5)...Qf6!? in the Exchange Spanish

Globetrotter (1929) Vs jimgrange (1870) - ICC Nov. 2006

I have recently taken up e5 against 1)e4 with reasonable success. The ever-popular exchange Spanish has less sting thanks to a suggestion by GM Nigel Davies in his excellent book "Play 1)e4 e5!"

1)e4 e5 )Nf3 Nc6 3)Bb5 a6 4)Bxc6 dxc6 5)0-0 Qf6!?

This is the move suggested by Davies, as played by Beliavsky and Michael Adams. Although the move looks rather primitive, the Queen is often well placed on f6. 6)d3 A rather quiet variation, but not without a sting. 6)...Ne7!? 7)Be3 Ng6 8)Nbd2 Bd6 9)Nc4 Novelty 9)h3 preventing Bg4 was preferred by Rozentalis against Magnus Carlsen (2006) 9)...Bg4! 10)h3 Bxf3 11)Qxf3 Qxf3 12)gxf3 Nh4 Black has completely equalised, and I prefer his position. The weakness of f4 plays an important role in the remainder of the game. 13)Nd2 f5 If White takes the extra pawn, he will not be able to hold on to it 14)Bg5 Be7 15)Bxh4 Bxh4 16)exf5?!
As already mentioned, White will not be able to hold onto this pawn, and just weakens his Kingside irreprably. Better would have been 16)Nc4!? fxe4 17)fxe4 Bf6 would have left him with an equal game. 16)...0-0 17)Rae1 Rxf5 18)Kg2 Raf8 =+ 19)Re4 Bg5 20)Nc4 Bf4! I really liked this move. It highlights the weakness of f4 and the White Kingside as a whole. 21)Na5 R8f6! The b-pawn is immune as 22)Nxb7?? Rg5+! 23)Kh1 Rh6 leads to mate. 22)Bd2? White Resigns. An interesting game highlighting the efficacy of 5)...Qf6!? in the Spanish.