Ruy Lopez Opening – Berlin Mortimer Variation
Ruy Lopez Opening – Berlin Defense, Mortimer Variation
Definition
The Berlin Mortimer Variation is a sub-line of the Ruy Lopez that begins with the Berlin Defense. The precise move order is: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6. Black’s 5…Nd6, first championed by the 19ᵗʰ-century master James Mortimer, characterises the variation.
How it is used in practice
- Surprise weapon: At top level the move 5…Nd6 is considered provocative and slightly inferior, but it can surprise opponents who expect either the solid 5…Be7 or the classical Open Berlin (5…Nd6 is sometimes written “5…Nf6⁈” in modern texts).
- Psychological trap: Its chief practical value is the so-called Mortimer Trap, in which White can stumble into tactical pitfalls after the natural looking 6. dxe5? Nf5! — suddenly the bishop on b5 and the queen on d1 are forked.
- Club play: The line is popular among amateur and club players who enjoy off-beat theory-light systems that contain hidden venom.
Strategic and Positional Ideas
The variation breaks many “Berlin rules,” so both sides must be flexible:
- Knight re-routing: The black knight’s retreat to d6 looks awkward, but from there it can hop to f5 or b5, hitting key central squares.
- Pawn structure: After 6.Bxc6 dxc6 Black often accepts doubled c-pawns. In return Black gains the bishop pair and semi-open d-file pressure.
- Initiative vs. material: White usually regains the e-pawn quickly. The game then revolves around whether Black’s piece activity compensates for the structural weaknesses.
Historical Notes
James Mortimer (1833-1911), an American-born journalist living in Paris, loved swash-buckling chess and enjoyed baiting stronger masters with tricky openings. He introduced the move 5…Nd6 at the Café de la Régence and employed it in the first official London tournament. Although theoreticians soon judged the line dubious, it has retained a cult following ever since.
Illustrative Game
The following miniature neatly shows the famous trap:
After 6.dxe5? Nf5! Black hits the bishop on b5 and threatens …Be7 and …O-O, recovering material with a better game. In the sample continuation, White drifts and the kingside collapses.
Typical Plans
- For White:
- Exchange on c6 early (6.Bxc6) to inflict structural damage.
- Occupy the centre with c4-c5 and Nc3-e4; target the weak c-pawns in the end-game.
- For Black:
- Use the Nd6-f5 jump to harass White’s pieces.
- Activate the light-squared bishop via c5 or e7/g5.
- Seek tactical chances: the e-file pin and the Mortimer Trap re-occur in many branches.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Mortimer supposedly quipped, “My variation is unsound, but so is my opponent’s nervous system.”
- In Kasparov vs. Short, Linares 1993 (a blitz side event), Short tried 5…Nd6; Kasparov sidestepped all traps and won convincingly, reinforcing elite scepticism toward the line.
- Modern engines give roughly +0.6 – +0.8 for White after best play, yet many correspondence and online rapid specialists still wield it with success thanks to its razor-sharp nature.
Summary
The Berlin Mortimer Variation is a romantic throwback — strategically risky, tactically rich, and historically colorful. While objective evaluation favors White, the line remains a viable surprise weapon, especially when the opponent is unaware of the precise antidotes to Mortimer’s mischievous knight on d6.