Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Be7/6. Re1/6...b5/7. Bb3/7...d6/8. c3/8...O-O

Ruy Lopez Main Line
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black kingc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black rookg8 black kingh8 black king8
7a7 black kingb7 black kingc7 black pawnd7 black kinge7 black bishopf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black pawnb6 black kingc6 black knightd6 black pawne6 black kingf6 black knightg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black pawnc5 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 white bishopc3 white pawnd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 white knightg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 black kingd2 white pawne2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white rookf1 black kingg1 white kingh1 black king1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O
Parent: Ruy Lopez

Ruy Lopez Main Line

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White's most consistent move is 9. d4 freeing the queenside minor pieces and contesting the centre, however, it walks into 9...Bg4 after which the conventional wisdom is that Black has nothing to worry about. For this reason the d4 push is almost always prepared with 9. h3. A few masters have recently attempted to prove that 9. d4 is possible.

White may be fed up with all these preparatory moves and play 9. d3 allowing the safe development of the queenside, but this gives Black complete freedom, claims less space than d4 and limits the scope of the light-squared bishop. The successful chess player must have patience!

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References

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  • Modern Chess Openings 15th ed, 2008. Nick de Firmian. Random House, New York. ISBN 0-8129-3682-5.