Ruy Lopez Opening: Morphy Defense, Deferred, Schliemann
Ruy Lopez Opening
Definition
The Ruy Lopez (also called the Spanish Game) is the sequence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5. White develops the king’s knight and bishop rapidly, attacks the e5-pawn twice and indirectly pressures the knight on c6, all while preparing quick castling. The opening is named after the 16-century Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura, one of the first authors to analyze systematic chess openings.
How the Ruy Lopez is Used
- As a universal “work-horse” for 1.e4 players who seek strategic, rather than purely tactical, struggles.
- By Black players who wish to test their entire opening repertoire; if you can hold the Ruy Lopez with Black you can normally hold any 1.e4 e5 line.
- As a thematic platform for classical middlegame plans: minority attacks on the queenside, central pawn breaks with d4 or d5, and kingside attacks based on Bc2–d3 ideas.
Typical Move Orders & Branches
After 3.Bb5 Black has a broad choice:
- 3…a6 (Morphy Defense) – by far the main line.
- 3…Nf6 (Berlin Defense) – the “Berlin Wall”.
- 3…d6 (Steinitz Defense) – a more solid but passive system.
- 3…f5 (Schliemann/Jaenisch Gambit) – a sharp counter-gambit discussed below.
Strategic Significance
The Ruy Lopez is prized for its flexibility: both sides can aim for closed, maneuvering positions or open tactical battles. Key themes include:
- Pawn Structure: The tension surrounding the e4/e5 center and potential exchange on c6 provides rich structural imbalances.
- Piece Play: The “Spanish bishop” on b5 (or a4/c2) often remains alive for dozens of moves, exerting long-term pressure.
- Endgame Appeal: Many variations drift into endings where White’s small space advantage and better minor-pieces tell.
Illustrative Example
These first 12 moves—inspired by the classical game Karpov – Kasparov, World Ch. 1985 (Game 16)—lead to the Closed Ruy where both sides have completed development yet the position remains full of latent energy.
Historical & Fun Facts
- The opening was systematically championed by Wilhelm Steinitz and later refined by Lasker, Capablanca, and Fischer.
- Only in the modern computer era have alternative third moves by Black (e.g., the Berlin or Schliemann) rivaled 3…a6 in top-level popularity.
- A common club-level myth claims “the Ruy Lopez always ends in a draw”; in reality, it produces some of the sharpest world-championship encounters (e.g., Kasparov – Anand 1995, Game 10).
Morphy Defense (Ruy Lopez)
Definition
The Morphy Defense arises after
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6. By kicking the bishop immediately, Black asks the critical question and prevents White from destroying the pawn structure with Bxc6 on favorable terms.
Strategic Ideas for Both Sides
- Black gains queenside space with …b5 and often develops the f8-bishop to b7 or e7. The move …Nf6 follows quickly, attacking e4.
- White can either maintain the bishop (4.Ba4) aiming for a long-term bind, or exchange on c6 for structural change (the Exchange Variation).
- The resulting positions are semi-open: pawn breaks with d4 (White) and …d5 (Black) dominate strategic planning.
Key Variations
- Closed System: 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6.
- Open System: 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 (Open Ruy Lopez).
- Archangelsk/Breyer/Marshall Gambit: Plans based on …b5–b4, …Bb7, and in the Marshall, the famous pawn sacrifice 8…d5.
Famous Game
Kasparov – Anand, PCA World Championship 1995 (Game 10) featured the Marshall Gambit stemming from the Morphy Defense and is a modern classic illustrating Black’s dynamic resources.
Historical Notes
- Named after Paul Morphy, who popularized the immediate 3…a6 during his European tour (1858–59).
- Morphy himself preferred open piece play; the move …a6 served to avoid cramped structures inherent in earlier Steinitz lines.
Interesting Tidbit
In correspondence databases, the Morphy Defense has scored almost exactly 50 % for more than 150 years—an impressive testament to its theoretical resilience.
Morphy Defense Deferred
Definition
The Morphy Defense Deferred occurs when Black postpones …a6 for one move:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O a6.
Why Defer …a6?
- By inserting 3…Nf6, Black first tests White’s center (e4) and keeps open the option of the ultra-solid Berlin Endgame (4.O-O Nxe4).
- If White replies 4.O-O (the main line), only then does …a6 chase the bishop, often transposing back to familiar Morphy structures but with small twists in move-order:
- The bishop on f8 may develop to c5 (Trajković variation) more comfortably because d7–d6 can be delayed.
- White’s quick c2-c3 and d2-d4 setup can be hindered by …d7-d5 in one move since the queen’s knight is still on b8.
Typical Continuations
After 4…a6 5.Ba4 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 we fully transpose, yet the subtlety in move-order can influence preparation and psychological comfort.
Historical & Modern Use
- The variation became fashionable in the early 2000s thanks to Russian grandmasters such as Alexander Grischuk and Peter Svidler who used it to sidestep deep Marshall-Gambit preparation.
- ECO codes C68-C69 catalogue the lines where …a6 is delayed.
Example Mini-Game
Note that compared to the classical Morphy sequence, Black’s knight is already influencing e4 before the bishop is questioned.
Fun Fact
Some databases still file 3…Nf6 without 4…a6 under the Berlin Defense. Hence players wanting to “dodge the Berlin” with White must learn to recognize the Morphy Defense Deferred and be ready for both branches!
Schliemann Defense (Jaenisch Gambit)
Definition
The Schliemann Defense (also known as the Jaenisch Gambit) is the daring reply
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 !?
offering a pawn to seize the center, open the f-file, and unbalance the game immediately.
Strategic Essence
- Active Piece Play: Black hopes for rapid development with …Nf6, …Bc5, and pressure against f2.
- Structural Risk: Accepting the gambit (4.exf5) leaves Black with an isolated e-pawn but open lines. Declining (4.Nc3 or 4.d3) keeps extra central pawns yet allows Black comfortable activity.
- Clock Factor: The Schliemann is popular in rapid and blitz because it forces White to think from move three.
Main Variations
- 4.exf5 e4 5.Qe2 Nf6 – the Classical Schliemann.
- 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 – leaving a central muddle with roughly equal chances.
- 4.d3 – the Modern Design where White keeps the position solid and waits.
Illustrative Game
Shirov – Topalov, Linares 1998 is a model of Schliemann violence: after 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nxe5 dxe4 7.Nxc6 Qg5 8.Qe2 Qxg2 Black’s initiative outweighed pawn deficits and Topalov eventually won a brilliancy prize.
Historical Background
- Proposed by the German analyst Carl Jaenisch in 1847, but systematically employed by Adolf Karl Wilhelm Schliemann (not the archaeologist!) a few decades later—hence the dual naming.
- Although long considered dubious, modern engines rate the Schliemann as fully playable, especially in quicker formats.
Interesting Nuggets
- Bobby Fischer tried the Schliemann only once (against Geller, Curaçao 1962). After seven moves he had a worse position and never repeated it!
- In many lines Black obtains bishop-pair plus attacking chances; the opening therefore attracts enterprising players like Nigel Short, Teimour Radjabov, and Judit Polgár.
- The gambit often transposes to variations of the King’s Gambit Declined (with colors reversed), giving students of romantic 19th-century chess a comforting déjà-vu.