C89 · Open · a plan for White

Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Steiner Variation

18/18
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.O-OBe76.Re1b57.Bb3O-O8.c3d59.exd5e4
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Steiner Variation38k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
79%30k29%
14%5.5k48%
3.8%1.5k36%
1.9%7229%
0.7%26850%
0.2%6636%
0.1%4235%
0.1%3348%
0.1%2633%
0.1%2423%
Famous games in this line35 master games
Nakamura, Hikaru (2741) – Short, Nigel D (2680)20101–0Shirov, Alexei (2726) – Lahno, Kateryna (2488)20081–0Polgar, Judit (2550) – Murshed, Niaz (2510)19911–0Rodriguez Cespedes, Amador (2500) – Arencibia Rodriguez, Walter (2560)19910–1So, Wesley (2669) – Shukuraliev, Algis (2376)20101–0Bogdanovich, Stanislav (2515) – Kozakov, Mikhail (2481)20121–0Browne, Walter S (2550) – Bisguier, Arthur Bernard (2445)1975½–½Babayev, Talib (2405) – Sulskis, Sarunas (2567)20131–0
Heroes of this opening Nakamura, Hikaru · Shirov, Alexei · Polgar, Judit · Arencibia Rodriguez, Walter
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 e4
SharpAggressiveClassical
★ Read the guide: Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening)Explore all 234 Ruy Lopez lines →
Keep exploring
Nearby lines in the family
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Flohr SystemC92 7…d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Bb7Ruy Lopez: Open, Berlin VariationC82 5…Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 …Ruy Lopez: Closed, Zaitsev SystemC92 7…d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Re8
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
Videos on YouTube ↗Wikipedia: Ruy Lopez ↗