Spanish: 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.c3 d6
Spanish: 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.c3 d6
Definition
This move-sequence is a branch of the Ruy Lopez, more specifically a modern treatment of the Arkhangelsk (or “Archangel”) Defence. Black fianchettoes the queen’s bishop to c5 rather than the classical …Be7, aiming for rapid pressure on the e4-pawn and dynamic piece activity. After 7.c3 d6, the position is often called the Modern Arkhangelsk or Møller–Arkhangelsk Hybrid, because Black defers …d6 until after …Bc5.
Move Order
The full main-line runs:
- e4 e5
- Nf3 Nc6
- Bb5 a6
- Ba4 Nf6
- O-O b5
- Bb3 Bc5
- c3 d6
White reinforces the d4 break with 7.c3, while Black shores up the e5-pawn and prepares …O-O by 7…d6, leaving a flexible choice between …O-O, …Bb7 and central pawn breaks.
Strategic Ideas
- For Black
- Create immediate pressure on the e4-pawn by placing the c5-bishop on the a7–g1 diagonal.
- Maintain tension; …d6 supports the e5-pawn while keeping the light-squared bishop active.
- Look for the thematic pawn strike …d5 in favourable circumstances.
- For White
- Push d2-d4 as soon as feasible to seize the centre and open lines against the c5-bishop.
- Use the typical manoeuvre Nb1-d2-f1-g3 or b1-d2-f1-e3 to attack the c5-bishop and reinforce the centre.
- Decide whether to castle queenside after Re1, h3 and d4, leading to sharp opposite-wing attacks.
Historical Context
The Arkhangelsk Defence originated in late-19th-century Russian praxis but was sharpened by Soviet players from the city of Arkhangelsk in the 1960s and 70s. The “Modern” move order with 7…d6 became fashionable in the 1990s, popularised by elite grandmasters such as Alexei Shirov and Vladimir Kramnik.
Illustrative Game
One of the most quoted examples is Shirov’s attacking win against Anand:
Typical Plans & Themes
- Black’s …Na5 Idea – Employ …Na5 and …Nxb3 to remove White’s light-squared bishop, reducing White’s kingside attacking chances.
- White’s Central Breaks – d4 and sometimes c3-c4/cxb5 to undermine Black’s queenside expansion.
- Open f-file Battles – After trades on f3/f6, both sides may double rooks along the f-file aiming at the enemy king.
Interesting Facts
- The line once caused a stir when Kasparov employed it as Black against Deep Blue (1997); although the computer won, Kasparov praised …Bc5 as “the most combative answer to the Ruy Lopez.”
- Magnus Carlsen has used the variation repeatedly since his teenage years, mixing it with the Berlin to keep opponents off balance.
- Because the c5-bishop is exposed, the entire system was jokingly dubbed the “poisoned bishop” by some Soviet analysts.
When to Choose This Line
Ideal for players who enjoy active piece play and are comfortable with unbalanced pawn structures. It demands accurate calculation but offers rich middlegame prospects and practical chances against theoretical Ruy-Lopez specialists.