhagen 1 989. 12.ltJc3 J.g4 13.ti'd2 (13.f3 .id7 14.�hl Ele8 15.lLle4 ti'b8 16.f4 lLlg4 1 7.ti'f3 ti'b6:j: Schnitzspan - Gyimesi, Kecskemet 1 997.) 1 3... Ele8 14.b3 (l4.lLle4 ti'c8 I S .b3 ti'b7 16.h3 .Ad7 17.f4 c5 1 8.dxc6 lLlxc6 19.J.b2 .if8= Xe4, Batricevic - Blagojevic, Tivat 2000.) 14...ti'c8 I S.J.b2 J.d7 16.f4 lLlg4 17.lLle4 ti'b7 1 8.h3 lLlf6 19.c4 lLlxe4 20.Elxe4 .if6= Zier Blagojevic, Germany 1 99 1 .
�f4, b3, . Gobet - Milos, Thessaloniki 1 984) �g6 19.gad1 h6= Chevallier 17...1Jb7 1 - Thipsay, London 1 985.
24 13.•d2 J.d7 14.�c3 bxa4 15.�xa4 ge8 16.b3 .b8 17.�c3 (l7.h3 ti'b7 1 8.f4
29 17 •xd4 dxe5 18 •xe5 ge8 19.1fd4?? (l 9.ti'g3oo) 19...J.c5! 20.Bxc5 �e1 t 21.�fl gh1 0-1 Kachipinen - Geller, Moscow 1986.
ltJg6 19.c4 .if6 20..ib2 hd4t 2 1 .ti'xd4 f6+
25 14.£4 c5
(l4... lLlg6 l S.lLlc3 b4 16.lLla2 ti'b8 1 7.c3 as= 1. Milov - Smagin, Podolsk 1 990) 15.du:6 ( I 5.fxe5 cxd4 16.e6 fxe6 17.dxe6 .ic6 1 8.ti'xd4 .if6 19.ti'g4 .ieS 20..tgS ti'c8 21 .axbS axbS 22.Elxa8 J.xa8 23.lLlc3 b4 24.ti'xb4 [otherwise ....id5] 24...ti'xe()Oi; X�gl) 15...�xc6 16.J.e3 (16.axb5 lLlxd4 17.Y!ixd4 .th4 1 8.g3 .if6 1 9.ti'xd6 Y!ic8!?;; . 18.ge2 X.?h1-a8) 16...J.h4 17.�xc6 bxa4+ Donaldson - Gligoric, Lugano 1 983. (IS.lLlce2 J.f6 . 16.b3 Ele8 17..if4 ti'b8 1 8.ti'd2 ti'b7+ Cramling Balashov, Hastings 1 985) 15...ge8 16.£4 �g4
26 14...h4 15.�e4
19.J.b2 �1 t 17.b3 �f6 18.�xf6t 20.Bu1 1JbS= Makarichev - Kholmov,
Tallinn 1983.
27
l S.lLlxa4 .th4 16.g3 J.f6 1 7.lLlc3 �e8 18.lLle4 cS 1 9.dxc6 lLlxc6 20.c3 hd4t 21 .cxd4 d5+ X�g l , Small - Hebden, London 1 988 .
28
16.dxc6 lLlxc6 17.lLldS J.h4 1 8.g3 .Af6 19.1Llxf6t �xf6 20.Elxa4 Elfe8+ .?h1-a8, Kosanovic - Gligoric, Budva 1986. •
.
•
.
Index of Main Lines 1.e4 e5 2.�a �c6 3ib5 a6 4..ta4 �f6 5.0-0 .ie1.J)J!el b5 7ib3 d6 8.c3 0-0 c5 1 1.M Vllc7 12.�bd2 �c6 Page 73 9.h3 �a5 I 1.e4 e5 2.�a �c6 3ib5 a6 4..ta4 �f6 5.0-0 Joe7 6J!el b5 7ib3 d6 8.c3 0-0 . . 9.h3 �a5 10ic2 c5 1 1.d4 .c7 12.�bd2 i.d7 Page 125 1.e4 e5 2.�a �c6 3..t.b5 a6 4..ta4 �f6 5.0-0 i.e7 6.gel b5 7.i.b3 0-0 8.d4 d6
.tg4 Page :135
9.c3
1.e4 e5 2.�a �c6 3.Ab5 a6 4..ta4 tlf6 5.0-0 i.e7 6.gel b5 7ib3 0-0 8.d4 d6 9.c3 .1i.g4 IO.d5· �a5 .11ic2 c6 Page 142 .
.
,
1.e4 e5 2.tla �c6 3..t.b5 a6 4..ta4 �f6 5.0-0 .ie7 6.gel b5 7..tb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.d4 .tg4 IO..le3 eDl4 1 1.a:d4 �a5 12.Ac2 �c4 13.i.c1 c5 14.b3 �b6 Page 1 58 .
1.e4 e5 2.�a �c6 3..lb5 a6 4..ta4 �f6 5.d3 d6 6.c3 i.e7
Page 180
1.e4 e5 2.�a �c6 3..t.b5 a6 4..ta4 tlf6 5.Be2 b5 6.Ab3 .le7 Page
1.e4 e5 2.�.f3 �c6 3.Ab5 a6 4..ta4 �f6 5.0-0 Ae7 6..hc6 dxm .
.
.
192
Page 203
1.e4 e5 2.�a tlc6 3ib5 a6 4.Aa4 �f6 5.0-0 i.e7 6.gel b5 7..tb3 d6 8.a4 .tg4 9.c3 t)....O Page 212 .
1.e4 e5 2.tla tlc6 3..tb5 a6 4..ta4 �f6 5.�c3 b5 6ib3 Page 222 1.e4 e5 2.tla tlc6 3ib5 a6
tlf6 5.d4 exd4 6.0-0 i.e7
Page 228
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