C82 · Open · a plan for White

Ruy Lopez: Open, Berlin Variation

18/18
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.O-ONxe46.d4b57.Bb3d58.dxe5Be69.c3Nc5
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Ruy Lopez: Open, Berlin Variation1.4k games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
91%1.2k58%
6.2%8561%
1%1346%
0.5%757%
0.4%560%
0.4%540%
0.3%425%
0.2%367%
0.1%250%
Famous games in this line90 master games
Karpov, Anatoly (2725) – Kortschnoj, Viktor (2665)19780–1Ivanchuk, Vassily (2700) – Hjartarson, Johann (2590)19951–0Sokolov, Andrei (2635) – Kortschnoj, Viktor (2630)19870–1Balashov, Yuri S (2600) – Portisch, Lajos (2650)1981½–½Tseshkovsky, Vitaly (2550) – Tal, Mihail (2625)1978½–½Gruenfeld, Yehuda (2545) – Kortschnoj, Viktor (2630)19870–1Peters, Jack (2475) – Kortschnoj, Viktor (2695)19790–1Ljubojevic, Ljubomir (2620) – Torre, Eugenio (2540)19871–0
Heroes of this opening Kortschnoj, Viktor · Ivanchuk, Vassily · Ljubojevic, Ljubomir
Family
Ruy Lopez
Category
Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C82
Line
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Nc5
Classical
★ 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, Flohr SystemC92 5…Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 …Ruy Lopez: Closed, Zaitsev SystemC92 5…Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 …Ruy Lopez: Closed, Breyer DefenseC94 5…Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 …
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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