Tactics in the Spanish Opening

 

Spanish Opening - Strategy and Tactics is now available as a paperback, here are some sample training exercises that illustrate the play in typical pawn structures of the Classical Spanish opening. Scroll down to see the solutions.

The book presents a straightforward repertoire for White after 1. e4 e5 and focuses on the Spanish Opening. Most major variations at Black's disposal are briefly explained and covered. The book is intended for chess players who want to learn the Spanish opening and are looking for a quick overview of the major variations. For each line, several sample games are followed by tactical positions typical for that line. Any player who plays the Spanish Opening either as White or Black - can benefit from learning the specific middlegame themes presented here. Most chapters have examples from practical games of chess champions of the past and present, such as Fischer, Karpov, Anand and Carlsen, followed by puzzles for the reader to solve. That should reinforce newly learned concepts and help get a better sense of the pawn structures discussed throughout the book. There are also questions for the reader to answer at the key moments of the games.

Palosz, Andrzej - Jaracz, Barbara, 1999

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Bd7 14. Nf1 Nc6 15. Ng3 Rfe8 16. Re2 h6 17. Be3 Rac8 18. a4 Na5 19. d5 Nc4 20. Bc1 bxa4 21. Bxa4 Bb5 22. Bxb5 axb5 23. b3 Nb6 24. Be3 Nfd7 25. Nf5 Bf8 26. Rea2 Ra8 27. Qd3 Rxa2 28. Rxa2 b4 29. Bd2 Qc5 30. Rc2 Qa5 31. Rc6 Nc5 32. Qe3 Nc8 33. N3h4 Kh7 34. Qe1 Nd3 35. Qe2 Nc5 36. Qe1 Nd3 37. Qe2 Nc5 38. Bxh6 gxh6 39. Qh5 Qa7

White's turn

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Rodriguez, Gonzales Jesus - Aguirre, Pedro, 1960

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. Re1 d6 8. c3 Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 Qc7 11. Nbd2 O-O 12. h3 Nc6 13. d5 Nb8 14. Nf1 Re8 15. g4 Bf8 16. Bg5 Nbd7 17. Qd2 c4 18. Ng3 g6 19. Bh6 Kh8 20. Kg2 Ng8 21. Be3 f6 22. h4 Nc5 23. g5 Qd7 24. Rh1 Nxe4 25. Nxe4 f5 26. Ng3 f4 27. h5 fxe3 28. Qxe3 Kg7 29. hxg6 hxg6 30. Qe4 Ne7 31. Rh6 Nf5? 32. Rah1 Kf7

White's turn

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Ljubarskij, Juri - De Leeuw Johannes, 2004

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Be7 5. O-O Nf6 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Nc6 12. Nbd2 Qc7 13. d5 Nb8 14. Nf1 Re8 15. g4 Qd8 16. Ng3 g6 17. Bh6 Bf8 18. Qd2 Re7 19. Bg5 Re8 20. Rf1 Bg7 21. Nh2 Nbd7 22. Rae1 Qe7 23. Kh1 Qf8 24. Rg1 h6 25. Be3 Kh7 26. Rg2 Qe7 27. Reg1 Rg8 28. g5 hxg5 29. Bxg5 Qf8 30. f4 Bh6 31. Nf3 Rh8 32. f5 Bg7 33. Nh4 Qe8 34. Rf1 Kg8 35. Kg1 Nh7 36. fxg6 fxg6

White's turn

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Solutions:

 

 

Palosz, Andrzej - Jaracz, Barbara, 1999

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Bd7 14. Nf1 Nc6 15. Ng3 Rfe8 16. Re2 h6 17. Be3 Rac8 18. a4 Na5 19. d5 Nc4 20. Bc1 bxa4 21. Bxa4 Bb5 22. Bxb5 axb5 23. b3 Nb6 24. Be3 Nfd7 25. Nf5 Bf8 26. Rea2 Ra8 27. Qd3 Rxa2 28. Rxa2 b4 29. Bd2 Qc5 30. Rc2 Qa5 31. Rc6 Nc5 32. Qe3 Nc8 33. N3h4 Kh7 34. Qe1 Nd3 35. Qe2 Nc5 36. Qe1 Nd3 37. Qe2 Nc5 38. Bxh6 gxh6 39. Qh5 Qa7

40. Nxh6! Bxh6 41. Nf5

There is now no good defence against White's attack.

41. ... f6 42. Qxe8 Nxe4 43. Rc2 Bf4 44. Qh5+ 1-0

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Rodriguez, Gonzales Jesus - Aguirre, Pedro, 1960

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. Re1 d6 8. c3 Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 Qc7 11. Nbd2 O-O 12. h3 Nc6 13. d5 Nb8 14. Nf1 Re8 15. g4 Bf8 16. Bg5 Nbd7 17. Qd2 c4 18. Ng3 g6 19. Bh6 Kh8 20. Kg2 Ng8 21. Be3 f6 22. h4 Nc5 23. g5 Qd7 24. Rh1 Nxe4 25. Nxe4 f5 26. Ng3 f4 27. h5 fxe3 28. Qxe3 Kg7 29. hxg6 hxg6 30. Qe4 Ne7 31. Rh6 Nf5? 32. Rah1 Kf7

33. Rxg6!

White's pieces have concentrated on the kingside; this sacrifice breaks through Black's defences.

33. ... Kxg6 34. Nxf5! Re6

( 34. ... Qxf5 35. Nh4+ +- )

35. Nxd6+ 1-0

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Ljubarskij, Juri - De Leeuw Johannes, 2004

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Be7 5. O-O Nf6 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Nc6 12. Nbd2 Qc7 13. d5 Nb8 14. Nf1 Re8 15. g4 Qd8 16. Ng3 g6 17. Bh6 Bf8 18. Qd2 Re7 19. Bg5 Re8 20. Rf1 Bg7 21. Nh2 Nbd7 22. Rae1 Qe7 23. Kh1 Qf8 24. Rg1 h6 25. Be3 Kh7 26. Rg2 Qe7 27. Reg1 Rg8 28. g5 hxg5 29. Bxg5 Qf8 30. f4 Bh6 31. Nf3 Rh8 32. f5 Bg7 33. Nh4 Qe8 34. Rf1 Kg8 35. Kg1 Nh7 36. fxg6 fxg6

37. Nxg6!

This opens up the 'g' file with decisive effect.

37. ... Qxg6 38. Nf5 1-0