C89 · Open · a plan for White

Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Modern Main Line

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1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.O-OBe76.Re1b57.Bb3O-O8.c3d59.exd5Nxd510.Nxe5Nxe511.Rxe5c612.d4Bd613.Re1Qh414.g3Qh3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Modern Main Line157k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
34%54k32%
22%35k53%
16%25k54%
13%21k43%
7.2%11k44%
3.8%6.0k19%
2.4%3.8k44%
0.5%81925%
0.2%24540%
0.1%11822%
Famous games in this line2.7k 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)2017½–½So, W. (2770) – Aronian, L. (2792)2016½–½Erigaisi, Arjun (2801) – Nepomniachtchi, I. (2754)20250–1Shirov, Alexei (2749) – Aronian, Levon (2783)2010½–½Kramnik, Vladimir (2772) – Aronian, Levon (2759)20071–0
Heroes of this opening Nepomniachtchi, I. · Kramnik, Vladimir
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
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, Main Line, Spassky VariationC89 15.Be3 Bg4 16.Qd3 Rae8 17.Nd2 Re6 …
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.

Study this opening
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