Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Duras Variation
- 1.e4e5
- 2.Nf3Nc6
- 3.Bb5Nf6
- 4.d3d6
- 5.c4
103 games
A rare Anti-Berlin line of the Ruy Lopez in which White meets 4...d6 with 5. c4, setting up a central clamp in a slow, maneuvering game.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Duras Variation
The Duras Variation answers 4...d6 with 5. c4. White sets up pawns on c4, d3 and e4, which clamps d5 and leaves Black little scope for queenside expansion. The name also covers a similar c2-c4 plan in the Anderssen Variation of the Morphy Defense. The line is rarely seen. The most common reply is 5...Bd7, which unpins the c6-knight. The other main choices are 5...Be7 and 5...a6, while the engine prefers a kingside fianchetto with 5...g6. The position is roughly balanced, and Black has scored well in the small sample of games.