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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...f5/4. d3/4...fxe4/5. dxe4/5...Nf6/6. O-O

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Ruy Lopez, Schliemann Defence
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black kingc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black kingh8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black kingf7 black kingg7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black knightd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black knightg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 white bishopc5 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 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 white knightg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 black kinge2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 black kingf1 white rookg1 white kingh1 black king1
a b c d e f g h

Time for Black to develop some more pieces. Spoiler: the pawn currently on d7 isn't going to make it to d5 at this point, because that would leave e5 hanging. So it'll have to go to d6 if the c8-bishop wants to get out.

  • The immediate 6...d6 would shut in the f8-bishop. That's okay, it's got a perfectly good square on e7.
  • 6...Bc5 makes sure that the bishop doesn't get shut in, but becomes a pawn sacrifice after 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. Nxe5.

If ...Bc5 is often a luxury Black can't afford in the Ruy Lopez, surely this applies double in the Schliemann Defence where the Black kingside has already been opened up with ...f5? Black's argument is that firstly, the open f-file is an attacking strength as well as a defensive weakness, and allows Black to fantasize about targeting f2 with ...O-O and ...Nxe4/...Ng4 to go with ...Bc5, so that gives White something to worry about. Secondly, the fact that the d-pawn is gone means that White doesn't have the simple plan of c3 and d4 with gain of time against the bishop.

If Black captures on e4 immediately, White has numerous strong options. 7.Nxe5, threatening 8. Qh5+, has to be met with 7...Nxe5, and then 8.Re1 wins the piece straight back with an ongoing attack (8...Nf6? 9.f4!) The immediate 7. Re1 or Qe2 are also strong, as 7... d5 allows 8.Nxe5. Regardless, the e file becomes a huge liability for Black with the king still stuck in the center.


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Chess Opening Theory
1. e4 e5
Open games
3. Bb5
Spanish
3. Bc4
Italian
3. Nc3
Three knights
Other
2...Nf6
Russian
2...d6
Philidor
Other
2. f4
King's gambit
2. Nc3
Vienna
Other
1. e4 c5
Sicilian
1. e4 e6
French
1. e4 c6
Caro-Kann
1. e4 other
1. d4 d5
Closed games
1. d4 Nf6
Indian
1. d4 f5
Dutch
1. d4 ...other:
1. Nf3
Zukertort
Flank
Unorthodox