C92 · Open · a plan for White

Ruy Lopez: Closed, Flohr System

18/18
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.O-OBe76.Re1b57.Bb3d68.c3O-O9.h3Bb7
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Flohr System94k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
79%74k55%
13%12k56%
3.3%3.1k52%
2.4%2.2k55%
1.8%1.7k53%
0%2864%
0%2640%
0%1537%
0%1327%
0%1250%
Famous games in this line6.9k master games
Radjabov, T. (2713) – Carlsen, M. (2881)2014½–½Anand, Viswanathan (2798) – Morozevich, Alexander (2788)20081–0Topalov, Veselin (2796) – Morozevich, Alexander (2771)20091–0Kasparov, Garry (2825) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2740)1998½–½Ivanchuk, Vassily (2779) – Morozevich, Alexander (2771)20091–0Anand, V. (2776) – Mamedyarov, S. (2761)20161–0Grischuk, A. (2810) – Dominguez Perez, L. (2726)2015½–½Anand, Viswanathan (2803) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2731)2006½–½
Heroes of this opening Anand, Viswanathan · Topalov, Veselin · Ivanchuk, Vassily
Family
Ruy Lopez
Category
Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C92
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 O-O 9. h3 Bb7
Classical
★ Read the guide: Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening)Explore all 234 Ruy Lopez lines →
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Smyslov-Breyer-Zaitsev HybridC92 10.d4 Re8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.a3 h6
Nearby lines in the family
Ruy Lopez: Open, Berlin VariationC82 5…Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 …Ruy Lopez: Closed, Zaitsev SystemC92 9…Re8Ruy Lopez: Closed, Breyer DefenseC94 9…Nb8
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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