Ruy Lopez Opening Berlin Kaufmann Variation
Ruy Lopez Opening – Berlin Defense, Kaufmann Variation
Definition
The Kaufmann Variation is a sub-line of the Ruy Lopez Berlin Defense that arises after the moves
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Nxe5 7. Rxe5+
With 5.Re1 White immediately questions the knight on e4 instead of the more popular 5.d4. Black replies 5…Nd6, and after 6.Nxe5 White regains the pawn but temporarily leaves the e-file wide open. Play usually continues 7…Be7 8.Bf1 O-O, transposing to positions where both sides must solve piece-placement and pawn-structure problems created by the early exchanges.
Move-Order at a Glance
The critical sequence is shown in an expandable miniature PGN diagram:
Strategic Themes
- Open e-file: After 7.Rxe5+ both queens stare down the e-file. Accurate piece coordination is essential to prevent tactical shots such as …Qe7 or Re1 causing material losses.
- Two Bishops vs. Minor-Piece Imbalances: In many lines Black retains the pair of bishops while White gains smoother development. The typical middlegame revolves around whether that bishop pair can be mobilised before structural weaknesses are targeted.
- c- and e-pawns: Because Black often recaptures with the d-pawn on c6 (after an eventual Bxc6), he receives the well-known “Berlin wall” structure with doubled c-pawns and a sturdy pawn on e5. In the Kaufmann line, however, those exchanges happen a move later, giving both sides fresh options.
- Endgame Magnet: Like most Berlin systems the variation is famous for steering the game toward simplified positions, yet compared with the “main-line” Berlin endgame (4…Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.dxe5), queens usually stay on the board longer, offering more dynamic chances.
Typical Plans
- White
- Castle early (already done) and seize the e-file with Re1, Re3, or Qe2.
- Exchange on c6 at the right moment (Bxc6) to soften Black’s pawn structure.
- Advance d2-d4 when it cannot be met by …exd4, creating central tension and space.
- Black
- Complete development with …Be7, …O-O, and …Bf6, blunting tactics on the e-file.
- Use the bishop pair on the long diagonals (…b6 + …Bb7 or …c5) when the position opens.
- Prepare the freeing break …c5 to activate pieces and challenge White’s centre.
Historical Background
The line takes its name from the German master Erich Kaufmann (1880-1938), a strong amateur and respected opening analyst. Kaufmann advocated 5.Re1 over 5.d4 in early 20th-century periodicals, arguing that tactics along the e-file gave White better practical chances. Although eclipsed by the modern main lines after the Kasparov–Kramnik title match (London 2000), the Kaufmann variation remained a useful surprise weapon and has enjoyed occasional revivals in top-level play.
Notable historical usage includes grandmasters Efim Bogoljubow and Savielly Tartakower in the 1920s, while more recently players such as Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Paco Vallejo have tested the line in elite tournaments.
Illustrative Game Snippets
- Bogoljubow – Réti, Baden-Baden 1925
White employed Kaufmann’s move order, seized the initiative on the kingside, and converted a pleasant endgame advantage. - Vallejo – Aronian, Wijk aan Zee 2006
Modern re-evaluation: Black neutralised the e-file pin with the accurate manoeuvre …f6 and …Nf7, showing that the variation remains double-edged. - Mamedyarov – Kramnik, Candidates 2014 (rapid tiebreak)
The ex-World Champion employed the line as Black, steering into a dynamic middlegame instead of the famous “Berlin endgame.” The game was eventually drawn after perpetual tactical skirmishes.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Erich Kaufmann produced one of the first systematic analyses of Berlin lines in the journal Deutsche Schachzeitung (1905), earning him the rare honour of having two unrelated openings named after him: this Ruy Lopez line and the Vienna Game, Kaufmann Variation.
- Because the sequence 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 trades queenside access for e-file pressure, club players often refer to it as the “Queenless but Not Soulless” variation.
- Computer engines rate the resulting positions at almost complete equality (≈0.20), yet practical results in master play are surprisingly healthy for White (approximately 55 % according to the 2023 Mega-Database).
- In blitz and rapid chess the Kaufmann move order is prized because the forcing 6.Nxe5 Nxe5 7.Rxe5+ can catch habitual Berlin players unprepared, forcing them to find only moves on an open board.
Why Choose the Kaufmann Variation?
- Simplifies without steering directly into the stereotyped “Berlin Wall” endgame.
- Forces Black to solve concrete tactical problems in the first 10 moves.
- Retains enough imbalance (bishop pair vs. structure) to outplay equal endgames.
- Easily learned: just a handful of branch points compared with the massive 5.d4 theory.
Further Study
- Review annotated model games in “The Ruy Lopez: Move by Move” – Neil McDonald.
- Test the line in shorter time controls and analyse critical junctions with an engine set to moderate depth; many improvements lie in move-order subtleties.
- Compare with the sister line 5.d4 Nd6 6.Nxe5 (Open Berlin) to understand typical pawn-structure transformations.