C89 · Open · a plan for White

Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Main Line

23/23
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.O-OBe76.Re1b57.Bb3O-O8.c3d59.exd5Nxd510.Nxe5Nxe511.Rxe5c612.d4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Main Line191k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
100%190k59%
0.3%59537%
0.1%19438%
0%6843%
0%3047%
0%2665%
0%2438%
0%2148%
0%1839%
0%1631%
Famous games in this line2.6k master games
Anand, Viswanathan (2810) – Aronian, Levon (2805)2011½–½Karjakin, Sergey (2778) – Aronian, Levon (2816)2012½–½Anand, Viswanathan (2798) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2781)2008½–½Ivanchuk, V. (2738) – Carlsen, M. (2832)2017½–½Anand, Viswanathan (2792) – Aronian, Levon (2750)2007½–½Shirov, Alexei (2749) – Aronian, Levon (2783)2010½–½Kramnik, Vladimir (2772) – Aronian, Levon (2759)20071–0Anand, Viswanathan (2788) – Svidler, Peter (2738)2005½–½
Family
Ruy Lopez
Category
Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C89
Line
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d4
SharpAggressiveClassical
★ Read the guide: Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening)Explore all 234 Ruy Lopez lines →
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Modern Main LineC89 12…Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 · 1 deeper lineRuy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Main Line, Spassky VariationC89 12…Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Be3 …
Nearby lines in the family
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Keres DefenseC96 7…d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 …Ruy Lopez: Open, Breslau VariationC83 5…Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 …Ruy Lopez: Open, Dilworth VariationC82 5…Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 …
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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