THE TORRE
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The Torre Attack (named after Mexican Chess grandmaster Carlos Torre Repetto – if trivia is your thing) is an opening which is both easy to understand and easy to play. It’s also used by some of the best international chess players,
The Torre Attack is one of those openings that deserves more attention than it gets. Over the years, it has featured in the repertoires of the likes of Petrosian, Spassky, Kamsky, and Yusupov. It suffers somewhat from a reputation as a stodgy variation, but white can play many of its lines in a shhe Torre fits in perfectly with the idea of low-maintenance openings, which give a good position without the need to spend too much time studying. This is exactly what the average player needs. One great attraction of the Torre Attack is the speed and efficiency of White’s development. By contrast, it is often difficult for Black to keep pace if he chooses an inflexible defensive formation.
arp fashiKoziak V. (2468) - Jolly J. (2365)
Guingamp (7) 2009
I don't suppose White expended a great deal of effort on the coming game. It was easy to make his moves all through. Yet pressure built on Black and a mistake came. Game over! If only chess was so simple....
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 c5 4. c3 Qb6
A strike by Black against b2 is common. Make sure you are ready for it!
5. Qb3 d5
White relies on a small advantage after 5... Qxb3 6. axb3 White has the a file and slightly more control of the centre. As Black gains nothing whatsoever from the exchange, Jolly refrains from the swap.
6. e3 Nc6 7. Nbd2 Be7 8. Be2!
This one made me sit up and take notice. Isn't the Bishop supposed to go to d3?
I think White rejected 8 Bd3 due to the line 8. Bd3 c4! 9. Qxb6 axb6 10. Bc2 b5 11. e4 b4Now it's Black who owns the a file and has pawn lever on the queenside. Admitttedly,this should not add up to much with correct play, but why give the opponent anything at all? Routine play leads to complacency. Judge each position on its own merits.
8... Bd7 9. O-O O-O 10. Ne5 Qc7
10... Qxb3 11. Nxb3! gives Black surprising problems thanks to the threat of Bxf6 followed by Nxd7. I am sure Jolly understimated the difficulties. Now,of course, White has his easy plan of backing up the Knight with f2-f4 and commencing the Kingside attack. 11... cxd4 12.Bxf6
11. f4! Rfc8 12. Rae1 h6 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Ndf3 Be8 15. Qd1
The White Queen comes over to join the party. What Black needs is counterplay, but there is precious little to be found. He is sitting and watching White take him apart.
15... b5 16. Bd3 Qb6 17. Ng4! Be7 18. f5!
Hammering home the attack. TIP Once the outright attack commences, it must proceed as quickly as possible.
18... exf5 19. Bxf5 Rd8 20. Bb1
Threatening the killing Qd3
20... h5 21. Nf2 g6 22. Nd3 c4 23. Nf4 Bf6
This position is not so easy for Black, as can be seen from the following attractive lines. White can pulverize the Black King position: 23... Qb8 24. Qc2 Qd6 (24... a5 25. Nxh5) 25.Nxh5
23... f5 24. Qc2 b4 (24... Rd6 25. Qf2 a5 26. Qg3 Kh7 27. Nxh5! gxh5 28. Ng5+ Kh8 29.Rxf5 Rg6 30. Ref1) 25. Qf2 bxc3 26. bxc3 Rd6 27. Qg3 Kh7 28. Nxh5 gxh5 29. Ng5+ Bxg530. Rxf5!! Bxe3+ 31. Kh1 Rg6 32. Qxe3 Qc7 33. Rxh5+ Kg8 34. Bxg6 Bxg6 35. Qe6+ Bf736. Rg5+ Kh7 37. Qh3+
24. e4 dxe4 25. Rxe4
I can just see White ( who is a very strong player) , bashing out these moves on a kind of autopilot. With all honesty,masters can play standard attacking build-ups of this type with eyes closed. The need usually comes to pay attention to detail at the end, but even that is not necessary here.
25... Bd7??
Naturally,Black is still much worse after 25... Rac8 26. Ree1 Bg7 27. Qc2 with ideas of Nxh5 in the air 27... Rd6
26. Nd5
This was just one standard plan nicely played by White. I would not call it complex or difficult to understand
1-023. ... g5
Kogan B. (2475) - Christiansen L. (2515)
USA-ch/Greenville (1) 1983
The Torre is based on a rock-solid development plan, so even if Black knows exactly how to respond or gets aggressive he can often find himself banging his head aganst a brick wall. Club sometimes make small mistakes, so it is nice to be playing the type of position that is almost fireproof . It is very difficult to make a game-losing mistake as White in the Torre. In our coming game, one of the most dangerous attacking players the United States has ever produced, struggles to open the game as Black, but can get nowhere against the Torre formation.
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bg5 c5 4. e3 h6 5.Bxf6
5. Bh4 keeps a bit more tension in the position. It's a question of taste,but I think Kogan was aiming for clarity agaisnt Christiansen. He wanted first and foremost to get to a situatiion where Black could not disply his remarkable attacking skill.
5... Qxf6 6. Nbd2 cxd4 7. exd4 Nc6 8. c3 d5 9. Bd3 Bd6 10. O-O O-O 11. Qe2
This is a nice position for White if he wishes to insure himself against losing. His pieces are all working well together, he has a safe King and the Rooks are poised to come into the game. Left alone, White's plan is surely Rae1 and Ne5, followed by f2-f4, so Black takes action. TIP Aim for coherent development in the Torre. This will always stand you in good stead.
11. Re1 e5
11... Re8 12. Rae1 e5! 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. dxe5 Bxe5
At the cost of inheriting a weak pawn on d5, Black has freed his queenside pieces and threatens ...Bxh2+.
15. Qd1!
Carefully avoiding both
15. Qh5 Qf4! and
15. Qf3 Qg5
both of which give Black plenty of activity to compensate him for the isoalted pawn.
15... Bd7 16. Nf3 Bc7
16... Bg4 17. Be2! is a continuation of the same solid strategy, Black is quite unable to make any headway against the White kingside and still stands a bit worse due to the pawn on d5. 17... Bf4 (17... Bxf3 18. Bxf3 d4 19. c4
) 18. Nd4! Bxe2 19. Rxe2
17. Rxe8+ Rxe8 18. Re1
It's clear that Kogan is happy with a draw and also that Black cannot stop him!
18... Rxe1+ 19. Qxe1 Kf8 20. Nd4
20. Qe3 Bb6
For the practical player, this can be an ideal opening. Many black players lump it with other "no think" systems where white trots out his moves with little regard for what black is doing. If the black player approaches the Torre in this lackadaisical fashion, he could get burned.
i simply love this opening heres at trap i regularly use
there are many rook lifts and sacs in the torre attack
comments welcome dudes
I'm rather pressed for time. I will just have to re-visit your posting another day. It is of interest to me. Bye for now. Thank you.
I was busy all day. I played the second game through twice. It is great fun especially the rook capture. I like the very swift spirited opening. I hope to be back soon to read over your first game and all its commentary in greater depth. Thank you very much. I think you are on to something. The Torre is wonderful.
The Torre is a wonderful opening. I intend to use it in my future games. Thank you for the fine posting and excellent commentary.
Excellent job. You can copy and paste like a master.