Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...Nf6

Ruy Lopez - Berlin Defence
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black kingc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black kingh8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black kingf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black knightd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black knightg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 white bishopc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black pawnf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 white knightg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawne2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 black kingg1 black kingh1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6
ECO code: C65-C68
Parent: Ruy Lopez

Ruy Lopez - Berlin Defence

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The Berlin Defence is a common opening often played at grandmaster level. The move 3...Nf6 attacks the center and threatens the pawn on e4. The Berlin Defence also gets Black ready to castle quicker than in the Morphy's Defence. When playing the Berlin Defence, Black must keep in mind the threat on his c6 Knight. Therefore Black must soon consider a way of negating the threat and defending e5 as the game transitions into the middle game.

Theory table

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For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6

4 5 6 7
Ruy Lopez O-O
Nxe4
d4
Nd6
Bxc6
dxc6
dxe5
Nf5
+=
d3
...
=
Four Knights Nc3
...
=
d4
...
=
Qe2
...
=
Other Bxc6
dxc6
0-0
Bd6
d4
Qe7
+=

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References

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