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

< Chess Opening Theory | 1. e4 | 1...e5 | 2. Nf3 | 2...Nc6 | 3. Bb5 | 3...a6 | 4. Ba4 | 4...Nf6 | 5. O-O
The latest reviewed version was checked on 11 November 2022. There is 1 pending change awaiting review.
Closed Ruy Lopez
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black kingc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black kingg8 black kingh8 black rook8
7a7 black kingb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black bishopf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black pawnb6 black kingc6 black knightd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black knightg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black pawnf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 white bishopb4 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 black kingf1 white rookg1 white kingh1 black king1
a b c d e f g h
Common moves:
6. Re1 - Main Line
6. Bxc6 - Delayed Exchange Ruy Lopez Deferred
6. Qe2 - Worrall Attack
6. d3
6. Nc3

Closed Ruy Lopez

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Whereas had Black chosen to capture White's e-pawn on the previous move, White could recover the pawn tactically by exploiting Black's multiple vulnerabilities on the half-open e-file, 5...Be7 has removed one of these vulnerabilities by guarding the Black King. Consequently, Black now threatens to win the pawn outright via 6...b5 (removing White's remaining tactical opportunity to win Black's e-pawn in exchange for his own) 7. Bb3 Nxe4. White typically removes this threat with

Either

  • 6. Nc3 or
  • 6. d3 would again interfere with White's optimal plan of c3 and d4 (compare the position before 5. O-O).

White can also opt for

  • 6. Bxc6!?, the fantastically named Delayed Exchange Ruy Lopez Deferred (deferred with 4. Ba4 and delayed with 5. O-O, or something like that). Compared to the main line of the Exchange Variation, White has lost a tempo, but Black can no longer play ...f6 to hold the e-pawn. White can also argue that Black's bishop on e7 is awkwardly developed compared to the normal Exchange Variation.

Just as White had the option of 5. Qe2 last move, she can now play

  • 6. Qe2, the Worrall Attack (yes, it's confusing having the Wormald and the Worrall depending on when you play Qe2). Again the plan is to hold e4 with the queen and move the rook to d1 in preparation for d2-d4, and again this has the drawback of putting the queen on the file most likely to be opened by Black.

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 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7

6 7 8 9
Main Line Re1
b5		 Bb3
d6		 c3
O-O		 h3
Bb7		 =
Bxc6
dxc6		 d3
Nd7		 Nbd2
O-O		 Nc4
f6		 =
Worrall Attack Qe2
b5		 Bb3
O-O		 c3
d5		 d3
Bb7		 =
Modern Line d3
b5		 Bb3
d6		 =
Center Attack d4
exd4		 =
c3
0-0		 Bc2
d5		 Re1
Bc5		 d4
exd4		 cxd4
Ba7		 e5
Ng4		 h3
Nxf2!?		 Kxf2
Nxd4!?		 =/=

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Wikipedia has related information at Ruy Lopez

References

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