The Vigorous Wormald Attack A Practical White Repertoire vs. 1.e4 e5 7 Nov 2024

1.e4 players know that the Spanish Opening is the best one against the 1…e5, but they have to worry about a lot of main lines: Berlin, Archangel, Marshall, Breyer, Chigorin, and the list goes on and on. They all require deep preparation, with theory constantly evolving and the cost of not being up-to-date can be a zero in your scoresheet from the opening, with hardly any play at all… However,

Sometimes, the biggest problems have very simple solutions

For example, International Master Alfonso Jerez has been offering a hack to his students for years: the Wormald Attack.

It may not ring a bell immediately, but the Wormald Attack is an under-explored gem in the Spanish Opening. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 you go off the beaten track with 5.Qe2, cutting off all those variations above and hours of study.

What remains is a unique strategic terrain where you can decide between a slow game in which to squeeze your opponent little by little, or go for the neck right out of the opening.

The essence of the Wormald Attack is simple: White will hold the center with d3 (or sometimes take it with d4!) and quickly take the b1-Knight to the kingside via d2-f1-g3 to support an attack with g4-g5. The icing on the cake is that you reserve the possibility of castling long, with the clear intent of blowing Black off the board; or simply, to adapt to the path your opponent chooses without committing yourself beforehand. As Tartakower said: “the threat is stronger than the execution.”

But the best of all is that the Wormald Attack is so little-known and unexpected, that most of

Your opponents will not understand what is coming to them
or will not know how to react until it is too late.

That is why IM Jerez teaches it to his students religiously. After more than 30 years of experience coaching players of all levels – from beginners to masters – Alfonso knows what works and how to prepare his students in the most effective way possible.

This is evidenced by the success of his first course, The Vigorous Alapin Sicilian, acclaimed for its crystal-clear instruction style, accuracy and practical approach. Not to mention that he’s one of those authors who has the Midas touch to keep his students happy with constant attention to the forums and frequent updates.

And that’s exactly what you can expect from The Vigorous Wormald Attack: A Practical Repertoire Against 1.e4 e5: a hands-on and direct approach to mastering the fundamental ideas of your repertoire without feeling overwhelmed by the theory.

This course is a complete repertoire against 1.e4 e5. That means it also prepares you against defenses like the Philidor, the Petroff, and all the other nonsense Black tries. Plus, it comes with two Quickstarter guides! One containing the aggressive lines and the other summarizing the more solid approach. So you can choose the path that you like the most from the start!

Furthermore, since the course’s philosophy is not making it all about the theory, it starts with a special chapter designed to teach you the Spanish Opening typical plans and ideas that you’ll use in your games. IM Jerez’s instruction shines here, making even the most complex examples accessible, thanks to his ability to break down each idea into clear and understandable principles.

So, now that you know that such a powerful option exists and that it is within your reach, broken down by a 5-star author, every game that passes without you beginning to study it is a wasted opportunity.