C88 · Open · a plan for White

Ruy Lopez: Closed, Balla Variation

21/21
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.O-OBe76.Re1b57.Bb3d68.c3Na59.Bc2c510.d4Qc711.a4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Balla Variation1.6k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
27%41744%
19%29153%
15%23447%
13%20243%
11%17049%
9.5%14838%
2.5%3859%
1.4%2143%
0.8%1250%
0.3%50%
Famous games in this line32 master games
Jakovenko, Dmitrij (2737) – Eljanov, Pavel (2720)2008½–½Saric, Ivan (2628) – Postny, Evgeny (2631)20131–0Saric, Ivan (2632) – Rogic, Davor (2577)2012½–½Bosiocic, Mari (2563) – Rogic, D. (2557)20151–0Jansa, Vlastimil (2505) – Kuzmin, Gennadi P (2560)1978½–½King, Daniel J (2515) – Larsen, Bent (2550)19900–1Watson, William N (2505) – Larsen, Bent (2560)19911–0Fedorchuk, Sergey A (2590) – Dobrev, Nanko (2394)20061–0
Heroes of this opening Saric, Ivan · Bosiocic, Mari · Larsen, Bent · Watson, William N
Family
Ruy Lopez
Category
Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C88
Line
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 Qc7 11. a4
Classical
★ Read the guide: Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening)Explore all 234 Ruy Lopez lines →
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Nearby lines in the family
Ruy Lopez: Open, Karpov GambitC80 5…Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 …Ruy Lopez: Open, Malkin VariationC83 5…Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 …Ruy Lopez: Rabinovich VariationC78 5…b5 6.Bb3 d6 7.Ng5 d5 8.exd5 …
From the archives

Ruy López de Segura was a 16th-century Spanish priest whose 1561 book systematized 3.Bb5 — alongside advice like seating your opponent facing the sun. The 'Spanish torture' has been a world-championship battleground from Steinitz to Carlsen: slow pressure, forever.

Study this opening
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