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Opening themes.
Compiled by jpetersen46321
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Dr. Tarrasch, "The Game of Chess", english transl., London 1935, page 238: - "I expressly warn him the beginner against trying to learn by heart the following openings. A terrible thought! He must thoroughly assimilate THE PRINCIPLES and then, when he has played a game, he should study the application of those principles to the particular opening adopted. Thus he will discover the INNER SIGNIFICANCE of the various openings. This is the only correct way. CHESS CANNOT BE PLAYED FROM MEMORY but only with judgement and combinative ability."

Relative values of men. Capture of centre.
Breyer vs Tarrasch, 1920 
(D05) Queen's Pawn Game, 46 moves, 0-1

Relative values of men. Attack. Gambit.
Ivanchuk vs Shirov, 1996 
(D44) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 35 moves, 1-0

Space factor (more important than Force).
Polugaevsky vs E Torre, 1981 
(D44) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 40 moves, 1-0

Space factor ("Pattsetzungstil")
O'Kelly vs Golombek, 1950 
(B04) Alekhine's Defense, Modern, 41 moves, 1-0

Space factor: the (strong) IQP.
Botvinnik vs Vidmar, 1936  
(D60) Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense, 24 moves, 1-0

Time factor; development objective.
Alekhine vs Nimzowitsch, 1931 
(C15) French, Winawer, 19 moves, 1-0

Gambits ("one pawn is worth three tempi").
Koltanowski vs A Dunkelblum, 1923 
(B18) Caro-Kann, Classical, 15 moves, 1-0

Gambits ("one pawn is worth three tempi").
Alekhine vs W Winter, 1936
(B15) Caro-Kann, 31 moves, 1-0

Gambits (good position vs material superiority).
Spielmann vs Tarrasch, 1923 
(C32) King's Gambit Declined, Falkbeer Counter Gambit, 26 moves, 0-1

Gambits (good position vs material superiority).
Spassky vs Seirawan, 1985 
(C34) King's Gambit Accepted, 32 moves, 1-0

Philidor: Nimzowitsch Variation
Chandler vs Gulko, 1991 
(C41) Philidor Defense, 45 moves, 1-0

Petrov: French Attack.
Tarrasch vs J Mason, 1889 
(C01) French, Exchange, 55 moves, 1-0

Giuoco Piano: Alekhine variation.
Bondarevsky vs Lilienthal, 1937
(C53) Giuoco Piano, 28 moves, 1/2-1/2

Giuoco Piano: Alekhine variation (vs 7. d6?!).
A Medina Garcia vs Alekhine, 1944 
(C53) Giuoco Piano, 40 moves, 0-1

Evans Gambit accepted: Sanders-Alapin defense.
Y Vovk vs N Maiorov, 2005
(C52) Evans Gambit, 39 moves, 0-1

Ruy Lopez: Exchange, Gligoric Variation.
P N Lee vs Gligoric, 1965
(C69) Ruy Lopez, Exchange, Gligoric Variation, 44 moves, 0-1

Ruy Lopez: Open (9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 Be7 11. Bc2 d4!?).
J Xie vs S Polgar, 1996 
(C80) Ruy Lopez, Open, 46 moves, 1/2-1/2

Ruy Lopez. Open (the "Tarrasch Trap").
Tarrasch vs Gunsberg, 1890 
(C83) Ruy Lopez, Open, 12 moves, 1-0

Ruy Lopez: Open (vs 9. c3 Be7 10. Be3).
Keres vs E Dyckhoff, 1935 
(C83) Ruy Lopez, Open, 54 moves, 1/2-1/2

Ruy Lopez: Open, Howell Attack.
Ljubojevic vs Larsen, 1981 
(C81) Ruy Lopez, Open, Howell Attack, 57 moves, 1/2-1/2

Ruy Lopez: Closed (9. d4!?).
Tal vs Gligoric, 1978 
(C91) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 63 moves, 1-0

Ruy Lopez: Closed, Worrall Attack (7... 0-0 8. c3 d5 9. d3).
Alekhine vs K Junge, 1942  
(C86) Ruy Lopez, Worrall Attack, 28 moves, 1-0

Ruy Lopez: Closed, Worrall Attack (7... 0-0 8. c3 d5 9. d3).
Tiviakov vs Short, 2007 
(C86) Ruy Lopez, Worrall Attack, 32 moves, 1-0

Ruy Lopez: Closed, Worrall Attack (7... 0-0 8. c3 d5 9. exd5).
Foltys vs Keres, 1943 
(C86) Ruy Lopez, Worrall Attack, 31 moves, 1/2-1/2

Ruy Lopez: Closed, Worrall Attack (9. d4 Bg4 10. Rd1).
Short vs Karpov, 1992 
(C86) Ruy Lopez, Worrall Attack, 36 moves, 1-0

Ruy Lopez: Four Knights Variation (the "Blackburne Trap").
Tarrasch vs Chigorin, 1893 
(C77) Ruy Lopez, 26 moves, 1-0

Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense (the "Dresden Trap").
Tarrasch vs G Marco, 1892 
(C66) Ruy Lopez, 18 moves, 1-0

Ruy Lopez: delayed Steinitz Defense.
Fischer vs Geller, 1961 
(C72) Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defense, 5.O-O, 22 moves, 1-0

Ruy Lopez: Schliemann, Tartakower variation.
H Stefansson vs Kotronias, 1990
(C63) Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defense, 65 moves, 1-0

Four Knights: Symmetrical Variation, Metger's unpin.
Petrosian vs Furman, 1950 
(C49) Four Knights, 68 moves, 0-1

French: MacCutcheon, Wolf Gambit.
G Rogmann vs H Mueller, 1933
(C12) French, McCutcheon, 17 moves, 1-0

French: Tarrasch, Chistyakov defense.
Smyslov vs Stahlberg, 1952 
(C07) French, Tarrasch, 36 moves, 1/2-1/2

Sicilian: Open, Chekhover variation.
Vasiukov vs Van Wely, 2002 
(B53) Sicilian, 32 moves, 1-0

Sicilian: Open, Pelikan variation.
Tal vs Tseshkovsky, 1979 
(B33) Sicilian, 42 moves, 1-0

Sicilian: Open, Scheveningen variation
Yates vs O Naegeli, 1927 
(B83) Sicilian, 21 moves, 1-0

Sicilian: Open, Maroczy bind (vs accelerated Dragon variation).
Ivanchuk vs Anand, 1994 
(B32) Sicilian, 35 moves, 1-0

Sicilian, Open, Four Knights variation.
Pillsbury vs J Mieses, 1900 
(B45) Sicilian, Taimanov, 32 moves, 1/2-1/2

Sicilian: Closed (vs French setup).
Spassky vs Kasparov, 1982 
(B23) Sicilian, Closed, 32 moves, 1/2-1/2

Sicilian: Closed (vs Scheveningen setup).
Tarrasch vs A Selezniev, 1922 
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 30 moves, 1-0

Sicilian: Closed (vs Scheveningen setup).
Spassky vs Fischer, 1992 
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 43 moves, 1-0

Sicilian: Closed (Smyslov variation).
Spassky vs Hjartarson, 1988 
(B24) Sicilian, Closed, 24 moves, 1-0

Sicilian: Closed (vs. ...Rb8 and ...b5 setup).
Lautier vs Ljubojevic, 1996 
(B23) Sicilian, Closed, 33 moves, 1-0

Sicilian: Keres system.
Keres vs R Byrne, 1955 
(B20) Sicilian, 30 moves, 1-0

Sicilian: Keres system, gambit variation.
R Kuijf vs Z Franco Ocampos, 1983 
(B20) Sicilian, 45 moves, 1-0

Scandinavian: Classical variation.
Spassky vs Larsen, 1979 
(B01) Scandinavian, 32 moves, 1-0

Scandinavian: Portuguese Variation.
I Agrest vs O Gutmakher, 2008 
(B01) Scandinavian, 81 moves, 1-0

Caro-Kann: Steiner variation (vs. 4... Qxd5).
L Steiner vs C Carls, 1928 
(B10) Caro-Kann, 44 moves, 1-0

Caro-Kann: Steiner variation (vs. 4... Nf6).
Vasiukov vs A Reshko, 1971 
(B10) Caro-Kann, 41 moves, 1-0

Caro-Kann: Steiner variation (vs. 4... a6).
O Lemmers vs G Yeo, 2011
(B10) Caro-Kann, 22 moves, 1-0

Pirc: Byrne variation.
Tarrasch vs J Davidson, 1926 
(A48) King's Indian, 29 moves, 1-0

Pirc: fianchetto variation.
Karpov vs Timman, 1979 
(B07) Pirc, 38 moves, 1-0

QGA: Old variation.
Stahlberg vs Gligoric, 1949 
(D20) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 30 moves, 1-0

QGD: Orthodox Defense, Alekhine Variation.
Polugaevsky vs Najdorf, 1982 
(D67) Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense, Bd3 line, 62 moves, 1-0

QGD: Orthodox Defense, Charousek Variation.
Kamsky vs Salov, 1995 
(D31) Queen's Gambit Declined, 35 moves, 1-0

QGD: Slav Defense, Krause attack (vs 6... Nbd7 and 10... Nfd7).
Euwe vs Alekhine, 1937  
(D17) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 50 moves, 1-0

QGD: Slav Defense, Krause attack (vs 6... Nbd7 and 10... Rd8).
Kasparov vs K Georgiev, 1995 
(D17) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 66 moves, 1-0

QGD: Slav Defense, Maréchal variation.
B Verlinsky vs Lasker, 1925  
(D18) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Dutch, 41 moves, 0-1

QGD: Semi-Slav Defense, Moskow variation.
Ivanchuk vs Kramnik, 1996 
(D43) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 40 moves, 1-0

QGD: Semi-Slav, Botvinnik System, Lilienthal Variation.
Lilienthal vs Botvinnik, 1944 
(D44) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 57 moves, 0-1

QGD: Tarrasch Defense, symmetrical variation.
Pachman vs Spassky, 1964 
(D32) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 55 moves, 0-1

QGD: Tarrasch Defense, Schara gambit.
B Izumikawa vs E Schiller, 1997  
(D32) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 53 moves, 0-1

QGD: Tarrasch Defense, von Hennig gambit.
D H Hein vs E Schiller, 2000  
(D32) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 32 moves, 0-1

QGD: Tarrasch Defense, Reti variation (with 9. dxc5).
I Koenig vs Tarrasch, 1922 
(D34) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 25 moves, 1/2-1/2

QGD: Tarrasch Defense, Tarrasch Gambit.
M F Littleton vs A Drira, 1972 
(D34) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 20 moves, 1/2-1/2

QGD: Tarrasch Defense, endgame variation.
Marshall vs Rubinstein, 1908 
(D34) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 24 moves, 1/2-1/2

QGD: Tarrasch Defense, Petrosian variation.
Petrosian vs Spassky, 1969 
(D34) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 31 moves, 1/2-1/2

QGD: Tarrasch Defense, Petrosian variation.
T Polak vs T Civin, 2001
(D34) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 31 moves, 1/2-1/2

QPG: Zukertort Variation, Bogoljubow Defense.
I Rabinovich vs Bogoljubov, 1924 
(D05) Queen's Pawn Game, 41 moves, 0-1

QPG: Stonewall variation.
Gunsberg vs Teichmann, 1902 
(D00) Queen's Pawn Game, 42 moves, 0-1

QPG: Veresov Atack, Richter Variation.
Saemisch vs Tarrasch, 1925 
(D01) Richter-Veresov Attack, 27 moves, 0-1

Dutch: Staunton Gambit.
A Cherniaev vs E Wiersma, 2009 
(A83) Dutch, Staunton Gambit, 26 moves, 1-0

Bird: Lasker Variation.
Tartakower vs Lasker, 1936 
(A03) Bird's Opening, 22 moves, 1/2-1/2

Nimzo-Indian: 4. Bd2 variation.
Alekhine vs Kmoch, 1930 
(E20) Nimzo-Indian, 39 moves, 1-0

Nimzo-Indian: Spielmann variation, Karlsbad system.
Stahlberg vs M Lowcki, 1937 
(E23) Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann, 57 moves, 1-0

Nimzo-Indian: Spielmann variation, Karlsbad system.
Fine vs R P Michell, 1935 
(E23) Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann, 39 moves, 1-0

Nimzo-Indian: Spielmann variation, Karlsbad system.
V Mikenas vs Tal, 1962 
(E23) Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann, 48 moves, 1-0

Nimzo-Indian: Spielmann variation, San Remo system.
W Winter vs Sultan Khan, 1931 
(E23) Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann, 45 moves, 1-0

Nimzo-Indian: Spielmann variation, Botvinnik system.
Piket vs J Arnason, 1990 
(E22) Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann Variation, 32 moves, 0-1

Nimzo-Indian: Spielmann variation, Ragozin setup.
Van Wely vs Sosonko, 1994
(E22) Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann Variation, 54 moves, 1-0

Nimzo-Indian: Spielmann variation (vs 4... Qe7).
Bogoljubov vs Alekhine, 1929 
(E22) Nimzo-Indian, Spielmann Variation, 48 moves, 1-0

Old Indian: Ukrainian Variation.
Najdorf vs Boleslavsky, 1946 
(A54) Old Indian, Ukrainian Variation, 4.Nf3, 37 moves, 1-0

Old Indian: Ukrainian Variation.
Bronstein vs Panno, 1954 
(A54) Old Indian, Ukrainian Variation, 4.Nf3, 48 moves, 1-0

KID: Deferred Fianchetto (vs ...Nbd7 setup).
W Winter vs Tartakower, 1935 
(E72) King's Indian, 29 moves, 1/2-1/2

KID: Deferred Fianchetto (vs ...Nbd7 setup).
Stahlberg vs Pilnik, 1947 
(E72) King's Indian, 36 moves, 1-0

KID: Deferred Fianchetto (vs ...Nc6 setup).
W Winter vs Bogoljubov, 1936  
(E72) King's Indian, 28 moves, 0-1

KID: Deferred Fianchetto (vs Sicilian Dragon setup).
Botvinnik vs K Kholodkevich, 1927 
(E72) King's Indian, 36 moves, 1-0

Gruenfeld: Brinckmann Attack (with 5. Qa4+!?).
A Potapov vs D Kelgiorgis, 2000 
(D82) Grunfeld, 4.Bf4, 36 moves, 1-0

Gruenfeld: Brinckmann Attack (with 5. Qa4+!?).
H Vatter vs C Rietze, 2011 
(D82) Grunfeld, 4.Bf4, 35 moves, 1-0

Old Benoni: gambit variation.
J Enevoldsen vs V Winz, 1935 
(A44) Old Benoni Defense, 43 moves, 1-0

Modern Benoni: Taimanov variation.
Tal vs Velimirovic, 1982 
(A67) Benoni, Taimanov Variation, 23 moves, 1-0

Volga Gambit: accepted (with 5. e3 vs 5... axb5)
D Lalev vs Topalov, 1992 
(A57) Benko Gambit, 37 moves, 1-0

Volga Gambit accepted (with 5. e3 vs 5... g6)
G Flear vs Fedorowicz, 1987 
(A57) Benko Gambit, 41 moves, 1-0

Reti: Orthodox setup (vs Barcza system).
Eliskases vs Taimanov, 1952 
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 28 moves, 1/2-1/2

Reti: Orthodox setup (vs Barcza system).
Fischer vs A Turner, 1958 
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 18 moves, 1/2-1/2

How to play against irregular openings.
Alekhine vs V Mikenas, 1933 
(A00) Uncommon Opening, 45 moves, 1-0

How to play against irregular openings.
Janowski vs E Delmar, 1904 
(A00) Uncommon Opening, 25 moves, 1-0

How to play against irregular openings.
Larsen vs Spassky, 1970 
(A01) Nimzovich-Larsen Attack, 17 moves, 0-1

How to play against irregular openings.
M Basman vs Keene, 1981  
(A00) Uncommon Opening, 20 moves, 0-1

QGA: Old variation.
K Georgiev vs A Kogan, 2008 
(D20) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 42 moves, 1-0

Ruy Lopez: delayed Steinitz Defense, gambit variation.
K Spraggett vs Short, 2014 
(C72) Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defense, 5.O-O, 22 moves, 1-0

Fried Liver Attack
Polerio vs Domenico, 1610 
(C57) Two Knights, 21 moves, 1-0

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