Ruy Lopez Opening: Morphy Defense & Martínez Variation
Ruy Lopez Opening
Definition
The Ruy Lopez, also called the Spanish Opening, is the sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5. Named after the 16-century Spanish priest & master Ruy López de Segura, it is one of the oldest, most deeply analysed, and most frequently played openings in chess.
How it is used
- White pressures the e5-pawn and prepares long-term central domination with c3 and d4.
- Black chooses from several defences; the most popular modern choices are the Morphy Defence (3…a6), the Berlin (3…Nf6), and the Classical (3…Bc5).
- Because piece play, pawn structure and king safety are all delicately balanced, the opening is a favourite laboratory for strategic plans rather than brute-force tactics.
Strategic & Historical Significance
The Ruy Lopez has been the battleground of world-championship matches from Steinitz–Zukertort (1886) through Carlsen–Karjakin (2016). Nearly every great classical player—Steinitz, Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov, Anand, Carlsen—has contributed theoretical novelties here.
Illustrative Example
Game 6, Fischer vs Spassky, Reykjavík 1972 began 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 9.h3. Fischer’s positional squeeze on the queenside and eventual 29.Rxf7!! is still studied by aspiring Spanish-Opening players.
Interesting Facts
- Ruy López actually preferred 3.Bb5 over 3.Bc4 because it denied Black the …d5 break.
- The opening has its own nickname in Russian—«Испанка» (“the Spaniard”).
- The most-studied sub-line, the Closed Ruy, is sometimes humorously called “the Spanish Torture” because of its slow strangling character.
Morphy Defense
Definition
The Morphy Defence is the response 3…a6 to the Ruy Lopez. After 4.Ba4, Black usually continues 4…Nf6, entering the main lines of modern Ruy Lopez theory.
Purpose & Usage
- …a6 asks the bishop on b5 to decide its future immediately, limiting White’s pressure on the c6-knight.
- By postponing …d6, …Be7, or …Bc5, Black keeps the opening flexible, ready for either solid or counter-attacking set-ups (e.g., the Marshall Attack).
Strategic Significance
Paul Morphy’s idea (mid-1800s) was revolutionary: instead of passively defending e5, chase the bishop and develop rapidly. The move remains the absolute main line and is considered theoretically sound at every level, from scholastic chess to super-GM events.
Famous Game
Capablanca – Marshall, New York 1918: Marshall surprised Capablanca with the now-famous Marshall Attack beginning 8…d5, yet Capablanca’s precise defence earned him the win and secured the line’s reputation as dynamic but risky.
Trivia
- The defence fits naturally into Black’s plan of an eventual …b5-b4 pawn storm, often creating queenside space.
- Because 3…a6 is so universal, database filters sometimes label almost the entire Ruy Lopez after move 3 as “Morphy Defence.”
Closed Variation (of the Ruy Lopez)
Definition
The Closed Variation arises after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7. Black defends the e5-pawn with a piece instead of the immediate 5…Nxe4 (Open Variation). Typical continuation: 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.c3 d6.
How It Plays
- Both sides finish development calmly.
- White prepares d2–d4 (often after h2–h3), while Black readies …c7-c5, …Bb7, or thematic knight reroutes (…Nb8-d7-f8-g6).
- Long manoeuvring battles ensue; outright tactics are postponed until middlegame pawn breaks: d4, f4, or …d5.
Strategic Importance
Because piece mobility is paramount, nearly every square has an assigned value in master analysis—e.g., d5 for a knight, f5 for a bishop, c5 for a pawn lever. The Closed Ruy became the world champion’s choice in Fischer–Spassky, 1972 and the main battleground of Karpov–Kasparov during the 1980s.
Sub-Variations
- Chigorin (9…Na5)
- Breyer (9…Nb8)
- Zaitsev (9…Bb7)
- Smyslov (9…h6)
- Keres (9…a5)
- Martínez (11…Nd7) – the subject of the next entry
Martínez Variation (Ruy Lopez, Morphy Defense, Closed)
Definition & Typical Move Order
The Martínez Variation is a lesser-known branch of the Closed Ruy Lopez in which Black meets White’s central advance with an early …Nd7 rather than the more common …Qc7 or …exd4.
One modern move order is:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Nd7 (Martínez)
Strategic Ideas
- Central Flexibility – …Nd7 supports both …cxd4 and a later …exd4 without exposing the queen to tempo-gaining knight jumps.
- Piece Re-routing – The knight often continues to f8, g6 or b6, harmonising with …Bb7 and pawn breaks on the queenside.
- Delayed Commitments – By omitting …Qc7, Black keeps the queen flexible for …e takes d4 lines and avoids tactical shots based on Nxb5.
Historical Notes
The line is attributed to Spanish master Luis Martínez, who popularised it in national events in the 1950s. Although it never became a mainstream top-level choice, it has surfaced occasionally as a surprise weapon—e.g., Salov vs Kamsky, Linares 1993.
Illustrative Mini-Game
Why It Can Be Effective
- Many White players expect 11…Qc7 and may waste tempi preparing against it.
- If White over-expands with d4–d5 prematurely, the knight on d7 helps undermine the centre with …c4 and …f5.
- The positions retain plenty of pieces, offering the counter-attacking chances some players prefer over the more theoretical Chigorin or Breyer systems.
Practical Tips
- Black should be ready for the thematic pawn sacrifice …exd4 followed by …f5 to seize dark-square control.
- White can try the prophylactic 12.Nbd2 and 13.Nf1, aiming for Ne3–d5 before Black finishes queenside development.
- Endgames often favour Black because of the queenside majority created by …b5 and …c5.
Anecdote
Grandmaster Miguel Illescas once quipped that he played the Martínez specifically “to keep my opponent thinking, not me.” He recorded a 4/4 score with the line in team competition before opponents finally prepared an antidote.