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Pablo's
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Problem
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Reference
Center

THE LOPEZ GRIP
Part Three

See also:
     Part One: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.0-0 Bd7 6.c3 Nge7 7.d4 Ng6
     Part Two: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5
 

[Click here to follow along on an interactive JavaScript board]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 b5 5.Bb3 Na5

Forget about subtlety and long, forcing variations.  Black is trying to refute the Ruy Lopez right here and now!  He is going to nab the Lopez Bishop!  Well, if this idea worked, the whole opening would be put out of business.  It was artist and innovator Taimanov who worked on 5...Na5 40-50 years ago and today the variation has a distinct Scandinavian following, especially in Norway.  Fortunately, Black's plan costs valuable time and White must set to work opening up the position immediately before the advantage of the two Bishops starts to show.

6.0-0 d6 7.d4!

This is the recommended procedure.

7...exd4

Black can build a strongpoint on e5 with 7...f6 8.Nc3 Nxb3 9.axb3 Bb7  Against this I feel White should first develop fully and then get to work levering open the position with pawn breaks, notably f2-f4!

Here's an excellent example of what I mean: 10.Qe2 g6 11.Be3 c6 12.dxe5!

Analysis Diagram: After 12.dxe5!

White MUST open up the position. 12...fxe5 (12...dxe5 13.Rfd1 Qc7 14.Ne1 Rc8 15.Nd3 c5 16.Nd5±) 13.Ng5  Getting ready for f2-f4! 13...Be7 14.f4! Bxg5 (14...exf4 15.Ne6 Qd7 16.Bd4 Nf6 17.e5 Qxe6 18.exf6 Qxe2 19.Nxe2 c5 20.f7+ Kxf7 21.Bxh8 Rxh8 22.Nxf4±) 15.fxg5 Qc7 16.Qf2  Agdestein is hoping to hold out by using the presence of opposite-colured Bishops and castling long.  But the f-file highway means that Black's life can be made very uncomfortable.  16...Qd7 17.Rad1 0-0-0 18.Bb6! Re8 19.Qf7± h6 20.Qxg6 hxg5 21.Rf7 Qe6 22.Rxd6 Qxg6 23.Rxg6 Nh6 24.Rc7+ Kb8 25.Rcg7 Bc8 26.Rxc6 Re6 27.Ba7+ Ka8 28.Rcc7 1-0 Pavlovic,M-Agdestein,S / Catalan Bay 2003.  The main point to remember against this 'strongpoint' line : Develop and then look out for f2-f4!

8.Nxd4 Ne7

I believe it was Nimzovitch who stated that the advantage of the two Bishops became greater the longer the game went on.  This is why Black tries to consolidate his early gains in this line and why White MUST attack early to get the maximum result.

9.Ne2

Short has no intention of falling for the ' Noah's Ark' trap involving ...c7-c5-c4.

9 Ne2 intends Ng3, gripping f5 and then the same push of the f pawn.

9...Bb7 10.Ng3 c5

10...d5 11.Bxd5 Nxd5 12.exd5 Qxd5 (12...Bxd5 13.Qe1++-) 13.Re1+ Be7 14.Qxd5 Bxd5 15.Nf5±

11.c4! bxc4 12.Ba4+ Bc6 13.Nc3 Qd7 14.f4 ±

Despite the Fritz evaluation of equality, I really like this position for White.  In the hands of a strong attacking player, nasty things can be done to Black's position.  The precise problem is the Black King - where is he going to find safety?  The Knight on a5 isn't too good either.

14...h5 15.Bxc6 Naxc6 16.Nxh5

Why not?

16...Nd4 17.f5

The pawns cooperate with the Bishop.

17...Nec6 18.Nd5 Qb7 19.f6 g6 20.Ng7+

Short in his element.  The King must move.

20...Kd8 21.Rf2

Just preparing to move the Bishop.

21...Ne5 22.Be3 Ndc6

Black's Knights looked very impressive but what were they doing?

23.Rd2 Rh4 24.Qc2 Rb8 25.Rad1

Lovely coordination.  Black never got his act together.

25...Kc8 26.h3 Qd7 27.Bxc5+- Rxh3

27...dxc5 28.Ne7+! Bxe7 29.Rxd7 Bxf6 30.Rxf7!! Nxf7 31.Qxc4 Nfe5 32.Qe6+ Kb7 33.Qxf6+-

28.Ne3 Rg3 29.Rxd6 Qb7 30.Nxc4 Nxc4 31.Qxc4 1-0

This is no place for encyclopaedic detail, but I hope I have shown a general method of play against this tricky Black try.

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