Spanish Game (Ruy Lopez)

Spanish Game (Ruy Lopez)

The Ruy Lopez, also called the Spanish Game, begins with 1. e4 e5 2. ♘f3 ♞c6 3. ♗b5. The bishop attacks the knight that defends the e5-pawn. The opening is named after Ruy Lopez de Segura, a Spanish priest who wrote about it in the sixteenth century, and it is one of the most heavily analyzed openings in chess.

The pin is not a threat to win a pawn at once. After ♗xc6 dxc6 ♘xe5 Black regains the pawn with ... ♛d4, which forks e5 and e4, so the e5-pawn is defended tactically. What the bishop gives White is a lasting grip on the knight that guards the center, and White uses it to build a pawn center with c3 and d4. Black accepts a slightly passive position in return for a solid structure and long-term counterplay.

The usual reply is 3... a6, the Morphy Defense, which asks the bishop what it intends to do. Other third moves are 3... ♞f6, the Berlin Defense, 3... f5, the Schliemann Defense, 3... ♝c5, the Classical Defense, 3... d6, the Steinitz Defense, and 3... ♞ge7, the Cozio Defense. This page covers all of them, with the most space given to the Morphy Defense and its Closed and Open branches.

Basic ideas

The structure of the Closed Variation shows the main ideas. White keeps the bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal, supports e4 with ♖e1, prepares the center with c3 and d4, and brings the queen's knight toward the kingside. Black drives the bishop back with ... b5, supports e5 with ... d6, and puts the pieces on active squares behind the pawn chain.

This position is the starting point of most of the theory. The pawn on c3 prepares d4, and h3 takes g4 from Black's bishop so that the pin on f3 is not a problem. White's usual maneuver is ♘bd2, ♘f1 and ♘g3, the knight heading for f5 and h5. Black's plans are the knight maneuvers ... ♞a5 and ... ♞b8-d7, the bishop moves ... ♝b7 and ... ♝f8, the rook to e8, and the central breaks ... c5 and ... d5.

Two pawn moves decide most of the middlegames. White's break d4, which opens the center when the pieces are ready, forces Black to decide between taking on d4 and keeping the tension, and the advance d5 closes the center and leads to a kingside attack. Black's break ... c5 puts pressure on d4, and ... d5 frees the position when the e-pawn is well protected. Because both centers are locked, the games are long maneuvering fights, and a single inaccurate move can lose the thread.

Morphy Defense 3... a6

With 3... a6 Black questions the bishop at once. The move prepares ... b5 to gain space on the queenside and forces White to decide between keeping the pin and exchanging.

The bishop retreats with 4. ♗a4, which keeps the pin and is the main line, or captures with 4. ♗xc6, the Exchange Variation, discussed below. The retreat 4. ♗a4 threatens nothing directly, and Black develops with 4... ♞f6.

After 5. O-O Black has several choices. 5... ♝e7 is the Closed Variation, 5... ♞xe4 the Open Variation, 5... b5 leads to the Arkhangelsk Variation after 6. ♗b3 ♝b7, and 5... ♝c5 is the Moeller Variation. The quiet 5... d6 is a deferred Steinitz Defense.

Closed Variation 5... ♝e7

The bishop on e7 defends the e5-pawn and prepares to castle. White plays 6. ♖e1, which protects the e4-pawn so that ... ♞xe4 is not a threat, and after 6... b5 7. ♗b3 the bishop retreats to the diagonal where it points at f7.

The position after 7... d6 8. c3 O-O is the standard Closed Variation. Black has two choices at move seven: 7... d6, which keeps the structure solid and avoids the Marshall Attack, and the immediate 7... O-O, which allows it.

White now has several choices: 9. h3, the main line, 9. d4, the Yates Variation, 9. d3, the Pilnik Variation, and 9. a3, the Suetin Variation. The move 9. h3 is the most flexible, and Black has a wide choice of setups, each named after the player who made it popular.

Marshall Attack 7... O-O

If Black castles at move seven, White can play 8. c3, but then 8... d5 starts the Marshall Attack. Black gives up a pawn in return for a strong initiative and piece activity.

After 9. exd5 ♞xd5 10. ♘xe5 ♞xe5 11. ♖xe5 Black plays 11... c6, which keeps the pawn on d5 under control and prepares ... ♝d6. White attacks with 12. d4, and after 12... ♝d6 13. ♖e1 ♛h4 14. g3 ♛h3 Black's queen and bishop attack the kingside. Black is a pawn down, but the pressure on g2, the open lines and the white king's cramped position give full compensation. Theory has analyzed this position for decades, and the result is roughly equal. The older 11... ♞f6 is less accurate because White keeps a clear edge.

Because the Marshall Attack is so well prepared, many White players avoid it. The Anti-Marshall lines on this page are 8. a4, 8. d4, 8. d3 and 8. h3, and each of them aims to keep a small edge with less risk.

The move 8. a4 attacks the b5-pawn at once. After 8... ♝b7 9. d3 d6 10. ♘c3 ♞a5 11. ♗a2 b4 12. ♘e2 c5 Black has gained space on the queenside, and White keeps the bishop on the long diagonal and has a lead in the center. White has a small edge, and the position is rich in maneuvering.

The direct 8. d4 aims for an open game with a pawn center. After 8... d6 9. c3 ♝g4 10. ♗e3 exd4 11. cxd4 ♞a5 12. ♗c2 ♞c4 Black has an active knight and a pin on the knight, while White has the pawn center. This line leads to a more open middlegame than the main line, and White has a small edge.

The quiet 8. d3 is the Pilnik Variation. White builds the same structure as in the main line but with the pawn on d3, avoiding the Marshall Attack. After 8... d6 9. c3 ♞a5 10. ♗c2 c5 11. ♘bd2 ♞c6 the position is balanced, and the game is a slow fight over the d4-square.

Main line 9. h3

The move 9. h3 is the main line of the Closed Variation. It prevents ... ♝g4, prepares d4 and ♘bd2, and leaves White several plans in the center and on the kingside.

Black has many setups. 9... ♞b8 is the Breyer Defense, 9... ♞a5 the Chigorin Defense, 9... ♝b7 the Zaitsev System, 9... h6 the Smyslov Defense, 9... ♞d7 the Karpov Variation and 9... ♝e6 the Kholmov Variation. In each of them Black reorganizes the pieces behind the pawn chain and waits for White to commit to d4.

Breyer Defense 9... ♞b8

The Breyer Defense is the most solid reply. The knight retreats to b8 to reroute to d7, where it defends e5 and frees the c-pawn for ... c5. After 10. d4 ♞bd7 11. ♘bd2 ♝b7 12. ♗c2 ♜e8 13. ♘f1 ♝f8 both sides have completed their maneuvers: White is ready for ♘g3 and d5 or ♗g5, and Black's pieces defend e5 and prepare ... g6 and ... ♝g7. White has a small edge in space, and Black's position is very solid.

Chigorin Defense 9... ♞a5

The Chigorin Defense attacks the bishop and puts the knight on the rim in exchange for rapid central play. After 9... ♞a5 10. ♗c2 c5 11. d4 ♛c7 12. ♘bd2 Black has the pressure on d4 and the center is tense. White's choices are keeping the tension and maneuvering with ♘f1 and ♘e3, or releasing it. The structure is typical of the Spanish Game, with both sides fighting for the d4-e5 squares, and White has a small edge.

Black can exchange on d4 at once. After 12... cxd4 13. cxd4 ♞c6 14. ♘b3 a5 15. ♗e3 a4 16. ♘bd2 ♝d7 the knight has been chased from b3, the position is open on the c-file and Black has counterplay on the queenside. The pawn on a4 cramps White, but it can become a target. The position is roughly equal with a slight edge for White. The Yugoslav System 12... ♝d7 13. ♘f1 ♜fe8 14. ♘e3 g6 is a different way to keep the tension.

Zaitsev System 9... ♝b7

The Zaitsev System puts the bishop on b7 and the rook on e8, so that both pieces pressure the e4-pawn and the knight on f6 is supported. After 11. ♘bd2 ♝f8 12. a3 h6 White takes the b4-square from the black knight and prepares ♗c2, while Black keeps the bishop on f8 to defend the kingside and the e-pawn. White has a small edge, and the system is very solid for Black.

Smyslov Defense 9... h6

The Smyslov Defense plays 9... h6 to prevent ♗g5 and ♘g5. After 10. d4 ♜e8 11. ♘bd2 ♝f8 12. ♘f1 ♝d7 the bishop leaves the queenside to defend the center from d7, and Black prepares ... ♞a5 and ... c5. White has the more active position, with the knight on its way to g3, and the edge is small. The move order is flexible, and it can transpose to the Zaitsev System.

Other defenses

The Karpov Variation 9... ♞d7 reroutes the knight to b6 or f8 and plays the bishop to f6, and the Kholmov Variation 9... ♝e6 develops the bishop at once. Both are solid and give White a clear plan with d4 and ♘bd2. The Averbakh Variation avoids the ... b5 advance.

After 6... d6 Black delays ... b5 and keeps the pieces flexible. White continues 7. c3 O-O 8. h3 ♝d7 9. d4 ♜e8 and has a clear space advantage. The Averbakh Variation is solid but a little passive, and White keeps a small edge.

Center Attack 6. d4

The immediate 6. d4 opens the center before Black has played ... b5. After 6... exd4 7. ♖e1 d6 8. ♘xd4 ♝d7 9. ♘c3 O-O Black has a solid position and active pieces. The line leads to an open game with chances for both sides, and the position is roughly equal. The gambit 7. e5 ♞e4 8. c3 is the Basque Gambit.

Worrall Attack 6. ♕e2

The queen move 6. ♕e2 defends e4 and keeps the rook free for d1, where it supports d4. The idea is to defend e4 with the queen, keep the rook free for d1 and prepare c3 and d4. After 9. ♖d1 ♞a5 10. ♗c2 c5 11. d4 ♛c7 the structure is the same as in the Chigorin Defense, but White has the rook on the d-file. White has a small edge.

Open Variation 5... ♞xe4

In the Open Variation Black takes the e4-pawn at once. White does not recapture but strikes in the center with d4, and Black defends the extra pawn with active piece play. The games are sharper and more tactical than in the Closed Variation, and the pawn structure is open from the start.

White's main answer is 6. d4, attacking the center, and Black replies 6... b5 7. ♗b3 d5, supporting the knight. Other sixth moves are 6. ♖e1, which leads to the Skipworth Gambit after 6... d5, 6. ♕e2, the Tartakower Variation, and 6. ♘c3, the Knorre Variation. Black can also answer 6. d4 with 6... exd4, the Riga Variation, which leads to sharp play.

After 8. dxe5 ♝e6 the position is the main line of the Open Variation. Material is equal, but the pawn on e5 is attacked by the knight on c6, and the knight on e4 is protected by the pawn on d5. White has the bishop on b3 pointing at d5 and a lead in development, and the typical ideas are c3 to open the position, ♘d4 hitting e6, and ♕e2 or ♖e1 to pressure the e-file. White chooses between 9. c3, 9. ♘bd2 and 9. ♕e2, and the position is roughly balanced.

The Classical Defense 9... ♝e7 is the main reply. After 10. ♘bd2 O-O 11. ♗c2 ♝f5 12. ♘xe4 dxe4 13. ♘d2 ♞xe5 Black has won the pawn on e5, but the pawn on e4 is attacked by the knight and the bishop, and the position is roughly equal. The knight on e5 is active, and the long-term plan is to use the d-file and the bishop pair. White can instead play 10. ♖e1 to keep more tension.

The move 10. ♖e1 adds pressure on the e-file. After 10... O-O 11. ♘d4 ♞xe5 Black wins the pawn, which is the Breslau Variation. White's knight on d4 attacks the bishop on e6, and the position leads to complicated play in which Black's extra pawn is balanced by White's activity.

A well-known trap arises if Black plays 11... ♛d7. The bishop on e6 is attacked, and after 12. ♘xe6 fxe6 White plays 13. ♖xe4. Black cannot recapture with 13... dxe4, because 14. ♗xe6+ wins the queen on d7, so White wins material. This is the Tarrasch Trap, and it shows why Black must take care with the placement of the pieces in the Open Variation.

The Howell Attack 9. ♕e2 attacks the knight on e4 and prepares ♖d1 and the break c4. After 9... ♝e7 10. ♖d1 O-O 11. c4 bxc4 12. ♗xc4 ♛d7 Black has defended against the immediate threats, but the center is open and White has the initiative. White has a small edge, and the line demands careful play from Black.

Arkhangelsk Variation 5... b5

Black can play 5... b5 before developing the bishop. After 6. ♗b3 the bishop goes to b7, in the Arkhangelsk Variation, or to c5, in the Neo-Arkhangelsk Variation, and Black aims for rapid development and an active bishop.

After 6... ♝b7 7. ♖e1 ♝c5 8. c3 d6 9. d4 ♝b6 Black has an active bishop on b6 aimed at d4, and the bishop on b7 pressures e4. White continues ♗g5 and ♘bd2, with a space advantage. The lines are sharper than the Closed Variation, and White has a small edge.

In the Neo-Arkhangelsk Variation the bishop reaches c5 at once and keeps the light-squared bishop on c8 for later. After 7. c3 d6 8. d4 ♝b6 the position is similar, and White's most common continuation is 9. ♗g5, pinning the knight and putting pressure on f6. The Moeller Variation 5... ♝c5 usually transposes after 6. c3 b5 7. ♗b3 d6 8. d4 ♝b6.

Modern Steinitz Defense 4... d6

The retreat of the bishop is met by 4... d6, a solid move that defends e5 and avoids the pin on the knight. Black keeps the pawn structure compact and prepares ... ♝d7 and ... ♞ge7.

After 5. c3 ♝d7 6. d4 ♞ge7 7. ♗b3 h6 8. ♘bd2 ♞g6 9. ♘c4 ♝e7 10. O-O O-O White has a comfortable space advantage and the central pawns are in tension. Black's knight on g6 and bishop on e7 support the center, and the plan is ... ♜e8 and ... ♝f8. This is the Modern Steinitz Defense, and it is safe but gives White a small edge. Black can also try 5. c3 f5, the Siesta Variation, which is sharper.

Exchange Variation 4. ♗xc6

In the Exchange Variation White gives up the bishop pair for a structural advantage. After 4. ♗xc6 dxc6 Black has doubled pawns on the c-file but also the bishop pair and open lines. If the center pawns are exchanged, White has a healthy majority of four pawns against three on the kingside, while Black's queenside majority is doubled and harder to use. The aim is to reach an endgame in which the kingside majority tells.

The threat ♘xe5 is not real yet, since ... ♛d4 regains the pawn, so White usually castles first with 5. O-O. Black's replies are the Normal Variation 5... ♝g4, the Gligoric Variation 5... f6, the King's Bishop Variation 5... ♝d6 and the Bronstein Variation 5... ♛d6, all of which defend or counter on e5.

The Gligoric Variation 5... f6 defends e5. After 6. d4 exd4 7. ♘xd4 c5 8. ♘b3 ♛xd1 9. ♖xd1 ♝g4 10. f3 ♝e6 11. ♘c3 ♝d6 the queens are off and Black has the bishop pair and open lines. White has the healthier structure and the kingside majority, and the position is roughly equal. White aims for the pawn advance on the kingside, and Black counters with active bishops.

The move 5. ♘c3 is the Keres Variation. White develops the knight and keeps castling in reserve. After 5... f6 6. d4 exd4 7. ♘xd4 c5 8. ♘b3 ♛xd1+ 9. ♘xd1 ♝g4 the bishop attacks the knight on d1, and the position is equal. The knight on d1 is passive, and White has to be careful about Black's bishop pair.

Black can also recapture with the b-pawn, the Lutikov Variation. The pawns on c6 and c7 are doubled, but the d-pawn is kept for the center, and the pawn structure is flexible. After 5. O-O d6 6. d4 f6 7. c4 ♞e7 8. ♘c3 ♞g6 9. ♗e3 White has more space and a pleasant game, but Black's position is solid. The delayed exchange 4. ♗a4 ♞f6 5. ♗xc6, the Bayreuth Variation, leads to a related structure with the extra moves ♗a4 and ... ♞f6 included.

Berlin Defense 3... ♞f6

In the Berlin Defense Black ignores the pin and counterattacks the e4-pawn at once. The move develops a piece, and Black accepts the exchange of the bishop for the knight on c6 in return for a solid structure and a safe endgame. It became one of Black's most reliable weapons against the Spanish Game after Kramnik used it in his world championship match against Kasparov in 2000.

White has three principal answers. 4. O-O is the main line and leads to the famous endgame, 4. d3 is the quiet Anti-Berlin Variation, and 4. d4 is the Nyholm Attack, which leads to open play after 4... exd4 5. O-O.

After 4. O-O ♞xe4 5. d4 ♞d6 6. ♗xc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 ♞f5 8. ♕xd8+ ♚xd8 the queens are off and Black has lost the right to castle. White has a healthy kingside majority of four pawns against three, while Black has the bishop pair, a solid position and no weaknesses except the doubled pawns on the c-file. This is the Berlin endgame, often called the Berlin Wall. The king is safe on d8 and soon goes to c8 or e8, and the position is very difficult to win for White.

White develops with 9. ♘c3 and plays 10. h3 to prepare g4. After 9... ♝d7 10. h3 ♚c8 11. g4 ♞e7 12. ♗f4 ♞g6 the knight on f5 has been driven back, the bishop on f4 supports e5, and Black's knight attacks the bishop. White uses the pawn majority with g4 and h4, and Black aims to hold the position with careful piece placement. The position is roughly equal with a slight pull for White.

Black can avoid the endgame with 5... ♝e7, the Rio de Janeiro Variation. After 6. ♕e2 ♞d6 7. ♗xc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 ♞b7 9. ♘c3 O-O 10. ♖d1 ♞c5 the queens remain, Black has doubled pawns on the c-file but active pieces, and White keeps a small edge. The knight on c5 attacks e4 and the bishop pair gives Black counterplay.

The Anti-Berlin Variation 4. d3 avoids the endgame and leads to a slow maneuvering game similar to the Italian Game and the Closed Variation. After 4... ♝c5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O ♜e8 7. ♖e1 a6 8. ♗a4 b5 9. ♗b3 d6 10. ♘bd2 ♝b6 11. ♘f1 ♝e6 both sides have played the typical moves, and the position is roughly equal. The Kaufmann Variation 4... ♝c5 5. ♗e3 and the Mortimer Variation 4... ♞e7 are other ways to play the line.

Schliemann Defense 3... f5

The Schliemann Defense counterattacks the e4-pawn with a pawn, and Black accepts a weaker king position in return for central play. It is one of the sharpest replies to the Spanish Game, and the lines are tactical from the start.

White's main replies are 4. ♘c3, the Dyckhoff Variation, 4. exf5, the Jaenisch Gambit, 4. ♗xc6, the Exchange Variation, and 4. d4, the Schoenemann Attack. The most testing is 4. ♘c3, after which Black plays 4... fxe4 5. ♘xe4, and Black chooses between 5... ♞f6, the Tartakower Variation, and 5... ♝e7, the Kostic Defense.

In the line 5... ♞f6 6. ♘xf6+ ♛xf6 7. O-O ♝c5 8. ♗xc6 bxc6 9. ♘xe5 O-O White has won a pawn, but Black has the bishop pair, a lead in development and pressure on the f-file and on f2. Black's king is safe after castling, and the open lines compensate for the pawn. White keeps a small edge, and the line requires accuracy from both sides.

Other third moves

Black has several other replies to 3. ♗b5. They avoid the main theory and lead to less common positions, and most of them give White an easier game.

Classical Defense 3... ♝c5

The Classical Defense, also called the Cordel Defense, develops the bishop actively and aims at f2. After 4. O-O ♞d4 5. ♘xd4 ♝xd4 6. c3 ♝b6 7. d4 c6 8. ♗a4 d6 White has a pawn center, both sides still have their bishops, and Black keeps a compact structure with the pawn on e5 under pressure from d4. White has a small edge. The main alternative for White is 4. c3, the Central Variation, preparing d4 at once.

Steinitz Defense 3... d6

The Steinitz Defense defends e5 with a pawn and keeps a compact position. After 4. d4 ♝d7 5. ♘c3 ♞f6 6. O-O ♝e7 7. ♖e1 exd4 8. ♘xd4 O-O 9. ♗xc6 bxc6 10. ♗g5 Black has doubled pawns but a solid structure, and White has the more active position. The line is safe but passive, and White has a small advantage in space and piece activity.

Cozio Defense 3... ♞ge7

The Cozio Defense develops the knight to e7 and prepares a fianchetto of the king's bishop. After 4. O-O g6 5. c3 ♝g7 6. d4 exd4 7. cxd4 d5 8. exd5 ♞xd5 9. ♘c3 Black breaks in the center with ... d5 and the position is roughly equal. The pin on the c6-knight is less effective because the e7-knight can recapture, and White has to find a plan against the fianchettoed bishop.

Bird's Defense 3... ♞d4

In Bird's Defense Black trades the pinned knight for White's knight with 3... ♞d4 4. ♘xd4 exd4. After 5. O-O c6 6. ♗c4 ♞f6 7. d3 d5 8. exd5 the bishop has returned to a good diagonal, and White has the easier game with a lead in development and a stable center. Black has space but has spent time on the knight exchange, and White keeps an advantage.

Rare third moves

Several other replies exist but are rarely played. The Fianchetto Defense 3... g6, the Alapin Defense 3... ♝b4, the Spanish Countergambit 3... d5 and the Brentano Gambit 3... g5 all deviate from the main theory, and White has simple ways to play against them by taking the center or by exploiting the pin. They are useful only as surprise weapons.

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