Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. d3

Ruy Lopez, Anderssen Variation
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 kingb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black kingf7 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 white pawne3 black kingf3 white knightg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 black kinge2 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 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3

5. d3

edit

White doesn't want to attack immediately with O-O, c3, and d4. They instead want to attack after building an impregnable fortress that offers no chances for counterplay. Though passive and harmless-looking, this move defends the e4-pawn and makes Bxc6 followed by Nxe5 a reality. Black must therefore either defend e5 or run off White's a4 bishop. Simplest is 5...b5, which removes the threat of Bxc6 but loosens Black's queenside pawns, inviting a later a4 thrust by White. Black can instead solidify their crucial e5 pawn with 5...d6, but this pins the c6 knight and restricts the f8 bishop. Finally, Black can protect e5 more actively with 5...Bc5, where 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Nxe5 can be met with 7...Qd4; however, other White responses, such as 6. c3, will often lead Black back to a choice between ...d6 and ...b5.

Theory table

edit
5 6 7
...

b5

Bb3

Be7

O-O

d6

+/=
...

d6

+/=

When contributing to this Wikibook, please follow the Conventions for organization.

References

edit
  • MacDonald, Neil. The Ruy Lopez, Move by Move. Gloucester, 2011