The main line of the Ruy Lopez is 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0. The most common move after this is the solid developing move 5...Be7, which enters the Closed Defence, avoiding alternatives such as the sharp Open Defence, 5...Nxe4. The most frequently seen continuation is 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3.
Black threatens to win a pawn with 6...b5 followed by 7...Nxe4, so White must respond, most often with 6.Re1 (followed by 6.d3, though this loses a tempo if White wishes to soon play d4), which, in turn, threatens Black with the loss of a pawn after 7.Bxc6 and 8.Nxe5. Although it is possible to defend the pawn with 6...d6, Black most commonly averts this threat by driving away the white bishop with 6...b5 7.Bb3. Examined in this article are follow variations:
White can now play 9.d3 or 9.d4, but by far the most common move is 9.h3, which prepares d4 while preventing the awkward pin ...Bg4. This can be considered the main line of the opening as a whole, and thousands of top-level games have reached this position. White aims to play d4 and Nbd2, Nf1, and Ng3, which would firmly support e4 with the bishops on open diagonals and both knights threatening Black's kingside. Black tries to counter this knight manoeuver by expanding on the queenside, taking action in the centre, or putting pressure on e4.
Pilnik Variation: 9.d3
The Pilnik Variation, named for Hermann Pilnik, is also known as the Teichmann Variation from the game Teichmann–Schlechter, Karlsbad 1911.[1] White plays 9.d3 intending to later advance to d4 under favourable circumstances. Although d2–d3–d4 appears to lose a tempo compared to d2–d4, White may be able to omit h3 regaining the tempo, especially if Black plays ...Bb7.
The Pilnik has seen a small resurgence in recent years, but that is mainly by transposition through 6.d3, which avoids the Marshall Attack. The line starting with 6.d3 leading to the Pilnik is 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.Re1.
Yates Variation and Bogoljubow Variation: 9.d4
White usually plays 9.h3 instead of 9.d4 (the Yates Variation) because after 9.d4 Bg4 (the Bogoljubow Variation), the pin of the white king knight is troublesome. The variation takes its name from the game Capablanca–Bogoljubow, London 1922.[2]
After 9...Bg4 White plays 10.Be3 reinforcing the d4-pawn. The main line continues 10...exd4 11.cxd4 Na5 12.Bc2 c5 13.h3 (13.d5?! allows 13...Nc4 with a tempo on the e3-bishop) Bh5.
The Yates Variation is more commonly reached by the 8.d4 Anti-Marshall move order: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.d4 d6 9.c3.
Chigorin Variation: 9.h3 Na5
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Chigorin Variation after 11.d4 Qc7
The Chigorin Variation was refined by Mikhail Chigorin around the turn of the 20th century and became the primary Black defence to the Ruy Lopez for more than fifty years. With 9...Na5 Black chases the white bishop from the a2–g8 diagonal and frees the c-pawn for queenside expansion. After 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 the classical Black follow up is 11...Qc7, reinforcing e5 and placing the queen on the c-file which may later become open after ...cxd4. Other Black moves in this position are 11...Bb7 and 11...Nd7; the latter was adopted by Paul Keres a few times in the 1960s. The Chigorin Variation has declined in popularity because Black must spend some time bringing his offside knight on a5 back into the game. 10...d5 is the Gajewski Gambit, sacrificing the e-pawn for open lines . This is less sound than 10...c5, but can be good in practical play.
The Chigorin is divided into four ECO classifications. In C96, Black or White deviate after 10.Bc2, and do not reach the classical main line position 10...c5 11.d4 Qc7. In C97, White proceeds from the diagram with 12.a4, 12.d5, 12.b4, or the main line 12.Nbd2 when Black responds with ...Be6, ...Rd8, ...Re8, ...Bb7 or ...Bd7. The C98 classification covers 12.Nbd2 Nc6, while C99 covers 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4.
Breyer Variation: 9.h3 Nb8
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Breyer Variation: 9...Nb8
The Breyer Variation was recommended by Gyula Breyer as early as 1911,[3] but there are no known game records in which Breyer employed this line. The Breyer Variation did not become popular until the 1960s when it was adopted by Boris Spassky and others. In particular, Spassky's back to back wins over Mikhail Tal at Tbilisi in 1965 did much to enhance its reputation, and Spassky has a career-plus score with the Breyer. The variation was the choice of many top level players as White has had trouble proving an advantage against it. Nowadays, however, this variation is considered too passive, and players prefer to play the Berlin or the Petroff as they seem to equalise more easily.
With 9...Nb8 Black frees the c-pawn and intends to route the knight to d7 where it supports e5. If White fortifies the centre with 10.d3 the opening is classified ECO code C94. The more common continuation, 10.d4, is ECO C95. The main line continues 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8. Black is threatening to win the e4-pawn via ...exd4 uncovering an attack on the pawn, so White plays 14.Ng3. Black generally plays 14...g6 to stop White's knight from going to f5. White then usually tries to attack the Black queenside via 15.a4. Black seeks counterplay in the centre via 15...c5. White can attack either the kingside or the queenside. This forces resolution of the centre via 16.d5. Black can exploit the weak squares on the queenside via 16...c4. White will try to attack on the kingside via 17.Bg5, moving forces to the kingside. Black will kick the bishop with 17...h6. The logical retreat is 18.Be3, which is met by 18...Nc5. White plays 19.Qd2, forcing 19...h5. The point of this manoeuver was to weaken Black's kingside.
Zaitsev Variation: 9.h3 Bb7
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Zaitsev Variation: 9...Bb7
The Zaitsev Variation (also called the Flohr–Zaitsev Variation) was advocated by Igor Zaitsev, who was one of Anatoly Karpov's trainers for many years. A Karpov favourite, the Zaitsev remains one of the most important variations of the Ruy Lopez. With 9...Bb7 Black prepares to put more pressure on e4 following 10.d4 Re8. One drawback of this line is that White can force a draw by repetition with 11.Ng5 Rf8 12.Nf3.
The main line continues with 11.Nbd2 Bf8. Here, White has 12.a4 (the main move), 12.d5, 12.Bc2 and 12.a3 (12.Nf1? loses a pawn after 12...exd4 13.cxd4 Na5 14.Bc2 Nxe4, where White has insufficient compensation).
12.a4
With 12.a4, White pressures Black's queenside. Black usually continues with 12...h6, but the sideline 12...Na5 have been tried. 12...exd4 transposes into the main line.
12...Na5 plans to induce a structural weakness on White’s queenside. Play continues 13.Bc2 exd4 (13...c5 is natural but less accurate, because after 14.d5 Black’s bishop on b7 is weak.) 14.cxd4 b4 15.b3 and now 15...g6. White has a slight advantage but Black has counterplay in the form of queenside pressure.
However, 12...h6 is the main line. Play continues 13.Bc2 (13.d5 is a sideline, after 13...Nb8 Black is doing well) exd4 14.cxd4 Nb4 15.Bb1 c5 16.d5 Nd7 17.Ra3 (planning to transfer the rook to e3, f3 or g3) c4 (17...f5 is a sharp but risky alternative) 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nd4 Rxa3 20.bxa3 Nd3 21.Bxd3 cxd3 22.Re3 Nc5 23.Bb2 Qa5 24.Nf5 g6 25.Ng3, and theory ends. In this position, it is not clear if White has an advantage. Black has the bishop pair and a passed pawn on d3. This is why alternatives to 12.a4 are being played more recently.
12.a3
White's second option after 11...Bf8. With a3, White controls the b4-square further, preventing Nc6–Nb4 ideas, and freeing up the a2-square for her light-squared bishop. Black has two options, 12...h6 or the sideline 12...g6.
12...g6 plans to fianchetto the f8-bishop, but gives White an advantage after 13.Ba2 Bg7 14.b4, where White has a space advantage and locks down the queenside.
12...h6 is the main move. Play continues with 13.Bc2 Nb8 and White can choose between the main line 14.b3 and 14.b4.
14.b4 increases control over c5. Play continues 14...Nbd7 15.Bb2, where Black has 15...g6 and 15...c5.
The latter is less popular, after 16.bxc5 exd4 17.cxd4 dxc5 18.d5 c4 Black is objectively okay, but her position is harder to play from a practical standpoint compared to White's position.
Therefore, Black more commonly plays 15...g6. White continues 16.Qb1, where Black continues with either 16...Bg7, where theory continues 17.Nb3 Rc8 18.Na5 Ba8 19.d5 or 16...Rb8 (planning to immediately play Ba8 in anticipation of Nb3–Na5), where play continues 17.Nb3 Ba8 18.Na5 c5 19.d5 c4.
12.Bc2
This is the old continuation. White wants to fortify her e4-pawn, which is under pressure, in advance, and aim for a setup with d5, followed by c4, b3 forming a pawn chain , then Be3 followed by Nf1. White always immediately responds to Rec8 (or Rac8) with Rc1. Black aims to pressure White's queenside with moves like Nc6–b8–d7 (like in the Breyer), Qc7, Rac8, c7–c6, a6–a5. White aims to attack Black's kingside, Black on the other hand wants to attack White's queenside. Black often plays g6, but she does not fianchetto the f8-bishop because controlling the a3–f8 diagonal is crucial as the d6-pawn is weak in this variation as Black played c7–c6; for example, 12...g6 13.d5 Nb8 14.b3 Nbd7 15.c4 c6 16.Nf1 Qc7 17.Be3 Rec8 18.Rc1 a5 19.Ng3 and 19...Bg7? loses a pawn after 20.dxc6 Bxc6 21.cxb5 Bxb5 22.Bd3 Qb7 23.Rxc8+ Rxc8 24.Bxb5 Qxb5 25.Qxd6.
12.d5
In this continuation, White opens up the position by exchanging her d-pawn with Black's c-pawn, leading to more open games. The main continuation is 12...Nb8 13.Nf1 Nbd7. White can play the forcing 14.N3h2, which continues 14...Nc5 15.Bc2 c6 16.b4 Ncd7 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.Bg5 h6 19.Bxf6 Nxf6 20.Ng4 Nxg4 21.Qxg4, where Black has the bishop pair, but the quality of her pieces are worse. Another option for White, if she wants to keep pieces on the board, is 14.Ng3, where play continues 14...Nc5 15.Bc2 c6 16.b4 Ncd7 17.dxc6 Bxc6 18.Bb3 (Ng5 is threatened) h6. White’s pieces are more active but her e4- and c3-pawns are weak.
Karpov Variation: 9.h3 Nd7
Karpov tried 9...Nd7 several times in the 1990 World Championship match, but Kasparov achieved a significant advantage against it in the 18th game. It is solid but slightly passive. Confusingly 9...Nd7 is also called the Chigorin Variation so there are two variations of the Ruy Lopez with that name, but 9...Na5 is the move more commonly associated with Chigorin. This defence is also known as the Keres Variation, after Paul Keres.
With 9...Nd7, Black frees up the f6-square for her bishop. She aims for a setup with ...Bf6, ...Nd7–Nb6 and ...Bb7. Play continues with 10.d4 Bf6 11.a4 Bb7. Now, White continues with 12.Na3; in the Karpov Ruy Lopez her knight usually goes to Na3 instead of Nbd2–f1–g3 to put more pressure on Black's queenside, and it can also be transferred to c2, preventing Black's knight from moving to b4 and where it can move to e3 or b4 if the situation calls for it. The main line continues 12...exd4 13.cxd4 Re8 14.axb5 axb5 15.Bf4 Na5 16.Bc2 b4 17.Nb5 Bc6 18.Qd3 b3 19.Bb1 Qb8 20.Nc3, where White has an advantage because she has more space.
White can opt for 12.d5 instead of 12.Na3 for closed positions, where play continues 12...Ne7 13.axb5 axb5 14.Rxa8 Qxa8 15.Na3 Ba6 16.Nc2 Nc5 17.Nb4 and either 18.Nb4 or 18.Bc2.
Kholmov Variation: 9.h3 Be6
The Kholmov Variation, 9...Be6, was popular in the 1980s but is now played less often at the master level. The main line runs 10.d4 Bxb3 11.axb3 (11.Qxb3 is another option) exd4 12.cxd4 d5 13.e5 Ne4 14.Nc3 f5 15.exf6 Bxf6 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Rxe4 Qd5 18.Rg4, when it has been shown that White's extra pawn is more valuable than Black's more active and harmonised pieces.
Smyslov Variation: 9.h3 h6
The Smyslov Variation (ECO C93) is a plan similar to that of the Zaitsev Variation. With 9...h6 Black prepares to play 10...Re8 and 11...Bf8 without fear of 10.Ng5. The loss of a tempo with 9...h6 gives White enough time to complete the Nbd2–f1–g3 manoeuver, and the pawn move can also weaken Black's kingside. The Zaitsev can be considered to be an improved Smyslov in which Black tries to save a tempo by omitting ...h6. However, sometimes Black plays ...h6 later in the Zaitsev.
After 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3, Black often plays 7...0-0. White can circumvent the Marshall Attack after 8.c3 d5 and play any of the alternative moves 8.a4, 8.h3, 8.d4, and 8.d3, which are commonly referred to as "anti-Marshall" systems, as they try to deter Black from playing ...d5.
When White opts for 8.c3, Black, in addition to transposing to the main line with 8...d6, can play 8...d5, introducing the Marshall Attack.
Marshall Attack after 11...c6, the most common move in modern play.[6] In 1918 Marshall played 11...Nf6.[7]
One of Black's more aggressive alternatives is the Marshall Attack: after 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 Black plays the gambit 8...d5, sacrificing a pawn. The main line begins with 9.exd5 Nxd5 (9...e4?!, the Herman Steiner Variation, is considered weaker, but Black scores well in online games with this line.) 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 (Marshall's original moves, 11...Nf6, and 11...Bb7 are considered inferior, but have also yielded good results at top levels of play for Black. GM Joel Benjamin suggests that 11...Bb7 is inferior due to 12.Qf3 [8]). The resulting position is shown in the diagram. To the casual observer it might seem that Black has been careless and lost a pawn; however, the sacrifice has also stripped off White's kingside defenders, given Black a lead in development, and rendered White's 8.c3 irrelevant. Since Black's compensation is based on positional rather than tactical considerations, it is difficult or perhaps impossible to find a refutation. Black generally goes all-in with a massive kingside attack, which has been analysed to great depth (sometimes beyond move 30) with no definite conclusion as to the Marshall's soundness. The Marshall Attack is a sharp opening system in which a great amount of theoretical knowledge is vital, and many White players, including Garry Kasparov, avoid it by playing one of the anti-Marshall systems: 8.d3, 8.d4, 8.a4, or 8.h3 instead of 8.c3.[9][6]
This gambit became famous when Frank James Marshall used it as a prepared variation against José Raúl Capablanca in 1918; nevertheless, Capablanca found a way through the complications and won.[7][10] It is often said that Marshall had kept this gambit a secret for use against Capablanca since his defeat in their 1909 match.[11] The most common counterclaim is that Marshall had used a similar approach in 1917 against Walter Frere.[12] However, chess historianEdward Winter found no clear evidence of the date for Frere–Marshall; several games between 1910 and 1918 where Marshall passed up opportunities to use the Marshall Attack against Capablanca; and an 1893 game that used the same line as in Frere–Marshall.[13]
Currently, Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian is one of the main advocates for the Marshall Attack.[15]
8.h3 Anti-Marshall
8.h3 aims to transpose back into the main line with 8...d6 9.c3. The typical central break 8...d5 is less effective: 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 (or 11...Bb7 12.d3, which transposes to 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3 d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.Rxe5) 12.Re1!; the c3-square is available to the knight, giving White a significant advantage.
The main continuation is 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3, whereas 9.c3 is inaccurate because 9...d5 10.exd5 Nxd5 leads to a favourable variation of the Marshall Attack for Black (11.Nxe5? Nxe5 12.Rxe5 Nf4!).
After 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3, Black can play the solid 9...d6, posing the positional threat of 10...Na5. White should respond with 10.a3, 10.a4 or 10.c3 to create space for the light-squared bishop.
After 8.h3 Bb7 9.d3, Black can also play 9...d5 in typical Marshall Attack style. Following 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Nxe5, Black targets White's light-squared bishop with 11...Nd4 (11...Nxe5 12.Rxe5 Qd6 is a viable alternative). With active piece play and a lead in development, Black gains sufficient compensation for White's extra pawn. This position was reached in game six of the 2016 World Championship match between Sergey Karjakin and Magnus Carlsen.[16]
8.a4 Anti-Marshall
The most popular way to avoid the Marshall. White attacks Black's queenside pawns. 8...d5 would be too risky and inaccurate, after 9.axb5 dxe4 10.bxc6 exf3 11.Qxf3 e4 12.Qe2 White has an advantage. Therefore, play continues 8...b4 9.d3 d6 10.a5 Be6, and both 11.Nbd2 and 11.Bxe6 are the best moves for White.
8.d4 Anti-Marshall
8.d4 immediately strikes at Black's centre, attacking the e5-pawn. 8...exd4 is met with 9.e5, where Black's position is too passive. Therefore, Black either plays 8...d6, which after 9.c3 transposes to the Yates Variation of the Ruy Lopez, or 8...Nxd4. Against 8...Nxd4, White can either play 9.Nxd4 where play continues 9...exd4 10.e5 Ne8 where both 11.c3 and Qxd4 are options for White, or 9.Bxf7+, and play continues 9...Rxf7 10.Nxe5 Rf8 11.Qxd4.
Averbakh Variation: 6.Re1 d6
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Averbakh Variation: 6...d6
In the Averbakh Variation (C87), named for Yuri Averbakh, Black defends the threatened e-pawn with 6...d6 instead of driving away the white bishop with the more common 6...b5. This defence shares some similarities with the Modern Steinitz and Russian Defences as Black avoids the ...b5 advance that weakens the queenside. White can reply with either 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.d4 or 7.c3 Bg4 (it is too late for Black to transpose into the more usual lines of the Closed Defence, because 7...b5 would allow 8.Bc2, saving White a tempo over the two-move sequence Bb3–c2 found in other variations). The pin temporarily prevents White from playing d2–d4. In response, White can either force d4 with 8.h3 Bh5 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.d4, or postpone d4 for the time being and play 8.d3 followed by manoeuvering the queen knight to the kingside with Nbd2–f1–g3.
Modern line: 6.d3
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Modern Line: 6.d3
By playing 6.d3, often called the Martinez Variation,[17] White steers clear of the Marshall Attack and any of the anti-Marshall lines. White threatens 7.Bxc6 winning the e5-pawn leaving Black a choice of either 6...d6 or 6...b5. After 6...d6 the e5-pawn is firmly defended and Black threatens to trade off White's Ruy Lopez bishop with 7...b5 and 8...Na5. White normally continues with 7.c3, and after 8...0-0 White can choose between 9.Nbd2 or 9 Re1. Black can also play 6...b5, and after 7.Bb3 d6 (7...0-0 is a viable alternative) White has to deal with the threat of 8...Na5 by playing 8.a3 (8.c3 or 8.a4 are perfectly playable as well), and after 8...0-0 (the immediate 8...Na5 is also feasible) 9.Nc3 we have reached a modern tabiya of the Ruy Lopez. This position was first reached in a high-level encounter between Viswanathan Anand and Michael Adams, Grenke Chess Classic 2013.[18] 6.d3 has gained wide popularity among the top players and has almost supplanted the Ruy Lopez main line with 6.Re1.
This variation can transpose into 6.Re1 lines but with a potentially advantageous move order. For example, in the 8.a4 anti-Marshall variation which can ensue after 6.Re1, one of the main lines is 8...Bb7 9.d3, which can also be reached by way of 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a4 Bb7 9.Re1. A perhaps more challenging response to the anti-Marshall is 8...b4, after which White may wish to ambitiously play 9.a5 (preventing ...Na5) d6 10.d3 Be6!, where White cannot avoid the trade of bishops (the main moves being either 11.Bxe6 or 11.Nbd2 Bxb3). If Black elects not to exchange, however, we may see 11.Nbd2 Rb8 12.Nc4 where White may retain some pull in the position. On the other hand, to be considered is 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.a4 b4 9.a5 d6 10.Nbd2 Be6 11.Nc4!, where White has avoided the exchange and can transpose directly to the anti-Marshall line if desired by playing Re1 later. Play may also in some rare cases transpose to a traditional closed Spanish (with 7...d6) after something like 6.d3 d6 7.c3 0-0 8.Re1 b5 9.Bc2 Bb7 10.Nbd2 Re8 11.h3 Bf8 12.d4, reaching a reasonably well-trodden position in the Zaitsev system, though both players may deviate at many points in this line.
Also possible is to transpose to the Pilnik Variation, after 6...b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0, where 9.Re1 would transpose to the Pilnik, with the Marshall successfully avoided (which the Pilnik does not do). In general, if 6...b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3, positions could resemble a traditional closed Spanish such as the Zaitsev, Flohr, Smyslov, Karpov, Breyer, or Chigorin where White has played 10.d3 (or in the case of the Chigorin, 11.d3 with 10.Bc2 c5 included) instead of 10.d4 (in the case of the Chigorin, 11.d4) if White plays Re1 and h3. In every case, 10.d3 is far less popular than 10.d4 (again, 11.d4 for Chigorin), but is the only move besides d4 to ever be seriously considered. 10.d3 in those variations are often referred to as the 'quiet' variation of that variation (quiet Breyer, quiet Flohr, quiet Chigorin, etc). In the case of Flohr–Zaitsev-type setups, White may quickly push d3–d4 without h3 and lose a tempo compared to the traditional Zaitsev, but the move h3 is what would be lost, which is not so relevant with the bishop already committed to b7, so the only thing h3 provides is luft (an idea shared with the Pilnik).
Morphy Attack: 6.Nc3
The Morphy Attack (ECO C84) named after Paul Morphy who introduced the idea in a 1859 blindfoldsimul ,[19] is aggressive and may lead to a slight edge for White, but less than in 6.Re1 and 6.d3. Similar to those two moves, White's defence of his e-pawn compels Black to drive away White's bishop with 6...b5 (6...d6 is also possible, but less popular). After 7.Bb3, Black can play 7...0-0 or 7...d6. Note that Marshall attack-style ideas of 7...0-0 and playing ...d5 next, sacrificing a pawn, make little sense when White's knight on c3 both controls d5 and means White has a more developed queenside, one of the upsides of the Marshall usually being White's underdeveloped queenside. The main line of 7...d6, 8.Nd5 Na5 9.Nxe7 Qxe7 10.d3 0-0, with Black eventually relinquishing White of his bishop pair with ...Nxb3, shows a common attacking idea in the Morphy Attack; Nd5. In the main line, 8...Nxd5? is wrong because 9.Bxd5! leaves White with a strong bishop on the outpost square d5, exerting a troublesome pin on the undefended c6-knight. After 7...0-0, 8.d3 transposes to one of the main lines of 6.d3, with 6... b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.Nc3. Paul Keres and Boris Spassky have both played the line a few times throughout their careers (both playing it against one another once), and Siegbert Tarrasch played it three times in his 1911 match against Schlechter (scoring 1 win, 1 draw, 1 loss in that order), but it remains the least popular option for White on move 6.
Worrall Attack: 6.Qe2
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Worrall Attack: 6.Qe2
In the Worrall Attack (ECO C86), White replaces 6.Re1 with 6.Qe2. The idea is that the queen will support the e-pawn, leaving the rook free to move to d1 to support the advance of the d-pawn, although there is not always time for this. Play normally continues 6...b5 7.Bb3 followed by 7...0-0 8.c3 and 8...d5 or 8...d6.
After 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3, an alternative to 7...0-0 and 7...d6 is 7...Bb7. This is known as the Trajković Variation. Black may sacrifice a pawn with 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 Nf4.
6.Bxc6 is known as the Delayed Exchange Variation Deferred or Exchange Variation Doubly Deferred (ECO C85). It loses a tempo compared to the Exchange Variation, though in compensation, the black knight on f6 and bishop on e7 are awkwardly placed. The knight on f6 prevents Black from supporting the e-pawn with ...f7–f6, and the bishop is somewhat passively posted on e7.
6.d4 is the Centre Attack or Centre Variation (ECO C84). It leads to sharp play. After 6...exd4 (6...Nxe4 and 6...b5 are viable alternatives) 7.Re1 b5 (7...0-0 8.e5 Ne8 is a playable alternative) White can play either 8.Bb3 or the sharp 8.e5. In case of the immediate 7.e5 Black takes advantage of the absence of the white rook from e1 and plays 7...Ne4 with the idea of 8...Nc5.
↑ Nandanan, Hari Hara (2 October 2011). "Carlsen stops Ivanchuk, Anand held". The Times of India. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. Retrieved 29 May 2015. Anand carefully employed the anti-Marshall against Aronian, an acknowledged expert in the Marshall. The Indian waited for things to unfold rather than forcing the pace in his characteristic way but after waiting for sometime on move 21 he deviated from the known track. Though he seemed to have got something out of the opening, the world champion did not have anything special.
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