C89 · Open · a plan for White

Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Main Line, Spassky Variation

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1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.O-OBe76.Re1b57.Bb3O-O8.c3d59.exd5Nxd510.Nxe5Nxe511.Rxe5c612.d4Bd613.Re1Qh414.g3Qh315.Be3Bg416.Qd3Rae817.Nd2Re618.a4Qh5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Famous games in this line556 master games
Leko, Peter (2749) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2766)20070–1Shirov, Alexei (2730) – Aronian, Levon (2773)20090–1Svidler, Peter (2728) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2766)2007½–½Ivanchuk, Vassily (2739) – Grischuk, Alexander (2724)2005½–½Gashimov, Vugar (2717) – Shirov, Alexei (2741)20081–0Svidler, Peter (2746) – Jakovenko, Dmitrij (2711)2008½–½Polgar, Judit (2735) – Adams, Michael (2719)2005½–½Nisipeanu, Liviu Dieter (2684) – Leko, Peter (2747)2008½–½
Heroes of this opening Kramnik, Vladimir · Aronian, Levon · Gashimov, Vugar
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 Bd6 13. Re1 Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15. Be3 Bg4 16. Qd3 Rae8 17. Nd2 Re6 18. a4 Qh5
SharpAggressiveClassical
★ Read the guide: Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening)Explore all 234 Ruy Lopez lines →
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Nearby lines in the family
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin, Yugoslav SystemC97 7…d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 …Ruy Lopez: Closed, Alekhine GambitC88 7…d6 8.c3 Na5 9.Bc2 c5 10.d4 …Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Re3 VariationC89 12.Bxd5 cxd5 13.d4 Bd6 14.Re3
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.

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