Lesson 11: Doubled pawns in the Spanish exchange
Lecture by UMBC Chess Coach
Igor Epshteyn
In the exchange variation of the Ruy Lopez (Spanish), Black
receives a doubled c-pawn in return for a bishop pair. This
unbalanced position offers the potential for a winning endgame for
White and active play for Black.
Game 1 illustrates White's main plan--simplification leading to
won ending. This game is an excellent example of how to accumulate
small advantages. In Game 2, White pursued the same fine strategy
but, due to imperfect technique, failed to win against active Black
play by Kasparov. Games 3 and 4 are included as homework to discover
where both sides went wrong.
White (to move): Ke1, a2, b2, c2, e4, f2, g2, h2.
Black: Ke8, a6, b7, c6, c7, f7, g7, h7.
Game 1:
Botvinnik-Kan (22nd Soviet Championship, Moscow, 1955)
1. c4 e5
2. Nf3 e4
3. Nd4 Nc6
4. Nxc6 dxc6
5. Nc3 Nf6
6. e3 Bd6
7. d4 exd3
8. Bxd3 Qe7
9. Qc2 Be6
10. b3 0-0-0
11. Bb2 h5
12. 0-0-0 h4
13. h3 Nd7
14. Bf5 Rde8
15. Bxe6 Qxe6
16. Ne2 Rh5
17. Nd4 Qe4
18. Qxe4 Rxe4
19. Nf3 g6
20. Rhe1 Nc5
21. Kc2 a5
22. Rd4 f5
23. Re2 g5
24. Rxe4 Nxe4
25. Nd2 Nxd2
26. Kxd2 Rh6
27. e4 Bf4
28. Ke1 fxe4
29. Rxe4 c5
30. Bc3 a4
31. bxa4 Rb6
32. Ke2 Kd7
33. Kd3 Rb1
34. Re1 Rb6
35. Kc2 Rg6
36. Re4 Rd6
37. Re1 Rg6
38. Re2 b6
39. Re4 Rd6
40. Re1 Rg6
41. Re4 Rd6
42. a3 Rg6
43. a5 Rg8
44. a4 Rf8
45. Re2 bxa5
46. Kd3 Rd8
47. Re4 Kc6
48. Ke2 Kb6
49. Re6 c6
50. Re7 Ka6
51. Re4 Kb6
52. Re6 Kb7
53. Re7 Ka6
54. Re4 Kb6
55. Be1 Bc1
56. g3 hxg3
57. fxg3 Rh8
58. h4 gxh4
59. gxh4 Bb2
60. Bd2 Bd4
61. Kf3 Bb2
62. Bg5 Rf8
63. Rf4 Rg8
64. Rf5 Bd4
65. h5 Kc7
66. h6 Kd7
67. Kg4 Ke6
68. Rf4 Rb8
69. Re4 Kf7
70. Re7 Kg8
71. Kf5 Rf8
72. Kg6 Kh8
73. Rh7 Kg8
74. Rd7 Kh8
75. Rd8
1-0
Game 2:
Timman-Kasparov (1986 Match)
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 a6
4. Bxc6 dxc6
5. 0-0 f6
6. d4 Bg4
7. dxe5 Qxd1
8. Rxd1 fxe5
9. Rd3 Bd6
10. Nbd2 b5
11. b3 Ne7
12. Bb2 Ng6
13. g3 0-0
14. Kg2 c5
15. c4 Rab8
16. a4 bxc4
17. Nxc4 Bxf3
18. Rxf3 Rxf3
19. Kxf3 Rxb3
20. Ke2 Kf7
21. Kd2 Ke6
22. Bc3 Ne7
23. f4 exf4
24. Kc2 Rxc3
25. Kxc3 fxg3
26. Nxd6 cxd6
27. hxg3 h5
28. Rf1 Nc6
29. Rf8 g5
30. Rf5 h4
31. Rxg5 hxg3
32. Rxg3 Ke5
33. Re3 Kf4
34. Rd3 Nd4
draw
Game 3:
Zsuzsa Polgar-Xie Jun (Women's World Championship, 1996)
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. d4 exd4
4. Nxd4 Bc5
5. Nxc6 Qf6
6. Qd2 dxc6
7. Nc3 Be6
8. Na4 Rd8
9. Bd3 Bd4
10. 0-0 Qh4
11. Qf4 Qh5
12. Qg3 Ne7
13. Be3 Bf6
14. h3 0-0
15. f4 Bh4
16. Qf3 Qxf3
17. Rxf3 f5
18. Nc5 fxe4
19. Bxe4
draw
Game 4:
Timman-Short (PCA Tournament, Riga, 1995)
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 a6
4. Bxc6 dxc6
5. 0-0 Qd6
6. Na3 b5
7. c3 c5
8. d4 cxd4
9. cxd4 exd4
10. Nxd4 c5
11. Nb3 Qxd1
12. Rxd1 Nf6
13. f3 Be6
14. Be3 Nd7
15. Nb1 Rc8
16. Nc3 c4
17. Nd4 Ne5
18. Nxe6 fxe6
19. Ne2 Kf7
20. Bd4 Nd3
21. Rab1 Be7
22. b3 e5
23. Be3 Rhd8
24. bxc4 Rxc4
25. Kf1 Rc2
26. a4 b4
27. a5 Nb2
28. Rxd8 Bxd8
29. Bb6 Bg5
30. g3 b3
31. f4 Nc4
32. Rxb3 Nd2
33. Ke1 Nxb3
34. fxg5 Rc4
0-1