Spanish: Wormald Attack, 5...b5 6.Bb3 Be7
Spanish: Wormald Attack
Definition
The Wormald Attack is a branch of the Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence that arises after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Nxe5. By immediately recapturing the e5-pawn with the knight, White avoids the well-trodden Berlin end-game (6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5) and keeps the queen on the board, leading to an open, tactical middlegame.
Move-Order in Context
Full tabiya:
- 6…Be7 leads to the “Main” Wormald Scheme, where Black breaks the pin with …O-O and seeks …Nf5.
- 6…Nxb5!? is an older sideline trying to liquidate the bishop pair immediately.
Strategic Ideas
- White grabs space in the centre with d4 and maintains the initiative by keeping pieces on the board.
- Black relies on the Nd6-Nf5 manoeuvre to consolidate and aims for …d6 and …Be7.
- The position is sharply balanced: White’s lead in development is countered by Black’s rock-solid pawn structure.
Historical Background
Named after the 19th-century English master Theodore Henry Wormald, who explored several speculative lines in the Ruy Lopez. The variation briefly enjoyed popularity at the turn of the 20th century, then fell into obscurity once the end-game-oriented Berlin became the main battleground. Modern engines have revived interest, showing the line to be fully playable for both colours.
Notable Games
- D. Navara – S. Tiviakov, Ostrava 2011. A textbook example of White’s attacking plans with Bf4, Re1, and Qg4.
- Karpov – Timman, Wijk aan Zee 1992. Karpov demonstrates the positional approach, nursing a small edge into a bishop-vs-knight ending.
Typical Continuations
- 6…Be7 7.Nc3 O-O 8.Bd3 Nb4 9.Be2 – White keeps pieces and prepares Qh5.
- 6…Nxb5 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.Re1+ Be7 9.a4 – White plays against the queenside pawn majority.
Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
- Because 6.Nxe5 sidesteps the infamous “Berlin Wall” end-game, some grandmasters use the Wormald Attack as a surprise weapon when they need to play for a win with White.
- GM Alexander Grischuk once quipped that the line is “a Berlin for romantics.”
5…b5 6.Bb3 Be7 (Closed Ruy Lopez Setup)
Definition
The move sequence 5…b5 6.Bb3 Be7 occurs in the main line of the Ruy Lopez after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O. Black drives the bishop to b3 with …b5 and then calmly develops the king-side bishop to e7, entering the vast realm of Closed Spanish positions.
Why …Be7?
- Prepares quick castling, ensuring the king’s safety before the central battle begins.
- Keeps the long diagonal a3–f8 closed, reducing tactical shots based on Bxf7+.
- Delays a commitment of the c8-bishop; Black can later choose between …Bb7 (Chigorin), …Bc5 (Neo-Archangelsk), or …Be6 setups.
Strategic Significance
By playing …Be7 instead of …d6 immediately, Black invites a rich, manoeuvring middlegame in which pawn breaks (…d5 for Black, d4 for White) may take 15–20 moves to materialise. Both sides jockey for space on the flanks, relocate knights (Nb1–d2–f1–g3, Nf6–d7–f8–g6), and prepare pawn thrusts (c3–d4 or …c5–d5).
Canonical Tabiya
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. Re1 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3
Plans for Both Sides
- White
- Queenside clamp: a4! undermining the b5-pawn.
- Slow buildup: Nbd2–f1–g3, Bc2, d4 break.
- Black
- Flexibility: …d6–Re8–Bf8, then decide on …Na5, …c5, or …Bb7.
- If White plays a4 too early, …Bg4 pins the knight on f3 and gains activity.
Historical & Theoretical Relevance
Adopted by virtually every world champion—from Steinitz to Carlsen—the 5…b5 6.Bb3 Be7 tabiya is the cornerstone of the Closed Spanish. The line’s popularity exploded after Chigorin refined Black’s plans in the late 19th century. In the computer era it still thrives, with engines showing a near-equal evaluation yet an extremely unbalanced game.
Famous Encounters
- Kasparov vs. Karpov, Game 16, World Championship 1985 – Kasparov’s 14.c4! break illustrated modern dynamic treatment for White.
- Caruana vs. Carlsen, Sinquefield Cup 2014 – Caruana’s stunning 7-0 streak included this positional squeeze from the White side.
Interesting Facts
- In Spanish-speaking countries the quiet 6…Be7 setup is nick-named “El Velo” (“the veil”) because Black hides his intentions behind a flexible pawn structure.
- The sequence is so common that many databases simply label thousands of games “Ruy Lopez, Main Line” without giving a separate sub-code.