Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Tarrasch Variation

Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense

Definition

The Morphy Defense is the most popular response to the Ruy Lopez opening. It arises after the moves  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6. Black immediately asks the Spanish bishop on b5 to declare its intentions, intending either to gain the bishop pair or to seize space on the queenside.

Typical Move-Order

The diagram below shows the starting position of the Morphy Defense.

After 3…a6, White’s two main replies are:

• 4. Ba4 – the classical main line that keeps the bishop active; leads to the vast “Closed Ruy Lopez” complex.
• 4. Bxc6 – the “Exchange Variation,” surrendering the bishop pair to damage Black’s pawn structure.

Strategic Themes

• Queenside Space: …a6 and often …b5 give Black room for their pieces and push the white bishop back.
• Piece Activity: Black’s light-squared bishop usually develops to e7 or c5, while the knight from g8 goes to f6, targeting e4.
• Flexibility: Black keeps the central tension. Depending on White’s setup, Black can choose between …d6 (Closed lines), …d5 (Open lines), or …f5 (Schliemann-like structures).
• Bishop Pair vs. Structure: If White plays 4.Bxc6, Black gains two bishops but suffers doubled c-pawns, leading to rich imbalances.

Historical Significance

Named after the American prodigy Paul Morphy (1837-1884), who championed the move 3…a6 to solve the nagging pin on the king’s knight. Before Morphy, 3…a6 was considered weakening; his brilliant results persuaded later generations of its soundness. Today it is the backbone of top-level Spanish Defenses.

Famous Games

• Morphy vs. Duke Karl & Count Isouard, Paris 1858: The unofficial “Opera Game” where Morphy demonstrated rapid development and mating nets— though he actually used the Philidor, the defense bears his legacy of swift counterplay.
• Fischer vs. Petrosian, Candidates 1971 (Game 7): Fischer employed the Closed Morphy Defense as Black and equalized smoothly en route to victory, highlighting the line’s solidity.
• Carlsen vs. Anand, World Championship 2014 (Game 2): Anand met Carlsen’s Ruy Lopez with a modern Morphy setup and survived a long endgame, proving its enduring resilience at the very highest level.

Interesting Facts & Anecdotes

• Because it is so theory-heavy, some grandmasters jokingly call the Morphy Defense “the Spanish torture.”
• Over half of all Ruy Lopez games in modern databases feature 3…a6.
• The move 3…a6 is so deeply analyzed that engines routinely display 40-plus plies of “book moves” before starting to think.

Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Tarrasch Variation

Definition

The Tarrasch Variation of the Morphy Defense is reached after the moves 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. The quiet pawn push to h3 prevents Black’s …Bg4 pin, giving White extra control over the central dark squares and preparing the thematic d2-d4 break.

Why 9.h3?

• Prophylaxis: Stops …Bg4 which would pressure the f3-knight and entice structural concessions.
• Flexible Kingside Plans: The pawn on h3 supports a later g2-g4 thrust in some lines (the “Keres Plan”) or simply provides luft for the king.
• Central Ambitions: With the g4 square covered, White can safely play d4, recapturing with a minor piece instead of the queen if Black exchanges.

Main Branches after 9.h3

1. 9…Na5 10.Bc2 c5 – the Chigorin System where Black fights for the center and the bishop pair.
2. 9…Bb7 10.d4 Re8 – the Breyer-inspired development, deferring the knight maneuver to b8-d7-f8.
3. 9…Re8 10.d4 Bf8 – the Closed Tarrasch, heading for rich maneuvering battles.

Strategic Ideas for Both Sides

• White aims for central expansion with d4, queenside play with a4, and potential kingside pressure via Nf3-h2-g4 in certain structures.
• Black seeks counterplay through …exd4 followed by …Na5 or …c5, or reroutes the b8-knight to d7, f8, and g6 to challenge e5.
• The resulting middlegames are maneuver-heavy; “Spanish knights” often hop between d2-f1-g3 or b8-d7-f8-g6 squares.

Historical Background

Named after the great German theoretician Siegbert Tarrasch (1862-1934), who recommended 9.h3 as the most precise prophylaxis in the Closed Spanish. His advocacy helped shift fashion away from 9.d4 (Steinitz line) in the early 20th century.

Illustrative Game

Fischer – Spassky, World Championship 1972, Game 6

Fischer’s smooth strategic victory remains a model for the Tarrasch Variation. He restricted Black’s pieces, seized space on both wings, and converted a small advantage into a famous win.

Interesting Facts

• Grandmasters sometimes call 9.h3 the “little push with a big idea.”
• In correspondence and engine games the Tarrasch Variation scores slightly above 55% for White, reflecting its enduring bite.
• Modern practitioners include Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, who both used 9.h3 in their 2018 World Championship match preparation.