Theoria
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Ruy Lopez

Closed, Morphy Attack

C84offbeatpositional

  1. 1.e4e5
  2. 2.Nf3Nc6
  3. 3.Bb5a6
  4. 4.Ba4Nf6
  5. 5.O-OBe7
  6. 6.Nc3
547 games48%47%

Ruy Lopez sideline in which White defends e4 with 6. Nc3, aiming for Nd5 ideas; named after Paul Morphy and the least common sixth-move choice.

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About the Morphy Attack

The Morphy Attack, 6. Nc3, defends e4 by developing the knight and is named after Paul Morphy, who used it in an 1859 blindfold simultaneous exhibition. Black usually answers 6...b5 7. Bb3. After 7...d6 the main line runs 8. Nd5 Na5 9. Nxe7 Qxe7 10. d3 O-O, while 7...O-O 8. d3 transposes to the Martinez Variation. With the knight covering d5, a Marshall-style ...d5 makes little sense. It is White's least popular sixth move, and engines rate it balanced.

Popular continuations