Classical Spanish Middlegames 

Classical Spanish Middlegames

GM Pier Luigi Basso and GM Baadur Jobava

We are thrilled to present Classical Spanish Middlegames, an essential course by GM Pier Luigi Basso and GM Baadur Jobava. This course serves as a bridge between their acclaimed 3-part series on the Spanish Game for White and the intricate middlegame positions that arise from the Ruy-Lopez.

This course is a logical continuation of:

• Play the Spanish - Top-Level Repertoire for White - Part 1

• Play the Spanish - Top-Level Repertoire for White - Part 2

• Play the Spanish - Top-Level Repertoire for White - Part 3

By studying this course, you will gain deep insights into the fundamental structures of the Spanish middlegame, enhancing your strategic understanding and improving your practical play.

The material is organized into 7 structured steps:

• Steps 1-6: Cover key Spanish structures, including handling the open 'c' and 'd' files, timing the f2-f4 and f7-f5 breaks, playing with e4 vs d6, and mastering queenside pawn play.

• Step 7: Demonstrates how to apply your middlegame knowledge to better understand and learn your opening repertoire.

Drawing inspiration from the games of legends like Karpov and Fischer, this course offers:

• Historical masterpieces for a classical perspective

• Modern theoretical insights to stay ahead of the competition

• 3 hours of video content with detailed explanations

This course is more than just opening preparation—it is a comprehensive guide to mastering the Spanish middlegame, providing you with practical tools to improve your strategic play across all phases of the game. Join us on this journey and elevate your chess to the next level!

Below you can find how authors present 1 of the 7 steps of this course.

Step 1 - Open c-file

It’s important to mention that while White’s ‘b’ pawn is not always on b4 (it could also be on b2 or b3), Black’s pawns are consistently on a6 and b5. This is a particularity of the Spanish. On the kingside, White’s pawn is almost always on h3, while Black’s kingside pawns can vary depending on the position (they might be on h6 or g6, for example). The central pawns, d6-e5 and d5-e4, are always present in this structure.

Black's Plans:

• Exchange the rooks to simplify the position and reduce White’s attacking potential.
• Exchange the dark-squared bishops, often via moves like ...Bb6 or ...Bg5, to control key squares.
• Occasionally play f7-f5 to activate Black’s pieces or gain space on the kingside.
• Rarely maneuver the knight via Nb6-Nc4. After the knight is exchanged on c4 (Bxc5-bxc4), Black’s position can suffer from significant weaknesses.

White's Plans:

• Avoid exchanging the dark-squared bishops, keeping control over critical squares and maintaining attacking potential.
• Keep at least one rook to maximize pressure on Black’s weak pawns and open files.
• Penetrate with the queen on c7, creating threats and exploiting Black’s lack of mobility.
• Transfer a knight to a5 via b3-a5. From there, the knight on c6 will be a constant source of trouble for Black.
• Play a4, and after ...axb5 axb5, position a knight on a3 and a bishop on d3 or f1 to put sustained pressure on the b5 pawn.
• If Black’s pieces shift towards the queenside, initiate a kingside attack with Rf1-f4 to exploit Black’s weakened defenses.

Who Benefits from the Opening of the 'a' File?

In most cases, White benefits from the opening of the ‘a’ file. This is because it provides additional columns for penetration, and Black’s b5 pawn becomes more vulnerable compared to White’s pawn on b4.

And the Endgames?

Endgames are usually favorable for White when the pawn is on b2, as White can play b3 to control the c4 square and maintain flexibility. With the pawn on b4, the assessment becomes more situational and depends heavily on the position.

Step 1 - Example

Step 1 - Video