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Poll Question: What's the best response to 5.0-0 in the Spanish Exchange?
bars   pie

5...f6    
  16 (22.9%)
5...Bg4    
  22 (31.4%)
5...Qd6    
  8 (11.4%)
5...Bd6    
  6 (8.6%)
5...Ne7    
  4 (5.7%)
5...Qf6    
  7 (10.0%)
5...Be7    
  1 (1.4%)
5...Qe7    
  0 (0.0%)
5...Be6    
  1 (1.4%)
5...Other    
  5 (7.1%)




Total votes: 70
« Created by: Anonymous3 on: 04/03/12 at 05:31:00 »
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Hot Topic (More than 10 Replies) What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange? (Read 29767 times)
MarkG
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #17 - 05/11/12 at 14:51:37
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As an Exchange player for 30 years - basically my entire chess life - I have always been puzzled why 5...Qd6 is not more popular. Two reasons:

1. It is a just a really good move.

2. It gives rise to positions that are much more closed than other Exchange lines and have features in common with systems like the Chigorin or Zaitsev. There are some important differences - the absence of pawn d6, most obviously - but I think if I played the mainline systems as black, I would want to get something like this against the Exchange.
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #16 - 04/17/12 at 22:04:27
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Against 5.Nc3 f6 is good.
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #15 - 04/17/12 at 14:22:26
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Well the most votes are for 5...Bg4 so far but this is why I like to play the Exchange with 5. Nc3 -- 5...Bg4 isn't as good.  Other natural moves against it also aren't especially good, e.g. 5...Bd6.  And you can still get into a real tactical slugfest after 5...Bc5  6. Nxe5 Bxf2+ etc, if that's your thing (Lasker always responded to 5...Bc5 with 6. d3 though)
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #14 - 04/17/12 at 11:32:46
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NeverGiveUp wrote on 04/17/12 at 05:48:41:
Markovich wrote on 04/03/12 at 15:03:01:
Best, I have no idea, and I really doubt that anyone else in the chess world does either. But I think that 5...Ne7 is playable and active, and has a promising look to it.

An interesting reply Markovitch. I've noticed that strong players sometimes play 5. ... Ne7 if they need a win.

This variation is of course sharp and double-edged - it is a pawn sac after 6.Ne5: Qd4 7.Qh5 g6 8.Qg5 Bg7 9.Nd3 f5 10.e5 c5 11.b3! when as far as I know white is doing well, otherwise everyone would be playing 5. ... Ne7. So what to do after 11.b3?


I play 11 ... b6 (mostly following Johnsen&Johannessen) but I don't know whether there any recent developments. Basically I believe that the variation is a bit suspicious, but difficult to play well with White (I certainly would not want to). So it does quite well in practice (mine at least).
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #13 - 04/17/12 at 05:48:41
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Markovich wrote on 04/03/12 at 15:03:01:
Best, I have no idea, and I really doubt that anyone else in the chess world does either. But I think that 5...Ne7 is playable and active, and has a promising look to it.

An interesting reply Markovitch. I've noticed that strong players sometimes play 5. ... Ne7 if they need a win.

This variation is of course sharp and double-edged - it is a pawn sac after 6.Ne5: Qd4 7.Qh5 g6 8.Qg5 Bg7 9.Nd3 f5 10.e5 c5 11.b3! when as far as I know white is doing well, otherwise everyone would be playing 5. ... Ne7. So what to do after 11.b3?
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #12 - 04/06/12 at 08:42:43
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Well of course there isn't Smiley Even the lines which don't quite equalise will almost certainly be objectively drawn!

But a lot of people do seem obsessed with this odd idea of openings being 'best'.
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #11 - 04/05/12 at 23:10:20
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Is there a true best response? Many of the moves in the poll seem like decent lines.
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #10 - 04/05/12 at 21:57:23
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You mean to say that one of those doesnt equalise? To me it seems the exchange is one of the least promising lines in the Ruy for white.
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #9 - 04/05/12 at 14:56:18
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Until fairly recently the 'experts' seemed consider 5...f6 the best move, albeit rather drawish, but it appears to have lost support in recent years.

I'm surprised that 5...Bg4 6.h3 h5 is seen as drawish- I always thought Black ended up with some chances on the g and h-files, even after the mass exchange on f3 that sometimes ensues (e.g. after 7.d3 Qf6 8.Be3 Bxf3 etc).  Objectively speaking I'm not sure if it is really any better than 5...f6, 5...Qd6 or 5...Qf6.   

The 5...Qf6 line is certainly interesting as is Markovich's suggestion of 5...Ne7.
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #8 - 04/03/12 at 18:04:00
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I know what's not best.  5..Qd6, what I play.  Don't think it equalizes.  But too lazy to learn something else.
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #7 - 04/03/12 at 15:47:53
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I voted Other, because I think there is no "best".
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #6 - 04/03/12 at 15:03:01
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Best, I have no idea, and I really doubt that anyone else in the chess world does either. But I think that 5...Ne7 is playable and active, and has a promising look to it.
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #5 - 04/03/12 at 11:18:18
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Definitely a nice game; thanks for sharing. Often these games with a large rating point difference are good for showing the themes since the lower rated opponent often doesn't try to stop the opponent's ideas so much so it is easier to see them in full motion. If you know a few games between two >2600 players at a classical time control where Black wins I'd certainly reconsider playing this line again.
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #4 - 04/03/12 at 10:55:02
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TN wrote on 04/03/12 at 10:31:53:
Matemax wrote on 04/03/12 at 09:48:00:
TN wrote on 04/03/12 at 09:02:17:
5...Bg4 6.h3 h5, but of the sensible options I think 5...Qd6 or 5...Qf6 offer the most chances of a decisive result.

You forgot to mention that 5...Qf6 (perhaps the most trendy move in the present time) is recommended by Gustafsson in his 1.e4 e5 DVD.

 
GM Alterman thinks that the reason why the Exchange is rarely played nowadays on top level is the variation 5...Bg4 6.h3 Bh5!? going for a positional pawn sac.


That was once my favourite line as Black, but now I think White has slight winning chances with little to no risk of losing if he knows a bit of theory.


I really like the following game - GM Meier shows all the themes in one game; if one studies it carefully he gets a lot of knowledge to play this line. I am not convinient with recent improvements though:

  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #3 - 04/03/12 at 10:31:53
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Matemax wrote on 04/03/12 at 09:48:00:
TN wrote on 04/03/12 at 09:02:17:
5...Bg4 6.h3 h5, but of the sensible options I think 5...Qd6 or 5...Qf6 offer the most chances of a decisive result.

You forgot to mention that 5...Qf6 (perhaps the most trendy move in the present time) is recommended by Gustafsson in his 1.e4 e5 DVD.

 
GM Alterman thinks that the reason why the Exchange is rarely played nowadays on top level is the variation 5...Bg4 6.h3 Bh5!? going for a positional pawn sac.


That was once my favourite line as Black, but now I think White has slight winning chances with little to no risk of losing if he knows a bit of theory.
  
All our dreams come true if we have the courage to pursue them.
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #2 - 04/03/12 at 09:48:00
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TN wrote on 04/03/12 at 09:02:17:
5...Bg4 6.h3 h5, but of the sensible options I think 5...Qd6 or 5...Qf6 offer the most chances of a decisive result.

You forgot to mention that 5...Qf6 (perhaps the most trendy move in the present time) is recommended by Gustafsson in his 1.e4 e5 DVD.

 
GM Alterman thinks that the reason why the Exchange is rarely played nowadays on top level is the variation 5...Bg4 6.h3 Bh5!? going for a positional pawn sac.
  
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Re: What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
Reply #1 - 04/03/12 at 09:02:17
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5...Bg4 6.h3 h5, but of the sensible options I think 5...Qd6 or 5...Qf6 offer the most chances of a decisive result.

You forgot to mention that 5...Qf6 (perhaps the most trendy move in the present time) is recommended by Gustafsson in his 1.e4 e5 DVD.
  
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What's the best response to the Spanish Exchange?
04/03/12 at 05:31:00
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5...f6 (recommended in "Beating the Open Games" and "A Ruy Lopez: A Guide for Black")

5...Bg4 (recommended in "The Kaufman Repertoire for Black and White")

5...Qd6 (surprisingly, not recommended in any repertoire book that I'm aware of)

5...Bd6 (recommended in "Fighting the Ruy Lopez", "Survive and Beat Annoying Chess Openings", and "The Spanish Exchange")

5...Ne7 (secondary recommendation in "The Ruy Lopez: A Guide for Black")

5...Qf6 (recommended in "Play 1 e4 e5!" and "Survive and Beat Annoying Chess Openings") 

5...Be7 (recommended in "Dangerous Weapons: 1 e4 e5")

5...Qe7 (recommended in "Secrets of Opening Surprises volume 5")

5...Be6 (recommended in "Secrets of Opening Surprises volume 5") 

If you vote for "5...Other", please tell us what move you think is best.
  
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