Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Alapin's Defense Deferred
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense
Definition
The Morphy Defense is the most popular branch of the Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening) and begins with the moves:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
With 3…a6 Black immediately questions the bishop on b5, forcing it to decide whether to exchange on c6 or retreat to a4. The line is named after the 19-century American champion Paul Morphy, who employed it with great success and showed that Black can obtain active piece play instead of passively defending the e-pawn.
Typical Usage & Ideas
- Space-grabbing on the queenside: …a6 and …b5 gain space and drive the B♗ to a less active square.
- Flexible development: …Nf6, …Be7, and quick castling leave Black ready for a central break with …d5.
- White’s main plans: c3–d4 pawn center, eventual pressure on the e-file (Re1, dxe5 ideas) and piece activity on the kingside.
- Key branches:
- Closed System (4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7)
- Open System (4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4)
- Exchange Variation (4.Bxc6)
Strategic Significance
The Morphy Defense defines modern Ruy Lopez theory. By forcing an early decision from White’s bishop, Black reduces long-term pressure on the queenside and accelerates development. The defense strikes a balance between solidity and dynamism, making it a mainstay from club level to elite super-grandmaster play.
Historical Notes
- Paul Morphy (1837-1884) used the move …a6 in several exhibition games in Paris (1858), proving its soundness.
- World Championships: Practically every modern title match—Lasker–Tarrasch (1908) up to Carlsen–Nepomniachtchi (2021)—has featured the Morphy Defense.
- “Spanish torture” antidote: The line became famous as Black’s principal answer to the so-called “Spanish torture” (slow queenside bind) pursued by players like Steinitz and Capablanca.
Illustrative Mini-PGN
Typical starting position after 3…a6:
Black is ready to castle and strike with …d5, while White prepares c3 and d4.
Interesting Facts
- The famous Marshall Attack (…d5 sacrifice) cannot arise without the Morphy move order, underscoring 3…a6’s flexibility.
- Computer engines still score the line at roughly equality, despite over 160 years of testing—testament to its resilience.
- “Morphy Defense” is sometimes jokingly called the “a6 Defense” in blitz circles, highlighting Black’s willingness to spend a tempo on a pawn move for long-term gain.
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Alapin’s Defense Deferred
Definition
Alapin’s Defense Deferred is a sub-variation of the Morphy Defense reached after:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Bb4
Black postpones the B♗b4 pin—characteristic of Alapin’s original 3…Bb4 line—until after forcing White’s bishop to a4. This “deferred” approach seeks to combine queenside space (…a6) with kingside pressure (…Bb4), often leading to fresh, less-theoretical positions.
Key Ideas & Plans
- Pin & pressure: …Bb4 pins the c3-square, discouraging White’s customary pawn thrust c3–d4.
- Rapid castling: Black usually follows with …Nf6 and …O-O, eyeing a later …d5 or even …f5 break.
- White’s antidotes:
- 5.c3 – a direct challenge, inviting doubled c-pawns after …Ba5 6.d4 or 6. Bc2.
- 5.O-O – ignores the pin, planning c3 later after reinforcing the e4-pawn with Re1.
Strategic & Practical Significance
While not as theoretically critical as the main Closed Ruy Lopez, the Deferred Alapin offers:
- Surprise value – Less explored lines move opponents out of heavy theoretical preparation.
- Imbalance – The asymmetrical bishop deployment (Ba4 vs. Bb4) can lead to original middlegames.
- Solid foundation – Black retains the standard Ruy-Lopez pawn structure with relatively few weaknesses.
Historical Background
Semyon Alapin (1856-1923), a Russian master noted for creative opening work, introduced the immediate 3…Bb4 idea. The deferred version gained traction later when players realized that inserting 3…a6 avoids certain sharp replies like the fianchetto line 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.d4. Grandmasters such as Robert Fischer (e.g., Fischer vs Stein, Sousse 1967) and Magnus Carlsen have occasionally employed the variation to sidestep massive Ruy-Lopez theory.
Illustrative Example
After 9…d6 the board shows a mirror-image of bishop pins: White’s B♗a4 eyes c6, Black’s B♗b4 eyes c3. Both sides are ready to castle and maneuver knights (Nb1-d2-f1) or (…Nc6-e7-g6).
Interesting Tidbits
- Because the bishop arrives on b4 only after 3…a6, database software sometimes classifies this line under two different ECO codes (C70 and C71).
- Engine evaluations hover around “+0.20” for White—slightly preferable but well within practical margins for Black.
- Some blitz specialists nickname the system “The Pinball Spanish” because both players continuously pin each other’s knights on c3 and c6.