Ruy Lopez Opening: Morphy Defense, Closed Morphy Attack

Ruy Lopez Opening

Definition

The Ruy Lopez – also called the Spanish Game – is the sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5. White’s third-move bishop attacks the knight on c6, indirectly increasing the pressure on the e5-pawn. It is coded C60–C99 in the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings (ECO) and has been one of the most deeply analysed openings since the 16^th century.

Typical Usage and Ideas

Fight for the centre: after …a6 or …Nf6, White often plays c3 and d4 to build a broad pawn centre.
Long-term bishop pressure: Bb5 often retreats to a4 or b3, retaining latent threats on the a2–g8 diagonal.
King-side attack: once the centre is stabilised, White can aim for a direct assault with moves such as Ng5, Qf3, or even sacrifices on f7.
Structural decisions: the Exchange Variation (4.Bxc6) gives White the bishop pair but yields Black a durable pawn structure. The Closed variations keep tension.

Strategic & Historical Significance

Named after the Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura, who described the line in his 1561 treatise, it became the main battlefield of elite chess in the 19^th century. World-championship matches from Steinitz–Zukertort (1886) through Caruana–Carlsen (2018) have featured the Ruy Lopez in dozens of critical games.

Illustrative Example

Fischer–Spassky, World Ch. 1972, Game 6, began:

Fischer’s handling of the Closed Ruy Lopez in this classic is often studied for its smooth, strategic build-up culminating in an exquisite king-side attack.

Interesting Facts

The opening was once considered refuted by the 19^th-century theoretician Carl Jaenisch, who claimed 3…Nf6! equalised. History proved otherwise.
Grandmasters jokingly call the Ruy Lopez “the Spanish torture” because of the long, manoeuvring battles it frequently produces.
Computers still debate critical positions after 450+ years of study, attesting to the opening’s depth.

Morphy Defense

Definition

The Morphy Defense arises after the additional move 3…a6 in the Ruy Lopez: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6. Black immediately questions the bishop, gaining space on the queen side and forcing White to decide between the Exchange line (4.Bxc6) and the retreat 4.Ba4. ECO codes C70–C99 cover the many branches.

How It Is Used

Probing move: …a6 asks White to clarify intentions and often dictates the structural character of the game.
Queenside expansion: …b5 and …Bb7 usually follow, granting Black a foothold in the centre via …d5 in some lines.
Transpositional weapon: by deferring or omitting …Nf6 or …d6, Black can steer play into Open, Closed, or Archangel systems depending on preference.

Historical Background

The name honours the American genius Paul Morphy. Although he did not invent 3…a6, his spectacular wins at Paris 1858 (particularly the famous “Opera Game” vs. the Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard) popularised the concept.

Representative Games

Karpov – Kasparov, World Ch. 1985, Game 16: Kasparov’s dynamic Open Morphy (4…Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4) helped him level the match.
Carlsen – Karjakin, Candidates 2013: Carlsen employed the Marshall Attack (a Morphy offshoot) and won a critical game en route to his first title match.

Interesting Tidbits

3…a6 was once dubbed the “Spanish Counter-thrust.”
Modern engines rate the Morphy Defense as fully sound; many super-grandmasters adopt it as their main defence to 1.e4.
ECO subdivisions C76–C79 (Open Morphy), C84–C99 (Closed Morphy) comprise more than a quarter of all Ruy Lopez theory.

Closed Morphy Attack

Definition

The Closed Morphy Attack is the main tabiya reached after 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. White’s ninth move – prophylactically stopping …Bg4 – heralds the strategic, manoeuvring battles typical of the Closed Spanish, and the resulting setup is traditionally labeled the “Morphy Attack.”

Core Ideas

White
- Prepare the central break d4 under ideal circumstances.
- Maintain the bishop pair and threaten a future Bc2–d3 x kingside.
- Advance queenside pawns (a4) to provoke weaknesses.
Black
- Counter with …Na5, …c5, or the Marshall Gambit (…d5).
- Undermine the e4-pawn via …Re8 and …Bf8-g7 (if fianchettoed).
- Seek pawn breaks …d5 or …f5 at the right moment.

Why It Matters

The position after 9.h3 is one of the most important crossroads in modern opening theory; engines evaluate it as roughly equal, but both sides have rich possibilities. Entire world-championship repertoires (e.g., Kramnik 2000–2008, Anand 2008–12) revolved around refining plans in this very setup.

Illustrative Tabiya

The arrows show White’s standard break d2–d4 and the tactical possibility Ng5 aiming at f7 once Black weakens the kingside.

Famous Encounters

Kasparov – Kramnik, Linares 1999: a model game for Black’s …Na5 and …c5 plan.
Caruana – Carlsen, World Ch. 2018, Game 12: Carlsen neutralised White’s pressure and eventually won the rapid tiebreaks, showing the robustness of Black’s defensive resources.

Curiosities

Many opening books distinguish lines after 9.h3 as “Anti-Marshall” (if Black defers …d5) and “Marshall Attack” (if 9…d5 is played), but both share the same root position – the Closed Morphy Attack.
Because of the heavy theory surrounding 9.h3, some top players “pass” with 9.d3 or 9.a4, hoping to sidestep novelties cooked up by computers.