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  3. /Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense (C73)
C73

Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense

Key moves: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5

The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest and most classic chess openings. White develops the bishop to b5, putting indirect pressure on the e5 pawn through the knight on c6. It leads to rich strategic positions with deep plans for both sides.

History & Notable Players

Named after the 16th-century Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura. It has been a cornerstone of chess opening theory for over 500 years and remains one of the most popular openings at all levels.

Top Players in this Opening

Keres, Paul19 gamesSpassky, Boris V13 gamesAlekhine, Alexander9 gamesSmyslov, Vassily8 gamesPortisch, Lajos7 gamesTimman, Jan H6 gamesBronstein, David I5 gamesAnand, Viswanathan4 gamesCapablanca, Jose Raul4 gamesShort, Nigel D4 games

Related Openings

C70 - Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense459C71 - Ruy Lopez: Noah's Ark Trap84C72 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Kecskemet Variation203C74 - Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense46C75 - Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense121C76 - Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense, Fianchetto Variation180C77 - Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Jaffe Gambit854C78 - Ruy Lopez: Brix Variation1124C79 - Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Steinitz Deferred208

Best Games

Kasparov, Gary vs Short, Nigel D1/2-1/2
PCA-World Championship 1993Notable
Timman, Jan H vs Portisch, Lajos1-0
Tilburg 1988Notable
Short, Nigel D vs Smyslov, Vassily1-0
Subotica Interzonal 1987Notable
Timman, Jan H vs Spassky, Boris V0-1
Linares 1983Notable
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail1-0
World Championship 20th 1954Notable
Ivanchuk,V vs Firouzja,Alireza0-1
C'Chartres Rapid&Blitz m 2020
Hansen,Eric vs Short,N1/2-1/2
42nd Olympiad 2016 2016
Karjakin,Sergey vs Grischuk,A0-1
2nd ACP World Rapid Cup 2008
Ponomariov,R vs Short,N1/2-1/2
Corus A 2005
Adams,Mi vs Rogers,I1/2-1/2
36th Olympiad 2004
Polgar,Ju vs Timman,J0-1
Keres Mem Rapid 2001
Anand, Viswanathan vs Timman, Jan H1/2-1/2
Hoogovens 1996
Shirov, Alexei vs Huebner, Robert1-0
Dortmund 1996
Anand, Viswanathan vs Jussupow, Artur1/2-1/2
Candidats FIDE m2 1994
Anand, Viswanathan vs Ye Rongguang1-0
Manila Interzonal 1990
Timman, Jan H vs Spassky, Boris V1/2-1/2
World Cup 1988
Ljubojevic, Ljubomir vs Spassky, Boris V1-0
Thessaloniki ol (Men) 1988
Timman, Jan H vs Spraggett, Kevin1/2-1/2
Taxco Interzonal 1985
Short, Nigel D vs Hort, Vlastimil0-1
Dortmund 1983
Mecking, Henrique vs Keres, Paul1/2-1/2
Petropolis Interzonal 1973

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