Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Steinitz, Fianchetto
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense
Definition
The Morphy Defense is the most common response to the Ruy Lopez: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6. With 3…a6 Black immediately questions the Bishop on b5, gaining space on the queenside and preparing to expand with …b5 while reserving the option of …Nf6 and …Be7.
How it is Used
- Flexible Branching Point. After 4.Ba4, Black can choose among the Closed (4…Nf6 5.O-O Be7), Open (4…Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4), Archangel (4…Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bc5), and many other systems.
- Early Queenside Space. Playing …a6 & …b5 gains space and may drive the Spanish Bishop to the more passive a4 or b3 squares.
- Deferred Central Tension. By postponing …d6 or …d5, Black keeps the center fluid and can react to White’s setup.
Strategic & Historical Significance
Named after the 19th-century prodigy Paul Morphy, who employed 3…a6 to great effect in his 1858 match versus Adolf Anderssen. It later became the backbone of World-Championship repertoires: Capablanca, Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov, and Carlsen have all relied on it.
Strategically, the Morphy Defense epitomizes the classical principles of counterpunching: Black yields no central pawn immediately, invites White to clarify the tension, and develops smoothly.
Illustrative Example
One of the most famous demonstrations is Fischer – Spassky, Game 6, Reykjavík 1972. Fischer adopted the Closed Morphy Defense and produced a positional masterpiece culminating in a kingside attack.
Interesting Facts
- Because of its popularity, entire volumes are devoted only to sub-variations after 3…a6. Some tournament books refer to “Ruy Lopez, C60–C99” – almost all of which stem from the Morphy Defense.
- The line is so universal that club players often say, “If you play 1…e5 you must learn the Morphy.”
- In modern engines’ opening books, 3…a6 often scores better than any other third move for Black.
Ruy Lopez: Modern Steinitz Defense
Definition
Also called the Steinitz Defense Deferred, the Modern Steinitz arises after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6. Black fortifies the e5-pawn before developing the kingside knight, echoing Wilhelm Steinitz’s belief in a solid, defended center.
How it is Used
- Early …d6. Prevents tactics on e5 (e.g., Nxe5). The price: the dark-squared Bishop may be hemmed in.
- Flexible Knight Development. Black can play …Nf6, …fianchetto with …g6, or even break with …f5 later.
- Counter-Attacking Plans. Usual pawn breaks include …f5 or …d5 once Black completes development.
Strategic & Historical Context
Steinitz originally played 3…d6 (the Old Steinitz). Modern praxis found 3…a6 first to be more accurate, driving the Bishop to a4 before blocking the diagonal. Though less popular than the Morphy Defense, the Modern Steinitz is admired for its rock-solid structure and has been used as a surprise weapon by grandmasters like Vladimir Kramnik (Dortmund 2000) and Fabiano Caruana (Wijk aan Zee 2014).
Illustrative Example
Kramnik – Topalov, Linares 2004 featured the following position after 10 moves:
The game showed Black’s typical maneuver …Nb8-d7-f8-g6, rerouting pieces to bolster the center and prepare …c5.
Interesting Tidbits
- The line earned the nickname “The Berlin Wall’s cousin” because, like the Berlin, it trades dynamism for an ironclad center.
- Anand once quipped that facing the Modern Steinitz is “like punching fog; you never get clear targets.”
- Engines rate the position near equality, but winning with either color often requires deep, strategic play rather than concrete tactics.
Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Variation
Definition
The Fianchetto Variation appears after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6. Instead of challenging the Bishop with …a6, Black prepares to fianchetto the king-side Bishop to g7, creating a structure reminiscent of the King’s Indian Defence inside an otherwise open-game framework.
How it is Used
- Hypermodern Approach. Black concedes the center temporarily, intending to undermine it later with …f5 or …d5.
- Early Castling. After …Bg7 and …Nge7, Black often castles quickly and strikes in the center.
- Unbalanced Play. Because the line deviates from main-stream Ruy Lopez theory, it can surprise well-prepared opponents.
Strategic & Historical Notes
The Fianchetto Variation was experimented with by grandmasters in the 1920s but never reached the popularity of 3…a6. Noteworthy modern proponents include Veselin Topalov (who used it against Kasparov in Wijk aan Zee 1999) and Richard Rapport. Its strategic theme—pressuring the long diagonal a1-h8—can create rich middlegames described by Nigel Short as “the Spanish dressed in King’s-Indian robes.”
Example Line
A typical sequence:
Here, Black has ceded the center pawns but enjoys active piece play and pressure on d4.
Fun Facts
- In the ECO code, the Fianchetto Variation occupies the tiny niche C60—the same broad code as many sidelines—reflecting its relative rarity.
- Computer engines initially gave White a clear plus, but neural-network engines (e.g., Leela) see dynamic equality, leading to a small renaissance in rapid and blitz chess.
- Because White’s standard plans against the Morphy Defense don’t apply, many players stumble in the opening moves—making it a favorite in must-win situations.