Attacking the Spanish

By

Sabino Brunello

Quality Chess
www.qualitychess.co.uk

First English edition 2009 by Quality Chess UK LLP

Copyright 2009 Sabino Brunello

Attacking the Spanish

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Contents

Key to symbols used

Introduction

4
5

1
2
3

The Schliemann
Schliemann: 4.d3
Schliemann: 4.c3
Schliemann: Minor Lines

4
5

The Gajewski
Gajewski 11.d3 and 11.exd5
Gajewski 11.d4

93
119

6
7
8
9

The Marshall
Anti-Marshall
Marshall: 12.d4
Marshall: 12.d3
Marshall: Modern Ideas

153
183
223
257

7
37
69

Chapter 1 - Schliemann: 4.d3

The resulting position is rather unclear.
Whites extra piece is approximately balanced
by his missing pawns, lack of development and
ragged structure.
16...h4 17.h3!
The immediate 17.fxg4?? would of course
see White get mated after 17...xg4 18.h1
f3 19.g1 h3.
17...xh3 18.fxg4 xg4 19.h2 h3
19...f8 20.a3 forces Black to take the
draw with 20...f3 anyway.
20.g1 g4

Based on the evidence of this game, it seems

that after 9.b4!? the theoretical ball is presently
in Whites court.
D312) 9.c3

1222222223
t+v+l+ T5
OoO W Oo5
+mO M +5
+bV O + 5
+q+p+ +5
+ N +n+ 5
pPp+ PpP5
R B +rK 5
79

This is Whites most popular continuation,

and probably his best try for a theoretical plus.
The knight is headed for d5 at the earliest
opportunity.
9...d7
Black unpins his knight in preparation for
the following sequence.

27

10.d5
If White tries to prepare this with 10.g5?!
there follows 10...a6! 11.xc6 (of course
there is no time for 11.d5?? as 11...axb5
hits the queen) 11...bxc6 with an excellent
position.
10...xd5 11.exd5 d4
Black has no real choice, as the alternatives
would leave the knight severely misplaced.
12.xd7
White can change the move order with
12.xd4 xd4 13.xd7 xd7 leading to
line D3122).
12...xd7

1222222223
t+ +l+ T5
OoOw+ Oo5
+ O + +5
+ VpO + 5
+qM + +5
+ + +n+ 5
pPp+ PpP5
R B +rK 5
79

White must now decide whether to grab

a pawn with D3121) 13.xe5 or exchange
knights with D3122) 13.xd4.
D3121) 13.xe5
With this move White wins a pawn but loses
some time.
13...f5 14.d3 000
Black can regain his pawn with 14...b5?!
15.e1 f7 16.c3 xd5, but after 17.e3
his position is quite unpleasant. The text is
much more in the spirit of the Schliemann.

28

Attacking the Spanish

1222222223
+lT + T5
OoO + Oo5
+ O + +5
+ Vp+w+ 5
+qM + +5
+ +n+ + 5
pPp+ PpP5
R B +rK 5
79
15.a4
15.h1 b5!? 16.c3 xd5 was equal in
Melia Shukurova, Kusadasi 2006. Blacks
active pieces compensate the slight weakening
of his kings shelter.
15.xc5 dxc5 16.xc5 should not be at all
dangerous for Black, as long as he makes the
right choice:
In Kozhuharov Inkiov, Fouesnant 2007, he
was successful with 16...xd5? 17.xa7 e8?!
18.e3?? e2 19.h1 a5! 01, but White
could easily have improved with 18.a8 d7
19.xb7 with a winning position.
Therefore Black should prefer 16...xc2:

1222222223
+lT + T5
OoO + Oo5
+ + + +5
+ Qp+w+ 5
+ + + +5
+ + + + 5
pPm+ PpP5
R B +rK 5
79

White has no chance of an advantage, for

example:

17.b1 xd5 leaves Black more actively

placed.
17.xa7 xa1 18.a8 d7 19.xb7 c2
does not give White any real compensation for
the rook, as only his queen is attacking.
17.f4!? xf4 18.xc2 xd5 is equal.
15...he8 16.h1!
It is important to position the king away
from the checking range of the knight.
16.xc5? dxc5 17.xc5 xd5 18.xa7?
(18.c4 was mandatory, although even here
18...xc2 regains the pawn while keeping a
much more active position) 18...e2 19.h1
a5! trapped the queen in Meshcheriakova
Agrest, Stockholm 2008.
16...g5!
The slow 16...a6 can be met by 17.f3 a7
18.c3 e2 19.f4. The text is designed to
prevent this possibility.

1222222223
+lTt+ +5
OoO + +o5
+ O + +5
+ Vp+wO 5
p+qM + +5
+ +n+ + 5
Pp+ PpP5
R B +r+k5
79

We now follow the model game Mamedyarov

Radjabov, Baku 2008.
17.e3
White gets into trouble after:
17.c3? c2 18.b1 e4 19.b3 e1!

Chapter 1 - Schliemann: 4.d3

1222222223
+lT + +5
OoO + +o5
+ O + +5
+ Vp+wO 5
p+ +t+ +5
+qPn+ + 5
P + PpP5
+rB Mr+k5
79
Black must utilise all eight ranks if he is to
maximise his initiative!
20.d1
20.xe1?? xf2! wins.
20.xc5? dxc5 21.f3 e2 is not much better
for White.
20...xg2!
20...xd5 21.xe1 xd3 22.xg5 xe1
23.xe1 xf2 is only equal.
21.g1
White loses after 21.xg2 h4!, or 21.b4
h4!.
21...e1!
21...h4 22.xg5 (22.xg5 xd5) 22...f7
gives Black a smaller advantage.

1222222223
+lT + +5
OoO + +o5
+ O + +5
+ Vp+wO 5
p+ +t+ +5
+ Pn+ + 5
P + P P5
+rBqM Rk5
79

The knights return to this unusual

destination makes a nice impression.
22.xe1
22.xg5 f3 23.xd8 xg1+.
After 22.xg5 h3 23.xe1 xf2 24.g2
e1 25.xe1 xe1 26.xe1 e8 27.g1

29

f5 28.a1 xd5 29.g2 e2 White is

unlikely to survive.
22...xf2 23.f3 f8 24.xf5 xf5 25.f1
25.g2 xg1 26.xg1 xd5 27.e3 xa4
is winning for Black.
25...xe1 26.xe1 xe1
Black has excellent winning chances in the
ending.
We must also examine the consequences of the
critical 17.b4 when I recommend 17...e4!.
(At first I liked the look of 17...f3!? but
the problem turned out to be 18.xc5 dxc5
19.a3! when White should maintain some
advantage.)

1222222223
+lT + +5
OoO + +o5
+ O + +5
+ Vp+wO 5
pPqMt+ +5
+ +n+ + 5
+p+ PpP5
R B +r+k5
79

The tactics work out well for Black, although

of course the position is very complicated. The
following variations illustrate his possibilities
quite nicely.
a) 18.b2?! c6
b) 18.e1 h4 19.bxc5 f3 20.xh4 xh4+
c) 18.c3 e2 19.g7 (19.d2 d4 20.a3
xd5 21.xg5 f7) 19...d4 20.xg5
xg5 21.xg5 g8
d) 18.f3 xf3 19.b3
Alternatives are no better:
19.a2 e2 20.xf3 g4+
19.xf3 xf3 20.gxf3 xc4 21.bxc5 dxc5

30

Attacking the Spanish

19...e2 20.f4
20.xc5 d4 21.g1 xb3 22.xf5 xa1
23.e6 e8 24.xg5 xc2+
20.xf3 loses beautifully after 20...g4
21.g3:

1222222223
+lT + +5
OoO + +o5
+ O + +5
+ Vp+ O 5
pP + +w+5
+q+n+ R 5
+p+t+pP5
R B + +k5
79

21...e1!! 22.xe1 e2 23.h4 xe1

24.h2 g1 25.h3 h1 26.g4 xh4
27.f3 f8 with mate in a maximum of
four more moves.
20...d4 21.h3 gxf4 22.xf5 xf5
23.bxc5 dxc5
Black stands clearly better.
e) 18.xc5! seems to be the only way for
White to maintain the balance. My analysis
continues: 18...dxc5 19.xc5 xd5 20.xa7
xc2 21.b1! e1 22.xe1 xe1 23.xg5!

1222222223
+l+ + +5
QoO + +o5
+ + + +5
+ +t+wB 5
pP + + +5
+ + + + 5
+ + PpP5
+r+ M +k5
79

This is the key move which enables White

to force a draw. 23...xb1 24.a8 d7
25.d8 c6 26.e8 b6 27.e3 c5

28.bxc5 xc5 29.d8 a6 30.a8 b6

31.d8=
17...f3!

1222222223
+lTt+ +5
OoO + +o5
+ O + +5
+ Vp+wO 5
p+q+ + +5
+ +nBm+ 5
Pp+ PpP5
R + +r+k5
79

The other option was 17...e4 18.xc5

dxc5 19.xc5 xd5 when Black has some
activity to show for the pawn. Play might
continue 20.c3 e2 21.g7 f4 22.fd1
xd1 23.xd1 b6 with some, though perhaps
not quite enough, compensation.
Radjabovs choice is more incisive. Black
threatens to transfer a rook to the h-file.
18.xc5
Of course 18.gxf3?? loses to 18...xf3
19.g1 e4.
18...dxc5 19.fd1
19.xc5 d6 20.b5 should also lead to a
draw after: 20...e4! 21.gxf3 xf3 22.g1
e4 (or immediately 22...g4 23.h1 f3)
23.fd1 xe3 24.fxe3 xe3 25.g2
19...e4 20.f1
White must take care to avoid 20.xc5? h4
21.gxf3 xf3 22.g1 d6 with a winning
attack.
20...d4 21.d3 e5

Chapter 1 - Schliemann: 4.d3

1222222223
+lT + +5
OoO + +o5
+ + + +5
+ OpW O 5
p+ Mt+ +5
+ +qB + 5
Pp+ PpP5
R +r+ +k5
79
Blacks active, centralised pieces make a nice
impression.
22.xg5
22.c4!? was possible although 22...e8
would leave Black with enough for the missing
pawn.
22...e8 23.d2 h4 24.h3 xd5 25.c4
c6
Blacks activity provides full compensation
for his small material investment, and I
think that Mamedyarov was quite justified in
repeating the position.
26.g3
The evaluation would be the same after
26.a3 g8 27.f1 f5 28.f3 d4 29.c3
f5=
26...f5 27.d3 d4 28.g3 f5 29.d3
d4 30.g3 f5

This was an excellent game. In fact, I would

find it difficult to fault a single move by either
player.
We may conclude that Black is presently
holding his own after 13.xe5, although he
should definitely make sure he comes to the
board well prepared.

31

D3122) 13.xd4 xd4 14.a4!

1222222223
t+ +l+ T5
OoOw+ Oo5
+ O + +5
+ +pO + 5
p+qV + +5
+ + + + 5
Pp+ PpP5
R B +rK 5
79

Tournament practice and analysis have

demonstrated this to be Whites most
promising move. The text gains space on the
queenside while also threatening to trap the
enemy bishop.
14...a6
Black prepares a retreat square on a7.
15.e3
Black was intending ...00 with pressure
against f2. White should therefore exchange
off his opponents strong bishop while
conveniently opening the f-file and preventing
short castling.
15...xe3
Obviously it would be far too risky for
Black to venture 15...xb2? 16.ab1 b5 (after
16...d4 17.xd4 exd4 18.xb7 White will
emerge with an extra pawn) 17.a2!? d4
18.xd4 exd4 19.axb5.
16.fxe3 000
We have reached a position with equal
material, no minor pieces and symmetrical
pawns. Black is close to equality, but White
does control slightly more space as well as the
only open file.