The Ruy Lopez for White – Open Lopez Part 2

Hello everyone,

Last time we had studied Variation A in the Open Lopez. Hope the main concept of the Open Lopez is clear in your head by now.

We will move forward and today we will study Black’s 9th move alternative, Variation B: 9…Be7. Now this Variation has two sub-variation as Black’s 12th move alternatives.

Let’s start with Variation B1: 12…0-0:

Ruy_Lopez/Variation B1.pgn
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Now let’s move onto the next reply, Variation B2: 12…Qd7:

Ruy_Lopez/Variation B2.pgn
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So, this was Black’s second 9th move alternative. Hope you have enjoyed. Next time we will start discussion on Black’s third 9th move alternative.

Keep visiting and keep reading. 

Thanks a lot. Enjoy!!
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The Ruy Lopez for White – Open Lopez Part 1

Hello everyone,

We have completed our study of the Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations in our last post. Hope you have it clear in your head by now.

Today we will start a new chapter in the Ruy Lopez, the Open Lopez. This is a little bit different from what we have seen in Berlin Defence, Deffered Steinitz and the recent Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations. Lets see how it goes:

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Nxe4

With 5…Nxe4 Black basically chooses dynamic counterplay over solid defence . He makes space for his pieces to develop onto active posts and squashes any thoughts White might have of applying the ‘Spanish Torture’ so often seen in the closed defences .

However, there’s a certain price to pay for all this activity. The position becomes open quite quickly and in order not to suffer a quick onslaught down the e-file, Black is forced to compromise his pawn-structure someWhat, leaving White with potential targets to exploit in the middlegame. Nevertheless, the Open Defence has Its fair share of supporters. Viktor Korchnoi is probably its most famous adherent, while of the new generation of top players one could point to Vishy Anand, who employed it in his 1995 World Championship clash with Kasparov and has continued to use it since.

The Strategic Starting Position

This is the typical position, which is reached after 8 moves of the Open Lopez. The first thing to notice is that Black ‘s pieces occupy active squares. Given a few free moves, Black would probably continue with …Bc5, …0-0 and perhaps …f6, to create a semiopen f-file and attack the f2-square. It goes without saying that White must act energetically in the diagram position, else Black could easily take over the initiative once he has completed his development. Here I’m advocating the move 9 Nbd2, which was made popular by Anatoly Karpov. One of White’s main ideas is to put immediate pressure on Black’s strong knight on e4. This pressure can be enhanced with such moves as c3 and Bc2 . Black is asked very early on what to do with this knight.

Black Supports the Knight with …f5

Black has just played 11…f5, lending support to the under-fire knight. White now has a big decision to make : whether to capture en passant, or to play around the knight and concentrate on the weaknesses in the black camp. On this occasion the main theoretical move is 12 Nb3 (instead of 12 exf6). After 12…Qd7 White can use a tactical trick to justify the move 13 Nfd4. Now 13…Nxe5? 14 f3 Nc5 15 Re1 Nc6 16 Nxc6 Qxc6 17 Nd4 Qd7 18 b4 drops a piece, so the normal continuation is 13…Nxd4 14 Nxd4 c5 15 Nxe6 Qxe6 16 f3 Ng5 17 a4 , when White is slightly better (see the theory section for more on this position).

Black Moves the Knight

On this occasion Black has retreated his knight to c5, where it controls some important squares . One of White’s major plans in this position involves the usual knight manoeuvre with (after Re1) Nf1-g3/e3 . White’s pieces would then point impressively at the black kingside. In addition, White has the e5-pawn as a spearhead, so it’s easy to see that White can often build up a menacing attack against the black king. White also often plays Nb3, challenging the c5-knight. If this is exchanged, it clears the way for the white queen to go to d3, where it sets up a powerful battery with the bishop against the h7-pawn .
For the reasons outlined above, Black often delays castling in favour of first improving the position of his pieces . For example, Black often plays the move …Bg4, giving White a pin to think about. This bishop can also be re-routed via h5 to g6, in order to blunt White’s attack along the b1-h7 diagonal. This also leaves the e6-square vacant for the knight to hop back and completely block the e5-pawn. Another common feature is Black doubling behind the d-pawn with …Qd7 and …Rd8. The idea of this is not only to add extra support to the oftenvulnerable d5-pawn, but also to facilitate a possible ,..d4 advance. Of course the strength of this advance is always dependent on the placing of the various pieces, but a successful …d4 will completely free Black’s position .

Now let’s move on to the different lines in this Variation. There are typically three different lines revolving around Black’s 9th move alternatives, which again have different sub-variations based on Black’s 11th and 12th moves.
Let’s start with Variation A: 9…Bc5
Ruy_Lopez/Variation A.pgn
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This is how it goes. We will study Variation B in our next post.

Keep visiting and keep reading.

Thanks a lot. Enjoy!!
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The Ruy Lopez for White – Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations Part 5

Hello friends,

Today we will conclude our study of the Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations. In the last post we have studied Variation C221: 12…Re8. Today, we will study the remaining two replies by Black, Variation C222: 12…exd4 and Variation C223: 12…Rb8.

So, let’s start with Variation C222: 12…exd4

Ruy_Lopez/Variation C222.pgn
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Now, let’s move on to the remaining Variation C223: 12…Rb8

Ruy_Lopez/Variation C223.pgn
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So, friends, this concludes our study of the Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations. It’s a bit tricky, but I am sure you will be able to find your way out through it, as shown.

From our next post, we will start a new chapter, The Open Lopez.

So, stay tuned. This is certainly not the end.

Keep visiting and keep reading.

Thanks a lot, Enjoy!!
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The Ruy Lopez for White – Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations Part 4

Hi friends,

I am extremely sorry to be so late in my posts. Actually I was out of station for quite a few days and after I came back, we got this problem with “chesspublisher”!! But my friends, we are back and we are back with a bang!! We have found a really great alternative for the problems, many many thanks to my friend chessyman here. You will enjoy reading much more now, I am sure of it.

Well, what else! Let’s start from where we had left the Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations. We will discuss now, Variation C2: 6…Bb7. It has mainly two sub-variations, Variation C21: 8…0-0 and Variation C22: 8…d6 which revolves round Blacks 8th move alternatives. Variation C22: 8…d6 has again three sub-variations which I will let you know in due course.

So, let’s start with Variation C21: 8…0-0

Ruy_Lopez/Variation C21.pgn
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Now, we will move on to Variation C22: 8…d6 where there are three sub-variations which revolves around Black’s 12th move alternatives. Let’s start with the first one Variation C221: 12…Re8

Ruy_Lopez/Variation C221.pgn
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We will study the remaining two sub-variations of Variation C22: 8…d6 in our next post and that will conclude our study on Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations.

Hope you have enjoyed.

Keep visiting and keep reading. There is still lot more to come.

Thanks a lot. Enjoy!!

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The Ruy Lopez for White – Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations Part 3

Hello everybody,

In our last post we have studied Black’s 2nd reply as a 5th move alternative, Variation B: 5…Bc5 including the sub-variations, Variation B1: 7…d5!? and Variation B2: 7…d6 in the Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations.

Today we will go for Black’s 3rd reply as 5th move alternative, Variation C: 5…b5 which will include two sub-variation i.e Variation C1: 6…Bc5 and Variation C2: 6…Bb7. We will study only Variation C1 today which will again include two sub-variation as Black’s 8th move alternatives, namely Variation C11: 8…Bb7, Variation C12: 8…Rb8 and Variation C13: 8…Bg4.

So, let’s start with Variation C11: 8…Bb7

Let’s move on to Variation C12: 8…Rb8

And now, Variation C13: 8…Bg4

Well, it has been a lengthy discussion today. The point was to finish the study of Variation C1: 6…Bc5 in one go to avoid future inconvenience for you as well as for me.

Hope it was not too much to you. In fact, it should not be too much. There is nothing called “too much” in chess.

In the next post we will study Variation C2: 6…Bb7.

Keep visiting and keep reading. There is lot more to come.

Thanks a lot. Enjoy!!

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The Ruy Lopez for White – Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations Part 1

Hello everybody,

Today we are going to start a new chapter on the Ruy Lopez from White’s perspective, the Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations. Lets plunge into it right away:

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0

The Arkhangelsk Variation (5…b5 6 Bb3 Bb7) and the Moller Variation (5…Bc5 or 5…b5 6 Bb3 Bc5) represent ambitious plans of development by Black. In particular, the variation 5…b5 6 Bb3 Bc5 has in the last few years become increasingly popular at the highest levels, so much so that it’s even threatening to become Black’s main reply to the Lopez . The closely related Arkhangelsk went through a similar vogue , although on a slightly smaller scale, in the early 1990s. Both variations can lead to very sharp play. Against these lines, recommended is that White should play c3 and d4, but care is needed with move-orders.

White Plays d4: Black Reacts with …Bb6

In this theoretical position, if White plays 8 d4 Black reacts with 8…Bb6! , maintaining the pawn on e5 and keeping the pressure on d4. If Black were forced to play 8…exd4 , relinquishing the centre, then his whole strategy would have been at fault. 8…Bb6 works through tactical means, as can be seen in the theory section.

White Attacks with a4

With Black’s bishop on c5 and knight on c6 (see diagram), there is no real opportunity for Black to link his pawn-chain with …c5. This can in fact leave the b5-pawn rather isolated and vulnerable to attack. One of White’s weapons in these variations is to attack the pawn with an early a4. This assault can be sustained by moves such as Na3 and Qe2.

White Protects d4 with Be3

In some variations White will try to negate the pressure from the b6-bishop by playing Be3. This protects the d4-pawn and thus allows White to continue to develop smoothly with Nbd2, Often White will play h3, in order to prevent …Ng4. With the white bishop on e3, Black has to be wary of the possibility of d5, followed by Bxb6, which would leave Black with doubled pawns.

The main lines in these Variations revolves around Black’s 5th move alternatives, while the sub-variations will include Black’s 6th, 7th and 8th move alternatives. And bear it in mind, dear readers, it will be a pretty lengthy discussion because these variations demands that!

Let’s start with Variation A: 5…d6:

Well, what do you think? I like it anyway, and I am ready to play and confront this everytime I play as White!!

We will study Variation B in our next post. Till then, study the position arising out of this reply from Black and make it clear in your head. We have a long way to go!!

Keep visiting and keep reading. 

Thanks a lot. Enjoy!!

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The Ruy Lopez for White – Deferred Steinitz, Norwegian and Delayed Schliemann Part 3

Hello everybody,

We will continue our study of the Deferred Steinitz. In the last post we have reviewed Black’s 5th move alternative (Variation C1: 5…f5) in the Deferred Steinitz. Today we will study Variation C2: 5…Bd7. This variation will include two sub-variation based on Black’s 6th move alternatives and we will study both of them one by one.

So let’s start with Variation C21: 6…Nge7:

Now let’s move on to Variation C22: 6…g6:

So, interesting isn’t it? 

This concludes our study on Deferred Steinitz, Norwegian and the Delayed Schliemann.

Do tell us how you liked it. Your comments are most valuable to us.

From the next post, we will start another chapter on the Ruy Lopez, the Moller and Arkhangelsk Variations. It will be a pretty long discussion which we will divide into several parts for your convenience. 

So, stay tuned. We will be back shortly.

Until then, bye. 

Keep visiting and keep reading. Thanks a lot. Enjoy!!

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The Ruy Lopez for White – Deferred Steinitz, Norwegian and Delayed Schliemann Part 2

Hello everybody,

We will start today, the Norwegian Variation, Variation B: 4…b5

Now let’s move on to Black’s next 4th move alternative, The Deferred Steinitz, Variation C: 4…d6. Here, Blacks has two alternatives for the fifth move, of which we will study the first one, Variation C1: 5…f5

So, White can definitely be better under these circumstances.

We will study Variation C2: 5…Bd7 in our next post.

Until then, stay tuned.

Thanks a lot. Enjoy!!

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The Ruy Lopez for White – Deferred Steinitz, Norwegian and Delayed Schliemann Part 1

Hello friends,

We will start a new chapter today which involves Black’s attempt to harass White’s bishop on b5. Pay attention.

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4

In this chapter we will look at Black’s fourth move alternatives to 4…Nf6, including the Delayed Schliemann (4…f5), the Norwegian Variation (4…b5 5 Bb3 Na5) and, most importantly, the Steinitz Defence Deferred (4…d6).

The last of these options is basically an improved version of the Steinitz Defence. One of the reasons for this is that Black is ready at any moment to escape the pin on the a4-e8 diagonal with a timely …b5. This can be seen to the full effect if White tries to follow the same recipe as against the Steinitz Defence. After 5 d4 b5! 6 Bb3 Nxd4 7 Nxd4 exd4 the natural 8 Qxd4? is a mistake which falls into what’s known as the ‘Noah’s Ark Trap’ . After 8…c5! White cannot avoid a loss of material, e.g. 9 Qd5 Be6 10 Qc6+ Bd7 11 Qd5 c4! and the Lopez bishop is cruelly trapped!

White has a few different choices against the Steinitz Deferred, including 5 0-0, 5 c4 and 5 Bxc6+, but I’m recommending the most popular move, 5 c3, which immediately goes about setting up a pawn-centre with d4. Black can then choose to play adventurously with the risky 5…f5, which leads to sharp play reminiscent of the Schliemann Defence. It’s more usual, however, for Black to support the e5-pawn, either with …Nge7-g6, or …g6 and …Bg7. Play in these lines is much slower and of a positional nature. Black’s position is usually very solid, if slightly cramped.

White Plays d4-d5

In many variations of the Steinitz Deferred, White has the option of maintaining the tension in the centre or pushing with d4-d5 , reaching this type of closed position.

The strategy then become very similar to lines of the King’s Indian Defence. White may seek to attack on the queenside by trying to enforce the c4-c5 advance, while Black will play in a similar way on the other side with …f5. One major difference from the King’s Indian is that the light-squared bishops are normally exchanged quite early after d4-d5 . This difference usually favours White, as the pawn-structure dictates that White has swapped off his traditionally ‘bad’ bishop, while Black no longer has his ‘good’ bishop.

Now let’s start with Variation A: 4…f5 (Delayed Schliemann)

So White can certainly pull out some advantage with his two bishops, whereas Black’s bishop is still to be developed from it’s original square! Positionally White is far better than Black.

We will study the Norwegian Variation in our next post.

Until then…

…Keep visiting and keep reading.

Thanks a lot. Enjoy!!

     If you liked the article kindly Digg it, Stumble it, Add to Technorati, bookmark it and please consider subscribing through  “Subscribe by Email”  and have articles & a  Everyman Chessbase eBook delivered right to your inbox! OR “Subscribe to Chess Blog Feed” in a Fead Reader of your choice OR Subscribe to “SMS Alerts” & Get Article Headlines & Updates delivered to your Mobile Phone for free.

The Ruy Lopez for White – Berlin Defence Part 4

Hello everybody,

This will be the concluding discussion on the Berlin Defence. Today we will study the remaining two of Black’s 9th move alternative, Variation B23: 9…h6 and Variation B24: 9…Ke8. Let’s start without wasting any time.

Variation B23: 9…h6

Now let’s move on to the next and last possible reply from Black, Variation B24: 9…Ke8

You might find the above variations a little difficult to follow, but my advise to you will be to follow one sub-variation at a time and make the positions clear in your head, and then only proceed for the next one. 

The truth is, this is where The Ruy Lopez gets more and more interesting inspite of the fact that it is actually getting more and more complex.  And believe me, the top grandmasters of the world don’t play the Berlin Defence for nothing!!

And this is not the end! From now on every variation in The Ruy Lopez will be the most precious and the most played ones.

To give you a hint, from our next post we will study The Deferred Steinitz and other fourth move alternatives for Black which will include the Norwegian Variation and the Delayed Schliemann other than the Deferred Steinitz.

So friends, you are most welcome to join us in the most detailed and most thorough study of the most widely played openings in chess history.

Keep visiting and keep reading. We are talking about chess here!

Thanks a lot. Enjoy!!

     If you liked the article kindly Digg it, Stumble it, Add to Technorati, bookmark it and please consider subscribing through  “Subscribe by Email”  and have articles & a  Everyman Chessbase eBook delivered right to your inbox! OR “Subscribe to Chess Blog Feed” in a Fead Reader of your choice OR Subscribe to “SMS Alerts” & Get Article Headlines & Updates delivered to your Mobile Phone for free.