Ruy Lopez Opening Berlin Beverwijk Variation
Ruy Lopez Opening – Berlin, Beverwijk Variation
Definition
The Beverwijk Variation is a sub-line of the Berlin Defence to the Ruy Lopez (Spanish) Opening.
It arises after the moves:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3
Move Order & Typical Continuations
- e4 e5
- Nf3 Nc6
- Bb5 Nf6 (the Berlin Defence)
- d3 (the Beverwijk move)
After 4.d3, play often continues:
4…Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. O-O d6 7. Re1 a6 8. Ba4 Ba7, transposing into structures that resemble the
Giuoco Piano rather than the traditional Berlin Endgame.
Strategic Ideas
- Flexibility: By supporting the bishop on b5 and guarding e4, White keeps options open for c3–d4 or a slower manoeuvring game.
- Avoiding the “Berlin Wall” Endgame: The critical line 4.O-O Nxe4 can be sidestepped; instead, White steers the game into rich middlegame terrain.
- Italian-style Plans: The pawn on d3 gives White a solid centre, allowing pieces (especially the c1-bishop) to develop harmoniously.
- Counterplay for Black: …Bc5, …d6, …a6 and a later …d5 are common themes, aiming to free the position and challenge White’s centre.
Historical Significance
• The name “Beverwijk” honours the Dutch town where the yearly Hoogovens (now Tata Steel)
tournament was held until 1967. Several games featuring the 4.d3 idea were played there
in the 1950s–60s, bringing the variation into analytical spotlight.
• For decades it was considered a sideline, but the renaissance of the Berlin Defence at
top level (post-2000) led grandmasters to re-examine quieter deviations.
From 2010 onward, elite players such as Magnus Carlsen, Vladimir Kramnik and Fabiano Caruana
regularly employed 4.d3, reviving its theoretical status.
Illustrative Game
Carlsen – Kramnik, London Chess Classic 2013 (annotated excerpt). Both players manoeuvred for more than 60 moves before agreeing to a draw.
Usage in Modern Practice
- Surprise Weapon: Because the main-line Berlin (4.O-O Nxe4) is so heavily analysed, many White players drop 4.d3 to sidestep preparation.
- Repertoire Choice: It appeals to positional players who enjoy prolonged manoeuvring and an eventual kingside initiative (Re1, Nbd2-f1-g3, Nh4-f5 ideas).
- Black’s Counter-Repertoire: Players of the Black pieces must know both quiet set-ups (…d6, …a6) and more dynamic tries (…d5 break or immediate …Bxf2+ tactical shots).
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Magnus Carlsen used the Beverwijk Variation three times in the 2013 World Championship match against Viswanathan Anand, scoring two draws and one win— a key factor in his eventual victory.
- Grandmaster Sergey Tiviakov once remarked that 4.d3 “turns the Berlin into an Italian with colours reversed,” highlighting its transpositional nature.
- The move 4.d3 was already known in the 19th century; Adolf Anderssen tried it in 1861, but it disappeared from master play until its Beverwijk resurgence a century later.
Summary
The Ruy Lopez Berlin Beverwijk Variation (4.d3) is a highly flexible, strategically rich way for White to avoid the well-trodden Berlin Endgame. It balances solidity with latent attacking chances, has a colourful tournament history dating back to the Dutch coastal town of Beverwijk, and remains a fashionable choice at the highest level of contemporary chess.