Spanish Game: Exchange. Bronstein Variation

MATTHIAS WAHLS vs. SAEVAR BJARNASON
Malmo, Sweden, 1985

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, a6
4. Bxc6, dxc6
5. 0-0, Qd6
6. d3, Bg4
7. Be3, 0-0-0
8. Nbd2, f6
9. Rb1, Ne7
10. b4 ...

This move is part of White's plan to attack the flank.

10. ... Ng6
11. h3, Be6
12. a4, Qd7
13. d4, Bd6
14. b5, axb5

White succeeds in forcing Black to open this side of the board.  A weakness is now being created at  the a file.

15. axb5!, exd4
16. Ra1!, Kb8
17. Nxd4 ...

17. ... cxb5?

Black does not really have much of a choice.  If 17. ... c5 then 18. Nc6+ bxc6, 19. Ra6 cxb5, 20. Qa1 and White's attack is unstoppable.

18. Ra8+, Kxa8
19. Qa1+, Kb8
20. Qa7+!!  Resigns

Amazing Queen sacrifice!  Mate cannot be avoided.  After Kxa7, White replies with Nc6 double check.  White finishes off with Ra1 mate.

Spanish Game: Berlin Defense, Rio de Janeirro Variation

ALBERT WRITING FOX vs. ALBERT CLERC
Paris, 1901

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, Nf6
4. 0-0, Nxe4
5. d4, Be7
6. Qe2, Nd6
7. Bxc6, bxc6
8. dxe5, Nb7
9. Nc3, 0-0
10. Be3, Nc5
11. Bxc5, Bxc5
12. Ne4, Be7
13. Rad1, a5
14. Rfe1, a4
15. Nd4, Qe8

Preempting 16. Nxc6 ....

16. Qh5, Kh8
17. Nf6 ....

17. ....Bxf6

If 17.....gxf6 then 18. exf6 pinning the Bishop.

18. exf6, Qd8
19. fxg7+, Kxg7
20. Nf5+, Kh8
21. Qh6, Rg8

To prevent Qg7 mate.

22. Re8 ...

Black resigned.

Black cannot parry simultaneous mating threats Qg7 and Qf6.  If 22.....Qg5 then 23. Qxg5 Rxe8 24. Qg7 mate.

Ruy Lopez Opening, Open Variation - Karpov Gambit

JUDIT POLGAR vs. SHAKHRIYAR MAMEDYAROV
Bled Olympiad, 2002

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, a6
4. Ba4, Nf6
5. 0-0, Nxe4
6. d4, b5
7. Bb3, d5
8. dxe5, Be6
9. Nbd2, Nc5
10. c3, d4
11. Ng5 ....

The Karpov Gambit in Open Variatiation.

11. .... Bd5

If 11....Qxg5, then 12. Nf3 followed by 13. cxd4.  Connected pawns at the center of the board would be formidable.

12. Nxf7!! ....

An unexpected move.  The beginning of White's devastating attack.

12. .... Kxf7

If 12....Bxf7, then 13. Bxf7+ Kxf7, 14. Qf3+ followed by 15. Qxc6 ....

13. Qf3+, Ke6
14. Qg4+, Kf7
15. Qf5+ Ke7

If 15....Kg8, then 15. Qe6+ Bxe6, 16. Bxe6 mate.

16. e6!!, Bxe6
17. Re1, Qd6
18. Bxe6, Nxe6
19. Ne4, Qe5
20. Bg5, Kd7

The Bishop cannot be captured because of the double-pin.

If 20....Ke8, then 21. Nd6+ Qxd6, 22. Rxe6 double-check.

21. Nc5+, Bxc5
22. Qf7!! ....

Better than 22. Rxe5 Nxe5, 24. Qxe5 ....

22. .... Kd6
23. Be7+, Kd5

If 23.....Nxe7, then 24. Rxe5+ Kxe5, 25. Re1+  followed by 26. Qxe6 mate.

Black eventually resigned.  White's threatens mate after Rxe5.

Spanish Game, Bird Variation

GARRY KASPAROV vs. KHALIFMAN
FIDE Moscow Grand Prix, 2002

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, Nd4

The Bird Variation of Ruy Lopez Opening.

4. Nxd4, exd4
5. 0-0, c6
6. Bc4, d5
7. exd5, cxd5
8. Bb5, Bd7
9. Re1, Nd7
10. c4, a6
11. Bxd7, Qxd7
12. d3, 0-0-0
13. Nd2, Kb8
14. b4, dxc4
15. dxc4, Nc6
16. b5, axb5
17. cxb5, Nb4
18. Nc, Qf5

Black threatens Nc2.

19. Re5, Qc2
20. Bf4 ! ....

Attacking the opponent King and defending the Queen at the same time.

20. .... Qxd1
21. Rxd1, Ka8

If 21....Nxa2, then 22. Re2+ and White wins a piece.

22. a3!, f6
23. axb4, Resigns

Black has no defense against 24. Ra1+.  If 23.....fxe5, then 24. Ra1+ Kb8, 25. Bxe5+ Kc8, 26. Nb6 mate.

Spanish Game, Morphy - Modern Steinitz Defense

ROBERT JAMES FISCHER vs. EFIM GELLER
Bled, 1961

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, a6

In the Modern Steinitz Defence (also called the Steinitz Defense Deferred or the Neo-Steinitz Defence), Black interpolates 3...a6 4.Ba4 before playing 4...d6, which was frequently played by Alexander Alekhine, José Raúl Capablanca and Paul Keres. The possibility of breaking the pin with a timely ...b5 gives Black more latitude than in the Old Steinitz Defence; in particular, in the Old Steinitz, White can practically force Black to give up his strongpoint at e5, but in the Steinitz Deferred, Black is able to maintain his centre. Most plausible White moves are playable here, including 5.c3, 5.c4, 5.Bxc6, 5.d4, and 5.0-0. (Source: Wikipedia)

4. Ba4, d6
5. 0-0, Bg4
6. h3, Bh5
7. c3, Bf6
8. g4, Bg6
9. d4, Bxe4
10. Nbd2, Bg6
11. Bxc6 ....

Creating a double-pawn ....

11. .... bxc6
12. dxe5, dxe5
13. Nxe5, Bd6

Black's Queen cannot capture the Knight because of the threat 14. Re1.

14. Bxg6, Qxg6
15. Re1+, Rf1
16. Nc4, h5
17. Nxd6, cxd6

If 17....hxg4, then 18. Bf4 gxh3+, 19. Bg3... Here White wins the exchange because the Knight at d6 cannot be captured.

18. Bf4, d5
19. Qb3, hxg4
20. Qb7 ....

It is hard to believe that Fischer was not able to see the winning line 20. Qb4+ but there must a reason for the delay: he wants the Rook as well.

20. .... gxh3+
21. Bg3, Rd8
22. Qb4+, Resigns

Black's Knight and Rook will be lost in later moves, or face immediate mate.

The Good Old Spanish Game

LJUBOMIR LJUBOJEVIC vs. JOAQUIM MANUEL DURAO
Orense 1974

Spanish Game Classical Variation

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, Bc5
4. 0-0, Nd4
5. Nxd4, Bxd4
6. c3, Bb6
7. d4, c6
8. Ba4, d6
9. Na3, Bc7

Preparing for b5 eventually.....

10. d5, Bd7
11. dxc6, bxc6
12. Nc4, Qe7
13. f4, Nf6
14. fxe5, dxe5
15. b3 ....

Preparatory to Ba3....

15. .... Bb6+
16. Kh1 ....

Not 16. Nxb6 because White would lose its control over a3.

16. .... Nxe4
17. Ba3, Qe6
18. Qd3, f5

If 18....Nf2+, 19. Rxf2 Bxf2, 20. Nd6+ Kd8, 21. Rf1.. and White attacks the pawn on f7.

19. Rae1, Bc7
20. Rxf5!! Qxf5
21. Rxe4, 0-0-0
22. Nd6+ ....

Now White begins to atack. This Knight fork aims to dislodge the c7 Bishop from its post.

22. .... Bxd6
23. Qa6+, Kc7

If 23....Kb8, then 24. Bxd6+ Ka8, 25. Bxc6+ Bxc6, 26. Qxb6 mate.

24. Qxa7+, Kc8
25. Bb5, Resigns

An ingenious way of dealing with Black's threat of mate at f1. Now, White threatens Ba6 mate. If  25....cxb5, 26. Qa6+ Kc7, 27. Bxd6 mate.

Superb play!

Spanish Game Open Variation, Howell Attack

BORISLAV IVKOV vs. JAN HEIN DONNER
Havana Cap Memorial 1965

Spanish Game Open Variation, Howell Attack

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, a6
4. Ba4, Nf6
5. 0-0, Nxe4

The Open Variation.  White sacrifices the e4 pawn to keep the e-file open.

6. d4, b5
7. Bb3, d5
8. dxe5, Be6
9. Qe2 ....

The Howell Attack, popularized by David Howell, the youngest chess grandmaster in the United States, a title he earned in 2007 when he was 16.

9. .... Nc5
10. Rd1, Nxb3
11. cxb3, Be7
12. Nc3, 0-0
13. Be3, Na5
14. Rac1 ....

The reason behind White's 11th move.  White intends to control the c-file.

14. .... Nb7

Black intends to move c5.

15. Ne4 ....

Effectively preventing c5....

15. .... Bg4
16. h3, Bxf3
17. Qxf3, c6

Black intends to protect the d5 pawn at all cost.  If 18. Rxc6, then 18....Qd7, 19. Rdc1 Rac8, etc.

18. Ng3, Rc8
19. Nf5!, g6
20. Rxd5!! ....

The Rook cannot be taken by the Queen because of 21. Nxe7.  Now, if 20.....cxd5, then 21. Rxc8 Qxc8, 22. Nxe7+.

20. .... Qe8

If 20....Qc7, then 21. Rxc6 Qxc6, and White still threatens 22. Nxf7+.

21. Bh6 Resigns

Black loses more material.  Now, if 21.....gxf5, then 22. Qg3+ and mate next move.

Ruy Lopez Opening

PAUL MORPHY vs. ADOLF ANDERSSEN
Paris 1858

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, Nf6
4. d4, Nxd4
5. Nxd4, exd4
6. e5, c6?

A weak move, seen as the ultimate cause of this game's loss.

7. 0-0, cxb5
8. Bg5 ....

This pin is seen as much stronger than taking the Knight at once.

8. .... Be7

The correct reply.  If 8....h6 then White replies with 9. exf6 hxg5, 10. Re1+!! and White wins an extra piece with an overwhelming position.

9. exf6, Bxf6
10. Re1+, Kf8
11. Bxf6, Qxf6
12. c3, d5
13. cxd4, Be6
14. Nc3, a6
15. Re5, Rd8
16. Qb3, Qe7
17. Rae1 ...

Strengthens the e-file.  If 17. Nxd5, then Black replies with 17....Qd6, and the Knight is pinned.

17. .... g5

Black prevents the advance of the f-pawn.

18. Qd1, Qf6
19. R1e3!!, Rg8?

A losing move.  However, the game at this point is beyond recovery.

20. Rxe6, Resigns

White is now positionally and materially superior.  If 21....fxe6, then 22. Rf3!! and Black loses his Queen.

The Ukraine Immortal

The game got its name because it was played at Ukraine in 1931.

EFIM KORCHMAR vs. ABRAM BORISOVICH POLIAK
Spanish Game (Ruy Lopez), Steinitz Defense

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, d6
4. d4, Bd7
5. Nc3, Nf6
6. 0-0, Nxd4
7. Bxd7+, Qxd7
8. Nxd4, exd4
9. Qxd4, Be7
10. Rd1 ....

A preparatory move...

10. .... 0-0
11. e5!, Ne8
12. Bf4, a5
13. Rd3, Ra6
14. Re1, Qf5
15. Nd5 ....

Attacking the Bishop at e7 and threatening double-check...

15. .... Bd8
16. exd6, Nxd6
17. Rg3 ....

Threatening mate at g7...

17. .... f6
18. Bh6!!, Rf7

Black thinks he has successfully defended his position.  Here comes another bomb...

19. Nb4!!!, axb4
20. Qxd6!!!, Qd7

Black cannot take White's Queen because of a mating  threat: 21. Re8+ Rf8, 22. Rxg7+ Kh8, 23. Rxf8 mate.

Now, if 21. Qxd7 Rxd7, 22 Re8+ Kf7, 23. Rxg7+ Kxe8 and the game favors Black.

21. Qd5!! ....

Still the Queen cannot be taken because of the threat at e8.

21. ....Kf8

Black removes his King from the pin, and eliminates the threat at e8.  He must have thought he is safe, but here comes another attack...

22. Rxg7!!, Qxd5

If 22..... Rxg7 then 23. Qxd7 with no compensation.

23. Rg8!!!+ ....

Black resigns. For after 23.....Kxg8, 24. Re8+ Rf8, 25. Rxf8 mate.   An amazing brilliancy.