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.

Morphy Defense, Jaffe GambitC77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. c3

...a6 puts the question to the bishop at once; after Ba4 the main roads of the Lopez open - Black keeps ...b5 in reserve and fights for the centre.

Morphy Defense, Mackenzie VariationC77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d4

The pawns on d4 and e5 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Morphy Defense, Tarrasch VariationC77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Nc3

Morphy Defense, Wormald AttackC77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Qe2

Morphy Defense, Duras VariationC77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 d6 6. c4

Black's knight on c6 is pinned against the king.

Wormald Attack, Grünfeld VariationC77

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Qe2 b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. d4 d6 8. c3 Bg4

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.

Morphy Defense, after 4. Ba4, through 5. O-OC78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O

Brix VariationC78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O g6

Central CountergambitC78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d5

The pawns on d5 and e4 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure.

Morphy Defense, Møller VariationC78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Bc5

White's pawn on f2 is pinned against the king.

Morphy Defense, after 4. Ba4, through 6... d6C78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 d6

Morphy Defense, Arkhangelsk VariationC78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bb7

Black's queenside bishop takes the long diagonal.

Morphy Defense, Neo-Arkhangelsk VariationC78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Bc5

Morphy Defense, Wing AttackC78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. a4

Rabinovich VariationC78

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 d6 7. Ng5 d5 8. exd5 Nd4 9. Re1 Bc5 10. Rxe5+ Kf8

The structure hands Black the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan. White is up material out of the opening - Black is banking on activity to show for it.

Morphy Defense, Steinitz Deferred, through 5... d6C79

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6

Morphy Defense, Steinitz Deferred, after 6. Bxc6+C79

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. d4 Nxe4

An early pawn trade leaves the b-file as Black's avenue and the e-file as White's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file. Black comes out ahead on material - White needs concrete play to justify it.

Steinitz Defense Deferred, Lipnitsky VariationC79

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. d4 Bg4

The structure hands Black the half-open b-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Steinitz Defense Deferred, Boleslavsky VariationC79

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. d4 Nxe4 8. Re1 f5 9. dxe5 d5 10. Nc3

Black has doubled pawns on the c-file. Black comes out of the line with the bishop pair.

Open, through 5... Nxe4C80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4

The structure hands White the half-open e-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan.

Morphy Defense, Tartakower VariationC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Qe2

Open, after 6. d4, through 6. d4C80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4

Open, Knorre VariationC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Nc3

Open, Riga VariationC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 exd4

The structure hands White the half-open d-file - rook pressure down it is a standing plan. Black has doubled pawns on the d-file.

Open, Skipworth GambitC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Re1 d5

Black keeps the extra pawn; White plays for time, open lines, and initiative - the classic gambit trade.

Open, after 6. d4, through 7. Bb3C80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3

Open, Friess AttackC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Nxe5

The e-file is fully open.

Open, Richter VariationC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. d5

Open, after 6. d4, through 8. dxe5C80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5

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.

Open, Harksen GambitC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. c4

Open, Main LineC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6

Open, Schlechter DefenseC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. a4 Nxd4

Open, Zukertort VariationC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Ne7

Open, Bernstein VariationC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2

Open, Berger VariationC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. a4 Nxd4 9. Nxd4 exd4 10. Nc3

Open, Bernstein Variation, Luther LineC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Bc5 10. Qe1

Open, Karpov GambitC80

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 d4 11. Ng5

Open, Howell Attack, through 9. Qe2C81

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Qe2

Open, Howell Attack, after 9... Be7C81

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Qe2 Be7 10. c4

Open, Howell Attack, Ekstrom VariationC81

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Qe2 Be7 10. Rd1 O-O 11. c4 bxc4 12. Bxc4 Qd7

In the centre, White holds e5 while Black holds d5.

Open, after 6. d4, through 9. c3C82

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3

Open, Berlin VariationC82

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Nc5

Open, Italian VariationC82

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5

Open, Motzko AttackC82

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5 10. Qd3

Open, St. Petersburg VariationC82

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5 10. Nbd2

Open, Motzko Attack, Nenarokov VariationC82

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5 10. Qd3 Ne7

Open, Dilworth VariationC82

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Bc2 Nxf2

Open, Classical Defense, after 9. c3C83

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Be7

Open, Classical Defense, Main LineC83

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 Be7 7. Re1 b5 8. Bb3 d5 9. dxe5 Be6 10. c3

Open, Classical Defense, after 9. Nbd2C83

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 Be7

Open, Malkin VariationC83

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Qe2

Open, Breslau VariationC83

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Re1 O-O 11. Nd4 Nxe5

Open, Tarrasch TrapC83

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Re1 O-O 11. Nd4 Qd7 12. Nxe6 fxe6 13. Rxe4

An early pawn trade leaves the d-file as White's avenue and the f-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file.

Closed, through 5... Be7C84

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7

The classic tabiya: White probes with c3/d4 and the b1-knight's journey; Black keeps the strongpoint on e5 and chooses between ...c5 counterplay and kingside defence.