Main lineC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
Bb5 pressures the knight that guards e5; White plays the long game - c3, d4, and the b1-knight's tour to g3 - while Black holds the centre and hits back with ...b5 and ...c5.
C60-C99
Ruy Lopez
235 named lines in this family, ECO C60-C99. Every one of them opens 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6, so the notes on those moves are written once, just below, instead of once per line. Under each line you get its moves and the sentences it adds that this page has not already printed; sixty lines to a page. A line's own page carries up to its first 4 per-move notes in full.
The moves every line here plays
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6
- 1. e4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling d5, and frees the bishop and queen.
- 1... e5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling d4, and frees the bishop and queen.
- 2. Nf3 Develops the knight to f3, eyeing d4 and e5.
- 2... Nc6 Develops the knight to c6, eyeing d4 and e5. It also props up the e5 pawn.
Alapin DefenseC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bb4
White's pawn on d2 is pinned against the king.
Brentano GambitC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g5
Bulgarian VariationC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a5
Cozio DefenseC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7
Fianchetto DefenseC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6
Lucena VariationC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Be7
Nürnberg VariationC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f6
Pollock DefenseC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Na5
Black's pawn on d7 is pinned against the king.
Retreat VariationC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nb8
Rotary-Albany GambitC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 b6
Spanish CountergambitC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d5
The pawns on d5 and e4 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.
Vinogradov VariationC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Qe7
Cozio Defense, Paulsen VariationC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7 4. Nc3 g6
Fianchetto Defense, Kevitz GambitC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. c3 f5
Spanish Countergambit, Harding Countergambit, Fricke GambitC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d5 4. Nxe5 Qg5 5. O-O
The structure hands Black the half-open e-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan. White's pawn on g2 is pinned against the king.
Spanish Countergambit, Harding GambitC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d5 4. Nxe5 Qg5 5. Nxc6
Alapin Defense, Alapin GambitC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bb4 4. c3 Ba5 5. Bxc6 dxc6
The structure hands Black the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.
Cozio Defense, Tartakower GambitC60
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 Nge7 7. Nc3 O-O 8. Qd2 d5
An early pawn trade leaves the d-file as White's avenue and the e-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file. Black's kingside bishop takes the long diagonal.
Bird VariationC61
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4
Bird Variation, Paulsen VariationC61
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. O-O Ne7
Steinitz Defense, through 3... d6C62
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6
Black's knight on c6 is pinned against the king.
Steinitz Defense, after 4. d4C62
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4
The pawns on d4 and e5 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.
Steinitz Defense, Center GambitC62
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O
Black keeps the extra pawn; White plays for time, open lines, and initiative - the classic gambit trade.
Steinitz Defense, Semi-Duras VariationC62
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 Bd7 5. c4
Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch AttackC62
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 Bd7 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bxc6
Schliemann DefenseC63
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5
Schliemann Defense, Dyckhoff VariationC63
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. Nc3
Schliemann Defense, Exchange VariationC63
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. Bxc6
Schliemann Defense, Jaenisch Gambit AcceptedC63
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. exf5
An early pawn trade leaves the e-file as White's avenue and the f-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file. White is up material out of the opening - Black is banking on activity to show for it.
Schliemann Defense, Schönemann AttackC63
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. d4
Schliemann Defense, Kostić DefenseC63
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. Nc3 fxe4 5. Nxe4 Be7
Schliemann Defense, Tartakower VariationC63
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. Nc3 fxe4 5. Nxe4 Nf6
Schliemann Defense, Classical VariationC63
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. Nc3 fxe4 5. Nxe4 d5 6. Nxe5 dxe4 7. Nxc6 Qg5
Schliemann Defense, Möhring VariationC63
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. Nc3 fxe4 5. Nxe4 d5 6. Nxe5 dxe4 7. Nxc6 Qd5
Classical VariationC64
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5
Classical Variation, Central VariationC64
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3
Classical Variation, Spanish Wing GambitC64
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. b4
Classical Defense, Boden VariationC64
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 Qe7
Classical Variation, Charousek VariationC64
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 Bb6
Classical Variation, Cordel GambitC64
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 f5
Classical Variation, Konikowski GambitC64
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 d5
Classical Defense, Zaitsev VariationC64
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. O-O Nd4 5. b4
Classical Defense, Benelux VariationC64
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. d4 Bb6
Classical Variation, Modern Main LineC64
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. d4 Bb6 7. Bg5
Berlin Defense, through 3... Nf6C65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6
Black heads straight for the famous endgame: queens off early, a broken kingside structure for the bishop pair, and a position where technique outweighs attack.
Berlin Defense, after 4. O-OC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O
Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin VariationC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3
Halloween AttackC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. Nxe5
Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Mortimer VariationC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Ne7
Berlin Defense, Beverwijk VariationC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Bc5
White's pawn on f2 is pinned against the king.
Berlin Defense, Fishing Pole VariationC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Ng4
Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Anderssen VariationC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 d6 5. Bxc6+
Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Duras VariationC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 d6 5. c4
Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Kaufmann VariationC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Be3
Berlin Defense, Nyholm AttackC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O
Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it.
Classical Variation, Zukertort GambitC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Bc5 5. c3
Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Mortimer TrapC65
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Ne7 5. Nxe5 c6
Berlin Defense, Improved Steinitz DefenseC66
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6
Closed Berlin Defense, Chigorin VariationC66
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Nd7
Lines 1–60 of 235 — page 1 of 4.
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