Italian🇮🇹 vs Spanish🇪🇸
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Which one do you prefer and why?
May 12, 2024
0
#2
They’re both good openings, but the one I strongly recommend for beginners is the Italian for a couple of reasons:
1. It’s easy to learn
2. You create threats early in some of the variations (Example: Fried Liver Attack)
3. You attack the weak f7-pawn with your light-squared bishop
The Spanish by itself is a decent opening, but I wouldn’t recommend learning it if you’re a beginner because there’s a lot of variations that you have to know in the Spanish. The moves for the Spanish are:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
The point of Bishop b5 is to apply pressure to the Knight on c6 and the pawn on e5. And the worst part is you can’t even take it. Here’s why:
3…a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5.
Nxe5 is bad because Black has:
5…Qd4, forking your Knight and pawn and you’re losing a piece.
The Spanish is complicated in my opinion, so the answer for me is the Italian Game is better.
But if you like the Spanish, I recommend learning the Exchange Variation.
1. It’s easy to learn
2. You create threats early in some of the variations (Example: Fried Liver Attack)
3. You attack the weak f7-pawn with your light-squared bishop
The Spanish by itself is a decent opening, but I wouldn’t recommend learning it if you’re a beginner because there’s a lot of variations that you have to know in the Spanish. The moves for the Spanish are:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
The point of Bishop b5 is to apply pressure to the Knight on c6 and the pawn on e5. And the worst part is you can’t even take it. Here’s why:
3…a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5.
Nxe5 is bad because Black has:
5…Qd4, forking your Knight and pawn and you’re losing a piece.
The Spanish is complicated in my opinion, so the answer for me is the Italian Game is better.
But if you like the Spanish, I recommend learning the Exchange Variation.
I have tried both and I agree with you. Do you think that queens gambit is easier to play than ruy lopez? I think this might be somewhat true because usually the position is not cramped and you have direct plans like minority attack, f3 followed by e4 and sometimes you even get to play with or against IQP.
May 13, 2024
0
#6
@2
"The point of Bishop b5 is to apply pressure to the Knight on c6 and the pawn on e5."
++ No, the point of Bishop b5 is to apply pressure to the Knight on c6 and facilitate d4.
"The Spanish is complicated in my opinion, so the answer for me is the Italian Game is better."
++ No, the Spanish is more principled: prepares d4.
"if you like the Spanish, I recommend learning the Exchange Variation.'
++ Yes, the exchange or delayed exchange is most principled.
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1258181
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044389
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=2041840
Given the choice, I would prefer the Italian. Because its the first opening I have learned and I think aesthetically its the most beautiful opening.
Dreams34 hat geschrieben:
They’re both good openings, but the one I strongly recommend for beginners is the Italian for a couple of reasons:
1. It’s easy to learn
2. You create threats early in some of the variations (Example: Fried Liver Attack)
3. You attack the weak f7-pawn with your light-squared bishop
The Spanish by itself is a decent opening, but I wouldn’t recommend learning it if you’re a beginner because there’s a lot of variations that you have to know in the Spanish. The moves for the Spanish are:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
The point of Bishop b5 is to apply pressure to the Knight on c6 and the pawn on e5. And the worst part is you can’t even take it. Here’s why:
3…a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5.
Nxe5 is bad because Black has:
5…Qd4, forking your Knight and pawn and you’re losing a piece.
The Spanish is complicated in my opinion, so the answer for me is the Italian Game is better.
But if you like the Spanish, I recommend learning the Exchange Variation.
1. It’s easy to learn
2. You create threats early in some of the variations (Example: Fried Liver Attack)
3. You attack the weak f7-pawn with your light-squared bishop
The Spanish by itself is a decent opening, but I wouldn’t recommend learning it if you’re a beginner because there’s a lot of variations that you have to know in the Spanish. The moves for the Spanish are:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
The point of Bishop b5 is to apply pressure to the Knight on c6 and the pawn on e5. And the worst part is you can’t even take it. Here’s why:
3…a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5.
Nxe5 is bad because Black has:
5…Qd4, forking your Knight and pawn and you’re losing a piece.
The Spanish is complicated in my opinion, so the answer for me is the Italian Game is better.
But if you like the Spanish, I recommend learning the Exchange Variation.
This line with 5. ...Qd4 is pretty much the first trick you learn in the Ruy Lopez as a beginner. And even though Fischer played it occasionally, most players won't go for the Exchange Variation and I think rightfully so. It's playable, but it takes a lot of pressure out of the position for no real reason (I think after 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O Bg4 Black equalizes comfortably). Why be impatient anyways? Just keep the threat of Bxc6 and let Black bother with it.
And who cares about the complications? Chess is a complicated game. The Giuoco Pianissimo (Italian with d3) is also complicated to master.
In my opinion the Ruy Lopez applies more pressure on Black than the Italian. I disagree with the rather common opinion that beginners should be afraid of the Spanish game.
