1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Bb5
The powerful Spanish Opening is more than 500 years old. It is often associated with Ruy Lopez, a priest who served at the court of the Spanish king, Philip II, and analyzed it in his book in 1561. But it already appeared in the oldest surviving chess book, "Repeticion de amores e arte de axedrez con cliuegos de partido," written by another Spaniard, Luiz Ramirez Lucena, in 1497. Lucena suggested the defense 3...Nge7 for black.
3...Bc5
The Classical variation was favored by many champions and world-class players. Adolf Anderssen, Paul Morphy and William Steinitz played it in the 19th century. Jose Raul Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine, Boris Spassky and Bobby Fischer, and more recently Vishy Anand and Veselin Topalov also tried it. Even Kamsky used it with the black pieces.
4.0-0
Nd4
[Christiansen avoids 4...Nf6
5.Nxe5
Nxe5
6.d4
Nxe4
7.Qe2
Qe7
8.Qxe4
Nc6
9.Qxe7+
Bxe7
10.c3
and white gets more space and a slightly better endgame. Kamsky, a feared, brilliant endgame technician, would love that.]
5.Ba4
[5.Nxd4
is played more often, but after 5...Bxd4
6.c3
Bb6
7.d4
c6
8.Ba4
d6
Black has good chances to equalize.]
5...Nxf3+
6.Qxf3
Ne7
[Christiansen strives for a good counterplay, not blocking his f-pawn. After 6...Nf6
7.d3
0-0
8.Nc3
white has a better grip in the center. Offering a queen exchange 6...Qf6 is a good alternative.]
7.Qc3!?N
An aggressive Queen-shuffling maneuver is a remarkable novelty. White lures the black bishop to d4, where it can be soon attacked. It allows Kamsky to build a pawn center quickly. Slower, steady developing moves may not do the job. For example, in the game Reti-Spielmann, Budapest 1913, White came under a furious attack after [7.d3
0-0
8.Be3
Bb6
9.Nc3
d6
10.Rad1
f5
11.Qh5
f4
12.Bxb6
axb6
13.Bb3+
Kh8
14.d4
Ng6
15.Rd2
f3
16.g3
Nf4
17.gxf4
Rxf4
and white resigned since after (17...Rxf4
18.h3
[defending against Bc8-g4] 18...g6
19.Qh6
Rh4
20.Qe3
Rxh3
black has a mating attack.) ]
7...Bd4
8.Qg3
Ng6
9.c3
Bb6
10.d4!?
A daring pawn sacrifice. White has to act quickly to dominate the center, bring more pieces into play and put pressure on Black.
10...0-0
[It is safe to assume that after 10...exd4
Kamsky was going to continue with 11.f4!?
as in the game, when the attempt to exchange the Queens with 11...Qh4
fails to 12.Qxh4
Nxh4
13.f5
threatening to win the knight with 14.g3.]
11.f4!?
[Kamsky continues to play sharply. He did not bother calculating 11.dxe5
Qe7
12.Bf4
d6!
and Black wins the pawn back since after 13.exd6
Qxe4
White loses a piece.]
11...exf4?!
[Leaving White with a strong pawn center. Accepting the pawn with 11...exd4
is unclear, but worth a try. After 12.f5!?
Qf6
(or 12...dxc3+
13.Kh1
Bd4
14.Nxc3
Be5
15.Qf2
Ne7
16.Bf4
) 13.Kh1
h6
14.cxd4
Bxd4
15.Nc3
White has a good compensation.]
12.Bxf4
Nxf4
13.Qxf4
d6
14.Nd2
Be6
15.Kh1
c6
16.Nf3
h6
Defending against 17.Ng5, but the move weakens the diagonal b1-h7 and Kamsky finds a way to open it up.
17.Bc2
Qd7
18.e5!?
dxe5?!
[Christiansen reacts nervously, surrendering a nice square on e5. But after 18...d5
19.Nh4
the white pieces swarm the black King, for example 19...c5
(19...g5?
20.Qf6
gxh4
21.Qxh6
f5
22.exf6
Bc7
23.Qg6+
Kh8
24.Rf5!
Bxf5
25.Bxf5
Qf7
26.Qh6+
Kg8
27.Be6
Qxe6
28.Qg7#
; 19...Bd8
20.Ng6
Re8
21.Qg3+/-
) 20.Qg3
cxd4
21.Qd3
f5
22.g4!
with a powerful attack.; Also after 18...Bc7
19.Qe4
g6
20.Qf4
Kg7
21.Rae1
White has a strong pull.]
19.Nxe5
Qd6
20.Qg3
f5?!
[A radical solution to slow White's surge on the kingside, but it only pours more oil on the fire. Either 20...Rad8
; or 20...Bc7
were preferable.]
21.Rae1
Bc7
[After 21...Rad8
White has a pinning combination 22.Ng6!
Qxg3
23.hxg3
Rf6
24.Rxe6
Rxe6
25.Bb3
and should win.]
22.Qh3!
Forcing the weakening of the diagonal b1-h7.
22...f4
23.Qd3
Bf5
24.Bb3+
Kh7
25.Qd2
g5
With a pawn chain resembling the King's Gambit, Christiansen hopes to survive. But Kamsky finds an ingenious way to storm Black's rampart.
26.g4!
Winning the battle of the light squares.
26...Bc8
[Not finding another suitable square, the Bishop slides back home. After 26...Bg6
27.Nxg6
Kxg6
(27...Qxg6
28.Bc2
) 28.Re6+
Black loses the Queen.; And 26...fxg3
is unplayable because of 27.Rxf5
Rxf5
28.Bc2
Raf8
29.Bxf5+
Rxf5
30.Qd3
Qe6
31.Rf1
winning material.; 26...Be6
27.Qd3+
; 26...Bd7
27.Qd3+
Kg7
28.Bc2
wins for White]
27.Qd3+
Kg7
28.Bc2
The battery of the Queen and Bishop on the diagonal b1-h7 is deadly.
28...Rh8
29.Ng6
Threatening both 30.Nxh8 and 30.Re7+.
29...Bxg4?!
[Leads to a pretty finish, but Black didn't have many choices. After 29...Be6
30.Nxh8
Bd5+
31.Kg1
Rxh8
32.Bb3
White should win anyway.]
30.Re7+
Kf6
[On 30...Kg8
31.Bb3+
wins.]
31.Rxc7
Rhg8
[After 31...Qxc7
32.Nxh8
Rxh8
33.Qg6+
Ke7
34.Qg7+
wins.]
32.Ne5
[After 32.Ne5
Qxc7
33.Nxg4+
Ke7
34.Qh7+
Kd6
35.Qxh6+
Kd7
36.Bf5+
Kd8
37.Re1
wins.] 1-0