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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Be7/6. Re1/6...b5/7. Bb3/7...d6/8. c3/8...O-O/9. h3

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Ruy Lopez Main Line
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black kingc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black rookg8 black kingh8 black king8
7a7 black kingb7 black kingc7 black pawnd7 black kinge7 black bishopf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black pawnb6 black kingc6 black knightd6 black pawne6 black kingf6 black knightg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black pawnc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black pawnf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 white bishopc3 white pawnd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 white knightg3 black kingh3 white pawn3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 black kingd2 white pawne2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 black king2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white rookf1 black kingg1 white kingh1 black king1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

r1bq1rk1/2p1bppp/p1np1n2/1p2p3/4P3/1BP2N1P/PP1P1PP1/RNBQR1K1 b

Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3
Parent: Ruy Lopez

Ruy Lopez Main Line

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The position in the Ruy Lopez after 9. h3 is one of the most strategically interesting in the whole of opening theory. Black's reasonable options at this point run to double figures, which for a position nine moves into the game is almost unique.

9...Na5 is the old main line, the Chigorin Variation. Black hunts down White's light-squared bishop and frees her c-pawn. The knight may end up back on c6, on c5 via b7, or on c4, depending on developments elsewhere.
9...Nb8, the Breyer Variation, is the other traditional move. With White taking her time developing her queenside, Black reckons she can spare two moves to redeploy the knight on d7 out of the way of the bishop which will appear on b7. It is a little more committal than the Chigorin and appeals to defensive-minded players.
9...Bb7, the Flohr, is the current red-hot theoretical battleground. The bishop eyes up the e4 pawn and the knight reserves its options.
9...h6 is the Smyslov Variation. The Zaitsev is considered an improvement on the Smyslov; in the Smyslov the bishop will usually go to b7, but in the Zaitsev Black can usually manage without ...h6.
9...Nd7 on the plus side enables an f5 advance and controls g5, and on the minus side clogs up the queenside and removes a defender from the king.
9...Be6 is another way to challenge the b3-bishop, usually leading to an exchange of bishops and a boring position in which White has a little more activity.
9...Re8 will transpose to the Zaitsev unless both players are desperate for a draw by repetition.
9...a5 is a quirky attempt to force matters on the queenside. White will probably meet it with a central charge.
9...Bd7 and 9...Qd7 are both at least semi-useful, and even 9...d5 doesn't lose on the spot - although players interested in getting their d-pawn to d5 should look at the Marshall Gambit on move 7.

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Wikipedia has related information at Ruy Lopez

References

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  • Modern Chess Openings 15th ed, 2008. Nick de Firmian. Random House, New York. ISBN 0-8129-3682-5.
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