Complete Guide to the Ruy Lopez Exchange Structure
GM Aleksander Delchev
Preview by the Author
The current database deals with the Exchange Ruy Lopez structure.
This pawn structure usually arises after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 from one of the following lines:
A) 3... a6 4.Bxc6 (Exchange Spanish)
B) 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Bxc6 or 5.0-0 Be7 6 Bxc6 (Delayed Exchange Spanish)
C) 3...Nf6 4.Bxc6 (Anti-Berlin)
In my survey, I deal with this position both from White and Black's perspective. Besides improving your play in the abovementioned theoretical lines, this material is designed to improve your general chess understanding as well. Hopefully, you will get a better feeling of the following strategical aspects: play with and against a bishop pair, find the right plan and execute the right pawn break in static structures, the importance of the space advantage, play positions with opposite castles. Additionally, I am sure that this database will help you to increase your endgame technique since I provide a number of instructive examples.
The database is divided into the following sections: Historical Overview, Endgame Section, Pawn Structure 1, Pawn Structure 2, Opposite Castling, The Plan with f2-f4,Theoretical Overview. You will also find test sections which give you the possibility to check your understanding of the pawn structure.
Historical Overview
In the first part of my database, I will investigate the historical development of the ideas in the Exchange Spanish structure.
Doubling the pawns doesn't automatically trouble Black. His queenside pawn formation is compact and without holes. For someone who is not an expert of the line, it may seem that White achieves almost nothing in return for the exchange of his best piece. So the question is: How does White justify such a decision, and why did the Exchange Spanish pass the test of time? The first big deception was that White can play for a win in the endgame, where his 4/3 majority on the kingside will prevail over Black's bishop pair. It very quickly proved to be unrealistic against an average level of defence. The first great champion in history who created the image of the Exchange Spanish as a dangerous weapon was Lasker. His 13th game from the 1894 world championship match against Steinitz was the first real test for the value of the line. Lasker was leading with 7-2 and only now Steinitz gave him the option to play his pet line. Lasker played the most solid way (5.d4), with an early queen exchange, but the result was very disappointing, as he lost without making any notable mistake (game 1).
This section includes 10 annotated games which illustrate the historical development of the ideas in this pawn structure.
Endgame Section
In this section, I deal with the most important endgame ideas in the Exchange Ruy Lopez structures. The endgame section consists of 12 extensively annotated model games. Below, you can take a look at an example:
Pawn Structure 1
This structure appears when White advances his central pawns. When Black trades on d4, White enjoys a pair of strong central pawns, but this is not the end of the story. Black can achieve excellent chances by exerting pressure on both semi-open files or by launching the f5-break. The main aim for Black is to provoke the further advance of the e4-pawn when Black will install a blockade on the light squares. The plan with long castle will further increase the pressure and create one more dangerous idea - the pawn storm g5-g4. My conclusion is that this kind of structure is quite dangerous for White, as he has not enough resources to protect his central pawns. Very often White is the first to take on e5 and reconcile himself with equality.
Pawn Structure 2
This is the most frequently seen pawn structure in the Exchange Spanish. After trading the pawns, White creates an effective majority on the kingside. In my view, White's best chance lies in a complicated middlegame, where he can transform the dynamic force of his pawns e4 and f4 into dangerous pressure on the kingside. In the endgame, the white pawn e4 may become an easy target for Black's pieces.
The main ideas in these pawn structures are illustrated by 11 annotated model games. Below, I provide 2 of them (1 example for each structure)
Opposite Castling
In this section, I would like to focus your attention on the dynamic features of the Spanish Exchange structure middlegames and more precisely on the opposite side castling positions. In the other chapters I have already analysed many games featuring opposite side castling, but here I will concentrate on the typical ways of building an attack for both sides and the creation of various combinational motifs. Many players, including the father of the Exchange Spanish himself, the world champion Lasker, were looking to create dynamic positions rather than playing boring endgames. The simple explanation is that converting the minimal advantage in the endgame requires a lot of patience and great technical skills, while in positions with opposite castling often the outcome is decided by one single error, or sometimes by losing just one tempo in the attack. On the other hand, playing this way involves a much higher degree of risk, as you can easily lose control of the position and get mated.
In the first four games, it is Black who intentionally created this situation by waiting for the opponent to castle short, hoping to outrun him in the forthcoming mutual pawn storms. In games 5-10 it is White who tries the same waiting approach, starting the pawn storm immediately after Black castles short. It is more clever to keep the white king in the centre until enough preconditions for a successful attack have been achieved. Game 9 shows what can happen otherwise: Yu Yangui was severely punished after castling too early. Very soon he had to meet the attack bravely with his king's bare chest. I hope that from reading this chapter carefully you will learn many new attacking ideas and make your game more dynamic. When you feel ready, you can take the challenge and test your tactical skills, solving the puzzles at the end of the chapter.
This chapter consists of 10 annotated model games. Below, you can take a look at one of them.
The Plan with f2-f4
The plan with f4 is the most aggressive tool in White's attacking repertoire in the Exchange Spanish structures. White completely leaves the idea of converting his pawn structure advantage in a later endgame behind. Instead, he looks for attacking chances in the arising dynamic and double-edged positions. The plan with f4 is a very nice option for the following reasons:
1. After eliminating the strong central pawn e5, White increases his central influence, getting the option to build a strong central pawn duo e4&d4.
2. White may achieve a huge space advantage on the kingside after an eventual f4-f5.
3. White gets the semiopen f-file and may either create an outpost on f5 or transfer his rook to the kingside via the third or fourth rank.
Theoretical Overview
I decided to include some of my most recent theoretical investigations, which may serve you as a base to develop your own complete opening repertoire. You can also use it as complementary material to further your understanding of the games from the following chapters.
In the centre of my investigation is the famous Anti-Berlin line with 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bc6 dxc6. I covered all white possibilities on move 6:
Diagram
A) 6.Nc3, which recently became very popular at top level,
B) 6.0-0, which suddenly came back into fashion, just like
C) 6 Nbd2.
Furthermore, I analysed the tricky move order 4.d3 Bc5 5.Nc3 and the classical exchange line 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0-0, where I have always trusted 5...Bg4 with two different ideas,
A) 6.h3 Bh5 - a pawn sacrifice which leads to an extremely sharp fight and
B) 6.h3 h5 - a more solid line, which involves a temporary piece sacrifice, which of course can't be accepted. I also cover the delayed Exchange Spanish 3..a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Bc6 dxc6 6.d3 or 3...Nf6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d3, a highly underestimated line which may serve you as a surprise weapon. It often leads to quite specific play in which both sides should postpone defining their kings' positions.