Key ideas
- 3...a6 (the Morphy Defence) asks the bishop to decide. After 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 the Closed Ruy Lopez begins, a slow manoeuvring game.
- The Berlin Defence (3...Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4) is famous for leading to a queenless middlegame that is very hard to crack. Kramnik used it to beat Kasparov in 2000.
- The Marshall Attack (8...d5 in the Closed lines) is Black's gambit, giving a pawn for a dangerous attack.
Plans for White
Typical plans include c3 and d4 to build a big centre, and the knight manoeuvre Nb1-d2-f1-g3 toward the kingside.
Plans for Black
Keep the e5 point solid, gain space on the queenside with ...b5, and look for ...d5 or ...c5 at the right moment.
Watch out
Noah's Ark trap: if White's bishop sits on b3 carelessly, ...a6, ...b5 and ...c5-c4 can trap it with pawns.