C81 · Open · a plan for White

Ruy Lopez: Open, Howell Attack, Ekstrom Variation

24/24
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.O-ONxe46.d4b57.Bb3d58.dxe5Be69.Qe2Be710.Rd1O-O11.c4bxc412.Bxc4Qd7
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Ruy Lopez: Open, Howell Attack, Ekstrom Variation107 games · White to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
51%5446%
24%2625%
8.4%939%
5.6%633%
3.7%438%
1.9%20%
1.9%2100%
1.9%2100%
0.9%1100%
0.9%1100%
Famous games in this line47 master games
Leko, Peter (2755) – Carlsen, Magnus (2714)2007½–½Amin, B. (2682) – Mamedyarov, S. (2740)2022½–½Safarli, Eltaj (2644) – Kotsur, Pavel (2552)20131–0Ljubojevic, Ljubomir (2615) – Kavalek, Lubomir (2555)1975½–½Gdanski, Jacek (2485) – Krasenkow, Michal (2615)19971–0Morovic Fernandez, Ivan (2565) – Milos, Gilberto (2515)1992½–½Sigurjonsson, Gudmundur (2520) – Olafsson, Fridrik (2560)1977½–½Brodsky, Michail (2545) – Sorin, Ariel (2485)1994½–½
Heroes of this opening Safarli, Eltaj · Gdanski, Jacek
Family
Ruy Lopez
Category
Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C81
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. Qe2 Be7 10. Rd1 O-O 11. c4 bxc4 12. Bxc4 Qd7
AggressiveClassical
★ 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, Smyslov-Breyer-Zaitsev HybridC92 5…Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 …Ruy Lopez: Open, Tarrasch TrapC83 9.c3 Be7 10.Re1 O-O 11.Nd4 Qd7 …Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Main LineC89 5…Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 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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