Chess opening · ECO C70
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense
With 3...a6 Black puts a direct question to the bishop on b5: take the c6 knight now, or step back and keep the pressure. Most of the main Ruy Lopez lines start from this position. The pawn on a6 also gives Black a later option, ...b5, which pushes a retreating bishop off the a4-e8 diagonal and onto b3.
- Rank by weighted share
- #57 of 159
Key moves
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
- 3. Bb5The bishop lands on b5 and attacks the c6 knight, the piece that defends e5. It is not yet a threat to win a pawn, but it sets up pressure that can become real once White castles and puts a rook on e1.
- 3... a6Black challenges the bishop immediately. If it retreats to a4, the a6 pawn keeps ...b5 ready, so the bishop can be chased whenever Black likes. If it takes on c6, Black gets the two bishops in return.
4.Ba4 or 4.Bxc6
The retreat to a4 keeps the bishop and the tension. Black usually continues ...Nf6, and after White castles the game splits: ...Nxe4 grabs the e4 pawn and opens the position, while ...Be7 keeps things closed and leads to the long maneuvering lines.
The capture on c6 is a different kind of game. White settles the structure on move four and plays for a better pawn majority in the ending, giving Black the bishop pair as compensation.
Noah's Ark: the b3 bishop gets boxed in
Once Black has played ...a6 and ...b5, a bishop on b3 can run short of squares. After 4.Ba4 d6 5.d4 b5 6.Bb3 Nxd4 7.Nxd4 exd4, the tempting 8.Qxd4 meets 8...c5. The queen is chased with 9.Qd5 Be6 10.Qc6+ Bd7 11.Qd5, and 11...c4 shuts the bishop in, since the b5 pawn covers a4 and protects c4.
Top replies by rating
Bxc6 leads every band below 1600. From 1600 up, Ba4 takes over and its share keeps rising through 2000 and up.
Related openings
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