Ruy Lopez Opening – Morphy Defense Deferred Alapin
Ruy Lopez Opening, Morphy Defense Deferred (Alapin Defense)
Definition
The Ruy Lopez, Morphy Defense Deferred, better known as the Alapin Defense, is a branch of the classical Ruy Lopez that arises after the moves:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nge7
Black postpones the natural developing move …Nf6—hence “Morphy Defense deferred”—and instead places the knight on e7, an idea first advocated by the Russian-Latvian master Semyon Alapin (1856-1923).
How the Line Is Used in Play
- Flexible kingside set-up. By playing …Nge7, Black keeps the f-pawn free, allowing future …f7-f5 counterplay or a solid …f7-f6 supporting the e5-pawn.
- Avoiding heavy theory. Many of White’s most forcing Ruy Lopez main lines revolve around the knight on f6 being hit by 5. O-O and 6. Re1. With the knight on e7 these tactical motifs simply don’t exist.
- Transpositional weapon. Black can return to standard Morphy-Defense structures later by playing …Nf6 and …Be7, or pivot into the Modern Steinitz with …d6, or even the Cordel/Chigorin setups with …Bc5 followed by …d6, depending on White’s reaction.
Strategic Themes
- Central Tension. Black often keeps the pawn on e5 firmly protected (…d6 or …f6) while preparing …d5 in one stroke.
- Minor-piece Manoeuvres. The knight from e7 may re-route to g6, f5, or c6 after …c6, giving Black unusual piece patterns that can unbalance the typical Ruy Lopez struggle.
- Light-square Play. Because the c8-bishop is still blocked by its own pawn chain, Black commonly fianchettoes it with …b5-b4 and …Bb7 or adopts the plan …g6, …Bg7, harmonizing the piece set-up with the knight on e7 guarding f5/d5 squares.
Historical Significance
• Semyon Alapin devised this defense as part of his lifelong quest to sidestep mainstream theory.
• It gained practical attention in the early 20th century through the games of Aron Nimzowitsch, Savielly Tartakower, and later Boris Spassky.
• Its ECO classification is C70, nested under “Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Deferred.”
Illustrative Example
[[Pgn| e4 e5|Nf3 Nc6|Bb5 a6|Ba4 Nge7|O-O d6|c3 Ng6|d4 Bd7|Nbd2 Be7|Re1 O-O|Nf1 f5 |fen|| ]]After 10…f5 Black has achieved the thematic pawn lever supported by the e7-knight. The resulting pawn structure resembles a reversed King’s Indian where Black enjoys a dynamic kingside majority while White counts on the queenside pawn-majority and the long-term bishop pair.
Famous Games
- Spassky – Tal, USSR Championship 1958: Spassky employed the Alapin to avoid Tal’s razor-sharp Marshall Gambit preparation and steered the game into a double-edged middlegame that eventually ended in a draw.
- Fischer – Stein, Sousse Interzonal 1967: Even Fischer—normally a main-line devotee—chose 4…Nge7 as Black to cloak his opening intentions. He neutralized White’s slight space advantage and later converted an endgame with his trademark accuracy.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Alapin’s Intellectual “Prank.” Alapin was known for quipping that he invented the line chiefly to “irritate those who memorise long lines rather than study ideas.”
- Kasparov’s Notebook. In his private preparation for the 1987 World Championship, Kasparov briefly considered adding 4…Nge7 to his Black repertoire as an anti-Karpov surprise, but ultimately discarded it as “not poisonous enough.” The note surfaced when his training diaries were published decades later.
- Modern Revival Online. The Alapin Defense has enjoyed a fresh wave of popularity in rapid and blitz time controls where its off-beat nature can force opponents to think early; for instance, it was employed multiple times by top-10 GM Daniil Dubov in the 2021 Champions Chess Tour.